500 days for a jury trial, 18 months for victims of serious crime for their day in court.
What do journalists do when in a hammock with a laptop and a cell phone?
The new Government is taking a laser focus …but some of the options could undermine judicial discretion and lead to a greater risk of innocent people pleading guilty.
Setting greater rewards for early guilty pleas into law is one of several changes
This is because a standard 25% discount was being applied regardless of how far the case had progressed (a 2021 study result). However research in Canada suggested a risk.
Research in Canada, for example, has shown innocent people pleading guilty to avoid spending time in jail on remand, where living conditions were poor and they were isolated from family.
In other words, those who were stuck behind bars had much more incentive to plead guilty than those who were already out.
Which is all related to access to bail, or home detention as alternative to prison on remand. But also why serve time on remand before a case when a guilty plea means an earlier sentence and earlier knowledge of when they will get out (those on remand are more likely to sentenced to prison if found guilty).
The Supreme Court questioned giving those obviously guilty a 25% reduction just for admitting it early
“unjustified windfall benefits … to those who have little choice but to plead guilty”.
The previous Government was also looking into more incentives for earlier case resolution, including more money for police prosecutions, and requiring police to give defendants more information earlier on. It also wanted to shift when defendants can elect a jury trial to later in the process, which was aimed at discouraging such trials.
The article goes onto a lot of other factors,
Potential factors included “running down judicial resourcing”, more defendants representing themselves in court, financial incentives for a longer process – the more court events, the higher the legal aid fees – and an “adjournment mentality”.
The latter is seemingly encouraged by the 2011 Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), which was meant to lead to more cases closing earlier by encouraging lawyers from both sides to discuss alternative resolutions. In reality, it had created a “‘tick box’ effect on prosecution and defence … ultimately creating adjournments”.
And onto the core of the issue
One was lawyers lacking enough information to make early plea recommendations. Another was a perception that cases might weaken over time, so it was seen as beneficial to drag them out and see what happens.
“As a result, as one of the lawyers in the Manukau group put it: ‘You would never find a lawyer who would recommend [pleading guilty early].’ This emerging default approach is compounded by the workload pressure,” the report said.
A lawyer in Christchurch told researchers that there was too much work, so it was convenient for both sides to “let things drift along … pleading guilty later is one way they can do this”.
Like the review of NZ research, the report identified financial incentives in legal aid cases that take longer to resolve, and unintended consequences with the CPA.
Of course if there was a a 25% discount for an early guilty plea, the clients of the said lawyers would have more a motive to have it sorted earlier.
Heartily sick of these stories. When are drivers going to take responsibility for their lack of road skills.
Use your eyes, potholes are well visible if you are awake. Slow down, take the slight deviation necessary to miss them.
The photo in this story shows the pothole is actually almost off the edge of the road.
Raj Narayan had enjoyed his newly purchased 2018 BMW 125i for about 15 minutes when he hit a pothole on State Highway 2 near Napier, that caused his rear-view mirror to fly off, and damaged his wheel and suspension.
People seem to think that a bucket full of "hot mix" will fix a pothole in 5 minutes. They also draw no distinction between State Highways which are Government responsibilities, and local roads which are the responsibility of the Local Authority.
The previous NACT Government increased the allowable weight of the road haulage vehicles while freezing the SH repair budget.
The main enemies of road surfaces are pressure and water. Pressure from heavy vehicles can cause cracks in the road surface. The water gets in and the basecourse deteriorates and washes out.
You cannot fix this properly during wet weather because the basecourse of the road has to be properly dry before a permanent repair can be made. You can do a temporary repair, but it deteriorates quickly.
Whatever the problems National will snap its fingers and instantly all the potholes will be fixed, at least that is what they have convinced so many petrol heads to believe.
The trick will be to get National to snap its fingers. It is still in its post election victory celebratory mode at the moment and can't be arsed.
Not true, heavy rain, oncoming traffic with lights on, half the time on full beam and too narrow roads so avoiding action is bloody dangerous are great disguises for holes, and NO, most are not on the edge of the road the vast majority are caused by very heavy trucks invariably going too fast for conditions and are some distance from the edge of the road. Too heavy truck and trailer units are completely the fault of the corrupt National Party who got millions from the transport industry prior to the 2008 election.
An interesting bit of research would be exactly how many of the far too numerous head-on crashes are caused by avoiding large pot holes? Do the Police not include this as a contributing cause?
It seems the Houthi are about to get what they deserve.
First they lied that their attack on Red Sea shipping was a targeted blockade on Israel
Now this double speak
Later, Houthi military spokesman Yahya al-Sarea confirmed its forces had carried out an operation involving "a large number of ballistic and naval missiles and drones".
"It targeted a US ship that was providing support for the Zionist entity [Israel]," he said.
"The operation came as an initial response to the treacherous assault on our naval forces by the US enemy forces," he added, referring to the sinking of three Houthi speed boats and killing of their crews by US Navy helicopters during an attempted attack on a container ship on 31 December.
The ship the Houthi tried to attack had nothing to do with Israel, and thus defence of it was a defence of freedom of the seas.
He added that the rebels would "not hesitate to adequately deal with all hostile threats as part of the legitimate right to defend our country, people and nation".
Stopping an attack on shipping is not an attack on Yemen, or the people of Yemen, but on a group involved in an on-going organised crime.
Mr Sarea also reiterated that the Houthis would continue to "prevent Israeli ships or ships heading towards occupied Palestine from navigating in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea until the [Israeli] aggression [on Gaza] has come to an end and the blockade has been lifted".
Many of the ships attacked in the Red Sea were sailing away from Palestine – transporting goods from Europe to Asia.
Apparently the goal of the Houthi is to attack world shipping to blackmail the world into appeasement of its terrorism. Which should be seen as an international crime.
Apparently the goal of the Houthi is to attack world shipping to blackmail the world into appeasement of its terrorism. Which should be seen as an international crime.
????
The goal of the Houthi is to prevent and hamper shipping that supports Israeli/American terrorism, which is an international crime.
Difficult to see how merchant ships which were not Israeli owned or operated – and were sailing away from the Suez canal – had anything to do with Palestine or Gaza.
"India increased surveillance in the waters after an India-bound commercial vessel carrying crude oil was targeted last month by a drone attack off the country’s west coast."
It makes your claim that the Houthi goal is only "to prevent and hamper shipping that supports Israeli/American terrorism, which is an international crime." – rather questionable.
The fact is, the Houthis are the only people with the integrity to do what the rest of the world should be doing: stopping Israel's crimes. If countries like New Zealand, Australia, and the United States did something meaningful to stop the genocide in Gaza instead of handwringing (or actually supporting it) then the Houthis would not be forced to do something.
Of course, it's no surprise to see this group above all others, taking active steps to support the people of Gaza. They've been subjected to a U.S.-backed genocide of their own for the last decade….
No, it's not simple piracy. It's political. The politics can be solved immediately: Washington can stop the slaughter with a simple command. The Houthis' political attacks on Western shipping would cease.
Like you, I don't think they should target shipping. It's counterproductive, as you so ably point out. They're too small to blockade any nation of course. The country blockading Israel would be the United States, if it actually took seriously its own rhetoric about "rules base order" and "human rights."
Oh, so it is now (in your opinion) a wider attack on Western shipping – nothing to do with attacking shipping which supports Israel.
A reversal of your initial claim that the Houthi goal is only “to prevent and hamper shipping that supports Israeli/American terrorism, which is an international crime.”
If the Houthis want war with the Western world, I hope (though strongly doubt) they are prepared for the consequences.
Please note that countries such as India, China and Russia are just as outraged as the 'West' – as their shipping is being targeted as well.
Attack on shipping is piracy. Full stop. Political attacks on shipping is terrorism.
Calling an act of violence a political act is no excuse for violence. And in my humble opinion a combination politics and violence is heading towards terrorism.
I’m not into violence l, unless it’s an old school war movie like the Battle of Britain.
Any it’s just a thought
Not into violence unless it is the butchering of Palestinians…
[one month ban for flaming another commenter. You’ve been warned about this before. One example is here. To make it really clear, if you want to keep commenting here, stop flaming, and the things we addressed in the past day about presenting evidence at the time of commenting. I suggest you book mark the mod notes, because you appear to not remember them. Mods are out of patience – weka]
The UN Security Council scheduled a vote on a resolution that would condemn and demand an immediate halt to attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea area.
At an open Security Council meeting last week, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called on Houthi leaders to implement the statement by the 13 countries and halt attacks.
But he stressed that the Houthi's actions must be seen as a response to "Israel's brutal operation in Gaza", and the best scenario would be for the Security Council to redouble efforts to end the Yemen civil war and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The "catastrophic" scenario, Nebenzia said, would be to escalate the use of force in the Red Sea which risks derailing a settlement of the Yemen conflict . It would also create conditions "for igniting a new major conflict around at least the Arabian Peninsula" and a wider regional conflict, he said.
The resolution would affirm that the navigational rights and freedoms of merchant and commercial vessels must be respected, and take note "of the right of member states, in accordance with international law, to defend their vessels from attacks, including those that undermine navigational rights and freedoms".
Without naming Iran, the Houthis main arms supplier, the draft to be voted on would condemn all arms dealings with the rebels, which violate Security Council sanctions. It would also call for "additional practical cooperation to prevent the Houthis from acquiring the material necessary to carry out further attacks"
It "urges caution and restraint to avoid further escalation of the situation in the Red Sea and the broader region". And it "encourages enhanced diplomatic efforts by all parties to that end, including continued support for dialogue and Yemen's peace process under the UN auspices".
Formally known as the Ansar Allah (Partisans of God), the Houthis began as a movement that championed Yemen's Zaidi Shia Muslim minority.
In 2014, they took control of the capital, Sanaa, and seized large parts of western Yemen the following year, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the international-recognised Yemeni government.
The ensuing war has reportedly killed more than 150,000 people and left 21 million others in need of humanitarian assistance.
Saudi Arabia and the US have accused Iran of smuggling weapons, including drones and cruise and ballistic missiles, to the Houthis in violation of a UN arms embargo. Iran has denied the allegation.
ease back on the copypasta please. People can read the link if they want all that. We prefer that people explain their points in their own words (and use links/quotes to highlight or back up).
US Imperialism remains the major impediment to world peace, and resolution of scores of asymmetrical armed conflicts, aggressions and post colonial fallout scenarios.
Go Houthis!–they are showing solidarity with Palestine which the likes of the gutless EU and many others are unwilling to. Do you really expect brutalised populations and organisations to pay any attention to zionist supporters and comfortable westerners “rules”?
Heh, I don’t. Friends of mine have been on Kia Ora Gaza flotillas to try and breach the sea blockade and deliver medical and other aid to Gaza, they were luck to escape with their lives after being detained illegally on international waters, taken to shore, beaten by IDF thugs and thankfully released after various interventions.
The Israelis learnt the lesson of the Warsaw Ghetto well, tragically it was totally the wrong lesson–“do what the Nazis did to a captured population”.
Yemen has made compromises and worked hard to rebuild its country and regain the trust of its people, but the head of the Presidential Leadership Council on Thursday cautioned the international community that “dealing with Houthi militias as de facto authorities” would likely reverse hard-won gains and could turn Yemen into a hotspot to export terrorism worldwide.
“We hope that the Houthi militias will recognize a singular truth: Only a State that is based on the rule of law and equal citizenship will ensure that our country is stable, safe, and respected in the region” and wider international community, he said.
“There is a sure path towards peace by rekindling the trust of the Yemeni people in international legitimacy and in their national government,” he continued. “For that, we need to support the legal government, we need to strengthen the economy so that the government can provide services so that we can put an end to the militias and build a brighter future.”
US Imperialism remains the major impediment to world peace, and resolution of scores of asymmetrical armed conflicts, aggressions and post colonial fallout scenarios.
Just how is this the case Tiger Mountain? When I was studying international relations back during the Iraq War, my lecturer always warned us against trying to find a single root cause for any IR problem.
In the context of the latest cycle of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, I'd absolutely agree that US policy vis a vis the Middle East has created an epic moral and geopolitical quagmire. And that their financial and military support for the Israeli state is fundamentally important to Israeli security policy. And probably contributed to the IDF's gung-ho approach of committing egregious war crimes first, and then maybe thinking about asking questions later.
But to simply blame all of this on "US Imperialism" is, in my view, a trite and rather lazy analysis.
What about Russian Imperialism? or China's growing assertiveness as their economy cools down and the prospect of a short victorious war to reclaim Taiwan looks increasingly tantalising? Are they not also massive threats to global peace?
Or, even more salient, what about the Israelis? They're perfectly capable of setting and asserting their own policy objectives. And they don't give a proverbial about what anyone (even the USA) has to say about them.
Don’t buy your misgivings. US Imperialist hegemony remains supreme, though fading a little compared to the late 20th century.
I said major not only impediment. The US has almost a thousand publicly discoverable off shore military bases and surveillance facilities, many butted right up against their declared enemies territories in Eastern Europe, Asia and the Mid East. Imagine the reaction if say Iran parked up one ship off the coast of Mexico…the USA has maintained an economic blockade of Cuba since 1959. They are the lead enforcers for capital and international finance capital.
BRICS and the South generally are going to kick their arse sooner rather than later unless they pull their heads in.
Israel would be gone by lunchtime tomorrow if the US cascade of money and arms were withdrawn.
But to simply blame all of this on "US Imperialism" is, in my view, a trite and rather lazy analysis.
You're correct. The original injustice here was perpetrated by Great Britain and France. You can't deny the role of the U.S. now, however. Britain especially, and also France are no more than vassal states. Extremely violent and powerful vassal states, but vassal states nonetheless. Just like Israel.
By the way, why did you put scare quotes around "US Imperialism"? Do you think it's not real?
US Imperialism is very much real, just not the sole cause of everything wrong with the world.
It's fair to say great power diplomacy has done a great deal of the heavy lifting when it comes to messing up the middle east, but we have to bear in mind that Israel is a sovereign country with its own strategic aims.
[Please fix your user name in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]
I’m thinking that the original injustices were committed by the ancient Egyptians many thousands of years before the birth Christ, and every tyrant is just copying those that came before…
Golriz has endured the foulest abuse, most of it misogynist and racist, since she first became politically active in NZ. The timeline and details of this accusation will be interesting to see when the facts emerge. NZ Labour finally took an applaudable stand on the Gaza Genocide and then this type of story pops up.
That transcript was absolutely accurate. I transcribed painstakingly from the RNZ recording of the show. I took care to include every "umm" and "aah" that Jim Mora and Susan Hornsby-Geluk uttered, and even the way that they lengthened the vowel sounds on some words.
the problem is that in the past you did do loose transcripts, and as a mod I have no way to know if that was one of them. I did leave the link in, so people can click through if they want to read it.
Thanks weka. You're quite right, I used to dash the transcripts down in my own imperfect shorthand, then write them up as accurately as I could—
That's no longer the case: for the last five years or so, I've transcribed these horrendous conversations word for word, laboriously and with total accuracy.
Don't worry, though, weka: I don't intend to do too many of them in future. It's just too time-consuming to do on a regular basis.
OMG, Rob! That's just sensational! Thanks very much for that. The wonders of computers never cease to amaze me.
I liked the Morrissey comedy versions!
All the comedy in them–it was unintentional comedy always, AKA black comedy–was courtesy of Mr Mora and his terrifyingly horrible/stupid guests. And some of his colleagues as well, like Katherine Ryan, Kim Hill, Jesse Mulligan, Bryan Crump, Noelle McCarthy….
But why are you digging up old stuff from 2018?
Because it related directly to the topic under discussion, viz., the concerted political and media campaign over many years to belittle, smear, and traduce one of the few politicians in this country that speaks with honesty and acts with integrity.
This risible attack on her by a third-rater occurred even earlier, in 2017. It's no less relevant, and no less disgusting after all those years…
IMO, that piece of text was irrelevant (and dated) and it bordered on an attempt to divert. I just noticed your attempt this morning to link to your own blog site.
I stated clearly why I was posting it. Tiger Mountain had pointed out the history of racist and misogynistic abuse suffered by this fine young M.P.; I amplified this by pointing out that the condescension of people like Hornsby-Geluk was even worse than the moronic low-level stuff on NewstalkZB, on Kiwiblog and the (thankfully defunct) Whale Oil site.
(and dated)
There is a history of foul abuse directed at Golriz Gharaman dating back to when she began her parliamentary career. When is the cut-off date for pointing to instances of this abuse? Are you going to forbid anyone mentioning Duncan Garner's attempt to smear her and intimidate her on three's a.m. show on 29 November 2017?
and it bordered on an attempt to divert.
The example I provided was a reinforcement of what Tiger Mountain wrote. How on earth was it "an attempt to divert"?
I just noticed your attempt this morning to link to your own blog site.
Why exactly is it wrong for me to link to an article on my site?
I have no interest in wasting my time with a vexatious litigant and countering or explaining every single point you raised. I was contemplating how to moderate (!) your comment when another Mod deleted the quoted text, so now it’s a moot point, but undoubtedly, some of this will come up again.
Yes. Even if it transpires Golriz Ghahraman did commit or attempted to commit an unlawful misdemeanour, there are mitigating circumstances since she takes strong drugs to control her MS – drugs which can apparently cause 'brain fades' for the sufferer.
The Herald was apparently the first outlet to reveal the story, but it does not surprise me that it came from ZB news. A little birdie from on high whispered into their ears? My pick it was Barry Soper’s but I could be wrong of course. 😮
I had a hopefully humane response to Ms Ghahraman’s situation also with the chronic illness in the background. A couple of friends on chemo sometimes lose the plot a bit in various ways.
Timing is significant with some of these types of stories about politicians. The Natzos are still trawling through the trash and social media of their political enemies 24/7 make no mistake about that.
Wandering out of Scotties without paying, they would have tags on stuff, and without a get way car? Surely neither planned, nor deliberate.
Possibly trying on shoes with a dress and then absent-minded leaving without paying for one or the other.
Canon Bob Lowe, was twice charged because of his hand and into pocket habits pipe tobacco and chocolate – leaving after paying for one of the two – at the counter he realised he was there to pay for something but only remembered to check one pocket.
Ah, Canon Bob Lowe. That was a long time ago – a friend of mine worked at the supermarket in question (Fendalton Supervalue) and said that Bob was persistently lightfingered and had been warned several times before said charging. After that the staff always referred to him as "pocket edition", after the brand of tobacco he was partial to (but apparently not partial to paying for).
Anne- in a lot of countries this would fall under 'diminished responsibility' in criminal legislation. Unfortunately, NZ doesn't have that on the books. You're either fully culpable, or legally insane. (Found the link but my stupid computer won't open it, sorry). A first offence for a minor 'crime' would be eligible for diversion, but that's not the point, of course, if a person's behaviour is affected by (legally prescribed) medications.
I was left with a criminal conviction for just that reason. Clean slated here for many years, but something the US Govt still cares about should I ever want to visit there.
According to sources, Ghahraman is understood to have been accused of shoplifting during the festive season from exclusive boutique clothing store Scottie's Boutique in the electorate of fellow Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick.
An irrelevant detail indicative of a certain tendency in Auckland (and or some right wing) media towards the Green Party (and or left wing women of youth or colour).
The rest is in incident which becomes news, because its reporting has political consequences.
That is what I thought. What does Chloe Swarbrick have to do with it? An attempt to cast aspersions on her over the incident?
Is this what we can look forward to in 2024? Attempts to discredit individual MPs within the Opposition parties? Even if they prove to be untrue they leave a nasty smell behind.
It should be reported – when Maggie Barry had her recent Air NZ agitation, she boarded the plane in the electorate of Labour MP Lemauga Lydia Sosene and – shockingly – landed in the electorate of National MP Joseph Mooney!!
Absolutely – what a bizarre and I suspect malicious detail to add.
I don't recall ever seeing the electorate in which an offence was committed by an MP mentioned before. Irrelevant unless Swarbrick was part of the same shopping trip etc.
Indeed. However, Scotties Boutique is not a crowded shop. It's a very high-end, exclusive retailer of premium fashion (international designers) – it would be rare to have more than 2 or 3 people in the shop at any one time.
I’m sure the police will look for fingerprints on the items allegedly stolen. If your fingerprints are on the items it’s harder to claim “someone must have put them in my bag”. The other thing the police will look at will be the in store CCTV footage. Which will likely show who placed the the bag. I’m sure most high end boutiques have plenty of in store cameras. It’s a common practice, shoplifting in pairs, one person browsing with a open bag and another accomplice putting the items in the other person’s bag. If the bag holder gets caught they claim it wasn’t me
Obviously I disagree with Ghahraman in a lot of political perspectives.
But, I do think we need to show some humanity here. If the charges are proven, (yet to be the case) then it seems to me to be something so bizzare and abnormal for someone in her position, that it is reasonable to infer that there must have been some fairly major contributing circumstances to explain it.
Afterall, she likely did not lack in money to pay for the goods, given her salary. And, the consequences of such actions to her position as an MP would have been glaringly obvious for someone thinking rationally.
Whether her political career can survive this though, is another matter.
It's a bit like the controversy surrounding Kiri Allen. It's less about the details of this crime vs that crime or whatever: it's about the perception of misjudgement and the harming of the party's political position.
And as much as I agree with a lot of her political positions, the Green caucus isn't big enough to harbour MPs that are under a cloud, waste political capital, or aren't effective.
Better she resigns now, staunches the bleeding, keeps her head down for a few months, and passes the baton on to whoever is next on the list.
I certainly agree that all MP’s must be held to a high standard of behaviour and accountability.
I don’t necessarily believe that she should resign (assuming she did the shopping). However she certainly should not continue, if she has done what appears to have happened, unless she holds herself accountable without making excuses.
BTW, something that annoys me about the Kiri Allen issue, is that it appears that she is considering challenging the charges on a “technicality”. We all know that she was driving a vehicle, over the alcohol limit, crashed into someone’s vehicle, and left the scene. This doesn’t sound like someone who is taking accountability for her actions, while she was a cabinet minister. And to me would cast a doubt on her integrity, considering she may be setting herself up as some sort of advisor working with government agencies.
[You’re wasting time of Mods with your reoccurring typos in your email. From now on, all of your pending comments will go straight to Trash. And read Lprent’s Mod note for you – Incognito]
Interesting timing about this alleged shoplifting, given the recent bother Maggie Barry got herself into on Air New Zealand flight. It's as if the dirty politics operators are at the ready to distract at a moment's notice. Not being a ZB listener, am wondering if ZB Plus gave a breathless announcement about Maggie Barry's behaviour. Police are not called on to a departing flight for no good reason.
Not everything is reported. No one has reported the instance of the Christchurch ACT candidate charged in the week after the last election with possessing offensive weapons on the grounds of Christchurch University. He has subsequently been charged with possessing a banned AR15. I suppose the party of law and order has friends in high places.
If this is the case you are referring to, then it appears that there was no firearm present. The student was charged with possession of a knife and a baton, as well as some ammunition.
Perhaps you confused this with Kyle Chapman (also in Christchurch) – who was indeed charged with possession of firearms and ammunition – but has no association with ACT.
if you want to talk about the shoplifting allegation, Open Mike is the place to do it. If you want to comment under my post about Dirty Politics, then please focus on that. None of your comments were about DP other than to say that you didn’t think it was.
I'm going to stay out of the matter of Golriz Ghahraman and Scottie's until all is said and done, due to the rhetoric around that being pretty off-putting. I assume nothing yet.
See ya. Hopefully my break isn’t interrupted this time.
To paraphrase Desi Lydic of the The Daily Show, I've been on Fox News and I can explain, I've been on X and I cannot explain how weird it was.
A Libertarian crossed over NZFirst while it was neither vaccinated, nor sterilised.
Canada has too many people (probably Palestinian migrants) and Japan is a land without a people. Tucker Carlson loves Trump on Twitter, just as he did while on Fox News (but not in private), but Fox news is still Fox News and Twitter is now called X. Did no one tell Tucker? Tucker won't say a bad word about Trump, yet hates what Trump did, without saying Trump did it. He knows his audience and it has cognitive dissonance.
A lockdown was a breach of freedom and vaccination was a matter of consent, so a lack of deaths during lockdown was proof that vaccination was not required. And this must not happen again.
Death with COVID, not death by COVID. Death by COVID is death by RNA vaccine. Doctors who vaccinated people and then died by COVID, died by bio-weapons. The virus was a bio-weapon and the vaccine was a bio-weapon.
If brevity is wit, what is X? If X crossed with Q, would LGBQT+ gain the X function? Would that make everyone bi-curious? Is gender identity, or is sex identity? What are they teaching in schools, does Tracey Martin know? NZF knows best, which NZF? Can we go back in time? What is is time?
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TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
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Back in 2017 the issue was prison numbers and a way was found to resolve this.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/107588798/corrections-cuts-prison-numbers-by-stepping-up-successful-parole-hearings
Now the issue
What do journalists do when in a hammock with a laptop and a cell phone?
This is because a standard 25% discount was being applied regardless of how far the case had progressed (a 2021 study result). However research in Canada suggested a risk.
Which is all related to access to bail, or home detention as alternative to prison on remand. But also why serve time on remand before a case when a guilty plea means an earlier sentence and earlier knowledge of when they will get out (those on remand are more likely to sentenced to prison if found guilty).
The Supreme Court questioned giving those obviously guilty a 25% reduction just for admitting it early
The article goes onto a lot of other factors,
And onto the core of the issue
Of course if there was a a 25% discount for an early guilty plea, the clients of the said lawyers would have more a motive to have it sorted earlier.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/justice-minister-paul-goldsmith-on-reducing-court-delays-as-government-key-priority/GCWSFAWANJCNNIKUZEC6IBZUDA/
Heartily sick of these stories. When are drivers going to take responsibility for their lack of road skills.
Use your eyes, potholes are well visible if you are awake. Slow down, take the slight deviation necessary to miss them.
The photo in this story shows the pothole is actually almost off the edge of the road.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/301037459/the-pothole-and-a-complaint-process-that-took-a-long-road-to-nowhere
People seem to think that a bucket full of "hot mix" will fix a pothole in 5 minutes. They also draw no distinction between State Highways which are Government responsibilities, and local roads which are the responsibility of the Local Authority.
The previous NACT Government increased the allowable weight of the road haulage vehicles while freezing the SH repair budget.
The main enemies of road surfaces are pressure and water. Pressure from heavy vehicles can cause cracks in the road surface. The water gets in and the basecourse deteriorates and washes out.
You cannot fix this properly during wet weather because the basecourse of the road has to be properly dry before a permanent repair can be made. You can do a temporary repair, but it deteriorates quickly.
Whatever the problems National will snap its fingers and instantly all the potholes will be fixed, at least that is what they have convinced so many petrol heads to believe.
The trick will be to get National to snap its fingers. It is still in its post election victory celebratory mode at the moment and can't be arsed.
Not true, heavy rain, oncoming traffic with lights on, half the time on full beam and too narrow roads so avoiding action is bloody dangerous are great disguises for holes, and NO, most are not on the edge of the road the vast majority are caused by very heavy trucks invariably going too fast for conditions and are some distance from the edge of the road. Too heavy truck and trailer units are completely the fault of the corrupt National Party who got millions from the transport industry prior to the 2008 election.
An interesting bit of research would be exactly how many of the far too numerous head-on crashes are caused by avoiding large pot holes? Do the Police not include this as a contributing cause?
Yes there are some mitigating circumstances.
This story didn't feature any of them.
Totally agree about trucks.
It seems the Houthi are about to get what they deserve.
First they lied that their attack on Red Sea shipping was a targeted blockade on Israel
Now this double speak
The ship the Houthi tried to attack had nothing to do with Israel, and thus defence of it was a defence of freedom of the seas.
Stopping an attack on shipping is not an attack on Yemen, or the people of Yemen, but on a group involved in an on-going organised crime.
Many of the ships attacked in the Red Sea were sailing away from Palestine – transporting goods from Europe to Asia.
Apparently the goal of the Houthi is to attack world shipping to blackmail the world into appeasement of its terrorism. Which should be seen as an international crime.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67932725
Apparently the goal of the Houthi is to attack world shipping to blackmail the world into appeasement of its terrorism. Which should be seen as an international crime.
????
The goal of the Houthi is to prevent and hamper shipping that supports Israeli/American terrorism, which is an international crime.
FIFY.
Difficult to see how merchant ships which were not Israeli owned or operated – and were sailing away from the Suez canal – had anything to do with Palestine or Gaza.
"India increased surveillance in the waters after an India-bound commercial vessel carrying crude oil was targeted last month by a drone attack off the country’s west coast."
https://www.voanews.com/a/indian-navy-rescues-commercial-ship-in-arabian-sea-after-hijack-attempt-/7429058.html
It makes your claim that the Houthi goal is only "to prevent and hamper shipping that supports Israeli/American terrorism, which is an international crime." – rather questionable.
And the reality.
They are obstructing shipping carrying cargo between Europe and Asia.
Two of the nations least affected are the USA and Israel.
The fact is, the Houthis are the only people with the integrity to do what the rest of the world should be doing: stopping Israel's crimes. If countries like New Zealand, Australia, and the United States did something meaningful to stop the genocide in Gaza instead of handwringing (or actually supporting it) then the Houthis would not be forced to do something.
Of course, it's no surprise to see this group above all others, taking active steps to support the people of Gaza. They've been subjected to a U.S.-backed genocide of their own for the last decade….
https://thegrayzone.com/2021/01/12/us-al-qaeda-yemen-houthis-terrorists/
If the Houthis were only attacking Israeli shipping (whether owned, operated or en-route to Israel) you would have a point. However, they are not.
Their reported depredations seem to be purely targets of opportunity – and therefore it's simple piracy.
No, it's not simple piracy. It's political. The politics can be solved immediately: Washington can stop the slaughter with a simple command. The Houthis' political attacks on Western shipping would cease.
Attacks on all shipping between Europe and Asia, not just western.
At least you concede it is not a blockade on Israel.
Like you, I don't think they should target shipping. It's counterproductive, as you so ably point out. They're too small to blockade any nation of course. The country blockading Israel would be the United States, if it actually took seriously its own rhetoric about "rules base order" and "human rights."
Oh, so it is now (in your opinion) a wider attack on Western shipping – nothing to do with attacking shipping which supports Israel.
A reversal of your initial claim that the Houthi goal is only “to prevent and hamper shipping that supports Israeli/American terrorism, which is an international crime.”
If the Houthis want war with the Western world, I hope (though strongly doubt) they are prepared for the consequences.
Please note that countries such as India, China and Russia are just as outraged as the 'West' – as their shipping is being targeted as well.
Attack on shipping is piracy. Full stop. Political attacks on shipping is terrorism.
Calling an act of violence a political act is no excuse for violence. And in my humble opinion a combination politics and violence is heading towards terrorism.
I’m not into violence l, unless it’s an old school war movie like the Battle of Britain.
Any it’s just a thought
Not into violence unless it is the butchering of Palestinians…
[one month ban for flaming another commenter. You’ve been warned about this before. One example is here. To make it really clear, if you want to keep commenting here, stop flaming, and the things we addressed in the past day about presenting evidence at the time of commenting. I suggest you book mark the mod notes, because you appear to not remember them. Mods are out of patience – weka]
mod note.
Lying about what they are doing is not a sign of integrity.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/2024/01/01/fears-houthi-attacks-will-revive-red-sea-piracy/
Agree Morrissey.
The Houthi now have the worlds attention.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/01/10/un-to-vote-on-resolution-on-houthi-rebels-red-sea-attacks/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67932725
ease back on the copypasta please. People can read the link if they want all that. We prefer that people explain their points in their own words (and use links/quotes to highlight or back up).
The Houthi now have the worlds attention.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/01/10/un-to-vote-on-resolution-on-houthi-rebels-red-sea-attacks/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67932725
[long blocks of copypasta and bad formatting deleted]
US Imperialism remains the major impediment to world peace, and resolution of scores of asymmetrical armed conflicts, aggressions and post colonial fallout scenarios.
Go Houthis!–they are showing solidarity with Palestine which the likes of the gutless EU and many others are unwilling to. Do you really expect brutalised populations and organisations to pay any attention to zionist supporters and comfortable westerners “rules”?
Heh, I don’t. Friends of mine have been on Kia Ora Gaza flotillas to try and breach the sea blockade and deliver medical and other aid to Gaza, they were luck to escape with their lives after being detained illegally on international waters, taken to shore, beaten by IDF thugs and thankfully released after various interventions.
The Israelis learnt the lesson of the Warsaw Ghetto well, tragically it was totally the wrong lesson–“do what the Nazis did to a captured population”.
The Houthi are not even good for Yemen.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1141192
Just how is this the case Tiger Mountain? When I was studying international relations back during the Iraq War, my lecturer always warned us against trying to find a single root cause for any IR problem.
In the context of the latest cycle of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, I'd absolutely agree that US policy vis a vis the Middle East has created an epic moral and geopolitical quagmire. And that their financial and military support for the Israeli state is fundamentally important to Israeli security policy. And probably contributed to the IDF's gung-ho approach of committing egregious war crimes first, and then maybe thinking about asking questions later.
But to simply blame all of this on "US Imperialism" is, in my view, a trite and rather lazy analysis.
What about Russian Imperialism? or China's growing assertiveness as their economy cools down and the prospect of a short victorious war to reclaim Taiwan looks increasingly tantalising? Are they not also massive threats to global peace?
Or, even more salient, what about the Israelis? They're perfectly capable of setting and asserting their own policy objectives. And they don't give a proverbial about what anyone (even the USA) has to say about them.
Don’t buy your misgivings. US Imperialist hegemony remains supreme, though fading a little compared to the late 20th century.
I said major not only impediment. The US has almost a thousand publicly discoverable off shore military bases and surveillance facilities, many butted right up against their declared enemies territories in Eastern Europe, Asia and the Mid East. Imagine the reaction if say Iran parked up one ship off the coast of Mexico…the USA has maintained an economic blockade of Cuba since 1959. They are the lead enforcers for capital and international finance capital.
BRICS and the South generally are going to kick their arse sooner rather than later unless they pull their heads in.
Israel would be gone by lunchtime tomorrow if the US cascade of money and arms were withdrawn.
But to simply blame all of this on "US Imperialism" is, in my view, a trite and rather lazy analysis.
You're correct. The original injustice here was perpetrated by Great Britain and France. You can't deny the role of the U.S. now, however. Britain especially, and also France are no more than vassal states. Extremely violent and powerful vassal states, but vassal states nonetheless. Just like Israel.
By the way, why did you put scare quotes around "US Imperialism"? Do you think it's not real?
US Imperialism is very much real, just not the sole cause of everything wrong with the world.
It's fair to say great power diplomacy has done a great deal of the heavy lifting when it comes to messing up the middle east, but we have to bear in mind that Israel is a sovereign country with its own strategic aims.
[Please fix your user name in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]
Mod note
I’m thinking that the original injustices were committed by the ancient Egyptians many thousands of years before the birth Christ, and every tyrant is just copying those that came before…
Dirty Politics never sleeps…eh ZB…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/506410/green-mp-golriz-ghahraman-stands-aside-from-portfolios-after-being-accused-of-shoplifting
Golriz has endured the foulest abuse, most of it misogynist and racist, since she first became politically active in NZ. The timeline and details of this accusation will be interesting to see when the facts emerge. NZ Labour finally took an applaudable stand on the Gaza Genocide and then this type of story pops up.
Even worse than the outright abuse is the condescension from the likes of Susan Hornsby-Geluk.
[loose transcript deleted]
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-03-11-2018/#comment-1545975
That transcript was absolutely accurate. I transcribed painstakingly from the RNZ recording of the show. I took care to include every "umm" and "aah" that Jim Mora and Susan Hornsby-Geluk uttered, and even the way that they lengthened the vowel sounds on some words.
I invite anyone to listen to this recording of that awful programme and then claim with a straight face that my transcript of it was "loose"…..
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018669364/the-panel-with-susan-hornsby-geluk-and-mike-rehu-part-1
the problem is that in the past you did do loose transcripts, and as a mod I have no way to know if that was one of them. I did leave the link in, so people can click through if they want to read it.
Thanks weka. You're quite right, I used to dash the transcripts down in my own imperfect shorthand, then write them up as accurately as I could—
That's no longer the case: for the last five years or so, I've transcribed these horrendous conversations word for word, laboriously and with total accuracy.
Don't worry, though, weka: I don't intend to do too many of them in future. It's just too time-consuming to do on a regular basis.
Try riverside.fm/transcriptions – seems pretty legit. It generated this for me:
https://pastebin.com/RAUBpqwR
It was a fun challenge to generate this transcription (and find a free service!), but it's over 1000 words so I can see why the mods are grumpy.
I liked the Morrissey comedy versions! But why are you digging up old stuff from 2018?
Try riverside.fm/transcriptions – seems pretty legit. It generated this for me:
https://pastebin.com/RAUBpqwR
OMG, Rob! That's just sensational! Thanks very much for that. The wonders of computers never cease to amaze me.
I liked the Morrissey comedy versions!
All the comedy in them–it was unintentional comedy always, AKA black comedy–was courtesy of Mr Mora and his terrifyingly horrible/stupid guests. And some of his colleagues as well, like Katherine Ryan, Kim Hill, Jesse Mulligan, Bryan Crump, Noelle McCarthy….
But why are you digging up old stuff from 2018?
Because it related directly to the topic under discussion, viz., the concerted political and media campaign over many years to belittle, smear, and traduce one of the few politicians in this country that speaks with honesty and acts with integrity.
This risible attack on her by a third-rater occurred even earlier, in 2017. It's no less relevant, and no less disgusting after all those years…
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02-12-2017/#comment-1421632
IMO, that piece of text was irrelevant (and dated) and it bordered on an attempt to divert. I just noticed your attempt this morning to link to your own blog site.
IMO, that piece of text was irrelevant
I stated clearly why I was posting it. Tiger Mountain had pointed out the history of racist and misogynistic abuse suffered by this fine young M.P.; I amplified this by pointing out that the condescension of people like Hornsby-Geluk was even worse than the moronic low-level stuff on NewstalkZB, on Kiwiblog and the (thankfully defunct) Whale Oil site.
(and dated)
There is a history of foul abuse directed at Golriz Gharaman dating back to when she began her parliamentary career. When is the cut-off date for pointing to instances of this abuse? Are you going to forbid anyone mentioning Duncan Garner's attempt to smear her and intimidate her on three's a.m. show on 29 November 2017?
and it bordered on an attempt to divert.
The example I provided was a reinforcement of what Tiger Mountain wrote. How on earth was it "an attempt to divert"?
I just noticed your attempt this morning to link to your own blog site.
Why exactly is it wrong for me to link to an article on my site?
I have no interest in wasting my time with a vexatious litigant and countering or explaining every single point you raised. I was contemplating how to moderate (!) your comment when another Mod deleted the quoted text, so now it’s a moot point, but undoubtedly, some of this will come up again.
Yes. Even if it transpires Golriz Ghahraman did commit or attempted to commit an unlawful misdemeanour, there are mitigating circumstances since she takes strong drugs to control her MS – drugs which can apparently cause 'brain fades' for the sufferer.
The Herald was apparently the first outlet to reveal the story, but it does not surprise me that it came from ZB news. A little birdie from on high whispered into their ears? My pick it was Barry Soper’s but I could be wrong of course. 😮
Maggie Barry must be relieved.
I had a hopefully humane response to Ms Ghahraman’s situation also with the chronic illness in the background. A couple of friends on chemo sometimes lose the plot a bit in various ways.
Timing is significant with some of these types of stories about politicians. The Natzos are still trawling through the trash and social media of their political enemies 24/7 make no mistake about that.
Wandering out of Scotties without paying, they would have tags on stuff, and without a get way car? Surely neither planned, nor deliberate.
Possibly trying on shoes with a dress and then absent-minded leaving without paying for one or the other.
Canon Bob Lowe, was twice charged because of his hand and into pocket habits pipe tobacco and chocolate – leaving after paying for one of the two – at the counter he realised he was there to pay for something but only remembered to check one pocket.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/clean-slate-for-clergyman/5Q56GVEJ4GDN737GVAZXR6KCVI/
Ah, Canon Bob Lowe. That was a long time ago – a friend of mine worked at the supermarket in question (Fendalton Supervalue) and said that Bob was persistently lightfingered and had been warned several times before said charging. After that the staff always referred to him as "pocket edition", after the brand of tobacco he was partial to (but apparently not partial to paying for).
Anne- in a lot of countries this would fall under 'diminished responsibility' in criminal legislation. Unfortunately, NZ doesn't have that on the books. You're either fully culpable, or legally insane. (Found the link but my stupid computer won't open it, sorry). A first offence for a minor 'crime' would be eligible for diversion, but that's not the point, of course, if a person's behaviour is affected by (legally prescribed) medications.
I was left with a criminal conviction for just that reason. Clean slated here for many years, but something the US Govt still cares about should I ever want to visit there.
Mitigating circumstances are for the average citizen.
MP’s must be held to a higher standard of accountability and responsibility.
Certainly we would be enjoying this if it was a National Party MP with a similar health problem.
[flaming deleted. See other mod note for ban]
mod note.
This is the defining nature of the report
An irrelevant detail indicative of a certain tendency in Auckland (and or some right wing) media towards the Green Party (and or left wing women of youth or colour).
The rest is in incident which becomes news, because its reporting has political consequences.
"An irrelevant detail..."
That is what I thought. What does Chloe Swarbrick have to do with it? An attempt to cast aspersions on her over the incident?
Is this what we can look forward to in 2024? Attempts to discredit individual MPs within the Opposition parties? Even if they prove to be untrue they leave a nasty smell behind.
It should be reported – when Maggie Barry had her recent Air NZ agitation, she boarded the plane in the electorate of Labour MP Lemauga Lydia Sosene and – shockingly – landed in the electorate of National MP Joseph Mooney!!
Relevant points.
Absolutely – what a bizarre and I suspect malicious detail to add.
I don't recall ever seeing the electorate in which an offence was committed by an MP mentioned before. Irrelevant unless Swarbrick was part of the same shopping trip etc.
I obviously don't know the details, but I imagine it would be pretty easy to slip a small product into an open shopping bag in a crowded shop!
Just saying!
Indeed. However, Scotties Boutique is not a crowded shop. It's a very high-end, exclusive retailer of premium fashion (international designers) – it would be rare to have more than 2 or 3 people in the shop at any one time.
That is how a lot of shop lifters do it, small size and high value items go into the pocket and when confronted go "oops a daisy it was an accident"
Not saying that's what happened here of course
If it is Boutique Shopping, the objective is not to be crowded. People would view on-line and go in there to try on.
I’m sure the police will look for fingerprints on the items allegedly stolen. If your fingerprints are on the items it’s harder to claim “someone must have put them in my bag”. The other thing the police will look at will be the in store CCTV footage. Which will likely show who placed the the bag. I’m sure most high end boutiques have plenty of in store cameras. It’s a common practice, shoplifting in pairs, one person browsing with a open bag and another accomplice putting the items in the other person’s bag. If the bag holder gets caught they claim it wasn’t me
Obviously I disagree with Ghahraman in a lot of political perspectives.
But, I do think we need to show some humanity here. If the charges are proven, (yet to be the case) then it seems to me to be something so bizzare and abnormal for someone in her position, that it is reasonable to infer that there must have been some fairly major contributing circumstances to explain it.
Afterall, she likely did not lack in money to pay for the goods, given her salary. And, the consequences of such actions to her position as an MP would have been glaringly obvious for someone thinking rationally.
Whether her political career can survive this though, is another matter.
I don't think it can, tsmithfield.
It's a bit like the controversy surrounding Kiri Allen. It's less about the details of this crime vs that crime or whatever: it's about the perception of misjudgement and the harming of the party's political position.
And as much as I agree with a lot of her political positions, the Green caucus isn't big enough to harbour MPs that are under a cloud, waste political capital, or aren't effective.
Better she resigns now, staunches the bleeding, keeps her head down for a few months, and passes the baton on to whoever is next on the list.
I certainly agree that all MP’s must be held to a high standard of behaviour and accountability.
I don’t necessarily believe that she should resign (assuming she did the shopping). However she certainly should not continue, if she has done what appears to have happened, unless she holds herself accountable without making excuses.
BTW, something that annoys me about the Kiri Allen issue, is that it appears that she is considering challenging the charges on a “technicality”. We all know that she was driving a vehicle, over the alcohol limit, crashed into someone’s vehicle, and left the scene. This doesn’t sound like someone who is taking accountability for her actions, while she was a cabinet minister. And to me would cast a doubt on her integrity, considering she may be setting herself up as some sort of advisor working with government agencies.
[You’re wasting time of Mods with your reoccurring typos in your email. From now on, all of your pending comments will go straight to Trash. And read Lprent’s Mod note for you – Incognito]
Mod note
Interesting timing about this alleged shoplifting, given the recent bother Maggie Barry got herself into on Air New Zealand flight. It's as if the dirty politics operators are at the ready to distract at a moment's notice. Not being a ZB listener, am wondering if ZB Plus gave a breathless announcement about Maggie Barry's behaviour. Police are not called on to a departing flight for no good reason.
Well, they certainly reported it
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/former-politician-maggie-barry-denies-abusing-air-new-zealand-crew-member/
Not everything is reported. No one has reported the instance of the Christchurch ACT candidate charged in the week after the last election with possessing offensive weapons on the grounds of Christchurch University. He has subsequently been charged with possessing a banned AR15. I suppose the party of law and order has friends in high places.
If this is the case you are referring to, then it appears that there was no firearm present. The student was charged with possession of a knife and a baton, as well as some ammunition.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/500959/man-arrested-at-university-hall-appears-in-christchurch-district-court-on-weapons-charges
Perhaps you confused this with Kyle Chapman (also in Christchurch) – who was indeed charged with possession of firearms and ammunition – but has no association with ACT.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/132915998/far-right-activist-arrested-on-firearms-and-ammunition-charges
new post up
https://thestandard.org.nz/dirty-politics-2024/
I know exactly what it is – I just don't agree that it is playing out here. It doesn't need to.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
if you want to talk about the shoplifting allegation, Open Mike is the place to do it. If you want to comment under my post about Dirty Politics, then please focus on that. None of your comments were about DP other than to say that you didn’t think it was.
On Golriz-cut her a break everyone. She was on meds and two days before Christmas
I'm going to stay out of the matter of Golriz Ghahraman and Scottie's until all is said and done, due to the rhetoric around that being pretty off-putting. I assume nothing yet.
See ya. Hopefully my break isn’t interrupted this time.
To paraphrase Desi Lydic of the The Daily Show, I've been on Fox News and I can explain, I've been on X and I cannot explain how weird it was.
A Libertarian crossed over NZFirst while it was neither vaccinated, nor sterilised.
Canada has too many people (probably Palestinian migrants) and Japan is a land without a people. Tucker Carlson loves Trump on Twitter, just as he did while on Fox News (but not in private), but Fox news is still Fox News and Twitter is now called X. Did no one tell Tucker? Tucker won't say a bad word about Trump, yet hates what Trump did, without saying Trump did it. He knows his audience and it has cognitive dissonance.
A lockdown was a breach of freedom and vaccination was a matter of consent, so a lack of deaths during lockdown was proof that vaccination was not required. And this must not happen again.
Death with COVID, not death by COVID. Death by COVID is death by RNA vaccine. Doctors who vaccinated people and then died by COVID, died by bio-weapons. The virus was a bio-weapon and the vaccine was a bio-weapon.
If brevity is wit, what is X? If X crossed with Q, would LGBQT+ gain the X function? Would that make everyone bi-curious? Is gender identity, or is sex identity? What are they teaching in schools, does Tracey Martin know? NZF knows best, which NZF? Can we go back in time? What is is time?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTwVjzTqSI0