Open mike 11/06/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, June 11th, 2023 - 92 comments
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92 comments on “Open mike 11/06/2023 ”

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  1. Ad 1
    11 June 2023 at 9:31 am

    Deepfake AI has its upsides, including endless cultural cross-referencing.

    Star Wars in German. Watch out for the triangular battleship.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1kXeZ4uzXo

  2. joe90 2
    11 June 2023 at 10:25 am

    oh dear

    @JoshShiaman

    Tried using Text-to-Video AI to generate a @BlueJays commercial and it…um…did not go well….frown

    https://twitter.com/JoshShiaman/status/1666615968024391686

  4. UncookedSelachimorpha 4
    11 June 2023 at 12:08 pm

    The Green Party policies of higher tax on wealth to fund a guaranteed minimum income are excellent, and would transform NZ for the better. Would make a massive dent in poverty and reduce our collective NZ love of hammering on the poor. This makes the Green Party one of the very few parties with policies that actually address inequality, the greatest scourge currently plaguing NZ in my opinion.

    I'm a bit interested in whether the Bomber at Daily Blog will agree – he has been calling for our massive inequality / class issues to be dealt with, rather than focus on identity politics (and I agree), and at last the Greens are looking a bit more like that.

    • Dennis Frank 4.1
      11 June 2023 at 12:19 pm

      Seems a good move. Marama (from your link): "The Income Guarantee means families will always have enough kai, or to buy the shoes and warm clothes that children need. Students will no longer have to skip meals to make ends meet and can focus on their study. And if something happens that stops people from working, there is a guaranteed income that's enough to live on." Applied socialism, huh?

      They'll be too scared to admit that, I suspect. However issuing a policy that implies the intent to achieve a UBI outcome without calling it UBI will work in proportion to the number of voters who get the subtle message.

      Simulating often works as well as being authentic. Some would argue the clever simulation of this policy is a pointer to their authenticity. Paradox often rules politics!

    • Stephen 4.2
      11 June 2023 at 12:28 pm

      Let’s work towards a Labour/Green coalition. And the Greens make a wealth/land tax a non negotiable.

      • Alan 4.2.1
        11 June 2023 at 12:38 pm

        Yes, please, please make it non negotiable and poor old chippie receives another kick in the guts regarding re election.

      • Incognito 4.2.2
        11 June 2023 at 12:47 pm

        The Greens are not proposing a land tax as such, they’re proposing a wealth tax that will leave most New Zealanders untouched. Only rabid RWNJs and trolls would object to this with their usual froth & hot air.

        • Alan 4.2.2.1
          11 June 2023 at 1:09 pm

          Like I said, please make it non negotiable.

          • Incognito 4.2.2.1.1
            11 June 2023 at 1:26 pm

            Why should the Greens make a wealth tax non-negotiable? Because you think it is good policy and you would support it and you would vote for any party that would support this? If not, why not?

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 4.2.2.2
          11 June 2023 at 1:14 pm

          anyone earning under $125,000 would pay less tax as a result, with a tax-free threshold of $10,000.

          Davidson said it was "a transformational new way" of doing income support to lift every family out of poverty.

          https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/491772/green-party-announces-income-guarantee-plan-to-help-households-meet-rising-costs

          Yep. IMO this would be transformational. And under $125,000 ?

          That surely must be most of NZ ?

          Looks good to me : )

          • Jack 4.2.2.2.1
            11 June 2023 at 1:26 pm

            Shouldn’t be too long before someone has a tax calculator up and running to see if you are better off with tax cuts under National or the Greens.

            • Incognito 4.2.2.2.1.1
              11 June 2023 at 1:43 pm

              No need for a calculator, Jack. I already know I’d very likely be better off, money-wise, under a NACT government. The very wealthy will be, for sure. However, any children might not be. Many other people might not be.

              Do what’s best for you, Jack, and let us know how much better you’ll be off under NACT.

    • Jack 4.3
      11 June 2023 at 12:37 pm

      The Greens now have a clearly articulated tax policy to take to the election. This is to be welcomed. It should now flush Labour out to come clean on their tax policy too. Do they agree with their coalition partner or not?

    • bwaghorn 4.4
      11 June 2023 at 12:51 pm

      Na , not keen on ubi, tax wealth by all means but use it to give world class health, education, infrastructure.

      Giving money away is a bad idea.

      • Incognito 4.4.1
        11 June 2023 at 1:11 pm

        Who’s giving money away?

        I want some too!

        • bwaghorn 4.4.1.1
          11 June 2023 at 1:18 pm

          What else does "gaurenteed minimum income mean"

          Nothing like handouts to trap one in poverty, .

          • Incognito 4.4.1.1.1
            11 June 2023 at 1:38 pm

            Fair enough. Some people think we should cull the Social Welfare system and most if not all benefits.

            One question for you though: what to do about those people & children already trapped in poverty? Let them eat cake? Let them swim? Let them learn some valuable life-lessons about making good personal choices?

            • bwaghorn 4.4.1.1.1.1
              11 June 2023 at 1:48 pm

              It's a terrible knife edge balance imo.

              But build a shit load of state house for you're solo parents feed kids at school, dacare etc,

              There will always need to be benefits, but people need to left in no doubt that we pull the net as one, and they are required to do their bit.

          • UncookedSelachimorpha 4.4.1.1.2
            11 June 2023 at 6:12 pm

            "Nothing like handouts to trap one in poverty, ."

            A tired slogan, not actual information – and in fact the exact opposite of the truth.

            Multiple studies show that versions of guaranteed minimum incomes do the exact opposite – they free people from poverty, give massive improvements in wellbeing and result in higher participation in employment.

            https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-28/for-more-than-20-guaranteed-income-projects-the-data-is-in

            https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/an-experiment-to-inform-universal-basic-income

            Poverty tends to trap people in poverty, as does a lack of opportunity due to lack of resources.

            • RedLogix 4.4.1.1.2.1
              11 June 2023 at 7:00 pm

              I tend to agree – although both cases can be true at the same time. Conventional welfare handouts that are conditional and constrain a person's opportunities and agency are I believe prone to trapping people in poverty. There is a fair bit of evidence to support this idea.

              But the core aspect of a GMI – or better still a fully tax integrated UBI – is that it is unconditional and the impact is quite different for exactly the reasons you lay out.

          • weka 4.4.1.1.3
            11 June 2023 at 7:05 pm

            people with disabilities who can't work would starve without 'handouts'

    • Patricia Bremner 4.5
      11 June 2023 at 7:34 pm

      smiley 100% UncookedSelachimorpha.

  5. Incognito 5
    11 June 2023 at 12:18 pm

    I applaud the invitation from the electoral review chair for constructive criticism and participation in the review process. However, I think the timing is a little off and there’s little appetite among the people and parties to really get stuck into this. Thus, this seems yet another review that will be archived and a wasted opportunity, which is a real shame.

    There were no accusations of bias from the leaders of Labour and National, but they were at best muted; aside from the Greens, who cheered the review’s ideas and called for cross-party cooperation, there was little in the way of enthusiasm.

    https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/10-06-2023/i-would-like-to-hear-from-all-those-people-electoral-review-chair-responds-to-critics

    Some people seem more interested in gotcha politics and chasing trivialities in the greater scheme of things. There’s some evidence that all this negativity and adversarial (and unreasonably tribal & partisan) politics can reduce voter turnout, especially among less-informed or less-partisan voters, by increasing cynicism, apathy or confusion.

  6. Binders full of women 6
    11 June 2023 at 1:35 pm

    I can't understand why the Greens want a wealth tax of 2.5% on $2m+ , but tax trusts over $2m at 1.5% ??? Doesn't that just encourage more transfer to trusts??

    • Incognito 6.1
      11 June 2023 at 7:46 pm

      The trust tax will be on all assets in private trusts without the $2M/person threshold. Therefore, it would not make sense to move money to trusts to avoid a wealth tax, at least not up to the threshold, but also not beyond up to $5M/person (by my calculations).

      The main impact is that wealth per se will be taxed more than at present, to a degree. Of course, any (personal) income generated through investments, for example, will be taxed as such (i.e. as income).

      That’s my take on it.

  7. bwaghorn 7
    11 June 2023 at 1:43 pm

    Heh just watched Jack Tame, torture luxon, the anger was boiling just under the surface from luxon, I've seen that ugly in him a few times.

    He didn't convince me on gmo.

    He looked hopelessly conflicted on housing policy,

    Bloody brilliant!!

  8. joe90 8
    11 June 2023 at 1:46 pm

    Of course the local wingnut/cooker brigade have been pushing this.

    Pinpointing an exact point of origin for the fictional stories is difficult, but media coverage of the school litter box hoax goes back to at least as early as 2021 in Canada. Similar rumours began to swirl in Michigan in December that year, in the wake of a video showing a board of education meeting in which a speaker claimed that litter boxes were placed in student bathrooms for those who identify as “furries”. The existence of both child “furries” and litter boxes in bathrooms was debunked the next month by Reuters but similar stories continued to spread among schools in other states. Ahead of the 2022 US elections, various prominent Republican politicians and media personalities continued to propagate the hoax. Despite there being no confirmed instances of schools providing litter boxes for students, social media has helped to amplify the tale

    https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/08-06-2023/no-whangarei-girls-high-school-students-are-not-identifying-as-cats

    The reality.

    Parents with students in Jeffco Public Schools may have seen some interesting items on their back-to-school shopping lists this year, including buckets and kitty litter.

    That’s because more teachers are opting to include “go buckets” in their classroom, to be used by students as toilets during prolonged lockdowns.

    “I think it’s a weird idea,” said parent Michelle Gebers. “But I guess if you’re in a lockdown situation, it’s not something every parent is thinking about.”

    The idea was first brought up a few years ago, when students at Alameda High School were stuck in lockdown for more than four hours.

    https://kdvr.com/news/local/half-of-jeffco-schools-now-have-kitty-litter-filled-buckets-for-lockdowns/

  9. Anker 9
    11 June 2023 at 3:36 pm

    https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23580324.portslade-arrest-online-threats-kill-anti-trans-campaigner/

    violent vile threat to Posie Parker from a male who identifies as a trans woman.

      • weka 9.1.1
        11 June 2023 at 4:43 pm

        Just to be clear, you think that because the far right are using Kellie Jay Keen's centrist, populist women's rights movement that seeks to retain women's sex based rights and protect children from overmedicalisation, and they are using that to direct hatred at trans people, that Kellie Jay Keen deserves death threats?

        • weka 9.1.1.1
          11 June 2023 at 4:56 pm

          I'd like to know when exactly you decided that directing violence at women speaking up about their politics was acceptable. And why. Because I remember a brief point in history when the left condemned this. Those days are gone, now protecting women from violence is no longer a fundamental principles, instead it depends on the women being subservient to someone's political views.

          • tWiggle 9.1.1.1.1
            12 June 2023 at 11:24 am

            Posie Parker is a provocateur. Among the GC political views and misinformation she pushes, she also includes abhorrent, violent ideas. Parker has been recorded as saying: that trans men should be sterilised; that men with guns should go into and patrol womens' toilets, ie, she sanctions gun violence against trans women; and that trans women are sexual perverts who are also pedophiles.

            She is a disseminator of lies and hate speech, which incite and inflame attacks on the trans community for merely existing, as seen by the huge uptick in hateful and violent social media speech in NZ around her visit against trans people. What goes around comes around is a fair description. Should Parker be able to run to the protection of a law she does not follow herself?

            Do I think hateful and violent speech is a good thing? No, from anyone. Parker does not get immunity for her violent, inciting speech because she is 'defending women'. She certainly does not defend women who find her extreme views dangerous and wrong. She has said we will be 'annhilated'.

            • weka 9.1.1.1.1.1
              12 June 2023 at 11:48 am

              she is a provocateur, that's not unusual in political movements.

              Among the GC political views and misinformation she pushes, she also includes abhorrent, violent ideas. Parker has been recorded as saying: that trans men should be sterilised;

              From memory, the context was that TM taking cross sex hormones shouldn't get pregnant. Do you disagree with this?

              that men with guns should go into and patrol womens' toilets, ie, she sanctions gun violence against trans women;

              This was in a US context, and afaik she didn't say to shoot TW. It's still abhorrent, and stupid, but it's also normal in the US context.

              and that trans women are sexual perverts who are also pedophiles.

              Citation please. Link, quote and an explanation. I know the two other examples you are referring to, but this one is vague so I'd like some clarity and context.

              She is a disseminator of lies and hate speech, which incite and inflame attacks on the trans community for merely existing

              her main purpose is women's sex based rights. She's not doing this to incite attacks on trans community for merely existing. I'm sure she'd much rather be getting on with her life.

              , as seen by the huge uptick in hateful and violent social media speech in NZ around her visit against trans people.

              Yes. But, we don't actually know what that is, because the people tracking it haven't said or shown, they've only told. We know that some people consider saying TW are male is a violence against trans people, so the details actuall matter. I have no doubt that the FR are now more focused on hating trans people, and we know that the VFF crowd are on board with GC issues now (kind of), but I don't see the kind of abuse you are talking about in their FB groups.

              What goes around comes around is a fair description. Should Parker be able to run to the protection of a law she does not follow herself?

              Ok, thanks for confirming you sanction violence against women. This is what I was pointing to.

              • Molly …
                13 June 2023 at 10:28 am

                Thank you, weka.

                The patient addressing of each concern, care and clarity in your response is appreciated.

                • weka …
                  13 June 2023 at 12:28 pm

                  thanks Molly. I saw you do this the other day too. I think it's useful just to break it down each time, as much as we are able (and have the time to).

      • Molly 9.1.2
        11 June 2023 at 5:30 pm

        From the article:

        A Twitter account in the name of Layla Le Fey posted threats to the campaigner also known as Posie Parker.

        One tweet said:

        “I’m a trans woman and I’m not ashamed to admit I’d be happy to physically kick the s**t out of you pull your eyes out and break your spine.

        "I live in Portslade,East Sussex, UK. If you want to prove your point that some trans people are extremely violent, I’m game.”

        Another tweet made a threat to burn down her house.

        “I’d be interested in setting fire to her house with with her in it,” the tweet said.

        Interesting that the paper only partially reported the last tweet which I saw when the account was still active.

        Screenshots are posted here:

        https://reduxx.info/trans-identified-male-who-avoided-prison-on-violent-charge-now-threatening-to-brutally-kill-womens-rights-activists/

        Helen Joyce is also targeted by the same man. Unlike the out-of-context claims regarding her views, there is no lack of clarity here:

        I'm no longer surprised by the failure of some to condemn clear directed threats of violence, so I post this just to ensure you – and others – know what and who your reflexive comment defends.

        • Molly 9.1.2.1
          11 June 2023 at 5:32 pm

          Apologies for size of images.

          I thought I'd adjusted, but I somehow haven't saved. frown

          • weka 9.1.2.1.1
            11 June 2023 at 6:51 pm

            I've resized them finally. Ignore my now deleted reply if you read it earlier.

            I really need to write a tutorial post. Some notes for me as much as anything,

            • put images in separate posts. You can see how they look like they're one image.
            • set size in the width box, to 500 or 600 (some images fit in the TS front end but still look too big for reading/scrolling)
            • if that doesn't work, edit the comment and add width="100%" before the final > (again, sometimes the image looks better at 60% or 80% or whatever)

            to embed twitter images, control click to open any twitter image in a new tab, then use that URL. URL should look like this https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FyOLTHDXoAAtli-?format=jpg&name=medium

  10. Incognito 10
    11 June 2023 at 3:40 pm

    Are you against sacrificing animals for scientific research?

    Are you against sacrificing humans for Tesla’s development and bottom line?

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/300902739/teslas-autopilot-involved-in-far-more-crashes-than-previously-known

    Ironically, it may get worse because Elon Musk seems to be wary of AI developments, at least some – perhaps a case of ‘when I do it, it’s perfectly ok, but when somebody else does it, it’s bad’.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/27/technology/elon-musk-ai-openai.html

  11. Incognito 11
    11 June 2023 at 4:19 pm

    Archaic laws are bad, right?

    It depends on who you ask and about which laws.

    For example, ACT wants to scrap ‘archaic GE laws’.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/491773/national-would-end-genetic-modification-ban-if-elected

    On the other hand, proposals to bring archaic laws around media regulation into the present are dismissed as ‘hate speech laws 2.0’.

    https://thespinoff.co.nz/live-updates/01-06-2023/hate-speech-laws-2-0-act-wants-to-kill-proposed-online-safety-rules

    • weka 11.1
      11 June 2023 at 6:25 pm

      can you please look at these images and see if you can resize them? I've tried width= in the html, and putting 500 in the width box. Neither worked.

      .https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-06-2023/#comment-1953658

      They're from Molly's comment above that, although I've made changes to the html in hers, and in my comments I had to download and then upload the images into TS to get them to work at all.

      • weka 11.1.1
        11 June 2023 at 6:29 pm

        ah. Was using Safari. Just logged in on Firefox and it works fine. Might also be my slowish internet and the slow TS loading times today.

        • weka 11.1.1.1
          11 June 2023 at 6:32 pm

          hmm, nope, still can’t get the images in Molly’s comment to resize. I don’t even know how she got twitter images in, I didn’t think they worked.

          • weka 11.1.1.1.1
            11 June 2023 at 6:35 pm

            this is the html that Molly was using, for reference because I’m replacing the image with the TS URL ones.

            img alt=”” src=”https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FyDpd71XwAIntMM?format=jpg&name=small” />

            • Incognito 11.1.1.1.1.1
              11 June 2023 at 6:43 pm

              They seem of the right size now; somebody (you?) set width="60%".

              I generally use width="100%" but for these images 60% is fine …

              • weka …
                11 June 2023 at 6:52 pm

                nothing I did worked in Safari. In Firefox width= worked on the TS images in my comments, but not the twitter images in Molly's comment. I replaced her URLs with the TS ones.

                But below are my twitter tests with results noted. Firefox. Will retest in Safari shortly.

  12. lprent 12
    11 June 2023 at 4:33 pm

    Repairs today on the server.

    Replaced a dead chassis fan.

    Fixed a failing 4Tb drive in the archive array. manufacture date 14Nov2021. Now looking for the invoice because I'm pretty sure that Seagate had a 3 warranty on Ironwolf. zfs is replacing it in the array.

    Finally added the spare 1Tb SSD for the mdadm array for the standard. Brought it months ago, but this is the first time I have opened the case for a while.

    Pulled out the remaining 12Gb SSDs for various old arrays.

    Realized after I started up again that I'd left the backup_scratch (creates the hourly offshore backups for TS) in the fstab. It was causing startup issues. Booted up on a USB, and fixed it. Reset the backup system to a logical volume off the /home ssd.

    Coffee time.. while I wait for the full backup to complete and ship.

  13. tWiggle 13
    11 June 2023 at 4:41 pm

    Must be an inauspicious planet conjunction for mechanical fans, lprent: the fan on my rangehood died today, too…

  14. weka 14
    11 June 2023 at 5:38 pm

    any maths bods around? I need to calculate the net minimum wage hourly rate from $22.70 gross. Tax: 10.5% on the first $14,000, then 17.5% on the remaining. I get a net minimum wage of $19.20. Is that right?

    (I'm writing a post on the Greens Guaranteed Min Income)

  15. Johnr 15
    11 June 2023 at 5:58 pm

    Can we please factor in the GST costs when talking about how much disposable income us peasants have

  17. weka 17
    11 June 2023 at 6:59 pm

    Safari tests: default image size

  18. Patricia Bremner 18
    11 June 2023 at 10:30 pm

    Great "end of the day" for cat lovers.

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  • A question of confidence is raised by the Minister of Police, but he had to be questioned by RNZ to ...
    It looks like the new ministerial press secretaries have quickly learned the art of camouflaging exactly what their ministers are saying – or, at least, of keeping the hard news  out of the headlines and/or the opening sentences of the statements they post on the home page of the governments ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Xmas  good  cheer  for the dairy industry  as Fonterra lifts its forecast
    The big dairy co-op Fonterra  had  some Christmas  cheer to offer  its farmers this week, increasing its forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance for  the year after what it calls a strong start to the year. The forecast  midpoint for the 2023/24 season is up 25cs to $7.50 per ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • MICHAEL BASSETT: Modern Maori myths
    Michael Bassett writes – Many of the comments about the Coalition’s determination to wind back the dramatic Maorification of New Zealand of the last three years would have you believe the new government is engaged in a full-scale attack on Maori. In reality, all that is happening ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Dreams of eternal sunshine at a spotless COP28
    Mary Robinson asked Al Jaber a series of very simple, direct and highly pertinent questions and he responded with a high-octane public meltdown. Photos: Getty Images / montage: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR The hygiene effects of direct sunshine are making some inroads, perhaps for the very first time, on the normalised ‘deficit ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • LINDSAY MITCHELL: Oh, the irony
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Appointed by new Labour PM Jacinda Ardern in 2018, Cindy Kiro headed the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) tasked with reviewing and recommending reforms to the welfare system. Kiro had been Children’s Commissioner during Helen Clark’s Labour government but returned to academia subsequently. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Transport Agencies don’t want Harbour Tunnels
    It seems even our transport agencies don’t want Labour’s harbour crossing plans. In August the previous government and Waka Kotahi announced their absurd preferred option the new harbour crossing that at the time was estimated to cost $35-45 billion. It included both road tunnels and a wiggly light rail tunnel ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Webworm Presents: Jurassic Park on 35mm
    Hi,Paying Webworm members such as yourself keep this thing running, so as 2023 draws to close, I wanted to do two things to say a giant, loud “THANKS”. Firstly — I’m giving away 10 Mister Organ blu-rays in New Zealand, and another 10 in America. More details down below.Secondly — ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • The Prime Minister's Dream.
    Yesterday saw the State Opening of Parliament, the Speech from the Throne, and then Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s dream for Aotearoa in his first address. But first the pomp and ceremony, the arrival of the Governor General.Dame Cindy Kiro arrived on the forecourt outside of parliament to a Māori welcome. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • National’s new MP; the proud part-Maori boy raised in a state house
    Probably not since 1975 have we seen a government take office up against such a wall of protest and complaint. That was highlighted yesterday, the day that the new Parliament was sworn in, with news that King Tuheitia has called a national hui for late January to develop a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Climate Adam: Battlefield Earth – How War Fuels Climate Catastrophe
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). War, conflict and climate change are tearing apart lives across the world. But these aren't separate harms - they're intricately connected. ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • They do not speak for us, and they do not speak for the future
    These dire woeful and intolerant people have been so determinedly going about their small and petulant business, it’s hard to keep up. At the end of the new government’s first woeful week, Audrey Young took the time to count off its various acts of denigration of Te Ao Māori:Review the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Another attack on te reo
    The new white supremacist government made attacking te reo a key part of its platform, promising to rename government agencies and force them to "communicate primarily in English" (which they already do). But today they've gone further, by trying to cut the pay of public servants who speak te reo: ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • For the record, the Beehive buzz can now be regarded as “official”
    Buzz from the Beehive The biggest buzz we bring you from the Beehive today is that the government’s official website is up and going after being out of action for more than a week. The latest press statement came  from  Education Minister  Eric Stanford, who seized on the 2022 PISA ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Failed again
    There was another ETS auction this morning. and like all the other ones this year, it failed to clear - meaning that 23 million tons of carbon (15 million ordinary units plus 8 million in the cost containment reserve) went up in smoke. Or rather, they didn't. Being unsold at ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On The Government’s Assault On Maori
    This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Even so, Christopher Luxon has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. In the NZ Herald, Audrey Young has compiled a useful list of the many, many ways that ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    3 days ago

  • Rising costs hit farmers hard, but  there’s more  positive news  for  them this  week 
    New Zealand’s dairy industry, the mainstay of the country’s export trade, has  been under  pressure  from rising  costs. Down on the  farm, this  has  been  hitting  hard. But there  was more positive news this week,  first   from the latest Fonterra GDT auction where  prices  rose,  and  then from  a  report ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    3 days ago

  • ROB MacCULLOCH:  Newshub and NZ Herald report misleading garbage about ACT’s van Veldon not follo...
    Rob MacCulloch writes –  In their rush to discredit the new government (which our MainStream Media regard as illegitimate and having no right to enact the democratic will of voters) the NZ Herald and Newshub are arguing ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Veldon is not following Treasury advice ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 for Wednesday, December 6
    Even many young people who smoke support smokefree policies, fitting in with previous research showing the large majority of people who smoke regret starting and most want to quit. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Wednesday, December ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Eleven years of work.
    Well it didn’t take six months, but the leaks have begun. Yes the good ship Coalition has inadvertently released a confidential cabinet paper into the public domain, discussing their axing of Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs).Oops.Just when you were admiring how smoothly things were going for the new government, they’ve had ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Why we're missing out on sharply lower inflation
    A wave of new and higher fees, rates and charges will ripple out over the economy in the next 18 months as mayors, councillors, heads of department and price-setters for utilities such as gas, electricity, water and parking ramp up charges. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Just when most ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • How Did We Get Here?
    Hi,Kiwis — keep the evening of December 22nd free. I have a meetup planned, and will send out an invite over the next day or so. This sounds sort of crazy to write, but today will be Tony Stamp’s final Totally Normal column of 2023. Somehow we’ve made it to ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Has the greenhouse effect been falsified?
    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 ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • New Zealaders  have  high expectations of  new  government:  now let’s see if it can deliver?
    The electorate has high expectations of the  new  government.  The question is: can  it  deliver?    Some  might  say  the  signs are not  promising. Protestors   are  already marching in the streets. The  new  Prime Minister has had  little experience of managing  very diverse politicians  in coalition. The economy he  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    4 days ago

  • You won't believe some of the numbers you have to pull when you're a Finance Minister
    Nicola of Marsden:Yo, normies! We will fix your cost of living worries by giving you a tax cut of 150 dollars. 150! Cash money! Vote National.Various people who can read and count:Actually that's 150 over a fortnight. Not a week, which is how you usually express these things.And actually, it looks ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Pushback
    When this government came to power, it did so on an explicitly white supremacist platform. Undermining the Waitangi Tribunal, removing Māori representation in local government, over-riding the courts which had tried to make their foreshore and seabed legislation work, eradicating te reo from public life, and ultimately trying to repudiate ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago

  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    Bowalley Road
    5 days ago

  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes – The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    6 days ago

  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    6 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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