“Why John, it’s not like you to ring up in the middle of a working day. Is anything wrong?”
“Yes, Bronagh, there is something wrong. There’s been a massive leak of confidential papers from one of those law firms in Panama. You know what I mean, they arrange safe places for millions of dollars to avoid paying tax.”
“Of course I know what you mean. Are we exposed?”
“That’s just it, I’m not sure. You know what my memory is! Look, I can’t do this from here, will you give _____________ (a lawyer) a ring just to make sure we didn’t have any dealings with Mossack Fonesca.”
“We have had no dealings with Mossack Fonesca at all.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I can take the moral high ground here without lying and without fear of our name coming to light.”
“Yes, you do that so well, dearest. But Johnny, what about members of your cabinet?”
“Heh, heh, that’s a thought. I wonder if ‘Crusher’ is involved?”
“But Johnny, it won’t look good, will it.”
“No, as usual, you’re right, Bronagh. Well, nothing to see here, move on folks, eh? New Zealand is not a tax haven, hey? Just deny it until the fuss dies down.”
“We found pedophiles in the data, people, bad people, really bad people. We found mafia figures. Not just from Italy, but from Japan from America from everywhere, and they were convicted people.”
“In Uganda a company that wanted to sell a prospective oil field, paid Mossback Fonseca to help it avoid $400 million in taxes. It was simple paperwork. The company’s address was changed from one tax haven to another.
In a country where one in three people live on less than a dollar twenty-five a day, $400 million dollars represents more than the government’s annual health budget.
Uganda spent years in court trying to force the company to pay its taxes, meanwhile a hospital in the shadow of the oil field lacked funds for even the most basic equipment. Patients slept on floors, they were asked to bring their own medical supplies, like sterile gloves and cotton balls…..”
I wonder; If this is the same oil company “owned” by the shell company that is registered in New Zealand, which is implicated in fixing and bribery for the oil companies?
“Unaoil bribery scandal: New Zealand shell company linked to Unaoil scandal”
In a perfect world, we’d all walk 10,000 steps a day.
Probably not actually. Excessive exercise is bad for you.
“About a year ago we were both in New York City and we noticed that many insurance companies were advertising new programs where they would offer their customers discounts if they wore a Fitbit that was freely provided, and if they logged a certain amount of steps per day,” Ms Brain said.
Witness the fitness
“Usually the aim is to do 10,000 steps per day. And this would get you a few hundred dollars off your annual insurance bill.”
Ms Brain and her colleague found this concerning.
Very concerning. Both for peoples health and their privacy. These sorts of policies by health insurers will push more of this:
Often, compulsive exercise starts with healthy intentions. One exercises for pleasure, or stress relief, or the endorphin rush, or just to feel better. Over time, one has to do more to get the same positive boost. Before long, it’s never enough. Exercise starts ruling life.
With Saudi and Russian ties, Clinton machine’s tentacles are far reaching, according to Panama Papers
The Podesta Group, a lobbying firm headed by Clinton operatives, has made a pretty penny working for Saudi & Russia
There had previously been two petroleum conferences, one hosted by the government and one by the industry. That was not practical, so they had been combined – and the government agreed to subsidise the industry conference. “So the Government has probably decreased it’s funding for these conferences,” Madgwick said.
The new combined conference allowed a meeting of the minds for both industry and government to discuss regulations and possible improvements, he said.
Mainstream U.S. journalism has completely lost its way, especially in dealing with foreign policy issues where bias now overwhelms any commitment to facts, a dangerous development, writes Robert Parry.
Article and comments very good. Something Guyon and Susie from Morning Report should read re their question over why ppl don’t trust the media anymore.
In my view, there are a number of issues relating to Auckland Council’s purchase of the ASB building which are scandalous, and help reinforce what a disaster this Auckland ‘Supercity’ has been for the majority of Auckland citizens and ratepayers.
When were the public ever consulted on Auckland Council’s purchase of the ASB building?
What was wrong with the ‘custom built’ Auckland Council Civic Building for Council staff?
(What’s happened to the Auckland Council Civic Building – my understanding is that it is sitting there empty, and has been for some months?)
Where is the evidence of the ‘due diligence’ carried out before the purchase of the ASB building?
Who carried out the ‘due diligence’?
Who actually made the decision to purchase the ASB building?
For what reason(s)?
Were there any ‘conflicts of interest’ between those involved in purchasing the ASB and those who owned the ASB building?
How does the purchase of the ASB building, represent the much-vaunted ‘efficiency’ savings / ‘economies of scale’ that was purportedly a major reason used to ‘sell’ this ‘Supercity’ (for the 1%)?
Upon whom can the public rely for a full, thorough and independent inquiry into these matters?
“The cost of cladding repairs at Auckland Council’s Albert St headquarters has blown out from $4 million to an estimated $31m, according to a confidential report.
The huge bill for essential repairs to heavy granite slabs on the 31-storey building will be discussed by councillors behind closed doors on Tuesday.
Ratepayers have already paid $128.5m to buy and fit out the 25-year-old building, described as robust and structurally sound with good bones when it was bought in 2012.
About $4m was set aside for stonework issues picked up during due diligence. A report by the engineering firm GHD in November found there was no definitive evidence of imminent collapse, but clearly cause for concern and a high potential risk of a stone panel falling from height.
……”
____________________
What does Corin Dann do on a Sunday morning? Hit the snooze alarm as few times, crawl out of bed, leisurely turn up to work and ask questions prepared for him by TVNZ staffers?
The interview with Winston Peters was appalling. It’s not as though information isn’t out there about the Panama Papers – a search of youtube finds docos by France 24, Australian 4 Corners, ICIJ, BBC, US PBS. Foreign news outlets that have been involved in this for a year describe us as a tax haven. There is more going on than Key/English are admitting to. Quoting Key soundbites to Peter’s was just sloppy.
Ffs, if he had just bothered to watch yesterday’s The Nation’s interview with Peter Bale, chief executive of the Center for Public Integrity / ICIJ, he would know that NZ has only been given the once over in the latest releases but there is more in depth shit coming down the pipe.
Why did he do such a bad job given he had interviewed John Christianson who said NZ was a shady dealer in this? Why did he insist on Winston Peters putting up the evidence saying he was holding Winston to account? Who us holding Dann to account? Why does not not just do his job?
Congrats The Nation, at least you bothered to go out wide and avoid the wide boys in mid-field and go to the ICIJ direct.
Surely these are rhetorical questions that you are asking William or did you hope that a National Party sock puppet was actually going to be unbiased and deliver an impartial and professional interview?
Appalling interview by Dann.
Just another compromised, owned puppet of the corporates.
He is not a journalist.
He is a tool of the establishment.
Hope all that money helps ease his conscience.
FJK is relaxed about the use of secret trusts because many people crooks and money launderers use trusts for all manner of things.
The Paris-based club of mostly rich nations is developing a global transparency initiative to crack down on tax haven secrecy. Most havens have agreed to participate and from 2017 will start to share financial data automatically so that each can tax its taxpayers appropriately. But there are recalcitrants. Panama is refusing to participate seriously. Pascal Saint-Amans, the OECD tax chief, calls it a jurisdiction “that welcomes crooks and money launderers”.
More people using trusts for all manner of things.
/
The documents also pull back the curtain on hundreds of details about how former CIA gun-runners and contractors use offshore companies for personal and private gain. Further, they illuminate the workings of a host of other characters who used offshore companies during or after their work as spy chiefs, secret agents or operatives for the CIA and other intelligence agencies.
Wyoming makes it 7 in a row and 8 out of the last 9 for Sanders.
Even the Guardian, that just the other day had a vid of Sanders challenging Clinton’s qualification for President sans all fucking context, is now publishing articles that aren’t complete hatchet jobs. I mean, it’s an opinion piece rather than a piece of reportage following editorial lines, but still – it’s a start.
I follow it pretty closely and the methods they use are blatantly obvious once you start looking for them. For instance Sanders will win a primary, but is lucky to get one sentence while the rest of the article gushes on about Trump and Clinton.
Or they’ll run ‘poison the well’ opinion articles that look like they’re about Sanders, but are really used to damn with faint praise, derail, or dismiss in a slightly sneering tone all the ‘fanatics’ who support him.
Same tactics used on Corbyn.
The good news is that judging from their comments sections a lot more people are awake to these tricks. They’ve been way over-exposed.
In this eye-opening talk, veteran investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson shows how astroturf, or fake grassroots movements funded by political, corporate, or other special interests very effectively manipulate and distort media messages.
Some small consolation insofar as it’s the least reliable of the major polls but whichever way you slice and dice it the Colmar Brunton is a shocker.
Anybody still think Labour pondering incoherently about a policy as complex as UBI and then letting the government dump on it from a great height is a great idea?
1. The MSM doesn’t inform the NZ people. Ask your average NZers about many current events stories and they are woefully ignorant about what’s going on in their own country and the world.
2. 30 years of neo-liberal poison has done a lot of damage and a lot of people only care for themselves. They only realise the benefit of society when it’s too late and they’ve been thrown on the scrapheap.
3. The NZ Labour Party does not offer an alternative to neo-liberalism. Read my lips, Labour Party. “We apologise unreservedly for the damage we wrought on New Zealand working people when we unleashed neo-liberalism on the country. We are a socialist party and will go back to representing our people.”
I agree – I think they are trying to change hearts slowly, It doesn’t work like that – they need to apologise just as you say.
If my long term partner, whom I trusted, goes reeling off and has an affair with some sex pot who turns out to be all fur coat and no knickers, am I going to accept him just sliding back into my life as though it didn’t happen? Abject apology is definitely called for, and then the rebuilding of trust, if that’s possible
I think they need to be pushing not pondering the UBI for the next 18 months, voters need to have their heads around it by the next election. Young and old will be interested in voting for it. It may be that economic conditions just aren’t bad enough for it to take hold in the middle classes though, Labour might have been a bit early on it.
30 years of neo-liberal poison has done a lot of damage and a lot of people only care for themselves. They only realise the benefit of society when it’s too late and they’ve been thrown on the scrapheap.
Labour gains nothing from National’s increasing weakness. In the new politics, people want real alternatives to what the incumbents are proposing. Not me too acts.
Labour could open up real ground between themselves and National very easily. Too bad they are preoccupied with trying to convince a neoliberal press that they will be a credible (neoliberal) government in waiting.
There is only one poll which actually matters. Until then its clear that either the polls are biased against Labour. Or the reporting of the polls are biased against Labour. Or both.
Clearly thats the real problem here, because Labour’s actual support in the community is definitely much higher than this. We all know it is.
This poll has got nothing to doe with labour voters, it has got to do with
a. what question were asked
b. who was asked
b1. what age groups
b2. Gender breakdown
b3. Location – rural vs urban
c. likely voter
c1. voted previously
c2. will vote again
d. income group
e. property owner
all of these things would put the result into context.
You are boring CV. So very very boring.
For a PM who is so embarrassing, who is clearly a sleazebag with women/girls, who has done NOTHING for the ordinary New Zealander, who just loves to play around with the big wealthy VIPs, and who deals in corrupt behaviours, and who has started to get booed in public, there must be something screwed in the way the questions of polls are asked, for his seemingly continuing “popularity”.
actually yes it is.
Polls are meaningless if you can’t figure out how the result was achieved.
I don’t care much about polls generally speaking, but if they are used to uphold a result i would like to know how that result was achieved.
example.
100 National voters are asked and 50% say the PM is good as and 50% say Labour sucks. Is that a good result for the PM? Is it a bad result for Labour?
50 National voters are asked and 50 other voters are asked and 50% say the PM is good, and a further 30% say Labour sucks. is that a good result for the PM is it a bad result for Labour?
How the result was achieved in important. And i don’t actually care who wins in these polls, as our estimed CV said upstairs only one poll that matters and that would be the voting booth. But in the meantime, i would like a bit more meat with my polls. Thank eew/
Colmar Brunton are by far the most open about their methodology. Much better than the other main Public Pollsters. They produce a full report in a way that the others don’t.
The question Colmar Brunton ask (after a brief intro outlining the two votes under MMP) is: “Firstly, thinking about the Party Vote, which is for a political party – Which political Party would you vote for ? (If the reply is Don’t Know then they ask the follow-up question: “Which one would you be most likely to vote for ?” That pushes those mildly leaning one way to make a definite choice, with the remainder becoming the true Undecideds).
All Pollsters weight their data to align with NZ’s demographics (via Statistics New Zealand). Those respondents who indicate (in an initial question) that they’re either fairly or very unlikely to vote are excluded from the final results as are the Undecideds and those who Refuse to answer.
“But there are plenty of challenges for Mr Little who after more than a year in the job is now going backwards.”
So what can little do to stop his backward slide? Does he have anything or do you think he’s just hoping Key slips up on something? (Which isn’t working too well for him so far).
No, offering an alternative is what is necessary.
Look at the following 5 examples:
Spain, Greece, Scotland, England (since Corbyn) and the support for Sanders in the US.
People are hungry for an alternative to neo-liberalism which has screwed them for 30 years.
Now I am prepared to be generous and assume that you are unaware of these 5 examples, In which case, please read up on the events that have transpired there.
However, I have a nagging feeling you are simply a troll who is running the predictable and dull meme that there is no alternative to neo-liberalism and that all Labour have to do is to copy Key and adopt even more tenets of neo-liberal ideology. If so, I cannot be bothered wasting . Shilling for the 1% is a contemptible act.
Mind you, heading into the recent Canadian Federal election many of the commentators had written off Justin Trudeau (his trajectory in the polls was not that dissimilar to Little’s) and were casting around for the next Liberal Leader. Look what happened there?
Yes, massive political turnarounds do happen. But in this case, what would be the point? And I think the electorate has figured that out as well. Why vote light blue when you can have the real thing.
that would seem to be politics 101. But in the Thorndon Bubble professional political set, its still all about the narcissism of minor (miniscule) differences and waiting for the ‘tide to turn.’
this is a political crew who sincerely believes that voters have forgiven/forgotten Rogernomics. That middle class swing voters in households earning $80K to $120K pa are the most important voters in the nation.
I take your word for it and am completely amazed they are so out of touch. More and more people are suffering from the effects of neo-liberalism ( also known as ‘Rogernomics in NZ). Indeed, we have also endured disaster capitalism in Christchurch, as outlined by Naomi Klein in ‘Shock Doctrine.’
The country has been sold.
Our jobs have been off shored.
Large corporate ship of billions of untaxed profits annually.
We are over $100 billion in debt.
Despite 8 years of extreme right wing economic prescriptions, the political party supposedly representing the workers of the country refuses to offer a coherent alternative vision.
they disowned the workers of the country a long time ago. The workers, who used to give Labour a membership roll in the hundreds of thousands, have long returned the favour.
We need a party ready to face the challenges of the 21st century by cooperating not competing, secondly by working together, not fighting each other and thirdly by living in balance with the Earth, not exploiting it.
Or another way of looking at it: where is Australia and New Zealand’s equivalent of Corbyn or Sanders?
Actually let me drill into that deeper. Here in Aus Labour is polling slightly ahead of the Coalition. And that is with Bill Shorten as Leader. And I’d suggest that the space between Shorten and Little isn’t so very much. So why is the NZLP trailing the US, Canadian, UK and Aus experience so very badly?
One answer is the ongoing failure of the NZLP to bury the ghost of the 4th Lab govt. For people of my generation it’s still a live issue.
Another is our god-awful media. I’ll say it again, even here in Aus the difference is remarkable. Here I can read a balanced picture in a way that is utterly missing from the public space in NZ.
Another is that we’ve been importing lots of wealthy people who vote National.
Another is simply that we no longer really believe in ourselves as a nation anymore. We’ve been persuaded to stop believing in our better selves.
Another is the withdrawal of the left from the internationalist, global space. More than any other Western nation, we’ve been run over by the neo-liberal world order.
And finally the left in NZ remains divided. Until the Greens and Labour start behaving like they could actually run a proper govt together, then no-one is going to give them the chance.
Excellent synopsis.
And just as an example, here is how both countries looked at the Panama Papers.
Here there has been no proper journalism, while Australia ran this story.
Yes I watched that the other night. Look at the depth of research in it, and how much time and travel budget was given to this; over many months at least.
Compare and contrast with our sniveling hacks who weren’t even allowed a sniff of the story.
” we no longer really believe in ourselves as a nation anymore. We’ve been persuaded to stop believing in our better selves.”
This.
And not in a false flag patriotism kind of way. In a way that makes sense of our belonging with a group of human beings in a society first, rather than primarily as subjects in a win or lose economy.
When Farrar blogs it the moment it comes out … you just know it aint gonna be great news for Labour !
First time since May 2015 that the Govt’s led the Oppo in a Colmar Brunton. (Starkly contrasts with the latest March 2016 Roy Morgan which bucked its usual Govt-friendly results by giving the Oppo a rare lead).
Colmar Brunton
………………………Oppo…………Govt…………Diff
July 2015……………53……………..48…………..+ 5 Sep 2015………… …51…………….48…………..+ 3 Oct 2015…………….52…………….48……………+ 4 Feb 2016…………….50…………….48……………+ 2 April 2016…………..47…………….52…………….- 5
One and only bright spot ? Key down slightly in Preferred PM to 39% (Equal Lowest rating in a Colmar Brunton since becoming PM … but not much compensation – esp with Little down too)
* 2 point rise in the Undecideds – but that’s nowhere near enough to account for the swing.
Labour MP Su’a William Sio’s Climate Change Taskforce tour of Tuvalu and Kiribati
“In Kiribati and Tuvalu, the future is now,” Su’a William Sio
Mr Sio’s trip is an interesting move by Labour which has been accused of taking the Pacific vote for granted.
But it also points up what is a growing foreign policy concern for New Zealand which has taken to underpinning its foreign policy, particularly its role at the United Nations, with a sort of self-appointed role as a voice for small island developing states.
Mr Sio believes that there is some unease among Pacific nations about New Zealand’s initial reluctance to commit to tougher greenhouse gas emission targets at last year’s Paris conference on climate change and also its apparent reluctance to confront the impact of rising sea levels here. RICHARD HARMAN
Labour MP Sua William Sio is calling on the Government to review its immigration policies for people from Tuvalu and Kiritbati as rising sea levels are already forcing people in both island groups to flea outlying islands for the main island….
…..Currently New Zealand has an immigration quota of 75 for Tuvalu and Kiribati.
(Compare this to the unlimited access granted by New Zealand to the majority white, settler country of Australia.)
“On Tuvalu there’s a total population of 12,000 and 6000 of them live on Funafuti (the main island) and there’s just not enough room,” SU’A WILLIAM SIO.
“Notwithstanding that, I think that for a future Government which wants to stand and support the Pacific, you have to plan for that emergency and that disaster, but hoping that the disaster doesn’t happen and allow for the gradual movement of people.” SU’A WILLIAM SIO
A new Web portal developed by NASA, gives researchers, decision makers and the public a resource to stay up to date with the latest developments and scientific findings on sea level rise.
NASA projections for sea level rise forecast the disappearance of the Tuvalu and Kiribati beneath the waves by 2100.
Within our grandchildren’s life times these island nations will be gone.
….the median projection of the SEMs, (semi-empirical models) is about 0.75 meters by century’s end, and about one meter for scenario RCP 8.5. At the high end of the confidence intervals (95%), sea level reaches above 1.5 meters for the latter scenario, mostly based on the works of Rahmstorf and of Jevrejeva. Another study of modeling reliability, in which Rahmstorf et al. performed an extensive analysis of their SEMs [ [Rahmstorf et al., 2012], concluded that a rise of about one meter, produced by a warming of 1.8 degrees Celsius, represented a robust result, derived from published data and their model.
Since the publication of AR5, newer ice-sheet observations also are suggestive of the higher values for sea level rise.
But this is not the full story and these nations could go under water even sooner.
NASA studies measure mean and average global sea level rise. But the sea is not flat, and there are regional and seasonal differences that can either magnify or lessen these global effects from one season to another, and even from one decade to another, and in one region and another.
The tropical Pacific Ocean isn’t flat like a pond. Instead, it regularly has a high side and a low side. Natural cycles such as El Niño and La Niña events cause this sea level seesaw to tip back and forth, with the ocean near Asia on one end and the ocean near the Americas on the other. But over the last 30 years, the seesaw’s wobbles have been more extreme, causing variations in sea levels up to three times higher than those observed in the previous 30 years….
A new NASA/university study has found the differing alignments of two separate climate cycles could be causing these intensifying swings, which occur on top of a global rise in sea level due to melting ice sheets and warming oceans….
From 1990 to 2000, the magnitude of these sea level swings averaged about 6 inches (16 centimeters) – five times the height of global sea level rise* during the same period. Asia is currently on the high side of the sea level seesaw, while coastlines in the Americas as far north as Southern California are benefiting from a lower sea level….
Why are Tuvalu and Kiribati’s very reasonable message calling for emigration to New Zealand on grounds of climate change, and conveyed to us by Su’a William Sio on their behalf, being ignored?
And why was Su’a William Sio’s Climate Change Taskforce mission ignored by virtually all media outlets and political parties?
My feeling is that to allow the people of Tuvalu and Kiribati to immigrate to New Zealand on climate change grounds, would be to recognise that there is a problem.
Recognising climate refugees ,would mean recognising the reality and the full threat posed by climate change itself.
Interesting column up from Vernon Small on Stuff – sledging Little – it’s only been up a few hours and the comment balance is unrealistically extreme right – comments are closed of course.
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Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
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 methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
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 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 ...
MONDAYSheriff Seymour rode slowly down the main street of Dodge on his faithful white horse Atlas Network.He liked what he saw.Children were being fed free lunches prepared by kind people who collected the scraps from an offal rendering plant.“Very strongly flavoured liver, such as ox liver, can be soaked overnight ...
Once upon a time it was all about being an astronaut, a firefighter or doctor; but these days kids have their sights set on becoming vloggers or YouTubers.That’s according to a 2019 study by Lego that surveyed 3000 children between the ages of eight to 12 from the US, the ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. From the moment I started high school and realised almost every other girl in my year was at least partially interested in what the boys were up to, I realised that I would be single for life. The feeling wasn’t one of ...
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Selina Alesana Alefosio.All photos by Geoffery Matautia.On a bright Sunday morning from her grandparent’s home in Pito-one, I spoke with ...
The White Lotus star reflects on her life in TV, including the local ad reference that doesn’t work in Australia, and her bananas co-star on Neighbours.Morgana O’Reilly was scrolling her phone next to her sleeping son on an idle Saturday morning when she got the call confirming that she ...
Claire Mabey explores the pros and cons of puff quotes on book covers.In January, Publishers Weekly put out an article by Sean Manning – publisher of Simon & Schuster’s flagship US imprint – in which he said he’d “no longer require authors to obtain blurbs for their books”.The ...
New Zealand’s Entomological Society is hosting its annual bug of the year contest. Here are some of the insects in the running. For some reason – perhaps humans’ inherent competitiveness, the idealisation of democracy, the need to demarcate winners and losers – one of the best ways to get people ...
A journey along the border, with words and illustrations by Bob Kerr.The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members.The Sunset Limited leaves Union Station New Orleans on time at nine in the morning. We ...
Neville Peat is the 2024 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in nonfiction. He’s written 56 books, mostly on natural history; this excerpt is from The Falcon and the Lark: A New Zealand High Country Journal, first published in 1992. The falcon wintering on the Rock and ...
It was a light-hearted gesture Greta Pilkington will be forever grateful for – thanks to an Aussie rival who jumped in when the Olympic sailor couldn’t be at her own graduation.Pilkington, then 20, had been leading a double life – while qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the ILCA ...
I was born in the back of my grandfather’s ute, by an overgrown windbreak in a remote place called Wahi-Rakauyou can’t find on a map. I was born a girl but given the man’s name Harvey, as my dad always wanted a violent-minded boy to one day help him ...
“We’re not here to interfere in people’s property rights,” Ngāi Tahu’s Te Maire Tau has told the High Court.Tau, a historian, Upoko (traditional leader) of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and a university professor of history, is the lead witness in a case designed to force the Crown to recognise the tribe’s rangatiratanga ...
Pacific Media Watch Trump administration officials barred two Associated Press (AP) reporters from covering White House events this week because the US-based independent news agency did not change its style guide to align with the president’s political agenda. The AP is being punished for using the term “Gulf of Mexico,” ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin editor France’s top diplomat in the Pacific region says talks around the “unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s highly controversial electoral roll are back on the table. The French government intended to make a constitutional amendment that would lift restrictions prescribed under the Nouméa Accord, which ...
By bringing these global voices to the fight for free expression in New Zealand, we’ll continue to protect and expand our culture of free speech, says Nathan Seiuli, the Free Speech Union's Events Manager. ...
The issue is no longer a hypothetical one. US President Donald Trump will not explicitly suggest death camps, but he has already consented to Israel’s continuing a war that is not a war but rather a barbaric assault on a desolate stretch of land. From there, the road to annihilation is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cecelia Cmielewski, Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University To be selected as the artist and curator team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale is considered the ultimate exhibition for an artistic team. To have your selection rescinded, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is bearing down on the northwest coast of Australia and is likely to make landfall early Friday evening. It’s a monster storm of great concern to Western Australia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Ireland-Piper, Associate Professor, ANU National Security College, Australian National University A Victorian government decision to allow dingo culling in the state’s east until 2028 has reignited debate over what has been dubbed Australia’s most controversial animal. Animals Australia, an animal welfare ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University Overnight, Robert F. Kennedy Jr was confirmed as the secretary of the US Health and Human Services Department. Put simply, this makes him the most influential figure in overseeing the health and wellbeing of more ...
Everything you missed from day five of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard eight hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.It was another work from home day for the Justice Committee, the only people in Room 3 being security guards, committee ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne Juris Teivans/Shutterstock In Australia, fatal road crashes are climbing again, especially since the pandemic, and despite years of attempts to reduce road trauma, the numbers ...
In its eagerness to appease supporters of Israel, the media is happy to ride roughshod over due process and basic rights. It’s damaging Australia’s (and New Zealand’s?) democracy.COMMENTARY:By Bernard Keane Two moments stand out so far from the Federal Court hearings relating to Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking by the ...
“The reality is we’re getting poorer. The government this year is leaning heavy on chasing economic growth, which is absolutely the right thing to do.” ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Vegetarian by Han Kang (Granta, $28) Han Kang’s astounding novel was based on an ...
This new docuseries about two single comedians looking for love is also a joyful celebration of female friendship. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. “How many people do you think are boning right now?” Kura Forrester asks Brynley Stent as the bright ...
A new poem by Freya Turnbull. Hunger Song – After Kaveh Akbar (Untitled With Hunger And Matcheads) I hold my age in ripped fishnet hold an empty vessel oldyoung body cracks like gunshot like killa i was a father ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominik Koll, Honorary Lecturer, Australian National University View of the Pacific Ocean from the International Space Station.NASA Earth must have experienced something exceptional 10 million years ago. Our study of rock samples from the floor of the Pacific Ocean has found ...
Troy Rawhiti-Connell reviews Kia Tupu Te Ara, a documentary chronicling the meteoric rise of Aotearoa’s groundbreaking metal band. “Two brothers attempt to storm the world of thrash metal with the Māori language, despite the fact they’re both still teenagers,” reads the synopsis of Kent Belcher’s documentary, Kia Tupu Te Ara. ...
Three freelance writers have been awarded grants to work on their ambitious journalism projects. In January, The Spinoff announced the Vince Geddes In-Depth Journalism Fund, supported by the Auckland Radio Trust (ART). The fund was established to provide much-needed financial and editorial support to talented freelance journalists, empowering them to ...
Satire to start Sunday morning.
“John here, darling.”
“Why John, it’s not like you to ring up in the middle of a working day. Is anything wrong?”
“Yes, Bronagh, there is something wrong. There’s been a massive leak of confidential papers from one of those law firms in Panama. You know what I mean, they arrange safe places for millions of dollars to avoid paying tax.”
“Of course I know what you mean. Are we exposed?”
“That’s just it, I’m not sure. You know what my memory is! Look, I can’t do this from here, will you give _____________ (a lawyer) a ring just to make sure we didn’t have any dealings with Mossack Fonesca.”
—————————————————————————————————
“Bronagh here, John.”
“Yes, yes, I know it’s you. What did you find?”
“We have had no dealings with Mossack Fonesca at all.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I can take the moral high ground here without lying and without fear of our name coming to light.”
“Yes, you do that so well, dearest. But Johnny, what about members of your cabinet?”
“Heh, heh, that’s a thought. I wonder if ‘Crusher’ is involved?”
“But Johnny, it won’t look good, will it.”
“No, as usual, you’re right, Bronagh. Well, nothing to see here, move on folks, eh? New Zealand is not a tax haven, hey? Just deny it until the fuss dies down.”
“Yes, that’s the line to take.”
Good one Tony.
Hilarious
‘
John Key’s real legacy
Radio NZ
New Zealand a very nice place for rich criminals
@4:55 Minutes:
@02:07 Minutes:
I wonder; If this is the same oil company “owned” by the shell company that is registered in New Zealand, which is implicated in fixing and bribery for the oil companies?
+100 Jenny
National: Making New Zealand a protected sanctuary for Mossack Fonesca and Unaoil
The party that has the following screen shot on their election hoardings, will win the election for the opposition.
http://img.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/9255884/planet-key-screenshot-supplied.jpg?mode=crop&width=675&height=379&quality=80&scale=both
Unfit Bits: How to hack your fitness data
Probably not actually. Excessive exercise is bad for you.
Very concerning. Both for peoples health and their privacy. These sorts of policies by health insurers will push more of this:
With Saudi and Russian ties, Clinton machine’s tentacles are far reaching, according to Panama Papers
The Podesta Group, a lobbying firm headed by Clinton operatives, has made a pretty penny working for Saudi & Russia
http://www.salon.com/2016/04/08/with_saudi_and_russian_ties_clinton_machines_tentacles_are_far_reaching_according_to_panama_papers/
Government dishes out big bucks to ‘struggling’ petroleum industry for conference
Oh, great, the governments paying to be lobbied.
No wonder we’re going to hell in a hand-basket.
All this corporate welfare, and more, ensures that Per capita, New Zealand is the world leader in subsidising fossil fuel companies.
Corporate welfare and international corporate tax fraud, as well as inaction on climate change are this government’s weak points.
The opposition need to take advantage of these weak points and go in for the kill.
https://consortiumnews.com/2016/04/07/a-media-unmoored-from-facts/
Mainstream U.S. journalism has completely lost its way, especially in dealing with foreign policy issues where bias now overwhelms any commitment to facts, a dangerous development, writes Robert Parry.
Article and comments very good. Something Guyon and Susie from Morning Report should read re their question over why ppl don’t trust the media anymore.
Yea – Mihi’s back!!
In my view, there are a number of issues relating to Auckland Council’s purchase of the ASB building which are scandalous, and help reinforce what a disaster this Auckland ‘Supercity’ has been for the majority of Auckland citizens and ratepayers.
When were the public ever consulted on Auckland Council’s purchase of the ASB building?
What was wrong with the ‘custom built’ Auckland Council Civic Building for Council staff?
(What’s happened to the Auckland Council Civic Building – my understanding is that it is sitting there empty, and has been for some months?)
Where is the evidence of the ‘due diligence’ carried out before the purchase of the ASB building?
Who carried out the ‘due diligence’?
Who actually made the decision to purchase the ASB building?
For what reason(s)?
Were there any ‘conflicts of interest’ between those involved in purchasing the ASB and those who owned the ASB building?
How does the purchase of the ASB building, represent the much-vaunted ‘efficiency’ savings / ‘economies of scale’ that was purportedly a major reason used to ‘sell’ this ‘Supercity’ (for the 1%)?
Upon whom can the public rely for a full, thorough and independent inquiry into these matters?
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11619820
“The cost of cladding repairs at Auckland Council’s Albert St headquarters has blown out from $4 million to an estimated $31m, according to a confidential report.
The huge bill for essential repairs to heavy granite slabs on the 31-storey building will be discussed by councillors behind closed doors on Tuesday.
Ratepayers have already paid $128.5m to buy and fit out the 25-year-old building, described as robust and structurally sound with good bones when it was bought in 2012.
About $4m was set aside for stonework issues picked up during due diligence. A report by the engineering firm GHD in November found there was no definitive evidence of imminent collapse, but clearly cause for concern and a high potential risk of a stone panel falling from height.
……”
____________________
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
What does Corin Dann do on a Sunday morning? Hit the snooze alarm as few times, crawl out of bed, leisurely turn up to work and ask questions prepared for him by TVNZ staffers?
The interview with Winston Peters was appalling. It’s not as though information isn’t out there about the Panama Papers – a search of youtube finds docos by France 24, Australian 4 Corners, ICIJ, BBC, US PBS. Foreign news outlets that have been involved in this for a year describe us as a tax haven. There is more going on than Key/English are admitting to. Quoting Key soundbites to Peter’s was just sloppy.
Ffs, if he had just bothered to watch yesterday’s The Nation’s interview with Peter Bale, chief executive of the Center for Public Integrity / ICIJ, he would know that NZ has only been given the once over in the latest releases but there is more in depth shit coming down the pipe.
Why did he do such a bad job given he had interviewed John Christianson who said NZ was a shady dealer in this? Why did he insist on Winston Peters putting up the evidence saying he was holding Winston to account? Who us holding Dann to account? Why does not not just do his job?
Congrats The Nation, at least you bothered to go out wide and avoid the wide boys in mid-field and go to the ICIJ direct.
Surely these are rhetorical questions that you are asking William or did you hope that a National Party sock puppet was actually going to be unbiased and deliver an impartial and professional interview?
Appalling interview by Dann.
Just another compromised, owned puppet of the corporates.
He is not a journalist.
He is a tool of the establishment.
Hope all that money helps ease his conscience.
http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/the-pencilsword-shifty-business
want to observe rising sealevels as viewed from space.
well now you can.
https://sealevel.nasa.gov/
thanks Nasa.
FJK is relaxed about the use of secret trusts because
many peoplecrooks and money launderers use trusts for all manner of things.The Paris-based club of mostly rich nations is developing a global transparency initiative to crack down on tax haven secrecy. Most havens have agreed to participate and from 2017 will start to share financial data automatically so that each can tax its taxpayers appropriately. But there are recalcitrants. Panama is refusing to participate seriously. Pascal Saint-Amans, the OECD tax chief, calls it a jurisdiction “that welcomes crooks and money launderers”.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/d01062a0-fa71-11e5-8f41-df5bda8beb40.html#axzz45NWMpFFf
More people using trusts for all manner of things.
/
The documents also pull back the curtain on hundreds of details about how former CIA gun-runners and contractors use offshore companies for personal and private gain. Further, they illuminate the workings of a host of other characters who used offshore companies during or after their work as spy chiefs, secret agents or operatives for the CIA and other intelligence agencies.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/world/article70044452.html
That ABC bootboy and bag carrier Clayton Cosgrove is not standing for Parliament again.
Good riddance to a nasty piece of work.
Who will Grant Robertson use now to scurry around the Press Gallery bad mouthing colleagues?
Now, that is good news 🙂
Quite a few other relics of neo-liberalism still in the party.
Wyoming makes it 7 in a row and 8 out of the last 9 for Sanders.
Even the Guardian, that just the other day had a vid of Sanders challenging Clinton’s qualification for President sans all fucking context, is now publishing articles that aren’t complete hatchet jobs. I mean, it’s an opinion piece rather than a piece of reportage following editorial lines, but still – it’s a start.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/09/bernie-sanders-wins-wyoming-seventh-state-unstoppable-new-york-primary-next
The Guardian Gatekeeper.
I follow it pretty closely and the methods they use are blatantly obvious once you start looking for them. For instance Sanders will win a primary, but is lucky to get one sentence while the rest of the article gushes on about Trump and Clinton.
Or they’ll run ‘poison the well’ opinion articles that look like they’re about Sanders, but are really used to damn with faint praise, derail, or dismiss in a slightly sneering tone all the ‘fanatics’ who support him.
Same tactics used on Corbyn.
The good news is that judging from their comments sections a lot more people are awake to these tricks. They’ve been way over-exposed.
Well yeah. The editorial piece that shows up next to the opinion piece I linked is headed (short version) “Sanders wins, but…”
Comments sections on newspaper after newspaper are flying in the face of the reporting on Sanders and Clinton.
And yes, the Guardian will always side with the establishment in the final analysis. Always.
The Guardian is just part of the establishment’s system.
In this eye-opening talk, veteran investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson shows how astroturf, or fake grassroots movements funded by political, corporate, or other special interests very effectively manipulate and distort media messages.
Some small consolation insofar as it’s the least reliable of the major polls but whichever way you slice and dice it the Colmar Brunton is a shocker.
Anybody still think Labour pondering incoherently about a policy as complex as UBI and then letting the government dump on it from a great height is a great idea?
It’s no wonder….
1. The MSM doesn’t inform the NZ people. Ask your average NZers about many current events stories and they are woefully ignorant about what’s going on in their own country and the world.
2. 30 years of neo-liberal poison has done a lot of damage and a lot of people only care for themselves. They only realise the benefit of society when it’s too late and they’ve been thrown on the scrapheap.
3. The NZ Labour Party does not offer an alternative to neo-liberalism. Read my lips, Labour Party. “We apologise unreservedly for the damage we wrought on New Zealand working people when we unleashed neo-liberalism on the country. We are a socialist party and will go back to representing our people.”
I agree – I think they are trying to change hearts slowly, It doesn’t work like that – they need to apologise just as you say.
If my long term partner, whom I trusted, goes reeling off and has an affair with some sex pot who turns out to be all fur coat and no knickers, am I going to accept him just sliding back into my life as though it didn’t happen? Abject apology is definitely called for, and then the rebuilding of trust, if that’s possible
I think they need to be pushing not pondering the UBI for the next 18 months, voters need to have their heads around it by the next election. Young and old will be interested in voting for it. It may be that economic conditions just aren’t bad enough for it to take hold in the middle classes though, Labour might have been a bit early on it.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/poll-flag-flop-fails-dent-governments-popularity
Labour and little take a hammering in the latest poll.
Winston will be happy however – he has over taken little in the preferred pm figures.
I’m guessing a lot on here thought that the flag loss was going to hurt key. Seems like many read that wrong as well.
National continue to head towards another term.
30 years of neo-liberal poison has done a lot of damage and a lot of people only care for themselves. They only realise the benefit of society when it’s too late and they’ve been thrown on the scrapheap.
I sense you are one of these Galt-like creatures.
So Key is on 37% preferred now. Wasn’t he up in the 50-60% lastime. A bit sad if the people are getting a bit tired of him..
Labour gains nothing from National’s increasing weakness. In the new politics, people want real alternatives to what the incumbents are proposing. Not me too acts.
Labour could open up real ground between themselves and National very easily. Too bad they are preoccupied with trying to convince a neoliberal press that they will be a credible (neoliberal) government in waiting.
could you link to the actual poll and the question asked and the people polled?
who was asked
% of likely voter
% of members of either party
% of age groups
% of rural vs urban
really the blerb in the fishwrap is pretty meaningless if it actually does not show how an who was polled.
There is only one poll which actually matters. Until then its clear that either the polls are biased against Labour. Or the reporting of the polls are biased against Labour. Or both.
Clearly thats the real problem here, because Labour’s actual support in the community is definitely much higher than this. We all know it is.
Haha. You nearly had me for a moment.
This poll has got nothing to doe with labour voters, it has got to do with
a. what question were asked
b. who was asked
b1. what age groups
b2. Gender breakdown
b3. Location – rural vs urban
c. likely voter
c1. voted previously
c2. will vote again
d. income group
e. property owner
all of these things would put the result into context.
You are boring CV. So very very boring.
Totally agree with you, Sabine.
For a PM who is so embarrassing, who is clearly a sleazebag with women/girls, who has done NOTHING for the ordinary New Zealander, who just loves to play around with the big wealthy VIPs, and who deals in corrupt behaviours, and who has started to get booed in public, there must be something screwed in the way the questions of polls are asked, for his seemingly continuing “popularity”.
Polling methodology is not the problem here.
actually yes it is.
Polls are meaningless if you can’t figure out how the result was achieved.
I don’t care much about polls generally speaking, but if they are used to uphold a result i would like to know how that result was achieved.
example.
100 National voters are asked and 50% say the PM is good as and 50% say Labour sucks. Is that a good result for the PM? Is it a bad result for Labour?
50 National voters are asked and 50 other voters are asked and 50% say the PM is good, and a further 30% say Labour sucks. is that a good result for the PM is it a bad result for Labour?
How the result was achieved in important. And i don’t actually care who wins in these polls, as our estimed CV said upstairs only one poll that matters and that would be the voting booth. But in the meantime, i would like a bit more meat with my polls. Thank eew/
Colmar Brunton are by far the most open about their methodology. Much better than the other main Public Pollsters. They produce a full report in a way that the others don’t.
The question Colmar Brunton ask (after a brief intro outlining the two votes under MMP) is: “Firstly, thinking about the Party Vote, which is for a political party – Which political Party would you vote for ? (If the reply is Don’t Know then they ask the follow-up question: “Which one would you be most likely to vote for ?” That pushes those mildly leaning one way to make a definite choice, with the remainder becoming the true Undecideds).
All Pollsters weight their data to align with NZ’s demographics (via Statistics New Zealand). Those respondents who indicate (in an initial question) that they’re either fairly or very unlikely to vote are excluded from the final results as are the Undecideds and those who Refuse to answer.
sabine is convinced that bad polling methodology is at the core of Labour’s low numbers.
Please don’t disabuse her of that truth.
“But there are plenty of challenges for Mr Little who after more than a year in the job is now going backwards.”
So what can little do to stop his backward slide? Does he have anything or do you think he’s just hoping Key slips up on something? (Which isn’t working too well for him so far).
You don’t care, so stop pretending.
Fool.
so Paul. I take it you have no idea then?
Read my comment at 15.1
Your suggested apology would drop labour under 20 %
Still, would love them to take you up on it.
No, offering an alternative is what is necessary.
Look at the following 5 examples:
Spain, Greece, Scotland, England (since Corbyn) and the support for Sanders in the US.
People are hungry for an alternative to neo-liberalism which has screwed them for 30 years.
Now I am prepared to be generous and assume that you are unaware of these 5 examples, In which case, please read up on the events that have transpired there.
However, I have a nagging feeling you are simply a troll who is running the predictable and dull meme that there is no alternative to neo-liberalism and that all Labour have to do is to copy Key and adopt even more tenets of neo-liberal ideology. If so, I cannot be bothered wasting . Shilling for the 1% is a contemptible act.
What happens when you offer an alternative.
Jeremy Corbyn more popular than David Cameron for first time, new poll reveals.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/new-poll-shows-cameron-less-popular-than-corbyn-for-first-time-a6974891.html
The SNP now have a 39 point poll lead over Labour.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/snp-poll-leader-labour-holyrood-2016-elections-may-date-a6905316.html
Spain’s election will be felt across the whole continent
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/18/spain-election-podemos-austerity-syriza-greece
Paul has a solution: blame the people.
GR2020. It’s a foregone conclusion now.
You may be right.
Mind you, heading into the recent Canadian Federal election many of the commentators had written off Justin Trudeau (his trajectory in the polls was not that dissimilar to Little’s) and were casting around for the next Liberal Leader. Look what happened there?
Yes, massive political turnarounds do happen. But in this case, what would be the point? And I think the electorate has figured that out as well. Why vote light blue when you can have the real thing.
Offering a real alternative is what is necessary.
that would seem to be politics 101. But in the Thorndon Bubble professional political set, its still all about the narcissism of minor (miniscule) differences and waiting for the ‘tide to turn.’
Do they not see what happened to the Scottish Labour Party when it just copied Cameron’s austerity?
this is a political crew who sincerely believes that voters have forgiven/forgotten Rogernomics. That middle class swing voters in households earning $80K to $120K pa are the most important voters in the nation.
I take your word for it and am completely amazed they are so out of touch. More and more people are suffering from the effects of neo-liberalism ( also known as ‘Rogernomics in NZ). Indeed, we have also endured disaster capitalism in Christchurch, as outlined by Naomi Klein in ‘Shock Doctrine.’
The country has been sold.
Our jobs have been off shored.
Large corporate ship of billions of untaxed profits annually.
We are over $100 billion in debt.
Despite 8 years of extreme right wing economic prescriptions, the political party supposedly representing the workers of the country refuses to offer a coherent alternative vision.
they disowned the workers of the country a long time ago. The workers, who used to give Labour a membership roll in the hundreds of thousands, have long returned the favour.
We need a new socialist party.
Although it provides some vital stepping stones, socialism is not prepared for the demanding and unique requirements of the 21st century situation .
We need a party ready to face the challenges of the 21st century by cooperating not competing, secondly by working together, not fighting each other and thirdly by living in balance with the Earth, not exploiting it.
Exactly.
Or another way of looking at it: where is Australia and New Zealand’s equivalent of Corbyn or Sanders?
Actually let me drill into that deeper. Here in Aus Labour is polling slightly ahead of the Coalition. And that is with Bill Shorten as Leader. And I’d suggest that the space between Shorten and Little isn’t so very much. So why is the NZLP trailing the US, Canadian, UK and Aus experience so very badly?
One answer is the ongoing failure of the NZLP to bury the ghost of the 4th Lab govt. For people of my generation it’s still a live issue.
Another is our god-awful media. I’ll say it again, even here in Aus the difference is remarkable. Here I can read a balanced picture in a way that is utterly missing from the public space in NZ.
Another is that we’ve been importing lots of wealthy people who vote National.
Another is simply that we no longer really believe in ourselves as a nation anymore. We’ve been persuaded to stop believing in our better selves.
Another is the withdrawal of the left from the internationalist, global space. More than any other Western nation, we’ve been run over by the neo-liberal world order.
And finally the left in NZ remains divided. Until the Greens and Labour start behaving like they could actually run a proper govt together, then no-one is going to give them the chance.
Excellent synopsis.
And just as an example, here is how both countries looked at the Panama Papers.
Here there has been no proper journalism, while Australia ran this story.
Yes I watched that the other night. Look at the depth of research in it, and how much time and travel budget was given to this; over many months at least.
Compare and contrast with our sniveling hacks who weren’t even allowed a sniff of the story.
” we no longer really believe in ourselves as a nation anymore. We’ve been persuaded to stop believing in our better selves.”
This.
And not in a false flag patriotism kind of way. In a way that makes sense of our belonging with a group of human beings in a society first, rather than primarily as subjects in a win or lose economy.
When Farrar blogs it the moment it comes out … you just know it aint gonna be great news for Labour !
First time since May 2015 that the Govt’s led the Oppo in a Colmar Brunton. (Starkly contrasts with the latest March 2016 Roy Morgan which bucked its usual Govt-friendly results by giving the Oppo a rare lead).
Colmar Brunton
………………………Oppo…………Govt…………Diff
July 2015……………53……………..48…………..+ 5
Sep 2015………… …51…………….48…………..+ 3
Oct 2015…………….52…………….48……………+ 4
Feb 2016…………….50…………….48……………+ 2
April 2016…………..47…………….52…………….- 5
One and only bright spot ? Key down slightly in Preferred PM to 39% (Equal Lowest rating in a Colmar Brunton since becoming PM … but not much compensation – esp with Little down too)
* 2 point rise in the Undecideds – but that’s nowhere near enough to account for the swing.
Labour MP Su’a William Sio’s Climate Change Taskforce tour of Tuvalu and Kiribati
“In Kiribati and Tuvalu, the future is now,” Su’a William Sio
A new Web portal developed by NASA, gives researchers, decision makers and the public a resource to stay up to date with the latest developments and scientific findings on sea level rise.
https://sealevel.nasa.gov/
https://sealevel.nasa.gov/news/40
NASA projections for sea level rise forecast the disappearance of the Tuvalu and Kiribati beneath the waves by 2100.
Within our grandchildren’s life times these island nations will be gone.
But this is not the full story and these nations could go under water even sooner.
NASA studies measure mean and average global sea level rise. But the sea is not flat, and there are regional and seasonal differences that can either magnify or lessen these global effects from one season to another, and even from one decade to another, and in one region and another.
*My emphasis, Jenny.
Why are Tuvalu and Kiribati’s very reasonable message calling for emigration to New Zealand on grounds of climate change, and conveyed to us by Su’a William Sio on their behalf, being ignored?
And why was Su’a William Sio’s Climate Change Taskforce mission ignored by virtually all media outlets and political parties?
My feeling is that to allow the people of Tuvalu and Kiribati to immigrate to New Zealand on climate change grounds, would be to recognise that there is a problem.
Recognising climate refugees ,would mean recognising the reality and the full threat posed by climate change itself.
The French stand up for their rights.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/08/nuit-debout-protesters-occupy-french-cities-in-a-revolutionary-call-for-change
Interesting column up from Vernon Small on Stuff – sledging Little – it’s only been up a few hours and the comment balance is unrealistically extreme right – comments are closed of course.
Link?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/78754432/national-support-hits-50-per-cent-labour-and-little-fall-in-new-poll
Ta.
FJK could eat a pony in public and the commenters would still vote for the prick.
Yeah – but this looked fake – almost no regular commenters and many round numbers of up/down votes.
Comments closed in less than 3 hours – but 100s of votes for nothing special comments = fakery.
Documents released so far.
https://www.documentcloud.org/public/search/Source:%20%22Internal%20documents%20from%20Mossack%20Fonseca%20%28Panama%20Papers%29%22
First NZ mention.
http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2779708-Hinojosa-Juan-Armandodoc1.html