Craig Murray, in three brief paragraphs, explains the strategy being played by the US/UK establishment.
And now it looks like the UK, the US and France will attack Syria.
Scary times.
I have never ruled out the possibility that Russia is responsible for the attack in Salisbury, amongst other possibilities. But I do rule out the possibility that Assad is dropping chemical weapons in Ghouta. In this extraordinary war, where Saudi-funded jihadist head choppers have Israeli air support and US and UK military “advisers”, every time the Syrian army is about to take complete control of a major jihadist enclave, at the last moment when victory is in their grasp, the Syrian Army allegedly attacks children with chemical weapons, for no military reason at all. We have been fed this narrative again and again and again.
We then face a propaganda onslaught from neo-con politicians, think tanks and “charities” urging a great rain of Western bombs and missiles, and are accused of callousness towards suffering children if we demur. This despite the certain knowledge that Western military interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya have had consequences which remain to this day utterly disastrous.
I fear that the massive orchestration of Russophobia over the last two years is intended to prepare public opinion for a wider military conflict centred on the Middle East, but likely to spread, and that we are approaching that endgame. The dislocation of the political and media class from the general population is such, that the levers for people of goodwill to prevent this are, as with Iraq, extremely few as politicians quake in the face of media jingoism. These feel like extremely dangerous times.
Prime had a seventies doco series on last night which had Vietnam.
The parallels in terms of the narrative are there IMO, commies v Ruskis and saving kids v saving democracy with the usual suspects cheering on a conflict.
He has no plausible alternative. Only Syria has helicopters dripping barrel bombs, the insurgents don’t. And in any event why would the insurgents kill their own people. Although as a conspiracy anti west theorist I imagine you think the UK or the US did it.
Why would the Syrians do it? To underscore to their opponents that will never be coming back.
No-one in western capitals now seriously believes Assad can be defeated, so drumming up a continuing war against him serves no purpose.
But he will be punished for using gas. Probably an airfield and command centre will be bombed.
Good on you Wayne.
Using the ‘conspiracy theorist’ line to silence dissent. I don’t know who did it.
But I do know it makes absolutely no sense for Assad to. He is not a nice guy – but he is not stupid.
But don’t take my word for it. Read Craig Murray’s work. I would suggest he knows a lot more about this subject than either you or I do. You should look up who he is and was – check his credentials.
I also recommend you read and listen to George Galloway, Robert Fisk, Patrick Cockburn and a whole raft of independent journalists.
The other option is to ask no questions and blame Russia, Syria, Iran, whoever……
I think Assad is stupid at least on this issue at this time. He has a track record of using gas. Admittedly most times he gets away with it. But not with Trump. Hence my stupid comment.
I do read Fisk, but not that idiot Galloway.
Also the worst use of Nerve Gas / Sarin, in the middle east in modern times, involved the british and u.s.a …. supplying ingredients, technology …. and precise co-ordinates of where to use it on the battlefield …. to their then buddy Saddam Hussein … in his invasion / war against Iran….. which they supported
They then blocked Iran from justice at the UN ….
Later when Saddam gassed the Kurds …… the dirty buggers tried to blame Iran … eg blame a victim of their chemical weapon attacks.
No inhibitions against using gas by the brits or usa…. or Israel for that matter
What about the theory that a person who started a political party and worked through the electoral process was a monster for trying to bring down the government.
Interesting doco … starts with racism … but at approx 116 mins reveals a second occasion during the Cuban missile crisis… where guns were drawn by lower ranking officers … to prevent nuclear missile launch … and mankind’s annihilation
You’ve made made my post read better by removing my strongly held opinion of Wayne ,,,,
I believe Wayne and Key were two of the more belligerent and loud voices pressuring helen clarke to join in the illegal invasion of Iraq … much like the present pressure put upon jacinda Arden about nz missing in action…
Yes, it is used to shut down dissent.
Galloway predicted Iraq, he predicted Libya and sadly what is saying now is going to be correct.
And that means we are in the worst crisis since the Cold War.
Jaish al Islam are a terrorist organisation known to chop off the heads of “their own people” and keep them in cages on roof tops and the backs of cars to deter the Syrian Army from attackingg. This is the sort of people you think we should trust. Give us a break!! On the point of victory the Syrian Army use chemical weapons? I dont think so. Trump signals a desire to leave Syria and next thing you know is chemical attack?
Martin Lukacs writes an excellent article.
I wonder if this cold be made into a post -such an important message.
Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals
Stop obsessing with how personally green you live – and start collectively taking on corporate power
These pervasive exhortations to individual action — in corporate ads, school textbooks, and the campaigns of mainstream environmental groups, especially in the west — seem as natural as the air we breathe. But we could hardly be worse-served.
While we busy ourselves greening our personal lives, fossil fuel corporations are rendering these efforts irrelevant. The breakdown of carbon emissions since 1988? A hundred companies alone are responsible for an astonishing 71%. You tinker with those pens or that panel; they go on torching the planet.
The freedom of these corporations to pollute – and the fixation on a feeble lifestyle response – is no accident. It is the result of an ideological war, waged over the last 40 years, against the possibility of collective action. Devastatingly successful, it is not too late to reverse it.
this is a really good post Ed. the psychological influences at play here need to be recognised….as people move to defend their and their families efforts. This has the effect of defending current actions and closing minds to needed criticism.
This is a really good post Ed.
The psychological impact of this can’t be overstated as people move to defend theirs and their families/groups/associations actions in recycling.
This has the effect of making them complicit/defensive of the efforts at an individual level. This is, in turn, an essential aspect of the corporate strategy.
This morning the Pak n Save noticeboard had a note looking for a space to park a caravan for a couple with a dog.
As I hopped in the car the wind slammed my door on my leg. No biggie, but made me really hope the caravan couple + dog get a nice big reinforced shed in which to park.
The study was conducted by German researchers Eva-Marie Meemken and Matin Qaim from the University of Goettingen and published in the journal Annual Review of Resource Economics.
They do make clear that the scientific evidence shows that organic is better in some specific situations, and that the best strategy overall may be to combine conventional and organic approaches.
In general, the study concludes that while organic farming is more environmentally friendly per unit of land than conventional approaches, it is not better for the environment when assessed in terms of units of output.
This is because organic farming generally has lower yields — between 19-25 percent, on average.”
Agriculture itself is the issue. “Organics” is a nebulous term, difficult to pin down, therefore easy to dismiss if you don’t favour it. Once we’ve realised that agriculture’s the core of the problem, we’ll be getting somewhere.
The Firman Bear report from Rutgers University shows the difference between organic and conventionally grown produce:
But a study from Rutgers University in USA says that organic vs conventional produce shawed in their study that only organic had sufficient quantities of all trace vitamins and minerals to sustain us whereas the conventional produce only had less the 10% of the trace vitamins/minerals that was measured in organic, so I would be interested in this study from Germany if they also measured the content of the important amounts of vitamins/minerals in both organic and conventional products to adequately quantify the effectiveness of both growth systems.
“A recent four-year European Union study, funded at a cost of $25 million, raised fruits, vegetables, and cows on adjacent organic and conventional fields at a 725-acre farm near Newcastle University in England and other places in Europe. Researchers found that the: 1) organic fruits and vegetables contained up to 40% more antioxidants; 2) organic produce had higher levels of iron, copper, and zinc; and 3) milk from organic herds contained up to 90% more antioxidants.”
If only organics had “…sufficient quantities of all trace vitamins and minerals to sustain us..” and conventional produce had only 10% of those quantities..
Then how is it that those of us who can’t afford organic have managed to be sustained by food that has only 1/10th of the amount of nutrients needed to sustain us?
Scary that so much damage to Auckland because we don’t expect gale force winds like Wellington… another chapter in Auckland’s building woes…. we build them, but not so well and the wind can blow them down… likewise disruption to our electricity system, our rail system.. our ferries…
You’d think storms would be built into how the city runs… because with climate change and warming water it is anticipated that cyclones will become more frequent.
Live: Auckland assesses the damage: Trees down, 140km/h winds and thousands without power
Maybe this headline could better be explained by thinking about what has got NZ into this bizarre place with our Met service that see’s storms where there are none and not when they come…
“Weather forecaster to review processes after storm battered Auckland”
Apparently the Metservice not only reports to the ministry of transport???? but also is expected to invest in oil forecasts to somehow try to turn a profit….
Bit like Middlemore spending money to extend some of it’s building’s because that part was artificially ‘profitable’ but the actual parts that housed the unprofitable sick children were full of mould and did not qualify for funding under the government’s and neoliberal rules.
Before complaining about all the money and why nothing works anymore, unwrap where the money is being siphoned off into non core activities out of government funded departments…
Sorry muttonbird and savenz but you are completely out of line.
As one of those former “useless Metservice pricks” who has been out of the game for more than two decades but who tries to keep up with the latest techniques, I have news for you:
NZ meteorologists and climate scientists are among the most respected in the world. The primary reason being NZ is one of the toughest countries on the planet when it comes to weather prediction. This is due in large part to it’s marine status in an area plagued by storms coming at it from both tropical ocean zones and polar ocean zones. In other words they get a great deal more weather experience than their counterparts from countries with more predictable weather patterns.
Having said that: our Metservice forecasters accurately predicted yesterday’s weather days in advance and they began to issue preliminary warnings late last week and official warnings over the weekend and on Monday. They made it clear there was a strong potential for extremely damaging winds in all their forecasts – particularly between Taranaki and Northland. However it was impossible to pinpoint exactly where the worst of those winds would eventuate because that was dependent on where the centre of the deep low would finally cross over the country. It turned out to be between Waikato and Auckland from all accounts.
That their warnings were not taken seriously enough is the fault of the populace – not the forecasters.
Well said, Anne. Having lived in Europe for a while, I saw upon returning here how much more unpredictable our local weather is. More importantly, I noticed the warnings that were issued about Tuesday’s weather.. Who are these numbnuts pretending that Met Service gave no warnings?
Their 3 day rain maps are excellent. I couldn’t do without them in my line of work and they are usually very accurate. Maybe they need some computer models, coz they’ve all been really accurate so far…
National wasn’t an austerity government, they borrowed (and presumably spent) shitloads of moolah. It’s just that their spending was all about benefiting mainly their business and elitist interests rather than all New Zealanders.
We should be warry of small Island nations as the Chinese have large bullying power over them and some will render themselves to caving in to some excessive pressure fronm a big power like China just look at that China has done in Africa.
Well, the benign environment is coming to an end and with it the decades long free ride we’ve had defense wise.
I took the trouble last night to read up on the Australian military build up. it is quite astonishing.
For the Navy – 12(!) x short fin Barracuda advanced attack submarines, 2 x 30,000 ton helicopter carriers capable of operating STOVL fixed wing aircraft, 3 x Aegis equipped Air Defense Destroyers, 9 x 7,000+ ton general purpose “frigates”, 24 x Seahawk helicopters plus the 8 ANZAC class frigates and whatever of their existing fleet will stay in service.
Air Force – 98 x F-35B Lightning II plus the current force of 106 F-18 Hornets, a dozen P-8A Neptunes, AWACS, 8 x C-17 Globemaster III, plus 33 Hawk trainers and lots of modern PGMs plus UAVs, etc.
The Australian Army has 22 attack helicopters, 60 MBT and 700+ other AFVs and plans to buy 3,000+ new armoured vehicles of all types, new MANPADS and Medium range SAM systems, new long range rocket artillery, new ATGW systems, etc etc etc.
The time for scrimping on our defense is almost over. The 20 billion re-equipment program we have planned should probably be tripled and plans put in hand for registering military age men and women for rapid conscription.
At the time the service heads of both RNZAF and RNZN along with a few other want the Government of the day to keep 14Sqn as a going concern and even at reduce state in case something like this did pop up, but the certain members of the back bench made sure that the former Strike Wing would never rise again out of the ashes like the phoenix.
As the original plan was to disband No’s 2 and 75Sqn, but retain 14Sqn in a reduce state to maintain a cadre of trained pilots and ground crew should the need a rise in the future.
Should ring my uncle and ask for his comment? Ex- 14 and 75Sqn and was both teams for the Macchi and twice on the F-16’s 83-84 and the last one before it got kicked in to touch.
Further to your reply about the current and future Order of Battle (ORBAT) of the ADF. There has been some major changes within the Army like plain Beersheba which would an extra SQN of 30 odd M1 MBT’s, a ready Arms Battle Group from the Army reserves to attach to the 3 Combat Brigades and to 2RAR, the Hawkie and Boxer vehicles to replace the LAV’s and Landies in the Cav SQN’s and some of the M113’s.
The RAAF has seen a major re-structure of it Airfield Defence Sqns and other Airforce Security Units within the RAAF, which from my POV has cause us endless headaches for us Rockapes as the AFSEC muppets don’t want to step up to plate. To a point that CDF has now crack the shits with it, saying his Rockapes aren’t meant to the guarding the Flightline, as its a AFSEC job and he needs them outside not inside the wire also he wants at least another two SECFOR SQN’s.
A theatre base Air Defence System which we haven’t seen since the 60’s when the RAAF had the Bloodhound missiles,
UAV’s for the P8’s and possible armed UAV’s down the track at a later stage.
Addition tankers and AEW/C aircraft
And the Navy which you have already mention, apart from the Patrol Boats that are no longer fit for purpose after only 10-15yrs of service being replace with a Ocean Combat Vessel in other words a up-gun OPV or a light frigate depending on how one gets out of bed in the morning.
Then there is the talk of rebasing assets to the northern bases and some the bare bases being full maned which raise’s all sorts of questions.
Massive funding for the JRON radar upgrade’s and the setting up a Joint Cyber warfare unit.
Have you seen what they did Sri Lanka when they couldn’t repay their debt to China?
China just walked in and tooked over the Port and the Airport for its own use and brought in its own worker as well and sacked the local work force, also they try to pull one over on the Maldives of late. But the Maldives courts put a stop to that, but how will that last is anyone’s guess atm. They also did the same at port of Gawler as well.
Half of Vanuatu’s debt is owned by China,
About 3/4 quarters of Tonga’s debt is owned by China and if we go back to 2006, this was one of the leading causes to the riots.
PNG and Fiji’s debt over half of that is owned to China.
A of other SP nations also up to their eye balls in debt to China
I’ve brought my comments over from the TDB site for readers who visit there for whatever reason.
Yes Martyn is correct on his assumption; it changes everything from a NZ military, Foreign Aid and NZ trade POV. There has been talk of a possible Chinese bases in Tonga, PNG and Fiji though work at open and closed circles.
It really makes a mockery of Auntie Helen’s assumption when she disbanded the Air Strike Wing, reducing the Anti Surface/ Anti Sub Surface Capability of the RNZAF and RNZN and refusing the Navy to have more capable ships under Project Protector.
I wonder you are the idiots now for not listening to the Chiefs at the time and this what’s happens when you get involved in silly little wars in the MER and you forget your backyard NZ/ Oz.
Chinas maritime doctrine is base around Anti Access and Anti Denial. The best way to achieve this through the use of Submarines and long range Maritime Aircraft in both as Maritime Strike or as a ISR platform. It’s their subs, Coast Guard ships (they are more capable than our own sub- par OPV’s) and their fishing fleet that I’m worried about atm. Their surface fleet though capable on paper is still small operate affectively outside the first chain island for combat operations but give them a few yrs and they have carriers with cats and traps not STOBAR carriers then start to worry.
The best way to sink a ship is a submarine or mines laid by a submarine or by a converted fishing trawler when the ship is not alongside in port.
NZ economy is a export led with over 90% of NZ exports going by sea and over 90% imports coming by sea. Cutting off NZ Sea Lanes Of Communications (SLOC) during a state of war would cripple NZ economy and likely to cause great social unrest along the way.
NZ’s Governments consisted running down of the NZDF since 1991 is looking a bit foolish now. Neutrality to Asian eyes is a sign of great weakness, unless of course you carry a bloody big stick like Finland Sweden or Switzerland. Adopting Neutrality would mean some serious coin being pour into the NZDF or we team up with Oz and all the trappings that they bring. The so-called $20B earmarked for defence by No Mates National Party is small fry now to what could be in the future and sticking one’s head in the sand is no longer an option of NZ now.
With possible Chinese subs, surface vessels or even their H6 nuclear capable/ maritime strike bombers operating out of Vanuatu and that’s not including its fishing fleets that will rape pillage the Southern Ocean, but rape and pillage of the Antarctic mainland as well. Means they could achieve there overall mission objective in their doctrine of Anti Access and Anti Denial.
Neutrality to Asian eyes is a sign of great weakness, unless of course you carry a bloody big stick like Finland Sweden or Switzerland.
Yep. We need that bloody big stick and we need to stand up for ourselves. Neither of which have or do. China blocks our goods at the wharf and we kowtow real fast rather than dropping the FTA as we should be doing.
China has little old NZ by its shorts and curlicues and its shows that NZ hasn’t learned from its past aka “being the UK’s farm” that putting all your eggs into one basket isn’t the wise thing to do in the long term.
But we need to trading with everybody and also not Just in low end raw products like we do now, but high end value added products, banking etc etc which we have done in the past before the 1984 coup. When the Neo- Economic Lib Muppets then ransack the country in a rape and pillage orgy that would’ve Stalin, Mao, Hitler’s SS and Pol Pot proud.
My case study is to have a look at how Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal conducted themselves during WW2 and post war. These four countries did in fact made themselves quite rich and further strengthen their hand post war supporting the mainland Europe unlike Ireland.
NZ could do the same, but a lot of money has to be pump into the NZDF, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Aid, and STEM to make this work.
Actually it didn’t cost that much maintain the Air Strike Wing in the overall scheme of things. Where it fell down was the short term view taken of Defence by both sides of the Beehive and the what happen to the NZDF during the 90’s under the No Mates Party (National) in which everything was run in the ground.
When in the 90’s Units/ SQN’s/ Bases/ Depots/ Ships were disbanded, shut down/ closed or worn out equipment wasn’t replace and the only time it was replace was either it fell out of the sky aka the Strikemasters in 14 SQN or during Bosnia even then about 90% of the kit issued was borrowed from the Ozzie Army or leased from NATO aka the British Army and the short notice deployment to the Gulf under Op Dessert Fox which apart at the seams for the NZDF.
The F-16 lease deal has been describe as the deal of the century in most quarters and the books I have read what my uncle said at the time and he stills say its today the F-16’s was a good deal. He still says today, if the No Mates Party weren’t a bunch of cheap ass ****s when we replace the old Bunty we would be in the fast jet business as the BAE Hawk would’ve been far easy to re-generate than the Macchi both in terms of cost and manpower as there was still a lot of corporate knowledge around until about the 2 term of the No Mates Party.
If found that the book is right. There should be action to hold those to account I suspect most Kiwis would find that too much and want action.
On the flip side if it’s found that NZDF is correct and the book discredited will that be accepted or as I fear the inquiry will be called a farce and only the facts in the book are correct.
George Galloway explains why this is the most dangerous moment since the Cuban Crisis.
You will hear stuff that you won’t hear anywhere else.
There is no evidence of a chemical attack.
It is a lie.
Rather than making wisecrack comments and not even bothering to listen to the show, I recommend you actually listen to the words of Peter Ford, ex British ambassador to Syria on the matter.
He might get there if he breathed through his nose a bit and waited for Labour to actually screw up before trying to go downtown. Faux outrage doesn’t work well unless it strikes a chord with the audience.
One of only two really competent Ministers in the pack at the moment.
That’s not true Ad.
1) Jacinda Ardern.
2) David Parker.
3) Phil Twyford
4) Winston Peters
5) David Clark
6) Megan Woods.
7) Grant Robertson – whose chance to show his true mettle is coming up soon.
All of them are showing they are well informed and on top of their portfolios despite attempts by opposition and their media acolytes to paint them otherwise.
Waiting in the wings to join the above group are imo:
Chris Hipkins,Tracey Martin and Ian Lees-Galloway.
Not a bad outcome in less than 6 months in office.
Missing Andrew Little from that list, somewhere very near its top. Clark is on the wait and see list so far IMO.
and no point playing a good game early in the term and failing later for what ever reason.
Oops… bad error. Andrew Little. One of the best. They’re not in any sort of order btw.
Oh and Julie Anne Genter is rapidly earning her stripes. And yep. David Clark should be on the wait and see list. He’s inherited a massive problem – not his fault – but he’s going to have to prove he can solve it.
All in all I think Ad is a little out of order on this one. ::wink:
Newshub Many thanks to our Goverment for stopping off shore oil drilling Ka pai
As for replacing jobs Te Taranaki oil barons should not swim against the RIP Tide they should swim with it or they will——. like my Tipunas did 200 years ago Kohere Mokena and Ropata Wahawaha they sided with the Queen of England and avoided 100 years of WAR .
They prouduce energy we need energy why not use Taranakis natural resources the wind build wind mills or have water turbines in the sea I always find a positive thing in every situation . YES We are going to LEAD the world into a bright energy transition into renewable energy with our European cousin . This is not a ban there are just no new oil drilling permits also OUR precious Maui Dophins Ka pai E ho.
That oil baron you were you have interviewed is crying he wanted the Government to get in a big room for consultation so he could try and con them into changing there minds OUR MP have had enough of being in a room with OLD —— MEN who think that there opinion is the only correct opinion . Ana to kai Ka kite ano P.S Duncan it must been blowing hard at your place the other nite A
Newshub Tikapa my Marae has no power this is the reason I have study Solar power for years its light the fire turn the generator on solar power is that cheap now that the residents of Ruaturia would save big in switching to solar power as there power is so expensive I seen when I was there that optical fiber broad band was there..
The amount of oil we burn is small on the World stage but New Zealand has been a Leader on the World stage on many issues ladys voting ECT so the big picture is we are joining two other Countrys in starting the trend for the Whole World to change there attitude and think about the future of the Planet we leave behind for OUR mokopunas . We are leading the world into a carbon neutral economy’s.
Ka kite ano . P.S I ‘m not going anywhere till I get what is owed to me for this harassment
The Am show in the near future your car will be your back up power supply Marks hows your son we will be always digging up our tipuna intentionally or unintentionally archaeology helps us find the true history that the victors distort all the time in there favor this is fact books burned all evidence of some cultures burnt. This tactic is used to suppress others who could topple the victors.It is happening in New Zealand at the moment . Ka kite ano
Newshub the engineers in Taranaki could retool and make wind turbines geothermal turbines ect. Thats exactly my argument against trying to eat vegetables only a vegan diet this is why we must thank our farmers who produce OUR protein it keeps us healthy Ka pai to Australians for apprehending these parents for not considering the effects there belief of a vegetable only diet had on there child and publicizing the case .
Mike OUR sports stars are doing excellent in Australia a bit of drama on the bikes P.S I’m going to watch The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime TV I gave those people who are on 3 after 7 friends the pukana today they did not like it Ana to kai lieing———?
Ka kite ano
The Crowd Goes Wild Mulls and James Angus is a good rugby player .
The front row in Rugby Union is hard work I take my hat off to all of the front rowers last time I was scrumming I stuffed my neck up a bit wrong technique .
Wairangi is a good role model for Maori Ka pai he was a mean League player in his day. It was humerus watching Wai and Josh hosting the Crowd Goes Wild .
Must be some intense competition in the American base ball league. P.S you have given me a sore face again Mulls good one
Ka kite ano
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Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three. ...
Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blogIn 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
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 ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
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Craig Murray, in three brief paragraphs, explains the strategy being played by the US/UK establishment.
And now it looks like the UK, the US and France will attack Syria.
Scary times.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/10/russia-hits-back-over-syria-chemical-attack-with-call-for-un-inquiry
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/04/the-rush-to-war/
Prime had a seventies doco series on last night which had Vietnam.
The parallels in terms of the narrative are there IMO, commies v Ruskis and saving kids v saving democracy with the usual suspects cheering on a conflict.
I think we all know how it ends
Sadly yes.
I am so glad, though we have journalists and reporters like George Galloway and Craig Murray.
Without them we would know so much less.
He has no plausible alternative. Only Syria has helicopters dripping barrel bombs, the insurgents don’t. And in any event why would the insurgents kill their own people. Although as a conspiracy anti west theorist I imagine you think the UK or the US did it.
Why would the Syrians do it? To underscore to their opponents that will never be coming back.
No-one in western capitals now seriously believes Assad can be defeated, so drumming up a continuing war against him serves no purpose.
But he will be punished for using gas. Probably an airfield and command centre will be bombed.
Good on you Wayne.
Using the ‘conspiracy theorist’ line to silence dissent. I don’t know who did it.
But I do know it makes absolutely no sense for Assad to. He is not a nice guy – but he is not stupid.
But don’t take my word for it. Read Craig Murray’s work. I would suggest he knows a lot more about this subject than either you or I do. You should look up who he is and was – check his credentials.
I also recommend you read and listen to George Galloway, Robert Fisk, Patrick Cockburn and a whole raft of independent journalists.
The other option is to ask no questions and blame Russia, Syria, Iran, whoever……
I think Assad is stupid at least on this issue at this time. He has a track record of using gas. Admittedly most times he gets away with it. But not with Trump. Hence my stupid comment.
I do read Fisk, but not that idiot Galloway.
I wouldn’t believe a word from [deleted] Wayne Mapp …
How long were you telling NZ this person killed….in a vindictive fuck up of a ‘night raid’ …..was a Taliban fighter Wayne ?
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58bcc6ac893fc04255abbbcc/t/58cfb45a37c5819ccd2bfd50/1490014002150/?format=500w.
Also the worst use of Nerve Gas / Sarin, in the middle east in modern times, involved the british and u.s.a …. supplying ingredients, technology …. and precise co-ordinates of where to use it on the battlefield …. to their then buddy Saddam Hussein … in his invasion / war against Iran….. which they supported
They then blocked Iran from justice at the UN ….
Later when Saddam gassed the Kurds …… the dirty buggers tried to blame Iran … eg blame a victim of their chemical weapon attacks.
No inhibitions against using gas by the brits or usa…. or Israel for that matter
http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/08/26/exclusive-cia-files-prove-america-helped-saddam-as-he-gassed-iran/
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/mar/06/uk.iraq
[Way over the top there Reason.] – Bill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5u1skEoqLs
Perhaps Waynes smears Galloway for correctly pointing out the Iraq invasion … ” was based on a pack of lies “.
Galloway smears himself by being a loon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQA2X4yvK_g
Galloway may have been right on Iraq, but in general he is both a Russian apologist and a believer in all sorts of odd conspiracy theories.
What about the theory that a person who started a political party and worked through the electoral process was a monster for trying to bring down the government.
And then there was a Youtube video of a burning effigy which was linked to Internet Mana- then retracted.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/john-key-admits-effigy-video-not-linked-to-internet-mana-2014081208
Odd conspiracy theories? There was a kook a lot closer than you think
You may not agree with Wayne but that’s no excuse to label him a…
[Thank you. Obviously, I’ve deleted the phrase from your comment too.]- Bill
Interesting doco … starts with racism … but at approx 116 mins reveals a second occasion during the Cuban missile crisis… where guns were drawn by lower ranking officers … to prevent nuclear missile launch … and mankind’s annihilation
escalations and wars are dangerous
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neBQcvMRBRk
Sorry Bill …
You’ve made made my post read better by removing my strongly held opinion of Wayne ,,,,
I believe Wayne and Key were two of the more belligerent and loud voices pressuring helen clarke to join in the illegal invasion of Iraq … much like the present pressure put upon jacinda Arden about nz missing in action…
… and he was a flag bearer for the Iwi / Kiwi racist national electioneering contrivance … minister of anti PC or something … http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2005/10/final-kick.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2005/10/mapp-vs-waitangi-tribunal.html
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2006/01/one-language-for-all.html
he’s made uncomplimentary western sterotype remarks against the victims / population / society of Afghanistan here at the TS as well … pre hit and run
Conspiracy
kənˈspɪrəsi
noun
a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.
– dictionary
……
……
“Conspiracy theorist” is a term popularized by agencies wanting to discredited anyone questioning the official line.
Yes, it is used to shut down dissent.
Galloway predicted Iraq, he predicted Libya and sadly what is saying now is going to be correct.
And that means we are in the worst crisis since the Cold War.
Jaish al Islam are a terrorist organisation known to chop off the heads of “their own people” and keep them in cages on roof tops and the backs of cars to deter the Syrian Army from attackingg. This is the sort of people you think we should trust. Give us a break!! On the point of victory the Syrian Army use chemical weapons? I dont think so. Trump signals a desire to leave Syria and next thing you know is chemical attack?
https://gowans.wordpress.com/
That was the key trigger.
Trump saying he would leave Syria.
Just as JFK saying he’d pull out Vietnam got him killed.
As the legendary Bill Hicks said, Go back to sleep America.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcvNM7oc7k
Martin Lukacs writes an excellent article.
I wonder if this cold be made into a post -such an important message.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-north/2017/jul/17/neoliberalism-has-conned-us-into-fighting-climate-change-as-individuals?CMP=share_btn_tw
this is a really good post Ed. the psychological influences at play here need to be recognised….as people move to defend their and their families efforts. This has the effect of defending current actions and closing minds to needed criticism.
This is a really good post Ed.
The psychological impact of this can’t be overstated as people move to defend theirs and their families/groups/associations actions in recycling.
This has the effect of making them complicit/defensive of the efforts at an individual level. This is, in turn, an essential aspect of the corporate strategy.
100% I agree. The corporates divide and rule firstly.
They seek to weaken opposition is their game.
Brrr…
This morning the Pak n Save noticeboard had a note looking for a space to park a caravan for a couple with a dog.
As I hopped in the car the wind slammed my door on my leg. No biggie, but made me really hope the caravan couple + dog get a nice big reinforced shed in which to park.
I do too, it is very cold out there.
patricia,
Shit it is freezing up in the gisborne hills as it only got up to 5% celsius all today and begun with snow flacks at dawn.
No accumulative snow left behind yet..
Interesting new study out from Germany taken over multiple decades.
“Organic agriculture is not as good for the environment as commonly believed, according to a new scientific study reviewing multiple lines of evidence over more than two decades.
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-resource-100517-023252
The study was conducted by German researchers Eva-Marie Meemken and Matin Qaim from the University of Goettingen and published in the journal Annual Review of Resource Economics.
They do make clear that the scientific evidence shows that organic is better in some specific situations, and that the best strategy overall may be to combine conventional and organic approaches.
In general, the study concludes that while organic farming is more environmentally friendly per unit of land than conventional approaches, it is not better for the environment when assessed in terms of units of output.
This is because organic farming generally has lower yields — between 19-25 percent, on average.”
Do a post on it.
About time we had the food productivity argument.
Agriculture itself is the issue. “Organics” is a nebulous term, difficult to pin down, therefore easy to dismiss if you don’t favour it. Once we’ve realised that agriculture’s the core of the problem, we’ll be getting somewhere.
The environment is key though!!
Yes Hillary, but…….
The Firman Bear report from Rutgers University shows the difference between organic and conventionally grown produce:
But a study from Rutgers University in USA says that organic vs conventional produce shawed in their study that only organic had sufficient quantities of all trace vitamins and minerals to sustain us whereas the conventional produce only had less the 10% of the trace vitamins/minerals that was measured in organic, so I would be interested in this study from Germany if they also measured the content of the important amounts of vitamins/minerals in both organic and conventional products to adequately quantify the effectiveness of both growth systems.
https://swansonhealthcenter.com/topics/organic-vs-non-organic-mineral-and-antioxidant-content/
“A recent four-year European Union study, funded at a cost of $25 million, raised fruits, vegetables, and cows on adjacent organic and conventional fields at a 725-acre farm near Newcastle University in England and other places in Europe. Researchers found that the: 1) organic fruits and vegetables contained up to 40% more antioxidants; 2) organic produce had higher levels of iron, copper, and zinc; and 3) milk from organic herds contained up to 90% more antioxidants.”
If only organics had “…sufficient quantities of all trace vitamins and minerals to sustain us..” and conventional produce had only 10% of those quantities..
Then how is it that those of us who can’t afford organic have managed to be sustained by food that has only 1/10th of the amount of nutrients needed to sustain us?
Scary that so much damage to Auckland because we don’t expect gale force winds like Wellington… another chapter in Auckland’s building woes…. we build them, but not so well and the wind can blow them down… likewise disruption to our electricity system, our rail system.. our ferries…
You’d think storms would be built into how the city runs… because with climate change and warming water it is anticipated that cyclones will become more frequent.
Live: Auckland assesses the damage: Trees down, 140km/h winds and thousands without power
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12030156
Maybe this headline could better be explained by thinking about what has got NZ into this bizarre place with our Met service that see’s storms where there are none and not when they come…
“Weather forecaster to review processes after storm battered Auckland”
Apparently the Metservice not only reports to the ministry of transport???? but also is expected to invest in oil forecasts to somehow try to turn a profit….
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/05/21/so-who-funds-metservice-the-weird-madness-behind-the-20-meter-wave-story/
Bit like Middlemore spending money to extend some of it’s building’s because that part was artificially ‘profitable’ but the actual parts that housed the unprofitable sick children were full of mould and did not qualify for funding under the government’s and neoliberal rules.
Before complaining about all the money and why nothing works anymore, unwrap where the money is being siphoned off into non core activities out of government funded departments…
That is so true. Those useless pricks couldn’t predict Tuesday follows Monday.
Sorry muttonbird and savenz but you are completely out of line.
As one of those former “useless Metservice pricks” who has been out of the game for more than two decades but who tries to keep up with the latest techniques, I have news for you:
NZ meteorologists and climate scientists are among the most respected in the world. The primary reason being NZ is one of the toughest countries on the planet when it comes to weather prediction. This is due in large part to it’s marine status in an area plagued by storms coming at it from both tropical ocean zones and polar ocean zones. In other words they get a great deal more weather experience than their counterparts from countries with more predictable weather patterns.
Having said that: our Metservice forecasters accurately predicted yesterday’s weather days in advance and they began to issue preliminary warnings late last week and official warnings over the weekend and on Monday. They made it clear there was a strong potential for extremely damaging winds in all their forecasts – particularly between Taranaki and Northland. However it was impossible to pinpoint exactly where the worst of those winds would eventuate because that was dependent on where the centre of the deep low would finally cross over the country. It turned out to be between Waikato and Auckland from all accounts.
That their warnings were not taken seriously enough is the fault of the populace – not the forecasters.
Well said, Anne. Having lived in Europe for a while, I saw upon returning here how much more unpredictable our local weather is. More importantly, I noticed the warnings that were issued about Tuesday’s weather.. Who are these numbnuts pretending that Met Service gave no warnings?
Heres’ a bunch of them:
It has been a terrifying Wednesday for Aucklanders after a massive storm that appeared to take authorities by surprise pummelled the region overnight.
They also talk about… the storm nobody saw coming.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/04/weather-live-updates-auckland-wakes-up-to-massive-storm-damage.html
Is it any wonder people get the wrong idea when you have the MSM spreading a totally wrong story. Newshub are one of the worse culprits.
Their 3 day rain maps are excellent. I couldn’t do without them in my line of work and they are usually very accurate. Maybe they need some computer models, coz they’ve all been really accurate so far…
100% saveNZ
National = austerity first.
National was a right wing robin hood for the rich not the poor.
National wasn’t an austerity government, they borrowed (and presumably spent) shitloads of moolah. It’s just that their spending was all about benefiting mainly their business and elitist interests rather than all New Zealanders.
Thanks for this. Must have been posted during one of my TDB sabbaticals.
I’m watching Mark Zuckerberg in front of the senate hearing currently. Very very interesting to watch.
Do you know if he can be sued?
Americans are big on suing.
Probably not from what I saw – the senate didn’t seem to know how Facebook actually worked
Does Zuckerberg know how all of face book really works?
Just heard on RNZ that Zuckerberg’s account was used to gain information.
I elected to not be a facebook user due to my privacy not being assured.
China revealing it’s military strategy in the Pacific, if nobody saw this coming… SURPRISE!
Chinese military expansion into Vanuatu aimed at Australia and NZ
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/04/10/chinese-military-expansion-into-vanuatu-aimed-at-australia-and-nz/
Yep. We need to desperately build up our defence capabilities including producing our own weapons/ammunition/vehicles.
We should be warry of small Island nations as the Chinese have large bullying power over them and some will render themselves to caving in to some excessive pressure fronm a big power like China just look at that China has done in Africa.
It’s not the small island nations that I’m concerned with.
Well, the benign environment is coming to an end and with it the decades long free ride we’ve had defense wise.
I took the trouble last night to read up on the Australian military build up. it is quite astonishing.
For the Navy – 12(!) x short fin Barracuda advanced attack submarines, 2 x 30,000 ton helicopter carriers capable of operating STOVL fixed wing aircraft, 3 x Aegis equipped Air Defense Destroyers, 9 x 7,000+ ton general purpose “frigates”, 24 x Seahawk helicopters plus the 8 ANZAC class frigates and whatever of their existing fleet will stay in service.
Air Force – 98 x F-35B Lightning II plus the current force of 106 F-18 Hornets, a dozen P-8A Neptunes, AWACS, 8 x C-17 Globemaster III, plus 33 Hawk trainers and lots of modern PGMs plus UAVs, etc.
The Australian Army has 22 attack helicopters, 60 MBT and 700+ other AFVs and plans to buy 3,000+ new armoured vehicles of all types, new MANPADS and Medium range SAM systems, new long range rocket artillery, new ATGW systems, etc etc etc.
The time for scrimping on our defense is almost over. The 20 billion re-equipment program we have planned should probably be tripled and plans put in hand for registering military age men and women for rapid conscription.
At the time the service heads of both RNZAF and RNZN along with a few other want the Government of the day to keep 14Sqn as a going concern and even at reduce state in case something like this did pop up, but the certain members of the back bench made sure that the former Strike Wing would never rise again out of the ashes like the phoenix.
As the original plan was to disband No’s 2 and 75Sqn, but retain 14Sqn in a reduce state to maintain a cadre of trained pilots and ground crew should the need a rise in the future.
Should ring my uncle and ask for his comment? Ex- 14 and 75Sqn and was both teams for the Macchi and twice on the F-16’s 83-84 and the last one before it got kicked in to touch.
My pick is Singapore fighter jets will end up at Ohakea.
Its almost a given from what I’m hearing atm.
Further to your reply about the current and future Order of Battle (ORBAT) of the ADF. There has been some major changes within the Army like plain Beersheba which would an extra SQN of 30 odd M1 MBT’s, a ready Arms Battle Group from the Army reserves to attach to the 3 Combat Brigades and to 2RAR, the Hawkie and Boxer vehicles to replace the LAV’s and Landies in the Cav SQN’s and some of the M113’s.
The RAAF has seen a major re-structure of it Airfield Defence Sqns and other Airforce Security Units within the RAAF, which from my POV has cause us endless headaches for us Rockapes as the AFSEC muppets don’t want to step up to plate. To a point that CDF has now crack the shits with it, saying his Rockapes aren’t meant to the guarding the Flightline, as its a AFSEC job and he needs them outside not inside the wire also he wants at least another two SECFOR SQN’s.
A theatre base Air Defence System which we haven’t seen since the 60’s when the RAAF had the Bloodhound missiles,
UAV’s for the P8’s and possible armed UAV’s down the track at a later stage.
Addition tankers and AEW/C aircraft
And the Navy which you have already mention, apart from the Patrol Boats that are no longer fit for purpose after only 10-15yrs of service being replace with a Ocean Combat Vessel in other words a up-gun OPV or a light frigate depending on how one gets out of bed in the morning.
Then there is the talk of rebasing assets to the northern bases and some the bare bases being full maned which raise’s all sorts of questions.
Massive funding for the JRON radar upgrade’s and the setting up a Joint Cyber warfare unit.
Its all go here atm.
Vanuatua has stated they are not interested. End of.
Vanuatu won’t be the only ones that China has made advances to and some will accept.
Have you seen what they did Sri Lanka when they couldn’t repay their debt to China?
China just walked in and tooked over the Port and the Airport for its own use and brought in its own worker as well and sacked the local work force, also they try to pull one over on the Maldives of late. But the Maldives courts put a stop to that, but how will that last is anyone’s guess atm. They also did the same at port of Gawler as well.
Half of Vanuatu’s debt is owned by China,
About 3/4 quarters of Tonga’s debt is owned by China and if we go back to 2006, this was one of the leading causes to the riots.
PNG and Fiji’s debt over half of that is owned to China.
A of other SP nations also up to their eye balls in debt to China
You can see a wee tend starting to appear here.
I’ve brought my comments over from the TDB site for readers who visit there for whatever reason.
Yes Martyn is correct on his assumption; it changes everything from a NZ military, Foreign Aid and NZ trade POV. There has been talk of a possible Chinese bases in Tonga, PNG and Fiji though work at open and closed circles.
It really makes a mockery of Auntie Helen’s assumption when she disbanded the Air Strike Wing, reducing the Anti Surface/ Anti Sub Surface Capability of the RNZAF and RNZN and refusing the Navy to have more capable ships under Project Protector.
I wonder you are the idiots now for not listening to the Chiefs at the time and this what’s happens when you get involved in silly little wars in the MER and you forget your backyard NZ/ Oz.
Chinas maritime doctrine is base around Anti Access and Anti Denial. The best way to achieve this through the use of Submarines and long range Maritime Aircraft in both as Maritime Strike or as a ISR platform. It’s their subs, Coast Guard ships (they are more capable than our own sub- par OPV’s) and their fishing fleet that I’m worried about atm. Their surface fleet though capable on paper is still small operate affectively outside the first chain island for combat operations but give them a few yrs and they have carriers with cats and traps not STOBAR carriers then start to worry.
The best way to sink a ship is a submarine or mines laid by a submarine or by a converted fishing trawler when the ship is not alongside in port.
NZ economy is a export led with over 90% of NZ exports going by sea and over 90% imports coming by sea. Cutting off NZ Sea Lanes Of Communications (SLOC) during a state of war would cripple NZ economy and likely to cause great social unrest along the way.
NZ’s Governments consisted running down of the NZDF since 1991 is looking a bit foolish now. Neutrality to Asian eyes is a sign of great weakness, unless of course you carry a bloody big stick like Finland Sweden or Switzerland. Adopting Neutrality would mean some serious coin being pour into the NZDF or we team up with Oz and all the trappings that they bring. The so-called $20B earmarked for defence by No Mates National Party is small fry now to what could be in the future and sticking one’s head in the sand is no longer an option of NZ now.
With possible Chinese subs, surface vessels or even their H6 nuclear capable/ maritime strike bombers operating out of Vanuatu and that’s not including its fishing fleets that will rape pillage the Southern Ocean, but rape and pillage of the Antarctic mainland as well. Means they could achieve there overall mission objective in their doctrine of Anti Access and Anti Denial.
Food for thought
Yep. We need that bloody big stick and we need to stand up for ourselves. Neither of which have or do. China blocks our goods at the wharf and we kowtow real fast rather than dropping the FTA as we should be doing.
Yes DTB,
China has little old NZ by its shorts and curlicues and its shows that NZ hasn’t learned from its past aka “being the UK’s farm” that putting all your eggs into one basket isn’t the wise thing to do in the long term.
I think the old Silver Fox is on to something?
The key is trade with Russia.
For what, crude petroleum oils, potassium fertilisers, copper?.
Sorry Ed,
But we need to trading with everybody and also not Just in low end raw products like we do now, but high end value added products, banking etc etc which we have done in the past before the 1984 coup. When the Neo- Economic Lib Muppets then ransack the country in a rape and pillage orgy that would’ve Stalin, Mao, Hitler’s SS and Pol Pot proud.
My case study is to have a look at how Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal conducted themselves during WW2 and post war. These four countries did in fact made themselves quite rich and further strengthen their hand post war supporting the mainland Europe unlike Ireland.
NZ could do the same, but a lot of money has to be pump into the NZDF, Foreign Affairs, Trade, Aid, and STEM to make this work.
Too costly for NZ to maintain aircraft fire power.
It would not take much for fighter jets from overseas to be stationed in NZ if really necessary.
How come?
Why would we want to?
How come?
The health system needs every dollar it can get.
Why would we want to?
Not a case of want,it would be a case of need to give security.
Being nuclear free is a different reason when it comes to security.
Actually it didn’t cost that much maintain the Air Strike Wing in the overall scheme of things. Where it fell down was the short term view taken of Defence by both sides of the Beehive and the what happen to the NZDF during the 90’s under the No Mates Party (National) in which everything was run in the ground.
When in the 90’s Units/ SQN’s/ Bases/ Depots/ Ships were disbanded, shut down/ closed or worn out equipment wasn’t replace and the only time it was replace was either it fell out of the sky aka the Strikemasters in 14 SQN or during Bosnia even then about 90% of the kit issued was borrowed from the Ozzie Army or leased from NATO aka the British Army and the short notice deployment to the Gulf under Op Dessert Fox which apart at the seams for the NZDF.
The F-16 lease deal has been describe as the deal of the century in most quarters and the books I have read what my uncle said at the time and he stills say its today the F-16’s was a good deal. He still says today, if the No Mates Party weren’t a bunch of cheap ass ****s when we replace the old Bunty we would be in the fast jet business as the BAE Hawk would’ve been far easy to re-generate than the Macchi both in terms of cost and manpower as there was still a lot of corporate knowledge around until about the 2 term of the No Mates Party.
Vanuatua has stated they are not interested. End of.
Wooo hooooo THANKS GOVERNMENT.
There WILL be an inquiry into Operation Burnham, conducted by Geoffrey Palmer and another person.
Will post a link when one comes up. Super happy about this news.
Edit… link added
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/04/hit-and-run-government-launches-inquiry-into-alleged-afghan-civilian-deaths.html
Edit again… just found a live stream of questions happening now….
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/04/livestream-attorney-general-makes-announcement-on-operation-burnham.html
Good news there Cinny.
Yes, yes 🙂
That is great news needed to happen for clarity.
If found that the book is right. There should be action to hold those to account I suspect most Kiwis would find that too much and want action.
On the flip side if it’s found that NZDF is correct and the book discredited will that be accepted or as I fear the inquiry will be called a farce and only the facts in the book are correct.
Excellent, and may the villagers’ lives be honoured with a steely justice.
George Galloway explains why this is the most dangerous moment since the Cuban Crisis.
You will hear stuff that you won’t hear anywhere else.
There is no evidence of a chemical attack.
It is a lie.
Like Iraq.
Very scary.
Listen to the first 10 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlZ5NHn5n80
[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.]
I can think of reasons why you won’t hear this anywhere else
Rather than making wisecrack comments and not even bothering to listen to the show, I recommend you actually listen to the words of Peter Ford, ex British ambassador to Syria on the matter.
I don’t think this Simon Bridges has the goods.
Reading this article it seems JA completely dominated him in question time with clean but brutal smack-downs.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/04/jacinda-ardern-v-simon-bridges-fiercest-question-time-debate-yet.html
The Nats and their supporters must be getting worried – he’s an odd and scrappy little man and just doesn’t have what it takes.
He might get there if he breathed through his nose a bit and waited for Labour to actually screw up before trying to go downtown. Faux outrage doesn’t work well unless it strikes a chord with the audience.
Well worth watching the actual interchange.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=199834
Great to see Parker standing up again. Reeks of competence as AG.
Very good signal to NZDF that he is not going to take any shit.
One of only two really competent Ministers in the pack at the moment.
One of only two really competent Ministers in the pack at the moment.
That’s not true Ad.
1) Jacinda Ardern.
2) David Parker.
3) Phil Twyford
4) Winston Peters
5) David Clark
6) Megan Woods.
7) Grant Robertson – whose chance to show his true mettle is coming up soon.
All of them are showing they are well informed and on top of their portfolios despite attempts by opposition and their media acolytes to paint them otherwise.
Waiting in the wings to join the above group are imo:
Chris Hipkins,Tracey Martin and Ian Lees-Galloway.
Not a bad outcome in less than 6 months in office.
Missing Andrew Little from that list, somewhere very near its top. Clark is on the wait and see list so far IMO.
and no point playing a good game early in the term and failing later for what ever reason.
Oops… bad error. Andrew Little. One of the best. They’re not in any sort of order btw.
Oh and Julie Anne Genter is rapidly earning her stripes. And yep. David Clark should be on the wait and see list. He’s inherited a massive problem – not his fault – but he’s going to have to prove he can solve it.
All in all I think Ad is a little out of order on this one. ::wink:
Definitely Tracey Martin. She owned Alfred Ngaro in QTime yesterday with an impressive list of what is happening in the Children portfolio – and with a sense of humour!
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=199841
What’s ‘Dodgy Dick’ Griffin playing at not releasing the voicemail?
Newshub Many thanks to our Goverment for stopping off shore oil drilling Ka pai
As for replacing jobs Te Taranaki oil barons should not swim against the RIP Tide they should swim with it or they will——. like my Tipunas did 200 years ago Kohere Mokena and Ropata Wahawaha they sided with the Queen of England and avoided 100 years of WAR .
They prouduce energy we need energy why not use Taranakis natural resources the wind build wind mills or have water turbines in the sea I always find a positive thing in every situation . YES We are going to LEAD the world into a bright energy transition into renewable energy with our European cousin . This is not a ban there are just no new oil drilling permits also OUR precious Maui Dophins Ka pai E ho.
That oil baron you were you have interviewed is crying he wanted the Government to get in a big room for consultation so he could try and con them into changing there minds OUR MP have had enough of being in a room with OLD —— MEN who think that there opinion is the only correct opinion . Ana to kai Ka kite ano P.S Duncan it must been blowing hard at your place the other nite A
Newshub Tikapa my Marae has no power this is the reason I have study Solar power for years its light the fire turn the generator on solar power is that cheap now that the residents of Ruaturia would save big in switching to solar power as there power is so expensive I seen when I was there that optical fiber broad band was there..
The amount of oil we burn is small on the World stage but New Zealand has been a Leader on the World stage on many issues ladys voting ECT so the big picture is we are joining two other Countrys in starting the trend for the Whole World to change there attitude and think about the future of the Planet we leave behind for OUR mokopunas . We are leading the world into a carbon neutral economy’s.
Ka kite ano . P.S I ‘m not going anywhere till I get what is owed to me for this harassment
The Am show in the near future your car will be your back up power supply Marks hows your son we will be always digging up our tipuna intentionally or unintentionally archaeology helps us find the true history that the victors distort all the time in there favor this is fact books burned all evidence of some cultures burnt. This tactic is used to suppress others who could topple the victors.It is happening in New Zealand at the moment . Ka kite ano
Newshub the engineers in Taranaki could retool and make wind turbines geothermal turbines ect. Thats exactly my argument against trying to eat vegetables only a vegan diet this is why we must thank our farmers who produce OUR protein it keeps us healthy Ka pai to Australians for apprehending these parents for not considering the effects there belief of a vegetable only diet had on there child and publicizing the case .
Mike OUR sports stars are doing excellent in Australia a bit of drama on the bikes P.S I’m going to watch The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime TV I gave those people who are on 3 after 7 friends the pukana today they did not like it Ana to kai lieing———?
Ka kite ano
The Crowd Goes Wild Mulls and James Angus is a good rugby player .
The front row in Rugby Union is hard work I take my hat off to all of the front rowers last time I was scrumming I stuffed my neck up a bit wrong technique .
Wairangi is a good role model for Maori Ka pai he was a mean League player in his day. It was humerus watching Wai and Josh hosting the Crowd Goes Wild .
Must be some intense competition in the American base ball league. P.S you have given me a sore face again Mulls good one
Ka kite ano