When does the God-awful summer “program” end on RNZ and civilization return?
I hate the way RNZ use the summer break to spend one month on a cost cutting shut down. The two idiots who do the afternoon show are one trick ponies whose get their jollies by banging on forever with their one big idea of playing bad music around some stupid theme. That gets old real, real quick. Shoot them. I’ll lie on the stand if you need an alibi.
And I hate the constant repeating of slight magazine trivia from Jim Mora and the rest of them as mind-numbingly tedious filler to make it seem like RNZ isn’t on auto-pilot.
I agree with all those sentiments. sigh and fill are dingbats without a doubt but there are more things to discuss about RNZ summer dumbdown. number one is they try and break in new post modern announcers who dont read the news scripts before they announce them and stumble over words that are just too big for them. secondly they go and get the worst right wingers for their road trip playlist songs. this morning it is kirk hope from business new zealand which is a total misnomer. business new zealand is in business solely to keep wages down. have you ever heard of a new business they have created or sponsored?
Jimmy Barnes would DETEST this creep.
Megan Whelan interviews Kirk Hope
RNZ National, Friday 12 Jan. 2018
Last Wednesday morning, listeners were subjected to a hapless, unprepared Megan Whelan providing an uninterrupted, uncritical sounding board to the disturbingly dishonest Robert Ayson:
Today, she had another soft-spoken, sinister ideologue on the program:
Business New Zealand Chief Executive Kirk Hope joins Megan to talk about his favourite tunes for a summer road trip. He also discusses the big issues facing companies in 2018 including the minimum wage increase, pay equity as well as what the future holds in the way businesses operate.
Unlike her failure last week, today she at least showed a little spirit and the glimmering of a social conscience as Hope smoothly pushed his nightmarish vision of a New Zealand organized like Communist China.
KIRK HOPE: ….and a band not many people have heard of, Grant Lee Buffalo.
MEGAN WHELAN Oh I loved Grant Lee Buffalo!
KIRK HOPE: But the next song I’ve chosen is “Singularity” by New Order. I thought New Order was just crap after 1983, but they’ve returned to form with this one. I was in Tokyo and I put a pair of headphones on and, as you do, I put Spotify on and I tell you this is the way you want to walk around Tokyo, listening to this kind of music!
…..The song plays. After it, Megan Whelan decides to get serious….
MEGAN WHELAN I talked recently to Richard Wagstaff of the CTU about the future of work.
KIRK HOPE: China is an example of a rapidly industrializing country which is also rapidly digitizing. It’s replaced the fulltime jobs of an industrial economy with trading. That’s the secret behind the success of Ali Baba! One or two people on line.
MEGAN WHELAN[clearly dubious] That’s significantly less secure, though.
KIRK HOPE: I’m not sure it is. We have to think about what it will look like. There’s a LOT of work to go on in the education system; our funding models, what’s happening at the secondary level.
MEGAN WHELAN Another thing with Richard—-I realize I’m sounding like a socialist revolutionary, and I don’t mean to, ha ha ha ha!—but he was worried about workers’ rights.
KIRK HOPE: People will have more flexibility. They might want to take six months off and travel.
MEGAN WHELAN Yeah but not a lot of people have this option. It’s different when it’s thrust on them. …. Anyway, what’s the last song you’ve chosen?
KIRK HOPE: I’ve chosen “Driving Wheels” by Jimmy Barnes. My mates and I drove from Wanaka to Dunedin in a Valiant Regal one New Year’s Eve many years ago, listening to the album for this, Freight Train Heart…..
MEGAN WHELAN Kirk Hope, thank you!
That’s enough of Kirk Hope, but here’s more Megan Whelan if you can bear it…
My radio alarm goes off at 6 am and RNZ comes on. Now, during summer. I hear the news straight up and then the music starts.
The music is awful; its even worse than what’s played on Matinee Idol during summer afternoons on RNZ. At least there they know when to mock and know when to salute the music and do so in an interesting way.
RNZ’s early morning music selection seems like it provides an excuse for RNZ to play stuff that probably hasn’t been played since it was first released (I can understand why – there was never an audience for it in the first place). Its ‘music’ without structure, melody, interesting lyrics or anything else that constitutes a good musical composition. Much of it is NZ music sad to say. In my opinion its simply tedious noise.
As a result I hang out for some of the “slight magazine shows”, such as the BBC’s “Witness Programme” so I don’t have to listen to such terrible music.
Be nice to get some alternative music – something that is not just a bloody noise to assail the ears first thing in the morning. “What the hell” is the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Paul Brennen’s tracks he plays. I enjoy the blues and some country music which I know is not everybody’s choice, but I also enjoy classical music and anything which has a melody. There is one thing positive about the summer programme, it drives me out of bed to do something more constructive like watering plants etc.
Can I suggest that you, and Grantoc, should ask some convenient child to show you how to tune your radio to some other station?
Radios allow that you might be interested to know. Think of the amazing discoveries you will make. You might even find the Concert program.
Ah, the new thrills you are going to have if, instead of just complaining, you take advantage of the amazing new technology that exists on your bedside table.
I’m picturing you typing that with an insufferably smug expression on your face. “Look Mum! I’ve discovered sarcasm and condescension! Can I have a pat on the head now?”
All right, if you must.
Consider your head to be patted, you smug condescending prat.
I will have to ask you to take the head pat in absentia though.
I really don’t want to get nits from your unwashed noggin.
Nice to hear you enjoy classical music wk. Some people seem to think that anyone who enjoys classical music must be peculiar. They don’t know what they are missing.
Far preferable to Mora.
But I agree….it’s a bit like the kids are in charge. There’s one ‘Sound Engineer’ who keeps forgetting what a cue button is …. or whatever they call it these days. Though given RNZ financials, its probably a ‘Audition/Programme’ key designed by British Telecom
I replied, but it disappeared up its own rrrr’s
Summer time is a time for the kids and the up and coming to exercise their gloriousness.
EVEN the Auckland Sound ‘ engineer ‘ who still can’t cope with a ‘CUE’ button.
Once or twice
…Ok….. but constantly?
He….yes…HE has managed to destroy a couple of interviews I was interested in listening to without being overwritten by HIS wish to cue up the ‘cumming up’
I’d say…if it were down to me…knock off the fucking P and get some rest….and realise RNZ has an audience.
Either that, or you and the delightful Megan could hook up some time and create something you’re rilly rilly peshnit about.
Perhaps Mex (K) could help
Oh stop moaning about RNZ. Most people are enjoying it or slagging off Phil and Simon, in a rude way enjoyable to themselves and P &S just go on. The music is mostly okay and some new people are having an opportunity to show their stuff.
If you like concert music there is a whole special broadcast of it and Eva Rakich, is it, comes on every now and then and introduces some into the ‘mainstream’. The items they have got are interesting, they have BBC World also, and I think you are all uptight. Turn it off if it doesn’t suit and play some of your DVDs or maybe some of your tapes if you still have a machine for that. You will hear some stuff not heard for decades.
That’s how our rentier economic system works. Ticket clipping makes a few people rich for which they produce no value at all while everyone else is fucked over to the point where they can no longer support those rich bludgers.
Indeed. Thus it’s no surprise similar is happening here too.
Many moons ago I worked for a company that installed a similar regime. Employees would become contractors and would start the working week in debt to the company. Having to lease the van and equipment required off the company.
We all gave notice and left.
And as for the reasons the article highlighted (harder to decline) the employers then turned to WINZ for new recruits.
“Aye you’ve seen the shifting of employer costs to workers under the guise of contracting…”
Indeed. We did the numbers (of the previous year, which was a good year) to compare what it would be like under the new regime and of course, we (the employees) were the big losers. Hence, we quit.
is it ok to hold back evidence of mistreatment of animals so as to cause maximum impact damage to the farming industry , or should it be handed over straight away?
i say it should be handed over as soon as possible
Who is making those animals suffer bwaghorn? The businesspeople farming them or the protesters? You seem to be a bit confused about what seems very straightforward.
And the protesters are putting themselves at risk from vengeful farmers and those that are agriculture-connected. Also they need to have irrevocable evidence to bring about change for the better. It is no use sacrificing their time and life to get information that is easily refuted or just unverified observation. I hope that you would not be vengeful but I note that you are quick to change the focus away from those causing the harm.
It seems to me that you are suffering a case of Triangulation (psychology related) which is something that all who discuss and argue on TS ought to understand so as to increase the effectiveness of an argument. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulation_(psychology)
Also the Karpman triangle where one person involved in discussion about a problem can shift in approach through three positions like the points of a triangle – Victim (We’re having it tough) – Rescuer (Now taking the side of the victim) – The Persecutor (It’s your fault, you bring about the bad outcome.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle
In your comment bwaghorn you turn on the protesters and become Persecutor, blaming them for withholding information so as to reveal a mass of evidence later at a hearing to judge whether there was bad treatment of animals. You think it should be released straight away to the authorities who could decide immediately to force a change in conditions. That is a theory and supposition on your part that the protesters have rejected as unlikely, from their experience in the past which would be greater than yours.
You present the farmers targeted, because you identify with them, as Victims.
And in the third point, you yourself are the principled Rescuer, wanting to help those receiving criticism in the agricultural sector.
So you are avoiding facing up to the object of the protest action, and presenting the protesters as unethical, (because you now accept there is bad treatment that the protesters themselves have established as fact through their action), and you now turn and blame them for it continuing. You should instead be blaming those carrying it out.
That is a very neat psychological trick that academics have had to study for a long time, observing,and finally explaining it as in the two examples given above.
” if they do not promptly hand over their evidence exposing animal cruelty to the authorities in a timely manner.”
as the usual suspects have turned up to defend their hobbie horse , i’ll type this slowly so you fallas can understand it,
know where does it say that the will let farmers off , what it says is they will turn a blind eye to radicals illegal spying on farmers if they hand over the evidence of the farmers crimes quickly , not let animals continue to suffer so they can get more wow factor.
i personaly potted a coworker to the gm of an outfit i worked at for animal abuse , (the guy was not coping and the gm feared he would suicide so nothing was done , as the guy was leaving).
while i dont condone illegal spying it helps me count to 10 when i ,ve been doing 10 hour days and a simple sheep is winding me up
I bet you can’t be bothered to research the issue and find out what is done to animals in factory farms.
Anti slavery campaigners were smeared as radicals.
Nelson Mandela and the ANC were smeared as radicals.
Sure. Industrial farming is nothing like slavery, because cows aren’t people. It doesn’t excuse animal crualty, but it does explain why someone might think you’re a sanctimonious dickhead and avoid the majority of your comments. So even if you had an argument, fewer people would read it than if you were a reasonable human being.
People like waghorn and pm would have decried anti slavery movements in the 1770s, calling the activists smug for be against slavery and cruel for not telling the authorities about who wrote a secret report on the inside of a slave ship.
But the purpose of the legislation is not to promote animal welfare – quite the opposite. The purpose is to identify, expose, punish and deter whistleblowers who report animal abuse.
There will need to be an anonymous release channel for whistleblowers, if this type of legislation is passed.
“It’s not common practice, just a few bad farmers letting the rest of us down” – this is the line we hear so much from the farming lobby (and that Mr and Ms meat, egg and dairy consumer want to hear, so that they don’t have to consider their role in creating the demand that sees animals (mis)treated as commodities rather than conscious, living beings). If groups like SAFE and Farmwatch need to gather evidence to show that a particular practice is widespread, then let them. We definitely don’t need this kind of law, and I doubt very much that we’ll have one imposed under this government. I wish animal welfare was a stronger priority for them, although I recognise that mine is a minority viewpoint.
…Mr and Ms meat, egg and dairy consumer want to hear, so that they don’t have to consider their role in creating the demand that sees animals (mis)treated as commodities rather than conscious, living beings).
Meanwhile, Mr and Ms meat, egg and dairy consumer are at least willing to acknowledge and face the fact that their diet involves killing animals, something rarely to be found among smug, moralising vegans.
I really doubt most New Zealand meat eaters are remotely aware of what industrial farming looks like.
In reality factory farming is the prolonged torture and cruel killing of billions of animals.
I recommend Jonathan Safran Soer’s book ‘Eating Animals.’
Particularly the chapters on the industrial ‘farming’ and killing of chickens and pigs.
There’s nothing smug about the book.
If you look a bit further up this thread I think you’ll find plenty of smug (insincere) moralising from BW. Not, from what I can tell, a vegan!
And this site is filled with people expounding on their political and ethical viewpoints, arguing with others and getting pretty smug at times, too. It’s by no means limited to people espousing veganism. How often have you noticed me smugly moralising about (or mentioning) my 30+ years of veganism? Note the comment above about recognising that mine is a minority viewpoint. Hardly hardline…
If you’re feeling defensive about your choice to continue eating animals, that’s your problem. I don’t eat animals and I don’t eat any products that come from animals. It’s not the main thing I choose to discuss on this site, but I’m not going to be bullied by name-calling into never mentioning it.
So, this is the first time you’ve publicly expressed the view here that people who don’t share your diet are moral failures. Big whoop. If you comment denouncing people like me for eating food, I’m going to comment pointing out my dislike of people doing that. Try not suggesting that people who don’t share your diet are moral failures, it works wonders.
“It also removes the possibility for whistleblowers to build evidence of systemic industry-wide cruelty by forcing them to report incidents in isolation only.
“Some of the most important developments in animal protection laws have stemmed from undercover surveillance and the work of journalists in bringing the realities of factory farming to the public.”
So, yeah, need to build up the evidence to show the systemic aspect of the abuse of animals else it will just be ignored.
The filming inside these factories which house the torture and killing of millions of sentient beings has to be stopped by the industrial farming lobby.
If people knew what happened there, they would be out of business.
The answer is to adopt a plant based diet permanently.
If people are serious about fixing our planet, then we know what we must do and we must do it.
One simple and easy sacrifice to make in the interests of preventing climate catastrophe.
There are animal rights and environmental issues surrounding the industrial processing of billions of sentient living animals into meat.
Clearly you don’t care about either the damage being done to the end by industrial animal agriculture nor the welfare of the sentient creatures who endure the barbaric conditions inside these factories.
Assumptions fucking much. Actually i will be protesting outside the rodeo tomorrow. I haven’t eaten mammal flesh for more than thirty years.
I usually don’t bother to engage in discussion with you as it is clearly pointless. You have made up your mind what is right for you and you are hell bent now on forcing that on everybody else. I do really care about both animal welfare and climate change and watching you run around alienating people is therefore painful.
Perhaps if you cared more for animals you might talk more about stricter laws and enforcement which would be much more achievable than universal veganism.
Perhaps if you cared more for people you might come to understand that some of us find it hard to meet our nutritional needs from just plants. I can’t eat most grains and nuts for health reasons for example, and eggs and fish are an important part of my diet.
Perhaps if you cared more for the environment you would understand that chickens and cows form an integral part of many permaculture systems.
My comments are about industrial farming, not permaculture.
I would have stricter laws. They would entail the closure of all industrial farming methods.
But catastrophic climate change is happening very soon unless we act.
People are going to have to be forced to make significant sacrifices if we are to mitigate the worst outcomes.
In World War 2, people’s food was rationed to help win the war.
Is it too much to ask that people are forced to move to a plant based diet to save the planet?
Clearly you don’t care about either the damage being done to the end by industrial animal agriculture nor the welfare of the sentient creatures who endure the barbaric conditions inside these factories.
Solkta:
I haven’t eaten mammal flesh for more than thirty years…
For someone whose supposed to love animals, and purports to have their best interests at heart, Ed/Paul certainly loves beating on that dead donkey of his.
This is the year when people have to begin the fightback against the right wing media. The easiest way is micropulse radio stations which are cheap to buy and incur no music royalties if there are no ads. These radio stations are low powered and line of sight and more effective than the msm whould have you believe.
If tribesmen in in the hindu kush can run their own in discrete valleys then what is stopping comparatively wealthy pakehas with disposable income from getting their arses into gear and taking the tories head on at their own game.
Are you sure atomising the shared public spaces is actually a good idea for a healthy civil society? rather than calling for more and more micro-services where people can have their views reinforced in tiny echo chambers wouldn’t it be better to campaign for a well funded publicly owned public service broadcasting network with a wide audience and a range of diverse voices?
+100 you’d also regenerate the local content production landscape as it’s been flogged off over the past years so we need the ‘local’ put back.
Drama, childrens, comedy, documentaries all get a lift if you adopt the ABC model from Oz. Light entertainment as one example is an easy category to make content for and TVNZ showed they can’t even get that right with appalling efforts.
TVNZ is our public broadcaster it just needs some legislation and funding to reshape it as a proper one and flush out the Kendricks and Co for proper broadcasters before it’s too late as they are a dying breed.
you dont understand. it is important that people have real input into the affairs of the community which is based on non profit social justice and the easiest way to do it is with local radio. especially when you play renaissance and pre renaissance music.
rnz can look after itself very well .
and the 60’s hippy revolution was backed by the first fm stations who cleaned up later and sold out when the wave receeded. Cant go back now but if you want a revolution NOW then you gotta know what you are doing.
I think there’s value in having community follow-up for people who’re fresh out of prison (for example). I don’t think the police are the right agency to be doing this, though.
Everything depends on the police involved – they can range from the kind who harass to the kind who give a damn and become genuinely supportive. These human factors are hard to measure from the outside, though the people they visit can probably work out what’s going on pdq.
Agreed – it can be all of those things – but it can be done in a way that is positive. Whether it should be done rather depends on how careful they are not to infringe rights, and to avoid alarming neighbours and so forth.
There is a behavioral aspect to some kinds of offending, and support can assist if it is genuine. It is the kind of thing that perhaps should be part of a rehabilitation system – and my understanding of burglary is that a very small number of active burglars may generate a considerable amount of loss and damage.
Yes – but there is some validity in the human contact angle, as well as the impressionistic assessment of whether things are going ok. It would be unwise to confine an assessment of a recovering alcoholic to phone calls, and to some extent the same might be true of burglars.
Do you suppose that the presumption of innocence extends to preventing the police from making enquiries? I think you’ll find it doesn’t. But successfully rehabilitated people – those who have managed to get their life back together – can probably be excluded from many enquiries.
Much would depend on what resources the police might have at their disposal to make a ‘helping hand’ approach actually helpful.
Calling around to someones home and making inquiries on no other grounds other than an individual’s past history does seem to rob one of the presumption of innocence, but I’m no legal expert.
“Climate change needs more action and less advocacy. Unlike other world issues such as racism, sexism and starvation, climate change will one day be unsolvable. We are losing control of the situation. We know what we need to do, we know what we can expect, we just have to act.”
George Monbiot on Theresa May’s 25 year environmental plan.
“It’s as if it were written with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. In terms of rhetoric, Theresa May’s 25-year environment plan is in some ways the best government document I’ve ever read. In terms of policy, it ranges from the pallid to the pathetic.
Those who wrote it are aware of the multiple crises we face. But, having laid out the depth and breadth of our predicaments, they propose to do almost nothing about them. I can almost hear the internal dialogue: “Yes, let’s change the world! Hang on a minute, what about our commitment to slashing regulations? What about maximising economic growth? What would the Conservatives’ major funders have to say about it? Oh all right, let’s wave our hands around instead.”
“The more an economy grows, the more resources it will consume. If it’s not plastic, it will be cardboard, and the cardboard is likely to be made from chewed-up rainforest. Clamp down on the use of cardboard, and something else will take its place. An economy that keeps growing on a planet that does not will inevitably burst through environmental limits, however sincere a government might be about seeking to reduce its impacts. The big conversation we need within government has still not begun. ”
I shall distil Monbiot’s passage into a few simple words.
Will be interesting to see what the Greens do about this
In 1999, speaking against an earlier party-hopping bill, Green co-leader Rod Donald reminded the House that “had this bill existed prior to the last [1999] election, we [Donald and Fitzsimons] would have been removed from this House and denied our opportunity to stay here for the full parliamentary term”.
Jim Anderton left Labour mid-term to set up NewLabour (which later merged into the Alliance).
And he did it in the 1980s and held his own electorate so not a good example.
In fact, any ‘party hopping’ prior to the 1996 election has no bearing on it.
Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons left the Alliance for the Greens
Which is untrue. The greens were part of the Alliance but were still The Greens. Donald and Fitzsimons would still have been Green MPs.
They didn’t leave their party – their party left The Alliance. And it could be argued that their seats were the Green Party share of the Alliance vote they should have kept them anyway.
As Donald said in the 1999 speech to Parliament, MPs are not “party robots”,
I don’t expect MPs to be ‘party robots’ but if they leave the party then they damn well shouldn’t keep their seat because they’re no longer representing those that voted for them on the party ticket.
Take the recent example of Green MPs Kennedy Graham and David Clendon publicly calling for the resignation of co-leader Metiria Turia. They were then excluded from the Green caucus and could have then been ejected from Parliament, after various bureaucratic processes had been gone through, if the current party-hopping legislation had been operational.
Exactly as it should be.
Resorting to legislation to get rid of an MP potentially involves the courts, which are not equipped to handle political or process disputes within parliamentary caucuses.
Then we need better law…
…Oh, wait.
It is safer, and more democratic, to leave decisions on the makeup of Parliament to the voters.
That’s what the party vote does. If an MP then leaves a party then they’ve removed themselves from that decision by the voters and should be removed from parliament.
Electorate MPs are more complex because they’ve actually been voted for by the electorate. We actually need the power of recall given to the voters so that an electorate can remove if they deem it necessary.
List MPs are there on the basis of their party’s share of the vote, it’s the party’s mandate, not the MP’s, therefore if they leave the party they loose the right to that party’s mandate and should be gone from parliament and replaced by the next person on that party’s list.
Electorate MPs have a personal mandate from their electorate, so it’s the MP’s mandate, not the party’s.
I’d argue that not allowing them to leave means that the party needs to take more care in their original selection and in how they treat and deal with them for the term of the government.
It’s a fixed term and if the party has screwed up then they need to live with it.
Just shoving any fuckwit on the list is best stopped by not being able to get rid of them til the next election.
Having an internal revolution and changing direction at the hierarchical level shouldn’t mean you can offload the MP’s you don’t like post the revolution.
Then there’s also the issue of the workers for those MP’s. It’s enough that they only have certainty of work for an electoral term without adding to the possibility that the may become out of work cause the party no longer loves an MP – or the MP no longer loves the party.
It’s not often I agree with Nick Smith (actually I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with him and there is some strong irony in some of what he says) but on this I do.
Just shoving any fuckwit on the list is best stopped by not being able to get rid of them til the next election.
Your language says that you are not considering the matter in a balanced way. Political parties are a group of people trying to get into a position to have some sway in the country. They are trying to be part of the political process; they may do things wrongly but talking about them and those involved as ‘fuckwit’ doesn’t add anything to the discussion.
Calling an individual a ‘fuckwit’ when they obviously are failing to achieve anything worthwhile and make statements that fail to take in the reality of the position may be justified, but not some blanket dismissive. You have proved by the way you used that term generally that individually it might be applied to you.
I’ve used the extreme end of the spectrum i.e. the party selecting someone completely inappropriate to make the point that it should not be justified under any circumstance.
I’m not leaving any grey for the party to say ooops we got it wrong.
They need to take that care in the first place – not have an escape clause.
To an extent we have that in the way Party lists remain in place for the term of the Parliament. If a list member dies, leaves for a diplomatic post or fucks up and has to go, the Party is stuck with ringing in the next person on their list. Sure we see a bit of gymnastics to get the one the Party really wants, but it is a strong incentive for Parties to be reasonably circumspect on who’s on their lists.
I’m waiting to see what unfolds if there is a string of departures when the National leadership eventually blows open. Fully expect the new leader to try and reshape the caucus in their form. Maybe that’s what the squatter is about in his rather confused and paranoid rant.
Aye that’s why I like what we have and not what is proposed.
Examples from the early days of MMP I think are a poor case to justify change as I’m sure parties are now a little wiser in selecting their list MP’s than when MMP first came in – if they’re not then they should be.
There’s another interpretation of the squatter’s rant. Maybe he’s pissed that National won’t be able to induce defections of NZ first MPs, again.
I’m not so sure about the squatter’s assertion that the waka jumping bill allows the party to “fire” list MPs any more than the current arrangement allows a party to request the member to consider their future.
I’d argue that not allowing them to leave means that the party needs to take more care in their original selection and in how they treat and deal with them for the term of the government.
They’re allowed to leave it’s just that if they do and they’re a list MP then they also leave parliament.
Just shoving any fuckwit on the list is best stopped by not being able to get rid of them til the next election.
If they leave then they’ve removed themselves.
Then there’s also the issue of the workers for those MP’s. It’s enough that they only have certainty of work for an electoral term without adding to the possibility that the may become out of work cause the party no longer loves an MP – or the MP no longer loves the party.
Such risk obviously comes with the job and one of the reasons why they’re paid quite well.
Looks like the government’s plans are working to drive out the speculative class.
The article has the usual Herald bias, as the rag represents the rentier class, but it does provide some interesting facts if you can peel away the propaganda.
It’s always seen as a sensible investment to have a rental property. I don’t see it as speculative and it wouldn’t be a problem if Labour hadn’t gone feral and National hadn’t gone plutocratic and together they have skewed the country so badly.
See Jeremy Corbyn take on Margaret Thatcher about housing in 1990.
The link is at No. 17 here. The facts he was quoting were bad back then for Britain.
Well, yeah. But the fact is that the nats and labz were what they were, and so for the last thirty years people have bought a rental property on the basis that the capital value will increase enough for them to afford to pay off the property when they sell it down the line, and frequently make up the gap between their income and the mortgage with the rent the property gets.
Official figures prepared for the new housing minister estimate a shortfall of 45,000 houses in Auckland, with supply of new homes well behind increased demand.
It’s not ‘weather weirdness’ NZ Herald.
It’s climate change.
And the sooner you’re honest about this, the quicker New Zealand will start acting decisively to deal with it.
British politics.
First – Jeremy Corbyn v Margaret Thatcher on Housing in 1990
Housing – People sleeping on the streets, children brought up in b*Bs, but Councils have empty houses so there is no difficulty.
There would be many benefit for New Zealand if we banned plastic bags come on let’s get this environmentally friendly economy going don’t listen to the nay Sayers. We have all the raw materials to make paper bags what’s the problem we will create jobs come on
I think that Theo Spiering should take my advice on the solarpanel on cow sheds maybe Papatuanuku will let up on that cow disease and it mite stop spreading that’s my view on that subject P.S. I seen the thunder in action yesterday on thestandard many thanks to all my viewers ka pai ka kite ano
“Jim Anderton was New Zealand’s last significant social democratic politician. While some are claiming he pulled Labour Party back ‘from the brink’ and back to the ‘centre-left’ this is a convenient rewriting of history. The Labour Party today bears little resemblance to the Labour Party that Jim Anderton once knew.”
I read one comment saying that its a totally different country .I say that this country has a major influence on all the SOCIETIES on Papatuanuku/MotherEarth .So If we can voice All OUR concerns about the direction that we see that country going down If we let them Know NOW this will save a lot of pain and suffering in the future . Kia Kaha
Here is a song I like from the next generation Ka kite ano
Brad Scott, GNS Science VolcanologistThis post was originally published by GeoNet.Following the 9 December devastating eruption at Whakaari/White Island we have put together some information about the island. New Zealand’s most active volcano Whakaari/White Island is currently New Zealand’s most active volcano, it has been since an eruptive episode ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on its Inquiry into the 2017 General Election and 2016 Local Elections, with a host of recommendations about how to improve our electoral systems. Some of their recommendations are already incorporate din the Electoral Amendment Bill currently before Parliament, but there's also a recommendation ...
Back in 2017, in order to make themselves "electable" in the eyes of rich people who oppose everything they stand for, the Greens signed up for NeoLiberalism, adopting a restrictive set of "Budget Responsibility Rules" which basicly prevented them from using government to make things better. Now, they're finally abandoning ...
Since invading in 2001, the US has consistently claimed that their war in Afghanistan has been going well, even when it continued year after year after year. Of course, they were lying, and thanks to the Washington Post and the US Freedom of Information Act, we get to see just ...
How should we think about artificial intelligence and the implications that it has for our work and leisure? There are many articles on artificial intelligence and its potential impacts on jobs, and the ethics of applications. These are important topics, but I want to focus on some less discussed aspects, ...
I love data. It’s amazing the sort of “discoveries” I can make given a data set and computer statistical package. It’s just so easy to search for relationships and test their statistical significance. Maybe relationships which ...
The other big story concerning Leeds Hospital is Boris Johnson's bizzare behaviour at Leeds Hospital, where he was confronted by a journalist and challenged about a four year old boy with suspected pneumonia who was left sleeping on the floor, rather than getting abed like a sick kid would in ...
So, for a brief period of history, it was alleged that a protester had punched Matt Hancock's SPAD (not a euphemism; special adviser) when Hancock visited Leeds Hospital.This was reported by the likes of Robert Peston and Laura Keunssberg, as well as the less credible Guido Fawkes. It also quickly ...
by Daphna Whitmore Last week France passed a law that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It is based on a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel such as: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist ...
Over the past year we've seen major bus problems in Hamilton and Wellington, as drivers have sought better wages and an end to the bullshit of split shifts, which basicly see them "married to the job". And now its Auckland's turn. When NZBus's drivers planned low-level strike action of not ...
The government has been congratulating itself over the passage of the Zero Carbon Act, which sets out long-term emissions targets. But those targets are insufficient. Meanwhile, Denmark is showing us how its done:Denmark’s parliament adopted a new climate law on Friday, committing to reach 70% below its 1990 emissions in ...
Another day, another piece of legislation with a secrecy clause. This time its the innocuous-seeming Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill, which (after establishing a new body and making it subject to the OIA in three different ways) includes the rapidly-becoming-standard clauses enabling it to request information from other public ...
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...
On 27 September, Greta Thunberg addressed a crowd of 500,000 at the School Strike for Climate in Montreal, saying: “You are a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And Sweden is also a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And in both cases, it means absolutely nothing. Because ...
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...
Michael SchulsonWhen Shane Burcaw flies on an airplane, he brings along a customized gel cushion, a car seat, and about 10 pieces of memory foam. The whole arsenal costs around $1,000, but for Burcaw it’s a necessity. The 27-year-old author and speaker — who, alongside his fiancée, Hannah ...
We are very pleased to publish this submission is from Lucinda Stoan. She is a social justice activist, mother, and educator, based in Washington State in the US. This detailed and comprehensive source-linked overview of trans issues and what is at stake will be useful for many people, especially in ...
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...
Rubbish In, Rubbish Out: Put all this together, and it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that anyone who responds positively to a pollster’s request to “answer a few questions” is just ever-so-slightly weird. Desperately lonely? Some sort of psephological train-spotter? Political party member primed to skew the poll for or against ...
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...
The government has been congratulating itself over the passage of the Zero Carbon Act, which sets out long-term emissions targets. Meanwhile, Climate Action Tracker has the shameful reality: those targets are insufficient:While New Zealand is showing leadership by having passed the world’s second-ever Zero Carbon Act in November 2019, under ...
The government introduced a Racing Industry Bill today. As an urban who horse racing as pointless-to-cruel, and gambling as a tax on stupidity and/or hope, this isn't normally a bill which would interest me in the slightest, beyond grumpiness at more government money for a dying industry. But there is ...
Check. Check. One, two, three, four. Is this thing ON? Hello readers, I logged in last night (yeah, it’s been a while) to mark THE END of the landmark legal case, Jordan Williams v Colin Craig, which (gulp) reached The Supreme Court, in which New Zealand’s most-defamed man was suing the politician he ...
Before The Birth: Israel’s most fervent supporters set their clocks ticking in Biblical times. They cite the kingdoms of David and Solomon as proof that, in the words of the Exodus movie’s theme-song: “This land is mine.” The majority of Israel’s backers, however, start their clocks in 1933 – the year Adolf ...
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...
Both my parents are pretty handy – and they seem to have the right tools for most jobs in the garage and they know how to fix practically anything. A similar story could be told about their generation’s experience in the workforce – being a generalist was not unusual and ...
When it was revealed that NZ First had tried to enrich itself from public office via the Provoncial Growth Fund, the Prime Minister assured us that everything was OK as Shane Jones, the Minister responsible for the fund, had recused himself. Except it seems that that recusal came very late ...
Today is a Member's Day, and probably the last one of the year. After the marathon of the End of Life Choice Act, most of the bills up for debate today are uncontentious. First up is the second reading of Chlöe Swarbrick's Election Access Fund Bill. This will be followed ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has reported back on the government's odious and tyrannical control orders bill. As expected, the fraudulent select committee process has made no significant changes (partly because they couldn't agree, but mostly because it was a stitch-up from the start, with no intention of ...
Yesterday, the government released its draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which will be put to a non-binding referendum at the next election. I'm not a drug policy expert, but Russell Brown is, and he thinks its pretty good. And pretty obviously, it will be a massive improvement on the ...
As you're probably aware, the draft bill outlining the proposed legal cannabis regime to be put to a referendum late next year was published yesterday, and has already attracted a flurry of comment. It's notable that a good deal of the comment is about proposals that aren't actually new.A minimum ...
One of the big problems in New Zealand climate change policy is the government working at cross-purposes with itself. It wants to reduce fossil fuel use, but encourages oil and gas exploration. It wants to reduce transport emissions, but then builds enormous new roads. The problem could be avoided if ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzAccording to the United Nations, food shortages are a threat ...
Last year, the government announced it was ending offshore oil exploration by no longer issuing new permits. The idea was that the industry would then die off as permits expired. Except almost immediately the government revealed its bad faith, by saying they would extend permits and alter conditions to keep ...
The government introduced the Education and Training Bill to Parliament yesterday. Its a massive bill, which replaces both existing Education Acts, as well as various other bits of legislation (including some which are still proceeding through the House). I'll leave the serious analysis to teachers and people who actually know ...
Amelia SharmanThere’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to micro-credentials, those bits of bite-sized learning that can help workers stay on top of technological change. What’s a micro-credential? While definitions vary, micro-credentials can be understood as short courses that allow people to learn new skills or have an existing competency recognised. ...
All Smiles Now: Claire Szabo is taking up her presidential role after serving as the CEO of Habitat For Humanity. Which is absolutely perfect! After KiwiBuild was so comprehensively mismanaged by Phil Twyford, the party has not only elected a new president from a thoroughly respectable not-for-profit, but one who ...
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...
by Daphna Whitmore At Golden Oaks, a luxurious country retreat in the Hudson Valley, pregnant women have the best care money can buy. From the organic food, personalised exercise programmes, private yoga instruction and daily massages Golden Oaks looks like a country lodge for the upper class. Set some time ...
When Labour was running for election in 2017, it felt it needed to demonstrate "fiscal responsibility" and signed itself up to masochistic "budget responsibility rules". It was a fool's errand: the sorts of voters who demand fiscal responsibility are also the sorts of voters who believe that labour can never ...
Writing in Stuff, Joel MacManus looks at what we need to do to meet the Zero Carbon Act's targets. The core of it:1. Convert 85 per cent of vehicles on the road to electric. 2. Eliminate fossil fuels from all industrial heating up to 300 degrees Celsius. 3. Double our ...
Professors Janet Hoek and Richard Edwards, Emeritus Professor Phil Gendall, Jude Ball, Dr Judith McCool, Anaru Waa, Dr Becky FreemanRecent media reports have presented conflicting evidence on youth vaping in NZ. While some NZ school principals report concerns about increasing vaping on school grounds and confiscating vapes, ASH Year ...
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...
Image credit:The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ...
1080 is used to control pests in NZ. Its use is contested by a noisy few. A new report claims high levels of 1080 in rats washed up on a beach. Flora and Fauna of Aotearoa (F&F) won’t name the laboratory that did their testing. It has sparked a hunt ...
What Kind Of Empire? The thing for Kiwis to decide is what kind of empire they want to belong to. The kind that, while offering its own citizens democratic rights, demands absolute obedience from its “friends”? Or, the kind that, while authoritarian at home, takes a relaxed attitude to the ...
It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...
Within quick succession, Countdown maths wizard and twitterer Rachel Riley, alleged comedian David Baddiel and prominent lawyer Andrew Julius have all expressed very similar opinions / ideas:
These #3billboards are going round London today, organised by ex-Labour people, horrified by what their party has become. Their principles haven’t changed, they’re ...
So, there have been a bunch of bad polls out for Labour, and even the Leftie's friend, Survation, have recently given the Conservatives a rip-snorting 11% lead. You Gov's much vaunted MRP poll - which pretty much nailed the result in 2015 - is currently predicting a comfortable majority for ...
The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to declare a climate emergency:The European parliament has declared a global “climate and environmental emergency” as it urged all EU countries to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The vote came as scientists warned that the world may have already crossed ...
Pure Fear: Worse than Heroin, this drug’s addictive power was terrifying. People under its influence didn’t drift off to Elysium. Nor did it persuade inadequate individuals that they could conquer the world. No, this drug – pure crystal methamphetamine, “P” for short – unlocked the gates of Hell itself. It ...
As the rate of measles infection, and of deaths, continues to climb in Samoa, antivaccination activists infectious disease proponents seem intent on doubling down on their claims about vaccination. (Check pretty much any news-media FB post about measles & you’ll see exactly what I mean.) Unfortunately, some of them have ...
Samoa are experiencing a devastating measles epidemic. It is possible that 2-3% of the population will ultimately be infected by the time it is over. Hopefully the mass immunisation campaign currently under way can mitigate some of this, for many it is too late. The first question many people ask ...
Meghan Murphy is a Canadian writer and journalist She runs the Feminist Current website which she founded in 2012. She was a keynote speaker for the Feminism2020 conference in Wellington this month. When Massey University cancelled the original venue booking Feminism2020 was hosted in Parliament by MP David Seymour. Meghan ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh Colombia has lived through one week of protests against the economic measures taken by president Duque. What looked like a protest that would fizzle out after its first day on November 21st is still going strong. Part of the reason for the continuance ...
Around a million billion pass through you each second, almost all originating from our sun, but few of them are likely to interact with you enroute. I was reading in a physics magazine earlier in the week about the nature of neutrinos. These are extremely numerous elementary particles, but only ...
By Pallab GhoshThere’s value in covering new research advances, even when the underlying science is unsettled. But there are also risks.The recent announcement that scientists discovered water on the planet K2-18b, 110 light years away, prompted a media swoon. News stories, including a piece written by me, billed ...
I wrote this review a couple of years ago when I was still in the process of getting my head around the politics of transgenderism, and specifically the claim that intersex conditions lend support to the notion that sex is ‘socially constructed’. Since writing this review I have come across ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzHow much does our use of air travel contribute to the ...
Minor planet/asteroid (2309) Mr. Spock is named not for the character in Star Trek, but for a cat that was itself imperturbable, logical, intelligent and had pointed ears. In a preceding blog post I introduced one of my favourite asteroids, (2472) Bradman, and also mentioned (6581) Sobers amongst a few ...
Today the death toll from measles in Samoa rose to 32. All but four of the dead were less than 5 years old. Absolutely terrible, heartbreaking, news. That statistic alone should be enough to give the lie to the common claim by antivaccination activists plague enthusiasts that “measles is a ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh It is late here in Bogotá, almost 11.30pm on Monday the 25th of November as I write this. The day began full of hope with yet more massive marches throughout the country, a mix of the International Day of Non-Violence Against Women and the National Strike. ...
Anti-fluoride activists are rubbing their hands in glee over what they claim is “yet another study” showing fluoride harms the brains of children. But their promotion relies on IQ relationships which the paper’s authors acknowledge disappearing when outliers or other factors are considered. And they completely ignore other relationships ...
The feature below is the conclusion of A History of Economic Thought, whose author was a leading Marxist economist in Russia in the early 20th century, Isaac Ilyich Rubin. The book arose from a course he ran at Moscow University following the Russian Revolution. First published in Russian in 1929, ...
There are many thousands of asteroids with formal names, some humdrum but other more noteworthy (depending on your predilections). One of my favourites, the name of which I was involved in suggesting, is (2472) Bradman, named for the Australian cricketing great. As a minor planet (synonym: asteroid) spotter, I have ...
Tory manifesto: big on austerity, low on promise, non-existent on delivery. The Tories: the party so big on ambition they couldn't be arsed writing a manifesto. MLK: "I have a dream!"BJ: "I'll just have a nap." Labour: Broadband!Tories: Narrow minds! Labour have hope, dreams and ambition. The Tories will save ...
The Ministry of Health has announced that “people under the age of 50 travelling from New Zealand to Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji” are now on the list of national priorities for MMR vaccination. Given the outbreaks of measles in Samoa, Tonga, Philippines and Fiji, the Ministry of Health is ...
Hong Kong has been protesting for six months for, demanding democracy, human rights, and an end to police violence. Today, they went to the polls in district council elections - a low-level of government with virtually no power, similar to community boards in New Zealand. But while the positions themselves ...
Text and photos by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On Friday 22nd of November a curfew came into effect and troops were deployed on the streets, here in Bogota. It was the first time since September 1977 that a curfew had been imposed on the city. The decision was a cynical pre-planned ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand's Cook Islands High Commissioner, Tessa Temata, has died over the weekend. Ms Temata, 52, died in Palmerston North and had returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. She was the first New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands of Cook Island ...
A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand First are celebrating the announcement of an investment of $3.5 million into five new trapping devices. These are a range of bait and trap devices, all designed to be left unattended for long periods of time. NZ First conservation spokesperson Jenny Marcroft says that this latest development will ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Innovation and technology are behind five new tools to give nature a helping hand by helping eliminate predators, funded through the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today.“The ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Police New Zealand First is proud to have delivered on a key Coalition Agreement commitment to adding 1800 new frontline police, with the graduation of Recruit Wing 332 in Porirua today. Law and Order Spokesperson Darroch Ball says increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Conservation New Zealand First is proud to announce the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has allocated $3.5 million to develop innovative predator control approaches which will reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. $19.5 million of PGF funding was announced for Predator Free 2050 Limited in February ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 2021 (APEC 2021) Bill in Parliament today. The temporary bill supports New Zealand’s security preparations for hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Racing Industry Bill in parliament today. This is the second of two Bills that have been introduced this year to revitalise New Zealand’s racing industry. “Our domestic racing industry has been in serious decline. The Government is committed to ...
Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni, is pleased to announce that $291,321 is to be awarded to national and local community initiatives to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). “New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where Sign Language is an ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has announced today the Coalition Government’s initial response to work completed by the independent statutory body, the Veterans’ Advisory Board. “When Professor Ron Paterson completed his review of the Veterans’ Support Act in 2018, he made a number of recommendations, including one which I referred ...
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...
I have had the opportunity to be briefed on the details of the volcanic eruption of Whakaari/White Island, off the coast of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. The eruption happened at 2.11pm today. It continues to be an evolving situation. We know that there were a number of tourists ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare have today confirmed initial Government support of $100,000 for communities affected by the severe weather that swept across the South Island and lower North Island over the weekend. The contribution will be made to Mayoral relief funds across the ...
New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tessa Temata, died in Palmerston North over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Ms Temata, 52, had recently returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. "On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we extend ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today announced construction is underway on Wellington commuter rail upgrades which will mean more frequent services and fewer breakdowns. The upgrades include converting the Trentham to Upper Hutt single track section to a double track, with a new signalling system, upgraded stations and level crossings, and ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw have announced the release of a Defence Climate Change Implementation Work Plan, titled Responding to the Climate Crisis: An Implementation Plan. The plan sets out a series of recommendations based on the 2018 New Zealand Defence Assessment, The ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
Thank you Professor Juliet Gerrard and your team for the comprehensive and extremely helpful report and recommendations. Thank you too to all the stakeholders and interested parties who have contributed ideas and thinking to it. “Making best practice, standard practice” is a great framework for change and the action plan ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
I want to talk about one of the most pressing issues in our national life: the housing crisis and the poor performance of our cities. The argument I want to make to you is that generations of urban land use policy have lacked a decent grounding in economics. The consequences ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Ethnic communities will be able to plan and deliver more community initiatives thanks to an increase in Government funding, Minister for Ethnic Communities Hon Jenny Salesa said today. “Ensuring Aotearoa New Zealand is a place we can all be proud to call home has been a key priority of our ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
Major decisions made by the Government will now be considered under a climate change lens, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. “Cabinet routinely considers the effects of its decisions on human rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, rural communities, the disability community, and gender – now climate change will ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced the appointment of Māori education specialist Dr Wayne Ngata and Business NZ head Kirk Hope to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Dr Alastair MacCormick has been reappointed for another term. “Wayne Ngata, Kirk Hope and Alastair MacCormick bring a great deal ...
The next phase of the Pike River Re-entry project is underway, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says. “Fresh air will be pumped into the Pike River Mine drift this week, following acceptance of the plan for re-entry beyond the 170m barrier by New Zealand’s independent health and ...
New Zealand consumers will have greater certainty about their insurance cover when they need to make claims as a result of proposed government changes. “Insurance is vitally important in supporting consumers and businesses to be financially resilient when unexpected events happen,” Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said. ...
The Crown is providing an opportunity for the hapu of Ngāpuhi to rebuild its framework from the ground up for collective negotiations to deal with its historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little and Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Crown is also ...
A Bill enabling referendums to be held with the 2020 General Election has passed its third reading. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Act is important for upholding the integrity of New Zealand’s electoral process. “The Government has committed to holding a referendum on legalising recreational cannabis at the next ...
The first release of public information on the two referendums to be held at next year’s General Election was made today with an informative new Government website going live. Additionally, the draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill has been released, showing the strict controls on cannabis that will apply if ...
The Government is taking action to protect New Zealand from foreign interference in our elections by banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon and passed under urgency. “There’s no need for anyone other than New ...
Governments and tech companies are holding a two-day workshop, hosted by YouTube/Google in Wellington, to test the Christchurch Call Shared Crisis Response Protocol. The workshop aims to refine and strengthen the response in the event of a terrorist attack with online implications. Companies, governments, civil society experts and NGOs will ...
I have written elsewhere (see reference list below) about the important principles that suggest all enfranchised residents should receive a share of public income, and how the realisation of this is essentially a matter of reformed public accounting. Here I just consider two typical New Zealanders of different generations, and ...
Hū ana te whenua, ngārue ana te moana. He aituā! He aituā! E tangi ana i āhua o te parekura i Whakaari inanahi. E aroha ana ki te whānau pani me ngā iwi e honohono kau ana ki te tipua maunga kei te Moana-a-Toi. “The Māori Party expresses its ...
The Prime Minister has sent a message to the family and friends of those overseas tourists caught up in the Whakaari / White Island eruption that New Zealand will hold their loved one close. ...
In the first instalment of our new pop-up podcast, The Spinoff Book Out Loud, Madeleine Chapman reads her poignant, hilarious response to the response to her scandalous ranking of New Zealand chips.In late March 2019, Madeleine Chapman spied her Everest, and she climbed it. “All 123 chip flavours in New ...
We were in the middle of drawing up this list when Potton & Burton quietly dropped a new book – it is optimistic and surprising and all kinds of wonderful, and here is our wee rave about it. Plus, in no particular order, here are the other nine best children’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lachlan Warner, Australian Catholic University Last week Britain’s Turner Prize for visual art was announced. For the first time, the award went to a collective instead of the usual singular winner. The four finalists – Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo, Tai Shani and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Genna Churches, PhD Candidate, UNSW After watching this year’s media raids and the prosecution of lawyers and whistleblowers, it’s not hard to see why Australians wonder about excessive police power and dwindling journalistic freedom. But these problems are compounded by another, less ...
Sam Brooks reviews Marriage Story, the latest Netflix movie that tackles that universally horrible experience: divorce.There’s a moment, about halfway into Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, Netflix’s new film about the dissolution of a marriage, that hit me harder than anything else in the movie up until that point. During their first mediation ...
Barnardos welcomes He taonga te tamaiti - the 10 Year Early Learning Action Plan recently published by the Ministry of Education. Barnardos particularly welcomes the theme of the Action Plan: every child a taonga. The plan recognises that every ...
It is International Human Rights Day 2019. To explore the close connection between social work and human rights and to highlight social work activity in this field, the Association asked Neil Ballantyne, a social work academic at the Open Polytechnic ...
A defamation case involving former National minister Steven Joyce, the NBR website and its publisher focuses on what columnist Matthew Hooton meant by particular words he used in a "ruthless, spiteful, repugnant" column. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland The Morrison government’s waiving of almost A$500 million in dodgy vocational education and training debts holds many lessons about the nature of education and public services being provided by for-profit enterprises. The ...
If you’re looking for Christmas gifts or just trying to fill the void of silence with your friends and family this festive season, look no further than the humble board game. Christmas is coming which means long, lazy days with your nearest and dearest, perhaps eating too much and definitely still ...
Twenty-four hours after the eruption on Whakaari/White Island, here’s what we know about the ongoing situation.How many people have died?Currently, the official death toll stands at five, but there are a further eight people missing, who are presumed to have died in the eruption. 31 people remain in hospital and ...
The New Zealand Muslim Association is saddened for those effected by the impact of Whakaari / White Island eruption. We share their pain and sorrow and are concerned for those still missing. Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims of this tragic ...
Another giant bird has been torn from its grave: the ancient Rēkohu/Chatham Island penguin. Just how big was it?Standing at just over a metre tall, Kupoupou stilwelli was a big bird. It was as large as the giant Otago parrot, or as tall as a metre ruler.Sixty million years ago, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Celine Boehm, Head of School for Physics, University of Sydney A team of scientists in Hungary recently published a paper that hints at the existence of a previously unknown subatomic particle. The team first reported finding traces of the particle in 2016, ...
At the request of the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand Flag is to be flown at half-mast on all Government and public buildings with immediate effect as a mark of mourning and respect for the victims of the Whakaari/White ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Connell, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University When farmers descended on Parliament House in Canberra this month to demand the Murray Darling Basin Plan be dumped, they reserved sharp words for Nationals leader Michael McCormack. “The National ...
From tennis champions to dance craze inventors, Scratched celebrates New Zealand sporting heroes who never got their due – but whose legacies deserve to be in lights. This month, Barbara Cox, the matriarch of New Zealand football.New Zealand’s first women’s football team wasn’t formed until 1975. Barbara Cox was the ...
White Island tour operators say the eruption risk level on the island yesterday was within their guidelines to keep operating. Yet when tragedy strikes, it’s natural to question whether the powers that be made the right decisions. ...
The roll of drums sounded for many months — but the Reserve Bank’s call on how the country’s banks could withstand a one-in-200-year financial crisis landed with less of a bang, more like a whimper, last week. At least, that’s how the markets interpreted the decision of the Governor, Adrian ...
Looking back on 10 years of wild, weird and wonderful food stories in Aotearoa.It’s been a hell of a decade for food here in New Zealand. Sure, there have been tedious trends aplenty – the rise of bloody kale, bloody coconut oil, bloody poké bowls – but the following list ...
What the hell are you meant to give the person who has everything? Don’t worry, Sam Brooks has you covered with the gift guide for that person in your life.It’s that time of year again – that time of the year when you have to think about your sociopathic friend. ...
Wellbeing may be at the centre of government strategy, but too many children and whānau are remaining on the outer, cautions The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). In a series of report cards released today, the RACP’s Aotearoa NZ President, ...
"You get this sudden depressurisation, same as sort of taking the top off of a soft drink bottle or pulling the cork out of a bottle of champagne. It depressurises and the materials underneath rise very, very quickly." ...
Looking back on 10 years which saw New Zealand’s media transform from a position of near-limitless power and influence to the deeply humbled reality of today. At the end of 2009 I had resigned from my first good job, convinced that print media was finished. The good job was as editor ...
Sending in armed police is exactly how not to defuse a situation where a person is highly distressed and suicidal, writes someone who has been in a similar situation herself.Last week a man was shot by police. There’d been a call for help – he was suicidal, had a weapon ...
Report into 2017 general election tipped to be published shortly; and higher benefits, more state housing needed to combat child poverty - Children's Commissioner. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that her Cabinet is in agreement that it "is not viable" for the North Island's main port to remain in Auckland. ...
Anyone watching the news coverage of the debate over Auckland's port would think a move to Northland is a real prospect. It's not, writes Bernard Hickey, who sees it purely as a political oxygen machine for NZ First. ...
Local party members have today selected Jake Bezzant as National’s candidate in Upper Harbour for the 2020 Election. Mr Bezzant is replacing Paula Bennett, National’s Campaign Chair, who isn’t seeking re-election in Upper Harbour but will stand as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jean-Philippe Deranty, Professor, Macquarie University Hardly a week goes by without a report announcing the end of work as we know it. In 2013, Oxford University academics Carl Frey and Michael Osborne were the first to capture this anxiety in a paper ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asha Bowen, Head, Skin Health, Telethon Kids Institute Antibiotic-resistant infections already cause at least 700,000 deaths globally every year. Although the phenomenon is most concerning for serious infections people are admitted to hospital with, antibiotic resistance means common bacterial infections could one ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Physical Culture, University of Waikato Recently, several elite sportswomen have spoken out about toxic sport culture and the damage it does to their long-term health. Mary Cain went from being the fastest and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Reid, Professor Emeritus of Education, University of South Australia Since the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) began in 2000, published results have sent commentators and politicians in some countries into meltdown. The release of the 2018 test results last ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Keys, PhD Researcher, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University This is the second article in a series to mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark Melbourne Transportation Plan. Transport models are often singled out as a barrier to providing more sustainable ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Toohey, Professor of Law, University of Newcastle An important part of the World Trade Organization will cease to function from midnight. December 10 is when the terms of two of the remaining three members of its Appellate Body expire. It is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Burton, Lecturer in Media Arts, University of Wollongong Fans of Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece Blade Runner returned to cinemas last month for an unusual milestone: history catching up with science fiction. Blade Runner opens in Los Angeles, in November 2019. Furnaces ...
Welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Death toll from Whakaari eruption likely to rise, cabinet agrees Auckland port must move, and expensive Christchurch stadium details released.A tragic death toll from the eruption of Whakaari/White Island is likely to rise. The number of those killed is currently five at the time ...
Aerial reconnaissance missions have flown over Whakaari-White Island since the eruption on Monday afternoon and there are no signs of any survivors, police say. ...
The world number one in long drive golf, Kiwi Phillis Meti, wants to see equal pay for women, and more Maori and Polynesian girls striking the ball ...
How can we protect our privacy online in the face of increasingly clever marketing and retailing ploys? Victoria University of Wellington's Dr Marcin Betkier has some thoughts. ...
The British people have a chance to stop the new age of hostility and belligerence before it is fully unleashed in the country's most significant election in 40 years, writes Neal Curtis. ...
Commercial media, a business that requires public trust and goodwill, is in a tough financial position right now. Gaurav Sharma says that’s in part because of its poor job of reaching immigrant communities, in the first of a new monthly column for The Spinoff.Let’s start with a test, about references ...
We don’t normally see these eruptions coming, no matter how much we would like to. Many systems are already ‘primed’ for such events, but the triggers are poorly understood, writes Shane Cronin of the University of Auckland.As of Monday night five people have been confirmed dead, 18 had been rescued ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Cronin, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Auckland Five people have been confirmed dead, 23 have been rescued and several remain unaccounted for after a sudden volcanic eruption on Whakaari/White Island off the east coast of New Zealand. The island is ...
One person is dead, 23 have been rescued and potentially two dozen people are unaccounted for on Whakaari/White Island, after it erupted on Monday. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters are to be commended for their leadership on the Upper North Island port issue, Waterfront 2029 Spokesperson Michael Goldwater said today. The Prime Minister today announced that ...
In partnership with the JR McKenzie Trust and University of Otago, Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft has today released the annual Child Poverty Monitor at childpoverty.org.nz which shows more bold and sustainable action is needed. ...
Today’s child poverty figures , revealing that nearly 150,000 children are living in material hardship in New Zealand, show the need for tax relief says the Taxpayers’ Union . ...
Open Mike 12/01/2018 
Brad Scott, GNS Science VolcanologistThis post was originally published by GeoNet. Following the 9 December devastating eruption at Whakaari/White Island we have put together some information about the island. New Zealand’s most active volcano Whakaari/White Island is currently New Zealand’s most active volcano, it has been since an eruptive episode ...58 mins ago
The Justice Committee has reported back on its Inquiry into the 2017 General Election and 2016 Local Elections, with a host of recommendations about how to improve our electoral systems. Some of their recommendations are already incorporate din the Electoral Amendment Bill currently before Parliament, but there's also a recommendation ...2 hours ago
I love data. It’s amazing the sort of “discoveries” I can make given a data set and computer statistical package. It’s just so easy to search for relationships and test their statistical significance. Maybe relationships which ... 7 hours ago
The other big story concerning Leeds Hospital is Boris Johnson's bizzare behaviour at Leeds Hospital, where he was confronted by a journalist and challenged about a four year old boy with suspected pneumonia who was left sleeping on the floor, rather than getting abed like a sick kid would in ...9 hours ago
by Daphna Whitmore Last week France passed a law that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It is based on a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel such as: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist ...1 day ago
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...3 days ago
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...3 days ago
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...4 days ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...5 days ago
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...5 days ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...1 week ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...1 week ago
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Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand's Cook Islands High Commissioner, Tessa Temata, has died over the weekend. Ms Temata, 52, died in Palmerston North and had returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. She was the first New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands of Cook Island ...9 hours ago
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Racing Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Racing Industry Bill in parliament today. This is the second of two Bills that have been introduced this year to revitalise New Zealand’s racing industry. “Our domestic racing industry has been in serious decline. The Government is committed to ...1 hour ago
I have written elsewhere (see reference list below) about the important principles that suggest all enfranchised residents should receive a share of public income, and how the realisation of this is essentially a matter of reformed public accounting. Here I just consider two typical New Zealanders of different generations, and ...23 mins ago
Transport, health and local government are all contenders for an infrastructure spending boost, ...27 mins ago
Hū ana te whenua, ngārue ana te moana. He aituā! He aituā! E tangi ana i āhua o te parekura i Whakaari inanahi. E aroha ana ki te whānau pani me ngā iwi e honohono kau ana ki te tipua maunga kei te Moana-a-Toi. “The Māori Party expresses its ...44 mins ago
The Prime Minister has sent a message to the family and friends of those overseas tourists caught up in the Whakaari / White Island eruption that New Zealand will hold their loved one close. ...54 mins ago
We were in the middle of drawing up this list when Potton & Burton quietly dropped a new book – it is optimistic and surprising and all kinds of wonderful, and here is our wee rave about it. Plus, in no particular order, here are the other nine best children’s ...2 hours ago
A backlog at Auckland International Airport was caused by the failure of an IT system used to check passengers against terrorist watch-lists. ...2 hours ago
Vodafone has switched on 5G in parts of the capital, as well as Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown ...2 hours ago
Tower Insurance's chief executive Richard Harding plans to resign after five years in the job. ...3 hours ago
A defamation case involving former National minister Steven Joyce, the NBR website and its publisher focuses on what columnist Matthew Hooton meant by particular words he used in a "ruthless, spiteful, repugnant" column. ...3 hours ago
White Island tour operators say the eruption risk level on the island yesterday was within their guidelines to keep operating. Yet when tragedy strikes, it’s natural to question whether the powers that be made the right decisions. ...5 hours ago
The Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin says it's too early to consider what form of any inquiry into the White Island eruption. ...5 hours ago
The roll of drums sounded for many months — but the Reserve Bank’s call on how the country’s banks could withstand a one-in-200-year financial crisis landed with less of a bang, more like a whimper, last week. At least, that’s how the markets interpreted the decision of the Governor, Adrian ...5 hours ago
The alert was briefly raised to 4 during yesterday's eruption and is now at level 3, classed as "minor volcanic eruption" ...6 hours ago
A legal expert says the situation of the Ministry of Transport's former CEO raises worrying questions even if you believe he’s not blameless, ...9 hours ago
"You get this sudden depressurisation, same as sort of taking the top off of a soft drink bottle or pulling the cork out of a bottle of champagne. It depressurises and the materials underneath rise very, very quickly." ...9 hours ago
Report into 2017 general election tipped to be published shortly; and higher benefits, more state housing needed to combat child poverty - Children's Commissioner. ...9 hours ago
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that her Cabinet is in agreement that it "is not viable" for the North Island's main port to remain in Auckland. ...9 hours ago
Anyone watching the news coverage of the debate over Auckland's port would think a move to Northland is a real prospect. It's not, writes Bernard Hickey, who sees it purely as a political oxygen machine for NZ First. ...9 hours ago
Police do not believe there are any survivors on Whakaari / White Island, as eight people are confirmed missing after yesterday's eruption. ...9 hours ago
Aerial reconnaissance missions have flown over Whakaari-White Island since the eruption on Monday afternoon and there are no signs of any survivors, police say. ...12 hours ago
The world number one in long drive golf, Kiwi Phillis Meti, wants to see equal pay for women, and more Maori and Polynesian girls striking the ball ...12 hours ago
A critical part of the global trading system may fail this week - what does that mean for NZ? ...12 hours ago
How can we protect our privacy online in the face of increasingly clever marketing and retailing ploys? Victoria University of Wellington's Dr Marcin Betkier has some thoughts. ...12 hours ago
The High Court is told three tweets by a publisher repeated his paper and website's defamation against former National minister Steven Joyce. ...12 hours ago
The British people have a chance to stop the new age of hostility and belligerence before it is fully unleashed in the country's most significant election in 40 years, writes Neal Curtis. ...12 hours ago
An exhibition by Rarotonga-based artist Sam Thomas uses patu to explore questions of cultural exchange. Pat Baskett reviews 'Pakeha Gifts'. ...12 hours ago
Bougainville's path to a referendum on independence has been described as NZ's foreign policy success you've never heard of. ...13 hours ago
Ports of Auckland needs to control and run its port operations if it moves to Northport, just as it does now in Auckland. ...20 hours ago
Official advice may not be so hot on moving the port, Shane Jones says. ...23 hours ago
When does the God-awful summer “program” end on RNZ and civilization return?
I hate the way RNZ use the summer break to spend one month on a cost cutting shut down. The two idiots who do the afternoon show are one trick ponies whose get their jollies by banging on forever with their one big idea of playing bad music around some stupid theme. That gets old real, real quick. Shoot them. I’ll lie on the stand if you need an alibi.
And I hate the constant repeating of slight magazine trivia from Jim Mora and the rest of them as mind-numbingly tedious filler to make it seem like RNZ isn’t on auto-pilot.
GIVE THAT STATION MORE MONEY ALREADY!!!!
I agree with all those sentiments. sigh and fill are dingbats without a doubt but there are more things to discuss about RNZ summer dumbdown. number one is they try and break in new post modern announcers who dont read the news scripts before they announce them and stumble over words that are just too big for them. secondly they go and get the worst right wingers for their road trip playlist songs. this morning it is kirk hope from business new zealand which is a total misnomer. business new zealand is in business solely to keep wages down. have you ever heard of a new business they have created or sponsored?
Jimmy Barnes would DETEST this creep.
Megan Whelan interviews Kirk Hope
RNZ National, Friday 12 Jan. 2018
Last Wednesday morning, listeners were subjected to a hapless, unprepared Megan Whelan providing an uninterrupted, uncritical sounding board to the disturbingly dishonest Robert Ayson:
Today, she had another soft-spoken, sinister ideologue on the program:
Unlike her failure last week, today she at least showed a little spirit and the glimmering of a social conscience as Hope smoothly pushed his nightmarish vision of a New Zealand organized like Communist China.
KIRK HOPE: ….and a band not many people have heard of, Grant Lee Buffalo.
MEGAN WHELAN Oh I loved Grant Lee Buffalo!
KIRK HOPE: But the next song I’ve chosen is “Singularity” by New Order. I thought New Order was just crap after 1983, but they’ve returned to form with this one. I was in Tokyo and I put a pair of headphones on and, as you do, I put Spotify on and I tell you this is the way you want to walk around Tokyo, listening to this kind of music!
…..The song plays. After it, Megan Whelan decides to get serious….
MEGAN WHELAN I talked recently to Richard Wagstaff of the CTU about the future of work.
KIRK HOPE: China is an example of a rapidly industrializing country which is also rapidly digitizing. It’s replaced the fulltime jobs of an industrial economy with trading. That’s the secret behind the success of Ali Baba! One or two people on line.
MEGAN WHELAN [clearly dubious] That’s significantly less secure, though.
KIRK HOPE: I’m not sure it is. We have to think about what it will look like. There’s a LOT of work to go on in the education system; our funding models, what’s happening at the secondary level.
MEGAN WHELAN Another thing with Richard—-I realize I’m sounding like a socialist revolutionary, and I don’t mean to, ha ha ha ha!—but he was worried about workers’ rights.
KIRK HOPE: People will have more flexibility. They might want to take six months off and travel.
MEGAN WHELAN Yeah but not a lot of people have this option. It’s different when it’s thrust on them. …. Anyway, what’s the last song you’ve chosen?
KIRK HOPE: I’ve chosen “Driving Wheels” by Jimmy Barnes. My mates and I drove from Wanaka to Dunedin in a Valiant Regal one New Year’s Eve many years ago, listening to the album for this, Freight Train Heart…..
MEGAN WHELAN Kirk Hope, thank you!
That’s enough of Kirk Hope, but here’s more Megan Whelan if you can bear it…
My radio alarm goes off at 6 am and RNZ comes on. Now, during summer. I hear the news straight up and then the music starts.
The music is awful; its even worse than what’s played on Matinee Idol during summer afternoons on RNZ. At least there they know when to mock and know when to salute the music and do so in an interesting way.
RNZ’s early morning music selection seems like it provides an excuse for RNZ to play stuff that probably hasn’t been played since it was first released (I can understand why – there was never an audience for it in the first place). Its ‘music’ without structure, melody, interesting lyrics or anything else that constitutes a good musical composition. Much of it is NZ music sad to say. In my opinion its simply tedious noise.
As a result I hang out for some of the “slight magazine shows”, such as the BBC’s “Witness Programme” so I don’t have to listen to such terrible music.
Be nice to get some alternative music – something that is not just a bloody noise to assail the ears first thing in the morning. “What the hell” is the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Paul Brennen’s tracks he plays. I enjoy the blues and some country music which I know is not everybody’s choice, but I also enjoy classical music and anything which has a melody. There is one thing positive about the summer programme, it drives me out of bed to do something more constructive like watering plants etc.
Can I suggest that you, and Grantoc, should ask some convenient child to show you how to tune your radio to some other station?
Radios allow that you might be interested to know. Think of the amazing discoveries you will make. You might even find the Concert program.
Ah, the new thrills you are going to have if, instead of just complaining, you take advantage of the amazing new technology that exists on your bedside table.
I’m picturing you typing that with an insufferably smug expression on your face. “Look Mum! I’ve discovered sarcasm and condescension! Can I have a pat on the head now?”
All right, if you must.
Consider your head to be patted, you smug condescending prat.
I will have to ask you to take the head pat in absentia though.
I really don’t want to get nits from your unwashed noggin.
🙂
It’s trending doncha know
Nice to hear you enjoy classical music wk. Some people seem to think that anyone who enjoys classical music must be peculiar. They don’t know what they are missing.
Love the music, can’t stand more of Mora!! Especially his rw pals.
Far preferable to Mora.
But I agree….it’s a bit like the kids are in charge. There’s one ‘Sound Engineer’ who keeps forgetting what a cue button is …. or whatever they call it these days. Though given RNZ financials, its probably a ‘Audition/Programme’ key designed by British Telecom
I replied, but it disappeared up its own rrrr’s
Summer time is a time for the kids and the up and coming to exercise their gloriousness.
EVEN the Auckland Sound ‘ engineer ‘ who still can’t cope with a ‘CUE’ button.
Once or twice
…Ok….. but constantly?
He….yes…HE has managed to destroy a couple of interviews I was interested in listening to without being overwritten by HIS wish to cue up the ‘cumming up’
I’d say…if it were down to me…knock off the fucking P and get some rest….and realise RNZ has an audience.
Either that, or you and the delightful Megan could hook up some time and create something you’re rilly rilly peshnit about.
Perhaps Mex (K) could help
Oh stop moaning about RNZ. Most people are enjoying it or slagging off Phil and Simon, in a rude way enjoyable to themselves and P &S just go on. The music is mostly okay and some new people are having an opportunity to show their stuff.
If you like concert music there is a whole special broadcast of it and Eva Rakich, is it, comes on every now and then and introduces some into the ‘mainstream’. The items they have got are interesting, they have BBC World also, and I think you are all uptight. Turn it off if it doesn’t suit and play some of your DVDs or maybe some of your tapes if you still have a machine for that. You will hear some stuff not heard for decades.
“At its very worst, it could be alleged that it is coordinated exploitation.”
http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=262348&fm=psp,tsf
That’s how our rentier economic system works. Ticket clipping makes a few people rich for which they produce no value at all while everyone else is fucked over to the point where they can no longer support those rich bludgers.
And the rich are always bludgers.
“That’s how our rentier economic system works”
Indeed. Thus it’s no surprise similar is happening here too.
Many moons ago I worked for a company that installed a similar regime. Employees would become contractors and would start the working week in debt to the company. Having to lease the van and equipment required off the company.
We all gave notice and left.
And as for the reasons the article highlighted (harder to decline) the employers then turned to WINZ for new recruits.
Aye you’ve seen the shifting of employer costs to workers under the guise of contracting ever since Robbin’ Douglas and his bunch of un-merry men.
Robbing the poor to give to the rich.
Whether it’s vehicles, whether it’s equipment, whether it’s uniforms, whether it’s sick leave,whether it’s redundancy,….
These are all costs that employers have shifted onto workers and convinced workers they are better off for it.
“Aye you’ve seen the shifting of employer costs to workers under the guise of contracting…”
Indeed. We did the numbers (of the previous year, which was a good year) to compare what it would be like under the new regime and of course, we (the employees) were the big losers. Hence, we quit.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/100480922/no-we-dont-need-aggag-laws-in-new-zealand
is it ok to hold back evidence of mistreatment of animals so as to cause maximum impact damage to the farming industry , or should it be handed over straight away?
i say it should be handed over as soon as possible
Those sort of laws should be seen for what they are – purchased politicians pushing the agenda of their donor corporate interests.
so you are ok for animals to suffer longer so it suits the filmers agenda , and so they can frame it for maximum impact , and edit it accordingly
The filmers’ agendas is to stop the torture and execution of billions of sentient beings in industrial killing factories.
Seems worth it to me.
Who is making those animals suffer bwaghorn? The businesspeople farming them or the protesters? You seem to be a bit confused about what seems very straightforward.
And the protesters are putting themselves at risk from vengeful farmers and those that are agriculture-connected. Also they need to have irrevocable evidence to bring about change for the better. It is no use sacrificing their time and life to get information that is easily refuted or just unverified observation. I hope that you would not be vengeful but I note that you are quick to change the focus away from those causing the harm.
It seems to me that you are suffering a case of Triangulation (psychology related) which is something that all who discuss and argue on TS ought to understand so as to increase the effectiveness of an argument.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulation_(psychology)
Also the Karpman triangle where one person involved in discussion about a problem can shift in approach through three positions like the points of a triangle – Victim (We’re having it tough) – Rescuer (Now taking the side of the victim) – The Persecutor (It’s your fault, you bring about the bad outcome.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle
In your comment bwaghorn you turn on the protesters and become Persecutor, blaming them for withholding information so as to reveal a mass of evidence later at a hearing to judge whether there was bad treatment of animals. You think it should be released straight away to the authorities who could decide immediately to force a change in conditions. That is a theory and supposition on your part that the protesters have rejected as unlikely, from their experience in the past which would be greater than yours.
You present the farmers targeted, because you identify with them, as Victims.
And in the third point, you yourself are the principled Rescuer, wanting to help those receiving criticism in the agricultural sector.
So you are avoiding facing up to the object of the protest action, and presenting the protesters as unethical, (because you now accept there is bad treatment that the protesters themselves have established as fact through their action), and you now turn and blame them for it continuing. You should instead be blaming those carrying it out.
That is a very neat psychological trick that academics have had to study for a long time, observing,and finally explaining it as in the two examples given above.
” if they do not promptly hand over their evidence exposing animal cruelty to the authorities in a timely manner.”
as the usual suspects have turned up to defend their hobbie horse , i’ll type this slowly so you fallas can understand it,
know where does it say that the will let farmers off , what it says is they will turn a blind eye to radicals illegal spying on farmers if they hand over the evidence of the farmers crimes quickly , not let animals continue to suffer so they can get more wow factor.
i personaly potted a coworker to the gm of an outfit i worked at for animal abuse , (the guy was not coping and the gm feared he would suicide so nothing was done , as the guy was leaving).
while i dont condone illegal spying it helps me count to 10 when i ,ve been doing 10 hour days and a simple sheep is winding me up
I bet you can’t be bothered to research the issue and find out what is done to animals in factory farms.
Anti slavery campaigners were smeared as radicals.
Nelson Mandela and the ANC were smeared as radicals.
Nelson Mandela was not, however, a sanctimonious tosser.
Debate the issue.
Drop the name calling.
Don’t you mean THE issue? Veganism that is.
Keep trying to derail the debate away from the mistreatment of animals.
This is a debate on industrial farming and whistle blowing.
Not veganism.
Ironic supersonic!
My first comment on this thread stated
“I really doubt most New Zealand meat eaters are remotely aware of what industrial farming looks like.”
Completely relevant to industrial farming and whistleblowers.
The reason for people’s ignorance is a lack of transparency in the industry.
and quickly devolved to:
“The answer is to adopt a plant based diet permanently.”
People like waghorn and pm…
Hypocrite.
Debate the issue.
Drop the name calling.
Your abusive hypocrisy isn’t a debate: that’s the issue. Lift your game.
Sure. Industrial farming is nothing like slavery, because cows aren’t people. It doesn’t excuse animal crualty, but it does explain why someone might think you’re a sanctimonious dickhead and avoid the majority of your comments. So even if you had an argument, fewer people would read it than if you were a reasonable human being.
People like waghorn and pm would have decried anti slavery movements in the 1770s, calling the activists smug for be against slavery and cruel for not telling the authorities about who wrote a secret report on the inside of a slave ship.
🙄
Absolutely.
Puppet politicians delivering laws for their corporate overlords.
But the purpose of the legislation is not to promote animal welfare – quite the opposite. The purpose is to identify, expose, punish and deter whistleblowers who report animal abuse.
There will need to be an anonymous release channel for whistleblowers, if this type of legislation is passed.
Clever idea though, using the guise of animal welfare to ride their high horse and help push it through.
“It’s not common practice, just a few bad farmers letting the rest of us down” – this is the line we hear so much from the farming lobby (and that Mr and Ms meat, egg and dairy consumer want to hear, so that they don’t have to consider their role in creating the demand that sees animals (mis)treated as commodities rather than conscious, living beings). If groups like SAFE and Farmwatch need to gather evidence to show that a particular practice is widespread, then let them. We definitely don’t need this kind of law, and I doubt very much that we’ll have one imposed under this government. I wish animal welfare was a stronger priority for them, although I recognise that mine is a minority viewpoint.
…Mr and Ms meat, egg and dairy consumer want to hear, so that they don’t have to consider their role in creating the demand that sees animals (mis)treated as commodities rather than conscious, living beings).
Meanwhile, Mr and Ms meat, egg and dairy consumer are at least willing to acknowledge and face the fact that their diet involves killing animals, something rarely to be found among smug, moralising vegans.
I really doubt most New Zealand meat eaters are remotely aware of what industrial farming looks like.
In reality factory farming is the prolonged torture and cruel killing of billions of animals.
I recommend Jonathan Safran Soer’s book ‘Eating Animals.’
Particularly the chapters on the industrial ‘farming’ and killing of chickens and pigs.
There’s nothing smug about the book.
If you look a bit further up this thread I think you’ll find plenty of smug (insincere) moralising from BW. Not, from what I can tell, a vegan!
And this site is filled with people expounding on their political and ethical viewpoints, arguing with others and getting pretty smug at times, too. It’s by no means limited to people espousing veganism. How often have you noticed me smugly moralising about (or mentioning) my 30+ years of veganism? Note the comment above about recognising that mine is a minority viewpoint. Hardly hardline…
If you’re feeling defensive about your choice to continue eating animals, that’s your problem. I don’t eat animals and I don’t eat any products that come from animals. It’s not the main thing I choose to discuss on this site, but I’m not going to be bullied by name-calling into never mentioning it.
Maybe BWaghorn and Ed can get their own post where the “debate” can continue at their level.
of all the nasty shit you put on here comparing me to ed is the lowest i’ve seen ,
cheers arse wipe
I didn’t: Red-Blooded did. Cheers.
So, this is the first time you’ve publicly expressed the view here that people who don’t share your diet are moral failures. Big whoop. If you comment denouncing people like me for eating food, I’m going to comment pointing out my dislike of people doing that. Try not suggesting that people who don’t share your diet are moral failures, it works wonders.
Your question was answered in the article:
So, yeah, need to build up the evidence to show the systemic aspect of the abuse of animals else it will just be ignored.
The filming inside these factories which house the torture and killing of millions of sentient beings has to be stopped by the industrial farming lobby.
If people knew what happened there, they would be out of business.
The answer is Veganuary. It’s like the month of January but without meat.
The answer is to adopt a plant based diet permanently.
If people are serious about fixing our planet, then we know what we must do and we must do it.
One simple and easy sacrifice to make in the interests of preventing climate catastrophe.
Stop
Eating
Meat
You are doing it again – conflating animal rights and environmental arguments.
There are animal rights and environmental issues surrounding the industrial processing of billions of sentient living animals into meat.
Clearly you don’t care about either the damage being done to the end by industrial animal agriculture nor the welfare of the sentient creatures who endure the barbaric conditions inside these factories.
So you make smart comments instead.
Debate the actual issue.
Assumptions fucking much. Actually i will be protesting outside the rodeo tomorrow. I haven’t eaten mammal flesh for more than thirty years.
I usually don’t bother to engage in discussion with you as it is clearly pointless. You have made up your mind what is right for you and you are hell bent now on forcing that on everybody else. I do really care about both animal welfare and climate change and watching you run around alienating people is therefore painful.
Perhaps if you cared more for animals you might talk more about stricter laws and enforcement which would be much more achievable than universal veganism.
Perhaps if you cared more for people you might come to understand that some of us find it hard to meet our nutritional needs from just plants. I can’t eat most grains and nuts for health reasons for example, and eggs and fish are an important part of my diet.
Perhaps if you cared more for the environment you would understand that chickens and cows form an integral part of many permaculture systems.
My comments are about industrial farming, not permaculture.
I would have stricter laws. They would entail the closure of all industrial farming methods.
But catastrophic climate change is happening very soon unless we act.
People are going to have to be forced to make significant sacrifices if we are to mitigate the worst outcomes.
In World War 2, people’s food was rationed to help win the war.
Is it too much to ask that people are forced to move to a plant based diet to save the planet?
NO, your comments are about VEGANISM. Animal rights and climate change are just the issues you hang it off.
“The answer is to adopt a plant based diet permanently. … we know what we must do and we must do it.”
Yes must must do it to save the planet.
Ed:
Solkta:
Deja vue all over again.
For someone whose supposed to love animals, and purports to have their best interests at heart, Ed/Paul certainly loves beating on that dead donkey of his.
This is the year when people have to begin the fightback against the right wing media. The easiest way is micropulse radio stations which are cheap to buy and incur no music royalties if there are no ads. These radio stations are low powered and line of sight and more effective than the msm whould have you believe.
If tribesmen in in the hindu kush can run their own in discrete valleys then what is stopping comparatively wealthy pakehas with disposable income from getting their arses into gear and taking the tories head on at their own game.
Are you sure atomising the shared public spaces is actually a good idea for a healthy civil society? rather than calling for more and more micro-services where people can have their views reinforced in tiny echo chambers wouldn’t it be better to campaign for a well funded publicly owned public service broadcasting network with a wide audience and a range of diverse voices?
+100%, Sanctuary.
+100 you’d also regenerate the local content production landscape as it’s been flogged off over the past years so we need the ‘local’ put back.
Drama, childrens, comedy, documentaries all get a lift if you adopt the ABC model from Oz. Light entertainment as one example is an easy category to make content for and TVNZ showed they can’t even get that right with appalling efforts.
TVNZ is our public broadcaster it just needs some legislation and funding to reshape it as a proper one and flush out the Kendricks and Co for proper broadcasters before it’s too late as they are a dying breed.
Yes absolutely. tc.
you dont understand. it is important that people have real input into the affairs of the community which is based on non profit social justice and the easiest way to do it is with local radio. especially when you play renaissance and pre renaissance music.
rnz can look after itself very well .
R.P., could you expand this idea a bit.
It’s a bit truncated.
you have to pay if you want the playlist.
and the 60’s hippy revolution was backed by the first fm stations who cleaned up later and sold out when the wave receeded. Cant go back now but if you want a revolution NOW then you gotta know what you are doing.
Once a criminal, always a criminal?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/347909/police-cold-calling-strategy-labelled-creepy
Two words
Social Investment
Coppers have been doing it for years, actually started in 1976 with this toy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Law_Enforcement_System in Whanganui.
I think there’s value in having community follow-up for people who’re fresh out of prison (for example). I don’t think the police are the right agency to be doing this, though.
Everything depends on the police involved – they can range from the kind who harass to the kind who give a damn and become genuinely supportive. These human factors are hard to measure from the outside, though the people they visit can probably work out what’s going on pdq.
Some may find it embarrassing with the neighbours or any visiting guests wondering why the police are calling.
Some may find it intimidating, thinking they are being watched or are going to be pinned for any burglaries in the neighbourhood.
Some may find it a total infringement of their rights, being innocent of any recent crime but being harassed nonetheless.
Agreed – it can be all of those things – but it can be done in a way that is positive. Whether it should be done rather depends on how careful they are not to infringe rights, and to avoid alarming neighbours and so forth.
There is a behavioral aspect to some kinds of offending, and support can assist if it is genuine. It is the kind of thing that perhaps should be part of a rehabilitation system – and my understanding of burglary is that a very small number of active burglars may generate a considerable amount of loss and damage.
They could simply call (on the phone) to see if help is required.
Yes – but there is some validity in the human contact angle, as well as the impressionistic assessment of whether things are going ok. It would be unwise to confine an assessment of a recovering alcoholic to phone calls, and to some extent the same might be true of burglars.
Isn’t this something that parole officers would be for if we actually had a decent rehabilitation system?
Yes – there should probably be some overlap between the functions in fact.
So the friendly offer of support has now turned into an assessment, leading to the presumption of innocence taking a further step backwards.
Do you suppose that the presumption of innocence extends to preventing the police from making enquiries? I think you’ll find it doesn’t. But successfully rehabilitated people – those who have managed to get their life back together – can probably be excluded from many enquiries.
Much would depend on what resources the police might have at their disposal to make a ‘helping hand’ approach actually helpful.
Calling around to someones home and making inquiries on no other grounds other than an individual’s past history does seem to rob one of the presumption of innocence, but I’m no legal expert.
George Monbiot.
“Wouldn’t it be great if journalists asked themselves “what is important?” rather than “what is topical?”.“
Edgar McGregor
“Climate change needs more action and less advocacy. Unlike other world issues such as racism, sexism and starvation, climate change will one day be unsolvable. We are losing control of the situation. We know what we need to do, we know what we can expect, we just have to act.”
George Monbiot on Theresa May’s 25 year environmental plan.
“It’s as if it were written with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. In terms of rhetoric, Theresa May’s 25-year environment plan is in some ways the best government document I’ve ever read. In terms of policy, it ranges from the pallid to the pathetic.
Those who wrote it are aware of the multiple crises we face. But, having laid out the depth and breadth of our predicaments, they propose to do almost nothing about them. I can almost hear the internal dialogue: “Yes, let’s change the world! Hang on a minute, what about our commitment to slashing regulations? What about maximising economic growth? What would the Conservatives’ major funders have to say about it? Oh all right, let’s wave our hands around instead.”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/11/theresa-may-plastic-plan-economy-consume
One notable line.
“A plastic-free aisle in supermarkets will not deliver a plastic-free isle.”
And his conclusion.
“The more an economy grows, the more resources it will consume. If it’s not plastic, it will be cardboard, and the cardboard is likely to be made from chewed-up rainforest. Clamp down on the use of cardboard, and something else will take its place. An economy that keeps growing on a planet that does not will inevitably burst through environmental limits, however sincere a government might be about seeking to reduce its impacts. The big conversation we need within government has still not begun. ”
I shall distil Monbiot’s passage into a few simple words.
We need to rid ourselves of capitalism.
Or die.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11971853
Will be interesting to see what the Greens do about this
In 1999, speaking against an earlier party-hopping bill, Green co-leader Rod Donald reminded the House that “had this bill existed prior to the last [1999] election, we [Donald and Fitzsimons] would have been removed from this House and denied our opportunity to stay here for the full parliamentary term”.
“Will be interesting to see what the Greens do about this”
Indeed.
Instead of a green belly, we will see true yellow belly of the Greens…
The flipside is when you have an MP who remains too long in the party and does as much as possible to burn it down before leaving.
Party hopping is much less damaging than that.
And he did it in the 1980s and held his own electorate so not a good example.
In fact, any ‘party hopping’ prior to the 1996 election has no bearing on it.
Which is untrue. The greens were part of the Alliance but were still The Greens. Donald and Fitzsimons would still have been Green MPs.
They didn’t leave their party – their party left The Alliance. And it could be argued that their seats were the Green Party share of the Alliance vote they should have kept them anyway.
I don’t expect MPs to be ‘party robots’ but if they leave the party then they damn well shouldn’t keep their seat because they’re no longer representing those that voted for them on the party ticket.
Exactly as it should be.
Then we need better law…
…Oh, wait.
That’s what the party vote does. If an MP then leaves a party then they’ve removed themselves from that decision by the voters and should be removed from parliament.
Electorate MPs are more complex because they’ve actually been voted for by the electorate. We actually need the power of recall given to the voters so that an electorate can remove if they deem it necessary.
Yes!! 1000% DracoTB, they should seek a new mandate from the voters.
Yeah, spot on Draco
List MPs are there on the basis of their party’s share of the vote, it’s the party’s mandate, not the MP’s, therefore if they leave the party they loose the right to that party’s mandate and should be gone from parliament and replaced by the next person on that party’s list.
Electorate MPs have a personal mandate from their electorate, so it’s the MP’s mandate, not the party’s.
Good explanation Graeme. Makes it clear for the unsure.
I’d argue that not allowing them to leave means that the party needs to take more care in their original selection and in how they treat and deal with them for the term of the government.
It’s a fixed term and if the party has screwed up then they need to live with it.
Just shoving any fuckwit on the list is best stopped by not being able to get rid of them til the next election.
Having an internal revolution and changing direction at the hierarchical level shouldn’t mean you can offload the MP’s you don’t like post the revolution.
Then there’s also the issue of the workers for those MP’s. It’s enough that they only have certainty of work for an electoral term without adding to the possibility that the may become out of work cause the party no longer loves an MP – or the MP no longer loves the party.
It’s not often I agree with Nick Smith (actually I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with him and there is some strong irony in some of what he says) but on this I do.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/100357490/house-of-representatives-or-party-poodles
Just shoving any fuckwit on the list is best stopped by not being able to get rid of them til the next election.
Your language says that you are not considering the matter in a balanced way. Political parties are a group of people trying to get into a position to have some sway in the country. They are trying to be part of the political process; they may do things wrongly but talking about them and those involved as ‘fuckwit’ doesn’t add anything to the discussion.
Calling an individual a ‘fuckwit’ when they obviously are failing to achieve anything worthwhile and make statements that fail to take in the reality of the position may be justified, but not some blanket dismissive. You have proved by the way you used that term generally that individually it might be applied to you.
You take the comment far too non-contextually.
I’ve used the extreme end of the spectrum i.e. the party selecting someone completely inappropriate to make the point that it should not be justified under any circumstance.
I’m not leaving any grey for the party to say ooops we got it wrong.
They need to take that care in the first place – not have an escape clause.
To an extent we have that in the way Party lists remain in place for the term of the Parliament. If a list member dies, leaves for a diplomatic post or fucks up and has to go, the Party is stuck with ringing in the next person on their list. Sure we see a bit of gymnastics to get the one the Party really wants, but it is a strong incentive for Parties to be reasonably circumspect on who’s on their lists.
I’m waiting to see what unfolds if there is a string of departures when the National leadership eventually blows open. Fully expect the new leader to try and reshape the caucus in their form. Maybe that’s what the squatter is about in his rather confused and paranoid rant.
Aye that’s why I like what we have and not what is proposed.
Examples from the early days of MMP I think are a poor case to justify change as I’m sure parties are now a little wiser in selecting their list MP’s than when MMP first came in – if they’re not then they should be.
There’s another interpretation of the squatter’s rant. Maybe he’s pissed that National won’t be able to induce defections of NZ first MPs, again.
I’m not so sure about the squatter’s assertion that the waka jumping bill allows the party to “fire” list MPs any more than the current arrangement allows a party to request the member to consider their future.
They’re allowed to leave it’s just that if they do and they’re a list MP then they also leave parliament.
If they leave then they’ve removed themselves.
Such risk obviously comes with the job and one of the reasons why they’re paid quite well.
Young Nats
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/campus/university-of-otago/students-excluded-sadistic-flat-initiation
I thought it was the Daisycutter sports New Year’s bash ?
Sadly, Mullet, there was a shortage of sadists at the last one. A stark contrast to 2005.
Goat runs amok in Carrickfergus
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2016/dec/06/goat-runs-amok-in-carrickfergus-video
Looks like the government’s plans are working to drive out the speculative class.
The article has the usual Herald bias, as the rag represents the rentier class, but it does provide some interesting facts if you can peel away the propaganda.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personal-finance/news/article.cfm?c_id=12&objectid=11973924
If person owns just one property as a rental property, do they fit into the “speculative” class?
They certainly fit into the ‘rentier’ class.
Yes, if likely capital gains were a significant part of their motivation to purchase it.
Otherwise… probably.
It’s always seen as a sensible investment to have a rental property. I don’t see it as speculative and it wouldn’t be a problem if Labour hadn’t gone feral and National hadn’t gone plutocratic and together they have skewed the country so badly.
See Jeremy Corbyn take on Margaret Thatcher about housing in 1990.
The link is at No. 17 here. The facts he was quoting were bad back then for Britain.
Well, yeah. But the fact is that the nats and labz were what they were, and so for the last thirty years people have bought a rental property on the basis that the capital value will increase enough for them to afford to pay off the property when they sell it down the line, and frequently make up the gap between their income and the mortgage with the rent the property gets.
@ Ed
“Mum and dad investors ‘fleeing’ property…”
Who will fill the void?
Institutional investors?
And will tenants be any better off?
Perhaps the Government could buy them and turn them into state homes?
More building permits issued in Auckland since 2005 in November.
Official figures prepared for the new housing minister estimate a shortfall of 45,000 houses in Auckland, with supply of new homes well behind increased demand.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98519361/weve-inherited-a-disaster-official-figures-show-45000-home-shortfall-in-auckland
It’s not ‘weather weirdness’ NZ Herald.
It’s climate change.
And the sooner you’re honest about this, the quicker New Zealand will start acting decisively to deal with it.
30 degrees in Invercargill
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11974054
Record marine heatwave
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11973975
Zzzzzz….. The vinyl’s scratched..
Ah well, you just ignore it all then.
Go back to sleep, mikes.
Nothing to see here.
Trump cancels UK trip because of fear of mass protests.
Good news.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/12/donald-trump-visit-to-london-called-off-amid-fears-of-mass-protests
“Of 21 Winter Olympic Cities, Many May Soon Be Too Warm to Host the Games.”
https://t.co/ah8TwqdbLD?amp=1
British politics.
First – Jeremy Corbyn v Margaret Thatcher on Housing in 1990
Housing – People sleeping on the streets, children brought up in b*Bs, but Councils have empty houses so there is no difficulty.
Jeremy Corbyn v Margaret Thatcher
Theresa May v Tony Blair
then question on Brexit
There would be many benefit for New Zealand if we banned plastic bags come on let’s get this environmentally friendly economy going don’t listen to the nay Sayers. We have all the raw materials to make paper bags what’s the problem we will create jobs come on
I think that Theo Spiering should take my advice on the solarpanel on cow sheds maybe Papatuanuku will let up on that cow disease and it mite stop spreading that’s my view on that subject P.S. I seen the thunder in action yesterday on thestandard many thanks to all my viewers ka pai ka kite ano
Steve Cowan nails it.
“Jim Anderton was New Zealand’s last significant social democratic politician. While some are claiming he pulled Labour Party back ‘from the brink’ and back to the ‘centre-left’ this is a convenient rewriting of history. The Labour Party today bears little resemblance to the Labour Party that Jim Anderton once knew.”
http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2018/01/jim-anderton-new-zealands-last-social.html?m=1
I read one comment saying that its a totally different country .I say that this country has a major influence on all the SOCIETIES on Papatuanuku/MotherEarth .So If we can voice All OUR concerns about the direction that we see that country going down If we let them Know NOW this will save a lot of pain and suffering in the future . Kia Kaha
Here is a song I like from the next generation Ka kite ano