Labour have announced they are cutting their communication staff levels in half. Goff said this will demonstrate Labour are serious about cutting unnecessary spending and thought they should put their money where their mouth is – towards more essential spending priorities like KiwiSaver handouts. Goff also hoped that by cutting their spin in half they would only look half as desperate.
Grrr PeteG when you make a troll like comment how about you back it up with a link so we can confirm that what you are saying is true.
Besides if this is what Goff is planning then I totally agree. There is nothing worse than PR produced naff. The meaning is never clear and it sanitises and glosses over the important points. It would be much better for Goff to say it the way it is.
The last great PM communicator was David Lange. He used his own words and spoke simply but clearly. The current imposter is the direct opposite.
David Lange was vacuous. That booming voice and commanding manner got him a long way in politics, of course—but he was intellectually indolent, and he was consistently outsmarted and manipulated by far sharper ideologues like Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble, David Caygill, Mike Moore and Michael Bassett.
Because he wasn’t a deep or coherent thinker, Lange couldn’t counter their takeover of the government. In 1989, he realised his helplessness and just gave up.
I commented that he was an exceptional speaker M, however to say he was vacuous is clearly garbage. While some of the policies of his government may have been formulated and led by others in his cabinet to suggest he was vacuous is patently absurd.
…to suggest he was vacuous is patently absurd.
Lange presided over the dismantling, destruction and selling off of much of this country’s public sector. In all that time, he occasionally wrung his hands in public—the “cup of tea”—but he did nothing, in spite of being opposed to what was being done. That was because he lacked the knowledge and depth of learning to challenge the likes of Douglas and Caygill.
In fact, Lange himself enthusiastically set about the attack on the public education sector. He failed to coherently explain himself whenever he was pinned down for a comment; he once in desperation hissed at a woman teacher to “piss off” when she had the temerity to ask him a question in public.
John Key is rightly regarded as vacuous by the liberal left, but he is no worse informed on any subject than Lange was.
Not my impression of Lange. In his areas he was very sharp.
In economics he unfortunately left it to those he thought were more qualified. Often a good idea, but not when you are dealing with dogmatic idealoges.
In economics he unfortunately left it to those he thought were more qualified. Often a good idea, but not when you are dealing with dogmatic idealoges.
Not my impression of Lange. In his areas he was very sharp.
Impressions are surface features only. Superficially, Lange was plausible. If you analyze what he said—and the worshipful talk about his “oratory” pretty much cancelled that at the time—there was little of depth or sophistication. In many ways, he was a fatter, pakeha version of what many people in the U.S. fell for in 2008.
In economics he unfortunately left it to those he thought were more qualified.
He was asleep at the wheel. Because Lange did not think, or even care, about economic and political theory, he was unable to stand up to the doctrinal marauders in his cabinet.
“I thought it was obvious I was lying/taking the piss.”
That applies to most of your comments, Pete, so the confusion over this one is understandable. Anyway, the fact is that Goff really is getting rid of his PR advisors … by making them successful Labour party candidates.
Finally : Sick of John Key? Bill English? Gerry Brownlee? How much more bullshit artistry do you want? Unfortunately they are protected by their crony media lap-dog ‘journalists’.
Question: When does a youth become a man?
16? 17? 18? 19? Apparently the British police have just arrested two men – a 17 year old and a 19 year old. If they were at school, they would be boys. Apparently this age does not necessarily make you eligible to buy alcohol, or vote, but you can fire a machine gun.
Ah, so a 17 year old is a teenager, a boy, an adolescent, a youth, a man, and now an adult (and to a much older generation, might even be classed as a youngster). No wonder they are a confused age group.
Why the sudden interest in Clifford Bay as a ferry terminal? I thought this was killed off years ago, is Steven Joyce trying to make a diversion? If so what from? The budget? Or is it that some overseas company is wanting taxpayers’ money for their private project?
A comment on the stuff site says that every time the interislander has it’s port fees up for renewal, they start talking about alternative terminals being built, as a way to ensure the fees don’t rise too much.
I would think that if that has been the case in the past, this specific threat has gone a lot further than any in the past have.
I suspect one of the reasons for moving it will be that they won’t be able to get the ferries up Tory channel any more, once it’s full of salmon farms.
First they came…” is a famous statement attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. The text of the quotation is usually presented roughly as follows:
First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
I know many of you have probably seen this before but it’s the first time I have and history makes it all the more poignant. We could easily add the words beneficiaries, preschoolers, young families, university students, Maori, environmentalists etc( in no particular order)
Feel free to add to the list….Surely a tipping point will be reached!
If you think New Zealand is anything like Germany in that era you haven’t any idea how lucky you are to live in this country in this time. Yes, we should be vigilant and fight to retain freedoms. But we should appreciate how different it is to the difficult times all preceding generations have lived in.
I have relations who lived in the Sudetenland in the 1930’s. I visited them last year. They talked a bit about what it was like back then. Very hard times. They said that at the end of the war the Americans arrived just in time, otherwise they think they would have been annihilated. Instead they were marched out of their homeland, forever.
Guessing, but that makes you German and Catholic, if thats the case it explains a lot, you probably think where mostly a bunch of Communists trying to start a revolution.
I’m neither, related by marriage, nominally Anglican as a child, practically atheist.
Someone I know well lived in West Berlin in the 70s to early 80s, experienced border security often and visited East Berlin a number of times so saw both sides. The East was generally sad, drab and depressing. Failed.
“about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.”
“…history makes it all the more poignant. We could easily add the words beneficiaries, preschoolers, young families, university students, Maori, environmentalists etc( in no particular order)
Feel free to add to the list….Surely a tipping point will be reached!”
It’s standard under Godwin’s Law – “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.”
Godwin has argued that overuse of Nazi and Hitler comparisons should be avoided, because it robs the valid comparisons of their impact.
The situation today is nothing like the social and political situation in 1930s Germany, or the rest of Europe, or New Zealand. We have legitimate concerns but they are piddling when compared to many other countries now, and from the past.
I think what was said in 2008, pre-election, is quite relevant to the government, post-election.
However comparing something that Phil Goff said in 1982 about the government in 80’s really doesn’t have terribly much relevance 20 years later. I thought this would have been obvious, but apparently not.
I’m pretty sure they’re aiming for the 1530s actually or, perhaps, the 1130s. You know, before the Magna Carta was signed. Rule by the rich for the rich and whatever the rich say goes.
It is a real shame that the Nact government don’t look back to 1984 because HISTORY is repeating itself. In 1984 the deficit was 21.5 billion due to overseas borrowing. Nine years earlier Muldoon killed compulsory superannuation. Even though Muldoon did not sell off assests the Nact government are scheming to sell off what Muldoon borrowed money for (energy projects).
Nact have put the country back 25 years. The most depressing aspect is that back then people had jobs, not like now. I am wondering how long it is going to take Nact to freeze wages?
Latest news reporting Govt borrowing $380m per week.
Disastrous handling of the country’s finances by currency trading wizard Prime Mismanagement.
What’s the next gamble with the blood and sweat of the Kiwi working poor?
Yes and also if the employer has to contribute more to Kiwisaver it is likely that a pay increase will be minimal.
As mentioned below the government are borrowing 380 million a week. I heard that they are stock piling money as the interest rate is lower than it has been.
Anyone who was around age twenty in the mid 1980s would see how screwed the country now is because of the level of debt, the cost of housing/rent, low wages and the most concerning, denial by the government that they are failing those on a low income.
Anyone who was around age twenty in the mid 1980s would see how screwed the country now is
That might explain why roughly 700,000 NZ born Kiwis have fled and are now living in Australia. That figure is equivalent to around 1 in 6 of the people still left in NZ now, bailing on this country tomorrow. Disastrous.
Try turning on the wysiwyg editor with the check box under the edit box. It has link button that looks like a chain. Select some text, press that, and paste the link into the dialog box that pops up.
Otherwise there is a section in the FAQ at the top of the pages to do the text version. Look for simple HTML
So after the house I’m in having survived with pretty much negligible (very minor contents) damage through all of the quakes thus-far, last night’s 5.3 quake has slightly warped one of the doors/door frames in the bathroom so it doesn’t shut cleanly any more. All of the other doors in the house are fine. Go figure.
Gutted to see so many of my favourite buildings are gone/going, including the building I would most liked to have owned in the city, Edison Hall. Plus all the shops in Sydenham I used to frequent, the cafes in High St, the pubs and clubs along Colombo and Manchester Streets, all gone. Mind you, it seems the New Excelsior may survive in some form. A small blessing for the thirsty.
I prefer people to just paste the URL. I do not like opening unknown web sites. Not a problem from most of the people here, but not a good ideas on the web generally.
Top Gear’s offensive stereotyping has gone too far, says STEVE COOGAN
As a huge fan of Top Gear. I normally regard the presenters’ brand of irreverence as a part of the rough and tumble that goes with having a sense of humour. I’ve been on the show three times and had a go at their celebrity-lap challenge, and I would love to receive a fourth invite. But I think that’s unlikely once they have read this. If, however, it makes the Lads question their behaviour for a second – ambitious, I know – it will be worth it.
I normally remain below the parapet when these frenetic arguments about comedy and taste break out. But this time, I’ve had enough of the regular defence you tend to hear – the tired line that it’s “just a laugh”, a bit of “harmless fun”.
Some of the Lads’ comments again, in case you missed them. “Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus, with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat” (Richard Hammond). Mexican food is “sick with cheese on it” (James May).
Jeremy Clarkson added to the mirth by suggesting that the Mexican ambassador (a certain Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza) would be so busy sleeping he wouldn’t register any outrage. (He wasn’t and he did.)
OK, guys, I’ve got some great ideas for your next show. Jeremy, why not have James describe some kosher food as looking like “sick with cheese on it”? No? Thought not. Even better, why not describe some Islamic fundamentalists as lazy and feckless?
Feel the silence. They’re all pretty well organised these days, aren’t they, those groups? Better stick to those that are least problematic.
Old people? Special needs? I know – Mexicans! There aren’t enough of them to be troublesome, no celebrities to be upset. And most of them are miles and miles away.
[deleted]
[lprent: Please don’t quote the whole damn article in the comments section – it isn’t a frigging clipping area. You have the link. All you need to do is to quote enough to get people to go to look at it. In fact just what I did, and you’re just lucky that I was interested enough in the article to do so. Even better would be to put your own content in to say why people should read it. ]
Interesting little piece from Rodney Hide in 2000, I found re the hounding of Ian Mutton by the IRD. In it Hide talks about Section 81 which denies the taxpayer access to the reasons why they are being hounded.
Now why does ‘denies the taxpayer access to the reasons why they are being hounded.’ sound familiar? Perhaps if I changed the word ‘hounded’ to ‘fired’, ‘taxpayer’ to ’employee taxpayer’ and added the words ‘ninety days’, maybe even the idiotological NActMUs would get it.
New Zealand has “chairmanship” of a bid to change the Royal succession laws.
The claim, made by Lord McNally in the House of Lords earlier this year, was this morning confirmed by Prime Minister John Key.
In January, Lord McNally told the House of Lords: “There have been consultations … the previous Administration initiated discussions among Commonwealth countries. Those discussions are proceeding under the chairmanship of the New Zealand Government and we will continue to keep the matter under consideration.”
We immediately sent an Official Information Act (OIA) request to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to find out exactly what was going on…
New Zealand Ministers are not involved in chairing or leading any discussions about proposals to amend the Act of Settlement and the laws of succession.
It appears that the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet lied to an OIA request.
Hattip: I/S via Twitter
HARDTALK: NO KIWI REPUBLIC ON KEY’S WATCH
Meanwhile, Key revealed he personally opposes New Zealand becoming a republic.
That’s no real surprise either – conservatives seem inherently incapable of imagining a society without their special people at the top giving commands to the rest of the populace.
Not really. All part of the hierarchical mindset – the people at the top give the commands or the commands are given in their name. It the concept that someone must have authority and that people below them and in the chain of command are then acting with that authority. John Key and most of National will see their authority as being an extension of the queens office.
History does not repeat, it ryhmes (Mark Twain). Funny how we are 100% clean green when it comes to minning, agriculture etc.. how odd. Do we want our cake and eat it as well… i.e. the tourists flocking to see the 100% Pure Brand…
We just have to look back at Li Lin Fu and see the parallels …Honey-Mouthed And Dagger-Hearted (Kou Mi Fu Jian & Pin Yin kǒu mì fù jiàn):
In 742 AD., a capable minister called Li Shi Zhi was favored by the Emperor of Tang. Li Lin Fu pretended not to care, but in fact was trying to find ways to damage him. One day, Li Lin Fu told Li Shi Zhi about some gold that was hidden over in Hua Mountain, and Li Shi Zhi, as Li Lin Fu expected, soon proposed to the Emperor worried about the decrease of the state revenue to mine the gold deposits.
The Emperor then asked Li Lin Fu for his opinion, Li Lin-fu acted very indifferently, saying “I knew about the gold mine a long time ago, and I didn’t tell it to your Majesty on purpose.”
“Why?” said the king in surprise.
“According to Taoist principles, Hua Mountain is in the place where all of Your Majesty’s auspicious aurora are gathered. Any damage to that area will certainly be harmful to your health and state. Who is it that brings out such a foolish idea? ”
Hearing this, the Emperor thought that Li Shi Zhi was not as considerate as Li Lin Fu, and later demoted the former to remote area.
The Environmental Defence Society has expressed concern about aspects of the announcements on freshwater made at the Prime Minister’s press conference today.
“The key concern is that the National Policy Statement, which will become law shortly, has been watered down from the version recommended by the Board of Inquiry last year,” said EDS Chairman Gary Taylor.
So in other words, he who controls the law or standards in this case, controls the truth….
Unbelievable! Actually, come to think of it, it’s not unbelievable—Key’s cynicism and arrogance are hardly a surprise. Note his airy dismissal of scientists—“they’re just like lawyers”—and his scoffing attitude throughout.
Stephen Sackur looks like a second-rater when he goes up against superior intellects—but against Key, Sackur is clearly in the ascendant.
Martyn Payne, a UK migrant who invested his life savings of $700,000 and six years of his life into turning a struggling Northland garage into a thriving business employing seven people was kicked out of New Zealand on April 23rd.
His appeal to Kate Wilkinson, the Associate Immigration Minister, that medical evidence supplied showed he would not be a drain on the New Zealand health service was declined. Kate Wilkinson has stated she will not review this case unless there is new evidence, ignoring additional reports from a doctor and a heart specialist sent to her confirming Payne’s stance.
Is this good for New Zealand?
Is Wilkinson sending a message to entrepreneurs around the world?
Do you think Martyn Payne has been treated fairly.
If people can attend – to both find out what is going on plus be there in support – that would be great!
Fellow ‘Public Watchdog’ Lisa Prager and myself each have 10 minutes to address the Auckland Council Property CCO (Auckland Council Properties Ltd – ACPL) about the lack of transparency regarding the ‘interests’ of the unelected Board and staff; information publicly available pertaining to properties administered by the ACPL; and public involvement in the decision-making process as to which properties are deemed ‘surplus to requirements’ and whether or not they should be ‘disposed of’:
‘OPEN LETTER’
10 May 2011
Dear Emma,
Thank you for confirming my 10 minutes ‘speaking rights’ to address the ‘Public Forum’ of the upcoming Auckland Council Property Ltd (ACPL) meeting to be held on:
The subject matter of my ‘deputation’, will include:
1) As a publicly-acknowledged ‘anti-corruption’ campaigner, having attended two internationally significant ‘anti-corruption’ conferences, I am concerned at the apparent lack of structural openness, transparency and accountability in the ACPL ‘framework’.
a) Where is a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for the unelected Board of ACPL CCO appointees and staff responsible for property and procurement?
(How can ‘conflicts of interest’ be avoided if ‘interests’ are not declared beforehand?
Do any unelected Board of ACPL appointees and staff responsible for property and procurement, have links with property developers, business associates/investors/ individuals who could take pecuniary advantage of such connections?)
b) What audit processes have been established by the Auckland Council, to ensure ‘Council control’ over this ACPL ‘Council Controlled Organisation’, in order to prevent the above-mentioned potential ‘conflicts of interest’ ?
c) What audit processes are/have been carried out by ‘independent statutory third party ‘Public Watchdogs such as the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) to double-check that there are ‘open, transparent and accountable’ processes in place to help prevent such potential ‘conflicts of interest’?
d) Has the ACPL entered into contracts with the private sector for any goods or services?
e) Is there a central ‘Register of Contracts’, publicly-available, which details for public scrutiny: the name of the consultant/contractor; the scope, term and value of the contract?
f) How many staff employed by the ACPL are ‘in-house’ employees as opposed to ‘contracted’, or ‘temporary’ employees, and how much money is being spent on each category?
g) j) Where is the publicly-available ‘list’ of ALL property administered by the ACPL, with the following information?
i) Property name.
ii) Physical street address.
iii) Property history (how did it become a ‘council’ property – ie: was it BEQUESTED, and if so – for what purpose).
iv) Who is currently using this property and for what purpose.
v) If property is unused – for how long has this been the case.
h) What is the mechanism by which it is decided which Auckland Council ‘properties’ are deemed ‘surplus to requirements’?
i) Given that ALL Auckland Council property assets are supposedly owned by citizens and ratepayers of the Auckland region – by what process do we ‘the public’ ‘have a say’ in determining which Auckland Council ‘properties’ are deemed ‘surplus to requirements’?
j) What is the ‘consultation’ process that is/will be carried out by the ACPL with citizens and ratepayers of the Auckland region before ANY Auckland Council property assets are sold?
________________________________________________________________________________
Penny Bright http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
I have a meeting or I would have been there to support you. If you have a network I suggest you send them an email and get them to reply with their support for your quest. Then you can stand up and say ‘I am not the only person asking these questions. I have xxxxxx emails in support of me. They also want to know that their assets are not going to be sold.’
I’m sure your network will encompass mine.
This Property CCO does not have the right to sell our assets. The CCOs were not democratically elected. The first bill taking control over Auckland Assets was forced through without access to select committee or a Government run citizen vote.
If you have a network, Penny, your network will have their own networks which will cover New Zealand, and once they know how the government has betrayed Aucklanders and intend to stab other New Zealanders in the back through their once democratic councils, then they will support your fight against the Auckland Property CCO. ECAN knows all about being assassinated by the likes of Hide, Shipley, David Carter and his brother and signed off by Key and Douglas.
Bernard Hickey: Havens for rich tax avoiders will cripple NZ
NZ Herald Sunday May 8, 2011
It really is scary to say this, but I honestly believe Key thinks New Zealand Inc is his business, but not serious business. He’s playing it for fun. He’s got other income so if New Zealand Inc falls over, he can move on to his other businesses.
Meanwhile he’s rerouting all money into the accounts of the already wealthy to buy their support for his knighthood.
Then when NZ is totally fxxked, he will of course not be pm and will be able to buy up large before leaving for Hawaii or the next placement.
And me? I’m going to find it very hard to forgive any of my NAct friends for causing it by voting him in, whether 2008 or worse in 2011.
Key and his hordes are going to cause massive and divisive damage in this country. But that was always the plan. Divide the masses and control the treasury.
There are many questions concerning the inappropriate use of tax-payer money by Prime Minister John Key as well as questions about conflicts of interest in regards to his investment portfolio that need answering. Not only does john Key avoid any investigation into allegations that our NZSAS is in breach of international laws, he avoids any responsibility for his and his fellow MPs misappropriations and lies. This head in the sand mentality must end for New Zealand to have any chance of restoring our democracy. What follows is a Statement by Dayle Takitimu sent to the Gisborne Herald – Challenging John Keys Dishonesty.
All ‘consultations’ with JKeyll should be videotaped and any corruption of the discussion by JKeyll should be forced upon media who can be prosecuted for printing lies and misleading people.
Wish we did have laws that held the media accountable for publishing lies and untruths then we might start to see actual real investigative reporting rather than the present method of reporting by the printing unquestioned press release.
todd: I suspect that since many in the population believe that Maori concerns are insignificant and Key believes he can afford to go with the more popular dismissal of the concerns. He may also believe that the Maori Party are not going to be an asset after the Election should by then even exist , and can be dismissive.
But that position is a dangerous risk. Shows a lack of trustworthiness.
God this guy takes the cake.
“The Labour Party has the same front bench as the one that was thrown out in 2008.” Now correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t Dunne a minister for six years of that government. Wasn’t he a member of the Labour Party in the 1980’s. So, in that case, which front bench needs refreshing, Labour’s or United Future’s. Peter Dunne, in another profession, might be classified as a “swinger”.
Bill English on Checkpoint…approx 5:30pm this evening…
Discussing the defecit, comparing the government attitude to borrowings to what a householder would do, “you cant sell part of the house to reduce your borrowings”
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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 ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
The December labour market statistics have been released, showing yet another increase in unemployment. There are now 156,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office. And having thrown all these people out of work, National is doubling down on cruelty. Because being vicious will somehow magically create the ...
Boarded up homes in Kilbirnie, where work on a planned development was halted. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 5 are;Housing Minister Chris Bishop yesterday announcedKāinga Ora would be stripped of ...
This week Kiwirail and Auckland Transport were celebrating the completion of the summer rail works that had the network shut or for over a month and the start of electric trains to Pukekohe. First up, here’s parts of the press release about the shutdown works. Passengers boarding trains in Auckland ...
Through its austerity measures, the coalition government has engineered a rise in unemployment in order to reduce inflation while – simultaneously – cracking down harder and harder on the people thrown out of work by its own policies. To that end, Social Development Minister Louise Upston this week added two ...
This year, we've seen a radical, white supremacist government ignoring its Tiriti obligations, refusing to consult with Māori, and even trying to legislatively abrogate te Tiriti o Waitangi. When it was criticised by the Waitangi Tribunal, the government sabotaged that body, replacing its legal and historical experts with corporate shills, ...
Poor old democracy, it really is in a sorry state. It would be easy to put all the blame on the vandals and tyrants presently trashing the White House, but this has been years in the making. It begins with Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan and the spirit of Gordon ...
The new school lunches came in this week, and they were absolutely scrumptious.I had some, and even though Connor said his tasted like “stodge” and gave him a sore tummy, I myself loved it!Look at the photos - I knew Mr Seymour wouldn’t lie when he told us last year:"It ...
The tighter sanctions are modelled on ones used in Britain, which did push people off ‘the dole’, but didn’t increase the number of workers, and which evidence has repeatedly shown don’t work. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, ...
Catching you up on the morning’s global news and a quick look at the parallels -GLOBALTariffs are backSharemarkets in the US, UK and Europe have “plunged” in response to Trump’s tariffs. And while Mexico has won a one month reprieve, Canada and China will see their respective 25% and 10% ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. Gondolas are often in the news, with manufacturers of ropeway systems proposing them as a modern option for mass transit systems in New Zealand. However, like every next big thing in transport, it’s hard ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkBoth 2023 and 2024 were exceptionally warm years, at just below and above 1.5C relative to preindustrial in the WMO composite of surface temperature records, respectively. While we are still working to assess the full set of drivers of this warmth, it is clear that ...
Hi,I woke up feeling nervous this morning, realising that this weekend Flightless Bird is going to do it’s first ever live show. We’re heading to a sold out (!) show in Seattle to test the format out in front of an audience. If it works, we’ll do more. I want ...
From the United-For-Now States of America comes the thrilling news that a New Zealander may be at the very heart of the current coup. Punching above our weight on the world stage once more! Wait, you may be asking, what New Zealander? I speak of Peter Thiel, made street legal ...
Even Stevens: Over the 33 years between 1990 and 2023 (and allowing for the aberrant 2020 result) the average level of support enjoyed by the Left and Right blocs, at roughly 44.5 percent each, turns out to be, as near as dammit, identical.WORLDWIDE, THE PARTIES of the Left are presented ...
Back in 2023, a "prominent political figure" went on trial for historic sex offences. But we weren't allowed to know who they were or what political party they were "prominent" in, because it might affect the way we voted. At the time, I said that this was untenable; it was ...
I'm going, I'm goingWhere the water tastes like wineI'm going where the water tastes like wineWe can jump in the waterStay drunk all the timeI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure ...
Waitangi Day is a time to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand together for a just and fair Aotearoa. Across the motu, communities are gathering to reflect, kōrero, and take action for a future built on equity and tino rangatiratanga. From dawn ceremonies to whānau-friendly events, there are ...
Subscribe to Mountain Tūī ! Where you too can learn about exciting things from a flying bird! Tweet.Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing. It’s a fact.But first -My question to all readers is:How should I set up the Substack model?It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November ...
Here’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s political economy on politics and in the week to Feb 3:PM Christopher Luxon began 2025’s first day of Parliament last Tuesday by carrying on where left off in 2024, letting National’s junior coalition partner set the political agenda and dragging ...
The PSA have released a survey of 4000 public service workers showing that budget cuts are taking a toll on the wellbeing of public servants and risking the delivery of essential services to New Zealanders. Economists predict that figures released this week will show continued increases in unemployment, potentially reaching ...
The Prime Minister’s speech 10 days or so ago kicked off a flurry of commentary. No one much anywhere near the mainstream (ie excluding Greens supporters) questioned the rhetoric. New Zealand has done woefully poorly on productivity for a long time and we really need better outcomes, and the sorts ...
President Trump on the day he announced tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, unleashing a shock to supply chains globally that is expected to slow economic growth and increase inflation for most large economies. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 9 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 3Politics: New Zealand Government cabinet meeting usually held early afternoon with post-cabinet news conference possible at 4 pm, although they have not been ...
Trump being Trump, it won’t come as a shock to find that he regards a strong US currency (bolstered by high tariffs on everything made by foreigners) as a sign of America’s virility, and its ability to kick sand in the face of the world. Reality is a tad more ...
A listing of 24 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 26, 2025 thru Sat, February 1, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
What seems to be the common theme in the US, NZ, Argentina and places like Italy under their respective rightwing governments is what I think of as “the politics of cruelty.” Hate-mongering, callous indifference in social policy-making, corporate toadying, political bullying, intimidation and punching down on the most vulnerable with ...
If you are confused, check with the sunCarry a compass to help you alongYour feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you aroundSo, stand in the place where you liveSongwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.Hot in the CityYesterday, ...
Shane Jones announced today he would be contracting out his thinking to a smarter younger person.Reclining on his chaise longue with a mouth full of oysters and Kina he told reporters:Clearly I have become a has-been, a palimpsest, an epigone, a bloviating fossil. I find myself saying such things as: ...
Warning: This post contains references to sexual assaultOn Saturday, I spent far too long editing a video on Tim Jago, the ACT Party President and criminal, who has given up his fight for name suppression after 2 years. He voluntarily gave up just in time for what will be a ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is global warming ...
Our low-investment, low-wage, migration-led and housing-market-driven political economy has delivered poorer productivity growth than the rest of the OECD, and our performance since Covid has been particularly poor. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty this ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
One of those blasts from the past. Peter Dunne – originally neoliberal Labour, then leader of various parties that sought to work with both big parties (generally National) – has taken to calling ...
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 move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump has agreed to “consider” exempting Australia from the 25% tariff he has imposed on imports of steel and aluminium to the US. Trump gave the undertaking during a wide-ranging 40-minute ...
Pacific Media Watch Israeli police have confiscated hundreds of books with Palestinian titles or flags without understanding their contents in a draconian raid on a Palestinian educational bookshop in occupied East Jerusalem, say eyewitnesses. More details have emerged on the Israeli police raid on a popular bookstore in occupied East ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist China and the Cook Islands’ relationship “should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party”, says Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, as opposition leaders in Rarotonga express a loss of confidence in Prime Minister Mark Brown. In response to questions from the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into a multipolar one with many centres of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronnie Das, Associate Professor in Data Analytics, The University of Western Australia In the recent Border-Gavaskar series against India, Steve Smith agonisingly missed out reaching 10,000 Test runs in front of his home crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground, falling short by ...
In a brand new documentary series for The Spinoff, comedians and best friends Brynley Stent and Kura Forrester embark on a cross-country quest to find love. Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club is a brand new documentary series for The Spinoff following award-winning comedians and friends Brynley Stent and ...
🚐 Bryn and Ku pack their bags and swap the bleak dating scene of Tāmaki Makaurau for some meet and mingle events in Ōtautahi that will take them out of their comfort zone. ❣️ Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club follows comedians Brynley Stent and Kura Forrester as they head out ...
"The relationship between China and the Cook Islands does not target any third party," the Chinese Foreign Ministry says, as opposition leaders in Rarotonga plan protest. ...
From tradwives to ‘petite blonde’ preferences, this season feels like a throwback for all the wrong reasons, writes Alex Casey. First of all: I know. Complaining about bad stuff on Married at First Sight Australia is like complaining that water is wet. But I’ve been bobbing around in these waters ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a public servant who’s ‘trying to get better’ explains her approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female. Age: 24. Ethnicity: Pākehā and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zena Assaad, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Australian National University Ziv Lavi/Shutterstock Last week, Google quietly abandoned a long-standing commitment to not use artificial intelligence (AI) technology in weapons or surveillance. In an update to its AI principles, which were first ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenainn Simpson, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland Florian Nimsdorf / Shutterstock About 400 kilometres northwest of Sydney, just south of Dubbo, lies a large and interesting body of rock formed around 215 million years ago by erupting volcanoes. Known as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mareike Riedel, Senior lecturer in law, Macquarie University The dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents has dominated headlines in Australia in recent months, with calls for urgent action to address what many are calling a crisis. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane McAdam, Scientia Professor and ARC Laureate Fellow, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Sydney For a long time, it seemed refugee law had little relevance to people fleeing the impacts of climate change and disasters. Nearly 30 years ago, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maggie Kirkman, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock You’ve heard of the gender pay gap. What about the gap in medical care? Cardiovascular diseases – which can lead to heart ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Iain White, Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Getty Images Urban planning has a long history of promoting visionary ideas that advocate for particular futures. The most recent is the concept of the 15-minute city, which has gained traction globally. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, Associate Professor in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne Earth is crossing the threshold of 1.5°C of global warming, according to two major global studies which together suggest the planet’s climate has ...
As support for the coalition dips, the PM and his soon-to-be-deputy have engaged in a public war of words. Stewart Sowman-Lund has the details in today’s edition of The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Support slips If there was ever a political honeymoon, or ...
Failure by successive governments has left the South Island’s freshwater in a near disastrous state, the High Court has been told, in a case that could force the Crown to jointly manage water bodies with Ngāi Tahu.Individual Ngāi Tahu leaders, and the collective group Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, are ...
Nearing the end of his career, the world’s greatest unicycle racer chases the sport’s most elusive record. There’s something different about world-class athletes. Even if you know nothing about their sport, you can see it. It’s the way they move – precise, powerful. It’s how they carry themselves – focused, ...
Migrants with money are the focus of new visa settings that the government hopes will boost the economy. Alice Neville explains.What’s all this then? On Sunday, as part of the government’s big plan to kickstart economic growth, changes were announced to the Active Investor Plus visa category, with the ...
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A lineup of prominent figures have joined the call to halt the deportation of a mother convicted of inflicting injuries on her baby, as fears grow she could be another victim of a ...
Comment: Saturday February 1 was the grim fourth anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar. The date seems to have gone unnoticed back here in New Zealand. Even before war in Ukraine and then Gaza, Myanmar got little attention. Yet it is the most destructive conflict in our region. The ...
We’re on the brink of a ‘tidal wave’ of misinformation.No one knows the size of it, but there’s a warning that leaving it to the government to sort out won’t work.In the year of local government elections, expect computer-generated content where the sources and authenticity are murky; more complaints about ...
Yasser Abdulaal, who has lived in Ōtautahi Christchurch for five years, said his two sisters had lost their homes in the 15-month-long war. “Toxic wasteland” . . . Palestinians take shelter in tents set up amid heavily damaged buildings in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Image: Al Jazeera screenshot ...
RNZ PacificMarshall Islands Journal editor Giff Johnson says US President Donald Trump’s decision on aid “is an opening for anybody else who wants to fill the gap” in the Pacific. Trump froze all USAID for 90 days on his first day in office and is now looking to significantly ...
Labour have announced they are cutting their communication staff levels in half. Goff said this will demonstrate Labour are serious about cutting unnecessary spending and thought they should put their money where their mouth is – towards more essential spending priorities like KiwiSaver handouts. Goff also hoped that by cutting their spin in half they would only look half as desperate.
Grrr PeteG when you make a troll like comment how about you back it up with a link so we can confirm that what you are saying is true.
Besides if this is what Goff is planning then I totally agree. There is nothing worse than PR produced naff. The meaning is never clear and it sanitises and glosses over the important points. It would be much better for Goff to say it the way it is.
The last great PM communicator was David Lange. He used his own words and spoke simply but clearly. The current imposter is the direct opposite.
Lange was a great speaker, had him speak at functions a number of times after he’d retired and he was exceptional every time.
David Lange was vacuous. That booming voice and commanding manner got him a long way in politics, of course—but he was intellectually indolent, and he was consistently outsmarted and manipulated by far sharper ideologues like Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble, David Caygill, Mike Moore and Michael Bassett.
Because he wasn’t a deep or coherent thinker, Lange couldn’t counter their takeover of the government. In 1989, he realised his helplessness and just gave up.
I commented that he was an exceptional speaker M, however to say he was vacuous is clearly garbage. While some of the policies of his government may have been formulated and led by others in his cabinet to suggest he was vacuous is patently absurd.
…to suggest he was vacuous is patently absurd.
Lange presided over the dismantling, destruction and selling off of much of this country’s public sector. In all that time, he occasionally wrung his hands in public—the “cup of tea”—but he did nothing, in spite of being opposed to what was being done. That was because he lacked the knowledge and depth of learning to challenge the likes of Douglas and Caygill.
In fact, Lange himself enthusiastically set about the attack on the public education sector. He failed to coherently explain himself whenever he was pinned down for a comment; he once in desperation hissed at a woman teacher to “piss off” when she had the temerity to ask him a question in public.
John Key is rightly regarded as vacuous by the liberal left, but he is no worse informed on any subject than Lange was.
Not my impression of Lange. In his areas he was very sharp.
In economics he unfortunately left it to those he thought were more qualified. Often a good idea, but not when you are dealing with dogmatic idealoges.
Which pretty much means any economist these days.
Not my impression of Lange. In his areas he was very sharp.
Impressions are surface features only. Superficially, Lange was plausible. If you analyze what he said—and the worshipful talk about his “oratory” pretty much cancelled that at the time—there was little of depth or sophistication. In many ways, he was a fatter, pakeha version of what many people in the U.S. fell for in 2008.
In economics he unfortunately left it to those he thought were more qualified.
He was asleep at the wheel. Because Lange did not think, or even care, about economic and political theory, he was unable to stand up to the doctrinal marauders in his cabinet.
I thought it was obvious I was
lyingtaking the piss.“I thought it was obvious I was lying/taking the piss.”
That applies to most of your comments, Pete, so the confusion over this one is understandable. Anyway, the fact is that Goff really is getting rid of his PR advisors … by making them successful Labour party candidates.
That is counting against Labour, believe me. The people are sick of bullshit artists.
Finally : Sick of John Key? Bill English? Gerry Brownlee? How much more bullshit artistry do you want? Unfortunately they are protected by their crony media lap-dog ‘journalists’.
I’d like to see more honest hard working capable politicians in all parties.
What about you?
“honest hard working capable politicians”
That rules out John Key then. Three strikes against him.
Question: When does a youth become a man?
16? 17? 18? 19? Apparently the British police have just arrested two men – a 17 year old and a 19 year old. If they were at school, they would be boys. Apparently this age does not necessarily make you eligible to buy alcohol, or vote, but you can fire a machine gun.
I see the Herald describes the age group as “teenagers” and “males”… while RNZ describes it as “men”.
I think 17 is usually the age when you can be trialed as an adult.
Make that: “TRIED as an adult.”
Thank you, Sensei.
どういたしまして。
Ah, so a 17 year old is a teenager, a boy, an adolescent, a youth, a man, and now an adult (and to a much older generation, might even be classed as a youngster). No wonder they are a confused age group.
Why the sudden interest in Clifford Bay as a ferry terminal? I thought this was killed off years ago, is Steven Joyce trying to make a diversion? If so what from? The budget? Or is it that some overseas company is wanting taxpayers’ money for their private project?
A comment on the stuff site says that every time the interislander has it’s port fees up for renewal, they start talking about alternative terminals being built, as a way to ensure the fees don’t rise too much.
I would think that if that has been the case in the past, this specific threat has gone a lot further than any in the past have.
I think moving the terminal is a great idea.
I suspect one of the reasons for moving it will be that they won’t be able to get the ferries up Tory channel any more, once it’s full of salmon farms.
First they came…” is a famous statement attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. The text of the quotation is usually presented roughly as follows:
First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
I know many of you have probably seen this before but it’s the first time I have and history makes it all the more poignant. We could easily add the words beneficiaries, preschoolers, young families, university students, Maori, environmentalists etc( in no particular order)
Feel free to add to the list….Surely a tipping point will be reached!
You will enjoy this then LynW
Thank you MrSmith, you understood my point completely.
If you think New Zealand is anything like Germany in that era you haven’t any idea how lucky you are to live in this country in this time. Yes, we should be vigilant and fight to retain freedoms. But we should appreciate how different it is to the difficult times all preceding generations have lived in.
peteG you’re are just making shit up again and I suspect you are just trying to lead us down the Godwin’s law trail as well.
I have relations who lived in the Sudetenland in the 1930’s. I visited them last year. They talked a bit about what it was like back then. Very hard times. They said that at the end of the war the Americans arrived just in time, otherwise they think they would have been annihilated. Instead they were marched out of their homeland, forever.
We grizzle about fuck all in comparison.
The daily suffering of the people in this video is the closest modern version of what the Jewish people in Europe suffered in the 1930s…
Guessing, but that makes you German and Catholic, if thats the case it explains a lot, you probably think where mostly a bunch of Communists trying to start a revolution.
We are the Revolution.
I’m neither, related by marriage, nominally Anglican as a child, practically atheist.
Someone I know well lived in West Berlin in the 70s to early 80s, experienced border security often and visited East Berlin a number of times so saw both sides. The East was generally sad, drab and depressing. Failed.
Sad, drab and depressing. And yet, apparently still preferable to being in a reunited, capitalist Germany .
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,634122,00.html
Oh for Pete’s sake, that’s probably your most desperate comment yet.
No-one is saying NZ is like Germany in the 30s you moron. Sheesh what a retard.
Why don’t you read from the start before making a prat of yourself.
I did you idiot, it was your comment at 11.57 am I replied to.
Well aware of the historical relevance and I reiterate that you’re a moron if you think anyone is comparing NZ to 1930s Germany.
(Except you that is.)
Try LynW’s comment at 8.43am.
“about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.”
“…history makes it all the more poignant. We could easily add the words beneficiaries, preschoolers, young families, university students, Maori, environmentalists etc( in no particular order)
Feel free to add to the list….Surely a tipping point will be reached!”
It’s standard under Godwin’s Law – “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.”
The situation today is nothing like the social and political situation in 1930s Germany, or the rest of Europe, or New Zealand. We have legitimate concerns but they are piddling when compared to many other countries now, and from the past.
Pete catch up. As I said I’m well aware of the origins of the words.
Saying the same analysis can apply to the strategies followed by other govts is not the same thing as saying NZ today is like Germany in the 30s.
If I’m wrong, then you need to show where someone has equated the two. If you can’t, you pulled your criticism out of your arse.
That you haven’t been able to pinpoint such an equating in your last two comments says it all IMO but feel free to try again.
You’re up to same old felix. Try someone else.
Or better, try to contribute something useful.
That’s right Pete, I’m up to the same old calling you on your bullshit.
And you’re up to the same old squirming to avoid admitting the truth.
If I’m wrong, prove me wrong. It should be so easy.
ps I’ll be AFK so you’ll have all day.
Remember this:
On Working for Families, Mr English was overheard on the tape suggesting it would need to be “sorted out” once National was in government.
The comments came only a week after National promised to keep the system in place.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/565277
That was in August 2008 – most of the world has moved on from then.
Do you want to set in concrete everything Goff has said since 1982?
It would be very mixed concrete.
I think what was said in 2008, pre-election, is quite relevant to the government, post-election.
However comparing something that Phil Goff said in 1982 about the government in 80’s really doesn’t have terribly much relevance 20 years later. I thought this would have been obvious, but apparently not.
National made promises about Kiwisaver. Promises that they seem to be about to renounce.
“That was in August 2008 – most of the world has moved on from then.”
Except you of-course PeteG, your lot will have us back in the 1930s pretty soon.
I’m pretty sure they’re aiming for the 1530s actually or, perhaps, the 1130s. You know, before the Magna Carta was signed. Rule by the rich for the rich and whatever the rich say goes.
It is a real shame that the Nact government don’t look back to 1984 because HISTORY is repeating itself. In 1984 the deficit was 21.5 billion due to overseas borrowing. Nine years earlier Muldoon killed compulsory superannuation. Even though Muldoon did not sell off assests the Nact government are scheming to sell off what Muldoon borrowed money for (energy projects).
Nact have put the country back 25 years. The most depressing aspect is that back then people had jobs, not like now. I am wondering how long it is going to take Nact to freeze wages?
no need to freeze wages that are shrinking…….
Latest news reporting Govt borrowing $380m per week.
Disastrous handling of the country’s finances by currency trading wizard Prime Mismanagement.
What’s the next gamble with the blood and sweat of the Kiwi working poor?
Yes and also if the employer has to contribute more to Kiwisaver it is likely that a pay increase will be minimal.
As mentioned below the government are borrowing 380 million a week. I heard that they are stock piling money as the interest rate is lower than it has been.
Anyone who was around age twenty in the mid 1980s would see how screwed the country now is because of the level of debt, the cost of housing/rent, low wages and the most concerning, denial by the government that they are failing those on a low income.
That might explain why roughly 700,000 NZ born Kiwis have fled and are now living in Australia. That figure is equivalent to around 1 in 6 of the people still left in NZ now, bailing on this country tomorrow. Disastrous.
Can someone help we with inserting links please , Browser safari , mac os x
Try turning on the wysiwyg editor with the check box under the edit box. It has link button that looks like a chain. Select some text, press that, and paste the link into the dialog box that pops up.
Otherwise there is a section in the FAQ at the top of the pages to do the text version. Look for simple HTML
Thanks
Although I find that the link button is just greyed out for me, even with the WISIWYG editor on! Don’t know why…
So after the house I’m in having survived with pretty much negligible (very minor contents) damage through all of the quakes thus-far, last night’s 5.3 quake has slightly warped one of the doors/door frames in the bathroom so it doesn’t shut cleanly any more. All of the other doors in the house are fine. Go figure.
Probably pay to get it checked Lanth. It won’t be a load bearing frame, but it could be an indicater of stress elsewhere in the house.
On a related matter, I had a look through this list:
http://canterburyearthquake.org.nz/demolitions/
Gutted to see so many of my favourite buildings are gone/going, including the building I would most liked to have owned in the city, Edison Hall. Plus all the shops in Sydenham I used to frequent, the cafes in High St, the pubs and clubs along Colombo and Manchester Streets, all gone. Mind you, it seems the New Excelsior may survive in some form. A small blessing for the thirsty.
I’m renting, so not really my problem 🙂
Will tell the landlords next time I see them (they live in a house on the front of the section so shouldn’t take long).
Mr Smith
(a href=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/565277)English taped(/a)
replace ( and ) with < >
English taped
Tried that exactly Joe. But don’t understand “replace ( and ) with “
Replace the ( symbol and the ) symbol with the lesser and greater symbols that dwell above the comma and full stop.
I just paste the URL, saves faffing about and works. Then everyone can clearly see what you’re linking to, as well.
I prefer people to just paste the URL. I do not like opening unknown web sites. Not a problem from most of the people here, but not a good ideas on the web generally.
It will also tend to get you into auto-moderation periodically. But we’re pretty good at releasing those in reasonable time frame.
Humour, a German TV station gets it wrong.
😆
Key softens up
Try again to link
Hooray! I get it!
(blockquote)your quote(/blockquote)
(p)(i)your itallics(/i)(p)
(strong)your bold text(/strong)
(strike)your strike through text(/strike)
your itallics
your bold text
your strike through texthttp://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/feb/05/top-gear-offensive-steve-coogan?intcmp=239
[deleted]
[lprent: Please don’t quote the whole damn article in the comments section – it isn’t a frigging clipping area. You have the link. All you need to do is to quote enough to get people to go to look at it. In fact just what I did, and you’re just lucky that I was interested enough in the article to do so. Even better would be to put your own content in to say why people should read it. ]
Coogan is a legend.
Indeed he is….
has HEAD OFFICE fixed this election yet or is the branch manger gonna have to do his own dirty work to keep primeministering.
Interesting little piece from Rodney Hide in 2000, I found re the hounding of Ian Mutton by the IRD. In it Hide talks about Section 81 which denies the taxpayer access to the reasons why they are being hounded.
Now why does ‘denies the taxpayer access to the reasons why they are being hounded.’ sound familiar? Perhaps if I changed the word ‘hounded’ to ‘fired’, ‘taxpayer’ to ’employee taxpayer’ and added the words ‘ninety days’, maybe even the idiotological NActMUs would get it.
http://www.act.org.nz/news/ombudsmen-give-taxpayers-greater-ird-rights
NZ steers future of Royal succession
hmmmmm…
Official Information Act: succession response
It appears that the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet lied to an OIA request.
Hattip: I/S via Twitter
That’s no real surprise either – conservatives seem inherently incapable of imagining a society without their special people at the top giving commands to the rest of the populace.
The New Zealand Government is much bigger than just the department of the prime minister and cabinet, you know.
I’m pretty sure you’ll find that such an action as discussing the monarchy succession laws comes under the PMs list of responsibilities.
“…special people at the top giving commands to the rest of the populace.”
A bit silly, Draco. What were the last five commands the Queen gave to us?
Not really. All part of the hierarchical mindset – the people at the top give the commands or the commands are given in their name. It the concept that someone must have authority and that people below them and in the chain of command are then acting with that authority. John Key and most of National will see their authority as being an extension of the queens office.
BBC Hard Talk: New Zealand PM John Key: ‘We are 100% pure’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9480610.stm
History does not repeat, it ryhmes (Mark Twain). Funny how we are 100% clean green when it comes to minning, agriculture etc.. how odd. Do we want our cake and eat it as well… i.e. the tourists flocking to see the 100% Pure Brand…
We just have to look back at Li Lin Fu and see the parallels …Honey-Mouthed And Dagger-Hearted (Kou Mi Fu Jian & Pin Yin kǒu mì fù jiàn):
In 742 AD., a capable minister called Li Shi Zhi was favored by the Emperor of Tang. Li Lin Fu pretended not to care, but in fact was trying to find ways to damage him. One day, Li Lin Fu told Li Shi Zhi about some gold that was hidden over in Hua Mountain, and Li Shi Zhi, as Li Lin Fu expected, soon proposed to the Emperor worried about the decrease of the state revenue to mine the gold deposits.
The Emperor then asked Li Lin Fu for his opinion, Li Lin-fu acted very indifferently, saying “I knew about the gold mine a long time ago, and I didn’t tell it to your Majesty on purpose.”
“Why?” said the king in surprise.
“According to Taoist principles, Hua Mountain is in the place where all of Your Majesty’s auspicious aurora are gathered. Any damage to that area will certainly be harmful to your health and state. Who is it that brings out such a foolish idea? ”
Hearing this, the Emperor thought that Li Shi Zhi was not as considerate as Li Lin Fu, and later demoted the former to remote area.
It gets worse, check this out:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1105/S00126/freshwater-announcements-need-to-go-further.htm
The Environmental Defence Society has expressed concern about aspects of the announcements on freshwater made at the Prime Minister’s press conference today.
“The key concern is that the National Policy Statement, which will become law shortly, has been watered down from the version recommended by the Board of Inquiry last year,” said EDS Chairman Gary Taylor.
So in other words, he who controls the law or standards in this case, controls the truth….
Jonkey has moved on from lying to just us. He’s now lying to the whole world.
I also LOVED the bit where he considers scientific facts as “just one man’s opinion”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9480610.stm
Unbelievable! Actually, come to think of it, it’s not unbelievable—Key’s cynicism and arrogance are hardly a surprise. Note his airy dismissal of scientists—“they’re just like lawyers”—and his scoffing attitude throughout.
Stephen Sackur looks like a second-rater when he goes up against superior intellects—but against Key, Sackur is clearly in the ascendant.
Martyn Payne, a UK migrant who invested his life savings of $700,000 and six years of his life into turning a struggling Northland garage into a thriving business employing seven people was kicked out of New Zealand on April 23rd.
His appeal to Kate Wilkinson, the Associate Immigration Minister, that medical evidence supplied showed he would not be a drain on the New Zealand health service was declined. Kate Wilkinson has stated she will not review this case unless there is new evidence, ignoring additional reports from a doctor and a heart specialist sent to her confirming Payne’s stance.
Is this good for New Zealand?
Is Wilkinson sending a message to entrepreneurs around the world?
Do you think Martyn Payne has been treated fairly.
Info, links and petition here:
http://www.move2nz.com/support_martyn_payne.aspx
This person seems to be suitable for the Govt buy a passport scheme. –
What happened to the woman from India? with 2 NZ born children in the BOP area? who was being deported as an overstayer about 6 months ago?
I wonder if he would be allowed to stay if he was Chinese…
10 May 2011
UPCOMING AUCKLAND ‘EVENT’!
If people can attend – to both find out what is going on plus be there in support – that would be great!
Fellow ‘Public Watchdog’ Lisa Prager and myself each have 10 minutes to address the Auckland Council Property CCO (Auckland Council Properties Ltd – ACPL) about the lack of transparency regarding the ‘interests’ of the unelected Board and staff; information publicly available pertaining to properties administered by the ACPL; and public involvement in the decision-making process as to which properties are deemed ‘surplus to requirements’ and whether or not they should be ‘disposed of’:
‘OPEN LETTER’
10 May 2011
Dear Emma,
Thank you for confirming my 10 minutes ‘speaking rights’ to address the ‘Public Forum’ of the upcoming Auckland Council Property Ltd (ACPL) meeting to be held on:
Thursday 12 May 2011
9.30am,
Bancorp Offices,
Qantas House,
Level 11,
191 Queen Street,
Auckland City.
The subject matter of my ‘deputation’, will include:
1) As a publicly-acknowledged ‘anti-corruption’ campaigner, having attended two internationally significant ‘anti-corruption’ conferences, I am concerned at the apparent lack of structural openness, transparency and accountability in the ACPL ‘framework’.
a) Where is a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for the unelected Board of ACPL CCO appointees and staff responsible for property and procurement?
(How can ‘conflicts of interest’ be avoided if ‘interests’ are not declared beforehand?
Do any unelected Board of ACPL appointees and staff responsible for property and procurement, have links with property developers, business associates/investors/ individuals who could take pecuniary advantage of such connections?)
b) What audit processes have been established by the Auckland Council, to ensure ‘Council control’ over this ACPL ‘Council Controlled Organisation’, in order to prevent the above-mentioned potential ‘conflicts of interest’ ?
c) What audit processes are/have been carried out by ‘independent statutory third party ‘Public Watchdogs such as the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) to double-check that there are ‘open, transparent and accountable’ processes in place to help prevent such potential ‘conflicts of interest’?
d) Has the ACPL entered into contracts with the private sector for any goods or services?
e) Is there a central ‘Register of Contracts’, publicly-available, which details for public scrutiny: the name of the consultant/contractor; the scope, term and value of the contract?
f) How many staff employed by the ACPL are ‘in-house’ employees as opposed to ‘contracted’, or ‘temporary’ employees, and how much money is being spent on each category?
g) j) Where is the publicly-available ‘list’ of ALL property administered by the ACPL, with the following information?
i) Property name.
ii) Physical street address.
iii) Property history (how did it become a ‘council’ property – ie: was it BEQUESTED, and if so – for what purpose).
iv) Who is currently using this property and for what purpose.
v) If property is unused – for how long has this been the case.
h) What is the mechanism by which it is decided which Auckland Council ‘properties’ are deemed ‘surplus to requirements’?
i) Given that ALL Auckland Council property assets are supposedly owned by citizens and ratepayers of the Auckland region – by what process do we ‘the public’ ‘have a say’ in determining which Auckland Council ‘properties’ are deemed ‘surplus to requirements’?
j) What is the ‘consultation’ process that is/will be carried out by the ACPL with citizens and ratepayers of the Auckland region before ANY Auckland Council property assets are sold?
________________________________________________________________________________
Penny Bright
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
Penny Bright
I have a meeting or I would have been there to support you. If you have a network I suggest you send them an email and get them to reply with their support for your quest. Then you can stand up and say ‘I am not the only person asking these questions. I have xxxxxx emails in support of me. They also want to know that their assets are not going to be sold.’
I’m sure your network will encompass mine.
This Property CCO does not have the right to sell our assets. The CCOs were not democratically elected. The first bill taking control over Auckland Assets was forced through without access to select committee or a Government run citizen vote.
If you have a network, Penny, your network will have their own networks which will cover New Zealand, and once they know how the government has betrayed Aucklanders and intend to stab other New Zealanders in the back through their once democratic councils, then they will support your fight against the Auckland Property CCO. ECAN knows all about being assassinated by the likes of Hide, Shipley, David Carter and his brother and signed off by Key and Douglas.
Unknown Earthquake Effect #10;
New beaches courtesy of rockfall into the sea.
Bernard Hickey: Havens for rich tax avoiders will cripple NZ
NZ Herald Sunday May 8, 2011
It really is scary to say this, but I honestly believe Key thinks New Zealand Inc is his business, but not serious business. He’s playing it for fun. He’s got other income so if New Zealand Inc falls over, he can move on to his other businesses.
Meanwhile he’s rerouting all money into the accounts of the already wealthy to buy their support for his knighthood.
Then when NZ is totally fxxked, he will of course not be pm and will be able to buy up large before leaving for Hawaii or the next placement.
And me? I’m going to find it very hard to forgive any of my NAct friends for causing it by voting him in, whether 2008 or worse in 2011.
Key and his hordes are going to cause massive and divisive damage in this country. But that was always the plan. Divide the masses and control the treasury.
Our Prime Minister is Corrupt
http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/05/our-prime-minister-is-corrupt.html
There are many questions concerning the inappropriate use of tax-payer money by Prime Minister John Key as well as questions about conflicts of interest in regards to his investment portfolio that need answering. Not only does john Key avoid any investigation into allegations that our NZSAS is in breach of international laws, he avoids any responsibility for his and his fellow MPs misappropriations and lies. This head in the sand mentality must end for New Zealand to have any chance of restoring our democracy. What follows is a Statement by Dayle Takitimu sent to the Gisborne Herald – Challenging John Keys Dishonesty.
Todd,
All ‘consultations’ with JKeyll should be videotaped and any corruption of the discussion by JKeyll should be forced upon media who can be prosecuted for printing lies and misleading people.
Wish we did have laws that held the media accountable for publishing lies and untruths then we might start to see actual real investigative reporting rather than the present method of reporting by the printing unquestioned press release.
todd: I suspect that since many in the population believe that Maori concerns are insignificant and Key believes he can afford to go with the more popular dismissal of the concerns. He may also believe that the Maori Party are not going to be an asset after the Election should by then even exist , and can be dismissive.
But that position is a dangerous risk. Shows a lack of trustworthiness.
The country is, frankly, over and dunne with Peter:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4985054/Dunne-burns-bridges-with-Labour
God this guy takes the cake.
“The Labour Party has the same front bench as the one that was thrown out in 2008.” Now correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t Dunne a minister for six years of that government. Wasn’t he a member of the Labour Party in the 1980’s. So, in that case, which front bench needs refreshing, Labour’s or United Future’s. Peter Dunne, in another profession, might be classified as a “swinger”.
– Newsroom news flash –
“Leading Monarchy Changes – The Prime Minister is lobbying for Monarchy changes to remove discrimination based on gender and religion.”
For fish and chips sake, leave them to it. Focus on relevant issues that really matter in NZ.
Bill English on Checkpoint…approx 5:30pm this evening…
Discussing the defecit, comparing the government attitude to borrowings to what a householder would do, “you cant sell part of the house to reduce your borrowings”
Does this mean asset sales are off the agenda?
Another Winston Pearler Good grief hes even talking about peak oil.
I reckon hes been hanging out on the Standard
And now for something completely different. 😆