Why is the BBC permitted, day after day after day, to pump out programming which actively promotes a political programme far to the right of where the British population actually stand? With the continual over-representation of nutty right wing groups like the Taxpayers’ Alliance and the Henry Jackson Society, while left wing groups of much larger membership such as Stop the War are completely ignored. Why low tax campaigners but no invitation ever to groups like Black Triangle who represent claimants interests? Not to mention the routine ignoring of the SNP, parliament’s third largest party.”
This is why State owned media is a bad idea. Even an organisation set up to attempt to be unbiased like the BBC gets accused of bias by people and then they start discussing his it can become more “unbiased”. This is usually code for ‘agree with my side more.
No. That’s why state-funded media is essential. Because it’s the only organisation that will ever be under any meaningful obligation to be impartial.
It’s that fact that makes the debate Ed started even possible. Nobody expects state-funded media to do a perfect job, but at least the obligation is there.
I agree.
We just have to deal with the bias of the senior executives at RNZ.
Why so many Taxpayers’ Union New Zealand Initiative stories?
Why the acceptance of neoliberal premises on economics?
Why the framing of stories from a right wing agenda?
Fortunately we now have alternative news sources to show the lies the mainstream runs.
@Ed +1 You can add to your list…
Why financial updates all through out the day, but no workers news?
Why is it RNZ have nearly all domestic and international financial/economic analysis done by bank economist?…economists who have a ideology that is based on selling and profiting from debt.
State-funded media doesn’t have to be one single entity that might dominate the media landscape. Nor does it have to mean an entity where the Board & Chairman are appointed by the Government of the day. Nor does it have to mean an entity with strict hierarchical structure with strict managerial and editorial over sight where decisions by others are controlled and overruled by superiors all the way to the top. And it also doesn’t have to mean a Charter that demands financial/operational return AKA profit and dividends (to the Government).
Rather than having a one-size-fits-all entity or set-up why not reflect our society’s diversity and pluralism and fund that adequately? Media should cater for all citizens and inform the people so that they can make their own judgements if they wish …
Riiight – and that wretched chip wrapper The Herald never interferes politically at the editorial level? The state model is sound – the only commercial enterprise that even approaches the BBC or Al Jazeera for quality is Reuters.
Gosman: talking the obvious unaccountability of private news organisations you have guaranteed politically based interference in what the populace receives and no one can say a word.
Talking the obvious accountability of state news organisations you have at least the formal capacity for the populace to holler like hell if/when there is the appearance or fact of political interference.
I see you’re still exercising risibly twisted, absolutist zealotry; oligarchs = good while the people = bad.
Sure but again independent journalists also have their own bias.
I try to read everything from a multitude of sources. I read The Standard as much as I read Kiwiblog (though I’d never lower myself to comment there). I read the New Yorker, The Atlantic, Fox News, BBC, NYT, Washington Post, The Listener, AJZ, CNN, NBR , the list goes on and on.
It gets fucking tiring but I’m a news junkie. Then there’s the science mags and the books….it’s a wonder I manage to have job and raise a child while maintaining an alcohol habit.
Sure but again independent journalists also have their own bias.
And there’s nothing that we can or should do about that – except demand that they provide proof and not just ‘reckons’ as we get from so many talking heads in the private sector.
State-ownership, in my view, ought to mean that it is owned and managed by the state on behalf of all citizens and it has a (social) mandate to deliver (a service or product) for the public good, not for (financial) profit to the owners. This doesn’t make it immune from political meddling but any (political) benefits may be harder to obtain (and hide from public view) as they tend to be more indirect (arm’s length influence and control). State-owned media have a fundamentally different mandate and governance compared to privately-owned media unless they’re run strictly as a business in the common sense in which case it is an easy step for National & ACT to sell/privatise.
State owned media is no less biased than private media. The difference is our taxes don’t fund private media. State run media is totally surplus to requirements in a modern society.
Sure a state can run a lame media – Pravda or RT – but not all states do.
What’s wrong with the MSM is not state interference, but commercial interference. Murdoch etc. The useless ZB network. Fox.
The citizen has no comeback against their shit short of shutting them down. When you see the crap NZ TV has become it’s looking like a pretty good option.
Who said anything about state propaganda? Can you provide an example of “state propaganda” on TVNZ or RNZ. Be specific: quote the actual article in question and explain how it qualifies.
“What’s wrong with the MSM is not state interference, but commercial interference. ”
Commercial interference is paid for by commercial interests. State interference (and it is endemic in state media) is paid for by tax payers. Stop it all.
That isn’t what you claimed. You claimed them as an example of “state propaganda”. So you’ve now abandoned that claim and are claiming bias.
But once again, you’ve failed to provide any examples of this bias, although perhaps you mean Matthew Hooton.
I expect you’ll cite John Campbell as an example, but then you’d have to show how Checkpoint exhibits a “state” bias, as opposed to John Campbell’s. And if your only objection is that individual hosts bring their own biases to the mix, RNZ is doing no more or less than whoever it is that employs Hoskings et al, and RNZ has the advantage of a wider spectrum of views.
Perhaps it’s that advantage that you don’t like. The very idea that the state might provide something more useful (and popular) than the “free” “market”.
Unless you can link to a specific example of “state propaganda”, that is. Tumbleweeds?
“You claimed them as an example of “state propaganda”.”
Where?
“So you’ve now abandoned that claim and are claiming bias.”
Well when the Minster of Broadcasting has a clandestine meeting with a senior RNZ executive, that both try to hide, I’d say that was a pretty good example of at least an attempt at state influence. Of course you support the Greens, so you are in bed with liars and cheats.
Whereas I’m happy to provide it on my “dime”, and since at the last count far more people support my position (even the Trashional Party funds RNZ when in government) than yours, I’m pretty sure we can do without your petty contribution. Tell you what, we’ll fund the things we like and you can contribute to David Seymour’s taxpayer funded trough, eh.
On this issue, I’m also in bed with the NZLP, NZF and National. We’re having a great time while you’re in line to practise necrophilia with Ayn Rand, and Don Brash took your place in the queue 😉
On what issue? The welfare cheat? The MP who worked for war criminals while claiming to be bringing them to justice? The MP who has gone on to head an organisation who are bullying people for donations?
The continued funding of RNZ. Perhaps if you and Don pooled your resources you could afford a couple of clones of Ayn, and they could humiliate and despise you just like the original.
In case you missed it, the ‘liars and cheats’ I was referring to were the Greens. Here, you’ll get the idea if you read my comment “Of course you support the Greens, so you are in bed with liars and cheats.”/open-mike-12-05-2018/#comment-1483690
You provided your own example. Do you seriously want me to post examples of state media propaganda from China, Russia, etc etc? If you don’t think it can happen here, perhaps you missed the meeting between Clare Curran and Carol Hirschfeld?
I don’t click on the Herald’s links – following others in boycotting it since its ghastly rubbish a couple of weeks back,
The Herald is rapidly becoming an echo chamber for Farrar and his crazed right wing friends.
You mentioned “Red Radio”, aka RNZ. Provide a specific example of an RNZ article that constitutes “state propaganda”.
You freely admit “commercial interference” in commercial radio. You allege that similar interference, specifically “state propaganda” exists in local state owned media, and cite RNZ as an example.
Yet you can’t point to a single article to illustrate your argument. Don’t get me wrong, I know you’re full of shit, but you might at least make some flailing attempt to justify your conspiracist delusions.
“Provide a specific example of an RNZ article that constitutes “state propaganda”.”
All bias on red radio represents state propaganda. Note, not government propaganda. State propaganda. Now John Campbell is biased, and I have no problem with that on private media, but not on my dime.
“You allege that similar interference, specifically “state propaganda” exists in local state owned media…”
No, never said ‘local’.
“and cite RNZ as an example.”
I asked you a question about Red Radio and provided evidence of at the very least interference – Curran’s meeting with Hirschfeld.
But wait, there’s more:
“When Metiria Turei announced she was stepping down from Parliament, Radio NZ’s Checkpoint host John Campbell was a paragon of empathy and compassion, writes Liam Hehir.”
“Like many news agencies, Radio NZ has a mild centre-left bias. If you don’t believe it, my guess would be that you probably have a centre-left disposition yourself.” https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/99720488/radio-new-zealand-should-appoint-its-own-ombudsman
“Matthew Hooton broadcasts state propaganda. Good to know ”
No, he doesn’t broadcast it, but he participates in it. You see, Blokey, with private broadcasters we can discern the bias and we’re not paying for it. With public broadcasting we’re getting propaganda and paying for it. No thanks.
Explain it yourself, you rude prick. You don’t get to make demands: you get to provide some supporting evidence for your assertions of “propaganda”. Put up or shut up.
Advertisers? Oh, that’s o.k. then as that would make private broadcasters immune from political meddling because political parties and their lobbyists never take out ads in MSM, never ever. And private broadcasters only broadcast direct messages on behalf of their advertisers, like shampoo manufacturers. That’s why all talkback shows, for example, are about shampoo and other commodities and never about politics. I mean, I can tell when an ad is about shampoo although sometimes it is hard to discern at first because it could also be a lipstick ad …
Talking of lipstick, do you know whether Mike Hosking and Simon Bridges use the same brand of hair gel, by any chance?
One last question, who’s paying the advertisers?
And one very last question, I promise, are advertising and marketing expenses tax deductible in NZ?
“…because political parties and their lobbyists never take out ads in MSM, never ever.”
Of course they do. That’s the point…they are the ones paying, not the taxpayer.
“And private broadcasters only broadcast direct messages on behalf of their advertisers, like shampoo manufacturers.”
Of course not. They broadcast their opinion. How many awards did Newstalk ZB receive at the recent Radio Awards?
You seem to believe private commercial interests having opinions and broadcasting them is bad. It isn’t. What is bad is the government owning the medium for broadcasting ideas.
“One last question, who’s paying the advertisers?”
People who voluntarily buy their products.
“And one very last question, I promise, are advertising and marketing expenses tax deductible in NZ?”
Of course. They are a cost of deriving assessable income.
So, private broadcasts are full of political and other direct and indirect advertising but that’s o.k. because the consumers pay for it; the consumers who are also the Taxpayers.
The only accountability and transparency, if any, is to the private owners of the station; the consumers/Taxpayers will have no idea who’s influencing them.
As long as the funding does not come directly from the Taxpayers any opinion or influence that the private broadcaster wants to send out for whatever reason and on whomever’s behalf without either the listeners or consumers/Taxpayers fully in the know is perfectly fine.
All this is perfectly acceptable because consumers voluntarily buy (or not) the products of the advertisers in a free-market exchange. The commercial guys are so much more credit-worthy than politicians, aren’t they? [pun intended]
You do know the saying that if you don’t know what the product is … ?
All media carries bias. I’m fine with that as long as it is declared and I’m not paying for it. The government has no business in media, none. It is a risky and expensive business for little or no benefit. And I don’t trust government’s of any stripe to declare their bias and keep far away from propaganda.
As opposed to rigorously professional outfits like Fox News and MSNBC? You don’t have a clue.
Gosman, your comments are often ignorant and ill judged, but whatever you say this morning, no matter how ignorant and ill judged, will not be worse than what you inflicted on us a few days ago….
Similarly, Ed, I note that David Farrar and Jordan Williams’s ludicrous Taxpayers’ Union and the right wing New Zealand Initiative often set the agenda for “news” on both main TV channels, and on Radio New Zealand. The researchers and analysts of the universities and the unions, by contrast, are rarely given much consideration.
names are ( couldnt click and paste ,grrr)
Lisa Scott and Ian Telfer
Jo Mccarrol and Scott Campbell
max Ritchie and Niki Bezzant
Rosemary Macleod and Peter Fa’afui
garry Moore and Miriama Aoake
cas carter and Steve Mccabe
Jock Anderson and Mai Chen
Verity Johnson and Simon Pound
Peter Vial and Paula Penfold
Clare de Lore and Alan Blackman
Ella Henry and John Barnett
Micheal Moynahan and Penny Ashton
Minhingarangi Forbes Sam Johnson
Lynda Hallinan and Chris Clarke
Alexia Russel and Mike Rehu
Mike Williams and Michelle Boag
Bernard Hickey and jenny Moreton
neil Miller Alison Mau
Chris Waikira and Janet Wilson
Lisa Scott and Andrew Hoggard
Gary McCormick and Lizzie Marvelly
Michelle A’ court Peter Fa’aifu
Catherine Robertson and Peter Milne
Nadine Higgins and Matt Nippert
Thats over a months worth and quite a variety. Sometimes certain names are more memorable while a lot of the above arent too well known ( arent yet famous for being famous)
[1] vacuous; [2] supporter of Israeli government; [3] close links to National Party; [4] spouse of ex-National Party MP; [5] regularly expresses strident right wing views; [6];
Lisa Scott [1] and Ian Telfer
Jo Mccarrol and Scott Campbell [3]
max Ritchie [5] and Niki Bezzant
Rosemary Macleod [5] and Peter Fa’afui
garry Moore and Miriama Aoake
cas carter [1] and Steve Mccabe
Jock Anderson [5] and Mai Chen
Verity Johnson and Simon Pound
Peter Vial and Paula Penfold
Clare de Lore[4] and Alan Blackman [1]
Ella Henry [1] and John Barnett [2]
Micheal Moynahan and Penny Ashton
Minhingarangi Forbes and Sam Johnson [3]
Lynda Hallinan and Chris Clarke [1]
Alexia Russel and Mike Rehu
Mike Williams and Michelle Boag [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
Bernard Hickey and jenny Moreton
Neil Miller [5] and Alison Mau
Chris Wikaira [2], [3] and Janet Wilson [5]
Lisa Scott [1] and Andrew Hoggard [1], [3], [5]
Gary McCormick and Lizzie Marvelly
Michelle A’ court Peter Fa’aifu
Catherine Robertson and Peter Milne
Nadine Higgins and Matt Nippert
Really? An ACT party member today?
Stephen was certainly an ACT MP from 1999 until 2005.
However he then joined the National Party and was on the National List in 2008. He has taken no active part in politics since then as far as I can see so, although he may still be a member of the National Party I have seen no evidence at all that he went back to ACT.
Do you have any?
When the comment made is in the present tense
“And look at the number of ACT members who get on Mora’s Panel”
one is certainly entitled to expect that you will find current members to nominate. If the best you can discover is someone who was a member a decade ago you are failing.
On your basis I am entitled to state that the Labour party is the arch-proponent of Rogernomics. You will have to agree if you think your own comment is accurate.
Oh dear, Alwyn… more punctilious crap. Franks remains ACT in thought and word whether he is a current member or not. Get your mummy to put you to bed instead of allowing you to post such rubbish. (I am returning a foolish insult you posted against me, just in case it escaped your university-qualified vigilance.)
Ed’s comment is about yet another Craig Murray opinion this time re the BBC. Hence UK related, not NZ; and not about the NZ Taxpayers Union.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance is a right-wing British pressure group and think tank formed in 2004 to campaign for a low tax society. The group, based in London, had about 18,000 registered supporters as of 2008, and claimed to have 55,000 by September 2010.
To go along to get along. The whole Thatcherite revolution was essentially a dumbing down and raising fears, all started with Murdoch lowering the bar and mulching any conflict against wealth. Press bias merely reflects the current elites unwillingness to pull its finger out, having been deluded into believing that the market will save their sorry arises if only they distrust the market of ideas that will save their sorry arises from being burnt to a cinder.
Shocking especially because they used to (and probably still do I expect) make everybody in Britain pay a yearly TV licence for the content which clearly should not be biased!!!
You want one image that shows how compromised the BBC has become.
Look at Jo Coburn’s face as the BBC cut an interview when one of their reporters says MI6 was involved in torture.
The media routinely take their lead from Slater and Farrar. Jim Mora references Farrar every second day, and has him on as a guest regularly. No doubt he’d do the same with Whalefat if he ever relaxed his ideological ban on appearing on “state media.”
Though remembering that it’s helpful to listen to which fear they are playing up. Of course if it’s all right-wing sledging then do what I do, avoid Hooten, Boag, Frank’s, and just pick one right-wing hack, it’s not like there is any depth to their messaging. Farrier is best of the boring fools.
Yeh, I have noticed that Mora has only just contained himself of the Asia peril at our doorstep re; China, lately…I am pretty sure he is going to slip on this one pretty soon.
Are you saying that giving a voice to the disenfranchised and holding power to account is inherently Left Wing?, because I can’t remember Campbell pushing any political ideology…maybe you can refresh me.
Given that David Farrar runs the most widely read blog in New Zealand, it is hardly surprising that media commentators refer to him.
And although Standardnistas won’t like this, David Farrar comes across as reasonably balanced, even if he is a well known supporter of National. It is some of his commenters that are extreme.
He regularly gives credit to the government when he thinks it is due. He is not so one-eyed that he condemns every single action of the government. Likewise he is critical of the opposition from time to time
” David Farrar comes across as reasonably balanced, even if he is a well known supporter of National. It is some of his commenters that are extreme. ”
If one were so inclined and had the ability and the facility, one could invent a persona, append a twitty pseudonym and spew vile hate speech unfettered on a totally un moderated website. It’d be like allowing one’s evil alter to have a ‘real life’ or in some cases ‘lives’.
Farrar allows those “extreme” commenters free reign…he is a despicable person.
Most people here know this….why would you even think it appropriate to try and defend the indefensible?
The scary thing is that I think you really believe this! Or do I hear a dog-whistle?
The fact that those “extreme” commenters are being ‘invited’ by the posts on KB written by DPF and other authors (…) seems to have escaped your thought. All propaganda has and starts with instigators too.
Further, DPF not only provides an inviting and welcoming forum with ample ‘food for thought’ for those “extreme” commenters but also cries that it is too hard to manage, which is just unbelievably pathetic and has a very disingenuous ring to it.
DPF may give token credit to the Government and express token criticism of the Opposition “from time to time” but that’s just pulling the wool over our eyes, isn’t it? Just like Simon Bridges strongly condemned the DP campaign against Clarke Gayford. Yeah, right!
No resignation calls for his disreslect to oyr falken? We would still be hearing about it if Shearer, Cullliffe, Little or Ardern had taken a taxpayer funded flight to Hawaii on hols instead
I”m [sic] not on Twitter very often and I think this shows why. Effectively, I was scrolling down and I saw a tweet that you’re referring to, I noticed it, I accidentally liked it, I got rid of that within literally a second and kept on moving.
Anyway, we now know Mr Bridges reads scrolls through tweets by WO. We also know that Mr Bridges easily lets his guard down when (or better: in spite of) reading tweets by WO – WO is a well-known and respected comedian in National circles and his tweets are often considered ‘funny’. Maybe Mr Bridges was not wearing his hat as Leader of the Opposition but tweeting in ’private capacity’.
He was just scrolling down tweets from WO, as you do, and literally liked it but that doesn’t mean he literally liked it as it is just one of those things you do when scrolling down through tweets from WO, literally.
In National nothing should be taken literally, only aspirationally. A brighter future for all literally means a slightly less dim future for the dimwits (AKA poor, workers, un- and underemployed, beneficiaries, most people) and a much brighter future for the few (AKA rich) but you cannot literally say that. Being on the cusp of something special literally means that you’ve got gas and have to do a fart but just like weeing in the shower you cannot literally say that in a public medium so you make it sound expirationally.
Anything that this Government says or does is literally bad, of course. It goes without saying that the Opposition and particularly the Leader of the Opposition without question and without reading literally poopoos everything from Government. Coincidentally, this comes naturally to National because they literally have no original ideas, which is why they scroll through WO tweets and KB and literally like posts and comments alike; in National they like what they like ad nauseam, literally.
My second share of the day are the words of a great New Zealander, Robin Westenra.
“Ecological and economic collapse in New Zealand
It will be only apparent to those paying attention but New Zealand is collapsing environmentally, socially, financially and politically, not to mention socially.
Every day we read headlines like this. The detail with which these questions are dealt with are usually in inverse proportion to the importance of the crisis in question.
People who react emotionally to things,mostly on social media, but are incapable (or unwilling) to analyse why this might be the case just blame the government.
It is really only the symptoms of social collapse that get any public attention.
While the previous government with its socially-destructive policies of austerity took this breakdown to new, unseen levels. But there is nothing unique in this and the result probably end up being the same.
We cannot look solely to economic policies.
What we are seeing is a neo-liberal response to a very real problem to ongoing and progressive collapse as a result of economic crisis arising out of energy decline along with ecological degradation and accelerating climate change.”
This is what happens when:
You let farmers take water to intensify dairy farming on the Canterbury Plains
You let farmers pump fertiliser into the land
You allow foreign corporations to take our water.
“Chlorine levels in some Christchurch water might be enough for swimming pool.”
Capitalism (and/or politics) may accelerate the process but physics dictate it….
“…A society in which depletion is advanced and M(p)
rapidly increasing relative to C(p), though, may not be able to escape catabolic
collapse even if such steps are taken. Cultural and political factors may also make
efforts to avoid catabolic collapse difficult to accomplish, or indeed to contemplate.”
That is shocking. Didn’t take long for the FBI to enter into the spirit of the new regime.
First – the Kaiser
Second – Hitler and Mussolini
Third – Trump.
Remember how Hitler was lauded for his so-called peace initiatives in the 1930s? Now we have some calling for Trump to be given the Nobel Peace prize. Beyond belief!
Trump isnt really offering peace either. as we well know his claims one month are abandoned 6 months later.
see his campaign claim to reduce US prescription drug prices is now an attempt to force foreign nations with ‘socialised medicine’ to pay more for their drugs ( ref our Pharmac)
Interesting case. Time to tighten up laws so that these transactions, offshore accounts and ‘loans’ which result in avoided tax, are not even possible in this country.
A well written Tobin tax would have collected the tax prior to the money leaving and avoided the lengthy court case.
Makes me wonder if this Current Lot are on a mission. Winston especially has history of going after those who are less than transparent in their business dealings.
Agree mostly with a financial transaction tax/levy….in these time of e-commerce it should be easy to implement.
@Rosemary – that is why they should look at putting a micro financial tax on everything and reduce other taxes that benefit those on smaller incomes more aka GST. If something like that was done correctly then if you live on peanuts you pay peanut taxes, if you have a million dollar lifestyle while earning zero profits you pay your share of tax at the point of transacting it… At the moment tax is so easy to avoid, too many variations and loopholes and so costly to fight cases…
yep, I think now with so much global capital whistling around the world it’s time to make it happen. Tax money and transactions so people like John Key, Eric Watson, Peter Thiel, Facebook, Google, etc whether resident in or out of NZ will be taxed a micro amount on their money made or going through NZ, where ever it goes afterwards will be someone else’s problem.
“Dinghy Pattinson is aiming to fulfil a promise he made as part of a mines rescue team that sealed up the Pike River mine in 2011.
The team left a note on the seal 170m up the mine access tunnel, or drift, promising the men they would return to get them out.
Pattinson was also part of the mines rescue team who were ready and waiting for two weeks to go into Pike River after the explosion that killed 29 men on November, 19, 2010.
‘We will not rest and we will never give up. We will return’ “
Was talking to an ex-coast, long time miner the other day about Pike, was very insightful, once he opened up a bit.
He explained that all along mine tunnels were little rooms with breathing apparatus etc, all one needed to do was get to one of these rooms and they would be able to stay alive for around 36hrs or more, giving rescue crews a chance to come and get them.
The rescue that never happened at Pike.
He believes that many of the men down there died from being abandoned, rather than the explosion. Also said Pike was well known for their shoddy safety, everyone on the coast knows it and that when they finally get in to Pike and get the men out it’s going to open a massive can of worms, and that’s why the prior government avoided rescue at all costs.
So proud of our new government for doing something. I can’t imagine the heartache and suffering of all involved.
The botched rescue including just getting the local police who knew nothing about mine safety is truely horrendous. Even countries with so called much worse human rights and employment safety bother to rescue their workers.
Pike River highlights that something is seriously wrong with how many companies with government assistance are operating in NZ – while pretending it’s all in the interests of health and safety but really to save dollars, avoid responsibility, not bother doing anything and delay tactics being the norm.
I’d like to see a memorial in Wellington for the men, by the beehive, to highlight the sad state of company greed and negligence and the government inaction supporting it and why a u-turn is needed.
You say
” Also said Pike was well known for their shoddy safety, everyone on the coast knows it”
What a shame that Andrew Little, yes, that Andrew Little, didn’t see anything wrong at all when he was supposed to be representing the men who worked there.
At the time Andrew said.
“EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said he was not aware of any safety concerns at the site.” https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/experts-raise-safety-concerns
He repeated that a number of times
“It was Andrew Little who, after the first explosion, claimed to the NZ Herald (November 22 2010) that there was “nothing unusual about Pike River or this mine that we’ve been particularly concerned about”.
It was a view he repeated to RNZ National’s Morning Report, also on November 22:
“Every mine on the West Coast takes great care when it goes into production and I don’t think Pike River is any different from that. They’ve had a good health and safety committee that’s been very active. So there’s nothing before now that’s alerted us to any greater risk of this sort of incident happening than at any other time.” http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/andrew-little-and-pike-river-fatally.html
If there is anyone who wants to run a cover-up it looks like Andrew. Who wants to bet on the proposition that he will decide it is unsafe to try for a re-entry next year? He is in the perfect position to shut down any real investigation, isn’t he?
They will never get on with it.
There is no chance at all that there will be any re-entry to the mine that goes right in to the place where they were working. No politician would ever risk it.
Lolz alwyn, would you like to place a wager? I’m keen, 3 month self imposed ban?
alwyn you are familiar with the West Coat yes? It’s a different world there.
I also said… “Was talking to an ex-coast, long time miner the other day about Pike, was very insightful, once he opened up a bit.”….. once he opened up a bit….
I wasn’t aware that Andrew Little came from the West Coast. I was always under the impression that he came from Taranaki. Am I wrong?
What does what the West Coasters think really matter? It is Andrew who is going to make the call, and I believe it is pre-determined. Who can say what might, or might not, have been done at the time. Now it would just be sending people into danger. Let those who died, like people drowned in ships sunk in the war, rest in peace.
I remember visiting the Coast in the mid-1960s. Yes it was quite different, However I can remember talking to a railways driver. There were still steam trains going across to the Coast. He said that the people there threatened to riot if they put Diesel Loco’s instead of coal powered ones on the route. He also said it was just talk and no-one living there had kept a coal range when they could get an electric one. They might talk about keeping coal but they weren’t actually going to use it themselves.
What exactly did you have in mind for this wager. All you seem to be willing to say here is “I say they will go into the mine”.
I suppose you could argue that they have done this. Remember the brave face that Little put on when he, and a couple of the members of some of the deceased miners’ families put on as he went 30 metres into the portal to the point where it was sealed the other day?
What are you proposing? I’ll give you a good example to follow. John Kennedy said
“First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth”.
Quite explicit isn’t it? What to do. When to do it. How to judge success or failure.
How would you word the wager? Do you propose, for example, that people in the mission will travel right to the area where the men were working and, as far as I know, the explosion occurred, before 31 March. 2019? That is all the way into the mine.
If not, what would you suggest?
You are quite right about the first words of this comment. It was Rosemary who was talking about Little, Andrew. I do apologise for seeming to think that you were the one proposing him as an exemplar of integrity.
Nice dancing on the head of a pin alwyn. Cinny made a simple wager suggestion. And yes it was simple. The stakes arent even high but you had to go pseudo intellectual and self righteous rather than just acceptung or declining. Would that you were quite as analytical of Brownlee et al and the profit motive on these deaths as you are on Anrew Little.
Ironic that someone who has voted for those who have neutered unions now criticises a union for letting its members down
I rather hoped that Cinny would have responded by now as to what she did have in mind for the wager. It obviously has to have a date. After all it could otherwise turn into something like Winston’s threats to sue the National Party and its MPs.
“I’m still going to do it” Winston says while all is otherwise silent.
I suppose Little supporters could claim in 2050, when no attempt at a proper re-entry has taken place,that it will still happen, sometime.
Why does Little persist in messing with the victim’s families with the false hopes he keeps proclaiming?
For Tracey’s benefit I would note that I am not criticising the Union. I am criticising Andrew Little.
Utilising your long lack of empathy …. out of cameron slater and john key which one do you think was more likely to call bereaved mother of a pike river mine worker a bitch ?? … ,…..
the dead boys mother was a “bitch” who had heckled Key …according to Slater and published in Nicky Hagars “Dirty polictics”
I presume she did so over the hollowness and insincerity of his political stunt …his false promises to the dead pike river miners familys ….
The media nearly always gave key a pass for lieing ….. but not so from a young dead mans mother.
Totally missing from Alwyns mean eyed spit at this woman and other Pike river mine workers mothers: …is the Key and previous Nat Govts part in the criminal negligence that lead to these working mens deaths …….
cutting the number of mine inspectors … not enforcing regulations… Non-Compliant is virtually Nationals Trade Mark.
But what really shows up Key as a nasty arse-hole…. when his Governmnet received a multi-million insurance payout over Pike river…… the suggestion was put that some of that money be given to miners familys as compensation ……
Key “ they can sue “….Alwyn may well agree
We all know …At the end of the day 😉 😉 it was key who ran off from NZ politics
You may, or may not, realise that I am not John Key.
Neither am I Cameron Slater.
That obviously doesn’t matter to you. You really are a nasty piece of work aren’t you? What gives you the right to abuse me for things I have never done?
What gives you the right to accuse me of things like, in your own disgusting dribble ” Alwyns mean eyed spit at this woman “? I have never done such a thing and I despise anyone who would do so.
I also despise people like you who propagate such lies.
Get back in your hole you miserable little excuse for a human being. If you are unable to tell the truth about me why don’t you just shut up?
Its not about you Alwyn ….. your smeary diversionary blame Little dribble needed putting straight….. its part of the ‘blame the union’ shit your sort cynically use.
Your skewered, one-sided, political statement on pike river was offensive to the victims … a written slap in the face for the mothers on mothers day.
your coming across as ugly as Key … using the victims for political gain ….” let them sue”…..
I don’t place much stock on a cynical ugly repeat liar and hypocrite calling me a liar….
Instead lets be reminded of a New Zealander with morals and Justice challenging the rot and corruption of the last national Government ….
Frankly you are a complete nutter.
You have zero interest in the truth, or facts, or simple common-sense.
Crawl back into the cesspit of your fevered imagination.
You are completely beneath contempt.
You start a sentence with “I don’t place much stock ….”.
Well I don’t place much stock in the ravings of an idiot like you.
Pike River,,, and your bat-shit politically motivated appropriation of Blame …
Managers, directors, design and mining safety specs … have all dissapeared behind a little union rep … according to angry Alwyn
By Not engaging with facts , shouty abuse,, and a dose of the shut-ups.. Alwyns providing a good example of an ongoing context … where the ugly and dishonest .. attack lie and deny ,,, those who expose them.
Dirty Politics …its in their blood.
John Key : ” …Nicky Hager is a screaming left-wing conspiracy theorist,”
Key and waynes gutsy Afghanistan attacks: “,,,,, “Stephenson’s integrity and credibility has been questioned by Prime Minister John Key, he’s been accused of fabricating testimony, of being an anti-war activist, of being part of a plot to undermine the New Zealand Defence Force.”
Pike river NAct PR :… John Key: ..”The first thing is I’m here to give you absolute reassurance, we’re committed to getting the boys out, and nothing’s going to change that. So – when people try and tell you we’re not, they’re playing, I hate to say it, but they’re playing with your emotions.”
“Following from the first explosion at Pike Rive Mine, there seemed much positive comment heaped upon the likes of Peter Whittall and John Key.”
versus the ugly actions and real attitudes,,,
John Key ” they can sue”
“Furthermore, – Pike River management barred union access to the site if a delegate attempted to come on site – which was their perfect legal right to do so due to legislation passed by this National government.” /qc-describes-pike-river-mine-as-a-homicide-scene/
The Mine Rescue guys would have been gutted. My Dad was in Mine Rescue, and he said leaving anyone down a mine was their worst nightmare. So proud of Andrew Little and such respect for the families.
Not sure of your point here, are you saying less gdp growth would be good for nurses or more, or simply you have confused what ever the correlation is between GDP growth and nurses well being with causation
‘Charities’ are the new rout avenue. Clinton Foundation and so forth are really vehicles to channel money with tax advantages so it doesn’t look quite so much like a bribe or buying influence.
Personally not a fan of modern charities like KidsCan either that have millions in the bank, spend a lot of administration and make many think that government agencies and more austere type charities should be abandoned for the more glitzy marketing type of charity.
And I’ll only mention in passing, because with the rain today there’s gloom aplenty already, the many charities and trusts who have got their snouts firmly in the trough of government funded contracts to provide services in the ‘social’ sector.
They don’t make profits…they have surpluses…and pay no tax.
They can cause the deaths of people in their ‘care’ through under staffing and and are never properly held to account. By “held to account” i mean lose their fat contracts forever.
Hi. Am seeking the best books on recent (post-1984) NZ Political History – am aiming to guide a millenial. Here’s what I have so far:-
Simon Collins. 1987. Rogernomics: Is There A Better Way?;
Nicky Hagar. 2006. The Hollow Men;
Bruce Jesson. 1987. Behind The Mirror Glass;
Bruce Jesson. 1990. Fragments of Labour;
Harvey McQueen. 1991. The Ninth Floor: Inside the Prime Minister’s Office –
A Political Experience.
It’s a bit spartan so far. Anyone have any recommendations?
Also: Are these recommended?:-
Simon Sheppard. 1999. Broken Circle: The Decline And Fall Of The Fourth Labour Government;
Jon Johansson. 2009. The Politics of Possibility: Leadership in Changing
Times.
Dr Bill Sutch Economics – Balanced enterprises less weighted to farming
Read the presentations at the annual Bruce Jesson Journalism awards.
Geoffrey Palmer Unbridled Power
Marilyn Waring Counting for Nothing
Max Rashbrooke
Tim Hazeldine
Fabian addresses – must be on record
Thanks Rosemary for giving us all those links.
I have captured that link for Fabian – it takes so long to find stuff sometimes and have wanted to get them to hand for a while.
And Brian Easton – more good stuff. We need to water the good economists, give them some love, keep them going with their alternative thinking and turning of facts etc and flowering of ideas!
Thanks everybody! Much appreciated. Some good stuff here, natch. Whenever I think of Andrew Dean I think of Max Harris – encouraging that those of younger generations are looking backwards as well as looking forwards.
Brian Easton has, amongst others:-
The Making of Rogernomics (Auckland University Press, 1989)
Bruce Jesson Lectures have been delivered by: David Lange (2000), Brian Easton (2001), Chris Trotter (2002), Jane Kelsey (2003), Ani Mikaere (2004), Colin James (2005), Gordon Campbell (2006), Laila Harre (2007), Mike Lee (2008), Robert Wade (2009), Annette Sykes (2010), Paul Dalziel (2011), Nicky Hager (2012), Ted Thomas (2013), Mike Joy (2014), Rod Oram (2015) and Lisa Marriott (2016).
alwyn – we can tolerate what is said. We understand where Bassett was coming from. Whether we value what he says is another matter. No unpleasant surprises, so give up the “You may not like what he says.”
Bassett has not written another Bible.
I don’t care whether you agree with him. I couldn’t care less whether you value what he says. It is however essential reading if you want to understand what happened. Have you actually read the book?
I agree it is essential reading to understand how the Labour Party spawned the ACT Party and people like Bassett kept being used by the media to comment on Labour, following his leaving parliament, as though he represented Labour views.
Rebecca Macfie Tragedy at Pike River Mine: How and Why 29 Men Died
Jane Kelsey. The Fire Economy.
Jonathan Boston, Simon Chapple Child Poverty in New Zealand.
This is a problem for the Papatuanuku society Sea level rise we are to short sighted we have the technology to exanine Papatuanuku history but we don’t no how to live for the future we live for the NOW for what we can get out of life now and not what we can give to OUR mokopunas lives this mind set has to change the old way was to try and give back better than what we received. We need to change building codes to mitigate SEA level rise now or it will be a 1000x worst than the problem we have that our farmers have at the minute .We can not just ignore the problem because the longer we have OUR heads in the sand the bigger the mess we will have to clean up. A few bold moves now will save lives and billions of$$$$$ for OUR mokopunas THIS IS FACT here.s the link.
Eco Maori has to be careful whom I back because I can see a phenomenon.
The powers that be don’t like to be shown up by a Kiwi Maori Cultured Man from Te Waiapu Vally Tairawhiti like the idiots playing with there sounds and flashing neon lights at the minute . Ka kite ano
Good Evening NewsHub the better we care for the vulnerable mokopunas at the earliest we can the higher they will climb up there ladders of life.
That is reality for the working class poor the hardest hit from inequality in income and the brown poor people get hit the hardest the income disparities are shocking go to the high end of town and you see boats flash cars one million dollar house own by two people the other end and one see nothing but poverty people going with out basic needs.
I can rember 10 years ago life was a lot easier and the cost of living was a lot cheaper .
Ka kite ano
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by Don Franks In 1957, E M Forster wrote, of his greatest work: “The India described in ‘A Passage to India’ no longer exists either politically or socially. Change had begun even at the time the book was published ( 1924) and during the following quarter of a century it ...
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In the spirit of Remember, remember the fifth of November, let's keep this in mind FOREVER.
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Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
We began the week by commemorating the New Zealand Wars and celebrating a major increase in the number of teachers. Then, we were busy supporting offenders into work and getting our rail back on track after years of underinvestment. And that's just the start! ...
In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters met with Korea Racing Authority Chairperson Nak Soon Kim in Seoul today to discuss closer cooperation between the New Zealand and Korean horse racing industries. As part of the visit to the Seoul Racecourse, Mr Peters witnessed ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10 million to establish Otago as the centre of New Zealand’s creative digital industry over the next ten years, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The initiative will bring us closer to the vision of ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)’s skills and employment programme will help young Otago people into long-term forestry careers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Ara Mahi will invest $63,000 in the 2020 school year to support eight 17 and 18 ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will support local plans to revitalise and stimulate economic development opportunities in Otago, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The four Regional Economic Development Ministers have approved an in-principle investment of $19.9 million towards the region’s ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is pleased to have received the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the Coalition Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, which shows significant progress in the fight against the disease. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, says the report’s findings ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing to support economic growth opportunities for Otago’s engineering and manufacturing sectors, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Export Minister David Parker announced today. Almost $20 million ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, discussed in Seoul today opportunities to work more closely in the Pacific and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Mr Peters and Minister Kang confirmed New Zealand and the ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development The three marae in the historic Parihaka Pa complex in Taranaki have been upgraded to high speed broadband with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Connecting the ...
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins today introduced into Parliament a Bill that will make it easier for the public service to tackle the biggest challenges facing Governments. The Bill represents the most significant change in the public service in 30 years. The State Sector Act 1988 will be repealed ...
The families of more than 416,000 students will be better off next year as their schools have signed up to the Government’s donations scheme, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. The scheme will see almost $62.5 million in additional Government funding go to schools nationwide next year. “I’m really pleased ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced further support as the Government of Samoa responds to a serious measles outbreak. “New Zealand will deploy a further 18 vaccination nurses, bringing the total to 30 working in Samoa over the next four weeks,” Mr Peters said. “A New Zealand Medical Assistance ...
Fa’atalofa atu, malo e lelei, Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you to the Child Poverty Action Group for asking me to be here today to provide an update on some of the things that have been happening across my the social development portfolio. Can I firstly acknowledge the vast ...
***Please check against delivery*** Good morning everyone. It is a pleasure to be with you this morning to open this year’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Conference and AGM. Firstly, thank you Dr Alan Jackson, NZTR Chair for your introduction. And let us acknowledge also: The NZTR Board; Dean McKenzie, Chair ...
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer and more secure, Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) Kris Faafoi has announced today. Both renters and landlords will benefit from the suite of practical changes to the Residential ...
A marine conservation milestone - the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve - is being celebrated today at a community event in Tairāwhiti/East Coast attended by the Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “The creation of this marine reserve in November 1999 was a game ...
The Government is asking the food industry to step up work to tackle obesity including reducing sugar, fat and salt in their products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children. Health Minister David Clark and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor have responded to a ...
ew, modern emergency department and outpatient facilities at Queenstown’s Lakes District Hospital mean better emergency care for the growing tourist mecca’s visitors and locals, says Health Minister David Clark. Today Dr Clark officially opened the hospital’s redeveloped Emergency Department and Outpatient facilities. The new facilities include: • An extended Emergency Department ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter says today’s release of sexual and reproductive health data reinforces the significance of the Government’s commitment to providing free or very low-cost contraception. The Ministry of Health today published statistics from the Ministry of Health’s 2014/15 Health Survey. “It is important people can make ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that at the request of the Samoan Government, New Zealand will be providing further support to Samoa as it faces a worsening measles outbreak. “In response to a request from the people of Samoa, New Zealand is providing 3000 measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) ...
“The new Disability Action Plan 2019–2023 moves us towards the inclusive and accessible New Zealand that this government has committed to,” Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “The Action Plan was designed by disabled people, their family and supporters, the disability sector and government agencies. It will ensure ...
Third Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting 14 November 2019 Joint Statement 1. Defence Ministers Ron Mark and Dr Ng Eng Hen today conducted their third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore. 2. Building on the Enhanced Partnership signed between both countries in May this year, this annual meeting ...
A Bill to improve the court system’s response to sexual violence has passed its first reading in Parliament today. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill will reduce the trauma sexual violence complainants experience in court, while maintaining defendants’ fundamental rights and making sure the trial process ...
Streamlined payment practices are a step closer for Kiwi businesses with the formal launch of New Zealand’s e-Invoicing framework. Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the government has now established the structure to enable automated and direct data exchange between the accounting systems of buyers and sellers. “The move to ...
Another 51 quarantine officers and four new biosecurity detector dog teams will help protect New Zealand from invasive pests and diseases this summer, says Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “The Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity system and support our valuable primary sector “New Zealand’s flora, fauna ...
A new report has found New Zealand’s space sector contributed $1.69 billion to the economy in the last financial year and employs 12,000 people, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. The report by Deloitte was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and shows New Zealand ...
Judge Coral Shaw has been appointed as the new Chair of the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. "Judge Shaw, who is currently one of the inquiry commissioners, is extremely well qualified for the ...
The Government has confirmed its third major mental health facility upgrade since the Budget, this time at Palmerston North Hospital. The Prime Minister and Health Minister today visited MidCentral DHB to announce that $30 million has been allocated to upgrade its acute mental health facility. It follows earlier announcements in ...
The roll out of the National Bowel Screening Programme has reached the halfway mark, with 10 out of 20 District Health Boards now part of the programme. MidCentral DHB, which covers Palmerston North, Manawatu and surrounding districts, this week became the latest to DHB to offer free bowel screening to ...
The Government welcomes PHARMAC’s decision to fund a vaccine to protect young people from meningococcal disease from 1 December this year. “Meningococcal disease is a serious threat which people at higher risk should be protected from,” says Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter. “The combined pharmaceutical budget was increased by ...
Groups involved with innovative fisheries research projects are encouraged to apply for government support in the latest funding round from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures programme. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the SFF Futures funding is designed to be flexible enough to support small or large projects across a ...
The Government has fixed an issue affecting how Immigration New Zealand has processed visa applications for culturally arranged marriages, which will now see a consistent process applied which ensures people with legitimate arranged marriages can visit New Zealand while also preventing any rorting of the system. Earlier this year Immigration ...
The Royal Commission into the Attacks on Christchurch Mosques will report back on 30 April 2020 to give it more time to hear submissions and consider information, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Royal Commission was originally scheduled to report back to Government by 10 December 2019. “There has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington DC today to attend a ministerial meeting focused on defeating ISIS, and to continue pursuing New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Mr Peters will participate in a meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers from key countries contributing to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. ...
The recently crowned Bird of the Year, the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin, is getting a much needed helping hand alongside more than 168 other community conservation projects announced Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage today. 168 community conservation projects throughout New Zealand are benefiting from $8 million in government grants, including $500,000 ...
Controls on assault rifles and semi-automatic firearms are to be broadened to include some types of pistols, under changes to a bill currently making its way through Parliament. Police Minister Stuart Nash has tabled a Supplementary Order Paper to the Arms Legislation Bill, which is currently before a Select Committee ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark will travel to Singapore today to conduct a counterpart visit and to co-chair the third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting with his counterpart, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. “Singapore is one of our most important defence partners in the region, and our ...
Nelson’s Salisbury School is to be rebuilt, creating a modern and suitable learning environment for students at the residential special school, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The school for girls aged 8-15, in Richmond, was earmarked for closure by National until the process ...
The panel undertaking a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act has identified the main issues to be addressed and options for reform and is calling for feedback to inform its final report. In July the Government announced the comprehensive review of the resource management system, including the RMA - ...
An important safety valve has been added to New Zealand’s criminal justice system with the third reading of the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill today. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “We’ve seen how our justice system can very occasionally get things spectacularly wrong, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters welcomes the tabling of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) 2019 Annual Report in Parliament today. He says the 2019 Annual Report marks the point when New Zealand’s racing industry’s decline was arrested and a turnaround started. RITA’s 2019 Annual Report recorded an industry net profit ...
The New Zealand Government is today sending 21 firefighters to help fight the ongoing catastrophic Australian bushfires. “The fires in Australia are in some of the toughest, most challenging conditions ever,” says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “As of yesterday morning, there were 100 active bushfire-related incidents across Queensland and ...
More frontline support for schools through a new education agency, as part of a redesigned Ministry of Education More support for principals and school boards including through a new centre of leadership and local leadership advisor roles New independent disputes panels for parents and students Management of school property ...
The Government’s reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system is a watershed moment in education and an opportunity to create meaningful change for ākonga Māori and their whānau, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said today. “Last year through Kōrero Mātauranga | Education Conversation, Māori teachers, parents, ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi ...
Infrastructure Minister is welcoming the first of many updated project pipelines from the newly established New Zealand Infrastructure Commission today. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has released an expanded pipeline of major capital projects – another crucial step towards delivering better infrastructure outcomes. “The first iteration of the ...
Tougher gun laws designed to improve public safety through firearms prohibition orders are proposed in a new document released for public input. Police Minister Stuart Nash says firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) would give new powers to Police to ensure high-risk individuals come nowhere near firearms. “We have already prohibited the ...
Andy Coupe has been confirmed as TVNZ’s new Board Chair. “Mr Coupe has strong commercial and capital markets experience and TVNZ has benefited from his technical knowledge of business and finance, as well as his extensive governance experience,” the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Kris Faafoi said. Andy ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today officially opened a separated pathway, following the completion of the Kaiwharawhara Stream bridge, which will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along Hutt Road. The $6.8m Hutt Road project provides a separated path for cycling and pedestrians, the replacement of informal parking ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of career diplomat Si’alei van Toor as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “I’m pleased to appoint Ms van Toor to this position. She brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously served as Senior Trade Adviser to the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Stanley, Associate professor/Principal Research Fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne It’s hard to comprehend why someone would deliberately light a bushfire. Yet this behaviour regularly occurs in Australia and other countries. We would go a long way to preventing ...
There are 540,000 dwellings in Auckland and 580,000 households. The result is misery no matter how you try to square things through tenancy regulation. ...
The PM says she's set a very clear expectation that the clearing of firing ranges in Afghanistan will be sped up, but says it's not possible to conclude NZ is responsible for civilian deaths. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Former prime minister Paul Keating has launched a scathing attack on the Australian media for its coverage of China, denouncing “the nominally pious belchings of ‘do-gooder’ journalists” who live on leaks from security agencies. Keating ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University A parasite is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species. Three main classes of parasites can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Lilburn, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Melbourne You’re driving down an unfamiliar street on a clear spring evening. You’ve been invited to a friend of a friend’s party, at a house you’ve never been to before. Tracking the street numbers, you ...
Crimestoppers New Zealand launched its updated website www.crimestoppers-nz.org today. As well as catering for traditional anonymous reports the site now supports mobile users and allows files and images to be attached. The changes support people of all ...
Prince Andrew has spoken for the first time in public about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. What did he say to create such a media storm, and how did he get into this mess in the first place? First thing’s first: who is Prince Andrew? Prince Andrew, Duke ...
Sam Brooks interviews the three guest curators of the New Zealand Festival of Arts: Bret McKenzie, Laurie Anderson and Lemi Ponifasio.An Oscar-winning Conchord, the world’s most beloved multimedia artist, and a world-renowned director and choreographer with an attitude. Three weeks, three unique visions of what a festival can and should ...
Plans are being put in place to increase methyl bromide monitoring following a theoretical modelling report about how the log fumigant disperses into the environment after use. ...
It’s the most beautiful time of the year! Comedian Sera Devcich joins Emily Writes to share the joy and investigate the top 10 toys your ungrateful kids will want this Christmas.It’s November which means it’s officially time for your kids to start bugging you day in and day out about ...
Proposed changes to tenancy rights are trickle down, not transformational, change says the Manawatu Tenants’ Union (MTU). There are however improvements for renters, and these efforts must be commended according to the MTU. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Stokes, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Deakin University “To be dead,” wrote the 20th century French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, “is to be a prey for the living.” Even Sartre, though, would have struggled to imagine casting James Dean in a movie 64 ...
The Good Citizen podcast focuses on the way good design – and good people – can change cities for the better. In this episode, Jeremy Hansen talks to architect Richard Goldie about his bold idea for a partially submerged stadium on Auckland’s waterfront, a project that’s now a finalist in ...
Former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer QC has published two books with Andrew Butler calling for a written, codified constitution that sets out ‘in an accessible form and a single document the fundamental rules and principles under which New Zealand is to be governed’. A road trip and consultation attracted ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Housing Luke Malpass and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government hikes claims thresholds for bad landlords, increases ...
People with intellectual disabilities and their families are struggling to access support more than ever before, as the disability sector faces a now $574 million annual funding shortfall, says IHC. ...
The Labour-led coalition may have to generate a second wave of Jacindamania if it is to win another term in the Beehive. Re-election is not an impossible dream, despite the failure of Labour to deliver what many of those who voted for it in 2017 expected. Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes ...
A corporate undertaker talks top tips for making sure you get paid, reining in rogue liquidators, and having a heart for those who’ve lost money.PwC’s John Fisk has handled high profile company failures from Pike River to Lombard Finance and the Ross Asset Management Ponzi scheme. He also chairs the ...
Armed police represent a serious cause for concern, especially for the most vulnerable, writes the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation.The Mental Health Foundation has publicly condemned the police trial of special armed response teams patrolling three districts around New Zealand. We’re extremely worried these trials will result in ...
International crime rings are increasingly targeting New Zealanders’ bank accounts to launder proceeds from scams and fraud. Bronwyn Groot, Fraud Education Manager at the Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC) is highlighting the rising incidence ...
A just-released report shows that the food industry wants to stay in a business-as-usual mode with a few minor tweaks around the edges. In response, the New Zealand Government appeared comfortable with that approach, and provided no Government plans for comprehensive ...
New Zealand consumers will be left in the dark about foods grown in Australia that have been created using gene editing techniques. On the 13 November the Australian Senator Rice put up a motion to disallow, or overturn, the recently passed Gene Technology ...
As Aotearoa plans for festive season celebrations, The Salvation Army is preparing to make its house a home to hundreds of men, women and children who have nowhere else to stay. ...
Landlords say they feel under siege with the government planning to make it tougher for them to boot out troublesome tenants; and skilled immigrants waiting for a residents visa say its unfair officials are fast tracking applications for those on salaries over $105,000. ...
Standing with the farmers, New Conservative is committed to pushing back against the lunacy of the ETS and Carbon Zero commitments by this government. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tomas Trescak, Senior Lecturer in Intelligent Systems, Western Sydney University Just a few years ago, virtual reality (VR) was being showered with very real money. The industry raised an estimated US$900 million in venture capital in 2016, but by 2018 that figure ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowena Maguire, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology Over the past two weeks, bushfires have raged across New South Wales and Queensland. While the narrative appears focused on potential causes and political point-scoring, what’s lost ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Davis, Chair of Women’s Health, Monash University At menopause, a woman’s ovaries lose their reproductive function. Eggs are no longer released and the production of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone falls. It’s the lowered levels of oestrogen after menopause that gives ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Bolleter, Deputy Director, Australian Urban Design Research Centre, University of Western Australia Around the world, the vast majority of people are flocking to cities not to dwell in their centres but to live in the new suburbs expanding their outer limits. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Natalya Saldanha, Academic, RMIT University Like any eight-year-old, Ryan Kaji loves to play with toys. But when Ryan plays, millions watch. Since the age of four he’s been the star of his own YouTube channel. All up his videos have gained ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kieran Wong, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Indigenous voices are finally being acknowledged as important voices in Australian galleries and museums. Since 2014, I have worked as an advisor to Western Australia’s New Museum, a A$450 million project and one of ...
Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics. ...
The Superdiversity Institute for Law, Policy and Business is releasing its latest report today on Culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse parties in the Courts: A Chinese case study . The Report’s author, Mai Chen, Chair of the Superdiversity ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Doubts emerge about Auckland port move, NZDF leaves death-causing material behind in Afghanistan, and laws around renting to be shaken up.Over the last week, the ramifications of moving most of the operations of Auckland’s port north to Whangarei have been ...
An ambitious new partnership between Sky Sports and more than 50 sports promises more free sport for Kiwis. Suzanne McFadden looks at how it will change the way we see female athletes ...
Catriona MacLennan helped conduct a survey of the top NZ companies to establish the ethnicity of their directors. The results were not surprising, but also far from encouraging. ...
Episode 1 in a series on the trials of injured animals as they’re rescued, rehabilitated and released back into the wild follows the rescue of a yellow-eyed penguin. ...
New Zealand Defence Force's failed to clean up properly after itself in Afghanistan - with the result that seven children have been killed and another 10 civilians injured. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Chinese embassy has lashed out at two Liberal members of parliament, Andrew Hastie and James Paterson, saying they would need to “repent and redress their mistakes” before they would be welcome in China. The ...
Tim Costley National’s new candidate in Otaki Local party members have selected Tim Costley as National’s candidate in Ōtaki for the 2020 General Election. Mr Costley is replacing retiring MP Nathan Guy, who is standing down after five terms. ...
“Compelling research out of the UK reaffirms vaping’s life-saving role. Here’s hoping our Government’s pending legislation reflects vaping’s increasingly documented health benefits for smokers,” say Ben Pryor, co-owner of the largest Kiwi-owned ...
Government has announced a raft of changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. The Minister has said he does not want to be seen to unduly punishing landlords. These changes do more than punish landlords however. They will punish anyone living next ...
Democracy under Fire on Firearms Law Reform - COLFO SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2019 The Government supposedly wants to “hear from all New Zealanders” about firearms law reform – unless you happen to be a licenced firearms owner. ...
From Monday 18 November New Zealand women are working for free until the end of the year because of the gender pay imbalance between men and women. ...
Award-winning investigative team Stuff Circuit is releasing its most hard-hitting documentary yet, exposing a secret the NZ Defence Force doesn’t want Kiwis to know. ...
The government has announced a suite of practical changes to the Residential Tenancies Act in its bid to make renting fairer and more secure. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happening?A number of changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) has just been announced by associate minister of housing Kris ...
US Trumpian Inspired Rhetoric From Anti-Trans Group Not a Good Fit with Nz Society Trans-rights support groups around the country have been dismayed by recent divisive and repellent comments by Stand Up For Women (SUFW), a group calling itself feminist ...
Sam Brooks reviews the third season of The Crown, a show that can’t decide whether it wants to humanise the monarchy or tear it all down.This review contains very mild spoilers for world history, 1964-1977.Three seasons in, there’s no doubt that The Crown is the, well, crown jewel in Netflix’s ...
An easy, flavour-packed noodle recipe from Bounty – Cooking With Vegetables, the new cookbook from national food education charity the Garden to Table Trust.The fresh flavours of these noodles are less complex than many Thai dishes, as the simple spice paste uses just a few ingredients. If you’d rather not ...
Part 2: In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department explains what ministers should be told by public servants ...
In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department summarises our governing arrangements. ...
With the 2020 cannabis referendum fast approaching, New Zealanders have a unique opportunity to let the government know what they want from drug reform. It will then be up to our policy makers to decide whether drug reform will focus on changing outcomes for those struggling under historically racist policy.By ...
Open Mike 12/05/2018 
Next year is an election year, and Labour needs money to fund its campaign. So naturally, they're selling access:Labour is charging wealthy business figures $1500-a-head to lunch with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at its annual conference later this month. [...] On the weekend beginning November 29th, around 800 delegates will ...14 hours ago
Words and images by Jacqui Gibson Gone are Auckland Museum’s days of doing science using a museum-centric academic approach, after Māori land rights holders Ngāti Kuri gave the museum an ultimatum.
MediaWorks announced in October 2019 that it intended to sell off its struggling television business and cancel or cut back on several popular local programmes, including New Zealand Today, Married at First Sight New Zealand and 7 Days. Its radio and outdoor advertising arms are currently performing well, but MediaWorks’ ...21 hours ago
Some readers may remember that I mentioned last year that I was applying for NZ citizenship. I filled out the paperwork and had my original citizenship interview in February. Everything went well until they discovered that, because I had spent five months in the US in 2017, I had not ...2 days ago
by Deirdre O’Neill It is becoming quite acceptable for certain sections of the left to declare that people like me – women who are ‘gender critical’ – should not be allowed in leftist or anarchist spaces. Leaving aside the arrogance and implicit authoritarianism of this claim, its lack of critical ...2 days ago
There is an article in The Conversation, written by Jeremy P. Shapiro (Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University), about what he sees as the psychologically-based underpinnings of three main matters that seem to vex people all around the planet. The article is titled “The Thinking ...2 days ago
. . Blogger Martyn Bradbury has won his case against unreasonable search and surveillance against the NZ Police; and subsequent Police attempts to produce evidence in secrecy, in a closed Court. His case highlights a disturbing growing trend in Aotearoa New Zealand for State power to be used against ...3 days ago
Different Strokes: If a multicultural immigration policy imposes no obligation on immigrant communities to acknowledge and ultimately embrace their host nation’s most cherished traditions and values, then how is that nation to prevent itself from being reduced to a collection of inward-looking and self-replicating ethnic and cultural enclaves?THE COALITION GOVERNMENT’S ...4 days ago
by The Council of Disobedient Women In her excellent oral submission to the Abortion reform select committee on 31st October on behalf of Otago University’s Department of Public Health, historian and public health researcher Hera Cook stated: “We would ask that the committee not use the term ‘pregnant persons’ and ...6 days ago
If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ... 1 week ago
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…
Installation complete: this was nothing ... 2 weeks ago
The chairman of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy (UNISCS) working group, Wayne Brown, has hit back at critics of his group’s recommendations to relocate the Ports of Auckland cargo operations to Whangarei’s deepwater port of Northport. The working group's recommendation to close Auckland waterfront to all but cruise ...11 hours ago
We're setting our young people up for success, investing in education around the country. ...18 hours ago
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins today introduced into Parliament a Bill that will make it easier for the public service to tackle the biggest challenges facing Governments. The Bill represents the most significant change in the public service in 30 years. The State Sector Act 1988 will be repealed ...10 hours ago
"Mum and Dad" landlords are likely to turn to property managers, or even exit the market ...6 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...7 hours ago
A parliamentary hearing on gun reforms was cut short when a submitter alleged he sold ammunition to the accused Christchurch gunman. ...8 hours ago
The Govt wants to crack down on exports that could be used to commit human rights abuses - but NZ universities say the proposal is "unworkable". ...8 hours ago
The State Services Minister has introduced legislation to make what he describes as the most significant change to the public sector in 30 years. ...9 hours ago
There are 540,000 dwellings in Auckland and 580,000 households. The result is misery no matter how you try to square things through tenancy regulation. ...9 hours ago
Internet Service Providers relied on ad hoc tools, including Google Docs, to coordinate blocking access to the Christchurch shooting video. ...10 hours ago
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is seeking feedback on its proposed energy levy-funded activities for the 2020/21 year. ...10 hours ago
Prince Andrew has spoken for the first time in public about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. What did he say to create such a media storm, and how did he get into this mess in the first place? First thing’s first: who is Prince Andrew? Prince Andrew, Duke ...11 hours ago
Hamilton Press Club life president Steve Braunias on the next guest speaker - embattled TV3 employee Patrick Gower. ...11 hours ago
Pay TV operator Sky Television expects its revenue and earnings to fall after investing in new content, new services and sponsorship deals. ...12 hours ago
Air New Zealand has cancelled some of its international flights due to ongoing issues with its Rolls-Royce engines. ...14 hours ago
Air New Zealand has cancelled some of its international flights due to ongoing issues with its Rolls-Royce engines. ...15 hours ago
The Labour-led coalition may have to generate a second wave of Jacindamania if it is to win another term in the Beehive. Re-election is not an impossible dream, despite the failure of Labour to deliver what many of those who voted for it in 2017 expected. Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes ...15 hours ago
Landlords say they feel under siege with the government planning to make it tougher for them to boot out troublesome tenants; and skilled immigrants waiting for a residents visa say its unfair officials are fast tracking applications for those on salaries over $105,000. ...18 hours ago
Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics. ...18 hours ago
Labour is charging wealthy business figures $1500-a-pop to lunch with Jacinda Ardern; and NZ First-linked forestry company pushed for govt funds. ...19 hours ago
An ambitious new partnership between Sky Sports and more than 50 sports promises more free sport for Kiwis. Suzanne McFadden looks at how it will change the way we see female athletes ...21 hours ago
Catriona MacLennan helped conduct a survey of the top NZ companies to establish the ethnicity of their directors. The results were not surprising, but also far from encouraging. ...21 hours ago
Episode 1 in a series on the trials of injured animals as they’re rescued, rehabilitated and released back into the wild follows the rescue of a yellow-eyed penguin. ...21 hours ago
Steve Braunias reviews the as-told-to book of All Blacks skipper Kieran Read, and fully expects it to suck. ...21 hours ago
The disastrous impact of banks selling risky financial derivatives to farmers is still being felt in rural communities more than a decade later. ...22 hours ago
New Zealand Defence Force's failed to clean up properly after itself in Afghanistan - with the result that seven children have been killed and another 10 civilians injured. ...22 hours ago
Many fund managers are overconfident and the public buy the illusion. ...2 days ago
Part 2: In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department explains what ministers should be told by public servants ...2 days ago
In this excerpt from the evidence of Sir Maarten Wevers in the High Court case of Winston Peters over his superannuation leak, the former head of the Prime Minister's Department summarises our governing arrangements. ...2 days ago
New Zealand's coroners learnt lessons of cultural competency and communication from March 15. ...2 days ago
More interesting material from Craig Murray.
“The Incredible Bias of the BBC
Why is the BBC permitted, day after day after day, to pump out programming which actively promotes a political programme far to the right of where the British population actually stand? With the continual over-representation of nutty right wing groups like the Taxpayers’ Alliance and the Henry Jackson Society, while left wing groups of much larger membership such as Stop the War are completely ignored. Why low tax campaigners but no invitation ever to groups like Black Triangle who represent claimants interests? Not to mention the routine ignoring of the SNP, parliament’s third largest party.”
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/05/the-incredible-bias-of-the-bbc/
This is why State owned media is a bad idea. Even an organisation set up to attempt to be unbiased like the BBC gets accused of bias by people and then they start discussing his it can become more “unbiased”. This is usually code for ‘agree with my side more.
No. That’s why state-funded media is essential. Because it’s the only organisation that will ever be under any meaningful obligation to be impartial.
It’s that fact that makes the debate Ed started even possible. Nobody expects state-funded media to do a perfect job, but at least the obligation is there.
I agree.
We just have to deal with the bias of the senior executives at RNZ.
Why so many Taxpayers’ Union New Zealand Initiative stories?
Why the acceptance of neoliberal premises on economics?
Why the framing of stories from a right wing agenda?
Fortunately we now have alternative news sources to show the lies the mainstream runs.
@Ed +1 You can add to your list…
Why financial updates all through out the day, but no workers news?
Why is it RNZ have nearly all domestic and international financial/economic analysis done by bank economist?…economists who have a ideology that is based on selling and profiting from debt.
It opens itself up for political interference in editorial decisions. That is never a good thing.
State-funded media doesn’t have to be one single entity that might dominate the media landscape. Nor does it have to mean an entity where the Board & Chairman are appointed by the Government of the day. Nor does it have to mean an entity with strict hierarchical structure with strict managerial and editorial over sight where decisions by others are controlled and overruled by superiors all the way to the top. And it also doesn’t have to mean a Charter that demands financial/operational return AKA profit and dividends (to the Government).
Rather than having a one-size-fits-all entity or set-up why not reflect our society’s diversity and pluralism and fund that adequately? Media should cater for all citizens and inform the people so that they can make their own judgements if they wish …
What is wrong with the BBC structure then since people think it is biased
Riiight – and that wretched chip wrapper The Herald never interferes politically at the editorial level? The state model is sound – the only commercial enterprise that even approaches the BBC or Al Jazeera for quality is Reuters.
Gosman: talking the obvious unaccountability of private news organisations you have guaranteed politically based interference in what the populace receives and no one can say a word.
Talking the obvious accountability of state news organisations you have at least the formal capacity for the populace to holler like hell if/when there is the appearance or fact of political interference.
I see you’re still exercising risibly twisted, absolutist zealotry; oligarchs = good while the people = bad.
So does profit oriented privately owned media organisations…
Privately owned and operated media is, by default, a political tool and is open to the political interference of its owners.
The same can be said for state owned media.
Damned if you do etc
It can be but it can also be more open and honest. Depends upon how it’s set up.
Just as a private media will spin a story to its interest as can, and does, the state.
It won’t be The State.
It will be independent journalism.
Sure but again independent journalists also have their own bias.
I try to read everything from a multitude of sources. I read The Standard as much as I read Kiwiblog (though I’d never lower myself to comment there). I read the New Yorker, The Atlantic, Fox News, BBC, NYT, Washington Post, The Listener, AJZ, CNN, NBR , the list goes on and on.
It gets fucking tiring but I’m a news junkie. Then there’s the science mags and the books….it’s a wonder I manage to have job and raise a child while maintaining an alcohol habit.
And there’s nothing that we can or should do about that – except demand that they provide proof and not just ‘reckons’ as we get from so many talking heads in the private sector.
What is wrong with how the BBC is set up?
FWICMO, it’s structured with capitalist, top down, dictatorship control in mind.
State-ownership, in my view, ought to mean that it is owned and managed by the state on behalf of all citizens and it has a (social) mandate to deliver (a service or product) for the public good, not for (financial) profit to the owners. This doesn’t make it immune from political meddling but any (political) benefits may be harder to obtain (and hide from public view) as they tend to be more indirect (arm’s length influence and control). State-owned media have a fundamentally different mandate and governance compared to privately-owned media unless they’re run strictly as a business in the common sense in which case it is an easy step for National & ACT to sell/privatise.
State owned media is no less biased than private media. The difference is our taxes don’t fund private media. State run media is totally surplus to requirements in a modern society.
Good thing the state isn’t running it then, eh. Also, I question your interpretation of the word “modern”.
Re: quality and quantity of bias, I note the presence of a diverse range of opinions on RNZ.
The state IS running state media. With our taxes. Shut the lot down, then maybe Labour can meet some of its broken promises.
Don’t be so stupid.
Sure a state can run a lame media – Pravda or RT – but not all states do.
What’s wrong with the MSM is not state interference, but commercial interference. Murdoch etc. The useless ZB network. Fox.
The citizen has no comeback against their shit short of shutting them down. When you see the crap NZ TV has become it’s looking like a pretty good option.
I agree.
Take back the airwaves from the plutocrats.
At the expense of taxpayers? And in exchange for state propaganda? No thanks.
Who said anything about state propaganda? Can you provide an example of “state propaganda” on TVNZ or RNZ. Be specific: quote the actual article in question and explain how it qualifies.
“What’s wrong with the MSM is not state interference, but commercial interference. ”
Commercial interference is paid for by commercial interests. State interference (and it is endemic in state media) is paid for by tax payers. Stop it all.
Looks like you don’t know what endemic means either.
oops meant epidemic. Thanks.
All you need now is an example.
The airwaves are the commons.
Rich corporate interests should never be allowed anywhere near them.
And under your system babaya the world becomes a plutocracy, where the rich own and control the news.
We are getting closer to that.
Only the state setting up grassroots news and taking the airwaves back can stop the march of the uberrich.
Why do you take the side of the robber barons?
The airwaves are the commons.
State interests and their accompanying propaganda should never be allowed anywhere near them.
So who do you think should have access to the airwaves?
Large corporations?
“So who do you think should have access to the airwaves?
Large corporations?”
Large, small, and in between. Community groups. Special interest groups. Heck anyone but the government.
Do you think Fox News is better than RNZ as a source of news?
Do you think The NewZealand Herald is better than RNZ as a source of news?
“Do you think Fox News is better than RNZ as a source of news?”
Yes, absolutely. Particularly given that Fox news is balanced by CNN and MSNBC.
“Do you think The NewZealand Herald is better than RNZ as a source of news?”
Marginal call.
Ed: Do you think Fox News is better than RNZ as a source of news?
Babyaga: Yes, absolutely.
True believers untie, you have nothing to lose but your sanity and balance 😆
Fox News is unashamedly biased. So is Red Radio.
The differences are:
1. We fund Red Radio and,
2. Read Radio don’t admit they are biased.
Repeating Farrar’s catchphrases is not a good sign of a well thought out argument.
‘
Red RadioRNZ is biased’.That isn’t what you claimed. You claimed them as an example of “state propaganda”. So you’ve now abandoned that claim and are claiming bias.
But once again, you’ve failed to provide any examples of this bias, although perhaps you mean Matthew Hooton.
I expect you’ll cite John Campbell as an example, but then you’d have to show how Checkpoint exhibits a “state” bias, as opposed to John Campbell’s. And if your only objection is that individual hosts bring their own biases to the mix, RNZ is doing no more or less than whoever it is that employs Hoskings et al, and RNZ has the advantage of a wider spectrum of views.
Perhaps it’s that advantage that you don’t like. The very idea that the state might provide something more useful (and popular) than the “free” “market”.
Unless you can link to a specific example of “state propaganda”, that is. Tumbleweeds?
“You claimed them as an example of “state propaganda”.”
Where?
“So you’ve now abandoned that claim and are claiming bias.”
Well when the Minster of Broadcasting has a clandestine meeting with a senior RNZ executive, that both try to hide, I’d say that was a pretty good example of at least an attempt at state influence. Of course you support the Greens, so you are in bed with liars and cheats.
“not on my dime”
Whereas I’m happy to provide it on my “dime”, and since at the last count far more people support my position (even the Trashional Party funds RNZ when in government) than yours, I’m pretty sure we can do without your petty contribution. Tell you what, we’ll fund the things we like and you can contribute to David Seymour’s taxpayer funded trough, eh.
Bully for you. Not my dime.
in bed with liars and cheaters
On this issue, I’m also in bed with the NZLP, NZF and National. We’re having a great time while you’re in line to practise necrophilia with Ayn Rand, and Don Brash took your place in the queue 😉
On what issue? The welfare cheat? The MP who worked for war criminals while claiming to be bringing them to justice? The MP who has gone on to head an organisation who are bullying people for donations?
On what issue?
The continued funding of RNZ. Perhaps if you and Don pooled your resources you could afford a couple of clones of Ayn, and they could humiliate and despise you just like the original.
In case you missed it, the ‘liars and cheats’ I was referring to were the Greens. Here, you’ll get the idea if you read my comment “Of course you support the Greens, so you are in bed with liars and cheats.”/open-mike-12-05-2018/#comment-1483690
Still waiting for a specific example of the
bogeymanstate propaganda.Here’s an example to help you recognise it.
Have you ever heard of Red Radio?
PS great article BTW.
I have already asked you to provide a specific example of an actual article and explain in your own words how it constitutes “state propaganda”.
If you can’t manage that very basic thing your argument isn’t worth very much.
You provided your own example. Do you seriously want me to post examples of state media propaganda from China, Russia, etc etc? If you don’t think it can happen here, perhaps you missed the meeting between Clare Curran and Carol Hirschfeld?
I have heard that term used by right wing nut jobs yes.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12021163
I don’t click on the Herald’s links – following others in boycotting it since its ghastly rubbish a couple of weeks back,
The Herald is rapidly becoming an echo chamber for Farrar and his crazed right wing friends.
You mentioned “Red Radio”, aka RNZ. Provide a specific example of an RNZ article that constitutes “state propaganda”.
You freely admit “commercial interference” in commercial radio. You allege that similar interference, specifically “state propaganda” exists in local state owned media, and cite RNZ as an example.
Yet you can’t point to a single article to illustrate your argument. Don’t get me wrong, I know you’re full of shit, but you might at least make some flailing attempt to justify your conspiracist delusions.
Well said.
“Provide a specific example of an RNZ article that constitutes “state propaganda”.”
All bias on red radio represents state propaganda. Note, not government propaganda. State propaganda. Now John Campbell is biased, and I have no problem with that on private media, but not on my dime.
“You allege that similar interference, specifically “state propaganda” exists in local state owned media…”
No, never said ‘local’.
“and cite RNZ as an example.”
I asked you a question about Red Radio and provided evidence of at the very least interference – Curran’s meeting with Hirschfeld.
But wait, there’s more:
“When Metiria Turei announced she was stepping down from Parliament, Radio NZ’s Checkpoint host John Campbell was a paragon of empathy and compassion, writes Liam Hehir.”
“Like many news agencies, Radio NZ has a mild centre-left bias. If you don’t believe it, my guess would be that you probably have a centre-left disposition yourself.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/99720488/radio-new-zealand-should-appoint-its-own-ombudsman
All bias on
red radioRNZ represents state propagandaMatthew Hooton broadcasts state propaganda. Good to know 😆
Don’t forget they’re out to get you.
“Matthew Hooton broadcasts state propaganda. Good to know ”
No, he doesn’t broadcast it, but he participates in it. You see, Blokey, with private broadcasters we can discern the bias and we’re not paying for it. With public broadcasting we’re getting propaganda and paying for it. No thanks.
“Propaganda”
For which you are yet to provide a single specific example. Is it during the leader of the opposition’s regular slots?
Curran. Hirschfeld. Explain it.
You’ve piqued my curiosity; who is paying (for) private broadcasters? Do they work gratis or pro bono?
Advertisers.
Curran. Hirschfeld. Explain it.
Explain it yourself, you rude prick. You don’t get to make demands: you get to provide some supporting evidence for your assertions of “propaganda”. Put up or shut up.
Look it up. Think about it.
Advertisers? Oh, that’s o.k. then as that would make private broadcasters immune from political meddling because political parties and their lobbyists never take out ads in MSM, never ever. And private broadcasters only broadcast direct messages on behalf of their advertisers, like shampoo manufacturers. That’s why all talkback shows, for example, are about shampoo and other commodities and never about politics. I mean, I can tell when an ad is about shampoo although sometimes it is hard to discern at first because it could also be a lipstick ad …
Talking of lipstick, do you know whether Mike Hosking and Simon Bridges use the same brand of hair gel, by any chance?
One last question, who’s paying the advertisers?
And one very last question, I promise, are advertising and marketing expenses tax deductible in NZ?
“…because political parties and their lobbyists never take out ads in MSM, never ever.”
Of course they do. That’s the point…they are the ones paying, not the taxpayer.
“And private broadcasters only broadcast direct messages on behalf of their advertisers, like shampoo manufacturers.”
Of course not. They broadcast their opinion. How many awards did Newstalk ZB receive at the recent Radio Awards?
You seem to believe private commercial interests having opinions and broadcasting them is bad. It isn’t. What is bad is the government owning the medium for broadcasting ideas.
“One last question, who’s paying the advertisers?”
People who voluntarily buy their products.
“And one very last question, I promise, are advertising and marketing expenses tax deductible in NZ?”
Of course. They are a cost of deriving assessable income.
What a tangled web we weave.
So, private broadcasts are full of political and other direct and indirect advertising but that’s o.k. because the consumers pay for it; the consumers who are also the Taxpayers.
The only accountability and transparency, if any, is to the private owners of the station; the consumers/Taxpayers will have no idea who’s influencing them.
As long as the funding does not come directly from the Taxpayers any opinion or influence that the private broadcaster wants to send out for whatever reason and on whomever’s behalf without either the listeners or consumers/Taxpayers fully in the know is perfectly fine.
All this is perfectly acceptable because consumers voluntarily buy (or not) the products of the advertisers in a free-market exchange. The commercial guys are so much more credit-worthy than politicians, aren’t they? [pun intended]
You do know the saying that if you don’t know what the product is … ?
You are confused.
All media carries bias. I’m fine with that as long as it is declared and I’m not paying for it. The government has no business in media, none. It is a risky and expensive business for little or no benefit. And I don’t trust government’s of any stripe to declare their bias and keep far away from propaganda.
This is why State owned media is a bad idea.
As opposed to rigorously professional outfits like Fox News and MSNBC? You don’t have a clue.
Gosman, your comments are often ignorant and ill judged, but whatever you say this morning, no matter how ignorant and ill judged, will not be worse than what you inflicted on us a few days ago….
Yes Gosman talks silly stuff.
NZME and Stuff are owned by multinational finance corporations.
They wouldn’t be biased would they?
In the corporate media you get biased fools like Garner showing their true colours.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/opinion/103843906/duncan-garner-if-twyford-cant-phil-us-in-on-kiwibuybuild-who-can
Eh???
What has a comment about Melanie Trump got to do with me?
Similarly, Ed, I note that David Farrar and Jordan Williams’s ludicrous Taxpayers’ Union and the right wing New Zealand Initiative often set the agenda for “news” on both main TV channels, and on Radio New Zealand. The researchers and analysts of the universities and the unions, by contrast, are rarely given much consideration.
Agreed. And look at the number of ACT members who get on Mora’s Panel.
Who for example?
Stephen Franks. But I’m sure there’s many more..
Interesting point
heres a summary of this show
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/library
names are ( couldnt click and paste ,grrr)
Lisa Scott and Ian Telfer
Jo Mccarrol and Scott Campbell
max Ritchie and Niki Bezzant
Rosemary Macleod and Peter Fa’afui
garry Moore and Miriama Aoake
cas carter and Steve Mccabe
Jock Anderson and Mai Chen
Verity Johnson and Simon Pound
Peter Vial and Paula Penfold
Clare de Lore and Alan Blackman
Ella Henry and John Barnett
Micheal Moynahan and Penny Ashton
Minhingarangi Forbes Sam Johnson
Lynda Hallinan and Chris Clarke
Alexia Russel and Mike Rehu
Mike Williams and Michelle Boag
Bernard Hickey and jenny Moreton
neil Miller Alison Mau
Chris Waikira and Janet Wilson
Lisa Scott and Andrew Hoggard
Gary McCormick and Lizzie Marvelly
Michelle A’ court Peter Fa’aifu
Catherine Robertson and Peter Milne
Nadine Higgins and Matt Nippert
Thats over a months worth and quite a variety. Sometimes certain names are more memorable while a lot of the above arent too well known ( arent yet famous for being famous)
I’ve annotated that list of “talent” accordingly…
[1] vacuous; [2] supporter of Israeli government; [3] close links to National Party; [4] spouse of ex-National Party MP; [5] regularly expresses strident right wing views; [6];
Lisa Scott [1] and Ian Telfer
Jo Mccarrol and Scott Campbell [3]
max Ritchie [5] and Niki Bezzant
Rosemary Macleod [5] and Peter Fa’afui
garry Moore and Miriama Aoake
cas carter [1] and Steve Mccabe
Jock Anderson [5] and Mai Chen
Verity Johnson and Simon Pound
Peter Vial and Paula Penfold
Clare de Lore[4] and Alan Blackman [1]
Ella Henry [1] and John Barnett [2]
Micheal Moynahan and Penny Ashton
Minhingarangi Forbes and Sam Johnson [3]
Lynda Hallinan and Chris Clarke [1]
Alexia Russel and Mike Rehu
Mike Williams and Michelle Boag [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
Bernard Hickey and jenny Moreton
Neil Miller [5] and Alison Mau
Chris Wikaira [2], [3] and Janet Wilson [5]
Lisa Scott [1] and Andrew Hoggard [1], [3], [5]
Gary McCormick and Lizzie Marvelly
Michelle A’ court Peter Fa’aifu
Catherine Robertson and Peter Milne
Nadine Higgins and Matt Nippert
Really? An ACT party member today?
Stephen was certainly an ACT MP from 1999 until 2005.
However he then joined the National Party and was on the National List in 2008. He has taken no active part in politics since then as far as I can see so, although he may still be a member of the National Party I have seen no evidence at all that he went back to ACT.
Do you have any?
Who said we were talking about current ACT members??
When the comment made is in the present tense
“And look at the number of ACT members who get on Mora’s Panel”
one is certainly entitled to expect that you will find current members to nominate. If the best you can discover is someone who was a member a decade ago you are failing.
On your basis I am entitled to state that the Labour party is the arch-proponent of Rogernomics. You will have to agree if you think your own comment is accurate.
Oh dear, Alwyn… more punctilious crap. Franks remains ACT in thought and word whether he is a current member or not. Get your mummy to put you to bed instead of allowing you to post such rubbish. (I am returning a foolish insult you posted against me, just in case it escaped your university-qualified vigilance.)
That’s nice dear.
In Vino
So what. I presume you believe in free speech; in which case Franks is entitled to his point of view, even if you disagree with it.
Grantoc
You’re missing or ignoring the point raised @ 1.2 and 1.2.1.
Hint: it is not about free speech as such.
Exactly right, I have been emailing the producers of RNZ (nicely) about this exact point for the past 12 months…no reply of course.
Taxpayers Alliance? Taxpayers Union and they all try to behave as if they are not part of a strategy
Ed’s comment is about yet another Craig Murray opinion this time re the BBC. Hence UK related, not NZ; and not about the NZ Taxpayers Union.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance is a right-wing British pressure group and think tank formed in 2004 to campaign for a low tax society. The group, based in London, had about 18,000 registered supporters as of 2008, and claimed to have 55,000 by September 2010.
https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TaxPayers%27_Alliance
I understood that, and was noting that the UK has an equivalent of our Taxpayer Union an arms length group helping right parties get re elected
In the background, where the majority of people can’t see, it’s probably the same group.
Kind of like Trade Unions you mean.
No. Trades Unions are comprised of citizens, not sockpuppets.
In your opinion.
To go along to get along. The whole Thatcherite revolution was essentially a dumbing down and raising fears, all started with Murdoch lowering the bar and mulching any conflict against wealth. Press bias merely reflects the current elites unwillingness to pull its finger out, having been deluded into believing that the market will save their sorry arises if only they distrust the market of ideas that will save their sorry arises from being burnt to a cinder.
Shocking especially because they used to (and probably still do I expect) make everybody in Britain pay a yearly TV licence for the content which clearly should not be biased!!!
You want one image that shows how compromised the BBC has become.
Look at Jo Coburn’s face as the BBC cut an interview when one of their reporters says MI6 was involved in torture.
That reminds me of another time the BBC ‘unfortunately lost the line.’
Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.
And not just because he looks like Simon Bridges.
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/marco-rubio-condemns-fellow-lawmakers-opposing-gina-haspels-confirmation/
The media have really let Bridges off the hook for his liking of Slater’s tweet.
The media routinely take their lead from Slater and Farrar. Jim Mora references Farrar every second day, and has him on as a guest regularly. No doubt he’d do the same with Whalefat if he ever relaxed his ideological ban on appearing on “state media.”
I actually find Mora in many ways more contemptible than Hosking.
At least Hosking doesn’t pretend.
You have to admit they’ve got the bases covered with gentle Jim playing a subtle nuanced role with a stacked panel.
Though remembering that it’s helpful to listen to which fear they are playing up. Of course if it’s all right-wing sledging then do what I do, avoid Hooten, Boag, Frank’s, and just pick one right-wing hack, it’s not like there is any depth to their messaging. Farrier is best of the boring fools.
Yeh, I have noticed that Mora has only just contained himself of the Asia peril at our doorstep re; China, lately…I am pretty sure he is going to slip on this one pretty soon.
Morrisey – If this is true, its totally offset by RNZ giving John Campbell 2 hrs every night to push a left wing agenda.
Are you saying that giving a voice to the disenfranchised and holding power to account is inherently Left Wing?, because I can’t remember Campbell pushing any political ideology…maybe you can refresh me.
He will have forgotten that Campbell caused a labour PM to flunce out of an interview
Given that David Farrar runs the most widely read blog in New Zealand, it is hardly surprising that media commentators refer to him.
And although Standardnistas won’t like this, David Farrar comes across as reasonably balanced, even if he is a well known supporter of National. It is some of his commenters that are extreme.
He regularly gives credit to the government when he thinks it is due. He is not so one-eyed that he condemns every single action of the government. Likewise he is critical of the opposition from time to time
” David Farrar comes across as reasonably balanced, even if he is a well known supporter of National. It is some of his commenters that are extreme. ”
If one were so inclined and had the ability and the facility, one could invent a persona, append a twitty pseudonym and spew vile hate speech unfettered on a totally un moderated website. It’d be like allowing one’s evil alter to have a ‘real life’ or in some cases ‘lives’.
Farrar allows those “extreme” commenters free reign…he is a despicable person.
Most people here know this….why would you even think it appropriate to try and defend the indefensible?
He’s a troll farmer. That earns less respect, not more.
And Wayne is partisan so his view of balanced is jaundiced.
The Standard also allows “extreme” commentators from the left ‘free reign’. Is that ‘despicable’ to?
Or are you trying to “defend the indefensible”?
Yeah nah – he was hip deep in the dirty politics scam. Nothing unusual for a Gnat of course, but contemptible by the standards of normal people.
Comes across as reasonably balanced…to the likes of yourself perhaps, Wayne…and those who appreciate and support ‘hate’ blog sites such as KB…
But that is no rational benchmark for , balance…
What drives you to keep commentating on this blog, Wayne…you’ve not tendered a response…
Kiwi blog seems a more natural habitat given your documented publicly available history…
The scary thing is that I think you really believe this! Or do I hear a dog-whistle?
The fact that those “extreme” commenters are being ‘invited’ by the posts on KB written by DPF and other authors (…) seems to have escaped your thought. All propaganda has and starts with instigators too.
Further, DPF not only provides an inviting and welcoming forum with ample ‘food for thought’ for those “extreme” commenters but also cries that it is too hard to manage, which is just unbelievably pathetic and has a very disingenuous ring to it.
DPF may give token credit to the Government and express token criticism of the Opposition “from time to time” but that’s just pulling the wool over our eyes, isn’t it? Just like Simon Bridges strongly condemned the DP campaign against Clarke Gayford. Yeah, right!
No resignation calls for his disreslect to oyr falken? We would still be hearing about it if Shearer, Cullliffe, Little or Ardern had taken a taxpayer funded flight to Hawaii on hols instead
Absolutely
Lucky for him he’s just a tool for global capitalism then.
Odd story:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/103764952/bridges-mea-culpa-for-titter-faux-pas-too-much-tweeting-maketh-a-twat
Anyway, we now know Mr Bridges
readsscrolls through tweets by WO. We also know that Mr Bridges easily lets his guard down when (or better: in spite of) reading tweets by WO – WO is a well-known and respected comedian in National circles and his tweets are often considered ‘funny’. Maybe Mr Bridges was not wearing his hat as Leader of the Opposition but tweeting in ’private capacity’.“Literally a second” would not have given time for a 3rd party to do a screenshot. Literally
He was just scrolling down tweets from WO, as you do, and literally liked it but that doesn’t mean he literally liked it as it is just one of those things you do when scrolling down through tweets from WO, literally.
In National nothing should be taken literally, only aspirationally. A brighter future for all literally means a slightly less dim future for the dimwits (AKA poor, workers, un- and underemployed,
beneficiaries, most people) and a much brighter future for the few (AKA rich) but you cannot literally say that. Being on the cusp of something special literally means that you’ve got gas and have to do a fart but just like weeing in the shower you cannot literally say that in a public medium so you make it sound expirationally.Anything that this Government says or does is literally bad, of course. It goes without saying that the Opposition and particularly the Leader of the Opposition without question and without reading literally poopoos everything from Government. Coincidentally, this comes naturally to National because they literally have no original ideas, which is why they scroll through WO tweets and KB and literally like posts and comments alike; in National they like what they like ad nauseam, literally.
Effectively, Slick Britches is full of bullshit.
My second share of the day are the words of a great New Zealander, Robin Westenra.
“Ecological and economic collapse in New Zealand
It will be only apparent to those paying attention but New Zealand is collapsing environmentally, socially, financially and politically, not to mention socially.
Every day we read headlines like this. The detail with which these questions are dealt with are usually in inverse proportion to the importance of the crisis in question.
People who react emotionally to things,mostly on social media, but are incapable (or unwilling) to analyse why this might be the case just blame the government.
It is really only the symptoms of social collapse that get any public attention.
While the previous government with its socially-destructive policies of austerity took this breakdown to new, unseen levels. But there is nothing unique in this and the result probably end up being the same.
We cannot look solely to economic policies.
What we are seeing is a neo-liberal response to a very real problem to ongoing and progressive collapse as a result of economic crisis arising out of energy decline along with ecological degradation and accelerating climate change.”
http://robinwestenra.blogspot.co.nz/2018/05/ecological-and-economic-collapse-in-new.html?m=1
Superb piece of writing there once again by Westenra. If only the world had more men like him.
This looks like a good one.
The book is called “The War On Peace: The decline of American diplomacy”
Trevor Noah interviews the author Ronan Farrow, who also broke major stories as a reporter such as the #MeToo movement, among others.
Thanks for the link Ad
This is what happens when:
You let farmers take water to intensify dairy farming on the Canterbury Plains
You let farmers pump fertiliser into the land
You allow foreign corporations to take our water.
“Chlorine levels in some Christchurch water might be enough for swimming pool.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/103631494/chlorine-levels-in-some-christchurch-water-might-be-enough-for-swimming-pool
Neoliberal New Zealand.
A poster boy for plutocrats.
A basket case for its citizens.
Auckland.
35000 empty homes.
Houses too expensive to rent or buy.
People living on the streets.
Neoliberal New Zealand.
A poster boy for plutocrats.
A basket case for its citizens.
https://www.strongtowns.org/the-growth-ponzi-scheme/
Ponzi schemes everywhere you look…..think there may be a message in that.
Capitalism itself is a Ponzi Scheme. A few end up rich, everyone else ends up poor.
Capitalism (and/or politics) may accelerate the process but physics dictate it….
“…A society in which depletion is advanced and M(p)
rapidly increasing relative to C(p), though, may not be able to escape catabolic
collapse even if such steps are taken. Cultural and political factors may also make
efforts to avoid catabolic collapse difficult to accomplish, or indeed to contemplate.”
https://www.ecoshock.org/transcripts/greer_on_collapse.pdf
Scary stuff about new terrorism laws and how they seem to be operating…
Black activist jailed for his Facebook posts speaks out about secret FBI surveillance
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/11/rakem-balogun-interview-black-identity-extremists-fbi-surveillance
That is shocking. Didn’t take long for the FBI to enter into the spirit of the new regime.
First – the Kaiser
Second – Hitler and Mussolini
Third – Trump.
Remember how Hitler was lauded for his so-called peace initiatives in the 1930s? Now we have some calling for Trump to be given the Nobel Peace prize. Beyond belief!
“Beyond belief!”
We are living in Wonderland now Anne….under Rabbit Hole rules.
😀
That film was a brilliant rendition of A in Wonderland. And so appropriate to today’s disordered world courtesy of Donald Trump.
Hitlers peace initiatives ?
Only if you are a Hilter revisionist ( which Im sure you arent)!
http://ihr.org/other/what-the-world-rejected.html
Trump isnt really offering peace either. as we well know his claims one month are abandoned 6 months later.
see his campaign claim to reduce US prescription drug prices is now an attempt to force foreign nations with ‘socialised medicine’ to pay more for their drugs ( ref our Pharmac)
From the “It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy…” files,
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12048706
The company of which Eric Watson holds all of the ordinary shares is being chased down for 60 million Big Ones in avoided tax.
What a tragedy…givealittle page on its way?
Interesting case. Time to tighten up laws so that these transactions, offshore accounts and ‘loans’ which result in avoided tax, are not even possible in this country.
A well written Tobin tax would have collected the tax prior to the money leaving and avoided the lengthy court case.
Makes me wonder if this Current Lot are on a mission. Winston especially has history of going after those who are less than transparent in their business dealings.
Agree mostly with a financial transaction tax/levy….in these time of e-commerce it should be easy to implement.
But the Rich Pricks will find a way around it 🙁
@Rosemary – that is why they should look at putting a micro financial tax on everything and reduce other taxes that benefit those on smaller incomes more aka GST. If something like that was done correctly then if you live on peanuts you pay peanut taxes, if you have a million dollar lifestyle while earning zero profits you pay your share of tax at the point of transacting it… At the moment tax is so easy to avoid, too many variations and loopholes and so costly to fight cases…
Hah savenz! I have a close family member who has been banging on about such a tax for years. Pleased for him it is rising to the mainstream.
yep, I think now with so much global capital whistling around the world it’s time to make it happen. Tax money and transactions so people like John Key, Eric Watson, Peter Thiel, Facebook, Google, etc whether resident in or out of NZ will be taxed a micro amount on their money made or going through NZ, where ever it goes afterwards will be someone else’s problem.
Another case of the SFA tax… this video will brighten up a rainy day for many.. it’s very well done.
Honest Government Ad | Trickledown Economics
This up date on the Pike River Recovery.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/103725677/the-promise-to-pike-river-miners-we-will-not-rest-and-we-will-never-give-up-we-will-return
“Dinghy Pattinson is aiming to fulfil a promise he made as part of a mines rescue team that sealed up the Pike River mine in 2011.
The team left a note on the seal 170m up the mine access tunnel, or drift, promising the men they would return to get them out.
Pattinson was also part of the mines rescue team who were ready and waiting for two weeks to go into Pike River after the explosion that killed 29 men on November, 19, 2010.
‘We will not rest and we will never give up. We will return’ “
Good article, thanks for sharing Rosemary.
Was talking to an ex-coast, long time miner the other day about Pike, was very insightful, once he opened up a bit.
He explained that all along mine tunnels were little rooms with breathing apparatus etc, all one needed to do was get to one of these rooms and they would be able to stay alive for around 36hrs or more, giving rescue crews a chance to come and get them.
The rescue that never happened at Pike.
He believes that many of the men down there died from being abandoned, rather than the explosion. Also said Pike was well known for their shoddy safety, everyone on the coast knows it and that when they finally get in to Pike and get the men out it’s going to open a massive can of worms, and that’s why the prior government avoided rescue at all costs.
So proud of our new government for doing something. I can’t imagine the heartache and suffering of all involved.
The botched rescue including just getting the local police who knew nothing about mine safety is truely horrendous. Even countries with so called much worse human rights and employment safety bother to rescue their workers.
Pike River highlights that something is seriously wrong with how many companies with government assistance are operating in NZ – while pretending it’s all in the interests of health and safety but really to save dollars, avoid responsibility, not bother doing anything and delay tactics being the norm.
I’d like to see a memorial in Wellington for the men, by the beehive, to highlight the sad state of company greed and negligence and the government inaction supporting it and why a u-turn is needed.
Well said SaveNZ.
You say
” Also said Pike was well known for their shoddy safety, everyone on the coast knows it”
What a shame that Andrew Little, yes, that Andrew Little, didn’t see anything wrong at all when he was supposed to be representing the men who worked there.
At the time Andrew said.
“EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said he was not aware of any safety concerns at the site.”
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/experts-raise-safety-concerns
He repeated that a number of times
“It was Andrew Little who, after the first explosion, claimed to the NZ Herald (November 22 2010) that there was “nothing unusual about Pike River or this mine that we’ve been particularly concerned about”.
It was a view he repeated to RNZ National’s Morning Report, also on November 22:
“Every mine on the West Coast takes great care when it goes into production and I don’t think Pike River is any different from that. They’ve had a good health and safety committee that’s been very active. So there’s nothing before now that’s alerted us to any greater risk of this sort of incident happening than at any other time.”
http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2017/10/andrew-little-and-pike-river-fatally.html
If there is anyone who wants to run a cover-up it looks like Andrew. Who wants to bet on the proposition that he will decide it is unsafe to try for a re-entry next year? He is in the perfect position to shut down any real investigation, isn’t he?
Don’t you think it is appropriate, given that he perhaps erred back in the day, that Andrew Little heads this project?
Even cynical old moi sees the slight aura of integrity around the man. Rare enough for any politician.
Do you honestly think someone like Dinghy Pattinson would let crap like that go unchallenged?
Why not put it on hold for a while alwyn and let them get on with it.
They will never get on with it.
There is no chance at all that there will be any re-entry to the mine that goes right in to the place where they were working. No politician would ever risk it.
Hopes alwyn.
And Gerry Brownlee
Lolz alwyn, would you like to place a wager? I’m keen, 3 month self imposed ban?
alwyn you are familiar with the West Coat yes? It’s a different world there.
I also said… “Was talking to an ex-coast, long time miner the other day about Pike, was very insightful, once he opened up a bit.”….. once he opened up a bit….
I wasn’t aware that Andrew Little came from the West Coast. I was always under the impression that he came from Taranaki. Am I wrong?
What does what the West Coasters think really matter? It is Andrew who is going to make the call, and I believe it is pre-determined. Who can say what might, or might not, have been done at the time. Now it would just be sending people into danger. Let those who died, like people drowned in ships sunk in the war, rest in peace.
I remember visiting the Coast in the mid-1960s. Yes it was quite different, However I can remember talking to a railways driver. There were still steam trains going across to the Coast. He said that the people there threatened to riot if they put Diesel Loco’s instead of coal powered ones on the route. He also said it was just talk and no-one living there had kept a coal range when they could get an electric one. They might talk about keeping coal but they weren’t actually going to use it themselves.
alwyn, I said nothing about Andrew Little, you are the one spinning yarns here.
I said that I was talking to an ex miner, nothing about Andrew.
alwyn, you did say… “Who wants to bet on the proposition that he (Andrew Little) will decide it is unsafe to try for a re-entry next year?”
I’ll take up your bet, I say they will go into the mine, I will wager you a 3 month self imposed ban.
What do you say?
What exactly did you have in mind for this wager. All you seem to be willing to say here is “I say they will go into the mine”.
I suppose you could argue that they have done this. Remember the brave face that Little put on when he, and a couple of the members of some of the deceased miners’ families put on as he went 30 metres into the portal to the point where it was sealed the other day?
What are you proposing? I’ll give you a good example to follow. John Kennedy said
“First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth”.
Quite explicit isn’t it? What to do. When to do it. How to judge success or failure.
How would you word the wager? Do you propose, for example, that people in the mission will travel right to the area where the men were working and, as far as I know, the explosion occurred, before 31 March. 2019? That is all the way into the mine.
If not, what would you suggest?
You are quite right about the first words of this comment. It was Rosemary who was talking about Little, Andrew. I do apologise for seeming to think that you were the one proposing him as an exemplar of integrity.
Nice dancing on the head of a pin alwyn. Cinny made a simple wager suggestion. And yes it was simple. The stakes arent even high but you had to go pseudo intellectual and self righteous rather than just acceptung or declining. Would that you were quite as analytical of Brownlee et al and the profit motive on these deaths as you are on Anrew Little.
Ironic that someone who has voted for those who have neutered unions now criticises a union for letting its members down
I’m sure that Cinny is capable of answering for herself.
Why do you feel the need to “interpret” what she has said?
I rather hoped that Cinny would have responded by now as to what she did have in mind for the wager. It obviously has to have a date. After all it could otherwise turn into something like Winston’s threats to sue the National Party and its MPs.
“I’m still going to do it” Winston says while all is otherwise silent.
I suppose Little supporters could claim in 2050, when no attempt at a proper re-entry has taken place,that it will still happen, sometime.
Why does Little persist in messing with the victim’s families with the false hopes he keeps proclaiming?
For Tracey’s benefit I would note that I am not criticising the Union. I am criticising Andrew Little.
What a ugly man you are Alwyn …
Utilising your long lack of empathy …. out of cameron slater and john key which one do you think was more likely to call bereaved mother of a pike river mine worker a bitch ?? … ,…..
the dead boys mother was a “bitch” who had heckled Key …according to Slater and published in Nicky Hagars “Dirty polictics”
I presume she did so over the hollowness and insincerity of his political stunt …his false promises to the dead pike river miners familys ….
The media nearly always gave key a pass for lieing ….. but not so from a young dead mans mother.
Totally missing from Alwyns mean eyed spit at this woman and other Pike river mine workers mothers: …is the Key and previous Nat Govts part in the criminal negligence that lead to these working mens deaths …….
cutting the number of mine inspectors … not enforcing regulations… Non-Compliant is virtually Nationals Trade Mark.
But what really shows up Key as a nasty arse-hole…. when his Governmnet received a multi-million insurance payout over Pike river…… the suggestion was put that some of that money be given to miners familys as compensation ……
Key “ they can sue “….Alwyn may well agree
We all know …At the end of the day 😉 😉 it was key who ran off from NZ politics
johnny made-off .. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRqFBmiVMQU
You may, or may not, realise that I am not John Key.
Neither am I Cameron Slater.
That obviously doesn’t matter to you. You really are a nasty piece of work aren’t you? What gives you the right to abuse me for things I have never done?
What gives you the right to accuse me of things like, in your own disgusting dribble ” Alwyns mean eyed spit at this woman “? I have never done such a thing and I despise anyone who would do so.
I also despise people like you who propagate such lies.
Get back in your hole you miserable little excuse for a human being. If you are unable to tell the truth about me why don’t you just shut up?
Its not about you Alwyn ….. your smeary diversionary blame Little dribble needed putting straight….. its part of the ‘blame the union’ shit your sort cynically use.
Your skewered, one-sided, political statement on pike river was offensive to the victims … a written slap in the face for the mothers on mothers day.
your coming across as ugly as Key … using the victims for political gain ….” let them sue”…..
I don’t place much stock on a cynical ugly repeat liar and hypocrite calling me a liar….
Instead lets be reminded of a New Zealander with morals and Justice challenging the rot and corruption of the last national Government ….
Someone who did care about workers and people …. https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/344562/pike-families-justice-should-not-be-bought
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11939650 … sorry for the Herald link … but it is a rare fair story from them.
“Mum always held that Pike was a crime scene; hopefully it will be treated as such by the new government.” …. a quote from Helen Kellys son
/
Frankly you are a complete nutter.
You have zero interest in the truth, or facts, or simple common-sense.
Crawl back into the cesspit of your fevered imagination.
You are completely beneath contempt.
You start a sentence with “I don’t place much stock ….”.
Well I don’t place much stock in the ravings of an idiot like you.
Stop running from the topic
Pike River,,, and your bat-shit politically motivated appropriation of Blame …
Managers, directors, design and mining safety specs … have all dissapeared behind a little union rep … according to angry Alwyn
By Not engaging with facts , shouty abuse,, and a dose of the shut-ups.. Alwyns providing a good example of an ongoing context … where the ugly and dishonest .. attack lie and deny ,,, those who expose them.
Dirty Politics …its in their blood.
John Key : ” …Nicky Hager is a screaming left-wing conspiracy theorist,”
Key and waynes gutsy Afghanistan attacks: “,,,,, “Stephenson’s integrity and credibility has been questioned by Prime Minister John Key, he’s been accused of fabricating testimony, of being an anti-war activist, of being part of a plot to undermine the New Zealand Defence Force.”
Pike river NAct PR :… John Key: ..”The first thing is I’m here to give you absolute reassurance, we’re committed to getting the boys out, and nothing’s going to change that. So – when people try and tell you we’re not, they’re playing, I hate to say it, but they’re playing with your emotions.”
“Following from the first explosion at Pike Rive Mine, there seemed much positive comment heaped upon the likes of Peter Whittall and John Key.”
versus the ugly actions and real attitudes,,,
John Key ” they can sue”
“Furthermore, – Pike River management barred union access to the site if a delegate attempted to come on site – which was their perfect legal right to do so due to legislation passed by this National government.” /qc-describes-pike-river-mine-as-a-homicide-scene/
http://www.unite.org.nz/workers_union_slams_talley_s_work_culture_after_crewman_s_death
*PK … post key
The Mine Rescue guys would have been gutted. My Dad was in Mine Rescue, and he said leaving anyone down a mine was their worst nightmare. So proud of Andrew Little and such respect for the families.
A New Zealand nurse’s diary of one ordinary shift: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12048860
But but but GDP…. growth… when we have that we can treat our nurses and health services properly… oh wait
Not sure of your point here, are you saying less gdp growth would be good for nurses or more, or simply you have confused what ever the correlation is between GDP growth and nurses well being with causation
No wonder you are bewildered. We have been told for decades that growth in GDP is crucial and in some instances THE most important factor in
Wages being raised
Health and Education services being well funded
And so on.
But after 40 decades of constant GDP increases we have largely stagnant wages and nurses workng in untenable conditions.
I hope that clarifies it for you
These characters do that tax rort, and some go the “charity road”, as they can claim any donated money against the “public purse” @ 33% back again.
‘Charities’ are the new rout avenue. Clinton Foundation and so forth are really vehicles to channel money with tax advantages so it doesn’t look quite so much like a bribe or buying influence.
Personally not a fan of modern charities like KidsCan either that have millions in the bank, spend a lot of administration and make many think that government agencies and more austere type charities should be abandoned for the more glitzy marketing type of charity.
And I’ll only mention in passing, because with the rain today there’s gloom aplenty already, the many charities and trusts who have got their snouts firmly in the trough of government funded contracts to provide services in the ‘social’ sector.
They don’t make profits…they have surpluses…and pay no tax.
They can cause the deaths of people in their ‘care’ through under staffing and and are never properly held to account. By “held to account” i mean lose their fat contracts forever.
Hi. Am seeking the best books on recent (post-1984) NZ Political History – am aiming to guide a millenial. Here’s what I have so far:-
Simon Collins. 1987. Rogernomics: Is There A Better Way?;
Nicky Hagar. 2006. The Hollow Men;
Bruce Jesson. 1987. Behind The Mirror Glass;
Bruce Jesson. 1990. Fragments of Labour;
Harvey McQueen. 1991. The Ninth Floor: Inside the Prime Minister’s Office –
A Political Experience.
It’s a bit spartan so far. Anyone have any recommendations?
Also: Are these recommended?:-
Simon Sheppard. 1999. Broken Circle: The Decline And Fall Of The Fourth Labour Government;
Jon Johansson. 2009. The Politics of Possibility: Leadership in Changing
Times.
This is a beautifully written book by a NZ Rhodes scholar, Andrew Dean.
Also scores 4.11 rating out of 5 on Goodreads.
Ruth, Roger and Me
Debts and Legacies
Andrew Dean
https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/ruth-roger-and-me
Also the documentary
Somebody Elses Country
Alister Barry
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuniH7qAecTTf1NeSd1PyRA
scott
Some more thoughts about our interesting economic and political scene.
On Radionz The 9th floor – Book of 5 leaders
http://www.radionz.co.nz/programmes/the-9th-floor/story/201861258/the-book-launch-the-9th-floor
Series – http://www.radionz.co.nz/programmes/the-9th-floor
Dr Bill Sutch Economics – Balanced enterprises less weighted to farming
Read the presentations at the annual Bruce Jesson Journalism awards.
Geoffrey Palmer Unbridled Power
Marilyn Waring Counting for Nothing
Max Rashbrooke
Tim Hazeldine
Fabian addresses – must be on record
Book Till the Cows Came Home
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9282669/Russia-offered-MiGs-tanks-to-settle-NZ-debt
https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/book-extract-till-cows-came-home-part-1-hold-holiday-review-dc-150320
Would you add “Bread and Roses” by Sonja Davis?
The Fabian presentations can be found here…https://www.fabians.org.nz/index.php?option=com_weblinks&view=category&id=68&Itemid=72
…and I’d throw in some of this guy’s work… https://www.eastonbh.ac.nz/
Thanks Rosemary for giving us all those links.
I have captured that link for Fabian – it takes so long to find stuff sometimes and have wanted to get them to hand for a while.
And Brian Easton – more good stuff. We need to water the good economists, give them some love, keep them going with their alternative thinking and turning of facts etc and flowering of ideas!
Thanks everybody! Much appreciated. Some good stuff here, natch. Whenever I think of Andrew Dean I think of Max Harris – encouraging that those of younger generations are looking backwards as well as looking forwards.
Brian Easton has, amongst others:-
The Making of Rogernomics (Auckland University Press, 1989)
Here’s a link to the Bruce Jesson awards presentations:
https://www.brucejesson.com/lectures-2/lectures/ with the lecturers list being authors worth seeking out:-
You may not like what is said but an essential book to read is Michael Bassett’s book on the 1984-1990 era, “Working with David”.
http://www.michaelbassett.co.nz/books.php?b=workingwithdavid
alwyn – we can tolerate what is said. We understand where Bassett was coming from. Whether we value what he says is another matter. No unpleasant surprises, so give up the “You may not like what he says.”
Bassett has not written another Bible.
I don’t care whether you agree with him. I couldn’t care less whether you value what he says. It is however essential reading if you want to understand what happened. Have you actually read the book?
Have you read all the books listed?
Stop challenging alwyn in vino. He is the arbiter of what amounts to essential reading, amongst other things
I agree it is essential reading to understand how the Labour Party spawned the ACT Party and people like Bassett kept being used by the media to comment on Labour, following his leaving parliament, as though he represented Labour views.
Rebecca Macfie Tragedy at Pike River Mine: How and Why 29 Men Died
Jane Kelsey. The Fire Economy.
Jonathan Boston, Simon Chapple Child Poverty in New Zealand.
Stunning representation
This is a problem for the Papatuanuku society Sea level rise we are to short sighted we have the technology to exanine Papatuanuku history but we don’t no how to live for the future we live for the NOW for what we can get out of life now and not what we can give to OUR mokopunas lives this mind set has to change the old way was to try and give back better than what we received. We need to change building codes to mitigate SEA level rise now or it will be a 1000x worst than the problem we have that our farmers have at the minute .We can not just ignore the problem because the longer we have OUR heads in the sand the bigger the mess we will have to clean up. A few bold moves now will save lives and billions of$$$$$ for OUR mokopunas THIS IS FACT here.s the link.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/103404456/a-profound-crisis-sealevel-rise-and-the-remaking-of-the-world Ka kite ano P.S I know that we have a housing shortage but ignoring Sea level rise is just pushing a bigger problem to OUR mokos .
Heres a man that has similar views to Eco Maori it is lies and dishonesty that causes a society to collapse Michael Bloomberg heres the link.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/may/12/michael-bloomberg-epidemic-of-dishonesty-threat-democracy Ka kite ano
We must keep the Mana Wahine movement going Kia kaha ka kite ano here the link.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/may/12/cate-blanchett-and-kristen-stewart-join-silent-womens-protest-on-cannes-red-carpet P.S Equality for all Eco Maori says
One has to think out side the square to be as successful as this man Eco Maori admires here is the link. Ka kite ano
http://www.euronews.com/2018/04/19/space-x-launches-nasa-planet-hunter
P.S he will be——-them bro kia kaha
Eco Maori has to be careful whom I back because I can see a phenomenon.
The powers that be don’t like to be shown up by a Kiwi Maori Cultured Man from Te Waiapu Vally Tairawhiti like the idiots playing with there sounds and flashing neon lights at the minute . Ka kite ano
Good Evening NewsHub the better we care for the vulnerable mokopunas at the earliest we can the higher they will climb up there ladders of life.
That is reality for the working class poor the hardest hit from inequality in income and the brown poor people get hit the hardest the income disparities are shocking go to the high end of town and you see boats flash cars one million dollar house own by two people the other end and one see nothing but poverty people going with out basic needs.
I can rember 10 years ago life was a lot easier and the cost of living was a lot cheaper .
Ka kite ano