The bush fire season starts early in Australia. Spring time temperatures of 30 degrees C, mixed with high winds are fanning a large number of fires in New South Wales.
Briefing parliament on Tuesday, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell said 59 bush and grassfires were burning across the state with more than 500 firefighters and 200 appliances on the ground.
You can only wonder if it will be politically feasible for Tony Abbot to be able to deliver on his promise to the fossil fuel industry to scrap the carbon tax, when the cost of fighting these fires and dealing with the aftermath continues to grow. Axing the carbon tax will remove $billions from the government’s accounts, can it be politically tenable for the industry responsible to pay nothing?
The population of Australia may have reason to regret electing a climate change denier as Premier.
It’s probably worse than that. While fighting fires around the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor it was – anecdotally – discovered that one of the firefighters was nicking out the back and lighting a few. Something to do with the drama and glory ..
I personally saw the 2011 ‘Black Christmas’ fires – the longest continuous bushfire emergency in NSW history. It so systematically moved S, SW, W, NW, N around the outskirts of Sydney that there was strong suspicion of arson ..
Tony Abbot is the dumbest and most insensitive world leader since Ronald Reagan, who suffering advanced age, the onset of Alzheimers and with a background as a hollywood cowboy could at least deliver his lines when called to.
The population of Australia may have reason to regret electing a climate change denier as Premier.
We think the heads of many of our voters need to be ‘seen to”, but we’re Einsteins compared to that lot on the other side of the ditch. I haven’t an ounce of sympathy for them. Let them sink in a mire of their own making.
As a volunteer firefighter, Abbott sees fires as a photo opportunity. The real firefighters just hope and pray that he won’t turn up with his media circus to help them.
As was pointed out during the piece, some of the biggest players in the industry, ie Sanfords, fund the National Party, and it is they who are benefiting the most from the stupid quota system.
As per usual, John Key and National only act on behalf of wealthy vested interests, actual ordinary people can go hang.
Unfortunately the dynamics of the fish quota system resulted in smaller fishing interests selling their portion to the bigger ones. It should have been a lease system that had to be re-allocated fairly every now and then. The whole thing needs to be reorganised. I get the feeling that business has captured the agencies.
Indeed something need be ‘done’ about the quota management system, something along the lines of carrot and stick perhaps, where commercial fishers who dump fish immediately lose everything and get to sit in a cold jail cell for a period so as to have time to consider their crimes,
On the other hand the system must be arranged so as to allow the whole catch to be landed without overt penalty and this may possibly allow for the by-catch to be written off of the other quota that a fishing entity holds,
The problem there i would envisage would be fishers deliberately targeting the more lucrative fish to write off against their quota,
The system needs to be far more flexible where if in a year too much of the total catch is centered on the more lucrative fish then overall quota for those fishing commercially would have to be lowered as a deterrent…
And for those of you who still think that we have a democracy and that Cunliffe is going to make a flying fuck of difference if he ever makes it to Prime Minister here is a hint of why he is not.
9/11 changed the world for good. It was the day the global coup took place and yes that includes the government of NZ. Watch this 5 hour new film from film director Massimo Mazzuccoto learn more on what took place on the day and why it should matter to you today.
The wetiko virus is like a parasite that literally feeds off, takes over and aberrates the curren(t)cy of the infected system. The wetiko pathogen originally manifests as a disturbance in the field of the collective unconscious of humanity itself, creating the psychic ley lines upon which world events are erected and energized.
So how do I know you are not part of the wetiko yourself? When you say Cunliffe having more power won’t make any difference, I find both your motives and your awareness of reality suspect.
😆 If you want to believe Cunliffe can make a difference be my guest.
We are all infected with the Wetiko virus but like a with a cold sore how able is our immune system to resist!
I personally think that unless we all become aware of our own personal Wetiko infection and cast the damn virus out no individual (high powered politician or not) can make a damn bit of a difference.
But I find it thoroughly uplifting to find the name and the concept back on this blog. Especially since I was the first one to introduce it here! It gives me hope! Let’s name the Wetiko. It’s part of the disinfection process. Let there be light on this evil and let’s eradicate it!
Note to David Cunliffe, when using ‘attack’ lines on Slippery the Prime Minister don’t use the ‘yelly voice’, it comes across as ‘strident’,
Cunliffe should use His more gutteral speech, it ‘connects’ and comes across far better, think ‘deep voice’ Mr Cunliffe let the microphone do the amplification…
Thursday 12 September from 9am, Cunliffe, Jones and Robertson will be on Radio Live with Plunket for three hours. Not sure if an hour each or all on together.
Does raising the minimum wage lead to higher unemployment, another in my little series of those who say emphatically NO,
Of interest is the fact that very little weight is given by economists to the spending power produced by raising the minimum wage where those suffering in the low waged economy have little choice but to spend their gains from having the minimum wage raised into their local economy,
Of course once the money trail is followed it simply leads back to the very people doing the paying recouping the raised amount of money in the economy as profit from the extra being spent, i am starting to form the impression as i dig out these various links, that opposition to raising the minimum wage has as much to do with politics as it does with economics,
One of those posting comments in this blog does allude to the extra spending/extra profits in the economy from raising the minimum wage using Mcdonalds as an example…
“i am starting to form the impression as i dig out these various links, that opposition to raising the minimum wage has as much to do with politics as it does with economics”,
That would make sense bad12. The argument that an increased minimum wage leads to higher unemployment seem counter to the ideals of business in the sense that successful profitable trade relies upon customers with money to make that goal happen.
So, why the resistance? Is is the thought of people becoming more financially comfortable and actually making ends meet at the end of the pay week that freaks out those that support low wages? Does that make them somehow a little bit closer to being more equal to the business classes? Does that little bit more financial empowerment in the working masses somehow threaten the power dynamic and could that be at the core of the resistance rather than any logical economic argument?
Geez, imagine the freeing up of household cash if GST were removed, and replaced with the Robin Hood tax. Shops would open up instead of close down, money would flow instead of being constipated. Everyone would be happy would they not?
PS, in addition to that, and its probably already been said before, but who profits from a low income society? The Banks do. Our debt supports them and contributes to their record profits at a time when so many can’t cope financially.
Correct. The corporate sector, instead of paying out monies to workers in adequate wages, instead LEND that some money to workers to cover for their inadequate pay, and CHARGE interest on the sums.
Yes, then to lock in their wealth cropper machine they introduce a flat tax that insures everyone who should be paying more than 40% of tax (its call progressive taxation not cutoff for the richest progressive taxation), and the super wealthy are laughing.
Posting this TED talk on the Standard may be the blog equivalent of teaching your grandmother to suck eggs (BTW ?!?), but as bad12 is still trying to educate those who say NO – here is an “idea worth spreading”…Nick Hanaeuer: Why Rich People Don’t Create Jobs
i had to LOLZ at the fact that He put the organization which He was speaking to’s nose so far out of joint that they initially wouldn’t allow the Vid to go on-line and were then forced to relent because of public pressure,
He is of course right, the obvious point is that if you want an economy to fully function you have to throw monies into the bottom of that economy which then ‘lo and behold’ immediately tracks upward in that economy,
There’s another point that He probably knows but did not address, and that is that people like Nick Hanauer will always make money no matter what economic conditions they operate in, of course the harder it is for the Nick Hanauer’s of the world to gather together the wealth they seem hard-wired to seek, the harder they will work in their efforts to gain that wealth,
Raising taxes on such wealth simply leads the wealthy to work harder and by that i mean employ more people to produce the goods and services which create for them that wealth,
Once i have finished with my little series on the minimum wage i will do some more digging and address the very question of taxation that Nick Hanauer so ably addresses in that link….
David Cunliffe just said on RNZ that ” ….John Key is funnier than I am….”
Sorry David but that is one statement I can NOT agree with. Key is a total f***wit who has never made me laugh, though there have been many occasions where I have laughed AT him for some ridiculous dribble more commonly heard around closing time at the pub by some intoxicated fool.
Hi fender. I didn’t hear the statement but I’m wondering was Cunliffe meaning exactly what you say, that you can laugh AT Key, at his expense, rather than the fact that he’s a humourous guy? (Which he clearly isn’t)
Saw a book of Keyisms in a book store the other day.While it wasn’t as funny as my copy of “Bad President”, a book of Bushisms, it was poking fun at Key’s gaffe’s over the years, and is worthy of a good guffaw.
I’ll keep an eye out for that book, it can’t be too hard to find, it must be the size of and have as many pages as the Auck. phone book considering all the mangled words constantly flowing from the lips of our worst ever PM.
lol fender. Well, you’d think it would be the size of the Akld phone book given the ample material the PM has provided over the years but it is in fact more like a booklet. Sorry, I didn’t take notice of the name or author of the book. I saw it at Paper Plus.
Headlines on TheStandard today Cunliffe shows leadership steeland Reviewing the media coverage of the leadership campaign…..put into perspective by a walk yesterday along Lambton Quay.
As I strolled to a meeting, well fed, well clothed, money card in pocket I passed 6 individuals each holding a cardboard card. The cards all told tales of woe, and asked for a donation to help alleviate the suffering. I had no cash on me, and feel as guilty as sin that I offered nothing: note to self, have a few dollars cash when heading that way.
This is the face of NZ after the Clark and Key years, welfare nets and employment so denuded that we see the face directly on the streets. If you look into the eyes of these people there is something missing that is deeply disturbing: hope. Hope in something better.
So to the media: why would we expect them to cover a leadership race properly when they are incapable of even highlighting the state of the nation? When have they ever reported it as it is? They must be wandering blind along Lambton Quay or any other city in NZ.
To Cunliffe and steel: if you win David you will need it. It will take a lot of steel to force “comfortable” NZ into trading some discomfort so that the people with no hope in their eyes actually begin to see hope. It will take more steel to deliver a future that encompasses all those currently passed by. And that is what is at stake in this race.
Good luck: to the rest of us when walking keep some change free. “Buddy can you spare me a dime”?
I have the same issue at three lamps, the only shopping area I walk through on a daily basis when I’m hunting lunch if I forget to take it. Also the charities. But alas cash and myself have long departed each other. The floor and under the bed usually owns it.
Well that rules out Labour. The great wealth from the arrival of cheap high density arabian oil caused a radical shift in the politics of western nations who throttled the money into leveraging while promising to only allow a trickle of it to get to the masses. Now that the GFC has washed over us for the last 6-7 years, we can see what’s happening, the profits must be kept up no matter what, who ends up begging, what services are cut. They built the bridge to gather up the huge energy burst of the last thirty and now they don’t want to demolish it. Labour aren’t about to do anything serious.
Just as thirty years ago we should have gone to Mars, built sustainability, demanded ever increasing demands on produces for recyclable and/or longer lasting products… sorry. recyclable is the wrong word since it implicitly means valueless and in fact any true close system would intrinsically not have any waste. Food scraps used to be fed to the chickens and pigs, now they are waste. Metal would be picked up by a rag and bone man. Everything got used and had a value. Nowadays the idea that waste shouldn’t be ut in the ground, is only matched by the absurdity of very low paid people shifting through it for the odd recyclable.
We live in the 21st and have a parasitical view of the planet.
and of course there is one thing you can guarantee..
..that is that when the govt changes..these ‘journalists’ who have spent the last five years grovelling at keys’ feet..
..that they will..(under the instructions from their editors/corporate-owners..)..they will suddenly find that they are able ‘to speak ‘truth’ to power’…
..as this corporate media goes to war with this new progressive government..
..as these journalists..bending the knee to the behest of their masters/mistresses..
..try to ensure this new progressive govt..is just a one term govt..
..so what is very very clear..is that up to and after that progressive-change..
..that the online progressive-media work more together..
..that they celebrate the efforts of others marching in the same direction..
..and not snipe/diss/ignore/compete with each other..
..and this if only for just the reason that they will be all that will stand against what will be a concerted corporate media-blitz against that govt..and all they do/propose..
Thanks Phil, yes most jornos are culturally, historically and politically illiterate: the ones I know have as much knowledge as a common guppy…sweet fa.
Having said that if you are being told what to say, and paid to do so……
Ennui, I hadn’t spent time in the CBD for a while until I had a 2 month work contract based at the eastern end of town. I was shocked to see so many people begging. I’d never seen so many before. These people are the legacy of policy that fails them and fails society. That thought made me feel angry as well as sad. What is worse is that our council further maginalised these people by their stupid authoritarian “alternate giving campaign” which turns out to be a complete failure as well:
I heard that Auckland is also trying to ban begging. It seems that our civic authorities are uncomfortable with the true face of poverty and despair and it would be nicer if it were brushed under the carpet, away from the small handful of retailers who complained about them.
IF Cunliffe wins and IF we have a change of government and IF they do undertake the tasks they are saying they will, those newly in charge will need to take a long deep breath before beginning to tackle the mountain of problems they have inherited
Rosie, our councillors in Wellington are in general pillocks. A few exceptions true, but those setting policy including the mayor are so out of touch its unreal. Worse, they have allowed debt to spiral…enough!
On Cunliffe, we should observe the success of future Labour governments by counting the number of beggars and observing youth unemployment stats.
a friend of mine, who was chair of a charity made the following observation to me when the recession began
“the high earners close their wallets faster than a trap on a mouse… the low earners continue to give their 10 a week or whatever, whether they can really afford it or not.”
Heh! The Labour Party leader-hopefuls think they can talk sensibly about the environment. Gimme a break. Here, boys, have a look at what’s actually needed, starting with a carbon tax, and stop with the banal cliches, puhleeeze.
What’s actually needed is way beyond any Social Democratic party that (almost by definition?) operates within a capitalist/market context. Doesn’t prevent some, inadequate as they may be, steps being made in the right direction though, eh?
I’m not buying the “its impossible” excuse. The inadequate steps are actually worse than inadequate because they mask reality and provide false assurance that something is being done while all the time momentum builds up. Having said that, I have come to accept that it is most likely going to take a catastrophic event before politicians garner the courage required to speak truth to those they claim to represent and put in place what little and constantly diminishing mitigation steps that can be taken.
It’s not impossible. But it’s an impossible task for social democracy. Or maybe you can explain to me how a social democratic form of governance can take sufficient action on AGW when they all exist to keep the market functioning and it’s the demands of the market that have brought us to this pass?
By the time you’ve figured out that your tank is empty 30m under the water, you’re fucked. Like starting running only when you see the tsunami. Fucked.
Having said that, I have come to accept that it is most likely going to take a catastrophic event before politicians garner the courage required to speak truth to those they claim to represent and put in place what little and constantly diminishing mitigation steps that can be taken.
Right. And who would you want in govt when that catastrophic event happens? A govt like we currently have that is intent on stripmining democracy and will most like impose martial law if the shit hits the fan hard, or one that is slowly shifting left again and which has a coalition partner that has been preparing for years?
And in the meantime, given that many people are doing crucial work preparing for the catastrophic event and its aftermath, do you think their job will be easier under NACT or Labour/GP?
Getting a bit ahead of yourself there, I see. The 2014 election is going to be close. I’ll wait until Aotearoa has spoken before answering your question. When it comes to preparing for the climate catastrophe the Greens might well have more clout outside of a coalition with Labour. At this stage, Labour’s quest for the Beemers could all come down to keeping Winston onside, or, God forbid, Dunne . . . like the last time, remember?
Yes I do remember, which is why I don’t think it’s realistic, useful or wise for Labour to make major changes to its CC policy before the next election.
“I’ll wait until Aotearoa has spoken before answering your question”
Do you mean that having NACT as govt is one of the preferred options when the shit hits the fan? Really?
weka – getting onto some social issues again, here are some links to a new website that covers stuff that was already presented, but maybe not quite so well on ACC Forum some time ago.
I see this as a potentially “evolving” site, it is not quite a “blog” at this stage, but has started to offer some interesting information, that should be more easily readable than perhaps on other sites.
Your sharing is welcome, and we will see, what happens with that.
Surely you’re not suggesting Labour adopt National Ltd™ tactics and hide its real intentions so as to lure the swingers into voting for it? Anyhow, such FPP concerns your question implies are irrelevant in an MMP parliament. Also, going on Labour’s past performance, there’s not really that much difference between it and National Ltd™ when it comes to things like social justice, civil liberties, the environment, and economics. While missing out on the baubles of office, it may well suit the Greens, and Aotearoa, if the Greens avoid a formal coalition with either major party. Power and government are not necessarily the same thing.
It’s nothing to do with FPP. You are expecting Labour to make a serious policy shift 12 mths out from an election it hopes to win (a win which is desparately needed in this country). You either think that Labour can keep its voters and pick up enough of the missing 800,000 to win, or you don’t care if they win or not.
If you think there is no appreciable difference between NACT and Labour, you really haven’t been paying attention in the past 5 years.
If you think there is no appreciable difference between NACT and Labour, you really haven’t been paying attention in the past 5 years.
Correct. While it wasn’t until National Ltd™ tried to split my hapu with its Iwi/Kiwi acid that I actually bothered to engage, I’ve been paying attention for the last 30 years, never mind the last five. While I support, in part, Labour’s actual environmental policy, the platitudinal pap pumped out by the leadership-hopefuls yesterday could easily have come from the office of Amy Adams.
Tariana and Le Coif unite to save the RMA !!! WOW! Thank you ! Think I need a brandy I’m so shocked ….
“We say the changes to remove emphasis on the ‘maintenance and enhancement of the quality of the environment’ fundamentally rewrite the Act and put a spanner in the works of the legal system, that will take years of litigation to fix up,” they said in a joint statement this morning.
Mr Dunne said that in the 20 years since the RMA was created, the environment was in a worse state by nearly every measure, and government’s proposals to facilitate development would make matters worse.
“I do not accept that commercial interests should override the environmental principles of the Resource Management Act.”
A ray of hope yeshe but then like the GCSB gesture it might trickle away into nothing but another gesture. Hope they carry through with their concerns.
Mediocrity Watch: Professor Robert Patman The Panel, Radio NZ National, Wednesday 11 September 2013
Noelle McCarthy, Tino Pereira, Simon Pound
Anybody who listens regularly to Radio New Zealand will know that it has a small list of commentators it uses to “discuss” questions about “the middle east”. Almost without exception these commentators are right wing, reflexively pro-Israel and uncritically pro-American. These substandard pundits are a grimly uninspired lot, including Liat Collins, Irris Makler, Simon Marks, and the gruesome Professor Steve Hoadley. Unbelievably, though, they are not even the worst: just last week the race-baiting fanatic Daniel Pipes was given a respectful, uninterrupted hearing on Nights.
Today, long-suffering listeners to The Panel were inflicted with another of these go-to “experts”—Robert Patman, the Professor of International Relations at the Department of Politics at the University of Otago. Unfortunately for Prof. Patman, this grand-sounding job-title fails to cover up the poverty and partiality of his “analysis”. In a comically inept attempt to sum up Russian and U.S. policy towards Syria, Patman told a silent and unquestioning Noelle McCarthy that Hezbollah is “totally a creature of the Iranian regime.” McCarthy failed to challenge that piece of nonsense, and neither did Simon Pound nor Tino Pereira. A minute later, Patman frothed about “the Assad regime, this GANGSTER regime” and sneered that Putin was “a master of bluff.”
Of course, Professor Patman did not use such prejudicial and incendiary language to describe the regime that has used chemical weapons in Southeast Asia, and which also stood firmly beside its protégé Saddam Hussein after he used chemical weapons against Kurdish civilians in 1988. But of course, if he did have the nerve to speak plainly and honestly, he would never have become the Professor of International Relations at the Department of Politics at the University of Otago.
I don’t think Patman is actually saying anything that controversial about Hizballah though. He may be overstating it slightly but Hizballah’s own original Manifesto (An Open Letter: Hizballah’s Programme) openly acknowledges its links to Iran. The English translation of the first paragraphs:
“We are often asked: Who are we, the Hizballah, and what is our identity? We are the sons of the umma (Muslim community) – the party of God (Hizb Allah) the vanguard of which was made victorious by God in Iran. There the vanguard succeeded to lay down the bases of a Muslim state which plays a central role in the world. We obey the orders of one leader, wise and just, that of our tutor and faqih (jurist) who fulfills all the necessary conditions: Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini. God save him!”
The translation of Faqih as “Jurist” is a bit clumsy as there is no real equivalence in English – the Islamic concept is kind of combined expert scholar/warrior(in the Jihadist sense)/religious leader. Faqih also has a special significance in Twelver Shia’ism.
Fair comment, Greg, in that Hezbollah is a Shi’ite party, and there are of course affinities with Iran and the Iranian revolution. However, Hezbollah was and remains a Lebanese organization, formed for the purpose of fighting the Israeli army. When Patman uttered his astonishing claim that it is “totally a creature of the Iranian regime” he was distorting and exaggerating for a purpose: to amplify and reiterate standard U.S. and Israeli propaganda. Patman is either a dutiful liar or unfeasibly ignorant; either way he is not a serious or credible commentator.
It was formed from the Lebanese Shia community (roughly 40 per cent of the population) in 1982. It’s a Lebanese organization, which Patman no doubt knew perfectly well when he uttered his ridiculous statement.
Certainly fighting Israel was one of its purposes but it’s other purpose was described by Nasrallah as having:
“two main axis: firstly, a belief in the rule by the just jurisconsult and adherence to Khomeini’s leadership; and secondly, the continued need to struggle against the Israeli enemy.”
You can’t ignore the religious dimension of Hizballah’s raison d’être however – and its desire for an Islamic Revolution that institutes Velayat-e faqih (Islamic Government with Guardianship by the Faqih or the “Jurist”). Certainly although one of its original goals was the creation of a Lebanese Islamic Republic it always had in mind the wider goals of the Iranian Revolution to create a wider Islamic Shia State. (Although recently it has modified its political stance for a more nuanced approach to be inclusive within the Lebanese Political system). It’s close links to Iran and the Iranian religious leadership are fairly clear though – “creature” perhaps not – very, very close ally – definitely.
“Just about all of the many calls I’ve had in support of Grant have talked mostly about David. ”
This is a very telling line from Mike Williams writing about how he came around to voting for Cunliffe.
Grant, you and your crew just can’t help yourselves.
Next week go away from your normal Wellington milieu for a few days. Do some thinking about why Jones, of all people, gets more public support. That is not a true reflection of your relative decency and prospects.
You have sold yourself short. You are better than this.
“The Vote” TV3 now………Jesus I broke my rule…….here I am watching this shit. On housing affordability and your mesmeric “young couples” first home-buyers.
Notice the teams – Sam the Sham, Le Bouffant, and (Woody Allen) Botox Banks. Fuck what a team !
On the other side Winnie, Metiria and Twyford.
Been trying to get hold of a close mate of mine who’s reasonably close aiga of Sam’s. No answer. Man, that guy (my mate) is just dying to get a hold of his nephew’s ear.
And isn’t that Garner a Gooner ? Phil Twyford anticipating what Labour will do and the plump, rugby boy, cheapie Gooner triumphantly fires at him – “Will you stake your political career on that ?” Will you, will you……? Studied looks of horror all around by Gooner.
Faarrk ! What a man in a suit under the lights !!!
Would loved to have been Twyford and fired back – “Will you stake your career on me being wrong Mr Gooner ?”
Yeah i am not one to watch ‘the vote’ either but seeing as it was about housing i tuned in for what was quite entertaining and enlightening on a number of levels besides housing affordability for the children of the middle class where incidentally National are in big big trouble if that audience was a relative cross section of middle class Auckland,
Small wonder Nick Smith the Minister chose not to show up for what would have shown Him to be as empty a suitcase as Sam the Patsy from National’s back bench they threw to the wolves to be eviscerated, turned out to be,
It’s interesting to watch a program like that and see Winston working in conjunction with both Labour’s Phil Twyford and the Green’s Metiria Turei and i have to wonder(foolishly perhaps)whether a Government could quite conceivably be formed out of all 3 Party’s,
Banks, the political corpse of ACT that refuses to go quietly to it’s grave looks every part an expensive piece of Botox awaiting a District Court conviction to put Him out of His misery,
Wasn’t the ‘Hairdo’ in fine spitting form tho, outright nastiness emanated from Dunne which i suppose is where you have to go when ‘sensible’ just don’t cut the mustard anymore, Wee Petey showed all the venom and lack of grace and judgement of a man who’s very life-blood as a politician is being slowly undermined by a serious underground campaign in the Ohariu electorate to unseat Him…
“Ms Turei’s now being attacked by all sides of the political spectrum after telling more than 1 million Kiwi homeowners she wants to reduce the value of their biggest asset.”
Is this at all an accurate description of Turei’s performance?
[It’s there now – the result appears to be; 72 opposition to 28 government, though it doesn’t mention sample size, or representativeness to voting population. I guess I should endure the swill to see for myself.]
Nah that was a large Strawman constructed by Garner where Garner claims that the Labour/Green housing plan will cause the prices in the Auckland market to collapse,
Garner is an economic illiterate, building a swag of affordable housing in Auckland is unlikely to effect the market in any way in the short term, in the medium to long term tho if enough houses are built then obviously people wanting to sell what they have bought at the height of the price bubble are going to have trouble selling at those prices,
My view is that there will be a ‘high end’ market that will maintain it’s current price structure around the current level no matter what and it will be only the short term ‘speculators’ who are likely to be seriously burned as the Government build takes away the ‘demand’,
My view is that Labour and the Green’s need a set of rules around their housing proposals where those put into the houses government build have to hold the house for 10 years or sell it back to the Government at fair value based upon the price the Government sold it for,
Doing this would put a stop to these houses being used for speculation and stop the sale of them from acting to collapse the current house prices…
Thanks bad12. I only got as far as the; meet the teams snippet, and then the “voting” instructions before being distracted by various papers I had been meaning to get onto for weeks. The prospect of an hour show with; Banks, Dunne, Gower & Espiner; making up half the voices just drains me of the will to live. Still – enough procrastination; sooner started, sooner finished!
Welcome, the point that i don’t quite get across in the comment above is that Labour/Green plans target specifically ‘first home buyers’,
The rest of the market is still going to be there with people in it constantly wanting to do the ‘upwardly mobile’ thing and buy a bigger/better/flasher place so prices will hardly collapse and if like i suggest the Kiwibuild is restricted from going into the market that’s already there then such can have little bearing on current prices…
I Seem to have trouble leaving comments on Red-Alert blog. Ordinary comments just seem to disappear. I realise it is moderated but is it now being censored as well?
And honestly it was not critical of a certain MP from Dunedin South
Tooooo true. Mallard is in San Fran so Claire and some of Robertson’s Victoria groupies have their hands on the tiller, the same prats whose rudeness at meetings drove votes to Cunliffe.
I’ve voted online and now I’m just waiting for Sunday. Sadly (but gladly in a way) there will be no Warriors competing for my attention. There is significant history to be witnessed here. Pity for Ms Curran she don’t have a clue about that.
For one of my age it’s quite comforting that I’m pretty sure I voted like Helen has/will.
@ North….Matthew possum on nine to noon……also believes Cunliffe will win ….and i think he said, at least on one occasion that he is the best for the job …. however later he undercut this….and gave the reasons why he wasn’t…..( smirk)
Former president and also torture victim Bachelet de Chile visits torture camp, where she was 40 years ago, like thousands others in Chile’s dictatorship under Pinochet. Those that know little or none about this, google, search and learn, about Allende, Pinochet, and what came out of it!
I am unsure what of the following links will deliver, as we have this all the time, some internet links leading to results or not so. Anyway, I am disillusioned and furious about bias and crap going on in NZ media, where the Labour leading candidate competition has already been rubbished.
We have as social, internationalist, and caring people a lot more to worry about. There are developments overseas that should remind us of what history tells us, and what we can expect, or rather have to face and answer to. The “left” in NZ has been far too damned kind, liberal and tolerant. We must take a more solid and firm stand, to stand up for what we believe in. We are sadly, by a shit media, they even dare to claim they represent public opinions, who shit on us, who betray anything that is independent, informed and different. We must stand up against a commercialised agenda, a gang, that is commercially controlled, that is owned by corporates, and that do all to corrupt reporting and discredit anything that progressive people say and write. The time has come to take the media, and that is the mainstream media, to account, right now, do not let them continue to corrupt reporting on events in NZ!
For history lessons see what happened elsewhere, and what they learned from it. I just add a few musical entertainments for reflection here, more can be retrieved by way of true documentaries:
There is little hope in any people, who grow up with total commercial media inundation 24/7, who have not even any awareness of being brainwashed, who swallow all, think it is “normal” to be exposed to “choices” between endlessly drummed in “services” and “products”, but who do not even know basics about laws being passed, let alone anything about basic living issues.
The modern media, the modern machinery of dumbing down inundation ensures that all fall for the lemming like easy going mainstream “cause”, so they all adhere to consistency and ask NONE.
That is the perfect recipe for future disaster. There is not even any collective spirit, or whatever you call it. The “left” should be extremely alarmed about the state of affairs, but too many seem to now trust in Labour and Cunliffe again. Sorry but you will be very disappointed again, I fear.
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
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 ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Security forces reinforcements were sent from France ahead of two rival marches in the capital Nouméa today, at the same time and only two streets away one from the other. One march, called by Union Calédonienne party (a component of the ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the ‘Three Strikes’ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Let’s start with ...
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 at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last week’s leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
The ‘Vampire’ singer has never visited our part of the world, but that might all be about to change. We assess the evidence.Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour is pulling in massive crowds as it whips around the US and Europe, even helping to catapult regular supporting act Chappell Roan ...
Testing of drinking water in rural Canterbury over the weekend by Greenpeace revealed that several public town supplies were reaching levels of nitrate above 5 mg/L - the threshold which a growing body of scientific evidence has linked to increased ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University It may come as a surprise to hear 2023 was Australia’s biggest bushfire season in more than a decade. Fires burned across an area eight times as big as the 2019–20 Black ...
Responding to the Government’s announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: “These changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
More than two years after the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a national human rights commission, such a body has yet to be formed. ...
Comment:An emergency management system with wide variations in performance, significant capability gaps, funding shortfalls and above all a setup that is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders at times of crisis. The Government’s inquiry into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events in the North ...
Welcome to the whirring wonders of one brain trying to align its actions with its beliefs within a system it thinks is evil. My brain has been spiralling in a woke conundrum ever since I found out a bookshop I’ve never been to was shutting down. Good Books, a bookshop ...
We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise – with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara With only four more seats in the 50-member Parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner in the Solomon Islands elections. As of Monday, the two largest blocs in the winner’s circle, independents and the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh ...
Two/fiftyseven is a multi-purpose space hidden in the heart of Wellington that is paving a way for sustainable building and responsible landlording in Aotearoa and beyond.By 2060 the world is predicted to double its entire building stock, which equates to building an entire New York City every 34 days, ...
Popstars wasn’t just a reality television revolution, it was also a huge moment for Y2K fashion.It’s 25 years since girl group TrueBliss was formed on New Zealand national television, breaking new ground for both the reality television industry and the shiny clothing industry. With the first episode on NZ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Pepping, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, Griffith University Marvin / Shutterstock Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume it’s because single people have insecurities that make ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, Lecturer in Quantitative Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation, The University of Melbourne Trismegist san, Shutterstock Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbour vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Shutterstock/S Curtis Why are we crossing ecological boundaries that affect Earth’s fundamental life-supporting capacity? Is it because we don’t have enough information about how ecosystems respond to change? Or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Crocker, PhD Student in Economics, Deakin University Here’s something for the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia to ponder as it meets next month to set interest rates. It has pushed up rates on 13 occasions since it began its ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a charity director outlines how she’s saving for retirement and buying secondhand. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 45 Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: Charity director, mum of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Yates, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a ...
It’s been called a failed experiment and a judicial straightjacket but the government says the revised three strikes law will be a more workable regime, 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. Three ...
New Zealand’s Palestinian community and Palestinian Youth Aotearoa are voicing alarm and disappointment with the lack of factual rigour present during the Israeli Ambassador’s appearance as a guest on TVNZ’s Q+A With Jack Tame Sunday (21/04). ...
Both ACT leader David Seymour, who played a key role in drawing up the assisted dying law, and hospice leaders say it's time the legislation was changed. ...
Public submissions on proposed gang control laws are being heard today. Rising gang membership has been cited as rationale for a crackdown – but what do we actually know about how many people belong to gangs in New Zealand?What’s all this then?A rise in the number of gang ...
Climate activists are setting their sights on an unpopular target, and hoping to bring lots of the public with them. It’s hard to miss the Majestic Princess: the enormous cruise ship, docked at Auckland’s Prince’s Wharf, looms over the nearby buildings. The ship, which can fit nearly 6,000 people, ...
Black Ferns trailblazer Kendra Cocksedge was on the verge of tears when her young protégé, Hannah King, unassumingly broke the news. Three-time Rugby World Cup winner Cocksedge and Lincoln agriculture student King meet every few weeks over a hot chocolate, in an enduring mentorship that’s spanned years. “Before we even ...
Opinion: We’ve kicked the tyres on the perception NZ’s economy is in a parlous state compared to Australia. We take a quick tour of relative trends in GDP, housing markets, labour markets, trade, the fiscal situation, and the outlooks for inflation and interest rates. We find the cyclical positions of ...
Opinion: Making sure developers, local and central government, and landowners are all on the same page makes sense The post A new kind of city deal appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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The following korero between Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku, author of the newly published memoir Hine Toa, one of the year’s most important books, and Dale Husband from e-tangata, was first published in October. It traverses her involvement with the activist group Ngā Tamatoa at Auckland University in the early 1970s, her ...
In the 16 years since it was bought by the government for $690 million, KiwiRail has had several overhauls and turnaround plans worth billions of dollars. Its ambitions as a successful, profitable operator of tourism, freight and ferries have often been derailed by disasters from earthquakes to cyclones, mine explosions ...
By Russell Palmer, RNZ News digital political journalist New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters is putting off recognition of Palestine as a state, despite opposition Labour’s formal request that he make the move. Peters said diplomatic recognition of Palestine was a matter of “when not if”, but doing so now ...
The opposition has laid into the government's plan to reintroduce a "three strikes" regime, saying it's inequitable and there's very little evidence it works. ...
The bush fire season starts early in Australia. Spring time temperatures of 30 degrees C, mixed with high winds are fanning a large number of fires in New South Wales.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/australia/9147915/Fire-engulfs-NSW-homes-threatens-others
You can only wonder if it will be politically feasible for Tony Abbot to be able to deliver on his promise to the fossil fuel industry to scrap the carbon tax, when the cost of fighting these fires and dealing with the aftermath continues to grow. Axing the carbon tax will remove $billions from the government’s accounts, can it be politically tenable for the industry responsible to pay nothing?
The population of Australia may have reason to regret electing a climate change denier as Premier.
The population of Australia may have reason to regret electing a climate change denier as Premier.
Only “may” Jenny? It’s a f*$%ing disaster…
Only as big a disaster as the ALP and it’s carbon tax revoking, boat people incarcerating leadership.
It’s probably worse than that. While fighting fires around the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor it was – anecdotally – discovered that one of the firefighters was nicking out the back and lighting a few. Something to do with the drama and glory ..
I personally saw the 2011 ‘Black Christmas’ fires – the longest continuous bushfire emergency in NSW history. It so systematically moved S, SW, W, NW, N around the outskirts of Sydney that there was strong suspicion of arson ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Christmas_(bushfires)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_global_warming_on_Australia
http://www.bushfirecrc.com/centre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFDI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Saturday_bushfires
Tony Abbot is the dumbest and most insensitive world leader since Ronald Reagan, who suffering advanced age, the onset of Alzheimers and with a background as a hollywood cowboy could at least deliver his lines when called to.
Abbottalypse Now
That Rhodes Scholar with bachelor’s degrees in Law and Economics and the double MA in Politics and Philosophy from Oxford, he sure sounds dumb.
We think the heads of many of our voters need to be ‘seen to”, but we’re Einsteins compared to that lot on the other side of the ditch. I haven’t an ounce of sympathy for them. Let them sink in a mire of their own making.
That mire will hurt many Kiwis as well (on both sides of the ditch). Let’s hope it doesn’t get too bad.
It will. But it’s nice to have a little hope.
As a volunteer firefighter, Abbott sees fires as a photo opportunity. The real firefighters just hope and pray that he won’t turn up with his media circus to help them.
This seems to be very appropriate today ..
http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/articles/guest-writers/7138-powerful-symbols-and-the-british-zionist-alliance-approaching-the-centenary-of-the-belfour-declaration
http://www.dailycensored.com/cooking-intelligence-war-syria/
Campbell Live did a really good piece on the fish dumping last night.
http://www.3news.co.nz/An-investigation-into-fish-dumping/tabid/817/articleID/312670/Default.aspx
As was pointed out during the piece, some of the biggest players in the industry, ie Sanfords, fund the National Party, and it is they who are benefiting the most from the stupid quota system.
As per usual, John Key and National only act on behalf of wealthy vested interests, actual ordinary people can go hang.
Unfortunately the dynamics of the fish quota system resulted in smaller fishing interests selling their portion to the bigger ones. It should have been a lease system that had to be re-allocated fairly every now and then. The whole thing needs to be reorganised. I get the feeling that business has captured the agencies.
Indeed something need be ‘done’ about the quota management system, something along the lines of carrot and stick perhaps, where commercial fishers who dump fish immediately lose everything and get to sit in a cold jail cell for a period so as to have time to consider their crimes,
On the other hand the system must be arranged so as to allow the whole catch to be landed without overt penalty and this may possibly allow for the by-catch to be written off of the other quota that a fishing entity holds,
The problem there i would envisage would be fishers deliberately targeting the more lucrative fish to write off against their quota,
The system needs to be far more flexible where if in a year too much of the total catch is centered on the more lucrative fish then overall quota for those fishing commercially would have to be lowered as a deterrent…
Isn’t Jones in the pocket of one of the fishing companies?
and I think it would be naive to assume that was his only corporate conflict of interest.
And for those of you who still think that we have a democracy and that Cunliffe is going to make a flying fuck of difference if he ever makes it to Prime Minister here is a hint of why he is not.
9/11 changed the world for good. It was the day the global coup took place and yes that includes the government of NZ. Watch this 5 hour new film from film director Massimo Mazzuccoto learn more on what took place on the day and why it should matter to you today.
clicked thru to bookmark it for a later five hours viewing, but could find no film link on the website ? thx travellerev
My bad! Here is the correct link
If not there, I linked to the three parts on my site too:
The wetiko virus is like a parasite that literally feeds off, takes over and aberrates the curren(t)cy of the infected system. The wetiko pathogen originally manifests as a disturbance in the field of the collective unconscious of humanity itself, creating the psychic ley lines upon which world events are erected and energized.
So how do I know you are not part of the wetiko yourself? When you say Cunliffe having more power won’t make any difference, I find both your motives and your awareness of reality suspect.
😆 If you want to believe Cunliffe can make a difference be my guest.
We are all infected with the Wetiko virus but like a with a cold sore how able is our immune system to resist!
I personally think that unless we all become aware of our own personal Wetiko infection and cast the damn virus out no individual (high powered politician or not) can make a damn bit of a difference.
But I find it thoroughly uplifting to find the name and the concept back on this blog. Especially since I was the first one to introduce it here! It gives me hope! Let’s name the Wetiko. It’s part of the disinfection process. Let there be light on this evil and let’s eradicate it!
Oops did something wrong with the link to the wetiko article: http://www.realitysandwich.com/lets_spread_word_wetiko
First up on Nine-to-Noon, RNZ after 10am news, 3 Labour leadership candidates.
Note to David Cunliffe, when using ‘attack’ lines on Slippery the Prime Minister don’t use the ‘yelly voice’, it comes across as ‘strident’,
Cunliffe should use His more gutteral speech, it ‘connects’ and comes across far better, think ‘deep voice’ Mr Cunliffe let the microphone do the amplification…
Thursday 12 September from 9am, Cunliffe, Jones and Robertson will be on Radio Live with Plunket for three hours. Not sure if an hour each or all on together.
Hour each I think.
Does raising the minimum wage lead to higher unemployment, another in my little series of those who say emphatically NO,
Of interest is the fact that very little weight is given by economists to the spending power produced by raising the minimum wage where those suffering in the low waged economy have little choice but to spend their gains from having the minimum wage raised into their local economy,
Of course once the money trail is followed it simply leads back to the very people doing the paying recouping the raised amount of money in the economy as profit from the extra being spent, i am starting to form the impression as i dig out these various links, that opposition to raising the minimum wage has as much to do with politics as it does with economics,
http://www.simontaylorblog.com/…/why-raising-the-minimum-wage-will-...
One of those posting comments in this blog does allude to the extra spending/extra profits in the economy from raising the minimum wage using Mcdonalds as an example…
“i am starting to form the impression as i dig out these various links, that opposition to raising the minimum wage has as much to do with politics as it does with economics”,
That would make sense bad12. The argument that an increased minimum wage leads to higher unemployment seem counter to the ideals of business in the sense that successful profitable trade relies upon customers with money to make that goal happen.
So, why the resistance? Is is the thought of people becoming more financially comfortable and actually making ends meet at the end of the pay week that freaks out those that support low wages? Does that make them somehow a little bit closer to being more equal to the business classes? Does that little bit more financial empowerment in the working masses somehow threaten the power dynamic and could that be at the core of the resistance rather than any logical economic argument?
Geez, imagine the freeing up of household cash if GST were removed, and replaced with the Robin Hood tax. Shops would open up instead of close down, money would flow instead of being constipated. Everyone would be happy would they not?
PS, in addition to that, and its probably already been said before, but who profits from a low income society? The Banks do. Our debt supports them and contributes to their record profits at a time when so many can’t cope financially.
Correct. The corporate sector, instead of paying out monies to workers in adequate wages, instead LEND that some money to workers to cover for their inadequate pay, and CHARGE interest on the sums.
It’s brilliant, really.
Yes, then to lock in their wealth cropper machine they introduce a flat tax that insures everyone who should be paying more than 40% of tax (its call progressive taxation not cutoff for the richest progressive taxation), and the super wealthy are laughing.
Posting this TED talk on the Standard may be the blog equivalent of teaching your grandmother to suck eggs (BTW ?!?), but as bad12 is still trying to educate those who say NO – here is an “idea worth spreading”…Nick Hanaeuer: Why Rich People Don’t Create Jobs
Molly, good link, and intelligent intuitive comments from a seriously rich and seriously intelligent Nick Hanauer,
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/nick_hanauer
i had to LOLZ at the fact that He put the organization which He was speaking to’s nose so far out of joint that they initially wouldn’t allow the Vid to go on-line and were then forced to relent because of public pressure,
He is of course right, the obvious point is that if you want an economy to fully function you have to throw monies into the bottom of that economy which then ‘lo and behold’ immediately tracks upward in that economy,
There’s another point that He probably knows but did not address, and that is that people like Nick Hanauer will always make money no matter what economic conditions they operate in, of course the harder it is for the Nick Hanauer’s of the world to gather together the wealth they seem hard-wired to seek, the harder they will work in their efforts to gain that wealth,
Raising taxes on such wealth simply leads the wealthy to work harder and by that i mean employ more people to produce the goods and services which create for them that wealth,
Once i have finished with my little series on the minimum wage i will do some more digging and address the very question of taxation that Nick Hanauer so ably addresses in that link….
opponents see their laziest method of divrting more wealth to themselves slipping away so they squeal.
David Cunliffe just said on RNZ that ” ….John Key is funnier than I am….”
Sorry David but that is one statement I can NOT agree with. Key is a total f***wit who has never made me laugh, though there have been many occasions where I have laughed AT him for some ridiculous dribble more commonly heard around closing time at the pub by some intoxicated fool.
Slippery the Prime Minister is intoxicated, on His own ego, prick said ego and He comes across as a simpering child…
Who can forget his Rugby World Cup performance, for instance. Actually, there were was that other hilarious Rugby World Cup performance to savour.
Hi fender. I didn’t hear the statement but I’m wondering was Cunliffe meaning exactly what you say, that you can laugh AT Key, at his expense, rather than the fact that he’s a humourous guy? (Which he clearly isn’t)
Saw a book of Keyisms in a book store the other day.While it wasn’t as funny as my copy of “Bad President”, a book of Bushisms, it was poking fun at Key’s gaffe’s over the years, and is worthy of a good guffaw.
Hi Rosie, yes I think you are correct.
I’ll keep an eye out for that book, it can’t be too hard to find, it must be the size of and have as many pages as the Auck. phone book considering all the mangled words constantly flowing from the lips of our worst ever PM.
lol fender. Well, you’d think it would be the size of the Akld phone book given the ample material the PM has provided over the years but it is in fact more like a booklet. Sorry, I didn’t take notice of the name or author of the book. I saw it at Paper Plus.
I believe that is Paul Little’s latest book, ’50 Shades of Key’.
http://www.paullittlebooks.co.nz.hostbaby.com/books/
Thanks CJ. That is the one:-)
“Sorry David but that is one statement I can NOT agree with. “
Me neither, but apparently plenty of other people find him amusing. Which makes humour one of his strengths, which is why Cunliffe is minimising it.
Headlines on TheStandard today Cunliffe shows leadership steeland Reviewing the media coverage of the leadership campaign…..put into perspective by a walk yesterday along Lambton Quay.
As I strolled to a meeting, well fed, well clothed, money card in pocket I passed 6 individuals each holding a cardboard card. The cards all told tales of woe, and asked for a donation to help alleviate the suffering. I had no cash on me, and feel as guilty as sin that I offered nothing: note to self, have a few dollars cash when heading that way.
This is the face of NZ after the Clark and Key years, welfare nets and employment so denuded that we see the face directly on the streets. If you look into the eyes of these people there is something missing that is deeply disturbing: hope. Hope in something better.
So to the media: why would we expect them to cover a leadership race properly when they are incapable of even highlighting the state of the nation? When have they ever reported it as it is? They must be wandering blind along Lambton Quay or any other city in NZ.
To Cunliffe and steel: if you win David you will need it. It will take a lot of steel to force “comfortable” NZ into trading some discomfort so that the people with no hope in their eyes actually begin to see hope. It will take more steel to deliver a future that encompasses all those currently passed by. And that is what is at stake in this race.
Good luck: to the rest of us when walking keep some change free. “Buddy can you spare me a dime”?
I have the same issue at three lamps, the only shopping area I walk through on a daily basis when I’m hunting lunch if I forget to take it. Also the charities. But alas cash and myself have long departed each other. The floor and under the bed usually owns it.
I recommend to everyone to keep a few $1 and $2 coins on them for just this purpose.
I recommend that everybody vote for a party that will change the purpose of the economy from profit to providing for everybody.
Well that rules out Labour. The great wealth from the arrival of cheap high density arabian oil caused a radical shift in the politics of western nations who throttled the money into leveraging while promising to only allow a trickle of it to get to the masses. Now that the GFC has washed over us for the last 6-7 years, we can see what’s happening, the profits must be kept up no matter what, who ends up begging, what services are cut. They built the bridge to gather up the huge energy burst of the last thirty and now they don’t want to demolish it. Labour aren’t about to do anything serious.
Just as thirty years ago we should have gone to Mars, built sustainability, demanded ever increasing demands on produces for recyclable and/or longer lasting products… sorry. recyclable is the wrong word since it implicitly means valueless and in fact any true close system would intrinsically not have any waste. Food scraps used to be fed to the chickens and pigs, now they are waste. Metal would be picked up by a rag and bone man. Everything got used and had a value. Nowadays the idea that waste shouldn’t be ut in the ground, is only matched by the absurdity of very low paid people shifting through it for the odd recyclable.
We live in the 21st and have a parasitical view of the planet.
@ ennui..+ 1..
..the ignoring of the plights of the poorest..(by most of our fourth estate..)
..is clear evidence of an epic-fail on their part..
..i think that for them..(and as for most ‘doing ok’..’the winners’ from this toxic/poor-bashing/ayn-rand-based-ideology..)
..i think that they..and those they associate with..they just don’t give a fuck..eh..?
..they are doing ok..so fuck everyone else..
..and of course..the poor aren’t ‘cool’..eh..?
..and could someone explain why/how our journalism-schools turn out these ‘journalists’..
..’journalists’ who seem to view any semblance of ‘crusading’/speaking-truth-to-power..(what they should be fucken doing..)
..as a no-go area..
…most of them are just chimps..chattering along/finger-pointing/nose-picking/arse-scratching..on the sidelines of the circus..
..and aren’t worth a journalists’ arse-hole..
phillip ure..
and of course there is one thing you can guarantee..
..that is that when the govt changes..these ‘journalists’ who have spent the last five years grovelling at keys’ feet..
..that they will..(under the instructions from their editors/corporate-owners..)..they will suddenly find that they are able ‘to speak ‘truth’ to power’…
..as this corporate media goes to war with this new progressive government..
..as these journalists..bending the knee to the behest of their masters/mistresses..
..try to ensure this new progressive govt..is just a one term govt..
..so what is very very clear..is that up to and after that progressive-change..
..that the online progressive-media work more together..
..that they celebrate the efforts of others marching in the same direction..
..and not snipe/diss/ignore/compete with each other..
..and this if only for just the reason that they will be all that will stand against what will be a concerted corporate media-blitz against that govt..and all they do/propose..
..and this from day one..
..can anyone not see this..?
..phillip ure..
Thanks Phil, yes most jornos are culturally, historically and politically illiterate: the ones I know have as much knowledge as a common guppy…sweet fa.
Having said that if you are being told what to say, and paid to do so……
Well said.
Steel indeed.
Ennui, I hadn’t spent time in the CBD for a while until I had a 2 month work contract based at the eastern end of town. I was shocked to see so many people begging. I’d never seen so many before. These people are the legacy of policy that fails them and fails society. That thought made me feel angry as well as sad. What is worse is that our council further maginalised these people by their stupid authoritarian “alternate giving campaign” which turns out to be a complete failure as well:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/9056882/Beggars-miss-out-in-costly-campaign
I heard that Auckland is also trying to ban begging. It seems that our civic authorities are uncomfortable with the true face of poverty and despair and it would be nicer if it were brushed under the carpet, away from the small handful of retailers who complained about them.
IF Cunliffe wins and IF we have a change of government and IF they do undertake the tasks they are saying they will, those newly in charge will need to take a long deep breath before beginning to tackle the mountain of problems they have inherited
Rosie, our councillors in Wellington are in general pillocks. A few exceptions true, but those setting policy including the mayor are so out of touch its unreal. Worse, they have allowed debt to spiral…enough!
On Cunliffe, we should observe the success of future Labour governments by counting the number of beggars and observing youth unemployment stats.
a friend of mine, who was chair of a charity made the following observation to me when the recession began
“the high earners close their wallets faster than a trap on a mouse… the low earners continue to give their 10 a week or whatever, whether they can really afford it or not.”
‘
Heh! The Labour Party leader-hopefuls think they can talk sensibly about the environment. Gimme a break. Here, boys, have a look at what’s actually needed, starting with a carbon tax, and stop with the banal cliches, puhleeeze.
What’s actually needed is way beyond any Social Democratic party that (almost by definition?) operates within a capitalist/market context. Doesn’t prevent some, inadequate as they may be, steps being made in the right direction though, eh?
‘
I’m not buying the “its impossible” excuse. The inadequate steps are actually worse than inadequate because they mask reality and provide false assurance that something is being done while all the time momentum builds up. Having said that, I have come to accept that it is most likely going to take a catastrophic event before politicians garner the courage required to speak truth to those they claim to represent and put in place what little and constantly diminishing mitigation steps that can be taken.
It’s not impossible. But it’s an impossible task for social democracy. Or maybe you can explain to me how a social democratic form of governance can take sufficient action on AGW when they all exist to keep the market functioning and it’s the demands of the market that have brought us to this pass?
‘
Lets see what happens when petrol gets to $5 a litre and the climate emits a few more early warnings. Won’t be long.
By the time you’ve figured out that your tank is empty 30m under the water, you’re fucked. Like starting running only when you see the tsunami. Fucked.
Having said that, I have come to accept that it is most likely going to take a catastrophic event before politicians garner the courage required to speak truth to those they claim to represent and put in place what little and constantly diminishing mitigation steps that can be taken.
Right. And who would you want in govt when that catastrophic event happens? A govt like we currently have that is intent on stripmining democracy and will most like impose martial law if the shit hits the fan hard, or one that is slowly shifting left again and which has a coalition partner that has been preparing for years?
And in the meantime, given that many people are doing crucial work preparing for the catastrophic event and its aftermath, do you think their job will be easier under NACT or Labour/GP?
‘
Getting a bit ahead of yourself there, I see. The 2014 election is going to be close. I’ll wait until Aotearoa has spoken before answering your question. When it comes to preparing for the climate catastrophe the Greens might well have more clout outside of a coalition with Labour. At this stage, Labour’s quest for the Beemers could all come down to keeping Winston onside, or, God forbid, Dunne . . . like the last time, remember?
Yes I do remember, which is why I don’t think it’s realistic, useful or wise for Labour to make major changes to its CC policy before the next election.
“I’ll wait until Aotearoa has spoken before answering your question”
Do you mean that having NACT as govt is one of the preferred options when the shit hits the fan? Really?
weka – getting onto some social issues again, here are some links to a new website that covers stuff that was already presented, but maybe not quite so well on ACC Forum some time ago.
http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/the-health-and-disability-panel-and-its-hand-picked-members/
http://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/medical-and-work-capability-assessments-based-on-the-controversial-bio-psycho-social-model/
I see this as a potentially “evolving” site, it is not quite a “blog” at this stage, but has started to offer some interesting information, that should be more easily readable than perhaps on other sites.
Your sharing is welcome, and we will see, what happens with that.
Good night, X
“Here, boys, have a look at what’s actually needed, starting with a carbon tax, and stop with the banal cliches, puhleeeze.”
A question BLiP: if Labour announced a carbon tax policy before the next election, what do you think their chances are of forming a govt with the GP?
‘
Surely you’re not suggesting Labour adopt National Ltd™ tactics and hide its real intentions so as to lure the swingers into voting for it? Anyhow, such FPP concerns your question implies are irrelevant in an MMP parliament. Also, going on Labour’s past performance, there’s not really that much difference between it and National Ltd™ when it comes to things like social justice, civil liberties, the environment, and economics. While missing out on the baubles of office, it may well suit the Greens, and Aotearoa, if the Greens avoid a formal coalition with either major party. Power and government are not necessarily the same thing.
Nice avoidance of answering my question.
It’s nothing to do with FPP. You are expecting Labour to make a serious policy shift 12 mths out from an election it hopes to win (a win which is desparately needed in this country). You either think that Labour can keep its voters and pick up enough of the missing 800,000 to win, or you don’t care if they win or not.
If you think there is no appreciable difference between NACT and Labour, you really haven’t been paying attention in the past 5 years.
Correct. While it wasn’t until National Ltd™ tried to split my hapu with its Iwi/Kiwi acid that I actually bothered to engage, I’ve been paying attention for the last 30 years, never mind the last five. While I support, in part, Labour’s actual environmental policy, the platitudinal pap pumped out by the leadership-hopefuls yesterday could easily have come from the office of Amy Adams.
” the platitudinal pap pumped out by the leadership-hopefuls yesterday could easily have come from the office of Amy Adams.”
QFTT
HRW report on the Ghouta attack.(careful, disturbing images)
http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/syria_cw0913_web.pdf
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11123005
Tariana and Le Coif unite to save the RMA !!! WOW! Thank you ! Think I need a brandy I’m so shocked ….
“We say the changes to remove emphasis on the ‘maintenance and enhancement of the quality of the environment’ fundamentally rewrite the Act and put a spanner in the works of the legal system, that will take years of litigation to fix up,” they said in a joint statement this morning.
Mr Dunne said that in the 20 years since the RMA was created, the environment was in a worse state by nearly every measure, and government’s proposals to facilitate development would make matters worse.
“I do not accept that commercial interests should override the environmental principles of the Resource Management Act.”
A ray of hope yeshe but then like the GCSB gesture it might trickle away into nothing but another gesture. Hope they carry through with their concerns.
maybe join me in a brandy, ianmac ??
please excuse my black-hearted cynicism..
..but for ‘the coiffed one’..this is just another lever to screw some more out of key/this govt..
..this is exactly the same game-plan he used over the spooking bill..remember..?
..will we really all just ‘get fooled again?’…
..the self-interest of this man/charlatan knows no bounds..
..phillip ure..
So Nats, how’s that sale of the century going? Not very well it seems. It’s not like they haven’t been warned:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9151324/Govt-expected-to-revise-asset-sale-target
Mediocrity Watch: Professor Robert Patman
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Wednesday 11 September 2013
Noelle McCarthy, Tino Pereira, Simon Pound
Anybody who listens regularly to Radio New Zealand will know that it has a small list of commentators it uses to “discuss” questions about “the middle east”. Almost without exception these commentators are right wing, reflexively pro-Israel and uncritically pro-American. These substandard pundits are a grimly uninspired lot, including Liat Collins, Irris Makler, Simon Marks, and the gruesome Professor Steve Hoadley. Unbelievably, though, they are not even the worst: just last week the race-baiting fanatic Daniel Pipes was given a respectful, uninterrupted hearing on Nights.
Today, long-suffering listeners to The Panel were inflicted with another of these go-to “experts”—Robert Patman, the Professor of International Relations at the Department of Politics at the University of Otago. Unfortunately for Prof. Patman, this grand-sounding job-title fails to cover up the poverty and partiality of his “analysis”. In a comically inept attempt to sum up Russian and U.S. policy towards Syria, Patman told a silent and unquestioning Noelle McCarthy that Hezbollah is “totally a creature of the Iranian regime.” McCarthy failed to challenge that piece of nonsense, and neither did Simon Pound nor Tino Pereira. A minute later, Patman frothed about “the Assad regime, this GANGSTER regime” and sneered that Putin was “a master of bluff.”
Of course, Professor Patman did not use such prejudicial and incendiary language to describe the regime that has used chemical weapons in Southeast Asia, and which also stood firmly beside its protégé Saddam Hussein after he used chemical weapons against Kurdish civilians in 1988. But of course, if he did have the nerve to speak plainly and honestly, he would never have become the Professor of International Relations at the Department of Politics at the University of Otago.
I don’t think Patman is actually saying anything that controversial about Hizballah though. He may be overstating it slightly but Hizballah’s own original Manifesto (An Open Letter: Hizballah’s Programme) openly acknowledges its links to Iran. The English translation of the first paragraphs:
“We are often asked: Who are we, the Hizballah, and what is our identity? We are the sons of the umma (Muslim community) – the party of God (Hizb Allah) the vanguard of which was made victorious by God in Iran. There the vanguard succeeded to lay down the bases of a Muslim state which plays a central role in the world. We obey the orders of one leader, wise and just, that of our tutor and faqih (jurist) who fulfills all the necessary conditions: Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini. God save him!”
The translation of Faqih as “Jurist” is a bit clumsy as there is no real equivalence in English – the Islamic concept is kind of combined expert scholar/warrior(in the Jihadist sense)/religious leader. Faqih also has a special significance in Twelver Shia’ism.
Fair comment, Greg, in that Hezbollah is a Shi’ite party, and there are of course affinities with Iran and the Iranian revolution. However, Hezbollah was and remains a Lebanese organization, formed for the purpose of fighting the Israeli army. When Patman uttered his astonishing claim that it is “totally a creature of the Iranian regime” he was distorting and exaggerating for a purpose: to amplify and reiterate standard U.S. and Israeli propaganda. Patman is either a dutiful liar or unfeasibly ignorant; either way he is not a serious or credible commentator.
Formed by whom, Moz?
It was formed from the Lebanese Shia community (roughly 40 per cent of the population) in 1982. It’s a Lebanese organization, which Patman no doubt knew perfectly well when he uttered his ridiculous statement.
Certainly fighting Israel was one of its purposes but it’s other purpose was described by Nasrallah as having:
“two main axis: firstly, a belief in the rule by the just jurisconsult and adherence to Khomeini’s leadership; and secondly, the continued need to struggle against the Israeli enemy.”
You can’t ignore the religious dimension of Hizballah’s raison d’être however – and its desire for an Islamic Revolution that institutes Velayat-e faqih (Islamic Government with Guardianship by the Faqih or the “Jurist”). Certainly although one of its original goals was the creation of a Lebanese Islamic Republic it always had in mind the wider goals of the Iranian Revolution to create a wider Islamic Shia State. (Although recently it has modified its political stance for a more nuanced approach to be inclusive within the Lebanese Political system). It’s close links to Iran and the Iranian religious leadership are fairly clear though – “creature” perhaps not – very, very close ally – definitely.
Your points are well made, Greg. Your analysis is more thorough and more honest than anything I have heard on the BBC, ABC or Radio NZ.
“Just about all of the many calls I’ve had in support of Grant have talked mostly about David. ”
This is a very telling line from Mike Williams writing about how he came around to voting for Cunliffe.
Grant, you and your crew just can’t help yourselves.
Next week go away from your normal Wellington milieu for a few days. Do some thinking about why Jones, of all people, gets more public support. That is not a true reflection of your relative decency and prospects.
You have sold yourself short. You are better than this.
+1
“The Vote” TV3 now………Jesus I broke my rule…….here I am watching this shit. On housing affordability and your mesmeric “young couples” first home-buyers.
Notice the teams – Sam the Sham, Le Bouffant, and (Woody Allen) Botox Banks. Fuck what a team !
On the other side Winnie, Metiria and Twyford.
Been trying to get hold of a close mate of mine who’s reasonably close aiga of Sam’s. No answer. Man, that guy (my mate) is just dying to get a hold of his nephew’s ear.
And isn’t that Garner a Gooner ? Phil Twyford anticipating what Labour will do and the plump, rugby boy, cheapie Gooner triumphantly fires at him – “Will you stake your political career on that ?” Will you, will you……? Studied looks of horror all around by Gooner.
Faarrk ! What a man in a suit under the lights !!!
Would loved to have been Twyford and fired back – “Will you stake your career on me being wrong Mr Gooner ?”
Yeah i am not one to watch ‘the vote’ either but seeing as it was about housing i tuned in for what was quite entertaining and enlightening on a number of levels besides housing affordability for the children of the middle class where incidentally National are in big big trouble if that audience was a relative cross section of middle class Auckland,
Small wonder Nick Smith the Minister chose not to show up for what would have shown Him to be as empty a suitcase as Sam the Patsy from National’s back bench they threw to the wolves to be eviscerated, turned out to be,
It’s interesting to watch a program like that and see Winston working in conjunction with both Labour’s Phil Twyford and the Green’s Metiria Turei and i have to wonder(foolishly perhaps)whether a Government could quite conceivably be formed out of all 3 Party’s,
Banks, the political corpse of ACT that refuses to go quietly to it’s grave looks every part an expensive piece of Botox awaiting a District Court conviction to put Him out of His misery,
Wasn’t the ‘Hairdo’ in fine spitting form tho, outright nastiness emanated from Dunne which i suppose is where you have to go when ‘sensible’ just don’t cut the mustard anymore, Wee Petey showed all the venom and lack of grace and judgement of a man who’s very life-blood as a politician is being slowly undermined by a serious underground campaign in the Ohariu electorate to unseat Him…
I couldn’t find the show up yet on the TV3 “The Vote” page. Masupial had seen this ad masquerading as journalism on the 6PM news:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Metiria-Turei-caught-in-housing-U-turn/tabid/421/articleID/312837/Default.aspx
“Ms Turei’s now being attacked by all sides of the political spectrum after telling more than 1 million Kiwi homeowners she wants to reduce the value of their biggest asset.”
Is this at all an accurate description of Turei’s performance?
[It’s there now – the result appears to be; 72 opposition to 28 government, though it doesn’t mention sample size, or representativeness to voting population. I guess I should endure the swill to see for myself.]
Nah that was a large Strawman constructed by Garner where Garner claims that the Labour/Green housing plan will cause the prices in the Auckland market to collapse,
Garner is an economic illiterate, building a swag of affordable housing in Auckland is unlikely to effect the market in any way in the short term, in the medium to long term tho if enough houses are built then obviously people wanting to sell what they have bought at the height of the price bubble are going to have trouble selling at those prices,
My view is that there will be a ‘high end’ market that will maintain it’s current price structure around the current level no matter what and it will be only the short term ‘speculators’ who are likely to be seriously burned as the Government build takes away the ‘demand’,
My view is that Labour and the Green’s need a set of rules around their housing proposals where those put into the houses government build have to hold the house for 10 years or sell it back to the Government at fair value based upon the price the Government sold it for,
Doing this would put a stop to these houses being used for speculation and stop the sale of them from acting to collapse the current house prices…
Thanks bad12. I only got as far as the; meet the teams snippet, and then the “voting” instructions before being distracted by various papers I had been meaning to get onto for weeks. The prospect of an hour show with; Banks, Dunne, Gower & Espiner; making up half the voices just drains me of the will to live. Still – enough procrastination; sooner started, sooner finished!
Welcome, the point that i don’t quite get across in the comment above is that Labour/Green plans target specifically ‘first home buyers’,
The rest of the market is still going to be there with people in it constantly wanting to do the ‘upwardly mobile’ thing and buy a bigger/better/flasher place so prices will hardly collapse and if like i suggest the Kiwibuild is restricted from going into the market that’s already there then such can have little bearing on current prices…
I Seem to have trouble leaving comments on Red-Alert blog. Ordinary comments just seem to disappear. I realise it is moderated but is it now being censored as well?
And honestly it was not critical of a certain MP from Dunedin South
you take your life into your own hands going on to that blog.
Tooooo true. Mallard is in San Fran so Claire and some of Robertson’s Victoria groupies have their hands on the tiller, the same prats whose rudeness at meetings drove votes to Cunliffe.
New grad career aspirations paid for by Parliamentary Services.
I’ve voted online and now I’m just waiting for Sunday. Sadly (but gladly in a way) there will be no Warriors competing for my attention. There is significant history to be witnessed here. Pity for Ms Curran she don’t have a clue about that.
For one of my age it’s quite comforting that I’m pretty sure I voted like Helen has/will.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9153223/Cunliffe-gets-leadership-boost
Oh Thanks Mike…….that’s a promising independence from – “I agree with Mathew……”
@ North….Matthew possum on nine to noon……also believes Cunliffe will win ….and i think he said, at least on one occasion that he is the best for the job …. however later he undercut this….and gave the reasons why he wasn’t…..( smirk)
I know that but sometimes I get so annoyed plus I have innumerable email accounts for occasions like that.
I am disappointed that the NZ Labour movement pays little or NO attention and respect to what happened in Chile 40 years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMt7gHOtYX8
Perhaps learn, inform and pay some respect for the over 2000 that were murdered and killed under Pinochet?!
Former president and also torture victim Bachelet de Chile visits torture camp, where she was 40 years ago, like thousands others in Chile’s dictatorship under Pinochet. Those that know little or none about this, google, search and learn, about Allende, Pinochet, and what came out of it!
http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2013/09/10/1563715/chile-bachelet-visita-campo-de.html
http://ver.bo/index.php/movile-mundo/item/7289-chile-michelle-bachelet-visita-donde-estuvo-detenida-en-el-golpe
I am unsure what of the following links will deliver, as we have this all the time, some internet links leading to results or not so. Anyway, I am disillusioned and furious about bias and crap going on in NZ media, where the Labour leading candidate competition has already been rubbished.
We have as social, internationalist, and caring people a lot more to worry about. There are developments overseas that should remind us of what history tells us, and what we can expect, or rather have to face and answer to. The “left” in NZ has been far too damned kind, liberal and tolerant. We must take a more solid and firm stand, to stand up for what we believe in. We are sadly, by a shit media, they even dare to claim they represent public opinions, who shit on us, who betray anything that is independent, informed and different. We must stand up against a commercialised agenda, a gang, that is commercially controlled, that is owned by corporates, and that do all to corrupt reporting and discredit anything that progressive people say and write. The time has come to take the media, and that is the mainstream media, to account, right now, do not let them continue to corrupt reporting on events in NZ!
For history lessons see what happened elsewhere, and what they learned from it. I just add a few musical entertainments for reflection here, more can be retrieved by way of true documentaries:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ZFi0MvGf0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXRTfOy4EVY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avHfbdo7gKM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpf4zCPbpvY
There is little hope in any people, who grow up with total commercial media inundation 24/7, who have not even any awareness of being brainwashed, who swallow all, think it is “normal” to be exposed to “choices” between endlessly drummed in “services” and “products”, but who do not even know basics about laws being passed, let alone anything about basic living issues.
The modern media, the modern machinery of dumbing down inundation ensures that all fall for the lemming like easy going mainstream “cause”, so they all adhere to consistency and ask NONE.
That is the perfect recipe for future disaster. There is not even any collective spirit, or whatever you call it. The “left” should be extremely alarmed about the state of affairs, but too many seem to now trust in Labour and Cunliffe again. Sorry but you will be very disappointed again, I fear.
So true….
Young ones, learn from Camilla, please:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V3p2MPB2UE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBih0c689cI
I am damned sure some young Kiwi women can live up to this also!!!
I am waiting!
Solidaridad de Latin America, questo es Presidente the Pinera?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBoXruBUzfU
Crusty old US actor thinks Obama is a good person so it must be true. Yeah right…..
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/entertainment/18789300/robert-de-niro-on-barack-obama-hes-a-good-person-period/
Oh God, how depressing. Poor old Clint Eastwood is not the only Hollywood A-lister to have lost his marbles.