@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. [email protected]
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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South Islands farmers are whining about another drought, the third in three years. If only we knew what was causing this! If only someone had warned them that they faced a drying climate! But we do know what is causing it: climate change. And they have been warned, repeatedly, for ...
Ok, there’s good news and bad news in this week’s inflation figures, but bad > good. Our inflation rate held steady but hey, at a level below the inflation rate in Australia. The main reason for the so/so result here? A fall in petrol prices of 7.2% offset the really ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes: Since her shock resignation announcement, Jacinda Ardern has been at pains to point out that she isn’t leaving because of the toxicity directed at her on social media and elsewhere, rebutting journalists who suggested misogyny and hate may have driven her from office. Yet ...
Since her shock resignation announcement, Jacinda Ardern has been at pains to point out that she isn’t leaving because of the toxicity directed at her on social media and elsewhere, rebutting journalists who suggested misogyny and hate may have driven her from office. Yet there have been dozens of columns ...
The Clinical Magus: Of particular relevance to New Zealanders struggling to come to terms with the sudden departure of their prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, is Jung’s concept of the anima. Much more than what others have called the feminine principle, the anima is what the human male has made out ...
The Select Committee, considering the proposed RNZ-TVNZ merger, has come back with a report conceding many of the criticisms that were made of the original legislation. In what is one of the most comprehensive demolitions of a Bill submitted to a Select Committee, the Economic Development, Science and Innovation ...
Such are the 2020s, the age when no-one, it seems, actually respects the basic underpinnings of democracy. Even in New Zealand. This week, I stumbled across a pair of lengthy and genuinely serious articles, that basically argue that Something is Rotten in the state of New Zealand democracy. One ...
Buzz from the Beehive Hurrah. Today we found something fresh on the Beehive website, Beehive.govt.nz, which claims to be the best place to find Government initiatives, policies and Ministerial information. It wasn’t from Finance Minister Grant Robertson, whose reaction to the latest inflation figures would have been appreciated. So, too, ...
Smiling And Waiving A Golden Opportunity: Chris Hipkins knew that the day at Ratana would be Jacinda’s day – her final opportunity to bask in the unalloyed love and support of her followers. He simply could not afford to be seen to overshadow this last chance for his former boss ...
Extremism Consumes Itself: The plot of “Act of Oblivion” concerns the relentless pursuit of the “regicides” Edward Whalley and William Goffe – two of the fifty-nine signatories to King Charles I’s death warrant. As with his many other works of historical fiction, Robert Harris’s novel brings to life a period ...
To challenge the Government’s promotion of co-governance, to share power between Maori and public authorities and agencies, is to invite accusations of racism. An example: this article by Martyn Bradbury on The Daily Blog headed Luxon’s race baiting hypocrisy at Ratana. The article was triggered by National leader Christopher Luxon, ...
A very informative video discussion: Are we getting the whole story about Ukraine? | Robert Wright & Ivan Katchanovski Getting objective information on the situation in Ukraine and the cause of this current war is not easy. There is the current censorship and blatant mainstream media bias – which ...
Yesterday the Herald ran an op-ed from Mayor Wayne Brown titled “The case for light rail is lighter than ever” and a few things stood out. However, it’s getting more and more tricky to make a strong economic case for spending up to $29 billion on a single route of ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Samantha Harrington Imagine it’s a cold February night and your furnace breaks. You want to replace it with an electric heat pump because you’ve heard that tax credits will help pay for the switch. And you know that heat pumps can reduce ...
In 2005, then-National Party leader based his entire election campaign on racism, with his infamous racist Orewa speech and racist iwi/kiwi billboards. Now, Christopher Luxon seems to want to do it all again: Fresh off using his platform at this week's Rātana celebrations to criticise the government's approach to ...
Inflation is showing little sign of slowing down, posing a problem for freshly minted PM Chris Hipkins. According to that old campaigner Richard Prebble, Hipkins should call a snap election. If he waits till October, he risks being swept away. The dilemma for the new leader is that fighting an election ...
Buzz from the Beehive A great deal has happened since January 19. Among other things, a new Prime Minister and deputy have been sworn in and our leaders (past, present and aspiring) have delivered speeches at Ratana. Newshub reported that politicians of all stripes had descended upon Rātana for the ...
It’s a big day for New Zealand; our 41st Prime Minister has taken office and the new, “Chippy” era of politics is underway. Or, on the other hand, the Labour Party continues to govern with an overall majority and much the same leadership team in place. Life goes on and ...
New Zealand has another Prime Minister who does not have a basic grasp of the three articles of the Treaty of Waitangi. THOMAS CRANMER writes: It is simply astonishing that New Zealand’s next Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, is unable to give even a brief explanation of the three articles ...
A statue of a semi-naked Nick Smith puts the misogyny debate into perspective. GRAHAM ADAMS writes … In the wake of Ardern’s abrupt resignation, the mainstream media are determined to convince us she was hounded from office mainly because she is a woman and had to fall on her sword ...
A Different Kind Of Vibe: In the days and weeks ahead, as the Hipkins ministry takes shape, the only question that matters is whether New Zealand’s new prime minister possesses both the wisdom and the courage to correct his party’s currently suicidal political course. If Chris “Chippy” Hipkins is ...
An editorial in the NZ Herald last week, titled “Nimbyism goes bananas as housing intensifies“, introduced Herald readers to a couple of acronyms that go along with the now-familiar NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard): “bananas” (build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone) “cave” dwellers (citizens against virtually everything). The editorial ...
Back in the dark autumn of 2020, when the prospect of Covid was freaking the country out, Finance Minister Grant Robertson set himself and Treasury a series of questions about what a post-Covid economy might look like. Those were fearful days, and the questions in part reflected a series ...
Buzz from the Beehive Yet another day has passed without Ministers of the Crown posting something to show they are still working for us on the Beehive website. Nothing new has been posted since January 17. Perhaps the ministers are all engaged in the bemusing annual excursion ...
Incoming Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has already indicated he intends making the tax system “fairer”. That points to the route a government facing an election could take to tilt the odds towards winning in its favour, given Labour’s support in the last months of the Ardern era had been ...
NewsHub has a poll on the cost-of-living crisis, which has an interesting finding: the vast majority of kiwis prefer wage rises to tax cuts: When asked whether income has kept up with the cost of living, 54.8 percent of people surveyed said no and according to 58.6 percent of ...
Labour has begun 2023 with the centre-left bloc behind in the polls and losing ground. That being so, did his colleagues choose Chris Hipkins as the replacement for Jacinda Ardern because they think he has a realistic shot at leading them to victory this year, or because he‘s the best ...
Two Flags, Two Masters? Just as it required a full-scale military effort to destroy the first attempt at Māori self-government in the 1850s and 60s (an effort that divided Maoridom itself into supporters and opponents of the Crown) any second attempt to establish tino rangatiratanga, based on the confiscatory policies ...
The first of Kiwirail’s big network shutdowns to fix the foundations on our tracks is now well underway with the Southern Line closed between Otahuhu and Newmarket. This is following on from the network wide Christmas/New Year shutdown, during which Kiwirail say that nearly 1,300 people working across 69 different ...
This is a re-post from the Citizens' Climate Lobby blogIn last year’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Congress included about $20 billion earmarked for natural climate solutions. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for deciding how those funds should be allocated to meet the climate ...
You’ve really got to wonder at the introspection, or lack thereof, from much of the mainstream media post Jacinda Ardern stepping down. Some so-called journalists haven’t even taken a breath before once again putting the boot in, which clearly shows their inherent bias and lack of any misgivings about fueling ...
Over the weekend I was interviewed by a media outlet about the threats that Jacinda Ardern and her family have received while she has been PM and what can be expected now that she has resigned. I noted that the level of threat she has been exposed to is unprecedented ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes: The days of the Labour Government being associated with middle class social liberalism look to be numbered. Soon-to-be Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni are heralding a major shift in emphasis away from the constituencies and ideologies of liberal Grey ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to provide direct support to low-income households and to stop subsidising fossil fuels during a climate crisis. ...
The tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...
A new Government and industry strategy launched today has its sights on growing the value of New Zealand’s horticultural production to $12 billion by 2035, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our food and fibre exports are vital to New Zealand’s economic security. We’re focussed on long-term strategies that build on ...
25 cents per litre petrol excise duty cut extended to 30 June 2023 – reducing an average 60 litre tank of petrol by $17.25 Road User Charge discount will be re-introduced and continue through until 30 June Half price public transport fares extended to the end of June 2023 saving ...
The strong economy has attracted more people into the workforce, with a record number of New Zealanders in paid work and wages rising to help with cost of living pressures. “The Government’s economic plan is delivering on more better-paid jobs, growing wages and creating more opportunities for more New Zealanders,” ...
The Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Cabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive ...
The new Cabinet will be focused on core bread and butter issues like the cost of living, education, health, housing and keeping communities and businesses safe, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. “We need a greater focus on what’s in front of New Zealanders right now. The new Cabinet line ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. “The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,” Chris Hipkins ...
The Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “We moved quickly to make available this funding to support Aucklanders while the full extent of the damage is being assessed,” Kieran McAnulty ...
As the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. “I’d urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...
Ka papā te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wāhi rua mai ana rā runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te māreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira Nā reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mōwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pōuri ...
Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the Tairāwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...
The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “Announcing the election date early in the year provides New Zealanders with certainty and has become the practice of this Government and the previous one, and I believe is best practice,” Jacinda ...
Jacinda Ardern has announced she will step down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Her resignation will take effect on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. A caucus vote to elect a new Party Leader will occur in 3 days’ time on Sunday the 22nd of ...
The Government is maintaining its strong trade focus in 2023 with Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visiting Europe this week to discuss the role of agricultural trade in climate change and food security, WTO reform and New Zealand agricultural innovation. Damien O’Connor will travel tomorrow to Switzerland to attend the ...
The Government has extended its medium-scale classification of Cyclone Hale to the Wairarapa after assessing storm damage to the eastern coastline of the region. “We’re making up to $80,000 available to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to help farmers and growers recover from the significant damage in the region,” ...
The Government is making an initial contribution of $150,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Tairāwhiti following ex-Tropical Cyclone Hale, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “While Cyclone Hale has caused widespread heavy rain, flooding and high winds across many parts of the North Island, Tairāwhiti ...
Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor has classified this week’s Cyclone Hale that caused significant flood damage across the Tairāwhiti/Gisborne District as a medium-scale adverse event, unlocking Government support for farmers and growers. “We’re making up to $100,000 available to help coordinate efforts as farmers and growers recover from the heavy ...
It’s the biggest week in Real Pod history! Jane made her debut in Treasure Island: Fans v Faves and we grill her all about the drama from week one. Why did she put up Micah? How brutal was the wrestling challenge IRL? And what were her concerns about joining Lance’s ...
Treasure Island is back, baby, and so are our power rankings. Tara Ward recaps all the big plays from the dramatic first week of Fans v Faves. Treasure Island: Fans v Faves has finally washed ashore, and after hoovering down the first three action-packed episodes, I’m fuller than a weatherman ...
By Felix Chaudhary in Suva New Zealand-based Fijian academic Professor Steven Ratuva says that if the coalition government is strong, resilient and lasts, “this will reflect well as a future model for coalitions in Fiji”. “It’s a learning process for a new government and a new democracy and we expect ...
By Finau Fonua, RNZ Pacific journalist Many Pasifika families affected by the flash floods and torrential rainfall that have lashed New Zealand’s North Island over the past few days were braced for more bad weather overnight. With four people dead and hundreds forced out of their homes over the weekend ...
RNZ Pacific A New Zealand-based professor in comparative politics says the Fiji constitution needs to clear up the role of the military. Dr Jon Fraenkel of Victoria University, formerly of the University of the South Pacific, says the 2013 constitution revived the provision that existed in the 1990 constitution which ...
By Repeka Nasiko in Lautoka Fiji’s Media Industry Development Act will soon be reviewed over the next few weeks. Speaking to The Fiji Times in Lautoka on Monday, Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica said the review was one of the main objectives of the coalition government when it came to ...
ANALYSIS:By Peter Wilson, political commentator for RNZ News Tuesday, February 7, at 2pm. That’s when New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ parliamentary year begins and he faces National leader Christopher Luxon in the debating chamber for the first question time of 2023. He needs to “Win the House”, ...
Analysis - Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has had a dream start with polls showing Labour ahead of National, but now he has to prove himself in Parliament and quickly deliver on his promises. ...
Andrew Kirton has been appointed the prime minister’s staff by Chris Hipkins. He begins the role on February 8, replacing Raj Nahna, who has resigned. Nahna become Jacinda Ardern’s chief of staff after Mike Munro resigned for health reasons in 2019. A former Helen Clark staffer, Labour Party general secretary ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luciano Beheregaray, Matthew Flinders Professor of Biodiversity Genomics, Flinders University Shutterstock As the climate heats up rapidly, many species will struggle to avoid extinction. If they had time, they could evolve to the new environmental conditions. But they don’t. That’s ...
The Labour Party has selected Sarah Pallett as its candidate for the Ilam electorate in the 2023 general election. Sarah has been the MP for Ilam since the 2020 General Election. She currently sits on two Select Committees, is the Chair of the Labour ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madison Williams-Hoffman, PhD Candidate in Environmental Radioactivity, Edith Cowan University WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services By now, you’ve probably heard about a tiny radioactive capsule that went missing from the back of a truck somewhere in Western Australia. ...
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has welcomed the news that schools will be allowed to reopen from tomorrow morning. The Ministry of Education backtracked on its initial decision to keep schools closed until next week. In a statement, Brown also welcomed the blue sky that had replaced clouds across the super ...
Auckland Pride has quietly become one of the most culturally and economically important festivals in the country. Jade Winterburn writes about what it means to her as a queer Aucklander and her hopes for its future.It took some encouragement from a friend to get me out to see my ...
As Auckland begins a big dry following record rainfall and devastating floods, the official response from Mayor Wayne Brown and others has come under scrutiny. In The Spinoff’s politics podcast Gone By Lunchtime, Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas debate the deluge ...
How has Chris Hipkins performed in his first big tests as prime minister? Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas debate the deluge aftermath, as well as assessing Wayne Brown’s emergency response, and a pair of polls that show an election year in the balance. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan de Groot Heupner, Senior Research Fellow, Griffith University US Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to the Middle East this week to make yet another push for a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians following yet another dramatic escalation in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol Johnson, Emerita Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Adelaide Mick Tsikas/AAP Treasurer Jim Chalmers begins his Monthly essay “Capitalism After the Crises” with a quote from the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus: “No man ever steps in ...
New Prime Minister Chris Hipkins followed up an announcement of new cost of living measures on Wednesday with a visit to a North Shore Marae The clouds parted and a tableau of brilliant blue rushed in to fill the void as the fledgling Prime Minister made his rounds of Auckland ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University In its new national cultural policy, the Australian government grapples with issues extending well beyond the creative arts. The policy document places issues like First Nations representation, work and wages, technological upheaval, discrimination ...
Morningside Live Blockparty will proceed this Sunday February 5 as scheduled, and at this point sunshine is forecast. Severe weather over the weekend and last night, however, has seen the location of The Spinoff Carpet Club stage (a basement below The Carpet Court) flooded and unusable for the event taking ...
Auckland schools will be able to open their doors to students from tomorrow. That’s despite the Ministry of Education announcing late on Monday afternoon that all learning facilities, including kura and universities, must close until after the Waitangi long weekend. Schools have been notified today that the blanket directive to ...
What are you going to be watching in February? We round up everything coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ+. The biggies You (season four, part one on Netflix from February 9) When we last left murder-curious hipster Joe Goldberg, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Grattan Institute Lukas Coch/AAP Nine months after the 2022 federal election, voters finally get a look at how much the parties spent and who funded their campaigns. Data released today reveal Australia’s political parties collectively ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has welcomed the decision to lift the Ministry of Education’s directive on Auckland schools and other learning facilities, which means schools can open from tomorrow at their discretion. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, ...
The head of the South Island’s Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency says the new Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins yesterday is good news for Māori, with Peeni Henare retaining his spot as Minister of Whānau Ora, and Kiri Allan and Willie ...
The latest report from Aroturuki Tamariki, the Independent Children’s Monitor, on Experiences of Care in Aotearoa shows that there is not yet a significant improvement in outcomes for children in care, or their whānau and caregivers. Experiences of ...
The Children’s Commissioner, Judge Frances Eivers, said today that the latest Independent Child Monitor report into the performance of Oranga Tamariki, provides valuable insights, but its findings are of huge concern. Judge Eivers said, “In ...
Auckland’s deputy mayor has commented (via tweet) after this morning appearing to label her boss “part of the problem” in an interview about the flooding. On TVNZ’s Breakfast this morning, Desley Simpson was asked when the media will be able to speak with Wayne Brown, who has been particularly reluctant ...
Found a lost pet? Wondering how the animal shelters are going? The SPCA and the Auckland Council animal management team share some advice. Floods don’t just affect humans, they affect the furry members of the family too. It’s important to look out for animals following the Auckland floods, although it’s ...
An assessment of the impacts on an “inundated” City Rail Link project is under way following flooding in Auckland. Crews have pumped water from tunnels and stations sites and equipment was being salvaged and inspected, said the project chief executive Sean Sweeney. “At this stage there is no known structural ...
The government has announced another extension of its cost of living package – the fourth time it has pushed out the end date. The 25 cent cut to petrol excise duty, along with half price public transport fares, will be kept in place until June 30. These were initially set ...
It’s one of the most explosive moments in New Zealand’s political history. Now, director Tony Sutorius (Campaign) lifts the lid on the Jami-Lee Ross saga in Elements of Truth. After a fallout with National that threatens to bring the entire party down with it, Jami-Lee Ross seeks a return to ...
It was one of the most explosive moments in New Zealand’s political history. Now, a new documentary from director Tony Sutorius (Campaign) is lifting the lid on the Jami-Lee Ross saga.After a fallout with National that threatened to bring the entire party down with it, Jami-Lee Ross sought a ...
Transporting New Zealand has applauded the decision of the Government to reinstate the Transport Support Package, which includes the discount to road user charges (RUC). "On behalf of the transport industry and those who run diesel fuelled vehicles, ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins who is in Auckland today has confirmed the cut to the fuel excise tax and half-price public transport will be extended until June. ...
The Tree Council is experiencing first hand, along with everyone else, the worst ravages of the flooding, landslips, chaos and carnage currently engulfing Auckland. The record-breaking rainfall and its unprecedented intensity is a clear signal of ...
Low unemployment and strong wage growth in the December quarter 2022 Household Labour Force Survey are further evidence of New Zealand’s robust recovery from the pandemic, says the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff said ...
The Taxpayers’ Union – which has been campaigning for an extension to the diesel road-user charges and petrol excise reductions – has welcomed the Government’s announcement today that the fuel tax cuts will continue until 30 June. They have, ...
Unemployment has risen slightly to 3.4%, just a 0.1 point bump from the December quarter. “The unemployment rate… has remained at or near historic lows since the September 2021 quarter,” said Stats NZ’s work and wellbeing statistics senior manager Becky Collett. The underutilisation rate, which measures spare labour capacity, such ...
Maybe twice a year is too many times to visit the villa, writes Alex Casey. This is an excerpt from The Spinoff’s weekly pop culture and entertainment newsletter Rec Room – sign up here.Lana is a simple girl with simple needs. “I like the simple things in life,” she tells ...
The length of time someone has spent in Australia will soon be a “primary consideration” when determining whether a visa should be cancelled. It’s a major softening of the controversial 501 deportation scheme that has caused tensions between Australia and New Zealand. Jacinda Ardern fought for changes to the rules ...
If you’re an investor, or looking to become one in 2023, Dean Anderson from Kernel Wealth sheds some light on what that might look like after the highs and lows of last year.Following the dizzying highs of 2021 when stocks skyrocketed to record-setting gains, 2022 proved to be a ...
We are now accepting applications for The Next Page, a programme focusing on the development of early-career magazine editors, with participants receiving mentorship and taking part in three wānanga across the year. Nau mai, haere mai!Te kaupapaEditors play a vital role in our media landscape, yet very few ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins who is in Auckland today has confirmed the cut to the fuel excise tax and half-price public transport will be extended until June. ...
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in the December 2022 quarter, compared with 3.3 percent last quarter, Stats NZ said today. “The unemployment rate, as measured by the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS), has remained at or ...
Engaging seniors and young people through workshops, creating a series of kaupapa Māori events for kaumātua and kuia, and delivering retirement workshops are among the latest projects funded by the Age friendly fund. Office for Seniors Director, ...
A Newshub item discussing the alleged misuse of public funds for safety improvements at a greyhound racetrack was unbalanced and inaccurate, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. The Authority has upheld a complaint by Greyhound Racing New ...
It’s Wednesday, February 1 and welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates – continuing our ongoing coverage of the flooding in Auckland and its aftermath. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, you can reach me on [email protected] What you need to know Auckland remains in a local state of emergency after ...
Under-fire Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has doubled (tripled?) down on his criticism of the media, accusing reporters of ignoring the work he has done in the wake of last week’s floods. In a conversation with Herald reporter David Fisher, who was first leaked the now infamous “drongo” text, Brown said ...
Residents in the flood-hit suburb of Browns Bay were outraged to find Auckland Transport traffic wardens had been out ticketing parked vehicles. According to Stuff, about 22 infringement notices were issued to cars in the North Shore suburb – seemingly going against the Civil Defence advice to stay home and ...
No one warned me how badly grief can make you yearn for physical intimacy – or how much backlash I would get for wanting to talk about it.On January 19, 2003, I moved to Aotearoa as the wife of a very handsome, very charming, very kind man. Jason Hotere ...
Stuff’s Luke Malpass is reporting that prime minister Chris Hipkins will announce an extension to the 25-cent petrol tax cut and half-price public transport. Those were set to end by March 31, as announced by finance minister Grant Robertson in December. The announcement is likely to be made today when Hipkins ...
The top of the country has endured another wild night of heavy rain and wind, with flash flooding hitting areas still recovering from Friday’s deluge. Parts of Auckland were cut off earlier this morning as the northern motorway closed in both directions. Waka Kotahi said all lanes had now opened, ...
Former physician Ayesha Verrall and former principal Jan Tinetti pick up big portfolios while Auckland gets an advocate in an otherwise well-anticipated cabinet reshuffle, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. An ...
The Free Fares coalition welcomes news that the Government will extend half-price public transport. “Affordable public transport is helping to ease cost of living pressures,” said Free Fares spokesperson Kate Day. “Right now, half-price fares ...
While Auckland was being devastated by flooding last weekend, a potentially more serious threat to life was playing out off Wellington’s south coast. The interisland ferry Kaitaki had lost power and was drifting in heavy swells towards the coastline. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Sawyer, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Australian Catholic University Shutterstock Child abuse and neglect is, unfortunately, a far more common occurrence in Australia than many people realise. In Australia in 2020–21 (the most recent figures available), there were more than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Frost, Associate Professor, University of Auckland Paramount Pictures In his latest film, Babylon, director Damien Chazelle presents a very different vision of the home of America’s motion picture industry than he did in his Oscar-winning 2016 film, La La ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Roberts, Professor in Robotics, Queensland University of Technology frank60/Shutterstock With generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT and StableDiffusion being the talk of the town right now, it might feel like we’ve taken a giant leap closer to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanessa Cobham, Professor of Clinical Psychology, The University of Queensland Shutterstock Many children come down with a case of the back-to-school blues as summer slips away. Having spent the holidays staying up late and having fun with friends and family, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martijn Boersma, Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame Australia Ten years ago, the garment industry’s worst industrial accident – the Rana Plaza collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh – killed more than 1,100 workers and highlighted the travesty of conditions for millions of garment ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Shaw, Professor of Politics, Massey University New prime minister Chris Hipkins with deputy Carmel Sepuloni.Getty Images With a cabinet reshuffle just a day after two polls showing Labour ahead again – in which he promoted more Māori MPs to the ...
What to do once the water levels recede and you’re allowed to return home. Assess the damage If you’ve safely evacuated your home from floodwaters, you’ll need to wait for Civil Defence to give you the OK to return. When you do, wear protective gear like gloves, a mask and ...
As the country’s northernmost GP, and later as the MP for the country’s northernmost Māori electorate, Bruce Gregory was the ultimate community doctor.We’re not on a road, not even a dirt road. We’re crawling through a rutted gap between sand dunes in Bruce’s ancient Land Rover. It is, to ...
The wrong tree in the right place is an ongoing conundrum for Central Otago District Council with a long-awaited compromise plan seemingly decided yesterday stalled at the 11th hour Ken Churchill has been turning up at council meetings in Alexandra with regular monotony for the past 17 months in a ...
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.
https://twitter.com/AnnieLinskey/status/741080996947329025
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.”
https://twitter.com/AnnieLinskey/status/741073407064805376
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.
[email protected]
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.