About the same as 440,000 cows. New Zealand in June 2014 had around 6.6 million dairy cows and 3.6 million beef cows. So New Zealand’s cow herd emits around 23 times as much methane as this California “state of emergency” leak.
Whoops, correction. Just noticed their comparison was two months of the leak to a year’s worth of cow. So New Zealand’s cow herd emissions are 4 times the size of the California leak.
The glearing difference is that cattle produce food (you know one of the 3 things humans can’t live without) where as a gas leak produces nothing good.
Christ! I thought I might have had a response by now ffs!
Andre was concerned about air quality
I was pointing out water quality
…. and ALL within that concept and trendy talk we now charactersise as ‘SPACE’. How very intelligent of us all eh? Time ….. and ….. Space
….. now what is that 3rd thing we need for humans?
We could of course rely on the jet stream to blow away the air quality toxins, and tidal flows to disperse the cow shit and put it all into a global economy of ‘the Earth versus the Human being’.
Mr/Ms/Ms/Mrs B Waghorn – I’m not having a go at you by any stretch of the imagination.
I am forever amused at my neighbours however, claiming very staunch GREEN creds as they do – shuvving inappopriate things in the green counsil bags (attracting mice and rats and various other predatory creatures foreign to the area), trotting off home after drunken nites out ditching their KFC/Makkers/etc rappers and RTD containers, ….. etc.
I think they even try to measure their ‘footprint’ – all the while forgetting some very basic inputs.
Some of those inputs we could go into but they involve things like littering and sewer flows and condoms and ‘fanny rags’ and all that kind of thing that are best not delved into (for the sake of propriety and correctness).
They’re about as GREEN as BROWN minus YELLOW – but at least they try when they’re half way conscious
I get this massive vibe from urban people that they do no wrong and its us farmers fucking the planet. Attacking people for playing to the rules is piontles and counter productive .
You want to change things get a good government into power that listens to and funds scientists.
Most farmers are OK people who get caught up in the basic human desire create and build .
Water food and oxegen where my 3
And comparing a gas leak in the us to cows in nz is odd
Apologies for expressing myself in a way that came across as an attack. I genuinely was only looking for some kind of comparison that we in New Zealand could relate to. At the time I put it up, I wasn’t trying to convey any kind of deeper meaning.
However, if I were trying to express a deeper meaning, it would be along the lines of how the sum of our cumulative tiny actions in fact do add up to something bigger than a single colossal fuckup, and how we are all contributors to the problem. If I had been thinking of that at the time I would have found and added a few other comparisons.
I agree that there’s a lot of sanctimonious criticism of others, particularly agriculture, from urban greenies that don’t have a clear picture of their own non-green habits. However, parts of the agricultural community adopt an attitude that somehow their emissions are more worthy because they are producing food and that they should therefore be exempt from scrutiny or requirement to change. Unfortunately, from a climate change perspective, cattle are really pretty bad, they turn more of their dry matter intake into methane relative to other livestock, and they require more dry matter in to produce protein out than most other livestock.
So I’m of the opinion we really need to change how we structure agricultural incentives so that greenhouse gas emissions become a factor in agricultural decision-making. Disclosure of interest: I am a (fairly silent) partner in an agricultural enterprise, and the major part of my personal carbon footprint could be attributed to that.
Finally, New Zealand has changed a lot in the 30 years since I was growing up and spending a lot of time in the outdoors and in rivers in particular. While there are a lot of farmers that do take pride and care in their land, a lot are frankly disgusting. A lot of the rivers that were once clean and running year round have become more akin to open sewers, and some even dry up in the summer now, and some lakes have become basically open-air settling ponds. Clean rivers and lakes were aspects of New Zealand I used to be proud of and thought were a big plus over the US. Not any more. And that’s entirely due to intensifying agriculture.
No offence taken.
I’m of a strong government mindset as people in genera peoplel won’t do what’s good for them if , I do know that its next to impossible to change someone’s behaviour by harangueing them , big carrot with an even bigger stick is the way.
Drove from Nelson return to Christchurch a few months ago. My most enduring recollection for most of the journey was the smell of cowshit. Not what I remember from previous trips 20 years ago.
If anyone’s interested, my quick calculation suggests one cow-years worth of methane emissions approximately equals burning 830 litres of petrol or 760 litres of diesel in your car, in terms of climate change effects.
Just to illustrate how easy it is to do major numbers fuckery when it comes to climate issues and trying to apportion blame: that cows-to-cars comparison I just did is based on the low end of cow emission estimates and on the 100 year global warming potential of methane (which I think is fair). If I wanted to really paint farmers as climate villains, I would choose the high end of the emissions estimates for cows, and the 20 year global warming potential of methane, and claim that one cow-year is roughly 4150 litres of petrol or 3800 litres of diesel in terms of climate change effects. Yes, a 5:1 difference just by tweaking assumptions and definitions.
So I’m less interested in trying to pass out blame, and more interested in getting to a system where everybody’s emissions and costs become more visible and people can make rational choices to reduce them.
You have created a new measure . now when reporters want to compare the scale of something ,insstead of swimming pools or buses they can use cow farts.
“I get this massive vibe from urban people that they do no wrong and its us farmers fucking the planet.”
In NZ, half our emissions come from agriculture yet they have been exempted from accountability by our current government. That might be your answer. Doubt it applies in the rest of the world, just here.
Urbanites need to sort out our transport and energy usage, for sure. Again, the current government would rather invest our limited transport funds in duplicate 1950s motorways through the countryside than in urban public transit infrastructure which can hugely reduce emissions. And we have a broken electricity ‘market’ which now has even more pressure on it to pay out dividends to shareholders.
I sure as hell hope you don’t get that vibe from me, or that you’re assuming I come from an urban background.
Looking at your comments (including below) …. we’re in agreement.
At the moment, I live next door to a slum landlord providing student accomodation. It’s interestin today’s media and WCC response to litter. I had to have a chortle and ask what the fuck took them so long.
Whilst I have a slum landlord next door, I also have a procession of transient student occupants – MOST of whom claim green creds.
Except that if you were to measure their carbon footprint …… it’d probably rival a bloody Chinese coal-fired power station.
They ‘recycle’ (which means they chuck anything from fanny rags and condoms to festering food scraps in green recycling bags – which strangely enough don’t get collected an encourage the rodent population)
When they ‘recycle’, they consistently put glass, RTD metal, KFC, Makkers (and whatever is the other 3rd choice of their staple diet) out on the wrong days such that it simply blows around for weeks on end. (The excuse id I imagine being that they were just a bit munted at the time – although I can’t explain why – given their claims to greenness – they make no effort to remedy their error. Christ – they even go to the Sunday Te Papa market and buy cheap veges and chuck the buskers a dime or two. It’s a shame most of the veges also rot in ‘green’ recycling bags unused during the following weak.
If one were to measure the toxins flowing down the gutter on a rainy day from the ‘green dwellers’ in the neighbourhood – I’d have to agree that any shit entering waterways from farming wouldn’t be that much more than the absolute SHITE that ends up near Moa Point AND directly into Wellington Harbour.
But hey …. they were pissed – some having bought their ‘bottles’ from the local supermarket (under investigation with licence being challenged) – so that’s okay then. Besides – they’ve got essays they need to submit at the last moment before the deadline, whereby they need some boxes tikked so they can get their degrees. And also besides – the landlord is a cnut so he deserves to be punished with rubbish (along with everybody else in the community.
But as I was surmising above – it is more about intensity and whilst I’d agree that farmers are an easy target, they sure as shit aren’t doing themselves any favours – in fact if they were a bit smarter, they’d start to realise that the Natzis aren’t ekshully doing much for them in terms of medium to long term sustainability (by that I mean everything from their mates ‘mis-selling’ of financial options, to the dismantling and corruption of their co-operative [Fonterrra], to various irrigation schemes [schemes] the operative word, to fostering G R O W T H – no matter what the cost or sustainability – except by large corporates ……)
mmmm . I’d better not go on because whilst I have the utmost empathy for the likes of the farmers just trying to get an earn to support him/herself and offspring, I’ll jeopardise that empathy witnessing the ever increasing numbers of Natzi-supporting farmers conned by promises, utter stupidity, and greed. I’m sure you know of the Mr Waghorn – theyre in your neighbourhood (and various other places where land use is better utilised, and where it is appropriate to farming – where there is a recognition of limits)
As you say … there are 3 fingers pointing and we can spread them around.
I’m waitng for the 4th finger that does the 360, but I fear I’ll be long gone before that fucking happens
Might it be an emergency because as of 2008 there were 30.000+ People living there?
Might it be an emergency because they are now ‘evactuating thausands of people’ from Porter Ranch? http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-porter-ranch-gas-leak-live-htmlstory.html
Might it be an emergency because at some stage the methane gas will start killing people?
Or is it only an emergency when cows are affected?
More on the “can of worms” TPP legal scrub weakens users rights.
Michael Geist from Canada has written a series of articles about the TPP. His recent article is titled The Trouble with TPP, Day 5: Rights Holders “Shall” vs. Users “May”.
The absence of users in the Internet provider section is not an anomaly. Throughout the TPP IP chapter, there are two distinct approaches. Where rights holders interests are concerned, the requirements are typically mandatory (ie. “shall”). Where the issue involves user rights or access, the requirements are not requirements, but rather non-mandated provisions (ie. “may”).
The weak language can similarly be found in safeguards against abuse of intellectual property rights. The TPP is filled with provisions aimed at guarding against misuse or infringement of IP rights. But what about when rights holders misuse their rights? Article 18.3(2) provides more weak language
Appropriate measures, provided that they are consistent with the provisions of this Chapter, may be needed to prevent the abuse of intellectual property rights by right holders or the resort to practices which unreasonably restrain trade or adversely affect the international transfer of technology.
You could write a counterfactual of what New Zealand would look like now if the 1984-1989 reforms hadn’t happened. Just project out a variant between Muldoon and Kirk.
Regarding the children working overseas, if you had a science degree, or arts degree, would you really choose to stay in New Zealand? Even LPrent has got to the perfect balance between overseas and local work, and he works in code.
The fields New Zealand’s economy supports are:
real estate and construction, agriculture and food and beverage broadly, and tourism. It would be worth staying around for those. Otherwise there’s not much point. We are one of the most mobile countries in the world for good reason.
It’s growing because we are the Mumbai of the Pacific — low wages, good skills, + English. Even Auckland’s higher salaries are insufficient to living costs, if you want to ever own a house. Best option for skilled younger Kiwis is to leave.
Hard to say really. Beginner is somewhere between 45k and 60k. Senior coders seem to be between 90 and 120k. Most available jobs seem to be between those two.
That puts you in the top 10% of income earners in NZ and you might be able to get on the bottom rung of the property ladder. Everyone below that 100K level is screwed though.
WTF, you’re blaming the council for high house prices, and your solution is to toss out democracy?? Nice one BM.
Ever heard of the leaky homes crisis or the Canterbury quakes or the SuperCity rush job? Many factors have converged to screw up housing development and it’s just transparently shitty spin to blame the Council
The housing problem started in 2009 about the same time that super city was a twinkle in Rodney Hide’s eye. I wish the Council was focussed on green living. And the finances are fine if they stop giving businesses further reductions.
…the government did a Ecan and took over and got the whole mess sorted.
They’d have to call out the army, allocate a whole lot more to the courts, and hope like hell that not too many of soldiers and judges are Aucklanders. We aren’t quite as quiescent about arsehole politicians feathering their and their mates nesteggs up here.
Besides, the National members of the government clearly have absolutely no frigging idea about how to do fuckall. Look at the idiot Brownlee, or their appointments to the ChChRecovery, or the actual pathetic performance of the sock-puppets that they shoved into ECan.
Just because the morons from NACT were stupid enough to create the whole city council doesn’t mean that we disliked it – it means that we finally managed to get the power to bulldoze the fuckwits in Wellington aside. It also meant that we wind up spending this decade to improve it by removing the stupidities that those ideological idiots in NACT shoved into the mix. Like the idiotic corporate entities running our assets.
That’s nice, but there are plenty of other Chch companies keeping IT salaries nice and low, just because they can. $35 K would probably be a more common starting rate. ($50 K would be for top end grads, I’m guessing)
Typical moaning from the Left. Someone points out growth and there’s an immediate Yeah, But. Actually not even a Yeah. Skilled young Kiwis have always left. They are now returning in droves. It’s a beautiful day, employment is at an all time high. The economy is growing at 2.2%. Wages are easily outstripping inflation. Enjoy the good times.
fisiani, I know it’s off the immediate topic here, but since you’ve expressed enthusiasm for TPP, what are your thoughts on TransCanada suing the US for $15 billion under the ISDS provisions in NAFTA?
All the modern trade agreements have the same (un)principled terms, but apparently our coming TPPA introduced some even curlier than before. We get the best deals!
But here is a clearcut example of a sovereign state exercising legitimate rights, being sued by a foreign corporate, using trade agreement clauses almost identical to what our government is about to sign us up to. I am honestly curious about your views on that. So I’ll ask again, what are your thoughts on TransCanada suing the US for $15 billion under the ISDS provisions in NAFTA?
Well, we can assure you that corporations will be suing the NZ government for billions of dollars under TPPA fully negating any possible benefit that it brings and it really doesn’t look like it’ll be bringing any.
Jesus Fizzz …. you really really don’t understand Indian perceptions or culture do you! (Statement not question)
Similarly, and perhaps more relevant – since you – is it you? that’s recently had that preoccuption with Venuzuela??? – you really do have no fucking idea.
I look forward to you and yours – claims of success in terms of your agenda.
It’ll all come with angst and battles that you (in your arrogance) no doubt are confident you’ll have an upper hand in.
PLEASE .
FTA South Amurrika (I’ve been waiting for progress in this space going forward since Chavez’s demise)
FTA Inja (We’ll see how Modi plays out and NZ’s treatment of Indian students – especially those sons and daughters of Indian politicians – not unlike those of the Brazilian).
Sorry folks – I find it hard sometimes to reconcile the fukkin IGNORANCE of the likes of Fizz’s spin. I D E O L O C I C A L and learned rote – or what!!
Employment is not at an all time high – I remember in 1980 we had unemployment of 0.5% – and it wasn’t this 1 hour a week bullshit or cancer victims being harrassed to abandon their only means of support.
I’ve recently returned from 10 years overseas and I can’t wait to get out of this horrible shithole.
The economy is only growing at 0.3% ex migration and Christchurch, wages haven’t kept pace with inflation for thirty years (excluding real estate inflation is bookkeeping of the kind that lands people in jail).
The country is lost and damned, and Auckland is mostly populated by orcs.
Best thing that could happen here is a seisachtheia.
Yes Ad, our young people go overseas for better job prospects and also to see the world as they have always done here. Two things which result in this mass migration is firstly these days they have the opportunity to come and go with air flights bringing them home within their salary range that they are earning overseas. In the 60’s it was a one off to go overseas as the sea travel was hideously expensive and you went over and stayed overseas for as long as immigration allowed you to. If that young person today has the luck of a UK father they can gain the Euro passport and the world is their oyster. Its great for them and I say good luck to them as the NZ we live in is not the lovely place it used to be – that pristine haven at the bottom of the world.
Secondly there is a knock on effect of these long stayers overseas, the negative side of it is it dislocates families and takes away that cohesive society we used to have of two or three generations all living close by and supporting one another. I know many many people who have kids away some as long as 17 years and longer, its lovely when they come home, say every 2-4 years but it still breaks up families. We always want the best for our kids but nevertheless its a different kettle of fish to the 60’s when one went for 2-3 years and then came home and settled down. NZ then wasn’t so bad to come home to.
I never gild the lily with my kid and her partner when they come home, they get the truth of what this country is all about and they are shocked at the cost of housing, food and other utilities we have to pay for. She owns a beautiful home which would cost 2 mil here and paid $424 US for it. Of course she earns huge money and why would she want to come home to a low waged economy so I don’t blame her staying away. She gets to see us quite often and has a far nicer lifestyle where she is.
Even in my twenties I was politically aware and wouldn’t have wanted to come back to this nasty place where dog eats dog and the vulnerable are not looked after. Where she lives now is probably pretty much the same but at least she is appreciated for her labour and is saving a great egg nest for their retirement which is what we, as all parents want our kids to do.
The Americans I’ve met (99% really nice people) are universally horrified at the costs of living here. Clothing, food, cars, petrol, and crummy housing, is all disgustingly overpriced. This is because the NZ market is TINY and big players can manipulate it and collude with ease.
Please @ Ad. Shoot me NOW!
I’ve just witnessed the discussion that follows (and in particular – the IGnorance of the Fizz.
I’m not sure whether he/she (actually he) hasn’t the capability for critical thought, or whether I should just bow down to @Paul/Paulm’s dnftt comments.
The latter would be so much easier.
He’s got me wondering whether it was his essays I once had to mark and to have had to seek a second opinion.
How the fuck did it come to this! There are words we once used as descriptors no longer seem to have any meaning – but I guess that’s what they intended.
I hope Fizz has a really exquisite looking tick on the certificate of achievement he’s in possession of cos fuck all else is going to safe him when we eventually delve into it all.
Sure Ad, rogernomics saved us from some of the awful consequences of Muldoon but it also introduced the iniquitous GST, sold off basic infrastructure assets for a pittance, and made the crash of 87 a hell of a lot worse. The shocking inequality and poverty produced from its hellspawn offspring, ruthanasia, changed NZ from a once decent country to one where the poor are actively demonised.
The 1984 reforms were necessary but not taken to the extreme that ACT party founder Roger Douglas went to. He destroyed David Lange and fucked up the Labour Party in the process. It was a shameful and despicable way to conduct government.
John Roughan is a blind idiot, I hope you were just paying devil’s advocate with that comment (3.1).
You tell us what it would be like to have import quotas and for NZers to manufacture most of the goods they needed instead,
Nope the goods may not be quite as fancy as that overseas – but 3% unemployment is better than 6.8% and rising.
And there would be a decent median wage.
House prices would be lower because we wouldn’t have sold all our major banks offshore.
We would be manufacturing our own rolling stock for our expanding rail system and we would be Carbon Neutral and virtually 100% renewable.
I could go on – but it would be just too depressing to think of all the opportunities we have lost because we cast it all aside and sold the silver for next to nothing.
Id be counting my beads or charms for sure. Nasty looking boil mid-Pacific. And we send a poor guy back because we don’t register when they put in application, only when it is complete in every detail. So the two days it took to get info complete meant he was over the bar because of those two days.
What are we planning to do for the Pacific Islanders? We can accept wealthy people who prop up this shaky economy in the Shake Isles. But PI people who were helpful workers once to the economy, are not the preferred people any more. Now it is those from the Indian continent, Indians from Fiji, and Filipinos. All needing places and jobs, but they are not from islands just above water level, lashed with increasing cyclones from sea level and winds from above like a punishment from hell.
There is a documentary being shown on TVOne at 10:10pm tonight that will be of interest to anyone interested in NZ history and/or Māori issues. It would be easy to miss considering the time slot it has been given.
“Hikoi – the Land March” commemorates the 1975 Land March led by Whina Cooper and features several of the people who participated.
Thanks, I saw the second half. The tv footage from 1975 was so clear it almost looked like it happened 5 years ago! I think I had forgotten a lot of what happened there, the bit at the end about Bastion Point and the 1000 police officers/army surrounding the occupiers was scary, almost fascist, rekindling an act from the New Zealand Wars almost. We do have some very poignant moments in our short history. The other takeaway for me was the stat that Māori only own was it 6% of NZ land currently, even after the large treaty settlements we’ve had in recent decades. In a lot of cases they’re just been offered the shit land back that pakeha never found a way to make a profit out of or exploit properly. Hope the doco makes it onto the OnDemand website.
Seen on a Facebook page. Does this define the zeitgeist of the young adult generation? If so, they will spend so long looking walking away from those with a wise message that they consider negative, that they cannot prepare themselves for the nasty future that awaits.
Walk away from anything or anyone who takes away from your joy..
Life is too short to put up with fools.
It’s not just young people. It’s in the hippy and new ager circles as well as the wider American culture of personal growth. Some of it is constructive, but there are very clear libertarian and neoconservative ethics at play as well. I agree, it creates problems on a number of levels and can be quite nasty. Poor people for instance are just full of negativity otherwise they wouldn’t be poor.
weka
The attitude is that poor people are too negative and cause their own poverty. I have come across that from a USAn, his refusal to consider tweaking policies in the community group we were operating was one factor in its demise.
But the meme is so pervasive that poor people can believe it is their own fault, feel guilty at asking for things, or nsisting on things that are their right actually, still there in the law.
The distressing thing is that this poisonous attitude that doesn’t want to front anything unpleasant or admit need for correction or improvement in society, means that everything that has a shitty smell stays that way. And if someone comes along all keen to make change and uses known community rousers and methods of self-firing in people which works, they are viewed as one-off outliers, and if they leave then the system and methods may just be allowed to fade away.
Of course this is ‘aided’ by the practice of neo liberals to want to cut ties between government central or local with the community and force groups to go to private enterprise for fund raising after a few successful years. Government will then fund some new group in the same temporary fashion, with the same result. It doesn’t matter how good, how useful, how carefully controlled the budget is, the neo liberal dead hand of government shows up soon and starves the organisation, or insists on user-pay which may dry up its good purpose.
For more than a decade, the Environmental Protection Agency has been under pressure from environmentalists and beekeepers to reconsider its approval of a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids, based on a mounting body of research suggesting they harm bees and other pollinators at tiny doses. In a report released Wednesday, the EPA basically conceded the case.
I watched “The Vanishing of the Bees” a few years back, and saw how the beekeepers themselves were looking into the reasons for the CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) that was destroying their hives and livelihoods.
The EPA’s role in approving the neonicotinoids is worthwhile to watch for itself. A 3 day trial, which does not follow the bees long term. While the film does not unequivocally state a reason, – it seems more than likely that when the bees feed on the honey during winter, the toxicity is concentrated in this winter fuel, and the effect is marked and leads to colony collapse.
Worth the time if you are interested in this subject:
Yes, me too.
Imagine if the victim had been say… Samoan and came from South Auckland… was the same age and a solo mum with two children. Do you think she would have got the same wall to wall coverage in the media? We all know the answer is NO. And of course P.B. wouldn’t have been seen spilling optrex down her face.
One hour talk David Whyte and Luke Hildyard
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSJey0VylMI
Google notes –
Feb 17, 2015 – David Whyte is Reader in Sociology at the University of Liverpool. He is an internationally established author on the subjects of state power and …
Luke Hildyard, deputy director of the High Pay Centre, a think-tank established to monitor pay, says the group has long since argued that “executive pay incentive payments have become totally dysfunctional and bear little relationship to company performance”. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/39959ed2-05e7-11e5-b676-00144feabdc0.html
I would like to pass on my great appreciation to MickySavage, Lprent, te reo putake, and any other TS people I have probably forgotten, who maintained the daily service over the Christmas New Year period. It must have kept you very busy when everyone else was taking it easy. For my part It meant that there was something meaty in politics or current affairs to read every day. Thank you all greatly.
Professor Jeremy Waldron is an esteemed law professor at New York University and Oxford.
He’s been described as the leading political and legal philosopher of our day. In the legal world, he is our most famous New Zealander. Professor Waldron is an outspoken critic of drone warfare, torture and hate speech, writing books that make the case for their corrosive effects in a democracy. He’s in demand for lectures all over the world.
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Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
From the United-For-Now States of America comes the thrilling news that a New Zealander may be at the very heart of the current coup. Punching above our weight on the world stage once more! Wait, you may be asking, what New Zealander? I speak of Peter Thiel, made street legal ...
Even Stevens: Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023 (and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result) the average level of support enjoyed by the Left and Right blocs, at roughly 44.5 percent each, turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical.WORLDWIDE, THE PARTIES of the Left are presented ...
Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was ...
I'm going, I'm goingWhere the water tastes like wineI'm going where the water tastes like wineWe can jump in the waterStay drunk all the timeI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure ...
Waitangi Day is a time to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand together for a just and fair Aotearoa. Across the motu, communities are gathering to reflect, kōrero, and take action for a future built on equity and tino rangatiratanga. From dawn ceremonies to whānau-friendly events, there are ...
Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
Here’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s political economy on politics and in the week to Feb 3:PM Christopher Luxon began 2025’s first day of Parliament last Tuesday by carrying on where left off in 2024, letting National’s junior coalition partner set the political agenda and dragging ...
The PSA have released a survey of 4000 public service workers showing that budget cuts are taking a toll on the wellbeing of public servants and risking the delivery of essential services to New Zealanders. Economists predict that figures released this week will show continued increases in unemployment, potentially reaching ...
The Prime Minister’s speech 10 days or so ago kicked off a flurry of commentary. No one much anywhere near the mainstream (ie excluding Greens supporters) questioned the rhetoric. New Zealand has done woefully poorly on productivity for a long time and we really need better outcomes, and the sorts ...
President Trump on the day he announced tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, unleashing a shock to supply chains globally that is expected to slow economic growth and increase inflation for most large economies. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 9 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 3Politics: New Zealand Government cabinet meeting usually held early afternoon with post-cabinet news conference possible at 4 pm, although they have not been ...
Trump being Trump, it won’t come as a shock to find that he regards a strong US currency (bolstered by high tariffs on everything made by foreigners) as a sign of America’s virility, and its ability to kick sand in the face of the world. Reality is a tad more ...
A listing of 24 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 26, 2025 thru Sat, February 1, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
What seems to be the common theme in the US, NZ, Argentina and places like Italy under their respective rightwing governments is what I think of as “the politics of cruelty.” Hate-mongering, callous indifference in social policy-making, corporate toadying, political bullying, intimidation and punching down on the most vulnerable with ...
If you are confused, check with the sunCarry a compass to help you alongYour feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you aroundSo, stand in the place where you liveSongwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.Hot in the CityYesterday, ...
Shane Jones announced today he would be contracting out his thinking to a smarter younger person.Reclining on his chaise longue with a mouth full of oysters and Kina he told reporters:Clearly I have become a has-been, a palimpsest, an epigone, a bloviating fossil. I find myself saying such things as: ...
Warning: This post contains references to sexual assaultOn Saturday, I spent far too long editing a video on Tim Jago, the ACT Party President and criminal, who has given up his fight for name suppression after 2 years. He voluntarily gave up just in time for what will be a ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is global warming ...
Our low-investment, low-wage, migration-led and housing-market-driven political economy has delivered poorer productivity growth than the rest of the OECD, and our performance since Covid has been particularly poor. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty this ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
One of those blasts from the past. Peter Dunne – originally neoliberal Labour, then leader of various parties that sought to work with both big parties (generally National) – has taken to calling ...
Completed reads for January: I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson The Black Spider, by Jeremias Gotthelf The Spider and the Fly (poem), by Mary Howitt A Noiseless Patient Spider (poem), by Walt Whitman August Heat, by W.F. Harvey Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White The Shrinking Man, by Richard Matheson ...
Do its Property Right Provisions Make Sense?Last week I pointed out that it is uninformed to argue that the New Zealand’s apparently poor economic performance can be traced only to poor regulations. Even were there evidence they had some impact, there are other factors. Of course, we should seek to ...
Richard Wagstaff It was incredibly jarring to hear the hubris from the Prime Minister during his recent state of the nation address. I had just spent close to a week working though the stories and thoughts shared with us by nearly 2000 working people as part of our annual Mood ...
Odd fact about the Broadcasting Standards Authority: for the last few years, they’ve only been upholding about 5% of complaints. Why? I think there’s a range of reasons. Generally responsible broadcasters. Dumb complaints. Complaints brought under the wrong standard. Greater adherence to broadcasters’ rights to freedom of expression in the ...
And I said, "Mama, mama, mama, why am I so alone"'Cause I can't go outside, I'm scared I might not make it homeWell I'm alive, I'm alive, but I'm sinking inIf there's anyone at home at your place, darlingWhy don't you invite me in?Don't try to feed me'Cause I've been ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ star is on the rise, having just added the Energy, Local Government and Revenue portfolios to his responsibilities - but there is nothing ambitious about the Government’s new climate targets. Photo: SuppliedLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
It may have been a short week but there’s been no shortage of things that caught our attention. Here is some of the most interesting. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt took a look at public transport ridership in 2024 On Thursday Connor asked some questions ...
The East Is Red: Journalists and commentators are referring to the sudden and disruptive arrival of DeepSeek as a second “Sputnik moment”. (Sputnik being the name given by the godless communists of the Soviet Union to the world’s first artificial satellite which, to the consternation and dismay of the Americans, ...
Hi,Back on inauguration day we launched a ridiculous RFK Jr. “brain worms” tee on the Webworm store, and I told you I’d be throwing my profits over to Mutual Aid LA and Rainbow Youth New Zealand. Just to show I am not full of shit, here are the receipts. I ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump over Gaza and Ukraine.Health expert and author David Galler ...
In an uncompromising paper Treasury has basically told the Government that its plan for a third medical school at Waikato University is a waste of money. Furthermore, the country cannot afford it. That advice was released this week by the Treasury under the Official Information Act. And it comes as ...
Back in November, He Pou a Rangi provided the government with formal advice on the domestic contribution to our next Paris target. Not what the target should be, but what we could realistically achieve, by domestic action alone, without resorting to offshore mitigation. Their answer was startling: depending on exactly ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guest David Patman and ...
I don't like to spend all my time complaining about our government, so let me complain about the media first.Senior journalistic Herald person Thomas Coughlan reported that Treasury replied yeah nah, wrong bro to Luxon's claim that our benighted little country has been in recession for three years.His excitement rose ...
Back in 2022, when the government was consulting internally about proactive release of cabinet papers, the SIS opposed it. The basis of their opposition was the "mosaic effect" - people being able to piece together individual pieces of innocuous public information in a way which supposedly harms "national security" (effectively: ...
With The Stroke Of A Pen:Populism, especially right-wing populism, invests all the power of an electoral/parliamentary majority in a single political leader because it no longer trusts the bona fides of the sprawling political class among whom power is traditionally dispersed. Populism eschews traditional politics, because, among populists, traditional politics ...
I’ve spent the last week writing a fairly substantial review of a recent book (“Australia’s Pandemic Exceptionalism: How we crushed the curve but lost the race”) by a couple of Australian academic economists on Australia’s pandemic policies and experiences. For all its limitations, there isn’t anything similar in New Zealand. ...
Mr Mojo Rising: Economic growth is possible, Christopher Luxon reassures us, but only under a government that is willing to get out of the way and let those with drive and ambition get on with it.ABOUT TWELVE KILOMETRES from the farm on the North Otago coast where I grew up stands ...
You're nearly a good laughAlmost a jokerWith your head down in the pig binSaying, 'Keep on digging.'Pig stain on your fat chinWhat do you hope to findDown in the pig mine?You're nearly a laughYou're nearly a laughBut you're really a crySongwriter: Roger Waters.NZ First - Kiwi Battlers.Say what you like ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to stand firm and work with allies to progress climate action as Donald Trump signals his intent to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords once again. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
A long time ago, Brian Turner wrote a poem in which, among the mountains, as he slept on a river flat … My speechless ancestors played like mice among my dreamsand he woke to the river running over my bed of stone. I have come to know that where a ...
Pacific Media Watch President Donald Trump has frozen billions of dollars around the world in aid projects, including more than $268 million allocated by Congress to support independent media and the free flow of information. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has denounced this decision, which has plunged NGOs, media outlets, and ...
Otago University professor of international relations Robert Patman says New Zealand should provide a robust response to Donald Trump's Gaza plan, and also "should stop tip-toeing" around Trump. ...
The new minister of transport has opened the door for public consultation on at least some of the speed limit changes the government said would be automatic. ...
Officially, they’re called ‘memecoins,’ but Kōura Wealth founder Rupert Carlyon says the crypto world has another name for them: ‘shitcoins’.In digital finance, that phrase is used for tokens that have no true value – in essence, a money-grab.A few days before his inauguration, US President Donald Trump launched his own ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. Guy Williams has made a whole show off the joke that he is a “volunteer” journalist. So getting publicly owned by David Seymour while trying to act as a journalist is a good and timely reminder not to underestimate the nuance and ...
Many of Sāmoa’s beloved dishes are the result of cultural collaboration, writes Madeleine Chapman. All photos by Jin FelletIf you ever find yourself at a barbecue in a Sāmoan home, there’s 99% chance that sapasui (chop suey) will be on the table. For the past century, sapasui has ...
The funnyman takes us through his life in television, including Jono and Ben mayhem, live Telethon flubs, and funnelling all those experiences into his new comedy Vince. There’s an inciting incident in Three’s new comedy Vince where morning television presenter Vince Walters (Jono Pryor) is visiting sick kids in hospital ...
People often claim they just want Waitangi Day to be a celebration. At Waitangi, away from the headlined political acrimony and the marae ātea, celebrating is what most people are doing. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous ...
Is there anything more fashionable than a Māori get together? One of the best things about Northland is that nobody cares what they look like — probably because they’re all naturally more stylish than the rest of us, famously. Māori from the Far North, especially. In 27 degree heat, wearing ...
I’ve been in love with him since last July, but it’s only now in this tepid hotel room that I find myself wondering why. The first thing he does when we arrive is smoke a cone in the bathroom – he emerges, hacking up a lung, fists thrust into his ...
MONDAY“Name,” barked a representative of the lower orders.I regarded him with a look of stern disapproval, and told him from up high, “May I remind you that I have name suppression. I shall also thank you to ask with more respect as befits a former president of the Act Party, ...
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Some people have asked for perspective on the size of the big gas leak in California.
http://www.carbonbrief.org/aliso-canyon-how-bad-is-the-california-gas-leak-disaster gives a good analysis.
About the same as 440,000 cows. New Zealand in June 2014 had around 6.6 million dairy cows and 3.6 million beef cows. So New Zealand’s cow herd emits around 23 times as much methane as this California “state of emergency” leak.
Whoops, correction. Just noticed their comparison was two months of the leak to a year’s worth of cow. So New Zealand’s cow herd emissions are 4 times the size of the California leak.
The glearing difference is that cattle produce food (you know one of the 3 things humans can’t live without) where as a gas leak produces nothing good.
True … but food and shitty rivers of water. I think maybe the point being made is more to do with the inappropriate intensity of it all (maybe)
Christ! I thought I might have had a response by now ffs!
Andre was concerned about air quality
I was pointing out water quality
…. and ALL within that concept and trendy talk we now charactersise as ‘SPACE’. How very intelligent of us all eh? Time ….. and ….. Space
….. now what is that 3rd thing we need for humans?
We could of course rely on the jet stream to blow away the air quality toxins, and tidal flows to disperse the cow shit and put it all into a global economy of ‘the Earth versus the Human being’.
Mr/Ms/Ms/Mrs B Waghorn – I’m not having a go at you by any stretch of the imagination.
I am forever amused at my neighbours however, claiming very staunch GREEN creds as they do – shuvving inappopriate things in the green counsil bags (attracting mice and rats and various other predatory creatures foreign to the area), trotting off home after drunken nites out ditching their KFC/Makkers/etc rappers and RTD containers, ….. etc.
I think they even try to measure their ‘footprint’ – all the while forgetting some very basic inputs.
Some of those inputs we could go into but they involve things like littering and sewer flows and condoms and ‘fanny rags’ and all that kind of thing that are best not delved into (for the sake of propriety and correctness).
They’re about as GREEN as BROWN minus YELLOW – but at least they try when they’re half way conscious
I get this massive vibe from urban people that they do no wrong and its us farmers fucking the planet. Attacking people for playing to the rules is piontles and counter productive .
You want to change things get a good government into power that listens to and funds scientists.
Most farmers are OK people who get caught up in the basic human desire create and build .
Water food and oxegen where my 3
And comparing a gas leak in the us to cows in nz is odd
Apologies for expressing myself in a way that came across as an attack. I genuinely was only looking for some kind of comparison that we in New Zealand could relate to. At the time I put it up, I wasn’t trying to convey any kind of deeper meaning.
However, if I were trying to express a deeper meaning, it would be along the lines of how the sum of our cumulative tiny actions in fact do add up to something bigger than a single colossal fuckup, and how we are all contributors to the problem. If I had been thinking of that at the time I would have found and added a few other comparisons.
I agree that there’s a lot of sanctimonious criticism of others, particularly agriculture, from urban greenies that don’t have a clear picture of their own non-green habits. However, parts of the agricultural community adopt an attitude that somehow their emissions are more worthy because they are producing food and that they should therefore be exempt from scrutiny or requirement to change. Unfortunately, from a climate change perspective, cattle are really pretty bad, they turn more of their dry matter intake into methane relative to other livestock, and they require more dry matter in to produce protein out than most other livestock.
So I’m of the opinion we really need to change how we structure agricultural incentives so that greenhouse gas emissions become a factor in agricultural decision-making. Disclosure of interest: I am a (fairly silent) partner in an agricultural enterprise, and the major part of my personal carbon footprint could be attributed to that.
Finally, New Zealand has changed a lot in the 30 years since I was growing up and spending a lot of time in the outdoors and in rivers in particular. While there are a lot of farmers that do take pride and care in their land, a lot are frankly disgusting. A lot of the rivers that were once clean and running year round have become more akin to open sewers, and some even dry up in the summer now, and some lakes have become basically open-air settling ponds. Clean rivers and lakes were aspects of New Zealand I used to be proud of and thought were a big plus over the US. Not any more. And that’s entirely due to intensifying agriculture.
No offence taken.
I’m of a strong government mindset as people in genera peoplel won’t do what’s good for them if , I do know that its next to impossible to change someone’s behaviour by harangueing them , big carrot with an even bigger stick is the way.
Drove from Nelson return to Christchurch a few months ago. My most enduring recollection for most of the journey was the smell of cowshit. Not what I remember from previous trips 20 years ago.
Couldn’t smell the carbon coming out of your exhaust?
If anyone’s interested, my quick calculation suggests one cow-years worth of methane emissions approximately equals burning 830 litres of petrol or 760 litres of diesel in your car, in terms of climate change effects.
Very interesting . proves the saying that when one points the finger there are 3 pointing back at you.
Just to illustrate how easy it is to do major numbers fuckery when it comes to climate issues and trying to apportion blame: that cows-to-cars comparison I just did is based on the low end of cow emission estimates and on the 100 year global warming potential of methane (which I think is fair). If I wanted to really paint farmers as climate villains, I would choose the high end of the emissions estimates for cows, and the 20 year global warming potential of methane, and claim that one cow-year is roughly 4150 litres of petrol or 3800 litres of diesel in terms of climate change effects. Yes, a 5:1 difference just by tweaking assumptions and definitions.
So I’m less interested in trying to pass out blame, and more interested in getting to a system where everybody’s emissions and costs become more visible and people can make rational choices to reduce them.
You have created a new measure . now when reporters want to compare the scale of something ,insstead of swimming pools or buses they can use cow farts.
Apparently most of it leaves by the front entrance, not the back door.
“I get this massive vibe from urban people that they do no wrong and its us farmers fucking the planet.”
In NZ, half our emissions come from agriculture yet they have been exempted from accountability by our current government. That might be your answer. Doubt it applies in the rest of the world, just here.
Urbanites need to sort out our transport and energy usage, for sure. Again, the current government would rather invest our limited transport funds in duplicate 1950s motorways through the countryside than in urban public transit infrastructure which can hugely reduce emissions. And we have a broken electricity ‘market’ which now has even more pressure on it to pay out dividends to shareholders.
I sure as hell hope you don’t get that vibe from me, or that you’re assuming I come from an urban background.
Looking at your comments (including below) …. we’re in agreement.
At the moment, I live next door to a slum landlord providing student accomodation. It’s interestin today’s media and WCC response to litter. I had to have a chortle and ask what the fuck took them so long.
Whilst I have a slum landlord next door, I also have a procession of transient student occupants – MOST of whom claim green creds.
Except that if you were to measure their carbon footprint …… it’d probably rival a bloody Chinese coal-fired power station.
They ‘recycle’ (which means they chuck anything from fanny rags and condoms to festering food scraps in green recycling bags – which strangely enough don’t get collected an encourage the rodent population)
When they ‘recycle’, they consistently put glass, RTD metal, KFC, Makkers (and whatever is the other 3rd choice of their staple diet) out on the wrong days such that it simply blows around for weeks on end. (The excuse id I imagine being that they were just a bit munted at the time – although I can’t explain why – given their claims to greenness – they make no effort to remedy their error. Christ – they even go to the Sunday Te Papa market and buy cheap veges and chuck the buskers a dime or two. It’s a shame most of the veges also rot in ‘green’ recycling bags unused during the following weak.
If one were to measure the toxins flowing down the gutter on a rainy day from the ‘green dwellers’ in the neighbourhood – I’d have to agree that any shit entering waterways from farming wouldn’t be that much more than the absolute SHITE that ends up near Moa Point AND directly into Wellington Harbour.
But hey …. they were pissed – some having bought their ‘bottles’ from the local supermarket (under investigation with licence being challenged) – so that’s okay then. Besides – they’ve got essays they need to submit at the last moment before the deadline, whereby they need some boxes tikked so they can get their degrees. And also besides – the landlord is a cnut so he deserves to be punished with rubbish (along with everybody else in the community.
But as I was surmising above – it is more about intensity and whilst I’d agree that farmers are an easy target, they sure as shit aren’t doing themselves any favours – in fact if they were a bit smarter, they’d start to realise that the Natzis aren’t ekshully doing much for them in terms of medium to long term sustainability (by that I mean everything from their mates ‘mis-selling’ of financial options, to the dismantling and corruption of their co-operative [Fonterrra], to various irrigation schemes [schemes] the operative word, to fostering G R O W T H – no matter what the cost or sustainability – except by large corporates ……)
mmmm . I’d better not go on because whilst I have the utmost empathy for the likes of the farmers just trying to get an earn to support him/herself and offspring, I’ll jeopardise that empathy witnessing the ever increasing numbers of Natzi-supporting farmers conned by promises, utter stupidity, and greed. I’m sure you know of the Mr Waghorn – theyre in your neighbourhood (and various other places where land use is better utilised, and where it is appropriate to farming – where there is a recognition of limits)
As you say … there are 3 fingers pointing and we can spread them around.
I’m waitng for the 4th finger that does the 360, but I fear I’ll be long gone before that fucking happens
Might it be an emergency because as of 2008 there were 30.000+ People living there?
Might it be an emergency because they are now ‘evactuating thausands of people’ from Porter Ranch?
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-porter-ranch-gas-leak-live-htmlstory.html
Might it be an emergency because at some stage the methane gas will start killing people?
Or is it only an emergency when cows are affected?
Porter Ranch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Ranch,_Los_Angeles
More on the “can of worms” TPP legal scrub weakens users rights.
Michael Geist from Canada has written a series of articles about the TPP. His recent article is titled The Trouble with TPP, Day 5: Rights Holders “Shall” vs. Users “May”.
John Roughan praises Rogernomics and the fact that his children all work overseas?!?!
#HeraldActPartyNewsletter
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11571097
Maybe they are overseas to escape the endless stream of party political broadcasts from dear old dad
You could write a counterfactual of what New Zealand would look like now if the 1984-1989 reforms hadn’t happened. Just project out a variant between Muldoon and Kirk.
Regarding the children working overseas, if you had a science degree, or arts degree, would you really choose to stay in New Zealand? Even LPrent has got to the perfect balance between overseas and local work, and he works in code.
The fields New Zealand’s economy supports are:
real estate and construction, agriculture and food and beverage broadly, and tourism. It would be worth staying around for those. Otherwise there’s not much point. We are one of the most mobile countries in the world for good reason.
http://www.nztech.org.nz/what-we-do/business-growth-exports/
It’s growing because we are the Mumbai of the Pacific — low wages, good skills, + English. Even Auckland’s higher salaries are insufficient to living costs, if you want to ever own a house. Best option for skilled younger Kiwis is to leave.
Whats the average salary for a programmer in Auckland?
Hard to say really. Beginner is somewhere between 45k and 60k. Senior coders seem to be between 90 and 120k. Most available jobs seem to be between those two.
For a beginner, 50k+ first up is pretty good coin for a 21 year old.
100k + isn’t too bad for some one with experience either.
That puts you in the top 10% of income earners in NZ and you might be able to get on the bottom rung of the property ladder. Everyone below that 100K level is screwed though.
100K is still less than the median house price inflation – 120K last year
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11510908
This is unreal territory – similar to the USA before the GFC
I agree, prices at the moment in Auckland are completely out of whack.
Problem is the Auckland council and their complete mismanagement of the cities finances and the myopic focus on “green living”.
They’ve created the situation that Auckland is currently in.
The best thing that could happen is if the government did a Ecan and took over and got the whole mess sorted.
WTF, you’re blaming the council for high house prices, and your solution is to toss out democracy?? Nice one BM.
Ever heard of the leaky homes crisis or the Canterbury quakes or the SuperCity rush job? Many factors have converged to screw up housing development and it’s just transparently shitty spin to blame the Council
The housing problem started in 2009 about the same time that super city was a twinkle in Rodney Hide’s eye. I wish the Council was focussed on green living. And the finances are fine if they stop giving businesses further reductions.
It’s the f*cking “free market” mate. Hugely distorted due to LACK of regulation by the NatCorp™ slackers
Do an ecan??? …… So you want the Nats to suspend democracy and fill the Auckland harbor with fecal matter.
Sounds like a cow of idea ………
Anyway I thought nationals plan for improving Auckland primarily involved giving land and money to sky city casino ……
Until of course they get a right wing mayor in and then they can asset strip/privatize the councils assets.
They’d have to call out the army, allocate a whole lot more to the courts, and hope like hell that not too many of soldiers and judges are Aucklanders. We aren’t quite as quiescent about arsehole politicians feathering their and their mates nesteggs up here.
Besides, the National members of the government clearly have absolutely no frigging idea about how to do fuckall. Look at the idiot Brownlee, or their appointments to the ChChRecovery, or the actual pathetic performance of the sock-puppets that they shoved into ECan.
Just because the morons from NACT were stupid enough to create the whole city council doesn’t mean that we disliked it – it means that we finally managed to get the power to bulldoze the fuckwits in Wellington aside. It also meant that we wind up spending this decade to improve it by removing the stupidities that those ideological idiots in NACT shoved into the mix. Like the idiotic corporate entities running our assets.
My company’s starting rate for a graduate in CHCH is $50k.
That’s nice, but there are plenty of other Chch companies keeping IT salaries nice and low, just because they can. $35 K would probably be a more common starting rate. ($50 K would be for top end grads, I’m guessing)
Actually I think we’re towards the bottom of the market.
I started on $38k a decade ago.
Same in Hamilton.
Typical moaning from the Left. Someone points out growth and there’s an immediate Yeah, But. Actually not even a Yeah. Skilled young Kiwis have always left. They are now returning in droves. It’s a beautiful day, employment is at an all time high. The economy is growing at 2.2%. Wages are easily outstripping inflation. Enjoy the good times.
fisiani, I know it’s off the immediate topic here, but since you’ve expressed enthusiasm for TPP, what are your thoughts on TransCanada suing the US for $15 billion under the ISDS provisions in NAFTA?
NAFTA is not the TPP. Duh!
But the provisions in NAFTA that TransCanada is using are included pretty much word-for-word in TPP.
All the modern trade agreements have the same (un)principled terms, but apparently our coming TPPA introduced some even curlier than before. We get the best deals!
I can assure you that there will not be a oilpipe from NZ to Canada proposal made. Strawman argument.
Outstanding evasive tactics you’re using there.
But here is a clearcut example of a sovereign state exercising legitimate rights, being sued by a foreign corporate, using trade agreement clauses almost identical to what our government is about to sign us up to. I am honestly curious about your views on that. So I’ll ask again, what are your thoughts on TransCanada suing the US for $15 billion under the ISDS provisions in NAFTA?
Well, we can assure you that corporations will be suing the NZ government for billions of dollars under TPPA fully negating any possible benefit that it brings and it really doesn’t look like it’ll be bringing any.
Jesus Fizzz …. you really really don’t understand Indian perceptions or culture do you! (Statement not question)
Similarly, and perhaps more relevant – since you – is it you? that’s recently had that preoccuption with Venuzuela??? – you really do have no fucking idea.
I look forward to you and yours – claims of success in terms of your agenda.
It’ll all come with angst and battles that you (in your arrogance) no doubt are confident you’ll have an upper hand in.
PLEASE .
FTA South Amurrika (I’ve been waiting for progress in this space going forward since Chavez’s demise)
FTA Inja (We’ll see how Modi plays out and NZ’s treatment of Indian students – especially those sons and daughters of Indian politicians – not unlike those of the Brazilian).
Sorry folks – I find it hard sometimes to reconcile the fukkin IGNORANCE of the likes of Fizz’s spin. I D E O L O C I C A L and learned rote – or what!!
Employment is not at an all time high – I remember in 1980 we had unemployment of 0.5% – and it wasn’t this 1 hour a week bullshit or cancer victims being harrassed to abandon their only means of support.
I’ve recently returned from 10 years overseas and I can’t wait to get out of this horrible shithole.
The economy is only growing at 0.3% ex migration and Christchurch, wages haven’t kept pace with inflation for thirty years (excluding real estate inflation is bookkeeping of the kind that lands people in jail).
The country is lost and damned, and Auckland is mostly populated by orcs.
Best thing that could happen here is a seisachtheia.
Gnats should all be in jail.
Yes Ad, our young people go overseas for better job prospects and also to see the world as they have always done here. Two things which result in this mass migration is firstly these days they have the opportunity to come and go with air flights bringing them home within their salary range that they are earning overseas. In the 60’s it was a one off to go overseas as the sea travel was hideously expensive and you went over and stayed overseas for as long as immigration allowed you to. If that young person today has the luck of a UK father they can gain the Euro passport and the world is their oyster. Its great for them and I say good luck to them as the NZ we live in is not the lovely place it used to be – that pristine haven at the bottom of the world.
Secondly there is a knock on effect of these long stayers overseas, the negative side of it is it dislocates families and takes away that cohesive society we used to have of two or three generations all living close by and supporting one another. I know many many people who have kids away some as long as 17 years and longer, its lovely when they come home, say every 2-4 years but it still breaks up families. We always want the best for our kids but nevertheless its a different kettle of fish to the 60’s when one went for 2-3 years and then came home and settled down. NZ then wasn’t so bad to come home to.
I never gild the lily with my kid and her partner when they come home, they get the truth of what this country is all about and they are shocked at the cost of housing, food and other utilities we have to pay for. She owns a beautiful home which would cost 2 mil here and paid $424 US for it. Of course she earns huge money and why would she want to come home to a low waged economy so I don’t blame her staying away. She gets to see us quite often and has a far nicer lifestyle where she is.
Even in my twenties I was politically aware and wouldn’t have wanted to come back to this nasty place where dog eats dog and the vulnerable are not looked after. Where she lives now is probably pretty much the same but at least she is appreciated for her labour and is saving a great egg nest for their retirement which is what we, as all parents want our kids to do.
The Americans I’ve met (99% really nice people) are universally horrified at the costs of living here. Clothing, food, cars, petrol, and crummy housing, is all disgustingly overpriced. This is because the NZ market is TINY and big players can manipulate it and collude with ease.
example: 13 real estate agencies accused of price fixing
Please @ Ad. Shoot me NOW!
I’ve just witnessed the discussion that follows (and in particular – the IGnorance of the Fizz.
I’m not sure whether he/she (actually he) hasn’t the capability for critical thought, or whether I should just bow down to @Paul/Paulm’s dnftt comments.
The latter would be so much easier.
He’s got me wondering whether it was his essays I once had to mark and to have had to seek a second opinion.
How the fuck did it come to this! There are words we once used as descriptors no longer seem to have any meaning – but I guess that’s what they intended.
I hope Fizz has a really exquisite looking tick on the certificate of achievement he’s in possession of cos fuck all else is going to safe him when we eventually delve into it all.
Sure Ad, rogernomics saved us from some of the awful consequences of Muldoon but it also introduced the iniquitous GST, sold off basic infrastructure assets for a pittance, and made the crash of 87 a hell of a lot worse. The shocking inequality and poverty produced from its hellspawn offspring, ruthanasia, changed NZ from a once decent country to one where the poor are actively demonised.
The 1984 reforms were necessary but not taken to the extreme that ACT party founder Roger Douglas went to. He destroyed David Lange and fucked up the Labour Party in the process. It was a shameful and despicable way to conduct government.
John Roughan is a blind idiot, I hope you were just paying devil’s advocate with that comment (3.1).
The 1984 reforms were like giving thalidomide to a pregnant woman to help her with her horrible morning sickness.
You tell us what it would be like to have import quotas and for NZers to manufacture most of the goods they needed instead,
Nope the goods may not be quite as fancy as that overseas – but 3% unemployment is better than 6.8% and rising.
And there would be a decent median wage.
House prices would be lower because we wouldn’t have sold all our major banks offshore.
We would be manufacturing our own rolling stock for our expanding rail system and we would be Carbon Neutral and virtually 100% renewable.
I could go on – but it would be just too depressing to think of all the opportunities we have lost because we cast it all aside and sold the silver for next to nothing.
+1 good points sir/ma’am
Charming.
http://tropic.ssec.wisc.edu/real-time/austeast/movies/gmsirn/gmsirnjava.html
http://tropic.ssec.wisc.edu/real-time/temp/tccapture.gif
Id be counting my beads or charms for sure. Nasty looking boil mid-Pacific. And we send a poor guy back because we don’t register when they put in application, only when it is complete in every detail. So the two days it took to get info complete meant he was over the bar because of those two days.
What are we planning to do for the Pacific Islanders? We can accept wealthy people who prop up this shaky economy in the Shake Isles. But PI people who were helpful workers once to the economy, are not the preferred people any more. Now it is those from the Indian continent, Indians from Fiji, and Filipinos. All needing places and jobs, but they are not from islands just above water level, lashed with increasing cyclones from sea level and winds from above like a punishment from hell.
Hmm
http://pamola.um.maine.edu/fcst_frames/GFS-025deg/DailySummary/GFS-025deg_NH-SAT5_PMSL.png
There is a documentary being shown on TVOne at 10:10pm tonight that will be of interest to anyone interested in NZ history and/or Māori issues. It would be easy to miss considering the time slot it has been given.
“Hikoi – the Land March” commemorates the 1975 Land March led by Whina Cooper and features several of the people who participated.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/tv-guide/75716733/hikoi-the-land-march–new-footage-unveiled
Thanks, I saw the second half. The tv footage from 1975 was so clear it almost looked like it happened 5 years ago! I think I had forgotten a lot of what happened there, the bit at the end about Bastion Point and the 1000 police officers/army surrounding the occupiers was scary, almost fascist, rekindling an act from the New Zealand Wars almost. We do have some very poignant moments in our short history. The other takeaway for me was the stat that Māori only own was it 6% of NZ land currently, even after the large treaty settlements we’ve had in recent decades. In a lot of cases they’re just been offered the shit land back that pakeha never found a way to make a profit out of or exploit properly. Hope the doco makes it onto the OnDemand website.
It is available On Demand so you will be able to see the first half!
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/ondemand/hikoi-the-land-march/10-01-2016/series-2016-episode-special
Seen on a Facebook page. Does this define the zeitgeist of the young adult generation? If so, they will spend so long looking walking away from those with a wise message that they consider negative, that they cannot prepare themselves for the nasty future that awaits.
It’s not just young people. It’s in the hippy and new ager circles as well as the wider American culture of personal growth. Some of it is constructive, but there are very clear libertarian and neoconservative ethics at play as well. I agree, it creates problems on a number of levels and can be quite nasty. Poor people for instance are just full of negativity otherwise they wouldn’t be poor.
weka
The attitude is that poor people are too negative and cause their own poverty. I have come across that from a USAn, his refusal to consider tweaking policies in the community group we were operating was one factor in its demise.
But the meme is so pervasive that poor people can believe it is their own fault, feel guilty at asking for things, or nsisting on things that are their right actually, still there in the law.
The distressing thing is that this poisonous attitude that doesn’t want to front anything unpleasant or admit need for correction or improvement in society, means that everything that has a shitty smell stays that way. And if someone comes along all keen to make change and uses known community rousers and methods of self-firing in people which works, they are viewed as one-off outliers, and if they leave then the system and methods may just be allowed to fade away.
Of course this is ‘aided’ by the practice of neo liberals to want to cut ties between government central or local with the community and force groups to go to private enterprise for fund raising after a few successful years. Government will then fund some new group in the same temporary fashion, with the same result. It doesn’t matter how good, how useful, how carefully controlled the budget is, the neo liberal dead hand of government shows up soon and starves the organisation, or insists on user-pay which may dry up its good purpose.
Here is some good reading on this issue. An explanation of how positive thinking took hold in America. Causes all sorts of problems. People with cancer think they got it because they weren’t positive enough etc. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jan/10/smile-or-die-barbara-ehrenreich
Main reason why the left ain’t getting traction.
No one likes a downer, no one wants to listen to some person bleat on about how bad every thing supposedly is.
I suppose the irony of your comment is unintentional.
Too much positive thinking = reality denial. It causes ponzi schemes and the GFC
Must be time the terrorists that aren’t rang their mums and arranged a ride home.
JJ MacNab
@jjmacnab
The OR militants have updated their wish list.
https://twitter.com/jjmacnab/status/685960657225793536
Twenty years too late.
For more than a decade, the Environmental Protection Agency has been under pressure from environmentalists and beekeepers to reconsider its approval of a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids, based on a mounting body of research suggesting they harm bees and other pollinators at tiny doses. In a report released Wednesday, the EPA basically conceded the case.
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2016/01/epa-finds-major-pesticide-toxic-bees
I watched “The Vanishing of the Bees” a few years back, and saw how the beekeepers themselves were looking into the reasons for the CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) that was destroying their hives and livelihoods.
The EPA’s role in approving the neonicotinoids is worthwhile to watch for itself. A 3 day trial, which does not follow the bees long term. While the film does not unequivocally state a reason, – it seems more than likely that when the bees feed on the honey during winter, the toxicity is concentrated in this winter fuel, and the effect is marked and leads to colony collapse.
Worth the time if you are interested in this subject:
NZ and South Africa are exporting bees like there’s no tomorrow
I smelt a rat the moment Paula Bennett appeared on tv with optrex running down her face. Then all became clear with the rich-list connection.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/75751778/rich-lister-culum-manson-is-father-of-killed-jogger-jo-perts-children
Perhaps the focus should be on the dead lady, and those who have lost a mum, daughter etc
Public high profile death is a repeat in the Manson Company
Bound to be a coincidence.
Yes, me too.
Imagine if the victim had been say… Samoan and came from South Auckland… was the same age and a solo mum with two children. Do you think she would have got the same wall to wall coverage in the media? We all know the answer is NO. And of course P.B. wouldn’t have been seen spilling optrex down her face.
It would be ironic if funding cuts/shortcuts by Government end up being somewhat responsible for this tragic event.
The rich-lister ditched her when she was pregnant with the second child…
…nice bloke.
How Corrupt is Britain – book recently published.
Tesco has three investigations for naughtiness! And on and on with cases….
(https://plutopress.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/how-corrupt-is-britain-david-whyte-talks-about-his-new-book/
One hour talk David Whyte and Luke Hildyard
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSJey0VylMI
Google notes –
Feb 17, 2015 – David Whyte is Reader in Sociology at the University of Liverpool. He is an internationally established author on the subjects of state power and …
Luke Hildyard, deputy director of the High Pay Centre, a think-tank established to monitor pay, says the group has long since argued that “executive pay incentive payments have become totally dysfunctional and bear little relationship to company performance”.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/39959ed2-05e7-11e5-b676-00144feabdc0.html
I would like to pass on my great appreciation to MickySavage, Lprent, te reo putake, and any other TS people I have probably forgotten, who maintained the daily service over the Christmas New Year period. It must have kept you very busy when everyone else was taking it easy. For my part It meant that there was something meaty in politics or current affairs to read every day. Thank you all greatly.
Cheers WD. Christmas is always a stretch but there was a lot of interesting things happening …
hi wisdumb,
well said.
i, too, greatly appreciate the efforts made for me to participate in this community.
keep up the good work.
please.
How low can the Left go. Bring back Shearer.
Another fish bait comment..
dnftt
I thought the t.roll count was getting a bit low. Fishy must be on a zero hour contract?
Gollum …
at 12
Way to go Standardistas stupid comment for fizzy and just 4 comments and we are onto 13 Big Claps.
@ fisi “How low can the Left go”
………………………………Left………….Oppo
2014 Election………….35.8…………..44.5
(Party-Vote)
Poll Average……………42.4…………..49.2
(since Sep 2015)
Diff…………………………+ 6.6………….+ 4.7
You were saying, fisi ???
@12 Fisiani farts again.
interesting programme on Radio NZ, filed here for future reference:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/summernoelle/audio/201784993/professor-jeremy-waldron