For now the TPP seems dead – but it my be premature to celebrate too soon. We need to continue to let our government know that there are too many sticking points in the TPPA as we know it.
It seems that Canada has sought to delay the signing of the TPP because it has other international agreements that it wants to complete first.
It also seems that Canada and Japan are seen as the dominant parties in the negotiations, as they have the biggest economies of the countries involved. I guess it’s always size, and not some democratic process that decides much of the outcome of such deals.
Excellent article by Kirsty Johnston about leaving Auckland and the city’s declining number of positives and increasing number of negatives.
This could and should prompt a thread on the issues facing our largest city.
Are they insoluble?
Great Link. Basically someone at Auckland Transport seems to get an idea and then it’s pushed through in as lengthy and expensive way as possible by AT.
Look at the Pohutakawa 6 AT were going to remove. Didn’t happen in the end because of public outrage, but the mistake cost millions, wasted hours of the publics time, legal action and so forth. It was all a lie from AT the Pohutakawas should never have been proposed to be removed. Any normal person could. have seen that (like the parking issue in West Lynn) but someone is profiting from the keystone cop decisions supported by expensive and lengthy papers from IYI (intellectual yet idiots).
The shops are right, once Harvest goes down with all the chaos and reduced parking (and people have shopping so to carry it on buses or long distances is not that feasible), West Lynn will go down with it and so will all those people’s livelihoods. Thanks AT!
The other big issue is that is also sounds like the flooding issue has not even been addressed. Too much slope into the shops so that now with the massive levels of oversized construction allowed in the area that discharge into the wastewater rather than being absorbed by gardens spaces, the wastewater will overflow into the shops.
What a great time to be a private lawyer, so much profit from all the stupid preventable decisions and subsequent consequences…
Auckland Transport already get about a billion of funding – this is how they spend it, legal action, tree removal, shutting down small business in the community and flooding any remaining shops.
The shops are right, once Harvest goes down with all the chaos and reduced parking (and people have shopping so to carry it on buses or long distances is not that feasible), West Lynn will go down with it and so will all those people’s livelihoods. Thanks AT!
Actually, shopping via PT is eminently feasible. The problem is that people have been trained to always reach for the car rather than better options.
Although, if our economic system really did bring about the best and most efficient use of resources shopping would be delivered for free.
And if these shops are going down because of a slight change in road design then we have to ask if they’re actually a viable business. Where are all their customers going to?
Gotta remember Orsman was a nimby cheerleader during the unitary plan process.
If you want a more responsible dialogue go here. https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/
Funny that, private business don’t really want prices to fall – that’s the problem when so many things in this country about someone’s profit that there’s an uproar whenever a price is bought down.
The Japanese PM Abe is now trying to pressure Canada to finalise the agreement whilst they are in Vietnam. Can you please help us in tweeting PM Trudeau, Canadian Trade Minister and the Canadian Foreign Minister.
@JustinTrudeau @FP_Champagne @cafreeland
How will you feel about it when you get offered a frankenburger or frankensossie that’s made from animal cells cultured in a vat rather than it being a cunningly engineered and disguised plant product?
i would probably leave it for a few years to see if it kills people but if it had nothing that would make me ill i would eat it , it is the future , real meat will be for the rich .
industrial, highly processed food always becomes a problem. I trust Pollan – “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
What he means by ‘eat food’ is Like: A little meat won’t kill you, though it’s better approached as a side dish than as a main. And you’re much better off eating whole fresh foods than processed food products. That’s what I mean by the recommendation to eat ”food.”
I also like the one about eating food that your grandparent’s would recognise (or great grandparents etc depending on how old you are).
I think our approach to eating has to improve as well. Mealtime seems to have been slower and more of a social interaction in the past. Pot lucks are good for that now or general community eating now with the tables on the road approach.
Let’s start with its first ingredient by weight: water. Suffice it to say that no quality product uses it as a bulk ingredient.
And at that point there I almost stopped reading as she obviously doesn’t have the knowledge necessary to make any sort of comment.
Coconut oil has a trendy ‘superfood’ ring to it, except that here it isn’t raw, so the inherent nutrition of the nut has been heavily compromised by the harsh industrial refining process to which it has been subjected.
And that bit proved it.
The only people who are going to listen to that drivel are the people who have even less knowledge.
They’ve both got a lot of history in food use. Check the labels on foods like ice cream, salad dressing, anything else that is some sort of emulsion of fats in water.
Tossing in that bit about being used in drilling operations is a straight up scare tactic that’s totally irrelevant to the issue.
There isn’t a single thing you eat or drink that won’t kill you if you ingest sufficient quantities. Dosage is key, for food as for anything else.
With so many new ways to die now (OMGZ! Oxidane!), it’s quite amazing that life expectancy continues to improve the world over. I’d think it a paradox but for the possibility that one of the premises is wrong. Happy days.
Cellular agriculture seems fairly “sciency” to me though. Just like traditional agriculture. Knowing when to plant what doesn’t just happen by your special woo, eh.
I dunno about that. I’m not a veggo and I’m not about to become one while it means giving up some smells and tastes and textures I really enjoy. Plus I’m not ready to make the effort to ensure I’m getting all the nutrients I need from a pure plant diet, when a bit of meat and dairy on a regular basis means I don’t have to worry about it.
But I know a few veggos that have made that sacrifice and commitment, and miss the animal based parts of their eating. They’d be quite happy for non-animal substitutes to become available so they could enjoy them again. If it looks and smells and tastes like a real beef burger but it’s basically a flavoured falafel, they’d be all over it. As would I.
And if they can engineer up something that has the smell and taste and crispy mouthfeel of bacon …
Who’s going on honeymoon with the new Government
9 Nov 17
Credit: TVNZ
More confident than not they’ll be better off under new government
Nearly twice as many New Zealanders are feeling positive rather than negative about the effect the new Labour-led government will have on them personally.
A Horizon Research survey of 1,068 adults nationwide between October 24 and November 1, 2017, finds overall that
49% say the new government will positively affect them personally in the next three years
24% say it will affect them negatively
28% say the affect will be neither positive nor negative.
The numbers do not vary by gender.
Yep! I managed to convince a number of small business owners and professionals that the previous gubbamint wasn’t really their bess fren and that they were more concerned about the largesse of their corporate friends. Even the local dairy owner is rapt with the change.
I’ve never been much of a fan about the term ‘entrepreneur’. It’s what small Bizzniss always used to do – be it the natural entrepreneurial Indian starting the corner store and continuing it on to become a chain that’s not going to be sold off to an offshore interest; or the Chinese Laundry whose owner/operators were happy enough to provide a decent living for family and friends,. It’s becoming as tedious as people claiming ‘passion’ (more often ‘pearshun’) about what they do.
The language of the neo-liberal
Now, if you don’t mind I’m going to schadenfreude TF out of this.
For months, lawsuits have piled up against James O’Keefe, the conservative filmmaker and provocateur, from various targets of his signature undercover videos.
But O’Keefe and his video site Project Veritas have taken some legal action of their own recently — against the insurance company that they claim violated a contractual obligation to pay for mushrooming legal bills.
Now Project Veritas is engaged in a battle with the company it hoped would protect it, a dispute that lays bare the stark challenges faced by O’Keefe for the kind of controversial, litigation-prone hidden camera stings that have made him both a scourge and a conservative media darling.
The 11 nations involved have reconvened today to try to salvage the deal and have agreed to most of the deal but four provisions that have been ‘suspended’, the new agreement has been renamed “The comprehensive progressive pacific partnership agreement”.
On Stuff there is a brilliant set of pictures and video clip and commentary on the Highway rebuild and Kaikoura. Be the best online presentation that I have ever seen. Scroll down to see the best. A big screen would be good
Trans-Pacific Partnership: 11 trade ministers reach deal to keep deal alive
VERNON SMALL
Last updated 14:50, November 11 2017
Crisis talks among Trans Pacific Partnership ministers appear to have pulled the free trade pact back from the brink of collapse, although it still faces an uncertain future.
Late on Friday Canada boycotted a meeting of leaders from the 11 nations involved, throwing the deal into disarray.
But after trade ministers met, with Canada back at the table, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters on Saturday that though “clarification” was still needed it was sill alive.
She had the impression Canada was back on board: “We are in a more stable place than we were yesterday.”
But she was still not clear why Canada had not shown at the leaders’ meeting.
Trade Minister David Parker, who was part of the crisis meeting, said the text had been “stabilised” so there was a legal agreement about “just about all of it. The ‘just about’ could be important”.
He said there were four provisions of the original TPP that were suspended and work needed to be done on those.
The name of the agreement has also been changed from TPP to CPTPP – the comprehensive progressive TPP.
Parker said it was the most comprehensive agreement when it came to labour laws, environmental standards and the right to regulate that there had ever been in a trade agreement.
That included enforcement mechanisms that can in the end result in trade sanctions if parties breach those standards.
Parker said on contentious investor-state dispute resolution clauses, New Zealand had tried to get rid of them completely but was unsuccessful.
“We narrowed the scope of them and we have a side arrangement with Australia which means that 80 per cent of the foreign direct investment into New Zealand from TPP countries is not covered by ISDS clauses at all.”
There were “a number of other bilateral arrangements in place” on ISDS that he could not yet talk about.
“We have made substantial progress on ISDS clauses in just a matter of weeks.”
Ardern said the CPTPP was a different one than the TPP before the United States withdrew.
She added it was disappointing the Government only had two week to change what National could have tried to achieve had it negotiated differently.
Parker said the suggestion Canada had problems was because Labour standards were not resolved was not right.
That implied wrongly that New Zealand was not standing up and was not successful on labour standards.
There was no plan at this stage for the CPTPP leaders to meet again at Apec.
TPP opponent Auckland University law professor Jane Kelsey said she was “disappointed, but not surprised” the Labour government had endorsed the TPP, with the suspension of a limited range of items.
The TPP member countries were trying to find a way forward without the US, the biggest economy and, before President Donald Trump took office, one of its most assertive supporters.
Trump had said he preferred country-to-country deals and was seeking to renegotiate several major trade agreements to, as he said, “put America first.”
Trump reiterated his markedly different stance on trade before the 21-member Apec summit convened late Friday with a gala banquet.
The US president told an Apec business conference that “we are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of anymore.”
He lambasted the World Trade Organisation and other trade forums as unfair to the United States and reiterated his preference for bilateral trade deals, saying “I am always going to put America first.”
Trump said he would not enter into large trade agreements, alluding to US involvement in the North American Free Trade Agreement and the TPP.
In contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the same group that nations need to stay committed to economic openness or risk being left behind.
The Chinese president drew loud applause when he urged support for the “multilateral trading regime” and progress toward a free-trade zone in the Asia-Pacific.
China was not part of the TPP.
Apec operated by consensus and customarily issued non-binding statements. TPP commitments would eventually be ratified and enforced by its members.
But even talks this week on a declaration to cap the Apec summit had to be extended for an extra half day as ministers haggled over wording.
It’s unclear what the exact sticking points were, but officials have alluded to differences over the unequal impact more open trade has had on workers and concerns over automation in manufacturing that could leave many millions in a wide array of industries with no work to do.
As a developing country with a fast-growing export sector, this year’s host country, Vietnam, has a strong interest in open trade and access for its exports to consumers in the West.
The summit is an occasion for its leaders to showcase the progress its economy has made thanks largely to foreign investment and trade.
Da Nang, Vietnam’s third-largest city, is in the midst of a construction boom as dozens of resorts and smaller hotels pop up along its scenic coastline.
Apec’s members are New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.
So they have been ‘unsuccessful at getting rid of the investor-state dispute clauses that will control his government, but agreed to it anyway??????
Is he now saying we need to eat dead rats?? Unbelievable.
Cant trust them can we.
quote; “Parker said on contentious investor-state dispute resolution clauses, New Zealand had tried to get rid of them completely but was unsuccessful.”
Yes Grey Area, She is moving to fast to try and achieve anything she can by the looks of it.
She is hurting her base here as we will be all hurt if she does not stand up for us as she said “everyone will have a voice and be heard” but our/her people will begin to doubt it if she doesnt speak up for us as Justin Trudeau did his people.
It is called governing. It was always unthinkable that any New Zealand government would refuse to sign. Trade liberalisation and capital liberalisation and protection of shareholders from vexatious governments. All core New Zealand values that have had bipartisan support for the last 30 years.
We should all be applauding the new Prime Minister for her efforts. Sadly the communist in charge of Canada had other ideas.
Brett J. Talley, President Trump’s nominee to be a federal judge in Alabama, has never tried a case, was unanimously rated “not qualified” by the American Bar Assn.’s judicial rating committee, has practiced law for only three years and, as a blogger last year, displayed a degree of partisanship unusual for a judicial nominee, denouncing “Hillary Rotten Clinton” and pledging support for the National Rifle Assn.
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee, on a party-line vote, approved him for a lifetime appointment to the federal bench.
Well, I only hope that the Republican Party of the USA no longer claims to be a meritocracy…
Yeah, judicial appointments is one area the Dork from New York is actually achieving something that will have a lasting effect. There’s a shitload of open appointments because McConnell refused to move on filling any vacancies during Obama’s tenure. But whenever the Terracotta Turdface passes along a name the Heritage Foundation puts in front of him, the Repugs fall all over themselves to rubber-stamp it.
Hi Bill it’s the standards fav apply labeled right wing ninja here. For every one that doesn’t know it’s important for political reasons to identify with a tribe for dogmatic reasons. I’m gana be following up on another topic Bill identified with as harmful to his tribe that is the “Oh Fuck” blog he wrote. If you haven’t seen those exchanges please read it, I did a lot of explaining in the comments section that Bill would preferably not want me to repeat. People who don’t want to read about the truth probably don’t want me to either. If you could, please read those comments be for reading this one. But if you don’t like the truth then probably best you stop reading and keep your opinions to yourself. But if you’re just confused you can still follow along.
Ok so last time Bill, I’m just going to assume you got bullied in school. And you went MMA styles all over your bully. And let’s say you rule the internet because you’ve got a bit of power to do stuff other internet users can not. And now you’ve got a bunch of followers on social media and then one day a RWNJ comes along and doesn’t agree with your opinion and it triggers you back into your safe place. And you got so triggered you turned into a father figure out of share rage. And as it turned I was curious about you. So a sent you a message via the standard (and I’m a RWNJ, don’t @me about how I’m coming up with this) when a RWNJ messages you on the standard and say hey look, you’re being an ass again. And then you start having like PTSD from when you got bullied at school. and it’s made you freak out with admin speak. You’re popping keys on keyboards to get over it. And you just came to the conclusion you have to moderate to reinforce your safe place so you don’t get bullied again by RWNJ’s. And so a week or so has past since you lost it over climate change and you’ve mastered you admins skills again because that’s all you’ve really done in that time.
Now you try and attack this RWNJ and this RWNJ is unimpressed because you’re like this angry administrator with a little bit of power over your safe spot and just finesse you with your own hypocrisy or some shit. And then you start getting triggered like oh no it’s coming you know? You felt the beating in your sole like it was reminiscent of those old days at school. And you got triggered like Adam failing to understand finance isn’t always about being a RWNJ. Only this one is a much more controlled version because you’re a super moderator or something, and your a lot more used to it. So your able to go into moderator mode to maximise your opinion over every one, just with a lot of strain.
Now this apply labeled RWNJ just raises an eyebrow because he’s unimpressed and just whips your ass again. As a moderator the lvl of your opinion, Bill, really only increased by a couple questions. That’s what your opinion says. They are really only questions. So you being a moderator really only raises more questions. So basically you wouldn’t really be any different to a baby. Or just a heavily amped moderator version asking why all the time. So you’d bee like multi but buster, maybe small ball buster. And you’d honestly maybe, like maybe at this point be hitting the roof at the speed of light. I say this because Realogix seems to have the ability to moderate other moderators. When he moderated Tracy he was like get back to the point of discussing my safe place, or something like that. And you can go have a look at it some where around here, was about being abused. And then they all like went the speed of light.
Um so with you’re moderating skills being like doubling the amount of questions asked so you’d probably be around the speed of light by this point. And you’d be able to destroy like numerous butts and maybe like some one with smaller balls than me. How ever this RWNJ TS authors and commentators saw fit to label as asks only like one question every now and then just whooping charlatan educator who don’t seem to know much and has many, many questions lined up.
And now you have an epiphany because you’re so weak having to really on your moderating skills to get your opinion spread all over your safe place. Because you can’t handle any criticism. But it’s time to use your amazing moderating skills to your advantage right. You use them to plot to your advantage. You’ve looked deep inside yourself and searched for all of the plot armour that you can. And you find it. You find a third question as moderator. And after your ranted about how debating isn’t fair. This RWNJ is very patient because he just doesn’t care, he’s just waiting for you to transform into the ultimate TS author. I don’t know why I’m so patient, may be I’m just curious. Just waiting for you to transform into the ultimate TS author.
So now your probably hitting insane levels of speed. Because a RWNJ just doesn’t have any questions to ask. Just some opinions he holds about certain issues concerning the well being and prospects of future generations and it turns out that the this RWNJ is actually debating, not an MMA level author with plot armour. But actually debating, and then this thing every one likes to calla RWNJ is actually just finessing something that resembles pre pubescent pre madonnas. So the RWNJ puts a grin on his face and rants about how can do that to.
Now what are you going to do Bill. And there is only one thing left for you to do. And that’s more PLOT ARMOUR.
Now this brings me to my point. New Zealanders are in an almost impossible position, surrounded by vast oceans and opinions in between our major trading partners. Now we have to make a living around changing trade rulz that are determined to cut off Chinese expansion because American hegemony can only compete with militarily. New Zealand either makes ourselves unusual or face economic ruin. Deciding how to differentiate ourselves means setting out to create a first world oasis on an island in the middle of the Southern Ocean. So we have to create a base for all development. To do that New Zealand must have good infrastructure which isn’t difficult to do. What is more difficult is to have people behave like a first world people.
When you move people from a technologically scarce society with barley a ship to her name to a first world trading nation with ships of our own getting them to stop brining old philosophies out with them prevents or promotes all this. But we must succeed in progressing education, entertainment, leadership. The kids need to behave in a first world way. By stop behaving in a hap hazard way. Or they will face ruin. The children must give us tremendous motivation to try and deliver on improvements to the prospects of future generations.
The most difficult thing to do is to carry out industrialisation of services needed to carry out growth in the middle of the Southern Ocean. Because once you pollute the land then you destroy it, and destroy the living conditions. And when you destroy the living conditions then it’s not worth having this place. So every project that New Zealand puts up, the first concern must be anti-pollution. And the economics of it is a huge price to pay, there is an enormous row. Interested parties are trying to bargain with our future prospects. But our future prospects does not have the philosophical integrity to recognise the position New Zealand is in was once a position held during the lead up to WW2.
Now we must a convince every one of the merits of continuing the policies that our Grandfathers fought for. So carful attention to the environment at the same time looking to industry, growth and population challenges for away out is how New Zealanders will achieve there potential.
Any way guys catcha later. Let me know if you want another one. I don’t know if I should do the next one. Because of the triggers involved. Because the things TS authors can’t mention are a little controversial. Just have to maintain the magnificence of the authors opinion and place a protection around it. It’s a little bit hard to talk about it. But if you want to see more let me know.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Almost impressed that you hesitated long enough to get the full stops in there.
Kinda wish I’d observed all that as a verbal rant mind, because I reckon it would have been quite entertaining – a bit of frothing, a tad of eye bulging and general limb flailing.
Good, though pretty mindless “flow of consciousness” stuff there Sam – very good. 🙂
Not sure what has upset erstwhile centre left commentator, and one time aspiring Labour MP but it seems he still cannot quite bring himself to pen an acknowledgement, let alone celebration, of a Labour prime minister … does he still guest on RNZ’s panel?
He’s lost his former touch. Perhaps his lifestyle is no longer conducive to maintaining as informed a brief re-political matters that once was the case.
It could also be that Labour luminaries are no longer seeking his professional advice like they did in the past.
Edit: I think he might occasionally make an appearance on The Panel but not as frequently as he once did.
Last time he was on the panel with Michelle Boag he sounded a bit vague and there was very little of his usual back chat. Perhaps age is catching up with him. Boag has been on again several times since but with someone else. I can’t remember who and I shut off pretty quickly.
For Christ’s sake, what is wrong with these people? What’s with the pyjamas at these APEC meetings? Someone, anyone, just needs to say no once and we won’t have to look at this shit ever again.
It all looks a bit like a Mao uniform this year. Quite funny seeing Trump in one. Definitely not pjs. And it stops them trying to outdo each other. No gold braid, no see-through clothes, No exaggeratedly short skirts. (They must could have watched Christine Rankin’s videos.) Women won’t be able to wear bhurkas, though I hope they can wear hijabs if they want, and Sikh men should have the right to their headgear.
As srylands said, since 1993 the host country (in this case Vietnam) nominates (decides) the costume – and provides them. The attendees do not provide their own costume.
This year there seems to have been some choice in colour (blue or cream) and in style for the three women attendees. So men had the choice of blue or cream shirts, and the women also could choose between the shirt or a jacket. Hence most of the men seem to have chosen blue shirts, as did one of the women, and Jacinda and the other woman chose the cream jacket. Sizings would have been prearranged in the lead up to the meetings.
Incidentally, the cream bone Maori carving hair comb worn by Jacinda with the Jacket was apparently a gift to her from the Pike River families.
One correction – all thee women chose the jacket. The woman (Chile PM?) who I thought chose the blue shirt actually wore a blue jacket, same style as Jacinda’s. All the shirts and jackets were/are silk.
Did you like the dress that Jacinda wore for her (and Ministers’) swearing in by the Governor-General at Government House?
Probably a recommendation from Jacinda’s DPS bodyguards!
Sorry, I have a twisted sense of humour. Actually have a lot of time for Clarke as he and his mate/business partner in his fishing show are moving more and more into marine protection, species protection etc etc. Apparently they did some/most of the underwater filming etc for the proposed Niue marine sanctuary covering 40% of the waters around Niue.
Haven’t seen Jacindas dress – haven’t tv. But it’s interesting to see what you can get for $599 made in polyester.
I notice that the Hallenstein suit seems tight fitting jacket and trousers. There isn’t a relaxed look about the clothes, all straining at the button or across the leg.
Aren’t men’s suits regimented. And the design seems to have gone across the world as men’s power dressing.
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A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
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The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
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The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
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For now the TPP seems dead – but it my be premature to celebrate too soon. We need to continue to let our government know that there are too many sticking points in the TPPA as we know it.
It seems that Canada has sought to delay the signing of the TPP because it has other international agreements that it wants to complete first.
It also seems that Canada and Japan are seen as the dominant parties in the negotiations, as they have the biggest economies of the countries involved. I guess it’s always size, and not some democratic process that decides much of the outcome of such deals.
See Toronto Star on this
And CBC News
Excellent article by Kirsty Johnston about leaving Auckland and the city’s declining number of positives and increasing number of negatives.
This could and should prompt a thread on the issues facing our largest city.
Are they insoluble?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11942708
Good one there Ed Thanks for that , I left Auckland when my family moved to HB 66yrs ago.
I left end of Jan 17
Where did you move to?
Christchurch
Interesting article by Bernard Orsman showing how dictatorial AT have become and displaying what a sham their process of consultation is.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11942515
Great Link. Basically someone at Auckland Transport seems to get an idea and then it’s pushed through in as lengthy and expensive way as possible by AT.
Look at the Pohutakawa 6 AT were going to remove. Didn’t happen in the end because of public outrage, but the mistake cost millions, wasted hours of the publics time, legal action and so forth. It was all a lie from AT the Pohutakawas should never have been proposed to be removed. Any normal person could. have seen that (like the parking issue in West Lynn) but someone is profiting from the keystone cop decisions supported by expensive and lengthy papers from IYI (intellectual yet idiots).
The shops are right, once Harvest goes down with all the chaos and reduced parking (and people have shopping so to carry it on buses or long distances is not that feasible), West Lynn will go down with it and so will all those people’s livelihoods. Thanks AT!
The other big issue is that is also sounds like the flooding issue has not even been addressed. Too much slope into the shops so that now with the massive levels of oversized construction allowed in the area that discharge into the wastewater rather than being absorbed by gardens spaces, the wastewater will overflow into the shops.
What a great time to be a private lawyer, so much profit from all the stupid preventable decisions and subsequent consequences…
Auckland Transport already get about a billion of funding – this is how they spend it, legal action, tree removal, shutting down small business in the community and flooding any remaining shops.
Actually, shopping via PT is eminently feasible. The problem is that people have been trained to always reach for the car rather than better options.
Although, if our economic system really did bring about the best and most efficient use of resources shopping would be delivered for free.
And if these shops are going down because of a slight change in road design then we have to ask if they’re actually a viable business. Where are all their customers going to?
Gotta remember Orsman was a nimby cheerleader during the unitary plan process.
If you want a more responsible dialogue go here. https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/
Ten Reasons We Got Rid of the Nasty Party
No. 7: Keeping these zombies out of the grave
https://cdn.thestandard.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/John-Banks-in-dock.jpg?x57220
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11210988
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/89523/acts-david-seymour-looks-be-fighting-stay-relevant-election-national-odds-need-winston
Funny that, private business don’t really want prices to fall – that’s the problem when so many things in this country about someone’s profit that there’s an uproar whenever a price is bought down.
Christchurch council’s cheaper carpark prices ruffle feathers
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11942951
When a public utility does it cheaper and more efficiently. LOL.
The Japanese PM Abe is now trying to pressure Canada to finalise the agreement whilst they are in Vietnam. Can you please help us in tweeting PM Trudeau, Canadian Trade Minister and the Canadian Foreign Minister.
@JustinTrudeau @FP_Champagne @cafreeland
(from Daily blog)
http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/fake-meat-impossibly-hard-to-swallow/
still want you fake meat?
Yep.
i cant eat soy or anything with gluten so i’ll be sidestepping the frankin foods
How will you feel about it when you get offered a frankenburger or frankensossie that’s made from animal cells cultured in a vat rather than it being a cunningly engineered and disguised plant product?
i would probably leave it for a few years to see if it kills people but if it had nothing that would make me ill i would eat it , it is the future , real meat will be for the rich .
industrial, highly processed food always becomes a problem. I trust Pollan – “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
What he means by ‘eat food’ is Like: A little meat won’t kill you, though it’s better approached as a side dish than as a main. And you’re much better off eating whole fresh foods than processed food products. That’s what I mean by the recommendation to eat ”food.”
I also like the one about eating food that your grandparent’s would recognise (or great grandparents etc depending on how old you are).
Pollan quote from http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/unhappy-meals/
I think our approach to eating has to improve as well. Mealtime seems to have been slower and more of a social interaction in the past. Pot lucks are good for that now or general community eating now with the tables on the road approach.
And at that point there I almost stopped reading as she obviously doesn’t have the knowledge necessary to make any sort of comment.
And that bit proved it.
The only people who are going to listen to that drivel are the people who have even less knowledge.
”Konjac and xanthan are industrial hydrocolloid gums. (The latter was designed to thicken the drilling mud in the oil industry.) ”
what about that bit
You could try googling them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konjac
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthan_gum
They’ve both got a lot of history in food use. Check the labels on foods like ice cream, salad dressing, anything else that is some sort of emulsion of fats in water.
Tossing in that bit about being used in drilling operations is a straight up scare tactic that’s totally irrelevant to the issue.
Perfect propaganda: true, but mentioned only for the purposes of provoking a hostile emotional response against the propaganda’s target.
Being included in such highly processed, unhealthy and unnatural products, Andre
You managed to prove the point waghorn was making…
You’ve stated before that eating, drinking or inhaling chemical laboratory products is no issue for you..
The position you take is because you believe you understand the ‘science’…
But you don’t…your comments illustrate it..
There isn’t a single thing you eat or drink that won’t kill you if you ingest sufficient quantities. Dosage is key, for food as for anything else.
With so many new ways to die now (OMGZ! Oxidane!), it’s quite amazing that life expectancy continues to improve the world over. I’d think it a paradox but for the possibility that one of the premises is wrong. Happy days.
‘Life expectancy increasing ‘..
That’s the depth of your response?
Not at all, but who wants an exhaustive list of things that are continuing to improve? It’d take too long to scroll past the thing.
Life expectancy increasing means that far more people die of cancer, rather than the diseases that used to kill us.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Who can tell? After all, optimism doesn’t sell advertising.
Increasing…
Allergies…
Autism …
CO2 levels…
Debt levels…
Diabetes…
Environmental degradation..
Homelessness…
Inequality…
Malnutrition…
Mental illness…
Over medication…
Poverty…
Suicide rates…
War/weapons industry…
Etc
To your query though..”who can tell”…
The only reason you even know about most of those problems is because of science.
Without Epidemiology, for example, “inequality” would not be on your list at all.
Malnutrition is decreasing globally. Where it’s increasing, I suggest you look to the National Party and eg: Katherine Rich, rather than “science”.
Who can tell? Not you, that’s for sure.
You…are…
Lost…
The list was not about ‘science’…
HINT:
Increasing….
Autism rates are up, but is it really on the rise?
Answer: Probably not.
All as a result of capitalism.
@One Two: Hint: decreasing, increasing; your list was implicit in my very first remark. Your arrogant patronising drivel blinds you to the message.
Yes, I know you don’t get it. Perhaps you should learn to actually read what people are saying for a change.
It’s decreasing in the US.
Indeed. I should have said the global average.
“Good health unfolds through total acceptance of reality”
Just scaremongering which seems to be about all that article is about. It’s unscientific BS.
While the article is poorly written, and ill informed as you point out, earlier…
It’s not meant to be ‘scientific’, nor should it need to be written as such..
That said…monsanto pay ‘scientists’ and ‘journalists’, as well as owning journals to publish in…
‘Science’…
Nah…it’s not!
But it should be written to inform with all the information in it backed by science. This clearly is not the case.
The article doesn’t mention Monsanto once.
Cellular agriculture seems fairly “sciency” to me though. Just like traditional agriculture. Knowing when to plant what doesn’t just happen by your special woo, eh.
Any vegetarians who want food tech companies to make fake meat for them out of vegetables should reconsider whether vegetarianism’s for them.
I dunno about that. I’m not a veggo and I’m not about to become one while it means giving up some smells and tastes and textures I really enjoy. Plus I’m not ready to make the effort to ensure I’m getting all the nutrients I need from a pure plant diet, when a bit of meat and dairy on a regular basis means I don’t have to worry about it.
But I know a few veggos that have made that sacrifice and commitment, and miss the animal based parts of their eating. They’d be quite happy for non-animal substitutes to become available so they could enjoy them again. If it looks and smells and tastes like a real beef burger but it’s basically a flavoured falafel, they’d be all over it. As would I.
And if they can engineer up something that has the smell and taste and crispy mouthfeel of bacon …
Meanwhile. From the Horizon poll results.
The only people not happy about the new Government, are corporate ladder climbers and land speculators.
Entrepreneurs, small business, professionals and workers are mainly optimistic.
Yes KJT;
It was a positve poll for the new Labour/NZF Government but I wonder are the media all going to cover this poll?
https://horizonpoll.co.nz/page/489/whos-going-?gtid=3831264570538CNT
Who’s going on honeymoon with the new Government
9 Nov 17
Credit: TVNZ
More confident than not they’ll be better off under new government
Nearly twice as many New Zealanders are feeling positive rather than negative about the effect the new Labour-led government will have on them personally.
A Horizon Research survey of 1,068 adults nationwide between October 24 and November 1, 2017, finds overall that
49% say the new government will positively affect them personally in the next three years
24% say it will affect them negatively
28% say the affect will be neither positive nor negative.
The numbers do not vary by gender.
Yep! I managed to convince a number of small business owners and professionals that the previous gubbamint wasn’t really their bess fren and that they were more concerned about the largesse of their corporate friends. Even the local dairy owner is rapt with the change.
I’ve never been much of a fan about the term ‘entrepreneur’. It’s what small Bizzniss always used to do – be it the natural entrepreneurial Indian starting the corner store and continuing it on to become a chain that’s not going to be sold off to an offshore interest; or the Chinese Laundry whose owner/operators were happy enough to provide a decent living for family and friends,. It’s becoming as tedious as people claiming ‘passion’ (more often ‘pearshun’) about what they do.
The language of the neo-liberal
Pearshun isn’t enough though, as they have begun to realise after nine long years. And community is everything. It can even sustain business.
If it headlines it will have a Big business confidence drops…
Now, if you don’t mind I’m going to schadenfreude TF out of this.
For months, lawsuits have piled up against James O’Keefe, the conservative filmmaker and provocateur, from various targets of his signature undercover videos.
But O’Keefe and his video site Project Veritas have taken some legal action of their own recently — against the insurance company that they claim violated a contractual obligation to pay for mushrooming legal bills.
Now Project Veritas is engaged in a battle with the company it hoped would protect it, a dispute that lays bare the stark challenges faced by O’Keefe for the kind of controversial, litigation-prone hidden camera stings that have made him both a scourge and a conservative media darling.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/stevenperlberg/james-okeefe-is-fighting-his-insurance-company?utm_term=.khO555LkKe#.wfMeeeaPKB
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018621303
Radio NZ News flash 3pm 11/11/17.
Start;
The 11 nations involved have reconvened today to try to salvage the deal and have agreed to most of the deal but four provisions that have been ‘suspended’, the new agreement has been renamed “The comprehensive progressive pacific partnership agreement”.
End.
On Stuff there is a brilliant set of pictures and video clip and commentary on the Highway rebuild and Kaikoura. Be the best online presentation that I have ever seen. Scroll down to see the best. A big screen would be good
https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2017/11/the-road/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/98790099/transpacific-partnership-11-trade-ministers-reach-deal-to-keep-deal-alive
Trans-Pacific Partnership: 11 trade ministers reach deal to keep deal alive
VERNON SMALL
Last updated 14:50, November 11 2017
Crisis talks among Trans Pacific Partnership ministers appear to have pulled the free trade pact back from the brink of collapse, although it still faces an uncertain future.
Late on Friday Canada boycotted a meeting of leaders from the 11 nations involved, throwing the deal into disarray.
But after trade ministers met, with Canada back at the table, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters on Saturday that though “clarification” was still needed it was sill alive.
She had the impression Canada was back on board: “We are in a more stable place than we were yesterday.”
But she was still not clear why Canada had not shown at the leaders’ meeting.
Trade Minister David Parker, who was part of the crisis meeting, said the text had been “stabilised” so there was a legal agreement about “just about all of it. The ‘just about’ could be important”.
He said there were four provisions of the original TPP that were suspended and work needed to be done on those.
The name of the agreement has also been changed from TPP to CPTPP – the comprehensive progressive TPP.
Parker said it was the most comprehensive agreement when it came to labour laws, environmental standards and the right to regulate that there had ever been in a trade agreement.
That included enforcement mechanisms that can in the end result in trade sanctions if parties breach those standards.
Parker said on contentious investor-state dispute resolution clauses, New Zealand had tried to get rid of them completely but was unsuccessful.
“We narrowed the scope of them and we have a side arrangement with Australia which means that 80 per cent of the foreign direct investment into New Zealand from TPP countries is not covered by ISDS clauses at all.”
There were “a number of other bilateral arrangements in place” on ISDS that he could not yet talk about.
“We have made substantial progress on ISDS clauses in just a matter of weeks.”
Ardern said the CPTPP was a different one than the TPP before the United States withdrew.
She added it was disappointing the Government only had two week to change what National could have tried to achieve had it negotiated differently.
Parker said the suggestion Canada had problems was because Labour standards were not resolved was not right.
That implied wrongly that New Zealand was not standing up and was not successful on labour standards.
There was no plan at this stage for the CPTPP leaders to meet again at Apec.
TPP opponent Auckland University law professor Jane Kelsey said she was “disappointed, but not surprised” the Labour government had endorsed the TPP, with the suspension of a limited range of items.
The TPP member countries were trying to find a way forward without the US, the biggest economy and, before President Donald Trump took office, one of its most assertive supporters.
Trump had said he preferred country-to-country deals and was seeking to renegotiate several major trade agreements to, as he said, “put America first.”
Trump reiterated his markedly different stance on trade before the 21-member Apec summit convened late Friday with a gala banquet.
The US president told an Apec business conference that “we are not going to let the United States be taken advantage of anymore.”
He lambasted the World Trade Organisation and other trade forums as unfair to the United States and reiterated his preference for bilateral trade deals, saying “I am always going to put America first.”
Trump said he would not enter into large trade agreements, alluding to US involvement in the North American Free Trade Agreement and the TPP.
In contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the same group that nations need to stay committed to economic openness or risk being left behind.
The Chinese president drew loud applause when he urged support for the “multilateral trading regime” and progress toward a free-trade zone in the Asia-Pacific.
China was not part of the TPP.
Apec operated by consensus and customarily issued non-binding statements. TPP commitments would eventually be ratified and enforced by its members.
But even talks this week on a declaration to cap the Apec summit had to be extended for an extra half day as ministers haggled over wording.
It’s unclear what the exact sticking points were, but officials have alluded to differences over the unequal impact more open trade has had on workers and concerns over automation in manufacturing that could leave many millions in a wide array of industries with no work to do.
As a developing country with a fast-growing export sector, this year’s host country, Vietnam, has a strong interest in open trade and access for its exports to consumers in the West.
The summit is an occasion for its leaders to showcase the progress its economy has made thanks largely to foreign investment and trade.
Da Nang, Vietnam’s third-largest city, is in the midst of a construction boom as dozens of resorts and smaller hotels pop up along its scenic coastline.
Apec’s members are New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the US and Vietnam.
– Stuff, with AP
So they have been ‘unsuccessful at getting rid of the investor-state dispute clauses that will control his government, but agreed to it anyway??????
Is he now saying we need to eat dead rats?? Unbelievable.
Cant trust them can we.
quote; “Parker said on contentious investor-state dispute resolution clauses, New Zealand had tried to get rid of them completely but was unsuccessful.”
“Cant trust them can we.”
Nope. I felt Labour were always going to let us down over TPP and that’s exactly what’s happening.
Yes Grey Area, She is moving to fast to try and achieve anything she can by the looks of it.
She is hurting her base here as we will be all hurt if she does not stand up for us as she said “everyone will have a voice and be heard” but our/her people will begin to doubt it if she doesnt speak up for us as Justin Trudeau did his people.
And Winston is very quiet. Hard to take that as anything other than acquiesence
It is called governing. It was always unthinkable that any New Zealand government would refuse to sign. Trade liberalisation and capital liberalisation and protection of shareholders from vexatious governments. All core New Zealand values that have had bipartisan support for the last 30 years.
We should all be applauding the new Prime Minister for her efforts. Sadly the communist in charge of Canada had other ideas.
It’s never unthinkable that a government would rule in the interests of its people.
Not unthinkable but unheard of.
You people do spout some shit, don’t you? How on earth do you know the details of this deal since none have been made public, ever.
Why should shareholders get protection and not the general populace who need protection from those shareholders?
EDIT: And I actually thought that you were in favour removing protections.
EDIT 2: It seems that the only protections you like removing are those on the poor which protect them from the rich
And before that we had other values like looking after everyone and not just ‘shareholders’.
It’s unthinkable that any government that was doing the best for their people would sign.
Trump judge nominee, 36, who has never tried a case, wins approval of Senate panel
Well, I only hope that the Republican Party of the USA no longer claims to be a meritocracy…
Yeah, can’t see that happening.
Yeah, judicial appointments is one area the Dork from New York is actually achieving something that will have a lasting effect. There’s a shitload of open appointments because McConnell refused to move on filling any vacancies during Obama’s tenure. But whenever the Terracotta Turdface passes along a name the Heritage Foundation puts in front of him, the Repugs fall all over themselves to rubber-stamp it.
A very well dressed “nervous” man stalks then mugs a government MP in broad daylight, steals her handbag, just after her return from a Parliamentary visit to Bangladesh.
Police seem baffled, can’t locate the offender. Haven’t even mentioned who the getaway car belongs to.
Something to keep an eye on.
Hi Bill it’s the standards fav apply labeled right wing ninja here. For every one that doesn’t know it’s important for political reasons to identify with a tribe for dogmatic reasons. I’m gana be following up on another topic Bill identified with as harmful to his tribe that is the “Oh Fuck” blog he wrote. If you haven’t seen those exchanges please read it, I did a lot of explaining in the comments section that Bill would preferably not want me to repeat. People who don’t want to read about the truth probably don’t want me to either. If you could, please read those comments be for reading this one. But if you don’t like the truth then probably best you stop reading and keep your opinions to yourself. But if you’re just confused you can still follow along.
Ok so last time Bill, I’m just going to assume you got bullied in school. And you went MMA styles all over your bully. And let’s say you rule the internet because you’ve got a bit of power to do stuff other internet users can not. And now you’ve got a bunch of followers on social media and then one day a RWNJ comes along and doesn’t agree with your opinion and it triggers you back into your safe place. And you got so triggered you turned into a father figure out of share rage. And as it turned I was curious about you. So a sent you a message via the standard (and I’m a RWNJ, don’t @me about how I’m coming up with this) when a RWNJ messages you on the standard and say hey look, you’re being an ass again. And then you start having like PTSD from when you got bullied at school. and it’s made you freak out with admin speak. You’re popping keys on keyboards to get over it. And you just came to the conclusion you have to moderate to reinforce your safe place so you don’t get bullied again by RWNJ’s. And so a week or so has past since you lost it over climate change and you’ve mastered you admins skills again because that’s all you’ve really done in that time.
Now you try and attack this RWNJ and this RWNJ is unimpressed because you’re like this angry administrator with a little bit of power over your safe spot and just finesse you with your own hypocrisy or some shit. And then you start getting triggered like oh no it’s coming you know? You felt the beating in your sole like it was reminiscent of those old days at school. And you got triggered like Adam failing to understand finance isn’t always about being a RWNJ. Only this one is a much more controlled version because you’re a super moderator or something, and your a lot more used to it. So your able to go into moderator mode to maximise your opinion over every one, just with a lot of strain.
Now this apply labeled RWNJ just raises an eyebrow because he’s unimpressed and just whips your ass again. As a moderator the lvl of your opinion, Bill, really only increased by a couple questions. That’s what your opinion says. They are really only questions. So you being a moderator really only raises more questions. So basically you wouldn’t really be any different to a baby. Or just a heavily amped moderator version asking why all the time. So you’d bee like multi but buster, maybe small ball buster. And you’d honestly maybe, like maybe at this point be hitting the roof at the speed of light. I say this because Realogix seems to have the ability to moderate other moderators. When he moderated Tracy he was like get back to the point of discussing my safe place, or something like that. And you can go have a look at it some where around here, was about being abused. And then they all like went the speed of light.
Um so with you’re moderating skills being like doubling the amount of questions asked so you’d probably be around the speed of light by this point. And you’d be able to destroy like numerous butts and maybe like some one with smaller balls than me. How ever this RWNJ TS authors and commentators saw fit to label as asks only like one question every now and then just whooping charlatan educator who don’t seem to know much and has many, many questions lined up.
And now you have an epiphany because you’re so weak having to really on your moderating skills to get your opinion spread all over your safe place. Because you can’t handle any criticism. But it’s time to use your amazing moderating skills to your advantage right. You use them to plot to your advantage. You’ve looked deep inside yourself and searched for all of the plot armour that you can. And you find it. You find a third question as moderator. And after your ranted about how debating isn’t fair. This RWNJ is very patient because he just doesn’t care, he’s just waiting for you to transform into the ultimate TS author. I don’t know why I’m so patient, may be I’m just curious. Just waiting for you to transform into the ultimate TS author.
So now your probably hitting insane levels of speed. Because a RWNJ just doesn’t have any questions to ask. Just some opinions he holds about certain issues concerning the well being and prospects of future generations and it turns out that the this RWNJ is actually debating, not an MMA level author with plot armour. But actually debating, and then this thing every one likes to calla RWNJ is actually just finessing something that resembles pre pubescent pre madonnas. So the RWNJ puts a grin on his face and rants about how can do that to.
Now what are you going to do Bill. And there is only one thing left for you to do. And that’s more PLOT ARMOUR.
Now this brings me to my point. New Zealanders are in an almost impossible position, surrounded by vast oceans and opinions in between our major trading partners. Now we have to make a living around changing trade rulz that are determined to cut off Chinese expansion because American hegemony can only compete with militarily. New Zealand either makes ourselves unusual or face economic ruin. Deciding how to differentiate ourselves means setting out to create a first world oasis on an island in the middle of the Southern Ocean. So we have to create a base for all development. To do that New Zealand must have good infrastructure which isn’t difficult to do. What is more difficult is to have people behave like a first world people.
When you move people from a technologically scarce society with barley a ship to her name to a first world trading nation with ships of our own getting them to stop brining old philosophies out with them prevents or promotes all this. But we must succeed in progressing education, entertainment, leadership. The kids need to behave in a first world way. By stop behaving in a hap hazard way. Or they will face ruin. The children must give us tremendous motivation to try and deliver on improvements to the prospects of future generations.
The most difficult thing to do is to carry out industrialisation of services needed to carry out growth in the middle of the Southern Ocean. Because once you pollute the land then you destroy it, and destroy the living conditions. And when you destroy the living conditions then it’s not worth having this place. So every project that New Zealand puts up, the first concern must be anti-pollution. And the economics of it is a huge price to pay, there is an enormous row. Interested parties are trying to bargain with our future prospects. But our future prospects does not have the philosophical integrity to recognise the position New Zealand is in was once a position held during the lead up to WW2.
Now we must a convince every one of the merits of continuing the policies that our Grandfathers fought for. So carful attention to the environment at the same time looking to industry, growth and population challenges for away out is how New Zealanders will achieve there potential.
Any way guys catcha later. Let me know if you want another one. I don’t know if I should do the next one. Because of the triggers involved. Because the things TS authors can’t mention are a little controversial. Just have to maintain the magnificence of the authors opinion and place a protection around it. It’s a little bit hard to talk about it. But if you want to see more let me know.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Almost impressed that you hesitated long enough to get the full stops in there.
Kinda wish I’d observed all that as a verbal rant mind, because I reckon it would have been quite entertaining – a bit of frothing, a tad of eye bulging and general limb flailing.
Good, though pretty mindless “flow of consciousness” stuff there Sam – very good. 🙂
Message received.
Brian Edwards media blog. http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz
Not sure what has upset erstwhile centre left commentator, and one time aspiring Labour MP but it seems he still cannot quite bring himself to pen an acknowledgement, let alone celebration, of a Labour prime minister … does he still guest on RNZ’s panel?
Hi Logie,
I can’t remember if Brian Edwards sits on any panel now as I haven’t sen him for ages, so perhaps this is why he is upset I wonder?
He was good though.
He’s lost his former touch. Perhaps his lifestyle is no longer conducive to maintaining as informed a brief re-political matters that once was the case.
It could also be that Labour luminaries are no longer seeking his professional advice like they did in the past.
Edit: I think he might occasionally make an appearance on The Panel but not as frequently as he once did.
I think that Edwards shifted so far right on his chair that he has fallen off it.
😀
Last time he was on the panel with Michelle Boag he sounded a bit vague and there was very little of his usual back chat. Perhaps age is catching up with him. Boag has been on again several times since but with someone else. I can’t remember who and I shut off pretty quickly.
For Christ’s sake, what is wrong with these people? What’s with the pyjamas at these APEC meetings? Someone, anyone, just needs to say no once and we won’t have to look at this shit ever again.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/98788213/jacinda-ardern-justin-trudeau-and-donald-trump-together-at-apec
You are being disrespectful. It is a tradition. They have worn the host nominated costume every meeting since 1993.
and for the last 25 years, it’s been a bit shit.
Although this year isn’t as bad as some – ISTR one year where it was sort of palm-leaf prints like Hawaiian shirts. That photo op was blinding…
It all looks a bit like a Mao uniform this year. Quite funny seeing Trump in one. Definitely not pjs. And it stops them trying to outdo each other. No gold braid, no see-through clothes, No exaggeratedly short skirts. (They must could have watched Christine Rankin’s videos.) Women won’t be able to wear bhurkas, though I hope they can wear hijabs if they want, and Sikh men should have the right to their headgear.
.
Hill’s hand-me-downs.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/06/10/18/2983DA9600000578-3118742-image-m-14_1433958312512.jpg
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/trump-asia-vietnam-apec-4-gty-jt-171110_12x5_992.jpg
As srylands said, since 1993 the host country (in this case Vietnam) nominates (decides) the costume – and provides them. The attendees do not provide their own costume.
This year there seems to have been some choice in colour (blue or cream) and in style for the three women attendees. So men had the choice of blue or cream shirts, and the women also could choose between the shirt or a jacket. Hence most of the men seem to have chosen blue shirts, as did one of the women, and Jacinda and the other woman chose the cream jacket. Sizings would have been prearranged in the lead up to the meetings.
Incidentally, the cream bone Maori carving hair comb worn by Jacinda with the Jacket was apparently a gift to her from the Pike River families.
Oh thanks that’s the sort of goss that’s interesting.
One correction – all thee women chose the jacket. The woman (Chile PM?) who I thought chose the blue shirt actually wore a blue jacket, same style as Jacinda’s. All the shirts and jackets were/are silk.
Did you like the dress that Jacinda wore for her (and Ministers’) swearing in by the Governor-General at Government House?
My ‘sources’ told me that it is a Kate Sylvester Nadia dress
https://katesylvester.com/shop/nz/217k524h-10
According to Clarke, his suit (apparently his only dry one anyway; he has plenty of wetsuits!) was from Hallensteins. Perhaps this one?
https://www.hallensteins.com/product/n-pv-stretch-baxter-st-jacket?i=8347298&b=8347859&country=NZ&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=NZ+-+Shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=sCAQn3xv0|pcrid|178120534930|pkw||pmt||pdv|c|pid|8347859&gclid=CjwKCAiA3JrQBRBtEiwAN7cEGj45EWYIC75BPQwxbiiquxWLWGJ_07xycJD9lMAHowYQlqLyxNthnxoCeBYQAvD_BwE
Probably a recommendation from Jacinda’s DPS bodyguards!
Sorry, I have a twisted sense of humour. Actually have a lot of time for Clarke as he and his mate/business partner in his fishing show are moving more and more into marine protection, species protection etc etc. Apparently they did some/most of the underwater filming etc for the proposed Niue marine sanctuary covering 40% of the waters around Niue.
Haven’t seen Jacindas dress – haven’t tv. But it’s interesting to see what you can get for $599 made in polyester.
I notice that the Hallenstein suit seems tight fitting jacket and trousers. There isn’t a relaxed look about the clothes, all straining at the button or across the leg.
Aren’t men’s suits regimented. And the design seems to have gone across the world as men’s power dressing.
Yes ridiculious eh?
Perhaps they need to be wearing prison wear?
Must be a corporate ploy to ‘unform everyone’