Open mike 10/03/2015

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, March 10th, 2015 - 184 comments
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184 comments on “Open mike 10/03/2015 ”

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    • Draco T Bastard 1.2
      10 March 2015 at 8:24 am

      The economy must be doing worse than anticipated if Key’s pretty much demanding that the RBNZ lower interest rates.

      • infused 1.2.1
        10 March 2015 at 8:32 am

        It’s actually to combat negative inflation, which is just as bad, if not worse than inflation. Take a look at Japan. Once that starts, it’s very hard to stop.

        • Colonial Rawshark 1.2.1.1
          10 March 2015 at 8:35 am

          LOL deflation is a symptom of economic spending declines, debt over burdens and household incomes going backwards; it’s not some separate thing.

          This is where neoliberal policies and monetarism have taken us to.

          • infused 1.2.1.1.1
            10 March 2015 at 8:39 am

            Which isn’t actually happening.

            • Colonial Rawshark 1.2.1.1.1.1
              10 March 2015 at 8:50 am

              If the symptoms are there, you can be pretty sure the disease is there. You youself used the Japan example. Their economy is debt and demographic fucked – two lost decades now and counting.

          • les 1.2.1.1.2
            10 March 2015 at 8:52 am

            I think a blindingly good diversified deflation proof portfolio would be…
            Meridian
            Warners
            MRP
            Rio Tinto
            Genesis
            Sky City
            Bank of America
            Scales Corp
            JP Morgan

            • Hutty 1.2.1.1.2.1
              10 March 2015 at 9:07 am

              Why Scales Corp?

              • les …
                10 March 2015 at 9:27 am

                former Sth Cant asset given away for about $43mil ,then floated for about $143 mil,with one of the main ‘actors being John Spys next door neighbour in Parnell.

                • Tracey …
                  10 March 2015 at 9:29 am

                  really?

                  • les …
                    10 March 2015 at 9:36 am

                    really and truly…P.M at 105 St Stephens,and the entrepreneur at 106.

                    • rawshark-yeshe …
                      10 March 2015 at 11:38 am

                      Yes, literally given to govt by Hubbard when requested for a sign of good faith. In fact, it has been reported that English delayed the entry of SCF into guarantee scheme until Scales and his helicopter company were signed over. I think there is evidence they occurred on the same day as soon as the two companies were ‘gifted’ by Hubbard.

                      This story is out and about … there is evidence, it’s just never been looked at thoroughly in daylight. One of the biggest most corrupt rorts by Key and English, and that’s really saying something.

                      Will find a link and come back … a main part if it –here you are:

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9CE1a4pSeQ

                    • thatguynz …
                      10 March 2015 at 3:23 pm

                      Having known quite a bit about this for some time I would dearly love to see this be a topic for investigation by Hager or Jon Stephenson..

                      If even half of what I’ve heard is true then the current government would be gone in the blink of an eye – potentially to the point of not being electable for a very long time.

                • les …
                  10 March 2015 at 9:42 am

                  ‘South Canterbury Finance receivers have signed an agreement to sell a 79.7% stake in apple exporter and cold store company Scales Corporation to Direct Capital for $44 million.

                  Direct Capital is a local investment firm headed by Ross George. ‘

                  ‘Goldman Sachs & Partners New Zealand Limited acted as financial advisor to the Receivers of the SCF Group’.

        • Tracey 1.2.1.2
          10 March 2015 at 9:28 am

          Then he should sack Wheeler who clearly has no understanding of the necessary matters to do his job.

        • Draco T Bastard 1.2.1.3
          10 March 2015 at 1:33 pm

          It’s actually to combat negative inflation, which is just as bad, if not worse than inflation.

          Yeah, that’s what I said – the economy is tanking despite all the talk from the government about ‘rock-star economies’.

    • Tracey 1.3
      10 March 2015 at 9:28 am

      chuckle

      Not wanting to interfere the PM says at.8% the reserve bank is short of its 2% target but denies putting pressure on for an interest rate cut…

      the cut would lower the dollar (I assume) but lower borrowing costs as well, so no stop to Auckland’s runaway property market in mind from this PM.

      • Lanthanide 1.3.1
        10 March 2015 at 9:36 am

        And Wheeler is just thinking “yes, and if you’d do something about the housing market, then maybe I could drop interest rates”.

        • Tracey 1.3.1.1
          10 March 2015 at 9:49 am

          spot on with my thinking Lanth

        • infused 1.3.1.2
          10 March 2015 at 11:02 am

          And what do you propose?

          * CGT – Delayed effect, and would add to house pricing in auckland, while deflating it elsewhere

          * Stop Foreign Investment/purchasing – Which would the crash the Auckland market. As nice as you think that would be, it would be a disaster for NZ economically.

          Besides, house prices are only affecting two cities.

          • Molly 1.3.1.2.1
            10 March 2015 at 11:43 am

            “Besides, house prices are only affecting two cities.”

            One of which – Auckland – accounts for a third of the population.

            Couldn’t be bothered figuring out the other city you are referring to because if you don’t recognise there is a knock-on effect for the whole country, you are a bit deluded.

          • b waghorn 1.3.1.2.2
            10 March 2015 at 11:44 am

            According to key if i recall correctly foreign investment isn’t causing the house price boom so no problem to exclude them from the market.

          • Lanthanide 1.3.1.2.3
            10 March 2015 at 12:05 pm

            “* Stop Foreign Investment/purchasing – Which would the crash the Auckland market. As nice as you think that would be, it would be a disaster for NZ economically.”

            How about we actually do the research first, hmm, instead of leaping to conclusions?

            The fact is, there are no firm numbers about the amount or extent of foreign investment in Auckland, only anecdotes, hunches and guesses.

            Also, you don’t have to completely restrict it – you could require that all foreign bought homes must be new-builds. Use all of that excess cash coming in from offshore for something productive, instead of locking out NZers from buying homes at sensible prices.

            The government, being sovereign, can literally do anything they like in order to combat house prices. Here’s a suggestion: any entity that has owned land for 5+ years and not made any moves to develop it (ie, land-bankers), must pay a 1% capital tax, calculated based on the council valuation for the land. If that isn’t a big enough stick to get them to sell it, start increasing the rate by 0.5% per year after 5 years.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.3.1.2.4
            10 March 2015 at 1:42 pm

            1. Banning foreign ownership of homes
            2. Stop the banks from creating money
            3. Ban foreign ownership of anything and everything in NZ
            4. Build enough homes through Housing NZ to ensure 1% to 2% over-supply of housing
            5. http://thestandard.org.nz/real-monetary-reform/

            Stop Foreign Investment/purchasing – Which would the crash the Auckland market. As nice as you think that would be, it would be a disaster for NZ economically.

            No it wouldn’t. Sure, the financial markets would crash but economically we’d end up being much stronger.

          • Murray Rawshark 1.3.1.2.5
            10 March 2015 at 5:53 pm

            The Auckland house market is going to crash anyway. All pyramid schemes do. The question is whether Kiwis will control the property after the crash, or whether the strings will be pulled from overseas. It’s better we decide on the preferred outcome and aim for that.

  2. North 2
    10 March 2015 at 7:07 am

    Herald editorial this morning framing Little as having lost his nerve over Northland; by implication – “silly, no-guts, useless Little……”

    “Andrew Little’s initial instinct to compete strongly in the byelection was the right one. If any contest was tailor-made for Labour and its new leader, it is Northland.”

    Who writes this shit ? “Tailor-made” ? For what/whom ? Oh that’s right – TheGodKey. Herald abusing its power again.

    • tc 2.1
      10 March 2015 at 7:30 am

      Herald sees that as a good use of its power as a tory rag.

    • Skinny 2.2
      10 March 2015 at 7:58 am

      The beauty/ugly fact is every Northlander knows they get the modern day equivalent of broken plates and beads from the Treaty era, the morden being broken roads and a undemocratically implemented Super Council to strip rural Zombie towns of a say.

      So spin as they are the MSM have little say, the true glimmer of hope is Peters motto “Help is on it’s way.”

    • Tracey 2.3
      10 March 2015 at 9:32 am

      pretty sure journalist’s opinion is no more valid than anyone elses, but how about just giving us some facts and letting us decide for ourselves?

      god forbid they be spending this morning opining about Bridges bridges.

      http://livenews.co.nz/2014/09/12/regional-land-transport-programme-2015-18-underway/

  3. AsleepWhileWalking 3
    10 March 2015 at 7:40 am

    Thought having access to all emails, texts, and phone conversations was invasive?

    http://www.thedailysheeple.com/scotland-yard-chief-wants-cctv-cameras-in-every-home_032015

    Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, the head of London’s Metropolitan Police Service, is now urging residents to put CCTV cameras in their homes and businesses. Because safety. It gets better though…

    Sir Bernard is encouraging inhabitants to install cameras at eye level, because according to the Scotland Yard chief,

    ‘Facial recognition software has got better, and we can now apply it to images of burglaries, and then compare them with images we take when we arrest people.

    ‘What we need to be able to do is to be able to compare that photograph with the images we have of people committing a crime.

    ‘Taking the tops of their heads is not that helpful for facial recognition which relies on the eyes and the configuration of the area around the nose and the mouth. So we’re trying to get people to, ideally, add a camera at face level.

    ‘If anyone listening has a business, think about installing a new one – they’re relatively cheap. If you can’t buy one, could you think about moving it?

    • Tautoko Mangō Mata 3.1
      10 March 2015 at 7:52 am

      What a twit! Give away your freedom so that the Police can catch your burglar…oh, sorry…he was wearing a mask?

      • te reo putake 3.1.1
        10 March 2015 at 8:10 am

        What freedom is being given away? It’s entirely up to the homeowner what happens to the video. Modern cameras have motion sensors and if all they record is the cat, big deal. But if they capture a burglar, then yeah, share that for sure.

        • vto 3.1.1.1
          10 March 2015 at 8:30 am

          ” It’s entirely up to the homeowner what happens to the video”

          Are you serious trp? You truly believe that freedom would not be lost? ….. after all eh, nothing to fear nothing to hide…

          everything else is already recorded – there is only the inside of ones home left.

          • te reo putake 3.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2015 at 8:35 am

            Yep, entirely serious. The home or business owner has total control over the what is recorded and what happens to the video. I think the mistake being made here is the thought that the video is going to be actively monitored by the police. Which it ain’t.

            • vto 3.1.1.1.1.1
              10 March 2015 at 8:38 am

              yet

              read some history

              start with ird

            • vto 3.1.1.1.1.2
              10 March 2015 at 8:52 am

              “The home or business owner has total control ”

              You do realise trp that the home or business owner does not have total control over things in their home or business in countless ways already?

        • Colonial Rawshark 3.1.1.2
          10 March 2015 at 8:33 am

          What freedom is being given away? It’s entirely up to the homeowner what happens to the video

          Most of these modern CCTV systems will be hooked up to a PC hooked up to the internet, silly. Homeowners will be told they can monitor their home and their kids from work or while on holiday. Who wouldn’t want that?

          And once its on the internet it will be collected and recorded by the intelligence services.

          • te reo putake 3.1.1.2.1
            10 March 2015 at 8:37 am

            Actually most of them work on flash drives, CV. And in the real world, who’s going to be actively monitoring what your cat does while you’re asleep anyway? Get a grip.

            • vto 3.1.1.2.1.1
              10 March 2015 at 8:40 am

              I am staggered at your mindset here trp, in light of the recent revelations that ALL our communications are being hoovered up by the ‘authorities’.

              This is la-la land stuff that you are dwelling in

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                10 March 2015 at 8:46 am

                Dick Smith $599 home CCTV system enabling “remote viewing” by PC, smartphone or tablet. Compatible with Apple, Android and Windows devices. How handy.

                http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/security/uniden-digital-wireless-surveillance-pack-dsnz-l9272

                • te reo putake …
                  10 March 2015 at 8:54 am

                  So what? I think we are all aware that there are internet compliant systems, but most people go with the cheaper systems that aren’t. If you’re paranoid about the man monitoring your moggy, that’s the obvious option. Or simply don’t put a system in at all.

                  Get. A. Grip.

                  • vto …
                    10 March 2015 at 8:58 am

                    Lets place a bet shall we……

                    that the authorities will move to collect this data as its recording becomes more prevalent (of course some of it is already recorded by the authorities right now as CV has amply shown)

                  • Colonial Rawshark …
                    10 March 2015 at 8:59 am

                    LOL just making a point that you’re not paying proper attention to Snowden and Hager’s revelations.

                    • te reo putake …
                      10 March 2015 at 9:04 am

                      Um, I think you’re the one missing the point of their revelations, CV. But keep looking out for the black helicopters anyway. You never know.

                    • vto …
                      10 March 2015 at 9:14 am

                      That’s what the populists said in Germany in the 1930s. Why is it that humans do not learn from history?

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      10 March 2015 at 10:24 am

                      TRP: You probably think that the “black government helicopter” raids meme is funny.

                      The truth is of course is that “black government helicopters” accompanying paramilitaries in body armour with automatic weapons have already been in use around NZ. Against unarmed civilians with families and children. Who have had loaded weapons pointed at them for no just reason.

                      They went for Kim Dotcom on a foreign governments orders, and they went to the Ureweras on trumped up terrorism charges.

                      vto: yep some people can’t even seem to remember recent Kiwi history let alone European 20th century history.

                  • Murray Rawshark …
                    10 March 2015 at 6:06 pm

                    Some of us do a little more in our homes than sit patting a cat that’s asleep on our knee shawl. But hey, don’t worry, they’ll make the cameras compulsory for beneficiaries first, probably ones with little kids. Then Sabin’s Methcon will get a contract to monitor them. Yeah, don’t worry.

            • Colonial Rawshark 3.1.1.2.1.2
              10 March 2015 at 8:42 am

              People want to be able to watch their pets, kids, house while at work, so more and more of these systems will be connected to the internet via wifi straight to the modem, the home PC or a cellular connection.

              And once it is connected to the internet even indirectly, it’s a gift to the intelligence services who are collecting everything and recording it permanently.

        • Tracey 3.1.1.3
          10 March 2015 at 9:35 am

          You don’t see a point where maybe the data of those who voluntarily do this is used to show what a great “crime fighting” success it is so everyone should have one and to make it easier we (govt) will subsidise the cost and installation…. but you must instal…

        • weka 3.1.1.4
          10 March 2015 at 10:36 am

          “What freedom is being given away?”

          There are privacy rights issues for people visiting the businesses and private homes where such systems are installed, esp if the police are using such systems to gather data for nationwide face recognition systems, which I’m pretty sure would be the intent. You really think the police want to go through hours of localised files that aren’t connected to a network each time there is a burglary?

          We already know that there is significant connection happening between the police and places like nightclubs, where private businesses are feeding the police data.

          In NZ I think there would be legal issues. Do you have the right to record me in your home without me knowing? Or your business? How about in the toilet or bathroom of both those places? Where’s the limit? Can you record images, or can you record sounds as well? How about phone calls I make from there on my own phone? Now think about how this links into the meta and content data being collected by every spy and his dog as well as private contractors.

          I’m also surprised by your responses TRP, because they sound exactly what people used to say about other kinds of data collection, when us paranoid lot were being told there was nothing to fear and nothing to hide. It’s patently obvious that the people developing surveillance systems are intending them to go much further than just having a isolated recording device in your hallway.

          Like tracey said, more people need to read 1984 (again).

          • vto 3.1.1.4.1
            10 March 2015 at 10:49 am

            TRP’s approach to this really is surprising. Raises questions about the place heshe occupies in the system. Again.

            • Colonial Rawshark 3.1.1.4.1.1
              10 March 2015 at 11:45 am

              Agreed. It’s a viewpoint congruent with those who have authority and influence in the power establishment.

          • te reo putake 3.1.1.4.2
            10 March 2015 at 10:55 am

            “esp if the police are using such systems to gather data for nationwide face recognition systems, which I’m pretty sure would be the intent.”

            The intent is to catch burglars.

            • weka 3.1.1.4.2.1
              10 March 2015 at 11:05 am

              so? That’s not incompatible with what I said.

              • te reo putake …
                10 March 2015 at 11:16 am

                Yes, it is. Unless intent has a new meaning not previously known. The cop concerned wants to catch burglars. He suggested that those home owners who already have CCTV devices put them at a better angle so the pictures can help identify crooks. He further suggested that other home owners might consider getting the devices as well. That’s it. That’s all he said. That was his intent. To catch burglars. Anything more is speculation and fantasy.

                Have a read: http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-10032015/#comment-982707

                • vto …
                  10 March 2015 at 11:34 am

                  Your determination to limit this discussion to cops and robbers does your credibility no good trp. This discussion goes beyond that – the cop was the starting point only.

                  The discussion is about the creep of government surveillance – the cop was the starting point only.

                  Why are you ignoring this? (and please don’t repeat what the copper said again)

                • Bill …
                  10 March 2015 at 11:39 am

                  You’re being disingenuous trp.

                  He wants to match the images against the 12 000 000 images of suspects and offenders the police already have. Note the word suspects there? (And the existence of 12 million ‘mug shots’ from a population of…!?)

                  Labour MP Andrew Miller said: ‘We were alarmed to discover that the police have begun uploading custody photographs of people to the police national database and using facial recognition software without any regulatory oversight. Some of the people had not even been charged.

                  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2985202/Scotland-Yard-chief-Hogan-Howe-calls-DIY-surveillance-help-police.html

                  Still. Everyone (who counts) is a good guy and a cop in this brave new world you seem prepared to relax into.

                  • te reo putake …
                    10 March 2015 at 11:52 am

                    It’s you and the daily mail using the word ‘suspects’ (strange bedfellows, Bill!).

                    The cop actually says: “What we need to be able to do is to be able to compare that photograph with the images we have of people committing a crime.”

                    • Bill …
                      10 March 2015 at 12:22 pm

                      Aw ffs! – the infantile school yard dance aside…

                      The Metropolitan Police Commissioner says…’x’.

                      House of Commons Committee discovered…’y’.

                      And in this instance you’re going with the word of a Met Officer over a House of Commons Committee. Whatever.

                    • te reo putake …
                      10 March 2015 at 12:30 pm

                      Bill, you wrote: “He wants to match the images against the 12 000 000 images of suspects and offenders the police already have.”

                      Which was wrong, as it turns out.

                    • Bill …
                      10 March 2015 at 12:38 pm

                      How are you showing that opinion to be wrong?

                      Given the penchant of authorities to ask for an inch while they take a mile, and the fact that the Commons Committee discovered the police have been using facial recognition software without any oversight, I’d say there’s a fair bet they will do matches against their entire data base. Actually, unless their data base is subdivided into ‘arrested but not charged’ and various other categories, then I don’t see how such an outcome can be avoided.

                      They sure as hell ain’t wanting face level photos just so they can print them off and take them around the neighbourhood.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      10 March 2015 at 12:48 pm

                      It’s quite likely that FVEY police forces are following the example of the US FBI and other law enforcement organisations in participating in what Bill Binney calls a “planned programme perjury policy”.

                      This is where law enforcement uses NSA data without warrants or probable cause to finger individuals, then reconstructs in parallel (so-called “parallel reconstruction”) legal evidence which can be presented to a court of law while concealing their original sources of knowledge.

                      It’s stasi state secret police, secret evidence stuff.

                    • te reo putake …
                      10 March 2015 at 12:50 pm

                      No, you’re probably right that it will be the broader usage, Bill, but that’s what happens now anyway. All that will happen if those with cameras follow the cop’s advice is that they will get clearer pictures, which will mean the right people have their collars felt. That’s gotta be better than just arresting the nearest kid that vaguely looks like a grainy photo taken from a bad angle or simply not solving the crime at all.

            • Sabine 3.1.1.4.2.2
              10 March 2015 at 2:20 pm

              and to that end everyone is guilty unless proven innocent by facial recognition.
              Yeah, right Tui.

      • infused 3.1.2
        10 March 2015 at 8:35 am

        I have cameras in my house on the out side. One covers the garage, two on they alley way side (main reason I got them) and one in the drive way.

        Night vision motion sensors.

        All came about as there is a bottle shop across the road and alley way right next to my house. Fence was always being tagged/booted in. People coming up the drive way and fucking with stuff on the property.

        Never had an issue since the cameras went in.

        • Tracey 3.1.2.1
          10 March 2015 at 9:35 am

          what did it cost you?

          • McFlock 3.1.2.1.1
            10 March 2015 at 10:50 am

            probably only a few hundred bucks if it was an off the shelf domestic system with 3 cameras and DVR, and a monitor thrown in for luck. “Night vision” is just a pretty standard ccd with IR leds and “motion detection” is a software option. The pan/tilt/zoom cameras get more pricey, as do more durable or higher def professional surveillance cameras.

            • infused 3.1.2.1.1.1
              10 March 2015 at 11:08 am

              Nah… if you buy the cheap stuff you will get what you pay for. I did a lot of research as i’d heard horror stories about night vision cameras.

              You need to pay for the $800 cameras for outdoor+night vision or you are going to get a shitty picture. indoor ones are a lot cheaper.

              For a DVR, I just used a NAS with some software to do the job. I already had the NAS for storage, so you just add the app to do the processing.

              Camera is here: http://www2.acti.com/product/support/B87

              • McFlock …
                10 March 2015 at 11:45 am

                Fair enough.

                Although if the result is deterrence rather than trying to get the cops to track down taggers, simpler would do (although those cheap dummy domes look like crap).

                I recall one ptz I was working with back in the day automatically flipped to macro-focus to get a clear shot of the small spider sitting on the dome an inch from the lens. You don’t want that to suddenly pop up when you’ve a coffee halfway to your mouth 🙂

    • Tracey 3.2
      10 March 2015 at 9:33 am

      People really need to re-read 1984. Too often the media and the pollies only feed people the so-called “upside”…

      • Tiger Mountain 3.2.1
        10 March 2015 at 12:46 pm

        thats right, read it as a kid and was fascinated to find that original title was “1948”, the author was critiquing existing totalitarian regimes as much as projecting futurism.

        But much of Orwell’s book has come to pass though, TVs, computer webcams and other electronic gadgets and drones that can watch and monitor you, politicians that say the exact opposite of what they mean, a pervasive surveillance state, various snitch networks (such as Whaleoil’s Tipline and the blue bellies star555–its only traffic safety, 0800 consumer lines and web tracking) and so on. Auckland Transport is going to run facial recognition software on its traffic intersection cams that photograph license plates, driver and front seat passengers linked to US based servers.

        The ability to go about your life reasonably privately and unmolested by the state is nearly gone. But you can do things like use cash for most purchases and turn some of the gadgets off occasionally. There is plenty to fear when you have nothing to hide.

      • Sans Cle 3.2.2
        10 March 2015 at 1:51 pm

        Agree – there are so many parallels with manipulating information, obfuscating meanings, denial of having said something…..basically trying to change the facts. Veutoviper @14 below, also makes some interesting points about Key’s post-cabinet press conferences being published.

        I really like this essay “Plato and the Internet”, extending old philosophical ideas with new technology…… (available here http://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/40292.pdf), and have taken out one relevant passage:
        “The written is infinitely less interesting to Plato than live discussion. But nowadays technology has blurred the distinction. Some speech – as recorded on TV or radio – is as unchanging as a piece of text. One cannot interact with a recording; it will not change if one debates with it (it ‘cannot come to its own support’). One can, of course, debate with the person who made the recording, but the recording will still stand. Like a piece of writing, a recorded utterance will remain in existence even if it has been exposed as a lie, or if its author has changed his mind. Like writing, it can be broadcast to a wide and undiscriminating audience (it ‘rolls about everywhere’).”

        I find this fascinating, in the context of a) a blog such as this, where everything is retained for future cross-checking…….b) the internet in itself, where humans are cataloguing everything, it seems…….and c) the mass surveillance and collection of data that Snowden has made us privy to.
        Also, I am not sure whether written word is immutable! What if we go back in 5 years from now, and the text of what we have written has changed?! I know there are projects archiving the internet, but are these beyond manipulation?

        …..and on interesting literature in this regard, we should also relook at The Minority Report (K. Dick’s original book, not the movie) as to where this could lead us.

    • Bill 3.3
      10 March 2015 at 10:46 am

      Okay, so as TRP says ‘It’s up to you’, but….

      1. Insurance premiums dropping if approved home surveillance systems in place.

      2. Cops issuing seizure orders (or whatever they might be called) on spurious as well as legitimate grounds.

      3. The ‘license’ and permission for neighbours to be snooping on neighbours…the guy on ACC, the guy on the dole, the single mother next door…

      4. Panopticon

      • Colonial Rawshark 3.3.1
        10 March 2015 at 10:54 am

        In East Germany, neighbours, friends and family members were encouraged to inform on each other. There were inducements and advantages provided for doing so.

        This is the way our society is heading.

  4. Marksman33 4
    10 March 2015 at 7:56 am

    As I work in the roading industry in the Far North, I can assure readers that Joe Carr was quite right on Morning Report this morning. Both the Taipa bridge and the Kaeo bridge are both on the nine year plan and have been for years, no new money there. I want to know why the government isn’t doing anything about the 2 one lane bridges on state hi way 1, north of Kaitaia. The amount of accidents and near misses that occur with tourists at these sites is staggering. Something needs to be done.

    • Tiger Mountain 4.1
      10 March 2015 at 8:44 am

      “Joekerr” (Carr) is with right breakaway Focus NZ but still backs up the tories–the Nats were actually going to progress Taipa and Kaeo regardless of the by election eh? Yeah right.

      There needs to be all sorts of planning, cost benefit analysis and local input before these much needed upgrades actually happen.

      • Skinny 4.1.1
        10 March 2015 at 9:17 am

        I wouldn’t knock the Focus NZ candidate. Osbourne may get clipped by Carr (polling 6℅) and flattened by the Winston Express.
        They may well rue not selecting the Focus NZ Leader Kenny R who lost the Nat candidate race to Carters pasty Osbourne. In other words Focus NZ would not have
        stood a candidate. Expect more protest votes to Carr from disgruntled Tories who can’t bring themselves to directly support Peters.

        Key and Joyce’s heads will be spinning faster than the taxpayers money machine spitting out money to pay for their By-Election bribes.

        • te reo putake 4.1.1.1
          10 March 2015 at 9:23 am

          Cheers, skinny, that answers something for me. If I read you correctly, the Focus group are not a party in their own right, just a ginger group. So National are likely to be putting pressure on them to cease campaigning to help Osborne out, yes?

          • Skinny 4.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2015 at 9:56 am

            Focus NZ are break away NL rural Tories. Front man Kenny R is no mug 6,000 votes in the NL election backs this up. Funny setup when he can drift back to the Nat’s and nom to stand for them. What a slap in the face to farmers (over & over again) getting rejected with 2 very capable rural characters. I would be spewing if i were a farmer.

            Key may have to offer new milking sheds all round to keep the farmers from defecting.

      • jenny kirk 4.1.2
        10 March 2015 at 11:18 am

        We went to the Kaikohe candidates meeting last night, and it was very clear that Joe Carr is using the by-election as a public platform to get some basic info across about
        the regional council’s draft 10 year transport plan, and also to correct some of the bullshit being talked by the Nats re the so-called “new” money for the 10 bridges.
        Focus might be naturally tory, but they sure as heck are not impressed with how the tories have treated the north over the last few decades – that was very clear from what was said at the meeting. Neglect was the word used, over and over again.

        • Tiger Mountain 4.1.2.1
          10 March 2015 at 11:31 am

          yes but; Focus are ‘good ’ol boys’, conservative and reactionary rather than modern citified Nats or the petit bourgeois of Kerikeri. They will wriggle and squiggle but never see beyond a blue political solution.

          People that are at core landowners and farmers in denial of the post colonial situation the Far North is in.

    • Tracey 4.2
      10 March 2015 at 9:36 am

      how many national voters north of Kaitaia?

      • ropata 4.2.1
        10 March 2015 at 4:53 pm

        it depends on the time of year, how many Parnell tractors are touring through before heading back to the yacht in Paihia

    • vto 5.1
      10 March 2015 at 8:24 am

      brave?

        • Colonial Rawshark 5.1.1.1
          10 March 2015 at 8:29 am

          Ahhh the propaganda machine and their spokespeople creating martyrs, heroes and freedom fighters. Exactly what I would expect.

          It’s a quagmire over there, a sectarian civil war against Baghdad authorities. How’s Tikrit going by the way.

          • infused 5.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2015 at 8:37 am

            You are so small minded. It’s a lot bigger than baghdad. The fact you even say that shows you don’t actually grasp what is going on on there.

            • Colonial Rawshark 5.1.1.1.1.1
              10 March 2015 at 8:55 am

              Just speaking the truth that it’s a sectarian civil war against corrupt partisan incompetent rule from Baghdad.

          • te reo putake 5.1.1.1.2
            10 March 2015 at 8:43 am

            Tikrit is going well, apparently, CV. Good thing the Iraqi army isn’t relying on you for military advice, eh?

            http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/03/iraqi-forces-advance-isil-held-tikrit-150308054623411.html

            • Colonial Rawshark 5.1.1.1.2.1
              10 March 2015 at 8:56 am

              Huh? If its going pretty well between the Shiite militia, the Iraqi Army and the Iranian Quds forces, then what the hell do they need our soldiers there for?

              • te reo putake …
                10 March 2015 at 9:15 am

                For training. It was in the news, surprised you missed it.

                • Tracey …
                  10 March 2015 at 9:53 am

                  sounds like their current training will suffice if they are heading for success in Tikrit?

                  • te reo putake …
                    10 March 2015 at 10:30 am

                    They can always use more training, Tracey. It’s been a major focus of the yanks in the last six months and seems to have paid some dividends. It will be interesting how Tikrit goes. If they can’t win there, then the bigger prize of Mosul will have to be reassessed. But the indications are that the Iraqi army are showing much more discipline and organisation than was previously evident. And training will have a bit to do with that.

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      10 March 2015 at 10:40 am

                      Armchair General Westmoreland, confident as ever about the mission at hand.

                    • Pascals bookie …
                      10 March 2015 at 11:24 am

                      How come you never mention the salient fact about the Qods and the militia, TRP?

                      Iraqi army this, Iraqi army that. Who is doing the fighting in Tikrit and in what proportion?

                      Who is in command? Who is advising him?

                    • Colonial Rawshark …
                      10 March 2015 at 11:55 am

                      Newsweek: Tikrit will be a bloody disaster led by Shiite militia

                      Several months after thousands of American advisers showed up for training sessions, Iraqi troops still aren’t ready for combat. Iranian-backed Shiite militias will do most of the fighting against the ISIS militants in Tikrit and other largely Sunni towns and cities in Iraq, raising the chances of more sectarian slaughter…

                      That’s the grim assessment of a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, James Dubik, who oversaw the training of Iraqi soldiers in the final months of the eight-year U.S. occupation…he wasn’t surprised when the Iraqi forces collapsed.

                      “Yup,” Dubik says with a dry chuckle, “those were my guys.”
                      …
                      Iranian involvement has created an awkward situation for the Obama administration, which has been launching airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria since last August, effectively putting Washington and Tehran on the same side…

                      Iranian-backed Shiite militias like the Badr Brigade and K’taib Hezbullah say their fighters make up two-thirds of the 30,000-strong force that’s gathered near Tikiti…But the presence of Shiite fighters on a predominantly Sunni battlefield is cause for concern, Dubik and other military analysts say.

                      http://www.newsweek.com/iraqi-army-fight-against-isis-312105

            • Tracey 5.1.1.1.2.2
              10 March 2015 at 9:37 am

              don’t need us then

            • Murray Rawshark 5.1.1.1.2.3
              10 March 2015 at 6:21 pm

              They’ve been trying for a week and haven’t made much progress at all. Maybe they should ask CR for advice.

              • Colonial Rawshark …
                10 March 2015 at 6:32 pm

                Without the promise of serious political and administrative reform in Baghdad, no lasting peace with Iraq’s majority Sunni areas is going to hold.

          • Bill 5.1.1.1.3
            10 March 2015 at 11:16 am

            The Rojava Revolution has no interest in forming a state entity (eg – a Kurdistan). Where it exists within Syria, it has stated its recognition of Syrian territorial integrity and law.

            The inclusion of an armed, anachronistic Marxist/Leninist organisation gives me the shits though. (See comment 5.2)

            Here’s a link to the constitution of Rojava. Leninism flies full tilt into the face of it. http://civiroglu.net/the-constitution-of-the-rojava-cantons/

        • vto 5.1.1.2
          10 March 2015 at 8:34 am

          Nope, not correct. Idiots can be brave. The mad can be brave. Evil is very brave. Murderers are also brave, as are rapists. Soldiers are brave. Gay peopleare brave. Psychopaths are brave. Political extremists are brave.

          Brave, in this context is the same as that other tiresome word Honour. Toss anything into it. Worthless.

    • Bill 5.2
      10 March 2015 at 11:07 am

      Hang on! So she died fighting for the MLPK! The same MLPK that “believes that a sharp class struggle will also continue under the power of proletariat against the danger of restoration, that the dictatorship of proletariat is a real democracy, a socialist democracy, and it aims at it.”

      http://www.mlkp.info/?kategori=1012&Who_we_are?

      I’m thinking that the MLPK have a long ideological road to travel. Meanwhile, I’m (sadly) seeing Spain writ large again, where authoritarian Leninist elements essentially undermined the democratic potential of that revolution.

      That aside, I take it there will be calls from within the authoritarian left that travel bans to Rojava be lifted, that the designation of the PKK as terrorist be lifted and that the political/economic embargo on Rojava be lifted?

      Then can they all ‘go to school’ and get a grip?

      • Murray Rawshark 5.2.1
        10 March 2015 at 6:26 pm

        The PKK should not be designated as a terrorist organisation. The US Department of Defense should be.

  6. veutoviper 6
    10 March 2015 at 8:16 am

    Last night in the comments on the Caption Contest post, Clemgeopin, Sans Cle and I shared a few more ‘funnies’ related to the Northland By-election. (Thread is at 30.)

    As they are rather lost in the comments there, I thought I would re-post them here in case you missed them!

    First, the TV3 News bulletin which shows the original of the Key Nailing failure, and Osborne showing he is at least reasonably competent in the nailing skill. It also shows Key playing ‘Daddy’ to Osborne, and Osborne playing second fiddle to Key including acting as Key’s personal photographer – rather than the centre of attention as the actual Nat candidate. All in the first 2 minutes of the video.

    http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/national-pulls-out-team-key-in-northland-2015030717?ref=video

    There has also been some very amusing photoshopping of Osborne’s billboards on Twitter. Here are the two supplied by Clemgeopin and Sans Cle last night.
    http://t.co/XFhW3zgvNN

    http://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/1813/4074/original.jpg?w=600&h

    There are also a couple more in the photos on this Twitter feed

    https://twitter.com/insiderslive/media

    Enjoy – and share!

  7. adam 7
    10 March 2015 at 8:19 am

    I know I’m a day late – but if you have not read this post From Andrew – I think you should. It really is that good

    http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/to-call-each-thing-by-its-right-name

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1
      10 March 2015 at 9:14 am

      It’s quite clear from that article that the Otago University Faculty of Law is inefficient, surplus to requirements, full of screaming Lefties, and should be defunded.

      • veutoviper 7.1.1
        10 March 2015 at 9:28 am

        I am hoping you forgot the sarc/ tag!

        • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1.1.1
          10 March 2015 at 9:38 am

          I’m writing government policy. If Osborne can do it why can’t I?

          • veutoviper 7.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2015 at 11:11 am

            LOL! Go for it. IMO your policy will be way better than his.

            Did quite a bit of that in the past, on a paid basis. Don’t miss it one bit.

    • veutoviper 7.2
      10 March 2015 at 9:23 am

      Thanks for the link, Adam – and I thoroughly agree that this is a must read.

      A little more information – Andrew Geddis discusses the ethics of the Nat candidate, Osborne, fronting yesterday’s announcement about the 10 Northland bridges funding from taxpayers’ funds when currently he is still a private citizen running as a candidate and not a current MP.

      Andrew also examines the 10 bridge proposal against the Northland regional plan which mentons only two of those 10 bridges in the plan and not as high priorities.

  8. les 8
    10 March 2015 at 8:24 am

    ‘Mr Key said National “unashamedly” wanted to win the byelection. He said it was standard practice to release policies during byelections, although he could not recall instances of National doing so in previous byelections.’.(nzh)…..he does it every day…!unbelievable.

    • logie97 8.1
      10 March 2015 at 8:39 am

      Wow. Look what Peters has achieved for Northland already and he is not even elected. A bevy of bridges to start with. Wonder what is next.

    • RedBaronCV 8.2
      10 March 2015 at 8:56 am

      But are the bridges a tainted gift. This is a gift that needs a hard look.

      The Nacts want bigger trucks on the roads so have kept at the state highway network widening roads and fixing bridges. I don’t think the Reginal councils have been the least bit interested in spending money to accomodate bigger trucks. So if Nact up grades these bridges is it really looking at putting bigger trucks on Northland’s roads and is this what voters want? Or are they being suckered?

      • veutoviper 8.2.1
        10 March 2015 at 9:18 am

        Adam at 7 above has provided a link to a post by Andrew Geddis at Pundit which is well worth reading.

        Andrew raises the ethics of a candidate (not an already elected MP so therefore still just a private citizen) fronting a government announcement such as that yesterday where Osborne fronted the bridge funding intentions.

        He then goes on to examine the 10 bridge proposals against the Northland regional plan currently under development where only two of the bridges are even mentioned in the plan.

        And this comment and photo from Sevy on Gower’s twitter feed last night is interesting if true …..

        https://twitter.com/graemeseverinse/status/574839853608652801

        Have just seen Marksman33’s comment at 9 below which is also very relevant and apparently from someone involved in Northland.

  9. Marksman33 9
    10 March 2015 at 9:22 am

    Tiger Mountain, as I said both those bridges are on the books. This is not New money being waved here, I should know, we have the Transit contract and the FNDC contract. Whether the bridges would have got the go ahead remains to be seen, although I will say there has been a lot of office johnny activity going onsite over the last year.
    As for Joe Carr, yep he’s a tory acolyte, and I don’t pay much attention to him, he just happens to be correct in this matter.
    Sorry dont have numbered reply on my cell.

  10. Marksman33 10
    10 March 2015 at 10:31 am

    Tracy, not that im aware of, but im just a pleb.

    Tracy, how many nat voters north of Kaitaia youa ask, well every farmer and his wife normally, the wealthy elite in Pukenui and the forestry block owners and most of the logging truck drivers I come across.

  11. hoom 11
    10 March 2015 at 10:45 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/67117104/call-for-kiwisaverstyle-health-cover
    Say bye bye to our Public Health sector from later this term or if not, then next term the Nacts are in power.

  12. Philip Ferguson 12
    10 March 2015 at 11:22 am

    Last month saw the death of Dick Morrison, one of the founders of the gay liberation movement in NZ, and like most of the other activists in the GLM at the time, a fervent anti-capitalist:
    https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/remembering-dick-morrison-marxist-and-gay-liberation-pioneer/

    Phil

  13. Pascals bookie 13
    10 March 2015 at 11:24 am

    I’m just going to leave this here:

    https://twitter.com/HDPA/status/575040205759119360

  14. veutoviper 14
    10 March 2015 at 11:25 am

    On a bit more serious note than some of my comments over the last day or so, this article by Audrey Young may have escaped your notice with everything else that has been happening.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/audrey-young/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501219&objectid=11414366

    Audrey has scored a small win in getting the PM’s office to produce and supply the transcripts of the PM’s post Cabinet press conferences via the Beehive website (www.beehive.govt.nz) – although these are not currently searchable, apparently.

    To date, recordings have been available via Scoop for example, but not actual transcripts.

    Audrey details the background to this small win, the excuses put up to date for not doing so, and the fact that she took the matter to the Ombudman (with this aspect still ongoing).

    What does it mean? It means that anyone will now be able to view what Key actually said, as opposed to what may have been reported in the media etc. Sometime different things. – in terms of actualy wordings, lack of context etc.

    • weka 14.1
      10 March 2015 at 2:08 pm

      wow.

      What I want to know now is what effort is required to make a PDF document non-searchable. I assume it’s not the default setting, that someone has had to intentionally alter the document to make it nonsearchable before uploading it to the govt website.

      http://www.beehive.govt.nz/feature/pms-beehive-press-conference

      Young, When I asked why the transcripts were not searchable, Sia said it was decided that making them searchable was the “safest” way to present them so they could not be “manipulated.”

      Unfuckingbelievable.

      • Hayden 14.1.1
        10 March 2015 at 10:30 pm

        They appear to have been printed then scanned as images, so they’re no longer text but pictures of text. It’s all a bit pointless, as you can just upload the PDF to Google Drive, then open it in Google Docs, wherein it’s all nicely OCR-d, then download it as a Word document containing the original images and the now searchable text. It takes about 3 minutes per document.

        • Colonial Rawshark 14.1.1.1
          10 March 2015 at 10:42 pm

          It’s all a bit pointless, as you can just upload the PDF to Google Drive, then open it in Google Docs, wherein it’s all nicely OCR-d,

          Nice tip.

          I like noting how the security and surveillance state has all these handy tools. Like auto-captioning in Youtube – they can take a recording of someone speaking and automatically turn it into a transcript.

          • Hayden 14.1.1.1.1
            10 March 2015 at 10:52 pm

            Speech recognition seems to be always on the cusp of working properly – I remember building something in VB6 in 1999 that used some fairly crude version of it.

            Anyway, someone should tell Sia that it takes her longer to make the PDFs unsearchable than it does to make them searchable again.

            • McFlock 14.1.1.1.1.1
              10 March 2015 at 11:05 pm

              lol

              You could even run it back through text to speech so you can not only search it, but listen to Stephen Hawking reading the transcript 🙂

  16. Clemgeopin 16
    10 March 2015 at 12:07 pm

    Watch a misogynist moron and his shameful behaviour (ironically on the day the world had dedicated as the ‘International Women’s Day’)

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/67169084/sexism-on-air-in-this-studio-i-run-the-show

  17. Gareth 17
    10 March 2015 at 1:30 pm

    Why do we still have daylight savings and how do we get rid of it?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br0NW9ufUUw

    • Bill 17.1
      10 March 2015 at 1:41 pm

      I’ve found that being unemployed with no visible clocks in the house helps…right up until I have an appointment to be somewhere 😉

    • Draco T Bastard 17.2
      10 March 2015 at 4:58 pm

      Don’t know but, despite the fact that everyone seems to hate the bloody thing, all that our governments have done is extend it.

  18. NZSage 18
    10 March 2015 at 2:45 pm

    There was a telling question to the PM in yesterdays press conference which appears to have been overlooked/ignored by MSM.

    The question was; “Would the government still abide by their promise to upgrade 10 Northland one-way bridges even if National lose the Northland bye-election?”

    The reposnse by Key was simply: “Yes”

    So there you have it Northland voters, you don’t have to vote National to get your bridges upgraded, it’s a set in stone promise by John Key and how could you not trust honest John?

  19. Penny Bright 19
    10 March 2015 at 3:35 pm

    FYI folks – just had a significant victory in the Auckland District Court today.

    Within 35 minutes, District Court Judge Harvey ‘set aside’ the ‘rates judgment debt’ upon which Auckland Council had been relying, in order to force the rating sale of my freehold property.

    The ‘Rates Statement’ upon which Auckland Council had been relying, as evidence of rates owed, had included legal fees, which are NOT rates.

    CLUNK – went Auckland Council’s case.

    I am now actively seeking the assistance of legal counsel competent in local government matters to help
    prepare a ‘Declaratory Judgment’ in the High Court to test the ‘validity’ of my rates assessment notices and rates invoices against the statutory requirements of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.

    The painstaking ‘due diligence’ has been done.

    This will be QUITE a case – because – generically, my rates assessment notices and rates invoices are arguably the same as every other residential ratepayer in the Auckland region.

    Kind regards

    Penny Bright

  21. ScottGN 21
    10 March 2015 at 8:36 pm

    Why has the TVNZ website put up a picture of Andrew Little to accompany their piece about David Seymour’s pathetic attempt to refer Winston to the courts if he wins Northland without first resigning his NZ First List placing. There is nothing whatsoever in Katie Bradford’s piece which has any relevance to the Labour leader.

  22. Ergo Robertina 22
    10 March 2015 at 9:50 pm

    Britain’s Daily Mail has covered the story of Mathilda Crisp, the youngest known person in the world to be diagnosed with narcolepsy, which causes sufferers to suddenly fall asleep, as well as hallucinations and excruciating pain.
    Her Mum, who remains in favour of vaccines, says it was caused by the Pandemrix pandemic strain vaccine, which she received aged 3 in 2009, and this is a link that has now been accepted.
    Before 2011 this vaccine was given universally to those under 20 in Britain.
    Now, since the causal link can no longer be denied, the U.K Government has started to claim narcolepsy is not a proper disability anyway, so as to decline the compensation claim. Unbelievable!

    ”This wrangling has continued despite the fact the Government’s scientists admitted two years ago that the vaccine, Pandemrix, could cause narcolepsy, having previously denied any link. In a statistical investigation, published in the British Medical Journal, they found children given the vaccine were 14 times more likely to have developed narcolepsy than unvaccinated children.”

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2987209/Did-swine-flu-jab-little-Mathilda-crippling-sleep-disorder.html

    • Colonial Rawshark 22.1
      10 March 2015 at 9:56 pm

      Yep sounds about right. Over blown threats, understated risks, plenty of unknowns. Pushed on the public anyway with minimal or no effort to obtain informed consent.

    • McFlock 22.2
      10 March 2015 at 10:46 pm

      Lawyer Peter Todd has been pursuing the cases with the Vaccines Damage Payment Scheme. ‘The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) initially refused our application because it would not accept there was a link between Pandemrix and narcolepsy,’ he says.

      This was before the publication of the BMJ study. ‘Now they are saying narcolepsy is not a severe disability and does not qualify for compensation.’

      I wonder if the tories have been screwing with the compensation system.

  23. The Murphey 23
    11 March 2015 at 4:21 pm

    http://www.humanheadline.com.au/hinch-says/shoot-the-messenger1

    We are still, despite several decades of campaigning, living in a world where we still ‘shoot the messenger’.

    His crime? He passed on damning information to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse which showed what a paedophile-protecting hypocrite Australia’s chief rabbi really was.

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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An announcement about an announcement
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • All the Green Tech in China.
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    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Western Express Success
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    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’s pick ‘n’ mix of the news links at 7:16am on Monday, April 22
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to April 29 and beyond
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #16
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    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: The Government’s new fast-track invitation to corruption
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    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    2 days ago

  • Thank you
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Determining the Engine Type in Your Car
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How to Become a Race Car Driver: A Comprehensive Guide
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How Many Cars Are There in the World in 2023? An Exploration of Global Automotive Statistics
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How Long Does It Take for Car Inspection?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • Who Makes Mazda Cars?
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    3 days ago

  • How Often to Replace Your Car Battery A Comprehensive Guide
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • Can You Register a Car Without a License?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • Mazda: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Reliability, Value, and Performance
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    3 days ago

  • What Are Struts on a Car?
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    3 days ago

  • What Does Car Registration Look Like: A Comprehensive Guide
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How to Share Computer Audio on Zoom
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How Long Does It Take to Build a Computer?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How to Put Your Computer to Sleep
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • What is Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT)?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • iPad vs. Tablet Computers A Comprehensive Guide to Differences
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How Are Computers Made?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How to Add Voice Memos from iPhone to Computer
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • Why My Laptop Screen Has Lines on It: A Comprehensive Guide
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How to Right-Click on a Laptop
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • Where is the Power Button on an ASUS Laptop?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How to Start a Dell Laptop: A Comprehensive Guide
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Serious populist discontent is bubbling up in New Zealand
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    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • How to Take a Screenshot on an Asus Laptop A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Instructions and Illu...
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • How to Factory Reset Gateway Laptop A Comprehensive Guide
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    3 days ago

  • The Folly Of Impermanence.
    “You talking about me?”  The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • A crisis of ambition
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Have 308 people in the Education Ministry’s Curriculum Development Team spent over $100m on a 60-p...
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • 'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
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    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • The Bank of our Tamariki and Mokopuna.
    Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • The worth of it all
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • What is the Hardest Sport in the World?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    4 days ago

  • What is the Most Expensive Sport?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    4 days ago

  • Pickleball On the Cusp of Olympic Glory
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    4 days ago

  • The Origin and Evolution of Soccer Unveiling the Genius Behind the World’s Most Popular Sport
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    4 days ago

  • How Much to Tint Car Windows A Comprehensive Guide
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    4 days ago

  • Why Does My Car Smell Like Gas? A Comprehensive Guide to Diagnosing and Fixing the Issue
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
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  • How to Remove Tree Sap from Car A Comprehensive Guide
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  • How Much Paint Do You Need to Paint a Car?
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    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
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  • Can You Jump a Car in the Rain? Safety Precautions and Essential Steps
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  • Can taxpayers be confident PIJF cash was spent wisely?
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    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    4 days ago

  • EGU2024 – An intense week of joining sessions virtually
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    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Submission on “Fast Track Approvals Bill”
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    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    4 days ago

  • The Case for a Universal Family Benefit
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    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago

  • A who’s who of New Zealand’s dodgiest companies
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    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • On Lee’s watch, Economic Development seems to be stuck on scoring points from promoting sporting e...
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    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand has never been closed for business
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    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Minister welcomes hydrogen milestone
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago

  • Overseas decommissioning models considered
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • Release of North Island Severe Weather Event Inquiry
    Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Justice Minister to attend Human Rights Council
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    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facility
    Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024
    Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing  At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin    Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho    Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.    I am delighted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government to introduce revised Three Strikes law
    The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • New diplomatic appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions.   “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says.    “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and Somalia
    New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today.   “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho Collective
    Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale.  “It is good ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Supporting better financial outcomes for Kiwis
    The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Trade relationship with China remains strong
    “China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.   Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • PM’s South East Asia mission does the business
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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