Open mike 11/05/2022
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6:00 am, May 11th, 2022 - 59 comments
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- No freedom of speech in Vanuatu
Last year, Vanuatu passed a "cyber-libel" law. And predictably, its first targets are those trying to hold the government to account: A police crackdown in Vanuatu that has seen people arrested for allegedly posting comments on social media speculating politicians were responsible for the country’s current Covid outbreak has ...29 mins ago - Bryce Edwards: How long until National wants Simon Bridges back?
Could it be a case of not appreciating what you’ve got until it’s gone? The National Party lost Simon Bridges last week, which has reinforced the notion that the party still has some serious deficits of talent and diversity. The major factor in Bridges’ decision to leave was his failed ...1 hour ago - Getting On With Co-Governance – Without Debate.
Who’s Missing From This Picture? The re-birth of the co-governance concept cannot be attributed to the institutions of Pakeha rule, at least, not in the sense that the massive constitutional revisions it entails have been presented to and endorsed by the House of Representatives, and then ratified by the citizens of New ...3 hours ago - Gordon Campbell on Rabuka’s possible return in Fiji
Fiji signed onto China’s Belt and Road initiative in 2018, along with a separate agreement on economic co-operation and aid. Yet it took the recent security deal between China and the Solomon Islands to get the belated attention of the US and its helpmates in Canberra and Wellington, and the ...3 hours ago - Only fools make deals with liarsNorthern Ireland went to the polls last week, resulting in Sinn Féin becoming the largest party, the first time an Irish party has done so. Naturally, the unionists are not taking this well, and are threatening to use their minority-veto to prevent any government being formed. They're also demanding the ...23 hours ago
- Of Tin and Tintagel: Published
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In the depths of winter, most people from southern New Zealand head to warmer climes for a much-needed dose of Vitamin D. Yet during the height of the last Ice Age, one species of moa did just the opposite. I’m reminded of Bill Bailey’s En Route to Normal tour that visited ...1 day ago - Bryce Edwards: Massive Wage Subsidy and Covid spending is under scrutinisedIn the lead-up to the Budget, the Government has been on an offensive to promote the efficiency and quality of its $74 billion Covid Response and Recovery Fund -especially the Wage Subsidy Scheme component. This comes after criticisms and concerns from across the political spectrum over poor-quality spending, and suggestions ...1 day ago
- Nothing to celebrateThe Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill passed its third reading this afternoon. The government and the Ombudsman are both celebrating this "significant improvement" in whistleblower protection, but as I pointed out when the bill was introduced, it is nothing of the sort. The law still sets the bar for ...2 days ago
- Not very proactiveA couple of weeks ago, Stuff broke the news that the government was planning a significant boost to proactive release of official information, with almost all advice to Ministers expected to be proactively released. Which sounds great, but as I pointed out, there's real reason for concern in the way ...2 days ago
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- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #18
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- How my work on free speech brought me back to the leftDane Giraud reflects on his working class upbringing and how campaigning for free speech radicalised him Evidence to support censorship as a tool for social cohesion is paltry. I Read the NZ Human Rights Commission website, and 99% of their ‘evidence’ is anecdotal. When asked why we need hate speech ...5 days ago
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- Decarbonising the schoolsThe government has announced it will be replacing all coal boilers in schools by 2025: All remaining coal boilers in New Zealand schools will be replaced with cleaner wood burners or electric heating by 2025, at a cost of $10 million, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced. The coal ...6 days ago
- Neo-Nazis in Ukraine. Comedians are often more truthful than politicians.
Israeli news media and politicians often complain about the activity of neo-Nazis in Ukraine. “Activists and supporters of Ukrainian nationalist parties hold torches as they take part in a rally to mark the 112th birth anniversary of Stepan Bandera, in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 1, 2021. Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters The recent ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2022Another gnawing warming worry Accidental outcomes of our engineering prowess are warming Arctic regions at a rapid pace. Another species of accomplished engineers is rapidly occupying and exploiting new territory we've thereby made more easily available, namely beavers (Castor canadensis). Beaver populations in affected Arctic regions have increased from "none" to "quite a ...7 days ago
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Unfortunately it looks like we’re going through a spate of ram raids in this country. Predictably, there comes the natural political rejoinder: “Alas, the youth are out of control in this country…” in various flavours of vitriol, and thus the Reckons. Those who were armchair epidemiologists concerning the ...2 weeks ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #17Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, April 24, 2022 through Sat, April 30, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2022, Newsmax using ...2 weeks ago
- Why the silence on censorship?2 weeks ago
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Proposed immigration changes by the Government fail to guarantee pathways to residency to workers in the types of jobs deemed essential throughout the pandemic, by prioritising high income earners - instead of focusing on the wellbeing of workers and enabling migrants to put down roots. ...1 day ago - Green Party supports nurses’ ERA decisionThe Green Party supports nurses’ continued push for pay equity and calls on the Government to deliver the back pay they had expected. ...2 days ago
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- Greens call for government to implement all recommendations of Casey report into detention of asylum...An independent review of New Zealand’s detention regime for asylum seekers has found arbitrary and abusive practices in Aotearoa’s immigration law, policy, and practice. ...1 week ago
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- Greens call for urgent action to fix tax systemThe Green Party is urging the Government to take urgent action to create a fairer tax system that works for all New Zealanders. ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand initiates dispute settlement proceedings against Canada’s implementation of dairy quot...
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- Government’s support delivers path to recovery for arts and culture sector295 events covering at least 607 performances that have had to cancel or suffered losses due to COVID-19 have had their costs reimbursed, with total support paid out to events now exceeding $20 million 186 future events in 2022 and 2023 have also received cover 64 organisations have been ...2 hours ago
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- New sanctions target disinformation and malicious cyber actorsAs part of the Government’s ongoing response to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced new sanctions targeting disinformation and those responsible for cyber attacks on Ukraine. “Aotearoa New Zealand continues to unequivocally condemn Russia’s unjustified and illegal attack on Ukraine,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “President Putin’s propaganda machine is in ...2 days ago
- Government bolsters protection for whistleblowersSignificant improvements are being made in New Zealand workplaces to better protect whistleblowers, Minister for the Public Service Chris Hipkins said today. “The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 replaces the Protected Disclosures Act 2000. It is more people-focused and will make the rules easier to access, understand, and ...2 days ago
- New High Commissioner to Solomon Islands announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Jonathan Schwass as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to Solomon Islands. “Aotearoa New Zealand and Solomon Islands have a long history of close engagement as Pacific whānau,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “Our partnership is founded on cooperation in areas such as ...2 days ago
- Budget 2022: Investing to eliminate violence in our homes and communitiesBudget 2022 delivers $114.5 million over four years to prevent and respond to family violence and sexual violence across Aotearoa Investment includes a $38.1 million boost for community-led integrated responses $37.6 million to prevent violence by strengthening existing initiatives in Māori and Pacific communities and for Aotearoa as a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week 2022 recognises ‘essential’ workersThis week (9 – 15 May 2022) is New Zealand Sign Language Week (NZSL), a nationwide celebration of NZSL as an official language of New Zealand. “This year’s theme ‘New Zealand Sign Language is essential’ recognises the prominence and importance of our third official language, and draws a spotlight on ...3 days ago
- Government’s Wage Subsidies support people in nearly half of NZ jobsThe Government’s swift action to secure our economic recovery in the midst of a pandemic has seen 47 per cent of jobs in New Zealand protected by at least one of the 2021 wage subsidies, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said. The Ministry of Social Development’s new ...3 days ago
- Budget 2022 supports 38,000 apprentices to accelerate recoveryApprenticeship Boost extended to the end of 2023, supporting 38,000 apprentices Support for 1600 Mana in Mahi places to help people into work Funding to continue the Māori Trades and Training Fund, building on the 17 established partnerships that are supporting more than 800 people The Government is extending ...3 days ago
- Aotearoa sets course to net-zero with first three emissions budgetsClimate Change Minister James Shaw today announced New Zealand’s first three emissions budgets, another milestone on of the journey toward a zero-carbon future. “Today’s announcement means our net-zero future is closer than ever before. There’s much more to do, but having these binding budgets in place is a critical part ...3 days ago
- Building a low-carbon futureTēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi o te ata. Good morning. Thank you, Stephen, for that kind introduction. And thank you, again, to ASB for hosting us today. *** I grew up in a big, old Victorian ‘character home’ in Aro Valley. Like so many here in ...3 days ago
- Safety front of mind as new cycleway opensAs Road Safety Week officially commences, Auckland’s busiest cycling route has just received a $14.4 million upgrade, paving the way to get more Aucklanders out of their cars and onto their bikes. The new Tamaki Drive cycleway was opened today by Minister of Transport, Michael Wood following an official dawn ...3 days ago
- Budget 2022: More police to target gangsDelivers largest Police force ever and continues investment in frontline Police after the goal of an additional 1800 Police will be achieved by the end of this year - six months ahead of schedule Extra funding set aside to grow Police to match population growth. This will ensure there ...4 days ago
- Rotuman’s strongly support their language revival in AotearoaVetḁkia ‘os Fäega ma Ag fak hanua - Sustaining our Language and Culture is showcased in this year’s Rotuman Language Week – the first of nine Pacific Language Weeks, said Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “With just 2,000 Rotuman speakers on the islands of Rotuma, nurturing the growing ...4 days ago
- Funding for Pacific Stop Smoking Services to support Smokefree 2025 goalPacific communities can expect more support to go smokefree as Associate Ministers of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall and Aupito William Sio launched one of the new Pacific stop smoking services at K’aute Pasifika Trust in Hamilton today. The Smokefree Pacific Advisory Group, chaired by Associate Professor Dr Collin Tukuitonga, was ...6 days ago
- Buses take to the road on Northern BuswayNorthshore commuters now have access to congestion free travel to and from the city, as far north as Albany, thanks to the completion of the latest Northern Busway extension which was opened today by the Minister of Transport, Michael Wood. The four year project has delivered an additional five kilometres ...6 days ago
- All coal boilers to be removed from schoolsThanks to a $10 million dollar investment, all remaining coal boilers in New Zealand schools will be replaced with renewable woody biomass or electric heating sources by 2025 reducing carbon emissions by around 35,400 tonnes over 10 years, Climate Change Minister James Shaw announced today. The move is part of ...6 days ago
- Technical innovation to revolutionise forestryAn innovative high-tech approach to forestry management is set to transform New Zealand’s forestry industry, Forestry Minister Stuart Nash and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. The Government is backing Precision Silviculture, a $25.5 million, seven-year programme led by Forest Growers Research Limited (FGR). “The investment is part of the ...6 days ago
- New links in chain of Great Rides cycle trailsMore of New Zealand’s most stunning landscapes, culture and heritage destinations will be showcased by the addition of two new cycle trails to the Ngā Haerenga Great Rides network. Tourism and Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash has today opened the Whakarewarewa Forest Loop trail near Rotorua, and announced ...7 days ago
- Proposals aimed at user-friendly, up-to-date conservation processesPublic feedback is being sought on proposed changes to improve management planning and concession processes in conservation legislation. “Management strategies and plans are key tools which help manage natural and historic resources by providing guidance on what can and cannot be done in our national parks and conservation areas,” Conservation ...7 days ago
- Next steps for two new schools for ŌmokoroaPlanning for two new schools on the Bay of Plenty’s Ōmokoroa Peninsula is underway as part of the Government’s comprehensive plan to support growth in the fast-growing Otumoetai catchment. Ongoing housing development will see 1,200 new homes in Ōmokoroa by 2025, and another development area in the west of the ...1 week ago
- Travel trade show reconnects with AustraliaA government-backed push to reconnect the tourism and travel industry with our largest market in Australia will see Tourism Minister Stuart Nash head to Sydney next week. Stuart Nash is leading a delegation to one of the first major international trade events by Tourism New Zealand since the COVID-19 outbreak ...1 week ago
- Budget 22 investing in biosecurity for future economic securityBudget 22 invests $110.9 million into New Zealand’s biosecurity work $42.9 million to bolster New Zealand’s biosecurity readiness for future incursions $68 million over the coming year to continue the M. bovis eradication momentum Protection of primary sector vital with exports forecast to hit record $50.8 billion for year-end 2022 ...1 week ago
- Joint M. bovis eradication plan reaches significant milestoneMycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) down to one infected property 271 farms cleared of M. bovis No working farms currently confirmed infected Plans for next steps towards a national pest management plan under way Hundreds of thousands of milk samples and animals tested last year Four years into a world-first attempt to ...1 week ago
- Crown accounts reflect strong economyThe Crown accounts are continuing to reflect the strong position New Zealand is in to manage the challenging global environment, Grant Robertson said. For the nine months to the end of March, the Operating Balance before Gains and Losses (OBEGAL) deficit was $8.1 billion, $4.1 billion below that forecast in ...1 week ago
- Budget 2022: Government clears road for 64,000 people to get driver licensesThe Government is: Increasing funding for driver licence support Removing barriers for people who have trouble obtaining driver licences Strengthening testing infrastructure and making it more equitable Reviewing the Graduated Driver Licensing System regulatory framework to ensure it is fit for purpose Budget 2022 will see an estimated 64,000 New ...1 week ago
- Speech at announcement of nationwide plan to tackle hospital waiting lists, Auckland, 4 May 2022Today I am setting out our plan to deal with growing hospital waiting lists. COVID-19 has been hugely disruptive to hospital systems all over the world. In England, for example, there was a 200-fold increase in the number of people waiting more than a year for planned care, from just ...1 week ago
- Nationwide plan to tackle hospital waiting listsHospital waiting lists will be managed nationally under the Labour Government’s plan to cut the time people who need operations and appointments have to wait, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “COVID-19 has been hugely disruptive to hospital systems all over the world,” Andrew Little told health users, providers and unions ...1 week ago
- Speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs – Whare Tawāhi-a-mahi i AotearoaIt is a pleasure to be here tonight addressing you all and continuing to showcase New Zealand’s reconnection to the world. It was fantastic to be travelling again and promoting New Zealand with the Prime Minister a couple of weeks ago to Singapore and Japan. However these are challenging times for trade. ...1 week ago
- Record 50,000 homes consented in a yearIn the year ended March 2022, 50,858 new homes were consented, up 24 per cent from the March 2021 year. 21,477 new homes were consented in Auckland in the year ended March 2022, driven largely by an increase in multi-unit dwellings. 5,303 new homes were consented in March 2022 alone. ...1 week ago
- Broadened criteria for returning visa holdersThe Government is broadening the ability for residence class visa holders to re-enter New Zealand, Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins has announced. The change means residence class visa holders not vaccinated against COVID-19 will be able to enter New Zealand from 6 May. The change allows New Zealand Permanent ...1 week ago
- PNG Deputy PM killed in road accident – a driver on the run, say police
RNZ Pacific Papua New Guinea’s deputy Prime Minister Sam Basil has died following a car crash in the Bulolo district of Morobe Province. As well being Deputy Prime Minister, Basil was Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, and is the former Minister for Communications, Information Technology and Energy. Police Commissioner David ...30 mins ago - Have Your Say On The Ngāti Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-ā-Rua Claims Settlement Bill
The Māori Affairs Committee is calling for submissions on the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-ā-Rua Claims Settlement Bill. Ngāti Kahungunu is an iwi whose area of interest spans from Cape Turnagain down to Cape Palliser, and encompasses ...1 hour ago - Buzz from the Beehive: pre-Budget speeches, a border re-opening and a black mark for new Green List
Pre-budget speeches from the PM and her Minister of Finance feature in the latest posts on the Beehive website. Both speeches mention the re-opening (hurrah) of the country’s borders. The re-opening was the highlight of a package of initiatives announced in a press statement in the names of four ministers, ...1 hour ago - Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evita March, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Federation University Australia Mick Tsikas/AAP Prime Minister Scott Morrison says one of his “great missions” is to make social media a safer place for young people. If the Coalition is re-elected, Morrison says ...1 hour ago
- PODCAST: Buchanan + Manning: Putin’s Speech + Election Results + China-Solomons DealA View from Afar – In this podcast, political scientist Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning bring you a programme in three parts. First, they provide a brief roundup of Russia’s Victory Day on May 9th and what to make of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin’s speech. PLUS, they evaluate a ...2 hours ago
- Removing GST on food is back in the news, proving some bad ideas just never go awaySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Hickson, Economics Lecturer and Director Business Taught Masters Programme, University of Canterbury Getty Images Removing the goods and services tax (GST) from food is not a new idea. Te Pāti Māori are currently pushing for its removal from all ...2 hours ago
- Blaming Immigrants Never Gets Old...2 hours ago
- FIFA and EA sports are splitting: a look at 30 years of game innovation, and what fans can expect ne...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Conway, Senior Lecturer – Games and Interactivity, Swinburne University of Technology EA Sports EA Sports and FIFA will part ways after almost 30 years of collaboration. This is surprising for a number of reasons, not least because it is ...2 hours ago
- Yes, $5 for lettuce is too much. Government should act to stem the rising cost of healthy eatingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Zorbas, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Deakin University Shutterstock The cost of living is on the rise. The recent Consumer Price Index (a measure of inflation of a standard basket of goods) revealed Australians’ grocery baskets are one of the biggest ...2 hours ago
- AI, philosophy and religion: what machine learning can tell us about the Bhagavad GitaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohitash Chandra, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Sydney Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Machine learning and other artificial intelligence (AI) methods have had immense success with scientific and technical tasks such as predicting how protein molecules fold and recognising faces in a crowd. ...3 hours ago
- Call For Minister To Reconsider Fast-track Residence Pathway For NursesWhānau Āwhina Plunket and Family Planning New Zealand call on Immigration Minister to reconsider fast-tracked residence pathway Whānau Āwhina Plunket and Family Planning New Zealand are disappointed that overseas nurses have been left of the fast tracked ...3 hours ago
- Aotearoa New Zealand’s Government And Media Must Own Up To Their Part In The Cold-blooded Killing ...The absolute impunity which the Aotearoa New Zealand government has given to Israel’s racist apartheid regime over many decades and the cowering of the Aotearoa New Zealand media in the face of threats of false smears of anti-semitism from the racist pro-Israel ...4 hours ago
- Relief For Veterinarians As Profession Makes Government’s New Green ListThe inclusion of veterinarians on a new Government Green List is welcome relief for the country’s vets, according to Kevin Bryant, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA). Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced the Green ...4 hours ago
- How the Nats are drawing blood by needling the govt on economic issues as living costs surge
Opposition parties appear to have thrust the government on to the defensive on inflation and the cost-of-living crisis and are widening the attack to find chinks in the Finance Minister’s armour on his handling of the economy. They have built a platform for the forthcoming budget debate which will ensure ...4 hours ago - Were minor parties the big winners? 3 experts on the final leaders’ debateSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Narelle Miragliotta, Senior Lecturer in Australian Politics, Monash University Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese faced off in the third and final leaders’ debate on Wednesday night on the Seven network, ten days ahead of the federal election on May 21. Both leaders ...4 hours ago
- Hipkins overseas trips to promote NZ to international students
The education minister is set to travel to the United States, Chile and Brazil at the end of the month - with further trips on the cards over the next six months. ...4 hours ago - International Travel Lifts As Border Restrictions EaseThe number of people crossing New Zealand’s border increased in March 2022 as border restrictions were relaxed, Stats NZ said today. There were 126,200 border crossings in March 2022, made up of 66,100 arrivals and 60,100 departures. In February ...5 hours ago
- Annual Net Migration Loss Of 7,300The provisional net loss of 7,300 people in the year ended March 2022 was the lowest net migration for a March year since 2012, Stats NZ said today. The net loss of 7,300 follows a provisional net loss of 1,700 in the March 2021 year, and a record net ...5 hours ago
- Budget '22 Chance To Move Away From Failed Approaches To DrugsThe NZ Drug Foundation says Budget 2022 is a chance for the Government to fund effective health-based approaches to drugs, instead of continuing with failed policies from the past. The Foundation estimates that the Government currently spends more than ...6 hours ago
- “The Future Of Breast Screening Is On A Knife-edge”, MPs Hear At Pink Ribbon Breakfast In Parlia...More than 100 people attended a Pink Ribbon Breakfast in Parliament’s Grand Hall this morning, where Breast Cancer Foundation NZ made a plea to Government, one week before the Budget, to save the future of breast screening in New Zealand. MPs, women ...6 hours ago
- A tug of war between survival and fitness: how chameleons become even brighter without predators aro...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Whiting, Professor of Animal Behaviour, Macquarie University Martin Whiting, Author provided Invasive species offer a rare research opportunity, as they often colonise new environments very different to their native habitat. One such species is the Jackson’s three-horned chameleon (Triocerus ...8 hours ago
- One in three people are infected with _Toxoplasma_ parasite – and the clue could be in our eyesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine R. Smith, Professor of Eye & Vision Health, Flinders University Shutterstock Toxoplasma gondii is probably the most successful parasite in the world today. This microscopic creature is capable of infecting any mammal or bird, and people across all continents ...8 hours ago
- Why the budget should treat public health like transport – vital infrastructure with long-term eco...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johanna Reidy, Lecturer, Department of Public Health, University of Otago Shutterstock The global pandemic might have revealed the importance of robust public health infrastructure, but we still have trouble grasping the vital need to invest in it. An analogy ...8 hours ago
- Climate change hits low-income earners harder – and poor housing in hotter cities is a disastrous ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Healy, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University Shutterstock Cost of living is a major focus in this election campaign, and yet political leaders have been unacceptably silent on the disproportionate impact of climate change ...8 hours ago
- How well off you are depends on who you are. Comparing the lives of Australia’s Millennials, Gen-X...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Abelson, Economist, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Most Australian voters are either Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964), Generation Xers (1965 to 1980) or Millennials (1981 to 1996). And at one time or another most ...8 hours ago
- 2022 Register Of Pecuniary And Other Specified Interests Presented11 May The 2022 Register of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament was presented in the House today. It contains a summary of members’ interests as at 31 January 2022. The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, ...10 hours ago
- Greens condemn ‘two-tier’ NZ migrant policy as entrenching inequitiesRNZ News The New Zealand government’s immigration decisions amount to a “white immigration policy”, creating a two-tier system that will entrench inequities, claims the Green Party. National and ACT are also critical of the moves announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and top ministers at a Business NZ lunch in ...16 hours ago
- Governor-General Issues Writ For The Tauranga By-electionThe next step in the preparations for the Tauranga by-election has taken place today with the Governor-General issuing the writ for the by-election to be held. The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro has given the Electoral Commission the formal direction and authority ...18 hours ago
- LIVE [email protected] Buchanan + Manning: Putin’s Speech + Election Results + China-Solomons DealA View from Afar – In this podcast, political scientist Paul Buchanan and Selwyn Manning will bring you a programme in two parts. First, they will provide a brief roundup of Russia’s Victory Day on May 9th and what to make of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin’s speech. PLUS, they ...19 hours ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Grattan Institute’s Danielle Wood on election’s thin policy deba...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Danielle Wood is the CEO of the Grattan Institute, an independent think tank, Its purpose is to research and advocate policies to improve Australians’ lives. Wood laments the dearth of policy debate in this ...19 hours ago
- South Australia’s Limestone Coast was formed from the bones of dead fish. Cathedral brings the sto...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Peterson, Adjunct Associate Professor, Auckland University of Technology Matt Byrne/State Theatre Company South Australia Review: Cathedral, directed by Shannon Rush for the State Theatre Company of South Australia Cathedral could not be more South Australian. This complex and ...22 hours ago
- Finlayson calls for a robust debate on co-governance – but then he disparages naysayers as “the ...Co-governance was aired by The Detail team on Radio New Zealand this morning in a broadcast which featured former Attorney-General Chris Finlayson, who also served as Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations. Reporting on the broadcast, Newroom said The Detail had examined the question “what is co-governance?” and had found ...22 hours ago
- Electricity prices are spiking, ten times as much as normal. Here are some educated guesses as to wh...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University Shutterstock Electricity prices in the short-term (“spot”) wholesale markets in Australia are surging again. As I first drafted this, at 11.30pm on Tuesday, while electricity demands were not high, the prices ...22 hours ago
- Australia has rich deposits of critical minerals for green technology. But we are not making the mos...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Yellishetty, Associate Professor, Resources Engineering, Monash University Shutterstock As the transition to clean energy accelerates, we will need huge quantities of critical minerals – the minerals needed to electrify transport, build batteries, manufacture solar panels, wind turbines, consumer electronics ...22 hours ago
- Immigration policy a 'two-tier' system that entrenches inequities – GreensThe government's immigration decisions amount to a white immigration policy, creating a two-tier system that will entrench inequities, the Green Party says. ...23 hours ago
- Universities Welcome Much-needed Earlier Border ReopeningAotearoa New Zealand’s eight universities look forward to welcoming back their international students after today’s announcement that the final part of the Government’s staged border reopening will be brought forward from October to 31 July. “This ...24 hours ago
- To pat or not to pat? How to keep interactions between kids and dogs safeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Petra Edwards, PhD researcher, University of Adelaide Justin Veenema/Unsplash With dog attacks in the news over recent weeks, some parents may be wondering about how to keep interactions between kids and dogs safe – and how to keep everyone happy. ...24 hours ago
- Accelerated Border Reopening And Immigration Changes WelcomedThe reopening of New Zealand’s border in full and long-anticipated immigration changes announced today will bolster economic growth in the Canterbury region and provide a boost for businesses that are desperate to find staff. "Border settings ...1 day ago
- Welcome News For Beleaguered Travel And Tourism Industries As PM Sets Date For End Of Tests, Border ...The New Zealand Airports Association (NZ Airports) has welcomed today’s announcement by the Prime Minister that the final Covid-related border restrictions will end on 31 July instead of in October. The PM was also “confident” that New Zealand’s ...1 day ago
- Amnesty calls for halt to planned Wabu Block gold mine in PapuaBy Yance Agapa in Paniai Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid is asking the government to halt the planned gold mine at Wabu Block in Intan Jaya regency until there is agreement from the Papua indigenous people in the area. “We have asked that the planned mine be halted ...1 day ago
- NZ Open For BusinessReopening borders earlier than expected, and clarity around immigration settings will be welcome news to Kiwi businesses, says Buy NZ Made. The Prime Minister announced the border’s phased reopening would be moved forward from October to July, at today’s ...1 day ago
- Hospitality NZ Welcomes Immigration Transition PlanHospitality New Zealand is pleased the Government has heard its calls for an immigration transition plan for tourism, hospitality and accommodation businesses. “The temporary exemption from paying the median wage $27.76 to recruit migrants on an Accredited ...1 day ago
- Border Reopening Sooner Good For BusinessBusinessNZ welcomes the Government moving faster on reopening borders earlier than previously indicated, and providing more clarity around immigration settings. The Prime Minister announced the border’s phased reopening would be moved forward from ...1 day ago
- The age of hybrid working is here – how can businesses find the right mix between office and home?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dougal Sutherland, Clinical Psychologist, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images After more than two years of disruptions, lockdowns and uncertainty, employers are facing a new reckoning in 2022: getting staff back into the office. Dubbed by ...1 day ago
- “Considerable uncertainty” clouds the outlook as Robertson prepares to present 2022 BudgetIs the NZ economy heading for a hard landing? As the country awaits the presentation of Budget 2022, the omens are not good. The ANZ Bank, in its latest quarterly economic forecast, says many commentators are talking about the risks of a recession. It’s a valid concern, as it is clear ...1 day ago
- Visitor Visa Applications For Individuals From Pacific Island Forum Countries To Open On 16 May 2022...1 day ago
- How well has the Morrison government handled relations with Southeast Asia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greta Nabbs-Keller, Senior Research Affiliate UQ Centre for Policy Futures, The University of Queensland This is part of a foreign policy election series looking at how Australia’s relations with the world have changed since the Morrison government came into power in 2019. ...1 day ago
- Early Learning Forgotten In Government Attendance PushA pre-budget announcement of $88 million to address school attendance has completely ignored early learning. If the Government was serious about improving educational attendance they’d start at its foundation with more investment in early ...1 day ago
- Do those viral ’36 questions’ actually lead to finding love?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gery Karantzas, Associate professor in Social Psychology / Relationship Science, Deakin University Shutterstock The “36 questions of love” have taken the dating world by storm. First published in 1997 as part of scientific research into relationships, the 36 questions ...1 day ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Massive Wage Subsidy and Covid spending is under scrutinisedAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup is entirely subscriber-funded. The ethos behind this public service is to help foster a robust and informed public debate, with a great diversity of perspectives. If you appreciate what we are doing in providing non-partisan analysis and information about politics, economy, and society, ...1 day ago
- Buzz from the Beehive: $55 million for a bashful bunch of builders and a belated patch-up on the So...Another day, another Crown:iwi partnership, this time a deal between the Government and Toitū Tairāwhiti to build homes for families “who need them most”. In this case ethnicity is the critical factor in determining this need. On the international front, meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahua has named a new ...1 day ago
- New Zealand border reopening fully from end of JulyThe border reopening date is being brought forward to the end of July, RNZ understands. ...1 day ago
- Jackson defends calling Seymour a 'useless Māori'Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson has doubled down on calling ACT leader David Seymour a "useless Māori". ...1 day ago
- Philippines forgets history and sells its soul for another MarcosCOMMENTARY: By David Robie Sadly, the Philippines has sold its soul. Thirty six years ago a People Power revolution ousted the dictator Ferdinand Marcos after two decades of harsh authoritarian rule. Yesterday, in spite of a rousing and inspiring Pink Power would-be revolution, the dictator’s only son and namesake “Bongbong” ...1 day ago
- 100 PNG security forces arrive in Porgera, tension easesBy Miriam Zarriga in Mt Hagen About 100 Papua New Guinea security personnel have arrived in Porgera, Enga Province, amid the fighting that saw 17 dead, 100 families displaced and homes destroyed over the weekend. The arrival of the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) in Porgera on late Sunday evening has ...1 day ago
- FNU formalises ‘exciting’ real world collaboration with Auckland UniThe Fiji Times The Fiji National University and the University of Auckland have formalised their partnership through a memorandum of understanding that encourages academic cooperation between the two institutions. FNU acting vice-chancellor Dr William May said the collaboration was another opportunity to strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two universities ...1 day ago
- The End Of The Care And Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlement Act?Grey Power has thrown its weight behind the Etū and PSA Unions in their efforts to get the Government to honour a pay deal which took two years of tough negotiation and several court decisions, including the Court of Appeal, to finalise. After years ...1 day ago
- Luxon on National-ACT alliance, budget, abortionNational Party leader Christopher Luxon won't be drawn on how he might work with the ACT party and its leader David Seymour if his party wins next year's election. ...1 day ago
- Australia’s future depends on science. Here’s what our next government needs to do about itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Shine, President, Australian Academy of Science; Laboratory Head, Garvan Institute The longer you live through a crisis, the less likely you are to fully appreciate that you’re in one. This is especially true if there is more than one crisis, and ...1 day ago
- Election humour 2022: can the major parties win votes with a funny marmot or a joke about Star Wars?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Rolfe, Honorary lecturer, School of Social Sciences, UNSW Sydney The 2022 election campaign seems longer than Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow. And there is still ten days to go. But that does not mean the whole thing is without lighter moments. Humour ...1 day ago
- Over the last 30 years, a fifth of polls have called the wrong winner. Here are 3 things poll-watche...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Murray Goot, Emeritus Professor of Politics and International Relations, Macquarie University With voting already underway, and the sausage sizzle less than two weeks away, there are three things worth knowing if you are trying to work out which side is most likely ...1 day ago
- Planning kids? You should know the major parties’ parental leave policies before you voteSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anam Bilgrami, Research Fellow, Macquarie University Shutterstock Most new Australian mothers receive government paid parental leave to support health, encourage workforce participation and balance work and family life equally with their partners. Despite this, Australia still has one of the least ...1 day ago
- Australia could rapidly shift to clean transport – if we had a strategy. So we put this plan toget...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jake Whitehead, E-Mobility Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Getty Images Australia has no clear strategy to decarbonise transport. That’s a problem, because without a plan, our take-up of clean technologies like electric cars, trucks and buses is slow. It’s stopping ...1 day ago
- Attending school every day counts – but kids in out-of-home care are missing outSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kitty Te Riele, Deputy Director (Research), University of Tasmania Shutterstock Consistent school attendance is important in any child’s education but for many children in out-of-home care, going to school every day is no easy thing. There are three main types of ...1 day ago
- Paddy Compass Namadbara: for the first time, we can name an artist who created bark paintings in Arn...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joakim Goldhahn, Rock Art Australia Ian Potter Kimberley Chair, The University of Western Australia The bark painting depicting a barramundi that Namadbara created for Spencer at Oenpelli in 1912 and that he identified in the interview with Lance Bennett in 1967, now ...1 day ago
- Government to consider future of half-price public transport faresThe thousands of people who use public transport every day could soon find out if the half-price fares they are enjoying now are here to stay. ...1 day ago
- Even if next week’s budget avoids the issue, it’s time New Zealand seriously considered a wealth...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Marriott, Professor of Taxation, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Tax is back in the news. Often this means a looming budget or election, as is indeed the case now, with the government’s 2022 budget ...1 day ago
- View from The Hill: Albanese and Morrison caught on fly-papers of wages, genderSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Both Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison landed themselves onto the sticky paper on Tuesday, as they trudged through this campaign’s penultimate week. The issues couldn’t have been more different. But each was an area ...2 days ago
- Word from The Hill: Scott Morrison defends Katherine Deves (again), but slips up on surgery detailSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast ...2 days ago
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It must be hard for rebels after a life time of fighting the machine to find themselves on the side of the mainstream.
Easier to go for some edgier conspiracy theory.
From Common Dreams:
Interesting that yesterday, Luxon was adamant that Nicola Willis was going to be his Finance Minister when he wins the next Election. This morning on Morning Report he says that what he really meant was that Nicola would be a good Finance Minister but it is too soon to rule out David Seymour.
A night is a long time in politics.
Can you imagine either of them as the misery of finance.? Not sure who would be worse. Ruth R the second or Rodger reincarnate. *shudder *
@ianmac and Macro
Thank-you so much the both of you. You both are among my favourite standardistas. Not so sure now.
The sun's shining and I was finally officially discharged from the local hospital this morning after a knee replacement. Had the thing 12 weeks ago.
Finance minister David Seymour? Oh God preserve us. Back to the days of the cavemen. Will it be legal to drag women along the ground by their hair?
Every good wish for your
recovery Anne.
[The bug is bad today; this is the 4th instance. Please check and correct your user name in the next comment, thanks]
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Hello Anne. Hope you feel a great deal better and gain mobility again All the best.
.
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Doing well thanks Patricia. Told my surgeon I had stopped all the exercises because I was sick of them. He said "you don't need to do exercises. You're one of those who heals naturally". Thanks Mum for your good genes. 🙂
Btw, my 2.1.1 were tongue in cheek ianmac and Macro. You're still on my 'fav' list. 🙂
A waking nightmare would be a very long time in politics
Hopefully by announcing that he is contemplating David Seymour as Finance Minister, Christopher Luxon has just made his biggest ever political mistake.
Indelicately as Bomber may have put it, I agree with him, the majority of National voters and especially the Nat curious are not insane.
Suggesting David Seymour as Finance Minister is just a step too far for the New Zealand voting public.
I mean even in Epsom Seymour has to by given a charity hand up to get in to parliament, and this in the most conservative wealthiest blue rinse electorate in the country.
In the rest of the country the ACT Seymour brand is electoral poison.
A cleverer Right Wing politician than Luxon, even if he was considering David Seymour as Finance Minister, would never have announced it before the election.
Let us hope that Luxon does not try to walk back that he is contemplating David Seymour as Finance Minister, and belatedly try to rule it out.
Biggest fail ever.
Worst Fail Ever.
Christopher (Comicbook Guy) Luxon.
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FFS, (Fat finger syndrome), strikes again.
Thanks for the heads up.
Interesting fact.
My current non-de-plume is the result of such an accident. I left it in place, cos I kinda liked it.
But have been thinking about changing it again, to something shorter, and more in line with my political outlook, but still recognisable as me.
What do you think?
Would that be OK?
https://thestandard.org.nz/policy/
If a Party polls well over 5% they’re likely to get into Parliament even without (winning) an electorate seat. Likely, in 2023 National will need ACT, at least, to form a Government with at least 61 seats. In the latest Newshub-Reid poll ACT got 6.4%, which translates to 8 seats in Parliament. Thus, Seymour is likely to get in regardless of National’s “charity hand up”.
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Was looking at countdowns site
Block of butter $8.90
Holy shit.
But they will freeze it at that price….how nice.
Lol
I did find that report quite funny!
Don't worry people. We are keeping these stupidly high prices!
well you don't need butter, right, margarine will do for the poor peeps.
Guess that depends on whether it happens to be the poor peeps kids birthday and it happens to be the one day a year the parents want to give the kid a cake as a luxury
Really should they actually eat cake with butter and not just eat cake made with cheap margarine?
Yes.
Because cake made without butter is frankly crap.
Like icing without sugar
Or bacon and eggs made with tofu and some weird vegan soya milk
It is kind of like people who go to KFC or McDonalds and buy salad.
Admittedly I did go to KFC once and just brought potato and gravy.
But it was a one off.
Margarine is not very good for cake making. It melts at a lower temperature, making it a bit runny and hard to mix into a proper cake mix with the other ingredients.
I have found that a workaround is to put the marge in the freezer to try and firm it up.
But previous commenters are right, for taste and texture, a cake made with margarine is still a second rate cake.
Oil is better than margarine for some cakes – carrot cakes and brownies made with oil turn out reasonably well. Margarine is okay for pastry, but I wouldn't cook with it in general.
i am very sorry that i forgot the s/ tag.
btw, margarine is something a lot of people eat, cook with and bake with. Because they are too poor to afford butter.
A food scientist buddy once quipped margarine is one molecule off being plastic.
If baking on a budget, oil is a much better substitute than marge. – and a heck of a lot cheaper.
Butter is best. But some excellent carrot cake or bran muffin recipes use oil.
My best-of-all-time chocolate cake, cooked religiously for every birthday I bake for, uses oil….
yep agree, oil is better then marge for baking.
because of vegetable oil shortages that to is rising in price rapidly.If David Clark really wants to make a difference he would force Foodstuffs and Progressive to divest their 10% holding they each have in The Warehouse, allowing them to operate competitive supermarkets within their existing stores which are struggling against online retailers.The Cosy Duopoly must be broken at all levels.
Warehouse is already 'competitive' in some foods.
2 ltr Dairy Dale Milk is 3 NZD for example. And they are aggressively pushing into the food market and i hope they continue to do so without any 'assistance' of the Government.
Bad enough, but not $8.90
https://www.countdown.co.nz/shop/productdetails?stockcode=827847&name=countdown-butter-salted
Salted butter will not taste nice in sweet stuff, and can actually affect your baking/cooking due to the salt. Hence why it is generally cheaper then the unsalted butter.
but salt was used in the old days to give shelf live in the same sense as sugar was used, both bind water and thus prevent mold and spoiling.
.
Most Kiwi baking recipes use salted butter (and skip adding the pinch of salt usual in overseas cookbooks).
Unless baking something very delicate in flavour – you're not going to notice the difference between salted and unsalted butter, by the time you've baked the cake.
yeah, nah nah. I love salted butter on fresh bread with cheese, but i would never use it in baking, and fwiw, i also don't use the 'pinch' of salt in my baking.
I think it's a Kiwi (as in brought up in NZ) thing– by-and-large we use a fair amount of salt in our cooking, salted butter is just one example.
Certainly, when I was growing up (and learning to bake from my Nana) – all butter was salted. I expect that unsalted existed- but it would have been a very niche product – not on the main aisles of the supermarket.
And, even today, shopping in Countdown, the bulk of the butter on sale is salted.
If I recall correctly you have a cafe….how does wholesale price of butter compare?
Not a cafe, I make confections – i have a Chocolate Shop. And the price of dairy is horrendous and getting worse. Luckily for those bakers that need butter they buy imported french butter which is cheaper. Yes…isn't it ironic. Imagine, all the carbon credits n footprints n stuff that could be prevented by selling butter for the price of imported french butter. lol
we import butter!…good grief
To be fair french butter has less water content then kiwi butter and it is the best butter to use in pasty making.
We import butter and its cheaper. Go figure.
but 5.80 for the countdown brand……………..
Which is probably just Anchor or Westgold wrapped in a different wrapper, like most own brand things.
Have to admit I have been buying more and more own brand stuff.
Especially when the wrapping is obviously done by the same machine, but just different branding printed on it.
exactly i buy butter but mostly now nuttlex from coconut oil….saturated fat is good for you
That will be me going for the Flora
Nutlex oliveoil butter is $3.50. It is able to be used in place of dairy.
Yeah, but lets face it. Oliveoil butter is shite.
If I wanted a piece of toast with some bland hippy thing on it I would just pour olive oil on it, while cutting up bits of tofu and doing yoga.
rather use lard, still at 6 NZD per container, but at least it has flavor and can be used for baking.
Lol
That is actually a fair call.
+1.
I bought some hippy shite (aka vegan faux butter – spread) recently and it was even more expensive at $6 for 250 grams.
It's actually really nice, very similar to butter in taste, but wallet says ouch!
I'm kinda laughing at dairy prices skyrocketing now as I feel slightly less shafted with my sanctimonious spread spend.
I do the yoga with carrot greens hanging out of my ears, symbolic reins for the shagging you think you're giving vegans.
Lol
Apologies. I have an odd sense of humour!
Too much watching Neil on the Young Ones.
Just noticed that just as so many National males look physically alike, so do the National's Nicola Willis and Nicola Stanford (and Acts Brooke van de Veldon?) also look (and sound?) interchangeable.
Is there some sort of Genetic selection process going on here?
It’s a well-known fact that pets often look like their owners (or is it the other way round?)
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151111-why-do-dogs-look-like-their-owners
But I don’t want to speculate on what might be going on in the National Party and ACT, the mind boggles
Seymour looks like Luxon?
Is it the other way around?
Or. Do both look like their real owners?
Seymour is the at the tail end so his job is to keep the flies off the excrement that exudes from luxon.
The Spinoff has this:
"How long till we hear that climate change, like Covid, isn’t a real threat, and that it’s just another elaborate conspiracy cooked up by the government and the media to take our jobs and rip away our livelihoods, all for their own evil ends?
These, too, are tohu. The pandemic is not separate from climate change, but part of the powder keg of environmental forces that has given rise to it. It’s a warning. Unless the government seriously engages with the parallel universe that Māori occupy within the prism of climate change, and gives us the resource to speak to our own, whether we reside in cities or valleys or papakāinga, Māori will yet again be left out and left behind."
https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/11-05-2022/riding-the-tide-home
“Storytelling is not only the means of communicating the deep interconnectedness of our diverse realities, it’s also the instruction telling us what to do about it. Hardly “myths”, as Elsdon Best liked to call them, pūrākau are our original sources of knowledge and wisdom. These stories, embedded in and derived from the whenua, passed faithfully down the generations, are the templates that tell us how to live and adapt with and within the dynamic, ever-shifting environment. It’s in our whakapapa. And unlike the NAP, our most important stories do not subconsciously instruct us to sleep. “
Absolutely. Yet neither governments (anywhere), nor the ‘go to’ experts or the media ever refer to it as such. Why? Are they afraid to tell the truth? Are they still living in a world of make believe?