Most recently enjoyed watching her on Detectorists, playing mother to her real life daughter, Rachael Stirling.
Good role, could have been a typical Mother In Law beat up, but well written and well played, with genuine affection and warmth apparent within the irritation.
looks like Ardern and Robertson are tax trauma victims. Having seen John Key and Bill English wipe out Helen Clark and Michael Cullen’s 39 percent rate in a single blow and watched Phil Goff, David Shearer, David Cunliffe and Andrew Little all eviscerated by various versions of “show me the money!”, they are now cowered.
Clark and Cullen’s 39 percent rate cut in at $60,000; around $90,000 in today’s money. Labour this time has brought it in at twice that amount. Sure, they hope to say they succeeded where Goff, Shearer, Cunliffe and Little all failed, but it’s the most pyrrhic of victories. It’s estimated to bring in a measly $550m a year. Robertson said that would go into health, education and covid debt.
That’s nonsense. That amount will buy you today a sum total of one week’s worth of wage subsidy. Yep, one week. The government budgeted $50 billion to save the economy this year; half a billion achieves next to nothing in that context.
Then he alerts us to a potential upside for the Greens:
I suspect this position does the Greens some favours. This tax timidity gives space the Greens can exploit to Labour’s left, arguing they are the only voice for change that has a chance of being in government after this election.
So we will wait & see if all those lower-class folk the Greens are trying to represent will actually get up and vote for them! It could even be remotely possible that Grant & Ardern have ditched them for precisely that reason – to measure the numbers of losers who are willing to participate in democracy. A social science experiment.
Yeah, he did write cowered, as quoted. If commentators such as myself adopted a policy of refusing to quote illiteracy, how could we quote msm journalists?? You set too high a bar for contemporary society, Stuart.
There's also the fact that cowering often shows up. Which tends to suggest that past tense usage does actually have grammatical logic…
A funny ESL story came from a cop – a witness to the crime had english as a second language.
In court, the defense lawyer asked the witness how they came to be at the scene. "I was proceeding into town to do some shopping, and as I proceeded down the street towards the corner I saw that man proceeding to hit the other man". The lawyer's ears pricked up:
"Mr X, for how long have you been learning english?"
"Ever since I came to New Zealand, a year".
"And yet you use words like 'proceeding'"? [lawyer glances meaningfully at cop who took the witness statement]
"Yes, we learned it last week in language class and I use new words as much as I can".
seriously Dennis, i read what you said, and these insults were literally just bashing down to the working poor, dis-regarded poor on the benefit and the even less regarded poor that have given up on work and on Winz.
Fact is the non voters that i know are well to do white people sitting in nice and expensive houses in Auckland who can't even be bothered to vote for their children, cause "Non of hte parties do anything for me' and fact is also that if the highly paid critters that screw us over year by year can get to 'abstain' from voting then people can get also to 'abstain' from rubber stamping another government that gives about as much of fuck as hte previous one.
You want better participation in the rubber stamping model of democracy we have then maybe get better people in to the parties that you and others so support here.
No I don't want them to endorse representative democracy. The concept hasn't seemed even remotely valid during my lifetime.
Their freedom to choose will determine the outcome. The interesting bit is whether the Greens get voter support for the wealth tax or not. The election result will measure that. Let's await the verdict of the electorate.
yep, and insulting them is what is gonna get you there.
Maybe call the political parties losers for not giving these people any ANY reason at all to vote.
And yes, there is about a million + people who don't vote, and you know why? Because they don't have a reason to. Heck, i don't have a reason to vote for any of the current clown brigade trying desperately to hold on their 180.000 NZD plus jobs.
So don't blame the people, blame the 'elite' for being tone deaf, whimpy, with no guts what so ever to speak of , that think that tinkering on the sides is a vote getter. And that includes the Labour Party, the Green Party, NZFirst, Conservaties, Hannah Tamaki and the Church party and the No mates Party.
All just in there for a job that they would otherwise not get anywhere in private industry.
If anything the non voters are the ones who have it correct, 'Non of the above' right now is about the most honest vote anyone could cast.
but but … judith will be worse. Lol. Fucking lol, that is a vote getter, right?
Yeah, nah, you just insulted a whole bunch of people who vote. And you were not even funny doing it.
People who don't make a collective effort to play a constructive role in our political system deserve to be called losers. The cap fits them, therefore I will put it firmly on their heads!
Complain all you like, you can't hide from this reality. You know they've got the numbers to make themselves a substantial political force.
DF has a commenting style that tends to be a bit obscure at first read. In this instance I think the comment can be read as sarcasm rather than dissing working and underclass people as losers.
Or it can be read as indicating the thinking behind Labour's policy design. Remember Labour politicians are wannabe control-system operatives. As such, they must relegate the role of compassion for sufferers into a less-influential part of their minds. Their political advisors get this.
The cynicism involved is relative to the individual psyche, but a certain amount of elitism pervades their political culture – likely often in the minds of political commentators who remind us that Labour are middle-class (pseudo)intelligentsia, not the working class reps they were a century ago.
No, it influences them tacitly. Tacit beliefs are known to be more powerful determinants of behaviour than beliefs advocated, usually, because they are habitual. There's an entitlement syndrome, due to social class origins & habitat providing a niche of base support. More evident in the Nats, of course!
Framing can have a subconscious basis but is usually overt – expressed as design. So the utility factor is more important with framing. What works.
unconscious belief in people as losers makes more sense. My point stands. Often your commenting style is not straightforward, and requires additional parsing that many don’t so. I tend to agree with Sabine, it was easy to misread the comment. If you are going to do that kind of convoluted inference, some care is required.
Maybe next time ad a sarcasm tag here, cause anyone reading this is entitled to their opinion that dear Dennis is another one of these chardoney swoilling liberals/labourites/greens that have nothing but contempt for the ones that are considered the 'essential worker' or 'low wage losers'. /s
Barfly You are outraged at someone describing what we can see plainly for ourselves? You are too sensitive to be involved in plain discussion about our politics. What makes me anxious is the number of losers out there who are not getting any help with their living standards, to get regular work, medical and hospital treatment when needed etc. They are definitely losing out on the services that wealthier people get partly because they are lower-class folk and haven't learned the ways to improve their lot. No use putting angry faces about it., be abusive for saying what is, that you apparently don't want to know. Don't get angry, get busy trying to help – put the energy of your anger to some useful action to help people at the bottom of the ladder.
yeah, how dare he be outraged that some schmuck call people that have been left behind by the system losers for not participating in a system that have left them behind.
maybe dennis needs to channel his outrage at the non voting loser by working to get them to the polls. I am sure insults work a great deal.
btw, todays losers were yesterdays 'essential workers'. Just saying.
I feel no such outrage. Those who refuse to vote for a party that is endeavouring to represent them are understandable, imo. Not rational.
One must have spent a significant part of one's life in similar oppression to feel for them. I fall into that category. However deep the hole, one always has the choice of trying to climb out. Loser is the term for one who gets defeated by the system and stops trying. It is a technical term only.
That said, I get your emotional reaction. Emotional intelligence is usually not factored into politics, but it ought to be.
God helps those who help themselves. Old saying. Losers who refuse to help themselves by voting Green this election deserve the label!
However deep the hole, one always has the choice of trying to climb out. Loser is the term for one who gets defeated by the system and stops trying. It is a technical term only.
And winner is the term for one who gets rewarded by the system and keeps trying to get more. It is a technical term only.
Technical term only Dennis? Really. Maybe this will help…
Sandel is determined to aim a broadside squarely at a left-liberal consensus that has reigned for 30 years. Even a perfect meritocracy, he says, would be a bad thing. “The book tries to show that there is a dark side, a demoralising side to that,” he says. “The implication is that those who do not rise will have no one to blame but themselves.” Centre-left elites abandoned old class loyalties and took on a new role as moralising life-coaches, dedicated to helping working-class individuals shape up to a world in which they were on their own.
The Tyranny of Merit is the latest salvo in Sandel’s lifelong intellectual struggle against a creeping individualism that, since the Reagan and Thatcher era, has become pervasive in western democracies. “To regard oneself as self-made and self-sufficient. This picture of the self exerts a powerful attraction because it seems on the face of it to be empowering – we can make it on our own, we can make it if we try. It’s a certain picture of freedom but it’s flawed. It leads to a competitive market meritocracy that deepens divides and corrodes solidarity.”
I appreciate your link. There's deep thought consequent. Although I've always preferred meritocracy to democracy, I have always opposed the establishment's privilege system of vested interests.
I've never seen neoliberalism as offering much credible meritocracy: gaming the system when you're competitive and able merely provides personal benefits (perhaps trickling down to partner & family).
What Money Can’t Buy sealed Sandel’s status as perhaps the most formidable critic of free-market orthodoxy in the English-speaking world. But as an age of violently polarised, partisan and poisonous politics has taken hold, it is that early encounter with Reagan that has begun to play on his mind.
“It taught me a lot about the importance of the ability to listen attentively,” he says, “which matters as much as the rigours of the argument. It taught me about mutual respect and inclusion in the public square.”
Consensus politics teaches the same. But only to those who actually do the leg-work of that! It probably remains pie in the sky idealism to all others. So as someone who made it work for the Greens initially, I see those shrill sectarians who now pollute our social ecosystem as exhibitors of shadow narcissism, busy betraying real Greens. I do wish them luck with the wealth tax, though, since it would be a useful corrective…
No Contest stands as the definitive critique of competition. Contrary to accepted wisdom, competition is not basic to human nature; it poisons our relationships and holds us back from doing our best. In this new edition, Alfie Kohn argues that the race to win turns all of us into losers.
More and more the research is showing how capitalism, and the individualism it promotes, fails us.
Likewise, except that I have owned a paperback of the original edition since the '90s and still not got around to it!
I'm comfortable with that since adopting the synthesis frame (competition plus collaboration). I've always been an individualist, so didn't acquire a collectivist self easily, competitive by nature yet keen to collaborate on a credible basis.
If you look at it from the perspective of ethos, the competitive ethic is a survival skill (enhancing fitness & merit) plus reputation-building, but the collaborative ethic is likewise. Hunter-gatherers proved their matrix resilient & sustainable and those who proved themselves good at teamwork got enhanced reputations within clan or tribe.
Yup – The use of the term losers by the representative class indicates that they have usurped the people's franchise and see themselves as rulers.
People don't want to be losers, they want a government that represents their interests – that doesn't steal public assets or free education or fishery rights or any of the other ladders that used to allow NZ people to succeed.
"If the Greens or any party want to go after voters by saying that they will tax them much harder that Labour will, they are welcome to it."
Yep. Labour are doing a really good job of showing us what a sane and civilised centre-right government looks like. Their strategically near-flawless Covid response is setting about saving as much of BAU as possible. They are rocking few boats with tax or climate change initiatives. Who but those mentally vitiated by habit and the psychopathology of culture wars needs National now? Labour is opening significant space on their left – if there is a genuine constituency there, someone can take it.
Increased taxation on the middle class is not (or shouldnt be) the goal, that is the area of most discretionary spend within the economy….about the only thing Labour got right with its tax policy was its target and is why the Greens policy is far superior.
Increased taxation on the middle class is not (or shouldnt be) the goal, that is the area of most discretionary spend within the economy
To a degree I agree with that. I've even pointed out that we should be able to do without income tax altogether but, IMO, we could only do that if we had a minimum and maximum income. The former ensures everyone has enough to live on and the latter ensures that people don't have too much.
People having too much is, of course, the bigger problem.
"On the face of it, the promise from Labour that it would make New Zealand's electricity system fully renewable by 2030 seems a bold climate pledge.
In reality, it is little more than a red herring to distract from the woeful lack of policy to reduce emissions in sectors that pollute far more than the energy industry."
'Red herring' was the first thought I had, closely followed by 'eating Greens lunch'…the closing comment however nails it.
"So long as we are unwilling to commit to the hard work needed to decarbonise our society, political parties like Labour will continue to get away with offering stingy emissions reductions as if they're game-changing climate policies."
"Our plan will start by rolling out the recently announced $70m Government investment to support large businesses to replace the use of fossil fuel in industrial heat processes and connect to the grid. This includes transmission line upgrades, and direct support to industrial users to convert their coal boilers to electricity or other renewable alternatives," the policy fact sheet reads.
I do hope that means that the government will be buying back the power shares rather than giving the bludgers millions of dollars so that they can bludge better.
Given that a post-Brexit UK is quietly trying to negotiate a free-trade deal with the USA right now … a deal that will not be concluded until the Yanks have more or less crushed the Brits will to live … then yes political considerations will likely trump legal ones.
As a historical review it's fine. But at best it just barely touches on alternatives to Waikato River water for the water supply situation Auckland is now in, and what the infrastructure implications of those alternatives might be.
Briefly, one issue is that drinking quality water is supplied for everything – toilet flushing, golf course irrigation, industrial cleaning etc, as well as actual drinking. But the infrastructure implication of going to a two-tier quality water supply means effectively a double-up on water supply infrastructure.
Another related issue is the use once and dump we have for almost all users. While there is some water recycling in individual businesses – car washes are just the first that comes to mind – re-using grey water in general implies a lot of doubling up on waste-water infrastructure.
There is mention and references in the article about how drinkable quality water is utilised for everything, where many other muncipal or state systems have had a dual tier system for water for industrial use, and water for consumption.
The investment in a double up in this case, is an investment in public health outcomes, and a reduction in use and dump situations if possible. Taking water from the Waikato has been a strategy pursued for years, without any alternative option being proposed.
NZers are used to having lots of land, lots of water, lots of fuel and the consequences of this largesse is that sometimes use and planning – at personal and institutional level – does not result in these resources being used efficiently.
Other places that have gone to dual-tier supply, and reuse and recycling systems, tend to be in places where water really truly is a very scarce resource. For instance, Windhoek Namibia, and southwestern US are just the first two I'm directly aware of. None of them have a massive river flowing into the sea right where water is needed, and the need could be supplied from under 2% of that flow.
The overwhelming impression I've developed of opposition to taking Waikato water is that opponents have zero conception of how small Auckland's take really is compared to the general flow of the river, nor how close the intake is to where the river becomes tidal and salty, meaning there simply is almost zero length of river run where ecological effects or other users could conceivably be affected by the miniscule reduction in flow. Then there's the woo-woo objections on the basis of water is precious with no other arguments attached.
Then, when it comes to ideas about disturbing the historic flow of the river, the Tongariro power scheme diverted a lot of water into the Waikato that used to flow down the Rangitikei, Whangaehu and Whanganui rivers starting in the early 80s. That extra flow amounts to around 10% of the Waikato flow at the river mouth – about 5 times Auckland's proposed maximum take.
Having worked in the water supply industry for a considerable period I can only confirm this comment 100% Andre.
The superficial reasons given for objections to the increased take for Auckland are absurd. The actual motivations can have nothing to do with the health of the river.
Time for the government to step and sort this out.
NZers are used to having lots of land, lots of water, lots of fuel and the consequences of this largesse is that sometimes use and planning – at personal and institutional level – does not result in these resources being used efficiently.
I recall when Labour were going to put in place shower head restrictions. National and its supporters got really upset about but what really stood out, to me, was some idiot journalist going on about how we have infinite water, that it just falls from the sky, and thus we didn't need to restrict people's use of it.
He'd obviously missed all the droughts that NZ keeps having and Auckland's last water crisis in the 1990s.
Labour's move to outflank National on the right seems shrewd on the basis that the number of people who see that are politically insignificant. Most suckers believe Labour is the party of the left, not the party of the rich.
the real winners from Labour’s policy are real estate agents and wealthy people themselves. That is because the tax change is likely to send property prices even higher.
The real problem with our tax system is the different tax treatment of property compared with other investments. People with money in other forms of investments – KiwiSaver, bank deposits and businesses – pay some of the highest tax rates in the world on the returns from those investments. Meanwhile, property investments – especially the family home – pay some of the lowest taxes in the world.
This provides a massive incentive to speculate on property. That is why we put more of our money into property than any other country in the world. That means we put less into businesses (which actually create jobs and exports) than any other country. This is also one reason why we have some of the most unaffordable housing in the world. Increasing the top tax rate to 39c will make the problem worse.
Since the worsening of the problem will not become apparent until the medium-term future, Labour's deceit strategy is likely to be effective. A clever ploy.
Simmons isn't wrong on the general point that NZ tax is very low on returns from capital and wealth.
But Simmons is very wrong that taxes in NZ are comparatively very high on returns from businesses in particular. The complete absence of capital gains taxes in NZ means the biggest form of returns from business is completely untaxed – unlike the US, UK, Australia, China etc.
Company profits in NZ are also effectively only taxed once on the way to individual pockets, unlike at least the US where profits are taxed first at the company level, then dividends distributed from profits are then taxed at the individual level.
Are you an economist? Your comment reads as if. Re Simmons; takes one to know one. I get your logic though and it seems valid.
If so, then it is a status quo historically co-created by Labour & National: this left/right collusion makes us more business-friendly than those other countries.
Will we see Labour supporters go public and explain why they support capitalism? Hell will freeze over before that happens. Hypocrisy is better than honesty for them.
No I'm not an economist. I'm an engineer that has lived and worked in NZ, the US, and Mexico, and paid a broad range of taxes in all three of those jurisdictions. Plus the state income taxes in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California.
As for why I support some capitalism as part of a mixed economy, I've travelled through places that don't have a healthy private capitalist sector. Fuck that for jokes of places to live.
In any society there will always be those compelled to somehow flaunt "success". So they can have sex with the most attractive partners, enjoy the most interesting experiences, eat the tenderest tastiest food, live in the biggest house, have others pander to their whims. Capitalism provides a good avenue for the likes of Jobs, Musk etc to fulfill that urge by creating stuff the rest of us value.
Capitalism works well where there's low barriers to entry, there's genuine product differentiation, consumers can reasonably evaluate in choose among competitors. Food, clothing, transport, recreational activity etc.
Capitalism doesn't work well where there are natural monopolies (eg electricity, water), where the consumer can't reasonably evaluate different options and make reasonable choices and life effects may be disproportionate (healthcare, education).
Hence the value of a mixed economy in being able to take advantage of the strengths of different systems.
also 'for the greater good' should be made the underlying basis of said social market society.
But NZ what stills ails the country imo, is a very old fashioned system in which two thirds of the country peasants working for a few Landlords to whom the political class either belongs, or wants to belong to, or is indebted too, and a bunch of highly paid stenographers that don't even want to pretend to being journalists, lest it costs them access to the landlord class.
That's a solid framework to work with. Markets are useful tools which we can use in selected areas to meet pre-existing social/ethical goals, and avoid using in other areas where they would undermine those goals. Once that is established, then we can get down to arguing about which bucket (market/non-market) things should be in – and we will have taken the insanity of markets as ends in themselves off the table.
That means we put less into businesses (which actually create jobs and exports) than any other country.
No business has ever created a job.
Job creation is always dependent upon demand for the product/service in the community thus we can say that it is the community that creates jobs. If there is no demand there are no jobs.
Other than that, he's probably right. Capitalists always look for the easiest way to scam the rest of us and property in NZ is a very easy way to become a rentier.
I may have missed it, but where are the united voices of the leadership of our opposition parties condemning the fundamentalists for their conspiracy theories. Perhaps they see some votes being lost. Or do Collins and Peters believe Covid is not a threat?
Not sure I understand your response Red. Unfortunately the loons are gaining traction (spreading-like-a-virus amongst their fellow loons). And their actions are the current outbreak spreaders of covid. Why are we pussyfooting around with them and not shaming them and their leaders. A chance for Collins to show some leadership as well.
"Shaming them" feeds their furnace, unfortunately. Naming their issues gives those issues coverage and credibility, in the eyes of the devoted, so alluding to them is the only way. The devotees have been primed to expect resistance from the "establishment" and will thrill to noise made, accusations levelled and individuals blamed; they are seeking martyrdom and have already embedded the possibility in the minds of their followers. Logical appeals to those flighty-folk are met with Gish gallop and shared glances of delight as they bolster each others cleverness in knowing that "this was going to happen". It's a tricky situation. The best approach seems to be "extinguish by ignoring" but that's frustrating when you are watching that contagion seemingly spread and hear them boast of their up-coming landslide victory!
There is no need for Labour to be concerned about the Future. It has taken the amazing stand of clearing up the appalling mess given by national, decade after decade.
National are a grotty bunch of money grubbers, who go out of their American way, year after year, to destroy the livings and the necessities of the New Zealand population.
National have made sure never to build a house for the people. The People are made to crawl daily to get food from decent respectable people.
Nothing, but nothing adequate has been given to the Population by the money thieves.
National love suicide. Love poor Literacy. Adore Poverty. They are good at it.
The difference between National and labour for the majority is paper thin, for those in struggle town even less Both simply manage to the centre with a couple of scraps to keep their rabid base happy re differentiation and that’s about it
Has any Party so far posted something up in regards to the 11.000 covid unemployed of whom 90% are women? Something anything? Or is Carmel Sepuloni the only one who spoke of the dear 'unfortunate' that can't get better benefits as they have right now but might be pressured into 'voluntary work' cause indentured servitude is now a thing with the Labour Party.
Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni wants to look at ways the welfare system can encourage volunteering to prepare people for work.
But officials have warned against making it compulsory.
Trevor McGlinchey from the Council of Christian Social Services was on the Welfare Expert Advisory Group which produced a report on restoring dignity to social security.
Also is Carmel Sepuloni so far removed from reality that she really thinks that 'volunteering' for the benefit is getting people ready for work that is not there?
Is Carmel Sepuloni saying that the people that lost jobs since January 2020 due to Covid, need 'volunteering' to get them to understand the value of work?
And is Carmel Sepuloni saying that people who are currently on a benefit – unemployment, social welfare, single parents, illness etc do not at all, never, or currently are not volunteering in their community.\
and last but least, when has Carmel Sepuloni last volunteered for anything else then a government pay for which she has to do absolutely nothing and be served chardonnay with her dinner for free?
fuck, is there anyone in our current government that actually gives a flying fuck about the misery that is currently starting to blanket the country, or are shovel ready jobs for the rich and connected the only ones that are worth their time?
Seriously think about it, 11.000 Covid unemployed (by their own statistics), 90% of whom are women, and who now can look forward to a life of 'bene bashing' forced 'volunteering' and starvation benefits. Does anyone give a shit?
” Indentured servitude
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An indenture signed by Henry Mayer, with an “X”, in 1738. This contract bound Mayer to Abraham Hestant of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who had paid for Mayer to travel from Europe.
An indentured servant or indentured laborer is an employee (indenturee) within a system of unfree labor who is bound by a signed or forced contract (indenture) to work without pay for the owner of the indenture for a period of time. The contract often lets the employer sell the labor of an indenturee to a third party. Indenturees usually enter into an indenture for a specific payment or other benefit (such as transportation to a new place), or to meet a legal obligation, such as debt bondage. On completion of the contract, indentured servants were given their freedom, and occasionally plots of land. Indentured servitude was often brutal, with a high percentage[vague] of servants dying prior to the expiration of their indentures. In many countries, systems of indentured labor have now been outlawed, and are banned by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a form of slavery.”
Last, if there is work to be done – then the Government can start hiring these unemployed people on the benefit and pay them minimum wage. And if they don’t want to do that, than they should hang their heads in eternal shame.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says people in the city are, by and large, following the rules and prosecution shouldn't be ruled out for those who break them or spread misinformation.
Good on you Phil. Its time prosecution was threatened for those who are peddling disinformation and conspiracy theories. We can't do a lot about ignorance and naivety, but we can stop the bastards who feed on it and create so much damage and fear in the process.
Why can't the SIS and the GCSB pool their resources and dig them out of their metaphorical caves? They have the tools to do the job. A visit from the police ordering them to desist accompanied with the threat of prosecution if they don't comply should shut most of them up. And exposing the identities of the worst offenders would do no harm either.
The me too movement has many tentacles and what you raise is one of them. Sexual harassment is finally being exposed for the damage it causes. That there is no avenue for complaint that works. Taking a complaint against an employer for sexual harassment is a bit like an ACC sensitive claim. You are on your own, you need a lawyer, the legislation is not fit for purpose especially an historical case.
I was disappointed in Dowie as she could have done a private members bill/ballot to address the hurdle of the Limitations Act and the dysfunctional ACC Act. For a historical schedule 3 ACC claim when you have complained there should be no Limitations Act date when a serious error occurred by an organisation. Now that would fix an organisation. Historical cases are being discriminated against compared to a current case as no right to sue.
Go to stuff news and look at the Mariya Taylor update today. Please do a link for it.
It would be good if the smart leaders at the top listened to the smart workers who make it all happen. Make them part of the process and there will be less demand, and more effectiveness for everybody.
The Chair of Dunedin Holdings Limited (DHL) has refused to allow union representation on an important stakeholder group on the future of Dunedin Railways Limited (DRL).
The RMTU wrote to DRL on 1 September requesting membership of the Council’s reference group charged with overseeing submissions into the future of the council-owned company.
The union letter was signed by RMTU Otago Branch Secretary Dave Kearns, as well as Unions Otago Convenor Andrew Tait and Unions Otago Secretary Malcolm Deans, on behalf of local affiliates of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.
It's been hard to have a former hero of mine be repeatedly revealed to be one I have little respect for.
Way back in the day I saw Bad Taste on the big screen in Palmy. A feature film made in the weekends by a bunch of guys in and around Wellys. Funny and gory.
Fast forward to 'The Hobbitt Law' and the lies Mr and Mrs Jackson told, besmirching a true hero's name, Helen Kelly, all to serve greed and Warners.
From 9 November, the NZ Government is intending to remove this provision, so non-qualifying partners will no longer be able to be included! The closure will have an immense impact on many people who are about to retire, and without any warning, people will not have time to re-set their retirement plans! For example, a younger wife who is looking after an older man with health needs will, under the new law, no longer be applicable for the “non-qualifying partner” payment and will have to look for paid employment.
ahh, yeah, the 'wellbeing' budget, the kinder gentler bullshit that will leave all a bit poorer, but never mind the Queen and her consorts are all in this together. Why vote fro the no – mates party when Labour does it so well.
Actually super not being on an individual basis was causing a lot of problems. Particularly for anyone who had an overseas partner from some countries who were not eligible despite being so if they were single.
Nor do I think super should be used as a de facto payment for individual nursing.
It was also propping up a lot of the internet bride market – where very young women could be included in the claim and then when the male partner died they would have to transit onto some thing else. if they had any skills
It also had a funny downside where if the couple of not too different ages claimed – one over and one under and the older partner died then the not quite 65 year old had to attempt to go back to or find work or go onto an unemployment benefit for a few years. However, a single person under 65 has no choice but continue to work or be on unemployment benefit so at least it isn't discriminating on the basis of partnership status
But I don't like the hard edge cut off that they did Personally if a partner was under say 50 or under I would have given them 18 months to 2 years to get themselves off super and into employment or unemployment.
As the non eligible partner got older a sliding scale to maintain some level of eligibility for those within in say 5 years of retiring would have been a fairer take.
Any way most retirement policy doesn't do a lot for women who live longer and are more likely to go into retirement alone or to live alone in retirement.
i know full well that retirement for women means in many cases abject poverty, but then so does being a women on the benefit – specially if your partner actually has an income as the benefit then reduces to nothing. So that is hte other side.
But women tend to be younger then their male partners, and they also tend to look after their partners and or sick children/parents etc. So again, its women that are being hit the hardest with this change of rules.
Nevermind, when it comes to benefits and beneficiaries all the parties are full of shit. All of them.
I agree with the move to prevent younger partners piggybacking on much older partners/husbands super. it is part of a series of moves to treat people in marriages etc as individuals. And it has been well signalled since the Wellbeing budget in in May 2019, the previous cut-off was July 2020 so it has been extended because of Covid-19 I guess.
'Pensioners who are currently including their partner will be able to continue to do so. But if their partner is not already included in their payment at July 1, they will not be able to be included.
A spokeswoman for Minster of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said non-qualified partners of pensioners would be able to access support through the welfare system in the same way as other people.'
Stuff Jan 25 2020
The previous system was rife with abuse from older men with much younger overseas spouses, who were often in very short duration marriages because of the death of the very much older spouse, had no real ties to NZ and were then able to receive various benefits without having to work, pay tax etc.
As the changes are not retrospective those receiving this piggybacking will continue to receive it until the younger one qualifies for super.
If the younger spouse is entitled to receive pension from overseas then the rule that saw it deducted from the spouses pension here in NZ has been dropped.
'From 1 July 2020, the direct deduction of a government-administered overseas pension received by a superannuitant’s partner from that superannuitant’s New Zealand Super or Veteran’s Pension will be removed.'
and
'The Spousal Provision clearly has been a source of extreme distress for so long for the 500 or so couples affected and the removal will greatly improve their financial situation, say the retirement experts.'
So it fixed up the genuine problem with super payments that younger overseas pension qualified spouses had while tightened the loophole, with plenty of notice 18months or more, for the other set.
We have assurances that the safety net will remain and those affected will be able to access support through our welfare system.
Good, but to finish the job they need to have enough money for food when they get there, and a train/bus to get home. No use dumping them in their country and bye bye. Many of these people have no resources left after just existing for months while no-one knew what would happen next.
Be good to get a list of the countries who are refusing to help their own citizens and leaving us with the financial hit – NZ advances money to it's citizens stuck overseas with no funds
I listened to the first 17 minutes. I usually use powdered milk with Vitamin D3 added. I realise a level and the absorption of vitamin D3 is required. There probably is a safe level of Vitamin D3. Just like folate is added to bread, adding Vitamin D3 to milk would be one way of getting some of the vitamin. Ordinary milk could still be purchased.
There needs to be a larger study. I personally think getting ahead of Covid is the way to go just by ensuring your diet has plenty of Vitamin D3.
Yes the trial numbers are low, but the statistical significance is still extremely strong. And as Campbell says it also it aligns strongly with a substantial body of empirical evidence from clinicians all over the world.
By all means larger and better trials should be run to confirm this study; indeed if they’re not conducted it would truly bring into question the integrity of the entire system.
Of course I can only hope that Trump doesn't come out and endorse it; if that happens next thing there will be a scam study showing that historically safe doses of Vitamin D3 are now dangerously toxic and WHO will recommend banning any clinical use of it. And govts will start making it illegal to sell OTC.
Disclaimer; These media including videos, book, e book, articles, podcasts are not peer-reviewed. They should never replace individual clinical judgement from your own health care provider. No media-based material on this channel is suitable for using as professional medical advice. All comments are also for educational purposed only and must never replace advice from your own health care provider.
Oh FFS it's a commentary on a well designed clinical study that is reporting exactly what anyone who had been paying attention knew since March sometime … that Vitamin D is strongly involved in protecting from the worst of this disease.
If this had been taken seriously six months ago it looks like many hundreds of thousands of deaths could have been avoided.
Vitamin D loading dosing for supportive treatment of covid is certainly interesting and more study is warranted.
Normal Vitamin D supplementation of individuals is not going to do the vast majority of the population any harm whatsoever.
Nonsense comments such as ……
'If this had been taken seriously six months ago it looks like many hundreds of thousands of deaths could have been avoided.'
are pretty pointless.
There are a number of shortcomings with the spanish study which I'm sure you're aware of this doesn't mean that Vitamin D supplementation or active high dose treatment in the acute phase are a bad idea just that more study is warranted before making bold statements of efficacy or protective effect of any intervention.
It always helps to include a link and some comment, even with presumed self-explanatory quotes and ‘obvious’ self-evident copy & paste jobs. Moderators on this site have been droning on about this forever, for a reason.
The only obvious shortcoming is the number of patients in the trial. 76 is midrange, neither large nor small.
However this limitation is largely nullified by the astoundingly strong p value in the results. If you are aware of any other problems how about telling us.
It's very good news if the result can be replicated.
As you have noted the study is with a vey small number of patients, there is no information on the degree of severity of Covid-19 in the patients at admission, and there is no information on their clinical progress other than ICU admission and death – although these are certainly worth measuring.
The study doesn't specify the co-morbidities particularly well for instance an obese patient is more likely have a poor outcome.
The usual care group had more people with high blood pressure and diabetes
There was no measurement of vitamin D levels before or after administering the hormone.
To be fair the researchers acknowledge that the study does not provide definitive answers on whether calcifediol can be beneficial for all Covid-19 patients.
Well labour does seem to be selling out. Nothing resembling a decent tax policy and with the move to allow 10% of incomers to be skilled visa holders 1400 visas a month are coming back in – plus they will check essential skills. There are only around 10,000 that have been here longer than 4 years so that should only be about 6 months worth.
So much for retraining and jobs for locals. Looks like absolutely no immigration reset.
and just yesterday a nurse at the shop told me that we have received 100 ventilators, now we only need to import the nurses that can actually work these machines becasue we don't have that talent and skill here in NZ .
Yeah, but instead of free training for nurses to bond them to NZ for a few years it must still be more profitable to charge an arm a leg and a first born to NZ'lers who would like to work in the profession and then import from overseas when the same NZ trained nursed disappear overseas for better wages and less hassle with the student loan repayments and high living costs.
Did!in!t dislike Cunliffe, he would have had a cleanout, see the change them egit engineers replaced, same like the Nat!s mistake, replacing, Spud, with their appointed first female leader, and New Zealand!s first MANOUVERED without those working outside the farm fence, female Prime Minister, who when the people decided the First ever New Zealand Female appointed Prime Minister to deliver the biggest ()ever) National Party defeat at the ballot box.
Great to see shareholder revolt forcing the Board of Rio Tinto to get the resignations of CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques, the head of iron ore mining, and the head of corporate affairs, after massively damaging an aboriginal cave occupied 40,000 years ago.
Shouldn't need shareholders to revolt on a board to do it, but good result.
Blew it up didn't he? (Off piste – for those who would like a rest thinking about the present and the future, with foreboding.)
French like blowing up things apparently. Panama Canal. The Rainbow Warrior. What will be the next French venture?
google fact: There was approximately about 30,000,000lbs of explosives used to help clear the way for the canal.
(Some would have been those of USA though. And it is interesting that the Frenchman was not an engineer but a diplomat. He could talk the talk but not walk the walk. I wonder how many big ideas are agreed to on the basis of the rhetoric?)
De Lesseps then decided that another ceremony should inaugurate the section of the canal that would have the deepest excavation, the cut through the Continental Divide at Culebra. A ceremony was arranged, and on January 10, 1880, appropriate officials and guests gathered at Cerro Culebra (later known as Gold Hill) for the ceremony, which included witnessing the blast from an explosive charge set to break up a basalt formation just below the summit. After blessings by the local bishop, young Ferdinande again performed the honors, pushing the button of the electric detonator that set off the charge that hurled a highly satisfactory amount of rock and dirt into the air.
As de Lesseps was a trained diplomat and not an engineer, a fact that he should perhaps have more often remembered during canal design decisions, his son Charles took on the task of supervising the daily work. De Lesseps himself handled the important work of promoting and raising money for the project from private subscription.
Not having the least scientific or technical bent, de Lesseps relied upon a rather naive faith in the serendipitous nature of emerging technology. Thus he worried little about the problems facing this gigantic undertaking, feeling sure that the right people with the right ideas and the right machines would somehow miraculously appear at the right time and take care of them. His boundless confidence and enthusiasm for the project and his consummate faith in the miracles of technology attracted stockholders.
Not having the least scientific or technical bent, de Lesseps relied upon a rather naive faith in the serendipitous nature of emerging technology. Thus he worried little about the problems facing this gigantic undertaking, feeling sure that the right people with the right ideas and the right machines would somehow miraculously appear at the right time and take care of them. His boundless confidence and enthusiasm for the project and his consummate faith in the miracles of technology attracted stockholders.
And there we have the quintessence of managerialism which has found its way onto our shores and is now blighting our government and private business.
Jan.3/20Up on the ridge, a Malaysian logging company named Gallego Resources had begun carving great scores through the forest— its men felling the tall, grey-barked kwila and the akwa strung with fruit, then dragging them off the slopes for export, leaving nothing to stop the rains from taking the topsoil…
The rivers burst their banks not long after, flooding the flatland where the coconuts, mangoes, and yams grew, and laying down impermeable clay that made the earth unusable.
So the villagers walked to the little patches of cell phone reception and called Philip Manakako, a son of Marasa who lived 30 miles across the mountains in Honiara, the capital. His father, Philip Senior, told him that there were no more fish in the rivers. The water was making children sick, an uncle said. A woman who lived nearby explained how her plants all died three days after the floods first came, and the ground around them smelled of petrol….
Resurgence of infections prompts stricter curbs, including bar and restaurant curfews and 'Covid-secure marshals'
In the UK Boorish will lead them out of the depths, playing his flute and with any luck the mountains will close behind him and we will never see him again. You may be able to see a vid clip from the above or look up on google news.
Bad timing for the Labour party….and is yet another example of the disconnect between the rhetoric and the act.
"Some questions are too sensitive for Gullery and White.
They won’t say if they’re surprised this has happened under a Labour Government. There’s silence when they’re asked if it’s galling to watch the Government splash Covid-19 stimulus cash around the country, and spend wads of money around Christchurch on things like new sports stadiums, when they’re having to cut health services."
"spend wads of cash on Christchurch like stadiums and things" while I agree dhb's desperately need cash the spending on infrastructure is non negotiable and is miles away from what it should be for a center of around half a million people. This is replacing what was broken and the rebuild job by both Labour and national (it's been three years so Labour is just as guilty ) has been horrendous. East chch left to rot because it's a labour safe seat so why bother, a city the size of chch deserves a stadium and functioning roads and infrastructure, it's been a decade and that city is still a bloody mess. Damn right , they deserve every penny they get and more and it's not extra spending it's replacing what was taken. A decade. It's appalling. Labour mayor, labour council every electorate bar one is labour and sweet bugger all has happened in three years. I honestly can't believe anyone in my home town has to pay rates to live there half the cbd is still full of rubble and half the building that need to come down are just standing supported by crates cos some do gooder thinks it's heritage. I digress don't act like money going into Chch for stadiums is extra spending, extra spending would be giving that city light rail or luxuries. It's still broken as hell despite govt of all kinds praising the rebuild progress.
Sorry for the rant every time I visit home I get furious and people seem to think chch is getting stuff it doesn't deserve
From CHumm "Damn right , they deserve every penny they get and more and it's not extra spending it's replacing what was taken. A decade. It's appalling. "
A decade!! Labour has only been in three years and been under constant attack by National. Give over Pat.
You miss the point (as does Corey)….after a decade of National the sector was promised some relief only to find that not only was the relief not forthcoming but the burden was to be increased….meanwhile the sector observes the apparent plenty for others.
The journalist observes this and unsuccessfully seeks opinion…..that opinion may not be expressed publicly but the voting booth is private.
Thank you for fixing the cell phone reply issue. I still like to find time to comment. I was absent for several months from late last year until lockdown. It took me returning to realise how much you do and you do it so well. Your main authors as well deserve a big thank you.
Edit if you are still working on the reply issue it appears to be fixed for me.
It looks like there was a fix in wp-includes/js/comment-reply.js which is where the problem is. Can’t be bothered to install smartsvn, dig out the repo and diff to see what changed.
In fact I haven’t used svn since 2014. I switched to git and smartgit then, and never returned. Mind you it isn’t as bad as pvcs. I dug out some 20 yera old boot loaders from a pvcs archive virtual machine earlier this year. Now that was terrifying experience.
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The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
The final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...
RNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...
With funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown.(Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...
Responding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...
Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations?Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
I knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...
Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Opinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...
What do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...
Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
After replacing a fifth of their caucus in just four months, the Greens’ opportunity to reset, reshuffle and refocus on the Government is quickly slipping away The post Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset appeared first on Newsroom. ...
ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
By Robin Martin, RNZ News reporter A New Zealand local authority, Whanganui District Council, has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemnation of all acts of violence and terror against civilians on both sides of the conflict and the immediate return of hostages. It comes as ...
Asia Pacific Report The Aotearoa chapter of the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has appealed to the New Zealand government to call out Israel over the “cruel and barbaric use of force” in Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. The league’s open letter was sent to Prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will invest $566 million over a decade on data, maps and other tools to promote exploration and development in Australia’s resources industry. The project will fund “the first comprehensive map of what’s ...
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
RIP Diana Rigg.
Best Bond girl ever.
And an excellent baddie on Game of Thrones.
I think she was a better feminist role model than most too.
Sure she was sexy and seemed deadly – but she was always smart as a whip, in a time when a lot of actresses just made tea for the male leads.
Most recently enjoyed watching her on Detectorists, playing mother to her real life daughter, Rachael Stirling.
Good role, could have been a typical Mother In Law beat up, but well written and well played, with genuine affection and warmth apparent within the irritation.
What a woman!.
Tim Watkin isn't impressed by the party he usually supports. https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/labours-tax-trauma-victims-and-how-they-might-help-the-greens
Then he alerts us to a potential upside for the Greens:
So we will wait & see if all those lower-class folk the Greens are trying to represent will actually get up and vote for them! It could even be remotely possible that Grant & Ardern have ditched them for precisely that reason – to measure the numbers of losers who are willing to participate in democracy. A social science experiment.
"they are now cowered"
That's cowed Watkin, you illiterate bumpkin.
That's cowed Watkin, you illiterate bumpkin.
Yeah, he did write cowered, as quoted. If commentators such as myself adopted a policy of refusing to quote illiteracy, how could we quote msm journalists?? You set too high a bar for contemporary society, Stuart.
There's also the fact that cowering often shows up. Which tends to suggest that past tense usage does actually have grammatical logic…
Old ESL teacher – couldn't help myself 😉 I miss the effect of subediting.
You're right about the logic though.
A funny ESL story came from a cop – a witness to the crime had english as a second language.
In court, the defense lawyer asked the witness how they came to be at the scene. "I was proceeding into town to do some shopping, and as I proceeded down the street towards the corner I saw that man proceeding to hit the other man". The lawyer's ears pricked up:
"Mr X, for how long have you been learning english?"
"Ever since I came to New Zealand, a year".
"And yet you use words like 'proceeding'"? [lawyer glances meaningfully at cop who took the witness statement]
"Yes, we learned it last week in language class and I use new words as much as I can".
Defendant found guilty.
lol
It is quite simple, Watkin, use [sic] in the quote.
Indeed, stuning odiousity from Watkin their.
If the cowed cower, are they cowards?
"lower-class folk"……
"numbers of losers who are"
Go stuff yourself
Ought I to apologise for usage of marxist class analysis here? Nope. How about the lingo of the land? Nope. Therefore I'll remain unstuffed…
seriously Dennis, i read what you said, and these insults were literally just bashing down to the working poor, dis-regarded poor on the benefit and the even less regarded poor that have given up on work and on Winz.
Fact is the non voters that i know are well to do white people sitting in nice and expensive houses in Auckland who can't even be bothered to vote for their children, cause "Non of hte parties do anything for me' and fact is also that if the highly paid critters that screw us over year by year can get to 'abstain' from voting then people can get also to 'abstain' from rubber stamping another government that gives about as much of fuck as hte previous one.
You want better participation in the rubber stamping model of democracy we have then maybe get better people in to the parties that you and others so support here.
No I don't want them to endorse representative democracy. The concept hasn't seemed even remotely valid during my lifetime.
Their freedom to choose will determine the outcome. The interesting bit is whether the Greens get voter support for the wealth tax or not. The election result will measure that. Let's await the verdict of the electorate.
yep, and insulting them is what is gonna get you there.
Maybe call the political parties losers for not giving these people any ANY reason at all to vote.
And yes, there is about a million + people who don't vote, and you know why? Because they don't have a reason to. Heck, i don't have a reason to vote for any of the current clown brigade trying desperately to hold on their 180.000 NZD plus jobs.
So don't blame the people, blame the 'elite' for being tone deaf, whimpy, with no guts what so ever to speak of , that think that tinkering on the sides is a vote getter. And that includes the Labour Party, the Green Party, NZFirst, Conservaties, Hannah Tamaki and the Church party and the No mates Party.
All just in there for a job that they would otherwise not get anywhere in private industry.
If anything the non voters are the ones who have it correct, 'Non of the above' right now is about the most honest vote anyone could cast.
but but … judith will be worse. Lol. Fucking lol, that is a vote getter, right?
Yeah, nah, you just insulted a whole bunch of people who vote. And you were not even funny doing it.
The people in power love the non-vote as it means that things don't change.
People who don't make a collective effort to play a constructive role in our political system deserve to be called losers. The cap fits them, therefore I will put it firmly on their heads!
Complain all you like, you can't hide from this reality. You know they've got the numbers to make themselves a substantial political force.
No need to apologise for what you are, dizzwiddizz as the yankistanis say.
DF has a commenting style that tends to be a bit obscure at first read. In this instance I think the comment can be read as sarcasm rather than dissing working and underclass people as losers.
Or it can be read as indicating the thinking behind Labour's policy design. Remember Labour politicians are wannabe control-system operatives. As such, they must relegate the role of compassion for sufferers into a less-influential part of their minds. Their political advisors get this.
The cynicism involved is relative to the individual psyche, but a certain amount of elitism pervades their political culture – likely often in the minds of political commentators who remind us that Labour are middle-class (pseudo)intelligentsia, not the working class reps they were a century ago.
You think Labour policy designers think the underclass are losers? I mean I can see how you get there but I doubt Labour would use that framing.
No, it influences them tacitly. Tacit beliefs are known to be more powerful determinants of behaviour than beliefs advocated, usually, because they are habitual. There's an entitlement syndrome, due to social class origins & habitat providing a niche of base support. More evident in the Nats, of course!
Framing can have a subconscious basis but is usually overt – expressed as design. So the utility factor is more important with framing. What works.
unconscious belief in people as losers makes more sense. My point stands. Often your commenting style is not straightforward, and requires additional parsing that many don’t so. I tend to agree with Sabine, it was easy to misread the comment. If you are going to do that kind of convoluted inference, some care is required.
Its pretty much impossible to do subtle in text.
yeah, right.
Maybe next time ad a sarcasm tag here, cause anyone reading this is entitled to their opinion that dear Dennis is another one of these chardoney swoilling liberals/labourites/greens that have nothing but contempt for the ones that are considered the 'essential worker' or 'low wage losers'. /s
Barfly You are outraged at someone describing what we can see plainly for ourselves? You are too sensitive to be involved in plain discussion about our politics. What makes me anxious is the number of losers out there who are not getting any help with their living standards, to get regular work, medical and hospital treatment when needed etc. They are definitely losing out on the services that wealthier people get partly because they are lower-class folk and haven't learned the ways to improve their lot. No use putting angry faces about it., be abusive for saying what is, that you apparently don't want to know. Don't get angry, get busy trying to help – put the energy of your anger to some useful action to help people at the bottom of the ladder.
yeah, how dare he be outraged that some schmuck call people that have been left behind by the system losers for not participating in a system that have left them behind.
maybe dennis needs to channel his outrage at the non voting loser by working to get them to the polls. I am sure insults work a great deal.
btw, todays losers were yesterdays 'essential workers'. Just saying.
I feel no such outrage. Those who refuse to vote for a party that is endeavouring to represent them are understandable, imo. Not rational.
One must have spent a significant part of one's life in similar oppression to feel for them. I fall into that category. However deep the hole, one always has the choice of trying to climb out. Loser is the term for one who gets defeated by the system and stops trying. It is a technical term only.
That said, I get your emotional reaction. Emotional intelligence is usually not factored into politics, but it ought to be.
God helps those who help themselves. Old saying. Losers who refuse to help themselves by voting Green this election deserve the label!
However deep the hole, one always has the choice of trying to climb out. Loser is the term for one who gets defeated by the system and stops trying. It is a technical term only.
And winner is the term for one who gets rewarded by the system and keeps trying to get more. It is a technical term only.
Technical term only Dennis? Really. Maybe this will help…
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/sep/06/michael-sandel-the-populist-backlash-has-been-a-revolt-against-the-tyranny-of-merit
I appreciate your link. There's deep thought consequent. Although I've always preferred meritocracy to democracy, I have always opposed the establishment's privilege system of vested interests.
I've never seen neoliberalism as offering much credible meritocracy: gaming the system when you're competitive and able merely provides personal benefits (perhaps trickling down to partner & family).
Consensus politics teaches the same. But only to those who actually do the leg-work of that! It probably remains pie in the sky idealism to all others. So as someone who made it work for the Greens initially, I see those shrill sectarians who now pollute our social ecosystem as exhibitors of shadow narcissism, busy betraying real Greens. I do wish them luck with the wealth tax, though, since it would be a useful corrective…
A book that I've been meaning to read:
More and more the research is showing how capitalism, and the individualism it promotes, fails us.
Likewise, except that I have owned a paperback of the original edition since the '90s and still not got around to it!
I'm comfortable with that since adopting the synthesis frame (competition plus collaboration). I've always been an individualist, so didn't acquire a collectivist self easily, competitive by nature yet keen to collaborate on a credible basis.
If you look at it from the perspective of ethos, the competitive ethic is a survival skill (enhancing fitness & merit) plus reputation-building, but the collaborative ethic is likewise. Hunter-gatherers proved their matrix resilient & sustainable and those who proved themselves good at teamwork got enhanced reputations within clan or tribe.
Winners never quit and quitters never win.
This is one of my mantras.
IME, the 'winners' are usually the people who've stepped on others to get there.
I do not regard a person as being a winner if they stepped on others to get there. That would be cheating.
Yup – The use of the term losers by the representative class indicates that they have usurped the people's franchise and see themselves as rulers.
People don't want to be losers, they want a government that represents their interests – that doesn't steal public assets or free education or fishery rights or any of the other ladders that used to allow NZ people to succeed.
If the Greens or any party want to go after voters by saying that they will tax them much harder that Labour will, they are welcome to it.
But it will just be another weight that pulls them under 5%.
You mean "not nearly so softly", surely.
"If the Greens or any party want to go after voters by saying that they will tax them much harder that Labour will, they are welcome to it."
Yep. Labour are doing a really good job of showing us what a sane and civilised centre-right government looks like. Their strategically near-flawless Covid response is setting about saving as much of BAU as possible. They are rocking few boats with tax or climate change initiatives. Who but those mentally vitiated by habit and the psychopathology of culture wars needs National now? Labour is opening significant space on their left – if there is a genuine constituency there, someone can take it.
Increased taxation on the middle class is not (or shouldnt be) the goal, that is the area of most discretionary spend within the economy….about the only thing Labour got right with its tax policy was its target and is why the Greens policy is far superior.
The purpose is redistribution and incentive
To a degree I agree with that. I've even pointed out that we should be able to do without income tax altogether but, IMO, we could only do that if we had a minimum and maximum income. The former ensures everyone has enough to live on and the latter ensures that people don't have too much.
People having too much is, of course, the bigger problem.
"On the face of it, the promise from Labour that it would make New Zealand's electricity system fully renewable by 2030 seems a bold climate pledge.
In reality, it is little more than a red herring to distract from the woeful lack of policy to reduce emissions in sectors that pollute far more than the energy industry."
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/100-percent-renewable-energy-is-a-red-herring
'Red herring' was the first thought I had, closely followed by 'eating Greens lunch'…the closing comment however nails it.
"So long as we are unwilling to commit to the hard work needed to decarbonise our society, political parties like Labour will continue to get away with offering stingy emissions reductions as if they're game-changing climate policies."
I do hope that means that the government will be buying back the power shares rather than giving the bludgers millions of dollars so that they can bludge better.
Will the vassal U.K. state have the courage to resist the Trump regime?
Under British law, no one may be extradited for political reasons.
Given that a post-Brexit UK is quietly trying to negotiate a free-trade deal with the USA right now … a deal that will not be concluded until the Yanks have more or less crushed the Brits will to live … then yes political considerations will likely trump legal ones.
Good post on Auckland's water care woes on Joel Cayford's planning blog:
Auckland Water Shortages and Watercare
Goes into the history and detail of the formation of Watercare, and the consequences of that.
As a historical review it's fine. But at best it just barely touches on alternatives to Waikato River water for the water supply situation Auckland is now in, and what the infrastructure implications of those alternatives might be.
Briefly, one issue is that drinking quality water is supplied for everything – toilet flushing, golf course irrigation, industrial cleaning etc, as well as actual drinking. But the infrastructure implication of going to a two-tier quality water supply means effectively a double-up on water supply infrastructure.
Another related issue is the use once and dump we have for almost all users. While there is some water recycling in individual businesses – car washes are just the first that comes to mind – re-using grey water in general implies a lot of doubling up on waste-water infrastructure.
There is mention and references in the article about how drinkable quality water is utilised for everything, where many other muncipal or state systems have had a dual tier system for water for industrial use, and water for consumption.
The investment in a double up in this case, is an investment in public health outcomes, and a reduction in use and dump situations if possible. Taking water from the Waikato has been a strategy pursued for years, without any alternative option being proposed.
NZers are used to having lots of land, lots of water, lots of fuel and the consequences of this largesse is that sometimes use and planning – at personal and institutional level – does not result in these resources being used efficiently.
Other places that have gone to dual-tier supply, and reuse and recycling systems, tend to be in places where water really truly is a very scarce resource. For instance, Windhoek Namibia, and southwestern US are just the first two I'm directly aware of. None of them have a massive river flowing into the sea right where water is needed, and the need could be supplied from under 2% of that flow.
The overwhelming impression I've developed of opposition to taking Waikato water is that opponents have zero conception of how small Auckland's take really is compared to the general flow of the river, nor how close the intake is to where the river becomes tidal and salty, meaning there simply is almost zero length of river run where ecological effects or other users could conceivably be affected by the miniscule reduction in flow. Then there's the woo-woo objections on the basis of water is precious with no other arguments attached.
Then, when it comes to ideas about disturbing the historic flow of the river, the Tongariro power scheme diverted a lot of water into the Waikato that used to flow down the Rangitikei, Whangaehu and Whanganui rivers starting in the early 80s. That extra flow amounts to around 10% of the Waikato flow at the river mouth – about 5 times Auckland's proposed maximum take.
Having worked in the water supply industry for a considerable period I can only confirm this comment 100% Andre.
The superficial reasons given for objections to the increased take for Auckland are absurd. The actual motivations can have nothing to do with the health of the river.
Time for the government to step and sort this out.
I recall when Labour were going to put in place shower head restrictions. National and its supporters got really upset about but what really stood out, to me, was some idiot journalist going on about how we have infinite water, that it just falls from the sky, and thus we didn't need to restrict people's use of it.
He'd obviously missed all the droughts that NZ keeps having and Auckland's last water crisis in the 1990s.
Labour's move to outflank National on the right seems shrewd on the basis that the number of people who see that are politically insignificant. Most suckers believe Labour is the party of the left, not the party of the rich.
Geoff Simmons is a former Treasury economist, and leader of The Opportunities Party. He examines the likely reality created by Labour's tax policy: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/122723279/election-2020-wholl-gain-from-labours-plan-to-tax-the-rich-the-rich
Since the worsening of the problem will not become apparent until the medium-term future, Labour's deceit strategy is likely to be effective. A clever ploy.
Remind us of your stance on a Capital Gains Tax, or an Asset Tax, Dennis?
I agree with both, in principle, since they enhance equity. Not sure it's relevant to how the ex-Treasury dude sees Labour's policy operating though…
Simmons isn't wrong on the general point that NZ tax is very low on returns from capital and wealth.
But Simmons is very wrong that taxes in NZ are comparatively very high on returns from businesses in particular. The complete absence of capital gains taxes in NZ means the biggest form of returns from business is completely untaxed – unlike the US, UK, Australia, China etc.
Company profits in NZ are also effectively only taxed once on the way to individual pockets, unlike at least the US where profits are taxed first at the company level, then dividends distributed from profits are then taxed at the individual level.
Are you an economist? Your comment reads as if. Re Simmons; takes one to know one. I get your logic though and it seems valid.
If so, then it is a status quo historically co-created by Labour & National: this left/right collusion makes us more business-friendly than those other countries.
Will we see Labour supporters go public and explain why they support capitalism? Hell will freeze over before that happens. Hypocrisy is better than honesty for them.
No I'm not an economist. I'm an engineer that has lived and worked in NZ, the US, and Mexico, and paid a broad range of taxes in all three of those jurisdictions. Plus the state income taxes in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California.
As for why I support some capitalism as part of a mixed economy, I've travelled through places that don't have a healthy private capitalist sector. Fuck that for jokes of places to live.
In any society there will always be those compelled to somehow flaunt "success". So they can have sex with the most attractive partners, enjoy the most interesting experiences, eat the tenderest tastiest food, live in the biggest house, have others pander to their whims. Capitalism provides a good avenue for the likes of Jobs, Musk etc to fulfill that urge by creating stuff the rest of us value.
Capitalism works well where there's low barriers to entry, there's genuine product differentiation, consumers can reasonably evaluate in choose among competitors. Food, clothing, transport, recreational activity etc.
Capitalism doesn't work well where there are natural monopolies (eg electricity, water), where the consumer can't reasonably evaluate different options and make reasonable choices and life effects may be disproportionate (healthcare, education).
Hence the value of a mixed economy in being able to take advantage of the strengths of different systems.
+1
a social market economy is actually a thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_market_economy#:~:text=The%20social%20market%20economy%20(SOME,market%20and%20a%20welfare%20state.
also 'for the greater good' should be made the underlying basis of said social market society.
But NZ what stills ails the country imo, is a very old fashioned system in which two thirds of the country peasants working for a few Landlords to whom the political class either belongs, or wants to belong to, or is indebted too, and a bunch of highly paid stenographers that don't even want to pretend to being journalists, lest it costs them access to the landlord class.
That's a solid framework to work with. Markets are useful tools which we can use in selected areas to meet pre-existing social/ethical goals, and avoid using in other areas where they would undermine those goals. Once that is established, then we can get down to arguing about which bucket (market/non-market) things should be in – and we will have taken the insanity of markets as ends in themselves off the table.
No business has ever created a job.
Job creation is always dependent upon demand for the product/service in the community thus we can say that it is the community that creates jobs. If there is no demand there are no jobs.
Other than that, he's probably right. Capitalists always look for the easiest way to scam the rest of us and property in NZ is a very easy way to become a rentier.
I may have missed it, but where are the united voices of the leadership of our opposition parties condemning the fundamentalists for their conspiracy theories. Perhaps they see some votes being lost. Or do Collins and Peters believe Covid is not a threat?
It's more that they're so desperate they'd love a few votes from the loons.
I'd like to hear comments about this also, Logie97.
Why even credit them with a response, they are loons you do not need to convince non loons of that.
Not sure I understand your response Red. Unfortunately the loons are gaining traction (spreading-like-a-virus amongst their fellow loons). And their actions are the current outbreak spreaders of covid. Why are we pussyfooting around with them and not shaming them and their leaders. A chance for Collins to show some leadership as well.
"Shaming them" feeds their furnace, unfortunately. Naming their issues gives those issues coverage and credibility, in the eyes of the devoted, so alluding to them is the only way. The devotees have been primed to expect resistance from the "establishment" and will thrill to noise made, accusations levelled and individuals blamed; they are seeking martyrdom and have already embedded the possibility in the minds of their followers. Logical appeals to those flighty-folk are met with Gish gallop and shared glances of delight as they bolster each others cleverness in knowing that "this was going to happen". It's a tricky situation. The best approach seems to be "extinguish by ignoring" but that's frustrating when you are watching that contagion seemingly spread and hear them boast of their up-coming landslide victory!
The government set an instant fine of NZD 300 for people caught not wearing a mask on a bus.
The government could revoke the tax exempt status of the church/es, or could just start issuing instant fines for disregarding covid instructions.
Any day now, for sure.
Should do that anyway. After all, the churches are no longer the government mandated centres for welfare distribution (it didn't work).
Nationals Killers
There is no need for Labour to be concerned about the Future. It has taken the amazing stand of clearing up the appalling mess given by national, decade after decade.
National are a grotty bunch of money grubbers, who go out of their American way, year after year, to destroy the livings and the necessities of the New Zealand population.
National have made sure never to build a house for the people. The People are made to crawl daily to get food from decent respectable people.
Nothing, but nothing adequate has been given to the Population by the money thieves.
National love suicide. Love poor Literacy. Adore Poverty. They are good at it.
What a ridiculous rant
The difference between National and labour for the majority is paper thin, for those in struggle town even less Both simply manage to the centre with a couple of scraps to keep their rabid base happy re differentiation and that’s about it
Has any Party so far posted something up in regards to the 11.000 covid unemployed of whom 90% are women? Something anything? Or is Carmel Sepuloni the only one who spoke of the dear 'unfortunate' that can't get better benefits as they have right now but might be pressured into 'voluntary work' cause indentured servitude is now a thing with the Labour Party.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/425029/cautious-approach-taken-to-avoid-beneficiary-volunteering-becoming-work-for-the-dole-scheme
Also is Carmel Sepuloni so far removed from reality that she really thinks that 'volunteering' for the benefit is getting people ready for work that is not there?
Is Carmel Sepuloni saying that the people that lost jobs since January 2020 due to Covid, need 'volunteering' to get them to understand the value of work?
And is Carmel Sepuloni saying that people who are currently on a benefit – unemployment, social welfare, single parents, illness etc do not at all, never, or currently are not volunteering in their community.\
and last but least, when has Carmel Sepuloni last volunteered for anything else then a government pay for which she has to do absolutely nothing and be served chardonnay with her dinner for free?
fuck, is there anyone in our current government that actually gives a flying fuck about the misery that is currently starting to blanket the country, or are shovel ready jobs for the rich and connected the only ones that are worth their time?
Seriously think about it, 11.000 Covid unemployed (by their own statistics), 90% of whom are women, and who now can look forward to a life of 'bene bashing' forced 'volunteering' and starvation benefits. Does anyone give a shit?
” Indentured servitude
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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An indenture signed by Henry Mayer, with an “X”, in 1738. This contract bound Mayer to Abraham Hestant of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who had paid for Mayer to travel from Europe.
An indentured servant or indentured laborer is an employee (indenturee) within a system of unfree labor who is bound by a signed or forced contract (indenture) to work without pay for the owner of the indenture for a period of time. The contract often lets the employer sell the labor of an indenturee to a third party. Indenturees usually enter into an indenture for a specific payment or other benefit (such as transportation to a new place), or to meet a legal obligation, such as debt bondage. On completion of the contract, indentured servants were given their freedom, and occasionally plots of land. Indentured servitude was often brutal, with a high percentage[vague] of servants dying prior to the expiration of their indentures. In many countries, systems of indentured labor have now been outlawed, and are banned by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a form of slavery.”
Last, if there is work to be done – then the Government can start hiring these unemployed people on the benefit and pay them minimum wage. And if they don’t want to do that, than they should hang their heads in eternal shame.
No government can afford to pay the minimum wage for unpaid work.
Why do people do unpaid work?
Job experience, because there is a need in the family, to have purpose and construction in your life, help fill the day by being occupied, rewarding.
I draw the line in the government becoming involved as it is a person's choice, just like if you go to church.
When is the next poll out?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/425782/covid-19-scepticism-a-failing-of-intellect-phil-goff-says
Good on you Phil. Its time prosecution was threatened for those who are peddling disinformation and conspiracy theories. We can't do a lot about ignorance and naivety, but we can stop the bastards who feed on it and create so much damage and fear in the process.
Why can't the SIS and the GCSB pool their resources and dig them out of their metaphorical caves? They have the tools to do the job. A visit from the police ordering them to desist accompanied with the threat of prosecution if they don't comply should shut most of them up. And exposing the identities of the worst offenders would do no harm either.
This isn't good.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/worlds-most-beautiful-toxic-waste-dump-weta-digital-employees-claim-sexism-bullying-and-harassment
and ACT are using it as an excuse to call for it to be closed down. https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2009/S00127/turn-off-sir-peter-jacksons-welfare-tap-while-allegations-of-wide-scale-sleaze-are-investigated.htm
The me too movement has many tentacles and what you raise is one of them. Sexual harassment is finally being exposed for the damage it causes. That there is no avenue for complaint that works. Taking a complaint against an employer for sexual harassment is a bit like an ACC sensitive claim. You are on your own, you need a lawyer, the legislation is not fit for purpose especially an historical case.
I was disappointed in Dowie as she could have done a private members bill/ballot to address the hurdle of the Limitations Act and the dysfunctional ACC Act. For a historical schedule 3 ACC claim when you have complained there should be no Limitations Act date when a serious error occurred by an organisation. Now that would fix an organisation. Historical cases are being discriminated against compared to a current case as no right to sue.
Go to stuff news and look at the Mariya Taylor update today. Please do a link for it.
It would be good if the smart leaders at the top listened to the smart workers who make it all happen. Make them part of the process and there will be less demand, and more effectiveness for everybody.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2009/S00112/council-bureaucrats-block-rail-workers-input-to-working-group.htm
The Chair of Dunedin Holdings Limited (DHL) has refused to allow union representation on an important stakeholder group on the future of Dunedin Railways Limited (DRL).
The RMTU wrote to DRL on 1 September requesting membership of the Council’s reference group charged with overseeing submissions into the future of the council-owned company.
The union letter was signed by RMTU Otago Branch Secretary Dave Kearns, as well as Unions Otago Convenor Andrew Tait and Unions Otago Secretary Malcolm Deans, on behalf of local affiliates of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.
Reply to grey @ 12.
It's been hard to have a former hero of mine be repeatedly revealed to be one I have little respect for.
Way back in the day I saw Bad Taste on the big screen in Palmy. A feature film made in the weekends by a bunch of guys in and around Wellys. Funny and gory.
Fast forward to 'The Hobbitt Law' and the lies Mr and Mrs Jackson told, besmirching a true hero's name, Helen Kelly, all to serve greed and Warners.
Now there is this.
are these guys for realz? why yes they are.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2009/S00109/are-you-close-to-retirement-and-aware-of-upcoming-changes-to-the-nz-superannuation-legislation.htm
ahh, yeah, the 'wellbeing' budget, the kinder gentler bullshit that will leave all a bit poorer, but never mind the Queen and her consorts are all in this together. Why vote fro the no – mates party when Labour does it so well.
You can scrub and get the surface free of the neolib bullshit, nice seeming, shiny, but it soaks through the skin and stays. You never get rid of it.
Actually super not being on an individual basis was causing a lot of problems. Particularly for anyone who had an overseas partner from some countries who were not eligible despite being so if they were single.
Nor do I think super should be used as a de facto payment for individual nursing.
It was also propping up a lot of the internet bride market – where very young women could be included in the claim and then when the male partner died they would have to transit onto some thing else. if they had any skills
It also had a funny downside where if the couple of not too different ages claimed – one over and one under and the older partner died then the not quite 65 year old had to attempt to go back to or find work or go onto an unemployment benefit for a few years. However, a single person under 65 has no choice but continue to work or be on unemployment benefit so at least it isn't discriminating on the basis of partnership status
But I don't like the hard edge cut off that they did Personally if a partner was under say 50 or under I would have given them 18 months to 2 years to get themselves off super and into employment or unemployment.
As the non eligible partner got older a sliding scale to maintain some level of eligibility for those within in say 5 years of retiring would have been a fairer take.
Any way most retirement policy doesn't do a lot for women who live longer and are more likely to go into retirement alone or to live alone in retirement.
i know full well that retirement for women means in many cases abject poverty, but then so does being a women on the benefit – specially if your partner actually has an income as the benefit then reduces to nothing. So that is hte other side.
But women tend to be younger then their male partners, and they also tend to look after their partners and or sick children/parents etc. So again, its women that are being hit the hardest with this change of rules.
Nevermind, when it comes to benefits and beneficiaries all the parties are full of shit. All of them.
They have had from 30/5/19. It is not retrospective so those who were on the books as at July 2020 will cary-on.
There is a safety net.
The outlook is far bleaker for singles whether male or female.
I agree with the move to prevent younger partners piggybacking on much older partners/husbands super. it is part of a series of moves to treat people in marriages etc as individuals. And it has been well signalled since the Wellbeing budget in in May 2019, the previous cut-off was July 2020 so it has been extended because of Covid-19 I guess.
'Pensioners who are currently including their partner will be able to continue to do so. But if their partner is not already included in their payment at July 1, they will not be able to be included.
A spokeswoman for Minster of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said non-qualified partners of pensioners would be able to access support through the welfare system in the same way as other people.'
Stuff Jan 25 2020
The previous system was rife with abuse from older men with much younger overseas spouses, who were often in very short duration marriages because of the death of the very much older spouse, had no real ties to NZ and were then able to receive various benefits without having to work, pay tax etc.
As the changes are not retrospective those receiving this piggybacking will continue to receive it until the younger one qualifies for super.
If the younger spouse is entitled to receive pension from overseas then the rule that saw it deducted from the spouses pension here in NZ has been dropped.
'From 1 July 2020, the direct deduction of a government-administered overseas pension received by a superannuitant’s partner from that superannuitant’s New Zealand Super or Veteran’s Pension will be removed.'
and
'The Spousal Provision clearly has been a source of extreme distress for so long for the 500 or so couples affected and the removal will greatly improve their financial situation, say the retirement experts.'
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2019/06/04/praise-for-amendment-to-superannuation-.html
So it fixed up the genuine problem with super payments that younger overseas pension qualified spouses had while tightened the loophole, with plenty of notice 18months or more, for the other set.
We have assurances that the safety net will remain and those affected will be able to access support through our welfare system.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/425810/govt-to-help-stranded-immigrants-fly-home
Good, but to finish the job they need to have enough money for food when they get there, and a train/bus to get home. No use dumping them in their country and bye bye. Many of these people have no resources left after just existing for months while no-one knew what would happen next.
Be good to get a list of the countries who are refusing to help their own citizens and leaving us with the financial hit – NZ advances money to it's citizens stuck overseas with no funds
NZ Hasn't always been perfect in this. We hear about the good things.
COVID and Vitamin D.
I listened to the first 17 minutes. I usually use powdered milk with Vitamin D3 added. I realise a level and the absorption of vitamin D3 is required. There probably is a safe level of Vitamin D3. Just like folate is added to bread, adding Vitamin D3 to milk would be one way of getting some of the vitamin. Ordinary milk could still be purchased.
There needs to be a larger study. I personally think getting ahead of Covid is the way to go just by ensuring your diet has plenty of Vitamin D3.
Yes the trial numbers are low, but the statistical significance is still extremely strong. And as Campbell says it also it aligns strongly with a substantial body of empirical evidence from clinicians all over the world.
By all means larger and better trials should be run to confirm this study; indeed if they’re not conducted it would truly bring into question the integrity of the entire system.
Of course I can only hope that Trump doesn't come out and endorse it; if that happens next thing there will be a scam study showing that historically safe doses of Vitamin D3 are now dangerously toxic and WHO will recommend banning any clinical use of it. And govts will start making it illegal to sell OTC.
Disclaimer; These media including videos, book, e book, articles, podcasts are not peer-reviewed. They should never replace individual clinical judgement from your own health care provider. No media-based material on this channel is suitable for using as professional medical advice. All comments are also for educational purposed only and must never replace advice from your own health care provider.
Oh FFS it's a commentary on a well designed clinical study that is reporting exactly what anyone who had been paying attention knew since March sometime … that Vitamin D is strongly involved in protecting from the worst of this disease.
If this had been taken seriously six months ago it looks like many hundreds of thousands of deaths could have been avoided.
Shove your sanctimony up your arse.
I second that.
I have read the benefits of Vitamin D3 else where to fight off Covid.
Umm the disclaimer is John Campbell's.
Vitamin D loading dosing for supportive treatment of covid is certainly interesting and more study is warranted.
Normal Vitamin D supplementation of individuals is not going to do the vast majority of the population any harm whatsoever.
Nonsense comments such as ……
'If this had been taken seriously six months ago it looks like many hundreds of thousands of deaths could have been avoided.'
are pretty pointless.
There are a number of shortcomings with the spanish study which I'm sure you're aware of this doesn't mean that Vitamin D supplementation or active high dose treatment in the acute phase are a bad idea just that more study is warranted before making bold statements of efficacy or protective effect of any intervention.
It always helps to include a link and some comment, even with presumed self-explanatory quotes and ‘obvious’ self-evident copy & paste jobs. Moderators on this site have been droning on about this forever, for a reason.
https://www.youtube.com/c/Campbellteaching/about
The only obvious shortcoming is the number of patients in the trial. 76 is midrange, neither large nor small.
However this limitation is largely nullified by the astoundingly strong p value in the results. If you are aware of any other problems how about telling us.
It's very good news if the result can be replicated.
The full citation is as below
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076020302764#
As you have noted the study is with a vey small number of patients, there is no information on the degree of severity of Covid-19 in the patients at admission, and there is no information on their clinical progress other than ICU admission and death – although these are certainly worth measuring.
The study doesn't specify the co-morbidities particularly well for instance an obese patient is more likely have a poor outcome.
The usual care group had more people with high blood pressure and diabetes
There was no measurement of vitamin D levels before or after administering the hormone.
To be fair the researchers acknowledge that the study does not provide definitive answers on whether calcifediol can be beneficial for all Covid-19 patients.
Well if you want a different sort of study around Vitamin D with much larger numbers from Israel:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.04.20188268v1.full.pdf
A lot of interesting discussion included. I won't copy and paste, but again the results have an extremely strong p value.
Martensens coverage of both studies here:
Well labour does seem to be selling out. Nothing resembling a decent tax policy and with the move to allow 10% of incomers to be skilled visa holders 1400 visas a month are coming back in – plus they will check essential skills. There are only around 10,000 that have been here longer than 4 years so that should only be about 6 months worth.
So much for retraining and jobs for locals. Looks like absolutely no immigration reset.
why yes, dear Cunliffe did a whole write up about that one.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12363202
behind the pay wall of course.
and just yesterday a nurse at the shop told me that we have received 100 ventilators, now we only need to import the nurses that can actually work these machines becasue we don't have that talent and skill here in NZ .
Yeah, but instead of free training for nurses to bond them to NZ for a few years it must still be more profitable to charge an arm a leg and a first born to NZ'lers who would like to work in the profession and then import from overseas when the same NZ trained nursed disappear overseas for better wages and less hassle with the student loan repayments and high living costs.
National/Labour cause neither one of them cares.
Did!in!t dislike Cunliffe, he would have had a cleanout, see the change them egit engineers replaced, same like the Nat!s mistake, replacing, Spud, with their appointed first female leader, and New Zealand!s first MANOUVERED without those working outside the farm fence, female Prime Minister, who when the people decided the First ever New Zealand Female appointed Prime Minister to deliver the biggest ()ever) National Party defeat at the ballot box.
RBCV is there a link for that bit about the visa holders please. This is very disappointing.
Looks like the screechy ones (tourist ops, farmers, horticulturalists) have had an influence then.
Afternoon show on RNZ – farmers talking about getting people back
Plus this i found on Stuff
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122737787/election-2020-labour-promises-10-per-cent-quota-at-border-facilities-for-critical-workers?rm=a
Great to see shareholder revolt forcing the Board of Rio Tinto to get the resignations of CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques, the head of iron ore mining, and the head of corporate affairs, after massively damaging an aboriginal cave occupied 40,000 years ago.
Shouldn't need shareholders to revolt on a board to do it, but good result.
Blew it up didn't he? (Off piste – for those who would like a rest thinking about the present and the future, with foreboding.)
French like blowing up things apparently. Panama Canal. The Rainbow Warrior. What will be the next French venture?
google fact: There was approximately about 30,000,000lbs of explosives used to help clear the way for the canal.
(Some would have been those of USA though. And it is interesting that the Frenchman was not an engineer but a diplomat. He could talk the talk but not walk the walk. I wonder how many big ideas are agreed to on the basis of the rhetoric?)
https://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/history/french.html
De Lesseps then decided that another ceremony should inaugurate the section of the canal that would have the deepest excavation, the cut through the Continental Divide at Culebra. A ceremony was arranged, and on January 10, 1880, appropriate officials and guests gathered at Cerro Culebra (later known as Gold Hill) for the ceremony, which included witnessing the blast from an explosive charge set to break up a basalt formation just below the summit. After blessings by the local bishop, young Ferdinande again performed the honors, pushing the button of the electric detonator that set off the charge that hurled a highly satisfactory amount of rock and dirt into the air.
As de Lesseps was a trained diplomat and not an engineer, a fact that he should perhaps have more often remembered during canal design decisions, his son Charles took on the task of supervising the daily work. De Lesseps himself handled the important work of promoting and raising money for the project from private subscription.
Not having the least scientific or technical bent, de Lesseps relied upon a rather naive faith in the serendipitous nature of emerging technology. Thus he worried little about the problems facing this gigantic undertaking, feeling sure that the right people with the right ideas and the right machines would somehow miraculously appear at the right time and take care of them. His boundless confidence and enthusiasm for the project and his consummate faith in the miracles of technology attracted stockholders.
And there we have the quintessence of managerialism which has found its way onto our shores and is now blighting our government and private business.
Greed and determination to take.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/425823/loggers-fake-gazette-notice-harvest-protected-solomons-tree-species
Sep.11/20A foreign logging company in Solomon Islands is being investigated for using fake government documents to gain access to and cut down a protected tree species.
Local media reported the government was moving to seize a consignment of Queen Ebony, known locally as Tubi, harvested in Isabel Province.
.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/01/deforestation-in-the-solomon-islands/
Jan.3/20Up on the ridge, a Malaysian logging company named Gallego Resources had begun carving great scores through the forest— its men felling the tall, grey-barked kwila and the akwa strung with fruit, then dragging them off the slopes for export, leaving nothing to stop the rains from taking the topsoil…
The rivers burst their banks not long after, flooding the flatland where the coconuts, mangoes, and yams grew, and laying down impermeable clay that made the earth unusable.
So the villagers walked to the little patches of cell phone reception and called Philip Manakako, a son of Marasa who lived 30 miles across the mountains in Honiara, the capital. His father, Philip Senior, told him that there were no more fish in the rivers. The water was making children sick, an uncle said. A woman who lived nearby explained how her plants all died three days after the floods first came, and the ground around them smelled of petrol….
Capitalism at its finest. Some shareholders got quite good payouts on that – guaranteed.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/09/09/do-new-covid-rules-mean-gyms-pubs-restaurants-universities/
What do the new Covid rules mean for gyms, pubs, restaurants and universities?
Resurgence of infections prompts stricter curbs, including bar and restaurant curfews and 'Covid-secure marshals'
In the UK Boorish will lead them out of the depths, playing his flute and with any luck the mountains will close behind him and we will never see him again. You may be able to see a vid clip from the above or look up on google news.
Bad timing for the Labour party….and is yet another example of the disconnect between the rhetoric and the act.
"Some questions are too sensitive for Gullery and White.
They won’t say if they’re surprised this has happened under a Labour Government. There’s silence when they’re asked if it’s galling to watch the Government splash Covid-19 stimulus cash around the country, and spend wads of money around Christchurch on things like new sports stadiums, when they’re having to cut health services."
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/why-we-left-ex-dhb-bosses-speak-out
"spend wads of cash on Christchurch like stadiums and things" while I agree dhb's desperately need cash the spending on infrastructure is non negotiable and is miles away from what it should be for a center of around half a million people. This is replacing what was broken and the rebuild job by both Labour and national (it's been three years so Labour is just as guilty ) has been horrendous. East chch left to rot because it's a labour safe seat so why bother, a city the size of chch deserves a stadium and functioning roads and infrastructure, it's been a decade and that city is still a bloody mess. Damn right , they deserve every penny they get and more and it's not extra spending it's replacing what was taken. A decade. It's appalling. Labour mayor, labour council every electorate bar one is labour and sweet bugger all has happened in three years. I honestly can't believe anyone in my home town has to pay rates to live there half the cbd is still full of rubble and half the building that need to come down are just standing supported by crates cos some do gooder thinks it's heritage. I digress don't act like money going into Chch for stadiums is extra spending, extra spending would be giving that city light rail or luxuries. It's still broken as hell despite govt of all kinds praising the rebuild progress.
Sorry for the rant every time I visit home I get furious and people seem to think chch is getting stuff it doesn't deserve
"They won’t say if they’re surprised this has happened under a Labour Government. There’s silence when they’re asked if it’s galling…"
From CHumm "Damn right , they deserve every penny they get and more and it's not extra spending it's replacing what was taken. A decade. It's appalling. "
A decade!! Labour has only been in three years and been under constant attack by National. Give over Pat.
You miss the point (as does Corey)….after a decade of National the sector was promised some relief only to find that not only was the relief not forthcoming but the burden was to be increased….meanwhile the sector observes the apparent plenty for others.
The journalist observes this and unsuccessfully seeks opinion…..that opinion may not be expressed publicly but the voting booth is private.
Will be doing a quick shutdown and restart at 2130 (9:30pm) to change to a UPS with fresh batteries.
Less quick than I'd like.
Thank you for fixing the cell phone reply issue. I still like to find time to comment. I was absent for several months from late last year until lockdown. It took me returning to realise how much you do and you do it so well. Your main authors as well deserve a big thank you.
Edit if you are still working on the reply issue it appears to be fixed for me.
Yeah – looks like it got fixed elsewhere – probably in the wordpress 5.5.1 update that came through last week. I just turned off the JQuery Migration plugin
It looks like there was a fix in wp-includes/js/comment-reply.js which is where the problem is. Can’t be bothered to install smartsvn, dig out the repo and diff to see what changed.
In fact I haven’t used svn since 2014. I switched to git and smartgit then, and never returned. Mind you it isn’t as bad as pvcs. I dug out some 20 yera old boot loaders from a pvcs archive virtual machine earlier this year. Now that was terrifying experience.
If you can tweak something without too much trouble, it would be good if the search could be on again. At present I get one thing from 2014.
Good point. I noticed that early in the week. I suspect that there is a problem with the sphinxsearch server running.
Nope, and the issue is only with the comments. Ok gotta get some food down.
Grumble.. It is something about how it is figuring out comments to add to the search interface
Nice one Treetop, always good to get some positive feedback.
Also a big thank you to the moderators.