Heard a weird and unlikely story the other day. It goes like this:
Late last year blogger David Farrar writes several uncomplimentary posts about the proposed Government bailout of Chorus. He is then told in no uncertain terms that his company Curia will lose its polling contract with National if he continues to bag the bung.
Now I don’t believe this to be true, because the John Key Government would never bully anyone and Farrar is so principled he would have exposed the bullying anyway.
Whatever the actual facts are, I think we should be told.
That Governor needs a New Jersey, with a clean bib, and something in his brain to govern his monomania.
This is enjoyable in a masochistic way. We have had the Canadian Toronto bully boy, both of them looking over-fed, so who can we present next. Do tell if anyone gets some goss on pollies. We can play our fiddles as functioning democracy burns.
“This is in stark contrast to other nations – particularly the French and Brazilians – who both use all of their allocated annual leave days. Despite taking all of their holidays, 90% of employed French adults still claim to feel vacation deprived, more than any other country.”
I’m with you there French Comrades (when I am in work of course)
In Austria, also in the list of countries taking all allocated leave, and maybe others, this could have someting to do the 3 day extra leave bonus for taking all allocated leave. For companies it seems the bonus is worth it to get the leave debt off the books… And reduces the likelihood of infringing on working hours legislation.
Working hours legislation to prevent exploitation… Weird huh?
“In Austria, also in the list of countries taking all allocated leave, and maybe others, this could have someting to do the 3 day extra leave bonus for taking all allocated leave”
Fancy that! Using reward, (as opposed to punishment),to encourage preferred behaviour in employee’s. It’s hard to imagine NZ companies being that forward thinking.
Many years ago, the Union I worked for dealt with a work site where the employer simply rostered employee’s with what they perceived as over due annual leave, (and it wasn’t over due anyway) OFF, so they didn’t have so much accrued leave sitting in the books. This of course, could have been dealt with by discussing leave with the employee(s) but above all respecting the employee’s personal life is their own and that it’s not for the employer to dictate when annual leave should be taken.
“Despite taking all of their holidays, 90% of employed French adults still claim to feel vacation deprived, more than any other country.”
Looks like spending time with family and friends and following your own interests is a bit addictive – no wonder it’s not encouraged in most modern societies.
Al Jazeera is (mostly) a very good TV channel
But viewers need to beware of its pro-Saudi political bias
Al-Jazeera News, (Freeview Channel 16), Friday 10 January 2014, 7:30 a.m.
I’ve been watching Al Jazeera intermittently for a few months, ever since it started to be broadcast on Freeview, along with the wonderful Sommet Sports. Occasionally I take time off watching the Bundesliga, or surfing docos, or speedway from Poland, to listen to the radio, to exercise, to read (presently reading War and Peace; just finished the War part and now onto the Peace) and to watch Al Jazeera.
I’m sorry to say that I am very concerned about the political bias of Al Jazeera. The channel does do many things very well: there are some lively debates about all sorts of things, and a really excellent media analysis show called Listening Post. Its documentaries are thorough, thoughtful and insightful; the other day there was a brilliant one about Brazilian kids who make a living by selling sweets to passengers on Amazon river boats. There was a riveting documentary on the history of Syria, and a serialised documentary on the history of Muslims in France. These documentaries are as good as anything the BBC did in its heyday.
But undermining all this, just as with the BBC and Deutsche Welle, is a political bias which is often overt. The station is owned by the government of Qatar, and despite its assertions to the contrary, it is quite clear that it adheres closely to the regime’s political line. The Qatari government is an ally of Saudi Arabia and the United States, and therefore an enemy of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Hezbollah. Al Jazeera’s coverage of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon is unremittingly negative. There is a special animus against Iran; Al Jazeera presenters mercilessly badger Iranian interviewees and their guest “experts”, often from the same right wing “think tanks” that pollute American television, speaking from studios in “friendly” places like Washington or London or Amman, are unrestrained in their hostility, often being extremely rude and contemptuous.
To compound things, the English language version of Al Jazeera is full of ex-BBC hacks, who don’t seem to have changed their style one whit. There is also a disconcertingly large number of former New Zealand television reporters working there. Ever wondered what happened to Wayne Hay? Watch Al Jazeera. You want to see Anita McNaught? Kim Vinnell? Barnaby Phillips? Watch Al Jazeera.
This morning’s news provided a neat little example of this phenomenon. Another old BBC hand, David Foster, interviewed one Shuja Nawaz from another right wing think tank, the Atlantic Council, this time about the Karzai government’s decision to release 88 detainees, despite objections from the United States. The detainees have allegedly committed some “egregious” crimes, Foster grimly informed viewers. Those crimes? Wounding and killing NATO troops in their country. Egregious indeed—just like the French Resistance, the Partisans in Yugoslavia and the Chinese “bandits” who fought the Japanese, these monsters dared to shoot at enemy soldiers who occupy their country.
Mr Nawaz pointed out that this release of prisoners won’t endear Mr Karzai to his American sponsors….
SHUJA NAWAZ: The United States is not going to be receptive to his demands. DAVID FOSTER:[with maximum gravitas] Understandably perhaps, given the number of years that U.S. forces have been there!
Not JUST ‘BBC hacks’ @ Morissey – but also CNN.
They all have an agenda and a ‘perspective’ – whether AlJaz, BBC Int, DW, CNN Int, and RT.
Trick is to try watch ’em all from time to time and see where they’re coming from.
The good thing about AlJaz is that – true to their word – they often tackle stories neglected by others and at least try and keep things on the menu whilst others have covered it briefly, the walked away.
I note the growing criticism of the BBC these days from within the UK, and the manner in which they’ve caught the NZ disease (dumbing down as a Public Service broadcaster, the cult of personality, etc….). Doesn’t help I spose when they start employing TVNZers doing their OE (keeping us all “ACROSS” things).
Credibility lost. They’ll probably wake up WHEN its all turned to shit and their journalistic integrity, credibility and trustworthiness ranks amongst below that of pollies, real estate agents, lawyers, used-car salesmen et al.
Oh – btw….. have you noticed how the BEEB – now managed by the bean counters effectively is getting its presenters into more of that ‘personality’ oriented promotion.
Thanks Christ its being met with the cynicism it deserves in the UK – whereas here its been going on so long its fucking Norman Normal, Max Headroom
An excellent post by Nash, though I’m not sure it is entirely needed from a candidate at this time. His analysis of the Green’s electoral prospects is spot on, if only because it matches what I’ve been saying for years. If the Greens feel that they are ready to be in Government, then they probably need to find a way to stitch up a coalition deal with Labour and NZFirst before the election, not after.
There’s some nasty little smears about the Greens included in that post. eg – the line about the Greens turning off voters, just plays into the MSM/right wing spin, and is not helpful.
It shows both a fear of the Greens, and failure to understand how to develop a working relationship, while each party follows their policy priorities. Nash treats the Greens as the enemey taking votes off Labour, and seems to be really underestimating their future vote share.
And as for saying they could choose NZ First as their main partner…..?
Well, if NZF get back in, then they are likely to be in Government with someone. I’d prefer LP/NZF rather than Nat/NZF, so if it has to be that the Greens dip out to make that happen, it’s no bother to me. With NZF, you know exactly what you get, the Greens not so much.
Like it or not, the public perception is that the Greens should not be anywhere near the purse strings. That’s not a smear, just a fact of political life. I suspect the voting public would be ok with them getting portfolios such as environment or education, but nothing that effects the economy.
“His analysis of the Green’s electoral prospects is spot on, if only because it matches what I’ve been saying for years”. Not; because it has any connection with reality, but; because it confirms your own prejudices. But what else can one expect from a person who thinks that Shane Jones would be a better leader for Labour than Cunliffe & that NZF is their natural coalition partner?
There is a *lot* wrong in Stuart Nash’s piece – so much so that it should just be written off as the braying of an ass…
“A Wgtn Green insider once told me that he believed that at least 80% of their voters would support Labour if the Green party did not exist” – yeah – because the Green Party is going to lay down and die on the say so of Labour
“it is not a certainty that a Labour led government would be in coalition with the Greens” – is he really expecting Labour to gain 10% over the next 6-9 months?
“The Green party received 11.1% at the last election. History will show this is the high-water mark for them. I expect them to get around the 6.7% they polled in 2008” – so, we’re going to ignore the 2011 election for the sake of a badly made point?
“With Cunliffe firing, the Labour caucus united and the growing perception that Key is only there for his rich mates, the battle for 2014 is between a Labour-led opposition” – since when wasn’t it going to be a Labour-led opposition? Also, as much as I like Cunliffe, I have yet to see Labour fire
It is talk like this that stokes the divisiveness on the Left and Labour need to get a clue that their allies are *not* their enemies.
If it’s reasonable to suggest that 80% of Green voters would vote Labour if the Green Party didn’t exist, then isn’t it just as reasonable to suggest that a similar percentage of Labour voters would vote Green if the Labour Party didn’t exist?
And if that’s the case, then isn’t it just as reasonable to suggest that the Labour Party and the Green Party are natural bedfellows in a parliamentary setting?
So, vive la difference (appreciate it!) and fuck this whole idea of trying to create domineering factions within the scenario. (To clarify, not saying your doing that Zorr)
I’m trying to say the opposite of that Bill – that we should be working together but it’s one of those cases where this type of divisive political language is only coming from one party in the relationship – Labour.
Stuart Nash and Josie Pagani should go form their own party called “The Self Involved Morons Party” and leave the rest of us to trying to figure out how to defeat John Key.
I’m tempted to respond with my brief encounter with a former “Labour” tah (very muchly) visit.
These are fairly trying times, and were I to do so though, there’d be a barrage of Max Headrooms – Geeeeeeeey-ons, the Garnered, the necked-Red – the whole Cat’s Chorus and Kordia-enabled band of the fukkers: In pagani-like appearances on every and any – please, fucking please (I’ll lay down for you Mora-like please) ANY outlet willing, ditto a “i’m inclined to agree-with you Mathew (or rather Matt).
Play it forward …. the cnuts will eventually be the IRRELEVANT, the pleading as INNOCENT, the BITTER old Queens (who got an agenda but NOT the courage that was necessary to go with it) , the economically worried behind keypad gated clusters (not communities)……. there’s a shitload of them. The God (in our case KEY) unforsaken.
since when wasn’t it going to be a Labour-led opposition?
Well, it’s pretty much been a Greens led opposition since 2k8. Unfortunately, Labour seem to want to continue with this after the general election this year.
It is talk like this that stokes the divisiveness on the Left and Labour need to get a clue that their allies are *not* their enemies.
That and that neo-liberalism, free-trade and privatisation is bad for society and then state their understanding clearly and concisely.
tbh – that’s a little bit beside the point. We all have slightly different views on where we would like the grand ol’ ship New Zealand headed but I think we could all agree on one thing – time to take the Captain’s hat back off John Key because there’s icebergs ahead and he’s all “full steam ahead
“Well, it’s pretty much been a Greens led opposition since 2k8. Unfortunately, Labour seem to want to continue with this after the general election this year.”
Yep! …. In the true sense of the word “opposition”.
It’s probably even been a bit before 2k8 – when ABC type factionalism became evident; when Pagani & Williams couldn’t quite get over themselves and convinced themselves they knew best; when Labour forgot its principles; when even those within (Chauvell and others) began to think pushing shit uphill wasn’t really viable ……
That last conference or two really were a bigger game changer than the careerists could cope with – tho’ their only option is/was to continue.
Exciting times.
Irrelevance ….. OR …. the possibility/opportunity of beginning to rebuild and become something those lost 800k or so can identify with, have an affinity with, support, assist, ……
Strange really how a very few can stuff it up for many. Such is the nature tho of a Labour Party – at least as it existed till recently.
Tick Tock Tick Tock
Thank CHrist I noticed a Chauvell back in town recently, and briefly, and busily texting away.
I suspect he too was weighing up whether things were going to be despair and irrelevance, OR something worthwhile.
[ABC …. not sure whether that stands for Anything but Cunliffe, OR All But Cnuts] – time will tell
Correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t it already been stated that the Greens will have economic portfolios? Just not that of ‘Finance Spokesperson’ or whatever.
And what the fck is so wrong with Green representation in finance TRP? I mean, seriously, what do you think would be wrong with it? Not really interested in you trying to channel the supposed thoughts and sentiments of a ‘voting public’ that just happens to also channel to b/s line of the Nats and their cronies.
So, putting aside any second guessing about thoughts of the ‘voting public’ (because that might be seen as a smokescreen to hide your own thoughts and sentiments behind) – what do you think?
If you think it’s a bad thing, then just say so – and stop looking to cover your arse. And if you’re happy with it, then how about you stop reflecting the baseless fear mongering of the Nat Party?
I have no fear of the Greens having finance portfolios, Bill. Read what I wrote before you go off half cocked. Like it or not, voters don’t like it as a possibility.
“Like it or not, voters don’t like it as a possibility.”
Except a whole lot do, so what’s your point exactly? That you can predict how many people will vote which way based on which policy this year? Or perhaps,
“Like it or not, the public perception is that the Greens should not be anywhere near the purse strings. That’s not a smear, just a fact of political life. I suspect the voting public would be ok with them getting portfolios such as environment or education, but nothing that effects the economy.”
Except it is a smear, one you are repeating. The public don’t all think one thing despite your assertion. Which just leaves your motives for taking this line.
I think there is such a public perception. One that could be smashed by the Greens proving it wrong in the next or some other government. It must be one of their longer aims….
I don’t think it’s possible to separate out ‘public perception’ from Crosby Textor et al spin, TRP/Labour Party spin, media spin (both right wing and general shit stirring), from people who have some genuine concerns, from people who are ignorant, from people who are bigoted, from people who just hate the GP.
weka, the polls don’t lie. Only one in ten voters directly support the Greens and a percentage more, like me, are fine with them being in a Labour led Government. I get out and about a lot, and talk to heaps of people about politics, both at work and socially, and the theme of ‘what about the greens’ comes up all the time. The majority of voters are uncomfortable with them having real responsibility. That won’t change at least until they’ve actually been in Government, and even then, it probably won’t change by much.
The funny thing about this discussion is that the Green’s leadership know this stuff already. Russel doesn’t wear suits because he’s a fan of Milan fashion week, it’s about appearing sensibly middle class to try and turn the ‘hippy’ tag around.
Yes TRP. Branding. Big deal. Now – you going to state your position/thoughts on Green Party involvement in finance? (Saying, as you did, that you don’t fear it, simply isn’t saying anything about whether you think it a good thing or bad thing. It’s in line with me saying “I don’t fear having chili for tea tonight” ; it says nothing about whether I think it’s a good idea or a bad idea.)
The MSM has covered quite extensively the Australian election fortunes, and (rightly or wrongly) the Greens over there have been singled out frequently as a major factor in their current financial situation (forecasting a deficit in excess of $40Bn next year alone).
This may have a bearing on current public sentiment (just a guess though).
I’ve stated my position, Bill. But, anyway, I don’t think the Greens are going to get any finance related portfolios anyway, because Labour already have front benchers ready to take those posts.
ps, “Branding. Big deal.” tells me all I need to know about your understanding of why the Greens can’t get any real traction.
“And everybody knows the shit about branding – on what it is and why it’s necessary. That’s why I say it’s no big deal. Geddit?”
Clearly you don’t ‘geddit’, Bill. The Green’s branding keeps them above 5% but limits them to single figures, or just above. It is also part of the reason they are not trusted by the majority (that is, they are seen as a single issue party).
Well, since you’re still pretending to engage while engaging in nothing beyond the same old ducking, diving and diverting that seems to be your m.o. …what do you think of Green MP’s having financial portfolios in a future government given that Cunliffe (unless my memory is letting me down) has already stated that they will have financial portfolios?
jebus, have you overdone it on the obtuse pills, Bill? I’ve already said a few times today I have no problem with the Greens having finance portfolios. Can you stop shimmying and a duckin’ and divin’ long enough to actually read my words?
“Mr Norman is extremely unlikely. I would rule it out, being our Finance Minister, yes I am ruling that out.”
David Cunliffe.
Bill, that’s the nearest thing I can find to support for your claim of an offer of economic portfolios. Doesn’t sound much like it, does it? Perhaps you can actually find a quote that supports your point. I couldn’t.
Perhaps you are thinking of Eddie’s speculative piece last year (Labour makes room for the greens or a similar title).
What the Greens have to do is lose the extremist tag, until that happens the green party will always be looked at with suspicion by the voting public.
The only way that is going to happen is if they ditch the “labour and only labour is the party we’ll work with” nonsense.
They had an opportunity to develop a bit more cred with the voting public when they teamed up with national with the insulation scheme but fucked that up by pulling out and cementing themselves as a hard left alliance like party instead of an environmental party, absolute height of stupidity.
If the greens actually went back to being an environmental party,willing to work with whoever was in power they’d get the opportunity to show that they’re not extremist nut bars and you’d find the voting public would become more receptive to their ideas.
That would involve kicking out the communists though.
They had an opportunity to develop a bit more cred with the voting public when they teamed up with national with the insulation scheme
Actually, in doing that, they lost credibility.
If the greens actually went back to being an environmental party
Ah, the old if they just stayed in their place cry from a RWNJ. They’ve got the experience and the skills within the party to be a broad party so why shouldn’t they?
The greens haven’t got enough cred currently to be a fully fledged party such as National and Labour.
They need to concentrate on the environment aspect at the moment, once they get a track record of being involved in government they should then try to expand into other areas.
Currently they seem to be going from the crawling stage to the mountaineering stage in one go.
Rod Donald dieing at such a young age has really hobbled the greens and put them back decades.
Funny how they got shit from people like you back in the day for being an environment only party (even though they weren’t).
Funny also how when they expanded their focus to be an all round party, not just about the environment, and got that message out better, they got more votes.
So your assumption is there are 20% of voters out there whose sole concern is environmental issues and not a mix of environmental AND other issues.
These voters whose sole concern was the environment would have to be prepared to vote for the environment and not on which way the jobs or finances or health or education matters were managed – under your assumption.
No reason why a party cannot specialize, National for the economy, Greens for the environment.
I reckon there would be quite a few blue voters out there that would toss a party vote the greens way, if they weren’t so left, candidate vote National, party vote green.
Think of all the tradie fisherman, hunter types, even farmers, by saying FU to National you lost all those potential votes, bit silly really.
Yes, I did consider this aspect prior to making my comment – that point is worth considering – however omits other concerns that people have about what is going on – the more the Greens have answers to the other problems the more inclined I am to vote for them – which I never have to date.
One would have to assess how many votes would be lost to them for not addressing the other issues and how many would be gained by that approach.
I estimate more would be lost than gained.
The environment is extremely important – however if there is no connection made between how these environment issues can work in with other issues facing us – relevancy is not understood – I believe it becomes too abstract for many people to support. They can also more easily be put down to being ‘fixated’ i.e. ‘nutbars’ if the relevance of where environmental issues fit in is not made clear.
The Greens are doing well on this ‘linking’ of environmental problems with addressing other problems – and it is my view that they are gaining support from doing this – not simply ‘because of the Rena disaster’.
Yes, but “the environmental side of politics”, if taken seriously, is always going to be diametrically opposed to the right wing neoliberal capitalist side of politics, because right wing neoliberal economics and the consumerism on which it depends is exactly what our environment needs to be protected from.
I think he has one of those astroturfing jobs where he doesn’t get paid enough to make a real effort, he just has say vaguely pseudo-logical shit to tie up the local energy a bit. I’m kind of surprised to see how many people engaged seriously with his arguments.
With polls still indicating Nat popularity in the high 40s the conclusion I draw is this country is being run on the infestation of pseudo logic and therefore it pays to provide arguments against it at every opportunity.
The MSM has concocted the “Greens + finance portfolio = economic madness theory” as another right-wing narrative peculiar to political vested interest associations to chip away at any credibility the left may be procuring.
How much the general public really believes this message is difficult to accurately determine but what tends to happen is the ‘messaging’ that gets repeated the most often over a long period of time eventually gets swallowed by the intended recipients and becomes ingrained into orthodox thinking regardless of it’s integrity or otherwise (think advertising and neo-liberalism for example).
Spot on, Changeling. Whether it’s deserved or not, or logical or not, voters do not want the Greens to have a hand on the chequebook. Obviously, that feeling is strongest among Nat and ACT voters, but a significant proportion of the other 40% feel that way too. When I talk to people about the coming labour led Government, that meme comes up all the time.
It was well and truly reinforced when Norman quite rightly suggested we should look at quantitative easing a few years back. Despite it being a standard economic response in tough times, he was widely dissed in the media for it.
It wasn’t helped, I think, and so did a lot of people within the Green Party, when Russel backed down instead of explaining that it is a pretty conventional policy. Policy that got us and the USA out of the 30’s depression before most other countries, and used, even now by even “right wing” countries.
Of course the banks, which really run NZ would strongly oppose any attempt to use QE to break their monopoly on finance. They are not opposed to it when it is simply given to them. As in the USA.
Yep. Left supporters want to see Left parties standing strong for strong Left principles, strong Left policies and a strong Left vision for NZ.
This is not fucking rocket science.
The swaying middle (most of the top 20%) will go wherever they think their personal and immediate family interests are best served. Which for many, means that something like a UBI and a jobs guarantee for youth, is going to be more than slightly attractive. Anything to get the teenage boy off the bloody PS3 and off to work at 7 in the morning.
Yes, well said The Changeling – this is what is so distressing about a Labour member coming out and repeating the message sent out by right-wingers and MSM
– It is not likely that Labour are going to win the election without the support of other parties – so why diss them?
-So why are Labour members repeating messages that work against their chances of success??
Here is a novel idea: Left wing party members need to challenge the false messages that right-wing parties and the MSM send out to the public – at every opportunity they get – not propagate them geez!
“Left wing political parties” do not represent or lead the Left. How can they? They are establishment and privilege, not radical.
Left parties ALWAYS have to be pressured by the non-parliamentary Left to keep on course, because the tendency to rapidly go off on idiotic Thorndon bubble focussed tangents is well established.
You really are coming out with some comments that I view as containing dubious logic to them recently CV. What is with that?
“Left wing political parties” do not represent the Left”
Oh really? Wtf are they representing then?
[Are you trying to get people not voting?]
“Left parties ALWAYS have to be pressured by the non-parliamentary Left to keep on course”
Yes, this is a good message to keep repeating – do remember you are saying that to a person who is of the understanding that politicians – such as the leader of the Labour Party- read The Standard!
“Left wing political parties” do not represent the Left”
Oh really? Wtf are they representing then?
I’ll try and phrase it a bit more carefully. “Representing” is not necessarily exactly what I meant, as I also meant “reflecting.”
So wtf are they representing/reflecting? Different aspects of the establishment of course, which by definition, in Parliament and on pay levels of the top 2%, they certainly are.
The much broader extra-parliamentary left, especially the non-membership left, thats where pressure needs to build up to put these parties on course, and keep them there.
[Are you trying to get people not voting?]
People successfully made that call for themselves last time.
My interpretation of what CV is alluding to is that left leaning party’s, in order to stay in power know they must constantly garner whatever the centre ground voters deem as necessarily important because this is always where elections are won and lost. So because of this there’s always a conflict between non parilamentary members of a political party and MP’s (caucus), about policy priority involved with pandering to the wider centre ground electorate so power can be maintained and staying ‘true’ to whatever the stated ideology is.
Spin doctoring and going in absentia (from perceived negative media biases) is the primary mechanism that the National Party uses in this process of delivering core policy requirements to their business rountable confidants, whilst lying their heads off to the middle ground via spin doctoring to maintain credible to the middle ground of the electorate and to ultimately stay in power.
in order to stay in power know they must constantly garner whatever the centre ground voters deem as necessarily important because this is always where elections are won and lost.
I don’t agree with this
This is what the leftwing parties are struggling with:
[this last link is well worth the read by the way – gives a proposed solution to the problem]
And this is why you believe that the centre ground vote is what is winning and losing elections
and that is why I ask CV whether he wants people to not vote – because people who would vote left and who are not voting are not voting because they know how severely compromised by big money left wing approaches – and our democracy – is.
And telling them that the left parties do not represent the left – is going to feed into their fears – it can be changed as long as we are strong, persevering and do not give into defeatism and ensure political parties get positive feedback for left-wing policies.
And left-wing policies are what is going to counteract what is going on regarding big money and the power this has over politics
It’s now not enough for left supporters to vote Left once every 3 years although of course that would be nice; they have to join the community groups, the protest movements, the outspoken workers unions and organisations who will keep the parliamentary left, truly left.
Blue leoppard, Having read the second link as i understand it, although the centre ground of the voting spectrum is where elections are won and lost (which on its’ own is true and correct?), those voters themselves are adhered and vulnerable to decision making processes and messages, based around voting for the interests pertaining to who ever is their paymaster. Ongoing financial security is the precursor to perceived voting preferences.
And on top of this is the more direct financial support a party receives from lobbyists (rich corporate’s), in return for implementing their agendas. The rich corporate’s control the voting patterns of the wider populace of the middle ground in at least three different ways:
1. Directly owning and controlling media and messaging signs.
2. Controlling employees perceptions of whats good for their (and wider business and economic interests generally).
3. Directly funding political campaign messaging and receiving favourable policy outcomes because of this.
The political party with the most money and money related connections has the most power. A synonymity here?
So where TRP do you get the ‘fact’ of the voters don’t like it from, admit it, it’s simply more of you ‘thunk it therefor it is’ politics from you,
11% of the voters have no problem whatsoever with the Green Party economic policies including Russell Norman’s advocacy of printing money, at the November election, as David Cunliffe’s newly RED Labour Party is exposed as the softest of pinks i fully expect as per the Green Party’s growth rate for it to achieve 13-14% of the Party Vote,
Of course the neo-libs and other right wingers happily and for far too long ensconced within the Labour Party yearn for a cozy Government made up of Labour and NZFirst with the Green Party simply providing the numbers with very little gains in policy,
This time round i don’t think that that little scenario will wash with the Green Party rank and file and watch the ructions from within the Party should the current leadership sell it’s support for what will essentially be a right leaning Labour Government for next to nothing as was done befor…
specious TRP – we can only vote for one party – just because someone has voted for one party doesn’t mean they might be perfectly happy for another one to be in power.
“the Greens not so much.” ????!!!!!! Wow. The Greens have never been in power let alone coalesced.’
Old ideological barriers still exist. It seems 30 years after the start of neo-liberalism, the proponents of that scheme on the “left” still cling to those belief’s with their dear lives.
Many of us lefties in the 70’s and 80’s admired the Values Party but couldn’t wrest our voting pattern away from Labour least National took advantage of a perceived weakness.
Now there is a real choice on the left. Before David Cunliffe took over leadership of the Labour Party, the best performers on the left were in the Green Party, and not just their leaders.
The Greens have been taking votes off Labour. Where else do you think they get them? Labour/Green as a package means that every toxic quote from a Green candidate will be sheeted home to Labour. Every Green election dirty trick is sheeted home to Labour. Many of the Green votes are natural Labour voteswho despaired of Labour winning again. The Cunliffe is bound to rise in popularity even although currently polling worse than Shearer. That is just the MSM bias surely.
There has never been a Green member in government ever for a very good reason. They are economic vandalswho want a Stone-Age society.
Stuart Nash is just a messenger, he’s on the streets talking to people, he’s getting endless feed back from potential voters.
Obviously the feedback he’s getting is anti green and people won’t vote labour while it’s bolted to the greens.
Disappointing for all the greenies who signed up to labour in an attempt to shift labour way further left, prepare for a sharp correction back to the middle where all the voters are.
BM and fisiani, have you brains been fried in the sun? It is well established that where the hippies go everyone else goes later. But you lot are always just simple followers so I wouldn’t expect any recognition of this… carry on. I won’t be looking for you in the rear vision mirror…
I have a couple of questions for you then.
“Where the hippies go everyone … “. How many of the Ohu set up during the 1972-1975 Labour Government are still going? Or did all the hippies decide that they really weren’t such a great idea?
“I won’t be looking in my rear vision”. What is the point of having a rear vision mirror on your bicycle if you don’t keep an eye on it? You don’t really want to be hit from the rear wnhen you could have avoided it do you? Incidentally as you are apparently a Green supportor I assume it is a bicycle and not a car?
B.M.- you wouldn’t know what “green” was unless it was the algae growing around your back door.
Stuart Nash is one of these nice urber middle-class Labourites, who see socialism tied to a desktop, where money is made by shoveling it around and not hard work.
In all reality, he probably has more in common with you B.M. and John Key, than the plight of the average working man or woman, let alone someone truly on struggle street.
Harsh words, I don’t think so. I watched in horror as the Party I once fought for, get absolutely “dogged.” Many in that Party are still trying to “dog” it!!
Nash, Pagani…hmm. I’m thinking spanners and works. Question I’m almost mulling over is whether they are loose spanners or if there is a hand behind them.
Nash’s three points are pretty much statements of political fact. But the strategic conclusions he draws are much more debatable, and reflect the views of just a faction within Labour.
But the brittle way Green supporters invariably react to criticism from Labour – by having the sort of poor-little-me tanty you’d expect from a spoilt 16 year old who has just been told they can’t borrow the car – is deeply unattractive and makes me wonder if they are politically tough enough to survive in government.
Yeah well Sanctuary – I’m looking at it and thinking it’s crap.
I’m not that big a supporter of either the Greens or Labour, meaning, that yes, I want a left leaning parliamentary presence forming the next government, but having said that, don’t see parliament as a mechanism that we can ever use to provide ourselves with what we need as a society.
Sanctuary, I do agree it’s most likely that Nash is not in the majority faction of Labour, and that his strategy is dubious. But I did not respond to Nash’s post in isolation, or in some knee-jerk defence of the Greens.
Key and NAct have signalled frequently that they intend to drive a wedge into the left by using smeary attacks on the Greens (“far left”, “printing money”, etc).
This morning I replied to a comment by Nat Wayne, critical of his apparent use of wedge politics: in Wayne’s case his focus was on criticising Labour. His response was that he was just looking at the facts.
Then I headed over to The Daily Blog, and see Nash using a similar kind of wedginess; this time smearing the Greens.
My response to Nash’s post was more like: with friends like this, who needs Crosby Textor…?!
I would prefer to see both Labour and Greens (and Mana) focusing on their own policies and arguments against the destructive policies and actions of the NAct government: focusing on a better way to create a fair, susutainable and well-functioning NZ. And not playing into, and supporting NAct’s spin lines.
I think there will be more of this kind of article the nearer we get to the election esp if the greens are polling well. Labour candidates with borderline list places will start getting nervous and look to protect there place as it were. Media will be more than happy to seek them out for anti greens comment as they look to increase labours vote… Challenge for Cunliffe will be to keep a lid on that kind of thing
karol and cricklewood
Words to live by – actually …
“”Teach Your Children” Lyrics by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: You, who are on the road, must have a code, that you can live by.
And so, become yourself, because the past, is just a good bye.
Teach, your children well, their father’s hell, did slowly go by,
And feed, them on your dreams, the one they picked, the one you’re known by.”
sing365.com
“Labour candidates with borderline list places will start getting nervous and look to protect there place as it were..”
@cricklewood, I red the Nash article last night and I haven’t been able to work out what his motivation to write an article like this would be, but I think you have hit it on the head above.
From a big picture Labour perspective, surely the name of the game is to increase the size of the Left block, so Labour should be focusing its limited resources on getting people, anybody to vote for it instead of narrowing its focus on COMPETING with the Greens. Labour needs to COLLABERATE not COMPETE with the Greens if it wants to win, its not going to be easy to win in 2014 but I feel that collaborating will win more voters as a strategy.
Ive never been impressed with Nash’s thinking, does anyone know what his background is?
One really does have to wonder about the Labour people who are fixated on getting votes back off the Greens, instead of the rather obvious (at least, to all three of the contenders for the Labour leadership!) 800,000 non-voters from 2011.
Possible explanations: they’re mathematically illiterate; consumed with envy at the Greens’ success; or simply that far to the right of the party that they would rather take a bet on Winston Peters and whatever conservative radicals he brings in with him than deal with the Greens.
In any case it just shows there are still people who don’t understand MMP. Fighting over how big the Labour share of the Labour/Greens pie does fuck all to (my apologies to the English language) grow the pie.
Both Labour and National know that Green policies, if presented as policies not tied to a party, would attract more voters than theirs.
I have seen research, unpublished, unfortunately that shows with policies separated from who is proposing them, the majority prefer Green policies.
Similar polling in the States has shown people prefer.
“Despite fiery campaign rhetoric, again and again Americans have spoken out in support for public investment in the structures at the core of our society and that lead to a sustainable and growing middle class. Our fellow citizens want effective and well-funded public schools and access to affordable higher education, safe and modern transportation infrastructure, robust public safety systems through fully supporting our police and fire departments, and clean air and water. They want sustainable and living-wage jobs, which means investing in research and innovation; they want Social Security strengthened for generations to come; they want health care costs reduced, and to ensure that more of their loved ones, friends and neighbors have access to adequate and affordable care. Americans want government to put these things at the top of the ‘to invest in’ priority list. They are more important to families now than ever before”. http://www.alternet.org/story/148738/voters_want_jobs%2C_economic_recovery%2C_and_a_government_that_will_work_to_achieve_it
It suits MP’s, both National and Labour, to demonise the Greens to prevent the break up of their comfortable duopoly, where they can alternate power and position simply by worrying about pleasing the relatively few swing voters.
Labour is worried they will become redundant. Greens fit comfortably within the same democratic socialist spectrum as the Labour party did, before 1984.
It suits MP’s, both National and Labour, to demonise the Greens to prevent the break up of their comfortable duopoly, where they can alternate power and position simply by worrying about pleasing the relatively few swing voters.
QFT
Labour is worried they will become redundant.
Labour are obsolete and have been for some time now but they, and a large chunk of the electorate, just haven’t realised it yet.
What worries me – on one hand there is this call for unity/or working together and once again it is the social democrat’s in labour who smash it up. As an anarchist, I’m offended – the social democrats are being pack of back stabbing fools – It’s worse than 20 trots in a room smoking crack!
It’s like when ever labour get a sniff of power they go nuts, and any mad dosh bag they have, comes out of the wood work and assaults the left for:
a) being decisive
b) not being really left or
c) loony/crazy.
is labour so weak, tired and visceral?
It work together, or lose labour it’s that simple. Why? Well it is much more simpler to get people not to vote than it is to get them to vote. And quite frankly the other anarchist and myself have been talking – you keep this shit up and we will go the whole “don’t vote – politicians only win!” path – You want us to put our propaganda hats on – do you? Stop attacking the left – fight the real enemy! Poverty, unemployment, the environment and start changing the bloody economy.
Although I personally prefer to revenge vote rather than the ‘don’t vote’ version: for the politician who is going to rark up and annoy the most politicians when I am seeking revenge for stupid political strategies – one then gets entertainment value for the next few years every-time that politician gets into the news.
I think this clearly demonstrates why our adversarial political system is corrupted and ineffective at delivering a truly democratically balanced, fair and inclusive economic and social society. There’s so much distortion and lying going on that most people realise that their opinions count for nothing and those in power just continue to do their own and their vested interests pandering, whatever negativity occurs in communities on the ground.
The idea of an ‘absolute democracy’ where every political policy due to be put forward by the party in power is voted on by the public after a mixture of left, right and independent analysis, research, dissection and then presented to the public, has to be a better way of constructing political, economic and social life.
Yes it needs to be about the representing the greatest good for the greatest number of people – not solely about representing ‘those that voted for me’ or ‘keeping my job – regardless of what interests I serve’.
One of the big issues with “representative democracy”, an oxymoron, is the need for politicians to appeal to small proportion of the electorate, about 20%, who are swing voters.
They enact policies and try to appear to be concentrating, on “hot button” issues that their focus group polling tells them will sway these “swing voters”.
Judging by a lot of the policies, the swing voters appear to be self interested, bigoted, unprincipled and judgmental.
We get “populist” polices for the 20%.
Not for the 80%, including those who don’t bother to vote because they see no party as representing them..
There’s one person who won’t be demonising the Greens. David Cunliffe. My understanding is he has a good working relationship with them. He’s very strong on environmental concerns – not surprising given his wife is a lawyer specialising in environmental matters.
Possible explanations: they’re mathematically illiterate; consumed with envy at the Greens’ success; or simply that far to the right of the party that they would rather take a bet on Winston Peters and whatever conservative radicals he brings in with him than deal with the Greens.
There’s a fourth: one reason many on the left are dubious about the Greens was well expressed a few years back by Danyl on his blog:
I can’t vote for the Greens – I’m a scientist and if they ever got into power Sue Kedgley would stick me in a big wicker man and set fire to me…
Still, if the Greens can overlook Labour’s many dubious aspects, you’d think Labour’s MPs could stir themselves to at least some level of reciprocation.
Look now the Greens are led by a nice clean shaven white guy in a suit (even if he is an Aussie ginger) it means they can be credible economic managers! All those interesting folk have gone to the retirement home of occasional tv punditry.
Ha. I’m a scientist and I don’t worry at all about the Greens. The parties that worry me are on the right, with their denial of science and their worship of oil company spin. It’s a right wing government in Canada that’s stripping bookshelves, and another in Australia that did away with the science ministry, not to mention the American right and their daily strolls with dinosaurs.
Nash needs to learn that Labour should be apologising for 30 years of Rogernomics and hanging their heads in shame over the neoliberals still spouting rubbish, not strutting their stuff like peacocks. His contribution rammed home to me how right I am to be voting Greens and Mana.
It’s similar to private health provision- the state health system provides the back-up for the cases which are too expensive or difficult to handle by the private hospital. In other words pluck off the ripe fruit and leave someone else to process the damaged fruit and also to tend the tree.
In the charter schools, pupils who are ‘difficult’ or autistic are excluded by the school management, and go by default back to the state system. The charter schools receive their money from the state but are not bound by the same rules as the state schools.
The charter schooling examples are also frightening because it seems that the state’s money is being used, via the kickbacks, for political campaign purposes as well as running the schools. This from people who would scream blue murder if the case for state funding of political parties was raised.
Tony P
Thanks for that link. Scary stuff which reveals the true fiscal agenda of Banks and his foxy friends.
I refer again to an interesting interview on the Daily show with Dianne Raditch. http://www.thedailyshow.com/?xrs=eml_tds_103113
“In this standoff, the hostages are public school children. They are being held captive not by a rag tag bunch of Somali buccaneers nor by Tea Party loons with that distinctly wild-eyed serial killer look in their eyes. No, a generation of youngsters is being held instead by pinstriped corporate executives, buttoned-down foundation officers and the local school board officials those aristocrats buy and sell”.
Christchurch Press starts its right wing election campaign early in the new year.
Headlines on Wednesday proclaims NZ as the ‘Rock Star economy’ illustrated by a photo of a flashy car salesman with an ostentatious display of Audi cars. (At first I thought it was supposed to be a caricature, but no I think he thought it looked tasteful).
On Thursday the headline was ‘Retailers on a high’ on spending booms illustrated by a retailer with a $56,000 diamond ring.(Again I think it was meant to be a serious attempt at depicting the ‘Americana Dream’ to Kiwis).
Both articles by a Cecile Meier, a recent arrival to New Zealand, but I guess the headlines belong to the (sub) editors whose political marketing intentions couldn’t be clearer.
Expect more of the same to trickle down to Canterbury readers in this election year.
Ho-hum.
In other parts of Christchurch, some neighbourhoods have been booming. Some of the biggest leaps in income were in suburbs around Riccarton and Addington.
From 2006 to 2013, household incomes in Riccarton rose 58 per cent to $58,300, while in Addington the increase was 49 per cent to $53,800.
Some of the smallest changes were seen in the most affluent suburbs. Aidanfield’s figure increased by 8 per cent to $88,800 and Halswell West’s 13 per cent increase brought the area’s median household income to $98,500.
Nationwide, the median household income increased from $51,400 in 2006 to $63,800 last year.
In other words the brighter future is here as promised.
Au contraire. Its is you that is behind the 8-ball.
The latest Household Income Survey shows the ratio of housing costs to income in Canterbury went from 15% in 2007 down to 13.3% this year.
It also shows weekly food costs rising 15.6% ($158.50 to $183.20) and total weekly expenses up 12.6% ($1004 to $1131) yet household income in that time has gone from $65,537 to $83,588 up 28%.
Perhaps fact-less rhetoric is more your strong point.
vto
I don’t know if seti is talking to you. But if food is rounded down to 15% and weekly expenses to 12% as stated, then that is a 27% rise and those costs would apply to everybody at every level of income – and then if income at above median, has risen to 28%. Well that means that even the middle class aren’t ahead, and the lower income class are behind and the precariates are running closer behind the horses with shovels and brooms to get that valuable horse-shit.
If my addition is out point out where, just don’t demur demurely otherwise I consider any attempt to make a case of us all doing well is more Far Out than Gary Larson.
What shit are you smoking? So if toothpicks have risen 200% then we’re really in the crap?
You don’t add the percentages together, they form part of the cost of total expenditure.
Bottom line – total expenses (including housing and food) up 12.6%, income up 28%.
Seti
Okay that’s what I thought – was relying on you to set me right. Now compare the 12.6% rise overall for expenses, against the percentage rise of income for
those on the low income to median strata of income. I am expecting the median would be about $65,000.
Let’s look at how the financial situation for most people in NZ has been.
“You don’t add the percentages together,”
tell that to all the spending boom apostles waxing lyrical over the magic of xmas.
They tell us of the heart-thumpingly brilliant retail sales leading up to xmas,
then it gets better with amazeballs record smashing sales from boxing day,
then it is casually mentioned that one of the biggest purchase blocks leading up to xmas was the ubiquitos prezzie card and its kin
which were mostly used on boxing day
Unfortunately if you look at the rise in the median family income overall, it is still because of huge rises at the top end. Not significant rises at the bottom.
The majority still had increases well below inflation.
As for expenses. Expenses for low income families have risen much faster than the general inflation rates. For a long time now.
While some of us have enjoyed cheaper flat screen TV’s and sirloin steaks, essentials such as basic food, power, rent, transport, schooling and health care continue to rise steeply.
Then you add in things which used to be Government supplied at cheap or no direct cost, which are now, “user pays”.
Yes, I saw that fairfax was trotting out that term “rock star economy” in it’s “paper’s” and thought immediately two things: For who? And who says that? Crosby Textor?
From memory of the RNZ piece on it the other day, I garnered the person who coined the term works for HSBC Bank – so maybe crosby textor are getting their financial mates in on the campaign act early.
I wonder where Cecile Meier came from – South Africa? That’s the home of diamonds isn’t it. There were enough on that ring to blind a mole.
And the crowing of car salespeople about the rise in vehicles, imported of course, all adding to our overseas deficit is mind-blowing. Consumerism keeping the country going. Isn’t there some saying about the brainless leading the mindless or something. If the government said okay all vehicles imported now have to be able to run on electricity, batteries, biofuel or something slanting towards Green that wouldn’t be so bad. But no, not a change to the automatic pilot for the country. On the Aotearena goes.
And housing is up too. So everything is all right. And the salaries are up 28%. It says so on this wafer of CD, this mark on an ephemeral page. That can vanish as soon as some questions are asked that are uncomfortable.
Cecile Meier is French. Her next article in Friday’s Press is her analysis of how and what kiwi’s think.Also quite revealing of her ‘insightful’ understanding of what New Zealanders want and believe.
too troo VTO.
There has a been a persistent price rise of everything since National engineered a TURN for themselves and the compradores and profiteers it associates with.
Norway is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It’s home to more natural wonders than we can count and it has stunning cities, fascinating history and really happy people.
Norway’s not cheap. But it’s worth it. Here are 25 reasons why.
1. It’s actually one of the happiest places on Earth.
And there are nice pictures. On my old computer they take a while to load yours will probably be faster.
.
joe90 Interesting. A financial plan for the country. And it works. Gosh.
Not that Norwegians will be able to access or spend the money, squirreled away for a rainy day for them and future generations. Norway has resisted the temptation to splurge all the windfall since striking oil in the North Sea in 1969.
Norway has sought to avoid the boom and bust cycle by investing the cash abroad, rather than at home. Governments can spend 4 percent of the fund in Norway each year, slightly more than the annual return on investment.
Still, in Norway, oil wealth may have made the state reluctant to make reforms or cut subsidies unthinkable elsewhere. Farm subsidies allow farmers, for instance, to keep dairy cows in heated barns in the Arctic.
It may also have made some Norwegians reluctant to work. “One in five people of working age receives some kind of social insurance instead of working,” Doerum said, despite an official unemployment rate of 3.3 percent.
Note the disapproving tone taken about work and supporting farmers. The slaves are slacking, work on two legs good etc, even though unemployment is 3.3 per cent. And farmers can probably produce sufficient food within the nation.
Somebody is breaking through the miasma of work-will-set-you-free to be able to afford food and an inside sleeping place propaganda.
I think that I don’t understand this about Ireland owning nothing. It seems that Shell is involved but I saw that Norway’s Statoil owns 36% of the reserves and drilling and results.
I guess then Shell owns the rest.
It seems that the video is trying to stir up hostility towards Norway. Has Norway the smaller share and Shell the bigger? Why not get angry at Shell and/or Ireland’s politicians who have tigered their way into a green bog? Why isn’t the deal at least 30% Ireland, 30% Norway and 60% Shell.
Surely those clever businessmen could have engineered that. They sound as clever as ours at dealing with anybody stronger, fit only for holding their coats open and dropping their pants.
The author seems to be a miserable sod less a clue about food security.
There are four components to Norway’s food security policy: firstly, the need to protect arable land from degradation and alternative use; secondly, to maintain food self-sufficiency from domestic production, measured in terms of calories, at the minimum current level of 50 percent (57 percent including fish products); thirdly, to maintain a “fairly sizeable”, well trained and experienced farming population; and fourthly, to maintain a decentralised food production structure as being less vulnerable in times of crises.
My people left there 1000 years ago, prior to the invention of central heating. Natural beauty and wonders are all very well if you have a bear skin and blanket. Of course, “free trade” was respected, there was good money to be made in the international battle axe trade.
Want to get some transparency back into politics funding in New Zealand?
Tired of electoral funding skullduggery?
I suggest NZ creates the Electoral Donation Register of New Zealand.
THE EDRNZ:
The EDRNZ is an escrow body which collects and distributes donations for all local and central government election candidates and or political parties.
Any party or individual standing in local or central government elections registers with the EFRNZ and is paid donated monies minus an administrative tax.
A small fee of perhaps 0.01% is taxed on all donations for administration of the EDRNZ.
KiwiBank is an obvious choice to administrate the fund.
All donations are deposited and logged with the EDRNZ then distributed to the relevant party or individual. With modern banking on-line processes this would be an efficient near instantaneous transaction from donation to EDRNZ to candidate. (especially quick if the candidate banked with KiwiBank)
DONATIONS:
Any individual donation over $1000 is not anonymous and is declared on a public register.
Donations below $1,000 can be anonymous but are still declared on a public register.
Any donations from a business or a trust for example, of any amount, would not be anonymous and must be declared on the register. (Trusts are and will continue to be a major thorn in the paw of NZ politics, until they are extracted) Occassional audits of the anonymous deposits should show up attempts to circumvent this.
Any donation of any amount not made in the name of a NZ citizen or resident of NZ would not be anonymous and must be declared on the public register.
All cash donations, electoral office collections and ‘raffle’ sales etc are processed/declared as per origin of funds. -this is an obvious grey area for cases where this total exceeds $1000 but it is hardly an insurmountable obstacle. The circumstances of its collection would show the totals were legitimate. E.g. the deposit slip from bucket collections. Large single donations (over the $1000 limit) are very rare from a bucket day, i am confident dodo eggs would be more common, but a donor’s details could easily be logged by the collector or alternatively the donation can be made using any number of modern technical services such as Square, for one example.
THE PUBLIC REGISTER
Your vote is your vote and that should always be private information between you and the relevant electoral body. When it comes to political donations however, I strongly feel if you don’t want people to know you donated to a particular party then why are you donating to that party?
I am sure there are plenty of clever folk out there who could shape a register with the suitable oversights which also provides the necessary social protections.
Despite the disasters in information sharing from recent years, I am confident NZ could produce a public register detailing the donated amount with an associated donor identity that does so without signing away excessive amounts of private data. The Addresses or locality of the donor for example need not be specific or even public, you might live in Tawa but that does not mean you don’t want to support a candidate in Taupo.
The transfer of data to the EDRNZ Public Register would not need to be instantaneous and a weekly update would most likely suffice.
In conclusion, there are numerous opportunities to massively overcomplicate the environment of a body like EDRNZ, and despite the wailing and gnashing of teeth from some heavily invested interest groups, the actual mechanics of its operation are incredibly straightforward and there is no reason for it not to operate efficiently and most importantly transparently.
thanks Rosie,
after the recent calls for some discussion of actual ideas, I was interested in reading folks views on it, but I guess it could not compete with discussing a hypothetical Parliament.
Dreamer of the week, No 94: wannabee Epsom MP David Seymour.
“… having returned to New Zealand for the Christmas break and finding “a very positive vibe” around Act he decided he would indeed seek the nomination.”
Strange behaviour in the suburbs. I went shopping at another supermarket than my usual today. An Asian lady came right up to me and glared at me for no reason. I jumped. It was almost as though she was saying, ‘Stay away from here.’ Weird. The other evening I parked the car and dropped a letter into the mailbox outside the Post Office. Suddenly an Asian man walked to the ATM nearby and jerked his head to the side as though he was checking that I wasn’t following him. Weird.
Rosie, you represent a big threat. In places like W(h)anganui you can no longer even identify “patched” gang members to help you out if you are assailed by your common garden citizen (well known dangerous buggers, half of them vote National).
Hi Ennui – that was Rose saying about the (perceived) strange behaviour in the burbs, not me.
Something stranger is this: A woman was murdered in her home in our neighbourhood. Neighbours heard her screaming at 1am as she was being stabbed to death but no one phoned the cops. The 111call that was made came from inside her house. That fact that no one thought to phone the cops when they hear some one screaming at 1 in the morning just blows my mind.
That is not very compassionate of the neighbours. People don’t realise that police cruise around in cars and can get there quicker than you think if a car happens to be near by.
You’re right Rose. It wasn’t very compassionate of the neighbours. I found it really upsetting that they didn’t do anything, and it deepened my concern about the isolating and non engaging nature of our suburb. Also, what must the victims family and friends feel about the fact that in her last moments in life she was abandoned by those that could have helped her?
I can’t say I ever experience anyone looking at me in a hostile way in the burbs, as you have experienced- I’m the opposite, I go about completely unseen unless I am wearing my “are you serious” meme girl t shirt. I got this image printed on to a t shirt as an expression of my consternation toward:
A) Our National Government and their policies
B) The voters who allowed the above to happen
I don’t get your point. Are you trying to link these “weird” behaviours to the fact the these people are “Asian”? If there were “white” people behaving the same way, would you have said:
“Strange behaviour in the suburbs. I went shopping at another supermarket than my usual today. A white lady came right up to me and glared at me for no reason. I jumped. It was almost as though she was saying, ‘Stay away from here.’ Weird. The other evening I parked the car and dropped a letter into the mailbox outside the Post Office. Suddenly a white man walked to the ATM nearby and jerked his head to the side as though he was checking that I wasn’t following him. Weird.”
Hang on wtl. Don’t jump to conclusions. I have a friend who has had a few similar experiences. She lives in an Auckland suburb. They’re recent experiences and she doesn’t know why it’s happening. I might add she’s not anti-Asian. She’s even taught Asians in an Asian country.
Quite unusual behaviour for Asians to ‘glare’ at whites. (Although I do it all the time to certain types on the campaign trail lol)
I wonder if this is some kind of unconscious reaction to background anti-asian behaviour or media which has been occurring (though I am not aware of anything specific that has changed).
The other thing which would be interesting to know…are these Asians that have been seen reacting mainland Chinese, other Chinese, Koreans, Japanese or from somewhere else?
Just saying that I felt surprised in the supermarket and on the street when going about my daily business – and described what I saw. I feel it’s touching on human rights issues to be able to go about your daily business freely. I wondered whether anyone else has had similar experiences. Unfortunately I can’t know where these people come from unless I ask them, and I can’t see how I could ask them.
wtl: I never said that I don’t like Asians.
When you glare at whites, Colonial Viper, I’m guessing that’s your way of saying, ‘Back off.’ Why would a woman in a supermarket want me to back off? She did look like a National voter and maybe she could tell by the way I was dressed that I wasn’t wealthy. We were in a beautiful suburb. But still, that is nonsense as it’s not the Kiwi way.
Your last sentence or two is very interesting and revealing. Most Asian cultures are very class and status aware. Hence the endless brand name shopping bs that those who are wealthy enough seem to participate in.
The point is the there is no reason to classify those people as ‘Asian’. If it was a white person doing it, I’m guessing rosie would just have said “a lady” and “a man”, yet if a member of a minority does it the person gets described as being a member of that minority even when it is irrelevant to the story.
This kind of thing is endemic in NZ. For example, most of the articles on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang affair contained the statement that she was “Hong Kong-born” (even in the one line summary), when this piece of information was hardly a key point to the story itself.
IMO it’s even better if we not only class these people as Asian (if they broadly speaking are), but to then see if we can’t find out if there is a specific subgroup or nationality acting differently than what we might expect. Admittedly, I’m just being nosey, but if some underlying social dynamic has changed it would be very interesting to figure out.
My whole experience at the supermarket checkout was unpleasant. The lady glared at me, the Kiwi cashier didn’t greet me, the Asian bag packer swung her hand out within two inches of my face pointing to another cashier, and the bag packer forgot to include some items which I luckily noticed.
Maybe the first lady is a customer monitor who decides who they want to regularly shop in the store – rich National voters only. A sort of segregation of the rich and poor.
In my experience, when the customer service is that bad, the company culture at the top is even worse. Shitty management + crappy wages = unhappy workers giving mediocre service.
Maybe the lady who glared at you mistook you for someone else? Or maybe you accidentally ran over her toes while making a bee-line for the last punnet of raspberries at the end of the fruit aisle? (No wait, that was me on Xmas Eve)
Kiwis can behave rudely too. The other evening I was walking along the footpath of a fairly busy street. Two Kiwi teenage boys came riding towards me on their bikes at full speed. I decided not to jump off the footpath to make way for them as the footpath is for foot traffic. The boy nearest the road was forced to ride onto the road which seemed a bit dangerous as a car came up right behind him.
wtl and cv
The woman reported what had happened to her. That’s all. It was noticeable, and made her feel puzzled. Don’t start that hyper-reactive stuff.
wtl is suggesting some kind of selective racism is going on here but if there are individuals from a particular ethnic background behaving in a slightly unusual way then it’s stupid to say you can’t name their ethnicity. As I pointed out, I know someone who has had some similar experiences with the same ethnic group.
If we go down wtl’s track then I could suggest that he/she is being negatively gender-selective in that he is questioning the right of a woman to comment about a personal experience. For instance, would he/she have made the same kind of comment if the commenter had been a man?
It sounds to me like there might be a bit of a backlash occurring from a few people of Asian origin who have experienced anti-Asian sentiment in NZ.
Anne
When Asian people are targetted by thieves, on the assumption they must be wealthy, I think they might look to their back at the ATM. I do. At who is there and how close as you are advised to be careful about hiding your pin number.
I get antsy when anyone comes to stand beside me as I finish at the supermarket close enough to see my pin number. Tall people could see right over my guard hand if they wanted to. So it could be habit being careful.
But watchfulness led to that nasty business in Florida where the black youngster might or might not have been a thief but the whole thing got out of hand and the Cuban I think knifed? the black guy after reporting him to the police
Maori have felt targetted for decades. There was the sarcastic Maori joke about there being a law that allowed the police to stop them for being Maori in charge of a car.
My cousins vvisitd last night. They said that a landlord was charging 590 a week for the home they charged 290 a week pre earthquake. I wonder if some landlords think if an insurance company paid it was ok? Having said that accom payouts have probably finished.
“Having said that accom payouts have probably finished.”
Surely you jest.
EQC repairs are getting underway for a lot of people now; myself and family included. Generally for EQC work you have to move out of your house for 3-6 weeks, during which time your insurer will pay for temporary accommodation.
Only those who homes were destroyed / badly damaged will have used up their accommodation payments by now. Those houses were in the minority, while also getting the vast amount of publicity.
My son’s family have just had last of minor cracking, repaired, filled and painted. Those who have had lots of damage have suffered. And deserve consideration and support and individual planning appointments if needed. And prompt action if to that level.
Aside from the fact it’s the Daily Mail, so most likely a load of old bollocks anyway this isn’t going to happen to NZ since the government you support would rather do anything than follow in the path of the Norwegians when it comes to managing the profits from resource extraction.
Try the Norway report with link from joe 90. And if you don’t go there I have quoted some facts from it that can’t be written off. Of course we should not be thinking now of drilling for oil and gas, or be fully occupied with finding other energy sources, but still it is great to read of a country that isn’t English speaking. No news is good news if in English. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-10012014/#comment-755613
Digging up our resources and selling them is such a way so that the major beneficiaries are foreign corporates and their stockholders doesn’t make NZ richer. In fact, it makes NZ poorer as we lose resources and get nothing for them.
The Greens need to understand that to be able to achieve thier goals then a massive ‘Think Big’ style program of state investment is needed. Off the top of my head, solar heating for all schools and state housing and a CRI to focus on clean renewable energy. I see no such promises in thier manifesto.
Solar energy is most effectively used as direct heat, for water and space heating. Solar electricity from photo-voltaic panels is still very expensive but is appropriate in remote and off-grid locations. As this technology reduces in price, and with the benefit of bulk purchasing, it may become part of our grid-connected electricity system. The Green Party supports:
Letting a Government tender for a five year programme to produce and install 500, 000 sq metres of solar water heating panels (sufficient to supply about 125,000 homes). The programme will be:
Divided between government buildings (such as state houses, prisons, and hospitals) and suitable private buildings (with priority given to low income families, large families, and isolated rural communities) where the cost savings from the bulk purchase will be passed on to the householder, and
Designed to build capacity in the manufacturing and installation of solar water heaters and bring down the price substantially and permanently.
Was reading somewhere that Perth used to have a requirement for new buildings – and building lots – to be designed to allow for passive solar orientation.
This existed for a while, and when the rules were ‘relaxed’ the increase in energy consumption was noticeable.
A simple non-technical, no-cost rule such as this requires only designers and planners that are informed and diligent.
I brought this up with the Unitary Plan Manager, John Duguid during a community workshop. (Where they go through the motions of listening to the community. Though to be fair, a couple of my suggestions did get picked up). The look of incomprehension was memorable. We continue to design new subdivisions and lots around how many we can fit in – and roads.
A good reminder for me, millsy, to make sure than this is in my Unitary Plan submission for Auckland.
“What struck me is that it was called Benefits Street and then three-quarters or more of the programme actually followed one storyline which was about a petty criminal and shoplifter and how he lived on the proceeds of his crime, rather than the reality of what people face when they live on benefits,” Begg told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday morning.
“Part of the problem of projecting the extreme cases is that people then extrapolate that and say that applies to everybody who is on benefits. There wasn’t anybody who was a typical benefit claimant featured on the programme at all. There was a huge imbalance.
Shouldn’t be surprised though as it was Channel 4 – the same channel that brought us that load of lies The Great Global Warming Swindle. Just more beneficiary bashing which seems to be a global sport of the MSM and right-wing politicians.
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
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 ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
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. ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
After replacing a fifth of their caucus in just four months, the Greens’ opportunity to reset, reshuffle and refocus on the Government is quickly slipping away The post Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset appeared first on Newsroom. ...
I knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...
Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Opinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...
What do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...
Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
By Robin Martin, RNZ News reporter A New Zealand local authority, Whanganui District Council, has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemnation of all acts of violence and terror against civilians on both sides of the conflict and the immediate return of hostages. It comes as ...
Asia Pacific Report The Aotearoa chapter of the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has appealed to the New Zealand government to call out Israel over the “cruel and barbaric use of force” in Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. The league’s open letter was sent to Prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will invest $566 million over a decade on data, maps and other tools to promote exploration and development in Australia’s resources industry. The project will fund “the first comprehensive map of what’s ...
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party.When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events.When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Heard a weird and unlikely story the other day. It goes like this:
Late last year blogger David Farrar writes several uncomplimentary posts about the proposed Government bailout of Chorus. He is then told in no uncertain terms that his company Curia will lose its polling contract with National if he continues to bag the bung.
Now I don’t believe this to be true, because the John Key Government would never bully anyone and Farrar is so principled he would have exposed the bullying anyway.
Whatever the actual facts are, I think we should be told.
They probably sent round Crusher Collins to have a quiet word with him, while Steven Joyce and Bill English sat outside in the car.
they could have also taken the chris christie of nz politics..brownlee..with them..
..and threatened farrar with getting brownlee to sit on him..?
..that would have pulled farrar back into line..toot suite..!
phillip ure..
“It’s the worst example of a petty political vendetta’: Fort Lee, NJ, Mayor Sokolich on retaliatory George Washington Bridge closings”
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/emails-link-chris-christie-aides-bridge-lane-closures-article-1.1569740#ixzz2pvkvNMjs
Insane! The Tea Party approach to town planning.
That Governor needs a New Jersey, with a clean bib, and something in his brain to govern his monomania.
This is enjoyable in a masochistic way. We have had the Canadian Toronto bully boy, both of them looking over-fed, so who can we present next. Do tell if anyone gets some goss on pollies. We can play our fiddles as functioning democracy burns.
test..
it’s eating comments/white-screening again..
phillip ure..
The French and Brazilians have something to teach NZer’s about relaxing, and work life balance.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1401/S00126/kiwis-leaving-millions-of-annual-leave-days-unused.htm
“This is in stark contrast to other nations – particularly the French and Brazilians – who both use all of their allocated annual leave days. Despite taking all of their holidays, 90% of employed French adults still claim to feel vacation deprived, more than any other country.”
I’m with you there French Comrades (when I am in work of course)
In Austria, also in the list of countries taking all allocated leave, and maybe others, this could have someting to do the 3 day extra leave bonus for taking all allocated leave. For companies it seems the bonus is worth it to get the leave debt off the books… And reduces the likelihood of infringing on working hours legislation.
Working hours legislation to prevent exploitation… Weird huh?
“In Austria, also in the list of countries taking all allocated leave, and maybe others, this could have someting to do the 3 day extra leave bonus for taking all allocated leave”
Fancy that! Using reward, (as opposed to punishment),to encourage preferred behaviour in employee’s. It’s hard to imagine NZ companies being that forward thinking.
Many years ago, the Union I worked for dealt with a work site where the employer simply rostered employee’s with what they perceived as over due annual leave, (and it wasn’t over due anyway) OFF, so they didn’t have so much accrued leave sitting in the books. This of course, could have been dealt with by discussing leave with the employee(s) but above all respecting the employee’s personal life is their own and that it’s not for the employer to dictate when annual leave should be taken.
Onya Austrians.
“Despite taking all of their holidays, 90% of employed French adults still claim to feel vacation deprived, more than any other country.”
Looks like spending time with family and friends and following your own interests is a bit addictive – no wonder it’s not encouraged in most modern societies.
Al Jazeera is (mostly) a very good TV channel
But viewers need to beware of its pro-Saudi political bias
Al-Jazeera News, (Freeview Channel 16), Friday 10 January 2014, 7:30 a.m.
I’ve been watching Al Jazeera intermittently for a few months, ever since it started to be broadcast on Freeview, along with the wonderful Sommet Sports. Occasionally I take time off watching the Bundesliga, or surfing docos, or speedway from Poland, to listen to the radio, to exercise, to read (presently reading War and Peace; just finished the War part and now onto the Peace) and to watch Al Jazeera.
I’m sorry to say that I am very concerned about the political bias of Al Jazeera. The channel does do many things very well: there are some lively debates about all sorts of things, and a really excellent media analysis show called Listening Post. Its documentaries are thorough, thoughtful and insightful; the other day there was a brilliant one about Brazilian kids who make a living by selling sweets to passengers on Amazon river boats. There was a riveting documentary on the history of Syria, and a serialised documentary on the history of Muslims in France. These documentaries are as good as anything the BBC did in its heyday.
But undermining all this, just as with the BBC and Deutsche Welle, is a political bias which is often overt. The station is owned by the government of Qatar, and despite its assertions to the contrary, it is quite clear that it adheres closely to the regime’s political line. The Qatari government is an ally of Saudi Arabia and the United States, and therefore an enemy of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Hezbollah. Al Jazeera’s coverage of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon is unremittingly negative. There is a special animus against Iran; Al Jazeera presenters mercilessly badger Iranian interviewees and their guest “experts”, often from the same right wing “think tanks” that pollute American television, speaking from studios in “friendly” places like Washington or London or Amman, are unrestrained in their hostility, often being extremely rude and contemptuous.
To compound things, the English language version of Al Jazeera is full of ex-BBC hacks, who don’t seem to have changed their style one whit. There is also a disconcertingly large number of former New Zealand television reporters working there. Ever wondered what happened to Wayne Hay? Watch Al Jazeera. You want to see Anita McNaught? Kim Vinnell? Barnaby Phillips? Watch Al Jazeera.
This morning’s news provided a neat little example of this phenomenon. Another old BBC hand, David Foster, interviewed one Shuja Nawaz from another right wing think tank, the Atlantic Council, this time about the Karzai government’s decision to release 88 detainees, despite objections from the United States. The detainees have allegedly committed some “egregious” crimes, Foster grimly informed viewers. Those crimes? Wounding and killing NATO troops in their country. Egregious indeed—just like the French Resistance, the Partisans in Yugoslavia and the Chinese “bandits” who fought the Japanese, these monsters dared to shoot at enemy soldiers who occupy their country.
Mr Nawaz pointed out that this release of prisoners won’t endear Mr Karzai to his American sponsors….
SHUJA NAWAZ: The United States is not going to be receptive to his demands.
DAVID FOSTER: [with maximum gravitas] Understandably perhaps, given the number of years that U.S. forces have been there!
If you want a really chilling read, have a look at the lineup of “experts” on that think tank that Mr Nawaz belongs to….
http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/about/experts
Not JUST ‘BBC hacks’ @ Morissey – but also CNN.
They all have an agenda and a ‘perspective’ – whether AlJaz, BBC Int, DW, CNN Int, and RT.
Trick is to try watch ’em all from time to time and see where they’re coming from.
The good thing about AlJaz is that – true to their word – they often tackle stories neglected by others and at least try and keep things on the menu whilst others have covered it briefly, the walked away.
I note the growing criticism of the BBC these days from within the UK, and the manner in which they’ve caught the NZ disease (dumbing down as a Public Service broadcaster, the cult of personality, etc….). Doesn’t help I spose when they start employing TVNZers doing their OE (keeping us all “ACROSS” things).
Credibility lost. They’ll probably wake up WHEN its all turned to shit and their journalistic integrity, credibility and trustworthiness ranks amongst below that of pollies, real estate agents, lawyers, used-car salesmen et al.
Oh – btw….. have you noticed how the BEEB – now managed by the bean counters effectively is getting its presenters into more of that ‘personality’ oriented promotion.
Thanks Christ its being met with the cynicism it deserves in the UK – whereas here its been going on so long its fucking Norman Normal, Max Headroom
To steal some of the comments expressed below Stuart Nash’s lastest post on The Daily Blog:
*Bangs head
on deskagainst a brick wall*An excellent post by Nash, though I’m not sure it is entirely needed from a candidate at this time. His analysis of the Green’s electoral prospects is spot on, if only because it matches what I’ve been saying for years. If the Greens feel that they are ready to be in Government, then they probably need to find a way to stitch up a coalition deal with Labour and NZFirst before the election, not after.
There’s some nasty little smears about the Greens included in that post. eg – the line about the Greens turning off voters, just plays into the MSM/right wing spin, and is not helpful.
It shows both a fear of the Greens, and failure to understand how to develop a working relationship, while each party follows their policy priorities. Nash treats the Greens as the enemey taking votes off Labour, and seems to be really underestimating their future vote share.
And as for saying they could choose NZ First as their main partner…..?
Well, if NZF get back in, then they are likely to be in Government with someone. I’d prefer LP/NZF rather than Nat/NZF, so if it has to be that the Greens dip out to make that happen, it’s no bother to me. With NZF, you know exactly what you get, the Greens not so much.
Like it or not, the public perception is that the Greens should not be anywhere near the purse strings. That’s not a smear, just a fact of political life. I suspect the voting public would be ok with them getting portfolios such as environment or education, but nothing that effects the economy.
“With NZF, you know exactly what you get, the Greens not so much.”
lolz of the day. Remember that election where Peters led everyone, including his voters, to believe he would go into coalition with Labour?
Whooosh! I said “in Government” Weka.
Ah, hard to tell with all that smearing going on.
TRP
“His analysis of the Green’s electoral prospects is spot on, if only because it matches what I’ve been saying for years”. Not; because it has any connection with reality, but; because it confirms your own prejudices. But what else can one expect from a person who thinks that Shane Jones would be a better leader for Labour than Cunliffe & that NZF is their natural coalition partner?
There is a *lot* wrong in Stuart Nash’s piece – so much so that it should just be written off as the braying of an ass…
“A Wgtn Green insider once told me that he believed that at least 80% of their voters would support Labour if the Green party did not exist” – yeah – because the Green Party is going to lay down and die on the say so of Labour
“it is not a certainty that a Labour led government would be in coalition with the Greens” – is he really expecting Labour to gain 10% over the next 6-9 months?
“The Green party received 11.1% at the last election. History will show this is the high-water mark for them. I expect them to get around the 6.7% they polled in 2008” – so, we’re going to ignore the 2011 election for the sake of a badly made point?
“With Cunliffe firing, the Labour caucus united and the growing perception that Key is only there for his rich mates, the battle for 2014 is between a Labour-led opposition” – since when wasn’t it going to be a Labour-led opposition? Also, as much as I like Cunliffe, I have yet to see Labour fire
It is talk like this that stokes the divisiveness on the Left and Labour need to get a clue that their allies are *not* their enemies.
If it’s reasonable to suggest that 80% of Green voters would vote Labour if the Green Party didn’t exist, then isn’t it just as reasonable to suggest that a similar percentage of Labour voters would vote Green if the Labour Party didn’t exist?
And if that’s the case, then isn’t it just as reasonable to suggest that the Labour Party and the Green Party are natural bedfellows in a parliamentary setting?
So, vive la difference (appreciate it!) and fuck this whole idea of trying to create domineering factions within the scenario. (To clarify, not saying your doing that Zorr)
I’m trying to say the opposite of that Bill – that we should be working together but it’s one of those cases where this type of divisive political language is only coming from one party in the relationship – Labour.
Stuart Nash and Josie Pagani should go form their own party called “The Self Involved Morons Party” and leave the rest of us to trying to figure out how to defeat John Key.
Yeah – I knew where you were going. My attempt to echo your thoughts came out all assity boo though 😉
+ (plus) fucking 1 (one)
I’m tempted to respond with my brief encounter with a former “Labour” tah (very muchly) visit.
These are fairly trying times, and were I to do so though, there’d be a barrage of Max Headrooms – Geeeeeeeey-ons, the Garnered, the necked-Red – the whole Cat’s Chorus and Kordia-enabled band of the fukkers: In pagani-like appearances on every and any – please, fucking please (I’ll lay down for you Mora-like please) ANY outlet willing, ditto a “i’m inclined to agree-with you Mathew (or rather Matt).
Play it forward …. the cnuts will eventually be the IRRELEVANT, the pleading as INNOCENT, the BITTER old Queens (who got an agenda but NOT the courage that was necessary to go with it) , the economically worried behind keypad gated clusters (not communities)……. there’s a shitload of them. The God (in our case KEY) unforsaken.
Please ….. roll the tape
Well, it’s pretty much been a Greens led opposition since 2k8. Unfortunately, Labour seem to want to continue with this after the general election this year.
That and that neo-liberalism, free-trade and privatisation is bad for society and then state their understanding clearly and concisely.
tbh – that’s a little bit beside the point. We all have slightly different views on where we would like the grand ol’ ship New Zealand headed but I think we could all agree on one thing – time to take the Captain’s hat back off John Key because there’s icebergs ahead and he’s all “full steam ahead
“Well, it’s pretty much been a Greens led opposition since 2k8. Unfortunately, Labour seem to want to continue with this after the general election this year.”
Yep! …. In the true sense of the word “opposition”.
It’s probably even been a bit before 2k8 – when ABC type factionalism became evident; when Pagani & Williams couldn’t quite get over themselves and convinced themselves they knew best; when Labour forgot its principles; when even those within (Chauvell and others) began to think pushing shit uphill wasn’t really viable ……
That last conference or two really were a bigger game changer than the careerists could cope with – tho’ their only option is/was to continue.
Exciting times.
Irrelevance ….. OR …. the possibility/opportunity of beginning to rebuild and become something those lost 800k or so can identify with, have an affinity with, support, assist, ……
Strange really how a very few can stuff it up for many. Such is the nature tho of a Labour Party – at least as it existed till recently.
Tick Tock Tick Tock
Thank CHrist I noticed a Chauvell back in town recently, and briefly, and busily texting away.
I suspect he too was weighing up whether things were going to be despair and irrelevance, OR something worthwhile.
[ABC …. not sure whether that stands for Anything but Cunliffe, OR All But Cnuts] – time will tell
Correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t it already been stated that the Greens will have economic portfolios? Just not that of ‘Finance Spokesperson’ or whatever.
And what the fck is so wrong with Green representation in finance TRP? I mean, seriously, what do you think would be wrong with it? Not really interested in you trying to channel the supposed thoughts and sentiments of a ‘voting public’ that just happens to also channel to b/s line of the Nats and their cronies.
So, putting aside any second guessing about thoughts of the ‘voting public’ (because that might be seen as a smokescreen to hide your own thoughts and sentiments behind) – what do you think?
If you think it’s a bad thing, then just say so – and stop looking to cover your arse. And if you’re happy with it, then how about you stop reflecting the baseless fear mongering of the Nat Party?
But that’s TRP’s remit: to lessen the GP vote by fearmongering so that Labour get more power.
I have no fear of the Greens having finance portfolios, Bill. Read what I wrote before you go off half cocked. Like it or not, voters don’t like it as a possibility.
Nothing half cocked. I’d just appreciate your thoughts (whatever they may be) to be presented sans the ‘couching’. You up for that?
“Like it or not, voters don’t like it as a possibility.”
Except a whole lot do, so what’s your point exactly? That you can predict how many people will vote which way based on which policy this year? Or perhaps,
“Like it or not, the public perception is that the Greens should not be anywhere near the purse strings. That’s not a smear, just a fact of political life. I suspect the voting public would be ok with them getting portfolios such as environment or education, but nothing that effects the economy.”
Except it is a smear, one you are repeating. The public don’t all think one thing despite your assertion. Which just leaves your motives for taking this line.
I think there is such a public perception. One that could be smashed by the Greens proving it wrong in the next or some other government. It must be one of their longer aims….
I don’t think it’s possible to separate out ‘public perception’ from Crosby Textor et al spin, TRP/Labour Party spin, media spin (both right wing and general shit stirring), from people who have some genuine concerns, from people who are ignorant, from people who are bigoted, from people who just hate the GP.
weka, the polls don’t lie. Only one in ten voters directly support the Greens and a percentage more, like me, are fine with them being in a Labour led Government. I get out and about a lot, and talk to heaps of people about politics, both at work and socially, and the theme of ‘what about the greens’ comes up all the time. The majority of voters are uncomfortable with them having real responsibility. That won’t change at least until they’ve actually been in Government, and even then, it probably won’t change by much.
The funny thing about this discussion is that the Green’s leadership know this stuff already. Russel doesn’t wear suits because he’s a fan of Milan fashion week, it’s about appearing sensibly middle class to try and turn the ‘hippy’ tag around.
Yes TRP. Branding. Big deal. Now – you going to state your position/thoughts on Green Party involvement in finance? (Saying, as you did, that you don’t fear it, simply isn’t saying anything about whether you think it a good thing or bad thing. It’s in line with me saying “I don’t fear having chili for tea tonight” ; it says nothing about whether I think it’s a good idea or a bad idea.)
The MSM has covered quite extensively the Australian election fortunes, and (rightly or wrongly) the Greens over there have been singled out frequently as a major factor in their current financial situation (forecasting a deficit in excess of $40Bn next year alone).
This may have a bearing on current public sentiment (just a guess though).
I’ve stated my position, Bill. But, anyway, I don’t think the Greens are going to get any finance related portfolios anyway, because Labour already have front benchers ready to take those posts.
ps, “Branding. Big deal.” tells me all I need to know about your understanding of why the Greens can’t get any real traction.
And trp shimmies in an unconvincing fashion….again.
And everybody knows the shit about branding – on what it is and why it’s necessary. That’s why I say it’s no big deal. Geddit?
“And everybody knows the shit about branding – on what it is and why it’s necessary. That’s why I say it’s no big deal. Geddit?”
Clearly you don’t ‘geddit’, Bill. The Green’s branding keeps them above 5% but limits them to single figures, or just above. It is also part of the reason they are not trusted by the majority (that is, they are seen as a single issue party).
Well, since you’re still pretending to engage while engaging in nothing beyond the same old ducking, diving and diverting that seems to be your m.o. …what do you think of Green MP’s having financial portfolios in a future government given that Cunliffe (unless my memory is letting me down) has already stated that they will have financial portfolios?
jebus, have you overdone it on the obtuse pills, Bill? I’ve already said a few times today I have no problem with the Greens having finance portfolios. Can you stop shimmying and a duckin’ and divin’ long enough to actually read my words?
Thankyou for that trp. Finally.
Given that, you may (or may not) want to spend a wee while reflecting on what I was saying way back here
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-10012014/#comment-755561
“Mr Norman is extremely unlikely. I would rule it out, being our Finance Minister, yes I am ruling that out.”
David Cunliffe.
Bill, that’s the nearest thing I can find to support for your claim of an offer of economic portfolios. Doesn’t sound much like it, does it? Perhaps you can actually find a quote that supports your point. I couldn’t.
Perhaps you are thinking of Eddie’s speculative piece last year (Labour makes room for the greens or a similar title).
What the Greens have to do is lose the extremist tag, until that happens the green party will always be looked at with suspicion by the voting public.
The only way that is going to happen is if they ditch the “labour and only labour is the party we’ll work with” nonsense.
They had an opportunity to develop a bit more cred with the voting public when they teamed up with national with the insulation scheme but fucked that up by pulling out and cementing themselves as a hard left alliance like party instead of an environmental party, absolute height of stupidity.
If the greens actually went back to being an environmental party,willing to work with whoever was in power they’d get the opportunity to show that they’re not extremist nut bars and you’d find the voting public would become more receptive to their ideas.
That would involve kicking out the communists though.
Actually, in doing that, they lost credibility.
Ah, the old if they just stayed in their place cry from a RWNJ. They’ve got the experience and the skills within the party to be a broad party so why shouldn’t they?
The greens haven’t got enough cred currently to be a fully fledged party such as National and Labour.
They need to concentrate on the environment aspect at the moment, once they get a track record of being involved in government they should then try to expand into other areas.
Currently they seem to be going from the crawling stage to the mountaineering stage in one go.
Rod Donald dieing at such a young age has really hobbled the greens and put them back decades.
Funny how they got shit from people like you back in the day for being an environment only party (even though they weren’t).
Funny also how when they expanded their focus to be an all round party, not just about the environment, and got that message out better, they got more votes.
They got more votes last time around because of the Rena hitting the rocks.
If it wasn’t for that they’d have been lucky to make 5-6%.
Greens concentrate on being a neutral environmental party they’ll be around 20% party vote.
@ BM,
So your assumption is there are 20% of voters out there whose sole concern is environmental issues and not a mix of environmental AND other issues.
These voters whose sole concern was the environment would have to be prepared to vote for the environment and not on which way the jobs or finances or health or education matters were managed – under your assumption.
I call you wrong on this.
MMP
No reason why a party cannot specialize, National for the economy, Greens for the environment.
I reckon there would be quite a few blue voters out there that would toss a party vote the greens way, if they weren’t so left, candidate vote National, party vote green.
Think of all the tradie fisherman, hunter types, even farmers, by saying FU to National you lost all those potential votes, bit silly really.
@ BM,
Yes, I did consider this aspect prior to making my comment – that point is worth considering – however omits other concerns that people have about what is going on – the more the Greens have answers to the other problems the more inclined I am to vote for them – which I never have to date.
One would have to assess how many votes would be lost to them for not addressing the other issues and how many would be gained by that approach.
I estimate more would be lost than gained.
The environment is extremely important – however if there is no connection made between how these environment issues can work in with other issues facing us – relevancy is not understood – I believe it becomes too abstract for many people to support. They can also more easily be put down to being ‘fixated’ i.e. ‘nutbars’ if the relevance of where environmental issues fit in is not made clear.
The Greens are doing well on this ‘linking’ of environmental problems with addressing other problems – and it is my view that they are gaining support from doing this – not simply ‘because of the Rena disaster’.
Of course, there is no division between the environment and the economy. The trick of the Right Wing has been to try and divorce the two.
In reality, the economy is a *subset* of the environment.
“Greens concentrate on being a neutral environmental party they’ll be around 20% party vote.”
BM, “pure” environmentalism isn’t neutral. It is by definition totally opposed to the exploitative capitalism you support.
By suggesting they focus entirely on environmentalism you’re actually calling for the Greens to become a radical left-wing extremist party.
(p.s. they’re doing fine without your consultation btw)
Not quite.I’m thinking more along the lines of the greens being environmental experts.
No matter who’s in power the greens are the go to people for anything to do with the enviromental side of politics.
That way they’re always in the loop and can get more longer term projects and objectives achieved.
Greens need to get more business savvy, to be affective.
Yes, but “the environmental side of politics”, if taken seriously, is always going to be diametrically opposed to the right wing neoliberal capitalist side of politics, because right wing neoliberal economics and the consumerism on which it depends is exactly what our environment needs to be protected from.
Well, they need to remove that stick from their arse and learn to work with others, not every one is as holy as thou.
Better to have a bit of the pie than no pie.
Earlier you were saying they must drop everything and focus only on protecting the environment.
Now you’re saying they must forget the environment and just get on with whatever anyone else wants to do.
Make your mind up, fucko.
I think he has one of those astroturfing jobs where he doesn’t get paid enough to make a real effort, he just has say vaguely pseudo-logical shit to tie up the local energy a bit. I’m kind of surprised to see how many people engaged seriously with his arguments.
@Weka
With polls still indicating Nat popularity in the high 40s the conclusion I draw is this country is being run on the infestation of pseudo logic and therefore it pays to provide arguments against it at every opportunity.
The MSM has concocted the “Greens + finance portfolio = economic madness theory” as another right-wing narrative peculiar to political vested interest associations to chip away at any credibility the left may be procuring.
How much the general public really believes this message is difficult to accurately determine but what tends to happen is the ‘messaging’ that gets repeated the most often over a long period of time eventually gets swallowed by the intended recipients and becomes ingrained into orthodox thinking regardless of it’s integrity or otherwise (think advertising and neo-liberalism for example).
Best thing said on the subject today, thanks.
Spot on, Changeling. Whether it’s deserved or not, or logical or not, voters do not want the Greens to have a hand on the chequebook. Obviously, that feeling is strongest among Nat and ACT voters, but a significant proportion of the other 40% feel that way too. When I talk to people about the coming labour led Government, that meme comes up all the time.
It was well and truly reinforced when Norman quite rightly suggested we should look at quantitative easing a few years back. Despite it being a standard economic response in tough times, he was widely dissed in the media for it.
It wasn’t helped, I think, and so did a lot of people within the Green Party, when Russel backed down instead of explaining that it is a pretty conventional policy. Policy that got us and the USA out of the 30’s depression before most other countries, and used, even now by even “right wing” countries.
Of course the banks, which really run NZ would strongly oppose any attempt to use QE to break their monopoly on finance. They are not opposed to it when it is simply given to them. As in the USA.
Yep. Left supporters want to see Left parties standing strong for strong Left principles, strong Left policies and a strong Left vision for NZ.
This is not fucking rocket science.
The swaying middle (most of the top 20%) will go wherever they think their personal and immediate family interests are best served. Which for many, means that something like a UBI and a jobs guarantee for youth, is going to be more than slightly attractive. Anything to get the teenage boy off the bloody PS3 and off to work at 7 in the morning.
Yes, well said The Changeling – this is what is so distressing about a Labour member coming out and repeating the message sent out by right-wingers and MSM
– It is not likely that Labour are going to win the election without the support of other parties – so why diss them?
-So why are Labour members repeating messages that work against their chances of success??
Here is a novel idea: Left wing party members need to challenge the false messages that right-wing parties and the MSM send out to the public – at every opportunity they get – not propagate them geez!
“Left wing political parties” do not represent or lead the Left. How can they? They are establishment and privilege, not radical.
Left parties ALWAYS have to be pressured by the non-parliamentary Left to keep on course, because the tendency to rapidly go off on idiotic Thorndon bubble focussed tangents is well established.
@ CV
You really are coming out with some comments that I view as containing dubious logic to them recently CV. What is with that?
“Left wing political parties” do not represent the Left”
Oh really? Wtf are they representing then?
[Are you trying to get people not voting?]
“Left parties ALWAYS have to be pressured by the non-parliamentary Left to keep on course”
Yes, this is a good message to keep repeating – do remember you are saying that to a person who is of the understanding that politicians – such as the leader of the Labour Party- read The Standard!
I’ll try and phrase it a bit more carefully. “Representing” is not necessarily exactly what I meant, as I also meant “reflecting.”
So wtf are they representing/reflecting? Different aspects of the establishment of course, which by definition, in Parliament and on pay levels of the top 2%, they certainly are.
The much broader extra-parliamentary left, especially the non-membership left, thats where pressure needs to build up to put these parties on course, and keep them there.
People successfully made that call for themselves last time.
My interpretation of what CV is alluding to is that left leaning party’s, in order to stay in power know they must constantly garner whatever the centre ground voters deem as necessarily important because this is always where elections are won and lost. So because of this there’s always a conflict between non parilamentary members of a political party and MP’s (caucus), about policy priority involved with pandering to the wider centre ground electorate so power can be maintained and staying ‘true’ to whatever the stated ideology is.
Spin doctoring and going in absentia (from perceived negative media biases) is the primary mechanism that the National Party uses in this process of delivering core policy requirements to their business rountable confidants, whilst lying their heads off to the middle ground via spin doctoring to maintain credible to the middle ground of the electorate and to ultimately stay in power.
Much better wording there, CV.
@the Changeling
in order to stay in power know they must constantly garner whatever the centre ground voters deem as necessarily important because this is always where elections are won and lost.
I don’t agree with this
This is what the leftwing parties are struggling with:
http://www.governmentisgood.com/articles.php?aid=9&p=4
and this
http://theconversation.com/your-money-or-your-rights-tax-the-super-rich-or-take-away-their-political-clout-14940
[this last link is well worth the read by the way – gives a proposed solution to the problem]
And this is why you believe that the centre ground vote is what is winning and losing elections
and that is why I ask CV whether he wants people to not vote – because people who would vote left and who are not voting are not voting because they know how severely compromised by big money left wing approaches – and our democracy – is.
And telling them that the left parties do not represent the left – is going to feed into their fears – it can be changed as long as we are strong, persevering and do not give into defeatism and ensure political parties get positive feedback for left-wing policies.
And left-wing policies are what is going to counteract what is going on regarding big money and the power this has over politics
It’s now not enough for left supporters to vote Left once every 3 years although of course that would be nice; they have to join the community groups, the protest movements, the outspoken workers unions and organisations who will keep the parliamentary left, truly left.
@ CV
It is entirely counterproductive, however, for left voters to stop voting completely while doing these good works.
Blue leoppard, Having read the second link as i understand it, although the centre ground of the voting spectrum is where elections are won and lost (which on its’ own is true and correct?), those voters themselves are adhered and vulnerable to decision making processes and messages, based around voting for the interests pertaining to who ever is their paymaster. Ongoing financial security is the precursor to perceived voting preferences.
And on top of this is the more direct financial support a party receives from lobbyists (rich corporate’s), in return for implementing their agendas. The rich corporate’s control the voting patterns of the wider populace of the middle ground in at least three different ways:
1. Directly owning and controlling media and messaging signs.
2. Controlling employees perceptions of whats good for their (and wider business and economic interests generally).
3. Directly funding political campaign messaging and receiving favourable policy outcomes because of this.
The political party with the most money and money related connections has the most power. A synonymity here?
Well said, thechangeling, mechanism explained succinctly!
So where TRP do you get the ‘fact’ of the voters don’t like it from, admit it, it’s simply more of you ‘thunk it therefor it is’ politics from you,
11% of the voters have no problem whatsoever with the Green Party economic policies including Russell Norman’s advocacy of printing money, at the November election, as David Cunliffe’s newly RED Labour Party is exposed as the softest of pinks i fully expect as per the Green Party’s growth rate for it to achieve 13-14% of the Party Vote,
Of course the neo-libs and other right wingers happily and for far too long ensconced within the Labour Party yearn for a cozy Government made up of Labour and NZFirst with the Green Party simply providing the numbers with very little gains in policy,
This time round i don’t think that that little scenario will wash with the Green Party rank and file and watch the ructions from within the Party should the current leadership sell it’s support for what will essentially be a right leaning Labour Government for next to nothing as was done befor…
Bad 12, here’s the fact:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_general_election,_2011
89% say you’re wrong.
specious TRP – we can only vote for one party – just because someone has voted for one party doesn’t mean they might be perfectly happy for another one to be in power.
zOFG TRP! 72% of voters don’t want Labour anywhere near the chequebook!
Stop living in the past, felix. new dynamic etc.
How about you take your own advice TRP
You supplied the data and the interpretation, buddy.
Exackerly, felix. And the data says that, at their worst, the NZLP were 2 and a half times more popular than the Greens at their best.
Don’t drive using the rear view mirror. It’s a dangerous and misleading habit.
Naughty TRP, shifting the goalposts. You were pretending to measure unpopularity, remember?
You were pretending that 89% of the electorate voted against the Greens when they actually voted for other parties.
Then you pretended that there was one specific reason that they “voted against”, namely that they don’t trust the Greens with the economy.
Which makes as much sense as saying – for example – 72% of voters don’t trust Labour to be in charge of the armed forces.
I don’t blame you for trying to rewrite it though, it was a bloody silly thing to say.
“the Greens not so much.” ????!!!!!! Wow. The Greens have never been in power let alone coalesced.’
Old ideological barriers still exist. It seems 30 years after the start of neo-liberalism, the proponents of that scheme on the “left” still cling to those belief’s with their dear lives.
Many of us lefties in the 70’s and 80’s admired the Values Party but couldn’t wrest our voting pattern away from Labour least National took advantage of a perceived weakness.
Now there is a real choice on the left. Before David Cunliffe took over leadership of the Labour Party, the best performers on the left were in the Green Party, and not just their leaders.
@ wiil a wellly..
..genter for minister of transport..
..surely..?
..there is no-one more qualified for that job..
..in any other party..
..phillip ure..
“There’s some nasty little smears about the Greens included in that post.”
The whole post is an intentionally crafted, nasty big smear about the GP, which presumably is the point.
The Greens have been taking votes off Labour. Where else do you think they get them? Labour/Green as a package means that every toxic quote from a Green candidate will be sheeted home to Labour. Every Green election dirty trick is sheeted home to Labour. Many of the Green votes are natural Labour voteswho despaired of Labour winning again. The Cunliffe is bound to rise in popularity even although currently polling worse than Shearer. That is just the MSM bias surely.
There has never been a Green member in government ever for a very good reason. They are economic vandalswho want a Stone-Age society.
Well said, never have truer words been written.
Stuart Nash is just a messenger, he’s on the streets talking to people, he’s getting endless feed back from potential voters.
Obviously the feedback he’s getting is anti green and people won’t vote labour while it’s bolted to the greens.
Disappointing for all the greenies who signed up to labour in an attempt to shift labour way further left, prepare for a sharp correction back to the middle where all the voters are.
This hard left stuff is about to be shit canned.
BM and fisiani, have you brains been fried in the sun? It is well established that where the hippies go everyone else goes later. But you lot are always just simple followers so I wouldn’t expect any recognition of this… carry on. I won’t be looking for you in the rear vision mirror…
I have a couple of questions for you then.
“Where the hippies go everyone … “. How many of the Ohu set up during the 1972-1975 Labour Government are still going? Or did all the hippies decide that they really weren’t such a great idea?
“I won’t be looking in my rear vision”. What is the point of having a rear vision mirror on your bicycle if you don’t keep an eye on it? You don’t really want to be hit from the rear wnhen you could have avoided it do you? Incidentally as you are apparently a Green supportor I assume it is a bicycle and not a car?
B.M.- you wouldn’t know what “green” was unless it was the algae growing around your back door.
Stuart Nash is one of these nice urber middle-class Labourites, who see socialism tied to a desktop, where money is made by shoveling it around and not hard work.
In all reality, he probably has more in common with you B.M. and John Key, than the plight of the average working man or woman, let alone someone truly on struggle street.
Harsh words, I don’t think so. I watched in horror as the Party I once fought for, get absolutely “dogged.” Many in that Party are still trying to “dog” it!!
Oh joy, a RWNJ giving advice to the left again.
Nope, that’s what National are. The authoritarianism comes through quite clearly.
@ fisi..
“stone age society’..
..aahh..!..retro green-slagging..
..(haven’t heard that one for awhile..eh..?)
..are you normally a kiwiblog/slater bottom-dweller..?..there..fis..?
..that is about the only places that one is still used/brandished..
..they love their retro-green-slagging..at both those places..
..phillip ure..
Re Stuart Nash’s questionable article on the Daily Blog.
Attention political strategists
Lesson 1:
>>How to get the diverse and colourful left-wing voters behind you –
In three easy steps<<
1. 'Get it' that the diverse interests on the left are not mutually exclusive
2. Find the [vast] common ground that exists
3. Repeat the findings of steps 1. & 2. endlessly to the general public.
– In this way get us all on board and out there voting.
Perfectly easy – but apparently not
+1
Nash, Pagani…hmm. I’m thinking spanners and works. Question I’m almost mulling over is whether they are loose spanners or if there is a hand behind them.
Not that those two things are mutually exclusive 😉
Nash’s three points are pretty much statements of political fact. But the strategic conclusions he draws are much more debatable, and reflect the views of just a faction within Labour.
But the brittle way Green supporters invariably react to criticism from Labour – by having the sort of poor-little-me tanty you’d expect from a spoilt 16 year old who has just been told they can’t borrow the car – is deeply unattractive and makes me wonder if they are politically tough enough to survive in government.
Oh, so it’s not about the smear….. so that’s why you end with a smeary ad hominem?
Yeah well Sanctuary – I’m looking at it and thinking it’s crap.
I’m not that big a supporter of either the Greens or Labour, meaning, that yes, I want a left leaning parliamentary presence forming the next government, but having said that, don’t see parliament as a mechanism that we can ever use to provide ourselves with what we need as a society.
Sanctuary, I do agree it’s most likely that Nash is not in the majority faction of Labour, and that his strategy is dubious. But I did not respond to Nash’s post in isolation, or in some knee-jerk defence of the Greens.
Key and NAct have signalled frequently that they intend to drive a wedge into the left by using smeary attacks on the Greens (“far left”, “printing money”, etc).
This morning I replied to a comment by Nat Wayne, critical of his apparent use of wedge politics: in Wayne’s case his focus was on criticising Labour. His response was that he was just looking at the facts.
Then I headed over to The Daily Blog, and see Nash using a similar kind of wedginess; this time smearing the Greens.
My response to Nash’s post was more like: with friends like this, who needs Crosby Textor…?!
I would prefer to see both Labour and Greens (and Mana) focusing on their own policies and arguments against the destructive policies and actions of the NAct government: focusing on a better way to create a fair, susutainable and well-functioning NZ. And not playing into, and supporting NAct’s spin lines.
+1
+1 Karol
+1,Well said Karol…
Add me to the +1 list!
+1000
I think there will be more of this kind of article the nearer we get to the election esp if the greens are polling well. Labour candidates with borderline list places will start getting nervous and look to protect there place as it were. Media will be more than happy to seek them out for anti greens comment as they look to increase labours vote… Challenge for Cunliffe will be to keep a lid on that kind of thing
karol and cricklewood
Words to live by – actually …
“”Teach Your Children” Lyrics by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young:
You, who are on the road, must have a code, that you can live by.
And so, become yourself, because the past, is just a good bye.
Teach, your children well, their father’s hell, did slowly go by,
And feed, them on your dreams, the one they picked, the one you’re known by.”
sing365.com
DTB That’s so good – a gem down the years and so truly worded.
“Labour candidates with borderline list places will start getting nervous and look to protect there place as it were..”
@cricklewood, I red the Nash article last night and I haven’t been able to work out what his motivation to write an article like this would be, but I think you have hit it on the head above.
From a big picture Labour perspective, surely the name of the game is to increase the size of the Left block, so Labour should be focusing its limited resources on getting people, anybody to vote for it instead of narrowing its focus on COMPETING with the Greens. Labour needs to COLLABERATE not COMPETE with the Greens if it wants to win, its not going to be easy to win in 2014 but I feel that collaborating will win more voters as a strategy.
Ive never been impressed with Nash’s thinking, does anyone know what his background is?
To Saarbo at 6.4.2 Business.
One really does have to wonder about the Labour people who are fixated on getting votes back off the Greens, instead of the rather obvious (at least, to all three of the contenders for the Labour leadership!) 800,000 non-voters from 2011.
Possible explanations: they’re mathematically illiterate; consumed with envy at the Greens’ success; or simply that far to the right of the party that they would rather take a bet on Winston Peters and whatever conservative radicals he brings in with him than deal with the Greens.
In any case it just shows there are still people who don’t understand MMP. Fighting over how big the Labour share of the Labour/Greens pie does fuck all to (my apologies to the English language) grow the pie.
Or it’s just an MP or 2 worried about their List seat.
A few more possibilities to add.
Both Labour and National know that Green policies, if presented as policies not tied to a party, would attract more voters than theirs.
I have seen research, unpublished, unfortunately that shows with policies separated from who is proposing them, the majority prefer Green policies.
Similar polling in the States has shown people prefer.
“Despite fiery campaign rhetoric, again and again Americans have spoken out in support for public investment in the structures at the core of our society and that lead to a sustainable and growing middle class. Our fellow citizens want effective and well-funded public schools and access to affordable higher education, safe and modern transportation infrastructure, robust public safety systems through fully supporting our police and fire departments, and clean air and water. They want sustainable and living-wage jobs, which means investing in research and innovation; they want Social Security strengthened for generations to come; they want health care costs reduced, and to ensure that more of their loved ones, friends and neighbors have access to adequate and affordable care. Americans want government to put these things at the top of the ‘to invest in’ priority list. They are more important to families now than ever before”.
http://www.alternet.org/story/148738/voters_want_jobs%2C_economic_recovery%2C_and_a_government_that_will_work_to_achieve_it
It suits MP’s, both National and Labour, to demonise the Greens to prevent the break up of their comfortable duopoly, where they can alternate power and position simply by worrying about pleasing the relatively few swing voters.
Labour is worried they will become redundant. Greens fit comfortably within the same democratic socialist spectrum as the Labour party did, before 1984.
+1
@ kjt..+1..
(esp. last 2 lines..)
..the greens aren’t ‘scary’..
..they are just old labour..with a soupcon of environmental policies..
..and it is just a ‘soupcon’..
..they are still puckering up for those rosette-like farmers’ arse-holes..
..their co-leader loves strutting around swathed in dead-animal skins..
..and wiping pig-fat from her mouth with the back of her hand..
..and you don’t get much more green-‘soupcon’ than that..
..eh..?
..they are still some way from what really needs to be done..
..(hint..!..it doesn’t include green-party-bbq’s..eh..?..)
phillip ure..
I have seen research, unpublished, unfortunately that shows with policies separated from who is proposing them, the majority prefer Green policies.
This isn’t a huge surprise to me – but good to know it’s confirmed (albeit unpublished).
Would love to see it published though.
QFT
Labour are obsolete and have been for some time now but they, and a large chunk of the electorate, just haven’t realised it yet.
What worries me – on one hand there is this call for unity/or working together and once again it is the social democrat’s in labour who smash it up. As an anarchist, I’m offended – the social democrats are being pack of back stabbing fools – It’s worse than 20 trots in a room smoking crack!
It’s like when ever labour get a sniff of power they go nuts, and any mad dosh bag they have, comes out of the wood work and assaults the left for:
a) being decisive
b) not being really left or
c) loony/crazy.
is labour so weak, tired and visceral?
It work together, or lose labour it’s that simple. Why? Well it is much more simpler to get people not to vote than it is to get them to vote. And quite frankly the other anarchist and myself have been talking – you keep this shit up and we will go the whole “don’t vote – politicians only win!” path – You want us to put our propaganda hats on – do you? Stop attacking the left – fight the real enemy! Poverty, unemployment, the environment and start changing the bloody economy.
Well said Adam
Although I personally prefer to revenge vote rather than the ‘don’t vote’ version: for the politician who is going to rark up and annoy the most politicians when I am seeking revenge for stupid political strategies – one then gets entertainment value for the next few years every-time that politician gets into the news.
I think this clearly demonstrates why our adversarial political system is corrupted and ineffective at delivering a truly democratically balanced, fair and inclusive economic and social society. There’s so much distortion and lying going on that most people realise that their opinions count for nothing and those in power just continue to do their own and their vested interests pandering, whatever negativity occurs in communities on the ground.
The idea of an ‘absolute democracy’ where every political policy due to be put forward by the party in power is voted on by the public after a mixture of left, right and independent analysis, research, dissection and then presented to the public, has to be a better way of constructing political, economic and social life.
+1 The Changeling
Yes it needs to be about the representing the greatest good for the greatest number of people – not solely about representing ‘those that voted for me’ or ‘keeping my job – regardless of what interests I serve’.
One of the big issues with “representative democracy”, an oxymoron, is the need for politicians to appeal to small proportion of the electorate, about 20%, who are swing voters.
They enact policies and try to appear to be concentrating, on “hot button” issues that their focus group polling tells them will sway these “swing voters”.
Judging by a lot of the policies, the swing voters appear to be self interested, bigoted, unprincipled and judgmental.
We get “populist” polices for the 20%.
Not for the 80%, including those who don’t bother to vote because they see no party as representing them..
There’s one person who won’t be demonising the Greens. David Cunliffe. My understanding is he has a good working relationship with them. He’s very strong on environmental concerns – not surprising given his wife is a lawyer specialising in environmental matters.
Possible explanations: they’re mathematically illiterate; consumed with envy at the Greens’ success; or simply that far to the right of the party that they would rather take a bet on Winston Peters and whatever conservative radicals he brings in with him than deal with the Greens.
There’s a fourth: one reason many on the left are dubious about the Greens was well expressed a few years back by Danyl on his blog:
I can’t vote for the Greens – I’m a scientist and if they ever got into power Sue Kedgley would stick me in a big wicker man and set fire to me…
Still, if the Greens can overlook Labour’s many dubious aspects, you’d think Labour’s MPs could stir themselves to at least some level of reciprocation.
That’s not well expressed. In fact, all it is is a load of bollocks dressed up as an excuse.
Meh. Danyl votes Nat anyway innit.
Meh. Danyl votes Nat anyway innit.
th’ feck?
Look now the Greens are led by a nice clean shaven white guy in a suit (even if he is an Aussie ginger) it means they can be credible economic managers! All those interesting folk have gone to the retirement home of occasional tv punditry.
Ha. I’m a scientist and I don’t worry at all about the Greens. The parties that worry me are on the right, with their denial of science and their worship of oil company spin. It’s a right wing government in Canada that’s stripping bookshelves, and another in Australia that did away with the science ministry, not to mention the American right and their daily strolls with dinosaurs.
Even though there nominally has been a leadership change etc-
we still get Pagani, Jones and Nash popping up….perhaps the Labour Party is like this the whole way through and hollow to the core…?
Nash needs to learn that Labour should be apologising for 30 years of Rogernomics and hanging their heads in shame over the neoliberals still spouting rubbish, not strutting their stuff like peacocks. His contribution rammed home to me how right I am to be voting Greens and Mana.
Charter Schools-a way to make money for the 1%.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2013/09/10/charter-school-gravy-train-runs-express-to-fat-city/?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_campaign=hootsuite
Creepy stuff Tony. And those “success” stats and kickbacks – sickening.
It’s similar to private health provision- the state health system provides the back-up for the cases which are too expensive or difficult to handle by the private hospital. In other words pluck off the ripe fruit and leave someone else to process the damaged fruit and also to tend the tree.
In the charter schools, pupils who are ‘difficult’ or autistic are excluded by the school management, and go by default back to the state system. The charter schools receive their money from the state but are not bound by the same rules as the state schools.
The charter schooling examples are also frightening because it seems that the state’s money is being used, via the kickbacks, for political campaign purposes as well as running the schools. This from people who would scream blue murder if the case for state funding of political parties was raised.
As you say, ianmac, sickening.
+1
Tony P
Thanks for that link. Scary stuff which reveals the true fiscal agenda of Banks and his foxy friends.
I refer again to an interesting interview on the Daily show with Dianne Raditch. http://www.thedailyshow.com/?xrs=eml_tds_103113
Charter schools huh..
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/30/1227618/-AP-Emails-Reveal-Influential-GOP-Donor-s-Charter-School-Grade-Raised-from-C-to-A#
https://www.nsfwcorp.com/dispatch/education-hostage/17cceda6b3d44b20031f5583a3c40e5d0c630f30/
“In this standoff, the hostages are public school children. They are being held captive not by a rag tag bunch of Somali buccaneers nor by Tea Party loons with that distinctly wild-eyed serial killer look in their eyes. No, a generation of youngsters is being held instead by pinstriped corporate executives, buttoned-down foundation officers and the local school board officials those aristocrats buy and sell”.
Christchurch Press starts its right wing election campaign early in the new year.
Headlines on Wednesday proclaims NZ as the ‘Rock Star economy’ illustrated by a photo of a flashy car salesman with an ostentatious display of Audi cars. (At first I thought it was supposed to be a caricature, but no I think he thought it looked tasteful).
On Thursday the headline was ‘Retailers on a high’ on spending booms illustrated by a retailer with a $56,000 diamond ring.(Again I think it was meant to be a serious attempt at depicting the ‘Americana Dream’ to Kiwis).
Both articles by a Cecile Meier, a recent arrival to New Zealand, but I guess the headlines belong to the (sub) editors whose political marketing intentions couldn’t be clearer.
Expect more of the same to trickle down to Canterbury readers in this election year.
Ho-hum.
And yet, accroding to the last census, the income gap in Christurch has grown.
You probably need to read the whole article.
In other parts of Christchurch, some neighbourhoods have been booming. Some of the biggest leaps in income were in suburbs around Riccarton and Addington.
From 2006 to 2013, household incomes in Riccarton rose 58 per cent to $58,300, while in Addington the increase was 49 per cent to $53,800.
Some of the smallest changes were seen in the most affluent suburbs. Aidanfield’s figure increased by 8 per cent to $88,800 and Halswell West’s 13 per cent increase brought the area’s median household income to $98,500.
Nationwide, the median household income increased from $51,400 in 2006 to $63,800 last year.
In other words the brighter future is here as promised.
the cost of housing and the cost of food and the cost of living in general has outstripped this so they have in fact gone backwards, you nincompoop.
you are so far behind the 8-ball…..
A 24.12% income growth easily outstrips food and cost of living
Au contraire. Its is you that is behind the 8-ball.
The latest Household Income Survey shows the ratio of housing costs to income in Canterbury went from 15% in 2007 down to 13.3% this year.
It also shows weekly food costs rising 15.6% ($158.50 to $183.20) and total weekly expenses up 12.6% ($1004 to $1131) yet household income in that time has gone from $65,537 to $83,588 up 28%.
Perhaps fact-less rhetoric is more your strong point.
vto
I don’t know if seti is talking to you. But if food is rounded down to 15% and weekly expenses to 12% as stated, then that is a 27% rise and those costs would apply to everybody at every level of income – and then if income at above median, has risen to 28%. Well that means that even the middle class aren’t ahead, and the lower income class are behind and the precariates are running closer behind the horses with shovels and brooms to get that valuable horse-shit.
If my addition is out point out where, just don’t demur demurely otherwise I consider any attempt to make a case of us all doing well is more Far Out than Gary Larson.
What shit are you smoking? So if toothpicks have risen 200% then we’re really in the crap?
You don’t add the percentages together, they form part of the cost of total expenditure.
Bottom line – total expenses (including housing and food) up 12.6%, income up 28%.
Dolt!
Seti
Okay that’s what I thought – was relying on you to set me right. Now compare the 12.6% rise overall for expenses, against the percentage rise of income for
those on the low income to median strata of income. I am expecting the median would be about $65,000.
Let’s look at how the financial situation for most people in NZ has been.
“You don’t add the percentages together,”
tell that to all the spending boom apostles waxing lyrical over the magic of xmas.
They tell us of the heart-thumpingly brilliant retail sales leading up to xmas,
then it gets better with amazeballs record smashing sales from boxing day,
then it is casually mentioned that one of the biggest purchase blocks leading up to xmas was the ubiquitos prezzie card and its kin
which were mostly used on boxing day
dot join dot
Unfortunately if you look at the rise in the median family income overall, it is still because of huge rises at the top end. Not significant rises at the bottom.
The majority still had increases well below inflation.
As for expenses. Expenses for low income families have risen much faster than the general inflation rates. For a long time now.
While some of us have enjoyed cheaper flat screen TV’s and sirloin steaks, essentials such as basic food, power, rent, transport, schooling and health care continue to rise steeply.
Then you add in things which used to be Government supplied at cheap or no direct cost, which are now, “user pays”.
Unfortunately if you look at the rise in the median family income overall, it is still because of huge rises at the top end.
Large increases at the top end affect the mean, but not the median.
But they do when they go to a few. Read your stats text book again.
Your link isn’t working Seti.
You probably need to take some English comprehension lessons. The existence of “booming” suburbs entirely supports Karol’s remark.
Yes, I saw that fairfax was trotting out that term “rock star economy” in it’s “paper’s” and thought immediately two things: For who? And who says that? Crosby Textor?
From memory of the RNZ piece on it the other day, I garnered the person who coined the term works for HSBC Bank – so maybe crosby textor are getting their financial mates in on the campaign act early.
For rock stars, obviously, not for everyone else. Although, someone like Lorde might have a few relevant things to say about it.
I wonder where Cecile Meier came from – South Africa? That’s the home of diamonds isn’t it. There were enough on that ring to blind a mole.
And the crowing of car salespeople about the rise in vehicles, imported of course, all adding to our overseas deficit is mind-blowing. Consumerism keeping the country going. Isn’t there some saying about the brainless leading the mindless or something. If the government said okay all vehicles imported now have to be able to run on electricity, batteries, biofuel or something slanting towards Green that wouldn’t be so bad. But no, not a change to the automatic pilot for the country. On the Aotearena goes.
And housing is up too. So everything is all right. And the salaries are up 28%. It says so on this wafer of CD, this mark on an ephemeral page. That can vanish as soon as some questions are asked that are uncomfortable.
Cecile Meier is French. Her next article in Friday’s Press is her analysis of how and what kiwi’s think.Also quite revealing of her ‘insightful’ understanding of what New Zealanders want and believe.
Lordy Lordy, Chris Trotter on our new musical heroine…..http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/01/09/upon-hearing-pentatonix-sing-royals-texas-ambition-meets-north-shore-angst/#!prettyPhoto
too troo VTO.
There has a been a persistent price rise of everything since National engineered a TURN for themselves and the compradores and profiteers it associates with.
Another warning out in the US on TPPA!
http://www.activistpost.com/2014/01/no-brainer-course-in-derailing-tpp.html
Actual link
Jenny Michie at The Daily Blog reveals what Labour needs to do for electoral victory: pray for economic collapse.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/01/10/what-labour-dare-not-hope-for/
There’s a whole blogging theme to develop along the lines of “economic growth and inequality: which has superior political upside?”
My bet is this: unemployment gets close to 6%, there will be no change of government.
Stays above 6.5%, Labour still has a chance.
I was just looking at the Huffington Post and was attracted to one item praising Norway. It makes some good points about Norway that if compared to New Zealand would indicate that we could have gradually fewer and fewer tourists here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/07/norway-greatest-place-on-earth_n_4550413.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
Norway is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It’s home to more natural wonders than we can count and it has stunning cities, fascinating history and really happy people.
Norway’s not cheap. But it’s worth it. Here are 25 reasons why.
1. It’s actually one of the happiest places on Earth.
And there are nice pictures. On my old computer they take a while to load yours will probably be faster.
.
Sovereign funds rule.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/norway-everyone-now-millionaire-thanks-oil-2D11884040
joe90 Interesting. A financial plan for the country. And it works. Gosh.
Not that Norwegians will be able to access or spend the money, squirreled away for a rainy day for them and future generations. Norway has resisted the temptation to splurge all the windfall since striking oil in the North Sea in 1969.
Norway has sought to avoid the boom and bust cycle by investing the cash abroad, rather than at home. Governments can spend 4 percent of the fund in Norway each year, slightly more than the annual return on investment.
Still, in Norway, oil wealth may have made the state reluctant to make reforms or cut subsidies unthinkable elsewhere. Farm subsidies allow farmers, for instance, to keep dairy cows in heated barns in the Arctic.
It may also have made some Norwegians reluctant to work. “One in five people of working age receives some kind of social insurance instead of working,” Doerum said, despite an official unemployment rate of 3.3 percent.
Note the disapproving tone taken about work and supporting farmers. The slaves are slacking, work on two legs good etc, even though unemployment is 3.3 per cent. And farmers can probably produce sufficient food within the nation.
Somebody is breaking through the miasma of work-will-set-you-free to be able to afford food and an inside sleeping place propaganda.
Who owns the oil? Ireland versus Norway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76VOnzXQMsU&noredirect=1
And if we want to be prosperous with a social democracy as generous as Norway’s, but we do not wish to extract fossil fuels…?
even if oil is found..the world-beating-in-pathetic royalties-rate hammered out by ‘i blinked’ brownlee..
..guarantees the/us mug-punters will get s.f.a..really..
..and will just be left praying there is no accident..
..and just like so much neo-lib..
..it is again a matter of privatise profits..
..and any losses will be borne by the state/mug-punters/nz environment..
..eh..?
..same old..same old..
..are you an oil-pimp..c.v..?
..and before scandanavian oil-stories are shared for comparison..
..how about noting the differences in how much the mug-punters get out of it..in each country..?
..i think you’ll find that unlike our ‘blinky’-jerry/sell-out govt….
they didn’t ‘blink’..or ‘sellout’..
phillip ure..
you will probably find the grounds to..if there is major find..
..to nationalise the industry..
..and keep the lions’ share of the profits here..
..not flowing straight offshore..
..phillip ure..
I think that I don’t understand this about Ireland owning nothing. It seems that Shell is involved but I saw that Norway’s Statoil owns 36% of the reserves and drilling and results.
I guess then Shell owns the rest.
It seems that the video is trying to stir up hostility towards Norway. Has Norway the smaller share and Shell the bigger? Why not get angry at Shell and/or Ireland’s politicians who have tigered their way into a green bog? Why isn’t the deal at least 30% Ireland, 30% Norway and 60% Shell.
Surely those clever businessmen could have engineered that. They sound as clever as ours at dealing with anybody stronger, fit only for holding their coats open and dropping their pants.
The author seems to be a miserable sod less a clue about food security.
There are four components to Norway’s food security policy: firstly, the need to protect arable land from degradation and alternative use; secondly, to maintain food self-sufficiency from domestic production, measured in terms of calories, at the minimum current level of 50 percent (57 percent including fish products); thirdly, to maintain a “fairly sizeable”, well trained and experienced farming population; and fourthly, to maintain a decentralised food production structure as being less vulnerable in times of crises.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x4829e/x4829e05.htm
My people left there 1000 years ago, prior to the invention of central heating. Natural beauty and wonders are all very well if you have a bear skin and blanket. Of course, “free trade” was respected, there was good money to be made in the international battle axe trade.
Rape and pillage mate
Want to get some transparency back into politics funding in New Zealand?
Tired of electoral funding skullduggery?
I suggest NZ creates the Electoral Donation Register of New Zealand.
THE EDRNZ:
The EDRNZ is an escrow body which collects and distributes donations for all local and central government election candidates and or political parties.
Any party or individual standing in local or central government elections registers with the EFRNZ and is paid donated monies minus an administrative tax.
A small fee of perhaps 0.01% is taxed on all donations for administration of the EDRNZ.
KiwiBank is an obvious choice to administrate the fund.
All donations are deposited and logged with the EDRNZ then distributed to the relevant party or individual. With modern banking on-line processes this would be an efficient near instantaneous transaction from donation to EDRNZ to candidate. (especially quick if the candidate banked with KiwiBank)
DONATIONS:
Any individual donation over $1000 is not anonymous and is declared on a public register.
Donations below $1,000 can be anonymous but are still declared on a public register.
Any donations from a business or a trust for example, of any amount, would not be anonymous and must be declared on the register. (Trusts are and will continue to be a major thorn in the paw of NZ politics, until they are extracted) Occassional audits of the anonymous deposits should show up attempts to circumvent this.
Any donation of any amount not made in the name of a NZ citizen or resident of NZ would not be anonymous and must be declared on the public register.
All cash donations, electoral office collections and ‘raffle’ sales etc are processed/declared as per origin of funds. -this is an obvious grey area for cases where this total exceeds $1000 but it is hardly an insurmountable obstacle. The circumstances of its collection would show the totals were legitimate. E.g. the deposit slip from bucket collections. Large single donations (over the $1000 limit) are very rare from a bucket day, i am confident dodo eggs would be more common, but a donor’s details could easily be logged by the collector or alternatively the donation can be made using any number of modern technical services such as Square, for one example.
THE PUBLIC REGISTER
Your vote is your vote and that should always be private information between you and the relevant electoral body. When it comes to political donations however, I strongly feel if you don’t want people to know you donated to a particular party then why are you donating to that party?
I am sure there are plenty of clever folk out there who could shape a register with the suitable oversights which also provides the necessary social protections.
Despite the disasters in information sharing from recent years, I am confident NZ could produce a public register detailing the donated amount with an associated donor identity that does so without signing away excessive amounts of private data. The Addresses or locality of the donor for example need not be specific or even public, you might live in Tawa but that does not mean you don’t want to support a candidate in Taupo.
The transfer of data to the EDRNZ Public Register would not need to be instantaneous and a weekly update would most likely suffice.
In conclusion, there are numerous opportunities to massively overcomplicate the environment of a body like EDRNZ, and despite the wailing and gnashing of teeth from some heavily invested interest groups, the actual mechanics of its operation are incredibly straightforward and there is no reason for it not to operate efficiently and most importantly transparently.
just an idea ….
………….and an excellent idea
thanks Rosie,
after the recent calls for some discussion of actual ideas, I was interested in reading folks views on it, but I guess it could not compete with discussing a hypothetical Parliament.
see you anon, have a good weekend
Dreamer of the week, No 94: wannabee Epsom MP David Seymour.
“… having returned to New Zealand for the Christmas break and finding “a very positive vibe” around Act he decided he would indeed seek the nomination.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11184284
Strange behaviour in the suburbs. I went shopping at another supermarket than my usual today. An Asian lady came right up to me and glared at me for no reason. I jumped. It was almost as though she was saying, ‘Stay away from here.’ Weird. The other evening I parked the car and dropped a letter into the mailbox outside the Post Office. Suddenly an Asian man walked to the ATM nearby and jerked his head to the side as though he was checking that I wasn’t following him. Weird.
Rosie, you represent a big threat. In places like W(h)anganui you can no longer even identify “patched” gang members to help you out if you are assailed by your common garden citizen (well known dangerous buggers, half of them vote National).
Hi Ennui – that was Rose saying about the (perceived) strange behaviour in the burbs, not me.
Something stranger is this: A woman was murdered in her home in our neighbourhood. Neighbours heard her screaming at 1am as she was being stabbed to death but no one phoned the cops. The 111call that was made came from inside her house. That fact that no one thought to phone the cops when they hear some one screaming at 1 in the morning just blows my mind.
Hope your chickens are doing well 🙂
That is not very compassionate of the neighbours. People don’t realise that police cruise around in cars and can get there quicker than you think if a car happens to be near by.
You’re right Rose. It wasn’t very compassionate of the neighbours. I found it really upsetting that they didn’t do anything, and it deepened my concern about the isolating and non engaging nature of our suburb. Also, what must the victims family and friends feel about the fact that in her last moments in life she was abandoned by those that could have helped her?
I can’t say I ever experience anyone looking at me in a hostile way in the burbs, as you have experienced- I’m the opposite, I go about completely unseen unless I am wearing my “are you serious” meme girl t shirt. I got this image printed on to a t shirt as an expression of my consternation toward:
A) Our National Government and their policies
B) The voters who allowed the above to happen
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/208/f/0/meme_are_you_serious_girl_rubia_png_by_mfsyrcm-d58vouw.png
I get a lot of looks then, mostly ones just as baffled as her.
Thanks Rosie, the ladies still rule the roost!!!!!!
Is Madam Vain still going? 🙂
I don’t get your point. Are you trying to link these “weird” behaviours to the fact the these people are “Asian”? If there were “white” people behaving the same way, would you have said:
“Strange behaviour in the suburbs. I went shopping at another supermarket than my usual today. A white lady came right up to me and glared at me for no reason. I jumped. It was almost as though she was saying, ‘Stay away from here.’ Weird. The other evening I parked the car and dropped a letter into the mailbox outside the Post Office. Suddenly a white man walked to the ATM nearby and jerked his head to the side as though he was checking that I wasn’t following him. Weird.”
Hang on wtl. Don’t jump to conclusions. I have a friend who has had a few similar experiences. She lives in an Auckland suburb. They’re recent experiences and she doesn’t know why it’s happening. I might add she’s not anti-Asian. She’s even taught Asians in an Asian country.
Quite unusual behaviour for Asians to ‘glare’ at whites. (Although I do it all the time to certain types on the campaign trail lol)
I wonder if this is some kind of unconscious reaction to background anti-asian behaviour or media which has been occurring (though I am not aware of anything specific that has changed).
The other thing which would be interesting to know…are these Asians that have been seen reacting mainland Chinese, other Chinese, Koreans, Japanese or from somewhere else?
Just saying that I felt surprised in the supermarket and on the street when going about my daily business – and described what I saw. I feel it’s touching on human rights issues to be able to go about your daily business freely. I wondered whether anyone else has had similar experiences. Unfortunately I can’t know where these people come from unless I ask them, and I can’t see how I could ask them.
wtl: I never said that I don’t like Asians.
When you glare at whites, Colonial Viper, I’m guessing that’s your way of saying, ‘Back off.’ Why would a woman in a supermarket want me to back off? She did look like a National voter and maybe she could tell by the way I was dressed that I wasn’t wealthy. We were in a beautiful suburb. But still, that is nonsense as it’s not the Kiwi way.
Your last sentence or two is very interesting and revealing. Most Asian cultures are very class and status aware. Hence the endless brand name shopping bs that those who are wealthy enough seem to participate in.
The point is the there is no reason to classify those people as ‘Asian’. If it was a white person doing it, I’m guessing rosie would just have said “a lady” and “a man”, yet if a member of a minority does it the person gets described as being a member of that minority even when it is irrelevant to the story.
This kind of thing is endemic in NZ. For example, most of the articles on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang affair contained the statement that she was “Hong Kong-born” (even in the one line summary), when this piece of information was hardly a key point to the story itself.
IMO it’s even better if we not only class these people as Asian (if they broadly speaking are), but to then see if we can’t find out if there is a specific subgroup or nationality acting differently than what we might expect. Admittedly, I’m just being nosey, but if some underlying social dynamic has changed it would be very interesting to figure out.
My whole experience at the supermarket checkout was unpleasant. The lady glared at me, the Kiwi cashier didn’t greet me, the Asian bag packer swung her hand out within two inches of my face pointing to another cashier, and the bag packer forgot to include some items which I luckily noticed.
Maybe the first lady is a customer monitor who decides who they want to regularly shop in the store – rich National voters only. A sort of segregation of the rich and poor.
In my experience, when the customer service is that bad, the company culture at the top is even worse. Shitty management + crappy wages = unhappy workers giving mediocre service.
Maybe the lady who glared at you mistook you for someone else? Or maybe you accidentally ran over her toes while making a bee-line for the last punnet of raspberries at the end of the fruit aisle? (No wait, that was me on Xmas Eve)
Which race was the Kiwi cashier? Would Paul Henry have accepted them as a Kiwi?
Would Paul Henry be a bit paranoid going up to an ATM if the cashier was about?
Kiwis can behave rudely too. The other evening I was walking along the footpath of a fairly busy street. Two Kiwi teenage boys came riding towards me on their bikes at full speed. I decided not to jump off the footpath to make way for them as the footpath is for foot traffic. The boy nearest the road was forced to ride onto the road which seemed a bit dangerous as a car came up right behind him.
wtl and cv
The woman reported what had happened to her. That’s all. It was noticeable, and made her feel puzzled. Don’t start that hyper-reactive stuff.
Exactly greywarbler.
wtl is suggesting some kind of selective racism is going on here but if there are individuals from a particular ethnic background behaving in a slightly unusual way then it’s stupid to say you can’t name their ethnicity. As I pointed out, I know someone who has had some similar experiences with the same ethnic group.
If we go down wtl’s track then I could suggest that he/she is being negatively gender-selective in that he is questioning the right of a woman to comment about a personal experience. For instance, would he/she have made the same kind of comment if the commenter had been a man?
It sounds to me like there might be a bit of a backlash occurring from a few people of Asian origin who have experienced anti-Asian sentiment in NZ.
Anne
When Asian people are targetted by thieves, on the assumption they must be wealthy, I think they might look to their back at the ATM. I do. At who is there and how close as you are advised to be careful about hiding your pin number.
I get antsy when anyone comes to stand beside me as I finish at the supermarket close enough to see my pin number. Tall people could see right over my guard hand if they wanted to. So it could be habit being careful.
But watchfulness led to that nasty business in Florida where the black youngster might or might not have been a thief but the whole thing got out of hand and the Cuban I think knifed? the black guy after reporting him to the police
Maori have felt targetted for decades. There was the sarcastic Maori joke about there being a law that allowed the police to stop them for being Maori in charge of a car.
” Nationwide, the median household income increased from $51,400 in 2006 to $63,800 last year.”
Source cos id like to read more of the breakdown
Something for ChCh
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9594563/Income-gap-is-wider-census
Thanks cv
My cousins vvisitd last night. They said that a landlord was charging 590 a week for the home they charged 290 a week pre earthquake. I wonder if some landlords think if an insurance company paid it was ok? Having said that accom payouts have probably finished.
“Having said that accom payouts have probably finished.”
Surely you jest.
EQC repairs are getting underway for a lot of people now; myself and family included. Generally for EQC work you have to move out of your house for 3-6 weeks, during which time your insurer will pay for temporary accommodation.
Only those who homes were destroyed / badly damaged will have used up their accommodation payments by now. Those houses were in the minority, while also getting the vast amount of publicity.
My son’s family have just had last of minor cracking, repaired, filled and painted. Those who have had lots of damage have suffered. And deserve consideration and support and individual planning appointments if needed. And prompt action if to that level.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2536424/Everyone-Norway-millionaire.html
– Be nice for NZ to get a slice of this sort of thing
Aside from the fact it’s the Daily Mail, so most likely a load of old bollocks anyway this isn’t going to happen to NZ since the government you support would rather do anything than follow in the path of the Norwegians when it comes to managing the profits from resource extraction.
Have you read the Mail?
It’s a rag.
Try the Norway report with link from joe 90. And if you don’t go there I have quoted some facts from it that can’t be written off. Of course we should not be thinking now of drilling for oil and gas, or be fully occupied with finding other energy sources, but still it is great to read of a country that isn’t English speaking. No news is good news if in English.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-10012014/#comment-755613
I agree, shame Labour wants to keep every one poor.
Digging up our resources and selling them is such a way so that the major beneficiaries are foreign corporates and their stockholders doesn’t make NZ richer. In fact, it makes NZ poorer as we lose resources and get nothing for them.
errr…
BM and chris, you do realise that’s the complete opposite of what National is doing. Don’t you?
(I know you do chris)
The Greens need to understand that to be able to achieve thier goals then a massive ‘Think Big’ style program of state investment is needed. Off the top of my head, solar heating for all schools and state housing and a CRI to focus on clean renewable energy. I see no such promises in thier manifesto.
C. Using the Sun
Solar energy is most effectively used as direct heat, for water and space heating. Solar electricity from photo-voltaic panels is still very expensive but is appropriate in remote and off-grid locations. As this technology reduces in price, and with the benefit of bulk purchasing, it may become part of our grid-connected electricity system. The Green Party supports:
Letting a Government tender for a five year programme to produce and install 500, 000 sq metres of solar water heating panels (sufficient to supply about 125,000 homes). The programme will be:
Divided between government buildings (such as state houses, prisons, and hospitals) and suitable private buildings (with priority given to low income families, large families, and isolated rural communities) where the cost savings from the bulk purchase will be passed on to the householder, and
Designed to build capacity in the manufacturing and installation of solar water heaters and bring down the price substantially and permanently.
https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/energy-policy
Was reading somewhere that Perth used to have a requirement for new buildings – and building lots – to be designed to allow for passive solar orientation.
This existed for a while, and when the rules were ‘relaxed’ the increase in energy consumption was noticeable.
A simple non-technical, no-cost rule such as this requires only designers and planners that are informed and diligent.
I brought this up with the Unitary Plan Manager, John Duguid during a community workshop. (Where they go through the motions of listening to the community. Though to be fair, a couple of my suggestions did get picked up). The look of incomprehension was memorable. We continue to design new subdivisions and lots around how many we can fit in – and roads.
A good reminder for me, millsy, to make sure than this is in my Unitary Plan submission for Auckland.
German authorities destroying logistical bases of political change and resistance stir up riots and police crack down.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25651806
Benefits Street is a ‘misrepresentation’ of life on welfare, says MP
Shouldn’t be surprised though as it was Channel 4 – the same channel that brought us that load of lies The Great Global Warming Swindle. Just more beneficiary bashing which seems to be a global sport of the MSM and right-wing politicians.