It could have been better, though. It didn't even mention what effects a price on carbon would have in its cost comparisons, nor did it even mention the possibilities of completely changing some industrial processes such as electrolytic steelmaking or electrochemical cement production.
"until the product is actually built and tested at commercial scale, it’s too early to say how well or affordably it will really work. "
Electrochemical Cement ?
"‘A modern cement plant typically produces 10,000 tonnes of cement per day – it is very difficult to imagine this scale of production by electrolysis.’
There would be telephone books ( remember them) worth of research papers produced that dont go any further than saying , yes we can do it when we make 0.5kg in the lab
Just about every part of modern society had its origins in small scale lab experiments. The stuff that got commercialised on a massive scale was where there was a big commercial incentive to do so.
In the case of cement or steel, that commercial incentive will come from a carbon price or heavy-handed government restriction on burning fossil fuels. But right now, when fossil fuel burners get to dump their hazardous waste in the atmosphere for free and the rest of the world has to deal with the damage it causes, there's no commercial incentive to further develop alternatives.
John Key's 'you'll just have to wait and see'..regarding who bought his Parnell hacienda,leaves me to believe( as no title transfer of sale has occurred )that maybe the buyer is a foreigner and not eligible under new laws.
If that is the case ,I'm sure some creative solution will be found.
And the buyer is…………. Christopher Luxon when he parachutes into the electorate after selection. The much photographed pool will provide quite a media splash.
i was surprised to see paul cited here..but part of his and his fathers' politics is pulling american troops out of whatever…so despite his other r/w beliefs there is some consistancy there..
the takeaway/surprise for me was the small number of troops involved (50-100..)
so the significant aspect of this isn't so much the troop withdrawal itself..
but the conversation trump had with erdogan..where we are told he basically handed over the isis-problem to erdogan..
giving him the green light to do whatever..
something else to consider is that turkey currently has three and a half million refugees from this conflict in their country..
and turkey won’t want to ‘exterminate’ the kurds – historically the kurds have been a buffer-zone between turkey and the middle-east..
and in different times/wars the kurds have fought alongside the turks..
so i am guessing erdogan wants control back of that area – so he can send back the kurds he has not ‘exterminated’ – who are in turkey as refugees..
these fings are often quite nuanced..
(and i see allen delivered an ill-thought-out/simplistic-sneer – it must be a day ending in a 'y'..)
There's never anything Ill thought out from me, Philip, though cant argue with simplistic – One has to play to the level of the audience after all just like last night, when you were shepherded into ducking a simple question.
Still, it is odd how some left wingers choose to quote or cite rabid righties in order to attack others on the left. Thats a very confused position for sure.
Nothing in the posts I made above, about a presumed lefty attacking the falsely alleged "pro war left" by way off a right wing tea party has changed with your comment.
When you two have finished patting each other on the back maybe you could drop the infantile attempts to wind up another commenter here? Yes? It is getting bloody tedious to have to listen to same old broken record time after time. If you cannot take a joke, maybe you take a hint? Yes?
Not moderated, not told off, not warned nor banned.
Im guessing it's because I know how to play this better than you, Philip. I don't need to insult you to shred your arguments, and I don't have to worry about getting booted when I do so. It's the best of both worlds.
Andre, Philip has this thing he copied from Marty years ago, where he can't bring himself to use my chosen login when addressing me, and he's done it for so long, if he ever changed it would be viewed as a sign of defeat. It's like a wee willy wave on permanent Viagra. Lol
Its only him and the greywarshark, the Nelson nibbler who do it today, and as much as every time I see it its like a +1 to my score before I've even started, it's all a bit silly seeing as my name is Dan
It really didn't, but it's one of those things if you deny, people will claim the opposite. I still see it as admitting defeat up front, and I'm glad you at least managed to get over it and a hold of your sh1t, 'cause it don't half make these clowns look broken up when they do it.
That would be because you haven't done your homework on Putin. No-one on the Left who wants to talk about peace can do so while blindly following the totalitarian responsible for the Chechen genocide. Exchanging US hegemony for kleptocrat hegemony is not a victory, though it may take the Putin hero worshippers thirty years to work that out.
And when exactly have I said or done anything like that, that would give you that idea?
Actually, why don't you go and find one comment on the Standard or anywhere on the net for that matter, (I use my real name) where I have shown myself to be a " Putin hero worshipper"….I can tell you right now you won't, so that leaves me with only one thing to say the the likes of you……flick you,melonfarmer.
Look you fool, just becuase someone dosn't buy into the ridiculous Russiagate conspiracy/smokescreen, does not mean they have any love for Putin…your problem is that you and many like you seem to instantly assume that any enemy of Trump is all of a sudden a friend of your's ..wrong..very very wrong.
Holy shit you people are so gullible you even believe that the FBI and CIA are suddenly on your side now…FFS I have even seen your Trump/Russia hating loonies in the Liberal press now giving Bolton a free pass as long as he is attacking Trump…Bolton, yes I said Bolton..that's how far down the rabbit hole you guys (and girls) have gone…yet you lot won't or can't even seem to see that?
But I can guarantee you one thing for sure, that the people who will be looking back on this whole sad episode in the future in embarrassment and shame at the so called 'friends' they touted, qouted and defended won't be me or Bill or morrissey or Shiobhan, phillip ure, francesca etc, no it will be you and your super gullible friends..but now that I think about it you probably won't be embarrassed or ashamed at the damage you are doing to the Left, or yourself for that matter..and it's a shame.(but I really do hope that one day at least some of you will wake up and come back to the light)..good night.
You ignore the plain evidence in front of you for specious reasons.
It's fools like you that render the west vulnerable in this new cold war.
And then you have the incredible arrogance to pretend to be Left. The 'old reds' who naively supported Stalin were both more sincere and more realistic than you.
Putin is Right, authoritarian, corrupt, invades, and slaughters journalists. You cannot square that with pretentions to Left or progressive values.
I am ashamed of you, and when you grow up, you will be ashamed of yourself.
Man you are really one paranoid individual, they really got you good pal…like some sort of crazy old demented cold war warrior..well your old sexually perverted boss Hoover would be proud of you…
There is nothing anti-war about enabling an attack by Turkey on the SDF (who only resisted IS a secret Turkish ally) and displacing Kurds from their homes in northern Syria.
Paul is a conservative republican, wants low taxes, reductions in spending, anti abortion, doesn't support lgbti rights and detests socialism, social democracy and the left.
If you want to champion him and his opinions, go right ahead.
I have read of RP described as Neo lib, but besides you predictably nit picking over a label, isn't anyone to the right of Sanders supposed to be a neo lib anyway?
Uhh, scandinavian countries are social democracies, not democratic socialists. Those scandies are still firmly based on capitalism, ie private ownership of the means of production, rather than the socialist principle of collective ownership of the means of production.
"But the constitution committee is Putin’s brainchild and he will not wish to see it threatened by fighting in north-east Syria. Instead he will see if the Turkish invasion is a chance to engineer an unlikely reconciliation between the Kurds and the Syrian regime.
Some Syrian Kurds, watching the accumulating signs that Trump would leave them in the lurch, have argued that their future security lies in coming to some form of reconciliation with Damascus based on a federal Syria. The commander of the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazlum Kobane, said in the past week: “We are considering a partnership with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, with the aim of fighting Turkish forces.”
Gee, the presence of American military personnel in the area was the one thing actually preventing war in that specific area. As evidenced by how quickly war started up after it was made clear they wouldn't actually do anything to protect a vulnerable minority people if they were attacked. How could the self-styled "anti-war" delusionals have missed that little nuance?
As for Rand Paul, he's not anti-war. His bag is that the rich and powerful get to do what they want, and they richer and more powerful someone is, the more they get to do whatever the fuck pleases them. So if an authoritarian dictator, the epitome of unrestrained wealth and power, gets a hankering for a bit of genocide, all good as far as Rand Paul is concerned. The idea that the US should feel any need to act on any kind of moral consideration such as the UN “responsibility to protect” doctrine, is abhorrent to him, but the idea that there might be some actual cost to him in the way of taxes to pay for that protection of a vulnerable people is absolute anathema.
Yeah, I s'pose you could see it that way. If you're an enthusiast of authoritarian dictators fucking over the ordinary people that have the misfortune to be within that dictator's area of influence, that is.
Here we go Andre , see what your heroes did in Iraq…for the very best of reasons of course protecting Kuwait and ridding the world of a dictator in 2003
Your claim was about Serbia. How about backing up your actual claim, instead of diverting.
None of the lies used to try to justify the Iraq war even tried to invoke responsibility to protect. They couldn't have, both Iraq wars predate the adoption of the responsibility to protect doctrine. In any case, the motivation for military action in Iraq (both times) was punitive and/or control of oil, unlike the Balkans which was about protecting civilian populations.
When it comes to depleted uranium munitions, the only number I've seen comes from RT which says 10 to 15 tons of depleted uranium munitions were used in total. There's probably more uranium than that spread around very finely every year in fertiliser.
Whereas in the two Iraq wars, thousands of tons of DU munitions were used, including in civilian areas. So while there are indeed recognised harmful effects attributed to DU munitions among US military and Iraqis from both Iraq wars, they also experienced massively higher exposure.
Incidentally Francesca is not offering a diversion but information which you may well take advantage of since you are only able to offer your 'reckons' on the subject which of course hold no weight.
Is this what you'd describe as 'protecting civilian populations'?
"Three days after NATO began its war, workers and management issued an open letter which was sent to trade unions abroad and U.S. President Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and other Western leaders. "We, the employees of Zastava and freedom-loving Kragujevac, made a live shield," the statement proclaimed. "Even at the shift end, even at the alarm sound, the Zastava workers did not leave their workshops, but remained to protect with their bodies what provides for their families' living, that in which they have built in years-long honest work in order to provide for their better future."
Shortly after 1:00 AM on April 9, NATO responded to the workers' letter by sending a volley of cruise missile flying into Kragujevac."
Y'know, the internet is full of sites and people making all kinds of weird and wonderful claims. I really can't be arsed checking out everything put up by someone who in all seriousness linked that Wayne Madsen piece above. Particularly since a brief search on Gregory Elich and SOTT gives me no confidence that either is in any way reliable or factual.
1: Turkey would be reluctant to kill US soldiers, even by accident, so yes their presence was indeed a political barrier to Turkey's operation;
2: 50 soldiers can talk to aircraft that are carrying a shitload of explosives overhead, so can be a very practical obstacle to turkey's operation. Refer to afghanistan, 2001, for further information.
Also; francesca, are you suggesting Serbia has an elevated cancer rate as a result of the military activities there? Or are you just throwing out a couple of unrelated dots and hoping readers make the connection?
If it's the first, linky-link please? Coz I googled "depleted uranium serbia cancer" and got screeds of the usual nonsense from the usual kook and crank sites.
Googling "serbia cancer rates" brought up sites like this one with actual data. Serbia's cancer rate was steadily increasing from 1991 to about 2009, when it levelled off and has started to slightly decrease. There was no apparent change in the trend in 1999 or the few years thereafter. Any assertion the 1999 war has increased cancer in Serbia appears unsupported by actual data.
Also notable is that Serbia is #25 on wikipedia's list of countries by cancer frequency with 269.7 new cases of cancer per year per 100,000 population. That's well below other nations such as NZ (295), US (318), Denmark (338) etc.
Your AP link relates to 1992 and 1993. That doesn't back up your claims about 1999. Nor do the outcomes of sanctions have anything to do with the outcomes of military activities motivated by the responsibility to protect doctrine. Which had its origins the Rwanda genocide of 1994.
Did you read your politico link? It's about efforts to reduce the corruption and cronyism that sadly still plague Kosovo. To try to give ordinary Kosovars some improvements in their lives. I expect any US contribution to those efforts has come to a halt under Generalissimo Bonespurs, making it more likely some nasty authoritarian dictator has a better chance to take over and fuck over ordinary Kosovars. Is that the outcome that would please you, francesca?
Interesting to hear on radio so many foreign voices talking about what is good for NZ and our democracy. It may just be that we should welcome them, which I hadn't done wholeheartedly before. At least they have a wish to preserve some things that they like about NZ and try and save them, which is not the uniform attitude of all actual NZ-born citizens.
This morning on RadioNZ there was a discussion about slow voting in Auckland, hard to motivate the citizens apparently. I wonder if they find that they are so anonymous in the Supershitty and so brassed off with its workings, that they don't feel part of anything that is involved and concerned with them in the great Auckland city. Perhaps they should start a petition to correct the spelling to Orcland or Awkland .
If you haven't voted in your local elections yet – you had better be quick. Voting closes at midday on Saturday, but councils are urging people to act now. Marguerite Delbet, the General Manager Democracy Services at Auckland Council, spoke with Gyles Beckford.
It could be true that the anonymous citizens don't feel part of anything that is involved and concerned with them in the great Auckland city.
It's pretty certain though that when something doesn't suit them 100% they'll be 100% interested. And moan and grizzle that others who they think should 100% feel part of everything that is involved and concerned with the great Auckland city set things up for them or sort out their grievance. 100%.
Looks awesome this one – hope lots of youth go to hear from other, older, activists who created change and fought injustice. Just met a teacher of mine from High School, at a funeral of a classmate – she still remembers my anti tour graffiti around our small town. Proud moment for me to be part of that fight.
Victoria University of Wellington is bringing together leading figures from the Halt All Racist Tours (HART) movement to mark the 50th anniversary of its formation and the pivotal place in New Zealand history of its two-decade campaign against sporting ties with apartheid-era South Africa.
HART at 50: The Power of Protest
Auditorium
National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga.
70 Molesworth Street
Wellington
9.30am–1.30pm Saturday 12 October
Admission: $10 in cash at the door
Register at: https://bit.ly/2ZkynoN
Have been thinking about this, because of the challenges laid down by Māori to Extinction Rebellion and trying to remember how Pākehā responded to Māori leadership with the anti-Tour organising and mahi.
I was there too (didn't think to graffiti though, damn) but a teen so don't have a good direct sense of what worked and what didn't. It was a watershed time for NZ in terms of confronting our own racism, hugely influential on my politics. I wish I could remember the details better.
The Guardian today reveals the 20 fossil fuel companies whose relentless exploitation of the world’s oil, gas and coal reserves can be directly linked to more than one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the modern era.
New data from world-renowned researchers reveals how this cohort of state-owned and multinational firms are driving the climate emergency that threatens the future of humanity, and details how they have continued to expand their operations despite being aware of the industry’s devastating impact on the planet.
The new head of AirNZ head of Walmart? The gun sale Walmart? The mass shooting Walmart? Oddly enough the puff pieces haven’t mentioned that.. did I read Key bigged him up?
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 ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
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Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
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TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
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Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
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See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
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Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 19 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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For those with a technical/engineering bent, here's a good piece from Vox about the climate problem from industrial process heat.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/10/10/20904213/climate-change-steel-cement-industrial-heat-hydrogen-ccs
It could have been better, though. It didn't even mention what effects a price on carbon would have in its cost comparisons, nor did it even mention the possibilities of completely changing some industrial processes such as electrolytic steelmaking or electrochemical cement production.
Electrolytic Steel ?
"until the product is actually built and tested at commercial scale, it’s too early to say how well or affordably it will really work. "
Electrochemical Cement ?
"‘A modern cement plant typically produces 10,000 tonnes of cement per day – it is very difficult to imagine this scale of production by electrolysis.’
There would be telephone books ( remember them) worth of research papers produced that dont go any further than saying , yes we can do it when we make 0.5kg in the lab
Just about every part of modern society had its origins in small scale lab experiments. The stuff that got commercialised on a massive scale was where there was a big commercial incentive to do so.
In the case of cement or steel, that commercial incentive will come from a carbon price or heavy-handed government restriction on burning fossil fuels. But right now, when fossil fuel burners get to dump their hazardous waste in the atmosphere for free and the rest of the world has to deal with the damage it causes, there's no commercial incentive to further develop alternatives.
John Key's 'you'll just have to wait and see'..regarding who bought his Parnell hacienda,leaves me to believe( as no title transfer of sale has occurred )that maybe the buyer is a foreigner and not eligible under new laws.
If that is the case ,I'm sure some creative solution will be found.
Wouldn't you say it could be another cosy related party like the buyer of his beach house? Who else owes him a favour for services rendered?
And the buyer is…………. Christopher Luxon when he parachutes into the electorate after selection. The much photographed pool will provide quite a media splash.
Thats because Keys house was originally in a Family Trusts name. he and his family are the beneficiaries.
Whats happened is the Trust still exists but has new beneficiaries which arent listed on the title, just the Trustees
Sen. Paul neatly skewers the pro-war left over Syria pullout.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/rand-paul-compares-trump-syria-withdrawal-to-reagans-beirut-pullout
Using a hard right republican tea bagger to justify the extermination of the Kurdish people. How very left wing of you.
i was surprised to see paul cited here..but part of his and his fathers' politics is pulling american troops out of whatever…so despite his other r/w beliefs there is some consistancy there..
the takeaway/surprise for me was the small number of troops involved (50-100..)
so the significant aspect of this isn't so much the troop withdrawal itself..
but the conversation trump had with erdogan..where we are told he basically handed over the isis-problem to erdogan..
giving him the green light to do whatever..
something else to consider is that turkey currently has three and a half million refugees from this conflict in their country..
and turkey won’t want to ‘exterminate’ the kurds – historically the kurds have been a buffer-zone between turkey and the middle-east..
and in different times/wars the kurds have fought alongside the turks..
so i am guessing erdogan wants control back of that area – so he can send back the kurds he has not ‘exterminated’ – who are in turkey as refugees..
these fings are often quite nuanced..
(and i see allen delivered an ill-thought-out/simplistic-sneer – it must be a day ending in a 'y'..)
There's never anything Ill thought out from me, Philip, though cant argue with simplistic – One has to play to the level of the audience after all just like last night, when you were shepherded into ducking a simple question.
Still, it is odd how some left wingers choose to quote or cite rabid righties in order to attack others on the left. Thats a very confused position for sure.
maybe some people are actually seeking illumination..
preferring that over doctrinaire-posturing..?
@ Al1en " There's never anything Ill thought out from me, "..thanks for that I needed that little mid morning chuckle.
I would have thought an anti-war stance is one of the few areas where libertarianism coaligns with true leftist position
Disagreements aplenty in other areas
Your kind of simplistic tribal thinking does no one any good
Nothing in the posts I made above, about a presumed lefty attacking the falsely alleged "pro war left" by way off a right wing tea party has changed with your comment.
no surprises there…
allen puts the 'id' in '- – – -id'..
Your ad homs are getting worse, Phil. Up your game, if you can..
I can't get an ad hom out of – – – – id – is it 3 or 4 letters before the id? I thought 3 and vap id would be a tidy double hitter
close..!..but no chocolate-fish..
i was working with four letters..
When you two have finished patting each other on the back maybe you could drop the infantile attempts to wind up another commenter here? Yes? It is getting bloody tedious to have to listen to same old broken record time after time. If you cannot take a joke, maybe you take a hint? Yes?
heh..!
how in earth is 'pitting the 'id' in '- – – – id'.. an ad hom..?
what am i saying there..?
i cd also note that since my return here – allen has been this malevolent shadow – responding to anything i said with 'ad homs'…
and/but nary a murmer from you on that..eh..?
to the extent i had to police him/her by telling him/her i wd not respond to ad homs..
and 'if you can'..eh..?
a bit of putting the old 'id' in '- – id -' there..eh..?
heh..!
Thanks for proving id..
Not moderated, not told off, not warned nor banned.
Im guessing it's because I know how to play this better than you, Philip. I don't need to insult you to shred your arguments, and I don't have to worry about getting booted when I do so. It's the best of both worlds.
@ incognito..
are you doing yr punning thing again..?
some people asked me to ask you to 'please just stop it'..
(they seemed quite distressed by the/yr practice..)
Get your id under control and get over your issues with The Al1en.
If you can (asking for a friend)?
Happy to leave you to it .. then..!..
Who is this "allen" you're trying to insult?
'who'?..indeed…!
i have asked myself that question..
Andre, Philip has this thing he copied from Marty years ago, where he can't bring himself to use my chosen login when addressing me, and he's done it for so long, if he ever changed it would be viewed as a sign of defeat. It's like a wee willy wave on permanent Viagra. Lol
Its only him and the greywarshark, the Nelson nibbler who do it today, and as much as every time I see it its like a +1 to my score before I've even started, it's all a bit silly seeing as my name is Dan
I thought it was quite genius at the time because it upset you so much – lol those were the days…
It really didn't, but it's one of those things if you deny, people will claim the opposite. I still see it as admitting defeat up front, and I'm glad you at least managed to get over it and a hold of your sh1t, 'cause it don't half make these clowns look broken up when they do it.
yes we moved on which was nice
Yep. Still got a pint with your name on it when I switch islands.
Yep looking forward to it
Oddly enough, the Kurds are not experiencing the Turkish invasion as an antiwar moment.
agreed..and great to see such concern..
but it pays not to forget that since obama america has been droning/bombing/shelling/killing this whole region..
in their latest proxy war..
why do you think those 3.5 million refugees are in turkey..?
for the weather..?
so i do find yr concerns to be somewhat selective..
That would be because you haven't done your homework on Putin. No-one on the Left who wants to talk about peace can do so while blindly following the totalitarian responsible for the Chechen genocide. Exchanging US hegemony for kleptocrat hegemony is not a victory, though it may take the Putin hero worshippers thirty years to work that out.
who are these 'putin-worshippers' of whom you speak..?
are you speaking to me..?..munro-man..?
Nope – I'm not certain of your stance.
Yeah exactly Mr Munro, "who are these 'putin-worshippers' of whom you speak..?", how about you point them out for us?
You for one, tragically.
@ Stuart Munro.
And when exactly have I said or done anything like that, that would give you that idea?
Actually, why don't you go and find one comment on the Standard or anywhere on the net for that matter, (I use my real name) where I have shown myself to be a " Putin hero worshipper"….I can tell you right now you won't, so that leaves me with only one thing to say the the likes of you……flick you,melonfarmer.
"Let Lynn know what?, that his site is full of aggressive Russiagate conspiratory theorists I hope…"
Yesterday.
There is ample evidence on the record of the Russia/Trump connection, but you won't entertain it for some reason.
Look you fool, just becuase someone dosn't buy into the ridiculous Russiagate conspiracy/smokescreen, does not mean they have any love for Putin…your problem is that you and many like you seem to instantly assume that any enemy of Trump is all of a sudden a friend of your's ..wrong..very very wrong.
Holy shit you people are so gullible you even believe that the FBI and CIA are suddenly on your side now…FFS I have even seen your Trump/Russia hating loonies in the Liberal press now giving Bolton a free pass as long as he is attacking Trump…Bolton, yes I said Bolton..that's how far down the rabbit hole you guys (and girls) have gone…yet you lot won't or can't even seem to see that?
But I can guarantee you one thing for sure, that the people who will be looking back on this whole sad episode in the future in embarrassment and shame at the so called 'friends' they touted, qouted and defended won't be me or Bill or morrissey or Shiobhan, phillip ure, francesca etc, no it will be you and your super gullible friends..but now that I think about it you probably won't be embarrassed or ashamed at the damage you are doing to the Left, or yourself for that matter..and it's a shame.(but I really do hope that one day at least some of you will wake up and come back to the light)..good night.
You ignore the plain evidence in front of you for specious reasons.
It's fools like you that render the west vulnerable in this new cold war.
And then you have the incredible arrogance to pretend to be Left. The 'old reds' who naively supported Stalin were both more sincere and more realistic than you.
Putin is Right, authoritarian, corrupt, invades, and slaughters journalists. You cannot square that with pretentions to Left or progressive values.
I am ashamed of you, and when you grow up, you will be ashamed of yourself.
Man you are really one paranoid individual, they really got you good pal…like some sort of crazy old demented cold war warrior..well your old sexually perverted boss Hoover would be proud of you…
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/19/article-2063491-0EDBBFF300000578-188_306x423.jpg
There is nothing anti-war about enabling an attack by Turkey on the SDF (who only resisted IS a secret Turkish ally) and displacing Kurds from their homes in northern Syria.
There are no Kurds in Turkey as refugees.
But there will be in Syria when Turkey occupies northen Syria and displaces the Kurds living there.
You'll be stoked that Meghan McCain agrees with you then Allen…
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/465227-meghan-mccain-rips-trump-rand-paul-blood-on-their-hands-while-kurds-are
Probably not near as much you are having the arche duke of neoliberalism to make your attack on lefties for you.
slight ideological-labelling correction here –
like his father before him – paul is a libertariam..not a neoliberal..
So Clark is definitely a neo lib but you're wanting to get picky over what to label a full on conservative tea bagger? Lol
what exactly don't you get about 'libertarian'..?
and yes..clark is/was a neoliberal-incrementalist..
she came from a tory family – and despite having the labour party as her vehicle to power..didn’t stray far from those roots..
her record in office underlines/confirms that..
what don't you get about that..?
and clark is in part the cause of any reticence i have about warren..in that she also comes from a ‘tory’ background – the republican party..
prob-ly just unfounded paranoia on my part..but still a niggle..
Paul is a conservative republican, wants low taxes, reductions in spending, anti abortion, doesn't support lgbti rights and detests socialism, social democracy and the left.
If you want to champion him and his opinions, go right ahead.
I have read of RP described as Neo lib, but besides you predictably nit picking over a label, isn't anyone to the right of Sanders supposed to be a neo lib anyway?
As for your concerns about Warren- Are these new?
paul self-describes as a libertarian-consevative..
which is very different from neoliberal – that wd be like equating paul with h. clark..silly..!
scandanavian countries are democratic-socialist – higher taxes – strong social support..
clark/nz – aust – britain (where the poorest are left to rot..) are neoliberal..
we here in nz need to move from neoliberal into democratic-socialist..
(hope that helps clarify that for you..)
Uhh, scandinavian countries are social democracies, not democratic socialists. Those scandies are still firmly based on capitalism, ie private ownership of the means of production, rather than the socialist principle of collective ownership of the means of production.
Here's an explainer for you:
https://jacobinmag.com/2018/08/democratic-socialism-social-democracy-nordic-countries
Heh, 'I thought we were the popular people's front of Judea'…
they are utter bastards – the popular peoples' front of judea…
The US is not "exterminating the Kurdish people". If one must put blame somewhere, then blame Turkey.
Thanks to Trump abandoning them to their fate, sure.
They have options
"But the constitution committee is Putin’s brainchild and he will not wish to see it threatened by fighting in north-east Syria. Instead he will see if the Turkish invasion is a chance to engineer an unlikely reconciliation between the Kurds and the Syrian regime.
Some Syrian Kurds, watching the accumulating signs that Trump would leave them in the lurch, have argued that their future security lies in coming to some form of reconciliation with Damascus based on a federal Syria. The commander of the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazlum Kobane, said in the past week: “We are considering a partnership with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, with the aim of fighting Turkish forces.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/10/russia-and-iran-reaction-to-syria-assault-likely-to-most-concern-erdogan-turkey
Sophies choice due to the u.s ditching the kurds
Gee, the presence of American military personnel in the area was the one thing actually preventing war in that specific area. As evidenced by how quickly war started up after it was made clear they wouldn't actually do anything to protect a vulnerable minority people if they were attacked. How could the self-styled "anti-war" delusionals have missed that little nuance?
As for Rand Paul, he's not anti-war. His bag is that the rich and powerful get to do what they want, and they richer and more powerful someone is, the more they get to do whatever the fuck pleases them. So if an authoritarian dictator, the epitome of unrestrained wealth and power, gets a hankering for a bit of genocide, all good as far as Rand Paul is concerned. The idea that the US should feel any need to act on any kind of moral consideration such as the UN “responsibility to protect” doctrine, is abhorrent to him, but the idea that there might be some actual cost to him in the way of taxes to pay for that protection of a vulnerable people is absolute anathema.
Goodness me those yankee soldiers really are titans eh?
50 of them kept the slavering masses at bay
And as for "the reponsibility to protect goes"I have yet to see a situation that was improved by sending in the troops
The Gadaffi exercise was later found to be a total fraud by the UK parliamentary committee that provided a report on the Libya intervention
Depleted uranium was used in the bombing of Serbia that went on for 78 days non stop
The incidence of cancer is the highest in Europe. Real humanitarian stuff there.
Yeah, I s'pose you could see it that way. If you're an enthusiast of authoritarian dictators fucking over the ordinary people that have the misfortune to be within that dictator's area of influence, that is.
Here we go Andre , see what your heroes did in Iraq…for the very best of reasons of course protecting Kuwait and ridding the world of a dictator in 2003
The Iraqis have thrived under US good intentions?
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/03/2013315171951838638.html
fancy birth defects more than cancer
https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestoryamericas/2012/08/2012815458859755.html
R2P is nothing but a crock, a fig leaf for death and destruction and regime change.
You good old boys sure love the military
Your claim was about Serbia. How about backing up your actual claim, instead of diverting.
None of the lies used to try to justify the Iraq war even tried to invoke responsibility to protect. They couldn't have, both Iraq wars predate the adoption of the responsibility to protect doctrine. In any case, the motivation for military action in Iraq (both times) was punitive and/or control of oil, unlike the Balkans which was about protecting civilian populations.
When it comes to depleted uranium munitions, the only number I've seen comes from RT which says 10 to 15 tons of depleted uranium munitions were used in total. There's probably more uranium than that spread around very finely every year in fertiliser.
Whereas in the two Iraq wars, thousands of tons of DU munitions were used, including in civilian areas. So while there are indeed recognised harmful effects attributed to DU munitions among US military and Iraqis from both Iraq wars, they also experienced massively higher exposure.
Nice diversions, though.
" unlike the Balkans which was about protecting civilian populations."
Like hell it was.
Read this ffs Andre
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/08/17/destruction-yugoslavia-template-for-america-future-policy/
Incidentally Francesca is not offering a diversion but information which you may well take advantage of since you are only able to offer your 'reckons' on the subject which of course hold no weight.
Wayne Madsen, huh? Yet another one of the Alex Jones freak show cast?
All sorts of ..ahem … interesting stuff pops up when you google those two together.
edit: and that site he’s publishing on?
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/strategic-culture-foundation/
Is this what you'd describe as 'protecting civilian populations'?
"Three days after NATO began its war, workers and management issued an open letter which was sent to trade unions abroad and U.S. President Clinton, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and other Western leaders. "We, the employees of Zastava and freedom-loving Kragujevac, made a live shield," the statement proclaimed. "Even at the shift end, even at the alarm sound, the Zastava workers did not leave their workshops, but remained to protect with their bodies what provides for their families' living, that in which they have built in years-long honest work in order to provide for their better future."
Shortly after 1:00 AM on April 9, NATO responded to the workers' letter by sending a volley of cruise missile flying into Kragujevac."
https://www.sott.net/article/295315-Shameless-How-NATO-stole-Yugoslavias-prosperity-targeting-state-owned-and-worker-cooperative-factories
Y'know, the internet is full of sites and people making all kinds of weird and wonderful claims. I really can't be arsed checking out everything put up by someone who in all seriousness linked that Wayne Madsen piece above. Particularly since a brief search on Gregory Elich and SOTT gives me no confidence that either is in any way reliable or factual.
1: Turkey would be reluctant to kill US soldiers, even by accident, so yes their presence was indeed a political barrier to Turkey's operation;
2: 50 soldiers can talk to aircraft that are carrying a shitload of explosives overhead, so can be a very practical obstacle to turkey's operation. Refer to afghanistan, 2001, for further information.
3: what Andre said
Also; francesca, are you suggesting Serbia has an elevated cancer rate as a result of the military activities there? Or are you just throwing out a couple of unrelated dots and hoping readers make the connection?
If it's the first, linky-link please? Coz I googled "depleted uranium serbia cancer" and got screeds of the usual nonsense from the usual kook and crank sites.
Googling "serbia cancer rates" brought up sites like this one with actual data. Serbia's cancer rate was steadily increasing from 1991 to about 2009, when it levelled off and has started to slightly decrease. There was no apparent change in the trend in 1999 or the few years thereafter. Any assertion the 1999 war has increased cancer in Serbia appears unsupported by actual data.
Also notable is that Serbia is #25 on wikipedia's list of countries by cancer frequency with 269.7 new cases of cancer per year per 100,000 population. That's well below other nations such as NZ (295), US (318), Denmark (338) etc.
Here's some more of your good old fashioned humanitarianism,
https://apnews.com/c2de89e6e9b0c09320a67cbfdfabbf1e
All to wrench those democracy loving Kosovars from Serbia
https://www.politico.eu/article/kosovo-hashim-thaci-un-special-court-tribunal-organ-trafficking-kla-serbia-milosevic-serbia-ramush/
Your AP link relates to 1992 and 1993. That doesn't back up your claims about 1999. Nor do the outcomes of sanctions have anything to do with the outcomes of military activities motivated by the responsibility to protect doctrine. Which had its origins the Rwanda genocide of 1994.
Did you read your politico link? It's about efforts to reduce the corruption and cronyism that sadly still plague Kosovo. To try to give ordinary Kosovars some improvements in their lives. I expect any US contribution to those efforts has come to a halt under Generalissimo Bonespurs, making it more likely some nasty authoritarian dictator has a better chance to take over and fuck over ordinary Kosovars. Is that the outcome that would please you, francesca?
Nice diversions, though.
All of those wars were started on the principle/pretense of necessary intervention
None of them had benign effects
Killing other people is a solution that never turns out very good. Regardless of the reason to take aim.
Interesting to hear on radio so many foreign voices talking about what is good for NZ and our democracy. It may just be that we should welcome them, which I hadn't done wholeheartedly before. At least they have a wish to preserve some things that they like about NZ and try and save them, which is not the uniform attitude of all actual NZ-born citizens.
This morning on RadioNZ there was a discussion about slow voting in Auckland, hard to motivate the citizens apparently. I wonder if they find that they are so anonymous in the Supershitty and so brassed off with its workings, that they don't feel part of anything that is involved and concerned with them in the great Auckland city. Perhaps they should start a petition to correct the spelling to Orcland or Awkland .
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018717214/councils-stress-still-time-to-vote
politics Councils stress still time to vote
From Morning Report, 8:16 am today Listen duration 3′ :00″
If you haven't voted in your local elections yet – you had better be quick. Voting closes at midday on Saturday, but councils are urging people to act now. Marguerite Delbet, the General Manager Democracy Services at Auckland Council, spoke with Gyles Beckford.
It could be true that the anonymous citizens don't feel part of anything that is involved and concerned with them in the great Auckland city.
It's pretty certain though that when something doesn't suit them 100% they'll be 100% interested. And moan and grizzle that others who they think should 100% feel part of everything that is involved and concerned with the great Auckland city set things up for them or sort out their grievance. 100%.
To reinforce my so-called rant of yesterday, this poor man didnt give up and has my admiration, this article from RNZ this morning confirms this
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018717226/hdc-complainant-accuses-watchdog-of-bias-incompetence2
Looks awesome this one – hope lots of youth go to hear from other, older, activists who created change and fought injustice. Just met a teacher of mine from High School, at a funeral of a classmate – she still remembers my anti tour graffiti around our small town. Proud moment for me to be part of that fight.
Hattip – Sue on fbook
i hope they are inviting extinction rebellion to be honoured guests..?
😎
Have been thinking about this, because of the challenges laid down by Māori to Extinction Rebellion and trying to remember how Pākehā responded to Māori leadership with the anti-Tour organising and mahi.
I was there too (didn't think to graffiti though, damn) but a teen so don't have a good direct sense of what worked and what didn't. It was a watershed time for NZ in terms of confronting our own racism, hugely influential on my politics. I wish I could remember the details better.
Our friends, the enemy
seize their assets – nationalise the bastards – close them down..
let each nation nationalise the branchs/whatever in their countries..
The new head of AirNZ head of Walmart? The gun sale Walmart? The mass shooting Walmart? Oddly enough the puff pieces haven’t mentioned that.. did I read Key bigged him up?
Yep, the very same Wal-Mart, who even by US standards is regarded as an arsehole employer.
Air NZ employees be very afraid