“Oil, money, politics and evil: Our leading Middle East ally is the worst country imaginable
America’s BFF relationship with the corrupt, vicious and oil-rich Saudi despots might be our worst mistake of all”
“Trump was asked on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” this week how he would play the worsening standoff between Iran and Saudi Arabia. “I would back Saudi Arabia, but you know what? We’re a debtor nation. They’ve got nothing but money,” the Donald told Mika Brzezinski and her co-host, noted Saudi shill Joe Scarborough. “I wouldn’t back them for nothing. I would say: You’ve got to pay. We’re going to help you. You gotta pay. You gotta pay.”
and NZ is paying a bribe which the Gov’t euphemistically calls a “facilitation payment” so that we can be more closely associated with the Saudis in a “Free Trade Agreement”!!!
The human race needs people with DECENT PRINCIPLES in power!
The human race needs people with DECENT PRINCIPLES in power!
Which is why we got rid of dictatorships but now it’s obviously time to go to full participatory democracy as history has shown that our present elected dictatorship is no better than the previous ones.
USA waking up to how Charter schools are destroying their kids education…. pity the memo never got sent to our government, but I guess we are ‘an emerging market’ for the frauds, including privatising the school land and having the tax payer pay for it twice while transferring public land into private hands…
The article is a great read all around but one key paragraph that sets up my (second) largest objection to charter schools is this…
“More recently, Florida press outlets reported the state has given about $70 million to charter schools that later closed and returned virtually none of the money to taxpayers. While the state is able to recover computers and other equipment these schools purchased with taxpayer money, the far more substantial costs for purchasing and improving property and making lease payments stays in private pockets after the schools close.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was well known problem way before charter schools opened in NZ and yet the exact same thing happened here with that school up north – the Dept of Ed is finding it impossible to get the money back that the school spent on farm land.
My largest objection is that these schools close willy-nilly leaving kids in the lurch, often during the school year. Then, because of the effect it was having on kids to close schools underneath them the powers that be stop looking for signs that charter schools are performing badly.
Yeah well only the blind and stupid cant see or know what a cash cow looks like
Sadly education isn’t what it used to be thanks to the odious faculty of economics what a crock of shit
The blogging world will be going crazy as the charter school PR machine via David Farrar and Whale Oil are into this story boots and all.
Then again, maybe not. Some kid somewhere will walk out of a charter school with a smile on her face happy the school day is over and the ideologues will be scrambling over themselves for the best headline – “Astonishing achievement at school,” “Charter school scores sensationally” or whatever.
David Farrar and Mrs Whale Oil will be too busy fervently reporting on that to worry about reality.
I especially like this part 🙂 – Luckily as we are assured by our Resident National Government supporters this can;t happen here cause it ain’t Nafta we are signing, its the TPPA that the National Government will sign on our ‘behalf’.
Quote: AMYGOODMAN: Lori, can you explain why they’re asking $15 billion?
LORI WALLACH:: So, this is a question a lot of folks asked me yesterday: “Well, wait a minute, this is supposed to”—everyone who’s read the newspaper. “This is a $3 billion pipeline. How the heck can they be asking for $15 billion from us taxpayers?” And the answer is, under the outrageous investor-state system, not only can a foreign corporation get all these special rights—go around our courts, go around our laws and demand compensation—but they don’t just get money for what they’ve spent on a project, they get to get compensated for expected future profits. Yep, they are calculating—and the brief goes through this—what they think they would have made in the future for the lifetime of the pipeline had it been allowed. And that’s what we taxpayers are supposed to give them, because we had a democratic decision of our government that their commercial project wasn’t in the national interest. That’s the $15 billion. Quote End.
But then the question is, could this happen to us? Veolia (which is working in NZ) has started procedings against the Egypt Government last year when the Eqypt Government dared to raise the minimum wage. http://aftinet.org.au/cms/veolia-vs-egypt-workers-2014
Quote: “The company is using the ISDS provisions in an investment treaty between France and Egypt.
The case is still in progress, but is yet another example of the dangers of including investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)”. Quote End
I am sure we will again be told that this can;t be happen here, cause we are special, and oh look over there an All Black and a flag and a US Preznit n stuff.
+1 Sabine – France apparently refused to sign their TPPA equivalent with investor state dispute resolutions in it.
Pity our zombie PM can’t be bothered to stand up for NZ.
Key’s bending over and picking up the soap is a metaphor for his entire conduct with the US and Far right think tanks and TPPA. Just wants to be the ‘fun joker’ of the party and play golf and ‘goof’ off with other PM’s – leave the scary work and fine print to others.
I made a comment before and how we are and are not like insects. Bee colonies have a leader that grows more bees and is central to the colony. We however accept a shapeshifter that looks and sounds like a NZ (after useful PR treatment and coaching) but his heart is in San Fransisco, or New York, or Hawaii (where the USA Pres. holidays. Get it!
“Within the first 100 days of my administration, I will require the secretary of the Treasury Department to establish a ‘Too-Big-to Fail’ list of commercial banks, shadow banks and insurance companies whose failure would pose a catastrophic risk to the United States economy without a taxpayer bailout,” says Sanders.
“Within one year, my administration will break these institutions up so that they no longer pose a grave threat to the economy as authorized under Section 121 of the Dodd-Frank Act.”
“Greed is not good,” proclaimed Sanders, riffing on Gordon Gekko’s famous pronouncement in the movie “Wall Street,” just miles from that financial center.
“In fact, the greed of Wall Street and corporate America is destroying the fabric of our nation. And here is a New Year’s Resolution that I will keep if elected president. If you do not end your greed, we will end it for you.”
The bold speech addressed a topic that should be the main focus of debate, particularly during the race for the presidency.
The 2008 financial crash caused a recession which is wiping out $6 to $36 trillion from America’s economy.
Yet the talk received scant media coverage. It’s hard to attribute this to recent high-visibility events. Bernie is routinely blacked out of the media.
Yet since colleges, Congress, liberal think tanks, the mainstream media, and both parties embrace financial donors, even while failing to investigate causes of the crash or working to prevent the next one, his message is all the more potent.
John Key is using his acquaintance with Obama to endnote his term in office with a view to a global role.
Geopolitically, it makes some sense. We are in the Asia-Pacific and during WWII US Marines camped around Wellington and the Kapiti Coast after Pearl Harbour to defend against potential invasion because the NZ army was in the Middle East and Japanese intentions were unknown.
We are still in the Pacific and our cognitive structures are still largely in the northern hemisphere. But this is not WWII, and Obama has competing priorities,
As a Hawai’ian he probably has some interest in Aotearoa, but as US president his horizons are broader- Key has more to gain from a visit by his golfing buddie than does Obama. It is a long way to go .. for what ? I can’t see it. This is more about Obama playing Key than the other way around.
As a school kid I stood on the street as LBJ walked past to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph. He had been one of the marines camped around Wellington during WWII and flew in after a trip to Vietnam. Obama does not have that motivation.
Stranger things have happened. It would be interesting to see a powerful Black American confront Maoritanga in a challenge during a welcoming ceremony. TV networks would love it – but how many people watch TV these days ?
John Key would inevitably make something of it – possibly call a snap election. Can you see the eyes light up among the ‘National’ party ?
How the “sharing economy” has turned San Francisco into a dystopia for the working class
[…]
Oh, Canada! I’m writing you from Berkeley, California to warn you about this thing called “the sharing economy.” Since no one is really sharing anything, many of us prefer the term “the exploitation economy,” but due to its prevalence many in the Bay Area simply think of it as “the economy.” Whatever you want to call it, the basic idea is that customers can outsource all the work or chores they don’t want to do to somebody else in their area.
You can be chauffeured around the city while somebody picks up and launders your dirty underwear. You can have groceries delivered to your door and your bathroom given that deep clean that you don’t have time to do yourself. The best part is you can do it all on your phone! Sharing economy companies promise their customers all the luxuries of the rich and famous—and they can do that by taking advantage of the system and, in some cases, bending or simply avoiding labour laws.
A thought for the future. It could be that comments could be limited to 6 in the morning and 6 in afternoon/evening. There would be a counter – it would limit the promiscuous wasps that feed on the honey dew here (poetic and green as well!) and their mad desire to swamp the blog with their futile, malign comments. More than a dozen a day and they could keep good commenters away, and they bring a pall of bitchines and nonsense with them. It would limit the exponential growth of the site that doesn’t need numbers as it has proved itself as valued and a great success.
edited
To troll or not to troll that is the question.
One mans troll is another mans soothsayer.
How do you choose who goes on this restricted counter,as the standard is at its best when the truly clever ones here get going.??
Well this way the individual would be working to put out their best points. It wouldn’t do to waste too many of the six for a half day on trading insults with trolls.
The trolls could do what they always do and then they would be cut off after the sixth, They might manage to restrain themselves as well. The whole tone of the blog would rise a notch, and no-one would be stopped, though some might save some points and put them into one longer one. Now and then there is a really meaty thread. I don’t know about that. It could be that someone might appeal to the moderator of the day to start a post so that they could go off Open Mike and argue on another thread which would be under moderation.
It would probably make people think a little bit more before putting in a comment, but would it apply universally?
For example a commenter whose pseudonym happens to start with “grey” had 11 yesterday afternoon, following on from 5 in the morning. Would they be chopped of in their prime? The later ones were the most interesting.
The only real problem I can see would be if someone’s comment drew a lot of reactions, or questions. It would prevent replies and rejoinder’s being possible in a timely manner. After 6 you would have to come back tomorrow.
On the other hand there are commenters whose only contribution seems to be expressions such as “lies” or “you are a liar” who wouldn’t be missed.
Humourous idea grey. I can’t imagine it ever being implemented, but it would be a very interesting experiment.
Something we could do though, is to get a handful or two of us together who commit to not engaging in the macho/bitchy shit, and not feeding the trolls, and instead talk to each other with a focus on good communication, respect and constructive politics.
Lately I’ve been feeling like the place is just a bitchfest between regulars, and I get sucked into that too easily. But I suspect the readership reflects something quite different (would love to see the stats on the Helen Kelly’s post from the other day).
weka
Good ideas. I already give little attention to trolls and even the regulars I pick and choose who I read. There are some who never fail to write something that adds to my internal library, and some are humorous too. I do weaken sometimes and make disparaging remarks. Utterly futile of course. They have no shame, or objectivity. But I don’t see my idea as humorous, rather it would be practical. I have heard that some blogs do have a limit on individual comments.
I have heard that some blogs do have a limit on individual comments.
I keep thinking about doing a rationing system. However I think that the current way that we limit meaningless waffling is so much more effective, and usually a pleasure to do as well.
But I suspect the readership reflects something quite different (would love to see the stats on the Helen Kelly’s post from the other day).
I hope you like numbers…
Quite different audiences to the comments. It is pretty easy to read, especially in a low month like over xmas (makes for an abnormal pattern, but one that highlights what happens).
Click for a large display
Compare the percentages / times against the averages at the top and against each other. You’ll notice the topics in the top ten have a particular type of focus.
The main things to note are:
* Unique page views are “Unique Pageviews is the number of sessions during which the specified page was viewed at least once. A unique pageview is counted for each page URL + page Title combination.”
* Page views vs Unique Page views – which gives you an idea of how much thrashing there is by the same people on a page – mostly thrashing is caused by commenters.
* Avg Time – are people actually reading the comments? Again, commenters tend to raise that
* Entrances/exits direct to the page is a pretty good indicator about social media effects. High entrances/exits indicates a strong social media content, low commenters
It is pretty easy to see the pages that the commenters are dominant on, and which pages have social media reading them.
But it becomes clearer when I split into new vs returning
(I thought I had pushed the reply button to fisiani’s comment, but was so concentrating on posting a link for the first time on
this irritating little machine that I realised I was way of course and could not get back.)
Paul this is the first time I have been able to offer this link showing key lying to fisiani, and I really want fisiani to watch it and hopefully tell me what she/he thinks. So please don’t derail this thread and look at the clip yourself if poss.
First time I tend to agree with you Puckish Rogue @1.01pm. And I still haven’t heard fisiani’s response to the link I posted @ commemt 8. Perhaps you and alwyn could view the link and tell me if it backs up fisiani’s ‘honest john’ claim.
I have given up on Paul on this thread, as I am sure he has missed the point.
Its trite but every three years we get to hold them to account, maybe not as well as some would like, and judge them for their sins (perceived and real)
Its trite but every three years we get to hold them to account
No we don’t. We have a limited ability to not vote for them. I’d rather have a law that say, unequivocally, that an MP lying results in them going to jail. Same with fraud, rorting (Blinglish’s actions with his house), and corruption.
John Key should have been in jail before 2008 because of his actions regarding his Transrail shares.
Would be amazing, but given who makes our laws it seems vanishingly unlikely to ever happen. We need to somehow make character a strong part of how people decide on who represents us.
@PuckishR@1.28pm
Thanks for having ‘a go’ . But of ‘all politicians” key is the worst or is it the best? But then who would want to be the best at lying, unless they couldn’t care a less, and I’m afraid john key is exactly this type of person ,as I tried to show in that clip.
I tend to aim for the politicians who I think have the greatest integrity and substance when I vote regardless of which party. All National mps (and I have thought about them and observed them often in parliament) are sadly lacking in truth and most appear to be disingenuous poseurs and are all too often try to emulate their mendacious leader, in my opinion.
They let you out?
I’d settle for key here till 2017 then a left government. It would be better than one of collins or bennet getting a stint in charge.
Well that’s a big call, we’ll see how that plays out but he better win an electorate seat at some point because if you can’t convince an electorate to vote for you how can you expect a country?
I presume, given what you are saying about the three parties, you are talking about the percentage of the party MPs who are on the list.
In fact you should select out National, rather than Labour as being unable to win electorate seats.
15.6% of the Labour MPs are from the list.
A much higher 32.2% of the National ones are.
On second reading I may not have written it as well as I could have, what I meant to say was if you want to lead the country and convince the country to vote for you then you should be able to win an electorate seat, by all means take a list seat later but wait until you’ve won a seat first
So the Greens aren’t capable of the running the country and Andrew Little won’t lead Labour to victory in 2017
I think the state of the global economy this year and how it impacts on NZ (and it will), will be the determiner of what John Key does. He’s a fair-weather politician and if the global economy plays out like I suspect it will over the next 12 months, there is a chance John Key will bail and leave the next election to someone else.
With honesty like yours, you could run for act or the nats. But most of the left wing parties demand that what their representatives say has at least some positive relationship with the truth.
But arguing that every politician is a lying scumbag like dunnokeyo is part of the way you bastards get into government with the support of only a third of registered voters – if you convince a million opponents that the opposition are just as untrustworthy as the government , you alienate opposing voters from the entire system.
It’s cynical, corrupt and morally bankrupt, but then that’s typical tory behaviour.
“But most of the left wing parties demand that what their representatives say has at least some positive relationship with the truth.”
Yeah naah
If I recall correctly it was the left pushing MMP yet its the right that’s won more
If Labour keep putting up leaders like Goff, Shearer, Cunliffe and Little instead of leaders like Clark and Lange then of course the right are going to keep on winning
Sorry Lanthanide but you are forgetting the first MMP election in 1996.
It is currently Nat-led 4 (96, 08, 11 and 14) to Lab-led 3 (99, 02 and 05)
Of course in reality New Zealand lost in 96 and 05. Anyone who lets Winston anywhere near power isn’t fit to be in office.
I don’t plan to try and compile a complete list of Helen Clarke’s misleading statements.
In terms of whether a statement is a “lie” I tend to use the Chambers Dictionary definition which is “a false statement made with the intention of deceiving”. I think the three examples I have given for Helen Clark fall into that definition.
I had a look at Blip’s magnum opus. I have chosen a couple at random to see what he was about. I don’t think the ones I looked at fall into the category of lies.
The first was, number 17, that “New Zealand was one of the very few countries in the world that was settled peacefully”
What Key said was that ” In my view New Zealand was one of the very few countries in the world that were settled peacefully.” The words “In my view” make it clear that was only his opinion.
Even this blog distinguishes between saying something is your opinion, when no source is required and saying something is a fact when you must justify the claim.
Was that a lie? His view is arguably wrong but (in my view) you can’t say it was a lie.
The second was number 24 where Blip says Key was lying and he says the lie was “The Greens are responsible for the rise in income inequality within New Zealand”
This gives as justification a statement by Brent Edwards that the Greens were not in Government. That is, in fact, something I have pointed out on another post and have been roundly abused for saying so. Both te reo uptake and swordfish seemed to think, in the TPPA agreement post, that they should be considered as part of the 2002 Government.
However back to the point. What Key actually said was
“In the period between 1999 and 2005, if my memory serves me correctly, the then Labour Government did that with the support in various forms of the Green Party, and so I say to Russel Norman ‘yes, he should apologise to New Zealand for his failure in that time’.””
That doesn’t make any claim that the Green Party were part of the Government. It says they supported the Government which is clearly true. Again I can’t agree that his statement is a lie.
That is a very selective list. I really can’t be bothered looking at them all
I really don’t want to argue that Key never lies. He is a politician and nearly all politicians lie if the feel the need. They aren’t successful if they don’t. However Key is very smart and he may leave you THINKING he said something that he didn’t.
If one is going to attack him you have to be realistic and limit the use of the word “lie” to things that really qualify. Using it only as an abusive term for an opinion you disagree with is silly.
ps. Sorry for the length of this. I couldn’t see how to get my point across in less words.
Damn. I must have picked the wrong “reply” tag.
You didn’t say that about the 2002 Government did you Swordfish? You really only said it about 1999-2002 (when it can be considered true) and 2005-2008 (not the case), when you said it was the situation although Jeanette denied it.
As for “Clarke” Gosh, everybody! Swordfish has noted that I put Clark in one place and Clarke in another.
He (she) can get a new job as a proof reader. Might do better than as a political commentator.
No doubt she (he) has never made a typing error in his (her) life.
Now do you have anything significant about what I did have to say?
Should I assume that if you can only point out a typo you can’t actually find anything wrong with the comments I have made?
Alwyn, the issue is not that key never lies or that clark never lies.
The issue is that Key lies more often and worse than any other politician you care to mention.
You cherry-picked a couple of blip’s list items that might be debatable as to intent to mislead.
Well, what about blaming Labour for the limo trade-ups when it was his signature on the contract to upgrade? What about the tranzrail shares he forgot he owned? Giving away bottles of wine he pretends he doesn’t know he owns? Claiming to not remember how an old school friend became the only person interviewed for the GCSB job? The changing stories on how often he was in contact with slater? His reporting of his apology to the waitress being accepted with no problem, vs her account of his “apology”?
And that’s beyond his tendency to leave grieving people with the impression he made strong assurances to do “whatever it takes” or get their sons and husbands back, assurances he never follows through on. He says whatever is convenient at the time, and never has any intention to either follow through on commitments or ensure that his reporting of events bears any relationship to the truth.
Clark had the painting (didn’t key do that too?), the car trip, and Doone. You’re welcome to mention any others.
Your comment says nothing to compare the well-documented lies of Key with any comments by any Labour party leaders past or present.
The worst one about Clark was a fecking charity painting. Key lied about how an old school tie got a phone call to be offered a job as head of a government department, and recent loser-actoid whyte plagiarised himself only the other day.
That was a pretty trivial example by Helen.
The worst was the false stories she was passing on to the Herald about the then Police Commissioner Peter Doone. Quite why she wanted to get him out was never clear but she certainly set out to destroy him. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10122718
Other things that seemed odd about her actions were denying that she even realised that he motorcade was speeding when travelling to Christchurch, and trying to claim that it was Henare who attacked her mate Mallard instead of the real way round.
Incidentally you do seem to have a strange view of what is plagiarism. By your definition every single politician is guilty of it during a campaign when they give their standard speech.
If you think Labour leaders haven’t lied (or misspoke or not told the whole story) then more fool you but my main point was that the leaders Labour have been putting up recently are unelectable and it must be especially galling when compared to former leaders of a not-too-distant past
pr – I’ve not said Labour leaders are perfect. Simply that key is on a completely new level of lying compared to anyone Labour’s had as leader.
Alwyn – if you posted a full list of clark’s lies, I doubt it would be even a quarter the length of blip’s list, and a tenth as serious. I’d be interested in a genuine comparison. Many of key’s lies involve outright corruption, in my opinion.
I love that you can’t tell the difference between a political stump speech and offering cut&paste material to a publisher as a new work. Besides, even when they recycle “ad libs” they risk getting called out on it (e.g. McCain using the same joke about not being recognised at [insert local airport here] having at least a half dozen televised examples over the years being put into a montage by the Daily Show). The prepared speeches are understood to be taling points strung together, these days. If you say to a publication “I have written this opinion piece you can sell for money”, it should be original or at least acknowledged that it was published elsewhere. Interestingly, if it was published in the UK, does that mean that Whyte violated the copyright of the original publisher? Might do…
McFlock – I suspect that part of the reason Keys lies are more well known then Clarks lies is that general internet use and blogging was certainly less widespread in Clarks time then it is today (I might be wrong about this of course)
So at the time Clark said a howler it was harder to look up and view it and then post about it whereas today its so much easier (which is a good thing I might add)
Sort of like how a politician used to be able to say one thing at an old persons home then another at uni then another at a business meeting
well, that’s bollocks because a) people remembered what they had been promised; b) many people were part of multiple groups; and c)we had actual journalosts who went to all the events and compared barefaced lies.
Oh, and d) the internet existed before John key, kiwiblog has been going since 2003, well enough to cover Clark.
and e) what about all the labour leaders since clark, well into the internet era?
hey, journos have always had bias, but there used to be more of them to do their job. And “changing the political landscape” is one thing, but I would have expected kiwiblog to obsessively track the litany of fibs that you think clark told – or at the very least, just made some up.
So according to you, all politicians tell outright lies, but people are too stupid or their memory is too mercurial for them to care. And nobody cares about second place. You really do have a shitty opinion of human beings – maybe if you stopped looking in the mirror your morale would improve.
hey, journos have always had bias, but there used to be more of them to do their job. And “changing the political landscape” is one thing, but I would have expected kiwiblog to obsessively track the litany of fibs that you think clark told – or at the very least, just made some up.
– He hasn’t collated them so I can’t be arsed going through all of his old posts
So according to you, all politicians tell outright lies, but people are too stupid or their memory is too mercurial for them to care. And nobody cares about second place.
– Think how many times a party (National or Labour) has mentioned bottom lines yet somehow there always seems to be a back track or a flip flop or even just making promises they know they’ll never have to keep and yet we, the public, keep on electing them
You really do have a shitty opinion of human beings – maybe if you stopped looking in the mirror your morale would improve.
– Looking in the mirror with my shirt off always improves my morale
Again, I’m not arguing that all politicians are perfect.
I’m saying that the quality and quantity of dunnokeyo’s lies are a new low. This isn’t just “flip-flop” accusations, but an organised and concerted abuse of process, from the OIA to the Speaker to the appointment of state services staff to outright lying to parliament to employing people like Ede in his office to slandering detained people and the opposition in one fell swoop.
A Herald poll only showed about 10% of respondents believed what John key said….
He’s popular among people who believe owning a house should earn you more money than working ………….. They will excuse any lies he tells.
its called Bent key Syndrome
[lprent: You should see what we call Flamers. Flamewar starters aren’t appreciated around here – read our policy.
If you want to assert a fact like a Herald poll, then you should link to supporting article(s) or say exactly where to find it. To do otherwise means that everyone will assume that you just made it up. That includes moderators. If we think that you’re starting a flamewar deliberately or even inadvertently using unsubstantiated assertions of fact, then we’re liable to revoke your ability to comment here.
@reason@1.15pm
Please view the link I posted on commemt 8. It is the only clip I know where Key lies and is caught out by the reporters (not that they do much about it.)
It backs everything you say and I wanted people like fisiani etc who state that key is honest to see the evidence that he is not honest for themselves.
My apologies for not backing up with a link and I did do a quick search for the poll in question…. but after not finding it quickly I just posted up my memories of it which were …………
The poll was a dodgy Herald readers one and it was in relation to the revelation that our GCSB was spying on our pacific Island neighbors.
The skewered Herald poll gave readers three options to vote on regarding this spying on the pacific islands ……
A) This is what spy agencies do and its ok
B) I do not believe it
C) Its outrageous
The poll was skewered in relation to the options supporting or opposing the spying and even with the design bias that vote was fairly evenly split from memory.
But with the ” I do not believe it” option ……………..
John Key has consistently smeared Nicky Hager dating back from the Hollow Men National/Exclusive Brethren illegal electioneering that Key was involved with.
So the “I do not believe it” option was for those who believed what John Key was saying at the time ………….. and they were about 10% from memory.
I found it interesting at the time because even the people who approved the spying and who probably supported National clearly did not believe what Key was saying.
The poll seems to have been taken down but I found a reference to it in the Herald: …..
“An online unscientific Herald poll of up to 11,600 people showed more than 50 per cent of people said they were “fine with it”. Some 42 per cent replied to say they were “incensed – this is unacceptable”. Six per cent did not believe the claims were true.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11412551
My memory was a little faulty and only 6% believed John Keys statements and position that Hagars claims were wrong and not to believe him.
My false equivalence example showing the Heralds pro National bias in the poll questions was not exact either ……………. The two options the Herald gave readers to vote on if they believed Hagars information were: “fine with it” or”incensed – this is unacceptable”.
An honest poll would have asked “it’s alright to do this” versus “its wrong to do this”, or “we should spy on them” versus ” we should not spy on them”.
My conclusion is the only thing believable from that Herald Poll was that 6% believed John Key versus 96% believed Hager.
If the opposition got it together they would wipe out National at election time …..just like they did in Northland.
Also If Northland knowledge spreads nationally I can only see Keys popularity decline accelerating ……. Keys support and promotion of sabin in the months prior to his resignation from parliament seems quite extraordinary.
(Note: I don’t have any post-2013 stats, but after the Dirty Politics scandal, I’d assume Key’s honesty ratings are relatively unlikely to have risen).
Fairfax-Ipsos August 2013
Leader Trust
Fully believe John Key ? Yes 24%, No 59%
3 News Reid Research July 2013
52% believe Dotcom
34% believe Key’s denials
We have a choice.
We can allow these rwnj trolls to derail these threads or we can ignore them.
[lprent: OpenMike was added into the posts because then moderators don’t have to monitor it for derailing and diversion. It also removed the necessity excuse for derailing and diversion in author written posts. ]
Given that this is Open Mike and the purpose is given at the top as being
“For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.”,
it is difficult to see how anything can be classed as “derailing” the thread.
You’ll just have to ignore it. That is also better for your blood pressure.
Open Mike … it is difficult to see how anything can be classed as “derailing” the thread.
You’ll just have to ignore it. That is also better for your blood pressure.
Paul you have got the wrong end of the stick in this case and I think you may have wasted my huge effort to post visual evidence that what fisiami keeps saying about ‘john’s honesty’ is untrue. I had hoped to silence fisiani with the truth, backed by actual visual evidence, thus making it unnecessary to have to feed fisiani and like minded people again.
Please have a look at the clip on comment 8… it’s a cracker.
@fisiani@1.21pm
Thanks for watching the clip. Can’t believe you did not notice him saying first one thing then another then the other again. All said in a similar ‘thiis is the truth ‘ voice, even though he’d contradicted himself twice . Even he got lost and didn’t appear to know what ‘truth’ he was telling. I think, unless one is a little deluded, that this clip shows a man telling untruths, which leaves me not knowing which of his assertions were either true or untrue. I do not listen to him anymore like you, apparently.
In my case it’s because I can’t bear to listen to lies, whereas in your case you can’t bear to see or hear the truth it seems.
Ah I get it now. If Honest John says it might rain tomorrow and it turns out fine then thats what s called a lie. If he works all day long for NZ then some would call him liar for not putting in a 16 hour day or claiming bizarrely that he works for another country. How desperate and despairing.
Looking at geonet and there seems to be a swarm (think thats the term) of quakes in the eastern and southern North Is. I counted 27 at about level 2 registered as unnoticeable, since midnight last night – Sunday. The last two are bigger registering light at 4.3 at 59km near Murupara, and 3.5 at 21km near Dannevirke, both in last half hour.
Well it doesn’t pay to quote geonet till the figures settle down. The Dannevirke shake is registered now as 1.8 not 3.5 – unnoticeable not light, and the one at Murupara is now noted as east of Rotorua at 4.6 at 142 km not 59 km, and is described weak.
Since then there have been another three tiny quakes around middle NZ.
Those seeking closer economic integration have a special responsibility to be strong advocates of global governance reforms: if authority over domestic policies is ceded to supranational bodies, then the drafting, implementation, and enforcement of the rules and regulations has to be particularly sensitive to democratic concerns.
As casus belli go it’s pretty original but at least the Kyrgyz have some pride, whereas in NZ we have been on the receiving end of a dick for s-e-v-e-n years and there are those who still haven’t had enough.
heh, not terrorists cosplaying fantasists act out.
The president in the story is never named, though it does mention people wanting to “cling to their God and guns” — a reference to a comment Obama made in 2008.
Eventually in the book, a rogue Department of Homeland Security agent forces people at gunpoint to give up their firearms. When one man resists, an agent shoots him in the head.
The heroes of the story refuse to surrender their guns, and consequently are able to kill the neighbors and government agents who come to take their supplies by force. The book goes into great detail about the protagonists’ arsenal, which includes an array of pistols, AR-15 rifles, and other guns — all of which are pivotal to their triumph.
We have enough problems with crime (especially sexual violence) that we don’t need to import more but as long as we stick to strict screening processes, keep it to 750 per year and provide on going support we should be able to avoid the mistakes of Europe
I’m sorry but by the reports coming through from Germany is that you have hundreds (in which case it might even be thousands if you believe most attacks aren’t reported) of women attacked and there are suggestions its coordinated (which I’d have thought is even more chilling) between different cities
That is a completely different kettle of fish then what happens in NZ and if we can stop it from happening here by limiting the people doing it actually coming here then that is a good thing
Your definitely right about it being a different Kettle of fish ….. When it comes to our sexual and violence crimes the Government is complicit in our high rates……. and our world famous ‘Roastbusters’ did not even get prosecuted.
National might get the world thinking that we are like …….Muslims!!!, gasp, shock, horror.
I’m sure the German police will be looking to prosecute the criminals involved ………. also the fact that some of the woman victims involved may have been drinking or even using other drugs will not be held or used against them…… unlike here.
The number of family violence, child abuse , sexual violence and street attacks involving Alcohol would dwarf any scary Refugee/Muslim threat for New Zealand by a magnitude of thousands …….
Demonizing whole races or in this case refugees as rapists or criminals is usually done for political reasons.
Treat the offenders as criminals………… not the race.
It might have been just sexually frustrated man letting go of a bit of steam, being boys n all that, and luckily no one had to bend over for a bit of soap.
And yes, the Mayor of Koeln had only this to say after the assaults; Women need to learn how to protect themselves by keeping strangers at arms lenght.
I think this attitude is mainly the problem the world.
Fortunately it doesn’t appear to be in the same league (not that it excuses what happened of course) as what happened in Europe but in this instance we need to make sure that it doesn’t happen here
“Women need to learn how to protect themselves by keeping strangers at arms length”
– Men need to be taught to not assault, harass or rape women but…I can’t even comprehend the thought process that goes through a guys mind when they do that
Men need to be taught to not assault, harass or rape women but..
A little difficult when our so called male “heroes” in our culture treat women like objects/things. Case in point John Key and the harassment of a waitress, Chris Gayle treating a female interviewer like shit, and Roger Sutton. On the whole our culture has been relaxed about these incidents, even endorsing the behaviour and blaming the victim.
Or alternatively Lifeline. It always helps to talk. At Lifeline, we’re here to listen. Auckland 09 5222 999 or NZ 0800 543 354. Psychological and emotional distress caused by thread jackers – it’s not your fault. Don’t suffer – reach out for support now.
JE SUIS ROSE HAMID!
Good on her.
“Hamid, and a few other protesters with her, also wore yellow Jewish stars of David marked “Muslim” to recall the forced identification markers under Nazi Germany.”
_______________________________________________________
Muslim woman thrown out of Trump rally (Al Jazeera)
Rose Hamid says she went to the rally in silent protest to show Trump supporters what a Muslim looks like.
09 Jan 2016 11:46 GMT | Politics, US & Canada, United States
Trump has come under fire from the public and politicians for repeated comments made that allegedly stoke fear of Muslims [Reuters]
A 56-year-old Muslim American woman was thrown out of a rally in support of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump following a silent protest.
Rose Hamid was forcibly removed by security guards from the hall in South Carolina on Friday, after standing up in the crowd while wearing a shirt saying: “Salam. I come in peace.”
Hamid, and a few other protesters with her, also wore yellow Jewish stars of David marked “Muslim” to recall the forced identification markers under Nazi Germany.
Video footage aired on CNN of the moment when Hamid was being escorted out, shows many Trump supporters shouting at her.
Hamid, who works as a flight attendant, told CNN that some shouted questions at her such as “Do you have a bomb? Do you have a bomb?”
But according to Hamid, her silent protest of the “hateful rhetoric” found in Trump’s camp is mainly an element existing within the “crowd mentality”, as opposed to personal beliefs held by most Republicans.
“This demonstrates how when you start dehumanising the other it can turn people into very hateful, ugly people,” Hamid told CNN.
“I have the sincere belief that if people get to know each other one-on-one, that they’ll stop being afraid of each other.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has issued a press statement calling on Trump to offer a public apology for the action.
“The image of a Muslim woman being abused and ejected from a political rally sends a chilling message to American Muslims and to all those who value our nation’s traditions of religious diversity and civic participation,” Nihad Awad, CAIR national executive director, said.
Following the ejection of Hamid, Trump reportedly told the crowd of supporters at the campaign rally: “There is hatred against us that is unbelievable. It’s their hatred, it’s not our hatred.”
Trump has come under fire from the public and politicians for repeated comments seen as planting fear of Muslims, including that they should carry specific identification cards and that mosques should be closed.
________________________________________________________
hmmm so if i am an aspiring footy star i get to punch people in the had and its all good.
sweet as bro. But hey, its ‘disapointing’ but as long as he wins games and the boys drink beer and cheer, its all good. 🙂
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
Asia Pacific Report Ngāti Kahungunu in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay region has become the first indigenous Māori iwi (tribe) to sign a resolution calling for a “ceasefire in Palestine”, reports Te Ao Māori News. Reporter Te Aniwaniwa Paterson talked to Te Otāne Huata, who has been organising peace rallies ...
By Dale Luma in Port Moresby “We want grants and not concessional loans,” is the crisp message from Papua New Guinea businesses directly affected by the Black Wednesday looting four months ago. The businesses, which lost millions after the January 10 rioting and looting, say they need grants as part ...
Happy May Day. Join a union. Q: What’s worse than a staff break room where the only place to sit and have a cup of tea is on a teetering stack of old pornography magazines? A: Your boss replacing the magazine stacks with chairs that are “heartily encrusted with ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor Former opposition leader Matthew Wale has been announced as the second prime ministerial candidate ahead of the election in Solomon Islands tomorrow. He will face off against former foreign affairs minister Jeremiah Manele, who was announced by the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation ...
We get but one birthday a year – why not make it last as long as possible by scheduling as many meals with friends and family as you can? This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. How do you celebrate your birthday? Do you celebrate at ...
A Koi Tū discussion paper released today proposes sweeping changes to New Zealand’s media industry. The principal’s key author, Gavin Ellis, explains how journalists have a key role to play in making others value their role in society. This is an abridged version of a piece first published on knightlyviews.com ...
The Government’s spending cuts are again targeting support for Māori with proposed reform of the agency charged with advising on Māori wellbeing and development. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Douglas, Honorary Senior Lecturer, UNSW Aviation., UNSW Sydney The history of budget jet airlines in Australia is a long road littered with broken dreams. New entrants have consistently struggled to get a foothold. Low-cost carrier Bonza has just become the industry’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosalind Dixon, Director, Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, UNSW Sydney Australia is finally having a sustained conversation about violence against women and what we can do about it. It is more than time. Australian women and girls continue to experience ...
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 stockfour/Shutterstock Preliminary bulk billing data released this week shows a 2.1% rise in bulk billing up to March. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Schulz, Senior Lecturer, University of Adelaide Australia is once again grappling with how we can stop gendered violence in our country. Protests over the weekend show there is enormous community anger over the number of women who are dying and National ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University AnastasiaDudka/Shutterstock What if the government was doing everything it could to stop thieves making off with our money, except the one thing that could really work? That’s how it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harrington, Senior Lecturer in English and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury The Conversation It seems to be a time of old favourites. This month our experts have recommended two new seasons – the second season of Alone Australia (although ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland A bright Eta Aquariid meteor photobombed this photo of comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) in May 2020.Jonti Horner Meteors – commonly known as shooting stars – can be seen on any night of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Flannery, Honorary fellow, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Current concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in Earth’s atmosphere are unprecedented in human history. But CO₂ levels today, and those that might occur in coming decades, did occur millions of years ago. ...
Winston Peters has been keen to dismiss speculation on our involvement in Aukus but will give a speech tonight on the direction of our foreign policy, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Usmar, Lecturer in Critical Media Literacies, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images With the coalition government’s ban of student mobile phones in New Zealand schools coming into effect this week, reaction has ranged from the sceptical (kids will just get ...
Hospitals around the country are not allowed to make a single hiring decision without the approval of Te Whatu Ora's head office, including for cleaners and administration staff. ...
A new report on protecting journalism and democracy in New Zealand recommends a levy be charged on global platforms like Facebook and Google to fund media firms undertaking public interest reporting. It also calls for the reinstatement of a powerful Broadcasting Commission to distribute public funding for journalism and other ...
On International Workers' Day, also known as May Day, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi and the wider union movement are celebrating the proud history of the labour movement during a tough time for working people. ...
From bills to beards, a walk through the former Green co-leader’s time in politics. After close to a decade in politics, James Shaw is preparing to bid farewell to parliament. Tonight will see the former minister deliver his valedictory address, certain to be a speech filled with Shaw’s trademark wit ...
Two months ago, MPs unanimously voted to give themselves a week off in Efeso Collins’ honour. On Tuesday, most were too busy to give even an hour of their time. The day Fa’anānā Efeso Collins died, parliament felt different. In a building that operates at a breakneck pace, everyone stopped ...
India’s election involves hundreds of millions of people and is a months-long affair. Here’s how voting works and what’s at stake.The biggest-ever election in world history started on April 19, with more than 10% of the world’s population eligible to vote. Elections in India, the world’s most populous country ...
Opinion: The impression from the carpark is very inviting. The area is well fenced but barred so there is easy visibility of loved ones. Inside, the spaces are welcoming and clean and staff are friendly and clearly comfortable. I am greeted by ‘Kim’. She has worked here for three years, ...
After the Christchurch earthquake, the then-national civil defence boss compared his experience to “putting a team on the rugby field who have never ever played together before”. Now, eight years later – and following a damning inquiry into the emergency response of cyclones Gabrielle, Hale and the Auckland anniversary weekend floods – ...
“I had just come off the end of a major robbery case which I had been working on for six months when I got a call on the afternoon of September 1, 1992, that some remains had been found at a building site in Devonport, so I drove over with ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,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, Wednesday 1 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Comment: Journalists are very good at telling other people’s stories, but they fall well short when writing about their own profession. Perhaps that is why it is so undervalued. Every successive poll on the public’s attitude toward journalism is more alarming than the last. In the last month we have ...
Opinion: A young Māori woman and her Pacific partner arrive at their local hospital by ambulance. She has gone into labour at just under 24 weeks, but the couple haven’t recognised the symptoms – and don’t know the risks of premature birth for their baby. By the time they arrive, ...
Behind closed doors, NZ First will be arguing fiercely against any watering down of the ministerial decision-making powers in the Bill The post Bishop backtracks after fast-track backlash appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Emotional scenes played out in the Invercargill courthouse on the first two days of the coronial inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones, in which the boy’s mother was accused of disposing of her son’s body. The second season of Newsroom’s award-nominated podcast The Boy in the Water ...
Asia Pacific Report A Pacific civil society alliance has condemned French neocolonial policies in Kanaky New Caledonia, saying Paris is set on “maintaining the status quo” and denying the indigenous Kanak people their inalienable right to self-determination. The Pacific Regional Non-Governmental Organisations (PRNGOs) Alliance, representing some 15 groups, said in ...
Koi Tū New Zealand cannot sit back and see the collapse of its Fourth Estate, the director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, Sir Peter Gluckman, says in the foreword of a paper published today. The paper, “If not journalists, then who?” paints a picture of an industry ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Foreign investment proposals with implications for Australia’s strategic or economic security will face tougher scrutiny, under a policy overhaul to be announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Wednesday. At the same time, the government ...
A Waitangi Tribunal inquiry report has warned government that a repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act could cause harm to children in care. ...
The Treasury has published today three new papers covering government consumption multipliers, automatic stabilisers and the impacts of global shocks on New Zealand’s economy. ...
Asia Pacific Report The Pacific state of Hawai’i’s House of Representatives has joined the state’s Senate in calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, becoming the first state to pass such a resolution, reports Hawaii News Now. In March, the Senate passed a ceasefire resolution with a 24–1 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ferrie, A/Prof, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research and ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Technology Sydney PsiQuantum The Australian government has announced a pledge of approximately A$940 million (US$617 million) to PsiQuantum, a quantum computing start-up company based in Silicon Valley. Half ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia Cameron Prins/Shutterstock If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more ...
SPECIAL REPORT:By Eugene Doyle He is the most popular Palestinian leader alive today — and yet few people in the West even know his name. Absolutely no one in Gaza or the West Bank does not know him. That difference speaks volumes about who dominates the media narrative that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will McCallum, PhD Candidate – School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University Earlier this year, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of not supporting Operation Sovereign Borders – the military-led border security operation that has “closed Australia’s borders ...
By Melyne Baroi in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinea MP, Peter Isoaimo, who had been ousted by the National Court in an alleged bribery case, has been reinstated by the Supreme Court on appeal. A three-member Supreme Court bench found that the National Court had erred in finding that ...
Publisher Chris Holdaway reflects on the unique project of collecting the work of the late, terrific poet Schaeffer Lemalu. One of the nice things you can do as a truly independent publisher is to make the books that writers want to make, whatever they happen to be. That’s how I’ve ...
Those profiled in the stamp series served on overseas deployments from 1995 onwards, and all have been awarded theNew Zealand Operational Service Medal. ...
Last night’s dismal poll result for the coalition government shows the limits of trying to govern as an opposition, argues Joel MacManus. There’s a quote from the American political activist Barbara Deming: “Vengeance is not the point; change is. But the trouble is that in most people’s minds, the thought ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shireen Morris, Associate Professor and Director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab at Macquarie University Law School, Macquarie University Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock Foreign interference in Australian democracy poses a growing risk to our national sovereignty. It refers to coercive, corrupt or ...
A defendant charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining by deception in relation to a mortgage fraud scheme. Sentencing has been scheduled for 14 August 2024. ...
What to say when pesky journalists ask gotcha questions like ‘can you name a single book you’ve ever read?’ and ‘did you read it, or did you just see the movie?’This week, Act Party arts spokesperson Todd Stephenson foolishly agreed to an interview with Newsroom’s Steve Braunias regarding his ...
Explainer - What will a ban on cellphones in schools achieve? Can students use them during lunch breaks? And what happens if you need to contact your child? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum, UNSW Sydney Jodi Rowley, CC BY-NC-ND In winter 2021, Australia’s frogs started dropping dead. People began posting images of dead frogs on social media. Unable to travel to investigate the deaths ...
In the year ended March 2024, 0.4 percent of home transfers were to people who didn’t hold New Zealand citizenship or a resident visa, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wasay Majid, Research Assistant , University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau New Zealand’s accommodation supplement scheme is facing scrutiny, with Social Development Minister Louise Upston recently saying “there is merit in considering whether the current settings are fair and sustainable long-term”. The ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor The first prime ministerial candidate has been announced in Solomon Islands and it is not Manasseh Sogavare. The man of the hour is Jeremiah Manele, the MP for Hograno/Kia/Havulei constituency in Isabel Province, who served as minister of foreign affairs in the last government. ...
Protesting the removal of bins by leaving piles of your dog’s shit for others to deal with doesn’t make you a hero – it’s precious and entitled behaviour. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve stood on the shoreline of Auckland’s Cheltenham beach, desperately trying to scoop increasingly liquid dog shit ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon will be alert to the factors driving the dire polling, but won't be waving the white flag just yet, RNZ political editor Jo Moir writes. ...
Writer, teacher and academic Vincent O’Sullivan died on Sunday 28 April. Here we gather tributes from friends, colleagues, and students who remember his extraordinary contributions. I went down to the garage tonight. There was a bird shrieking out in the bush, in the dark, maybe a kākā. Miraculously, through the ...
http://www.salon.com/2016/01/09/oil_money_politics_and_evil_our_leading_middle_east_ally_is_the_worst_country_imaginable/
“Oil, money, politics and evil: Our leading Middle East ally is the worst country imaginable
America’s BFF relationship with the corrupt, vicious and oil-rich Saudi despots might be our worst mistake of all”
“Trump was asked on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” this week how he would play the worsening standoff between Iran and Saudi Arabia. “I would back Saudi Arabia, but you know what? We’re a debtor nation. They’ve got nothing but money,” the Donald told Mika Brzezinski and her co-host, noted Saudi shill Joe Scarborough. “I wouldn’t back them for nothing. I would say: You’ve got to pay. We’re going to help you. You gotta pay. You gotta pay.”
“Saudi arms sales are in breach of international law, Britain is told”
“Government accused over refusal to suspend export licences in wake of strikes on Yemen”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/09/saudi-arms-sales-lawyers-warn-break-international-law-yemen
“Deaths Reported as MSF-Linked Hospital Bombed in Yemen
The medical charity said it ‘cannot confirm’ attacker but noted the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for the two other air strikes in last three months”
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/01/10/deaths-reported-msf-linked-hospital-bombed-yemen
and NZ is paying a bribe which the Gov’t euphemistically calls a “facilitation payment” so that we can be more closely associated with the Saudis in a “Free Trade Agreement”!!!
The human race needs people with DECENT PRINCIPLES in power!
+1 TMM The human race needs people with DECENT PRINCIPLES in power!
Which is why we got rid of dictatorships but now it’s obviously time to go to full participatory democracy as history has shown that our present elected dictatorship is no better than the previous ones.
USA waking up to how Charter schools are destroying their kids education…. pity the memo never got sent to our government, but I guess we are ‘an emerging market’ for the frauds, including privatising the school land and having the tax payer pay for it twice while transferring public land into private hands…
http://www.salon.com/2016/01/09/were_onto_the_phony_education_reformers_charter_school_charlatans_and_faux_reformers_take_it_on_the_chin/
The article is a great read all around but one key paragraph that sets up my (second) largest objection to charter schools is this…
“More recently, Florida press outlets reported the state has given about $70 million to charter schools that later closed and returned virtually none of the money to taxpayers. While the state is able to recover computers and other equipment these schools purchased with taxpayer money, the far more substantial costs for purchasing and improving property and making lease payments stays in private pockets after the schools close.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was well known problem way before charter schools opened in NZ and yet the exact same thing happened here with that school up north – the Dept of Ed is finding it impossible to get the money back that the school spent on farm land.
My largest objection is that these schools close willy-nilly leaving kids in the lurch, often during the school year. Then, because of the effect it was having on kids to close schools underneath them the powers that be stop looking for signs that charter schools are performing badly.
+1 mpledger
Yeah well only the blind and stupid cant see or know what a cash cow looks like
Sadly education isn’t what it used to be thanks to the odious faculty of economics what a crock of shit
The blogging world will be going crazy as the charter school PR machine via David Farrar and Whale Oil are into this story boots and all.
Then again, maybe not. Some kid somewhere will walk out of a charter school with a smile on her face happy the school day is over and the ideologues will be scrambling over themselves for the best headline – “Astonishing achievement at school,” “Charter school scores sensationally” or whatever.
David Farrar and Mrs Whale Oil will be too busy fervently reporting on that to worry about reality.
+1
What has that article to do with the excellent partnership schools in NZ?
Any data? No Thought not.
an interesting post from Digby about TransCanada suing the United States under NAFTA for $15 billion and why for 15$ billion and not 3$ billion
http://digbysblog.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/oh-but-poor-people-by-bloggersrus.html
I especially like this part 🙂 – Luckily as we are assured by our Resident National Government supporters this can;t happen here cause it ain’t Nafta we are signing, its the TPPA that the National Government will sign on our ‘behalf’.
Quote: AMYGOODMAN: Lori, can you explain why they’re asking $15 billion?
LORI WALLACH:: So, this is a question a lot of folks asked me yesterday: “Well, wait a minute, this is supposed to”—everyone who’s read the newspaper. “This is a $3 billion pipeline. How the heck can they be asking for $15 billion from us taxpayers?” And the answer is, under the outrageous investor-state system, not only can a foreign corporation get all these special rights—go around our courts, go around our laws and demand compensation—but they don’t just get money for what they’ve spent on a project, they get to get compensated for expected future profits. Yep, they are calculating—and the brief goes through this—what they think they would have made in the future for the lifetime of the pipeline had it been allowed. And that’s what we taxpayers are supposed to give them, because we had a democratic decision of our government that their commercial project wasn’t in the national interest. That’s the $15 billion. Quote End.
But then the question is, could this happen to us? Veolia (which is working in NZ) has started procedings against the Egypt Government last year when the Eqypt Government dared to raise the minimum wage.
http://aftinet.org.au/cms/veolia-vs-egypt-workers-2014
Quote: “The company is using the ISDS provisions in an investment treaty between France and Egypt.
The case is still in progress, but is yet another example of the dangers of including investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)”. Quote End
I am sure we will again be told that this can;t be happen here, cause we are special, and oh look over there an All Black and a flag and a US Preznit n stuff.
and last a good read as to why a special court for foreign investors may have no place in trade agreements. I am sure our resident National Government Supporters have wisdom to share as to why foreign investors should be able to sue our Government be they National led or otherwise.
http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2013/11/special-courts-for-foreign-investors-have-no-place-in-trade-deals/
and then this https://www.iisd.org/itn/2015/02/17/political-change-vs-legal-stability-problems-arising-from-the-application-of-investment-treaties-in-transitions-from-authoritarian-rule/
and this is also a nice read for those that read 🙂 https://www.iisd.org/itn/2015/02/17/political-change-vs-legal-stability-problems-arising-from-the-application-of-investment-treaties-in-transitions-from-authoritarian-rule/
other then that, its a lovely day so enjoy it 🙂
+1 Sabine – France apparently refused to sign their TPPA equivalent with investor state dispute resolutions in it.
Pity our zombie PM can’t be bothered to stand up for NZ.
Key’s bending over and picking up the soap is a metaphor for his entire conduct with the US and Far right think tanks and TPPA. Just wants to be the ‘fun joker’ of the party and play golf and ‘goof’ off with other PM’s – leave the scary work and fine print to others.
I made a comment before and how we are and are not like insects. Bee colonies have a leader that grows more bees and is central to the colony. We however accept a shapeshifter that looks and sounds like a NZ (after useful PR treatment and coaching) but his heart is in San Fransisco, or New York, or Hawaii (where the USA Pres. holidays. Get it!
Songs to listen to in the hols.
San F. – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1x8W29pDRw Frank S.
New York – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1x8W29pDRw Billy Joel recent
NY- (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8hVOMAmY-s Luciano Pavarotti & Liza Minnelli
Hawaii – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_17vGYa81s Aloha Hawaii – ‘Iz’
Hawaii – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_jIhI0QYJo Hawaiian wedding song
USA influence –
Hawaii – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcvo4U33_L4 Hawaii-5-0
Have a big heaping helping of our folk culture!
NZ – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDMgyeFU74k Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line – The Cats Been Spayed!
NZ – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRjvnDPmPd4 Down the Hall Saturday Night
NZ – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuaoElWqleo I’ve Been Everywhere Man
NZ- (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lswLTVtqzW8 Farewell to the Gold Paul Metsers
NZ – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU7wF8ilIbE The Gin & Raspberry Bok Muir & Trickett
NZ – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS0aqdbIQz8 The Plainsmen Waitaki River
NZ – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQLUygS0IAQ Poe E Patea Maori Club
Exotic places call Key. Trains in Taumarunui don’t cut it with him – too plebeian.
FJK stands up for the USA and planks for NZ.
Seen this?
How effectively ‘censored’ has been THIS speech by US Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Saunders?
http://www.nationofchange.org/news/2016/01/08/the-most-important-campaign-speech-bernie-on-the-banks/
“Within the first 100 days of my administration, I will require the secretary of the Treasury Department to establish a ‘Too-Big-to Fail’ list of commercial banks, shadow banks and insurance companies whose failure would pose a catastrophic risk to the United States economy without a taxpayer bailout,” says Sanders.
“Within one year, my administration will break these institutions up so that they no longer pose a grave threat to the economy as authorized under Section 121 of the Dodd-Frank Act.”
“Greed is not good,” proclaimed Sanders, riffing on Gordon Gekko’s famous pronouncement in the movie “Wall Street,” just miles from that financial center.
“In fact, the greed of Wall Street and corporate America is destroying the fabric of our nation. And here is a New Year’s Resolution that I will keep if elected president. If you do not end your greed, we will end it for you.”
The bold speech addressed a topic that should be the main focus of debate, particularly during the race for the presidency.
The 2008 financial crash caused a recession which is wiping out $6 to $36 trillion from America’s economy.
Yet the talk received scant media coverage. It’s hard to attribute this to recent high-visibility events. Bernie is routinely blacked out of the media.
Yet since colleges, Congress, liberal think tanks, the mainstream media, and both parties embrace financial donors, even while failing to investigate causes of the crash or working to prevent the next one, his message is all the more potent.
…..”
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
+1 Penny
Thank you for including the link. Worth sharing.
John Key is using his acquaintance with Obama to endnote his term in office with a view to a global role.
Geopolitically, it makes some sense. We are in the Asia-Pacific and during WWII US Marines camped around Wellington and the Kapiti Coast after Pearl Harbour to defend against potential invasion because the NZ army was in the Middle East and Japanese intentions were unknown.
We are still in the Pacific and our cognitive structures are still largely in the northern hemisphere. But this is not WWII, and Obama has competing priorities,
As a Hawai’ian he probably has some interest in Aotearoa, but as US president his horizons are broader- Key has more to gain from a visit by his golfing buddie than does Obama. It is a long way to go .. for what ? I can’t see it. This is more about Obama playing Key than the other way around.
As a school kid I stood on the street as LBJ walked past to lay a wreath at the Cenotaph. He had been one of the marines camped around Wellington during WWII and flew in after a trip to Vietnam. Obama does not have that motivation.
Stranger things have happened. It would be interesting to see a powerful Black American confront Maoritanga in a challenge during a welcoming ceremony. TV networks would love it – but how many people watch TV these days ?
John Key would inevitably make something of it – possibly call a snap election. Can you see the eyes light up among the ‘National’ party ?
John Key is using his acquaintance with Obama to endnote his term in office with a view to a global role.
I had to laugh when you wrote that.
Honest John Key I can reassure you is happy to stay on in 2017,2020,2023 and possibly even 2026.
I suggest you read the comment again.
We know you are an ignoramus – but there is no need to constantly reaffirm it.
So fisiani, you’d like NZ to become a dictatorship?
Oh wait…It already is
Poor Fizzy. Munching on his own shit again. Thinking it’s us getting the foul taste. What ???
http://zidbits.com/2011/06/why-do-animals-eat-their-own-poop/
German has a made up word that suits – scheinselbständigkeit.
Apploitation in a city of instaserfs
How the “sharing economy” has turned San Francisco into a dystopia for the working class
[…]
Oh, Canada! I’m writing you from Berkeley, California to warn you about this thing called “the sharing economy.” Since no one is really sharing anything, many of us prefer the term “the exploitation economy,” but due to its prevalence many in the Bay Area simply think of it as “the economy.” Whatever you want to call it, the basic idea is that customers can outsource all the work or chores they don’t want to do to somebody else in their area.
You can be chauffeured around the city while somebody picks up and launders your dirty underwear. You can have groceries delivered to your door and your bathroom given that deep clean that you don’t have time to do yourself. The best part is you can do it all on your phone! Sharing economy companies promise their customers all the luxuries of the rich and famous—and they can do that by taking advantage of the system and, in some cases, bending or simply avoiding labour laws.
https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/apploitation-city-instaserfs
previously on TS – the sharing economy
Apps that facilitate unlawful behaviour – breaking labour laws, untaxed cash jobs, unqualified taxi services – should simply be outlawed.
But “we would like to see wages drop” says the moneyed elite.
Now SFO is completely unaffordable for everyone else.
A thought for the future. It could be that comments could be limited to 6 in the morning and 6 in afternoon/evening. There would be a counter – it would limit the promiscuous wasps that feed on the honey dew here (poetic and green as well!) and their mad desire to swamp the blog with their futile, malign comments. More than a dozen a day and they could keep good commenters away, and they bring a pall of bitchines and nonsense with them. It would limit the exponential growth of the site that doesn’t need numbers as it has proved itself as valued and a great success.
edited
To troll or not to troll that is the question.
One mans troll is another mans soothsayer.
How do you choose who goes on this restricted counter,as the standard is at its best when the truly clever ones here get going.??
Well this way the individual would be working to put out their best points. It wouldn’t do to waste too many of the six for a half day on trading insults with trolls.
The trolls could do what they always do and then they would be cut off after the sixth, They might manage to restrain themselves as well. The whole tone of the blog would rise a notch, and no-one would be stopped, though some might save some points and put them into one longer one. Now and then there is a really meaty thread. I don’t know about that. It could be that someone might appeal to the moderator of the day to start a post so that they could go off Open Mike and argue on another thread which would be under moderation.
It would probably make people think a little bit more before putting in a comment, but would it apply universally?
For example a commenter whose pseudonym happens to start with “grey” had 11 yesterday afternoon, following on from 5 in the morning. Would they be chopped of in their prime? The later ones were the most interesting.
The only real problem I can see would be if someone’s comment drew a lot of reactions, or questions. It would prevent replies and rejoinder’s being possible in a timely manner. After 6 you would have to come back tomorrow.
On the other hand there are commenters whose only contribution seems to be expressions such as “lies” or “you are a liar” who wouldn’t be missed.
Humourous idea grey. I can’t imagine it ever being implemented, but it would be a very interesting experiment.
Something we could do though, is to get a handful or two of us together who commit to not engaging in the macho/bitchy shit, and not feeding the trolls, and instead talk to each other with a focus on good communication, respect and constructive politics.
Lately I’ve been feeling like the place is just a bitchfest between regulars, and I get sucked into that too easily. But I suspect the readership reflects something quite different (would love to see the stats on the Helen Kelly’s post from the other day).
weka
Good ideas. I already give little attention to trolls and even the regulars I pick and choose who I read. There are some who never fail to write something that adds to my internal library, and some are humorous too. I do weaken sometimes and make disparaging remarks. Utterly futile of course. They have no shame, or objectivity. But I don’t see my idea as humorous, rather it would be practical. I have heard that some blogs do have a limit on individual comments.
I keep thinking about doing a rationing system. However I think that the current way that we limit meaningless waffling is so much more effective, and usually a pleasure to do as well.
I hope you like numbers…
Quite different audiences to the comments. It is pretty easy to read, especially in a low month like over xmas (makes for an abnormal pattern, but one that highlights what happens).
Click for a large display
Compare the percentages / times against the averages at the top and against each other. You’ll notice the topics in the top ten have a particular type of focus.
The main things to note are:
* Unique page views are “Unique Pageviews is the number of sessions during which the specified page was viewed at least once. A unique pageview is counted for each page URL + page Title combination.”
* Page views vs Unique Page views – which gives you an idea of how much thrashing there is by the same people on a page – mostly thrashing is caused by commenters.
* Avg Time – are people actually reading the comments? Again, commenters tend to raise that
* Entrances/exits direct to the page is a pretty good indicator about social media effects. High entrances/exits indicates a strong social media content, low commenters
It is pretty easy to see the pages that the commenters are dominant on, and which pages have social media reading them.
But it becomes clearer when I split into new vs returning
@fisiani11.41am comment 5.1
Honest John Fisiani????? Watch this 2013 3 min link and tell me you can still call key honest:
PM John Key grilled on Fletcher’s GCSB appointment.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/national/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503075&gal_cid=1503075&gallery_id=131968
(I thought I had pushed the reply button to fisiani’s comment, but was so concentrating on posting a link for the first time on
this irritating little machine that I realised I was way of course and could not get back.)
I agree, he’ll only stay on until the 2017 election but unfortunately for the left in NZ he’ll stay on until the 2017 election 🙂
We have a choice.
We can allow these rwnj trolls to derail these threads or we can ignore them.
Paul this is the first time I have been able to offer this link showing key lying to fisiani, and I really want fisiani to watch it and hopefully tell me what she/he thinks. So please don’t derail this thread and look at the clip yourself if poss.
Reading the comments on this particular thread Paul you are the troll
First time I tend to agree with you Puckish Rogue @1.01pm. And I still haven’t heard fisiani’s response to the link I posted @ commemt 8. Perhaps you and alwyn could view the link and tell me if it backs up fisiani’s ‘honest john’ claim.
I have given up on Paul on this thread, as I am sure he has missed the point.
Ok so here goes.
I think all politicians lie or they “misspeak” whatever you want to call it so in comparison to you or I yes John Key is a liar
But that’s not comparing apples with apples so the question needs to be is how honest John Key is in comparison to the other leaders of NZ
Ah, but should politicians be allowed to lie or should they be held accountable and jailed when they do?
And John Key isn’t ‘misspeaking’ but is outright lying as you well know.
Its trite but every three years we get to hold them to account, maybe not as well as some would like, and judge them for their sins (perceived and real)
No we don’t. We have a limited ability to not vote for them. I’d rather have a law that say, unequivocally, that an MP lying results in them going to jail. Same with fraud, rorting (Blinglish’s actions with his house), and corruption.
John Key should have been in jail before 2008 because of his actions regarding his Transrail shares.
lol, I’d forgotten about hm “forgetting” about his tranzrail shares.
Then there’s his “blind” trust and the bottles of wine…
“that an MP lying results in them going to jail”
Would be amazing, but given who makes our laws it seems vanishingly unlikely to ever happen. We need to somehow make character a strong part of how people decide on who represents us.
@PuckishR@1.28pm
Thanks for having ‘a go’ . But of ‘all politicians” key is the worst or is it the best? But then who would want to be the best at lying, unless they couldn’t care a less, and I’m afraid john key is exactly this type of person ,as I tried to show in that clip.
I tend to aim for the politicians who I think have the greatest integrity and substance when I vote regardless of which party. All National mps (and I have thought about them and observed them often in parliament) are sadly lacking in truth and most appear to be disingenuous poseurs and are all too often try to emulate their mendacious leader, in my opinion.
They let you out?
I’d settle for key here till 2017 then a left government. It would be better than one of collins or bennet getting a stint in charge.
Time off for good behaviour, I think Key will retire 4 elections not out and not bother going for a fifth
I’m at a loss to think who’ll take over, I thought it might have been Collins but now I’m leaning towards Bennet
I’ll give you an inside tip. The next leader and PM in 2026 will be Chris Bishop, the MP who has made Trevor Mallard a lame duck in the Hutt.
Well that’s a big call, we’ll see how that plays out but he better win an electorate seat at some point because if you can’t convince an electorate to vote for you how can you expect a country?
Bit of an own goal there.
* Most of Labour
* All of Greens
* Most of NZFirst
I presume, given what you are saying about the three parties, you are talking about the percentage of the party MPs who are on the list.
In fact you should select out National, rather than Labour as being unable to win electorate seats.
15.6% of the Labour MPs are from the list.
A much higher 32.2% of the National ones are.
How is that an own goal?
On second reading I may not have written it as well as I could have, what I meant to say was if you want to lead the country and convince the country to vote for you then you should be able to win an electorate seat, by all means take a list seat later but wait until you’ve won a seat first
So the Greens aren’t capable of the running the country and Andrew Little won’t lead Labour to victory in 2017
I actually think the pm shouldn’t have or relinquish their seat on winning power. I can’t imagine a pm having much time for electorate issues.
I think the state of the global economy this year and how it impacts on NZ (and it will), will be the determiner of what John Key does. He’s a fair-weather politician and if the global economy plays out like I suspect it will over the next 12 months, there is a chance John Key will bail and leave the next election to someone else.
Of course he is honest. He is the most trusted pm in our history.
dnftt
fisiani did you not see ‘honest john’ lying on the link I gave you on comment 8 @12.07pm.
Honestly!
Care to point out any lie by Honest John. I watched the clip. Never heard a lie. Do you actually understand what the word ‘lie’ means?
So you watched it with the sound off. Very clever.
Lanthanide
LOL. Ergo.
Obviously the only way for fisiani lathanide. Great comment , caused much laughter, tho’ at the same time a bit sad, about fisiani i mean, tbanks.
That’s a big call I hope you’ve got some links coming to prove it !
I’d say John Key is as honest as any other political leader 🙂
You would say that, because you’re only as honest as John Key.
Which is not honest in the slightest.
I’ll have you know I’m quite honest, probably why I couldn’t run for any for of political office 🙂
With honesty like yours, you could run for act or the nats. But most of the left wing parties demand that what their representatives say has at least some positive relationship with the truth.
But arguing that every politician is a lying scumbag like dunnokeyo is part of the way you bastards get into government with the support of only a third of registered voters – if you convince a million opponents that the opposition are just as untrustworthy as the government , you alienate opposing voters from the entire system.
It’s cynical, corrupt and morally bankrupt, but then that’s typical tory behaviour.
“But most of the left wing parties demand that what their representatives say has at least some positive relationship with the truth.”
Yeah naah
If I recall correctly it was the left pushing MMP yet its the right that’s won more
If Labour keep putting up leaders like Goff, Shearer, Cunliffe and Little instead of leaders like Clark and Lange then of course the right are going to keep on winning
“If I recall correctly it was the left pushing MMP yet its the right that’s won more”
It is currently tied 3 to Labour, 3 to National.
96, 2008, 2011, 2014 to the nats
99, 2002, 2005 to the leftish.
Sorry Lanthanide but you are forgetting the first MMP election in 1996.
It is currently Nat-led 4 (96, 08, 11 and 14) to Lab-led 3 (99, 02 and 05)
Of course in reality New Zealand lost in 96 and 05. Anyone who lets Winston anywhere near power isn’t fit to be in office.
Ah, I missed ’96.
This is a reply to McFlock’s 2.35 post
I don’t plan to try and compile a complete list of Helen Clarke’s misleading statements.
In terms of whether a statement is a “lie” I tend to use the Chambers Dictionary definition which is “a false statement made with the intention of deceiving”. I think the three examples I have given for Helen Clark fall into that definition.
I had a look at Blip’s magnum opus. I have chosen a couple at random to see what he was about. I don’t think the ones I looked at fall into the category of lies.
The first was, number 17, that “New Zealand was one of the very few countries in the world that was settled peacefully”
What Key said was that ” In my view New Zealand was one of the very few countries in the world that were settled peacefully.” The words “In my view” make it clear that was only his opinion.
Even this blog distinguishes between saying something is your opinion, when no source is required and saying something is a fact when you must justify the claim.
Was that a lie? His view is arguably wrong but (in my view) you can’t say it was a lie.
The second was number 24 where Blip says Key was lying and he says the lie was “The Greens are responsible for the rise in income inequality within New Zealand”
This gives as justification a statement by Brent Edwards that the Greens were not in Government. That is, in fact, something I have pointed out on another post and have been roundly abused for saying so. Both te reo uptake and swordfish seemed to think, in the TPPA agreement post, that they should be considered as part of the 2002 Government.
However back to the point. What Key actually said was
“In the period between 1999 and 2005, if my memory serves me correctly, the then Labour Government did that with the support in various forms of the Green Party, and so I say to Russel Norman ‘yes, he should apologise to New Zealand for his failure in that time’.””
That doesn’t make any claim that the Green Party were part of the Government. It says they supported the Government which is clearly true. Again I can’t agree that his statement is a lie.
That is a very selective list. I really can’t be bothered looking at them all
I really don’t want to argue that Key never lies. He is a politician and nearly all politicians lie if the feel the need. They aren’t successful if they don’t. However Key is very smart and he may leave you THINKING he said something that he didn’t.
If one is going to attack him you have to be realistic and limit the use of the word “lie” to things that really qualify. Using it only as an abusive term for an opinion you disagree with is silly.
ps. Sorry for the length of this. I couldn’t see how to get my point across in less words.
Damn. I must have picked the wrong “reply” tag.
@ alwyn
Your memory’s failing you a little, alwyn.
Could you link to where I’ve ever suggested the Greens were part of the 2002-05 Clark Govt ?
Also … Helen Clark, not Clarke
You didn’t say that about the 2002 Government did you Swordfish? You really only said it about 1999-2002 (when it can be considered true) and 2005-2008 (not the case), when you said it was the situation although Jeanette denied it.
As for “Clarke” Gosh, everybody! Swordfish has noted that I put Clark in one place and Clarke in another.
He (she) can get a new job as a proof reader. Might do better than as a political commentator.
No doubt she (he) has never made a typing error in his (her) life.
Now do you have anything significant about what I did have to say?
Should I assume that if you can only point out a typo you can’t actually find anything wrong with the comments I have made?
Alwyn, the issue is not that key never lies or that clark never lies.
The issue is that Key lies more often and worse than any other politician you care to mention.
You cherry-picked a couple of blip’s list items that might be debatable as to intent to mislead.
Well, what about blaming Labour for the limo trade-ups when it was his signature on the contract to upgrade? What about the tranzrail shares he forgot he owned? Giving away bottles of wine he pretends he doesn’t know he owns? Claiming to not remember how an old school friend became the only person interviewed for the GCSB job? The changing stories on how often he was in contact with slater? His reporting of his apology to the waitress being accepted with no problem, vs her account of his “apology”?
And that’s beyond his tendency to leave grieving people with the impression he made strong assurances to do “whatever it takes” or get their sons and husbands back, assurances he never follows through on. He says whatever is convenient at the time, and never has any intention to either follow through on commitments or ensure that his reporting of events bears any relationship to the truth.
Clark had the painting (didn’t key do that too?), the car trip, and Doone. You’re welcome to mention any others.
Your comment says nothing to compare the well-documented lies of Key with any comments by any Labour party leaders past or present.
The worst one about Clark was a fecking charity painting. Key lied about how an old school tie got a phone call to be offered a job as head of a government department, and recent loser-actoid whyte plagiarised himself only the other day.
That was a pretty trivial example by Helen.
The worst was the false stories she was passing on to the Herald about the then Police Commissioner Peter Doone. Quite why she wanted to get him out was never clear but she certainly set out to destroy him.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10122718
Other things that seemed odd about her actions were denying that she even realised that he motorcade was speeding when travelling to Christchurch, and trying to claim that it was Henare who attacked her mate Mallard instead of the real way round.
Incidentally you do seem to have a strange view of what is plagiarism. By your definition every single politician is guilty of it during a campaign when they give their standard speech.
If you think Labour leaders haven’t lied (or misspoke or not told the whole story) then more fool you but my main point was that the leaders Labour have been putting up recently are unelectable and it must be especially galling when compared to former leaders of a not-too-distant past
pr – I’ve not said Labour leaders are perfect. Simply that key is on a completely new level of lying compared to anyone Labour’s had as leader.
Alwyn – if you posted a full list of clark’s lies, I doubt it would be even a quarter the length of blip’s list, and a tenth as serious. I’d be interested in a genuine comparison. Many of key’s lies involve outright corruption, in my opinion.
I love that you can’t tell the difference between a political stump speech and offering cut&paste material to a publisher as a new work. Besides, even when they recycle “ad libs” they risk getting called out on it (e.g. McCain using the same joke about not being recognised at [insert local airport here] having at least a half dozen televised examples over the years being put into a montage by the Daily Show). The prepared speeches are understood to be taling points strung together, these days. If you say to a publication “I have written this opinion piece you can sell for money”, it should be original or at least acknowledged that it was published elsewhere. Interestingly, if it was published in the UK, does that mean that Whyte violated the copyright of the original publisher? Might do…
McFlock – I suspect that part of the reason Keys lies are more well known then Clarks lies is that general internet use and blogging was certainly less widespread in Clarks time then it is today (I might be wrong about this of course)
So at the time Clark said a howler it was harder to look up and view it and then post about it whereas today its so much easier (which is a good thing I might add)
Sort of like how a politician used to be able to say one thing at an old persons home then another at uni then another at a business meeting
well, that’s bollocks because a) people remembered what they had been promised; b) many people were part of multiple groups; and c)we had actual journalosts who went to all the events and compared barefaced lies.
Oh, and d) the internet existed before John key, kiwiblog has been going since 2003, well enough to cover Clark.
and e) what about all the labour leaders since clark, well into the internet era?
well, that’s bollocks because a) people remembered what they had been promised;
– Sometimes but people also have sort memories at times
b) many people were part of multiple groups; and c)we had actual journalists who went to all the events and compared barefaced lies.
– I’m not convinced of journalists neutrality now or then, far too many family links or marriages
Oh, and d) the internet existed before John key, kiwiblog has been going since 2003, well enough to cover Clark.
– Yeah but I’m talking general public and before blogs started shaping the political landscape
and e) what about all the labour leaders since clark, well into the internet era?
– No one cares about them because they didn’t become the leader of the country
hey, journos have always had bias, but there used to be more of them to do their job. And “changing the political landscape” is one thing, but I would have expected kiwiblog to obsessively track the litany of fibs that you think clark told – or at the very least, just made some up.
So according to you, all politicians tell outright lies, but people are too stupid or their memory is too mercurial for them to care. And nobody cares about second place. You really do have a shitty opinion of human beings – maybe if you stopped looking in the mirror your morale would improve.
hey, journos have always had bias, but there used to be more of them to do their job. And “changing the political landscape” is one thing, but I would have expected kiwiblog to obsessively track the litany of fibs that you think clark told – or at the very least, just made some up.
– He hasn’t collated them so I can’t be arsed going through all of his old posts
So according to you, all politicians tell outright lies, but people are too stupid or their memory is too mercurial for them to care. And nobody cares about second place.
– Think how many times a party (National or Labour) has mentioned bottom lines yet somehow there always seems to be a back track or a flip flop or even just making promises they know they’ll never have to keep and yet we, the public, keep on electing them
You really do have a shitty opinion of human beings – maybe if you stopped looking in the mirror your morale would improve.
– Looking in the mirror with my shirt off always improves my morale
Again, I’m not arguing that all politicians are perfect.
I’m saying that the quality and quantity of dunnokeyo’s lies are a new low. This isn’t just “flip-flop” accusations, but an organised and concerted abuse of process, from the OIA to the Speaker to the appointment of state services staff to outright lying to parliament to employing people like Ede in his office to slandering detained people and the opposition in one fell swoop.
McFlock
+1
Every time he opens his mouth(JK), there’s a lot of people who cringe, I personally find he insults peoples intelligence.
QFT
A Herald poll only showed about 10% of respondents believed what John key said….
He’s popular among people who believe owning a house should earn you more money than working ………….. They will excuse any lies he tells.
its called Bent key Syndrome
[lprent: You should see what we call Flamers. Flamewar starters aren’t appreciated around here – read our policy.
If you want to assert a fact like a Herald poll, then you should link to supporting article(s) or say exactly where to find it. To do otherwise means that everyone will assume that you just made it up. That includes moderators. If we think that you’re starting a flamewar deliberately or even inadvertently using unsubstantiated assertions of fact, then we’re liable to revoke your ability to comment here.
This is your warning. ]
care to link to that shonky poll……
At least you’ve finally used a more appropriate name for FJK.
@reason@1.15pm
Please view the link I posted on commemt 8. It is the only clip I know where Key lies and is caught out by the reporters (not that they do much about it.)
It backs everything you say and I wanted people like fisiani etc who state that key is honest to see the evidence that he is not honest for themselves.
My apologies for not backing up with a link and I did do a quick search for the poll in question…. but after not finding it quickly I just posted up my memories of it which were …………
The poll was a dodgy Herald readers one and it was in relation to the revelation that our GCSB was spying on our pacific Island neighbors.
The skewered Herald poll gave readers three options to vote on regarding this spying on the pacific islands ……
A) This is what spy agencies do and its ok
B) I do not believe it
C) Its outrageous
The poll was skewered in relation to the options supporting or opposing the spying and even with the design bias that vote was fairly evenly split from memory.
But with the ” I do not believe it” option ……………..
John Key has consistently smeared Nicky Hager dating back from the Hollow Men National/Exclusive Brethren illegal electioneering that Key was involved with.
Regarding the GCSB pacific Island spying revelation John Key said: …. ” Earlier, Prime Minister John Key urged New Zealanders to dismiss claims about spying on foreign allies, saying he can “guarantee” they will be wrong.” http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/66944644/Nicky-Hager-Kiwis-will-be-shocked-by-spy-claims
“I’m not going to critique your stolen emails and misinformation,” he told reporters.
“There’s a history of fizzers when it comes to Nicky Hager, Greenwald and Snowden. I’m sorry these guys get it wrong.” http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/66944644/Nicky-Hager-Kiwis-will-be-shocked-by-spy-claims
So the “I do not believe it” option was for those who believed what John Key was saying at the time ………….. and they were about 10% from memory.
I found it interesting at the time because even the people who approved the spying and who probably supported National clearly did not believe what Key was saying.
The poll seems to have been taken down but I found a reference to it in the Herald: …..
“An online unscientific Herald poll of up to 11,600 people showed more than 50 per cent of people said they were “fine with it”. Some 42 per cent replied to say they were “incensed – this is unacceptable”. Six per cent did not believe the claims were true.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11412551
My memory was a little faulty and only 6% believed John Keys statements and position that Hagars claims were wrong and not to believe him.
My false equivalence example showing the Heralds pro National bias in the poll questions was not exact either ……………. The two options the Herald gave readers to vote on if they believed Hagars information were: “fine with it” or”incensed – this is unacceptable”.
An honest poll would have asked “it’s alright to do this” versus “its wrong to do this”, or “we should spy on them” versus ” we should not spy on them”.
My conclusion is the only thing believable from that Herald Poll was that 6% believed John Key versus 96% believed Hager.
If the opposition got it together they would wipe out National at election time …..just like they did in Northland.
Also If Northland knowledge spreads nationally I can only see Keys popularity decline accelerating ……. Keys support and promotion of sabin in the months prior to his resignation from parliament seems quite extraordinary.
@ fisi “Of course he (Key) is honest. He is the most trusted PM in our history.”
3 News Reid Research/TNS Polls
Honesty Ratings
Key 41% (late 2013)
Clark 61% (early 2003)
(Note: I don’t have any post-2013 stats, but after the Dirty Politics scandal, I’d assume Key’s honesty ratings are relatively unlikely to have risen).
Fairfax-Ipsos August 2013
Leader Trust
Fully believe John Key ? Yes 24%, No 59%
3 News Reid Research July 2013
52% believe Dotcom
34% believe Key’s denials
You were saying ???
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-10012016/#comment-1117021
+1 ouch!
We have a choice.
We can allow these rwnj trolls to derail these threads or we can ignore them.
[lprent: OpenMike was added into the posts because then moderators don’t have to monitor it for derailing and diversion. It also removed the necessity excuse for derailing and diversion in author written posts. ]
Given that this is Open Mike and the purpose is given at the top as being
“For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.”,
it is difficult to see how anything can be classed as “derailing” the thread.
You’ll just have to ignore it. That is also better for your blood pressure.
Sound advice.
Paul you have got the wrong end of the stick in this case and I think you may have wasted my huge effort to post visual evidence that what fisiami keeps saying about ‘john’s honesty’ is untrue. I had hoped to silence fisiani with the truth, backed by actual visual evidence, thus making it unnecessary to have to feed fisiani and like minded people again.
Please have a look at the clip on comment 8… it’s a cracker.
@fisiani@1.21pm
Thanks for watching the clip. Can’t believe you did not notice him saying first one thing then another then the other again. All said in a similar ‘thiis is the truth ‘ voice, even though he’d contradicted himself twice . Even he got lost and didn’t appear to know what ‘truth’ he was telling. I think, unless one is a little deluded, that this clip shows a man telling untruths, which leaves me not knowing which of his assertions were either true or untrue. I do not listen to him anymore like you, apparently.
In my case it’s because I can’t bear to listen to lies, whereas in your case you can’t bear to see or hear the truth it seems.
Ah I get it now. If Honest John says it might rain tomorrow and it turns out fine then thats what s called a lie. If he works all day long for NZ then some would call him liar for not putting in a 16 hour day or claiming bizarrely that he works for another country. How desperate and despairing.
“None so deaf as those that will not hear. None so blind as those that will not see.” Matthew Henry 1662-1714.
‘those that will not see’ even if it is stuck under their nose on a walking, talking video clip in 2016
Looking at geonet and there seems to be a swarm (think thats the term) of quakes in the eastern and southern North Is. I counted 27 at about level 2 registered as unnoticeable, since midnight last night – Sunday. The last two are bigger registering light at 4.3 at 59km near Murupara, and 3.5 at 21km near Dannevirke, both in last half hour.
Well it doesn’t pay to quote geonet till the figures settle down. The Dannevirke shake is registered now as 1.8 not 3.5 – unnoticeable not light, and the one at Murupara is now noted as east of Rotorua at 4.6 at 142 km not 59 km, and is described weak.
Since then there have been another three tiny quakes around middle NZ.
Joseph Stilglitz on the TPP:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/10/in-2016-better-trade-agreements-trans-pacific-partnership
Loved this story in The Guardian:
“Briton told horse penis remark ‘could have led to war’ between Kyrgyzstan and UK
Michael McFeat, now deported from Kyrgyzstan, says police told him sausage comparison could have sparked conflict”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/10/britons-horse-penis-remark-could-have-led-to-war-between-kyrgyzstan-and-uk
As casus belli go it’s pretty original but at least the Kyrgyz have some pride, whereas in NZ we have been on the receiving end of a dick for s-e-v-e-n years and there are those who still haven’t had enough.
Lol. I can’t help but think there is more to the story than the Guardian reports.
heh,
not terroristscosplaying fantasists act out.The president in the story is never named, though it does mention people wanting to “cling to their God and guns” — a reference to a comment Obama made in 2008.
Eventually in the book, a rogue Department of Homeland Security agent forces people at gunpoint to give up their firearms. When one man resists, an agent shoots him in the head.
The heroes of the story refuse to surrender their guns, and consequently are able to kill the neighbors and government agents who come to take their supplies by force. The book goes into great detail about the protagonists’ arsenal, which includes an array of pistols, AR-15 rifles, and other guns — all of which are pivotal to their triumph.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/oregon-militia-members-post-apocalyptic-book-bears-striking#.diG7MdxlgP
That dude LaVoy Finicum was a lot better-looking hiding under the blue tarp…
http://www.salon.com/2016/01/07/theres_a_dude_under_a_tarp_sitting_in_a_rocking_chair_holding_a_rifle_seth_meyers_on_the_weirdest_part_of_the_oregon_standoff/
So how long before WinstonFirst starts about this:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/german-minister-cologne-attacks-coordinated-160110152044811.html
Also in The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/10/germany-heiko-maas-new-years-eve-assaults-nationwide
We should not be naïve.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/06/cologne-attacks-mayor-women-keep-men-arms-length-germany
If what the media are saying is true (that’s a big if) then Germany (and other European countries) have some major issues to sort out
I’m inclined to keep the total of asylum seekers to 750 per year
There are so many issues here, involving both asylum seekers and other migrants. Better safe than sorry would be my line.
We have enough problems with crime (especially sexual violence) that we don’t need to import more but as long as we stick to strict screening processes, keep it to 750 per year and provide on going support we should be able to avoid the mistakes of Europe
We have disgraceful levels of violence and sexual crimes in New Zealand …… and a LARGE proportion is the result of Alcohol abuse …………
No doubt this govt will dog whistle about potential refugee criminals.
While roastbusters walk free ……… and it remains open slather for the booze pushers.
It would be very very easy to lower New Zealand rates of sexual offending and violence ………………
National chose not to do so…… and built a big expensive private prison instead ……
I’m sorry but by the reports coming through from Germany is that you have hundreds (in which case it might even be thousands if you believe most attacks aren’t reported) of women attacked and there are suggestions its coordinated (which I’d have thought is even more chilling) between different cities
That is a completely different kettle of fish then what happens in NZ and if we can stop it from happening here by limiting the people doing it actually coming here then that is a good thing
Your definitely right about it being a different Kettle of fish ….. When it comes to our sexual and violence crimes the Government is complicit in our high rates……. and our world famous ‘Roastbusters’ did not even get prosecuted.
National might get the world thinking that we are like …….Muslims!!!, gasp, shock, horror.
I’m sure the German police will be looking to prosecute the criminals involved ………. also the fact that some of the woman victims involved may have been drinking or even using other drugs will not be held or used against them…… unlike here.
The number of family violence, child abuse , sexual violence and street attacks involving Alcohol would dwarf any scary Refugee/Muslim threat for New Zealand by a magnitude of thousands …….
Demonizing whole races or in this case refugees as rapists or criminals is usually done for political reasons.
Treat the offenders as criminals………… not the race.
funny, it appears that on new years eve in NZ at a location near the or around “the Mount” a bunch of several hundreds drunk young man of various back grounds and religions attacked and harrased young females. I think there even was a bit of a brouhahah on FB and it made it into the news.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/75607653/police-condemn-facebook-comments-on-mount-maunganui-new-years-eve-page
You think that NZ may have a problem at hand?
it also seems that these attacks have also happened in Austria, Switzerland and Helisnki.
so maybe the world has an issue with people that think its ok to assault women.
http://www.novinite.com/articles/172556/After+Germany+and+Austria,+Finland+Also+Reports+Assaults+on+Women+on+New+Year%E2%80%99s+Eve
It might have been just sexually frustrated man letting go of a bit of steam, being boys n all that, and luckily no one had to bend over for a bit of soap.
And yes, the Mayor of Koeln had only this to say after the assaults; Women need to learn how to protect themselves by keeping strangers at arms lenght.
I think this attitude is mainly the problem the world.
Fortunately it doesn’t appear to be in the same league (not that it excuses what happened of course) as what happened in Europe but in this instance we need to make sure that it doesn’t happen here
“Women need to learn how to protect themselves by keeping strangers at arms length”
– Men need to be taught to not assault, harass or rape women but…I can’t even comprehend the thought process that goes through a guys mind when they do that
if it makes you feel better, it was said by a women.
Bigotry is gender neutral.
It doesn’t really
A little difficult when our so called male “heroes” in our culture treat women like objects/things. Case in point John Key and the harassment of a waitress, Chris Gayle treating a female interviewer like shit, and Roger Sutton. On the whole our culture has been relaxed about these incidents, even endorsing the behaviour and blaming the victim.
Or alternatively Lifeline. It always helps to talk. At Lifeline, we’re here to listen. Auckland 09 5222 999 or NZ 0800 543 354. Psychological and emotional distress caused by thread jackers – it’s not your fault. Don’t suffer – reach out for support now.
JE SUIS ROSE HAMID!
Good on her.
“Hamid, and a few other protesters with her, also wore yellow Jewish stars of David marked “Muslim” to recall the forced identification markers under Nazi Germany.”
_______________________________________________________
Muslim woman thrown out of Trump rally (Al Jazeera)
Rose Hamid says she went to the rally in silent protest to show Trump supporters what a Muslim looks like.
09 Jan 2016 11:46 GMT | Politics, US & Canada, United States
Trump has come under fire from the public and politicians for repeated comments made that allegedly stoke fear of Muslims [Reuters]
A 56-year-old Muslim American woman was thrown out of a rally in support of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump following a silent protest.
Rose Hamid was forcibly removed by security guards from the hall in South Carolina on Friday, after standing up in the crowd while wearing a shirt saying: “Salam. I come in peace.”
Hamid, and a few other protesters with her, also wore yellow Jewish stars of David marked “Muslim” to recall the forced identification markers under Nazi Germany.
Video footage aired on CNN of the moment when Hamid was being escorted out, shows many Trump supporters shouting at her.
Hamid, who works as a flight attendant, told CNN that some shouted questions at her such as “Do you have a bomb? Do you have a bomb?”
But according to Hamid, her silent protest of the “hateful rhetoric” found in Trump’s camp is mainly an element existing within the “crowd mentality”, as opposed to personal beliefs held by most Republicans.
“This demonstrates how when you start dehumanising the other it can turn people into very hateful, ugly people,” Hamid told CNN.
“I have the sincere belief that if people get to know each other one-on-one, that they’ll stop being afraid of each other.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has issued a press statement calling on Trump to offer a public apology for the action.
“The image of a Muslim woman being abused and ejected from a political rally sends a chilling message to American Muslims and to all those who value our nation’s traditions of religious diversity and civic participation,” Nihad Awad, CAIR national executive director, said.
Following the ejection of Hamid, Trump reportedly told the crowd of supporters at the campaign rally: “There is hatred against us that is unbelievable. It’s their hatred, it’s not our hatred.”
Trump has come under fire from the public and politicians for repeated comments seen as planting fear of Muslims, including that they should carry specific identification cards and that mosques should be closed.
________________________________________________________
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/75678920/guy-williams-lets-become-a-republic-before-we-change-the-flag
he has got a point or two in his dribble err satire thingy
hmmm so if i am an aspiring footy star i get to punch people in the had and its all good.
sweet as bro. But hey, its ‘disapointing’ but as long as he wins games and the boys drink beer and cheer, its all good. 🙂
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/75763198/Hurricanes-boss-says-young-rugby-player-Teariki-Ben-Nicholas-assault-disappointing
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/75747087/Helen-Kelly-wants-referendum-on-legalising-cannabis-at-the-next-election
They have a pop poll running on this story. One of the options is winning by a country mile.!
David Bowie gone…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/75798182/david-bowie-has-died-at-the-age-of-69.html
King of cool