If by getting on with the job, you mean opening a boutique brewery, using a nail gun, and getting praise from a financier.
I suppose the alternative could be even worse. As John Key says in his own words: “In the end, you can sit around feeling sorry for yourself as a prime minister and as a government. Or you can just get on with the job. I’m in the category of getting on with the job.
The article currently looks like it has just copied a Bennett press release – especially the bit at the end. So I’ll copy the bottom of the article in full. What a bit of thoughtless journalism?
“I was always blatantly targeting these most vulnerable, abused and neglected children in this country and that’s what this piece of work was always about,” Mrs Bennett said.
‘WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER FOR FAILED KIDS’
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett puts her mouth where her heart is: that too many Kiwi kids are failed, but that we can do much better.
“The day I got offered the job of Minister of Social Development the first thing I said to the prime minister on the phone, at 9pm on a Sunday, was ‘does it include Child, Youth and Family?’
The former solo mum has a clear idea of what she wants and how to get it. She’ll listen, but once a plan is set in motion there’s no stopping the determined Waitakere MP.
New Zealand’s child abuse record is an embarrassment to everyone; none more so than the woman charged with overseeing child welfare.
Ms Bennett said that was her driving force since entering Parliament.
Under the Children’s Action Plan, there would also be controls on who could have contact with children. People who posed a continuing and serious threat to their children could have their parental rights removed by a judge.
What, so a man made “fictional” entity who represents the biggest gang of child abusers on earth, can take away the rights to be a parent – How to read that statement
New civil child abuse prevention orders would give judges the power to place restrictions on people who posed a high risk to a child or future children.
Future children – WFT???
Critics may claim Mrs Bennett has ignored the real threat for a number of Kiwi children – poverty.
Yes Benefits is running interference again, regurgitating some old news which will make no difference to the lives of children, or those in poverty, and until she starts making some real noise, and taking some action which is favourable for those vulnerable people, then she is and will remain nothing more than a vile hypocrite of the worst kind, using children as a cloak for her evil!
Corinthians, For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate”. (Isaiah) ….God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are.
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?
In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
(The image of a wide pork butcher’s knife, swiftly and with mechanical regularity chopping into me, shaving off razor-thin slices which fly about due to the speed of the work)
Looks like the bit at the bottom has now been removed. If Danya Levy or Kate Chapman wrote that part they should be fired. What a sickening display of gushing and fawning, and not even in an opinion piece, but in something claiming to be a straight political report.
Well, at first I thought they had just mistakenly tagged a Bennett press release on the bottom. But on second look, I wasn’t so sure. But I thought it might get removed, which is why I copied it. Maybe I should look at it now to see how much the article just regurgitates what Bennett has given to them?
Oh, no. The article has now been re-written to include statements from the opposition parties – so now it’s much more factual (she said, they said) and less of a Bennett cheer-leading piece.
Heck yeah, TVNZ is all part of the NACT spin machine look who the SOE minister is, a very capable and focused man who’s is raging his way through under the radar, which isn’t hard with what passess for ‘journalism’ in this country.
Problem for them is it’s becoming all to obvious as the others aren’t even up to that, when was the last time AyaTolley, Wonkinson or others lept into the bad news void with a song and dance routine.
Yesterday on the Mysogynist thread I had a bit of a tangle with a few posters (well, most really) and I see a few more comments posted since.
As always, after such an entanglement too much time gets spent thinking thinking instead of living living. Anyways, the thinkings that arose were… how much difference is there really between the genders when it comes to “predispositions” towards various features of manwomankind? After all, if one of the biggies, power and leadership apparently is not in any way inate then surely all the other lesser features will not be either?
The vast bulk (well, most really) of posters yesterday were confident that leadership and power ambitions and skills between men and women were a result of, effectively, nuture not nature. I remain dubious about that. However – how many other features of manwomankind are learned and not inate? It would be interesting to hear. Of course plenty can be found to read on the internet as marty mars is always keen to point out, but frankly the robustness of Standard threads generally brings out those readings and research anyway and it is muh more ‘fun’ swapping partial knowledge with others of partial knowledge and others of expertise, via this mechnaism. (similarly, I am aware of all patricarchy culture issues and the like and acknowledge them but am trying to step aside form those as much as possible)
So… what else? Leadership and power? Social characteristics? Nuturing? Group tendencies cf individual tendencies? Fighting for heirachy? Mechanical and construction tendencies? Driving ability? Conservative attitudes? Advancing and exploraton tendencies? Risk taking? There are certainly countless others.
It is pretty much a nature vs nuture issue, which is a long run debate on our world. But without rehashing that entire issue, how many features of manwomankind are inately different between the genders?
yes a game for you, jolly good fun but for some it is real and serious. I challenge you vto to read that link from deborah – go on if you have the guts to face your own shortcomings. Read the link and think about it because IMO you need some schooling mate.
Gosh, marty, how dare you provide vto with the resources to do their own research instead of indulging vto’s desire to have a smug intellectual “debate” about shit which isn’t actually up for debate so vto can feel all clever ‘n’ shit.
I suspect that, because my views on the place of Maori and te tiriti in thse islands is at odds with the views of your own and the risk that contrary views represent to various positions in NZ on this large matter, you have been doing everything you can to undermine everything I say. This is a common tactic in such circumstances and to be expected.
From here on lets just go our separate ways unless we can exchange views about the subject at hand and leave personals out of it.
vto, you’re undermining yourself by continuing to refuse to accept the assistance people have given you to educate yourself. All we have to do is sit back and watch you spin yourself into a frenzy of defensiveness.
I’m not undermining you vto but yes your views on tangata whenua offend me and I have to say other views you have expressed also offend me – but so what – lots of people do that 🙂
You have failed to recognise that i don’t bother engaging with those too far gone – I thought you sincerely wanted to learn about that area you didn’t understand. I have read the link more than once and it is excellent – it actually answers the original and subsequent questions you asked – i know because i have read both the question and answer, it is there.
You’re making an assumption that I haven’t read it. I have not passed further comment on it because no other comments have been received to swap thoughts on.
It is interesting that you find my views on tangata whenua etc offensive because I similarly find many of your views offensive to the values and principles of my own heritage and culture (and in many cases not just views but also realities). If I might give you an example – in Christchurch at the moment we, the public, through the Christchurch rebuild are subject to the governance of Ngai Tahu, an organisation in which we, the public, have no say and no right to participate in. This is offensive and I am sure an explanation as to why is not necessary.
Anyway, lets keep the dialogue open and the personals to our persons.
edit: which is not to deny or reduce in any way the offensive things that Maori have suffered in the past
What did you think about the issues the article raised? Did you get the question answered? Did you believe what the article said? I’m interested because I love understanding why people think the way they think.
It is quite clear from contirbutions made here and elsewhere that there is no difference between the sexes. Our make-up and daily machinations are entirely a result of nuture not nature. Everything is learned.
In addition, it is abundantly clear that the issue has been fully researched and that manwomankind need never conduct any more research into this area as this is our high point of understanding. The highest point in history, a height that can not be topped. For evidence, see qot and others.
John Campbell had a stunner of a story on Dotcom last night. He proposed a timeline which indicated that Dotcom was given a really easy ride up until June of last year when his application to buy the home he rents was turned down by Power. The application had previously been granted by Williamson. His previous immigration application was treated with kid gloves and the change in treatment was stark.
Campbell drew a link between this and the Key trip to see Obama which happened a week before Power refused Dotcom’s application. Campbell also highlighted the pressure Hollywood was putting on Obama to do something about video piracy.
This really highlighted how unlikely it was that Key was not personally told about Power’s decision. It was a major issue which the US was focussing on and Key would have bent over backwards to butter up to Obama.
The change from Dotcom being the toast of the town to becoming persona non grata was too stark and you really get the feeling that NZ buckled under US pressure. The obsequious behaviour of our security forces in engaging in various illegal searches and handing the information over to the US without authority really reinforces this.
Yup the gift that keeps giving, you get the impression that KD is a heck of alot smarter, resourced and with enough material to sink these shysters than they ever imagined.
When you give a donation the way he did, and who knows what Blinkly promised on behalf of NACT, you expect a reciprocation and what he received was multiple stabs in the back, IMO revenge will be his and would have been planned out while being incarcerated in great detail.
Campbell drew a link between this and the Key trip to see Obama which happened a week before Power refused Dotcom’s application. Campbell also highlighted the pressure Hollywood was putting on Obama to do something about video piracy.
You have to wonder whether the police, GCSB etc.were not only under pressure from the FBI, but after Key’s trip the Govt. applied the pressure too. When the shit hit the fan, Key et al ran for cover and left the police and the GCSB to carry the can?
And Key claims he’d never heard of Dotcom. It’s beyond belief now.
A great Campbell presentation so I expect Roughan and Armstrong will protest that it might upset National.
“……Key would have bent over backwards to butter up to Obama.” There was that pretty needy call from Key that he was very keen to get an audience with Obama in June 2011. Wonder why so needy? Election image? Get instructions re Dotcom?
A great overview of all the events but a pity Key would not front to balance the story. Wonder why not? Ha Ha!
“A great Campbell presentation so I expect Roughan and Armstrong will protest that it might upset National.”
That was a fascinating CL last night, and I have no doubts there is more to come.
So far, there seems to be very little comment/coverage in other press media, which I find surprising.
As an aside, Russell Brown has an interesting post going at Public Address on the CL programme and Roughan’s recent criticisms. Many of the comments on Roughan are similar to those that have been expressed here on TS, but a particularly interesting comment is from John Sellwood from CL at the top of page 2 of the comments. Too long to quote here, but well worth reading for an insight.
Power announced stepping down from politics in March 2011, this put him into a position to do Key’s dirty work. Just what Power knew/knows is harder to establish as he cannot be questioned in the House.
There is a lot more chronology and timeline for John and Toby to reveal to the public, they are certainly on the right track.
As a side issue good to see the head of the IPCA wanting to release the outcome of more investigations (17 files out of 2,000 complaints released last year) and to also look at having the power to prosecute officers. A lot of time and resources at the IPCA is being spent on the Urewera file which will probably be released at the end of the year.
From what I know of Power, he might have done it but it would’ve fucked him off no end. And he would have been more than glad to walk to another job outside of politics.
Key may have known that Power’s decision would have been to decline Dotcom buying the mansion which would have suited Key.
Just how far back was Dotcom being set up as he was granted residence in November 2010?
When Hollywood came out to discuss the Hobbit I think that Dotcom was mentioned then and the trap was set only to be played out if Key got back in.
Interesting how the GCSB started spying on Dotcom just after the election.
The trouble GCSB went to in tracking Dotcom and his associates and how Key claims that he did not know about the GCSB spying on Dotcom until 17 September 2012 even though it is verified that Dotcom was mentioned by the GCSB on 29 February 2012.
Yes good to see from JC, but I felt like it was only part 1 of the story, there’s so many unanswered questions here he didn’t even get to.
One thing I found interesting was where he showed a police report with about two pages blacked out. The reason given was apparently that it contained sensitive information concerning which ministers were told what and when. (I think, I’ve skimmed through the video trying to find it again, but I’m too busy to watch the whole thing again.) How is this a decent reason to deny us that information when that’s what we want to know? Don’t these ministers work for us?
How is this a decent reason to deny us that information when that’s what we want to know?
It’s not information that we want to know but information that we need to know. It’s information that can show us just how corrupt, or not, our government is. Hiding it from us just proves the former.
Is it “Nothing to hide, nothing to fear,” or “Black it out, nothing to fear”?
This information is surely in the public interest – there is a serious question over the competence and/or motives of the people at the top. They should be judged by the public, not by themselves.
I just love JC.Since he has changed his show from that poncy one it used to be into real journalism and straight up honest reporting of what is really happening in NZ we never miss a show.Last night was brilliant!Littlemankey should be very afraid.We all know that every time he opens his mouth a lie comes out.If he ever does tell the truth it will be purely accidental.Can’t wait to rid NZ of this menace and get back to putting our country back into place, however hard it may be.
Of course Mr Key’s only defence is to not front up, especially for the hard questions from Campbell or Morning Report, or other in depth interviews.. To get balance surely he would want to defend in person but like most of his Ministers he will stick to the soft and friendly interviews.
Why is Key sticking to saying he had not heard of Dotcom until 19 January 2012 (apart from the 29 February GCSB montage)?
The only thing I can come up with is that he has some arrangement with Hollywood as misleading the House does not seem to bother Key. Misleading the House is going to break Key as he will not be able to keep up the misleading as matters pertaining to Dotcom are now as big as Nixon/Watergate. A line similar to this was once said by Nixon, the public want to know if the president is a liar.
Did not see that one, Anne, so would be interested to watch it if you can give a little more detail (eg when, subject etc) if it is still on On Demand.
Hi deuto
This is the only interview with the PM in recent months I can find, but I don’t think it’s the right one. My memory is of John Key becoming increasingly testy with Campbell’s dogged persistence, to the point where he mutters “Jesus” under his breath.
In the light of last night’s fascinating Campbell Live, I recommend readers watch this CL interview with the PM again and listen carefully to what Key said. 🙂
Why would he, Reagan got relected without a debate or facing any serious questions whatsoever so Johnny Sparkles probably thinks he can do the same especially with important stuff like bending over to Hollywood, opening breweries etc etc
and JK also visited Te Takere yesterday. I dearly hope someone was there to explain what all the things on the shelves were, we know how reading is not his thing.
(As an Artist I am more than aware how the hand can sometimes control the Art independantly of the consciousness. Usually with success but occassional failures occur. With that in mind I purposefully stayed away from the PM’s visit in case my mouth did something silly. There are too many good things trying to be accomplished in this town to tarnish that wonderful space with petty stunts.)
Managed to catch up with John Ansell as he left the Maori TV studio on Monday 8 October 2012.
Asked him if he thought ‘ONE LAW FOR ALL’ should equally apply to ACT’s current and former leaders, John Banks and Don Brash, who equally signed Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009, which contained untrue statements.
Had the evidence on the banner shown in this photo.
I found this on Facebook. I decided to copy and paste this integrally regardless of the length because it’s beautiful and powerful and needs to be far and wide.
Neil McCormick Being Poor
Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs.
Being poor is getting angry at your children for asking for all the crap they see on TV.
Being poor is buying a $800 car because it’s what you can afford, and then having the car break down on you, because there’s not an $800 car in New Zealand that’s worth a damn.
Being poor is hoping your toothache goes away.
Being poor is knowing your kid goes to friends’ houses but never has friends over to yours.
Being poor is going to the toilet at school so you’re last to go get your lunch box, and then noone wants to swap their lunch food with you anyway.
Being poor is living next to the motorway.
Being poor is living under power pylons.
Being poor is coming back to the car with your children in the back seat, clutching that box of Raisin Bran you just bought and trying to think of a way to make the kids understand that the box has to last.
Being poor is wondering if your well-off brother is lying when he says he doesn’t mind when you ask for help.
Being poor is pre-owned toys.
Being poor is a heater in only one room of the house.
Being poor
Being poor is knowing you can’t leave $5 on the coffee table when your friends are around.
Being poor is hoping your kids don’t have a growth spurt.
Being poor is stealing meat from the shops, frying it up before your Mum gets home and then telling her she doesn’t have make dinner tonight because you’re not hungry anyway.
Being poor is Salvation Army underwear.
Being poor is not enough space for everyone who lives with you.
Being poor is feeling the glued soles tear off your Salvation Army bought shoes when you run around the playground.
Being poor is your kid’s school being the one with the 15-year-old textbooks and no air conditioning.
Being poor is thinking $10.80 an hour is a really good wage.
Being poor is relying on people who don’t give a damn about you.
Being poor is working an overnight shift under florescent lights.
Being poor is finding the letter your Mum wrote to your Dad, begging him for the child support.
Being poor is having a bath then having to empty it into the toilet.
Being poor is stopping the car to take a lamp from a stranger’s Rubbish Bin.
Being poor is making lunch for your kid when a cockroach skitters over the bread, and you looking over to see if your kid saw.
Being poor is believing passing a WINZ Training Course actually makes a bit of difference.
Being poor is people being angry at you just for walking around in the local shopping mall.
Being poor is not taking the job because you can’t find someone you trust to watch your pre-school children.
Being poor is the police bursting into the house right next to yours.
Being poor is not talking to that girl because she’ll probably just laugh at your clothes.
Being poor is hoping you’ll be invited to someone’s home for dinner.
Being poor is a sidewalk with lots of brown glass on it.
Being poor is people thinking they know something about you by the way you talk.
Being poor is needing that 35cent raise.
Being poor is your kid’s teacher assuming you don’t have any books in your home.
Being poor is six dollars short on the power bill and no way to close the gap.
Being poor is crying when you drop the MacDonald’s Cheeseberger on the floor.
Being poor is knowing you work as hard as anyone, anywhere and people still call you a bludger.
Being poor is people being surprised to discover you’re not actually stupid.
Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually lazy.
Being poor is a six-hour wait in the hospital emergency waiting room with a sick child asleep on your lap.
Being poor is never buying anything someone else hasn’t already owned.
Being poor is picking the 10xpack of two minute noodles instead of the 1 packet because there’s two free packages in the 10xpack.
Being poor is having to live your life with choices you didn’t realise you’d made when you were 14 years old.
Being poor is getting tired of people expecting you to be grateful.
Being poor is knowing you’re being judged.
Being poor getting is a box of crayons and a $1 colouring book from a community centre Santa.
Being poor is checking the coin return slot of every drink machine as you walk by.
Being poor is deciding that it’s all right to base a relationship on a roof over your head.
Being poor is knowing you really shouldn’t spend that dollar on a scratch Kiwi ticket.
Being poor is feeling helpless when your child makes the same mistakes you did, and won’t listen to you begging them against doing so.
Being poor is a cough that doesn’t go away.
Being poor is making sure you don’t spill on the couch, just in case you have to pay for it when your lease is up.
Being poor is a $200 getting a pay cheque advance from a company that then takes $250 when the pay cheque comes in.
Being poor is a lumpy futon bed.
Being poor is knowing where the nearest shelter is.
Being poor is people who have never been poor wondering why you would choose to live like that.
Being poor is knowing how hard it is to stop being poor.
Being poor is seeing how few life options you really have.
Being poor is running in place.
Being poor is people wondering why you didn’t leave.
I was shocked at how much I have to give the big tick now. Three years ago we could afford the odd meal out, some French cheeses, a non necessary drive into Hamilton. Not so any more! I make my own clothes and a lot of my own other necessities so we still have a great live in many aspects but I have no idea how people live on a minimum wage especially when raising kids.
Dunno about the $5 thing. Most poor people I know are more honest than most and display more empathy than most. Which is not to say there aren’t any insufferable bastards who deserve a kicking for some of the shit they spread around. But, y’know…
I think it might be more a case of insecurity, i.e. IF on the small chance that $5 went walking, it would be a devastating blow to the day, so best not leave it just in case.
I would hazard a guess that more Kiwis sleep under the weight of this list
than at any time in the last fifty years
that is shameful
that is not a Nation
that is slavery
A few of them are a little off the mark I think (things that lots of people do, not just ‘poor’ people); I guess this list is that they’re necessities rather than simple choices.
However this one kind of annoys me:
“Being poor is picking the 10xpack of two minute noodles instead of the 1 packet because there’s two free packages in the 10xpack.”
That’s not “being poor”, that’s being economically literate and sensible. Really, being poor is knowing that that is the correct decision to make, but not having enough money to buy the 10 pack this week and so missing out of the bulk-buying discount.
Or, alternatively:
“Being poor is picking the 10 pack of 2-minute noodles instead of the 1 pack because the 10 pack effectively has 2 free inside it, then not having enough money left to buy a loaf of bread”.
Good one Ev,
The multiple small humiliations of being poor do stack up and we don’t have to agree with every line of Neil’s to acknowledge that.
Neighbours and I swap veges and fish, seawweed for the garden and all sorts of little jobs and kindnesses to get by. Car trips are well planned and all the rest. Even those of us doing ok feel poor in the toxic environment we live in. So lets get shot of ShonKey one way or another and return to a longstanding default NZ setting–we take care of our own!
Small humiliations stacking up are toxic and crushing for the soul. It is what our ruling elite thrive on. Notice how buoyant Bennet looks? That is her thriving because she can put the toxic shame she feels from her own upbringing on the shoulders of others!
“Almost three quarters of New Zealanders view Banks ”unfavourably,” 14 per cent see him favourably, 13 per cent are unsure – and two per cent have never heard of him.”
I hear they actually polled John Banks for this as well. He is included in the 2%.
“Banks’ reputation also took a hammering during last year’s election campaign when a cameraman recorded his ‘private’ conversation with Prime Minister John Key during a ”cup of tea” publicity stunt.”
Funny that it was apparently Banks who took the hammering and not Squeaky clean Mr Key. Ask the right question?
Don’t get the movie industry, first the anti-union Hobbit film and now the copyright criminalization of consumers of entertainment.
There’s no free lunch, but also there’s no right to profits either. Governments support media (like the BBC) to create a market, how much it intervenes has nothing to do with the creators or deliverers
of entertainment, it has everything to with the technology and the needs of the civic society.
aka National Radio.
Newspapers lost income from adverts because the technology moved and they can only make money now if they readjust how they serve the civic society – not advertisers, not media barons, but how the makeup of the real economy.
So I don’t get the movie industry because I won’t be going to the cinema while they continue to criminalize their consumers. They don’t have a right to use their market power to gain a regulative capture over the world.
The great thing about young people is their gullibility. At least, that must be what the Government is banking on when they propose dropping the minimum wage rate for youth. These kids are so wide-eyed and trusting. They won’t even know they’re being screwed. So naive and accepting. Who better, then, to be sacrificed in the name of “trying to look like we’re doing something”. It’s not as if this lot can have another crack at the teachers.
No, this will play nicely into the hands of those the Government sees as it its core supporters. What better way to curry favour with its constituents in white, middle-income New Zealand; business New Zealand (and red-necked New Zealand) than handing out a good kicking to the youth. Lazy, indulged little shits. How dare they grow up thinking they’re equal. What a cheek. At least this way the smug little buggers might learn some respect.
Well worth reading in full as it covers the entire spectrum of Nationals attacks on the young and defenceless.
Agreed Draco. (Just noted a reference to “Draco” when reading about the Roman Empire around 260AD. Draco means snake or dragon and often appeared on Army Unit flags. Dragon seems to fit.)
I sense all them little feet on these disgusting millipedey creatures begin to scurry here and there to safety like vermin and roaches as the great mass of servant begins to wake ….
well, after leading to phenomenology, which you sort of had to self-teach yourself when I was extramural university student, freakin hopeless the delivery in some areas, and this hole prerequisites nonsense, Jesus Wept; I’m Bored.
Time for further self-discipline.
BYE 😉
(I am relating to this Kafka dude, I can tell you)
Thanks for Hosting me Lynn and Lyn. never look back
MAY GOD BLESS THE LEFT.
(sad may be, yet it too will pass)
well better goooo, there is some servin’ to be done.
One more little hit by TV3, one more thing Key “doesn’t know” – government and agencies circle the wagons. Governor General? More to come on Campbell Live tonight.
Heads up. Campbell Live tonight. Alleged talk by Key to Spy Staff in February touching on Kim Dotcom relating to their work on Dotcom. May be a video of same. If proved it would bring Key’s didn’t know until 17 September in dispute.
Yep. it’s all on… spies have come out batting. Leaked info. to Labour. Shearer on Campbell Live tonight. Unofficial recording of Key’s speech to GCSB staff in their canteen allegedly reveals he congratulated staff re-Kim Dotcom on 29th Feb. this year.
Labour doesn’t seem to have the recording, but says it’s necessary for an independent inquiry:
According to Labour’s GCSB sources, the quip was captured on an internal GCSB camera.
3 News put these claims to the Prime Minister. He initially denied making any Dotcom reference, but then backtracked – saying he can’t recall.
“I don’t think so. No,” he says.
“I don’t remember it.”
Mr Key says that although he remembers going into the staff café to address GCSB staff, he doesn’t recall whether he made any reference to Dotcom. He says “goodness knows” whether his address was recorded or not, but that the GCSB hasn’t raised the issue of any recording with him.
As of a few days ago, while catching up with folks around Wellington, I “understand” that increasingly, in numbers and in degrees, senior public officials are also not happy with how some cabinet ministers have been behaving and not doing their job.
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This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Damned with faint praise.
John Key ‘getting on’ with job
If by getting on with the job, you mean opening a boutique brewery, using a nail gun, and getting praise from a financier.
I suppose the alternative could be even worse. As John Key says in his own words: “In the end, you can sit around feeling sorry for yourself as a prime minister and as a government. Or you can just get on with the job. I’m in the category of getting on with the job.
The kind of “job” he is getting on with is not exactly the job that voters would typically have in mind.
http://thestandard.org.nz/of-hollywood-hobbits-nz-us-politics-episode-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-530080
Nice write up about Mike Tyson’s application for a visa which make Willie look uninformed. Or just a misogynist like Tyson.
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/mike-tyson-undisputed-truth.html
So, polls down, Key taking hits, enter Bennett the Great Distractor:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7799937/Rescuing-vulnerable-kids-Bennetts-master-plan
The article currently looks like it has just copied a Bennett press release – especially the bit at the end. So I’ll copy the bottom of the article in full. What a bit of thoughtless journalism?
What, so a man made “fictional” entity who represents the biggest gang of child abusers on earth, can take away the rights to be a parent – How to read that statement
Future children – WFT???
Yes Benefits is running interference again, regurgitating some old news which will make no difference to the lives of children, or those in poverty, and until she starts making some real noise, and taking some action which is favourable for those vulnerable people, then she is and will remain nothing more than a vile hypocrite of the worst kind, using children as a cloak for her evil!
Corinthians, For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate”. (Isaiah) ….God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise;
God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are.
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?
In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
(The image of a wide pork butcher’s knife, swiftly and with mechanical regularity chopping into me, shaving off razor-thin slices which fly about due to the speed of the work)
Equalise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TnkUxq4plo
(i been runnin…police on my back…hidin…..police on my back…)
Looks like the bit at the bottom has now been removed. If Danya Levy or Kate Chapman wrote that part they should be fired. What a sickening display of gushing and fawning, and not even in an opinion piece, but in something claiming to be a straight political report.
Well, at first I thought they had just mistakenly tagged a Bennett press release on the bottom. But on second look, I wasn’t so sure. But I thought it might get removed, which is why I copied it. Maybe I should look at it now to see how much the article just regurgitates what Bennett has given to them?
Oh, no. The article has now been re-written to include statements from the opposition parties – so now it’s much more factual (she said, they said) and less of a Bennett cheer-leading piece.
chutzpah!
I still had the original page open, still do actually, and was looking at what it has been altered..
The 5am article is barely the same piece when updated at 834am the same day. Some of the content is the same, but thats about it
Digital news, re-writing what they want….
Ah – now we know why Nia Glassie was back on the propaganda organ the other night.
And oh dear, good Morgan all, looks like good ole Bennybash is going the way of One Law as Natzipoll viagra.
Ah well, just get on with the job Maula. Wankey goes to Hollywood and giddyup dob-in, onto operation Deadbeat Parent Bash. DPB.
Onward and downward for the forces of hatemongering and Aotearoa’s crumbling reputation.
Heck yeah, TVNZ is all part of the NACT spin machine look who the SOE minister is, a very capable and focused man who’s is raging his way through under the radar, which isn’t hard with what passess for ‘journalism’ in this country.
The PM can always depend on reliable Paula Put-the-boot-in for another distraction on the heels of lousy news chasing him.
Problem for them is it’s becoming all to obvious as the others aren’t even up to that, when was the last time AyaTolley, Wonkinson or others lept into the bad news void with a song and dance routine.
Yesterday on the Mysogynist thread I had a bit of a tangle with a few posters (well, most really) and I see a few more comments posted since.
As always, after such an entanglement too much time gets spent thinking thinking instead of living living. Anyways, the thinkings that arose were… how much difference is there really between the genders when it comes to “predispositions” towards various features of manwomankind? After all, if one of the biggies, power and leadership apparently is not in any way inate then surely all the other lesser features will not be either?
The vast bulk (well, most really) of posters yesterday were confident that leadership and power ambitions and skills between men and women were a result of, effectively, nuture not nature. I remain dubious about that. However – how many other features of manwomankind are learned and not inate? It would be interesting to hear. Of course plenty can be found to read on the internet as marty mars is always keen to point out, but frankly the robustness of Standard threads generally brings out those readings and research anyway and it is muh more ‘fun’ swapping partial knowledge with others of partial knowledge and others of expertise, via this mechnaism. (similarly, I am aware of all patricarchy culture issues and the like and acknowledge them but am trying to step aside form those as much as possible)
So… what else? Leadership and power? Social characteristics? Nuturing? Group tendencies cf individual tendencies? Fighting for heirachy? Mechanical and construction tendencies? Driving ability? Conservative attitudes? Advancing and exploraton tendencies? Risk taking? There are certainly countless others.
It is pretty much a nature vs nuture issue, which is a long run debate on our world. But without rehashing that entire issue, how many features of manwomankind are inately different between the genders?
yes a game for you, jolly good fun but for some it is real and serious. I challenge you vto to read that link from deborah – go on if you have the guts to face your own shortcomings. Read the link and think about it because IMO you need some schooling mate.
http://finallyfeminism101.wordpress.com/2007/05/10/faq-but-men-and-women-are-born-different-isnt-that-obvious/
http://thestandard.org.nz/tony-abbot-misogynist-and-hyprocrite/comment-page-1/#comment-532473
Read the whole blog vto if you are really interested in learning.
Oh look, marty mars doesn’t answer the question again. And peppers in a few personals again. And assumes and misreads again. How surprising.
🙄
Gosh, marty, how dare you provide vto with the resources to do their own research instead of indulging vto’s desire to have a smug intellectual “debate” about shit which isn’t actually up for debate so vto can feel all clever ‘n’ shit.
.
Well would you look at that …. there really is no difference between the sexes. They’re both smart arse wankers.
Last time I looked this site was a site for exchanging ideas and debating issues.
Thanks for the contribution though.
Still haven’t read the article eh vto? shame on/for you.
Still in the habit of personalising things marty mars. Shame on you.
Have you read it yet? Why not ask yourself why you can’t? What are you afraid of vto?
Boring marty mars.
I suspect that, because my views on the place of Maori and te tiriti in thse islands is at odds with the views of your own and the risk that contrary views represent to various positions in NZ on this large matter, you have been doing everything you can to undermine everything I say. This is a common tactic in such circumstances and to be expected.
From here on lets just go our separate ways unless we can exchange views about the subject at hand and leave personals out of it.
As such there is no reply to your last post.
Enjoy your weekend. Stormy in your parts I hear.
vto, you’re undermining yourself by continuing to refuse to accept the assistance people have given you to educate yourself. All we have to do is sit back and watch you spin yourself into a frenzy of defensiveness.
I’m not undermining you vto but yes your views on tangata whenua offend me and I have to say other views you have expressed also offend me – but so what – lots of people do that 🙂
You have failed to recognise that i don’t bother engaging with those too far gone – I thought you sincerely wanted to learn about that area you didn’t understand. I have read the link more than once and it is excellent – it actually answers the original and subsequent questions you asked – i know because i have read both the question and answer, it is there.
You asked the questions why not read the answers?
Why not?
You’re making an assumption that I haven’t read it. I have not passed further comment on it because no other comments have been received to swap thoughts on.
It is interesting that you find my views on tangata whenua etc offensive because I similarly find many of your views offensive to the values and principles of my own heritage and culture (and in many cases not just views but also realities). If I might give you an example – in Christchurch at the moment we, the public, through the Christchurch rebuild are subject to the governance of Ngai Tahu, an organisation in which we, the public, have no say and no right to participate in. This is offensive and I am sure an explanation as to why is not necessary.
Anyway, lets keep the dialogue open and the personals to our persons.
edit: which is not to deny or reduce in any way the offensive things that Maori have suffered in the past
What did you think about the issues the article raised? Did you get the question answered? Did you believe what the article said? I’m interested because I love understanding why people think the way they think.
It is quite clear from contirbutions made here and elsewhere that there is no difference between the sexes. Our make-up and daily machinations are entirely a result of nuture not nature. Everything is learned.
In addition, it is abundantly clear that the issue has been fully researched and that manwomankind need never conduct any more research into this area as this is our high point of understanding. The highest point in history, a height that can not be topped. For evidence, see qot and others.
John Campbell had a stunner of a story on Dotcom last night. He proposed a timeline which indicated that Dotcom was given a really easy ride up until June of last year when his application to buy the home he rents was turned down by Power. The application had previously been granted by Williamson. His previous immigration application was treated with kid gloves and the change in treatment was stark.
Campbell drew a link between this and the Key trip to see Obama which happened a week before Power refused Dotcom’s application. Campbell also highlighted the pressure Hollywood was putting on Obama to do something about video piracy.
This really highlighted how unlikely it was that Key was not personally told about Power’s decision. It was a major issue which the US was focussing on and Key would have bent over backwards to butter up to Obama.
The change from Dotcom being the toast of the town to becoming persona non grata was too stark and you really get the feeling that NZ buckled under US pressure. The obsequious behaviour of our security forces in engaging in various illegal searches and handing the information over to the US without authority really reinforces this.
I await the next leak of information with glee.
Yep. The Key Government taking marching orders from Hollywood executives for some time (ones based in the USA and ones based in the Wairarapa).
Remember when Key was in opposition and shrieking “corruption”?
Looks like now that he is in office, he is delivering.
That was the same time Bill English was bleating ‘incompetent and mismanagement of the economy’. He too is now delivering.
Yup the gift that keeps giving, you get the impression that KD is a heck of alot smarter, resourced and with enough material to sink these shysters than they ever imagined.
When you give a donation the way he did, and who knows what Blinkly promised on behalf of NACT, you expect a reciprocation and what he received was multiple stabs in the back, IMO revenge will be his and would have been planned out while being incarcerated in great detail.
You have to wonder whether the police, GCSB etc.were not only under pressure from the FBI, but after Key’s trip the Govt. applied the pressure too. When the shit hit the fan, Key et al ran for cover and left the police and the GCSB to carry the can?
And Key claims he’d never heard of Dotcom. It’s beyond belief now.
A great Campbell presentation so I expect Roughan and Armstrong will protest that it might upset National.
“……Key would have bent over backwards to butter up to Obama.” There was that pretty needy call from Key that he was very keen to get an audience with Obama in June 2011. Wonder why so needy? Election image? Get instructions re Dotcom?
A great overview of all the events but a pity Key would not front to balance the story. Wonder why not? Ha Ha!
I wonder if Key’s talksheet with Obama is OIAable?
Yuss! (“Amber Lyons” -there is hope Lucy)
must be about Time to drop that paradoxical Fermi Bomb again Draco
🙂
now I better, go do, some real work. Have A Great Day Wherever You Are.
“A great Campbell presentation so I expect Roughan and Armstrong will protest that it might upset National.”
That was a fascinating CL last night, and I have no doubts there is more to come.
So far, there seems to be very little comment/coverage in other press media, which I find surprising.
As an aside, Russell Brown has an interesting post going at Public Address on the CL programme and Roughan’s recent criticisms. Many of the comments on Roughan are similar to those that have been expressed here on TS, but a particularly interesting comment is from John Sellwood from CL at the top of page 2 of the comments. Too long to quote here, but well worth reading for an insight.
Power announced stepping down from politics in March 2011, this put him into a position to do Key’s dirty work. Just what Power knew/knows is harder to establish as he cannot be questioned in the House.
There is a lot more chronology and timeline for John and Toby to reveal to the public, they are certainly on the right track.
As a side issue good to see the head of the IPCA wanting to release the outcome of more investigations (17 files out of 2,000 complaints released last year) and to also look at having the power to prosecute officers. A lot of time and resources at the IPCA is being spent on the Urewera file which will probably be released at the end of the year.
From what I know of Power, he might have done it but it would’ve fucked him off no end. And he would have been more than glad to walk to another job outside of politics.
Key may have known that Power’s decision would have been to decline Dotcom buying the mansion which would have suited Key.
Just how far back was Dotcom being set up as he was granted residence in November 2010?
When Hollywood came out to discuss the Hobbit I think that Dotcom was mentioned then and the trap was set only to be played out if Key got back in.
Interesting how the GCSB started spying on Dotcom just after the election.
The trouble GCSB went to in tracking Dotcom and his associates and how Key claims that he did not know about the GCSB spying on Dotcom until 17 September 2012 even though it is verified that Dotcom was mentioned by the GCSB on 29 February 2012.
27 October 2010 Key announced that the Hobbit movies would be made in NZ.
Yes good to see from JC, but I felt like it was only part 1 of the story, there’s so many unanswered questions here he didn’t even get to.
One thing I found interesting was where he showed a police report with about two pages blacked out. The reason given was apparently that it contained sensitive information concerning which ministers were told what and when. (I think, I’ve skimmed through the video trying to find it again, but I’m too busy to watch the whole thing again.) How is this a decent reason to deny us that information when that’s what we want to know? Don’t these ministers work for us?
It’s not information that we want to know but information that we need to know. It’s information that can show us just how corrupt, or not, our government is. Hiding it from us just proves the former.
Not if they can possibly help it.
Is it “Nothing to hide, nothing to fear,” or “Black it out, nothing to fear”?
This information is surely in the public interest – there is a serious question over the competence and/or motives of the people at the top. They should be judged by the public, not by themselves.
I just love JC.Since he has changed his show from that poncy one it used to be into real journalism and straight up honest reporting of what is really happening in NZ we never miss a show.Last night was brilliant!Littlemankey should be very afraid.We all know that every time he opens his mouth a lie comes out.If he ever does tell the truth it will be purely accidental.Can’t wait to rid NZ of this menace and get back to putting our country back into place, however hard it may be.
Of course Mr Key’s only defence is to not front up, especially for the hard questions from Campbell or Morning Report, or other in depth interviews.. To get balance surely he would want to defend in person but like most of his Ministers he will stick to the soft and friendly interviews.
Why is Key sticking to saying he had not heard of Dotcom until 19 January 2012 (apart from the 29 February GCSB montage)?
The only thing I can come up with is that he has some arrangement with Hollywood as misleading the House does not seem to bother Key. Misleading the House is going to break Key as he will not be able to keep up the misleading as matters pertaining to Dotcom are now as big as Nixon/Watergate. A line similar to this was once said by Nixon, the public want to know if the president is a liar.
duncan garner was on the radio the other monring saying that no govt was ever brought down by a spy scandal, how thick is that!
Duncan Garner has long had a problem, if i may quote a fictional warrior woman, of ‘his brain being missing’
i quote a fictional character as DG seems familiar with the territory
“… how thick is that!”
VERY.
Thick As A Brick
Will wager a bet that JK will never front up to JC again.
Remember the thrashing JC gave him a few weeks ago?
Did not see that one, Anne, so would be interested to watch it if you can give a little more detail (eg when, subject etc) if it is still on On Demand.
Hi deuto
This is the only interview with the PM in recent months I can find, but I don’t think it’s the right one. My memory is of John Key becoming increasingly testy with Campbell’s dogged persistence, to the point where he mutters “Jesus” under his breath.
http://www.3news.co.nz/John-Key-discusses-Dotcom-saga/tabid/367/articleID/253053/Default.aspx
In the light of last night’s fascinating Campbell Live, I recommend readers watch this CL interview with the PM again and listen carefully to what Key said. 🙂
“Remember the thrashing JC gave him a few weeks ago?”
The interview when Key came on to explain himself. I’m still waiting…
Why would he, Reagan got relected without a debate or facing any serious questions whatsoever so Johnny Sparkles probably thinks he can do the same especially with important stuff like bending over to Hollywood, opening breweries etc etc
and JK also visited Te Takere yesterday. I dearly hope someone was there to explain what all the things on the shelves were, we know how reading is not his thing.
(As an Artist I am more than aware how the hand can sometimes control the Art independantly of the consciousness. Usually with success but occassional failures occur. With that in mind I purposefully stayed away from the PM’s visit in case my mouth did something silly. There are too many good things trying to be accomplished in this town to tarnish that wonderful space with petty stunts.)
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/national-suspected-scuttling-ad-man-ansells-colourblind-campaign-launch-
MY COMMENT – YET TO BE PUBLISHED:
Managed to catch up with John Ansell as he left the Maori TV studio on Monday 8 October 2012.
Asked him if he thought ‘ONE LAW FOR ALL’ should equally apply to ACT’s current and former leaders, John Banks and Don Brash, who equally signed Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009, which contained untrue statements.
Had the evidence on the banner shown in this photo.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=292239740881964&set=a.292239697548635.58469.100002878203522&type=1&theater
Seems that John Ansell isn’t aware of the details, but he agreed that if John Banks and Don Brash were guilty – they should be charged.
(Normal procedure is that one is first charged before one is found guilty?)
I suggested he check out for himself the information provided on http://www.pennybright4epsom.org.nz
Look forward to further discussion with John Ansell on this and related matters ……
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
I found this on Facebook. I decided to copy and paste this integrally regardless of the length because it’s beautiful and powerful and needs to be far and wide.
Neil McCormick
Being Poor
Being poor is knowing exactly how much everything costs.
Being poor is getting angry at your children for asking for all the crap they see on TV.
Being poor is buying a $800 car because it’s what you can afford, and then having the car break down on you, because there’s not an $800 car in New Zealand that’s worth a damn.
Being poor is hoping your toothache goes away.
Being poor is knowing your kid goes to friends’ houses but never has friends over to yours.
Being poor is going to the toilet at school so you’re last to go get your lunch box, and then noone wants to swap their lunch food with you anyway.
Being poor is living next to the motorway.
Being poor is living under power pylons.
Being poor is coming back to the car with your children in the back seat, clutching that box of Raisin Bran you just bought and trying to think of a way to make the kids understand that the box has to last.
Being poor is wondering if your well-off brother is lying when he says he doesn’t mind when you ask for help.
Being poor is pre-owned toys.
Being poor is a heater in only one room of the house.
Being poor
Being poor is knowing you can’t leave $5 on the coffee table when your friends are around.
Being poor is hoping your kids don’t have a growth spurt.
Being poor is stealing meat from the shops, frying it up before your Mum gets home and then telling her she doesn’t have make dinner tonight because you’re not hungry anyway.
Being poor is Salvation Army underwear.
Being poor is not enough space for everyone who lives with you.
Being poor is feeling the glued soles tear off your Salvation Army bought shoes when you run around the playground.
Being poor is your kid’s school being the one with the 15-year-old textbooks and no air conditioning.
Being poor is thinking $10.80 an hour is a really good wage.
Being poor is relying on people who don’t give a damn about you.
Being poor is working an overnight shift under florescent lights.
Being poor is finding the letter your Mum wrote to your Dad, begging him for the child support.
Being poor is having a bath then having to empty it into the toilet.
Being poor is stopping the car to take a lamp from a stranger’s Rubbish Bin.
Being poor is making lunch for your kid when a cockroach skitters over the bread, and you looking over to see if your kid saw.
Being poor is believing passing a WINZ Training Course actually makes a bit of difference.
Being poor is people being angry at you just for walking around in the local shopping mall.
Being poor is not taking the job because you can’t find someone you trust to watch your pre-school children.
Being poor is the police bursting into the house right next to yours.
Being poor is not talking to that girl because she’ll probably just laugh at your clothes.
Being poor is hoping you’ll be invited to someone’s home for dinner.
Being poor is a sidewalk with lots of brown glass on it.
Being poor is people thinking they know something about you by the way you talk.
Being poor is needing that 35cent raise.
Being poor is your kid’s teacher assuming you don’t have any books in your home.
Being poor is six dollars short on the power bill and no way to close the gap.
Being poor is crying when you drop the MacDonald’s Cheeseberger on the floor.
Being poor is knowing you work as hard as anyone, anywhere and people still call you a bludger.
Being poor is people being surprised to discover you’re not actually stupid.
Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually lazy.
Being poor is a six-hour wait in the hospital emergency waiting room with a sick child asleep on your lap.
Being poor is never buying anything someone else hasn’t already owned.
Being poor is picking the 10xpack of two minute noodles instead of the 1 packet because there’s two free packages in the 10xpack.
Being poor is having to live your life with choices you didn’t realise you’d made when you were 14 years old.
Being poor is getting tired of people expecting you to be grateful.
Being poor is knowing you’re being judged.
Being poor getting is a box of crayons and a $1 colouring book from a community centre Santa.
Being poor is checking the coin return slot of every drink machine as you walk by.
Being poor is deciding that it’s all right to base a relationship on a roof over your head.
Being poor is knowing you really shouldn’t spend that dollar on a scratch Kiwi ticket.
Being poor is feeling helpless when your child makes the same mistakes you did, and won’t listen to you begging them against doing so.
Being poor is a cough that doesn’t go away.
Being poor is making sure you don’t spill on the couch, just in case you have to pay for it when your lease is up.
Being poor is a $200 getting a pay cheque advance from a company that then takes $250 when the pay cheque comes in.
Being poor is a lumpy futon bed.
Being poor is knowing where the nearest shelter is.
Being poor is people who have never been poor wondering why you would choose to live like that.
Being poor is knowing how hard it is to stop being poor.
Being poor is seeing how few life options you really have.
Being poor is running in place.
Being poor is people wondering why you didn’t leave.
Sobering, as many of those get the big tick …….
Good to know that aint now one of them rich white middle class males. Damn.
I was shocked at how much I have to give the big tick now. Three years ago we could afford the odd meal out, some French cheeses, a non necessary drive into Hamilton. Not so any more! I make my own clothes and a lot of my own other necessities so we still have a great live in many aspects but I have no idea how people live on a minimum wage especially when raising kids.
Fucken hell that actually brought tears to my eyes.
it is powerful (One More Time in the ghetto…)
Dunno about the $5 thing. Most poor people I know are more honest than most and display more empathy than most. Which is not to say there aren’t any insufferable bastards who deserve a kicking for some of the shit they spread around. But, y’know…
I think it might be more a case of insecurity, i.e. IF on the small chance that $5 went walking, it would be a devastating blow to the day, so best not leave it just in case.
Thank you Travellerev.
There was a lot of the invisible burden of shame in that poem. No one should ever have to shoulder that or own it, yet increasingly we do.
Hi Rosie,
Sorry for my late response. I agree. Hidden toxic shame is what this is all about.
I would hazard a guess that more Kiwis sleep under the weight of this list
than at any time in the last fifty years
that is shameful
that is not a Nation
that is slavery
A few of them are a little off the mark I think (things that lots of people do, not just ‘poor’ people); I guess this list is that they’re necessities rather than simple choices.
However this one kind of annoys me:
“Being poor is picking the 10xpack of two minute noodles instead of the 1 packet because there’s two free packages in the 10xpack.”
That’s not “being poor”, that’s being economically literate and sensible. Really, being poor is knowing that that is the correct decision to make, but not having enough money to buy the 10 pack this week and so missing out of the bulk-buying discount.
Or, alternatively:
“Being poor is picking the 10 pack of 2-minute noodles instead of the 1 pack because the 10 pack effectively has 2 free inside it, then not having enough money left to buy a loaf of bread”.
Good one Ev,
The multiple small humiliations of being poor do stack up and we don’t have to agree with every line of Neil’s to acknowledge that.
Neighbours and I swap veges and fish, seawweed for the garden and all sorts of little jobs and kindnesses to get by. Car trips are well planned and all the rest. Even those of us doing ok feel poor in the toxic environment we live in. So lets get shot of ShonKey one way or another and return to a longstanding default NZ setting–we take care of our own!
Small humiliations stacking up are toxic and crushing for the soul. It is what our ruling elite thrive on. Notice how buoyant Bennet looks? That is her thriving because she can put the toxic shame she feels from her own upbringing on the shoulders of others!
RTM defends the great Eric Hobsbawm from the right-wingers gloating over his death:
http://readingthemaps.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/stalin-pol-pot-eric-hobsbawm-and-me.html
Oh to Be, or not to Be,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Existentialism
oh the angst.
(Notes from the Underground, underground somewhere in my memory, unfinished, unnecessary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnTelUJrDhc
still glowing?
-nobody’s child: no body’s Fool
(unlike Banks: nothing to fear nothing to Hyde)
Kiwis ditch Banks, divided over Dotcom
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7802705/Kiwis-ditch-Banks-divided-over-Dotcom
“Almost three quarters of New Zealanders view Banks ”unfavourably,” 14 per cent see him favourably, 13 per cent are unsure – and two per cent have never heard of him.”
I hear they actually polled John Banks for this as well. He is included in the 2%.
John Key was in the 2% too.
even though the GCSB thoroughly briefed him on Banks’ existence not six months ago.
A friend had read out snippets of the piece to me and I thought I heard, for the last line:
“They refuse to cooperate with the court and say it’s all National’s security” 🙂
Funny that it was apparently Banks who took the hammering and not Squeaky clean Mr Key. Ask the right question?
Don’t get the movie industry, first the anti-union Hobbit film and now the copyright criminalization of consumers of entertainment.
There’s no free lunch, but also there’s no right to profits either. Governments support media (like the BBC) to create a market, how much it intervenes has nothing to do with the creators or deliverers
of entertainment, it has everything to with the technology and the needs of the civic society.
aka National Radio.
Newspapers lost income from adverts because the technology moved and they can only make money now if they readjust how they serve the civic society – not advertisers, not media barons, but how the makeup of the real economy.
So I don’t get the movie industry because I won’t be going to the cinema while they continue to criminalize their consumers. They don’t have a right to use their market power to gain a regulative capture over the world.
Oh well,
more “Strange Phenomena”-Kate Bush
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenology_(philosophy)
(The Kick Inside)
It’s a Marvel louse Universe, so long DC
http://www.comics101.com/guestlecturer//news/Guest%20Lecturer/5/09_IM_45.jpg
This government is obscene and vile .
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7802704/Goff-attacks-Ministry-pay-rise
Monday – announce increased pay packet for wealthy Hollywood business.
Tuesday – announce decreased pay packet for under-20 workers.
Thursday – announce increased pay packet for high paid bureaucrat.
obscene
vile
spit in their face
AUCKLAND ELECTRICITY CONSUMER TRUST ELECTIONS!
Got your voting papers folks?
Went to the YOUR POWER TEAM launch yesterday.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/david-fisher/news/article.cfm?a_id=191&objectid=10839471
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/david-fisher/news/article.cfm?a_id=191&objectid=10839721
The stated policy of the YOUR POWER TEAM (Labour/Green ticket)
which I support as an ‘anti-privatisation’ / ‘anti-corruption’ campaigner:
Opposition to further privatisation of Vector (the ‘lines’ company)
Opening the book of the AECT so the public can see where our money is being spent.
Opening the meetings of the AECT so that the public can attend.
So!
Guess who I voted for!
🙂
Penny Bright
Base wage for youth is a joke
Well worth reading in full as it covers the entire spectrum of Nationals attacks on the young and defenceless.
Agreed Draco. (Just noted a reference to “Draco” when reading about the Roman Empire around 260AD. Draco means snake or dragon and often appeared on Army Unit flags. Dragon seems to fit.)
I sense all them little feet on these disgusting millipedey creatures begin to scurry here and there to safety like vermin and roaches as the great mass of servant begins to wake ….
well, after leading to phenomenology, which you sort of had to self-teach yourself when I was extramural university student, freakin hopeless the delivery in some areas, and this hole prerequisites nonsense, Jesus Wept; I’m Bored.
Time for further self-discipline.
BYE 😉
(I am relating to this Kafka dude, I can tell you)
Thanks for Hosting me Lynn and Lyn. never look back
MAY GOD BLESS THE LEFT.
(sad may be, yet it too will pass)
well better goooo, there is some servin’ to be done.
Bye fella, come back soon.
One more little hit by TV3, one more thing Key “doesn’t know” – government and agencies circle the wagons. Governor General? More to come on Campbell Live tonight.
Snap karol. 🙂
Heads up. Campbell Live tonight. Alleged talk by Key to Spy Staff in February touching on Kim Dotcom relating to their work on Dotcom. May be a video of same. If proved it would bring Key’s didn’t know until 17 September in dispute.
Yep. it’s all on… spies have come out batting. Leaked info. to Labour. Shearer on Campbell Live tonight. Unofficial recording of Key’s speech to GCSB staff in their canteen allegedly reveals he congratulated staff re-Kim Dotcom on 29th Feb. this year.
TV3 News video and article here.
Labour doesn’t seem to have the recording, but says it’s necessary for an independent inquiry:
As of a few days ago, while catching up with folks around Wellington, I “understand” that increasingly, in numbers and in degrees, senior public officials are also not happy with how some cabinet ministers have been behaving and not doing their job.
The misogynist hate directed at Gillard.
Her Rights at Work (Vanilla version)
Her Rights at Work (R-rated version)
ipredict selling Nats big time.
An apt comic strip.