Teanau Tuiono (" veteran activist and education consultant who has worked at the United Nations and Massey University"
Julie Anne Genter
Chlöe Swarbrick
Golriz Ghahraman
Elizabeth Kerekere ("Tīwhanawhana Trust chair" – a takatāpui community group based in Wellington)
Ricardo Menéndez March ("Auckland Action Against Poverty activist")
I presume Davidson is ahead of Shaw to give co-leaders turns at the top.
Gareth Hughes isn't standing again so I presume Tuiono is above some current MPs to put a bit of gender balance in the list.
But there is still only 2 males in the top 6 (the minimum number of MPs if Greens get back it), and 2 in the top 9, and 3 in the top 10.
Is the list likely to be gender balanced in later processes? Or do Greens not do gender balance any more.
Another thing that seems apparent – with Hughes going and the three non MPs in the top ten looking like social activists, it looks like Greens may be leaning more towards social activism than climate activism.
"it looks like Greens may be leaning more towards social activism than climate activism." …. like they have forever! Just to be explicit the greens have not represented ecological wisdom for a generation.
a random quote from twitter that struck a chord with me
"Incredible. I think it's pretty clear now that #BillGates is a dangerous sociopath with way more money than sense. He has no academic qualifications & only achievement was dissemination biggest computer virus incubator, Microsoft OS. A scam which he's made billions from.."
use windows very reluctantly when unavoidable. dont have it on any of my machines , wont support it for others. It is very shoddy resource hungry and wide open for virus and scammer/spammers. At some point a decision must have been made to not rewrite it as secure but rather to support a burgeoning industry pushing anti virus, viruses .
I am pointing out that in the virtual world Microsoft has allowed viruses to run rampant and profited from them. This is relevant to his outlook and the sort of "answers" we might expect from him.
I'll just note that running Microsofts own anti malware and antivirus programmes and updates, and none of the others, I haven't had a virus on any of my computers since before, Vista.
Not plugging Microsoft. Still pissed with them taking over Nokia, dumping Nokia's excellent final operating system for Windows phone, then bugging out.
A decade or so ago I expressed that the number of viruses on a platform is proportional to the size of its user base and that Linux would get viruses as much with as much popularity. Since MacOs is linux based im counting it.
I think pre-vista the default configuration of no separate admin privileges was an issue though.
lol yeah and ISTR Vista initially went too far the other way with security "are you sure"-style popups what felt like ten times to install a single program.
not at all red. If you examine and understand microsoft business practice he clearly should not be allowed any influence in the current crisis .. we need open source solutions here!
It is a very long time since Gates had a dominant role at Microsoft xanthe.
He stepped down as CEO in 2000, when he was replaced by Steve Ballmer. Gates became what was called Chief Software Architect,although most of his time and interest seemed to be related to his Foundation.
He ceased to have any day to day duties at the company in 2008, although he stayed as Board Chairman. He then stood down as Board Chairman in 2014. He isn't even on the company Board any more as he stood down from that role last month.
Blaming your complaints about Microsoft and its business practices today on Gates really is pushing things a bit far, don't you think?
"not at all red. If you examine and understand microsoft business practice he clearly should not be allowed any influence in the current crisis .. we need open source solutions here!"
Well the current crisis is Covid 19 and that is what Bill Gates is wanting to help with. Talking about Microsoft being subject to viruses of the computer variety hardly seems to be relevant when the subject seems to be whether The Gates Foundation should have anything to do with finding a solution to the the viruses of the medical type that Covid 19 comprises.
If xanthe is really only interested in what she says about Windows Bill Gates is irrelevant these days. He simply doesn't have anything to do with their operations. All he does these days is collect the dividends from the shares he owns.
A bit late to start rallying against the philanthropic investments of the Gates Foundation into biomedical research. They have been around for the last 20 years!
I put a link the other day to a documentary on TVNZ on demand, called Trust WHO. It's about the funding behind WHO, and how the Gates Foundation amongst others, demands specific programmes before funding.
(Worth the watch, even if just to see the change of definition for pandemic, that allowed stockpiled amounts of Tamiflu to be sold before they expired.)
I'm not saying that's all there is to the story, but it does give an indication of where to look for further information if you have concerns about the funding – and influence of NGO's on WHO advice and policy.
Thanks, Joe. That's funding from the member states, which according to the overall funding only makes up around 50% of the income budget.
And I guess, that percentage would also change if some states refused or were unable to pay their contribution. So there is an element of influence from other funding sources that is not democratic or scrutinised.
Crikey trump is diabolical. Everyday he lies to the USA re the virus and then defends his lies by inflating his ego to the press.
Reminds me of how the CCP first dealt with the situation, misleading the public via a lack of accurate information.
Currently trump, putin and the saudi's big problem and focus is their large stockpiles of oil. They are all complaining about ships full of oil sitting in the ocean waiting for the lock down to end so they can resume supply and profit. trump appears more concerned about his oil than the mounting death toll.
Makes me wonder if the world will change so much during lock down that some industries will be even more motivated to step away from oil. The clean air must be noticeable and enjoyable in the larger cities and centres of industry at present.
The only place I can see to fit the word "justified" into that sentence and keep it grammatically sensible is immediately before the word "credit".
That would mean that you are saying that "Trump will take the justified credit".
Please tell me you are joking. Surely you mean that you missed out the words "try and" after "Trump will" rather than the word "justified" before "credit"
Reminds me of how the CCP first dealt with the situation, misleading the public via a lack of accurate information.
You saying that the Chinese government/authorities had information, but misled their own public, and by extension, the citizens and governments of other countries around the world?
I'd like a link to be provided if that's what your saying – a proper link mind. Not one that's just "official" lines being boosted by a stenographer. Or is your assertion based on you yourself having been taken in by the various stenographers who've been touting the bullshit fed to them by well placed political actors with agendas to push?
Al-Jazeera & Chapo trap house? Okay, perhaps not particularly well placed; but certainly having "agendas to push".
China's response was admittedly more focused on results than words. But then, not reading any of their languages, I can't give much perspective on what they said. Here's what they did:
Cinny, you changed your second YouTube link from that (also available at Morrissey's @ comment 5) to the Al Jazeera one currently in your comment. Feigning ignorance does you no credit.
Is any government not focused on controlling the narrative (even those incompetent at it are at least trying)? Not saying I agree with the Chinese dictatorship on much, but their prompt actions have saved a lot of lives.
TA, hmmmm; perhaps I am mistaken then, but that is what I saw at the time I started typing my comment (too busy at the end wrestling with pasting links on a mobile to go back and confirm).
Morrissey, I am not disparaging CTH, nor Al Jazeera for that matter. Just saying that they wouldn't be my choice for an apolitical voice (if such a thing is even possible).
Though re-reading Bill's initial request, you could argue that they are not stenographers because it is not a print medium. That is a bit flimsy though.
Chapo Trap House is three or four very sharp, literate guys—sometimes there are women with them—who critique various aspects of American life. They're learned, and they're funny. The program comes out of Chicago.
k – It begins with an unsubstantiated claim that a government spokesperson told journalists to stop reporting that covid started in China. That may or may not be true, and if true, may or may not be reasonable depending on context. But we're just to take the bald statement at face value and apply it to whatever context we'd prefer to imagine.
And first up we have Steve Tsang of SOAS. Look up the School of Oriental and African Studies – in particular, their approach to regime change, and then tell me why they wouldn't indulge in a bit of mud slinging when it comes to China.
Shelley Zhang (China Uncensored), helpfully informs the audience that there are conspiracy theories about the US unleashing the virus in China, suggesting that was what the previous interviewee (Liu Xin) had claimed. She hadn't.
And social media conspiracies are not government narratives. (jist sayin)
But if the Chinese government is to be lambasted for lack of censorship, as per Shelley Zhang's angle….
And officials having twitter accounts is somehow nefarious?!
Next up – Human Rights Watch. Do I really have to say anything about a supposed human rights org that champs at the bit to have the US impose sanctions on countries (eg – Nicaragua). Anyway. SO there is a lot of very bad things going on in China that we don't know about "because China and censorship". (That's Yaqiu Wang's basic line)
I guess we're not meant to notice the contradiction between her damning take on Chinese censorship and Shelley Zhangs damning take on Chinese censorship.
Steve Tsang comes back in at the 8min mark with a very good observation on what "swamping media" with a particular narrative does. (I'll leave that hanging, aye?)
lol – and the whole thing concludes by highlighting multiple examples of western racism being aimed at China, that are to be excused because "accidental" and anyway, China is exploiting that racism (which is a far worse thing) and Chinese authorities told lies at the outset of the pandemic. (Not one example given)
Xenophobic cunt peddles hate. Twat with access to a blog’s comments section who lacks functioning grey matter, posts it because "on the money". Says a lot for said twat.
You are totally wrong on this. My own adopted chinese son first pointed me to Winston about five years ago. He was keen to improve his English and to show me more about China, and his videos were an excellent common ground for us to talk about. I’ve probably watched several hundred hours of his material since then …
Winston left SA about a decade ago and moved to China, and fell in love with the place … up until about the point where Xi Xinping made himself the lifetime ruler with more absolute power than even the emperors of the old dynasties.
But you have to admit that winston went down the rabbit hole of hating on China, and in return has got paid well for it.
I agree some of his early videos were really good, and a great for talking points when communicating with activist in china. But about a year ago he went off the wagon, and really pushed the whole anti-china line.
The Chinese government and way of doing things is an existential threat to our freedom. If you don't like that being pointed out then that just makes you one more useful idiot.
The Chinese government and way of doing things is an existential threat to our freedom. If you don't like that being pointed out …
Explain how that's so? Is the Brazilian government and way of doing things an existential threat to "our freedom" too? If not, why not? What about the US government and way of doing things? Are they a threat?
When was the last time China invaded another country or embarked on any kind of empire building?
China doesn't insist a government receiving investment or aid adopt preferred modes of governance. Can the same be said for those that push for western corporations to gain access to various markets?
And anyway. What makes you think "we" have freedom? (You never heard of wage slavery? Never experienced it?)
Empire building like the literal building of Islands onto reefs in the South China sea? Or do you want to go back to the occupation of Tibet and Uighurstan/ Xinjiang?
Hey. That land reclamation is fucking horrible, but "empire building" it ain't.
Tibet was arguably always within China. Pretty sure the present Dalai Lama, as per tradition, sought permission of Chinese authorities before assuming his position.
Though admittedly the name is a fairly modern development. East Turkestan (which arguably existed to 1949) and the Dzunger khanate may be more fruitful search terms.
I am quite capable of arguing the contrary that Tibet was not always a part of China. With copious references and really pedantic detail. But even with so much free time on my hands I just can't be bothered in the face of your willful ignorance.
Not well known but the Turkic people originate from what we now think of as Northern China. It's the Han who have encroached on their ancestoral lands.
As a people they wandered far over the Asia steppes and indeed one group, the Seljuks, are the group who founded what we now think of as modern Turkey.
Jesus fucking wept. Just the first two lines of that are enough. And here's the thing – if China didn't communicate with the rest of the world (though, oddly, the WHO was notified and virologists everywhere seemed to be pretty well informed), then why is it that a good clutch of Asian countries managed to get out in front of the virus?
Hmm. Maybe it's an Asian wide conspiracy against white westerners? 🙂
the chinese government communicated both in word and action remarkably quickly (though not without errors, but thats human) and the rest of the world shrugged until it was too late….place the blame where it lies I say
"…precision fermentation, which promises to produce clean meat in a way that might leave conventional US feedlot agriculture out in the cold."
…Essentially this would be real meat, produced without the need to raise and slaughter the animal. You could have production facilities on the outside of town and that's it. – David Slack
That is I take it non-animal meat. We tried some such meat in a home made hamburger. Couldn't tell the difference so is this a realistic future trend.
Show me the ecological and climate audits on it, and then the economic ones, and I might get interested. But mostly what I see is people looking at using industrial food tech to make profit in the global economy, and none of that is sustainable. It's the same thinking that gave us feedlots in the US, and industrial dairy in NZ.
"The germ has gotten so brilliant that the antibiotic can't keep up with it … there's a whole genius to it … not only is it hidden, but it's very smart."
Somewhere in the past few days I wrote a comment on specific restrictions being drawn up and applied to private jets entering NZ. Today…
A group of would-be holidaymakers who flew in a private jet from London to the Côte d’Azur in France has been turned back by police.
Seven men and three women arrived on the chartered aircraft to Marseille-Provence airport, where helicopters were waiting to fly them on to Cannes, where they had rented a luxury villa.
I confess to knowing nothing about the size of runway required for any particular private jet with the range to get here, the ability to navigate NZ airspace without express permissions, what provincial and private runways there are in NZ, or the spread of customs control.
What I do know, is that I want all loopholes and avenues for arsewipe entitled fuckers closed tight.
Yes to that. If, fingers crossed we mange to eliminate will there be pressure on us to take high end tourists who are willing to isolate for 14 days and then park themselves here for the next 6 months or so? I don't feel too comfortable with that idea.
We don't "need" billionaires they are part of the problem. We could make them part of the solution by charging a stonking great fee for an entry visa ( half a billion each would get everything repaid very quickly
For an airplane that can get to New Zealand from anywhere except eastern Australia you'd need a runway the same as for a domestic jet (A320 or 737). So very hard to do it quietly and without clearance. Air traffic Control and Customs are still active in Queenstown and presumably all the other capable airports in the country.
Not if they made a stop somewhere on the way here. The rules are clear enough, everybody who arrives at our border must go into quarantine for 14 days.
assuming they declare any illness on board….however im sure its been considered but as the Guardian article demonstrates theres no limit to the level of self entitled some have
No. All marine traffic is well monitored. It's very unlikely any vessel could enter any NZ port without permission, even less likely without seriously expensive consequences.
Oh dear. Does that mean we have to keep an eye out for stray Japanese and German arrivals. They, after all, had some experience of getting here unaided during WW 2.
So do Hamilton and Invercargill. They are both a lot longer than Wellington at 2195 m and 2210 m respectively. .
Hawkes Bay would probably be suitable as well. It is about 50 metres less than Wellington but with anything less than a maximum take off weight it wouldn't seem to be a problem. I have seen what appeared to be quite impressive private jets there.
Kerikeri and Nelson, along with Whenuapai are also classed as approved for places of first arrival. I could imagine landing at Kerikeri but you would have fun taking off with anything but enough fuel to fly to Auckland I would think.
I confess to knowing nothing about the size of runway required for any particular private jet with the range to get here, the ability to navigate NZ airspace without express permissions, what provincial and private runways there are in NZ, or the spread of customs control.
I'm going to *guess that it's not legal to fly into NZ without permission and that any such flight would be picked up by normal aviation radar. This might well be different in Europe, which has been operating relatively open borders between European countries before covid.
I don't know about radar picking planes up normally. I doubt if we operate military radar routinely and I understand that the civilian equipment used for air traffic control isn't really radar at all. It picks up the signal from equipment on the plane which broadcasts its id and location. If the transponder is off the plane is, I believe, essentially invisible.
Military radar sends out a signal and picks up a reflection. It is looking for things that don't want to be found.
You aren't going to remain that way if you were to land, unexpectedly, at any airport with a big enough runway, and I wouldn't think you could take off again.
Imagine if we then seized the plane? Jeff Bezos' private jet, which sat on the tarmac at Wellington for some days a couple of months ago was apparently worth about $100 million NZ dollars.
Anybody out there with a proper knowledge of how Air Traffic Control works? My statements are merely the limited knowledge of an interested layman and might just be rubbish.
Not sure how far along they are on the changeover, but primary radar is a still used as backup in the main airports at least, as far as I'm aware.
I’m sure the military are able to spot all traffic around New Zealand, by satellite or radar.
In New Zealand it is fairly difficult for boats to sneak around without being spotted on radar or visually by commercial fisherman, local ships or coastal residents. As a group of French terrorists found out. And our own Navy, when they were trying to sneak around without lights for an exercise.
People tell on you very quickly, if you forget to turn the AIS on.
Yeah. Ordinary cruisers are going nowhere right now, and the superyachts mentioned above are way too visible and expensive to risk on a madcap unauthorised venture to NZ.
What could happen though is the invention of these now makes it theoretically possible for relatively unseaworthy vessels to survive very bad weather. What would have been a suicide trip across the Tasman becomes a different proposition if you can throw one of these over the stern.
Maybe the first unexpected visitors will be people smugglers using crappy boats on one-way trips.
Thank you. Your link does explain, rather more clearly that I did, what I thought was the case. I see it was dated 2010 so they might have got rid of the Primary Radar by now.
I got interested in the subject when that MH370 flight vanished and is thought to have finally crashed off WA. When the transponder was turned off it was totally lost to the Air Traffic Control system. The only reason they knew it had turned to the SW was that a military radar happened to pick it up, quite unintentionally.
Commercial ships have had AIS, for some time now. Though it is only more recently that it could be tracked by satellite further off the coast. AIS, can, of course be turned off.
Haven't sailed in a commercial ship without an almost constantly transmitting satellite, here I am, for piracy prevention, for a long time. If it stops for any reason you get an instant "how are you" from the monitoring company.
So. I was rather surprised they were still able to lose a commercial aircraft.
Offering a unique perspective on what’s going on the planet.
Meir said it will be difficult not being able to hug family and friends, after seven months off the planet. She anticipates feeling even more isolated on Earth than in space.
Kim Hill slurred James K. Baxter at the end of her program today RNZ National, Saturday 11 April 2020, 11:59 a.m.
Kim Hill can be excellent. One of the highlights of recent New Zealand broadcasting history is her 2004 confrontation with an unspeakably vile shill for the destruction of Iraq. [1] However, she has also proved to be alarmingly susceptible to sleazy propagandists. In 2013 she listened without demur to Alex Gibney pouring filth on the reputation of Julian Assange. [2] Along with such naïfs as John Campbell, Jesse Mulligan and Bernard Hickey, she has been one of this country's leading conduits of the Russiagate nonsense, repeatedly (and respectfully) interviewing the discredited Grauniad hack Luke Harding, even after the exposure of his lie about Paul Manafort having secret talks with Julian Assange. [3] She is, for all her talent, likely to at any time recycle the most egregious neocon talking points. [4]
This susceptibility to orthodox narratives, otherwise known as "groupthink", reared its head again this morning right at the end of her brief talk about poetry with Greg O'Brien. She mentioned Allen Curnow and James K. Baxter, and then added that they were "not noted for their enlightened attitudes to women." The program had finished, so Greg O'Brien had no time to respond to this absurd and unfair provocation.
So James K. Baxter is now a target of vilification from RNZ National's woke gliberati, along with certain American pop singers. [5] Kim Hill has a reputation, not entirely deserved, of being a voracious reader. It seems that she has not read much, or any, of James K. Baxter's beautiful, humane and compassionate poetry.
"It seems that she has not read much, or any, of James K. Baxter's beautiful, humane and compassionate poetry."
1) And how would you possibly know that? Or what other books Kim Hill reads.
2) History is full of great poets, artists and people of genius whose private lives were less than exemplary. The quality of art is not measured by the character of the artist.
By her breathtakingly wrong and ignorant comment about James K. Baxter..
Or what other books Kim Hill reads.
She reads a lot, but not with a great deal of discrimination, going by her championing of such scurrilous, dishonest and foolish writers as Luke Harding, Jonathan Freedland and Simon Schama.
History is full of great poets, artists and people of genius whose private lives were less than exemplary.
What evidence do you have that Baxter's private life was like that? Certainly Kim Hill does not have any.
You display clear signs of arrogant snobbery with your snide remarks at Kim Hill and weka, for example.
You shoot the messenger/source without engaging in good faith.
You can’t stand being challenged and told you might be wrong.
And you continue your intellectual self-wankery link-whoring to your own site.
If you have something to say on this site, say it. Don’t link to what you can say here. If it is relevant to the topic and debate here, say it, and otherwise leave it.
Lastly, you have a habit of not responding to Moderator notes so I’ve spelled it out for you here in regular font.
I trust this explanation suffices.
Have a nice day.
PS: I see that you’ve copped a short ban this time. Better luck next time 😉
just so you know, your comment here is also part of the ban. Unlike you, I'm well read on Baxter’s letter about raping his wife, and contemporary analysis of what it means. Like I said, ten seconds would have given you the context of Kim Hill's comment, and you could then have addressed her comment in context, instead of all the denialist, avoidance bullshit. Don't read the Spinoff if you don't like, there's plenty elsewhere been written about this.
What Baxter's great grandson, Jack McDonald had to say about Baxter, writing about his Nana, Jacqui Sturm, who is the woman Baxter alleged he raped – in that "hipster site".
The Letters cast light on the deeply patriarchal and misogynistic reality that Nana lived, and give more context to her work, particularly her early short stories in The House of the Talking Cat.
I first started learning about just how hard my Nana’s life was when she went into hospital for heart problems while I was teenager. Her elder sister Evadne was down to visit, and as her and I walked around the hospital gardens I remember she told me how Nana would find out about Baxter’s illegitimate children in the press.
It was very patriarchal times, and marital rape was not against the law.
There is plenty of evidence that Crump was. There is evidence that Baxter spoke in a boastful macho manner in his letters, but that's merely a thought crime.
There's evidence against Crump; there's none against Baxter. Unless one adopts the Stalinist idea of holding people's most private and ridiculous fantasies and their foolish private letters against them and constituting them as actual crimes.
I agree with you, but given that none of us could stand having our private lives opened for public scrutiny and mockery … I'm inclined to hold back from throwing stones.
Let's put it this way, Crump led a rough life and could be a rough bugger at times … but then someone who can write Wildpork and Watercress is no mere thug. I met him a handful of times in the 80's while he was living with Robin Lee Robinson in the Opotiki back country and found him one of those people that wasn't going to warm to strangers quickly, but he was clearly an intelligent and interesting person.
I would say that he was very much a man of his generation and circumstances, and in many ways he'd made the most of his life, despite many missteps along the way. Probably more than most of us can say.
No surprise to see you construe some crude and insensitive written words into an actual crime.
[off you go, 3 day ban. I have zero interest in another round of bullshit from you Morrissey, over what constitutes evidence in political debate. I’m also not going to let someone run rape apology lines at this time. My suggestion when you get back is to address the points and make political arguments, work within the culture of TS around claims and back up, and don’t do all the slurs, because I am over it – weka]
[second mod note. It appears that your original comment about KH said and when the programme ended was in fact bullshit, see observer’s comment below. You’ve been pulled up on this a number of times in the past and you still don’t seem to have learned. I’m making note in the back end, so that if you do this again it can be taken into account in moderation. This falls clearly into pattern of behaviour stuff, and I’m not willing to cut you slack on it any more. If you continue expect more bans at no notice – weka]
In the meantime, the economy keeps going to hell in a handbasket and no one is pointing finger to the corporations who have proven to be bloody useless.
Stock buybacks, gotta love how capitalism eats itself.
Surely this has got to stop – many of these products are urgently needed in this country for frontline medical staff and other essential workers, as well as the general public. I have to question where the allegience of these Chinese lies? New Zealand or China?
Probably more than balanced out by those high rolling NZers using their contacts in China to send over eye watering numbers of masks and gowns to NZ…because they couldn't wait for the Govt.
My suggestion above in no way rules 'high rolling NZ'ers' of any ethnicity out from the same consideration … . Besides hasn’t China eradicated this virus? And aren’t they exporting this same equipment to the rest of the world en mass? Why are they importing anything of this nature from NZ?
I scarcely think I was doing the 'outrage' thing. One of the big consequences of this event, on a global scale is the deep erosion of trust going on right now. Italy is furious that Germany won't supply essential medical equipment, and everyone is in despair that the US states are all outbidding everyone else.
I am sure the "high rollers using their contacts in China to send over eye watering numbers" did not expect it to be shipped out of NZ back to China by the Chinese.
Also, have a look what's happening in OZ, Would not be at all surprised that happens here as well.
Some of that counts as aid imo. If gear was being shipped to China for medical staff who were running short, I don't have too much of a problem with that.
Supply lines definitely need to be sorted out, but we still have ethical international obligations. The Stuff article could have done a better job explaining what is going on instead of leading with a headline that will play into NZ anti-Chinese prejudice.
Trade data suggest that U.S. exports of medical supplies surged when the administration should have been preparing for a domestic coronavirus outbreak, according to a new report by Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA).
“In February 2020, the value of U.S. mask exports to China was 1094.0% higher than the 2019 monthly average,” Porter’s report said. “In February 2020, the value of U.S ventilator exports to China was 292.2% higher than the 2019 monthly average.”
The report, which was released Monday, pointed to specific Trump administration policies — rather than just a general increase in foreign demand due to the spread of COVID-19 abroad — as being a potential reason for the spike in export value. The New York Times reported in early March that the Commerce Department was touting a temporary change in regulations that facilitated exports of medical supplies to China by American vendors.
“Whether export numbers reflect increased per-unit costs for Chinese buyers, or an increase in units sold, the bottom line is the same: a payday for a few companies, and huge costs for the rest of us,” Porter’s report said.
yes and no….a lot of jobs still go and some companies disappear forever…and of course a lot of investors lose (perhaps only some of) their money, which may include the likes of your Kiwisaver account..but theoretically thats how markets are supposed to work.
what hes saying…the workers are losing their jobs anyway so why is the gov saving the investor class, they should lose too and have to restart like everyone else.
What is really interesting is the reporters reaction….kool-aid addict
"President Donald Trump hosted a private conference call Tuesday morning with several billionaire Wall Street and hedge fund titans just hours before the president said he hopes to "have the country opened up" and "get people back to work" by Easter—even as the coronavirus pandemic worsens.
Among the most prominent executives on the call—which was joined by Vice President Mike Pence—were Ken Griffin, billionaire CEO of Citadel; Stephen Schwarzman, billionaire CEO of the Blackstone Group; and Paul Tudor Jones, billionaire co-founder of Just Capital. The firms represented on the Tuesday morning call collectively manage hundreds of billions of dollars in assets.
The conversation came as Senate lawmakers and White House negotiators, led by Treasury Secretary and former Goldman Sachs executive Steve Mnuchin, were in the middle of talks over a $2 trillion economic stimulus package that includes $500 billion in taxpayer bailout funds for large corporations—and, though not widely reported, trillions more in a lending program backed by the Federal Reserve."
52% of Americans under 45 have lost their job, been placed on leave, or had their hours cut. Overall, 33% have already lost their job, been furloughed, or had their hours reduced, with 41% of those already reporting having trouble covering basic costs. (Data For Progress)
And if we don't have a decent plan for coming out of phase 4 into 3 or two then it will be the same here.
If it is not already and the only thing that is masking it over for now is the government paying the wage subsidy.
I however now that if i open up again, it will be just me. I do not believe that there is enough money left in the community to spend, and without people spending businesses like mine don't need staff.
Lets hope that they have a good plan and lets hope that they start talking about this sooner then later. Unless of course they gonna keep us in confinement for another several weeks. But then who knows what will happen then.
Old balding guy bought hair trimmer years ago and happily goes for a number zero cut…nice clean and saves a pile of dosh for this penurious individual.
There is a riot in the colony. Relatives report that the prisoners are shot from machine guns and poisoned with gas. The GUFSIN press service reports that the riot has been suppressed, while photos of the burning colony are published on social networks. Convicts call relatives with tears and ask for help. There are corpses.
They are very loud, these Never Trumpers, and have been gifted enormous mainstream media platforms and, by golly, they are just full of Righteous Indignation about how OMFG can you believe that these "Trumpers" keep supporting their Dear Leader even though he lies to them every day! And OMFG, why are Trump Republicans in congress such fucking cowards! And OMFG, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh!!
And OMFG, this is not the Republican Party I was a part of!!
Except it definitely is.
And how do I know this?
[…]
And so, in keeping with this Easter season, I am resurrecting this post which I published on April 9, 2005. 15 years ago this week. Back during my very earliest days as a blogger.
First, Wingnuts clearly hate America as passionately as any Taliban. They hate the plurality of it, the tolerance, the check-and-balance crap that deters them from curb-stomping gays and Liberals and “the coloreds” whenever they fucking well feel like it. They’re delighted with the notion of a fascist America (as long as they are the one’s holding the machine guns) and are practically kicking the back seats of the Big Republican Bus asking Bush over and over, “Are We There Yet!?”
They adore the idea of a Strong Man lining up the degenerates and mowing them down in Slow Motion on Pay-Per-View. They jizz over their chubby, pink feet at the thought of stadia full of smart-ass “humanists” being tasered into “sounding off that you luv the Virgin Mary” and mass graves full of dead feminists. Their head’s are open sewers swirling with happy masturbatory blood-thoughts of beating their betters to jelly, raping their women, and having an Approving Christian Father in the White House who smiles munificently on their carnage.
It is the eternal dream of the weak, the cowardly, the stupid and the impotent.
I am not convinced that the USAn election won't be cancelled due to national emergency if Trump is polling poorly. He needs his rallies (both to stroke his ego and energise his base).
However, it is a pretty unispiring choice between two; right-wing septagenarian white male sexual predators (alleged). The allowing maybe a hundred thousand extra (compared to other country's death rates adjusted for population) of your citizens to die due to pigheaded selfishness has got to count against Trump though. Surely?
I mean, who the fuck knows anymore? By November he might have them arguing that covid-19 was a lie invented by the rest of the world because the globe hates how awesome he is.
adam, always the sucker for the Lyin' King's con jobs. Still haven't learned to look for the fish-hooks and the bait and switch.
For lower income people in the US, student loan repayments are income-linked. So when those people lose income, their repayments drop or go away automatically. Hence, any possible benefits from this deferment flow to higher income people, not to those most in need of it.
Furthermore, it's deferment, not forgiveness. You do understand the difference, don't you?
The free coronavirus care thing has yet to be implemented, and has actually gone awfully quiet over the past week. You still haven't learned that Sith Lard says a lot of stuff he has no intention of following up on and never does?
That story is from mid-March. Dunno why you think an unfunny useful idiot's ramblings are news when they are three weeks after the fact.
One reason Tangata Whenua and Pacifica tangata have not been infected by the virus is because most of us are broke not enough putea to go for a Holiday in Aotearoa and overseas.
O I got it wrong Iwi ba it was Whangarei Iwi that were meetings there neighbours Ka pai.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
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COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
The Green Party initial list (as per Stuff Green Party initial election list puts newcomer Teanau Tuiono ahead of several sitting MPs):
I presume Davidson is ahead of Shaw to give co-leaders turns at the top.
Gareth Hughes isn't standing again so I presume Tuiono is above some current MPs to put a bit of gender balance in the list.
But there is still only 2 males in the top 6 (the minimum number of MPs if Greens get back it), and 2 in the top 9, and 3 in the top 10.
Is the list likely to be gender balanced in later processes? Or do Greens not do gender balance any more.
Another thing that seems apparent – with Hughes going and the three non MPs in the top ten looking like social activists, it looks like Greens may be leaning more towards social activism than climate activism.
"it looks like Greens may be leaning more towards social activism than climate activism." …. like they have forever! Just to be explicit the greens have not represented ecological wisdom for a generation.
a random quote from twitter that struck a chord with me
"Incredible. I think it's pretty clear now that #BillGates is a dangerous sociopath with way more money than sense. He has no academic qualifications & only achievement was dissemination biggest computer virus incubator, Microsoft OS. A scam which he's made billions from.."
Gates has very well-qualified advisors.
You've never made us of Microsoft?
use windows very reluctantly when unavoidable. dont have it on any of my machines , wont support it for others. It is very shoddy resource hungry and wide open for virus and scammer/spammers. At some point a decision must have been made to not rewrite it as secure but rather to support a burgeoning industry pushing anti virus, viruses .
You're trying to link Gates' virtual anti-virus interest with his promotion of an anti-virus vaccine for COVID 19?
I am pointing out that in the virtual world Microsoft has allowed viruses to run rampant and profited from them. This is relevant to his outlook and the sort of "answers" we might expect from him.
Virtual viruses are not the same as real-world viruses, xanthe.
But in both cases it is possible rather than taking steps to minimise the risk to monitize the problem.
I'll just note that running Microsofts own anti malware and antivirus programmes and updates, and none of the others, I haven't had a virus on any of my computers since before, Vista.
Not plugging Microsoft. Still pissed with them taking over Nokia, dumping Nokia's excellent final operating system for Windows phone, then bugging out.
My understanding is "yes but no".
It's a balancing act between letting users use the machine for what they want, but banning anyone from making any adjustments at all to the system.
Macs went the other way, but now they get viruses, too.
And they'd have more if they spent 20 years or more as the number 1 os. Now 'droids have the virus problem, too, but it's more to steal data.
A decade or so ago I expressed that the number of viruses on a platform is proportional to the size of its user base and that Linux would get viruses as much with as much popularity. Since MacOs is linux based im counting it.
I think pre-vista the default configuration of no separate admin privileges was an issue though.
lol yeah and ISTR Vista initially went too far the other way with security "are you sure"-style popups what felt like ten times to install a single program.
Honestly xanthe I think you are heading in completely the wrong direction with that.
not at all red. If you examine and understand microsoft business practice he clearly should not be allowed any influence in the current crisis .. we need open source solutions here!
It is a very long time since Gates had a dominant role at Microsoft xanthe.
He stepped down as CEO in 2000, when he was replaced by Steve Ballmer. Gates became what was called Chief Software Architect,although most of his time and interest seemed to be related to his Foundation.
He ceased to have any day to day duties at the company in 2008, although he stayed as Board Chairman. He then stood down as Board Chairman in 2014. He isn't even on the company Board any more as he stood down from that role last month.
Blaming your complaints about Microsoft and its business practices today on Gates really is pushing things a bit far, don't you think?
https://www.npr.org/news/graphics/2008/june/bill_gates/gates_timeline_04.html
https://news.microsoft.com/2020/03/13/microsoft-announces-change-to-its-board-of-directors/
It's a criticism of the Windows OS being open to viruses and spying and yet realising a form of monopoly presence.
Xanthe is saying
"not at all red. If you examine and understand microsoft business practice he clearly should not be allowed any influence in the current crisis .. we need open source solutions here!"
Well the current crisis is Covid 19 and that is what Bill Gates is wanting to help with. Talking about Microsoft being subject to viruses of the computer variety hardly seems to be relevant when the subject seems to be whether The Gates Foundation should have anything to do with finding a solution to the the viruses of the medical type that Covid 19 comprises.
If xanthe is really only interested in what she says about Windows Bill Gates is irrelevant these days. He simply doesn't have anything to do with their operations. All he does these days is collect the dividends from the shares he owns.
The anti competitive activities go right back to Gates from the very start of microsoft.
A bit late to start rallying against the philanthropic investments of the Gates Foundation into biomedical research. They have been around for the last 20 years!
Hey who says a billionaire IT guy shouldn't have undue influence on the World Health Organisation and the media during a global health crisis!
What do you mean by “undue”?
I put a link the other day to a documentary on TVNZ on demand, called Trust WHO. It's about the funding behind WHO, and how the Gates Foundation amongst others, demands specific programmes before funding.
(Worth the watch, even if just to see the change of definition for pandemic, that allowed stockpiled amounts of Tamiflu to be sold before they expired.)
I'm not saying that's all there is to the story, but it does give an indication of where to look for further information if you have concerns about the funding – and influence of NGO's on WHO advice and policy.
They're remarkably open about their funding. We coughed up $1,392,335 US
https://www.who.int/about/finances-accountability/funding/revised-2019-invoice/nzl_en.pdf?ua=1
https://www.who.int/about/finances-accountability/funding/revised-2019-invoice/en/
https://www.who.int/about/planning-finance-and-accountability/financing-campaign
Thanks, Joe. That's funding from the member states, which according to the overall funding only makes up around 50% of the income budget.
And I guess, that percentage would also change if some states refused or were unable to pay their contribution. So there is an element of influence from other funding sources that is not democratic or scrutinised.
Crikey trump is diabolical. Everyday he lies to the USA re the virus and then defends his lies by inflating his ego to the press.
Reminds me of how the CCP first dealt with the situation, misleading the public via a lack of accurate information.
Currently trump, putin and the saudi's big problem and focus is their large stockpiles of oil. They are all complaining about ships full of oil sitting in the ocean waiting for the lock down to end so they can resume supply and profit. trump appears more concerned about his oil than the mounting death toll.
Makes me wonder if the world will change so much during lock down that some industries will be even more motivated to step away from oil. The clean air must be noticeable and enjoyable in the larger cities and centres of industry at present.
And by the time the election come along, the death rate will have dropped a little and Trump will take the credit!!!
You know it. It's what the fuckery at it's highest level.
Can you tell me any country in the world where, if such a decline were to take place, the Government won't try and claim the credit?
Deserved or undeserved.
I missed the word justified.
The only place I can see to fit the word "justified" into that sentence and keep it grammatically sensible is immediately before the word "credit".
That would mean that you are saying that "Trump will take the justified credit".
Please tell me you are joking. Surely you mean that you missed out the words "try and" after "Trump will" rather than the word "justified" before "credit"
Yes
Reminds me of how the CCP first dealt with the situation, misleading the public via a lack of accurate information.
You saying that the Chinese government/authorities had information, but misled their own public, and by extension, the citizens and governments of other countries around the world?
I'd like a link to be provided if that's what your saying – a proper link mind. Not one that's just "official" lines being boosted by a stenographer. Or is your assertion based on you yourself having been taken in by the various stenographers who've been touting the bullshit fed to them by well placed political actors with agendas to push?
Sure no problemo 🙂
It's the first story up.. approx 12 minutes long.
https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/2020/03/controlling-coronavirus-narrative-china-propaganda-push-200314114956074.html
Here’s the youtube link if you prefer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-9gld7lSK4
Al-Jazeera & Chapo trap house? Okay, perhaps not particularly well placed; but certainly having "agendas to push".
China's response was admittedly more focused on results than words. But then, not reading any of their languages, I can't give much perspective on what they said. Here's what they did:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30746-7/fulltext
China was always focused on controlling the narrative. They expelled foreign journalists when the virus first broke out.
What is 'chapo trap house', you lost me there.
Cinny, you changed your second YouTube link from that (also available at Morrissey's @ comment 5) to the Al Jazeera one currently in your comment. Feigning ignorance does you no credit.
Is any government not focused on controlling the narrative (even those incompetent at it are at least trying)? Not saying I agree with the Chinese dictatorship on much, but their prompt actions have saved a lot of lives.
I clicked to read Cinny's post as soon as it came on the main feed and can see no edits made since.
TA, hmmmm; perhaps I am mistaken then, but that is what I saw at the time I started typing my comment (too busy at the end wrestling with pasting links on a mobile to go back and confirm).
Morrissey, I am not disparaging CTH, nor Al Jazeera for that matter. Just saying that they wouldn't be my choice for an apolitical voice (if such a thing is even possible).
Though re-reading Bill's initial request, you could argue that they are not stenographers because it is not a print medium. That is a bit flimsy though.
Not saying you're wrong, only I haven't seen any edits, and I was pretty quick to look at the comment.
Chapo Trap House is three or four very sharp, literate guys—sometimes there are women with them—who critique various aspects of American life. They're learned, and they're funny. The program comes out of Chicago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o5kPkz-9yM
I gave your link a quick run through.
k – It begins with an unsubstantiated claim that a government spokesperson told journalists to stop reporting that covid started in China. That may or may not be true, and if true, may or may not be reasonable depending on context. But we're just to take the bald statement at face value and apply it to whatever context we'd prefer to imagine.
And first up we have Steve Tsang of SOAS. Look up the School of Oriental and African Studies – in particular, their approach to regime change, and then tell me why they wouldn't indulge in a bit of mud slinging when it comes to China.
Shelley Zhang (China Uncensored), helpfully informs the audience that there are conspiracy theories about the US unleashing the virus in China, suggesting that was what the previous interviewee (Liu Xin) had claimed. She hadn't.
And social media conspiracies are not government narratives. (jist sayin)
But if the Chinese government is to be lambasted for lack of censorship, as per Shelley Zhang's angle….
And officials having twitter accounts is somehow nefarious?!
Next up – Human Rights Watch. Do I really have to say anything about a supposed human rights org that champs at the bit to have the US impose sanctions on countries (eg – Nicaragua). Anyway. SO there is a lot of very bad things going on in China that we don't know about "because China and censorship". (That's Yaqiu Wang's basic line)
I guess we're not meant to notice the contradiction between her damning take on Chinese censorship and Shelley Zhangs damning take on Chinese censorship.
Steve Tsang comes back in at the 8min mark with a very good observation on what "swamping media" with a particular narrative does. (I'll leave that hanging, aye?)
lol – and the whole thing concludes by highlighting multiple examples of western racism being aimed at China, that are to be excused because "accidental" and anyway, China is exploiting that racism (which is a far worse thing) and Chinese authorities told lies at the outset of the pandemic. (Not one example given)
This guy is usually on the money as well – the racism of the Chinese towards foreigners exposed in this video is very disturbing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQaNdTKQyLY&feature=em-uploademail
Xenophobic cunt peddles hate. Twat with access to a blog’s comments section who lacks functioning grey matter, posts it because "on the money". Says a lot for said twat.
I'm with Bill, 100%
I am 0% with anyone who feels entitled to spew forth "cunt" or "twat" as terms of abuse.
Even if Bill's right, he's still in the wrong. At least; in so far as choosing conversational strategies that might persuade others.
Everyone is 'entitled' to talk the way they talk "Forget now".
Xenophobic cunt peddles hate.
You are totally wrong on this. My own adopted chinese son first pointed me to Winston about five years ago. He was keen to improve his English and to show me more about China, and his videos were an excellent common ground for us to talk about. I’ve probably watched several hundred hours of his material since then …
Winston left SA about a decade ago and moved to China, and fell in love with the place … up until about the point where Xi Xinping made himself the lifetime ruler with more absolute power than even the emperors of the old dynasties.
Best not pay attention to my lying fucking eyes then Red, aye? (Actually "ears" in this instance, but y'know…)
Pretty much.
Look I'm not trying to point score or make a dick of myself here. Just conveying that there is way more to Winston that what you are seeing.
But you have to admit that winston went down the rabbit hole of hating on China, and in return has got paid well for it.
I agree some of his early videos were really good, and a great for talking points when communicating with activist in china. But about a year ago he went off the wagon, and really pushed the whole anti-china line.
For an anti Chinese perspective you need travel no further than to Newsroom…unpleasantly surprising, but then a crisis tends to accentuate things.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/04/11/1122733/china-covid-19-and-the-end-of-globalisation-as-we-knew-it
The Chinese government and way of doing things is an existential threat to our freedom. If you don't like that being pointed out then that just makes you one more useful idiot.
"The Chinese government and way of doing things is an existential threat to our freedom."
…except that wasnt what the article covered
The Chinese government and way of doing things is an existential threat to our freedom. If you don't like that being pointed out …
Explain how that's so? Is the Brazilian government and way of doing things an existential threat to "our freedom" too? If not, why not? What about the US government and way of doing things? Are they a threat?
When was the last time China invaded another country or embarked on any kind of empire building?
China doesn't insist a government receiving investment or aid adopt preferred modes of governance. Can the same be said for those that push for western corporations to gain access to various markets?
And anyway. What makes you think "we" have freedom? (You never heard of wage slavery? Never experienced it?)
Bill,
Empire building like the literal building of Islands onto reefs in the South China sea? Or do you want to go back to the occupation of Tibet and Uighurstan/ Xinjiang?
Hey. That land reclamation is fucking horrible, but "empire building" it ain't.
Tibet was arguably always within China. Pretty sure the present Dalai Lama, as per tradition, sought permission of Chinese authorities before assuming his position.
So, when was Uyghurstan invaded then?
Do your own research, Bill.
Though admittedly the name is a fairly modern development. East Turkestan (which arguably existed to 1949) and the Dzunger khanate may be more fruitful search terms.
I am quite capable of arguing the contrary that Tibet was not always a part of China. With copious references and really pedantic detail. But even with so much free time on my hands I just can't be bothered in the face of your willful ignorance.
Not well known but the Turkic people originate from what we now think of as Northern China. It's the Han who have encroached on their ancestoral lands.
As a people they wandered far over the Asia steppes and indeed one group, the Seljuks, are the group who founded what we now think of as modern Turkey.
Jesus fucking wept. Just the first two lines of that are enough. And here's the thing – if China didn't communicate with the rest of the world (though, oddly, the WHO was notified and virologists everywhere seemed to be pretty well informed), then why is it that a good clutch of Asian countries managed to get out in front of the virus?
Hmm. Maybe it's an Asian wide conspiracy against white westerners? 🙂
the chinese government communicated both in word and action remarkably quickly (though not without errors, but thats human) and the rest of the world shrugged until it was too late….place the blame where it lies I say
yup
You know the Xibot accusations are just around the corner, aye? 🙂
probably already here…we just dont go to those places
There is no conspiracy, just good old fashioned incompetence.
https://nypost.com/2020/04/09/who-head-cries-racism-after-being-ripped-for-enabling-chinas-coronavirus-lies/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8187901/Chinas-toxic-lackey-head-stands-accused-putting-lives-risk.html
https://www.cfr.org/blog/who-and-china-dereliction-duty
Trump only wants to promote Trump.
Dangerous when a leader is not dealing with a serious issue openly.
He rambles with his press conferences and not enough substance.
Rambles is in regard to Covid-19 and lack of substance as well.
That is I take it non-animal meat. We tried some such meat in a home made hamburger. Couldn't tell the difference so is this a realistic future trend.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/04/11/1122157/david-slack-back-to-the-land-after-lockdown
Show me the ecological and climate audits on it, and then the economic ones, and I might get interested. But mostly what I see is people looking at using industrial food tech to make profit in the global economy, and none of that is sustainable. It's the same thinking that gave us feedlots in the US, and industrial dairy in NZ.
What about no-meat fillet steak? Hamburgers are mostly sawdust, anyway 🙂
"The unfunny scribblings of octogenarian cranks.” Why right wing cartoonists are not funny
Brilliant analysis of the American equivalents of our own Daryl Crimp and Garrick Tremain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2cR_jdFfwo
Headline of the day?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/10/peter-navarro-what-trumps-covid-19-tsar-lacks-in-expertise-he-makes-up
What is it with the Trumpers and their imaginary friends?
Looks like slide in Trump’s approval numbers has started on fivethirtyeight’s polling aggregator.
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/?ex_cid=rrpromo
Trump on COVID-19 today:
"The germ has gotten so brilliant that the antibiotic can't keep up with it … there's a whole genius to it … not only is it hidden, but it's very smart."
https://twitter.com/i/status/1248698754556923904
"hidden and very smart"
The opposite of Trump then?
Virus vs. antibiotic. Now, that’s smart! Enough said.
That sounds an awful lot like President Sharpie is admitting to being outwitted by a virus.
President Sharpie, that might be up there as my fav moniker.
Should I list all the names I've called him that I can remember so you can check?
Haha, no, I like the surprise each time.
I wasn't planning to release any new stuff. Just a greatest hits retrospective.
I won''t remember the old ones, so it's still a surprise.
Fake news.
Oh Great post. Classic understatement and facts all up the creek.. He is out of his depth.
Last night his poor country lost 2000 to covid-19 and he thinks "Antibiotic"
Somewhere in the past few days I wrote a comment on specific restrictions being drawn up and applied to private jets entering NZ. Today…
A group of would-be holidaymakers who flew in a private jet from London to the Côte d’Azur in France has been turned back by police.
Seven men and three women arrived on the chartered aircraft to Marseille-Provence airport, where helicopters were waiting to fly them on to Cannes, where they had rented a luxury villa.
I confess to knowing nothing about the size of runway required for any particular private jet with the range to get here, the ability to navigate NZ airspace without express permissions, what provincial and private runways there are in NZ, or the spread of customs control.
What I do know, is that I want all loopholes and avenues for arsewipe entitled fuckers closed tight.
Yes to that. If, fingers crossed we mange to eliminate will there be pressure on us to take high end tourists who are willing to isolate for 14 days and then park themselves here for the next 6 months or so? I don't feel too comfortable with that idea.
You mean like when the America's Cup is on?
When are the super yachts due?
There's a few scenarios on timing of the race series being modelled at the moment.
Host countries make most of their multi-millions simply servicing billionaire's boats.
Regrettably we need them.
We don't "need" billionaires they are part of the problem. We could make them part of the solution by charging a stonking great fee for an entry visa ( half a billion each would get everything repaid very quickly
The rich need to do a lot more for us – but they don't need us other than for services.
So we may as well give them some service, take their money, and smile.
It's worked for decades.
the reality is the rich need us plebs for everything
They live in a world of their own.
indeed they do…all provided by us
Not Peter Thiel though, he's a 'kiwi' after all.
What I do know, is that I want all loopholes and avenues for arsewipe entitled fuckers closed tight.
Xenophobic cunt. /sarc
For an airplane that can get to New Zealand from anywhere except eastern Australia you'd need a runway the same as for a domestic jet (A320 or 737). So very hard to do it quietly and without clearance. Air traffic Control and Customs are still active in Queenstown and presumably all the other capable airports in the country.
superyachts on the other hand…..
I'd say our navy and airforce are keeping an eye….
And they'd be well over their 14 day quarantine by the time they got here.
Not if they made a stop somewhere on the way here. The rules are clear enough, everybody who arrives at our border must go into quarantine for 14 days.
assuming they declare any illness on board….however im sure its been considered but as the Guardian article demonstrates theres no limit to the level of self entitled some have
And they'd be well over their 14 day quarantine by the time they got here.
Not quite
https://www.yachtandboat.com/big-birds-record-flight-to-auckland/
Jeez, that's keen. 2 and a bit days at 20kts on foils. Lucky all they hit was a couple of sharks.
I was more thinking a passage from North America, and you wouldn't be doing it at that intensity.
No. All marine traffic is well monitored. It's very unlikely any vessel could enter any NZ port without permission, even less likely without seriously expensive consequences.
port maybe….lot of coastline in NZ.
Is not a great concern and as said im sure its in hand but wouldnt be surprised to see a news story about it occurring
Or a submarine.
Oh dear. Does that mean we have to keep an eye out for stray Japanese and German arrivals. They, after all, had some experience of getting here unaided during WW 2.
The four main centres, Palmerston Nth, Ohakea and Queenstown have the 6000 foot runways long-haul flights need to take off..
So do Hamilton and Invercargill. They are both a lot longer than Wellington at 2195 m and 2210 m respectively. .
Hawkes Bay would probably be suitable as well. It is about 50 metres less than Wellington but with anything less than a maximum take off weight it wouldn't seem to be a problem. I have seen what appeared to be quite impressive private jets there.
Kerikeri and Nelson, along with Whenuapai are also classed as approved for places of first arrival. I could imagine landing at Kerikeri but you would have fun taking off with anything but enough fuel to fly to Auckland I would think.
I'm going to *guess that it's not legal to fly into NZ without permission and that any such flight would be picked up by normal aviation radar. This might well be different in Europe, which has been operating relatively open borders between European countries before covid.
I don't know about radar picking planes up normally. I doubt if we operate military radar routinely and I understand that the civilian equipment used for air traffic control isn't really radar at all. It picks up the signal from equipment on the plane which broadcasts its id and location. If the transponder is off the plane is, I believe, essentially invisible.
Military radar sends out a signal and picks up a reflection. It is looking for things that don't want to be found.
You aren't going to remain that way if you were to land, unexpectedly, at any airport with a big enough runway, and I wouldn't think you could take off again.
Imagine if we then seized the plane? Jeff Bezos' private jet, which sat on the tarmac at Wellington for some days a couple of months ago was apparently worth about $100 million NZ dollars.
Anybody out there with a proper knowledge of how Air Traffic Control works? My statements are merely the limited knowledge of an interested layman and might just be rubbish.
http://www.ufocusnz.org.nz/content/RADAR-as-used-by-Air-Traffic-Control/76.aspx Not the most reliable reference but they do describe the NZ system, briefly.
Not sure how far along they are on the changeover, but primary radar is a still used as backup in the main airports at least, as far as I'm aware.
I’m sure the military are able to spot all traffic around New Zealand, by satellite or radar.
In New Zealand it is fairly difficult for boats to sneak around without being spotted on radar or visually by commercial fisherman, local ships or coastal residents. As a group of French terrorists found out. And our own Navy, when they were trying to sneak around without lights for an exercise.
People tell on you very quickly, if you forget to turn the AIS on.
Yeah. Ordinary cruisers are going nowhere right now, and the superyachts mentioned above are way too visible and expensive to risk on a madcap unauthorised venture to NZ.
What could happen though is the invention of these now makes it theoretically possible for relatively unseaworthy vessels to survive very bad weather. What would have been a suicide trip across the Tasman becomes a different proposition if you can throw one of these over the stern.
Maybe the first unexpected visitors will be people smugglers using crappy boats on one-way trips.
@KJT
Thank you. Your link does explain, rather more clearly that I did, what I thought was the case. I see it was dated 2010 so they might have got rid of the Primary Radar by now.
I got interested in the subject when that MH370 flight vanished and is thought to have finally crashed off WA. When the transponder was turned off it was totally lost to the Air Traffic Control system. The only reason they knew it had turned to the SW was that a military radar happened to pick it up, quite unintentionally.
I was very surprised by that.
Commercial ships have had AIS, for some time now. Though it is only more recently that it could be tracked by satellite further off the coast. AIS, can, of course be turned off.
Haven't sailed in a commercial ship without an almost constantly transmitting satellite, here I am, for piracy prevention, for a long time. If it stops for any reason you get an instant "how are you" from the monitoring company.
So. I was rather surprised they were still able to lose a commercial aircraft.
Offering a unique perspective on what’s going on the planet.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120967062/coronavirus-astronauts-returning-to-a-changed-world-after-half-a-year-in-space
The sort of ideas, for taking our governance to the right, that our media will be publishing from now on.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/120924011/primary-interest-time-to-cut-the-cord-and-let-agriculture-thrive>
From their social and cultural commentator no less.
Massey University…..do we need to say more
Kim Hill slurred James K. Baxter at the end of her program today RNZ National, Saturday 11 April 2020, 11:59 a.m.
Kim Hill can be excellent. One of the highlights of recent New Zealand broadcasting history is her 2004 confrontation with an unspeakably vile shill for the destruction of Iraq. [1] However, she has also proved to be alarmingly susceptible to sleazy propagandists. In 2013 she listened without demur to Alex Gibney pouring filth on the reputation of Julian Assange. [2] Along with such naïfs as John Campbell, Jesse Mulligan and Bernard Hickey, she has been one of this country's leading conduits of the Russiagate nonsense, repeatedly (and respectfully) interviewing the discredited Grauniad hack Luke Harding, even after the exposure of his lie about Paul Manafort having secret talks with Julian Assange. [3] She is, for all her talent, likely to at any time recycle the most egregious neocon talking points. [4]
This susceptibility to orthodox narratives, otherwise known as "groupthink", reared its head again this morning right at the end of her brief talk about poetry with Greg O'Brien. She mentioned Allen Curnow and James K. Baxter, and then added that they were "not noted for their enlightened attitudes to women." The program had finished, so Greg O'Brien had no time to respond to this absurd and unfair provocation.
So James K. Baxter is now a target of vilification from RNZ National's woke gliberati, along with certain American pop singers. [5] Kim Hill has a reputation, not entirely deserved, of being a voracious reader. It seems that she has not read much, or any, of James K. Baxter's beautiful, humane and compassionate poetry.
[1] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/william-shawcross-explodes-in-rage-at.html
[2] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-hatchet-man-speaks-alex-gibney.html
[3] https://theintercept.com/2019/01/02/five-weeks-after-the-guardians-viral-blockbuster-assangemanafort-scoop-no-evidence-has-emerged-just-stonewalling/
[4] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/05/kim-hill-spouts-braindead-neocon.html
[5] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/07/yadana-saw-nervously-transgresses-fatwa.html
"It seems that she has not read much, or any, of James K. Baxter's beautiful, humane and compassionate poetry."
1) And how would you possibly know that? Or what other books Kim Hill reads.
2) History is full of great poets, artists and people of genius whose private lives were less than exemplary. The quality of art is not measured by the character of the artist.
That is a strange comment.
And how would you possibly know that?
By her breathtakingly wrong and ignorant comment about James K. Baxter..
Or what other books Kim Hill reads.
She reads a lot, but not with a great deal of discrimination, going by her championing of such scurrilous, dishonest and foolish writers as Luke Harding, Jonathan Freedland and Simon Schama.
History is full of great poets, artists and people of genius whose private lives were less than exemplary.
What evidence do you have that Baxter's private life was like that? Certainly Kim Hill does not have any.
Yeah, she does. It's not a secret, perhaps your own reading has been lacking.
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-04-2020/#comment-1700994
a ten second google would have told you what the back up to Hill's statement is.
A ten second Google to a hipster site. That's impressive scholarship.
I never held you for an arrogant snob, but here it is …
Sorry? Could you explain that comment?
Sure, I can.
You display clear signs of arrogant snobbery with your snide remarks at Kim Hill and weka, for example.
You shoot the messenger/source without engaging in good faith.
You can’t stand being challenged and told you might be wrong.
And you continue your intellectual self-wankery link-whoring to your own site.
If you have something to say on this site, say it. Don’t link to what you can say here. If it is relevant to the topic and debate here, say it, and otherwise leave it.
Lastly, you have a habit of not responding to Moderator notes so I’ve spelled it out for you here in regular font.
I trust this explanation suffices.
Have a nice day.
PS: I see that you’ve copped a short ban this time. Better luck next time 😉
just so you know, your comment here is also part of the ban. Unlike you, I'm well read on Baxter’s letter about raping his wife, and contemporary analysis of what it means. Like I said, ten seconds would have given you the context of Kim Hill's comment, and you could then have addressed her comment in context, instead of all the denialist, avoidance bullshit. Don't read the Spinoff if you don't like, there's plenty elsewhere been written about this.
What Baxter's great grandson, Jack McDonald had to say about Baxter, writing about his Nana, Jacqui Sturm, who is the woman Baxter alleged he raped – in that "hipster site".
It was very patriarchal times, and marital rape was not against the law.
Bad news for you Morry, Crumpie was a thug of the first order.
There is plenty of evidence that Crump was. There is evidence that Baxter spoke in a boastful macho manner in his letters, but that's merely a thought crime.
Crumpie was a complex character; yes he had a thuggish aspect to him, but to reduce him to just that is a lazy, dishonest gambit.
There's evidence against Crump; there's none against Baxter. Unless one adopts the Stalinist idea of holding people's most private and ridiculous fantasies and their foolish private letters against them and constituting them as actual crimes.
I agree with you, but given that none of us could stand having our private lives opened for public scrutiny and mockery … I'm inclined to hold back from throwing stones.
Let's put it this way, Crump led a rough life and could be a rough bugger at times … but then someone who can write Wildpork and Watercress is no mere thug. I met him a handful of times in the 80's while he was living with Robin Lee Robinson in the Opotiki back country and found him one of those people that wasn't going to warm to strangers quickly, but he was clearly an intelligent and interesting person.
I would say that he was very much a man of his generation and circumstances, and in many ways he'd made the most of his life, despite many missteps along the way. Probably more than most of us can say.
To imply someone is lazy and dishonest is fuckwitted and shitstained trollery, but you'd have learned that in your years in Russia no doubt.
See my comment at 2.54pm. Maybe actually knowing the man means I'm a bit biased …
Baxter was a rapist. Which Hill would know. Her statement "not noted for their enlightened attitudes to women" in regards to Baxter is sound.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/14-02-2019/james-k-baxter-rapist/
It's a source of grief to the people who adore Baxter's poetry.
No surprise to see you construe some crude and insensitive written words into an actual crime.
[off you go, 3 day ban. I have zero interest in another round of bullshit from you Morrissey, over what constitutes evidence in political debate. I’m also not going to let someone run rape apology lines at this time. My suggestion when you get back is to address the points and make political arguments, work within the culture of TS around claims and back up, and don’t do all the slurs, because I am over it – weka]
[second mod note. It appears that your original comment about KH said and when the programme ended was in fact bullshit, see observer’s comment below. You’ve been pulled up on this a number of times in the past and you still don’t seem to have learned. I’m making note in the back end, so that if you do this again it can be taken into account in moderation. This falls clearly into pattern of behaviour stuff, and I’m not willing to cut you slack on it any more. If you continue expect more bans at no notice – weka]
second mod note for your Morrissey.
For the record, this statement by Morrissey is false:
"The program had finished, so Greg O'Brien had no time to respond to this absurd and unfair provocation."
It had not finished, and he had time to speak further, and he did. Listen below if you wish:
Kim Hill: link to RNZ audio
[link changed to specific segment – weka]
thanks. Morrissey is just lucky I didn't see that before I modded, but will make a note in the back end.
In the meantime, the economy keeps going to hell in a handbasket and no one is pointing finger to the corporations who have proven to be bloody useless.
Stock buybacks, gotta love how capitalism eats itself.
https://taibbi.substack.com/p/the-sec-rule-that-destroyed-the-universe
Great link Adam….explains part of the madness that is the S and P 500.
An iron law of conservatism; you only give a rats when you and yours' are affected. Pricks.
https://twitter.com/__ToeKnee_/status/1248528853766676482
Like father like son.
I was disgusted to learn that some Chinese in New Zealand (and Australia) have organised themselves into buying groups and are buying in bulk and shipping essential products such as facemasks and other protective equipment back to China. (https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/120927408/new-zealanders-caught-short-after-masks-sent-to-china)
Surely this has got to stop – many of these products are urgently needed in this country for frontline medical staff and other essential workers, as well as the general public. I have to question where the allegience of these Chinese lies? New Zealand or China?
The Government just step in and stop this now.
Perhaps we should insist delivery of said 'goods' must be done in person.
Probably more than balanced out by those high rolling NZers using their contacts in China to send over eye watering numbers of masks and gowns to NZ…because they couldn't wait for the Govt.
Does that outrage you ?
My suggestion above in no way rules 'high rolling NZ'ers' of any ethnicity out from the same consideration … . Besides hasn’t China eradicated this virus? And aren’t they exporting this same equipment to the rest of the world en mass? Why are they importing anything of this nature from NZ?
I scarcely think I was doing the 'outrage' thing. One of the big consequences of this event, on a global scale is the deep erosion of trust going on right now. Italy is furious that Germany won't supply essential medical equipment, and everyone is in despair that the US states are all outbidding everyone else.
It's an eye watering mess.
Good to see it was money well spent, if this is what they got.
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_chinese_face_masks_fail_tests/11298914
I am sure the "high rollers using their contacts in China to send over eye watering numbers" did not expect it to be shipped out of NZ back to China by the Chinese.
Also, have a look what's happening in OZ, Would not be at all surprised that happens here as well.
PaulineHansonAu/videos/327432774884354/UzpfSTQ0OTYwNzY2ODc2NTA3OToxMzg0ODUyMTc4NTczOTUy/
Some of that counts as aid imo. If gear was being shipped to China for medical staff who were running short, I don't have too much of a problem with that.
Supply lines definitely need to be sorted out, but we still have ethical international obligations. The Stuff article could have done a better job explaining what is going on instead of leading with a headline that will play into NZ anti-Chinese prejudice.
This happened in Australia, and the group were jailed.
Would it have to stop if they were poms?
Disaster capitalists clip the ticket both ways.
https://twitter.com/DavidBegnaud/status/1248033196182249472
Trade data suggest that U.S. exports of medical supplies surged when the administration should have been preparing for a domestic coronavirus outbreak, according to a new report by Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA).
“In February 2020, the value of U.S. mask exports to China was 1094.0% higher than the 2019 monthly average,” Porter’s report said. “In February 2020, the value of U.S ventilator exports to China was 292.2% higher than the 2019 monthly average.”
The report, which was released Monday, pointed to specific Trump administration policies — rather than just a general increase in foreign demand due to the spread of COVID-19 abroad — as being a potential reason for the spike in export value. The New York Times reported in early March that the Commerce Department was touting a temporary change in regulations that facilitated exports of medical supplies to China by American vendors.
“Whether export numbers reflect increased per-unit costs for Chinese buyers, or an increase in units sold, the bottom line is the same: a payday for a few companies, and huge costs for the rest of us,” Porter’s report said.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/katie-porter-trade-data-medical-supplies-covid-19
"One shouldn’t interrupt silence unless one has something beautiful or meaningful to say."
https://www.terriwindling.com
https://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2020/04/oak.html
[permalink added – weka]
That was in Cinderella movie today. Nice sentiment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeLdjvH57z4
Yup.
https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/1248323677898366978
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/09/chamath-palihapitiya-us-needs-to-let-hedge-funds-billionaires-fail.html?
wow, very good.
Is that true, that if the companies fail, the workers are ok?
yes and no….a lot of jobs still go and some companies disappear forever…and of course a lot of investors lose (perhaps only some of) their money, which may include the likes of your Kiwisaver account..but theoretically thats how markets are supposed to work.
what hes saying…the workers are losing their jobs anyway so why is the gov saving the investor class, they should lose too and have to restart like everyone else.
What is really interesting is the reporters reaction….kool-aid addict
"President Donald Trump hosted a private conference call Tuesday morning with several billionaire Wall Street and hedge fund titans just hours before the president said he hopes to "have the country opened up" and "get people back to work" by Easter—even as the coronavirus pandemic worsens.
Among the most prominent executives on the call—which was joined by Vice President Mike Pence—were Ken Griffin, billionaire CEO of Citadel; Stephen Schwarzman, billionaire CEO of the Blackstone Group; and Paul Tudor Jones, billionaire co-founder of Just Capital. The firms represented on the Tuesday morning call collectively manage hundreds of billions of dollars in assets.
The conversation came as Senate lawmakers and White House negotiators, led by Treasury Secretary and former Goldman Sachs executive Steve Mnuchin, were in the middle of talks over a $2 trillion economic stimulus package that includes $500 billion in taxpayer bailout funds for large corporations—and, though not widely reported, trillions more in a lending program backed by the Federal Reserve."
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/03/25/oligarchs-are-running-white-house-trump-called-wall-street-hedge-fund-titans-just
Well this is all going to end well I'm sure.
52% of Americans under 45 have lost their job, been placed on leave, or had their hours cut. Overall, 33% have already lost their job, been furloughed, or had their hours reduced, with 41% of those already reporting having trouble covering basic costs. (Data For Progress)
That is a seriously miserable thing to read .
Do we have similar statistics refreshed here?
It was projected from the onset.
And if we don't have a decent plan for coming out of phase 4 into 3 or two then it will be the same here.
If it is not already and the only thing that is masking it over for now is the government paying the wage subsidy.
I however now that if i open up again, it will be just me. I do not believe that there is enough money left in the community to spend, and without people spending businesses like mine don't need staff.
Lets hope that they have a good plan and lets hope that they start talking about this sooner then later. Unless of course they gonna keep us in confinement for another several weeks. But then who knows what will happen then.
If I don't get a haircut soon I'm going to punch a hole in the wall.
Old balding guy bought hair trimmer years ago and happily goes for a number zero cut…nice clean and saves a pile of dosh for this penurious individual.
That's some Dr Seuss level hair growth you have going on there Ad!
Very much like The Cat In The Hat right now.
Or maybe I could cover it with one of The 500 Hats of Bartholemew Cubbins
For fucksake.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12324196
I wonder if Katherine Rich will be lobbying Again to ensure more kiwi babies are born with birth defects.
I hope you burn in hell Katherine
Things totalitarians can get away while the world is busy with an emergency.
https://twitter.com/vera_mironov/status/1248640844367908866
There is a riot in the colony. Relatives report that the prisoners are shot from machine guns and poisoned with gas. The GUFSIN press service reports that the riot has been suppressed, while photos of the burning colony are published on social networks. Convicts call relatives with tears and ask for help. There are corpses.
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=https://zekovnet.ru/ik-15-irkutskaya-oblast-g-angarsk-bunt-v-kolonii-obnovlyaetsya/&prev=search
Tough but fair.
They are very loud, these Never Trumpers, and have been gifted enormous mainstream media platforms and, by golly, they are just full of Righteous Indignation about how OMFG can you believe that these "Trumpers" keep supporting their Dear Leader even though he lies to them every day! And OMFG, why are Trump Republicans in congress such fucking cowards! And OMFG, Fox News and Rush Limbaugh!!
And OMFG, this is not the Republican Party I was a part of!!
Except it definitely is.
And how do I know this?
[…]
And so, in keeping with this Easter season, I am resurrecting this post which I published on April 9, 2005. 15 years ago this week. Back during my very earliest days as a blogger.
https://driftglass.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-liberal-superpower.html
damn, that was good then its good now.
ouch
https://twitter.com/jmbooyah/status/1245537894732726273
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GBDN3G0QoU&feature=emb_rel_end
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPTHem2iu0A
Oh look biden just got outmaneuvered on the left by trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fu5G74eyKY&feature=em-uploademail&ab_channel=TheJimmyDoreShow
Yeap this is going to a depressing election, the only winner will be wallstreet.
Only if the cultists swallow the ratfucker's lies and stay home.
Clap,
Clap,
Clap,
Blaming the voter – yeah that worked out well last time.
How about offering policy to win their vote,
Nah much simpler to abuse voters.
True dat. If the 100k-quarter million dead policy doesn't get their vote, the student loan thing will. Biden's clearly on the rocks.
I am not convinced that the USAn election won't be cancelled due to national emergency if Trump is polling poorly. He needs his rallies (both to stroke his ego and energise his base).
However, it is a pretty unispiring choice between two; right-wing septagenarian white male sexual predators (alleged). The allowing maybe a hundred thousand extra (compared to other country's death rates adjusted for population) of your citizens to die due to pigheaded selfishness has got to count against Trump though. Surely?
I mean, who the fuck knows anymore? By November he might have them arguing that covid-19 was a lie invented by the rest of the world because the globe hates how awesome he is.
50% of people are kinda dumb, and redistricting has ensured that well under 50% will keep the reblububiblubs in office in key states.
adam, always the sucker for the Lyin' King's con jobs. Still haven't learned to look for the fish-hooks and the bait and switch.
For lower income people in the US, student loan repayments are income-linked. So when those people lose income, their repayments drop or go away automatically. Hence, any possible benefits from this deferment flow to higher income people, not to those most in need of it.
Furthermore, it's deferment, not forgiveness. You do understand the difference, don't you?
The free coronavirus care thing has yet to be implemented, and has actually gone awfully quiet over the past week. You still haven't learned that Sith Lard says a lot of stuff he has no intention of following up on and never does?
That story is from mid-March. Dunno why you think an unfunny useful idiot's ramblings are news when they are three weeks after the fact.
A personal attack, so you got nothing Andre.
Typical.
https://youtu.be/g_D5vzqBVWo
Kia Ora Newshub.
Global cooperation is needed with the virus problems.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
One reason Tangata Whenua and Pacifica tangata have not been infected by the virus is because most of us are broke not enough putea to go for a Holiday in Aotearoa and overseas.
O I got it wrong Iwi ba it was Whangarei Iwi that were meetings there neighbours Ka pai.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
Its obvious not to have any information on a video conference that people can use to hack your organisation.
Aotearoa should be in a better situation than most.
You guys are so negative are you sure you know witch country you live in.
That's A awesome video we take so much from Papatuanuku and give so little back now would be a good time to give back to our Wild environment.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
Kia Kaha people our government is doing a good job of sorting the problems associated with the virus isolation issues .
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
That would be good our government working with Iwi to come up with concrete plans to create employment for tangata.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
The online and TV education resource starts today our mokopuna will be using them.
That's correct Amanda don't jump to fast.
There you go our health systems have been neglected for the last 20 years the trickle up effect.
That's is cool the Young Ocean explorers educating children on our Ocean its time to clean them up
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
The fake news some people will believe anything with out thinking it through logically.
I had a hunch that most countries that are doing OK with the virus have Wahine leading the way.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I think our government will help Maori business better than most other government.
Good on Neatmeat for koha of pork bone to Tangata.
Kia Kaha to all the people in the music industry.
That's a awesome idea the Cook Islands government helping there tangata grow vegetables.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
I was wondering were you were Lloyd.
I've got a peace of tape on my camera.
The Phenomenon is our scientists have underestimate the effects of Global Warming because the deniers have had a very $$ loud cry.
I think that people do need a few days notice of what level 3 lock down is going to be so they can plan.
The business tax loss write off will help small businesses.
Ka kite Ano.