I believe the Labour Government have seriously misread the public mood with the decision to build a seperate cycle and walking bridge over rhe Waitemata.
GUEST BLOG: Bryan Bruce – My problem with the Auckland bike bridge
By The Daily Blog, June 9, 2021
Am I in favour of being able to cycle and walk across the bridge ?
Yes.
Would that be possible without building a new cycle and walk bridge?
I think the answer might also very well be Yes.
Of course you’d have to encourage more people to use public transport .
How would you do that?
Make bus travel free….
The cycling community and the fare free communty need to get their heads together.
If we are really serious about getting people to take up cycling for recreation and commuting, If we don't want to alienate the traveling public. Then we must integrate cyclling with public transport.
A bike lane will displace 21 thousand cars.
38% of people who cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge every working day do so on the bus.
The French city of Dunkirk introduced fare free public transport and saw public transport use grow by 70%
A similar 70% increase in public transport use across the Auckland Harbour bridge would free up the space needed for the bikeway.
Free Buses in Dunkirk a Success
FOCUS TRANSPORT, Monday, 16 September 2019
The decision to make public transport free in the French town of Dunkirk (Nord) has been hailed a success after a rise in passenger use, and “new dynamism” in the city centre….
Figures show bus use during the week rose by 70%, and by 140% during the weekends.
The free network has now been expanded, and more roads have bus-only lanes to encourage smoother transit. The town has also brought in 14 new buses, of which three are electric…..
If we are really serious about getting people to take up cycling for recreation and commuting. If we don't want to alienate the traveling public..Then we must fully integrate cycling with public transport.
Central to this must be fare free services to get people out of their cars, freeing up lanes for bikeways
But also bike friendly buses with a stowage feature for when the weather turns bad, or the distance is too far, (or too dangerous), to bike for the full length of the journey.
Imagine cycling to work, doing a full days work. At the end of the day finding that the weather had changed having to face cycling home through the wet and cold, you instead board a bus and stow your bike in the luggage compartment for a safe dry hassle free ride home.
i think i have been arguing for super cheap to free public transport for a few years now.
But as i was told repeatedly THIS CAN NOT BE DONE!, insert any reasons you can cook up real fast. Never mind that if public transport is still cheaper then public transport no one will use the fwiw as an ex user of public transport in Wellington and Auckland, piss poor quality, rude drivers who don't know much about their routes including Bus stops, late busses, dirty busses, and unsafe, unlit bus stops / train stops at night.
And besides its the poor that are using this services, so it needn't be better, cause if you make it too good, too many people would use it (yes that too was offered as an explanation as to why public transport in NZ is just the best sign of poor local / regional / state wide governance).
They rather pay for a bridge for their upper class peers then provide meaningful public transport service for all.
if only we had a government that had a single majority and could (even under urgency after all Climate Change!!) there for change the legal framework to make public transport more affordable to the people.
People have told you repeatedly that providing enough buses and drivers to make fares free during peak periods requires buying way more of them than are needed for the rest of the day. International research has shown that investing that extra foregone money into more frequent services gets more people using buses and trains.
Do some basic research or resist the urge to flap your gums on the daily.
Absolutely no point wasting effort on providing you with more information when you have so little competence at making sense of it. Do the work yourself.
Absolutely no point wasting effort on providing you with more information…
But Sacha it is not a matter of you providing me with more information Sacha, despite what you claim, you haven't provided us with any information at all. Just assertions.
You have not provided one single fact, or proof.
What am I to think of your argument if you can't do that?
With zero rational argument you are saying that I should 'stop flapping my gums'.
If you don't like what I have to say, tell us why.
If you have some rational argument to make, make it.
If you have some facts to provide, provide them.
Until you can do that, you have absolutely no moral point to to make telling me I should not be making comments on this issue.
It is not enough to tell me to stop flapping my gums thinking you have said something clever or convincing. Just making insults with nothing to back them up.
….You make a point, only for the sea lion to storm in asking for proof of what you said. Your expertise and knowledge are denied. It’s your job to go out of your way to convince them, even though they’re the one who questioned you in the first place.
— Jessica Lindsay, Metro UK, 5 July 2018
I made a point about fare free public transport, You stormed in with an unsubstantiated claim that free public transport doesn't work. I challenged you to provide some proof of your allegation, I was and still am genuinely interested in reading the proofs for this. Instead of anwering my request for this information, you accused me of something I had never heard of.
I have some questions.
Today in the news;
Act leader David Seymour faces challenge as he names 'white privilege' Whangārei school
15 Jun, 2021 03:00 AM
The name of the Whangārei school that Act leader David Seymour claims made a child speak of their "white privilege" has emerged – and it's absolute news to the principal.
The claim has filled talkback radio and served as a platform for Seymour to decry what he says is a race-based approach by the Labour Government.
Seymour has told the Northern Advocate the school where the incident took place was not a primary school – as originally reported and as he has tweeted – but was Whangarei Girls' High School.
"I'd love him to be able to put the facts to that," said Girls' High Principal Anne Cooper. "Iv'e certainly had no complaints about it"
She has heard nothing that sounds at all similar to Seymour's claim a child "was asked to what they had done to acknowledge their white privilege that day".
…."Kids talk and we encourage kids to talk. Parents are very good at coming forward. I'd certainly like to know if it is the case."
Pat Newman Hora Hora Primary school principal and president of Te Tai Tokerau Principals Association, said the initial allegation that it was a primary school had fellow principals looking at each other and finding no answers…..
….Seymour tweeted the story, saying: "Primary school kids are being forced to stand up in class and say what they'd done to acknowledge their white privilege." In subsequent interviews, the "primary school" was repeated to Seymour, which he did not correct….
Hi Sacha,
The cartoon you supplied to explain sealioning, depicts a European couple in Victorian dress being towered over by a dark indistinct hulking figure, (the sea lion). The sealion obviously is a metaphor for something else, something that this white Victorian couple fear or dislike.
No chance a sealion ever turned up in a 19th Century white couple's house or vehicle. (But a black person might have.)
Substitute the sentence I don't like sealions for, I don't like Black people, or I don't like Jews, or I don't like Asians
And then the sealion's question is valid and justified.
Why don't you like blacks? or Jews? or Asians?.
What has a black person ever done to you?
Let's fill in the missing blanks.
The European woman says "I don't mind most marine mammals. But SEALIONS?I could do without sealions. (read black people)
Her male companion says, "Don't say that out loud"
Voicing his fear that racist sentiments expressed in public, risks being challenged.
P.S. The indistinct and nightmarish hulking depiction of a a sealion in the cartoon looks more like a female walrus. (sealions are more streamlined).
Cycling is free per journey already. So you don't have any useful point…..
I would politely demure.
With a price tag of $785 million, the public sticker shock at the cost for a stand alone cycleway over the Waitemata Harbour presents a very real problem for the cycling community and the government to sell this project to the public.
The political blowback may be severe.
You are simply making a mistake confusing capex and opex.
You were explaining that all public transport on buses should be free. They are currently subsidised over 50% per trip.
Whereas per trip cycling has no need for subsidy.
But if you want to go down the road of CAPEX subsidy, the per passenger subsidy for everyone taking a bus or train is several hundred every ticket because you add in both the CAPEX of building all these motorways and busways, but also their hundreds of millions of maintenance per trip per year.
Again, you don't have a point when you are wanting to force everyone who wants to not use a car to go by bus, rather than giving them a cycling option if they choose it.
" Although free public transport at a first glance may seem attractive both from economic, social and environmental perspectives, the message learnt from a number of schemes is that free public transport offers poor goal achievement in all these respects, and at a high cost. The main effect is a huge growth in patronage, up to 13-fold increase is reported, of which the larger brunt is shifted from walk/cycle, or induced. The effects on car traffic levels are marginal and typically they are offset already after a few years’ traffic growth."
Bryan Bruce is one of NZs most respected documentary makers and public intellectuals who has tirelessly exposed NZs neoliberal economic settings as the main cause for social issues.
In my view, cycling absolutely has a place in alleviating Auckland's transport problems. However in many ways it has been set up to fail by the inept AT. As pointed out in this article, AT, in their obsession with forcing people out of cars, are turning the cycleway projects into “safety-and-streetscape-upgrade-and-stormwater-fix-and-traffic-calming-and-pedestrian-improvements-and-retaining-parking-and-cycling…" projects. And outcomes like this ("Auckland Transport has plans costing between $23 million and $35 million to fix a controversial cycleway through Grey Lynn and Westmere that hardly anyone uses.") just turn the public against cycling and cyclists, when the culprit is AT, not cycling or cyclists.
Have you seen what AT did to Grey Lynn? To Mt Albert? In fact pretty much any precinct they touch? Simon Wilson wrote this article four years ago now – if anything they've got worse.
We dont have a direct democracy as was used by the citizens of Athens.
We have a representative democracy.
Its like ‘Free Speech’ which is limited to what the government can stifle. Doesnt apply to private places ( venue hire !) or private platforms like Facebook or Twitter ( as Trump found out)
…..You toying with ideas is like Donald Trump playing with the two red buttons on his desk, one was for the Diet Coke Button the other one was for frying the world.
Just as I have been saying; sooner or later the Nurses will have to go for the nuclear option, That is, if they want to achieve their demands.
The NZNO have promised more strikes to come. If that doesn't work. If the government continues to ignore the nurses demands to put more money into the public health system. Then the nurses have two choices. Choose the diet coke, or go to the nuclear option.
The cycle protesters and the XL pipeline protesters have shown the way.
Within days of the cycling protesters' occupation of the Harbour Bridge, the government coughed up $785 million for a bike bridge across the Waitemata.
I have 'toyed' with the idea that the nurses should follow the cycle protesters example and occupy one lane of the Auckland Harbour Bridge until the governemt agrees to direct negotiations with the nurses.
What ideas the nurses come up with, is up to them.
Obviously strikes aren't working. So the next step is the nuclear option, either that, or give up their demands.
As the Nurses have made extremely clear, if they give up their demands, we will all suffer.
Striking nurse on staff shortages: 'It’s a matter of robbing Peter to pay Paul'
Cate Broughton 05:00, Jun 09 2021
“I think it’s important for the public to know what the situation is in public hospitals, how stressed the nurses are, what risk the public could be at."
[Karen Batchelor senior nurse at Burwood Hospital spinal unit]
"… I’ve seen colleagues in tears, looking up to see what allocation they have the next day.”
[Karen Batchelor senior nurse at Burwood Hospital spinal unit]
Talking to a senior nurse after the strike. The mention of more strikes came up.
The observation was made that next time, it needs to be a 24 or 48 hour strike. The DHBs can cover one 8 hour period with management and office staff no sweat. Covering 4-7 shifts is a whole different story.
Isnt $80,000 pa enough ?
The last pay round was it, 2 -3 years ago took about a year. That was quite generous as it involved a catch up from previous years .
So no catch up this time, so the reason is ….. or is it another $10k to make the ‘exhaustion’ go away.
……or is it another $10k to make the ‘exhaustion’ go away.
Understaffing is the issue most raised by nurses when asked why they are on strike.
The logic is that increasing the level of remuneration will attract more nurses and alleviate under-staffing. So yes $10 K may make the exhaustion go away.
Union struggles are complex, what may look like greedy workers to some, is often a consequence of the narrow legal constraints put on unions. Under the ERA all strikes for political demands are illegal. That makes raising political demands like increasing staff levels, problematic for unions to raise in a dispute, except in an oblique manner.
"While today represents a conclusion of bargaining it also marks the start of a long term programme to rebuild our public health system and the status of the nursing profession. "
Conservatives are always slow on the uptake. They should never be put in positions of leadership because they are by nature useless at moving forward into new territory. Conservative are only useful as the ballast in the hold of the ship, to stop it turning over in heavy weather – no other use.
I grew up for quite a few years in Waiheke island during the early 1970's…it has given me a life long suspicion of hippies….a pretty dodgy crew from what I observed.
Nick Smith having thousands of long term ACC claimaints thrown off weekly compo onto to nightmare of the benefit system seems to be forgotten amid all the rainbow washing,
The week ending June 6 New Zealand had 189,660 doses of vaccine available for distribution, down from 288,000 the previous week and 327,240 the week before that.
A senior clinician, speaking anonymously, told the ODT that vaccine supplies were low across New Zealand.
If the Prime Minister's words are to be believed, New Zealand will run out of Covid vaccines early next week.
On Tuesday, Jacinda Ardern and her Covid-19 Response Minister, Chris Hipkins, announced 1 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine would be delivered to New Zealand in July.
"These consignments," she said, "will double the total number of Pfizer doses we've received this year, taking the total to more than 1.9 million — enough to fully vaccinate almost one million Kiwis."
She warned that the majority of the new doses would be delivered in the second half of the month.
Ardern also announced that her Government was now administering 20,000 doses every day. The same day, the Ministry of Health reported that more than 775,000 doses have already been administered. With more than 5000 doses having been wasted, the Prime Minister's announcement suggested the Ministry had only 120,000 doses left in stock.
That would only be enough to take us through to the end of Monday. There would not even be enough for the 220,000 people waiting for their second dose.
This is no conspiracy. It's just maths based on the Prime Minister's words from the Beehive's "podium of truth".
The Beehive now suggests the Prime Minister didn't tell the full story. It says there's no chance we'll run out on Monday because there are supplies coming into New Zealand that she and Hipkins didn't mention on Tuesday, including 100,000 doses diverted from the Covax programme, that is meant to help the world's 92 poorest countries get vaccines.
That'll get us through another five more days. Latest data from the Ministry of Health suggests 190,000 doses now in stock.
But even if the Government manages to administer 1.9 million doses by the end of July, it will have vaccinated no more than 950,000 people. That's just 18 per cent of the total population or 23 per cent of the population aged 16 and above.
It doesn't even include the estimated 2.2 million people in priority groups 1, 2 and 3, which include border and MIQ workers and those they live with; high-risk frontline workers and people living in high-risk places; and people at risk of getting very sick from Covid-19, such as those who are aged 65 or over, obese, diabetic or pregnant, or with a heart condition. What hope for the rest of us?
Perhaps we shouldn't be so surprised, given reports that more than 25,000 people in the highest priority group — border workers and those they live with — have not yet had a single jab. And more than 1000 border workers still aren't even getting tested as required.
oh well, lets just hope we continue to be lucky, because many of use will not be getting any jabs any time soon.
From 5 June 2021 all work in MIQ facilities will be undertaken by fully vaccinated workers.
MIQ has about 4,500 people working in facilities from around 300 different employers. A handful of workers (less than 0.25%) have not yet had their second vaccination for good reasons, and we are actively following those up with employers. They won’t be working in MIQ facilities in the meantime.
My presumption is that the missing MIQ staff are because the net has been spread very wide in the definition of MIQ. Truck drivers who never get out of their truck and visit a wharf maybe only once or twice a month with all transactions done on an IPad, delivery drivers or couriers dropping off at the distribution site some way from the actual isolation facilities again with very little human contact. If you include the families of these people yes you do get big numbers but I'm certain there are not four and a half thousand staff in the actual hotels.
"People in some areas have reported not being able to get a vaccine because some sites have run out of doses, or are running low.This isn’t surprising, because every district health board outside of Auckland has gone above its target number of vaccinations. In three areas – Bay of Plenty, Whanganui and Nelson-Marlborough – they’ve done more than 50 per cent extra."
Which was my earlier point ….not recycled from reading a newspaper…that they are meant to be used up as soon as.
or as some wag on twitter put it, the tories have gone from complaining that the vax rollout is an abject failure because of low uptake to now complaining it's an abject failure because in several DHBs it's going quicker than planned.
I was just about to post that link Ghostwhowalksnz….
Also I am fortunate to be in Nelson-Marlborough where we have both had two jabs (early 60's, small rural community where 50% of our population has already been vaccinated). Our local medical centre has not wasted a single dose and another clinic is running again tomorrow.
The vaccine supply isnt like a savings bank to be stored up for emergency use. The supply is low because they are being USED.
|I had to laugh when I saw Hootons latest opinion column on this …unlike you I dont have a subscription- looks like hes getting his info from Bishop who is running the spin cycles of vaccine rollouts. I suppose for Hooton hes dumped Muller and now hitched his wagon to Bishop as the next great white hope
Maybe Sabine, your cottage industry on anti government concern trolling , often 1/3 of open mike all comments PER DAY , could check out a part time position with Exceltium ?
Maybe ghostwhowalksnz, you should get your head around the fact that criticism of the current government and having a commitment to holding them to account does not equate in any way to support for the Opposition.
Of course , but Sabine has made it a cottage industry with recycled Hooton claims as well. Its a fanatsy to think Sabine is holding anyone to account by reading & recycling the news of each day. It sort of buries what little nuggets can be mined. Yourself would be a good model with some areas where you have a particular interest and it makes worthwhile reading.
Like I said, I counted the other day and it was around 1/3 of all comments.
I hope Hooton is paying you to 'mirror his concerns' , is it a therapeutic relationship and he feels much better in getting it of his chest …. oh thats right HE gets paid for his column and you get nothing from achieveing nothing for the day.
I was a bit tough there…but let me create a word picture , after the election with 10 ACT Mps , they take on Policy Advisors galore , but some find they dont have much to do , so one, fresh out of university, uses the idea of concern trolling labour government , by reading the papers and putting it verbatim on social media… my crystal ball is getting cloudy, so no more details
Rosemary McD Maybe we should make higher demands on the Opposition to hold the government to account where it matters, as this is what they are paid by citizens to do. By us doing it for them, it removes their impetus to actually do some work and stop being gadflies or perhaps blowflies clustering around the latest tasty gossip spill.
Maybe we should make higher demands on the Opposition to hold the government to account where it matters, as this is what they are paid by citizens to do.
A laudable aspiration to be sure GWS, but we are talking about National and/or Act. To expect either one of these to do anything other than indulging in petty, sniping, political point scoring is simply not reasonable.
Can NZers concerned/anxious/fearful that our Govt doesn't have enough doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to meet demand engage in some constructive criticism?
There’re some noisy 'babies' crying about a lack of 'milk', but where are the adults making constructive comments about how to increase 'milk' supply, bearing in mind there's a global shortage, and more desperation/death elsewhere.
Has the NZ Govt looked at the feasibility of purchasing other COVID-19 vaccines – we did have pre-purchase agreements in place for other vaccines. Sure, these might be (slightly) less effective, and/or carry a (very slightly) greater risk of adverse side effects, but still – worth a look? Maybe NZ would have been further along its 'vaccine roll-out path' if the Govt hadn't hitched our whole wagon to one of the most effective (and safe) vaccines. But then, damned if they did, and damned if they didn't.
Should our Govt have foreseen this pandemic and funded the development of a large-scale vaccine production facility in NZ? Maybe they should still do that once we can draw a post-COVID breath – but would it be cost-effective?
I really don't understand the purpose of this continual 'bleating' about vaccine shortages and vaccination delays – the NZ Govt and public service, for all the resources at their disposal, don't have magic wands.
Maybe leave it to the free market to supply a 'solution' – never mind that 'vaccine' you're getting might just be a (hopefully sterile) saline solution.
The Attorney-General’s department admitted in its submission that “the risk of counterfeit vaccines, such as fake Pfizer vaccines, is potentially exacerbated by concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccine”.
“Changes during the rollout could be vulnerable to fraud as fraudsters take advantage of urgent time-frames,” the department said.
“Fake vaccines are like liquid gold,” said Raul Sapien, president of the National Council of Private Security, CNSP in Spanish, an association of private security companies that follows this problem closely.
Why anyone with even one working critical thinking brain cell still working within their cranium allows themselves to gets caught up this new anti-China frenzy, when it is so blatantly obvious it all so much bullshit I don't know… I mean seriously are people really that naïve that they actually think this is driven by any concern for the welfare of the Uighurs?
UK Hypes China ‘Threat’ While Selling Country Billions in Military-Related Equipment
"The U.K. government has authorized the sale of £2.6-billion worth of military and civilian equipment with potential military use to China in the past three years, government figures show.
Well, yea. One of the best ways to curtail genocidal practices and a lot of human rights abuses, is to halt the manufacturing and dealing of weapons, in short, any country who indulges or supports these practices is a major player in human rights abuse.
Oh for some distant future where weapons and money are from the distant past!
This Swedish entity seems likely to be reliable and objective in its report on weapons manufacture and sales and shows Australia seeking to increase its involvement. (Swedish Peace Research Institute)
Dec/20 https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2020/global-arms-industry-sales-top-25-companies-85-cent-big-players-active-global-south The report also looks at the international presence of the 15 largest arms companies in 2019. These companies are present in a total of 49 countries, through majority-owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and research facilities. With a global presence spanning 24 countries each, Thales and Airbus are the two most internationalized companies—followed closely by Boeing (21 countries), Leonardo (21 countries) and Lockheed Martin (19 countries).
The United Kingdom, Australia, the USA, Canada and Germany host the largest numbers of these foreign entities. Outside the arms industry hubs of North America and Western Europe, the largest numbers of entities of foreign companies are hosted by Australia (38), Saudi Arabia (24), India (13), Singapore (11), the UAE (11) and Brazil (10).
Alexandra Marksteiner of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme said: ‘There are many reasons why arms companies might want to establish themselves overseas, including better access to growing markets, collaborative weapon programmes, or policies in the host countries tying arms purchases to technology transfers.’
Of the 49 countries hosting foreign entities of the top 15 arms companies, 17 are in low- and middle-income countries. ‘Countries in the Global South seeking to jump-start their arms production programmes have welcomed foreign arms companies as a means to benefit from technology transfers,’ said Diego Lopes da Silva, Researcher at SIPRI.
Outside the arms industry hubs of North America and Western Europe, the largest numbers of entities of foreign companies are hosted by Australia (38), Saudi Arabia (24), Countries…welcomed foreign arms companies as a means to benefit from technology transfers
This could apply to NZ with the rockets program.
Interesting thought about evolution. When so many young men are regularly sacrificed on the altar of keeping 'these b…s under control' and also grabbing hold of their resurces which they unreasonably refuse to trade with us. There is a loss of their genes and their potential contribution to the country and the world. There was a saying in UK about losing 'the brightest and the best' of the young men in two world wars. What does that do to evolution? And what slant has it on increasing the influence of psychopathic people who remain behind the damage, directing operations and causing carnage? Is Israel completely brainwashed by the nasty thugs conducting assymetrical war against puny or low numbers of Palestinian weapons and stone throwing?
A flutter of eyelashes possibly. The UK and USA are a chancy lot, they would pack their weaponry in boxes with pictures of birthday cakes and toys, and notices 'Hold till Christmas' and send them to Israel; knowing that the Jewish peeps don't have Christmas – it would be a code. Very cunning and underhand they are.
A few thoughts and helpful links for those on the land who might not have seen these particular ones. And for the townies who know we rely on the farmers for much, but ned to update about the latest movers and shakers.
Provisioning services →Feed (pasture quantity, quality; tree foliage)→Wood →Shade and shelter to animals
Regulating services →Filtering of nutrients and contaminants→Flood mitigation→Recycling of wastes and detoxification→Carbon storage in soil and trees→Regulation of N2O and CH4 emissions→Biological control of pests and diseases.
Provisioning and regulating services (or benefits) have an economic value. Overall, erosion decreases these values, whereas soil conservation increases them
.
Poplar and willow have proved to be valuable species for erosion control and other use. But need maintenance so they don't grow too tall. And good for animals especially during droughts.
2013 One of the reasons that poplar and willow foliage can provide better feed value than poor or dried-up pasture is because they contain valuable compounds called condensed tannins and phenolic glycosides, such as aspirin, according to research by Associate Professor Peter Kemp of Massey University.
Willows and poplars for drought feed – NZ Farm Forestry https://www.nzffa.org.nz › resource-centre › august-2013
.
I wonder if pollarding the pasture trees would be good; grow till there are nice round branches for lopping, giving control and income stream all together.
Pollarding is carried out on younger trees, which regrow faster than older trees and are less susceptible to disease. The height is always left at at least six feet above ground level, so that animals don't eat the new growth. Some plants, for example, hazel, paulownia, hornbeam and beech, are more suited to coppicing.10/03/2021
And I recommend watching Mulloon Institute work in Australia – a farmer-led organisation that has brought a recalcitrant government alongside. https://themullooninstitute.org/newsletters
John Cleese being interviewed by someone who argues with his negative opinion about the UK media – a Europe wide survey has respondents putting the UK at the bottom No. 33 – least trusted – for four years. Interesting how self-satisfied and bullish apparently the UK operatives in the media are. This is at 3m it might get better in the rest to 10m.
There seems to be a little hiatus in commentators' enthusiasm for discussion. Perhaps all things have been said for the present situation.
You might like to listen to this discussion about Orwell v Aldous Huxley – don't know what they are to consider but listening to opinions from two 'elite' guys is interesting and all will be revealed in time.
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Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
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I believe the Labour Government have seriously misread the public mood with the decision to build a seperate cycle and walking bridge over rhe Waitemata.
The cycling community and the fare free communty need to get their heads together.
If we are really serious about getting people to take up cycling for recreation and commuting, If we don't want to alienate the traveling public. Then we must integrate cyclling with public transport.
A bike lane will displace 21 thousand cars.
38% of people who cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge every working day do so on the bus.
The French city of Dunkirk introduced fare free public transport and saw public transport use grow by 70%
A similar 70% increase in public transport use across the Auckland Harbour bridge would free up the space needed for the bikeway.
If we are really serious about getting people to take up cycling for recreation and commuting. If we don't want to alienate the traveling public..Then we must fully integrate cycling with public transport.
Central to this must be fare free services to get people out of their cars, freeing up lanes for bikeways
But also bike friendly buses with a stowage feature for when the weather turns bad, or the distance is too far, (or too dangerous), to bike for the full length of the journey.
Imagine cycling to work, doing a full days work. At the end of the day finding that the weather had changed having to face cycling home through the wet and cold, you instead board a bus and stow your bike in the luggage compartment for a safe dry hassle free ride home.
i think i have been arguing for super cheap to free public transport for a few years now.
But as i was told repeatedly THIS CAN NOT BE DONE!, insert any reasons you can cook up real fast. Never mind that if public transport is still cheaper then public transport no one will use the fwiw as an ex user of public transport in Wellington and Auckland, piss poor quality, rude drivers who don't know much about their routes including Bus stops, late busses, dirty busses, and unsafe, unlit bus stops / train stops at night.
And besides its the poor that are using this services, so it needn't be better, cause if you make it too good, too many people would use it (yes that too was offered as an explanation as to why public transport in NZ is just the best sign of poor local / regional / state wide governance).
They rather pay for a bridge for their upper class peers then provide meaningful public transport service for all.
Not legal under the current bus funding law.
if only we had a government that had a single majority and could (even under urgency after all Climate Change!!) there for change the legal framework to make public transport more affordable to the people.
If only we had such a government.
It's not even in the new Climate Commission recommendations.
I can't see full free public transport extending below the 65-year limit that already exists within the Gold Cards.
I think you're out of luck, unless the Greens somehow persuade Labour to change the law.
People have told you repeatedly that providing enough buses and drivers to make fares free during peak periods requires buying way more of them than are needed for the rest of the day. International research has shown that investing that extra foregone money into more frequent services gets more people using buses and trains.
Do some basic research or resist the urge to flap your gums on the daily.
Hi Sacha, Some links or notated quotes to back up your assertions would be good.
You may notice Sacha that I use links to actual case studies, and take out selected quotes with actual figures and facts.
How about it Sacha?
Surely it couldn't be too much to ask for you to do the same.
Let us all see some of this 'basic research' only you seem to be privy to.
And not just a dump of some enormous word file attachment, and tell us that it is in there somewhere.
A few succinct quotes with some actual real world facts, would be best.
Since you seem to be claiming you have done this ‘basic research’ it should be easy for you.
Until you can do that, I will be flapping my fact filled gums as much as I like, in spite of your weak attempts to get me to self censor.
Absolutely no point wasting effort on providing you with more information when you have so little competence at making sense of it. Do the work yourself.
What about the rest of us who are as to why free buses can't be done?
Sacha
11 June 2021 at 9:42 pm
Absolutely no point wasting effort on providing you with more information…
But Sacha it is not a matter of you providing me with more information Sacha, despite what you claim, you haven't provided us with any information at all. Just assertions.
You have not provided one single fact, or proof.
What am I to think of your argument if you can't do that?
With zero rational argument you are saying that I should 'stop flapping my gums'.
If you don't like what I have to say, tell us why.
If you have some rational argument to make, make it.
If you have some facts to provide, provide them.
Until you can do that, you have absolutely no moral point to to make telling me I should not be making comments on this issue.
It is not enough to tell me to stop flapping my gums thinking you have said something clever or convincing. Just making insults with nothing to back them up.
https://twitter.com/username_Dizzy/status/1401946559948939268
I had never heard of this term.
So I googled it, (as you do).
I made a point about fare free public transport, You stormed in with an unsubstantiated claim that free public transport doesn't work. I challenged you to provide some proof of your allegation, I was and still am genuinely interested in reading the proofs for this. Instead of anwering my request for this information, you accused me of something I had never heard of.
I have some questions.
Today in the news;
My question for you Sacha is this;
Are Anne Cooper and the other Te Tai Tokeau school principals 'sealioning' David Seymour by challenging him to provide proof of his allegations?
And if not, why not?
What is Sealioning?
"Would you mind showing me evidence of any negative thing any sealion has ever done to you?"
The Sealion
Is Daryl Davis a Sealion?
“how could you hate me when you don’t even know me?”
Daryl Davis
https://www.rt.com/viral/371340-meet-black-man-kkk/
Hi Sacha,
The cartoon you supplied to explain sealioning, depicts a European couple in Victorian dress being towered over by a dark indistinct hulking figure, (the sea lion). The sealion obviously is a metaphor for something else, something that this white Victorian couple fear or dislike.
No chance a sealion ever turned up in a 19th Century white couple's house or vehicle. (But a black person might have.)
Substitute the sentence I don't like sealions for, I don't like Black people, or I don't like Jews, or I don't like Asians
And then the sealion's question is valid and justified.
Why don't you like blacks? or Jews? or Asians?.
What has a black person ever done to you?
Let's fill in the missing blanks.
The European woman says "I don't mind most marine mammals. But SEALIONS? I could do without sealions. (read black people)
Her male companion says, "Don't say that out loud"
Voicing his fear that racist sentiments expressed in public, risks being challenged.
P.S. The indistinct and nightmarish hulking depiction of a a sealion in the cartoon looks more like a female walrus. (sealions are more streamlined).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=Tjhb5gkw4No&feature=emb_logo
That is Irony 😀
We shall resume in an hour
When I say repeatedly, I also mean previously. Find your own fish meal.
Cycling is free per journey already. So you don't have any useful point.
It's just unsafe in too many parts of the network.
I would politely demure.
With a price tag of $785 million, the public sticker shock at the cost for a stand alone cycleway over the Waitemata Harbour presents a very real problem for the cycling community and the government to sell this project to the public.
The political blowback may be severe.
You are simply making a mistake confusing capex and opex.
You were explaining that all public transport on buses should be free. They are currently subsidised over 50% per trip.
Whereas per trip cycling has no need for subsidy.
But if you want to go down the road of CAPEX subsidy, the per passenger subsidy for everyone taking a bus or train is several hundred every ticket because you add in both the CAPEX of building all these motorways and busways, but also their hundreds of millions of maintenance per trip per year.
Again, you don't have a point when you are wanting to force everyone who wants to not use a car to go by bus, rather than giving them a cycling option if they choose it.
Cos only buses use roads right?
Take away the fare and buses are free??????????????
Love this.
" Although free public transport at a first glance may seem attractive both from economic, social and environmental perspectives, the message learnt from a number of schemes is that free public transport offers poor goal achievement in all these respects, and at a high cost. The main effect is a huge growth in patronage, up to 13-fold increase is reported, of which the larger brunt is shifted from walk/cycle, or induced. The effects on car traffic levels are marginal and typically they are offset already after a few years’ traffic growth."
Linky-thinky please!
'
Oops! I forgot to put the link in.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2021/06/09/guest-blog-bryan-bruce-my-problem-with-the-auckland-bike-bridge/<
GUEST BLOG: Bryan Bruce – My problem with the Auckland bike bridge
By The Daily Blog June 9, 2021
Bryan Bruce is one of NZs most respected documentary makers and public intellectuals who has tirelessly exposed NZs neoliberal economic settings as the main cause for social issues.
That blog is an uninformed waste of time.
In my view, cycling absolutely has a place in alleviating Auckland's transport problems. However in many ways it has been set up to fail by the inept AT. As pointed out in this article, AT, in their obsession with forcing people out of cars, are turning the cycleway projects into “safety-and-streetscape-upgrade-and-stormwater-fix-and-traffic-calming-and-pedestrian-improvements-and-retaining-parking-and-cycling…" projects. And outcomes like this ("Auckland Transport has plans costing between $23 million and $35 million to fix a controversial cycleway through Grey Lynn and Westmere that hardly anyone uses.") just turn the public against cycling and cyclists, when the culprit is AT, not cycling or cyclists.
Have you used the new Tamaki Drive cycleway that was opened last year?
Or the one down Quay Street opened early this year?
Are you aware of the big one opening at the end of this year?
Or the huge ones being built right now through Orakei?
I don't feel the need to defend AT, but they are delivering cycleways.
Have you seen what AT did to Grey Lynn? To Mt Albert? In fact pretty much any precinct they touch? Simon Wilson wrote this article four years ago now – if anything they've got worse.
'
This is what democracy looks like
This is what democracy looks like.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/443667/cyclists-close-lanes-on-auckland-harbour-bridge
We dont have a direct democracy as was used by the citizens of Athens.
We have a representative democracy.
Its like ‘Free Speech’ which is limited to what the government can stifle. Doesnt apply to private places ( venue hire !) or private platforms like Facebook or Twitter ( as Trump found out)
We have a bit of both, of course, but we need more and better.
‘
“We dont have a direct democracy as was used by the citizens of Athens. We have a representative democracy.” ghostwhowalksnz
“We have a bit of both, of course, but we need more and better.” Incognito
We certainly do, need more and better democracy. Absolutely
We also need to fight very hard to defend what democracy we have.
The best way to ‘fight for it’ is to use it as best as we can and then use it even better.
This is indeed what democracy looks like.
Hi Incognito, you are right, the cycle protesters, (and the XL pipeline protesters), have shown the way.
Just as you say; This is what democracy looks like.
Discussing the nuclear option for nurses:
Incognito, thanks for the compliment.*
Just as I have been saying; sooner or later the Nurses will have to go for the nuclear option, That is, if they want to achieve their demands.
The NZNO have promised more strikes to come. If that doesn't work. If the government continues to ignore the nurses demands to put more money into the public health system. Then the nurses have two choices. Choose the diet coke, or go to the nuclear option.
The cycle protesters and the XL pipeline protesters have shown the way.
Within days of the cycling protesters' occupation of the Harbour Bridge, the government coughed up $785 million for a bike bridge across the Waitemata.
I have 'toyed' with the idea that the nurses should follow the cycle protesters example and occupy one lane of the Auckland Harbour Bridge until the governemt agrees to direct negotiations with the nurses.
What ideas the nurses come up with, is up to them.
Obviously strikes aren't working. So the next step is the nuclear option, either that, or give up their demands.
As the Nurses have made extremely clear, if they give up their demands, we will all suffer.
*(it's not often I get compared to the leader of the free world, even a bad one).
Talking to a senior nurse after the strike. The mention of more strikes came up.
The observation was made that next time, it needs to be a 24 or 48 hour strike. The DHBs can cover one 8 hour period with management and office staff no sweat. Covering 4-7 shifts is a whole different story.
Isnt $80,000 pa enough ?
The last pay round was it, 2 -3 years ago took about a year. That was quite generous as it involved a catch up from previous years .
So no catch up this time, so the reason is ….. or is it another $10k to make the ‘exhaustion’ go away.
Understaffing is the issue most raised by nurses when asked why they are on strike.
The logic is that increasing the level of remuneration will attract more nurses and alleviate under-staffing. So yes $10 K may make the exhaustion go away.
Union struggles are complex, what may look like greedy workers to some, is often a consequence of the narrow legal constraints put on unions. Under the ERA all strikes for political demands are illegal. That makes raising political demands like increasing staff levels, problematic for unions to raise in a dispute, except in an oblique manner.
"So no catch up this time, so the reason is ….."
Prime Minister Ardern 2018:
"While today represents a conclusion of bargaining it also marks the start of a long term programme to rebuild our public health system and the status of the nursing profession. "
healthCARE .
Its not a salary race for the highly paid members.
The offers for the healthcare assistants and EN were up to 11% higher
next year the junior doctors will be back …. 'exhausted' again, we need much more money to stop the exhaustion.
Conservatives are always slow on the uptake. They should never be put in positions of leadership because they are by nature useless at moving forward into new territory. Conservative are only useful as the ballast in the hold of the ship, to stop it turning over in heavy weather – no other use.
This is all perfectly exemplified by Nick Smith and his belated apology to the gay community over same-sex marriage opposition. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/125396043/retiring-mp-nick-smith-apologises-for-voting-against-samesex-marriage
This also highlights that other great truth "always follow the hippies". Where the "hippies" are is where society will be in the near-future.
Conservatives should wake up to their place in the world. We would all be much better off.
always always
A very frightening prospect.
https://gen.medium.com/nazi-hippies-when-the-new-age-and-far-right-overlap-d1a6ddcd7be4
There are hippies and there are ‘hippies’. Hippies are not Nazis by any stretch of the mind …
You’re diverting vto’s comment to your own narrative, again.
Charles Manson was a hippy
Ever read that book Helter Skelter?
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/charles-mansons-chilling-explanation-swastika-18839001
No, he was not. He was a sick cult leader.
Sadly there are not 'hippies' in government.
and has any of these hippies taken a stance on their "NO" vote?
these are the ones from the Labour Party that voted no too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_New_Zealand
The not-so-hippy Kiwis also need representation in Parliament: https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-10-06-2021/#comment-1797574.
I grew up for quite a few years in Waiheke island during the early 1970's…it has given me a life long suspicion of hippies….a pretty dodgy crew from what I observed.
Charles Manson, Bert Potter, both counter culture hippies. Pretty dodgy alright.
Don’t forget Hitler another new age vegetarian who loved animals. He was pretty dodgy too.
I mean these lot were at the extreme end of the spectrum. But it’s not true that hippies can’t be fascists.
What about that new age shaman who invaded The Capitol building?
Didn’t see too much peace and love there.
Love is hate, life is death, peace is war. Post-modern wisdom in Jenny-style.
Nick Smith having thousands of long term ACC claimaints thrown off weekly compo onto to nightmare of the benefit system seems to be forgotten amid all the rainbow washing,
so how many vaccines are left in the country, and could Hooton be correct in his math?
Maybe dear Spokesperson for the Government (or what ever he is) maybe it ain't July that will be bumpy, maybe your bumpy ride starts next week?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-vaccine-stocks-running-low-across-new-zealand/KJULNJBK4ZRIAEFIMMT5CBH7ZQ/
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/covid-19-coronavirus-matthew-hooton-vaccine-supply-about-to-run-out-according-to-government-data/SYV3QVBGOYWQ7NSVIU5XIK7QRM/
oh well, lets just hope we continue to be lucky, because many of use will not be getting any jabs any time soon.
https://www.miq.govt.nz/about/media-centre/common-topics-for-media-questions/staff-vaccination/
Hooton can’t help himself; you’ll need to fact-check everything he says.
My presumption is that the missing MIQ staff are because the net has been spread very wide in the definition of MIQ. Truck drivers who never get out of their truck and visit a wharf maybe only once or twice a month with all transactions done on an IPad, delivery drivers or couriers dropping off at the distribution site some way from the actual isolation facilities again with very little human contact. If you include the families of these people yes you do get big numbers but I'm certain there are not four and a half thousand staff in the actual hotels.
All these facilities operate 24/7 shift work. Could easily add up to 4500 including facility staff, health staff, security staff.
It must be those blimmin spin doctors working for MIQ. I bet they got their shitty shots.
Yes , theres more
https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2021/the-whole-truth-covid-19-vaccine/#/1201336979/no-we-haven-t-run-out-of-vaccine
"People in some areas have reported not being able to get a vaccine because some sites have run out of doses, or are running low.This isn’t surprising, because every district health board outside of Auckland has gone above its target number of vaccinations. In three areas – Bay of Plenty, Whanganui and Nelson-Marlborough – they’ve done more than 50 per cent extra."
Which was my earlier point ….not recycled from reading a newspaper…that they are meant to be used up as soon as.
or as some wag on twitter put it, the tories have gone from complaining that the vax rollout is an abject failure because of low uptake to now complaining it's an abject failure because in several DHBs it's going quicker than planned.
I was just about to post that link Ghostwhowalksnz….
Also I am fortunate to be in Nelson-Marlborough where we have both had two jabs (early 60's, small rural community where 50% of our population has already been vaccinated). Our local medical centre has not wasted a single dose and another clinic is running again tomorrow.
The vaccine supply isnt like a savings bank to be stored up for emergency use. The supply is low because they are being USED.
|I had to laugh when I saw Hootons latest opinion column on this …unlike you I dont have a subscription- looks like hes getting his info from Bishop who is running the spin cycles of vaccine rollouts. I suppose for Hooton hes dumped Muller and now hitched his wagon to Bishop as the next great white hope
Maybe Sabine, your cottage industry on anti government concern trolling , often 1/3 of open mike all comments PER DAY , could check out a part time position with Exceltium ?
Maybe ghostwhowalksnz, you should get your head around the fact that criticism of the current government and having a commitment to holding them to account does not equate in any way to support for the Opposition.
Of course , but Sabine has made it a cottage industry with recycled Hooton claims as well. Its a fanatsy to think Sabine is holding anyone to account by reading & recycling the news of each day. It sort of buries what little nuggets can be mined. Yourself would be a good model with some areas where you have a particular interest and it makes worthwhile reading.
Like I said, I counted the other day and it was around 1/3 of all comments.
hahahahahahahahahahaha oh boy, you are a sweet one, arent' you?
I hope Hooton is paying you to 'mirror his concerns' , is it a therapeutic relationship and he feels much better in getting it of his chest …. oh thats right HE gets paid for his column and you get nothing from achieveing nothing for the day.
I was a bit tough there…but let me create a word picture , after the election with 10 ACT Mps , they take on Policy Advisors galore , but some find they dont have much to do , so one, fresh out of university, uses the idea of concern trolling labour government , by reading the papers and putting it verbatim on social media… my crystal ball is getting cloudy, so no more details
Rosemary McD Maybe we should make higher demands on the Opposition to hold the government to account where it matters, as this is what they are paid by citizens to do. By us doing it for them, it removes their impetus to actually do some work and stop being gadflies or perhaps blowflies clustering around the latest tasty gossip spill.
Maybe we should make higher demands on the Opposition to hold the government to account where it matters, as this is what they are paid by citizens to do.
A laudable aspiration to be sure GWS, but we are talking about National and/or Act. To expect either one of these to do anything other than indulging in petty, sniping, political point scoring is simply not reasonable.
Can NZers concerned/anxious/fearful that our Govt doesn't have enough doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to meet demand engage in some constructive criticism?
There’re some noisy 'babies' crying about a lack of 'milk', but where are the adults making constructive comments about how to increase 'milk' supply, bearing in mind there's a global shortage, and more desperation/death elsewhere.
Has the NZ Govt looked at the feasibility of purchasing other COVID-19 vaccines – we did have pre-purchase agreements in place for other vaccines. Sure, these might be (slightly) less effective, and/or carry a (very slightly) greater risk of adverse side effects, but still – worth a look? Maybe NZ would have been further along its 'vaccine roll-out path' if the Govt hadn't hitched our whole wagon to one of the most effective (and safe) vaccines. But then, damned if they did, and damned if they didn't.
Should our Govt have foreseen this pandemic and funded the development of a large-scale vaccine production facility in NZ? Maybe they should still do that once we can draw a post-COVID breath – but would it be cost-effective?
I really don't understand the purpose of this continual 'bleating' about vaccine shortages and vaccination delays – the NZ Govt and public service, for all the resources at their disposal, don't have magic wands.
Maybe leave it to the free market to supply a 'solution' – never mind that 'vaccine' you're getting might just be a (hopefully sterile) saline solution.
Like "liquid gold" people!
https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19-vaccines
Hoots is full of shit. That's not holding the government to account.
Why anyone with even one working critical thinking brain cell still working within their cranium allows themselves to gets caught up this new anti-China frenzy, when it is so blatantly obvious it all so much bullshit I don't know… I mean seriously are people really that naïve that they actually think this is driven by any concern for the welfare of the Uighurs?
UK Hypes China ‘Threat’ While Selling Country Billions in Military-Related Equipment
"The U.K. government has authorized the sale of £2.6-billion worth of military and civilian equipment with potential military use to China in the past three years, government figures show.
Last year saw a tripling in exports to China of “dual use” items defined as “civilian goods with a military purpose.” Some £1.6-billion worth were authorised in 2020, compared to £526-million in 2019."
https://consortiumnews.com/2021/06/09/uk-hypes-china-threat-while-selling-country-billions-in-military-related-equipment/
Well, yea. One of the best ways to curtail genocidal practices and a lot of human rights abuses, is to halt the manufacturing and dealing of weapons, in short, any country who indulges or supports these practices is a major player in human rights abuse.
Oh for some distant future where weapons and money are from the distant past!
This Swedish entity seems likely to be reliable and objective in its report on weapons manufacture and sales and shows Australia seeking to increase its involvement. (Swedish Peace Research Institute)
Dec/20 https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2020/global-arms-industry-sales-top-25-companies-85-cent-big-players-active-global-south
The report also looks at the international presence of the 15 largest arms companies in 2019. These companies are present in a total of 49 countries, through majority-owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and research facilities.
With a global presence spanning 24 countries each, Thales and Airbus are the two most internationalized companies—followed closely by Boeing (21 countries), Leonardo (21 countries) and Lockheed Martin (19 countries).
The United Kingdom, Australia, the USA, Canada and Germany host the largest numbers of these foreign entities. Outside the arms industry hubs of North America and Western Europe, the largest numbers of entities of foreign companies are hosted by Australia (38), Saudi Arabia (24), India (13), Singapore (11), the UAE (11) and Brazil (10).
Alexandra Marksteiner of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme said: ‘There are many reasons why arms companies might want to establish themselves overseas, including better access to growing markets, collaborative weapon programmes, or policies in the host countries tying arms purchases to technology transfers.’
Of the 49 countries hosting foreign entities of the top 15 arms companies, 17 are in low- and middle-income countries. ‘Countries in the Global South seeking to jump-start their arms production programmes have welcomed foreign arms companies as a means to benefit from technology transfers,’ said Diego Lopes da Silva, Researcher at SIPRI.
Outside the arms industry hubs of North America and Western Europe, the largest numbers of entities of foreign companies are hosted by Australia (38), Saudi Arabia (24),
Countries…welcomed foreign arms companies as a means to benefit from technology transfers
This could apply to NZ with the rockets program.
And the UK? Where does it stand?
Oct/20 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/06/uk-remains-second-biggest-arms-exporter-with-11bn-of-orders
UK exports also exceeded those of Russia and France for the second year in a row, according to official figures released by the Department for International Trade (DIT), placing Britain number two in the global rankings behind the US.
Now Biden and Johnson are publicly embracing really-good relations between the two countries it is probably 'bombs away' maties.
Yes, and it's all disgusting and contributing to further human rights abuse and depletion of resources.
Evolution needs to fast forward to end this primitive era.
Interesting thought about evolution. When so many young men are regularly sacrificed on the altar of keeping 'these b…s under control' and also grabbing hold of their resurces which they unreasonably refuse to trade with us. There is a loss of their genes and their potential contribution to the country and the world. There was a saying in UK about losing 'the brightest and the best' of the young men in two world wars. What does that do to evolution? And what slant has it on increasing the influence of psychopathic people who remain behind the damage, directing operations and causing carnage? Is Israel completely brainwashed by the nasty thugs conducting assymetrical war against puny or low numbers of Palestinian weapons and stone throwing?
What are the odds on Biden mentioning this to Blobby Jobby? Might be worth a flutter.
A flutter of eyelashes possibly. The UK and USA are a chancy lot, they would pack their weaponry in boxes with pictures of birthday cakes and toys, and notices 'Hold till Christmas' and send them to Israel; knowing that the Jewish peeps don't have Christmas – it would be a code. Very cunning and underhand they are.
A few thoughts and helpful links for those on the land who might not have seen these particular ones. And for the townies who know we rely on the farmers for much, but ned to update about the latest movers and shakers.
2013 https://beeflambnz.com/knowledge-hub/PDF/trees-farm
Trees on pasture land used for grazing. Seems a good idea. Plant and Food Research says:
BENEFITS OF SERVICES FROM WIDE-SPACED TREES
Provisioning services →Feed (pasture quantity, quality; tree foliage)→Wood →Shade and shelter to animals
Regulating services →Filtering of nutrients and contaminants→Flood mitigation→Recycling of wastes and detoxification→Carbon storage in soil and trees→Regulation of N2O and CH4 emissions→Biological control of pests and diseases.
Provisioning and regulating services (or benefits) have an economic value. Overall, erosion decreases these values, whereas soil conservation increases them
.
Poplar and willow have proved to be valuable species for erosion control and other use. But need maintenance so they don't grow too tall. And good for animals especially during droughts.
2013 One of the reasons that poplar and willow foliage can provide better feed value than poor or dried-up pasture is because they contain valuable compounds called condensed tannins and phenolic glycosides, such as aspirin, according to research by Associate Professor Peter Kemp of Massey University.
Willows and poplars for drought feed – NZ Farm Forestry
https://www.nzffa.org.nz › resource-centre › august-2013
.
I wonder if pollarding the pasture trees would be good; grow till there are nice round branches for lopping, giving control and income stream all together.
Pollarding is carried out on younger trees, which regrow faster than older trees and are less susceptible to disease. The height is always left at at least six feet above ground level, so that animals don't eat the new growth. Some plants, for example, hazel, paulownia, hornbeam and beech, are more suited to coppicing.10/03/2021
Pollarding Vs Coppicing | Howe2 Trees | North West Tree …https://howe2trees.co.uk/pollarding-vs-coppicing
Other links:
https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2018/06/six-key-principles-for-a-successful-silvopasture/
https://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/workspace/pdfs/nsa-sheep-and-trees-for-website.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/27/turning-farming-upside-down-mob-grazing-on-a-cumbrian-hill-farm
And I recommend watching Mulloon Institute work in Australia – a farmer-led organisation that has brought a recalcitrant government alongside. https://themullooninstitute.org/newsletters
Then there is deferred grazing, which is a sort of lying-fallow system and done as recomended provides cost-saving feed at vital times of the year.
https://www.agresearch.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Deferred-Grazing-Handbook-e-version-Dec-2020.pdf
John Cleese being interviewed by someone who argues with his negative opinion about the UK media – a Europe wide survey has respondents putting the UK at the bottom No. 33 – least trusted – for four years. Interesting how self-satisfied and bullish apparently the UK operatives in the media are. This is at 3m it might get better in the rest to 10m.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULfqhCNHQPA
There seems to be a little hiatus in commentators' enthusiasm for discussion. Perhaps all things have been said for the present situation.
You might like to listen to this discussion about Orwell v Aldous Huxley – don't know what they are to consider but listening to opinions from two 'elite' guys is interesting and all will be revealed in time.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31CcclqEiZw&t=357s