“The arc of history may be long but it bends towards justice”
Martin Luther King
The dismissal of the evidence of atrocities committed by the Russian Federation invading forces as false flag operations committed by the Ukrainians themselves to discredit Russia. Or were faked by crisis actors. Is par for course for the blood thirsty partisan supporters of Putin's war against Ukraine.
But what I find most amazing about the pro-Putin trolls, is their continual assertion against all evidence that Russia is winning this war.
But the long arc of history may be shortening and the Russian military collapse may be quicker than even the most optimistic military predictions.
Ukraine retakes Russian-controlled cities and supply hubs in a swift eastern push
By Nicholas Slayton | PUBLISHED SEP 10, 2022 2:00 PM
Russia is pulling its forces back from several towns in Ukraine's east as Ukraine's counteroffensive made major gains in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian troops retook multiple towns and captured the cities of Izvum and Balakliva, according to local reports and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. In a rare admission of things going poorly for its forces, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed soldiers had left those areas and announced it will regroup its forces today….
"Collaboration "with the Russians extends to helping distribute humanitarian aid it seems
State police say a “reckoning” is coming for pro-Russian residents of “de-occupied” town
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) announced on Friday that it had begun conducting a “filtration” of civilians in Balakleya, the town in Kharkov Region reportedly taken by forces of the Kiev government. SBI agents will be checking for those who “may pose a threat to national security,” the agency said.
In line with the assassinations of officials within pro Russian areas who are suspected of being pro Russian .
Applaud this as much as you like, I think it points to a deeply divided country which won't be cured by war.You can kill all the Russians within Ukraine I suppose, but even that genocide won't solve the problems of Ukraine.
But what I find most amazing about the pro-Putin trolls, is their continual assertion against all evidence that Russia is winning this war.
Not coming from a military background, I consider myself unqualified to comment on how the war is going, preferring instead to focus on what I believe to be the causes of the conflict. The question of who will win I leave to future historians.
Sorry. This comment was not intended as a reply to someone’s earlier comment, but should have been an independent comment at the end of the post. I don't why this has happened.
Well….putin being a psychopath….similarities to his besty trump…so obvious (but with more vicious violence) there could very well be an extremely violent reaction from him.
So you think phone intercepts will all be critical masterpieces?
Things are going fairly poorly for Russian troops, with many surrounded and obliged to surrender, and others fleeing under artillery fire. The intercepts show something of their human side.
a tiny bit suspect?
Well if you're uncritical enough to prefer RT, these are probably too good for you.
I should think so – it is the organ of an enemy state, one that practices every political vice known to humankind from genocide to rape as a weapon of war, and it poses a real danger of duping the hard-of-thinking.
Things seem to have been going downhill in Russia since Gorbachev dismantled the Warsaw Pact and tried to introduce perestroika and glasnost. Then Yeltsin took over, dismantled the Soviet system, and tried to americanise the economy, at which point things became a real mess and Yeltsin took to drink. At that point it was thought that Russia was 'finished' as a world power. However the economy and living conditions seem to have improved in Russia with the rise of Putin, first as PM and later as President. Certainly, he has done things that seem pretty brutal, but he is a pragmatist, and one who tackles problems head on.
Things seem to have been going downhill in Russia since Gorbachev dismantled the Warsaw Pact and tried to introduce perestroika and glasnost.
Things had been going downhill in Russia for a long time long before Gorbachev.
By some measures, the Soviet economy was the world’s second largest in 1990, but shortages of consumer goods were routine and hoarding was commonplace.
You might want to consider the role played by Chernomyrdin – the scoundrel that did to Russia what that treacherous pos Roger Douglas did here.
Putin's pragmatism extended to mass murder and to genocide. Most civilized people find such excesses barbaric.
PS: Boris Yeltsin has expressed a belief that he made a mistake in appointing Putin PM. He knew that because Bill Clinton, when he met Yeltsin later during an official visit to Moscow, told him so.
It is disappointing that after all this time many on the left feel uncomfortable with criticising Russia. It suggests to me that some of us lefties either have weak foundation to our values or that some of us with a Marxist Leninist bent are now warm towards fascism.
I think it goes back to schooling. NZ does not teach history. Educated Americans all know about the European Spring, and the values it was about. The Putin dupes do not understand the importance of such values, and so are easy prey for manipulative entities like RT and the various Trumpist channels.
Ukrainians don't need to make anything up in respect of Russian morale – their recent territorial gains speak for themselves.
Of course, you are ignoring the reason I posted it, which was that Russian deputies called for Putin's resignation. This is normal enough for opposition parties (and braying media hacks for that matter) in New Zealand, but in Russia it's asking to be kicked to death in a dark alley – unless the opinion is almost universally held.
Yes of course Putin has many detractors- ….Vladimir Putin'sapprovalratinginRussia monthly 1999-2022. Published by Statista Research Department , Sep 2, 2022. In August 2022, over 80 percent of Russians approved of activities of the …
Even a worthless clown like you must have some idea of what happens when a state has total control of polling sources.
Lukashenko supposedly got 80% support in his last election, but independent polls put his support at 3%. The nationwide street protests following his 'election' were only suppressed with the help of Russian troops.
Do you find it rewarding singing the praises of murderers and tyrants? If so what in the name of absent gods are you doing on a left wing site?
I suspect you are right Ad. Although I’d hope there will be a poll out this week to assist the majority of Auckland who don’t want Collins know who we are best to get behind.
In an incredible few days the Ukrainian forces have liberated most of the Kharkiv Oblast, and captured and cut off critical road and rail supply routes in K'upyansk for the Russian forces in the east.
I am calling the Russians to have strategically lost the war now, with the result just a matter of time.
In what must be one of the most brilliant war strategies of modern times, the Ukrainians simultaneously lured Russian forces to reinforce the Kherson Oblast then isolated them by cutting supply routes and bridges to the area. The Ukrainians are performing a slow squeeze in this region at the moment, with the Russians slowly running out of fuel and ammunition.
But the brilliant part of the strategy was that it was entirely predictable where the Russians would draw forces from to reinforce the Kherson region.
The Ukrainians had been publicly announcing for weeks their intention of a counter-offensive towards Kherson. The Russians either had to accept losing the region or reinforce it. Predictably they chose the latter option. The Russians were never going to draw their forces away from the Luhansk/Donetsk region due to the strategic importance of those regions to them, and that they still were trying to take over that whole area.Thus, the only real option for the Russians was to redeploy troops from the Kharkiv region.
During the Kherson offensive, the Ukrainians had been quietly building up their forces in the Kharkiv region. Due to that area being so sparsely defended due to the Russian redeployment, the Ukrainians have swept through and taken Kupyansk, and also the Russian stronghold of Izium.
This has resulted in a complete routing of the Russians in the area, and a huge transfer of military assets and ammunition to the Ukrainians.
I am calling the Russians defeated now because it is going to be very difficult for them to keep their troops in the east supplied. And those in Kherson are cut off, and defeat is inevitable now. Plus there is a huge snowball effect in favour of the Ukrainians now. The loss of Russian equipment is largely resulting in a transfer of this weaponary to the Ukrainians. So, the Ukrainians continue to get stronger and stronger as the Russians get weaker.
Don't know. Autumn and winter are coming where things tend to slow down.
The only way I see Putin winning now would be to nuke Ukraine. But I think the west would have made it very clear what the response of the west would be under such a scenario.
I think that has been very obvious for a while, but with the slight caveat that income supplement was necessary to achieve that economic outcome. NZs scheme was #1 for discretionary stimulus in the world and our economic outcome followed from that combination.
Thanks Joe90 – a big rat for 'Covid Plan B' to swallow. Hope it hits them where it hurts.
One lesson that Klimek takes from lockdown studies is that there was an early window of opportunity when the virus could have been eliminated — as it was, in effect, in countries such as China, Australia and New Zealand. Had harsher measures been adopted sooner, and more widely, the pandemic might have played out very differently. “I think this is the big learning that we need to take away,” he says.
…
Lockdowns hold another clear lesson: they exacerbate inequalities that already exist in society. Those already living in poverty and insecurity are hit hardest. Guarding against these unequal impacts requires improved health access and financial safeguards when times are good.
And transparency is key, too: the public needs to know more about how pandemic-control policies are decided, says Tsai. “That makes public-health policymaking seem less capricious,” he says, “because it’s reactive to both the science and values.”
Had harsher measures been adopted sooner, and more widely, the pandemic might have played out very differently.
What harsher measures do you think the researcher envisages?
NZ and Australia were (and are) island nations – where it is possible to restrict border crossings – and, indeed, close the border completely – just by refusing permission for planes to land. They are also relatively wealthy countries, with a developed social support system – which supports people being able to survive without work. None of that is true for countries like India, Peru and Kenya – or even the US. Lockdowns are just not practicable or even possible in those socio-geographic environments.
What harsher measures do you think the researcher envisages?
Maybe greater restrictions on freedom of movement, as per China?
The author mentions repeatedly that (remote) island nations have an advantage.
It’s about trade-offs – a pandemic balancing act. Imho, NZ got the balance roughly right – others less so. Analyses will be on-going, much like the pandemic.
Watch this news disappear without trace (or never appear) in legacy media as the history of the pandemic is re-written to make it sound like the NZ response was a disaster and that National were right all along.
A very interesting article indeed. But I don't take the same message that you did.
To me they seem to be saying that this is not a clear-cut cost/benefit analysis – and that there is lots of competing data (including that fact, that absent a time machine, we can't ever exactly evaluate the path-not-taken).
There are costs, other than economic, associated with lockdowns. Which are, in any case, only as effective as the population are willing to tolerate (as we saw in the 2021 Auckland one, and the article discusses in Peru).
Also, subsequent hard lockdowns became increasingly ineffective (how much that is related to lockdown tolerance, and how much to a virus evolving to become more contagious, isn't clear).
The final 2 paras, I agree with unequivocally
Lockdowns hold another clear lesson: they exacerbate inequalities that already exist in society. Those already living in poverty and insecurity are hit hardest. Guarding against these unequal impacts requires improved health access and financial safeguards when times are good.
And transparency is key, too: the public needs to know more about how pandemic-control policies are decided, says Tsai. “That makes public-health policymaking seem less capricious,” he says, “because it’s reactive to both the science and values.”
From the evidence so far of Russian armaments deficiencies it wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of the nuke delivery systems failed catastrophically, or just exploded in the bunkers. I hope we don’t find out. Already though, the decades of fear and anxiety over the abilities of the Russian Bear has proven to be wasted emotion.
A tad frustrating when Stuff's reporter is clearly more exercised by the name of a criminal gang in the middle of town, than the fact that a criminal gang is openly operating in the middle of town.
Gives a lot more support to the political desire to ban gang patches (and symbolism) altogether.
Expect National to make hay by coming out strongly condemning this decision by the Classifications Office.
And, it seems a strange decision. To draw a parallel: You can read a book about the history of the US Civil War which may feature pictures of the Confederate Flag – but choosing to fly one (regardless of your motivation – honouring a family member, for example) is a completely different action.
The decision seems pretty spot on (and rather obvious) to me. How can you argue that a term is inherently offensive, when it's being used affirmatively by those whom it is presumed to demean? The police would have to mount a much better case than, 'Look… everyone in their right mind knows it is offensive, so it just is, OK?', and the attempt to get the flag labelled as an offensive publication looks very much like a desperate sleight of hand to make their job easier.
Unfortunately removing nitrates from drinking water isn't easy, or cheap. There's also large amounts of rather toxic byproducts from the process that have to be disposed of, which again isn't easy or cheap. So the numbers get very large very quickly.
Selwyn District Council commissioned a report from global infrastructure consultants Beca which was presented to the council in late 2021, and paints a bleak – and costly – picture of the council’s options.
The report says if all Selwyn’s plants were treated “retrofit costs could be in the order of $322million” – almost five times the district’s annual rate take – with ongoing annual operating costs of $25.6m.
Price tags for three different sized water treatment plants are presented in the report. Construction costs range from $19.5m for a large plant, $10.4m for a medium plant, and $6.31m for a small scheme.
Annual operating costs run from more than $2.5m a year for a large plant to $360,000 a year to treat a smaller scheme.
The water schemes concerned are smaller, rural, or rural servicing communities so the costs will fall very close to the farms that are source of the nitrates. Going to be very interesting how the discussion develops around who pays some very expensive infrastructure serving some quite small communities, and the ongoing viability of those communities.
Queen's funeral is Monday 19th. A public holiday in the UK and Australia.
I expect it will be one in NZ too, though I'd love to hear Jacinda trolling the Nats by saying "after hearing recent representations from the opposition and business lobbyists, I have accepted their argument that another public holiday at this time would be an unacceptable cost."
Then watch National have civil war between ardent monarchists and capitalists.
Won't happen because the NZ public would ignore all of the dig-at-National subtext, and just blame Ardern for being mean-spirited.
Labour is perceived (rightly or wrongly) as the party of the republicans. Not a very popular position to occupy today – though in a couple of years things may well be different.
Are they? I think you are inventing stuff there. That's ok, but are you old enough to remember the flag referendum debacle, brought to you by the NZ grifter, one Jong Kee?
I am indeed. Though I don't recall Key ever declaring that the flag referendum was the first move into Republicanism.
Are you old enough to remember Helen Clark ditching the knighthoods – which was a massively unpopular move even within her own party (how many Labour MPs up to and including Mallard, have made it very clear that they want to be called 'Sir' or 'Dame')
And various Labour leaders since, declaring that they are Republicans
Labour leader Andrew Little, a republican, was hopeful of change earlier than Mr Key had forecast and said he would like to be the Prime Minister that led the debate.
Jacinda Ardern believes New Zealand will become a republic within her lifetime.
The Prime Minister says she thinks Kiwis will ditch the monarchy and become a republic in the next few years, but added that she "never sensed urgency" from people in New Zealand to make it happen.
“I’ve been very clear that despite being a republican, I’m not of the view that in the here-and-now in my term of office, that this is something New Zealanders feel particularly strongly about,” Ardern said.
I don't think that there is much doubt that the Labour Party (or at least the leaders) are Republican. However, being also practical politicians, they don't see this as a ditch worth dying in. And the flag referendum showed that poking a stick at this bear isn't worth the trouble.
None have made stronger moves toward republicanism than the National Party with Keys' failed flag referendum, cosmetic only according to some! Key himself is a strong americanophile with delusions of presidency, no matter his murmurings in public.
While Key left young Kiwis' travel and visa access to the UK dying embers in the grate, Jacinda Ardern's government has worked hard to rekindle those important connections. She has made no mention of her government starting a debate on the topic.
Yet it is the Labour Party pushing for Repupirikana o Aotearoa, apparently!
Individual leaders of the Labour party for the last 20 years have made no secret of the fact that they are personally republican – though they recognize that the rest of NZ isn't ready yet to make a change.
I linked to various quoted statements.
Of course, Labour is perceived as a Republican party.
Now, if you can come back with a rebuttal showing that Key, English, Luxon, etc are also Republicans, based on their quotes (rather than some form of mind-reading)…..
And, in any case, based on the rest of your comments, I should have thought that you'd be delighted that Labour are seen as Republicans!
I'll say it again, the only concrete move away from the commonwealth and monarchy was the $26m flag referendum run but the National Party. It is they and ACT who are perceived as republican parties.
Grant Robertson today is considering a day off for mourning, while David Seymour is adamantly opposed.
Useful link re-enforcing there is no republicanism movement in the Labour Party any more than in the National Party.
Keys thinks it inevitable, Bolger wanted it done by 2001, then in that year a National Party taskforce recommended a referendum be held when the Queen dies. I expect that referendum will happen when if National ever forms a government again.
Former National Party MP Winston Peters wants two referenda on this.
Simple truth is, you have sprayed a reckon here as you are inclined to do. Problem is, it not true and the case made since is flimsy at best.
I'm sure, given your assertion that the National Party is a hotbed of Republicanism, you'll easily be able to find them…../sarc/
And, really, describing Winston Peters as a 'former National Party MP' – is total desperation. He's far more recently been the Deputy Prime Minister in a Labour/NZF coalition government!
It is more that the idea of being a republic would be great if only it was really like a monarchy. Without actual professional politicians and the screaming lunatics like Trump involved. I have no particular liking for a monarchy. However I do find having a head of state with mainly moral persuasion and entrusted with the control of reserve legal powers that we want to keep away from politicians like military, police, courts, and the core bureaucracy a very useful fiction.
This has nothing to do with the personalities of whoever holds the Crown. It has a whole lot to do with making the use of crown powers by idiots and egotists in cabinet tenuous. A judge appointed by the crown can and will often put their duty to the crown and the body of law above that to the current minister or even parliament. The military will argue against stupid operations because their obligation is to protecting the crown and its subjects – not the cabinet ministers trying to use the organisation inappropriately.
Of course we do get some blowbacks the other way for instance only the isolation of the police from common sense and the political process could have caused the police in their foolhardy Urewera raids in 2007 – and their facesaving and silly prosecutions subsequently.
On the whole I find the fictions of monarchy preferable to what I have seen of the actual process of republics – most of which were modelled on antique political pretensions that should have died with Rome.
Still no links.
I've stated an opinion. "Labour is perceived (rightly or wrongly) as the party of the republicans." And backed it up with evidence.
You've stated a counter opinion – and refused to provide any links or other evidence. Either that Labour leaders are monarchist, or that National leaders are republican.
I know who's spraying around the reckons, here.
And, in any case, I still don't see why you have your knickers in a twist over this. From your other comments, surely you think it's a good thing that Labour is Republican!
",,, despite representation by the Opposition that another public holiday is unacceptable, we have decided that it is appropriate to mark the death of a much loved Queen Elizabeth II and the inauguration of King Charles III with a public holiday…"
Lets face it if the boot was on the other foot, that is exactly the kind of misrepresentation we could expect from the Nats. 😉
Bees also are a co evolutionary activator,flowering plants have evolved to match the Bee colour vision,what a bland display would there be for Hatch's ,Match's, and Dispatches if they had not.
Published 30 yrs ago today, in J Comp Physiol A. We fed lots of flower reflectance spectra into computer models to identify the optimal colour vision system – this turned out to be exactly the set of UV, blue and green receptors that are implemented in flower-visiting bees. 1/n pic.twitter.com/i8axm3IHI8
Michael Laws has been called out by Guy Hatchard to debate on 'excess all-cause deaths' in NZ. Laws has basically called Hatchard a nutter. I doubt Laws will debate. He knows he'd lose his cool quickly as evidenced when he debated Joe Karam. Laws had Karam bundled up against the studio wall at one stage while pointing his finger and talking into Karam's face.
Yep, can't find the image I wanted, but this is close. I think Karam is crying. As to Law's ex, she was a body builder. She would have bitch whipped you with one hand behind her back.
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After threatening Prime Minister Chris Hipkins of consequences if he dared to bar her entry, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull has been given her visa, regardless. This will enable her to hold rallies in Auckland and Wellington this weekend, and spread her messages of hostility against an already marginalised trans community. Neo-Nazis may, ...
* Bryce Edwards writes – The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as ...
Boomers voted him in, but Brown’s Trumpish moments might spook Aucklanders worried about what a change to National nationally might mean. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR:Auckland MayorWayne Brown has become our version of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, except without any of the insatiable appetite for media appearances. He ...
The New Zealand Government has been silent about Australia’s decision to commit up to $400bn acquiring nuclear submarines, even though this is a significant threat to peace and stability in the Asia Pacific. The deal was struck by the Albanese Labor Government as part of its Aukus pact with the ...
Recently you might have heard of a person called Posie Parker and her visit to Aotearoa. Perhaps you’re not quite sure what it’s all about. So let’s start with who this person is, why their visit is controversial, and what on earth a TERF is.Posie Parker is the super villain ...
The chair of Parliament’s Select Committee looking at the Government’s resource management legislation wants the bills sent back for more public consultation. The proposal would effectively kill any chance of the bills making it into law before the election. Green MP, Eugenie Sage, stressing that she was speaking as ...
Open access notables The United States experienced some historical low temperature records during the just-concluded winter. It's a reminder that climate and weather are quite noisy; with regard to our warming climate,, as with a road ascending a mountain range we may steadily change our conditions but with lots of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The Nanny State has scored some wins (or claimed them) in the past day or two but it faltered when it came to protecting Kiwi citizens from being savaged by one woman armed with a sharp tongue. The wins are recorded by triumphant ministers on the ...
Sometimes you see your friends making the case so well on social media you think: just copy and share.On acceptance and decency, from Michèle A’CourtA notable thing about anti-trans people is they way they talk about transgender women and men as though they are strangers “over there” when in fact ...
Not that long ago, things were looking pretty good for climate change policy in Aotearoa. We finally had an ETS, and while it was full of pork and subsidies, it was delivering high and ever-rising carbon prices, sending a clear message to polluters to clean up or shut down. And ...
Comparing (and switching) electricity providers has become easier, but bundling power up with broadband and/or gas makes it more challenging. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The Kākā TL;DR: The new Consumer Advocacy Council set up as a result of the Labour Government’s Electricity Price Review in 2019 has called on either ...
Hokitika-based Westland Milk Products has put the heat on dairy giant Fonterra with a $120m profit turnaround in 2022, driven by record sales. Westland paid its suppliers a 10c premium above the forecast Fonterra price per kilo, contributing $535m to the West Coast and Canterbury economies. The dairy ...
* Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public ...
New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation. A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and ...
This is a guest post by accessibility and sustainable transport advocate Tim Adriaansen It originally appeared here. A friend calls you and asks for your help. They tell you that while out and about nearby, they slipped over and landed arms-first. Now their wrist is swollen, hurting like ...
Floating offshore wind turbines offer incredible opportunities to capture powerful winds far out at sea. By unlocking this wind energy potential, they could be a key weapon in our arsenal in the fight against climate change. But how developed are these climate fighting clean energy giants? And why do I ...
Over the past two or three weeks, a procession of Maori iwi and hapu in a series of little-noticed appearances before two Select Committees have been asking for more say for Maori over resource management decisions along the co-governance lines of Three Waters. Their submissions and appearances run counter ...
The decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue war crimes arrest warrants for the Russian President and the Russia Children Ombudsman may have been welcomed by the ideologically committed but otherwise seems to have been greeted with widespread cynicism (see Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants ...
Let’s say you’re clasping your drink at a wedding, or a 40th, or a King’s Birthday Weekend family reunion and Drunk Uncle Kevin has just got going.He’s in an expansive frame of mind because we’re finally rid of that silly girl. But he wants to ask an honest question about ...
National Party leader Christopher Luxon may be feeling glum about his poll ratings, but he could be tapping into a rich political vein in describing the current state of education as “alarming”. Luxon said educational achievement has been declining, with a recent NCEA pilot exposing just how far it has ...
Way Beyond Reform: Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer have no more interest in remaining permanent members of “New Zealand’s” House of Representatives than did Lenin and Trotsky in remaining permanent members of Tsar Nicolas II’s “democratically-elected” Duma. Like the Bolsheviks, Te Pāti Māori is a party of revolutionaries – not reformists.THE CROWN ...
Buzz from the Beehive Auckland was wiped off the map, when Education Minister Jan Tinetti delivered her speech of welcome as host of the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers “here in Tāmaki Makaurau”. But – fair to say – a reference was made later in the speech to a ...
Morning mate, how you going?Well, I was watching the news last night and they announced this scientific report on Climate Change. But before they got to it they had a story about the new All Blacks coach.Sounds like important news. It’s a bit of a worry really.Yeah, they were talking ...
Always a bailout: US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the Government would fully guarantee all savers in all smaller US banks if needed. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: No wonder an entire generation of investors are used to ‘buying the dip’ and ‘holding on for dear life’. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen ...
Wealthy vested interests have an oversized influence on political decisions in New Zealand. Partly that’s due to their use of corporate lobbyists. Fortunately, the influence lobbyists can have on decisions made by politicians is currently under scrutiny in Guyon Espiner’s in-depth series published by RNZ. Two of Espiner’s research exposés ...
Yesterday afternoon it rained and traffic around the region ground to a halt, once again highlighting why it is so important that our city gets on with improving the alternatives to driving. For additional irony, this happened on the same day the IPCC synthesis report landed, putting the focus on ...
The Beginning: Anti-Co-Governance agitator, Julian Batchelor, addresses the Dargaville stop of his travelling roadshow across New Zealand . Fascism almost always starts small. Sadly, it doesn’t always stay that way. Especially when the Left helps it to grow.THERE IS A DREADFUL LOGIC to the growth of fascism. To begin with, it ...
Hi,From an incredibly rainy day in Los Angeles, I just wanted to check in. I guess this is the day Trump may or may not end up in cuffs? I’m attempting a somewhat slower, less frenzied week. I’ve had Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record on non-stop, and it’s been a ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
RNZ has been shining their torch into corners where lobbyists lurk and asking such questions as: Do we like the look of this?and Is this as democratic as it could be?These are most certainly questions worth asking, and every bit as valid as, say:Are weshortchanged democratically by the way ...
RNZ has continued its look at the role of lobbyists by taking a closer look at the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Andrew Kirton. He used to work for liquor companies, opposing (among other things) a container refund scheme which would have required them to take responsibility for their own ...
The Government’s decision to introduce ‘mass arrivals’ legislation goes against the values we all share of Aotearoa as a place where all people are treated fairly, the Green Party says. ...
MINISTER DAVIDSON MUST RESIGN AFTER 'VIOLENCE' COMMENTS Marama Davidson should stand down as ‘Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence’ for the clear and outrageous statement she made at the Posie Parker protest that ‘white straight men’ are the cause of violence. Her offensive, racist, and sexist remarks ...
In response to Newshub and Amelia Wade’s obvious and ham-fisted attempt at a typical and predicted political hit job. As any politically aware reporter would know, any Cabinet subcommittee has a duty and obligation as a part of any government to respond to any UN declaration, in this case ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for the invitation to speak with you today and in your busy lives turning up to this meeting. Forty five years ago, in Howick, often described as racist, and where few Maori lived because it had been a ‘Fencible’ settlement at the time of the Anglo-Maori ...
The Green Party has marked the National Party’s new education policy and given it a fail, especially for its failure to address the underlying drivers of school performance. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised in their State of the Planet speech today. ...
Political parties that want to negotiate with the Green Party after the election must come to the table with much faster, bolder climate action, co-leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson emphasised today. ...
You will never truly understand, from the pictures you’ve seen in the newspapers or on the six o-clock news, the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
We’re boosting incomes and helping ease cost of living pressures on Kiwis through a range of bread and butter support measures that will see pensioners, students, families, and those on main benefits better off from the start of next month. ...
The error Labour Ministers made by stopping work on a beverage container return scheme will be reversed by the Greens at the earliest opportunity as part of the next Government. ...
“Cabinet needs to do better - and today has shown exactly why we need Green Ministers in cabinet, so we can prioritise action to cut climate pollution and support people to make ends meet,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. ...
Biggest increase in food prices for over three decades shows the need for an excess profit tax on corporations to help people put food on the table. ...
Legislation to enable more build-to-rent developments has passed its third reading in Parliament, so this type of rental will be able to claim interest deductibility in perpetuity where it meets the requirements. Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods, says the changes will help unlock the potential of the build-to-rent sector and ...
A law passed by Parliament today exempts employers from paying fringe benefit tax on certain low emission commuting options they provide or subsidise for their staff. “Many employers already subsidise the commuting costs of their staff, for instance by providing car parks,” Environment Minister David Parker said. “This move supports ...
Today marks the 40th anniversary of Closer Economic Relations (CER), our gold standard free trade agreement between New Zealand and Australia. “CER was a world-leading agreement in 1983, is still world-renowned today and is emblematic of both our countries’ commitment to free trade. The WTO has called it the world’s ...
The Government is making procedural changes to the Immigration Act to ensure that 2013 amendments operate as Parliament intended. The Government is also introducing a new community management approach for asylum seekers. “While it’s unlikely we’ll experience a mass arrival due to our remote positioning, there is no doubt New ...
The Government welcomes progress on public sector pay adjustment (PSPA) agreements, and the release of the updated public service pay guidance by the Public Service Commission today, Minister for the Public Service Andrew Little says. “More than a dozen collective agreements are now settled in the public service, Crown Agents, ...
The Government has introduced the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill to further support the recovery and rebuild from the recent severe weather events in the North Island. “We know from our experiences following the Canterbury and Kaikōura earthquakes that it will take some time before we completely understand the ...
Further assistance is now available to businesses impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, with Customs able to offer payment plans and to remit late-payments, Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri has announced. “This is part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to assist economic recovery in the regions,” Meka Whaitiri said. “Cabinet has approved the ...
More than 41,000 sole parent families will be better off with a median gain of $20 a week Law change estimated to help lift up to 14,000 children out of poverty Child support payments will be passed on directly to people receiving a sole parent rate of main benefit, making ...
A major investment by Government-owned New Zealand Green Investment Finance towards electrifying the public bus fleet is being welcomed by Climate Change Minister James Shaw. “Today’s announcement that NZGIF has signed a $50 million financing deal with Kinetic, the biggest bus operator in Australasia, to further decarbonise public transport is ...
A world-leading payments system is expected to provide a significant cash flow boost for Kiwi innovators, Minister of Research, Science, and Innovation Ayesha Verrall says. Announcing that applications for ‘in-year’ payments of the Research and Development Tax Incentive (RDTI) were open, Ayesha Verrall said it represented a win for businesses ...
Minister of Transport Michael Wood joined crowds of keen cyclists and walkers this morning to celebrate the completion of the Te Awa shared path in Hamilton. “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport system to make it safer, greener, and more efficient for now and future generations to come,” Michael ...
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has delivered the Crown apology to Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua for its historic breaches of Te Tiriti of Waitangi today. The ceremony was held at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton, hosted by Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua, with several hundred ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has concluded her visit to China, the first by a New Zealand Foreign Minister since 2018. The Minister met her counterpart, newly appointed State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, who also hosted a working dinner. This was the first engagement between the two ...
World-class satellite positioning services that will support much safer search and rescue, boost precision farming, and help safety on construction sites through greater accuracy are a significant step closer today, says Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor. Damien O’Connor marked the start of construction on New Zealand’s first uplink centre for ...
Attorney-General David Parker has announced the appointment of Christopher John Dellabarca of Wellington, Dr Katie Jane Elkin of Wellington, Caroline Mary Hickman of Napier, Ngaroma Tahana of Rotorua, Tania Rose Williams Blyth of Hamilton and Nicola Jan Wills of Wellington as District Court Judges. Chris Dellabarca Mr Dellabarca commenced his ...
Tēnā koutou katoa. Can I begin by thanking Gary Taylor, Raewyn Peart and others in the EDS team for their herculean work in support of the environment. I’d also like to acknowledge Hon Simon Upton, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, my parliamentary colleagues, and the many activists here who strive ...
A new Government-backed project will help ocean-related businesses in the Nelson Tasman region to accelerate their growth and boost jobs. “The Nelson Tasman region is home to more than 400 blue economy businesses, accounting for more than 30 percent of New Zealand’s economic activity in fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing,” ...
After three years of COVID-19 disruptions schools are finally settling down and National want to throw that all in the air with major disruption to learning and underinvestment. “National’s education policy lacks the very thing teachers, parents and students need after a tough couple of years, certainty and stability,” Education ...
People aged over 50 with innovative business ideas will now be able to receive support to advance their ideas to the next stage of development, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen said today. “Seniors have some great entrepreneurial ideas, and this programme will give them the support to take that next ...
A cross government target for relevant government procurement contracts for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded. The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated ...
77,000 fewer children living in low income households on the after-housing-costs primary measure since Labour took office Eight of the nine child poverty measures have seen a statistically significant reduction since 2018. All nine have reduced 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018 Measures taken by the Government during ...
Deputy Prime Minister Kamikamica; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Tēnā koutou katoa, ni sa bula vinaka saka, namaste. Deputy Prime Minister, a very warm welcome to Aotearoa. I trust you have been enjoying your time here and thank you for joining us here today. To all delegates who have travelled to be ...
$2.9 million convertible loan for Scapegrace Distillery to meet growing national and international demand $4.5m underwrite to support Silverlight Studios’ project to establish a film studio in Wanaka Gore’s James Cumming Community Centre and Library to be official opened tomorrow with support of $3m from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery ...
[CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā tangata katoa, o moana-nui-a-kiwa, E ngā mate, haere, haere, haere atū ra, manuia lau Malaga. Thank you for the kind introduction and opportunity to join you this morning. It is always good to be here in Aukilani, where I ...
E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi, tēnā koutou katoa. Talofa lava and thank you Catherine, for the warm welcome. I’m sorry that I can’t be there in person today but it’s great for the opportunity to contribute virtually. I’d like to start by acknowledging: Alzheimers New Zealand, ...
Transport Minister Michael Wood has today launched the first national EV (electric vehicle) charging strategy, Charging Our Future, which includes plans to provide EV charging stations in almost every town in New Zealand. “Our vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand to have world-class EV charging infrastructure that is accessible, affordable, ...
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched the Love Better campaign in a world-leading approach to family harm prevention. Love Better will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to dealing with hurt. “Over 1,200 young kiwis told ...
Hon Rino Tirikatene, Minister for Courts, welcomes the Ministry of Justice’s appointment of Dr Garry Clearwater as New Zealand’s first Chief Clinical Advisor working with the Coroners Court. “This appointment is significant for the Coroners Court and New Zealand’s wider coronial system.” Minister Tirikatene said. Through Budget 2022, the Government ...
The Government via the Cyclone Taskforce is working with local government and insurance companies to build a picture of high-risk areas following Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. “The Taskforce, led by Sir Brian Roche, has been working with insurance companies to undertake an assessment of high-risk areas so we can ...
E te huia kaimanawa, ko Ngāpuhi e whakahari ana i tau aupikinga ki te tihi o te maunga. Ko te Ao Māori hoki e whakanui ana i a koe te whakaihu waka o te reo Māori i roto i te Ao Ture. (To the prized treasure, it is Ngāpuhi who ...
113,400 exits into work in the year to June 2022 Young people are moving off Benefit faster than after the Global Financial Crisis Two reports released today by the Ministry of Social Development show the Government’s investment in the COVID-19 response helped drive record numbers of people off Benefits and ...
The Government’s priority to keep New Zealand at the cutting edge of food production and lift our sustainability credentials continues by backing the next steps of a hi-tech vertical farming venture that uses up to 95 per cent less water, is climate resilient, and pesticide-free. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited ...
E nga mana, e nga iwi, e nga reo, e nga hau e wha, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou kātoa. Warm Pacific greetings to all. It is an honour to host the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers here in Tāmaki Makaurau. Aotearoa is delighted to be hosting you ...
The new renal unit at Taranaki Base Hospital has been officially opened by the Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall this afternoon. Te Huhi Raupō received around $13 million in government funding as part of Project Maunga Stage 2, the redevelopment of the Taranaki Base Hospital campus. “It’s an honour ...
Defence Minister Andrew Little has marked the arrival of the country’s second P-8A Poseidon aircraft alongside personnel at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base at Ohakea today. “With two of the four P-8A Poseidons now on home soil this marks another significant milestone in the Government’s historic investment in ...
Aotearoa New Zealand will provide further humanitarian support to those seriously affected by last month’s deadly earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. “The 6 February earthquakes have had devastating consequences, with almost 18 million people affected. More than 53,000 people have died and tens of thousands more ...
Migrant communities across New Zealand are represented in the new Migrant Community Reference Group that will help shape immigration policy going forward, Immigration Minister Michael Wood announced today. “Since becoming Minister, a reoccurring message I have heard from migrants is the feeling their voice has often been missing around policy ...
Construction has begun on major works that will deliver significant safety improvements on State Highway 3 from Waitara to Bell Block, Associate Minister of Transport Kiri Allan announced today. “This is an important route for communities, freight and visitors to Taranaki but too many people have lost their lives or ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has today appointed Ginny Andersen as Minister of Police. “Ginny Andersen has a strong and relevant background in this important portfolio,” Chris Hipkins said. “Ginny Andersen worked for the Police as a non-sworn staff member for around 10 years and has more recently been chair of ...
Six further bailey bridge sites confirmed Four additional bridge sites under consideration 91 per cent of damaged state highways reopened Recovery Dashboards for impacted regions released The Government has responded quickly to restore lifeline routes after Cyclone Gabrielle and can today confirm that an additional six bailey bridges will ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania Labor and the Greens on Monday announced a deal to strengthen a key climate policy, the safeguard mechanism, by introducing a hard cap on industrial sector emissions. But the ...
The native parrot the kea is under siege from aerial spread 1080 poison drops says a West Coast wildlife advocate Laurie Collins of Westport. While it is accepted that a good proportion of New Zealanders are opposed to aerial 1080 poison drops used ...
West Coasters might have a taste for the gung-ho but pragmatism has taken a turn for the cautious at an extraordinary Greymouth council meeting Outspoken West Coast Regional Council chair Allan Birchfield has been rolled by his colleagues in a bid to make peace with the government and stem the ...
By Tim Wilson, Executive Director, Maxim Institute* What does politics produce when mixed with violence and intimidation? Sadly nothing constructive, plus a humungous helping of anger, division, recrimination, spleen and confusion. Oh, and headlines. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Senator Lidia Thorpe’s defection from the Greens changed the power dynamic in the Senate. Now the government needs two crossbenchers (and the Greens) to pass legislation opposed by the Coalition. Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania Labor and the Greens on Monday announced a deal to strengthen a key climate policy, the safeguard mechanism, by introducing a hard cap on industrial sector emissions. But the ...
Security guards have made their voices heard and now have enough signatures to initiate a Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) for workers in their occupation. Since the Fair Pay Agreements Bill was passed in October 2022, more than 1000 security guards across Aotearoa New ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bianca Fileborn, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, The University of Melbourne ShutterstockThe following article discusses sexual violence, self-harm and suicide. Gender and sexuality diverse (LGBTQ+) people experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence, but we still know very little about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jesse J. Fleay, Republic Constitutional Scholar, Federalist, Co-Author of the Uluru Statement, University of Notre Dame Australia Australia is preparing for a referendum to decide on the proposed Voice to parliament for First Nations people. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stated the ...
Toni Collette and John Leguizamo tell Tara Ward about the electric drama set in a world where gender equality becomes a sudden and shocking reality.There’s a moment halfway through in The Power when it seems Toni Collette could be channeling Jacinda Ardern. A mysterious medical event is sweeping the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona Charlson, Conjoint NHMRC Early Career Fellow, The University of Queensland Shutterstock Last week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, comprised of the world’s most esteemed climate experts, delivered its sixth report and “final warning” about the climate crisis. It ...
The government's national security arm says it is working on how to address the spread of disinformation and this is not directed specifically at the general election. ...
Poet Ash Davida Jane talks with poet Andrew Johnston about his Selected Poems, which spans 23 years of his published work. I’ve started writing this review in the notes app on my phone from the backseat of my friend’s car, which feels a far cry from the world of Andrew ...
National is demanding Marama Davidson apologise to cis white men over her comments from Saturday. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says he considers the matter closed. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Manlik, Casual Academic and PhD Candidate, Macquarie University ABC The recent ABC mini-series, In Our Blood, offers a fictionalised account of Australia’s response to AIDS, focusing on the development of a partnership between impacted communities, health professionals and government. ...
Aucklanders – it’s your last chance to have a say on the council’s upcoming budget. Submissions close at 11pm tonight, after which they will be collated and considered by councillors before a final proposal’s released by the end of June. As my colleague Tommy de Silva explained earlier this month, ...
Aucklanders – it’s your last chance to have a say on the council’s upcoming budget. Submissions close at 11pm tonight, after which they will be collated and considered by councillors before a final proposal’s released by the end of June. As my colleague Tommy de Silva explained earlier this month, ...
After breaking a years-long gap between New Zealand ministerial visits to China, Nanaia Mahuta says the relationship is in good shape but the Government will keep discussing differences of opinion between the countries - including support for Ukraine New Zealand will keep pushing China to use its influence to help end ...
The government has commissioned an inquiry after forestry waste caused widespread devastation in Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle. But records show experts have been sounding the alarm for decades – why did no one hear them?This story was first published on Stuff. Ten minutes into the grey wasteland of the Mangatokerau ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Oliver A.H. Jones, Professor, RMIT University Shutterstock You might have noticed many skin and haircare products are advertised as “paraben-free”, or come across online influencers warning parabens are terrible for your health. But what is a paraben? And could a ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson should apologise to white men over the “sweeping generalisation” she made ahead of the Posie Parker counter-protest on Saturday. That’s according to National’s leader Christopher Luxon who was questioned on the comments this morning at parliament. Davidson was caught on camera blaming “cis white men” ...
Candida auris is more likely to infect those who are already ill or immunocompromised and is fatal for 30-60% of those infected.What is Candida auris?Candida auris (also known as C. auris) is a type of fungus called a yeast. It was first identified in 2009 from the ear ...
Lorde’s always been mysterious and her latest newsletter to fans does nothing to change that. The New Zealand singer has just wrapped up her lengthy Solar Power tour in support of her third album released at the height of the delta Covid wave back in 2021. And while reports have ...
New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. Other items of interest and importance todayPOSIE PARKER RALLY The Facts: New Zealanders are world leaders in respecting transgender men and women Chris ...
New figures show the government has called on just 3 percent of the half a billion dollars approved to build or expand mental health hospital facilities. ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins believes the polarising debate in the wake of British gender activist Posie Parker's New Zealand visit has not been helpful, nor was it helpful to bring ethnicity and race into the debate. ...
The Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year will be announced this Thursday. The judges have had their work cut out for them choosing a winner from these finalists.There are hundreds of New Zealanders across the motu who devote time to their communities. Those people who go the extra mile ...
Late last year, at the time David Farrier was readying to release his new documentary Mister Organ, broadcaster Sean Plunket started tweeting out what appeared to be court documents. As we detailed in our extensive timeline of the Mister Organ saga, the tweets included claims that Farrier had been served ...
Prime minister Chris Hipkins’ morning media round has been largely dominated by remarks made by one of his ministers over the weekend. Marama Davidson, who is also co-leader of the Green Party, was caught on capture at a counter-protest to anti-trans speaker Posie Parker stating: “I am the prevention violence ...
If insurers aren’t involved in discussions on how New Zealand adapts to climate change, we risk whole sections of the country becoming uninsurable. As New Zealand considers how to better prepare for a future affected by climate change, the insurance sector needs to be part the discussion on where and ...
It will also be a couple of months before a decision is made on what approach will be taken with Coromandel’s SH25A which has been closed since cracks appeared on January 27 in the wake of ex-Cyclone Hale. Any fix will take nine to 12 months to implement. Access in ...
Consumer NZ has warned customers to be aware of “unsubstantiated” or “misleading” eco-friendly claims made at the supermarket. The watchdog has taken a closer look at several items including a supposedly “planet conscious” air freshener, “ocean plastic” bags and “industrial compostable” teabags. But Gemma Rasmussen, Consumer’s head of research and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clancy William James, Senior Lecturer (astronomy and astroparticle physics), Curtin University ASKAP.CSIRO We have just published evidence in Nature Astronomy for what might be producing mysterious bursts of radio waves coming from distant galaxies, known as fast radio bursts or FRBs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wanning Sun, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock Early this month, the Daily Mail published a story online implying three Chinese men taking photos at the Avalon Airshow in Melbourne were spies. After complaints and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University Shutterstock We all get hiccups from time to time, and sometimes they just won’t seem to go away. Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm – the muscle ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Shutterstock A new report card on Australia’s environment reveals 2022 was a bumper year for our rivers and vegetation – but it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darcy Watchorn, PhD Candidate, Deakin University Discoveries of albino animals have a unique ability to capture the public imagination, often leading to flurries of social media and news coverage. (Think Migaloo, the famous white humpback whale.) It’s easy to see why ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Dumay, Professor – Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University Pxfuel What distinguishes a company that makes “good” chocolate (chocolate untainted by child labour, modern slavery, deforestation and the overuse of agrichemicals) from one that merely makes chocolate? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle de Souza, Lecturer in Law, University of New England Binge British comedy Romantic Getaway recently dropped on streaming service Binge. The show stars Katherine Ryan and Romesh Ranganathan as Alison and Deacon, a couple desperate for a child. Alison ...
The GCSB and NZSIS revealed concerns about the growing threat of foreign interference yesterday as RNZ launches new Chinese language news service and the national security system faces reform, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
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There has apparently been an official call for Putin to resign.
The more Russia makes use of its constitutional apparatus, the better, I suspect.
‘
“The arc of history may be long but it bends towards justice”
Martin Luther King
The dismissal of the evidence of atrocities committed by the Russian Federation invading forces as false flag operations committed by the Ukrainians themselves to discredit Russia. Or were faked by crisis actors. Is par for course for the blood thirsty partisan supporters of Putin's war against Ukraine.
But what I find most amazing about the pro-Putin trolls, is their continual assertion against all evidence that Russia is winning this war.
But the long arc of history may be shortening and the Russian military collapse may be quicker than even the most optimistic military predictions.
"Filtration " about to start
"Collaboration "with the Russians extends to helping distribute humanitarian aid it seems
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) announced on Friday that it had begun conducting a “filtration” of civilians in Balakleya, the town in Kharkov Region reportedly taken by forces of the Kiev government. SBI agents will be checking for those who “may pose a threat to national security,” the agency said.
In line with the assassinations of officials within pro Russian areas who are suspected of being pro Russian .
Applaud this as much as you like, I think it points to a deeply divided country which won't be cured by war.You can kill all the Russians within Ukraine I suppose, but even that genocide won't solve the problems of Ukraine.
https://thepressunited.com/updates/ukraine-announces-filtration-for-civilians/
link for above post
But what I find most amazing about the pro-Putin trolls, is their continual assertion against all evidence that Russia is winning this war.
Not coming from a military background, I consider myself unqualified to comment on how the war is going, preferring instead to focus on what I believe to be the causes of the conflict. The question of who will win I leave to future historians.
“The arc of history may be long but it bends towards justice”
Words. And though words may stir up the emotions, that's all they do. Words are cheap, but not necessarily true.
What do we lack that becoming a republic might change?
Sorry. This comment was not intended as a reply to someone’s earlier comment, but should have been an independent comment at the end of the post. I don't why this has happened.
Well….putin being a psychopath….similarities to his besty trump…so obvious (but with more vicious violence) there could very well be an extremely violent reaction from him.
I really hope no more innocent people are killed.
An ongoing tragedy….
That video with the thumbs up poster seems a tiny bit suspect…don't you think?
The 'dialogue with the wife an easy ..construct.
So you think phone intercepts will all be critical masterpieces?
Things are going fairly poorly for Russian troops, with many surrounded and obliged to surrender, and others fleeing under artillery fire. The intercepts show something of their human side.
a tiny bit suspect?
Well if you're uncritical enough to prefer RT, these are probably too good for you.
RT is banned in the 'land of the free'.
I should think so – it is the organ of an enemy state, one that practices every political vice known to humankind from genocide to rape as a weapon of war, and it poses a real danger of duping the hard-of-thinking.
By crikey, you've really got it it bad, this Russophobia.
Ok fuck off.
Russia is a mess. It's been a mess for quite some time, and it has got worse recently under Putin. Nevertheless it professes to be a democracy.
Let it actually follow its own constitutional provisions and it will free itself from nostalgic fools like Putin.
And RT is a serious threat – people like yourself have been suborned by it. Hostile propaganda is not privileged speech.
Things seem to have been going downhill in Russia since Gorbachev dismantled the Warsaw Pact and tried to introduce perestroika and glasnost. Then Yeltsin took over, dismantled the Soviet system, and tried to americanise the economy, at which point things became a real mess and Yeltsin took to drink. At that point it was thought that Russia was 'finished' as a world power. However the economy and living conditions seem to have improved in Russia with the rise of Putin, first as PM and later as President. Certainly, he has done things that seem pretty brutal, but he is a pragmatist, and one who tackles problems head on.
By the the way, i never watch RT.
yeah…..
putin a pragmatist? I'd say psychopathic . Very similar to…a lot of US and other World leaders….
Things seem to have been going downhill in Russia since Gorbachev dismantled the Warsaw Pact and tried to introduce perestroika and glasnost.
Things had been going downhill in Russia for a long time long before Gorbachev.
By some measures, the Soviet economy was the world’s second largest in 1990, but shortages of consumer goods were routine and hoarding was commonplace.
You might want to consider the role played by Chernomyrdin – the scoundrel that did to Russia what that treacherous pos Roger Douglas did here.
Putin's pragmatism extended to mass murder and to genocide. Most civilized people find such excesses barbaric.
PS: Boris Yeltsin has expressed a belief that he made a mistake in appointing Putin PM. He knew that because Bill Clinton, when he met Yeltsin later during an official visit to Moscow, told him so.
It is disappointing that after all this time many on the left feel uncomfortable with criticising Russia. It suggests to me that some of us lefties either have weak foundation to our values or that some of us with a Marxist Leninist bent are now warm towards fascism.
I think it goes back to schooling. NZ does not teach history. Educated Americans all know about the European Spring, and the values it was about. The Putin dupes do not understand the importance of such values, and so are easy prey for manipulative entities like RT and the various Trumpist channels.
Did you think it unusual re this 'intercept' that the Russian soldier and his wife were having a conversation in….. English?
I certainly find it unusual that you cannot hear the Russian that the poster is providing live text translation of.
You need to do a little better, if retaining even a shred of credibility is important to you.
True except…can you rely on either the credibility of the' intercept'..or the translation,from a clearly anti russian advocate?
I have a little Russian.
Ukrainians don't need to make anything up in respect of Russian morale – their recent territorial gains speak for themselves.
Of course, you are ignoring the reason I posted it, which was that Russian deputies called for Putin's resignation. This is normal enough for opposition parties (and braying media hacks for that matter) in New Zealand, but in Russia it's asking to be kicked to death in a dark alley – unless the opinion is almost universally held.
Yes of course Putin has many detractors- ….Vladimir Putin's approval rating in Russia monthly 1999-2022. Published by Statista Research Department , Sep 2, 2022. In August 2022, over 80 percent of Russians approved of activities of the …
• Putin approval rating Russia 2022 | Statista
Even a worthless clown like you must have some idea of what happens when a state has total control of polling sources.
Lukashenko supposedly got 80% support in his last election, but independent polls put his support at 3%. The nationwide street protests following his 'election' were only suppressed with the help of Russian troops.
Do you find it rewarding singing the praises of murderers and tyrants? If so what in the name of absent gods are you doing on a left wing site?
What's the latest on the Auckland mayoral race?
Is the rumour correct that Beck is fading but Brown is closing tight against Collins?
I suspect you are right Ad. Although I’d hope there will be a poll out this week to assist the majority of Auckland who don’t want Collins know who we are best to get behind.
Brown being close is a sad state of affairs given his track record of self service and division.
Lots need doing in a city that looks constantly under repair not destroyed.
Dunno, but Marcus Lush has stepped into provide some local colour for the Invercargill mayoral election.
I am calling Russia to be strategically defeated in Ukraine now.
Here is a good summary of the stunning Ukrainian counter-offensive.. Though, later reports I have seen suggest that Ukraine has progressed considerably further since this video.
In an incredible few days the Ukrainian forces have liberated most of the Kharkiv Oblast, and captured and cut off critical road and rail supply routes in K'upyansk for the Russian forces in the east.
I am calling the Russians to have strategically lost the war now, with the result just a matter of time.
In what must be one of the most brilliant war strategies of modern times, the Ukrainians simultaneously lured Russian forces to reinforce the Kherson Oblast then isolated them by cutting supply routes and bridges to the area. The Ukrainians are performing a slow squeeze in this region at the moment, with the Russians slowly running out of fuel and ammunition.
But the brilliant part of the strategy was that it was entirely predictable where the Russians would draw forces from to reinforce the Kherson region.
The Ukrainians had been publicly announcing for weeks their intention of a counter-offensive towards Kherson. The Russians either had to accept losing the region or reinforce it. Predictably they chose the latter option. The Russians were never going to draw their forces away from the Luhansk/Donetsk region due to the strategic importance of those regions to them, and that they still were trying to take over that whole area.Thus, the only real option for the Russians was to redeploy troops from the Kharkiv region.
During the Kherson offensive, the Ukrainians had been quietly building up their forces in the Kharkiv region. Due to that area being so sparsely defended due to the Russian redeployment, the Ukrainians have swept through and taken Kupyansk, and also the Russian stronghold of Izium.
This has resulted in a complete routing of the Russians in the area, and a huge transfer of military assets and ammunition to the Ukrainians.
I am calling the Russians defeated now because it is going to be very difficult for them to keep their troops in the east supplied. And those in Kherson are cut off, and defeat is inevitable now. Plus there is a huge snowball effect in favour of the Ukrainians now. The loss of Russian equipment is largely resulting in a transfer of this weaponary to the Ukrainians. So, the Ukrainians continue to get stronger and stronger as the Russians get weaker.
A good news report here.
And this video shows the rapid advance of the Ukrainians in the area.
An article here suggesting that the whole Kherson campaign was disinformation to trick the Russians.
'I am calling the Russians to have strategically lost the war now, with the result just a matter of time.'
How much time you talking here?
I can't see how Russia can afford to lose now…Putin certainly can't afford to.
Don't know. Autumn and winter are coming where things tend to slow down.
The only way I see Putin winning now would be to nuke Ukraine. But I think the west would have made it very clear what the response of the west would be under such a scenario.
An interesting piece on lock-downs.
Tl,dr; the only certainty is that countries that locked down hard and fast did much better in terms of health and the economy.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02823-4
I think that has been very obvious for a while, but with the slight caveat that income supplement was necessary to achieve that economic outcome. NZs scheme was #1 for discretionary stimulus in the world and our economic outcome followed from that combination.
Thanks Joe90 – a big rat for 'Covid Plan B' to swallow. Hope it hits them where it hurts.
What harsher measures do you think the researcher envisages?
NZ and Australia were (and are) island nations – where it is possible to restrict border crossings – and, indeed, close the border completely – just by refusing permission for planes to land. They are also relatively wealthy countries, with a developed social support system – which supports people being able to survive without work. None of that is true for countries like India, Peru and Kenya – or even the US. Lockdowns are just not practicable or even possible in those socio-geographic environments.
Maybe greater restrictions on freedom of movement, as per China?
The author mentions repeatedly that (remote) island nations have an advantage.
It’s about trade-offs – a pandemic balancing act. Imho, NZ got the balance roughly right – others less so. Analyses will be on-going, much like the pandemic.
Watch this news disappear without trace (or never appear) in legacy media as the history of the pandemic is re-written to make it sound like the NZ response was a disaster and that National were right all along.
A very interesting article indeed. But I don't take the same message that you did.
To me they seem to be saying that this is not a clear-cut cost/benefit analysis – and that there is lots of competing data (including that fact, that absent a time machine, we can't ever exactly evaluate the path-not-taken).
There are costs, other than economic, associated with lockdowns. Which are, in any case, only as effective as the population are willing to tolerate (as we saw in the 2021 Auckland one, and the article discusses in Peru).
Also, subsequent hard lockdowns became increasingly ineffective (how much that is related to lockdown tolerance, and how much to a virus evolving to become more contagious, isn't clear).
The final 2 paras, I agree with unequivocally
From the evidence so far of Russian armaments deficiencies it wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of the nuke delivery systems failed catastrophically, or just exploded in the bunkers. I hope we don’t find out. Already though, the decades of fear and anxiety over the abilities of the Russian Bear has proven to be wasted emotion.
A tad frustrating when Stuff's reporter is clearly more exercised by the name of a criminal gang in the middle of town, than the fact that a criminal gang is openly operating in the middle of town.
The police, an offensive flag, and a new gang chapter's racially charged name | Stuff.co.nz
Is "black" not also "racially charged"?
White Supremist critics baulk at the colour reference.
Gives a lot more support to the political desire to ban gang patches (and symbolism) altogether.
Expect National to make hay by coming out strongly condemning this decision by the Classifications Office.
And, it seems a strange decision. To draw a parallel: You can read a book about the history of the US Civil War which may feature pictures of the Confederate Flag – but choosing to fly one (regardless of your motivation – honouring a family member, for example) is a completely different action.
The decision seems pretty spot on (and rather obvious) to me. How can you argue that a term is inherently offensive, when it's being used affirmatively by those whom it is presumed to demean? The police would have to mount a much better case than, 'Look… everyone in their right mind knows it is offensive, so it just is, OK?', and the attempt to get the flag labelled as an offensive publication looks very much like a desperate sleight of hand to make their job easier.
So everyone in the local town can call them Black Power N****s – and it won't be considered offensive?
Nitrate levels in Canterbury water have reached / exceeded MAV and Councils are having to grapple with what to do about it.
Unfortunately removing nitrates from drinking water isn't easy, or cheap. There's also large amounts of rather toxic byproducts from the process that have to be disposed of, which again isn't easy or cheap. So the numbers get very large very quickly.
The water schemes concerned are smaller, rural, or rural servicing communities so the costs will fall very close to the farms that are source of the nitrates. Going to be very interesting how the discussion develops around who pays some very expensive infrastructure serving some quite small communities, and the ongoing viability of those communities.
Dude's a prick.
Queen's funeral is Monday 19th. A public holiday in the UK and Australia.
I expect it will be one in NZ too, though I'd love to hear Jacinda trolling the Nats by saying "after hearing recent representations from the opposition and business lobbyists, I have accepted their argument that another public holiday at this time would be an unacceptable cost."
Then watch National have civil war between ardent monarchists and capitalists.
Won't happen, but would be fun.
Won't happen because the NZ public would ignore all of the dig-at-National subtext, and just blame Ardern for being mean-spirited.
Labour is perceived (rightly or wrongly) as the party of the republicans. Not a very popular position to occupy today – though in a couple of years things may well be different.
Are they? I think you are inventing stuff there. That's ok, but are you old enough to remember the flag referendum debacle, brought to you by the NZ grifter, one Jong Kee?
I am indeed. Though I don't recall Key ever declaring that the flag referendum was the first move into Republicanism.
Are you old enough to remember Helen Clark ditching the knighthoods – which was a massively unpopular move even within her own party (how many Labour MPs up to and including Mallard, have made it very clear that they want to be called 'Sir' or 'Dame')
And various Labour leaders since, declaring that they are Republicans
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nz-a-republic-not-in-my-lifetime-key-predicts/NUGD4XFKSNNTG6V2JG53RKHQ4U/
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/jacinda-ardern-believes-new-zealand-will-become-a-republic-in-her-lifetime/362XBOZCWKWZMIVGFDMLNF2RZM/
I don't think that there is much doubt that the Labour Party (or at least the leaders) are Republican. However, being also practical politicians, they don't see this as a ditch worth dying in. And the flag referendum showed that poking a stick at this bear isn't worth the trouble.
None have made stronger moves toward republicanism than the National Party with Keys' failed flag referendum, cosmetic only according to some! Key himself is a strong americanophile with delusions of presidency, no matter his murmurings in public.
While Key left young Kiwis' travel and visa access to the UK dying embers in the grate, Jacinda Ardern's government has worked hard to rekindle those important connections. She has made no mention of her government starting a debate on the topic.
Yet it is the Labour Party pushing for Repupirikana o Aotearoa, apparently!
Individual leaders of the Labour party for the last 20 years have made no secret of the fact that they are personally republican – though they recognize that the rest of NZ isn't ready yet to make a change.
I linked to various quoted statements.
Of course, Labour is perceived as a Republican party.
Now, if you can come back with a rebuttal showing that Key, English, Luxon, etc are also Republicans, based on their quotes (rather than some form of mind-reading)…..
And, in any case, based on the rest of your comments, I should have thought that you'd be delighted that Labour are seen as Republicans!
Perceived by who, you? That's projection.
I'll say it again, the only concrete move away from the commonwealth and monarchy was the $26m flag referendum run but the National Party. It is they and ACT who are perceived as republican parties.
Grant Robertson today is considering a day off for mourning, while David Seymour is adamantly opposed.
Still waiting for the links to Republican opinions from the right-wing leaders……
And a link giving a summary of the republican views of NZ political party leaders…. pretty much supporting what I said.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicanism_in_New_Zealand#Labour
I think any projection, here, is coming from you.
Useful link re-enforcing there is no republicanism movement in the Labour Party any more than in the National Party.
Keys thinks it inevitable, Bolger wanted it done by 2001, then in that year a National Party taskforce recommended a referendum be held when the Queen dies. I expect that referendum will happen when if National ever forms a government again.
Former National Party MP Winston Peters wants two referenda on this.
Simple truth is, you have sprayed a reckon here as you are inclined to do. Problem is, it not true and the case made since is flimsy at best.
Still waiting for the links.
I'm sure, given your assertion that the National Party is a hotbed of Republicanism, you'll easily be able to find them…../sarc/
And, really, describing Winston Peters as a 'former National Party MP' – is total desperation. He's far more recently been the Deputy Prime Minister in a Labour/NZF coalition government!
I'm not saying that. I'm pushing back on your claim the Labour Party is a hotbed of Republicanism. You invented this.
Fact is, there is no real push by any party for change…
…except for John Keys flag debacle which was the only active move in that direction.
It’s ok to be wrong.
It is more that the idea of being a republic would be great if only it was really like a monarchy. Without actual professional politicians and the screaming lunatics like Trump involved. I have no particular liking for a monarchy. However I do find having a head of state with mainly moral persuasion and entrusted with the control of reserve legal powers that we want to keep away from politicians like military, police, courts, and the core bureaucracy a very useful fiction.
This has nothing to do with the personalities of whoever holds the Crown. It has a whole lot to do with making the use of crown powers by idiots and egotists in cabinet tenuous. A judge appointed by the crown can and will often put their duty to the crown and the body of law above that to the current minister or even parliament. The military will argue against stupid operations because their obligation is to protecting the crown and its subjects – not the cabinet ministers trying to use the organisation inappropriately.
Of course we do get some blowbacks the other way for instance only the isolation of the police from common sense and the political process could have caused the police in their foolhardy Urewera raids in 2007 – and their facesaving and silly prosecutions subsequently.
On the whole I find the fictions of monarchy preferable to what I have seen of the actual process of republics – most of which were modelled on antique political pretensions that should have died with Rome.
Still no links.
I've stated an opinion. "Labour is perceived (rightly or wrongly) as the party of the republicans." And backed it up with evidence.
You've stated a counter opinion – and refused to provide any links or other evidence. Either that Labour leaders are monarchist, or that National leaders are republican.
I know who's spraying around the reckons, here.
And, in any case, I still don't see why you have your knickers in a twist over this. From your other comments, surely you think it's a good thing that Labour is Republican!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129867823/republicanism-not-on-jacinda-arderns-agenda–even-if-its-inevitable
What Ardern could do is say:
",,, despite representation by the Opposition that another public holiday is unacceptable, we have decided that it is appropriate to mark the death of a much loved Queen Elizabeth II and the inauguration of King Charles III with a public holiday…"
Lets face it if the boot was on the other foot, that is exactly the kind of misrepresentation we could expect from the Nats. 😉
Bees are psychopomps (ψυχοπομπός, the guide of souls) so they're in the loop.
Bees also are a co evolutionary activator,flowering plants have evolved to match the Bee colour vision,what a bland display would there be for Hatch's ,Match's, and Dispatches if they had not.
Michael Laws has been called out by Guy Hatchard to debate on 'excess all-cause deaths' in NZ. Laws has basically called Hatchard a nutter. I doubt Laws will debate. He knows he'd lose his cool quickly as evidenced when he debated Joe Karam. Laws had Karam bundled up against the studio wall at one stage while pointing his finger and talking into Karam's face.
https://dailytelegraph.co.nz/news/guy-hatchard-what-should-matter-in-journalism/
'Laws had Karam bundled up against the studio wall at one stage while pointing his finger and talking into Karam's face.'
Amazing, aggressive ex AB….'stood over' by wimp who used to get beaten up by…his missus!
Yep, can't find the image I wanted, but this is close. I think Karam is crying. As to Law's ex, she was a body builder. She would have bitch whipped you with one hand behind her back.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4000666/Laws-and-Karam-lock-horns-over-Bain-killings
Don't know why this came up today, but this series of tweets about people protesting Trump is superb 😂
"The country's water services could be privately managed under the Three Waters shake-up despite the Government's commitment against privatisation.
The reforms would allow services to be contracted out – a practice critics describe as "de facto privatisation".
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018858368/three-waters-shake-up-could-still-see-water-privately-managed