Open mike 11/10/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, October 11th, 2019 - 87 comments
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87 comments on “Open mike 11/10/2019 ”

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  1. Andre 1
    11 October 2019 at 7:42 am

    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.

    • Dukeofurl 1.1
      11 October 2019 at 4:05 pm

      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

      • Andre 1.1.1
        11 October 2019 at 4:13 pm

        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.

  2. Blazer 2
    11 October 2019 at 9:14 am

    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.

    • Sacha 2.1
      11 October 2019 at 9:16 am

      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?

    • mac1 2.2
      11 October 2019 at 10:12 am

      And the buyer is…………. Christopher Luxon when he parachutes into the electorate after selection. The much photographed pool will provide quite a media splash.

    • Dukeofurl 2.3
      11 October 2019 at 4:08 pm

      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

    • The Al1en 3.1
      11 October 2019 at 9:36 am

      Using a hard right republican tea bagger to justify the extermination of the Kurdish people. How very left wing of you.

      • phillip ure 3.1.1
        11 October 2019 at 9:50 am

        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'..)

        • The Al1en 3.1.1.1
          11 October 2019 at 10:05 am

          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.

          • phillip ure 3.1.1.1.1
            11 October 2019 at 10:08 am

            maybe some people are actually seeking illumination..

            preferring that over doctrinaire-posturing..?

          • Adrian Thornton 3.1.1.1.2
            11 October 2019 at 10:34 am

            @ Al1en " There's never anything Ill thought out from me, "..thanks for that I needed that little mid morning chuckle.

          • francesca 3.1.1.1.3
            11 October 2019 at 11:59 am

            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

            • The Al1en 3.1.1.1.3.1
              11 October 2019 at 12:15 pm

              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.

              • phillip ure …
                11 October 2019 at 12:33 pm

                no surprises there…

                allen puts the 'id' in '- – – -id'..

                • Incognito …
                  11 October 2019 at 12:41 pm

                  Your ad homs are getting worse, Phil. Up your game, if you can..

                  • marty mars …
                    11 October 2019 at 1:25 pm

                    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 laugh

                    • phillip ure …
                      11 October 2019 at 2:25 pm

                      close..!..but no chocolate-fish..

                      i was working with four letters..

                    • Incognito []
                      11 October 2019 at 2:58 pm

                      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?

                  • phillip ure …
                    11 October 2019 at 1:39 pm

                    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..!

                    • Incognito …
                      11 October 2019 at 1:48 pm

                      Thanks for proving id..

                    • The Al1en …
                      11 October 2019 at 2:05 pm

                      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.

                    • phillip ure …
                      11 October 2019 at 2:29 pm

                      @ 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..)

                    • Incognito []
                      11 October 2019 at 2:49 pm

                      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..!..

                • Andre …
                  11 October 2019 at 1:28 pm

                  Who is this "allen" you're trying to insult?

                  • phillip ure …
                    11 October 2019 at 1:47 pm

                    'who'?..indeed…!

                    i have asked myself that question..

                  • The Al1en …
                    11 October 2019 at 2:31 pm

                    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 laugh

            • Stuart Munro. 3.1.1.1.3.2
              11 October 2019 at 1:24 pm

              Oddly enough, the Kurds are not experiencing the Turkish invasion as an antiwar moment.

              • phillip ure …
                11 October 2019 at 1:42 pm

                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..

                • Stuart Munro. …
                  11 October 2019 at 1:47 pm

                  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.

                  • phillip ure …
                    11 October 2019 at 2:08 pm

                    who are these 'putin-worshippers' of whom you speak..?

                  • Adrian Thornton …
                    11 October 2019 at 2:14 pm

                    Yeah exactly Mr Munro, "who are these 'putin-worshippers' of whom you speak..?", how about you point them out for us?

                  • Adrian Thornton …
                    11 October 2019 at 9:14 pm

                    @ 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.

                    • Stuart Munro. …
                      11 October 2019 at 9:19 pm

                      "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.

                    • Adrian Thornton …
                      11 October 2019 at 11:02 pm

                      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.

                    • Stuart Munro. …
                      12 October 2019 at 12:04 am

                      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.

                    • Adrian Thornton …
                      12 October 2019 at 5:48 pm

                      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

            • SPC 3.1.1.1.3.3
              11 October 2019 at 10:43 pm

              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.

        • SPC 3.1.1.2
          11 October 2019 at 10:39 pm

          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.

        • The Al1en 3.1.2.1
          11 October 2019 at 10:21 am

          Probably not near as much you are having the arche duke of neoliberalism to make your attack on lefties for you.

          • phillip ure 3.1.2.1.1
            11 October 2019 at 11:42 am

            slight ideological-labelling correction here –

            like his father before him – paul is a libertariam..not a neoliberal..

            • The Al1en 3.1.2.1.1.1
              11 October 2019 at 12:24 pm

              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

              • phillip ure …
                11 October 2019 at 12:39 pm

                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..

                • The Al1en …
                  11 October 2019 at 1:43 pm

                  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?

                  • phillip ure …
                    11 October 2019 at 1:59 pm

                    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..)

      • mikesh 3.1.3
        11 October 2019 at 10:31 am

        The US is not "exterminating the Kurdish people". If one must put blame somewhere, then blame Turkey.

    • Andre 3.2
      11 October 2019 at 1:08 pm

      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.

      • francesca 3.2.1
        11 October 2019 at 4:08 pm

        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.

        • Andre 3.2.1.1
          11 October 2019 at 4:20 pm

          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.

          • francesca 3.2.1.1.1
            11 October 2019 at 5:58 pm

            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

            • Andre 3.2.1.1.1.1
              11 October 2019 at 6:21 pm

              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.

              • Brigid …
                11 October 2019 at 8:31 pm

                " 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.

                • Andre …
                  11 October 2019 at 9:02 pm

                  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/

                  • Brigid …
                    11 October 2019 at 9:24 pm

                    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

                    • Andre …
                      11 October 2019 at 9:35 pm

                      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.

        • McFlock 3.2.1.2
          11 October 2019 at 4:20 pm

          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

        • Andre 3.2.1.3
          11 October 2019 at 5:38 pm

          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.

          • francesca 3.2.1.3.1
            11 October 2019 at 6:17 pm

            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/

            • Andre 3.2.1.3.1.1
              11 October 2019 at 6:35 pm

              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.

              • francesca …
                11 October 2019 at 7:31 pm

                All of those wars were started on the principle/pretense of necessary intervention

                None of them had benign effects

                • David Mac …
                  11 October 2019 at 7:43 pm

                  Killing other people is a solution that never turns out very good. Regardless of the reason to take aim.

  4. greywarshark 4
    11 October 2019 at 11:19 am

    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.

    • Peter 4.1
      11 October 2019 at 4:47 pm

      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%.

  5. belladonna 5
    11 October 2019 at 12:37 pm

    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

  6. marty mars 6
    11 October 2019 at 12:50 pm

    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

    https://www.victoria.ac.nz/news/2019/09/anti-springbok-tour-veterans-mark-anniversary-and-the-power-of-protest

    Hattip – Sue on fbook

    • phillip ure 6.1
      11 October 2019 at 2:03 pm

      i hope they are inviting extinction rebellion to be honoured guests..?

    • weka 6.2
      11 October 2019 at 4:45 pm

      😎

      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.

  7. marty mars 7
    11 October 2019 at 3:38 pm

    Our friends, the enemy

    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.

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/09/revealed-20-firms-third-carbon-emissions

  8. Janet 8
    11 October 2019 at 6:29 pm

    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?

    • Johnr 8.1
      11 October 2019 at 8:52 pm

      Yep, the very same Wal-Mart, who even by US standards is regarded as an arsehole employer.

      Air NZ employees be very afraid

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  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    23 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
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    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
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    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
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    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
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    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
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    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
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    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
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    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
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    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
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    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
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    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
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    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
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    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
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    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
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    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
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    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
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    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
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    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
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    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
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    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
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    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
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    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
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    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
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    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
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    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
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    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
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    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
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    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
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    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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