It is also my parents wedding anniversary – they were married on 11/11/1945. The wedding pictures show my father still in Army uniform as although WW2 was over, he did not actually get "demobbed" until 1946. He had been working in malaria control in the Pacific during the later years of the war and when he returned from there, he was sent to the refugee camp for Polish children in Pahiatua to work with those suffering from malaria.
I feel that it was deeply wrong for OT to have appealed this case in the first place. Children are not a football in the game for state agencies to challenge decisions they don't agree with.
From the article, biological mother’s lawyer: "When you consider that time compared to a lifetime of being culturally disconnected, then that risk of potential problems with a properly managed transition pales into insignificance,” she said."
Having close friends involved with both fostercare and permanent placement, it is apparent that much of the focus of OT is redirected away from the children in their care.
There is – however – statistical evidence for a higher degree of disconnect for adults brought up in non-biological families. It occurs even if loving acceptance was the norm. So, any research showing that "cultural disconnect" is significant needs to take this underlying factor into account.
In this case, the resultant distress caused to such a young child after four years of attachment should have been obvious. Unfortunately, my friends experienced worse.
It's also a rubbish argument, when comparing 'cultural connectedness' with children who remain with their biological families. I know of dozens of families with Maori whakapapa who are thoroughly 'culturally disconnected' (in this context, that always means from traditional Maori culture – connectedness to other cultures is ignored). Does OT propose to remove all of those children and place them with culturally appropriate caregivers? /sarc/
Some of those children may choose to explore that side of their ancestry when they grow up.
The most important thing for any child in foster care or adoption (actually in any family whether biological or not) is that they be safe, secure, cared for, and loved. That should be OT's number one priority. Of course, family placement should be considered first (although, frequently they don't meet the criteria for the same reasons the parents don't).
OT have enough issues to work on to ensure their caregivers meet the basic criteria – without vindictively pursuing excellent and loving caregivers through the court system in what appears to be an attempt to vindicate the bias of a social worker.
I recall a similar case a few years back. Don't think it was the same one but same situation:
A little Maori girl was with Pakeha foster parents who were in the throes of adopting her. They loved her dearly and were doing everything they could to make sure she grew up knowing her Maori heritage and ensuring she had ties to her whanau.
A media video of the actual moment she was taken away from those 'parents' broke my heart into a thousand pieces – a little girl sobbing her heart out being removed from the only 'parents' she had known.
I can't imagine what it did to that little one. I think she was four or five years old at the time.
True family-by-marriage story.
Mother of 3 kids – is basically incompetent (drug issues, gang/criminal connections, evidence of sexual abuse of the children by the men in her life, basic lack of care and parenting). OT have thrown more than $500K and counting – at her in an attempt to remedy the situation. It hasn't worked. You have to want to change, in order for change to happen.
In the meantime, the kids have been in and out of foster care multiple times (at least 5 I'm aware of) – since they were babies/toddlers – they're now in their teens. The kids have AFAICS lost any ability to attach to anyone, and any trust that any adult in their life is there for the long term. And, I can see the cycle beginning all over again – the oldest, at 16 is pregnant – the 'father' (TBH, really a sperm donor – he demonstrates no 'fatherly' traits) wants nothing to do with her or the baby – and she has zero ability to look after herself, let alone a baby. She is clinging to the idea that finally, someone will love her (the baby). We all can see how that tragedy is going to play out.
The best possible result for those kids would have been for them to have been placed in permanent foster (or adoptive) care as babies/toddlers. Preferably with no contact with the mother – who is a profoundly destabilizing influence. Then they would have had a chance at a decent life. They sure don't have much of a shot at one now.
An excellent example of how blind adherence to some narrow ideology can out-strip common sense and compassion.
Precisely the same dynamic underlies the crude, distorted dogma of Wokedom / Critical Theory / ID Politics in general. Guaranteed to create whole new forms of social injustice … and it certainly won't be Wokedom's affluent professional-managerial class cheerleaders who'll do all the sacrifice & suffering.
"“It is clear from the above analysis that the implementation of a formal staff dress code or grooming standards would likely expose the Board to considerable liability,” said the report in conclusion. “Even if a dress code is implemented for non-discriminatory reasons, it would likely be found to be discriminatory where it adversely affects an employee or group of employers on the basis of their Code-protected rights.”
In other words, if a male’s gender identity is female and the expression of that gender identity involves wearing pornographic fetish gear in a classroom full of children, the Ontario Human Rights Code protects that individual’s right to do so and the school is powerless to protect the children in their care from such inappropriate behavior."
16lb of fake tits, a "camel toe" insert in the front of his shorts, and a long blond wig in a woodwork and metal shop classroom. What could be more appropriate for a secondary school setting?
“But it is not a fetish”!
I don't know for sure. There were rumours that he was attempting to be fired last year, so it may be a fetish – or a grievance preparation strategy. Whichever – if either – is true, the individual is an occurrence.
The real issue lies with the legislation and interpretation of law that means the Ontario School Board feels unable to address this responsibly.
The Post Millennial is a conservative Christian publication that seeks the imposition of Biblical values via legislation, in other words, it wants homosexuality, transgenderism, abortion, birth control all outlawed, and women to be completely subservient to their husbands and of course, our friend the dead Palestinian carpenter. Quite frankly what business left wing woman like you should have in reading that filth , I have no idea.
Needs to be remembered that those who oppose transgenderism are lining up with the Christian Taliban.
[I count at least 7 claims of fact in your first paragraph. You will now provide evidence of the following or you will acknowledge that your comment was unfactual.
Evidence means a link, AND a quote (links alone are insufficient, I’m not doing your work for your by reading whole articles to parse your evidence). Audio or video must have a time stamp.
conservative Christian publication
seeks the imposition of Biblical values via legislation
wants homosexuality outlaws
likewise transgenderism
and abortion
and birth control
wants women to be subservient to husbands and Jesus
You have so much form for making shit up like this that you can count this as your only warning. Ban will be double whatever it was last time. – weka]
[below Millsy acknowledges that they made their first paragraph up – weka]
Do you have some counter evidence that there is another side to this story?
Because – I (as a parent) would be just as opposed if my kid's woodwork, or English or Maths teachers, for that matter – dressed up in fetish gear at school – regardless of their sexuality or gender orientation.
Do what you please in your own time. But, at school, there are appropriate standards of dress – and this doesn't meet them.
You appear to be conflating an opposition to a hyper-sexualised environment being created in the classroom, with opposition to transgenderism.
Now that you've done your usual attempts of shaming, and passing judgment as well as telling " left wing woman like you …., …. I have no idea." , are you able to offer any contribution about the content of the post, and the situation the Ontario School Board find themselves in?
(I suspect bringing up the impact on the students and other adults in the school may be a step too far, so we'll leave that for now).
@ millsy – FWIW, I did try and find the original source for "Halton School Board report 22147" before posting, but had no success, so the article with the Twitter link provided the only copy I had.
Also, unless an article itself promotes what you say, I usually take it on the same face value I do with any article. Which leads to checking for other source confirmations whether linked or not.
Here are the other three mentions I could find of the school board response, which I have also not checked for "untoward" thoughts. Perhaps you can grade them regarding acceptable places for left wing women accordingly:
Quick skim, it appears concluding remarks remain relevant:
“Concluding Remarks
The Board has requested that the Director of Education provide information on the potential implications which may arise from a decision to implement a staff dress code.
It is clear from the above analysis that the implementation of a formal staff dress code or grooming standards would likely expose the Board to considerable liability. Even if a dress code is implemented for non-discriminatory reasons, it would likely be found to be discriminatory where it adversely affects an employee or group of employees on the basis of their Code-protected grounds.
Finally, and most importantly, we note that if the employer desires to foster a culture of professionalism, respect, equity and inclusion, a truly reasonable and non-discriminatory dress code or grooming standards would most likely fail to yield the intended results.”
here’s your problem. It took time to write the mod note, then put in you premod. When I saw your retractions I looked up your moderation history and see moderators have spent a lot of time moderating you. Last time there was discussion in the backend about permanently banning you. Your last ban was something like 9 months. You have a long history of a pattern of behaviour of making inflammatory, misleading and unfactual comments that tie up a lot of time on bullshit debate and people trying to get corrections or evidence. I’m not seeing anything that suggests you will stop doing this, other than the threat of a long ban.
Next time I see you doing what you have done today, I will ban you without warning. Expect at least a year.
If you do want to change, even just to retain commenting privileges, here’s what I suggest:
stop making claims of fact unless you have fact checked what you want to say
pre-emptively supply links *and quotes to support your assertions
That’s standard fare at TS and you’ve been here more than long enough to know this. Ball is in your court as to whether you get to keep commenting here.
Needs to be remembered that those who oppose transgenderism are lining up with the Christian Taliban.
I'm going to address this in a comment, because you have enough modding going on above to do for now.
Gender critical people don't inherently 'oppose transgenderism'. Many are left wing and have no trouble with gender non-conforming people. Their politics is focused on gender identity ideology, the queer theory movements, and the impacts of those on women, children, lesbians and gays, and children, as well as society as a whole.
Some GC are transphobic and so oppose transness it self.
The statement that GC people are lining up with the Christian Taliban is a piece of propaganda from the GI ideologists. There are issues in the US about GC people allying with the religious right, but it's complex and related to the weird US political scene.
In the UK, gender critical feminism is a left wing/centre left movement. Many GCFs and other GC people actively distance themselves from the religious right (and from proto-fascism. For obvious reasons.
Anyone running GC is allied to the religious right is pig ignorant. You running this line here tells me that you are reading only material that affirms your prejudices against GC positions, and it suggests that you don't know what GC positions are.
I agree Weka. The simple fact is that transness in some of its flavours is the only human right gained at the expense of another set of people who are/have been marginalised.
So bio women who may have been assaulted ot scared by bio males are now faced with having to share intimate private spaces such as toilets and the like with the self same bio males. They also may have be expected to have to allow themselves to counselled, or not at all by bio males (Canadian case where trans but bio male was employed to counsel rape survivors.) They may have to share a prison, where they face rape from bio men.
So the right of a bio woman to have safety is potentially threatened. Most of us put personal safety quite high up on the list to be protected as we as women go about our daily lives.
Most of us, having been on the wrong end of the rights argument in health, education and work experiences would usually be welcoming to another marginalised group.
Some involved in transness don't bother to seek hormonal or other changes to 'personify' their alleged new gender and act as Lia Thomas has in being a complete bio male, competing in women's events and changing in female changing rooms.
The point is that transness even accepting the rightness of not discriminating can be inherently threatening
The larger issue is not the individual, it is the fact that the School Board is unable to address this in a sensible way because of fear of being successfully sued:
"“It is clear from the above analysis that the implementation of a formal staff dress code or grooming standards would likely expose the Board to considerable liability,” said the report in conclusion. “Even if a dress code is implemented for non-discriminatory reasons, it would likely be found to be discriminatory where it adversely affects an employee or group of employers on the basis of their Code-protected rights.”"
Apparently, the Education Minister has asked for a review, after this incident came to light, but that has not been produced as yet, and appears to be a case of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted:
"Back in September, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce requested that the Ontario College of Teachers review and “consider strengthening” provisions regarding professional conduct “in the interest of all kids in Ontario.” The results of this review are still pending."
Yep – but why on earth are they trying to address it under the dress code? It is nothing to do with dress. It's an overtly sexualised display that is either intended to, or will in effect, undermine students' ability to learn, and make them feel uncomfortable or distressed. The rules on student welfare and teacher code of ethics could quite non-controversially handle that whoever does it – straight gay, transgender, male, female, both, neither or any imaginable or unimaginable combination of all of them.
You would hope that would be the case – I believe the fear of litigation and censure holds as strong a grip as definitive legislation would. The untested reach of legislative change can be a strong motivator for institutional avoidance.
In terms of the impact of such behaviour I did a Twitter thread back in September:
Why should children not get their required education because their teacher appears to have decided that every day is a "bring your paraphilia to work" day?
IIRC we had a similar situation many, many years ago at uni – with a lecturer. Not sexual issues, just an utterly incompetent teacher. The word went quietly around not to enrol in his papers one year – and he was 'regretfully' retired.
I didn't want to go there but the current headlines at The Post Millennial are obsessed with, in no particular order, antifa, transgenders, non-binaries, biological males, gender clinics, MSNBC pundits, Kari Lake, Maricopa County, Hunter Biden, Democrats controlling media, etc. Millsy's assumption that it is a conservative christian outlet is a fair assumption, imo.
It is definitely a far right transphobic outlet.
After reading their hate site and this thread @5 I've concluded The Post Millennial is a far more dangerous entity than Kayla Lemieux:
Andy Ngo has been editor-at-large since 2019. Ngo was previously with Quillette. Several advertisers such as Logitech pulled ads from the site due to its association with Ngo.
In 2021, The Post Millennial played a key role in creating a viral story in right-wing media where it was falsely claimed that some members of the US women's soccer team had disrespected a 98-year-old World War II veteran when he played the Star-Spangled Banner prior to a game.
Many of their articles use use aggregated content from other new sources, social media sites, and press releases with "inflammatory headlines" that have been described as rage bait used by "far-right social media".
A potential 11 gigawatts of generation. France ain't fucking around.
In France, solar just got a huge boost from new legislation approved through the Senate this week that will require all parking lots with spaces for at least 80 vehicles – both existing and new – to be covered by solar panels.
The new provisions are part of French president Emmanuel Macron’s large-scale plan to heavily invest in renewables, which aims to multiply by 10 the amount of solar energy produced in the country, and to double the power from land-based wind farms.
Starting July 1, 2023, smaller carparks that have between 80 and 400 spaces will have five years to be in compliance with the new measures. Carparks with more than 400 spaces have a shorter timeline: They will need to comply with the new measures within three years of this date, and at least half of the surface area of the parking lot will need to be covered in solar panels.
It would really be great if our government passed the same legislation.
Every existing and proposed supermarket carpark all big box store and sports stadium carparks all covered with solar power panels. Can't wait. This just the sort of thing we need. It would look so great, maybe we could finally quit our addiction to Huntly coal fired electricity.
I also liked the E-bike ad at the end. Way out of my price range, but if the govt. extended the Electric Vehicle rebate to E-bikes. Maybe.
After reading 6,600 submssions, a select committee [the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee] today reports back on pleas to remove parks and sports fields and farmers’ private stormwaters from the Government’s ambitious Three Waters reforms.
The gathering stormwaters: Pressure to reduce reforms to just Two Waters
Apparently there is No Russian Air Defence Units covering the Bridgeheads & any surviving Air Defence Units are some 50-80kms behind the Russian Forward Edge of the Battlefield ouch!!!
As a result the Ukrainian Airforce are having a field day in-between the Artillery bombardment when the Ukrainian Drop Shorts move from position to position to avoid the Russian counter battery Fire.
My gut feeling is Tsar Poot's has couple of Aces up his sleeve & I wouldn't be surprised if the Russians now that dam up river or pops a dirty bomb?
Or either that the entire Russian Army has totally collapse in the Sth and it's Run Rabbit Run as the Ukrainian Drop Shorts go boom boom?
To undertake a Withdrawal under fire is the hardest Military manoeuvre to do even with a highly motivated & disciplined force & it could very well turn into a rout that could very well take a life of it own.
Which would be the last thing that Tsar Poot's needs atm. Especially the Ukrainian's Logistics hold up & the Ukrainian's gain a couple Bridgeheads?
May we live interesting times?
Or as great Kiwi, Sir Keith Park ACO Group 11, reportable said when the Luftwaffe were late to arrive the follow morning after the 15th September raids 1940 "bastards are up to something!"
At the moment, likely preferable to the Russian MOD.
"The transfer of Russian troop units to the left bank of the Dnipro river has been completed," the defence ministry said in a statement.
"Not a single unit of military equipment or weapons have been left on the right (western) bank. All Russian servicemen crossed to the left bank," it added. Russia, it said, had not suffered any loss of personnel or equipment during the withdrawal.
Reports are of Ukrainian advanced elements in Kherson already and Russian troop concentrations under heavy fire on the banks of the Dniepr. I saw a Russian telegram channel that talked of panic.
Strategically, the Ukrainians will now once again control the water supply to Crimea. The key Russian supply hub at Chaplynka is going to be in easy range of HIMARS, a weapon the Russians currently have no anwer for. The right bank of the Dniepr consists of high bluffs overlooking the left bank for some distance, so the Ukrainians will basically be able to observe and decimate any Russian units trying to form up there.
This is a big victory for the Ukraine. Psychologically it is a huge blow to the Russians – the scale of the Russian defeat will tell us something of the realtive state of each side in the Kherson attrition battles. If the Ukrainians don't capture much equipment or many prisoners and seem happy to simply observe and follow up the Russian retreat and let their artillery smash the evacuation points then IMHO that points to troop exhaustion and the rumoured high losses in the September offensive battles may be correct. Conversely, if the Russians manage to pull off a competent withdrawl that will speak to improving planning capability on their side.
A big Russian defeat potentially unhinges the entire Russian position from Kherson to Melitopol/Mariupol. The Ukrainians have incrementally made gains in the centre and are almost in HIMARS range of the M14 route and Mariupol, whilst their special forces (called “Partisans” by the Ukrainians) are interdicting Russian supplies coming along the M14 road – this is the only available supply route left to the Russians since the Ukrainians took out the the Crimea bridge rail and road link, so I would expect the next big Ukrainian effort will be to cut off the supply routes Russian troops west of Mariupol (in winter, that means no food or heating) and cause a complete Russian withdrawl into Crimea and evacuation of Mariupol before the end of winter.
Things are looking bad for Putin, I am not sure how many more big defeats he can survive by simply blaming the army. A dictator can only piss off the most heavily armed organisation in his country for so long.
Ukrainian forces are reported to be advancing "warily" being careful of not walking into a death trap.
With all Putin's talk of escalating the war, and fighting tothe last Ukrainian, this retreat is out of character.
My guess; Russian withdrawal from Kherson is a tactical retreat only. It is plausible that Russia is preparing to turn Kherson into a free fire zone to wipe out as many Ukrainians as possible, both military and civilian, with a scorched earth policy using some sort of genocidal weapon of mass destruction, either a dirty bomb, or by blowing the Kakhovka Dam. Blaming the Ukrainians of killing their own to gain sympathy from the West. A lie which will be amplified by pro-Russian trolls, and repeated by useful idiots, around the globe.
In the face of mounting [financial] challenges, the Board of Eke Panuku has unanimously agreed to take a 10% pay cut, effective today – to be reviewed at the end of the current financial year (30 June 2023). In the current environment we think that is tika. As professional directors, we are not looking for any of you to follow suit.The well-being of the Eke Panuku staff and families is of the utmost importance to the Board.
This is flagellating before Caesar; Nos morituri te salutavit …
Brown is going to use his majority on Council to eradicate Panuku entirely. His committee structure integrates Finance with full Council, so he's going to smash it through himelf.
And there goes about 200 salaries over $130k that Auckland won't miss in the middle of a sharp collapse in development.
First budget is due in just under 5 months. I doubt Council will be ready to tackle more than one of thorny issues that you listed (and no doubt there are others) and it may not have to in order fill the forecast gap of $270m for 2023/24; a lot of water will flow under the bridge.
Brown may have some weapons at his disposal but I fail to see he has Council in his pocket; this claim is untested AFAIK. In any case, unless he muzzles the Board of Eke Panuku he cannot control their communications with the public/media. So, I don’t think a PR was is as one-sided as you seem to think it is. That said, his opening gambit of aggressive language and open letters and (still) without fronting for interviews tells me he’s like Putin and prepared to fight dirty – he’s got the team for it too.
Where on Earth do you get your information about 200 salaries over $130k, from that ‘grassroots’ group that aims to defund Eke Panuku? That would mean that pretty much every staff member is paid over $130k!?
The mid-terms was never the "red wave" that the GOP were Trumpeting was going to happen. Sure they may now have a few more seats in the House, than the Dems (Just how many is still to be determined) but Kevin McCarthy is going to have his work cut out trying to control the alt-right wing nuts MTG et al. He's going to be the meat in a very unsavory sandwich.
As for the senate that is still to be decided, and probably not until the run-off in Georgia in early Dec. either way – hard say a great landslide victory.
Many GOP now blaming the "influence" of Trump on the result. And to some extent he is to blame with his massive stacking of the Judiciary with right wing christian conservatives. While Trump still receives 44% support within the party, he is far from being a popular figure nation wide. He would be unlikely to win a race for POTUS again. Even Faux News seem to have washed their hands of him.
Murdoch had his doubts about Trump before the businessman and reality TV star ran for president in 2016. Even when Trump won, Murdoch was unconvinced, reportedly privately calling him a “fucking idiot” following one conversation about immigration.
Well known altruists promote the new future at Bahamas conference.
In the vein of his famous philanthropic streak – “effective altruism” – he wanted to spend his money to help “people who will make sure to follow through on common sense things to try to not have what happened to us over the last few years happen again,”
Yep if you have just lost 32b of investors money (and counting due to levered assets) it would be remarkable if any reinvested what they did not own anymore, a Bear Sterns moment some might say.
He flapped his gums and threatened to buy Twitter, got bored and moved on. But the board didn't and they wanted their money. Two weeks in and he's talking bankruptcy?
Haven't got a spare $44 billion down the back your sofa for your favourite vanity project?
Then you're not Elon Musk.
In the age of climate change and resulting biosphere collapse, you have to wonder if the world can afford the luxury of having multi-billionaires anymore.
Curia poll (not lefty spin) backs up Newshub's in one regard: both show Luxon losing support. But this one is in line with all the others, suggesting Newshub's is the outlier.
I'm not a member of the Labour party, and never have been.
I don't know why anyone would base their views of a party (or even their vote) on political blog comments. Spend 5 minutes on Kiwiblog and joining the communists starts to look attractive. Spend 5 minutes on the Daily Blog and swing back to the right.
Or you could weigh up the policies of the parties and their leaders and decide what kind of government you'd like. Most voters do that without ever reading any blogs, which is probably just as well.
As for the comment you responded to, you could address the points made, agree or disagree … but you don't seem interested in debate here, so it's not clear what you want.
If NAct win in 2023, Luxon will become the least politically experienced NZ PM ever, with only half the prior experience of Key – couldn't come at a better time, could it.
Note that Luxon is in negative territory. That is remarkable: parties and leaders usually go up/down together. When the gov't is at a low ebb, the leader of the opposition is becoming more unpopular.
Nicola for National 2023, put your house shirt on it.
Offering male, female and non-binary as categories of competition conflates sex (immutable and consisting of two, male and female) with gender identity (fluid and difficult to define). The two are not the same. A non-binary category also introduces something which is totally irrelevant in sport — belief — as a sports category. Other beliefs, such as religion or political affiliation, are as irrelevant in sport as the belief that one is non-binary. Elite sporting events do not offer separate prize money based on religion or political affiliation because we recognize those divisions are not meaningful for elite competition. The same should be true of gender identity.
A non-binary category discriminates against females because males run, on average, about 10% faster than females (the women’s world record is 2:14:04; thousands of men have run faster). So females in the non-binary category are not competing on a level playing field."
good on them. I think society needs to draw a line between acceptance of difference and those that wish to 'smash the binary' (as in do away with physical reality), either because of mental distress/dysphoria, or ideology, or both. Compassion, yes. Making fundamental changes to society that affect everyone because of mental distress or undebated politics? No.
I'm also increasingly of the opinion that if women want to escape being female via NB identity, then they can opt out of the social goods that go with being female as well. And if they want to run in races against men, have at it. Set up their own sports organisations, see how they get on.
Most sporting codes have some allowance for women to compete in the male categories already.
I know of one women who was playing in the higher (not quite the top) Wellington Soccer grades for Upper Hutt in goal. I think she was also a Football Fern, though I don't have a specific name. It's pretty rare but can be done where the players can compete at the required level.
A non-binary event sounds like it would be more about a social group than a sporting event. There are also quite a few mixed leagues and competitions around if players are not too serious (and don't mind mentioning that they pass as female for the purposes of the leagues gender balance rules).
(and don't mind mentioning that they pass as female for the purposes of the leagues gender balance rules).
that's the problem right there though, some NB people refuse to acknowledge their biological sex. It's the insistence on changing things so that others have to pretend there is no femaleness in the person. If someone IDs as NB and acknowledges their femaleness where it matters, all good. Play in women's teams, or men's where that is allowed, or NB teams. But if they deny they are female, then stay out of women's teams and don't expect everyone else to deny as well.
I once had an argument with a NB male online, who objected to the term 'NB male' and who thought he should have access to women's spaces. He wasn't transitioning, he just like dressing up in quite beautiful, creatively expressive clothes and makeup, interesting. Obviously male, nothing to do with women (as compared to say transsexual women). It's just weird that NB want access to opposite sex spaces, although I can see for males it's probably a safety thing re toilets.
In mixed team games the binary is broken down a little differently. The two categories are, allowed on the field and, not allowed on the field without the other team alleging your cheating and complaining to the referee.
The main take away is there is no real case of sports bodies preventing participation of gender categories. Basically everybody can always play in the male events at minimum.
The two categories are, allowed on the field and, not allowed on the field without the other team alleging your cheating and complaining to the referee.
What were you trying to say here? In mixed teams, males and females are allowed on the field, and not allowed on the field? What?
The main take away is there is no real case of sports bodies preventing participation of gender categories. Basically everybody can always play in the male events at minimum.
No-one is trying to stop people with a gender identity playing sports. What is being objected to is males playing in women's sports. Because it's obviously, grossly unfair. Also being objected to is the idea that sports can ignore biology (for the most part it can't, and again, obviously, in the sport were it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter).
Mixed teams and NB teams are not the same thing. Plenty of sport isn't played in teams.
In mixed grades the rules will be some version of minimum of two female players on the field (or you can go a player down). But since its basically social grades the enforcement of that is whatever the other team objects to. Whatever genders a team believes are participating is not really relevant.
I was playing some Masters the other night where the rule is up to two underage players at once. Although the opposition were clearly within that rule, my teams been bitching all week, because our opponents fielded a player from the top Wellington grade and he scored all their goals single handedly.
I've never noticed a non-binary identified person playing sports anyway and some how doubt enough could be grouped to form a team, let alone a competition.
The main point about sports participation is, the claim that sex categories in sports are excluding people from participation, by their gender beliefs. That claim is obvious fiction. As far as I've seen there is some kind of competitive pressuring, alleging and demanding of sporting bodies to change their rules but miniscule interest in actual participation by supposedly represented communities.
The exclusive little Establishment club that is Wokedom certainly doesn't.
I mean, why would you allow the hoi polloi, the great unwashed, the 80% of the public who are absolute deplorables to have a say in our future ??? That's sounds absolutely ghastly !!!
Certainly the remarkably rarefied guests at various upmarket Kelburn & Wadestown dinner parties are aghast at the very thought.
No, sod the proles … everything's best left to a cadre of affluent, ruthlessly self-interested narcissistic slobs inhabiting the upper echelons of the professional-managerial class … who, it seems, possess moral sensibilities so much more unusually refined than the rest of us.
Nah, Alan strikes me as someone would give his 2 votes to a fringe party that won’t make the 5% threshold, so in essence his 2 = 0, which is hugely unfair, of course, but that’s democracy for you.
I agree that we should change the current absurdity where one person can have more than one vote in local elections, because they own more than one property.
Unfortunately National and ACT MPs are not keen to change this. Perhaps you could contact them to let them know how strongly you feel about "one person, one vote", or even get a petition going. Good luck.
“One person one vote” is really cool if you’re in the Pakeha majority, voting to confiscate Maori land, perfectly legally, under the Public Works Act
“Let’s all be one culture” is a great way to wipe out Te Reo and Māori culture and deny 800,000 people a voice in their own land
”Let’s have one health system” is fine until you actually look at the data re Māori health outcomes, longevity, lifestyle, and lack of engagement with Pakeha institutions
One would almost think this One Nation rhetoric was white supremacist bullshit designed to suppress a minority culture struggling for its own identity
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
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 ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
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On the 11th hour of the 11day of the 11th month the guns fell silent. Armistice Day WW1.
Der Elfte Elfte
(Hopefully I have the article correct ….Sabine?)
I was in Germany one 11/11.
It is also my parents wedding anniversary – they were married on 11/11/1945. The wedding pictures show my father still in Army uniform as although WW2 was over, he did not actually get "demobbed" until 1946. He had been working in malaria control in the Pacific during the later years of the war and when he returned from there, he was sent to the refugee camp for Polish children in Pahiatua to work with those suffering from malaria.
Does anyone want to have a crack at going through the different kinds of "left" now installed in government throughout central and south America?
It's a bizarre variety.
Very thankful, for the sake of this young girl – that the Oranga Tamariki appeal has been dismissed.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300734578/moana-appeal-dismissed-young-mori-girl-can-stay-with-pkeh-caregivers
I feel that it was deeply wrong for OT to have appealed this case in the first place. Children are not a football in the game for state agencies to challenge decisions they don't agree with.
From the article, biological mother’s lawyer:
"When you consider that time compared to a lifetime of being culturally disconnected, then that risk of potential problems with a properly managed transition pales into insignificance,” she said."
Having close friends involved with both fostercare and permanent placement, it is apparent that much of the focus of OT is redirected away from the children in their care.
There is – however – statistical evidence for a higher degree of disconnect for adults brought up in non-biological families. It occurs even if loving acceptance was the norm. So, any research showing that "cultural disconnect" is significant needs to take this underlying factor into account.
In this case, the resultant distress caused to such a young child after four years of attachment should have been obvious. Unfortunately, my friends experienced worse.
It's also a rubbish argument, when comparing 'cultural connectedness' with children who remain with their biological families. I know of dozens of families with Maori whakapapa who are thoroughly 'culturally disconnected' (in this context, that always means from traditional Maori culture – connectedness to other cultures is ignored). Does OT propose to remove all of those children and place them with culturally appropriate caregivers? /sarc/
Some of those children may choose to explore that side of their ancestry when they grow up.
The most important thing for any child in foster care or adoption (actually in any family whether biological or not) is that they be safe, secure, cared for, and loved. That should be OT's number one priority. Of course, family placement should be considered first (although, frequently they don't meet the criteria for the same reasons the parents don't).
OT have enough issues to work on to ensure their caregivers meet the basic criteria – without vindictively pursuing excellent and loving caregivers through the court system in what appears to be an attempt to vindicate the bias of a social worker.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/476106/ombudsman-accuses-oranga-tamariki-of-litany-of-failures-before-malachi-subecz-s-death
NB: this case also outlines why some parents should not have control over appropriate placement for their children.
I recall a similar case a few years back. Don't think it was the same one but same situation:
A little Maori girl was with Pakeha foster parents who were in the throes of adopting her. They loved her dearly and were doing everything they could to make sure she grew up knowing her Maori heritage and ensuring she had ties to her whanau.
A media video of the actual moment she was taken away from those 'parents' broke my heart into a thousand pieces – a little girl sobbing her heart out being removed from the only 'parents' she had known.
I can't imagine what it did to that little one. I think she was four or five years old at the time.
I think there's been a few reports over the years since that cultural policy was introduced (a couple of decades ago?).
A depressingly repetitive scenario.
True family-by-marriage story.
Mother of 3 kids – is basically incompetent (drug issues, gang/criminal connections, evidence of sexual abuse of the children by the men in her life, basic lack of care and parenting). OT have thrown more than $500K and counting – at her in an attempt to remedy the situation. It hasn't worked. You have to want to change, in order for change to happen.
In the meantime, the kids have been in and out of foster care multiple times (at least 5 I'm aware of) – since they were babies/toddlers – they're now in their teens. The kids have AFAICS lost any ability to attach to anyone, and any trust that any adult in their life is there for the long term. And, I can see the cycle beginning all over again – the oldest, at 16 is pregnant – the 'father' (TBH, really a sperm donor – he demonstrates no 'fatherly' traits) wants nothing to do with her or the baby – and she has zero ability to look after herself, let alone a baby. She is clinging to the idea that finally, someone will love her (the baby). We all can see how that tragedy is going to play out.
The best possible result for those kids would have been for them to have been placed in permanent foster (or adoptive) care as babies/toddlers. Preferably with no contact with the mother – who is a profoundly destabilizing influence. Then they would have had a chance at a decent life. They sure don't have much of a shot at one now.
Yes.
An excellent example of how blind adherence to some narrow ideology can out-strip common sense and compassion.
An update on the original story:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/130438786/no-winners-7yearold-moanas-future-the-focus-after-lengthy-court-battle
Precisely the same dynamic underlies the crude, distorted dogma of Wokedom / Critical Theory / ID Politics in general. Guaranteed to create whole new forms of social injustice … and it certainly won't be Wokedom's affluent professional-managerial class cheerleaders who'll do all the sacrifice & suffering.
School dress code appears to have been approved by the Ontario School Board:
https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-ontario-school-board-determines-busty-biological-male-teacher-allowed-to-wear-fetish-props-to-school
16lb of fake tits, a "camel toe" insert in the front of his shorts, and a long blond wig in a woodwork and metal shop classroom. What could be more appropriate for a secondary school setting?
“But it is not a fetish”!
I don't know for sure. There were rumours that he was attempting to be fired last year, so it may be a fetish – or a grievance preparation strategy. Whichever – if either – is true, the individual is an occurrence.
The real issue lies with the legislation and interpretation of law that means the Ontario School Board feels unable to address this responsibly.
Or any other occurrences in the same vein.
I also heard rumours (twitter) that he is not trans and was taking the piss and/or making a political statement
Surely there's a safety issue, with dangerous machinery and such.
Both a safety and a safeguarding issue I would say.
The Post Millennial is a conservative Christian publication that seeks the imposition of Biblical values via legislation, in other words, it wants homosexuality, transgenderism, abortion, birth control all outlawed, and women to be completely subservient to their husbands and of course, our friend the dead Palestinian carpenter. Quite frankly what business left wing woman like you should have in reading that filth , I have no idea.
Needs to be remembered that those who oppose transgenderism are lining up with the Christian Taliban.
[I count at least 7 claims of fact in your first paragraph. You will now provide evidence of the following or you will acknowledge that your comment was unfactual.
Evidence means a link, AND a quote (links alone are insufficient, I’m not doing your work for your by reading whole articles to parse your evidence). Audio or video must have a time stamp.
You have so much form for making shit up like this that you can count this as your only warning. Ban will be double whatever it was last time. – weka]
[below Millsy acknowledges that they made their first paragraph up – weka]
Do you have some counter evidence that there is another side to this story?
Because – I (as a parent) would be just as opposed if my kid's woodwork, or English or Maths teachers, for that matter – dressed up in fetish gear at school – regardless of their sexuality or gender orientation.
Do what you please in your own time. But, at school, there are appropriate standards of dress – and this doesn't meet them.
You appear to be conflating an opposition to a hyper-sexualised environment being created in the classroom, with opposition to transgenderism.
From what I read, this was a guy taking the piss out of school board policies around gender identity, not an actual transgender teacher.
Sorry, but I don't have a source, but this was from a Twitter post by someone close to the school.
"The Post Millennial is a conservative Christian publication "….
Yes, posted an article so those that don't know the context can view. Feel free to find and post your own approved source.
For the puritans who know everything without context here is the report written for the school board:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FhJBIB-X0AARVtd?format=jpg&name=4096×4096
… and the Ontario Human Rights Commission legislation that informed the report:
https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-preventing-discrimination-because-gender-identity-and-gender-expression
Now that you've done your usual attempts of shaming, and passing judgment as well as telling " left wing woman like you …., …. I have no idea." , are you able to offer any contribution about the content of the post, and the situation the Ontario School Board find themselves in?
(I suspect bringing up the impact on the students and other adults in the school may be a step too far, so we'll leave that for now).
@ millsy – FWIW, I did try and find the original source for "Halton School Board report 22147" before posting, but had no success, so the article with the Twitter link provided the only copy I had.
Also, unless an article itself promotes what you say, I usually take it on the same face value I do with any article. Which leads to checking for other source confirmations whether linked or not.
Here are the other three mentions I could find of the school board response, which I have also not checked for "untoward" thoughts. Perhaps you can grade them regarding acceptable places for left wing women accordingly:
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/ontario-halton-district-school-board-teacher-dress-code-giant-fake-breasts
https://www.insauga.com/school-board-wont-stop-transgender-oakville-teacher-from-wearing-provocative-clothing/
https://globalnews.ca/news/9268026/oakville-teachers-attire-dress-code-review/
Re: approved sources, is there not a question about why left-wing sites would not consider this worth reporting on?
Report 22147 does seem rather thin.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PnhHCrzgVqTBnbXKgTpiNmucpGNc5s1x/view
Thanks .
Will read later. Heading out.
Quick skim, it appears concluding remarks remain relevant:
“Concluding Remarks
The Board has requested that the Director of Education provide information on the potential implications which may arise from a decision to implement a staff dress code.
It is clear from the above analysis that the implementation of a formal staff dress code or grooming standards would likely expose the Board to considerable liability. Even if a dress code is implemented for non-discriminatory reasons, it would likely be found to be discriminatory where it adversely affects an employee or group of employees on the basis of their Code-protected grounds.
Finally, and most importantly, we note that if the employer desires to foster a culture of professionalism, respect, equity and inclusion, a truly reasonable and non-discriminatory dress code or grooming standards would most likely fail to yield the intended results.”
So called left wing women, especially those who identity as being 'gender critical' are sounding more and more like Phyllis Schafly every day.
you're in premod until I am satisfied with your response to my moderation above.
and if you choose not to respond and instead disappear, I will simply ban you.
See my reponse above. I retract the above comment as well.
here’s your problem. It took time to write the mod note, then put in you premod. When I saw your retractions I looked up your moderation history and see moderators have spent a lot of time moderating you. Last time there was discussion in the backend about permanently banning you. Your last ban was something like 9 months. You have a long history of a pattern of behaviour of making inflammatory, misleading and unfactual comments that tie up a lot of time on bullshit debate and people trying to get corrections or evidence. I’m not seeing anything that suggests you will stop doing this, other than the threat of a long ban.
Next time I see you doing what you have done today, I will ban you without warning. Expect at least a year.
If you do want to change, even just to retain commenting privileges, here’s what I suggest:
That’s standard fare at TS and you’ve been here more than long enough to know this. Ball is in your court as to whether you get to keep commenting here.
OK.
There are multiple publications reporting this story. Unfortunately the so called "progressive " media is reluctant to do so.
mod note.
OK, weka. Fair enough. My comment was unfactual. I hereby withdraw my allegations.
I'm going to address this in a comment, because you have enough modding going on above to do for now.
Gender critical people don't inherently 'oppose transgenderism'. Many are left wing and have no trouble with gender non-conforming people. Their politics is focused on gender identity ideology, the queer theory movements, and the impacts of those on women, children, lesbians and gays, and children, as well as society as a whole.
Some GC are transphobic and so oppose transness it self.
The statement that GC people are lining up with the Christian Taliban is a piece of propaganda from the GI ideologists. There are issues in the US about GC people allying with the religious right, but it's complex and related to the weird US political scene.
In the UK, gender critical feminism is a left wing/centre left movement. Many GCFs and other GC people actively distance themselves from the religious right (and from proto-fascism. For obvious reasons.
Anyone running GC is allied to the religious right is pig ignorant. You running this line here tells me that you are reading only material that affirms your prejudices against GC positions, and it suggests that you don't know what GC positions are.
I agree Weka. The simple fact is that transness in some of its flavours is the only human right gained at the expense of another set of people who are/have been marginalised.
So bio women who may have been assaulted ot scared by bio males are now faced with having to share intimate private spaces such as toilets and the like with the self same bio males. They also may have be expected to have to allow themselves to counselled, or not at all by bio males (Canadian case where trans but bio male was employed to counsel rape survivors.) They may have to share a prison, where they face rape from bio men.
So the right of a bio woman to have safety is potentially threatened. Most of us put personal safety quite high up on the list to be protected as we as women go about our daily lives.
Most of us, having been on the wrong end of the rights argument in health, education and work experiences would usually be welcoming to another marginalised group.
Some involved in transness don't bother to seek hormonal or other changes to 'personify' their alleged new gender and act as Lia Thomas has in being a complete bio male, competing in women's events and changing in female changing rooms.
The point is that transness even accepting the rightness of not discriminating can be inherently threatening
I'd suggest that the parents withdraw their kids from the class. If there are no kids to teach, the board would have to 'regretfully' let her go….
The larger issue is not the individual, it is the fact that the School Board is unable to address this in a sensible way because of fear of being successfully sued:
"“It is clear from the above analysis that the implementation of a formal staff dress code or grooming standards would likely expose the Board to considerable liability,” said the report in conclusion. “Even if a dress code is implemented for non-discriminatory reasons, it would likely be found to be discriminatory where it adversely affects an employee or group of employers on the basis of their Code-protected rights.”"
Apparently, the Education Minister has asked for a review, after this incident came to light, but that has not been produced as yet, and appears to be a case of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted:
"Back in September, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce requested that the Ontario College of Teachers review and “consider strengthening” provisions regarding professional conduct “in the interest of all kids in Ontario.” The results of this review are still pending."
Yep – but why on earth are they trying to address it under the dress code? It is nothing to do with dress. It's an overtly sexualised display that is either intended to, or will in effect, undermine students' ability to learn, and make them feel uncomfortable or distressed. The rules on student welfare and teacher code of ethics could quite non-controversially handle that whoever does it – straight gay, transgender, male, female, both, neither or any imaginable or unimaginable combination of all of them.
You would hope that would be the case – I believe the fear of litigation and censure holds as strong a grip as definitive legislation would. The untested reach of legislative change can be a strong motivator for institutional avoidance.
In terms of the impact of such behaviour I did a Twitter thread back in September:
https://twitter.com/EdgeWatching/status/1572380161378754562?s=20&t=epdWWIdHIS0AIUYaQR3yaQ
Why should children not get their required education because their teacher appears to have decided that every day is a "bring your paraphilia to work" day?
Oh, I agree that it's not ideal. Just practical.
IIRC we had a similar situation many, many years ago at uni – with a lecturer. Not sexual issues, just an utterly incompetent teacher. The word went quietly around not to enrol in his papers one year – and he was 'regretfully' retired.
I decreased the image size because it was hurting my brain 😉
I didn't want to go there but the current headlines at The Post Millennial are obsessed with, in no particular order, antifa, transgenders, non-binaries, biological males, gender clinics, MSNBC pundits, Kari Lake, Maricopa County, Hunter Biden, Democrats controlling media, etc. Millsy's assumption that it is a conservative christian outlet is a fair assumption, imo.
It is definitely a far right transphobic outlet.
After reading their hate site and this thread @5 I've concluded The Post Millennial is a far more dangerous entity than Kayla Lemieux:
Yeah, looks like it picks up a few…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Post_Millennial
"After reading their hate site and this thread @5 I've concluded The Post Millennial is a far more dangerous entity than Kayla Lemieux:"
All good.
Like millsy, if you can source an approved left-wing site reporting on the situation, post it here.
Or – perhaps – comment on the situation and discuss.
A potential 11 gigawatts of generation. France ain't fucking around.
In France, solar just got a huge boost from new legislation approved through the Senate this week that will require all parking lots with spaces for at least 80 vehicles – both existing and new – to be covered by solar panels.
The new provisions are part of French president Emmanuel Macron’s large-scale plan to heavily invest in renewables, which aims to multiply by 10 the amount of solar energy produced in the country, and to double the power from land-based wind farms.
Starting July 1, 2023, smaller carparks that have between 80 and 400 spaces will have five years to be in compliance with the new measures. Carparks with more than 400 spaces have a shorter timeline: They will need to comply with the new measures within three years of this date, and at least half of the surface area of the parking lot will need to be covered in solar panels.
https://electrek.co/2022/11/08/france-require-parking-lots-be-covered-in-solar-panels/
Thanks for high lighting this Joe.
It would really be great if our government passed the same legislation.
Every existing and proposed supermarket carpark all big box store and sports stadium carparks all covered with solar power panels. Can't wait. This just the sort of thing we need. It would look so great, maybe we could finally quit our addiction to Huntly coal fired electricity.
I also liked the E-bike ad at the end. Way out of my price range, but if the govt. extended the Electric Vehicle rebate to E-bikes. Maybe.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/jacinda-ardern-climate-change-is-my-generation-s-nuclear-free-moment.html
Well maybe, maybe not.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/10/opinion-is-new-zealand-a-leader-in-climate-change-or-a-follower.html
But couldn’t the government, just at the very least fulfill John Key’s ambition for us to be a fast follower?
Today is an important day and another step for Three Waters Reforms.
The woman whose impassionate plea won over Three Waters MPs
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/pro/the-impassioned-plea-that-won-over-mps [Subscription required]
The gathering stormwaters: Pressure to reduce reforms to just Two Waters
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/pro/water-services-entities-bill-stormwaters [Subscription required]
Kherson's going to resemble Dunkirk pretty quick.
An artilleryman's dream – 30k closely massed troops crossing a 1500 metre wide waterway packed in small boats and ferries.
I imagine the drivers of those drone watercraft are pretty keen on it too.
And operating with impunity.
https://twitter.com/Archer83Able/status/1590854931799760896
If Twitter is anything to go by atm?
Apparently there is No Russian Air Defence Units covering the Bridgeheads & any surviving Air Defence Units are some 50-80kms behind the Russian Forward Edge of the Battlefield ouch!!!
As a result the Ukrainian Airforce are having a field day in-between the Artillery bombardment when the Ukrainian Drop Shorts move from position to position to avoid the Russian counter battery Fire.
My gut feeling is Tsar Poot's has couple of Aces up his sleeve & I wouldn't be surprised if the Russians now that dam up river or pops a dirty bomb?
Or either that the entire Russian Army has totally collapse in the Sth and it's Run Rabbit Run as the Ukrainian Drop Shorts go boom boom?
To undertake a Withdrawal under fire is the hardest Military manoeuvre to do even with a highly motivated & disciplined force & it could very well turn into a rout that could very well take a life of it own.
Which would be the last thing that Tsar Poot's needs atm. Especially the Ukrainian's Logistics hold up & the Ukrainian's gain a couple Bridgeheads?
May we live interesting times?
Or as great Kiwi, Sir Keith Park ACO Group 11, reportable said when the Luftwaffe were late to arrive the follow morning after the 15th September raids 1940 "bastards are up to something!"
At the moment, likely preferable to the Russian MOD.
"The transfer of Russian troop units to the left bank of the Dnipro river has been completed," the defence ministry said in a statement.
"Not a single unit of military equipment or weapons have been left on the right (western) bank. All Russian servicemen crossed to the left bank," it added. Russia, it said, had not suffered any loss of personnel or equipment during the withdrawal.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-has-completed-kherson-withdrawal-tass-2022-11-11/
Reports are of Ukrainian advanced elements in Kherson already and Russian troop concentrations under heavy fire on the banks of the Dniepr. I saw a Russian telegram channel that talked of panic.
Strategically, the Ukrainians will now once again control the water supply to Crimea. The key Russian supply hub at Chaplynka is going to be in easy range of HIMARS, a weapon the Russians currently have no anwer for. The right bank of the Dniepr consists of high bluffs overlooking the left bank for some distance, so the Ukrainians will basically be able to observe and decimate any Russian units trying to form up there.
This is a big victory for the Ukraine. Psychologically it is a huge blow to the Russians – the scale of the Russian defeat will tell us something of the realtive state of each side in the Kherson attrition battles. If the Ukrainians don't capture much equipment or many prisoners and seem happy to simply observe and follow up the Russian retreat and let their artillery smash the evacuation points then IMHO that points to troop exhaustion and the rumoured high losses in the September offensive battles may be correct. Conversely, if the Russians manage to pull off a competent withdrawl that will speak to improving planning capability on their side.
A big Russian defeat potentially unhinges the entire Russian position from Kherson to Melitopol/Mariupol. The Ukrainians have incrementally made gains in the centre and are almost in HIMARS range of the M14 route and Mariupol, whilst their special forces (called “Partisans” by the Ukrainians) are interdicting Russian supplies coming along the M14 road – this is the only available supply route left to the Russians since the Ukrainians took out the the Crimea bridge rail and road link, so I would expect the next big Ukrainian effort will be to cut off the supply routes Russian troops west of Mariupol (in winter, that means no food or heating) and cause a complete Russian withdrawl into Crimea and evacuation of Mariupol before the end of winter.
Things are looking bad for Putin, I am not sure how many more big defeats he can survive by simply blaming the army. A dictator can only piss off the most heavily armed organisation in his country for so long.
Twitter saying the UAF has gone for annihilation, >500 artillery/rocket strikes/min on four ferry crossings.
Ukrainian forces are reported to be advancing "warily" being careful of not walking into a death trap.
With all Putin's talk of escalating the war, and fighting to the last Ukrainian, this retreat is out of character.
My guess; Russian withdrawal from Kherson is a tactical retreat only. It is plausible that Russia is preparing to turn Kherson into a free fire zone to wipe out as many Ukrainians as possible, both military and civilian, with a scorched earth policy using some sort of genocidal weapon of mass destruction, either a dirty bomb, or by blowing the Kakhovka Dam. Blaming the Ukrainians of killing their own to gain sympathy from the West. A lie which will be amplified by pro-Russian trolls, and repeated by useful idiots, around the globe.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/is-kakhovka-dam-ukraine-about-be-blown-2022-10-21/
https://www.ekepanuku.co.nz/news-and-blogs/eke-panuku-board-chair-update-8-november
It doesn’t sound like much but with the rapidly rising CoL a 10% pay-cut is bigger than it seems.
This is flagellating before Caesar; Nos morituri te salutavit …
Brown is going to use his majority on Council to eradicate Panuku entirely. His committee structure integrates Finance with full Council, so he's going to smash it through himelf.
And there goes about 200 salaries over $130k that Auckland won't miss in the middle of a sharp collapse in development.
Nope, Nero is just a fiddler; this is the start of a PR war.
Seems an entirely one sided war since only the Mayor has the weapons.
His line-by-line committee will have on its list stuff we haven't seen since Shipley's gang hit Bruce Jesson at the ARC:
– Sell the port operation
– Sell the airport shares
– Sell off Panuku as a going concern, wipe the board
– Bring AT fully in house, wipe the board
– Disband the economic part of Auckland Unlimited and bring the Zoo and Museum in house, wipe the board
– Has no choice but to let Watercare go when the legislation goes through
– Wipe out all the community support functions in council
He could even keep the IMSB happy by offloading more parks management to them.
All of this and more will be on the table soon for his first budget proposal.
Brown seems pretty adamant that the ports, at least, aren't on the chopping block.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/ports-of-auckland-takeover-auckland-mayor-wayne-brown-tells-foreign-port-company-business-is-not-for-sale/GZTFMSHVU4YOB2TGE5TNBN4XQA/
First budget is due in just under 5 months. I doubt Council will be ready to tackle more than one of thorny issues that you listed (and no doubt there are others) and it may not have to in order fill the forecast gap of $270m for 2023/24; a lot of water will flow under the bridge.
Brown may have some weapons at his disposal but I fail to see he has Council in his pocket; this claim is untested AFAIK. In any case, unless he muzzles the Board of Eke Panuku he cannot control their communications with the public/media. So, I don’t think a PR was is as one-sided as you seem to think it is. That said, his opening gambit of aggressive language and open letters and (still) without fronting for interviews tells me he’s like Putin and prepared to fight dirty – he’s got the team for it too.
Where on Earth do you get your information about 200 salaries over $130k, from that ‘grassroots’ group that aims to defund Eke Panuku? That would mean that pretty much every staff member is paid over $130k!?
Eke Panuku staff salaries – I suspect that it's a mis-reading of the figures.
203 staff (total). Includes 50 middle managers paid an average of $143K, and 9 executive team paid over $200K
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-council-controlled-eke-panukus-middle-managers-earn-an-average-of-143000-a-year/CYYVDKHQR25FZSGAIBYLUO44UY/
Oh Dear! Trumpty Dumpty (Who couldn't even build a wall) has had a great fall.
Can all the GOP put him back together again?
Not sure quite what they are complaining about.
Republicans have won Congress and within a hair's breadth of controlling the Senate.
They already control the Supreme Court for many terms to come. They have electoral war chests galore.
It's now a contest between Democrats having support destroyed fast by inflation, or Republicans having support destroyed by DoJ Trump indictments.
Not unreasonable that Trump Republicans would come out better than Biden Democrats.
The mid-terms was never the "red wave" that the GOP were Trumpeting was going to happen. Sure they may now have a few more seats in the House, than the Dems (Just how many is still to be determined) but Kevin McCarthy is going to have his work cut out trying to control the alt-right wing nuts MTG et al. He's going to be the meat in a very unsavory sandwich.
As for the senate that is still to be decided, and probably not until the run-off in Georgia in early Dec. either way – hard say a great landslide victory.
Many GOP now blaming the "influence" of Trump on the result. And to some extent he is to blame with his massive stacking of the Judiciary with right wing christian conservatives. While Trump still receives 44% support within the party, he is far from being a popular figure nation wide. He would be unlikely to win a race for POTUS again. Even Faux News seem to have washed their hands of him.
It's not going well.
https://twitter.com/travisakers/status/1590743279292731392
https://www.rawstory.com/judge-demands-trump-lawyers-pay-sanctions-and-fees-over-lawsuit-as-they-face-disbarment-report/
Well known altruists promote the new future at Bahamas conference.
Yep if you have just lost 32b of investors money (and counting due to levered assets) it would be remarkable if any reinvested what they did not own anymore, a Bear Sterns moment some might say.
https://twitter.com/DoombergT/status/1590647335696338945?cxt=HHwWgsDQ8d_UjpMsAAAA
https://twitter.com/markets/status/1590806500934504448?cxt=HHwWgMCqqbGF15MsAAAA
https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2022/11/10/washington-dcs-buddy-sam-bankman-fried-has-some-explaining-to-do/
He flapped his gums and threatened to buy Twitter, got bored and moved on. But the board didn't and they wanted their money. Two weeks in and he's talking bankruptcy?
Way to piss $44 billion away, Elon.
https://twitter.com/ZoeSchiffer/status/1590812793787518977
Haven't got a spare $44 billion down the back your sofa for your favourite vanity project?
Then you're not Elon Musk.
In the age of climate change and resulting biosphere collapse, you have to wonder if the world can afford the luxury of having multi-billionaires anymore.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/how-to-piss-away-2444-billion-an-elon-musk-timeline/ar-AA13YIKg
Curia poll (not lefty spin) backs up Newshub's in one regard: both show Luxon losing support. But this one is in line with all the others, suggesting Newshub's is the outlier.
A tweet, poll not yet in the media
Both show a change of government -so what is your point
OK, you need it explaining.
LOTO polling: Ardern's went up. Key's went up. Clark's went up (99 not 96, when she lost).
No LOTO has won under MMP with low (in fact, declining) personal support.
If you think it's OK for National to risk defeat by carrying a major handicap, that's great. For Labour and the Greens, even Winston.
" OK, you need it explaining ”
Do you know how arrogant you are Observer ?
No of course not !
Someone so obnoxious and obviously pretentious as you would never been tolerated in the real Labour party.
But you fit right in on here.
I'm not a member of the Labour party, and never have been.
I don't know why anyone would base their views of a party (or even their vote) on political blog comments. Spend 5 minutes on Kiwiblog and joining the communists starts to look attractive. Spend 5 minutes on the Daily Blog and swing back to the right.
Or you could weigh up the policies of the parties and their leaders and decide what kind of government you'd like. Most voters do that without ever reading any blogs, which is probably just as well.
As for the comment you responded to, you could address the points made, agree or disagree … but you don't seem interested in debate here, so it's not clear what you want.
Hence all the talk of Ardern upping sticks – expect much more of this desperate stuff.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/bryce-edwards-the-increasing-speculation-about-jacinda-ardern-quitting/U72FTQFMEJFADALEK5HKF4BXTY/
If NAct win in 2023, Luxon will become the least politically experienced NZ PM ever, with only half the prior experience of Key – couldn't come at a better time, could it.
Here's the NZME link:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/national-and-act-govern-on-new-poll-but-labour-greens-close-gap/IT3ETDE4P5GYDMJJ4SIGHIZJIA/
Note that Luxon is in negative territory. That is remarkable: parties and leaders usually go up/down together. When the gov't is at a low ebb, the leader of the opposition is becoming more unpopular.
Nicola for National 2023, put your
houseshirt on it.Seems surprising that Newhub's poll came out on the evening of Labour Conference. Very surprising.
Taxpayer's Poll today not too grim for Labour Greens:
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/latest-poll-puts-national-act-power
.
Only if you tend toward both the highly partisan and conspiracy-minded.
.
No, don’t think so.
Newshub’s no more an outlier than Talbot-Mills … broader point: polls all in relative agreement.
…………………………………… Right Bloc …. Left Bloc …. Right advantage
Curia (3-8 Nov)…………………. 48 …………….. 43 ………………. 5
Newshub (25 Oct-3 Nov) ….. 51 ……………. 42 ………………. 9
Curia (2-11 Oct)…………………. 49 ……………. 42 ………………. 7
Talbot-Mills (Oct) ……………… 46 ……………. 44 ……………….. 2
Roy Morgan (Sep) …………….. 49 ……………. 42 ……………….. 7
Do you mean Horizon, rather than Newshub – being the outlier?
The most recent Newshub poll seems to be pretty much in line with the Curia one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_New_Zealand_general_election
These folks get the message.
Offering male, female and non-binary as categories of competition conflates sex (immutable and consisting of two, male and female) with gender identity (fluid and difficult to define). The two are not the same. A non-binary category also introduces something which is totally irrelevant in sport — belief — as a sports category. Other beliefs, such as religion or political affiliation, are as irrelevant in sport as the belief that one is non-binary. Elite sporting events do not offer separate prize money based on religion or political affiliation because we recognize those divisions are not meaningful for elite competition. The same should be true of gender identity.
A non-binary category discriminates against females because males run, on average, about 10% faster than females (the women’s world record is 2:14:04; thousands of men have run faster). So females in the non-binary category are not competing on a level playing field."
https://www.letsrun.com/news/2022/11/gender-identity-has-no-place-in-sport/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
good on them. I think society needs to draw a line between acceptance of difference and those that wish to 'smash the binary' (as in do away with physical reality), either because of mental distress/dysphoria, or ideology, or both. Compassion, yes. Making fundamental changes to society that affect everyone because of mental distress or undebated politics? No.
I'm also increasingly of the opinion that if women want to escape being female via NB identity, then they can opt out of the social goods that go with being female as well. And if they want to run in races against men, have at it. Set up their own sports organisations, see how they get on.
Most sporting codes have some allowance for women to compete in the male categories already.
I know of one women who was playing in the higher (not quite the top) Wellington Soccer grades for Upper Hutt in goal. I think she was also a Football Fern, though I don't have a specific name. It's pretty rare but can be done where the players can compete at the required level.
A non-binary event sounds like it would be more about a social group than a sporting event. There are also quite a few mixed leagues and competitions around if players are not too serious (and don't mind mentioning that they pass as female for the purposes of the leagues gender balance rules).
that's the problem right there though, some NB people refuse to acknowledge their biological sex. It's the insistence on changing things so that others have to pretend there is no femaleness in the person. If someone IDs as NB and acknowledges their femaleness where it matters, all good. Play in women's teams, or men's where that is allowed, or NB teams. But if they deny they are female, then stay out of women's teams and don't expect everyone else to deny as well.
I once had an argument with a NB male online, who objected to the term 'NB male' and who thought he should have access to women's spaces. He wasn't transitioning, he just like dressing up in quite beautiful, creatively expressive clothes and makeup, interesting. Obviously male, nothing to do with women (as compared to say transsexual women). It's just weird that NB want access to opposite sex spaces, although I can see for males it's probably a safety thing re toilets.
In mixed team games the binary is broken down a little differently. The two categories are, allowed on the field and, not allowed on the field without the other team alleging your cheating and complaining to the referee.
The main take away is there is no real case of sports bodies preventing participation of gender categories. Basically everybody can always play in the male events at minimum.
Sorry, but that makes little grammatical sense.
What were you trying to say here? In mixed teams, males and females are allowed on the field, and not allowed on the field? What?
No-one is trying to stop people with a gender identity playing sports. What is being objected to is males playing in women's sports. Because it's obviously, grossly unfair. Also being objected to is the idea that sports can ignore biology (for the most part it can't, and again, obviously, in the sport were it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter).
Mixed teams and NB teams are not the same thing. Plenty of sport isn't played in teams.
In mixed grades the rules will be some version of minimum of two female players on the field (or you can go a player down). But since its basically social grades the enforcement of that is whatever the other team objects to. Whatever genders a team believes are participating is not really relevant.
I was playing some Masters the other night where the rule is up to two underage players at once. Although the opposition were clearly within that rule, my teams been bitching all week, because our opponents fielded a player from the top Wellington grade and he scored all their goals single handedly.
I've never noticed a non-binary identified person playing sports anyway and some how doubt enough could be grouped to form a team, let alone a competition.
The main point about sports participation is, the claim that sex categories in sports are excluding people from participation, by their gender beliefs. That claim is obvious fiction. As far as I've seen there is some kind of competitive pressuring, alleging and demanding of sporting bodies to change their rules but miniscule interest in actual participation by supposedly represented communities.
Keep pressing on Minister Mahuta. All power to you. Make the farmers quake.
Three Waters co-governance retained after 88,000 public submissions – NZ Herald
A useful (and very informative) test that anyone can try:
When somebody says they "oppose 3 waters", ask them to name … the 3 waters. Yes, as easy as that.
Answers will often include "co-governance", "Mahuta", "Cindy", etc.
But actually knowing what the policy is … not so much.
Another very useful test that anyone can try;
"Do you believe in democracy, one person, one vote?"
.
The exclusive little Establishment club that is Wokedom certainly doesn't.
I mean, why would you allow the hoi polloi, the great unwashed, the 80% of the public who are absolute deplorables to have a say in our future ??? That's sounds absolutely ghastly !!!
Certainly the remarkably rarefied guests at various upmarket Kelburn & Wadestown dinner parties are aghast at the very thought.
No, sod the proles … everything's best left to a cadre of affluent, ruthlessly self-interested narcissistic slobs inhabiting the upper echelons of the professional-managerial class … who, it seems, possess moral sensibilities so much more unusually refined than the rest of us.
If that sums up your understanding of the concept of democracy then you and I are likely to talk past each other.
If that's your rule I think you must surely stick to it.
Will you be voting electorate candidate or political party in the next general election?
Nah, Alan strikes me as someone would give his 2 votes to a fringe party that won’t make the 5% threshold, so in essence his 2 = 0, which is hugely unfair, of course, but that’s democracy for you.
Its a risky strategy, I tend to bet on the favourites myself but the payout is often low.
I did get an anonymous tip that, the best margin is in the trifecta, so I recommend picking all your top 3 in order at the general election.
I agree that we should change the current absurdity where one person can have more than one vote in local elections, because they own more than one property.
Unfortunately National and ACT MPs are not keen to change this. Perhaps you could contact them to let them know how strongly you feel about "one person, one vote", or even get a petition going. Good luck.
“One person one vote” is really cool if you’re in the Pakeha majority, voting to confiscate Maori land, perfectly legally, under the Public Works Act
“Let’s all be one culture” is a great way to wipe out Te Reo and Māori culture and deny 800,000 people a voice in their own land
”Let’s have one health system” is fine until you actually look at the data re Māori health outcomes, longevity, lifestyle, and lack of engagement with Pakeha institutions
One would almost think this One Nation rhetoric was white supremacist bullshit designed to suppress a minority culture struggling for its own identity