As the old saying goes “Every cloud has a silver lining”
How Trump made political engagement great again:
The 2018 midterms had the highest turnout since before World War I!
Americans are more civically engaged than they have been in more than 100 years.
The two years between President Donald Trump’s win in 2016 and the 2018 midterms ushered in a new era of political engagement in America, not seen since the early 1900s and the 1960s civil rights and anti-war movements.
That culminated in November’s midterm elections. While House Democrats picked up 40 seats in a wave election (they didn’t fare nearly as well in the Senate), an important number to focus on is the sheer number of people who voted in 2018, compared to past midterms.
Read the link. The actual turnout was over 50% which for a mid – term is the greatest turnout in 100 years and well above the last mid-term which was around 38%. It may not sound very impressive but remember that these polling days are held on a working day, and while in some states it is a requirement for employers to give their employees time off to vote – this is met more in word than in deed. Furthermore in poorer districts there are few polling booths and it can take several hours to cast a vote.
Presidential elections score between 50 – 60%. However you need to take into account the very active voter suppression that occurs in a large majority of states where certain sectors of society are actively discouraged by a wide range of legalities from voting.
This is a surprisingly good result considering all the obstacles that state politicians put in the way of the majority.
Thanks for posting that graph Lprent. I have been following the daily train crash in the US for a while now on WTF and some of the commentators there have been very actively involved in the mid-terms and were very heartened by the (for them) massive turnout and the blue wave that resulted in the House – the forecast had been for around a 35 seat swing at best. When the results came through and the Dems kept picking up seats they well elated.
When I saw that graph on Vox – I thought it was something that needed to be seen here, because there have been a few commentators here, who have been rather disparaging of the efforts of the Democratic party. And while you can’t change an institution overnight the vibes I’m picking up from the on-line community at WTF (hosted by Matt Kiser) are very positive. I have faith that the activism I am seeing there will translate in the future to a much more progressive and viable Left.
And all thanks to Trump 😉
If there is one left wing writer you should follow, it is John Wight.
Add him to your Twitter feed.
Here is an excerpt from his most recent article, where he provides insight you rarely see in the corporate media on the events in France.
This is a war against neoliberalism and austerity
“Macron’s European army has arrived. It goes by the name Gilets Jaunes
The French capital is now, for all intents, the frontline in a growing struggle against neoliberalism and its bastard child, austerity, across a European Union whose foundations are crumbling. They are crumbling not due to the devilish machinations of Vladimir Putin (as an increasingly unhinged and out of touch Western liberal commentariat maintains), but instead as the result of a neoliberal status quo that provides far too few with unending comfort and material prosperity at the expense of far too many, for whom dire misery and mounting pain are its grim fruits.
Not only is this mass grassroots movement of Yellow Vest protesters a problem for Macron, but it is also increasingly a problem for an EU political and economic establishment that is yet to wake up to the fact that the world has changed, and changed utterly.
Throughout human history hubris has been the undoing of the rich and powerful, along with the empires forged in their name; and hubris is currently well on the way to being the undoing of an EU whose proponents have embraced the unity not of its peoples but of its banks, corporations, and elites.”
The fact you think France is a poster child for neoliberalism is laughable. France’s issues are in fact the result of failing to implement any meaningful policies that equate even remotely with neoliberalism.
You obviously don’t know much about the French economy. France has always stood apart from what they regard as the Anglo neo-liberal consensus.
Equating all forms of capitalism to neo-liberalism is a serious mistake.
The basic tenents of neo-liberalism are low barriers to trade, not much state ownership, relatively free labour markets, low regulation, relatively low taxes, and a relatively low share of the state as a share of GDP (less than 35%). France basically doesn’t have any of this. These features are very much the domain of the anglosphere, including NZ. The EU basically resists all these things.
Dr Marek Neuman explains the consequences of European economic integration on the economic and political powers of member states and why some scholars, practitioners, and citizens have been criticising the EU as a neoliberal project.
The author advances the literature on the role of the state in the decentralization of industrial relations in France by providing a political economic analysis of Right- and Left-backed governments in recent decades. While both have pursued reforms to reduce regulation and to increase labor market flexibility, they have used the state apparatus in different ways to achieve these goals.
The tragedy of Macron is that he is a highly articulate upholder of an illusion that has been dispelled time and time again since the subprime crisis. That the defence of an economic system that has exerted such centrifugal pressure on society as to nearly dissolve it can still pass as “pragmatic” is truly staggering, and shows that what goes by the name “pragmatism” has become the most deeply entrenched of ideologies.
I know some leftists have criticised the EU as a neo-liberal project. They are wrong.
The EU has its origins in the 1950’s and was designed to make Western Europe a single economy. All about eliminating the threat of war from Germany. Obviously no real barriers between each of them. But they were (and are) all high tax economies with massive welfare networks and massive infrastructure spending. That is why France has the amazing TGV trains, amazing roads, and many dozens of nuclear reactors, and may companies under the control of the state. All built with central planning.
As a general rule, informed commentators make a distinction between the anglo economies and the European economies, with many Europeans being critical of what they perceive as the US pushing their model onto them. One of the reasons for Brexit is that the UK economy doesn’t easily fit the European model. Many Brits resented the excessive level of micro control that is the norm of the EU.
Having said that I do know there has been a fear that Macron wanted to introduce more economic flexibility into France and was accused of being a closet neoliberal. He basically succeeded with employment law reform and reducing business regulation, with many French people recognising the current practices were way too restrictive. But that was clearly the limit of what he could do.
The EU has its origins in the 1950’s and was designed to make Western Europe a single economy.
Which was a bad move as the PIIGs found out. Can’t have a single economy on one currency when all the sub-economies have different taxes, workers rights, different productivity rates etc, and have their ability to control their currency removed.
Obviously no real barriers between each of them.
Yes. Neo-liberalism.
But they were (and are) all high tax economies with massive welfare networks and massive infrastructure spending. That is why France has the amazing TGV trains, amazing roads, and many dozens of nuclear reactors, and may companies under the control of the state. All built with central planning.
So, you’re now praising a command economy?
He basically succeeded with employment law reform and reducing business regulation, with many French people recognising the current practices were way too restrictive.
So, that would make him a neo-liberal and France getting neo-liberal policies despite the fact that the French don’t actually want them. You know, like the article I posted on it said.
Yeah, I’m getting your argument. Mostly because it seems to be made up out of whole cloth.
A big issue at this time of year – I think most of us waste food – we have chickens and a friend with pigs – but every time I scrape the plate or pot I cringe a little and feel ashamed that we are wasting food.
“We’re wasting food that can be utilised by some of our whānau” says Whangārei community trust CEO, Martin Kaipo, who is challenging the government to tackle New Zealand’s food wastage problem…
… Latest statistics show that 14,000 tonnes of food waste is sent to New Zealand landfills annually. That equates to 3kgs per person annually, a statistic Kaipo says can easily help those most in need.
“One of the supermarkets, they were throwing out dozens of eggs and they had to break them and we say ‘why don’t you save it? We can give it away’. They say they can’t, they’re not allowed,” says Kaipo, who has been working in the community development sector for over 20 years.
A 2015 study showed that $900mil of food is wasted by New Zealanders annually.
“You’re talking about a social accord and meeting the needs of our whānau. I think we should be challenging wastage,” he says.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that, each year, one-third of all food produced for human consumption in the world (around 1.3 billion tons) is lost or wasted. This includes 45% of all fruit and vegetables, 35% of fish and seafood, 30% of cereals, 20% of dairy products and 20% of meat.
The most waste is, of course, in the highly efficient Developed Nations:
Not surprisingly, most of this wastage occurs in the developed world; per capita food waste by consumers (not including the production process) in Europe and North America is around 95-115kg per year, compared to just 6-11kg in sub-Saharan Africa and South/South-East Asia.
This wastage happens because, on average, we’re paid too much. We throw stuff out because we can afford to.
Like the waste that is personal vehicles this is another symbol of how rich we are. A symbol of how stupid and blasé we’ve become.
And the best before dates are usually a crock of shit.
We opened a still sealed tub of Greek yoghurt that had been sitting in the fridge for a year the other week. BB was November 2017. A year later, still sealed, and kept cool, it was still good to eat.
You can blame BB dates on consumers themselves. They’d buy processed food and expect it to last forever. They’d then open stuff and find it had gone off and ZOMG, they didn’t know that it had to be used by certain time so should get a refund. Some people would eat it anyway because its canned and should be good right?
For health and safety of the public BB dates became mandatory.
Yes, some foods will keep well beyond the BB date but that’s because the BB dates are very conservative and some foods will simply keep longer.
What is dumb is someone suggesting that because the PM on an issue said “Read between the line” that she cannot suggest to “Not read between the lines” on a completely different, absolutely no connection, months apart issue. Perhaps it is comments like this that highlight the skill and multi tasking ability of our brilliant PM compared to the desperate and talentless detractors.
On THAT issue, can you not see the difference? two separate issues. Are you being purposely dense or does it just come naturally. I will treat your subtle attack on the baby with the silence and contempt it deserves.
Chris T
I know I know. You would do a much better job than the PM. Possibly you put your CV forward to be an advisor and got turned down. Now you are giving her the coaching she needs from TS sidelines. Don’t know if she will welcome it. I certainly don’t. Sniping from a protected place is a low task. that doesn’t result in awards. Why not find another one?
I’m intrigued @ Chris T. What is it that makes you want to come and comment on TS?
Is it a a genuine desire to counter the politics of the left, or
Is it more to do with the size of your penis?
If it’s the latter, Maria Muldaur can offer you some solace (It ain’t the meat, it’s the motion)
Btw, your mate Matty is having a bit of an epiphany (or maybe a mid-life crisis -take your pick). He’s back from his voyage of discovery in Eurip and could probably offer you some good advice.
For one thing, the ability to recognise that different topics have different contexts, and “reading between the lines” might be advisable for one topic but reckless speculation for another.
She’s only been in the background of m ‘mind this year — I account her a talker of the talk but not a walker. ‘Brilliant’ — nay. Her feeling isn’t as good as the work that took up the lives of our founders. She still thinks her feeling matters as much as struggle, work, sacrifice, MJS.
Have you found any actual evidence that Sroubek’s estranged wife was/is under police protection as TRP asked you to provide when you continued to dispute that issue with me?
Don’t seem to have seen it here yet.
Also a warning to anyone clicking on the 14+ minute audio link Chris T provided at 4, the first 7+ mins are a news bulletin and the Hoskiing/Ardern interview does not start until after that.
Also, Ardern’s remark re not encouraging anyone to read between the lines has to be put into the context of her following comments that the Barclay situation is an employment matter that she cannot comment on.
LOL. You mean you won’t accept the Parliamentary video and Hansard transcript of what Peters said, because it does not fit with your claims – but you cannot provide any proof for your claim.
And here you go again, taking Ardern’s comment out of context and made in relation to a completely different issue as has been pointed out to you above.
He’s struggling for sure. Sad these wingnuts are going low but they are desperate for ANYthing other than the eternal-leakee-I-did-everything-right Simon. It’s also funny imo.
“Have you found any actual evidence that Sroubek’s estranged wife was/is under police protection as TRP asked you to provide when you continued to dispute that issue with me?”
How about this:
“Police Minister Stuart Nash says police should not have shared information with Immigration NZ about the location of the police safe house where the estranged wife of Karel Sroubek is staying.”
I think one or two ‘officials’ would have to be “thrown under a bus” – that’s if you’re hoping for a reply.
And we can’t do that @ Naki man! It would undermine EVERYTHING our public service (and its codes of conduct) stands for.
(/sarc)
And if we were to do that, there’d be no opportunity anymore for a pompous Wodehouse, or a finger-pumping specimen in a leapoard skin suit feigning outrage, or a struggling Soi-man to ask ‘the hard questions’ as Her Majesty’s Opposishun in Parliament – that’s without appearing like complete hypocritical shmuks.
(It’s no wonder, I ‘spose) that when I walked past MoBIE yesterday, there were one or two senior ‘officials’ standing outside, desperately sucking on their vape machines inhaling as much flavoured steam as they could get down their throats whilst they were dreaming up the next round of bullshit and spin – have you received any memo yet?)
Oh, btw @ Naki man, I stumbled across this little gem that could be used in the next election campaign and it could draw together a Tolley, a Collins, a Bennett and Barry ( let alone the male aspirants with their woifies behind them ALL THE WAY): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBirf4BWew
That article dated 5 December at 1.19pm and Nash’s statements etc predated the more informed information provided by Ardern, Peters and Galloway in the House in Question Time that afternoon and the following two days, Weds 6 Dec, and Thurs, 6 Dec.
I suspect/hope that Nash was possibly carpeted for those statements, and told to pull his head in as his statement that police should not have shared information with Immigration NZ about the estranged wife’s whereabouts have since been refuted on several counts, as have the statement in that article that “She is now staying in a police safe house because of fears to her safety.”
In Question Time on Thursday, 6 Dec, in questions 1 and 2 Peters refuted much of what Nash had said. In brief:
— Under Question 1, Peters advised that the wife had been offered police protection three times but had declined the offers, and hence she was not in police protection.
— Under Question 2, Galloway repeatedly stated that Police had not supplied Immigration NZ with the wife’s address as Immigration NZ already knew her address/whereabouts.
Chris T and I had a lengthy ‘discussion’ on these issues under the thread at 13 on the “Double down – protect parliament – ban Bridges for a month” post by lprent filed at 10.30pm on 5 Dec.
I am not going to repeat my very detailed responses to him with links and quotes to Peters and Galloway’s replies in the House. These can be seen in the above-mentioned thread starting with Chris T’s 13.2.2.1.1 and continuing for some days resulting in TRP telling him to pull his head in and provide evidence that she was in police protection.
As well as referencing the information provided in the House by Peters and Galloway, in one of my responses I also provided a very rough summary of the provisions of Part 8 of the Immigration Act 2009 covering the powers of entry, seizure etc of Immigration Officers in relation to possible immigration fraud etc – AND the procedures whereby Police are able under law to work closely with Immigration on such matters including the powers of – and requirements on – both agencies to share information on such matters. (There are also similar requirements for information sharing with and between other government agencies etc). As I noted in that comments, these powers etc were widened considerably under the last Nat govt.)
Going back to the Nash article, Nash did not seem to know/understand the provisions of the Immigration Act 2009 (and the Search and Surveillance Act 2012) re these powers and requirements to share relevant information between Immigration NZ and NZ Police in making the statement he did.
As Ianmac has noted below at 4.1.1.2.3, this subject is up again today in Question Time at Q3.
“It would be very axiomatic that if on three occasions the police had offered protection and she hadn’t availed herself of it, then maybe when the police came with the immigration officer, she wasn’t under protection.”
“Have you found any actual evidence that Sroubek’s estranged wife was/is under police protection?”
Mitchell is thinking of taking Winston to the Privileges Committee but Mitchell said, “”She’s been taken away to a safe home in a different part of the country that is subject to a police safety plan, and then, unannounced, two police detectives and an Immigration NZ official turned up at the front door.
“She was asked to do something she felt would make her an even bigger target for Sroubek, felt very uneasy and asked for a support person.”
That is not the same thing as a Safe House.
That great questioner Bridges is yet again having a go re Sroubek at the PM today at QT. Q3.
Ianmac – did you watch Q1 and 2 on Thursday last week – a lot revealed there as mentioned in my reply to Naki above at 4.1.2.2.3. I did extensive replies to chris t last week on this and my reply above has links to that info.
Mitchell has no real grounds to take Peters to the Privileges Committee – imo he is just posturing and may come a cropper if he persists with that line.
I also now know a lot more re the wife and her family etc and not everything is as it seems but cannot say more. It is a bit of a Through the Looking Glass situation where down seems up and vice versa – and who is the real victim/fall guy/ taking one for the team …………..
Following the money can lead to interesting results.
“It would be very axiomatic that if on three occasions the police had offered protection and she hadn’t availed herself of it, then maybe when the police came with the immigration officer, she wasn’t under protection.”
We are short on leaders, but I guess dirty politics also plays it’s part. Also the unions have become very process orientated a bit like the Green Party. But maybe dirty politics also play their part here. We are after all, under mass surveillance and you kinda lose your job or funding if you speak out in NZ.
Save NZ you have got it wrong it’s the support from the middle classes and small businesses who are getting squeezed Macron a cardboard cut out of John Key gave tax cuts to the rich and raised taxes for everyone else the wealthy people and companies pay no tax Macron is one of these uber rich. He got into power promising tax cuts for the over taxed middle classes he didn’t follow through on his promises but still claimed he was a man of his word. So the middle classes are supporting the non violent protest’s outside Paris by feeding and financing protesters. That won’t happen in NZ. The Fascists are causing the violence in Paris because of Bannon is helping the far right racist movement fill a power vacuum the left under Mitterand failed to get the French economy working now Macron is failing Le Pen is stirring up hatred to gain support like Trump. It
A few crumbs of Cake but he will make cuts elsewhere. Except for the non tax paying uber rich.
The Gilet Gaunes have won this battle Macron has caved in so that has emboldened the Yellow Jackets now they will push for more concessions.
And i am sure they will be back on the streets if the need arises.
btw, i think people should refer this not as a ‘french’ movement even tho that france is the one in the news but the gilet jaune/yellow jackets are also active in Belgium, Spain and other places in Europe.
I don’t thing it will just go away with a 100 Euro per month, but for some families it will mean another week of food.
A French person was telling me you can buy a 2 bedroom apartment in Nice for 50,000 euros. So the other issue is that cars over 10 years are being scrapped or taxed more, but there is a 10,000 euro between the compensation and the new car they need to buy. So they need to come up with a considerable amount of money aka 20% of the amount of an apartment to meet the rules. Meanwhile the oil company apparently pays no tax at all, and the government is doing nothing to tax the big oil who are creating the environmental problems in the first place???
I have always admired how the french can ensure a decent quality of life for themselves and plenty of benefits because they go crazy when their government tries to take it away and stop the economy working by blocking the streets. Once you do that, you tend to get your way fairly quickly.
The rental market in the Cote d’Azur reflects the fact that it is high value properties over run by tourists from March – October. Most people i knew lived if they could in an HLM – French Social Housing, especially families with kids.
As for the cars, some cars in France really should not be on the road :), but in saying that, it is a problem that we need to affront at some stage namely that we can’t continue to drive in our single serve boxes, and keep driving really old cars that have terrible exhausts etc.
As anywhere else in hte world the big corporations pay no more taxes in France then they pay in the US or elsewhere…… is that not what they -pay accountants for?
Generally this strike really comes down to the fact that the worker in France can’t be squeezed anymore, that the government spends as if they could squeeze the workers some more and that the increase on Gasoline via taxes was the last drop.
But don’t ever think you can buy an appartment in Nice for 50.000 Euro.
50,000euro would be a year’s rent for a cheap apartment these days I looked at a few real estate office windows thinking the same thing then my French speaking daughter explained that was the rental section.
But other areas of France land and property prices have fallen since Macron took power the cost of living has gone up considerably and people can’t afford to pay for housing.
Western Springs bush is under threat from councils inept planning. Plans to clear fell the pines and replant in natives ignores the already established and ecologically important native bush regenerating on site. A bush decades old.
My objection is that the bush is a host area for many native fungi, unsung heroes in an important range of ecosystem services. But there’s many plants, birds and insects there that need our help too.
The bush sits above a stream that flows directly into the Waitemata harbor, so removing vegetation is also risky in this regard. This stream and its tributaries are host to native banded kokopu, bullies, eel, and paratya.
You may object with a signature, and even a comment, should you wish.
In my view a lot of the rise of mental illness really goes hand in hand with society dysfunction and that is across the board from high to low socio economic groups but with different issues. The problem can be families are working too much and are not strong enough family supports to encourage strong mental health. Nowadays people seem to be fobbed off with a phone line or some external agency that probably does little to nothing. Neoliberalism has made money more important than society.
With state care, any kid who is abused then has to endure 30 different homes in 3 years? if you were mentally ok before as a kid, good chance you wouldn’t be after! By fobbing off bad agency systems, onto ‘metal health’ is also an issue because how the state care system seems to function is the bigger problem causing the mental health issues then and later on top of whatever trauma the kids suffered before they were taken away.
Also hope James Shaw is able to do something about actually creating real data that can be analysed and then better government decisions made. (see video, as the women says, be brave, don’t cover you own ass).
The need for much better statistics is across the board from justice to social welfare, immigration and state care. I even noticed that police keep ethnicity data on victims but not the perpetrators, or at least not in the information I was looking for online?
Weird, is this some woke sop type idea so that they don’t actually do anything about it? They analyse the victims but not detailed data on the criminals so that that they can perhaps try to prevent crimes by being clearer on what is the demographic of criminals increasing or decreasing and the types of crimes?
There are two actions that would reduce our mental health crisis to a manageable level. 1. Stop emotionally, physically and sexually abusing children, it makes for disturbed adults. 2. Stop taking illicit drugs, it makes you mad, if already mad, madder. Remove 1 as above from the equation and 2 will not be an issue.
I completely agree with you Psych nurse, but also think a good look at how we are raising our children, our values and our society in general needs a good look at, too.
Not good enough. We are constantly lowering our standards in NZ and then giving the wrong people too many chances. For a start if a company is not compliant then they should get a massive fine aka $100,000, never be allowed migrant workers sponsored there if they have any, and if they are non compliant again, they get a bigger fine, third time they have license taken away. Also the WOF should have ratings like the restaurants aka A – D ratings so the public can see if they are competent or not.
Like wise with Labour inspectors. 2 fines, no migrants workers allowed and if they get caught again, their ability to hire any workers is taken away.
NZTA inspectors tried to warn of non-compliance issues
For a start if a company is not compliant then they should get a massive fine aka $100,000
The problem with that is that the company just shuts up shop and never pays the fine. The owners walk away with their ill-gotten gains.
Need to make the fine far larger and have it land on the owners. The right-wing should celebrate the personal responsibility and so this government shouldn’t have any problems getting bipartisanship on the bill.
I was only commenting on the ineffectiveness of fining a business when that business can simply deregister and not pay it as we’ve seen time and time again.
You are right so obviously that is the first thing that should be changed aka not being able to shut up shop when you get a fine to avoid your debts. They need to make people bankrupt unable to own a business for 10 years and also be forced to pay what they owe personally especially if it is employment related.
On the constant employment issues for the government, (Barclay, Handley).
You have to wonder how they can justify some of these salaries in particular the Auckland university chancellor who was closing specialist libraries to save money but the third highest paid public servant on over $700,000!
All these public servants should not be paid more than PM, and the money from McCutcheon bloated un deserved salary (Auckland university gone backwards in international ratings) could have been spent on libraries and saving the 20 jobs and not reducing the quality of Auckland university courses!
University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon to step down
“He is the country’s third highest-paid public official whose salary is fixed by the State Services Commission, earning between $710,000 and $719,999 in the year to June 2017, behind only the heads of the Accident Compensation Corporation ($830,000-$839,999) and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment ($800,000-$809,999).
For comparison, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earns only $471,000, although former NZ Superannuation Fund head Adrian Orr, whose salary was fixed by the super fund’s board, earned more than any of these at $1.2 million in 2016-17.”
While they are about it, the council CEO and exec team should not be paid more than the Mayor in councils. I don’t even think we should have a council CEO. We all got better council services before the bloat of councils, their poorly performing but highly paid lawyers and less leaky buildings.
I think after Fonterra we can see that a bloated salary does nothing to ensure better candidates and outcomes for our organisations here in NZ.
The title of this link is Peter Hitchens and World War 1.
However, the 15 minute clip looks at the whole history between Germany and Russia, and the Ukraine.
I recommend you watch it all, but if you’re interested in current affairs in Ukraine, I highly recommend you listen to the clip from 10:55
It is Hitchens contention that the NATO and the EU is the aggressor- not Putin.
He parallels the treatment of the Germans by the Allies in the early 1920s to the treatment of Russia by NATO in the 1990s.
He notes the betrayal of Russia by NATO when they expanded to the western borders of the truncated Russia.
I totally agree with him.
NATO (unlike the defunct Warsaw Pact) is a voluntary mutual defence pact. Nations are no coerced to join. If nations that are close to Russia want to join it is not Nato’s fault but Russia’s. Russia should reexamine it’s behaviour rather than seek to blame others.
It’s about nations NOT joining gozzer. If the yankers agreed no ex warpaccers in nato, and then reneged on that, the ruskers might just be a bit pissed off.
The Soviets would be pissed. But why wouldn’t the jolly nice Russians, who are a completely different government, want to join NATO some time in the future?
Where democracy goes the other democracies must support. It is the only way power can be held up to account. Singapore relies on the fellow-feeling Lee Kuan Yew instituted into the ruling class. Japan — no one knows, except we muchly appreciate the resistance to an aggressive army. America, a republic with a democratic element much like the Roman Republic on which their constitution was modelled. Dictatorships tend to offload the cost on to later and others.
Why councils should stick to their knitting and NOT enter into development projects. Another interesting question is, if a building is oversized and nobody approved it, surely they can work out who did the mistake, and then get them to pay for it?
Meanwhile councils seem incapable of doing what they should be with water quality. Maybe less development projects and more keeping an eye and spending their budget on what the ratepayers are paying them for aka keep the water clean for example so they are safe?
It is interesting that poor water quality influenced the local election towards the democrats. Farmers hoist by their own petard.
Obviously bringing down stock numbers to carrying capacity is an important first step. On top of this we can plant not only riparian edges, but extensively contoured shelter through farms adding water security, flood mitigation, secondary products, fodder, nitrogen fixation and other ecosystem services to offset/nullify various input costs.
The trees (and accompanying earthworks to store water in the land) are planted in a manner to provide deep access for water as well via species that tap deep through hard substrates. The whole shebang slows water down, thus erosion, thus fertiliser losses and topsoil losses. This saves money on fertiliser requirements and subsequently reduces overall fertilisers used in the environment. The trees, biodiversity, and nitrogen fixing species add to fertiliser requirement reductions.
Effluent goes to biodigestors to make biogas to power milking machines, heat water, pump water etc. This greatly reduces pathogens. The solids are then composted for a high value soil amendment, further reducing fertiliser requirements. The liquid remainder is polished in wetlands which can also provide various products and ecosystem services.
With a marked reduction in input costs and some variety in income streams the ‘reduced production’ for farmers, through shifting some land use to tree crops and reducing chemicals, can be just as profitable or even more so. But not so for big oil, big ag, Fonterra et al who all take a cut of the land’s productivity while everyone else pays for it.
Sadly I don’t think it was the poor environmental aspects of the water that made them mad at the Republicans, but the reduction of their property values….
Rod oram on business in NZ:
Fonterra
Tip Top
Trademe (Interesting possible line here with advice on private equity floating companies so investors beware) – about 13-15 mins in.
Big Changes at Fonterra
From Nine To Noon, 11:09 am today
Listen duration 15′ :51″
Business commentator, Rod Oram says there are bigger things happening at Fonterra than putting Tip Top up for sale. The coop has changed its auditors, the first change in 17 years. He’s also been looking into the winners and losers involved in the Metro Glass story.
You should be aware that this is what Opposition parties do in Parliament. The last Labour lead opposition did the same. Check Hansard if you don’t believe me.
If anyone is interested, the third reading of the above bill is underway in the House. David Clark has just done the opening speech – and big surprise, Simon Bridges has appeared and is now speaking.
If I heard rightly (Will check later) , he started by saying that this is the first Bill hearing he has spoken in during this Parliamentary session
AND he is now claiming that the Bill will allow loose leaf cannabis to be smoked openly in public !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?????????????????????
They wait until the local police shut shop normally around 4pm in places of high P manufacture like Helensville. In spite of this the police/government don’t think it is a good idea to keep the police open 24 hours in those places and keep a police presence there at night… I posted an article a while ago about monthly burglaries of local business and thy grab what they want cos they know the police are 40 mins away. Probably the same in Clutha.
mind, the shop next to mine in West AKL got done three times in a year. We got really good at taking down details to give to the local copper brigade. Not sure if it helped.
Kia ora Newshub Ka pai to Time Magazine for putting Jamal Khashoggi up and naming him person of the year we can not let them kill our truth tellers off.
Good fantasy it is men who are to blame for the way the world treats wahine all the men in power who cheat and lie to keep wahine out of leadership roles they know the wahine will keep them honest.Ingrid NZ treats our Wahine a lot better than most other country’s I do get what you mean about wahine having to be alerted to dangers of our society everytime they step outside .
The Salvation Army does a great job YES PEE is a big problem in maori communitys it hooks the user and makes them do anything for there next hit hence my anti CRACK word . Who’s on the air nz board this has the same tune as the digger cutting the fuel pipe . gold smith you would prefer to cut all the trees down and ruin our environment.
We have reports that the regions have been starved of resources for years poverty big health problem’s .Ka kite ano
Ka pai to the London Mayor for implementing a strategy to drastically reduce carbon use this is what is needed to save our future .The climate change deniers can not see past there hip pockets Muppet.
Catastrophic climate breakdown might be as little as 12 years away,” she said. “This would have profound impacts on every aspect of our lives in London from flooding and overheating in summers, disruption in our food supply chains as well as in the wider natural world.
“The mayor needs to be at the forefront of this challenge, declaring a climate emergency and an urgent updating of his carbon reduction targets to make London carbon neutral by 2030, decades ahead of his current plans, setting a precedent for other major and world cities.”
Khan said he had already introduced a series of measures to tackle climate breakdown – from investing £500m in low carbon technologies to divesting pension funds from fossil fuels. On Sunday 100 academics, philosophers and authors wrote to the Guardian to back a new civil disobedience group – Extinction Rebellion – and called for people around the world to rise up and organise against the “paralysis” of political leaders. Ka kite ano. links below
Here you go trump and his go oil party are deliberately destroying any chance of there being a positive out come at the UN climate summit ka pai to Vanuatus minister for calling them out over there bulling tact ticks dump trump
The United States and other high carbon dioxide-emitting developed countries are deliberately frustrating the UN climate summit in Katowice, Poland, Vanuatu’s foreign minister has said. His warning came as Pacific and Indian ocean states warned they faced annihilation if a global climate “rule book” could not brokered.
In a bruising speech before ministers and heads of state, Vanuatu’s foreign minister, Ralph Regenvanu, singled out the US as he excoriated major CO2-emitting developed countries for deliberately hindering negotiations.
“It pains me deeply to have watched the people of the United States and other developed countries across the globe suffering the devastating impacts of climate-induced tragedies, while their professional negotiators are here at COP24 putting red lines through any mention of loss and damage in the Paris guidelines and square brackets around any possibility for truthfully and accurately reporting progress against humanity’s most existential threat,” links below ka kite ano.
Eco Maori says when one person makes a call that if he is impeached it tells me that he believes he is guilty NO.
Former national security adviser to President Donald Trump Michael Flynn has asked a federal judge to spare him from prison time, according to his defense team’s memo before his sentencing
Flynn is the highest-ranking Trump official to face charges in the Mueller probe. He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the then-Russian ambassador to the US. Flynn initially denied — but eventually said — that they had discussed sanctions and a United Nations resolution during the presidential transition. The saga led to his early exit from the White House. Ana to kai links below
P.S I would not be so focused on this subject if they were not trying to destroy Papatuanuku and all her creatures just for power and money.
Kia ora Newshub
That’s the way Winston banning smoking in homes is a stupid move the smoke tax’s caused the poor to become even poorer and shonky new this its a pity the maori party did not figure that out.
Air NZ engineer strike is totally unexceptionable at this time of the year they make heaps of profits to pay for good staff it just a neo stunt never had these problems when shonky was in.
Just depends who is doing the berthing study on the increased risk of getting cancer as they will make the results suit there agenda there is a motive to put Wahine off child birth. I have seen a studys saying marg is better than butter eggs are bad for you ECT any one with a brain can work out the bull from the facts.
Lloyd the towel need to be thrown in A.
Ka pai to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer trying to stop the USA government shut down .
Personally I strongly discourage Wahine from dating people from dating sights there is to much risk for Wahine.
Reduced speed limit on the speed limits on the intercity limits of Auckland will save lives and minimize traffic jams .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora James & Mulls from the Crowd Goes Wild .
Its good news Ardie staying in Aotearoa playing rugby.
Anna I enjoy the company of a horse had many advencers on a horse good luck to Jonelle & Tim in the Badminton in Aotearoa
I say there will be a good boxing match in Christchurch this weekend guys .
Kane had a good batting match in the Black caps win Ka pai guys better stick to serfing ka kite ano
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 19 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University A year ago, the AUKUS agreement was formally announced between Australian and UK Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden. The agreement mapped out the “optimal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andreas Helwig, Associate Professor, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland SmartS/Shutterstock Steam locomotives clattering along railway tracks. Paddle steamers churning down the Murray. Dreadnought battleships powered by steam engines. Many of us think the age of steam has ended. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carrie Leonetti, Associate Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Victims who experience family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand are treated differently, depending on which part of the justice system they turn to for help. But a new member’s bill ...
As the old saying goes “Every cloud has a silver lining”
How Trump made political engagement great again:
The 2018 midterms had the highest turnout since before World War I!
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/12/10/18130492/2018-voter-turnout-political-engagement-trump
I would think Brexit has done the same in Britain.
The referendum for Scotland seemed also to generate a whole new groundswell of political engagement.
Percentage-wise?
Read the link. The actual turnout was over 50% which for a mid – term is the greatest turnout in 100 years and well above the last mid-term which was around 38%. It may not sound very impressive but remember that these polling days are held on a working day, and while in some states it is a requirement for employers to give their employees time off to vote – this is met more in word than in deed. Furthermore in poorer districts there are few polling booths and it can take several hours to cast a vote.
Presidential elections score between 50 – 60%. However you need to take into account the very active voter suppression that occurs in a large majority of states where certain sectors of society are actively discouraged by a wide range of legalities from voting.
This is a surprisingly good result considering all the obstacles that state politicians put in the way of the majority.
Yeah it was probably the most awesome mid-term election in many years. Ummm. lets try this from
https://www.fairvote.org/voter_turnout#voter_turnout_101
Yeah. That make the 2018 turnout a bit clearer. It was the highest in a century.
Thanks for posting that graph Lprent. I have been following the daily train crash in the US for a while now on WTF and some of the commentators there have been very actively involved in the mid-terms and were very heartened by the (for them) massive turnout and the blue wave that resulted in the House – the forecast had been for around a 35 seat swing at best. When the results came through and the Dems kept picking up seats they well elated.
When I saw that graph on Vox – I thought it was something that needed to be seen here, because there have been a few commentators here, who have been rather disparaging of the efforts of the Democratic party. And while you can’t change an institution overnight the vibes I’m picking up from the on-line community at WTF (hosted by Matt Kiser) are very positive. I have faith that the activism I am seeing there will translate in the future to a much more progressive and viable Left.
And all thanks to Trump 😉
If there is one left wing writer you should follow, it is John Wight.
Add him to your Twitter feed.
Here is an excerpt from his most recent article, where he provides insight you rarely see in the corporate media on the events in France.
This is a war against neoliberalism and austerity
“Macron’s European army has arrived. It goes by the name Gilets Jaunes
The French capital is now, for all intents, the frontline in a growing struggle against neoliberalism and its bastard child, austerity, across a European Union whose foundations are crumbling. They are crumbling not due to the devilish machinations of Vladimir Putin (as an increasingly unhinged and out of touch Western liberal commentariat maintains), but instead as the result of a neoliberal status quo that provides far too few with unending comfort and material prosperity at the expense of far too many, for whom dire misery and mounting pain are its grim fruits.
Not only is this mass grassroots movement of Yellow Vest protesters a problem for Macron, but it is also increasingly a problem for an EU political and economic establishment that is yet to wake up to the fact that the world has changed, and changed utterly.
Throughout human history hubris has been the undoing of the rich and powerful, along with the empires forged in their name; and hubris is currently well on the way to being the undoing of an EU whose proponents have embraced the unity not of its peoples but of its banks, corporations, and elites.”
Whole article here.
https://t.co/HQy75hZTHD?amp=1
And in a world of global consumerism expansion being the base of capitalism, austerity left people with less to spend. Duh.
The fact you think France is a poster child for neoliberalism is laughable. France’s issues are in fact the result of failing to implement any meaningful policies that equate even remotely with neoliberalism.
Wow, you do come out with some whoppers.
France, being a part of the EU, has had to put in place full neo-liberalism BS and it’s hurting the poor – as it has done throughout history.
Wonder if we’ll see a Frexit.
Draco,
You obviously don’t know much about the French economy. France has always stood apart from what they regard as the Anglo neo-liberal consensus.
Equating all forms of capitalism to neo-liberalism is a serious mistake.
The basic tenents of neo-liberalism are low barriers to trade, not much state ownership, relatively free labour markets, low regulation, relatively low taxes, and a relatively low share of the state as a share of GDP (less than 35%). France basically doesn’t have any of this. These features are very much the domain of the anglosphere, including NZ. The EU basically resists all these things.
So, neo-liberalism is pretty much what the EU was all about then and France followed the failed ideology.
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/european-culture/0/steps/23527
The Political Economy of the Neoliberal Transformation of French Industrial Relations
Macron’s tragedy is that he still believes in a discredited economic system
I know some leftists have criticised the EU as a neo-liberal project. They are wrong.
The EU has its origins in the 1950’s and was designed to make Western Europe a single economy. All about eliminating the threat of war from Germany. Obviously no real barriers between each of them. But they were (and are) all high tax economies with massive welfare networks and massive infrastructure spending. That is why France has the amazing TGV trains, amazing roads, and many dozens of nuclear reactors, and may companies under the control of the state. All built with central planning.
As a general rule, informed commentators make a distinction between the anglo economies and the European economies, with many Europeans being critical of what they perceive as the US pushing their model onto them. One of the reasons for Brexit is that the UK economy doesn’t easily fit the European model. Many Brits resented the excessive level of micro control that is the norm of the EU.
Having said that I do know there has been a fear that Macron wanted to introduce more economic flexibility into France and was accused of being a closet neoliberal. He basically succeeded with employment law reform and reducing business regulation, with many French people recognising the current practices were way too restrictive. But that was clearly the limit of what he could do.
Which was a bad move as the PIIGs found out. Can’t have a single economy on one currency when all the sub-economies have different taxes, workers rights, different productivity rates etc, and have their ability to control their currency removed.
Yes. Neo-liberalism.
So, you’re now praising a command economy?
So, that would make him a neo-liberal and France getting neo-liberal policies despite the fact that the French don’t actually want them. You know, like the article I posted on it said.
Yeah, I’m getting your argument. Mostly because it seems to be made up out of whole cloth.
Gossipboy your attempts to be Relevant are a complete joke its like your on a different planet . Rumplestilskin go back to sleep.
A big issue at this time of year – I think most of us waste food – we have chickens and a friend with pigs – but every time I scrape the plate or pot I cringe a little and feel ashamed that we are wasting food.
https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/maori-ceo-calls-out-nzs-food-wastage-problem
Wastage is a an issue, but the numbers are odd and not consistent.
3 kg per person per year doesn’t seem much seem much.
AND
The monetary cost is $180 per person- thus the food cost $50 per kg.
Or have I just too much time on my hands!!!!
Yes the numbers need more work – thanks for pointing that out dV.
Thanks Marty.
Which countries waste the most food?
The most waste is, of course, in the highly efficient Developed Nations:
This wastage happens because, on average, we’re paid too much. We throw stuff out because we can afford to.
Like the waste that is personal vehicles this is another symbol of how rich we are. A symbol of how stupid and blasé we’ve become.
And the best before dates are usually a crock of shit.
We opened a still sealed tub of Greek yoghurt that had been sitting in the fridge for a year the other week. BB was November 2017. A year later, still sealed, and kept cool, it was still good to eat.
You can blame BB dates on consumers themselves. They’d buy processed food and expect it to last forever. They’d then open stuff and find it had gone off and ZOMG, they didn’t know that it had to be used by certain time so should get a refund. Some people would eat it anyway because its canned and should be good right?
For health and safety of the public BB dates became mandatory.
Yes, some foods will keep well beyond the BB date but that’s because the BB dates are very conservative and some foods will simply keep longer.
Ardern on Hosking this morning
Hosking – Asking questions about a possible pay out to Kiwibuild’s Barclay
Ardern – “I wouldn’t encourage anyone to read between the lines”
Lol
http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/ZB/auckland/2018.12.11-07.30.00-D.mp3
Such a great sense of humour the PM lol – the righties will be up in arms as they are humourless and rightly so.
If claiming humour makes it less of a dumb thing to say for her, she can roll with that, I guess.
It would just mean she finds the Sroubek case a laugh
What is dumb is someone suggesting that because the PM on an issue said “Read between the line” that she cannot suggest to “Not read between the lines” on a completely different, absolutely no connection, months apart issue. Perhaps it is comments like this that highlight the skill and multi tasking ability of our brilliant PM compared to the desperate and talentless detractors.
Probably the fact that isn’t what she said
She said
“I wouldn’t encourage anyone…..”
After encouraging it the other day, and it being pointed out how ridiculous the statement was at the time
On THAT issue, can you not see the difference? two separate issues. Are you being purposely dense or does it just come naturally. I will treat your subtle attack on the baby with the silence and contempt it deserves.
Chris t is a natural bowel motion.
You mean, green? Or what mothers used to say, Karitane yellow?
I didn’t make any attack on any baby
I asked what made her particularly talented at multi-tasking and asked if you meant juggling the needs of her baby
Chris T
I know I know. You would do a much better job than the PM. Possibly you put your CV forward to be an advisor and got turned down. Now you are giving her the coaching she needs from TS sidelines. Don’t know if she will welcome it. I certainly don’t. Sniping from a protected place is a low task. that doesn’t result in awards. Why not find another one?
Just as another point
What makes her particular talented at multi tasking?
The baby?
I’m intrigued @ Chris T. What is it that makes you want to come and comment on TS?
Is it a a genuine desire to counter the politics of the left, or
Is it more to do with the size of your penis?
If it’s the latter, Maria Muldaur can offer you some solace (It ain’t the meat, it’s the motion)
Btw, your mate Matty is having a bit of an epiphany (or maybe a mid-life crisis -take your pick). He’s back from his voyage of discovery in Eurip and could probably offer you some good advice.
Far out grasping at straws big time today chris t.
“What makes her particular talented at multi tasking?”
Probably because she is a mum and that’s what we do, multi-task. It’s quite a talent.
Ask any mum, ask your own mum.
Anything else you would like to know about being a working mum with a young baby?
For one thing, the ability to recognise that different topics have different contexts, and “reading between the lines” might be advisable for one topic but reckless speculation for another.
Thank you McFlock, that was my inference about multi tasking. Chris T, of course, chose to misinterpret it in their desperation to be negative.
Perfectly worded, thank you.
She’s only been in the background of m ‘mind this year — I account her a talker of the talk but not a walker. ‘Brilliant’ — nay. Her feeling isn’t as good as the work that took up the lives of our founders. She still thinks her feeling matters as much as struggle, work, sacrifice, MJS.
Have you found any actual evidence that Sroubek’s estranged wife was/is under police protection as TRP asked you to provide when you continued to dispute that issue with me?
Don’t seem to have seen it here yet.
Also a warning to anyone clicking on the 14+ minute audio link Chris T provided at 4, the first 7+ mins are a news bulletin and the Hoskiing/Ardern interview does not start until after that.
Also, Ardern’s remark re not encouraging anyone to read between the lines has to be put into the context of her following comments that the Barclay situation is an employment matter that she cannot comment on.
You posted a direct reply to a question from Winston at question time
The reply you posted bore no resemblance to any answer Winston gave
ie You made it up
LOL. You mean you won’t accept the Parliamentary video and Hansard transcript of what Peters said, because it does not fit with your claims – but you cannot provide any proof for your claim.
And here you go again, taking Ardern’s comment out of context and made in relation to a completely different issue as has been pointed out to you above.
We deserve better trolls here than you.
Nothing in Winston answer to the questions bore any resemblance to what you made up, no matter how much you want to “magic” it there
He’s struggling for sure. Sad these wingnuts are going low but they are desperate for ANYthing other than the eternal-leakee-I-did-everything-right Simon. It’s also funny imo.
“Have you found any actual evidence that Sroubek’s estranged wife was/is under police protection as TRP asked you to provide when you continued to dispute that issue with me?”
How about this:
“Police Minister Stuart Nash says police should not have shared information with Immigration NZ about the location of the police safe house where the estranged wife of Karel Sroubek is staying.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12171765
I think one or two ‘officials’ would have to be “thrown under a bus” – that’s if you’re hoping for a reply.
And we can’t do that @ Naki man! It would undermine EVERYTHING our public service (and its codes of conduct) stands for.
(/sarc)
And if we were to do that, there’d be no opportunity anymore for a pompous Wodehouse, or a finger-pumping specimen in a leapoard skin suit feigning outrage, or a struggling Soi-man to ask ‘the hard questions’ as Her Majesty’s Opposishun in Parliament – that’s without appearing like complete hypocritical shmuks.
(It’s no wonder, I ‘spose) that when I walked past MoBIE yesterday, there were one or two senior ‘officials’ standing outside, desperately sucking on their vape machines inhaling as much flavoured steam as they could get down their throats whilst they were dreaming up the next round of bullshit and spin – have you received any memo yet?)
What a load of bullshit. Give up the drugs you rambling fool.
Yes Naki Man doesn’t OwT ramble on with his thoughts. You, instead, are very short and snappy, probably because you don’t have many thoughts to share.
Oh, btw @ Naki man, I stumbled across this little gem that could be used in the next election campaign and it could draw together a Tolley, a Collins, a Bennett and Barry ( let alone the male aspirants with their woifies behind them ALL THE WAY):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBirf4BWew
“…after all he’s just a man…”
are you looking to wind some folk up?
Well if you want four female politicians singing you’ll love this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOGQ-4fR0YQ
Thanks for that, Tim! One brilliant country song not butchered by the crass Whitney “Leather Lungs” Houston.
That article dated 5 December at 1.19pm and Nash’s statements etc predated the more informed information provided by Ardern, Peters and Galloway in the House in Question Time that afternoon and the following two days, Weds 6 Dec, and Thurs, 6 Dec.
I suspect/hope that Nash was possibly carpeted for those statements, and told to pull his head in as his statement that police should not have shared information with Immigration NZ about the estranged wife’s whereabouts have since been refuted on several counts, as have the statement in that article that “She is now staying in a police safe house because of fears to her safety.”
In Question Time on Thursday, 6 Dec, in questions 1 and 2 Peters refuted much of what Nash had said. In brief:
— Under Question 1, Peters advised that the wife had been offered police protection three times but had declined the offers, and hence she was not in police protection.
— Under Question 2, Galloway repeatedly stated that Police had not supplied Immigration NZ with the wife’s address as Immigration NZ already knew her address/whereabouts.
Chris T and I had a lengthy ‘discussion’ on these issues under the thread at 13 on the “Double down – protect parliament – ban Bridges for a month” post by lprent filed at 10.30pm on 5 Dec.
I am not going to repeat my very detailed responses to him with links and quotes to Peters and Galloway’s replies in the House. These can be seen in the above-mentioned thread starting with Chris T’s 13.2.2.1.1 and continuing for some days resulting in TRP telling him to pull his head in and provide evidence that she was in police protection.
https://thestandard.org.nz/double-down-protect-parliament-ban-bridges-for-a-month/#comment-1559094
As well as referencing the information provided in the House by Peters and Galloway, in one of my responses I also provided a very rough summary of the provisions of Part 8 of the Immigration Act 2009 covering the powers of entry, seizure etc of Immigration Officers in relation to possible immigration fraud etc – AND the procedures whereby Police are able under law to work closely with Immigration on such matters including the powers of – and requirements on – both agencies to share information on such matters. (There are also similar requirements for information sharing with and between other government agencies etc). As I noted in that comments, these powers etc were widened considerably under the last Nat govt.)
Here is the link to that comment – https://thestandard.org.nz/double-down-protect-parliament-ban-bridges-for-a-month/#comment-1559387
Going back to the Nash article, Nash did not seem to know/understand the provisions of the Immigration Act 2009 (and the Search and Surveillance Act 2012) re these powers and requirements to share relevant information between Immigration NZ and NZ Police in making the statement he did.
As Ianmac has noted below at 4.1.1.2.3, this subject is up again today in Question Time at Q3.
“and hence she was not in police protection.”
Again that is not what you wrote his answer was.
Nor what he actually said
Give it up.
You made it up
What you posted he answered
” She is not in police protection; Q 1″
What Hansard says
“It would be very axiomatic that if on three occasions the police had offered protection and she hadn’t availed herself of it, then maybe when the police came with the immigration officer, she wasn’t under protection.”
“Have you found any actual evidence that Sroubek’s estranged wife was/is under police protection?”
Mitchell is thinking of taking Winston to the Privileges Committee but Mitchell said, “”She’s been taken away to a safe home in a different part of the country that is subject to a police safety plan, and then, unannounced, two police detectives and an Immigration NZ official turned up at the front door.
“She was asked to do something she felt would make her an even bigger target for Sroubek, felt very uneasy and asked for a support person.”
That is not the same thing as a Safe House.
That great questioner Bridges is yet again having a go re Sroubek at the PM today at QT. Q3.
lmao, just saw that Ian re Qtime today.
The general ublic are so over it, as they feel closure has already happened.
But hey if he want’s to keep on going there because he believes said subject is good for nat party polling, then am happy to watch the entertainment.
Ianmac – did you watch Q1 and 2 on Thursday last week – a lot revealed there as mentioned in my reply to Naki above at 4.1.2.2.3. I did extensive replies to chris t last week on this and my reply above has links to that info.
Mitchell has no real grounds to take Peters to the Privileges Committee – imo he is just posturing and may come a cropper if he persists with that line.
I also now know a lot more re the wife and her family etc and not everything is as it seems but cannot say more. It is a bit of a Through the Looking Glass situation where down seems up and vice versa – and who is the real victim/fall guy/ taking one for the team …………..
Following the money can lead to interesting results.
What you posted he answered
” She is not in police protection; Q 1″
What Hansard says
“It would be very axiomatic that if on three occasions the police had offered protection and she hadn’t availed herself of it, then maybe when the police came with the immigration officer, she wasn’t under protection.”
Yeah, we get you’re a pedant, Chris. Congratulations, you win TS’s Gripper of the Week prize. Now move on or be moved on.
I’m not the one who keeps bringing it up……….Or making shit up
Or she’s realised that when some people read between the lines they come up with pretty weird shit christy.
LOLOL!!
Lol
Macron – minimum wage to increase by 100 euros a month, tax relief for pensioners/low income workers.
https://www.france24.com/en/live
French style protest works.
He’s thrown a bone from the top table.
/
better than NZ, where we get nothing at all and never listened to.
And the last time we took to the streets….oh, that’s right, we don’t.
We post long, verbose, wittering tracts in lieu ….because we’re a craven, I’m all right Jack, ladder pulling mob.
We are short on leaders, but I guess dirty politics also plays it’s part. Also the unions have become very process orientated a bit like the Green Party. But maybe dirty politics also play their part here. We are after all, under mass surveillance and you kinda lose your job or funding if you speak out in NZ.
Save NZ you have got it wrong it’s the support from the middle classes and small businesses who are getting squeezed Macron a cardboard cut out of John Key gave tax cuts to the rich and raised taxes for everyone else the wealthy people and companies pay no tax Macron is one of these uber rich. He got into power promising tax cuts for the over taxed middle classes he didn’t follow through on his promises but still claimed he was a man of his word. So the middle classes are supporting the non violent protest’s outside Paris by feeding and financing protesters. That won’t happen in NZ. The Fascists are causing the violence in Paris because of Bannon is helping the far right racist movement fill a power vacuum the left under Mitterand failed to get the French economy working now Macron is failing Le Pen is stirring up hatred to gain support like Trump. It
A few crumbs of Cake but he will make cuts elsewhere. Except for the non tax paying uber rich.
The Gilet Gaunes have won this battle Macron has caved in so that has emboldened the Yellow Jackets now they will push for more concessions.
gotta love the french.
And i doubt they are done as of now.
And i am sure they will be back on the streets if the need arises.
btw, i think people should refer this not as a ‘french’ movement even tho that france is the one in the news but the gilet jaune/yellow jackets are also active in Belgium, Spain and other places in Europe.
I don’t thing it will just go away with a 100 Euro per month, but for some families it will mean another week of food.
A French person was telling me you can buy a 2 bedroom apartment in Nice for 50,000 euros. So the other issue is that cars over 10 years are being scrapped or taxed more, but there is a 10,000 euro between the compensation and the new car they need to buy. So they need to come up with a considerable amount of money aka 20% of the amount of an apartment to meet the rules. Meanwhile the oil company apparently pays no tax at all, and the government is doing nothing to tax the big oil who are creating the environmental problems in the first place???
I have always admired how the french can ensure a decent quality of life for themselves and plenty of benefits because they go crazy when their government tries to take it away and stop the economy working by blocking the streets. Once you do that, you tend to get your way fairly quickly.
i lived in Nice from 1992 – 1998, you never could buy anything for 50.000 euros in Nice.
sorry, you have been told porkies.
https://www.french-riviera-property.com/en/apartments-for-sale.cfm?idvl2=10
The rental market in the Cote d’Azur reflects the fact that it is high value properties over run by tourists from March – October. Most people i knew lived if they could in an HLM – French Social Housing, especially families with kids.
As for the cars, some cars in France really should not be on the road :), but in saying that, it is a problem that we need to affront at some stage namely that we can’t continue to drive in our single serve boxes, and keep driving really old cars that have terrible exhausts etc.
As anywhere else in hte world the big corporations pay no more taxes in France then they pay in the US or elsewhere…… is that not what they -pay accountants for?
Generally this strike really comes down to the fact that the worker in France can’t be squeezed anymore, that the government spends as if they could squeeze the workers some more and that the increase on Gasoline via taxes was the last drop.
But don’t ever think you can buy an appartment in Nice for 50.000 Euro.
Maybe ‘special price’ if you are not French.
Nope there is no special price for anyone.
high population density coupled with only so much land especially Nice which is wedged inbetween the Mediteranee and the Alpes Maritimes.
You could try and find something in the Ardeches mind, see here all under 50 grand.
https://www.completefrance.com/french-property/buying-property/you-could-buy-these-french-properties-for-less-than-50-000-1-5443462
50,000euro would be a year’s rent for a cheap apartment these days I looked at a few real estate office windows thinking the same thing then my French speaking daughter explained that was the rental section.
But other areas of France land and property prices have fallen since Macron took power the cost of living has gone up considerably and people can’t afford to pay for housing.
Just read on the Nice Matin that the smic will not be increased by 100 euros per month ,but that the increase is actually a top up to a benefit some who are on the smic will receive and that that will happen in steps, i.e. first augmentation of the prime d’activité (similar to our working for families) will be 30 euros, then 20 then 20 etc until a hundred is received.
In saying that not all workers who only gain smic (minimum wage) will receive la prime d’activite.
https://www.nicematin.com/politique/non-le-smic-naugmentera-pas-vraiment-de-100-euros-par-mois-284450?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&#Echobox=1544511407
So they took all the meat off the bone, and then threw it.
Western Springs bush is under threat from councils inept planning. Plans to clear fell the pines and replant in natives ignores the already established and ecologically important native bush regenerating on site. A bush decades old.
My objection is that the bush is a host area for many native fungi, unsung heroes in an important range of ecosystem services. But there’s many plants, birds and insects there that need our help too.
The bush sits above a stream that flows directly into the Waitemata harbor, so removing vegetation is also risky in this regard. This stream and its tributaries are host to native banded kokopu, bullies, eel, and paratya.
You may object with a signature, and even a comment, should you wish.
https://www.toko.org.nz/petitions/save-western-springs-native-forest
Done
ditto.
Worth watching.
Children in state care fragile after ‘trauma upon trauma’
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018674984/children-in-state-care-fragile-after-trauma-upon-trauma
In my view a lot of the rise of mental illness really goes hand in hand with society dysfunction and that is across the board from high to low socio economic groups but with different issues. The problem can be families are working too much and are not strong enough family supports to encourage strong mental health. Nowadays people seem to be fobbed off with a phone line or some external agency that probably does little to nothing. Neoliberalism has made money more important than society.
With state care, any kid who is abused then has to endure 30 different homes in 3 years? if you were mentally ok before as a kid, good chance you wouldn’t be after! By fobbing off bad agency systems, onto ‘metal health’ is also an issue because how the state care system seems to function is the bigger problem causing the mental health issues then and later on top of whatever trauma the kids suffered before they were taken away.
Also hope James Shaw is able to do something about actually creating real data that can be analysed and then better government decisions made. (see video, as the women says, be brave, don’t cover you own ass).
The need for much better statistics is across the board from justice to social welfare, immigration and state care. I even noticed that police keep ethnicity data on victims but not the perpetrators, or at least not in the information I was looking for online?
Weird, is this some woke sop type idea so that they don’t actually do anything about it? They analyse the victims but not detailed data on the criminals so that that they can perhaps try to prevent crimes by being clearer on what is the demographic of criminals increasing or decreasing and the types of crimes?
There are two actions that would reduce our mental health crisis to a manageable level. 1. Stop emotionally, physically and sexually abusing children, it makes for disturbed adults. 2. Stop taking illicit drugs, it makes you mad, if already mad, madder. Remove 1 as above from the equation and 2 will not be an issue.
I completely agree with you Psych nurse, but also think a good look at how we are raising our children, our values and our society in general needs a good look at, too.
Not good enough. We are constantly lowering our standards in NZ and then giving the wrong people too many chances. For a start if a company is not compliant then they should get a massive fine aka $100,000, never be allowed migrant workers sponsored there if they have any, and if they are non compliant again, they get a bigger fine, third time they have license taken away. Also the WOF should have ratings like the restaurants aka A – D ratings so the public can see if they are competent or not.
Like wise with Labour inspectors. 2 fines, no migrants workers allowed and if they get caught again, their ability to hire any workers is taken away.
NZTA inspectors tried to warn of non-compliance issues
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018674668/nzta-inspectors-tried-to-warn-of-non-compliance-issues
The problem with that is that the company just shuts up shop and never pays the fine. The owners walk away with their ill-gotten gains.
Need to make the fine far larger and have it land on the owners. The right-wing should celebrate the personal responsibility and so this government shouldn’t have any problems getting bipartisanship on the bill.
Barclay’s broken down under the pressure of sudden expectations of usefulness. That’s not what he took the job to be.
WTF?
I was only commenting on the ineffectiveness of fining a business when that business can simply deregister and not pay it as we’ve seen time and time again.
FIIK draccy, I was commenting on minister Twyford’s managers all buggering off.
You are right so obviously that is the first thing that should be changed aka not being able to shut up shop when you get a fine to avoid your debts. They need to make people bankrupt unable to own a business for 10 years and also be forced to pay what they owe personally especially if it is employment related.
On the constant employment issues for the government, (Barclay, Handley).
You have to wonder how they can justify some of these salaries in particular the Auckland university chancellor who was closing specialist libraries to save money but the third highest paid public servant on over $700,000!
All these public servants should not be paid more than PM, and the money from McCutcheon bloated un deserved salary (Auckland university gone backwards in international ratings) could have been spent on libraries and saving the 20 jobs and not reducing the quality of Auckland university courses!
University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon to step down
“He is the country’s third highest-paid public official whose salary is fixed by the State Services Commission, earning between $710,000 and $719,999 in the year to June 2017, behind only the heads of the Accident Compensation Corporation ($830,000-$839,999) and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment ($800,000-$809,999).
For comparison, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern earns only $471,000, although former NZ Superannuation Fund head Adrian Orr, whose salary was fixed by the super fund’s board, earned more than any of these at $1.2 million in 2016-17.”
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12144784
While they are about it, the council CEO and exec team should not be paid more than the Mayor in councils. I don’t even think we should have a council CEO. We all got better council services before the bloat of councils, their poorly performing but highly paid lawyers and less leaky buildings.
I think after Fonterra we can see that a bloated salary does nothing to ensure better candidates and outcomes for our organisations here in NZ.
I think a bloated salary is indicative of the wrong priorities for public service.
The title of this link is Peter Hitchens and World War 1.
However, the 15 minute clip looks at the whole history between Germany and Russia, and the Ukraine.
I recommend you watch it all, but if you’re interested in current affairs in Ukraine, I highly recommend you listen to the clip from 10:55
It is Hitchens contention that the NATO and the EU is the aggressor- not Putin.
He parallels the treatment of the Germans by the Allies in the early 1920s to the treatment of Russia by NATO in the 1990s.
He notes the betrayal of Russia by NATO when they expanded to the western borders of the truncated Russia.
I totally agree with him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LNg80XtsHU
NATO (unlike the defunct Warsaw Pact) is a voluntary mutual defence pact. Nations are no coerced to join. If nations that are close to Russia want to join it is not Nato’s fault but Russia’s. Russia should reexamine it’s behaviour rather than seek to blame others.
It’s about nations NOT joining gozzer. If the yankers agreed no ex warpaccers in nato, and then reneged on that, the ruskers might just be a bit pissed off.
The Soviets would be pissed. But why wouldn’t the jolly nice Russians, who are a completely different government, want to join NATO some time in the future?
Where democracy goes the other democracies must support. It is the only way power can be held up to account. Singapore relies on the fellow-feeling Lee Kuan Yew instituted into the ruling class. Japan — no one knows, except we muchly appreciate the resistance to an aggressive army. America, a republic with a democratic element much like the Roman Republic on which their constitution was modelled. Dictatorships tend to offload the cost on to later and others.
Why councils should stick to their knitting and NOT enter into development projects. Another interesting question is, if a building is oversized and nobody approved it, surely they can work out who did the mistake, and then get them to pay for it?
$4.5 million build blowout surprise
https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/southland/45-million-build-blowout-surprise
Meanwhile councils seem incapable of doing what they should be with water quality. Maybe less development projects and more keeping an eye and spending their budget on what the ratepayers are paying them for aka keep the water clean for example so they are safe?
US water scientist shocked by NZ’s water quality
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/377890/us-water-scientist-shocked-by-nz-s-water-quality?fbclid=IwAR2-PcO80jmPxCCWvC0rX7c1qdTUZGcbKNuG5mXQdUo69Z7vwwctRkgpcYY
It is interesting that poor water quality influenced the local election towards the democrats. Farmers hoist by their own petard.
Obviously bringing down stock numbers to carrying capacity is an important first step. On top of this we can plant not only riparian edges, but extensively contoured shelter through farms adding water security, flood mitigation, secondary products, fodder, nitrogen fixation and other ecosystem services to offset/nullify various input costs.
The trees (and accompanying earthworks to store water in the land) are planted in a manner to provide deep access for water as well via species that tap deep through hard substrates. The whole shebang slows water down, thus erosion, thus fertiliser losses and topsoil losses. This saves money on fertiliser requirements and subsequently reduces overall fertilisers used in the environment. The trees, biodiversity, and nitrogen fixing species add to fertiliser requirement reductions.
Effluent goes to biodigestors to make biogas to power milking machines, heat water, pump water etc. This greatly reduces pathogens. The solids are then composted for a high value soil amendment, further reducing fertiliser requirements. The liquid remainder is polished in wetlands which can also provide various products and ecosystem services.
With a marked reduction in input costs and some variety in income streams the ‘reduced production’ for farmers, through shifting some land use to tree crops and reducing chemicals, can be just as profitable or even more so. But not so for big oil, big ag, Fonterra et al who all take a cut of the land’s productivity while everyone else pays for it.
Sadly I don’t think it was the poor environmental aspects of the water that made them mad at the Republicans, but the reduction of their property values….
Looks a wee bit like a ratepayer subsidy for favoured local businesses. Sure there’s no conflict of interest though.
and favoured local business didn’t actually want the favour by the look of it, because they do not have 100% occupancy anyway…
Well they don’t want to share with just any riffraff.
Rod oram on business in NZ:
Fonterra
Tip Top
Trademe (Interesting possible line here with advice on private equity floating companies so investors beware) – about 13-15 mins in.
business
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018675082/big-changes-at-fonterra
Big Changes at Fonterra
From Nine To Noon, 11:09 am today
Listen duration 15′ :51″
Business commentator, Rod Oram says there are bigger things happening at Fonterra than putting Tip Top up for sale. The coop has changed its auditors, the first change in 17 years. He’s also been looking into the winners and losers involved in the Metro Glass story.
Oh boy….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25bjbocskMU
Wow simon is this the best you can do?
How many questions have now been asked on the subject, at least 20.
Got any new material simon?
3. Hon SIMON BRIDGES to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her statements, answers, and actions in relation to Karel Sroubek?
Yes that is his best and he is the best gnat, their leader and lord, his bidding they do…
What happens if the PM answers ‘nup’?
I would have laughed even harder Gabby.
PS I love your wit on here, am constantly cracking up with your comments. Thanks for the on going laughs, very much appreciated.
You should be aware that this is what Opposition parties do in Parliament. The last Labour lead opposition did the same. Check Hansard if you don’t believe me.
I’m just impressed he managed to include a specific topic in that question. Obviously plans to spend the day flogging a dead horse.
That’s not flogging ,hes giving it CPR hoping it will come back to life
He’s a right wing politician. Better double-check that’s CPR he’s performing…
MEDICINAL CANNABIS BILL
If anyone is interested, the third reading of the above bill is underway in the House. David Clark has just done the opening speech – and big surprise, Simon Bridges has appeared and is now speaking.
If I heard rightly (Will check later) , he started by saying that this is the first Bill hearing he has spoken in during this Parliamentary session
AND he is now claiming that the Bill will allow loose leaf cannabis to be smoked openly in public !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?????????????????????
Is this his last stand????
Chloe Swarbrick. Well impressed.
How does the mayor of Clutha know when the tinny houses open?
Has he passed his information on to the local police?
tinny houses have opening hours?
oh my what is the world coming too.
They wait until the local police shut shop normally around 4pm in places of high P manufacture like Helensville. In spite of this the police/government don’t think it is a good idea to keep the police open 24 hours in those places and keep a police presence there at night… I posted an article a while ago about monthly burglaries of local business and thy grab what they want cos they know the police are 40 mins away. Probably the same in Clutha.
i live a sheltered life.
mind, the shop next to mine in West AKL got done three times in a year. We got really good at taking down details to give to the local copper brigade. Not sure if it helped.
Bienvenido al infierno, Señor Betancur
George H.W. Bush wasn’t the only blood-soaked American POS to kick the bucket recently.
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2018/12/11/colombia-the-real-and-bloody-legacy-of-belisario-betancur/
Kia ora Newshub Ka pai to Time Magazine for putting Jamal Khashoggi up and naming him person of the year we can not let them kill our truth tellers off.
Good fantasy it is men who are to blame for the way the world treats wahine all the men in power who cheat and lie to keep wahine out of leadership roles they know the wahine will keep them honest.Ingrid NZ treats our Wahine a lot better than most other country’s I do get what you mean about wahine having to be alerted to dangers of our society everytime they step outside .
The Salvation Army does a great job YES PEE is a big problem in maori communitys it hooks the user and makes them do anything for there next hit hence my anti CRACK word . Who’s on the air nz board this has the same tune as the digger cutting the fuel pipe . gold smith you would prefer to cut all the trees down and ruin our environment.
We have reports that the regions have been starved of resources for years poverty big health problem’s .Ka kite ano
Ka pai to the London Mayor for implementing a strategy to drastically reduce carbon use this is what is needed to save our future .The climate change deniers can not see past there hip pockets Muppet.
Catastrophic climate breakdown might be as little as 12 years away,” she said. “This would have profound impacts on every aspect of our lives in London from flooding and overheating in summers, disruption in our food supply chains as well as in the wider natural world.
“The mayor needs to be at the forefront of this challenge, declaring a climate emergency and an urgent updating of his carbon reduction targets to make London carbon neutral by 2030, decades ahead of his current plans, setting a precedent for other major and world cities.”
Khan said he had already introduced a series of measures to tackle climate breakdown – from investing £500m in low carbon technologies to divesting pension funds from fossil fuels. On Sunday 100 academics, philosophers and authors wrote to the Guardian to back a new civil disobedience group – Extinction Rebellion – and called for people around the world to rise up and organise against the “paralysis” of political leaders. Ka kite ano. links below
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/11/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-city-climate-emergency
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2UVmqrdC4I
Here you go trump and his go oil party are deliberately destroying any chance of there being a positive out come at the UN climate summit ka pai to Vanuatus minister for calling them out over there bulling tact ticks dump trump
The United States and other high carbon dioxide-emitting developed countries are deliberately frustrating the UN climate summit in Katowice, Poland, Vanuatu’s foreign minister has said. His warning came as Pacific and Indian ocean states warned they faced annihilation if a global climate “rule book” could not brokered.
In a bruising speech before ministers and heads of state, Vanuatu’s foreign minister, Ralph Regenvanu, singled out the US as he excoriated major CO2-emitting developed countries for deliberately hindering negotiations.
“It pains me deeply to have watched the people of the United States and other developed countries across the globe suffering the devastating impacts of climate-induced tragedies, while their professional negotiators are here at COP24 putting red lines through any mention of loss and damage in the Paris guidelines and square brackets around any possibility for truthfully and accurately reporting progress against humanity’s most existential threat,” links below ka kite ano.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/dec/11/us-accused-of-obstructing-talks-at-un-climate-change-summit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0SOnAAk7k
Eco Maori says when one person makes a call that if he is impeached it tells me that he believes he is guilty NO.
Former national security adviser to President Donald Trump Michael Flynn has asked a federal judge to spare him from prison time, according to his defense team’s memo before his sentencing
Flynn is the highest-ranking Trump official to face charges in the Mueller probe. He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the then-Russian ambassador to the US. Flynn initially denied — but eventually said — that they had discussed sanctions and a United Nations resolution during the presidential transition. The saga led to his early exit from the White House. Ana to kai links below
P.S I would not be so focused on this subject if they were not trying to destroy Papatuanuku and all her creatures just for power and money.
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/11/politics/flynn-attorneys-response-sentence/index.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGEb4dTIAg
Kia ora Newshub
That’s the way Winston banning smoking in homes is a stupid move the smoke tax’s caused the poor to become even poorer and shonky new this its a pity the maori party did not figure that out.
Air NZ engineer strike is totally unexceptionable at this time of the year they make heaps of profits to pay for good staff it just a neo stunt never had these problems when shonky was in.
Just depends who is doing the berthing study on the increased risk of getting cancer as they will make the results suit there agenda there is a motive to put Wahine off child birth. I have seen a studys saying marg is better than butter eggs are bad for you ECT any one with a brain can work out the bull from the facts.
Lloyd the towel need to be thrown in A.
Ka pai to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer trying to stop the USA government shut down .
Personally I strongly discourage Wahine from dating people from dating sights there is to much risk for Wahine.
Reduced speed limit on the speed limits on the intercity limits of Auckland will save lives and minimize traffic jams .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora James & Mulls from the Crowd Goes Wild .
Its good news Ardie staying in Aotearoa playing rugby.
Anna I enjoy the company of a horse had many advencers on a horse good luck to Jonelle & Tim in the Badminton in Aotearoa
I say there will be a good boxing match in Christchurch this weekend guys .
Kane had a good batting match in the Black caps win Ka pai guys better stick to serfing ka kite ano