@Naki man – by that logic wouldn’t the National and ACT supporters be up in arms that $3000 p/w is being paid with tax payer money because of the governments stupidity on affordable housing?
There is no government stupidity on affordable housing. Tax payers should not have to subsidize housing so poor people can live in the most expensive city in the country. Its not rocket science.
The government subsidize’s the landlord class, and with out these subsidize’s to the land lords, the housing market would collapse overnight…end of story.
And what a ridiculous thing to say, people shouldn’t live in Auckland, because of a housing bubble…what sort of mad dystopian logic is that?..do you really actually believe in that as a social policy?
What about the mentally disabled… move them out too? do you like that idea as well?
Shall we keep on expanding on your logic here shall we, I think we all know where it will take us, and pretty quickly too.
Maybe have some compassion. Her son has a physical disability and will need to be around specialist services for a start like hospitals. Also people have community support networks so they are reluctant to leave them in the face of a cruel and stupid government WINZ ideas. (such as paying nearly $3000 p/w to house her and deduct $27 p/w from her benefit to pay it back).
Both cases involve Talley’s demanding that a worker’s concerns over safety be overridden for money reasons – in Greymouth to get the (full of fish) boat in – and in the current one to get the (full of fish) net in.
In both cases you can see that the local “boss” was adamant that the fish must come in, and the safety concerns put to one side.
In both cases the Talley’s “culture” has ended up killing innocent men.
The similarities are striking
The Talleys continue to bolster their reputation as the nastiest most disgusting pigs (apologies to pigs) of people in New Zealand.
Not wanting to diminish the issue, but… If you are looking for something to represent the lowest state, dirt ain’t it.
Soil’s astonishingly alive with organisms that our very existence relies upon. It’s gorgeous, vital stuff, and we should speak highly of it, to give dirt its dues.
My neighbour used a different phrase to describe those he considered despicable and when he made reference to a snake’s cloaca and the lowly position that occupied.
Even pond scum is worthy of admiration, when it consists living organisms going about their business. I find “orcs” to be a suitable title for those who desecrate and needlessly waste.
Choice, Puckish, they trumpet choice and can hardly claim to be victims of some dark father figure, can they. Greed and power seem to be their raisons d’être – dark, Satanic mills and all that.
I recall one awesome comment about finding pet owners who had died at home – dogs guarded the body and would take several days before nibbling on their former owner. Cats barely wait until the next day’s alarm goes off, lol.
“Allowed to go extinct”
You think you have any influence at all over ents?
You’re a fantasist.
You may feel obliged to care for your orcs, feeling as you do, responsible for them, but I don’t. It’s them or us and they’ve been far too long at the wheel.
That’s not an orc, that’s an actor.
Real orcs don’t wear makeup.
Here was me thinking I was having a conversation with someone who understood the ways of the world.
It’s impossible for an orc to be “less of an orc”, as they are the lowest of the low and one can’t go lower. Sup on your orc draught while you can, orc-apologist. The greening of the Shire has begun.
Well this has certainly made the afternoon a lot more amusing…not that creating reports that are of little interest and won’t make a whit of difference to anyone isn’t entertaining
“We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation”
Sections of the nation may have, Paul, but not all by any means. There’s huge dismay over the conditions faced by those of us who aren’t blessed with having a warm, safe home.
Tellingly, the writer of the first linked piece displays clear psychopathic tendency; a lack of empathy, lack of insight, and misogyny:
”….probably like many of the owners’ human relationships (there’s a reason spinsters end up with cats).”
Labelling cats as psychopathic is projection and anthropomorphism.
Nice piece on This Way Up today about a (male) cat owner who lost his pet in April and posted a $1000 reward for help.
Of those who called trying to help, some made it clear they had no interest in the reward.
While no closer to finding his beloved pet, he says his faith in human nature has been restored.
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Debt fuelled by greed.
‘New Zealand has half a trillion dollars in debt.
“We’ve almost got the perfect storm,” says veteran fund manager Brian Gaynor as he reels off the many reasons New Zealand house prices and debt levels are soaring to precipitous heights.
There are many ingredients. But right now, New Zealand seems to have them all: not enough building, restrictions on development, surging migration, baby boomer savings, low interest rates and banks that are all too happy to lend for property investment.
“When you get the perfect storm like we did in the 1980s with the sharemarket, you see things just go up and up. People start to believe they will never fall,” he says.
“People didn’t believe the sharemarket would fall in the 80s. I’d come in from a trip to Australia and the guy at customs wouldn’t let me in unless I gave him sharemarket tips. It was just euphoria. Everyone was talking about the sharemarket. Now everyone is talking about the property market.”‘
They moved to AK because the dad lost his fishing job in South Island, got night shift work, dad had a bit of a breakdown, got in debt & kicked out of their house, HNZ got them a 2 bedroom house, dad lost his job because of hours & stress, been living in tents & van ever since. 7 people in a 2 bedroom house, FFS.
Gangnam … I do not know the age of the children so six living with parents in two bedroom house may not be quite, QUITE, as bad as it sounds.
Neither do I know what kind of van and hopefully they didn’t have to sell the tent to buy it. So in times of stress a tent and van seems quite reasonable accomodation but it does depend on what tent and what van, along with what the motor camp charge in rent.,
There is quite an income going to such a family from winz too. Sorry but I can see too many fishhooks in this story.
unfortunately this family are suffering from the natural result of their own mis choices when ecconomic conditions changed. Plus I happened to read more info that the initial misleading sob story so many have been sucked in by.
I see the problem as the result of bad choices led on by influences in society
A fisherman with six children? Going to Auckland without sufficient funds to exist. One can admire somebody who looses their job and upsticks to where maybe there is work … but with six young children … I think that is govt led madness. Six children on an average wage sounds like mis direction by religion. Sorry I blame society for this family’s plight with all the norms it has imposed upon then.
I will try and not reply to Gangnam whose can only swear at one with whom he disagrees. Hardly a sensible reply like so many discussions I read here on The Standard.
“So in times of stress a tent and van seems quite reasonable accomodation” with 6 children of any age ?
You have got to be kidding me. Maybe if you are 20 and out there freedom camping around but not this situation, not even slightly. This is unreasonable accommodation, unreasonable stress. Have you ever LIVED in a van or a tent? I have and that was alone and it was tough let alone with kids and everything.
Quite an income from WINZ? Jeeze are you for real?
So your comment imo seems like a mix of right wing memes and judgments. Grow a heart will you.
I used to at one stage and I did something about it eventually.
As a result and reading ‘Responsible Society’ I happen to have the extreme socialistic opinion that there should be a state house to meet the basic needs of everybody who wants it and those who want more should if they can afford it go private. From singles wishing to leave home to families like that we are discussing.
But if common sense and honesty are ‘right wing memes’ then I am glad I have them whatever they are.
I have for ever [almost] accepted that it is my responsibility to contribute to society/govt so that these folk can be helped… while others objected to overtime because of the extra tax they paid I accepted that each according to their income should contribute. When I was younger I knew nothing about the embrionic safety nets people enjoy today and I survived by good management, cutting my cloth to suit my income, and using contraceptives. survived despite some poor choices, so it is easy today for me to appear uncaring when I look for the missing info the MSM do not have in their sob stories.
I was truely moved by AT’s story in the Campbell i/v and can think of things to help but it is hard from the other end of the country. Such as a 12volt solar panel to provide light for her to read and study by, elsewhere I suggested a gas cooker [ not a BBQ thing to live outside the van and be stolen but smaller like I have for emergency use.] to save on fast foods and for when the Marae runs out of money to cook for all of them.
But then I am a DIYer, built family home and retirement cottage and many other things. so I am sad that so many folk are not and appear hopeless to help themselves.
You are both wrong and right respectively in your comments Draco.
But there are practical ways as I suggested before which would help TA get on but as I have also mentioned when you are down even though you know you are making wrong choices you simply continue for the short term relief which they bring to your impossible situation,
.. for a few trinkets. Plus ca change .. nothing changes. Buenvenidos to Puerto Rico … but this time the Conquistadores are different, shell companies from anonymous trusts and people who have history going back to the gold rush.
Generally it ends badly for those who get in too late .. about now ?
“In much of what was called the Free World, governments and economies are in the throes of self-destruction. Before long we shall witness revolution in several of these countries”.
New Zealand is sitting on a half-a-trillion-dollar debt bomb and Kiwis are increasingly treating their houses like cash machines, piling on the debt as they watch the value of their properties soar.
Reserve Bank figures show household debt, excluding investment property, has risen 23 per cent in the past five years to $163.4 billion. Incomes have risen only 11.5 per cent.
Households are now carrying a debt level that is equivalent to 162 per cent of their annual disposable income – higher than the level reached before the global financial crisis.
More of the bad choices I wrote of earlier Agora … I am glad I have fully paid for home and only rates to concern me.
Bad choices rampant throughout our society from a ‘do too little too late’ govt upwards.
Just a wee note to people who were waiting for the post I promised on what we can do to get NZ transport emissions to zero by 2030. I haven’t forgotten it or binned it. But this week has been a bit busier than anticipated, and I’m expecting a fair few posts on the potential of roaring flames accompanying the smoking downward spiral that looks suspiciously like NZs housing market.
Poll of Polls showing Lab/Gr less than 5% behind Nats and the gap “closing” and “narrowing”. Love the way RNZ are reporting the Lab/Gr BLOCK versus Nats. It’s here:
So what happens if at an election it is something like this?
Nat 44%
L/G 45%
NZF 7%
Who gets to form govt? Is is always the largest block that agrees to a coalition? RNZ appeared to be implying that L/G could go alone if they wanted to and their vote was higher than Nat.
Not really wanting to get into the whole “which way will Winston swing” he has always stated his preference is to go with the party with the largest vote so maybe the party with the largest vote could be replaced by the block with the largest vote
Brock father and son, and Key father and son (and the inbred KKK family home) indicate this does happen.
Max Key says his holding a smoke was only as a prop. He claims that the same was done in film and TV when actors held smokes.
The prop was designed to promote Max Key as a smoking hot celebrity, and a magazine using him/his social media profile to promote their magazine – whereas in the past celebrities were used to promote smoking. It was often a form of product placement (when the brand was identified) but also to brand the celebrity as smoking hot. I guess he failed to get Mad Men and the promotion and selling of smokes and that such product placement continues to this day.
Given his father’s comments about the homeless and wider housing/taxation policy third termitis is rampant.
To all the Hilary fans, your crowing is premature.
Repeating blindly talking points and cheering a cheat does nothing for your reputation. When some of us go, look at her voting record you ignore us, or come back with some trite response.
But you know faux liberals in the USA context are just about as low as you can get, and Hilary is that, a faux liberal. She is also a cheat.
Oh and look – she got caught. It seems Bernie won.
To the so called lefties, who jumped when the corporate media told you to. I’d stop and take a long hard look at yourself at this moment, and remember where you were when the cheat got caught.
If it had been stoners in a garage, I would not have put it up.
There is another person who is following the same road, a guy called Rocky de la fuente who you may like Puckish Rouge, as he is conservative democrat.
It has been brewing for a while, mainly over exit polls and the fact the above guy has been getting so few votes, when he is actually know and liked within the Latino community.
There’s no allegation that the foundation did anything improper; the probe has focused on McAuliffe and the electoral campaign donations, the officials said.
dos –
A foundation representative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing inquiry, said the initial document request had been narrowed by investigators and that the foundation is not the focus of the probe.
Interesting Adam. My guess is that the Establishment cannot allow the Election fraud to surface let alone make it to Court. They will rationalise the issue as too damning for the reputation of the USA. Like having Financial institutions being too big to fail.
This will cause mysterious loss of evidence and of key people. Or maybe extended timelines like a decade or two.
Hang on in there Bernie.
Ok so I’m pro-vaccination so I don’t need to know the reasons why kids should be but theres some photos on how that made me take a short, sharp intake of breath
Her baby was too young to be vaccinated…be warned its not pleasant
Not a single comment on the reserve banks decision to not cut the cash rate, great, all those with a mortgage of $500k could be saving $150 a month, but instead, the banks profits will increase, fewer exports will leave NZ and there will be fewer jobs, but on the bright side, that new Mercedes won’t cost any more………………..
Not a single comment on the reserve banks decision to not cut the cash rate, great, all those with a mortgage of $500k could be saving $150 a month, but instead, the banks profits will increase,
Seriously are you talking about. Explain to me how the NZRB cutting the cash rate does a single thing to reduce bank profits.
The NZRB cutting the cash rate is an opportunity for banks to INCREASE their profits by not passing along the cut.
In a real country, Banks are forced to pass on the reductions, but maybe NZ does not fall into that category, I’ll be honest, if you don’t see the the benefits of a cash rate reduction, then there is no point in arguing with you, savings are already at the bottom of the heap, the best investment is in real estate, hence the high prices and speculation.
The lower cash rate helps businesses, helps stop speculation on the dollar, gives exporters a competitive opportunity (produce and manufacturing) and increases employment opportunities, but, heck, I’m sure you’d prefer to be able to buy that new Mercedes, ay.
Get yourself into the modern world and out of the conservative rout pushed by your mate English.
I’m afraid that your theories are all out of touch with reality.
ZIRP is designed to help speculators and hurt savers and pensioners.
Free money created by central banks flowing into Wall St and other financial assets have been used to widen wealth inequality in the world and has been an ingredient in skyrocketing Auckland house prices.
Further, evidence from overseas shows that investment banks and retail banks will access this cheap money from central banks but will not lend it to small and medium businesses for real world capital investment, leading to banks hoarding huge sums of reserves.
It seems that your financial perspective is one of the 0.1%.
We’re talking NZ, propping up the NZ dollar DOE’S not help ordinary Kiwi’s, it only helps speculators, I’m sure if ordinary Kiwi’s new that their mortgage would be reduced by a rate cut, then they would certainly support it, and all that money saved goes back into the local economy.
Comparing what they might do in the US is considerably different from that in NZ, so your comparison is invalid, NZers are being ripped off with highest interest rates in the developed world, and you know that and still argue against it, all I can say is that living in a small SI town, not effected by the housing affordability problems, has effected your ability to recognise the real benefits of the global changes in interest rates.
“The lower cash rate helps businesses, helps stop speculation on the dollar, gives exporters a competitive opportunity (produce and manufacturing) and increases employment opportunities, but, heck, I’m sure you’d prefer to be able to buy that new Mercedes, ay.”
except the low interest rates and QE is not going into productive investment is it….its going into property and sharemarket bubbles….and that is the problem.
Expat is trying to position dangerous financial policies which benefit the top 1% to 2% the most, as being generally good for the entire population. It’s an old trick.
Your the one trying to trick everyone, the top 2% don’t benefit as much as the “ordinary” Kiwi, your argument to keep high rates does not, so your argument is invalid, FFS, you’ve got investors coming to NZ borrowing money at 1%, and getting a better return than any where else, only Kiwi’s are handicapped.
It’s only people like you who want to buy that new Mercedes at low prices that share your view.
Read my comment below on Wheeler, financial reviewers think he’s a joke.
Considering you aim to be on the side of the left your acting like delegates from ACT party, rip off the general population for the sake of that new Mercedes.
Try govt regulation, but first you need a govt, your argument is what they all say, but the benefits to existing mortgage holders is far greater and REAL.
no its called increased risk….we need to borrow from overseas because we don’t save enough AND we have had a negative trade imbalance forever…so we pay a premium,
I care an awful lot about farmers and exporters as when they go bust (as many are very concerned about currently) I do no business
Try govt regulation, but first you need a govt, your argument is what they all say, but the benefits to existing mortgage holders is far greater and REAL.
You favour a policy which will accelerate property asset prices and fuck those who are trying to buy their first house.
Again it is a policy which favours financial speculators and the highly leveraged, and fucks savers.
And one more thing. You’re preference to cut interest rates injures savers and pensioners who rely on a pitiful 3.25% return on their term deposits in order just to live.
We are in a world where financial speculators and others leveraged to the hilt are advantaged by central banks while savers and pensioners are punished further and further.
All ready covered savers, there is no money in savings now, is there? so much larger benefits for all in lower mortgage interest rates, FFS, why don you think these overseas investors bring the money in, lower interest rates, ay, so why can’t ordinary Kiwi’s have that same advantage FFS, Kiwi’s are being ripped off.
You need to get with the global interest rates, just because of your isolation doesn’t negate your ignorance.
Wheelers rate changes over the last 4 years are an international joke, there all over the place like a “mad persons shit”, if you get my drift.
You sound like my old neighbour, in their 70’s, used to keep $40k in the savings account so that they wouldn’t have to pay “fees”, when all they had to do is change banks.
Get real, bank savings are the lowest form of return and have been for a few years now, if you think propping up the dollar is good for a minority group who chooses to invest in bank savings, then you really are selfish, lower interest rates helps far more people than those “savers”, but please explain why Kiwi’s should have to pay a premium to buy their own home, you know the young families who work hard and pay the Tax that funds your pension, please explain why they shouldn’t have a fair go.
You guys are living in a bubble, and can’t see the reality of what is occurring from the smokescreen, it’s much easier to view from outside of that bubble and get a very clear view.
Get with the times, there is very low returns from bank savings, if you look at Japans 30 year bond rate, they are paying 0.3%, and there are plenty of investors buying those bonds, so get yourselves into the real world, interest rates aren’t going up for some time, there are no winners from this, that’s why property speculation is rampant, oh except in Germany, where they regulate speculators out of of the market and oversupply housing availability, something the govt could do, if it had the guts.
Mike Williams- Voice from the Left?
Mike Williams former Labour education officer, Party President, and regular ‘Voice from the Left’ during Monday’s Nine to Noon on RNZ’s “Voices from the left and the right” slot, is not filling the role of left wing commentator as per the show’s description.
The voice from the Right is usually quite ably filled by Matthew Hooton, and it’s worth noting Matthew argues from a fairly radical position.
However Mike Williams’s voice from the Left has for some time, been a source of quiet (and sometimes not so quiet) rage for me. As it turns out this is also true for my more politically aware friends.
The Radio NZ show usually goes something like this;
A topic is introduced by Kathryn Ryan, the topic is taken up by one of the voices, and a position taken, the other voice counters with their position, then at some point through this exchange Williams often ends up in either a sort of agreement with Hooton or somehow just leaves the Lefts position lying abandoned on the floor somewhere in the centrist meaningless nowhere land. You will note when this moment has arrived with Williams’s oral punctuation marks either; “but watch this space” or “there is plenty of water to go under this bridge” or “it’s no silver bullet”
Now his centrist positions might have been fine in 1984 under Douglas, or Clarke for that matter, but in case he hasn’t noticed these same centrist left/right policies from both sides have left the country with more class divisions, pay stagnation, more poverty, a failing Health system, prison population explosion etc etc.
When we should expect moral outrage and indignation from our media commentators, we are served tacit agreement. The same tacit agreement among from the established media and political class that is starting to fuel extreme nationalism across Europe and the U.S. What we need to hear from our left wing commentators is some… well, left wing thinking. If Hooton’s radical Randian rantings can represent the right on a show like Nine to Noon, surely there is an equivalent for left. Let Kathryn patrol the centre if that’s called objectivity.
So in short, I believe Mike Williams has lost his right to speak for us on the Left, if you agree then please email RNZ, and ask them to get in someone who can.
Please remember this is one of the few (only?) weekly discussions of Left/Right politics and policies in New Zealand mainstream media, so it is vital that they have the right person. ninetonoon@radionz.co.nz
Any suggestions of who could fill this important slot?
they replaced mike Williams with Stephen Mills(?) briefly….why they didn’t continue with him I have no idea….he at least pulled M.Hooton up on his obvious BS
sorry MS,,,apart from a brief spark last week he has been weak…..who knows why, but that is not the point…when Hooton knew he would be challenged (by Mills) he was more circumspect on his BS…didnt stop him, but certainly slowed him down….sometimes MW so poor KR feels obliged to step in for him.
Thanks for that link Pat.
Here is a perfect example, Mike with a golden opportunity to rigorously attack Hooton on Nationals inept budget, you couldn’t get an easier gift than this….but no, KR has to step in again and again to take the (least) position that Mike should be taking.
It is painful to listen to.
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Bolton has never conceded that invading Iraq was a mistake, in fact he considers it to this day still as a roaring success. His history in public life is that of an unrepentant, ignorant thug of a politician, a persona ...
A big myth in this country is that we are all equal under the law. If someone commits a crime, they get prosecuted, regardless of who they are. We already know that that's a myth when it comes to race ...
Hate speech’ laws are being considered in New Zealand. We believe it is important to defend free speech. This is an important issue that the left should take up. If you’d like to be a part of the Left Network ...
One of the criticisms of the government's Zero Carbon Bill is that it is toothless: the independent Climate Change Commission can set budgets and advise on plans, but has no power to implement anything. Greenpeace for example wanted the Commission ...
(fire, California)Some time ago Jeanette Fitzsimons described our action on climate change like a car driving rapidly to a precipice while the occupants argue about whether they should maybe change down a gear. If we are to continue with this ...
“Business as usual” is always the catch-cry of those who are happy with the way things are. “Let’s not change anything” makes sense to those who are doing well and see no reason to run any risks in case that ...
KYOTO, Japan, May 13 – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released on Monday an update to its methodology used by governments to estimate their greenhouse gas emissions and removals. Governments are required to report their national greenhouse gas ...
The Tertiary Education Union Te Hautū Kahurangi welcomes the pre-budget announcement of $197 million for the reform of vocational education saying it’s a step in the right direction. ...
As Donald Trump surveys the current state of his relationships with China, Iran and North Korea, with all of whom he has recently engaged in a somewhat confrontational way, even someone as resistant to self-doubt as the US President might ...
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being prosecuted for corruption. So how is he planning to avoid it? A law granting him immunity would not survive judicial scrutiny. So, he plans to remove that scrutiny entirely:The new far-reaching bill would ...
Last week I highlighted an odious secrecy clause in the government's Zero Carbon Bill, which unnecessarily exempted information from the Official Information Act, undermining transparency and accountability. The government's Equal Pay Amendment Bill is back from select committee today, and ...
Earlier today Redline reached a total of 600,000 views since we began in June 2011. This is a modest total, but not bad for a hardcore marxist blog at the arse-end of the world, and based in perhaps the most ...
Why is MBIE so supportive of the oil industry, why do they come up with outrageous estimates of the value of the oil industry to New Zealand, and why do they see environmentalists as a threat to be suppressed by ...
So, its on. On May 29, the day before Labour's "wellbeing budget", the centrepiece of its political year when it tries to send a good news message about what its doing, the teachers are going on strike. They've been overworked ...
My wife grew up in suburban London – not an environment that was conducive, one might think, to developing an interest in wild life. But her father was a bird lover and he helped her, too, to develop a love ...
Improving the safety of all road users is the focus of a new public consultation document on the issue of drug driver testing. Plans for public consultation on options to improve the drug driver testing process have been announced by ...
Police Minister Stuart Nash says calling a cop suddenly got a whole lot easier with the launch of a ground-breaking new service for non-emergency calls. “The single non-emergency number ‘ten-five’ is designed to provide better service for the public and ...
Frontline Police numbers have been boosted with today’s deployment of 77 new officers to the regions.Police Minister Stuart Nash today congratulated the recruits of Wing 325 who graduated at a formal ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Police College. ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is looking to the Government to deliver a package in Budget 2019 that will truly transform the lives of children living in Aotearoa who experience the most severe poverty. ...
Canterbury and West Coast nurses will convene in Christchurch tomorrow for the annual New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Canterbury-West Coast Regional Convention. The theme for the day will be "Nurses a Voice to Lead - Health for All" ...
As the deadline nears for a review of the refugee quota and quota restrictions, World Vision New Zealand is calling on the Government to change the rules, so refugees from the world’s most vulnerable places will be welcome here. ...
In March 2018, Oranga Tamariki’s National Youth Justice Management team proposed that the Office of the Children’s Commissioner conduct a thematic monitoring review focused on the quality of Oranga Tamariki’s practice with young people appearing ...
The PSA welcomes yesterday’s pre-budget announcement of over $150 million for a new Transition Support Service for young people leaving state care, and hopes further details will address social service workforce requirements. ...
Hauraki District Mayor, John Tregidga, doesn’t speak for all locals as he berates Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage for accurately pointing out the risks of allowing OceanaGold to acquire land for a new tailings impoundment. ...
Jacinda Ardern's Bachelor of Communication Studies taught her not how to change reality, but how people see it. She became Prime Minister by polling 37 per cent with the same policies that delivered Andrew Little 24 per cent. All of ...
The New Zealand Maori Council has called on the Government to step in and ensure the recommendations made by the Children’s Commissioner in respect of youth detention facilities be implemented without delay. The Report released to the previous Government ...
Napier's port would be retained in public ownership if Social Credit had been a force in parliament, party leader Chris Leitch told the party's regional conference in Napier on Saturday. ...
Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero MNZM was quoted on TVNZ’s Sunday programme last night speaking against the effectiveness of proposed changes to the End of Life Choice Bill to limit access to euthanasia or assisted suicide to those ...
What do a construction company, a musician, a Doctor of Philosophy, a museum, a fashion designer and a Director of High-Performance Sport NZ have in common? ...
The public’s trout fishery is severely declining in a number of rivers due to drops in both flow and quality says a national trout fishing advocacy. In his annual report retiring president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater Anglers ...
Politicians should be reminded not to misuse Police to suppress criticism 25 MAY 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Free Speech Coalition calls on the Police and Human Rights Commission to remind politicians that they can’t misuse false complaints ...
OIA requests reveal Housing New Zealand knew it was letting tenants wallow in dangerous, leaky conditions for at least seventeen years before its hand was forced and the flats demolished. The tenants were mostly disabled, solo mothers, or elderly, abandoned ...
Simon Shepherd: This week, a megastrike. The words no Education Minister wants to hear. For the first time in New Zealand history, all state and integrated schools will strike together this Wednesday. The action comes after talks failed to secure ...
New Zealand’s major media outlets—TVNZ, Stuff, Mediaworks, NZME and Radio NZ—signed an unprecedented agreement on May 1 to self-censor their coverage of the trial of Brenton Tarrant, who is accused of killing 51 people in terrorist attacks on two ...
The launch of new political party Coalition NZ came on Thursday following months of speculation. Controversial church leader Hannah Tamaki will lead the party. She said it will not be a Christian Party, but it will be built on strong ...
Press Release – Helicopter industry calls for review of aviation regulatory system The New Zealand Helicopter Association (NZHA), a division of Aviation New Zealand, welcomes the TAIC report into the tragic Fox Glacier accident for the messages it ...
Trees That Count is thrilled to be working with pole-vaulting Olympic medallist Eliza McCartney, who joins the organisation as brand ambassador in May 2019. An environmental science student who loves the outdoors, Eliza makes her first appearance for Trees ...
The government spending more to help survivors recover from sexual violence is great news according to ethnic communities – who have plans to develop a national specialist service for victims. ...
There are 6 days left to sign the petition Sign Petition: NZ, Declare a Climate Emergency. 6129 people have signed and we need 16,000 people minimum to sign before May 30 2019. ...
Alison Mau seems desperate to shut down our petition (“ Family First is trying to scare you - don't fall for it ” SST, 19 May 2019 ) which calls for an Inquiry into a possible link between cannabis and ...
This week has shown New Zealand Parliament is not immune to workplace bullying - highlighting that bullying is widespread in New Zealand workplaces, a recent Frog Recruitment poll reveals. ...
Fire and Emergency New Zealand is warning people to keep hazardous substances away from sleeping areas, following a Coroner’s report into a fatal fire in Christchurch. ...
The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) notes the introduction of new intensive services by Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children, designed to reduce the number of children / tamariki uplifted into state care. ...
Dignity is calling on the Government to provide free sanitary products in all schools across the country to ensure girls have dignity and autonomy to access products of their choice when needed. ...
Wellbeing, kindness and compassion have been promoted by our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as central to how her government makes policy and determines its budget. But how can a government budget for wellbeing? ...
Generation Zero and School Strike 4 Climate are launching their Elbow Your Elders campaign today to coincide with the strikes happening around the country. Both groups recognise the need for the Zero Carbon Act to be more ambitious and strong ...
National’s response to the government loosening of it's debt target shows it has learnt nothing from it's 9 years in government or it's electoral defeat. ...
Aotearoa New Zealand is spending more than $20 million every year to anaesthetise children so they can undergo multiple tooth extractions as a consequence of consuming sugary drinks. This is one of the reasons that University of Auckland academic Dr ...
Welcoming today’s announcement of a change in New Zealand’s debt from 20% to a band of between 15-and-25% of GDP, Barnett said it is a step forward. It could allow the injection of $15b or more into the NZ economy ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has signed up a number of major partners for the Vote 2019 campaign to lift nationwide voter turnout in local elections and increase the public’s engagement with their local council. Although local election turnout ...
The Palestine Solidarity Network has written to Minister of Defence Ron Mark asking him to urgently cancel a reported New Zealand Defence Force multi-million-dollar purchase of military equipment from an Israeli company. ...
World-renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall and a coalition of Aotearoa's leading environmental organisations have released an ambitious plan for reversing New Zealand’s environmental crisis. ...
The Heart Foundation welcomes this week’s announcement by the Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa that the Government’s Wellbeing Budget will include $12 million to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever amongst Maori and Pacific people. ...
When the Government presents its first Wellbeing Budget next week, it will be looking beyond traditional measures, such as GDP, to define New Zealand’s success. This is also at the core of the Shared Prosperity Index launched by Massey University ...
FIRST Union has released its In It For The Long-Haul survey of truck drivers that reveals an ageing workforce who say the job isn’t attractive anymore due to low pay and driver surveillance. ...
"The announcement by the Minister of Finance that the Government was moving from a rigid 20% debt target to a range between 15% and 25% is welcome," CTU Economist Bill Rosenberg says. "At a time when interest rates are low ...
In a world where the human impact on the environment is becoming more and more apparent every day, it’s refreshing to hear of break-through companies that are having a positive impact. Ethical clothing company , Little Yellow Bird has, in ...
The success of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s inaugural state visit and Hon. David Parker in April to Beijing has been the impetus for a multi-sector China Trade Mission confirmed for 9-11 September 2019. The China Chamber of Commerce in New ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that a Police officer should not have tried to stop or pursue a car thought to contain young people in Palmerston North on 28 May 2018. The pursuit ended when the fleeing car ...
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is supporting the training of detector dogs, which help New Zealand Customs catch smugglers trying to bring illegal drugs and undeclared cash into the country. ...
Last week Hannah Tamaki, Destiny Church co-founder and wife of controversial church leader Brian Tamaki, was announced as the leader of Coalition NZ, a new conservative Christian political party seeking election in 2020. Otago University senior law lecturer Simon Connell ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darren Curnoe, Associate Professor and Chief Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of New South Wales, UNSW Curious Kids is a series for children. If you have ...
In the wake of the demise of the famous UK chef’s restaurant group, Al Brown and Martin Bosley reflect on how in the hospitality business, being a “name” comes with its own baggage. It must be strange to be no longer ...
A Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment fund is investing $4 million of taxpayer money in combining western science and Māori traditional knowledge. ...
Ten million dollars worth of stock in a medicinal cannabis company goes on sale today as Cannasouth aims to be the first company of its kind to list on the NZX. But should you buy in? Don Rowe talks to ...
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill steps down from the top job and hands over the reigns to Sir Julius Chan, leader of Peoples Progress Party. Video: EMTV NewsBy Johnny Blades of RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter ...
At over five hundred million streams, Ava Max is proving to be one of the biggest popstars of 2019. Not only that, writes Sam Brooks, she might actually be the most perfect.Ava Max is like a Frankenstein of a popstar, ...
Crocodiles, gold bars, birds of prey… and boobs. Erin Harrington, an academic specialising in horror and film, reviews the much-hyped new novel by the man who gave us Dr Hannibal Lecter. Cari Mora is Thomas Harris’s first novel in 13 years, ...
ByKristen Lyonsof the University of Queensland Climate change threatens Australia in many different ways, and can devastate rural and urban communities alike. For Torres Strait Islanders, it is a crisis that is washing away their homes, infrastructure ...
Good news! We’re launching a free daily newsletter featuring all of the Spinoff’s stories published that day. Read on to sign up now.Social media dominates how many consume content today. Whether it’s via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram stories, our reliance ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s contentWellbeing Budget Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Economics aside, the Budget ...
National Party leader says "serious harm" crimes before the courts, such as rape and murder, have increased by 25 percent since 2017, despite police statistics showing a drop in the number of crime victims. ...
Opposition finance spokesperson Amy Adams gives her verdict on the first wellbeing budget.This week will see the Labour-led government produce their much hyped ‘wellbeing budget’. That of course raises the questions of what wellbeing means, how it is assessed and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, ARC DECRA Fellow, Australian National University The high tide of analysis concerning the Australian Labor Party’s shock 2019 federal election loss has been reached. It looks like so much flotsam ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristen Lyons, Professor Environment and Development Sociology, The University of Queensland Climate change threatens Australia in many different ways, and can devastate rural and urban communities alike. For Torres Strait Islanders, it’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jutta Beher, Spatial analyst in conservation and ecology, University of Melbourne From climate change to armed conflict, our world is struggling with urgent global issues. But disagreements about how to solve them ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Rowe, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, Deakin University More advantaged public secondary schools across Australia generate nearly six times the amount of funding contributions from parents than less advantaged ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Makiko Nishitani, Lecturer, La Trobe University Established migrant communities in regional and rural areas are often ignored in favour of policies focused on attracting new intakes of skilled migrants. A striking example ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan Lyons, Scholar in Media and Cultural Studies, Macquarie University Last month, audiences got their first glimpse of the trailer for the upcoming film, Joker, which explores the origins of its iconic ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Another major day of climate protests puts pressure on politicians, PMs fall in dramatic political weekend, and calls to stop use of remand for young people.If activism in 2019 so far ...
We don't need a contest between public transport and private cars, but a reasoned discussion about how we can integrate the two, writes Shane Te Pou. ...
If you’re gay in the LGBT world, you’re part of the gang. If you’re straight, you’re on the outside. But where do those in between sit?A year ago I was planning my wedding. My fiancé and I had just celebrated ...
The government's Kiwibuild scheme has had setback after setback. The Detail asks Shamubeel Eaqub if it can be rescued, and if it is still worthwhile. ...
Organiser Hayley Coles explains why the time is right to launch New Zealand’s first union for legal workers. In 2018, Aotearoa’s legal profession received a wake-up call. The media broke stories of sexual harassment, bullying and other injustices throughout the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison’s new ministry mixes stability with dashes of innovation, box ticking, and the rewarding of friends. The Prime Minister has maintained his record number ...
Westpac says the Reserve Bank’s bank capital proposals will mean homeowners with an average mortgage in Auckland will be paying about $6,000 a year more in interest. ...
By RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has announced that is resigning, citing a need for change, after weeks of unrest in the government. O’Neill held a press conference today in Port Moresby, announcing he would ...
The Child Poverty Action Group is pleased the government intends to lower public transport costs for low-income households, but says the announcement does not go far enough. ...
Controversy erupted over The Project host Kanoa Lloyd’s decision to wear an ‘it’s OK to be white’ t-shirt this week. Newshub’s Sophie Bateman looks into the co-option of a seemingly innocuous slogan. The Rorschach test is a ...
Children's Minister Tracey Martin has announced $150 million will be spent on a new service to help young people transition from state care to adulthood. ...
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website.Patrick Reynolds: The story of a revolution: How public transport transformed Auckland“There’s a quiet revolution underway in Auckland, slowly but relentlessly transforming the city. It began early in the century – ...
Some offers by foreign investors to bring their capital to New Zealand promise such riches, at least for them, that their forecasts soar into the realms of implausibility. ...
Zoe Mills is a 17 year old high school student and one of thousands who joined the global climate strikes. She explains why her generation feel this moment so acutely.It’s an eerie sight. A sea of bodies lay across the worn ...
Men need to put aside their discomfort and support New Zealand women in the wake of Alabama’s abortion ban, writes Zoe Deans. Kiwi bloke stoicism hasn’t really equipped anyone to deal with outpourings of pain. And right now, it’s all around. ...
In our Q&A series, The Lightbulb, we ask innovators and entrepreneurs to tell us about how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to Mathew Jury, founder of award-winning company Taska Prosthetics which makes state-of-the-art prosthetic hands.First of ...
A one-pot energy boost that’s as good for breakfast as it is afternoon tea. I find packing lunches a challenge so am always on the hunt for inspiration to keep the kids’ lunchboxes both interesting and nourishing. What I love about ...
David Farrier dives deep into the Hotel Bed Jumping Community on Instagram and is quickly told: “Should you pursue with your article and publish it we will be taking action”. He chose to pursue the article.I’m a big fan of Instagram, and ...
A play teaching teens about consent and sexual harassment opens in Wellington and Auckland next month. Co-creator Karin McCracken talks about why the show was necessary, and the generationally unique struggles kids face today.The current model of health education in ...
Open mike 10/06/2016 
Open mike is your post.
32 mins ago
The decline of the media has meant a decline in local government reporting, which in turn threatens a decline in our democracy. So the government is going to try and fix it, by funding it through NZ On Air:Publicly funded ...4 hours ago
Theresa May’s resignation as British Prime Minister, whatever else it may signify and whatever the identity of her successor, undeniably brings closer the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. Her most likely successor, Boris Johnson, has already indicated his readiness to ...5 hours ago
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, May 19 through Sat, May 25, 2019 Editor's Pick Why school strikers are guest editing Climate Home News (Photo: Pixabay) ...1 day ago
JASPER BERNES in Communemag looks at the New Green Deal – a proposed stimulus package in the US – that aims to address climate change and economic inequality. We cannot legislate and spend our way out of catastrophic global warming ...2 days ago
Police are investigating a series of racist messages posted on an unofficial University of Auckland social media page, as staff and students vow to continue fighting racism, hate, and discrimination. ...3 days ago
Note! Weekly new research posts will not continue anymore. This is the last post in this series. A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. This post has separate sections for: Climate Change, Climate Change Impacts, Climate ...3 days ago
A new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) called “The fast, fair and effective solution to climate change” was launched on May 6. The proposal asks that the European Commission introduce a carbon-pricing policy known as Carbon Fee and Dividend at the ...4 days ago
Comments about Green MP Golriz Ghahraman by ACT MP David Seymour on a reactionary radio talk show, and the threats that followed and which the Police deemed serious enough to merit a security detail for her, got me to thinking ...5 days ago
A review of the last ever episode of Game of Thrones (Spoiler alert!) ...6 days ago
Current member of the National Party, List MP Alfred Ngaro, has declared he has an intent towards the possibility of setting up a Christian-oriented “values” party. Simon Bridges initially denied discussion, but we all know his denials are really never ...1 week ago
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, May 12 through Sat, May 18, 2019 Editor's Pick 12 excuses for climate inaction and how to refute them Using moral ...1 week ago
by Sean Kearns It appears that even in Britain, where a lot of unions remain affiliated to Labour, the working class itself is less attached to Labour. The bureaucratic leaderships keep unions chained to Labour, the workers are just not ...1 week ago
In October 2013 I wrote about “Valuing Xero in one hour“, and (although it had a bug) came up with a forecast that justified the then $2.2 billion valuation of Xero with a Weighted Average Cost of Capital of 18%. ...1 week ago
I love the National's Library's Papers Past archive. I've used it many times for work and sometimes just for fun. The one thing I never thought I'd be able to do is vanity-search on it. And yet, here it is: ...2 weeks ago
Bolton has never conceded that invading Iraq was a mistake, in fact he considers it to this day still as a roaring success. His history in public life is that of an unrepentant, ignorant thug of a politician, a persona ...2 weeks ago
(fire, California)Some time ago Jeanette Fitzsimons described our action on climate change like a car driving rapidly to a precipice while the occupants argue about whether they should maybe change down a gear. If we are to continue with this ...2 weeks ago
Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons headquarters in The Hague. Image credit: Prensa Latina Ready Syria to Cooperate with Organization Against Chemical Weapons Multinational bodies, like ... 2 weeks ago
Improving the safety of all road users is the focus of a new public consultation document on the issue of drug driver testing. Plans for public consultation on options to improve the drug driver testing process have been announced by ...2 weeks ago
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) is looking to the Government to deliver a package in Budget 2019 that will truly transform the lives of children living in Aotearoa who experience the most severe poverty. ...1 hour ago
Last week Hannah Tamaki, Destiny Church co-founder and wife of controversial church leader Brian Tamaki, was announced as the leader of Coalition NZ, a new conservative Christian political party seeking election in 2020. Otago University senior law lecturer Simon Connell ...1 hour ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darren Curnoe, Associate Professor and Chief Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of New South Wales, UNSW Curious Kids is a series for children. If you have ...2 hours ago
Almost 8000 dairy locations are yet to re-register to a national tracking system, with just days to go until moving day. ...2 hours ago
It’s no secret the construction industry is troubled, despite the ongoing boom. ...2 hours ago
In the wake of the demise of the famous UK chef’s restaurant group, Al Brown and Martin Bosley reflect on how in the hospitality business, being a “name” comes with its own baggage. It must be strange to be no longer ...3 hours ago
A Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment fund is investing $4 million of taxpayer money in combining western science and Māori traditional knowledge. ...3 hours ago
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill steps down from the top job and hands over the reigns to Sir Julius Chan, leader of Peoples Progress Party. Video: EMTV News By Johnny Blades of RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter ...4 hours ago
At over five hundred million streams, Ava Max is proving to be one of the biggest popstars of 2019. Not only that, writes Sam Brooks, she might actually be the most perfect.Ava Max is like a Frankenstein of a popstar, ...4 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Zerilli, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Otago New Zealand is a leader in government use of artificial intelligence (AI). It is part of a global network of countries that use predictive algorithms ...4 hours ago
Crocodiles, gold bars, birds of prey… and boobs. Erin Harrington, an academic specialising in horror and film, reviews the much-hyped new novel by the man who gave us Dr Hannibal Lecter. Cari Mora is Thomas Harris’s first novel in 13 years, ...4 hours ago
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has made a record full year profit with more than $1 billion in sales. ...5 hours ago
By Kristen Lyons of the University of Queensland Climate change threatens Australia in many different ways, and can devastate rural and urban communities alike. For Torres Strait Islanders, it is a crisis that is washing away their homes, infrastructure ...5 hours ago
Air New Zealand has committed to buying eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, a deal which it says has a value of $US2.7 billion ($NZ4.12b). ...5 hours ago
Today in the political economy, updated throughout the day. ...6 hours ago
The Warehouse is looking to centralise its online shopping distribution, putting as many as 150 jobs on the line. ...7 hours ago
National Party leader says "serious harm" crimes before the courts, such as rape and murder, have increased by 25 percent since 2017, despite police statistics showing a drop in the number of crime victims. ...7 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laichang Zhang, Professor Mechanical Engineering, Edith Cowan University To mark the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements we’re taking a look at how researchers study some of the elements ...8 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Gilroy, ARC Research Fellow in Indigenous Health, Disability and Community Development, University of Sydney We welcome the recently announced Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. ...8 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristen Lyons, Professor Environment and Development Sociology, The University of Queensland Climate change threatens Australia in many different ways, and can devastate rural and urban communities alike. For Torres Strait Islanders, it’s ...8 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jutta Beher, Spatial analyst in conservation and ecology, University of Melbourne From climate change to armed conflict, our world is struggling with urgent global issues. But disagreements about how to solve them ...8 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Makiko Nishitani, Lecturer, La Trobe University Established migrant communities in regional and rural areas are often ignored in favour of policies focused on attracting new intakes of skilled migrants. A striking example ...8 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan Lyons, Scholar in Media and Cultural Studies, Macquarie University Last month, audiences got their first glimpse of the trailer for the upcoming film, Joker, which explores the origins of its iconic ...8 hours ago
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Another major day of climate protests puts pressure on politicians, PMs fall in dramatic political weekend, and calls to stop use of remand for young people.If activism in 2019 so far ...9 hours ago
We don't need a contest between public transport and private cars, but a reasoned discussion about how we can integrate the two, writes Shane Te Pou. ...11 hours ago
If you’re gay in the LGBT world, you’re part of the gang. If you’re straight, you’re on the outside. But where do those in between sit?A year ago I was planning my wedding. My fiancé and I had just celebrated ...11 hours ago
The company behind a Queenstown eco-tourism development has postponed a council hearing. ...11 hours ago
Labour’s Kiwibuild was touted as a solution to the housing crisis - but it hasn’t gone well. ...11 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison’s new ministry mixes stability with dashes of innovation, box ticking, and the rewarding of friends. The Prime Minister has maintained his record number ...17 hours ago
Westpac says the Reserve Bank’s bank capital proposals will mean homeowners with an average mortgage in Auckland will be paying about $6,000 a year more in interest. ...19 hours ago
A $153m service to support young people leaving state care is the first in a raft of changes to Oranga Tamariki operations under incoming law. ...20 hours ago
By RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has announced that is resigning, citing a need for change, after weeks of unrest in the government. O’Neill held a press conference today in Port Moresby, announcing he would ...22 hours ago
Controversy erupted over The Project host Kanoa Lloyd’s decision to wear an ‘it’s OK to be white’ t-shirt this week. Newshub’s Sophie Bateman looks into the co-option of a seemingly innocuous slogan. The Rorschach test is a ...1 day ago
Bringing you the best weekly reading from your friendly local website.Patrick Reynolds: The story of a revolution: How public transport transformed Auckland“There’s a quiet revolution underway in Auckland, slowly but relentlessly transforming the city. It began early in the century – ...1 day ago
Some offers by foreign investors to bring their capital to New Zealand promise such riches, at least for them, that their forecasts soar into the realms of implausibility. ...1 day ago
Men need to put aside their discomfort and support New Zealand women in the wake of Alabama’s abortion ban, writes Zoe Deans. Kiwi bloke stoicism hasn’t really equipped anyone to deal with outpourings of pain. And right now, it’s all around. ...1 day ago
In our Q&A series, The Lightbulb, we ask innovators and entrepreneurs to tell us about how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to Mathew Jury, founder of award-winning company Taska Prosthetics which makes state-of-the-art prosthetic hands.First of ...1 day ago
David Farrier dives deep into the Hotel Bed Jumping Community on Instagram and is quickly told: “Should you pursue with your article and publish it we will be taking action”. He chose to pursue the article.I’m a big fan of Instagram, and ...1 day ago
A play teaching teens about consent and sexual harassment opens in Wellington and Auckland next month. Co-creator Karin McCracken talks about why the show was necessary, and the generationally unique struggles kids face today.The current model of health education in ...1 day ago
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Homelessness.
Our ‘brighter future’
Some families already thousands in debt to WINZ for emergency motel housing remain in the same accommodation block, with their loans mounting.
The fact of the matter is that the debt is mounting and she continues to make a “choice” to stay in Auckland.
Debt is not a problem for her, the tax payers are picking up the tab and she will never pay it back.
@Naki man – by that logic wouldn’t the National and ACT supporters be up in arms that $3000 p/w is being paid with tax payer money because of the governments stupidity on affordable housing?
There is no government stupidity on affordable housing. Tax payers should not have to subsidize housing so poor people can live in the most expensive city in the country. Its not rocket science.
why not, tax payers have been subsidizing private landlords for years?
Tax payers subsidize the tenants not the landlords.
bollocks…who receives the funds?
The government subsidize’s the landlord class, and with out these subsidize’s to the land lords, the housing market would collapse overnight…end of story.
And what a ridiculous thing to say, people shouldn’t live in Auckland, because of a housing bubble…what sort of mad dystopian logic is that?..do you really actually believe in that as a social policy?
What about the mentally disabled… move them out too? do you like that idea as well?
Shall we keep on expanding on your logic here shall we, I think we all know where it will take us, and pretty quickly too.
Why is the government running an economy which creates poor people?
Why is the free market not coming to equilibrium in the Auckland housing market?
I do hope all the poor people living in Auckland will take your advise and move out, leaving their poorly paid jobs behind and move to the regions.
I wonder who will be the first CEO to pick up the mop and clean the toilet.
Your views indicate an inability to show empathy.
Are you psychopathic?
How do you know AsleepWhileWalking?
Maybe have some compassion. Her son has a physical disability and will need to be around specialist services for a start like hospitals. Also people have community support networks so they are reluctant to leave them in the face of a cruel and stupid government WINZ ideas. (such as paying nearly $3000 p/w to house her and deduct $27 p/w from her benefit to pay it back).
@Paul – thanks another great link.
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
A cruel and uncaring company.
Its leader has been knighted. For what?
Talley’s fined $73,520 over crewman’s decapitation
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/306007/talley's-fined-$73,520-over-crewman's-decapitation
Reading between the lines, this Talley’s killing has the exact same hallmarks as the drowning of Nick Ecklund on the Grey River bar in 2013 http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8561516/Fisherman-told-crossing-was-safe-father
Both cases involve Talley’s demanding that a worker’s concerns over safety be overridden for money reasons – in Greymouth to get the (full of fish) boat in – and in the current one to get the (full of fish) net in.
In both cases you can see that the local “boss” was adamant that the fish must come in, and the safety concerns put to one side.
In both cases the Talley’s “culture” has ended up killing innocent men.
The similarities are striking
The Talleys continue to bolster their reputation as the nastiest most disgusting pigs (apologies to pigs) of people in New Zealand.
Are pigs psychopaths ?
No, it is completely the wrong description. In fact, they are below the animal kingdom, and well below the required human kingdom.
They are not on a par with any living organism
Dirt is what they are, dirt
Not wanting to diminish the issue, but… If you are looking for something to represent the lowest state, dirt ain’t it.
Soil’s astonishingly alive with organisms that our very existence relies upon. It’s gorgeous, vital stuff, and we should speak highly of it, to give dirt its dues.
My neighbour used a different phrase to describe those he considered despicable and when he made reference to a snake’s cloaca and the lowly position that occupied.
lol, that’s the one – a snake’s arse
Even pond scum is worthy of admiration, when it consists living organisms going about their business. I find “orcs” to be a suitable title for those who desecrate and needlessly waste.
That’s Orcist, its not their fault they were twisted by terrible and dark magics.
Choice, Puckish, they trumpet choice and can hardly claim to be victims of some dark father figure, can they. Greed and power seem to be their raisons d’être – dark, Satanic mills and all that.
I didn’t think you’d be the type to fall for the writings of the noted propagandist JRR Tolkien
Orcs are a peaceful, loving, family based people who only fight to defend their lands and way of life against the encroaching humans
Orc power!
And living in Orcland…
Yeah, but snakes are just cruising along doing what they do.
Cats. Cats are psychopaths. Not only that, but they manipulate people for their own ends.
I recall one awesome comment about finding pet owners who had died at home – dogs guarded the body and would take several days before nibbling on their former owner. Cats barely wait until the next day’s alarm goes off, lol.
“Their lands”
They’re expansionist war-mongers. Genetically-engineered too. Didn’t end well for them.
Ent power!
Ents are like Pandas, evolutionarily weak links that should be allowed to go extinct
We have a duty of care for the orcs as we’re responsible for them
“Allowed to go extinct”
You think you have any influence at all over ents?
You’re a fantasist.
You may feel obliged to care for your orcs, feeling as you do, responsible for them, but I don’t. It’s them or us and they’ve been far too long at the wheel.
Orcs aren’t as bad as people think, look heres one of their mutations being friendly with a child:
http://ct.iscute.com/ol/ic/sw/userpics/funny_pictures/529.jpg
Now doesn’t that warm the cockles of your heart?
That’s not an orc, that’s an actor.
Real orcs don’t wear makeup.
Here was me thinking I was having a conversation with someone who understood the ways of the world.
Do you think an Orc wearing make up somehow makes him less of an Orc? I’m shocked at this blatant stereotyping.
I’m going to have to go have a lie down and have a mug of orc-draught to get over this
For shame sir, for shame
It’s impossible for an orc to be “less of an orc”, as they are the lowest of the low and one can’t go lower. Sup on your orc draught while you can, orc-apologist. The greening of the Shire has begun.
Well this has certainly made the afternoon a lot more amusing…not that creating reports that are of little interest and won’t make a whit of difference to anyone isn’t entertaining
Write for the Herald, do you?
I haven’t sunk that low
Published in Orc Land, I understand.
Please come out and state you abhor the governments cruel housing policies. Show you care about the vulnerable.
“We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation”
Sections of the nation may have, Paul, but not all by any means. There’s huge dismay over the conditions faced by those of us who aren’t blessed with having a warm, safe home.
Tellingly, the writer of the first linked piece displays clear psychopathic tendency; a lack of empathy, lack of insight, and misogyny:
”….probably like many of the owners’ human relationships (there’s a reason spinsters end up with cats).”
Labelling cats as psychopathic is projection and anthropomorphism.
Nice piece on This Way Up today about a (male) cat owner who lost his pet in April and posted a $1000 reward for help.
Of those who called trying to help, some made it clear they had no interest in the reward.
While no closer to finding his beloved pet, he says his faith in human nature has been restored.
see?
Humans bend over backwards for cats. The cat probably wandered off to another home that served better cat food. 👿
He deserves his knighthood (Talleys) he fits the Nats criteria of being mean, nasty, selfish, uncaring and greedy.
ps. I don’t buy Talleys anymore anD never will
Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, greedy, uncaring and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
Debt fuelled by greed.
‘New Zealand has half a trillion dollars in debt.
“We’ve almost got the perfect storm,” says veteran fund manager Brian Gaynor as he reels off the many reasons New Zealand house prices and debt levels are soaring to precipitous heights.
There are many ingredients. But right now, New Zealand seems to have them all: not enough building, restrictions on development, surging migration, baby boomer savings, low interest rates and banks that are all too happy to lend for property investment.
“When you get the perfect storm like we did in the 1980s with the sharemarket, you see things just go up and up. People start to believe they will never fall,” he says.
“People didn’t believe the sharemarket would fall in the 80s. I’d come in from a trip to Australia and the guy at customs wouldn’t let me in unless I gave him sharemarket tips. It was just euphoria. Everyone was talking about the sharemarket. Now everyone is talking about the property market.”‘
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personal-finance/news/article.cfm?c_id=12&objectid=11653661
It’s gonna get ugly.
Check out this graph that shows Lehman collapse vs Deutsche Bank
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-10/deutsche-bank-spikes-most-5-years-just-lehman-did
And
http://www.investorinsider.net/bank-bankruptcy-three-times-bigger-lehman-bros/
Not to mention the problems in the bond market (many magnitudes bigger than the share market and mostly out of sight of the masses). Ka boom.
Pretty much answers all of Averagevoters (or whatever he/she calls himself today) questions http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11653678
They moved to AK because the dad lost his fishing job in South Island, got night shift work, dad had a bit of a breakdown, got in debt & kicked out of their house, HNZ got them a 2 bedroom house, dad lost his job because of hours & stress, been living in tents & van ever since. 7 people in a 2 bedroom house, FFS.
Shame on this country.
55% of the country only have 4 weeks’ savings.
4 weeks from this family’s position.
Does that include kiwi saver?
Gangnam … I do not know the age of the children so six living with parents in two bedroom house may not be quite, QUITE, as bad as it sounds.
Neither do I know what kind of van and hopefully they didn’t have to sell the tent to buy it. So in times of stress a tent and van seems quite reasonable accomodation but it does depend on what tent and what van, along with what the motor camp charge in rent.,
There is quite an income going to such a family from winz too. Sorry but I can see too many fishhooks in this story.
What do you mean by a tent and a van are reasonable accommodation? Did you read the bits about illness? Pretty sure they weren’t in a camp ground.
Oh fuck off jcuknz, seriously, can’t be arsed with a reasonable reply to your crap.
unfortunately this family are suffering from the natural result of their own mis choices when ecconomic conditions changed. Plus I happened to read more info that the initial misleading sob story so many have been sucked in by.
I see the problem as the result of bad choices led on by influences in society
A fisherman with six children? Going to Auckland without sufficient funds to exist. One can admire somebody who looses their job and upsticks to where maybe there is work … but with six young children … I think that is govt led madness. Six children on an average wage sounds like mis direction by religion. Sorry I blame society for this family’s plight with all the norms it has imposed upon then.
I will try and not reply to Gangnam whose can only swear at one with whom he disagrees. Hardly a sensible reply like so many discussions I read here on The Standard.
“So in times of stress a tent and van seems quite reasonable accomodation” with 6 children of any age ?
You have got to be kidding me. Maybe if you are 20 and out there freedom camping around but not this situation, not even slightly. This is unreasonable accommodation, unreasonable stress. Have you ever LIVED in a van or a tent? I have and that was alone and it was tough let alone with kids and everything.
Quite an income from WINZ? Jeeze are you for real?
So your comment imo seems like a mix of right wing memes and judgments. Grow a heart will you.
Fishhooks? Like how paying rent at 60% + of your income is highly stressful and leads snowballing financial issues and social problems?
I used to at one stage and I did something about it eventually.
As a result and reading ‘Responsible Society’ I happen to have the extreme socialistic opinion that there should be a state house to meet the basic needs of everybody who wants it and those who want more should if they can afford it go private. From singles wishing to leave home to families like that we are discussing.
But if common sense and honesty are ‘right wing memes’ then I am glad I have them whatever they are.
When you were 17 would you want to be living with your 5 siblings in a van? The story is so bad its hard to think its actually real.
That’s just psychopathic BS designed to abrogate any responsibility from you and place all the blame on the victims of capitalism.
I have for ever [almost] accepted that it is my responsibility to contribute to society/govt so that these folk can be helped… while others objected to overtime because of the extra tax they paid I accepted that each according to their income should contribute. When I was younger I knew nothing about the embrionic safety nets people enjoy today and I survived by good management, cutting my cloth to suit my income, and using contraceptives. survived despite some poor choices, so it is easy today for me to appear uncaring when I look for the missing info the MSM do not have in their sob stories.
I was truely moved by AT’s story in the Campbell i/v and can think of things to help but it is hard from the other end of the country. Such as a 12volt solar panel to provide light for her to read and study by, elsewhere I suggested a gas cooker [ not a BBQ thing to live outside the van and be stolen but smaller like I have for emergency use.] to save on fast foods and for when the Marae runs out of money to cook for all of them.
But then I am a DIYer, built family home and retirement cottage and many other things. so I am sad that so many folk are not and appear hopeless to help themselves.
They are doing everything they can to help themselves. It’s society that has forced them into living in cars in straitened conditions.
You are both wrong and right respectively in your comments Draco.
But there are practical ways as I suggested before which would help TA get on but as I have also mentioned when you are down even though you know you are making wrong choices you simply continue for the short term relief which they bring to your impossible situation,
Defending the indefensible.
You are defending the indefensible.
See Aotearoa before they sell it !
Too late Agora … that happened two centuries ago. 🙂
Yep, I think that started when the surveyors of the New Zealand Company first started drawing lines on a map. We still follow the lines today.
.. for a few trinkets. Plus ca change .. nothing changes. Buenvenidos to Puerto Rico … but this time the Conquistadores are different, shell companies from anonymous trusts and people who have history going back to the gold rush.
Generally it ends badly for those who get in too late .. about now ?
Housing New Zealand, oops I mean a single Marae and a single motel owner show leadership on housing crisis. When can we vote these people in as a Government, they are doing the job 100 times better!
http://i.stuff.co.nz/auckland/80885904/Auckland-motel-opens-doors-to-homeless-families-at-break-even-rates
“In much of what was called the Free World, governments and economies are in the throes of self-destruction. Before long we shall witness revolution in several of these countries”.
https://www.sprottmoney.com/blog/predicting-the-efficacy-of-a-coming-revolution-jeff-thomas.html
New Zealand is sitting on a half-a-trillion-dollar debt bomb and Kiwis are increasingly treating their houses like cash machines, piling on the debt as they watch the value of their properties soar.
Reserve Bank figures show household debt, excluding investment property, has risen 23 per cent in the past five years to $163.4 billion. Incomes have risen only 11.5 per cent.
Households are now carrying a debt level that is equivalent to 162 per cent of their annual disposable income – higher than the level reached before the global financial crisis.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/personal-finance/news/article.cfm?c_id=12&objectid=11651648
More of the bad choices I wrote of earlier Agora … I am glad I have fully paid for home and only rates to concern me.
Bad choices rampant throughout our society from a ‘do too little too late’ govt upwards.
Just a wee note to people who were waiting for the post I promised on what we can do to get NZ transport emissions to zero by 2030. I haven’t forgotten it or binned it. But this week has been a bit busier than anticipated, and I’m expecting a fair few posts on the potential of roaring flames accompanying the smoking downward spiral that looks suspiciously like NZs housing market.
Poll of Polls showing Lab/Gr less than 5% behind Nats and the gap “closing” and “narrowing”. Love the way RNZ are reporting the Lab/Gr BLOCK versus Nats. It’s here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201803965/latest-poll-of-poll-shows-national-still-leads-labour-greens
Excellent.
National 46%
Labour 29%
Greens 9%
So what happens if at an election it is something like this?
Nat 44%
L/G 45%
NZF 7%
Who gets to form govt? Is is always the largest block that agrees to a coalition? RNZ appeared to be implying that L/G could go alone if they wanted to and their vote was higher than Nat.
Edit, here’s the written report with charts,
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/306025/poll-of-polls-coalition-has-a-way-to-go
Not really wanting to get into the whole “which way will Winston swing” he has always stated his preference is to go with the party with the largest vote so maybe the party with the largest vote could be replaced by the block with the largest vote
PR
That’s the excuse Peters has used in the past to suit his needs, but that could change at any moment, so don’t be surprised.
Securing support for confidence and supply is the main thang!
Fixed term Parliaments please
Can one inherit tin ear?
Brock father and son, and Key father and son (and the inbred KKK family home) indicate this does happen.
Max Key says his holding a smoke was only as a prop. He claims that the same was done in film and TV when actors held smokes.
The prop was designed to promote Max Key as a smoking hot celebrity, and a magazine using him/his social media profile to promote their magazine – whereas in the past celebrities were used to promote smoking. It was often a form of product placement (when the brand was identified) but also to brand the celebrity as smoking hot. I guess he failed to get Mad Men and the promotion and selling of smokes and that such product placement continues to this day.
Given his father’s comments about the homeless and wider housing/taxation policy third termitis is rampant.
If one of my sons, at 21, was behaving like Max Key I would be very worried for his mental health.
As expected.
Annie Linskey Verified account
@AnnieLinskey
Warren asked by @maddow if she thinks she is ready to be VP: “Yes. I do.
Annie Linskey Verified account
@AnnieLinskey
Warren says she’s backing Clinton because wants to “be sure that Donald Trump gets nowhere near the White House.”
To all the Hilary fans, your crowing is premature.
Repeating blindly talking points and cheering a cheat does nothing for your reputation. When some of us go, look at her voting record you ignore us, or come back with some trite response.
But you know faux liberals in the USA context are just about as low as you can get, and Hilary is that, a faux liberal. She is also a cheat.
Oh and look – she got caught. It seems Bernie won.
To the so called lefties, who jumped when the corporate media told you to. I’d stop and take a long hard look at yourself at this moment, and remember where you were when the cheat got caught.
http://trustvote.org/
If, and its a very big if, this comes to pass it would explain why Saunders hasn’t thrown in the towel just yet
If it had been stoners in a garage, I would not have put it up.
There is another person who is following the same road, a guy called Rocky de la fuente who you may like Puckish Rouge, as he is conservative democrat.
It has been brewing for a while, mainly over exit polls and the fact the above guy has been getting so few votes, when he is actually know and liked within the Latino community.
Absolutely no news from FBI that I can find (officially) that Clinton Foundation is under any investigation.
So its just another rubbish line out of the GOP lies machine to catch out the stupid and the ignorant.
Sounds very much like politics in NZ right now
“So its just another rubbish line out of the MSM lies machine to catch out the stupid and the ignorant.”
Nope from your first love, the corporate media
Problem uno Clinton Global Initiative http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/23/politics/terry-mcauliffe-fbi-doj-federal-investigation-campaign-contributions/
Problem dos via state department
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-foundation-received-subpoena-from-state-department-investigators/2016/02/11/ca5125b2-cce4-11e5-88ff-e2d1b4289c2f_story.html
So rightwing turd dukeofurl, you feeling stupid and ignorant yet?
Yeah, smoking guns..
/
uno –
There’s no allegation that the foundation did anything improper; the probe has focused on McAuliffe and the electoral campaign donations, the officials said.
dos –
A foundation representative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing inquiry, said the initial document request had been narrowed by investigators and that the foundation is not the focus of the probe.
Interesting Adam. My guess is that the Establishment cannot allow the Election fraud to surface let alone make it to Court. They will rationalise the issue as too damning for the reputation of the USA. Like having Financial institutions being too big to fail.
This will cause mysterious loss of evidence and of key people. Or maybe extended timelines like a decade or two.
Hang on in there Bernie.
I hope not ianmac.
I’m hoping that democratic membership kick up a stink.
+100 Adam…i did suspect it could have been rigged..the right wing will stop at nothing
…a lesson for the next Elections in NZ
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11654173
Ok so I’m pro-vaccination so I don’t need to know the reasons why kids should be but theres some photos on how that made me take a short, sharp intake of breath
Her baby was too young to be vaccinated…be warned its not pleasant
Not news. Could be advertising.
more newsworthy than the nutbar idiocy of a national party mp.
“ If you don’t vaccinate you’re an idiot
By Vanessa Brown”
Tipping point was breached some time ago, and all the emotive & abusive vitriol from dupes like Vanessa Brown can do nothing but speed up the outcome!
Observe as the the truth plays out around world , as it already is
No more than about 10 years and that industry, along with others built on fraud, are finished
“All this homelessness stuff is turning the people off our Dear Leader. What can we do ?”
“I know. let’s try to scare them.”
http://insights.nzherald.co.nz/article/assaults-in-public-places
Headline the other day “How do you know if your house has been used as a P-Lab”.
Not a single comment on the reserve banks decision to not cut the cash rate, great, all those with a mortgage of $500k could be saving $150 a month, but instead, the banks profits will increase, fewer exports will leave NZ and there will be fewer jobs, but on the bright side, that new Mercedes won’t cost any more………………..
Seriously are you talking about. Explain to me how the NZRB cutting the cash rate does a single thing to reduce bank profits.
The NZRB cutting the cash rate is an opportunity for banks to INCREASE their profits by not passing along the cut.
I mean, WTF dude.
In a real country, Banks are forced to pass on the reductions, but maybe NZ does not fall into that category, I’ll be honest, if you don’t see the the benefits of a cash rate reduction, then there is no point in arguing with you, savings are already at the bottom of the heap, the best investment is in real estate, hence the high prices and speculation.
The lower cash rate helps businesses, helps stop speculation on the dollar, gives exporters a competitive opportunity (produce and manufacturing) and increases employment opportunities, but, heck, I’m sure you’d prefer to be able to buy that new Mercedes, ay.
Get yourself into the modern world and out of the conservative rout pushed by your mate English.
I’m afraid that your theories are all out of touch with reality.
ZIRP is designed to help speculators and hurt savers and pensioners.
Free money created by central banks flowing into Wall St and other financial assets have been used to widen wealth inequality in the world and has been an ingredient in skyrocketing Auckland house prices.
Further, evidence from overseas shows that investment banks and retail banks will access this cheap money from central banks but will not lend it to small and medium businesses for real world capital investment, leading to banks hoarding huge sums of reserves.
It seems that your financial perspective is one of the 0.1%.
You’ve been found out.
We’re talking NZ, propping up the NZ dollar DOE’S not help ordinary Kiwi’s, it only helps speculators, I’m sure if ordinary Kiwi’s new that their mortgage would be reduced by a rate cut, then they would certainly support it, and all that money saved goes back into the local economy.
Comparing what they might do in the US is considerably different from that in NZ, so your comparison is invalid, NZers are being ripped off with highest interest rates in the developed world, and you know that and still argue against it, all I can say is that living in a small SI town, not effected by the housing affordability problems, has effected your ability to recognise the real benefits of the global changes in interest rates.
If you were truly interested in lowering the value of the NZD you wouldn’t choose the near irrelevant mechanism of interest rates as the way to do it.
You’d use a far more targetted tool.
As I said, you’ve been found out.
have you considered WHY NZ has higher interest rates?
“The lower cash rate helps businesses, helps stop speculation on the dollar, gives exporters a competitive opportunity (produce and manufacturing) and increases employment opportunities, but, heck, I’m sure you’d prefer to be able to buy that new Mercedes, ay.”
except the low interest rates and QE is not going into productive investment is it….its going into property and sharemarket bubbles….and that is the problem.
there is no demand or appetite for risk.
Expat is trying to position dangerous financial policies which benefit the top 1% to 2% the most, as being generally good for the entire population. It’s an old trick.
the question is does he understand what he is proposing?…..if he has to explain why, his argument defeats itself
Your the one trying to trick everyone, the top 2% don’t benefit as much as the “ordinary” Kiwi, your argument to keep high rates does not, so your argument is invalid, FFS, you’ve got investors coming to NZ borrowing money at 1%, and getting a better return than any where else, only Kiwi’s are handicapped.
It’s only people like you who want to buy that new Mercedes at low prices that share your view.
Read my comment below on Wheeler, financial reviewers think he’s a joke.
Considering you aim to be on the side of the left your acting like delegates from ACT party, rip off the general population for the sake of that new Mercedes.
Try govt regulation, but first you need a govt, your argument is what they all say, but the benefits to existing mortgage holders is far greater and REAL.
we have record low interest rates….how low do you need to go? negative perhaps?
2.25% is the highest in the world, so 1.5% is not unreasonable and is competitive.
and why are our interest rates higher than most in the OECD?
…clue , it has nothing to do with competitiveness.
It’s called manipulation of the “markets”, JK’s main policy.
You obviously don’t care about exporters, farmers debt, these things affect all of us.
no its called increased risk….we need to borrow from overseas because we don’t save enough AND we have had a negative trade imbalance forever…so we pay a premium,
I care an awful lot about farmers and exporters as when they go bust (as many are very concerned about currently) I do no business
You favour a policy which will accelerate property asset prices and fuck those who are trying to buy their first house.
Again it is a policy which favours financial speculators and the highly leveraged, and fucks savers.
Mate, you’ve been found out.
Mate, don’t you understand what “regulation” means, I know the govt doesn’t, but was hopping you had a better understanding.
Explain why Kiwi’s should pay higher interest rates than any other country in the world, and please make it a valid reason.
And one more thing. You’re preference to cut interest rates injures savers and pensioners who rely on a pitiful 3.25% return on their term deposits in order just to live.
We are in a world where financial speculators and others leveraged to the hilt are advantaged by central banks while savers and pensioners are punished further and further.
You seem to like this ‘new world order’.
All ready covered savers, there is no money in savings now, is there? so much larger benefits for all in lower mortgage interest rates, FFS, why don you think these overseas investors bring the money in, lower interest rates, ay, so why can’t ordinary Kiwi’s have that same advantage FFS, Kiwi’s are being ripped off.
You need to get with the global interest rates, just because of your isolation doesn’t negate your ignorance.
Wheelers rate changes over the last 4 years are an international joke, there all over the place like a “mad persons shit”, if you get my drift.
Thanks for admitting that you’re writing off the future income of savers and pensioners in favour of bankers, speculators and debtors.
That’s all I needed from you.
You sound like my old neighbour, in their 70’s, used to keep $40k in the savings account so that they wouldn’t have to pay “fees”, when all they had to do is change banks.
Get real, bank savings are the lowest form of return and have been for a few years now, if you think propping up the dollar is good for a minority group who chooses to invest in bank savings, then you really are selfish, lower interest rates helps far more people than those “savers”, but please explain why Kiwi’s should have to pay a premium to buy their own home, you know the young families who work hard and pay the Tax that funds your pension, please explain why they shouldn’t have a fair go.
Bloody conservatism……….
You guys are living in a bubble, and can’t see the reality of what is occurring from the smokescreen, it’s much easier to view from outside of that bubble and get a very clear view.
Get with the times, there is very low returns from bank savings, if you look at Japans 30 year bond rate, they are paying 0.3%, and there are plenty of investors buying those bonds, so get yourselves into the real world, interest rates aren’t going up for some time, there are no winners from this, that’s why property speculation is rampant, oh except in Germany, where they regulate speculators out of of the market and oversupply housing availability, something the govt could do, if it had the guts.
Germany has had population decrease for some time….is deflationary….why do you think they want a million working age refugees
Merkel has the backing of the business class in this. Put downward pressure on wages and break up those pesky unions.
Oh look, the little 0.1%er says that returns from bank deposits are low, while advocating interest rate policies to lower them even further.
Punishing savers and pensioners and rewarding speculators and the highly leveraged.
Go away mate I figured out your number already.
Mike Williams- Voice from the Left?
Mike Williams former Labour education officer, Party President, and regular ‘Voice from the Left’ during Monday’s Nine to Noon on RNZ’s “Voices from the left and the right” slot, is not filling the role of left wing commentator as per the show’s description.
The voice from the Right is usually quite ably filled by Matthew Hooton, and it’s worth noting Matthew argues from a fairly radical position.
However Mike Williams’s voice from the Left has for some time, been a source of quiet (and sometimes not so quiet) rage for me. As it turns out this is also true for my more politically aware friends.
The Radio NZ show usually goes something like this;
A topic is introduced by Kathryn Ryan, the topic is taken up by one of the voices, and a position taken, the other voice counters with their position, then at some point through this exchange Williams often ends up in either a sort of agreement with Hooton or somehow just leaves the Lefts position lying abandoned on the floor somewhere in the centrist meaningless nowhere land. You will note when this moment has arrived with Williams’s oral punctuation marks either; “but watch this space” or “there is plenty of water to go under this bridge” or “it’s no silver bullet”
Now his centrist positions might have been fine in 1984 under Douglas, or Clarke for that matter, but in case he hasn’t noticed these same centrist left/right policies from both sides have left the country with more class divisions, pay stagnation, more poverty, a failing Health system, prison population explosion etc etc.
When we should expect moral outrage and indignation from our media commentators, we are served tacit agreement. The same tacit agreement among from the established media and political class that is starting to fuel extreme nationalism across Europe and the U.S. What we need to hear from our left wing commentators is some… well, left wing thinking. If Hooton’s radical Randian rantings can represent the right on a show like Nine to Noon, surely there is an equivalent for left. Let Kathryn patrol the centre if that’s called objectivity.
As I am from the Hawkes Bay I am not at all surprised by Williams’s position. I get his opinion pieces in The Hawkes Bay Today to read. Some of which had me reading them twice, just to see if they could in fact be actually penned by the former Labour Party President.
From writing a puff piece for the Serco run Wiri south Auckland prison;
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503459&objectid=11446050
Defending Judith Collins;
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503459&objectid=11593717
To where he thinks Bill English could teach the Labour Party a thing or two about how to spend money in social spending, hospitals etc.…(what!).
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503459&objectid=11616187
So in short, I believe Mike Williams has lost his right to speak for us on the Left, if you agree then please email RNZ, and ask them to get in someone who can.
Please remember this is one of the few (only?) weekly discussions of Left/Right politics and policies in New Zealand mainstream media, so it is vital that they have the right person.
ninetonoon@radionz.co.nz
Any suggestions of who could fill this important slot?
they replaced mike Williams with Stephen Mills(?) briefly….why they didn’t continue with him I have no idea….he at least pulled M.Hooton up on his obvious BS
Mike is fine. Out of the current group of left wing commentators he is by far the best. Compare him to Pagani, Trotter …
Can you come up with some positive comments to describe why “mike is fine”? I can’t.
sorry MS,,,apart from a brief spark last week he has been weak…..who knows why, but that is not the point…when Hooton knew he would be challenged (by Mills) he was more circumspect on his BS…didnt stop him, but certainly slowed him down….sometimes MW so poor KR feels obliged to step in for him.
Yes I agree, he was a good start.
Couldn’t agree more!
Thanks, remember to email RNZ and let them know.
He is not fine, he’s been riding on the center line so long he doesn’t which lane he is in…I do.
Apart from Deborah Russell I cannot think of anyone better.
That would be David Farrars pick too I think.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/tag/deborah_russell
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201802578/political-commentators-matthew-hooton-and-mike-williams
judge for yourselves
Thanks for that link Pat.
Here is a perfect example, Mike with a golden opportunity to rigorously attack Hooton on Nationals inept budget, you couldn’t get an easier gift than this….but no, KR has to step in again and again to take the (least) position that Mike should be taking.
It is painful to listen to.
What puts me off Nine to Noon is the incessant contribution from Ryan.