I s'pose it's too much to ask to hold off on that judgement until Biden actually gets some of his appointments confirmed at the Justice Department? Particularly the Attorney General position?
At this point, everybody in the DoJ decision-making chain is still a carryover from the Twitterfinger J. Putinpussy kakistocracy, so they're entirely operating on cruise control. Including the spokesgargoyle, Raimondi, that the statement is attributed to. There is a Friday deadline in the UK for filing to continue the extradition case, so of course it's going to just carry on on autopilot.
I get it that for Saint Julian of the Assflange cultists, this is one the anchorstones their world revolves around. But Biden's really got much more pressing issues for his urgent attention than an arsehole Australian in a British jail. In any case it would probably be procedurally inappropriate for Biden to intercede to drop the extradition case. That action really falls in the purview of the DoJ and Attorney General.
How about you put your money where your mouth is then…I bet $50 ( the loser pays the bet into the account of the others charity or organization of choice, with provided proof of this being done ) that Assange's extradition is still pursed by Biden officially within six months…
By evidence, I assume you mean something other than "Saint Julian", "Assflange cultists" and "arsehole Australian" – they're all just personal ‘opinions’, right?
But the point about holding off on judgement until an AG has been confirmed still stands. Of all the stuff facing the new administration in its first three weeks, Assange is not exactly at the top of the list.
Maybe the decision will go one way, or maybe the other. But there has been no indication so far that any decision-maker has even looked at Assange yet.
A spokesman who was working under the previous administration (so probably a career public servant) has made a statement consistent with the current policy. It's called a "transition". See what happens when it's complete. Maybe Adrian's hunch is based on wishful thinking as much as every other gambler's hunch.
Still, it's interesting to note that Caitlin Johnstone (author of Adrian Thornton's Consortium News piece) has acknowledged that Obama's position was to not go after Assange, on First Amendment grounds. So it follows that Johnstone understands that Assange stayed holed up in the embassy after 2013 purely to avoid facing up to the Swedish sexual allegations and the consequences for jumping bail.
Didn't think so, but then again it does not surprise me in the slightest that you or your cohorts don't stand behind your own stated positions….just a lot of spineless air bags, the last sort people you would want to have with you in a tight corner
I’m not particularly interested in attempting to have a conversation with someone acting like a belligerent bar drunk.
But anyhoo, the information in that Consortium News piece is totally consistent with the Department of Justice simply cruising along on autopilot. The key point being that there currently appears to be precisely nobody in the DoJ decision chain that was actually appointed by Biden, they are all still carryovers from the Mango Mugabe's maladministration.
Expected use of soft power – we see the results here on the Standard:
TRAITORS working for Communist Chinese Government?
However, the foreign reaction to the growing realization of the CCP's genocide of the Uyghurs has clearly got the Chinese worried about the potential boycott threat to Bejing Winter Olympics, and the inappropriate threats are starting.
Let's not disappoint the Butchers of Beijing – let's start calling for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics unless independent foreign observers are allowed to investigate the Uyghur genocide. Otherwise, attending the Beijing winter games is entirely akin to attending the 1936 Berlin games while the Jewish genocide was getting underway.
Yes thast is what I thought, cunning use of underpromise and over deliver! I am actually a lot happier than I thought I might be. Can't wait for my jab. And I hate needles!
And all that need for an economic development plan, or a poverty reduction plan, or a housing plan, just melts away as the Covid19 story simmers it all away into Ardern's ethereal steam.
I guess it is a matter of opinion but the "promise" was that New Zealand would be at the front of the queue in getting vaccines. After all it was Chris Hipkins who said "I think we're in a very good place to ensure that as vaccines start to come to market New Zealand will be at the front of the queue to be getting vaccines," That was in the middle of November last year.
I haven't counted the exact number of different countries in this list of the vaccination numbers by country but there must be about 100 that have already been carrying out vaccinations according to this list. They seem to use a rather odd definition of "country" in that they include both United Kingdom and England. My modern geography isn't really up to counting exactly how many different countries are really in this list.
If we do start next week that will put us in the bottom half of countries carrying out vaccinations won't it? Would you really say that was overdelivering against a promise that said we would be "at the front of the queue"?
The UK has done a lot of things very wrong but they are certainly in the leading pack when it comes to the vaccine roll out at 20.33 doses per 100 people.
Obviously they needed to get to that point quicker but I think it will be late winter before we get to that sort of coverage.
I see from todays news that the US will have enough vaccine doses to be able to vaccinate 300 million of their people by the end of July. In practice that probably means that everyone who is willing to be vaccinated will be.
They all appear to be Pfizer or Moderna, which have both been reported as being over 90% effective.
Wow! I guess we can greet them with a variant of the old song from the Great Depression era. Instead of "Buddy, can you spare a dime?" we can try "Buddy, can you spear a dose?"
Don't care how many times they've been vaccinated, if they're coming from countries such as the US or UK, with more than two active Covid-19 cases per 100 people, then I'll not be greeting them just yet – they can go into managed isolation like everyone else.
But if you're volunteering then why not greet them with a firm handshake Alwyn, since you’re consistently reaching (out)
Vaccinations should be rolled out first where they'll do most good, imho. Just between you and me, I’ve heard that there’s a plan to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to NZ border workers later this month.
I assure you that I have no wish to see visitors coming here just because they have been vaccinated. Before we allow any unnecessary visitors in I want to see that everyone in New Zealand has had a vaccination. And unnecessary visitors includes people like Green MP RMM's BFF. Why did we let him in?
I understand you can't work with such a visa so what is he going to do here? He was also, according to the same source I have linked to "
"During this period of October and November, my long-term partner based in Mexico took up the role of caring for both my parents," Menéndez March said.".
So rather than staying in Mexico to care for his family, and resigning from Parliament here, he has removed his parents' support in Mexico. How caring.
Funny Alwyn. We’re all waiting our turn – how cool is that! But if you’re impatient, or it’s a matter of life and death, then you could book a holiday in Israel, the UAE, UK or US (those countries with the highest rates of Covid-19 vaccination). Personally, I’d rather be here.
However, that joy was tempered by a warning from University of Otago immunologist Prof Frank Griffin that the illegal release of the virus would limit its chances of success.
The combination of the virus being released in the wrong season, MAF efforts to contain the outbreak and the sporadic release of RCD could not add up to a worse scenario, he said.
Partisan people like Allwinge are constantly looking for something negative to moan about. Even when he gets his shot he'll complain that so-in-so told him the needle wasn't going to hurt at all, silly little pricks are just trumpish like that.
Whether we are at the front of the queue or not, we have the luxury of being able to wait, and now to be selective about which ones are used for different groups – a choice not available to those who had to accept the first available. I am delighted that we are able to see which will do best with which strains; which have the least harsh side-effects, etc. We are able to give priorities based on need rather than availability. We are lucky not to need to be injecting as fast as possible; and we are being good world citizens in letting some others that are more desperate 'benefit' from early supplies.
Under promise? You’re kidding right. No need to go through the list of failed 2017 election promises yet again except to say under promising is certainly not one of this governments strong points.
Perhaps the government will get also an idea of how wide spread poverty is, when they put into place planing to vaccinate all our elderly, then the remainder of the population.
Those isolated or limited travel ability e.g. The homeless, The far North, East Cape etc. that find if difficult to travel to major centres on given days.
And what proof is there for us to have, should travel require proof of receiving a vaccination – Will there be a register with all our names on it ?
Interesting when the China "Debt Trap" was still a big thing in Western media, we all got bombarded with reports on the subject, but when some actual serious studies were done and debunked most of that narrative we got very little coverage of that (and from many sources , none)…makes you wonder…and if not maybe it should.
Debunking the myth of China’s “debt-trap diplomacy”
Foreign debt to a single source and sovereignty risk profile are always worth tracking when you're a very small and/or very poor nation. Every country's arrangement with Chinese state institutions is different in circumstance and in impact.
So a major international lender should always expect scrutiny and risk analysis. And generally they do.
There was plenty of debate 10 years ago well attested by many authors about the role of the World Bank and its 'structural adjustment' loans. The World Bank of course doesn't own the second largest military in the world, nor is it run by an autocrat, nor is it aggressively taking marine territory, nor does it have an explicit plan for total world resource and logistics.
Always great when risks don't work out, always necessary to track them.
Do we need to start to talk about the impact of much longer life spans and gerontocracy is having on governance everywhere? Surely Mr. Mori's problem isn't so much his comments – they were acceptable back in his salad days in the 1980-90s – but rather that at the great age of 83 he is still supposedly heading up the organisation of the Olympic games?
Seriously, it should simply be a question of stamina and cognitive ability. Were that the criterion, many younger might fail…….(nominate your candidate here).
In a lighter vein, retirement should be compulsory with age, says this 71 year-old, firstly because anyone who thinks they're so important that the country needs them to forgo retirement is not important; and secondly, people should be alert to the importance of retirement.
Spending time with the kids, and the kids' kids; gardening and making compost (before their own time comes to biodegrade); learning a musical instrument; commenting on blogs; composing a slim volume of verse or writing the memoirs.
Yes, other ways to contribute. I'm shortly off to play songs to a group of Alzheimers-affected people, singing the old songs that we know and love……. and remember.
Seriously, it should simply be a question of stamina and cognitive ability. Were that the criterion, many younger might fail…….(nominate your candidate here).
Broadly agree – personally wouldn't want to be working past 65, let alone 70 or 80, but maybe needs must in some cases. And if you (are lucky enough to) love your work, and particularly if you (still) do it well, then why not. Fauci is 80.
But I see too many over 70s 'voluntarily trapped' in work because they have few alternative interests/outlets; not everyone finds preparing for and then actual retirement easy. My maternal grandfather had worked his way up to a reasonably senior public service position. He did retirement hard and was allowed to return to work as an office gopher – died working. I admired and loved him, but feel fortunate not to have inherited that trait.
I personally know a lawyer still working daily in chambers in Auckland at 95. He's not quite as fast as a younger person, but there's nothing wrong with his judgment and capacity.
In my view we're going to start seeing ageing in more subtle dimensions – simple numeric years is only one measure. Years of healthy and active life are another quite different measure – and I believe we will start to extend this number quite dramatically this century. By 2100 it may not be unusual to have fit, active and socially engaged 120 yr olds.
That's going to make a lot of our current ideas around 'retirement' look very quaint indeed.
Why should retirement be compulsory when we know that after people retire they tend to go downhill?
Watched that documentary on blue zones. Wasn't there a Dr in his 90s based in Loma Linda still working as a heart surgeon? My own memory is starting to drift
Yup. It's essential to have purpose – and unless you've developed one independent of your 'career' by the time the ageists catch up with you and boot you out – then yes the decline sets in.
Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
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Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
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And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
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Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
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Open access notablesA Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future:Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
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Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
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A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
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The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
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Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
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This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
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The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
“Instead of following along countries that are investing in death and better ways of killing people faster, we need to invest in life and in making Aotearoa a fair, just and equitable place where everyone has what they need for a dignified life.” ...
MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI, TPM MP FOR TAI TOKERAU This Government will not waver in its mission to exterminate Māori. CHRISTOPHER LUXON Oh well look you know I don’t think that hard-working Kiwis want to hear language like that. It’s just really unhelpful rhetoric. My Government is genuinely committed to advancing outcomes ...
The body positivity movement started with women confronting the unrealistic expectations and unrepresentative portrayals of them in media and advertising. Men weren’t part of it … their bodies hadn’t been sexualised to the same extremes and they didn’t really need it. But now that’s changed. And in a warped sort ...
The New Zealand comedy legend takes us through her life in television, including the time she hugged Elton John and the unshakeable legacy of a girl named Lyn. In 1981, Ginette McDonald stood on the stage of Auckland’s St James Theatre and directly addressed Queen Elizabeth II. It was a ...
An essay by Lily Duval from the just-released anthology Otherhood: Essays on being childless, childfree and child adjacent.I was 22 when my friend Alice gave birth in the living room of our pokey Addington flat. She laboured in the blow-up pool for hours. Garish fish swam along the inflated ...
Ella Borrie on the best books about motherhood she’s come across so far. Over the past few years I’ve been drawn to books about motherhood. I’m fascinated by the joys and horrors of becoming a parent. The question of children also feels more pressing than it used to. It’s like ...
Out of gift ideas for mum? You can’t go wrong with a bottle of toilet cleaner and a new squeegee. Emily Writes is the writer and editor of Emily Writes Weekly. This week marks five years since I published a post on The Spinoff about Mother’s Day marketing titled ‘A ...
My husband is posted overseas for 12 months and I’m armed with an expensive, newfangled vibrator. Will I miss him? The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.A few days after my husband leaves, a new sex toy arrives at the front door. Nestled ...
Jaimie Baird’s new book Here Today Gone Tomorrow is a record of four decades of graffiti and street art in Wellington, told through more than 1,200 photographs. He spoke with Joel MacManus about what inspired the book. How did you first get interested in photographing street art? I remember ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at a busy week where food of all political leanings dominated. Sometimes you’re just going about your week thinking you’ve got a good handle on what might be coming as far as news topics and then someone (usually a politician) says something so ridiculous that ...
In a week of cold rain and frost, the climate in courtroom four upstairs at the Invercargill courthouse was simmering with restrained indignation. At times it felt like the famous Mexican standoff scene from Reservoir Dogs, or, as someone watching the proceedings described it, there was so much throwing of ...
A banner notification alerts me to the fact that I’ve received an Instagram message from @felicity.loves. She always comments on my posts. I shouldn’t have opened the message, but clicked on the notification before rationalising this. OMG! Are you in Wellys? X I debate not replying, but Instagram will inform ...
In Melbourne’s hardscrabble western suburbs where AFL – Aussie rules football – is a state religion, Callum Donaldson has been quietly grafting away, four months into an odyssey that he hopes will take him to another promised land: the NRL. It was a solid 2023 for the softly spoken 20-year-old ...
Pacific Media Watch Television New Zealand Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities in a ceremony at Government House, reports 1News. She has been the Pacific correspondent for 1News since 2002, breaking many ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tuesday’s budget will respond to the deepening public agitation over Australia’s housing shortages by pouring new money into crisis accommodation for women and children, social housing and infrastructure. A specially-convened national cabinet late Friday ticked ...
By Kaneta Naimatu in Suva Journalists in the Pacific region play an important role as the “eyes and ears on the ground” when it comes to reporting the climate crisis, says the European Union’s Pacific Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. Speaking at The University of the South Pacific (USP) on World Press ...
Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...
The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
Exhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skylineAleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/ShutterstockRecent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...
Papua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...
The Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell?Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...
The New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...
By Kamna Kumar in Suva Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme. Under the theme “A Planet for ...
Tara Ward previews a new local TV series offering alternative visions of motherhood. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. A woman is clambering up the side of her two-story house, clinging desperately to a drainpipe. Nearby, her child is perched on the ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is supportive of the cross-party approach to climate adaptation announced by the Minister of Climate Change today. ...
The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) welcome today’s announcement from Government around a bipartisan inquiry into an enduring climate adaptation framework for New Zealand. ...
The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...
Its new building in Wellington will not be nearly big enough for all its records, and it has also run out of money to build its new storage facility in Levin. ...
BusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...
Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...
The club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors.“There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By César Albarrán-Torres, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Apple TV+ As one of billions of bilingual individuals in the world, it disappoints me when a film or TV show with characters of a non-English-speaking background is ...
The under-utilised course is a waste of space, and with a little political will, it could be turned into something better. For the duration of her stay in Wellington, my long-suffering cousin listened to me rant about golf courses. They’re bad for the environment: water intensive and pesticide heavy. They ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, Podcast at MissPerceived, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows US fertility rates dropped 2% in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Corderoy, Medical doctor and PhD candidate studying involuntary psychiatric treatment, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney shop_py/Shutterstock Picture two people, both suffering from a serious mental illness requiring hospital admission. One was born in Australia, the other in Asia. Hopefully, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Treby, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University P.j.Hickox, Shutterstock Peatlands store more carbon per square metre than any other ecosystem on Earth. These waterlogged, mossy bogs beat even dense rainforests for their ability to act as carbon reservoirs. Under the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Goss, Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra Government spending on health has been growing so rapidly that a decade ago the then health minister Peter Dutton called it “unmanageable” and “unsustainable”. Health spending grew in real terms by ...
New Zealand's largest electricity distributor is warning the country to hurry up with controls around charging electric vehicles or face unnecessary bills running into the billions. ...
New Zealanders have been asked to conserve energy this morning to combat a possible electricity shortfall, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A call to conserve power New Zealand is facing a possible electricity shortfall, with people up ...
Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams?The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...
Wellington City Council should keep its 34% ownership share in Wellington International Airport, argue Unions Wellington spokespeople Finn Cordwell and Ashok Jacob. Insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wellington City Council (WCC) is yet again proposing to dispose ...
New Zealand’s largest book publisher has undergone drastic changes this week, leaving its future role in local publishing uncertain. Two of the most recognisable local publishers in New Zealand are among those restructured out of Penguin Random House, it was announced this week. Head of publishing Claire Murdoch will leave ...
Successive governments have tried, and failed, to count Māori. But with the return of social investment, it’s more important than ever to get good data. The post Government looks for a better way to count Māori appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Experts in financing social investment initiatives say New Zealand is in a prime position to tackle social issues via a social investment approach The post What will Willis’ social investment fund look like? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
In 2021 the Public Interest Journalism Fund launched the Te Rito Journalism project, a $2.4 million initiative to boost diversity in New Zealand’s newsrooms. The initiative was in response to the decades-long shortage of Māori and Pacific journalists in the media industry. It was billed as New Zealand’s ...
The Black Ferns Sevens appeared to be a mile behind Australia at the halfway point of the 2023-24 SVNS international circuit. Winless in three tournaments, a cup quarter-final exit in Perth was one of their worst results. To add insult to injury, talismanic skipper Sarah Hirini had been ruled out ...
The wonderful former NZ Herald cartoonist Malcolm Evans is still going strong…..
https://twitter.com/sahouraxo/status/1359588705963372545
Yes and Biden is turning out exactly as expected….no surprises there, he has a long history and proud history of being on the wrong side of history…
Biden Continues Trump’s War on the Press
"Biden isn’t just upholding Trump’s assault on press freedoms, he’s rejecting Obama’s decision not to charge Assange due to First Amendment concerns"
https://consortiumnews.com/2021/02/10/biden-continues-trumps-war-on-the-press/
I s'pose it's too much to ask to hold off on that judgement until Biden actually gets some of his appointments confirmed at the Justice Department? Particularly the Attorney General position?
At this point, everybody in the DoJ decision-making chain is still a carryover from the Twitterfinger J. Putinpussy kakistocracy, so they're entirely operating on cruise control. Including the spokesgargoyle, Raimondi, that the statement is attributed to. There is a Friday deadline in the UK for filing to continue the extradition case, so of course it's going to just carry on on autopilot.
I get it that for Saint Julian of the Assflange cultists, this is one the anchorstones their world revolves around. But Biden's really got much more pressing issues for his urgent attention than an arsehole Australian in a British jail. In any case it would probably be procedurally inappropriate for Biden to intercede to drop the extradition case. That action really falls in the purview of the DoJ and Attorney General.
@Andre @Andre @Andre
How about you put your money where your mouth is then…I bet $50 ( the loser pays the bet into the account of the others charity or organization of choice, with provided proof of this being done ) that Assange's extradition is still pursed by Biden officially within six months…
Put up or shut up.
Is money really a substitute for basing your opinions on demonstrable evidence?
By evidence, I assume you mean something other than "Saint Julian", "Assflange cultists" and "arsehole Australian" – they're all just personal ‘opinions’, right?
Those were indeed most colourful opinions.
But the point about holding off on judgement until an AG has been confirmed still stands. Of all the stuff facing the new administration in its first three weeks, Assange is not exactly at the top of the list.
Maybe the decision will go one way, or maybe the other. But there has been no indication so far that any decision-maker has even looked at Assange yet.
A spokesman who was working under the previous administration (so probably a career public servant) has made a statement consistent with the current policy. It's called a "transition". See what happens when it's complete. Maybe Adrian's hunch is based on wishful thinking as much as every other gambler's hunch.
Still, it's interesting to note that Caitlin Johnstone (author of Adrian Thornton's Consortium News piece) has acknowledged that Obama's position was to not go after Assange, on First Amendment grounds. So it follows that Johnstone understands that Assange stayed holed up in the embassy after 2013 purely to avoid facing up to the Swedish sexual allegations and the consequences for jumping bail.
Didn't think so, but then again it does not surprise me in the slightest that you or your cohorts don't stand behind your own stated positions….just a lot of spineless air bags, the last sort people you would want to have with you in a tight corner
Biden DOJ Files Appeal to Get Assange Extradited
https://consortiumnews.com/2021/02/12/biden-doj-files-appeal-to-get-assange-extradited/
I’m not particularly interested in attempting to have a conversation with someone acting like a belligerent bar drunk.
But anyhoo, the information in that Consortium News piece is totally consistent with the Department of Justice simply cruising along on autopilot. The key point being that there currently appears to be precisely nobody in the DoJ decision chain that was actually appointed by Biden, they are all still carryovers from the Mango Mugabe's maladministration.
Expected use of soft power – we see the results here on the Standard:
TRAITORS working for Communist Chinese Government?
However, the foreign reaction to the growing realization of the CCP's genocide of the Uyghurs has clearly got the Chinese worried about the potential boycott threat to Bejing Winter Olympics, and the inappropriate threats are starting.
Beijing 2022: ‘China will seriously sanction’ any country that boycotts Winter Olympics, says state-backed media chief | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)
Let's not disappoint the Butchers of Beijing – let's start calling for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics unless independent foreign observers are allowed to investigate the Uyghur genocide. Otherwise, attending the Beijing winter games is entirely akin to attending the 1936 Berlin games while the Jewish genocide was getting underway.
Great to see Ardern announce first vaccine arrival next Saturday.
Underpromise!
Sigh. Link: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/436268/covid-19-prime-minister-gives-briefing-on-vaccination-in-new-zealand
Yes thast is what I thought, cunning use of underpromise and over deliver! I am actually a lot happier than I thought I might be. Can't wait for my jab. And I hate needles!
And all that need for an economic development plan, or a poverty reduction plan, or a housing plan, just melts away as the Covid19 story simmers it all away into Ardern's ethereal steam.
Underpromise and overdeliver?
I guess it is a matter of opinion but the "promise" was that New Zealand would be at the front of the queue in getting vaccines. After all it was Chris Hipkins who said "I think we're in a very good place to ensure that as vaccines start to come to market New Zealand will be at the front of the queue to be getting vaccines," That was in the middle of November last year.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/new-zealand-front-queue-chris-hipkins-says-nation-well-placed-covid-19-vaccine-roll
I haven't counted the exact number of different countries in this list of the vaccination numbers by country but there must be about 100 that have already been carrying out vaccinations according to this list. They seem to use a rather odd definition of "country" in that they include both United Kingdom and England. My modern geography isn't really up to counting exactly how many different countries are really in this list.
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
If we do start next week that will put us in the bottom half of countries carrying out vaccinations won't it? Would you really say that was overdelivering against a promise that said we would be "at the front of the queue"?
The BBC has a good little counter, which shows how your country is compared to everyone else.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-56025355
The UK has done a lot of things very wrong but they are certainly in the leading pack when it comes to the vaccine roll out at 20.33 doses per 100 people.
Obviously they needed to get to that point quicker but I think it will be late winter before we get to that sort of coverage.
I see from todays news that the US will have enough vaccine doses to be able to vaccinate 300 million of their people by the end of July. In practice that probably means that everyone who is willing to be vaccinated will be.
They all appear to be Pfizer or Moderna, which have both been reported as being over 90% effective.
Wow! I guess we can greet them with a variant of the old song from the Great Depression era. Instead of "Buddy, can you spare a dime?" we can try "Buddy, can you spear a dose?"
https://people.com/health/biden-us-secure-600-million-covid-vaccine-doses-july/
Assuming that pans out,they might be able to keep their deaths down to half a million.
But please, continue to whine about how bad this government and the previous government are compared to the USA response.
Don't care how many times they've been vaccinated, if they're coming from countries such as the US or UK, with more than two active Covid-19 cases per 100 people, then I'll not be greeting them just yet – they can go into managed isolation like everyone else.
But if you're volunteering then why not greet them with a firm handshake Alwyn, since you’re consistently reaching (out)
Vaccinations should be rolled out first where they'll do most good, imho. Just between you and me, I’ve heard that there’s a plan to roll out the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to NZ border workers later this month.
https://www.nmdhb.govt.nz/nmdhb-news-and-notices/covid-19-vaccine-update-from-the-new-zealand-government/
I assure you that I have no wish to see visitors coming here just because they have been vaccinated. Before we allow any unnecessary visitors in I want to see that everyone in New Zealand has had a vaccination. And unnecessary visitors includes people like Green MP RMM's BFF. Why did we let him in?
How do you know he is 'unnecessary' if you do not know why 'we' let him in?
We have let him in on a six month Visitor's Visa, if RMM's story is correct.
"He was granted an invitation to apply for a visa on December 3 and was given a six-month visitor visa on January 11."
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/02/green-party-mp-ricardo-men-ndez-march-explains-serious-personal-family-matter-behind-travel-to-mexico.html
I understand you can't work with such a visa so what is he going to do here? He was also, according to the same source I have linked to "
"During this period of October and November, my long-term partner based in Mexico took up the role of caring for both my parents," Menéndez March said.".
So rather than staying in Mexico to care for his family, and resigning from Parliament here, he has removed his parents' support in Mexico. How caring.
Again, a question rather than an answer. I expect firm proclamations like you are making to be based on more than assumptions.
Funny Alwyn. We’re all waiting our turn – how cool is that! But if you’re impatient, or it’s a matter of life and death, then you could book a holiday in Israel, the UAE, UK or US (those countries with the highest rates of Covid-19 vaccination). Personally, I’d rather be here.
Alwyn – 5 deaths per million of population – no community transmission …….
Keep barking at that passing car Alwyn
Partisan people like Allwinge are constantly looking for something negative to moan about. Even when he gets his shot he'll complain that so-in-so told him the needle wasn't going to hurt at all, silly little pricks are just trumpish like that.
Whether we are at the front of the queue or not, we have the luxury of being able to wait, and now to be selective about which ones are used for different groups – a choice not available to those who had to accept the first available. I am delighted that we are able to see which will do best with which strains; which have the least harsh side-effects, etc. We are able to give priorities based on need rather than availability. We are lucky not to need to be injecting as fast as possible; and we are being good world citizens in letting some others that are more desperate 'benefit' from early supplies.
'Under-promise' is what the govt told the public via media over the last few weeks.
Under promise? You’re kidding right. No need to go through the list of failed 2017 election promises yet again except to say under promising is certainly not one of this governments strong points.
False equivalence
Perhaps the government will get also an idea of how wide spread poverty is, when they put into place planing to vaccinate all our elderly, then the remainder of the population.
Those isolated or limited travel ability e.g. The homeless, The far North, East Cape etc. that find if difficult to travel to major centres on given days.
And what proof is there for us to have, should travel require proof of receiving a vaccination – Will there be a register with all our names on it ?
Interesting when the China "Debt Trap" was still a big thing in Western media, we all got bombarded with reports on the subject, but when some actual serious studies were done and debunked most of that narrative we got very little coverage of that (and from many sources , none)…makes you wonder…and if not maybe it should.
Debunking the myth of China’s “debt-trap diplomacy”
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/debunking-myth-china-s-debt-trap-diplomacy
The myth of China’s ‘debt-trap diplomacy’
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-myth-of-china-s-debt-trap-diplomacy-
Experts dispel claims of China debt-trap diplomacy in Pacific but risks remain
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/21/chinese-loans-expose-pacific-islands-to-risk-of-unsustainable-debt-report-finds
Foreign debt to a single source and sovereignty risk profile are always worth tracking when you're a very small and/or very poor nation. Every country's arrangement with Chinese state institutions is different in circumstance and in impact.
So a major international lender should always expect scrutiny and risk analysis. And generally they do.
There was plenty of debate 10 years ago well attested by many authors about the role of the World Bank and its 'structural adjustment' loans. The World Bank of course doesn't own the second largest military in the world, nor is it run by an autocrat, nor is it aggressively taking marine territory, nor does it have an explicit plan for total world resource and logistics.
Always great when risks don't work out, always necessary to track them.
Good that this lady has been captured and will now face justice.
Note her name is Southern and the daughters name was Comfort!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/murder-accused-mother-who-cut-off-monitoring-bracelet-and-was-on-the-run-found/FDPHRPXIJW23IB2KRRPT2JAAJQ/
Do we need to start to talk about the impact of much longer life spans and gerontocracy is having on governance everywhere? Surely Mr. Mori's problem isn't so much his comments – they were acceptable back in his salad days in the 1980-90s – but rather that at the great age of 83 he is still supposedly heading up the organisation of the Olympic games?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/300228144/tokyo-olympics-organising-committee-boss-set-to-resign-over-sexist-remarks
The US is also afflicted with ancient politicians, if Trump runs against Biden 2024 then it'll be an 82 year old vs a 78 year old.
Should compulsory retirement from public office or large NGOs around 75 years old become a law? Or is that ageist?
Judges retire in NZ at 70….that seems to me to be the right age to retire from any public office.
BTW, the person running the impeachment hearing is 80-WTF?
Seriously, it should simply be a question of stamina and cognitive ability. Were that the criterion, many younger might fail…….(nominate your candidate here).
In a lighter vein, retirement should be compulsory with age, says this 71 year-old, firstly because anyone who thinks they're so important that the country needs them to forgo retirement is not important; and secondly, people should be alert to the importance of retirement.
Spending time with the kids, and the kids' kids; gardening and making compost (before their own time comes to biodegrade); learning a musical instrument; commenting on blogs; composing a slim volume of verse or writing the memoirs.
Yes, other ways to contribute. It is also a sign of trust and good faith to let following generations have their go at roles.
Yes, other ways to contribute. I'm shortly off to play songs to a group of Alzheimers-affected people, singing the old songs that we know and love……. and remember.
.. Good on you mac1.
Broadly agree – personally wouldn't want to be working past 65, let alone 70 or 80, but maybe needs must in some cases. And if you (are lucky enough to) love your work, and particularly if you (still) do it well, then why not. Fauci is 80.
But I see too many over 70s 'voluntarily trapped' in work because they have few alternative interests/outlets; not everyone finds preparing for and then actual retirement easy. My maternal grandfather had worked his way up to a reasonably senior public service position. He did retirement hard and was allowed to return to work as an office gopher – died working. I admired and loved him, but feel fortunate not to have inherited that trait.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/123882376/exhausted-by-2020-here-are-5-steps-to-recover-and-feel-more-rested-in-2021
I personally know a lawyer still working daily in chambers in Auckland at 95. He's not quite as fast as a younger person, but there's nothing wrong with his judgment and capacity.
In my view we're going to start seeing ageing in more subtle dimensions – simple numeric years is only one measure. Years of healthy and active life are another quite different measure – and I believe we will start to extend this number quite dramatically this century. By 2100 it may not be unusual to have fit, active and socially engaged 120 yr olds.
That's going to make a lot of our current ideas around 'retirement' look very quaint indeed.
Why should retirement be compulsory when we know that after people retire they tend to go downhill?
Watched that documentary on blue zones. Wasn't there a Dr in his 90s based in Loma Linda still working as a heart surgeon? My own memory is starting to drift
Yup. It's essential to have purpose – and unless you've developed one independent of your 'career' by the time the ageists catch up with you and boot you out – then yes the decline sets in.
heh
It would be funny if it wasn't so depressingly true:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/124211827/why-i-dont-feel-sorry-for-landlords
Apparently more shares are now traded in Amsterdam than London. Taking back control starting to pay off bigtime.
Who took control back? Was it Euxit?
So much for one of the world's most pre-eminent financial centres.
Steadily becoming a smaller backwater than it was 2,000 years ago.
hey, don't knock backwaters.
soz, it's fast becoming the "pre-eminent financial centre" it was 2,000 years ago.
Definitely pre-eminent. Incredibly pre. Any eminence is very far in the future.