I hate to say it but Piers Morgan in the UK has got this exactly right-why are 100.000 people a week are still being permitted to enter the UK at airports without quarantine or testing? Well worth a watch.
Piers Morgan – The Govt can spin it any way it likes… it doesn't change the graph you shows us everyday… 2nd worst death toll in the world.#GMBpic.twitter.com/X222dInYQ5
I’m assuming that people who came in contact with thosetravellers or who contacted Covid from arrivals may disagree with you. But nice to see you parroting the governments line on simply dismissing questions.
Imaging the benefit of having done this before the traveller from Ireland arrived and it stopped the matamata cluster and saved a life ?
Still doesn’t change the basic answer to your question though – no one remembers or cares about a social media poll whose only purpose was to push a particular political line.
I guess the National Party had a press release ready for the eventuality of a very early 2-week quarantine by the government…
"Irresponsible 2-week quarantine for visitors is killing the tourism industry and hundred thousand of jobs are lost."
Spinning this thought a little further, I expect the National Party to seriously question the extremely early easing of restrictions to Level 2 in case of increased COVID 19 cases in the near future.
And imagine if that bar owner had followed the directive to not have large St. Patrick's day gatherings. Or imagine if the traveller had self quarantined as requested!
Add Goldsmith to being erratic. Just heard on 1 news he wants the levels reviewed weekly. Covid-19 has a minimum 2 week isolation transmission/ period. Probably the levels are already being reviewed weekly by the cabinet.
I cannot see any gain occurring by reviewing the levels weekly unless it is to prevent a second wave which cannot be controlled.
The opposition need to get it how destructive the virus can be and how rapidly this can occur.
I watched him with Jack Tame last night. It was basically "Economy, economy, economy, and the economy. Furthermore, economy, economy. Oh, and have I mentioned the economy?" It was like listening to my fifth form maths teacher explaining algebra all over again. The man is drier than the Sahara and has the charisma of a public urinal.
Same. Wensleydale, Saw that and thought the same. Jack Tame joked they "Would offer tax cuts" Even prodded Goldsmith… there was a processing pause and yes he said "after a time" Wow!!
It was a stunt and to harvest e-mail addresses. It is still on-line with no update, no nothing and events have long overtaken it. It is and always was a political con. Bridges promised not to keep the collected contact details. Has he kept his promise? Maybe he needs an emotional junior staffer to delete it for him so that he can claim plausible deniability?
The resources required to isolate even returning citizens and residents are not available. Trusting people to self isolate would have a fail rate. Testing has its limits. In saying this you need to start somewhere if the risk is very high.
The NHS would be rationing health care.
I have followed the pandemic in Britain and the US on how over whelming and tragic the pandemic has been. Economic recovery is going to take years in both countries.
With such a small sample I don't see how anyone could credibly attach significance to the outcome. The report seems to ignore the stats angle. Social science research does need to have a robust design approach to survive critical appraisal. On the face of it, seems a waste of money. Perhaps I'm missing something – when something's too obvious it makes me uneasy. But unless other readers can validate their attempt, I predict the political impact will be negligible.
"The response rate for the survey was 23% (31% for the basic income recipients and 20% for the control group), which is typical for surveys." If there were 2000 respondents, I agree with you, but I can't see that in the article.
I did misread their presentation though – 73/78, took it as people rather than reading the header.
This seems to coincide with my expectations. The participants felt (probably were) slightly better off economically but were not significantly better off in finding a job. This is because the unemployment problem is driven by total number of available jobs not the motivation (or other impediments) of those to find them. For the most part unemployment is not to do with the individual its an emergent property of the aggregate system.
Thanks for spotting this. Same response as Nic, the positive outcome aligns with my expectations.
Survey respondents who received a basic income described their wellbeing more positively than respondents in the control group. They were more satisfied with their lives and experienced less mental strain, depression, sadness and loneliness. They also had a more positive perception of their cognitive abilities, i.e. memory, learning and ability to concentrate.
– In addition, the respondents who received a basic income had a more positive perception of their income and economic wellbeing than the control group. They were more likely to find that their financial situation is manageable and that they are protected financially, says Minna Ylikännö, Head of the Research Team at Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland).
The basic income recipients trusted other people and the institutions in society to a larger extent and were more confident in their own future and their ability to influence things than the control group. This may be due to the basic income being unconditional, which in previous studies has been seen to increase people’s trust in the system.
This improved perception of wellbeing is not insignificant; even on a relatively small scale as this, with 2000 participants still embedded in a wider society, the impact was real. I would claim this positive impact would likely compound if an entire nation participated.
As for the virtually null employment effect, again for a small trial and absent any of the necessary tax reforms that would come with a full scale UBI, I would not expect much change here. The good news is that it refutes the old argument that given a UBI people would be lazy and not seek work … even in this limited trial there is no evidence to support this contention.
improved perception of wellbeing is not insignificant
Yes (if the stats are credible). That's the key point: stakeholder psychology. If you enact UBI as an entitlement deriving from citizenship, all become part of the whole in more genuinely integral way. It has a massive effect on how people feel about their place in society, I believe.
Contrast that sense of belonging with the current social darwinism: people extract their income from WINZ according to their luck in personal interaction with the local little hitler.
The other big impact would have to be on the standard of management in many small firms; too many employers lazily exploit their worker's reluctance to leave a shitty job, but in the long run this does no-one any favours.
1. A UBI would increase selective pressure on employers to do a better job, value their employees more and improve productivity
2. Less stress, anxiety and depression will directly link to better health, less sick leave and again improved productivity.
3. More people are in a position to take time out of their working life to study and gain qualifications. Again a better educated workforce and improved productivity.
4. Combine this with a policy to encourage worker stakeholding in business (profit sharing as one form), increases personal agency, improvement seeking and would likely see workers keener to contribute to business success. Improved productivity again.
The key to getting a bipartisan support for a durable UBI, one that is accepted across the political spectrum, is understanding the value it can bring across the whole of society. If the left wants to get a generous dignified UBI, one that approaches NZ Super for instance, then we have to understand what value it would bring to the right leaning sectors of society in order to successfully negotiate something we can all be happy with.
The productivity problem in NZ is with the bosses, not the workers. Still, making it easier for workers to vote with their feet might at least start signalling which managers/owners need a kick up the jacksie.
I agree that labour mobility would be improved with a UI. And ultimaterly productivity.
It's only really viable for those under 25 (not paid to those in FT work or FT study – have SA and living cost off the loan at a higher rate and can earn extra money from work now), but extendable via using it in lieu of a benefit for non working partners (no work test if looking after children or retraining or caring for others)
This pandemic would be a good time to roll it out in this limited way.
It’s a really good way to support internship and less formal apprenticeship, and the gig/casual-part-timer and entrepreneur wannabee.
"- The basic income seems to have increased activity of different kinds among those who were active already earlier. Then again, for those who were in a challenging life situation before the experiment, the basic income does not seem to have solved their problems, says Helena Blomberg-Kroll, professor at the University of Helsinki"
"In the basic income experiment, 2,000 unemployed persons were paid a monthly tax-exempt basic income of 560 euros regardless of any other income they may have had or whether they were actively looking for work. "
"The most common income level of full-time and salaried employees in Finland was some 2,500 euros per month in 2016, according to fresh data from the country's statistics-crunching agency. Statistics Finland reports that the median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners was EUR 3,001 per month in 2016."
Yes, the emphasis on starting circumstances seems to illustrate some of the criticisms levelled at it here from time to time, while the overall satisfaction and slight increase in activity reflects the positives, lol
I think it suggests that maybe any UBI needs to be in addition to targeted assistance, not a replacement. It's not much good if it leaves people in difficult circumstances behind.
Of course its social science so its difficult to draw any conclusions for or against a specific model (of how employment works) but one outcome should be to compare the outcome against the reasonable models and infer how believable they are.
If anything (so tenuously) this result implies that the idea of unemployment (specifically involuntary unemployment) as an individual phenomena due to individual motivation, or ability to conduct a job search on their income, or other individual basis was mildly rejected by this experiment. Its also a further rejection of the long run equilibrium idea of mainstream economics as a general equilibrium state has by definition zero involuntary unemployment.
Of course this would also suggest proposing a UBI as the primary response to the technology destroying jobs narrative is not going to be an application of evidence based public policy.
goddamn, I had to have a nap before going into those fifty-dollar words lol
Part of it comes down to why the 12% who remained "barely hanging on" had no improvement. What about their situations was such a challenge – I think that's a lively area for further research.
I'll be mighty impressed if you can show me any reasonable Kalecki quotes which suggest whatever your saying. Especially if your saying Kalecki thought general equilibrium analysis was a reasonable idea.
Even though hes correct (IMO) given the current situation we may short term seek to do a Nelson in order to gain time…as Keynes said…in the end we are all dead etc
And your saying this means what? It doesn't even seem clear what is supposed to be incorrect about my comment, let alone why in particular Kalecki would disagree, or what he is correct about, or what a Nelson is, or why we might do one.
For mine, I would roll out a UI for those under 25, not in full-time work or in full-time study (they would get more on SA or living costs off the loan and can earn more on top of that as it is). This supports internship/apprenticeship and the casual/part-time/gig workforce.
The union seems to be in disarray if so many senior folk resign in the midst of a pandemic. 5 vacancies on the board including the president and the vice president.
I did find this letter from Grant Brooks on TDB, but it sheds little light.
In the last round of wage bargaining, the union seemed too close and comfortable with the Ministry and they massively undermined their membership with the announcement of 500 new nurses was made during negotiations.
I wish what passes for the media intelligentsia in this country would stop pretending to be constantly confused by what are quite straightforward guidelines from the government just so they can have another little whine.
Suzie (Susie?) was a classic example of the nit-picking we've seen over the last few weeks. Auckland Transport, I think it was, is doing their level best to make level 2 a success.
Suzie was doing her best to frame it as not good enough. Yes, it's true, a person with colour blindness may have a problem, 4.5% of the population, I think. I suspect fellow passengers would assist anyone who has a problem. Kindness, people. Most kiwi's are not stupid or unkind.
Good luck with that….the number of jonolists asking if 10 people could be exceeded over and over and the stuff merger showed it's all about 'gotcha' and their masters checklists.
Very few if any questions for JA and Bloomfield they've not already answered.
No wonder she goes direct on FB,everyone in the room watching thought the jonos were like children doing the ‘are we there yet’ routine.
NZ went into a hard early lockdown because our lack of capacity to deal with a pandemic (see: Greece) focused minds in a way that perhaps, say, Donald Trump hasn't.
NZ is moving to level 2 ahead of other countries because 1) level 4/3+KFC worked and 2) level 4/3+KFC has brought us the time required to create within our health system the capacity to implement a viable testing, tracking and tracing strategy.
That is it. The is the guts of the story. But I don't think I've even read that in a paper in this country. But I'd really, really like to know the story behind how we built a full pandemic response capability in less than two months. Where did the kits and PPE come from? Were they result of quiet deals between NZ and other countries or did we just have to do a price no obstacle effort on the open market? What actually happened in the early days regarding testing? This looks like a dramatic story that needs telling.
For example, I recall seeing the PM on a call with the leader of Singapore early on in which they agreed to keep critical medical supply links open. Is that how we got our testing kits? I don't know, most likely not – but the point is no one in the media has bothered to find out.
It would be interesting to know how that particular verbal agreement panned out with Singapore – especially as NZ has a quiet but increasingly deep defense relationship with Singapore.
Cow muscle and fat are tasty and you can trim off the gristle to avoid having to chew it The stomach boils down well to tripe and a young cow's liver tastes good too. No one wants to eat cow brains or eyes, but you can boil down the bones for stock if you can be bothered. The skin could make leather. The remains "blood and bone". Pancreas, kidneys, lungs, ovaries, udders, hair, nose, uterus, bladder probably end up in the blood and bone. Hooves once made glue and jelly. You're right Sanctuary cows are worth a lot to NZ. And of course before the works they produce milk and calves, so all good !
I saw that Parker had signed the trade agreement between the two countries. Good to see it working for both countries. Looks like a better idea than TPPA – maybe based on trade not corporate welfare and control.
Yet even he referred to the "Void" of other Ministers standing with her. They were safe at home, keeping in touch and operating by Zoom. In their bubble.
But I'd really, really like to know the story behind how we built a full pandemic response capability in less two months.
We didn't. Civil defence and DHB's and government agencies and private sector business owners all worked on a pandemic response about 10+ years ago. A lot of work following on from previous work. Lots of things were thrashed out.
How well this conversation encapsulates the political and social smarts of our PM.
Her opposition will talk about "they" as in "They oughta do something about…." but Ardern talks about "we" and "the team of 5 million". She is about inclusion, togetherness, cooperation.
Remember what the criticism was that Obama levelled recently at Trumpian style politics and widespread social exclusionary views of 'the other".
He said, ""This election that's coming up — on every level — is so important because what we're going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party," Obama said. "What we're fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy — that has become a stronger impulse in American life."
Yes 🙂 And that's the key to it, people working together to rid the virus.
Something MAGA can't seem to grasp or even comprehend. They are so hell bent on an us v's them mentality, no matter the situation or the cost. It's messed up.
"No wonder she goes direct on FB". 442,000 went to FB to watch her. 2K comments which on a small sample I counted were 3:1 women. Amazing numbers. 1 in 5 households.
How many watched the 4 pm broadcast, I wonder? All of that contact with the public without the influence/interpretation/editing of media journalists. It's on a par with Roosevelt's fireside chats.
Can we have more political engagement like that during the election? Let the people hear. Let the journalists prognosticate after the speeches and interpret, but having journalists/media 'personalities' asking the questions based on recent performances demeans the political process.
Apparently this technique is called "performative stupidity" and it is a standard go-too for much of the NZ media. Experienced journalists and commentators pretend to not understand or fail to research something so it can be lazily mocked from a position of safe ignorance.
You know he moved two doors up the road before the Lockdown started? But he maintained his office – presumably with the incoming owners' agreement – for a short time probably because he was too busy to shift it due to the fast moving pandemic developments.
But of course the media wouldn't want to dwell on that because it would make it all look reasonable in the circumstances. The boxes he was seen carrying up the road were likely office equipment he transferred bit by bit.
So you didn't read my comment – the first paragraph in particular?
It was, in short, a pathetic media beat-up of an unfortunate situation over which David Clark had no control. Some local Nats must have been stalking him – no doubt with the help of a nasty neighbour.
Yes, the bike ride was a lack of judgement for which he profusely apologised and offered his resignation to the PM. It was not accepted. End of story.
End of story for you Anne, yes.
Yes I read Anand comprehend yr first paragraph.
My point is the example that was set. The Minister of Health should be an exemplar during a pandemic. To borrow one of our PMs metaphor- he dropped the ball.
BTW, I haven't learnt about his house moving from the press. It came from a senior nurse, who had met and spoke with the minister. She held him in very high regard and us now more than a tad disappointed in her boss.
Over-reactions at a very tense time. And I would be saying the same thing if it had befallen a National health minister in the same situation.
Btw, the walk with his bubble on an isolated beach was replicated thousands upon thousands of times throughout NZ under Code level 4. I went twice to a local beach and there were several hundred others there at the same time. No-one intruded on anyone else's space and civility was the norm. The police tacitly kept their distance and I applaud them for showing commonsense. Had there been any disregard for the outdoor rules they would have been on the scene in a jiffy.
And it was the minister himself who informed during a short interview that he and his family moved to their new house shortly before the lockdown started. It should come as no surprise that, as far as I can tell, no media outlet bothered to report it.
Half the time media/tories complain JA treats people like children, the other half of the time they are complaining shit's too difficult and they don't know what's going on even after being told three times.
Possible side effect of the pandemic: PM more sympathetic to giving teachers a pay rise 🙂
Legal Beagle: "This is one of those occasions where the distinction between the House of Representatives and the Parliament of New Zealand matters, so I will endeavour not to stuff it up, but it is useful to begin with the question of where the House gets its powers. In short, it gets them from Parliament. The House acts in a multitude of ways. Parliament acts in one way: enacting legislation." https://publicaddress.net/legalbeagle/parliamentary-privilege-and-the-summonsing/
Graeme Edgeler splits a constitutional hair to illuminate a dual collective function of MPs, then explores the likely consequences of the summonses issued to the DGH/CP/SG by the Epidemic Response Committee.
"The Attorney-General also argued that there was no need for the Committee to see the advice, and that in investigating the legality of the Government’s response to the epidemic, it was potentially trampling on the role of the Courts. I cannot accept this."
"It is the role of parliamentary committees to report to the House of action it might wish to take. If a committee considers that there is need for legislative action, it need not wait for a Court to rule that the Government behaved unlawfully."
"Of course, the House should be careful, but there will times, as the House of Commons determined in 2018, that it’s interest in conducting its business outweighs the Crown’s interest in keeping relevant material from it. I would go so far as to say that if the law does not permit [the] House to require the production of advice from the Crown’s lawyers, it should be extended to allow it."
So there are serious implications for our democracy at play in this saga, and readers ought not to allow the superficial impression of grandstanding to distract them – even though that impression is entirely reasonable!
it will be very interesting to see what happens with this.
I find it interesting that the government is saying their advise was completely different from the draft (and it may well be). But they do seem to be pushing back in this waaaaaay too much.
wouldn’t be shocking If the documents come out that it wasn’t as clear cut as they are saying.
Pushing back way too much. Are they? Really? For my money this is in the same category as the so-called gagging email. Both issues seem to have gotten the Wellington beltway hugely exercised but NZers couldn’t really give a toss. In fact I think if you asked, most people wouldn’t really mind if the PM was seen to exercise her power a bit more overtly. That’s not say these matters aren’t important, it’s just that there’s another massive issue that’s the dominant matter right now.
Yesterday I received an email from my work detailing the restructuring process going forward. In essence the company (which has been really successful thus far) will shrink by about 25 to 30% over the next year. So that’s 25% of my work colleagues who were advised of redundancy process yesterday. What do you think is top of mind for them right now James?
“In fact I think if you asked, most people wouldn’t really mind if the PM was seen to exercise her power a bit more overtly.”
perhaps you miss the point that she *may* have exercised power that she didn’t lawfully have. And more than that she *may* have received advise that it wasn’t legal.
I have no idea what your business is – but perhaps some of them may think our business has been shot by this lockdown. We could have safely been open and this government has cost me my livelihood.
Exactly James – she *may* have done this or she *may* have done that. Mr Edgeler’s opinion is just one of many, though I do respect his view. I’m sure mightier minds than ours will decide. That still doesn’t detract from my observation that a lot of NZers have bigger more personal issues to deal with.
At the top of the thread you’re trying to take the high ground by claiming that the government was slow to act on border closures, yet here you’re decrying the steps they actually have taken to deal with the crisis. Make up your mind bro.
Gee James – if I am reading your posts correctly – nothing was really right about the lockdown or the documents or anything here in New Zealand. That's pretty sad and I know that you must be upset. But do cheer up – I saw that someone flew to the USA the other day so that must still be a possible journey. You could catch a flight there and enjoy a lockdown which is pretty much the direct opposite of the one here. You most likely would feel much more comfortable and therefore a lot happier – rather than being miserable here.
When, where, and who said it was “clear cut”? It can’t have been that legal genius (I forgot his name, for the briefest of instants), because he’s not part of Government.
The two key points in that piece – assuming that some of the hair splitting is correct (which to me seems unlikely).
It is parliament that could have the authority and
But, assuming they have been served facially valid summonses (ie signed by the Speaker, etc.) I do not think it proper for the Solicitor-General and Police Commissioner to even technically risk being in contempt. It is not enough for them to do nothing while the Attorney-General seeks a solution, if the summons exists, has been served and has not been stayed, they should comply
My bold.
Effectively that is exactly what happened in the UK in 2018.
Does anyone know if the ERC has actually requested that from Mallard? Or was it like the 'lack of information' that the tone-deaf loudmouth was pushing Bloomfield with. Bloomfield has responded to that (see below) essentially saying 'you haven't asked' with a polite sub-text of 'pillock'.
The issue for me is really about ineffectual idiotic grandstanding on the ERC ny blowhard looking for headlines and votes rather than being effective. If he’d wanted to be effective rather than grandstanding, my guess is that he could have just asked rather than demanding. And I gather that access to the advice was offered
That's interesting. Did the mallard duck? A shrewdy, him. May have issued them without signing. "Ah, dearie me, an omission." Distracted by something else, perhaps, at the time. Or maybe blame the junior staffer involved.
All good fun, but I suspect he did sign them, since Parker declared he wants the Privileges Committee to examine the issue.
read what I wrote ?……cafes arent open yet and yet this is your word salad
"That's interesting. Did the mallard duck? A shrewdy, him. May have issued them without signing. "Ah, dearie me, an omission." Distracted by something else, perhaps, at the time. Or maybe blame the junior staffer involved."
A 'suspect' requires evidence but you just make up more happenings before falling flat on your face over what Parker did. You should put on an orange wig and do satire..theres money it doing it that way
It wasnt a Committee of the Commons it was the full parliament. First on a motion from Keir Starmer to publish the Legal advice , as the Government abstained passed without a vote.
Later when the May government refused to publish the advice the Commons again on vote of the full house passed a motion that it was contempt (311 votes to 293)
Of course Bercow as Speaker was egging all these motions on. Mallard would rule them invalid in NZ and national doesnt have a majority to pass its motions
Edgeler is being highly misleading to suggest The Commons was 'exercising a power.' and then that the UK Commons translates to an NZ Committee.
Its seems to be 'car boot lawyer' level advice
It was a straight out partisan vote
A similar situation happened with the legal advice over the Iraq war, defeated by 283 to 192, as Blair had a large majority.
In NZ, select committees are an arm of parliament have essentially the same powers as parliament – if the speaker or possibly the privileges committee decide to pursue whatever they were after.
However conventions are really hard to overrule simply because the speaker hoards those for a real issue, rather than something like Simon Bridges posturing like a tone-deaf and incompetent fool.
In the UK, Bercow while being a conservative MP, saw that there was sufficient support across the house and across partisan lines for more information, and there was a clear need for it as the information being provided to the house to make legislation on was (ummm) excessively groomed. That was why he was rightfully pushing it. The speakers primary job is to protect parliament from passing bad legislation or going into disrepute for doing it and to promote informed debate in the house.
Just a reminder that the core benefit is income tested, not cash asset tested. This means you could have say $1,000,000 in the bank and still qualify for any of the core benefits.
However the income from your money would be taken into account.
You just make sure any return on the $1m does not come to you during the relevant time. Trusts are very handy for owning things like houses on your behalf as well.
Over the past few weeks, Tauranga and Auckland have done nothing but worry about their money. They are shedding crocodile tears into all the land and tarmac, night and day.
Even the Sky tower is throbbing miserably away, covered with money measles. They don't give a damn about a thing called Covid -19. Not a single thing.
Which is why we have to take the money off them. They have had untold years of placing the Nation into Poverty.
Just to begin with, they will not have free Health. Or any benefits – whatever.
In Short, All Businesses, Lawyers, Builders and Share Holders, Financiers, will be levied to realistic amounts.
The days of Upping the cost of Electricity – are over!
Interesting legal bullying stoush in Labour: "Labour MP Louisa Wall is preparing to take legal action against her own party over a bid to oust her from her Manurewa electorate, Newsroom understands."
"There was a feeling that Labour’s national headquarters was overreaching into the local selection process to push out candidates who senior MPs did not like, or who were not fully compliant with the messaging from the top of the party."
For some reason the Labour Party leadership has had quite a beef against Louisa for some time. For some reason they don't see her as a team player. Even though she has more success than most MP's in getting members bills through into law.
I hope she wins her case. It is very shonky practise for HQ to accept a late nomination, especially against a sitting MP. To do so, means that HQ is doing more than applying the rules, they are actively trying to remove an MP. And they are doing so without regard to proper process.
It is not as if the rules are unclear. There are specific time frames that are well understood. Would be candidates are expected to comply with them. And if they don't, well that should be that. They had their chance.
I suspect that the issue isn't so much the Labour NZ Council, but more what happens inside the electorate. From the link above one of the challengers was
longtime electorate organiser Ian Dunwoodie
(which is rather unusual)
and
Dissatisfaction from long-serving branch volunteers is understood to lie at the heart of the challenge to Wall.
This isn't exactly abnormal in Labour electorate organisations. Volunteers have choices of just walking away (essentially what I did in Mt Albert after looking at David Shearer for a while – plus it allowed me to put more effort here) or trying to mount a challenge (which appears to be what is happening here).
It is not as if the rules are unclear.
Yeah right – it is clear that you haven't read the Labour constitution which is, in my view, a moderately incoherent accumulation of about 100 years of amendments put forward and debated at Labour party conferences – that badly needs a bit of a rewrite by a constitutional lawyer. Because you can find something in there to argue just about every position.
Williams also declined to comment and referred questions to Labour Party president Claire Szabo, who told Newsroom the party's governing body had "worked [throughout the selection process] to reflect the spirit of our party's democratic principles, and has taken care to follow the party's constitution, in accordance with our legal advice".
I suspect that the issue isn't so much the Labour NZ Council, but more what happens inside the electorate.
So true. My former experiences as an LP official back in the 1970s and early 1980s tells me that there are always conflicting ambitions within local electorate organisations which occasionally break out into all out war. It applies equally to National as it does Labour or any other political party. They're often very tricky to handle and malfeasance is not uncommon.
I have no knowledge of the background here but personality clashes between old hands and relative newcomers is usually at the bottom of it.
I presume the notice seeking nomination actually had the closing date of nominations on the Notice. I would have thought that in this situation you either get your nomination in by the due date, or you miss out.
It is not obvious to me from the Rules and the Schedules that that a late nomination can actually be accepted. To do so would require the NZ Council to override the Rules, but where is their power to do that.
As you would know she was part of a minority in caucus supporting Cunliffe for leader, but he won because of party member support. And she has been on the outer with caucus since – the notable MP passed over for posts in 2017 (basically an invitation to the electorate to mount a chellenge).
Here she has lost local electorate support, the faction of the older white heterosexual men Hawkinesque is making a challenge seeing her position as weakened because her support for transgender activists has upset feminists.
Basically the centre did not not like the look of what the local electorate was throwing up as next Labour candidate and so parachuted in someone else.
remember that the Labor party was in total dissarray prior 2017 and there has been a series of high profile gaffes and misconduct since. The whole mess is held together by jacindas personal popularity and ability. Expect a Purge! It has to be done.. "lets do this"!!
Heh. You're asking the wrong person! Fwiw, my two cents, an identity politics frame would indeed seem to locate her there. Using an economic lens (traditional leftism), who knows?
Charges against the Internet Research Agency dropped.
Michael Flynn deliberately set up.
The Mueller Report and the Steele Dossier and toilet paper.
'Funny' how no-one of a liberal disposition has anything to say these days after being so agitated over anyone who was calling bullshit at the time.
And the next time an intelligence agency makes a claim but says it can’t release any fcking evidence to back their claim up, you think those same liberal folks will pause and reflect or rush to sing in the chorus? 👿
Yeah, I have to say this whole Russiagate thing ( and then Bernie's sad demise) has left me pretty disillusioned with politics in general and the liberal (so called) left in particular, the ease in which so many people who I really thought were intelligent observers have allowed themselves to be manipulated has been quite incredible to witness.
I was watching a Trump speech attacking the Chinese over Covid 19 last night and was reading he comments, which were about as stupid as you would imagine and then doubled, I pointed out how easy these Trump supporters are lead around by Trump to my wife, her retort was "how is that any different to most liberals" ..sadly she was right, and I had no answer.
her last five personal update videos have the following viewer figures:
455,000 (last night, still going up)
766,000
658,000
1,000,000
1, 600,000
895,000 average views.
These are phenomenal numbers. Simon Bridges gets in the few thousands range. These are the sort of figures you expect from a super star entertainer, not a PM of a small country in the South Pacific. Her cut through over the head of the MSM is simply incredible.
yup no wonder they pissed off. they thought they controlled the message and politicians just had to put up with it no matter what. well they were wrong! jacinda is way over their heads.
NCEA from Level 2 onwards. Our local high-school is now removing some elements of the curriculum and the associated assessments – thereby reducing the total number of credits available for the year. I'm OK with that if it applies to all schools in the country – and NCEA's mania for assessment is one of the things that makes it so ridiculous in the first place anyway.
However, if 'elite' schools can get away with it, they will certainly not do the same thing. Because the purpose of elite schools is to deliver an advantage for the children of rich parents over the children of poorer parents – they will see this as a grand opportunity to deepen and extend that advantage.
Don't worry about elite schools and their educational programmes.
Over a few weeks we've heard about fruit pickers and farm workers being needed and workers in other menial jobs. I can see it now, around the breakfast tables of the elite, parents encouraging Giles and Penelope, Millicent and Oliver to take up careers picking apples and packing Kiwifruit.
And when the kids are at their elite school there'll be the inspirational speeches from principals or headmasters or rectors or whatever fancy tag they've got. "Your country needs you! Head to the provinces! And bursting into song;
"You an’ me, we sweat an’ strain
Body all achin’ an’ racked wid pain,
Pickdat fruit!
Lif’ dat bale!
Do dat work!
You cannot fail! ……."
And after rousing, exciting and moving their charges to lives they previously didn't know existed, retreating to counselling sessions to deal with the most terrible impact of the pandemic in New Zealand: The First XV they'd bought and cultivated to prove their superiority, not being able to go out and smash the schools they'd bought the players from.
Classy response from PM when asked about this at her 1 pm presser:
"I feel sorry for anyone who's sick" (not verbatim quote, but gist). Nothing more.
One important political skill is knowing what NOT to say. For politicians that's not as easy as it seems. They often like to add a little dig … it's hard to resist.
She resisted. Which was far more effective than any dig.
Obviously, some of the purveyors of liquid fueled mayhem now want to move into the realms of becoming facilitators of viral catastrophe: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/drinks/300009889/were-gutted-bars-cant-open-until-one-week-after-first-day-of-alert-level-2. Do revenue fueled bar owners think that Wellingtonians have forgotten the scenes at Courtenay Place the weekend before L4 when the need for restrictions was 'smack you in the face' obvious. Hopefully when the alcohol only outfits are able to ply their trade with a few restrictions, there will be tight policing and quickly imposed shut-downs so that they learn that there are bounds to self-serving irresponsibility.
"China has issued a stern rebuke to New Zealand, urging it to "stop making wrong statements" on the issue of Taiwan's membership of the World Health Organisation or risk damaging the two nations' relationship. The comments came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who told a news conference in Beijing that New Zealand's stance was a violation of the "one China" policy, which he said is the political foundation of our bilateral relationship." https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12331174
"Expressing a "personal position" last week, Peters told reporters: "In the interests on international health you want every country in an international organisation designed to improve the world's health. It's just logic.""
So what we have here is a communist fella trying to pretend that NZ said something wrong in response to a personal opinion expressed by Winston. Well, who would expect a communist to recognise the right of an individual to express an opinion? It takes a certain amount of intelligence to figure out there's a difference between a person and a country. Communists lack that.
Complexifying the situation is the traditional policy of both China & Taiwan: One China. Each claiming to be its rightful representative. Is Taiwan a country, as Winston suggests? Yes, a tradition of around six millennia of indigenous occupancy – before annexation by a Chinese emperor a few centuries back. Seems to be de facto independent currently, too, ever since WWII. Winston ain't wrong!
Well how disturbing – a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman reminds the Minister of Foreign Affairs that he is not entitled to very publicly express an opinion that undermines a political foundation of a bilateral relationship. Should there be no consequences, not even polite reminders, for breaching terms of formal contracts? The rights and wrongs of China's relationship with Taiwan are not the issue – what is, is that the Minister should be more circumspect, especially when trade worth billions of dollars annually are at stake. Ministers have lost their portfolios for less.
Winnie's statement of support for Taiwan as an observor at WHO is government policy and regarded by us as consistent with our one China position. We have it based on the fact that Taiwan is self-governing and part of a world where collective action is taken during a global pandemic.
That analogy works if those countries have de facto independence – which they don't. Yet. I see the global trend as being toward devolution. A more nuanced view is as much realpolitik as clinging to the 20th century frame – if you factor in the future to balance the past. In the present, you can be creative in tilting the balance one way or the other as needs be. On that basis, I acknowledge Winston's style.
You might see it as a global trend, PRC sure doesn't.
The main issue isn't so much with the position Peters took, as the diplomatic tone he used. I.e., nondiplomatic.
The position was broadly consistent with NZ's position on Taiwan, but the key to that is to not be too obvious about it.
I suspect it was partially a domestic PR job, partially that Peters doesn't like being treated with the same arrogance he has for everyone else, and partially that he'd like to see NZ pivot more strongly towards the US and pissing off the Chinese is a way to do that.
Yeah, nothing there I'd disagree with. But rather than pro-US, I'd go with a stance balancing them & China. Equidistant, as in the equilateral triangle. Applied metaphysics: best way to reframe a polarity. Averse to metaphysics? Use the old term from the protest movement back in the 1970s: non-aligned.
The position was broadly consistent with NZ's position on Taiwan
Not quite understanding that statement. NZ officially recognises the Peoples' Republic of China. That means officially, they do not recognise the Republic of China (or whatever Taiwan calls itself).
So then it's absurd to suggest NZ would/should petition for Taiwan to be a part of any international body comprised of nation states.
Sometimes, diplomacy is a bit like Schrodinger's Diplomacy: both things are true until someone makes a big song and dance about it, upon which the other participants are shocked and outraged that such a thing could ever have happened.
So yeah, it's like if members of a multinational organisation decided Catalonia had some practical input or involvement that Spain was not reflecting, and as long as nobody said Catalonia was independent (e.g. got a vote at the table of independent countries), Spain would ignore their presence. Spain wouldn't be happy, but for the sake of practicality just might not see them there, and "believe" the comments that Catalan presence is purely as observer status, alongside first nations representatives and the Vatican.
Another example of Schrodinger's Diplomacy was the letter of the two sorries, after a PRC fighter and a US intelligence aircraft collided, the Chinese pilot being killed and the spy plane made an emergency landing at a Chinese airbase. As part of the diplomatic resolution, the US sent a letter to China saying it was sorry such a thing had happened. China graciously accepted it as "I'm sorry I did this to you", the US described the contents as "I'm sorry to hear this thing happened to you". Neither forcefully corrected the other, both sides walked away with both interpretations being true because nobody observed exactly which meaning it contained.
Needless to say, Peters would have loudly told the media exactly what he thought the letter meant.
In the present, you can be creative in tilting the balance one way or the other as needs be.
What do you mean "needs be"? That signals an acceptance or approval of one country messing with the internal affairs of another. Are you suggesting that if the so-called Russian interference in the last US elections had been for real (in terms of suggested scale and influence) that you'd have approved?
Does it mean you approve of sanctions, blockades, governments fomenting civil unrest in foreign countries and attempted coups (any objection being merely at the level of 'style')?
No, I was referring to how one uses the triadic structure of time (past/present/future). People assume pragmatism rules. Not necessarily. If you look at history using a geopolitical frame, you see key players like Kissinger, Metternich, Talleyrand, using rulers like pieces on a chess board.
Now, when they do so, they factor in consequences. Into their planning, and the advice they give to rulers, I mean. So its not just realpolitik that determines the top-level outcomes. They are playing trajectories of development and evolution (in the broader, social, sense) as much as they are playing the status quo.
I'm not suggesting Winston is in that league, of course, but I do see him operating with an intuitive grasp of power dynamics in foreign policy, along those lines…
I try to provide a positive alternative. I'm aware that deep context looks too murky to most readers. But like any other contrarian I know convention is the path to boredom so must spice things up somewhat. Really, the point I was making is likely to be self-evident to any good chess player. They have long since become adept at seeing the consequences of moves many moves ahead. The best say they see an entire spectrum of likely trajectories in their minds at each play. I don't claim that ability!
So, not messing with internal politics, merely positioning or alignment – which is a wholly domestic decision and therefor not quite gelling with Winston sounding off on another country's domestic affairs.
He actually wasn't "sounding off on another country's domestic affairs". He was letting them know he sees Taiwan as a country. Which it is. Realism. Why are you so keen to swallow the communist line? They get off on telling others what to think. They even tried to tell him what to say. He demonstrated considerable restraint in not telling them to fuck off, eh?
Did you notice the media story the other day in which Jacinda was quoted referring to Taiwan as a country? So they're on the same page.
"An MFAT briefing on the issue ahead of last year’s World Health Assembly noted New Zealand had provided in-principle support for Taiwan’s involvement in international organisations “where it has practical benefit, in particular in organisations and issues of New Zealand’s national or global systemic interests”, with a focus on substance and technical engagement over symbolism, and provided its participation did not imply statehood."
The ringer statement
"Nor is it necessarily inconsistent with the one-China policy that New Zealand adheres to (distinct from the one-China principle, which holds that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China).
He was letting them know he sees Taiwan as a country. Which it is.
It's no more a country than Scotland is – ie, it isn't recognised as such in the international community of nation states and their legal frameworks.
Or, if you just automatically think of Scotland as a country, then think in terms of Catalonia – same thing.
Or maybe throw aside any analogies and just think of it in the real terms of a defeated ruling clique taking off and fortressing themselves on a country's off shore islands – that they themselves had insisted Japan should return to Chinese rule – where they then instigated single party rule for decades.
Okay, what you're not factoring in is the difference between country & state. No mere technicality! I suggest you read the wikipedia page on sovereignty. Country is a colloquialism – it is in common usage as a general term. The UN & international law refer to states. This usage is structural, restricted, deriving from rulership of large geographic domains. If you look up state as a definition you'll get the gist of how it differs from country.
Taiwan is recognised as a state by some countries, I think, but not most. I vaguely recall it was a UN member (representing China) but was displaced when the UN recognised the communist regime as rulers of China. It is the recognition by other sovereign states that is the crucial signifier of sovereign status – and that principle derives from the earlier geopolitical practice of monarchs in foreign policy.
"…It's no more a country than Scotland is – ie, it isn't recognised as such in the international community of nation states and their legal frameworks…"
God you spout some utter tosh sometimes. The Republic of China (ROC) was a sovereign state on mainland China from 1912, and the Kuomintang has a continuous link as the governing party that sovereign state since that time. The CCP was the victorious faction in the Chinese Civil War and the PRC was declared in 1949. The ROC has as strong legal claim to be the legitimate government of mainland China and an extremely strong claim to be both a de facto and de jure sovereign state, since it maintains it's own armed forces, ststem of government and laws. And Taiwan at least respects the rule of law and is a democracy, unlike the Orwellian regime in Bejing with it's lawless dictator and his murderous mates in the CCP.
Scotland WAS a sovereign state, until the act of union in 1707. Scotland does not have an army, although it retains some internal governance structures. It isn't a sovereign state now, otherwise they wouldn't have had a vote on devolution, would they? If you don't believe me there are several excellent Wikipedia articles will will act as an excellent primer to filling the gaps in your knowledge on the topic.
Catalonia has never been a sovereign state, being part of the kingdom of Aragon from the early/mid 12th century and since 1469 part of the kingdom of Castille and Aragon which is the direct ancestor of the modern Spanish state.
The Republic of China (ROC) was a sovereign state on mainland China from 1912 , and the Kuomintang has a continuous link as the governing party that sovereign state since that time .
China went through a revolution and the Nationalists who governed were defeated in that revolution and so no longer the government.
btw – Taiwan was hardly a bastion of democracy under Kuomintang's declared state of martial law until 1987, aye?
You know the whole ceding of Taiwan by Japan was messy as fuck, right?
Anyway. I'd actually like to know what the Taiwanese (not the Chinese) inhabitants of Taiwan want. (They didn't fair at all well under those decades of dictatorship)
Simon says, "Yes me. Me. It would be wisest as I have always said, stay in Level 3 much longer. This shambolic Government rushed getting out of Level 3 and must return. All the people want to."
Earlier this month Bunnings Warehouse cut its salaried workers pay and hours by 20 per cent until it could trade "normally" and has been working with landlords on rent reductions.
And since the wage subsidy was intended to safeguard employment, Bunnings will be paying back the wage subsidy received for soon to be redundant workers?
Or, minimally, they will be offering all affected workers a generous redundancy package (even though I suspect there are no redundancy provisions in their Agreements)?
the workers will be made redundant at the end of the subsidy period …as to redundancy provisions I would expect that which is in the agreements would be implemented….small comfort for those impacted Id suggest and as commented earlier it is but the beginning of many more to come
I get that subsidy period will have ended. I'm suggesting Bunnings had already gone most of the way to deciding what was going to happen, and so acted in bad faith when they accepted the wage subsidy.
Employers like Bunnings tend to have redundancy clauses that run (very loosely) along the lines of "In the event of redundancy, the employee will not be entitled to any redundancy payments".
All that aside, I agree this is just the beginning – that apart from small businesses genuinely going belly up, many bigger players will use the situation to 'rationalise' (or whatever the term that's in vogue is)
"I get that subsidy period will have ended. I'm suggesting Bunnings had already gone most of the way to deciding what was going to happen, and so acted in bad faith when they accepted the wage subsidy."
Working to the letter and not the spirit is to be expected
"Employers like Bunnings tend to have redundancy clauses that run (very loosely) along the lines of "In the event of redundancy, the employee will not be entitled to any redundancy payments"."
You may be surprised to learn not…corporates tend to have redundancy clauses (not withstanding casual employment and contractors)…it is SMEs that are more likely to not have.
"All that aside, I agree this is just the beginning – that apart from small businesses genuinely going belly up, many bigger players will use the situation to 'rationalise' (or whatever the term that's in vogue is)"
Ah 'Rationalisation"…a blast from the past…and something Ben Bernanke said had been defeated…..shows what he knew. SFA
I've been privy to a fair few corporate EAs from my "past life", and don't recall a single one that included redundancy entitlements. If Bunnings EAs have, then yes, I'd be genuinely surprised.
then be surprised…they do…6 and 2…my experience the past 40 years is as stated above. I dont like corporate culture but when it comes to redundancy the facts are they tend to have and honour them (as said casuals and contractors aside)..that dosnt mean its a great model
Yep looks like stores they are likely to have wonted to close anyway. Just taking advantage. But I wouldn't be surprised if their turnover held up pretty well. Overseas holidays are gone so people may spend more on their houses. If it does i would expect any wage cuts to be back paid?
They experienced what all businesses have(and will)…a splurge of pent up activity and then a reduced turnover…yes they were marginal pre covid but many businesses were…the reduced future turnover (discretionary dollar) means regardless of what gov support happens short term means they are not viable in the reduced environment….the sooner we understand that the better….the only question really is which businesses will capture that reduced churn.
Just saw on 1 news a Japanese experiment. People at a buffet and self serve. A glow in the dark paint was applied to hands. 30 minutes later the paint (substitute virus) was so obvious in a darkened room on surfaces. Hand washing is so important after touching surfaces.
Worth a watch – short clip speaks louder than words:
Shocking demonstration of how quickly a virus can spread. In this experiment by Japan's NHK, invisible paint is put on the hands of one person at a meal buffet. By meal's end, everyone has the paint on them, and several even have it on their faces. https://t.co/LrcwJKBt9D
The lolly scramble is no longer an integral feature of kiwi social life, but govt choppers doing local community drops would resonate with older folk as they send their grandchildren out to scoop up the dollars.
"Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr suggested a $1500 payment for all adults would be a “firestarter” for the economy." The kids may need a wheelbarrow.
Didn't Paddington like to make envious comparisons, casting our policies as murderous for the economy, and Australia's as far superior? (Seem to remember Bridges burbling on in a similar manner..)
“Matter of fact, there’s some major Republicans who are already forming ‘Republicans for Biden,’” the former vice president said. “Major officeholders.”
That's a direct quote from the guy who said he could imagine having a Republican as his Vice President and having Republicans in his cabinet.
If you want to see him come out with that Republicans for Biden stuff (inbetween his good wife doing all of his speaking and reasoning for him) then jump through this link to an 11 min vid of accompanying opinion.
Or this one for the take of Krystal Ball of Rising.
There's a cyclical idea of change that suggests fluid states of change get slowed by increasing inertia until, finally, a crystalisation occurs and things burst apart and a new period of fluidity emerges.
Anyone with a skerrick of awareness knows there's been a coalescing of the so-called opposites within the realm of liberalism's representative democratic framework these past decades.
Jenny Shipley was the first politician I heard suggest that parties across the tiny political divide should just merge and be done with the pretence (NZ Labour and the Nats in the 90s).
Maybe Jenny's idea is finally coming to fruition in the US?
I can't see such an obvious expression of corporatism as any Biden/GOP dealings would represent, going down well, ending well, or lasting long
Indeed. @mattyglesias is right here. The image of the disaffected Rep, horrified by the anti-democratic turns the party is taking, exists only in your head (& on Never Trump twitter). As my 2018 voter file analysis shows- rank & file Reps are stoked on Trump & MAGA agenda. https://t.co/n58DFgA9Ae
— Rachel "The Doc" Bitecofer 📈🔭🍌 (@RachelBitecofer) May 10, 2020
But the point of the comment was to highlight a kind of attempted amalgamation of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party…not about how people are likely to vote.
Hands up all who think Soimon will survive till the next election.
Given that this site is riddled (not unlike TDB) with expertise (or at least experiences) of the political class, I'm genuinely interested – if we could keep it kind of 'simple' and not turn it into a battle that tries to demonstrate how utterly smarter and more pontifcatingly accurate ye are to me
I've got an anthem for Soimon (and Pulla, and probably quite a few others for that matter):
It's why I can only take TS and TDB in small doses although both are valuable vehicles for the humble peeps to contribute – IF they can get past the fucking ego-driven agendas at play that'll argue to the death at times. Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!! don't they have better things to do?
I appreciate that @ Wayne is still grieving over the demise of the leisure suit and bobby socks and has had imagination bypass surgery. James and a few other just want to show how fucking smart they are and like others, argue to the death (sorry about your livelihood @James – it must be humbling to have to become a dole bludger – or are you jiss jiving? but the Whurl is in turmoil in case you hadn't noticed).
I suspect it's better to just watch and chuckle.
But …. really – giviss ya thorts on the Great Pretender Soimon. Supposedly he's so tuff he can take it – not unloik Pulla. OR all the others ….. from the Jevon's with their new-found (equipped with mamma Hannahs), to the fucking Goldsmiths that are about as charasmatic as a fart in a lift trying to shift blame onto the closest to the door.
Simon's massive ego and arrogance will ensure he survives until the next election and he will take the National Party down with him. Here's my anthem for Simon's failed leadership.
Lonesome Loser by Little River Band
Have you heard about the Lonesome Loser? Beaten by the Queen of Hearts every time. Have you heard about the Lonesome Loser? He's a loser but he still keeps on trying.
So depressing. A highly-trained lawyer who seems to have no sense of language, something lawyers should be acutely aware of. Not our Simon. (Graduate from Harvard???) In trying to express the adage 'The cure is worse than the disease', Simon says 'The medicine is worse than the cure'. Spare me days – any semi-educated person knows that in older parlance, the medicine and the cure were the same thing. But not our Simon.
This is depressing because so many Kiwi Battlers, supposedly the future of our enterprising country, still, apparently, support Simon's leadership.
Senior White House economic officials are studying a plan by researchers at AEI and Hoover that would allow Americans to get cash immediately im exchange for curbing their Social Security benefits, 2 ppl tell me @jdawsey1 & @John_Hudsonhttps://t.co/TvFX6B2tuV
I cannot take credit in spotting the error, the teacher in the family noticed. Just goes to show how well educated our teachers are 😉. Even if some on "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" blog don't value our teachers.
I note that MP Stuart Smith has apologised for his off-colour comment supporting a National Party staffer who criticised our PM as addressing the nation as if she was talking to six year olds, the intellectually disabled and Labour Party members.
In his apology he said in his defence he had not read the five line tweet before agreeing with it.
He then further said that he "did agree that the Prime Minister does give off a schoolteacher type persona which grates with a lot of people including me."
Run that statement past "the teacher in the family".
I am a former teacher married to a former teacher with a teacher daughter.
Two things from Stuart Smith's statement. What evidence does he have to claim that a lot of people agree with his opinion of 'school-teacher' persona. Why is he locked into a six year old's mentality? What did he do to get that attention, and why is he so sensitive about it?
Secondly, is an apology that stigmatises a thousand people in his electorate, all those teachers and their spouses, their children, their parents, their school board members really an apology?
That thousand number refers only to the teachers in the electorate. 70 electorates and 70,000 teachers in NZ in round figures. Add family and those connected to education you have a lot of people to piss off. A lot of voters.
Herodotus – I am a semi-retired teacher, and I am horribly disappointed that the obvious typo was what you were after. I spent several seconds looking for deeper, more serious implications. Damn!
24:13 into the link – I did not with a wee smile that an item preceding this was about ECE works achieving a well deserved pay rise with focus of improving the quality of education 🤫
My appreciation of the language, spelling and grammar is somewhat lacking I would be the 1st to admit to. I am indebted to the teacher in the family to have noticed one error. I know Peter Williams is not one who is prized here, yet I recall a few instances when live he grammatically corrected a few news items, and I appreciate those who do take standards seriously and occasionally I can still learn and implement the learning. But thanks mac1 for pointing out those 2 other observations.👍🏾
Some clever dick sub at the Herald has titled a piece by Jason Walls on the enabling legislation for Level 2 rules, ‘National moves to block law…’. What planet are these guys living on? National can’t block any legislation in the House, they don’t have the numbers, that’s why they are the Opposition.
Anne – please note that the Nats are unlikely to keep on quoting Australia as the country which brilliantly did the same as us without 'killing the economy.'
If Australian infection rates keep rising, Nats will become as silent about Australia as they now are about Sweden.
But beware. We may stay on top, but given our premature (to my mind) drop to level 2 we could also get what Australia got – a new, climbing infection rate..
Do you actually think he can read a graph like that and comprehend its meaning?
No. But there's a few people at WH who might understand and they could explain it to him. Like… they could cut out all the other countries and just leave the US at the top and NZ at the bottom.
Mind you that presents the strong risk he will think it means the US is at the top cos its the greatest country in the world and NZ's at the bottom cos its the horribilest. 🙄
That is assuming he knows there’s a country called New Zealand. He thought Jacinda was Justin Trudeau’s wife remember.
Correct times have changed it will be a waste of money propping up business that are just going to fold once the support stops. It will be better to invest in new enterprise.
Yes I seen the teeth today and yesterday.
Its like Back in the days of old when you just to had work 40 hours a week to have a comfortable life.
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Nathaniel ScharpingIn March, as the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut down major cities in the U.S., researchers were thinking about blood. In particular, they were worried about the U.S. blood supply — the millions of donations every year that help keep hospital patients alive when they need a transfusion. ...
Sarah L Caddy, University of CambridgeVaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you ...
Back in 2016, the Portuguese government announced plans to stop burning coal by 2030. But progress has come much quicker, and they're now scheduled to close their last coal plant by the end of this year: The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 ...
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery: As anybody with the intestinal fortitude to brave the commentary threads of local news-sites, large and small, will attest, the number of Trump-supporting New Zealanders is really quite astounding. IT’S SO DIFFICULT to resist the temptation to be smug. From the distant perspective of New Zealand, ...
RNZ reports on continued arbitrariness on decisions at the border. British comedian Russell Howard is about to tour New Zealand and other acts allowed in through managed isolation this summer include drag queen RuPaul and musicians at Northern Bass in Mangawhai and the Bay Dreams festival. The vice-president of the ...
As families around the world mourn more than two million people dead from Covid-19, the Plan B academics and their PR industry collaborator continue to argue that the New Zealand government should stop focusing on our managed isolation and quarantine system and instead protect the elderly so that they can ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 10, 2021 through Sat, Jan 16, 2021Editor's ChoiceNASA says 2020 tied for hottest year on record — here’s what you can do to helpPhoto by Michael Held on Unsplash ...
Health authorities in Norway are reporting some concerns about deaths in frail elderly after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Is this causally related to the vaccine? Probably not but here are the things to consider. According to the news there have been 23 deaths in Norway shortly after vaccine administration and ...
Happy New Year! No, experts are not concerned that “…one of New Zealand’s COIVD-1( vaccines will fail to protect the country” Here is why. But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult ...
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.The staunch Labour supporter was in despair at what her Rogernomics Government was doing. But she finished ‘at least, we got rid of Muldoon’, a response which tells us that then, and today, one’s views ...
Grigori GuitchountsIn November, Springer Nature, one of the world’s largest publishers of scientific journals, made an attention-grabbing announcement: More than 30 of its most prestigious journals, including the flagship Nature, will now allow authors to pay a fee of US$11,390 to make their papers freely available for anyone to read ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gary Yohe, Henry Jacoby, Richard Richels, and Benjamin Santer Imagine a major climate change law passing the U.S. Congress unanimously? Don’t bother. It turns out that you don’t need to imagine it. Get this: The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed ...
“They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”WHO CAN FORGET the penultimate scene of the 1956 movie classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The wild-eyed doctor, stumbling down the highway, trying desperately to warn his fellow citizens: “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”Ostensibly science-fiction, the movie ...
TheOneRing.Net has got its paws on the official synopsis of the upcoming Amazon Tolkien TV series. It’s a development that brings to mind the line about Sauron deliberately releasing Gollum from the dungeons of Barad-dûr. Amazon knew exactly what they were doing here, in terms of drumming up publicity: ...
Since Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1953, US presidents have joined an informal club intended to provide support - and occasionally rivalry - between those few who have been ‘leaders of the free world’. Donald Trump, elected on a promise to ‘drain the swamp’ and a constant mocker of his predecessors, ...
For over a decade commentators have noted the rise of a new brand of explicitly ideological politics throughout the world. By this they usually refer to the re-emergence of national populism and avowedly illiberal approaches to governance throughout the “advanced” democratic community, but they also extend the thought to the ...
The US House of Representatives has just impeached Donald Trump, giving him the dubious honour of being the only US President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans voted for impeachement, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. The question now is whether the Senate will rise to the occasion, and ...
Kieren Mitchell; Alice Mouton, Université de Liège; Angela Perri, Durham University, and Laurent Frantz, Ludwig Maximilian University of MunichThanks to the hit television series Game of Thrones, the dire wolf has gained a near-mythical status. But it was a real animal that roamed the Americas for at least 250,000 ...
Tide of tidal data rises Having cast our own fate to include rising sea level, there's a degree of urgency in learning the history of mean sea level in any given spot, beyond idle curiosity. Sea level rise (SLR) isn't equal from one place to another and even at a particular ...
Well, some of those chickens sure came home bigly, didn’t they… and proceeded to shit all over the nice carpet in the Capitol. What we were seeing here are societal forces that have long had difficulty trying to reconcile people to the “idea” of America and the reality of ...
In the wake of Donald Trump's incitement of an assault on the US capitol, Twitter finally enforced its terms of service and suspended his account. They've since followed that up with action against prominent QAnon accounts and Trumpers, including in New Zealand. I'm not unhappy with this: Trump regularly violated ...
Peter S. Ross, University of British ColumbiaThe Arctic has long proven to be a barometer of the health of our planet. This remote part of the world faces unprecedented environmental assaults, as climate change and industrial chemicals threaten a way of life for Inuit and other Indigenous and northern ...
Susan St John makes the case for taxing a deemed rate of return on excessive real estate holdings (after a family home exemption), to redirect scarce housing resources to where they are needed most. Read the full article here ...
I’m less than convinced by arguments that platforms like Twitter should be subject to common carrier regulation preventing them from being able to decide who to keep on as clients of their free services, and who they would not like to serve. It’s much easier to create competition for the ...
The hypocritical actions of political leaders throughout the global Covid pandemic have damaged public faith in institutions and governance. Liam Hehir chronicles the way in which contemporary politicians have let down the public, and explains how real leadership means walking the talk. During the Blitz, when German bombs were ...
Over the years, we've published many rebuttals, blog posts and graphics which came about due to direct interactions with the scientists actually carrying out the underlying research or being knowledgable about a topic in general. We'll highlight some of these interactions in this blog post. We'll start with two memorable ...
Yesterday we had the unseemly sight of a landleech threatening to keep his houses empty in response to better tenancy laws. Meanwhile in Catalonia they have a solution for that: nationalisation: Barcelona is deploying a new weapon in its quest to increase the city’s available rental housing: the power ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD The 2020 global wildfire season brought extreme fire activity to the western U.S., Australia, the Arctic, and Brazil, making it the fifth most expensive year for wildfire losses on record. The year began with an unprecedented fire event ...
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a digital story – read the full story here.Tess TuxfordKo te Kauri Ko Au, Ko te Au ko Kauri I am the kauri, the kauri is me Te Roroa proverb In Waipoua Forest, at the top of the North Island, New ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Coming attraction: IPCC's upcoming major climate assessmentLook for more emphasis on 'solutions,' efforts by cities, climate equity ... and outlook for emissions cuts in ...
Ringing A Clear Historical Bell: The extraordinary images captured in and around the US Capitol Building on 6 January 2021 mirror some of the worst images of America's past.THERE IS A SCENE in the 1982 movie Missing which has remained with me for nearly 40 years. Directed by the Greek-French ...
To impact or not to impeach? I understand why some of those who are justifiably aghast at Trump’s behaviour over recent days might still counsel against impeaching him for a second time. To impeach him, they argue, would run the risk of making him a martyr in the eyes of ...
The Capitol Building, Washington DC, Wednesday, 6 January 2021. Oh come, my little one, come.The day is almost done.Be at my side, behold the sightOf evening on the land.The life, my love, is hardAnd heavy is my heart.How should I live if you should leaveAnd we should be apart?Come, let me ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 3, 2021 through Sat, Jan 9, 2021Editor's ChoiceAfter the Insurrection: Accountability, Reform, and the Science of Democracy The poisonous lies and enablers of sedition--including Senator Hawley, pictured ...
This article, guest authored by Prof. Angela Gallego-Sala & Dr. Julie Loisel, was originally published on the Carbon Brief website on Dec 21, 2020. It is reposted below in its entirety. Click here to access the original article and comments. Peatlands Peatlands are ecosystems unlike any other. Perpetually saturated, their ...
The assault on the US Capitol and constitutional crisis that it has caused was telegraphed, predictable and yet unexpected and confusing. There are several subplots involved: whether the occupation of the Michigan State House in May was a trial run for the attacks on Congress; whether people involved in the ...
On Christmas Eve, child number 1 spotted a crack in a window. It’s a double-glazed window, and inspection showed that the small, horizontal crack was in the outermost pane. It was perpendicular to the frame, about three-quarters of the way up one side. The origins are a mystery. It MIGHT ...
Anne-Marie Broudehoux, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)Will the COVID-19 pandemic prompt a shift to healthier cities that focus on wellness rather than functional and economic concerns? This is a hypothesis that seems to be supported by several researchers around the world. In many ways, containment and physical distancing ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
[Opening comments, welcome and thank you to Auckland University etc] It is a great pleasure to be here this afternoon to celebrate such an historic occasion - the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is a moment many feared would never come, but ...
The Government is providing $3 million in one-off seed funding to help disabled people around New Zealand stay connected and access support in their communities, Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni announced today. The funding will allow disability service providers to develop digital and community-based solutions over the next two ...
Border workers in quarantine facilities will be offered voluntary daily COVID-19 saliva tests in addition to their regular weekly testing, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. This additional option will be rolled out at the Jet Park Quarantine facility in Auckland starting on Monday 25 January, and then to ...
The next steps in the Government’s ambitious firearms reform programme to include a three-month buy-back have been announced by Police Minister Poto Williams today. “The last buy-back and amnesty was unprecedented for New Zealand and was successful in collecting 60,297 firearms, modifying a further 5,630 firearms, and collecting 299,837 prohibited ...
The Government has released its Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 which outlines the intention of where 8,000 additional public and transitional housing places announced in Budget 2020, will go. “The Government is committed to continuing its public house build programme at pace and scale. The extra 8,000 homes – 6000 public ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America. “I look forward to building a close relationship with President Biden and working with him on issues that matter to both our countries,” Jacinda Ardern said. “New Zealand ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Ruapekapeka represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to reflect on the role these conflicts have had in creating our modern nation, says Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan. “The Battle at Te Ruapekapeka Pā, which took ...
Babies born with tongue-tie will be assessed and treated consistently under new guidelines released by the Ministry of Health, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Around 5% to 10% of babies are born with a tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, in New Zealand each year. At least half can ...
Dunedin writer Victor Billot resumes his weekly odes to New Zealanders in the news. This week: the blogging firm of Michael Bassett, Don Brash and Rodney HideThree Men in a BoatIt sounds like a conveyancing firm in Levin.It sounds like TV funny guys who’ll ...
Under a thick layer of concrete at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacramentin Christchurch is a metal box likely containing hundreds of holy relics – a historical treasure trove set to be uncovered after 50 years of near total obscurity.As the earth shook and buildings crumbled, a statue of ...
Bananas are unequivocally the best fruit in the world, and there’s nothing you can say to change my mind, writes Alice Webb-Liddall.I was about 15 when I realised that halftime banana cake wasn’t a tradition outside of my family. On the day of an All Blacks game a banana cake ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden as On the Rag looks at how the world around us has been built by men, for men. First published December 7, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members ...
At an antagonistic hearing yesterday, the internet giant laid out the ‘worst case scenario’. And Facebook is also considering an ‘amputation’. Hal Crawford was watching.Google is poised to hit self-destruct in Australia according to a fractious Senate hearing into an unprecedented law that will force digital giants to pay money ...
It’s great to hear Phil Twyford celebrating a success. Not a personal ministerial success, it’s fair to say, but a success nevertheless related to arms control. The arms on which Twyford is focused, it should be noted, will make quite a mess if they are triggered. They tend to be ...
Duncan Greive and Leonie Hayden were young hip hop heads and music journalists during the era captured in a new documentary about the rise and fall of South Auckland hip hop label Dawn Raid. Here they discuss the film and their memories (what’s left of them) of that time. Warning: contains ...
Houses might be the most popular and inflated purchases in New Zealand, but there are plenty of other products that are seeing soaring demand and prices over the past few months. Here’s a list of what New Zealanders are spending their money on with international travel out of the picture.Used ...
"The young boy leaps, the muscles in his thighs tensing and twisting as he lifts from the handrail": the noble art of bombing, by Pātea writer Airana Ngarewa A beautifully muscled boy is posted on the side of a pool, his feet fixed to the top of a pair of ...
How Waiwera Hot Pools went from New Zealand’s most visited water park to dereliction and decay. Many who grew up in Auckland likely have fond memories of Waiwera Hot Pools. Like me, they remember summer days spent racing down the slides and playing in the naturally hot pools. But how did ...
A government contract for a P rehab programme was canned after half a million dollars of taxpayer money was given out. Aaron Smale investigates. The Ministry of Health spent over half a million dollars on a P Rehab contract before pulling the pin because there were no results or progress reports. ...
Kia Koropp and her husband John Daubeny have been cruising the Pacific, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean over the past decade with their two children onboard their 50ft yacht, Atea. Starting in 2011 from Auckland, New Zealand, they have sailed more than 64,000 kilometres and just completed their longest ...
We are drowning out the natural world with synthetic sounds, and it’s getting worse, writes Michelle Langstone.It used to be quiet once. Remember that? Remember the hush that settled over the cities like the silence that comes down in a snowstorm? It’s less than a year since Aotearoa first locked ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden in the latest episode of On the Rag as they examine the topic of boobs from every possible angle. First published November 16, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its ...
Seventy-five years after the US detonated the first nuclear tests in the Pacific, New Zealand pledges its support to Joe Biden's first tentative step towards disarmament. Today, the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons comes into effect, making it illegal for New Zealand and the 50 other ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Terry, Professor of Psychology, University of Southern Queensland The challenge of bringing the world’s best tennis players and support staff, about 1,200 people in all, from COVID-ravaged parts of the world to our almost pandemic-free shores was always going to be ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoffrey Browne, Research Fellow in International Urban Development, University of Melbourne The Victorian government has committed to removing 75 road/rail level crossings across Melbourne by 2025. That’s the fastest rate of removal in the city’s history. The scale of the investment — ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW In an age of hyperpartisan politics, the Biden presidency offers a welcome centrism that might help bridge the divides. But it is also Biden’s economic centrism that offers a chance to cut through what has become ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Stevens, Lecturer in History, University of Waikato In a year of surprises, one of the more pleasant was the recent runaway viral popularity of 19th century sea shanties on TikTok. A collaborative global response to pandemic isolation, it saw singers and ...
The sudden departure of Graine Moss from her Chief Executive role at Oranga Tamariki is a vital first step in a sequence of changes that must take place at the Ministry according to a group of wahine Māori leaders. Dame Naida Glavish, Dame Tariana Turia, ...
A new poem from Dunedin poet Jenny Powell.Her uncle’s eyeShe introduced us to her uncle’s eye floating in a jar.Lost in an accident, he hadn’t wanted to lose it again. He left it to her in his will.We must have looked shocked. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘I turn him to ...
The chief executive of Oranga Tamariki is quitting, leaving behind an agency she’s admitted suffers from structural racism. Justin Giovannetti looks at the future of Oranga Tamariki.Grainne Moss’s tenure as head of Oranga Tamariki has been untenable since November when the government’s senior Māori minister wouldn’t express any confidence in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Sainsbury, Senior Lecturer Composition, Australian National University Despite having different cultural backgrounds and experiences — Indigenous composers with an Indigenous mentor, and a pianist descended from Anglo-colonial history — it is nevertheless possible to create a project that can serve as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Plank, Professor in Applied Mathematics, University of Canterbury With new, more infectious variants of COVID-19 detected around the world, and at New Zealand’s border, the risk of further level 3 or 4 lockdowns is increased if those viruses get into the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Hogg, Lecturer in Psychology, Charles Sturt University Horse racing is an ethical hotbed in Australia. The Melbourne Cup alone has seen seven horses die after racing since 2013, and animal cruelty protesters have become a common feature at carnivals. The latest ...
Right now, our most fiery national debate is over whether New Zealanders were nice to the singer Amanda Palmer in a café. Desperate to restore peace in our nation, Hayden Donnell went in search of the truth.Joe Biden had barely finished calling for unity when Amanda Palmer posted a tweet ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut (Pushkin Press, $37)Maths, cyanide, suicide, gardening; ye ...
Wellington artist Estère isn’t just breaking boundaries, she’s dissecting them. Maddi Rowe spoke to her about her new album, Archetypes.“That’s the story of pelicans, they’ll stab themselves in the heart to feed their young.”Despite the somewhat dark subject matter, Estère Dalton’s eyes sparkle with fascination. We’ve met to discuss Archetypes, ...
Cycling advocates are welcoming new advice from the Transport Agency on safe cycling. "Cyclists hate it when drivers pass too close. That's scary and dangerous," said Patrick Morgan from Cycling Action Network. "So it's encouraging to see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tilman Ruff, Honorary Principal Fellow, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne Today, many around the world will celebrate the first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty to enter into force in 50 years. The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear ...
The Public Service Association welcomes the creation of a Chief Executive role to lead the public service’s pay equity work, and the appointment of Grainne Moss to this position. "Unions and public service employers are currently working ...
The Council of Trade Unions is warning that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures out today illustrate that the cost of living is increasing disproportionately for those on lower incomes; resulting in the poor getting poorer. CTU Economist Craig ...
Why are there so many offensive comments on the New Zealand Police Facebook page and are they breaking the law? Janaye Henry investigates. New Zealand Police Facebook pages – there are a number of them, for different regional police districts around the country – are an interesting place to spend ...
Our guide to stopping procrastinating and actually (finally) getting on top of investing. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it.In part one, we covered some of the basic things you need to know about investing – why do it? ...
Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft acknowledges the huge effort and commitment of departing Oranga Tamariki Chief Executive Grainne Moss and says her decision to resign today was principled. “The issues facing Oranga Tamariki are beyond individual ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Two Large Waves versus One Tsunami. Chart by Keith Rankin. Two Large Waves versus One Tsunami. Chart by Keith Rankin. With Covid19, Italy shows the classic European pattern, with its early outbreak, substantial recovery thanks to lockdowns and other public health measures, and resurgence thanks to complacency ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabrielle Appleby, Professor, UNSW Law School, UNSW This year has already seen significant progress in the government’s commitment to establish a body – a “Voice” – that would allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a say when the government ...
Northland farmer Derek Robinson was sentenced earlier today by the District Court in Whangarei for two offences of ill-treating animals at rodeo events. Mr Robinson was found guilty in November last year, following a defended hearing. The charges ...
Under fire Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss has announced she will resign, effective February 28, Marc Daalder reports After four and a half years at the helm of child protection agency Oranga Tamariki, chief executive Grainne Moss has announced she will be leaving the position at the end of ...
The Department of Internal Affairs and New Zealand Police acknowledge the sentencing of 36-year-old Aaron Joseph Hutton on charges relating to the possession of child sexual exploitation material, and entering into a dealing involving the sexual exploitation ...
Ngā Tāngata Microfinance (NTM) is calling for tougher penalties for those caught promoting pyramid schemes. Such business models are illegal under the Fair Trading Act 1986. This call comes after the Commerce Commission issued a ‘stop now’ notice ...
British High Commissioner to New Zealand Laura Clarke is calling on young women aged 17 to 25 to apply for the annual ‘Be British High Commissioner for the Day’ competition. The winner will have the opportunity to become an ‘honorary High Commissioner’, ...
The Māori Party is welcoming the resignation of Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss after sustained pressure from leading figures within the Māori Party. This resignation is the result of the continued strong pressure of the Māori Party ...
In a historic corner of Dunedin, startup culture is thriving. Catherine McGregor visited the city’s Warehouse Precinct to meet the people driving the movement. When Jason and Kate Lindsey bought the four storey building now known as Petridish, it was an absolute wreck. Once home to a thriving hat and textiles ...
Summer reissue: The Fold’s very first guest is back to tell Duncan Greive how she pulled off the media deal of the year.The chaotic couple of weeks which finally saw the end of the Stuff-NZME saga were riveting and strange, replete with stock exchange announcements, legal challenges and finally the ...
Chris Liddell has dropped his candidacy to become director-general of the Paris-based OECD. Without support from the Ardern government and vilified in the media as somehow being involved in the encouragement by Donald Trump of the Washington riots, he plainly saw he had little chance of crowning his stellar career ...
Tara Ward hands out her first impression roses as she dives deep into the sea of single men vying to win The Bachelorette NZ’s heart. While the world burns in a searing fireball of unpredictability, we can take comfort in the fact that some things never change. The heart still yearns, ...
People from all around New Zealand will be converging on the super-secret Waihopai satellite interception spybase, in Marlborough, on Saturday January 30th. ...
In its Thursday editorial the NZ Herald speaks an important truth: “Investment important to stay on track”. This won’t have startled its more literate readers but in its text it notes the strong result in the latest Global Dairy Trade auction, which prompted Westpac to raise its forecast for dairy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig Mark, Professor, Faculty of International Studies, Kyoritsu Women’s University With the spread of COVID-19 steadily worsening in Japan since the onset of winter — daily records for infections and deaths continue to be broken — the fate of the Tokyo Summer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Taylor, Early Career Research Leader, Emerging Viruses, Inflammation and Therapeutics Group, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University All eyes are on COVID-19 vaccines, with Australia’s first expected to be approved for use shortly. But their development in record time, without compromising ...
Yesterday’s government announcement on new state housing is a pathetic response to the biggest housing crisis in New Zealand since the 1940s. At a time when the country needs an industrial-scale state house building programme, the government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Obadiah Mulder, PhD Candidate in Computational Biology, University of Southern California Australia is in the midst of tropical cyclone season. As we write, a cyclone is forming off Western Australia’s Pilbara coast, and earlier in the week Queenslanders were bracing for a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynette Vernon, School of Education – VC Research Fellow, Edith Cowan University When the holidays end, barring a fresh outbreak of COVID-19, teenagers across Australia will head back to school. Some will bounce out of bed well before the alarm goes off, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW In an age of hyperpartisan politics, the Biden presidency offers a welcome centrism that might help bridge the divides. But it is also Biden’s economic centrism that offers a chance to cut through what has become ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Twenty years ago, on January 25 2001, a virtually unknown German supermarket chain quietly opened its first stores in Australia. The two stores – one in Sydney’s inner-west suburb of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney Bluey is easily the most successful Australian television show of the last decade. A record-breaking success for its local broadcaster the ABC, as well as production partners BBC Studios and Screen Australia, ...
*This article first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permissionIt will take $3 million to clean up 1 million litres of abandoned toxic waste from a property in Ruakaka - three times more than the last big chemical clean-up undertaken by government agencies A two-year mission to clean up 1 million ...
*This article first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. The action Biden took on just his first afternoon in office demonstrates a radical shift in priority for the US when it comes to its efforts to combat the climate crisis. It could put more pressure on New Zealand to step up. ...
Ban Bomb Day event at the New Brighton Pier, 9am, on January 22nd, 2021 January 22nd, 2021, marks the first day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) Enters into Force and becomes international law. Aotearoa NZ is one of the ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve BrauniasFICTION 1 Tell Me Lies by J.P. Pomare (Hachette, $29.99) Every January, there's a new best-selling crime thriller by the New Zealand-born author who lives in Melbourne. Pomare is ...
Our approach so far in trying to end what Dr Collin Tukuitonga describes as a 'racist' disease - rheumatic fever - has not worked. It's time we try something new, he writes. Acute rheumatic fever and the rheumatic heart disease it causes, long-known as a disease of poverty, is a blight on ...
New Zealand triple-code star, Anna Harrison, can't stop returning to the courts - whether it's netball or beach volleyball. She tells Ashley Stanley what keeps drawing her back. The day before Anna Harrison leaps back into netball, she will have one more hit-out at another of her favourite old sports ...
The lights are burning into the night at the New York Yacht Club's America's Cup base as they race to fix their damaged boat. And Suzanne McFadden discovers something surprising may emerge. Out of American Magic’s calamity may come opportunity - for even more speed. While the lights burn bright ...
New to sailing? With the Prada Cup resuming this weekend, here’s how to bluff your way into sounding like a pro. When I was 10, my mum made my brother and I join the local sailing club. It was a favourite pastime of families in Kerikeri, and my brother was actually ...
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I hate to say it but Piers Morgan in the UK has got this exactly right-why are 100.000 people a week are still being permitted to enter the UK at airports without quarantine or testing? Well worth a watch.
Indeed. Remember when Simon Bridges was calling for the same here when we had overseas travellers arriving and going on their merry way
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/04/coronavirus-national-s-petition-for-mandatory-quarantining-received-unprecedented-response-simon-bridges.html
James the short answer to your question is no. Nobody remembers or cares about that stunt which seems like ancient history now.
I’m assuming that people who came in contact with thosetravellers or who contacted Covid from arrivals may disagree with you. But nice to see you parroting the governments line on simply dismissing questions.
Imaging the benefit of having done this before the traveller from Ireland arrived and it stopped the matamata cluster and saved a life ?
Still doesn’t change the basic answer to your question though – no one remembers or cares about a social media poll whose only purpose was to push a particular political line.
I guess the National Party had a press release ready for the eventuality of a very early 2-week quarantine by the government…
"Irresponsible 2-week quarantine for visitors is killing the tourism industry and hundred thousand of jobs are lost."
Spinning this thought a little further, I expect the National Party to seriously question the extremely early easing of restrictions to Level 2 in case of increased COVID 19 cases in the near future.
And imagine if that bar owner had followed the directive to not have large St. Patrick's day gatherings. Or imagine if the traveller had self quarantined as requested!
Since you made the comment – how about showing that the traveller was ever asked to self quarantine ?
Nice try though.
Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day.
Bridges "Close down faster, open up faster, the medicine is worse than the cure!"
Being irratic is not going to get the job done. Being level headed and patient is what is required.
Tax cuts
Bonfire of regulations.
Add Goldsmith to being erratic. Just heard on 1 news he wants the levels reviewed weekly. Covid-19 has a minimum 2 week isolation transmission/ period. Probably the levels are already being reviewed weekly by the cabinet.
I cannot see any gain occurring by reviewing the levels weekly unless it is to prevent a second wave which cannot be controlled.
The opposition need to get it how destructive the virus can be and how rapidly this can occur.
I watched him with Jack Tame last night. It was basically "Economy, economy, economy, and the economy. Furthermore, economy, economy. Oh, and have I mentioned the economy?" It was like listening to my fifth form maths teacher explaining algebra all over again. The man is drier than the Sahara and has the charisma of a public urinal.
You're a gem Wensleydale. Thankyou for the lols.
Same. Wensleydale, Saw that and thought the same. Jack Tame joked they "Would offer tax cuts" Even prodded Goldsmith… there was a processing pause and yes he said "after a time" Wow!!
+1 and what she says ^
Chochmerle would be a bloody good nickname for him. And I bet he has aspirations for gNatz ledership
yes i remember that
True James but, as the article says, the government was already moving in this direction:
"On Tuesday, she said her COVID-19 committee has discussed toughening up quarantine and expected final advice on that shortly."
The fact is that the NZ government, while not being perfect, has made the right calls. Boris is an idiot and has behaved like one.
Yep. About this time Bridges started doing press releases and standup solely to 'call for' measures which were already being actioned.
It was his way of appearing relevant.
Now he has the butchers and bakers committee to which he can summon people and cross-examine them.
What is it with butchers and bakers that you have a problem with ?
They don't make candles.
Slick Bodges has bleated so many things, he's bound to have been right about something accidentally.
James, remind what Bridges' plan was for how to quarantine the tens of thousands of people returning to NZ?
Repurpose some cruise ships, wasn't it?
I'm guessing it wasn't an actual plan though, more of a random reckon?
A "bark"?
Lol. Puns always appreciated.
It was a stunt and to harvest e-mail addresses. It is still on-line with no update, no nothing and events have long overtaken it. It is and always was a political con. Bridges promised not to keep the collected contact details. Has he kept his promise? Maybe he needs an emotional junior staffer to delete it for him so that he can claim plausible deniability?
This is what a genuine petition looks like: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/121481937/nelson-airport-petition-to-be-taken-to-parliament
The resources required to isolate even returning citizens and residents are not available. Trusting people to self isolate would have a fail rate. Testing has its limits. In saying this you need to start somewhere if the risk is very high.
The NHS would be rationing health care.
I have followed the pandemic in Britain and the US on how over whelming and tragic the pandemic has been. Economic recovery is going to take years in both countries.
Bearded git @ 1
+100
Actually he said something last week I totally agreed with too except I've forgotten what it was. It's called old age. 🙁
He has also walked back on some of the cruel things he said about Meghan Markle who I rather like. She's got guts.
Perhaps Covid 19 has brought out the best in him. Maybe.
Hmm. Apparently the findings of the Finnish UBI experiment were released last week.
Something to mull over.
With such a small sample I don't see how anyone could credibly attach significance to the outcome. The report seems to ignore the stats angle. Social science research does need to have a robust design approach to survive critical appraisal. On the face of it, seems a waste of money. Perhaps I'm missing something – when something's too obvious it makes me uneasy. But unless other readers can validate their attempt, I predict the political impact will be negligible.
2000 people is a reasonably robust sample size.
"The response rate for the survey was 23% (31% for the basic income recipients and 20% for the control group), which is typical for surveys." If there were 2000 respondents, I agree with you, but I can't see that in the article.
I did misread their presentation though – 73/78, took it as people rather than reading the header.
This seems to coincide with my expectations. The participants felt (probably were) slightly better off economically but were not significantly better off in finding a job. This is because the unemployment problem is driven by total number of available jobs not the motivation (or other impediments) of those to find them. For the most part unemployment is not to do with the individual its an emergent property of the aggregate system.
Thanks for spotting this. Same response as Nic, the positive outcome aligns with my expectations.
This improved perception of wellbeing is not insignificant; even on a relatively small scale as this, with 2000 participants still embedded in a wider society, the impact was real. I would claim this positive impact would likely compound if an entire nation participated.
As for the virtually null employment effect, again for a small trial and absent any of the necessary tax reforms that would come with a full scale UBI, I would not expect much change here. The good news is that it refutes the old argument that given a UBI people would be lazy and not seek work … even in this limited trial there is no evidence to support this contention.
Overall I'm delighted to see this result.
improved perception of wellbeing is not insignificant
Yes (if the stats are credible). That's the key point: stakeholder psychology. If you enact UBI as an entitlement deriving from citizenship, all become part of the whole in more genuinely integral way. It has a massive effect on how people feel about their place in society, I believe.
Contrast that sense of belonging with the current social darwinism: people extract their income from WINZ according to their luck in personal interaction with the local little hitler.
The other big impact would have to be on the standard of management in many small firms; too many employers lazily exploit their worker's reluctance to leave a shitty job, but in the long run this does no-one any favours.
1. A UBI would increase selective pressure on employers to do a better job, value their employees more and improve productivity
2. Less stress, anxiety and depression will directly link to better health, less sick leave and again improved productivity.
3. More people are in a position to take time out of their working life to study and gain qualifications. Again a better educated workforce and improved productivity.
4. Combine this with a policy to encourage worker stakeholding in business (profit sharing as one form), increases personal agency, improvement seeking and would likely see workers keener to contribute to business success. Improved productivity again.
The key to getting a bipartisan support for a durable UBI, one that is accepted across the political spectrum, is understanding the value it can bring across the whole of society. If the left wants to get a generous dignified UBI, one that approaches NZ Super for instance, then we have to understand what value it would bring to the right leaning sectors of society in order to successfully negotiate something we can all be happy with.
The productivity problem in NZ is with the bosses, not the workers. Still, making it easier for workers to vote with their feet might at least start signalling which managers/owners need a kick up the jacksie.
I agree that labour mobility would be improved with a UI. And ultimaterly productivity.
It's only really viable for those under 25 (not paid to those in FT work or FT study – have SA and living cost off the loan at a higher rate and can earn extra money from work now), but extendable via using it in lieu of a benefit for non working partners (no work test if looking after children or retraining or caring for others)
This pandemic would be a good time to roll it out in this limited way.
It’s a really good way to support internship and less formal apprenticeship, and the gig/casual-part-timer and entrepreneur wannabee.
Confirms the results from the Canadian mincome experiment.
Promising, for those of us that like evidence based policies.
"- The basic income seems to have increased activity of different kinds among those who were active already earlier. Then again, for those who were in a challenging life situation before the experiment, the basic income does not seem to have solved their problems, says Helena Blomberg-Kroll, professor at the University of Helsinki"
"In the basic income experiment, 2,000 unemployed persons were paid a monthly tax-exempt basic income of 560 euros regardless of any other income they may have had or whether they were actively looking for work. "
https://www.kela.fi/web/en/news-archive/-/asset_publisher/lN08GY2nIrZo/content/results-of-the-basic-income-experiment-small-employment-effects-better-perceived-economic-security-and-mental-wellbeing
"The most common income level of full-time and salaried employees in Finland was some 2,500 euros per month in 2016, according to fresh data from the country's statistics-crunching agency. Statistics Finland reports that the median of total earnings of full-time wage and salary earners was EUR 3,001 per month in 2016."
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/median_income_in_finland_3000_euros_per_month_before_taxes/9844217
Yes, the emphasis on starting circumstances seems to illustrate some of the criticisms levelled at it here from time to time, while the overall satisfaction and slight increase in activity reflects the positives, lol
I think it suggests that maybe any UBI needs to be in addition to targeted assistance, not a replacement. It's not much good if it leaves people in difficult circumstances behind.
not much good indeed
Of course its social science so its difficult to draw any conclusions for or against a specific model (of how employment works) but one outcome should be to compare the outcome against the reasonable models and infer how believable they are.
If anything (so tenuously) this result implies that the idea of unemployment (specifically involuntary unemployment) as an individual phenomena due to individual motivation, or ability to conduct a job search on their income, or other individual basis was mildly rejected by this experiment. Its also a further rejection of the long run equilibrium idea of mainstream economics as a general equilibrium state has by definition zero involuntary unemployment.
Of course this would also suggest proposing a UBI as the primary response to the technology destroying jobs narrative is not going to be an application of evidence based public policy.
goddamn, I had to have a nap before going into those fifty-dollar words lol
Part of it comes down to why the 12% who remained "barely hanging on" had no improvement. What about their situations was such a challenge – I think that's a lively area for further research.
in the long run Kalecki would disagree with you….and he has a track record
I'll be mighty impressed if you can show me any reasonable Kalecki quotes which suggest whatever your saying. Especially if your saying Kalecki thought general equilibrium analysis was a reasonable idea.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01603477.2002.11490346?src=recsys
Even though hes correct (IMO) given the current situation we may short term seek to do a Nelson in order to gain time…as Keynes said…in the end we are all dead etc
And your saying this means what? It doesn't even seem clear what is supposed to be incorrect about my comment, let alone why in particular Kalecki would disagree, or what he is correct about, or what a Nelson is, or why we might do one.
For mine, I would roll out a UI for those under 25, not in full-time work or in full-time study (they would get more on SA or living costs off the loan and can earn more on top of that as it is). This supports internship/apprenticeship and the casual/part-time/gig workforce.
Talking yesterday, and the resignation of the NZNO president and three members of the executive came up.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/121349234/three-more-resignations-at-new-zealand-nurses-organisation
The union seems to be in disarray if so many senior folk resign in the midst of a pandemic. 5 vacancies on the board including the president and the vice president.
I did find this letter from Grant Brooks on TDB, but it sheds little light.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/04/24/guest-blog-grant-brookes-my-resignation-as-nzno-president/
In the last round of wage bargaining, the union seemed too close and comfortable with the Ministry and they massively undermined their membership with the announcement of 500 new nurses was made during negotiations.
I wish what passes for the media intelligentsia in this country would stop pretending to be constantly confused by what are quite straightforward guidelines from the government just so they can have another little whine.
Tell me about it! So far Morning Report this morning has just been one half-baked reckon after another.
Corin Dann just now – you could almost literally hear squirming in his seat with pleasure as he got a moaner from hospo to say "kick in the guts".
RNZ has turned into a parade of poor little me reckons asking for an exception.
Morning Report is a total waste of space this morning.
It should be renamed "Moaning Report". I can't be bothered listening anymore.
Also on morning report this morning:
Transport spokesman: "mass transport will have stickers on seats, red means leave vacant, green means sit here"
Suzie (spoken with great gravitas): "that's no good if people are colour blind"
That’s when they lost me today. Utterly pathetic from Susie Ferguson. She’s another journo who’s not having a good pandemic.
Suzie (Susie?) was a classic example of the nit-picking we've seen over the last few weeks. Auckland Transport, I think it was, is doing their level best to make level 2 a success.
Suzie was doing her best to frame it as not good enough. Yes, it's true, a person with colour blindness may have a problem, 4.5% of the population, I think. I suspect fellow passengers would assist anyone who has a problem. Kindness, people. Most kiwi's are not stupid or unkind.
I occasionally tune in and them almost immediately tune out again.
Good luck with that….the number of jonolists asking if 10 people could be exceeded over and over and the stuff merger showed it's all about 'gotcha' and their masters checklists.
Very few if any questions for JA and Bloomfield they've not already answered.
No wonder she goes direct on FB,everyone in the room watching thought the jonos were like children doing the ‘are we there yet’ routine.
NZ went into a hard early lockdown because our lack of capacity to deal with a pandemic (see: Greece) focused minds in a way that perhaps, say, Donald Trump hasn't.
NZ is moving to level 2 ahead of other countries because 1) level 4/3+KFC worked and 2) level 4/3+KFC has brought us the time required to create within our health system the capacity to implement a viable testing, tracking and tracing strategy.
That is it. The is the guts of the story. But I don't think I've even read that in a paper in this country. But I'd really, really like to know the story behind how we built a full pandemic response capability in less than two months. Where did the kits and PPE come from? Were they result of quiet deals between NZ and other countries or did we just have to do a price no obstacle effort on the open market? What actually happened in the early days regarding testing? This looks like a dramatic story that needs telling.
Totally. The closest so far has been Duncan Greive on the comms aspect. https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/11-05-2020/a-masterclass-in-mass-communication-and-control/
For example, I recall seeing the PM on a call with the leader of Singapore early on in which they agreed to keep critical medical supply links open. Is that how we got our testing kits? I don't know, most likely not – but the point is no one in the media has bothered to find out.
It would be interesting to know how that particular verbal agreement panned out with Singapore – especially as NZ has a quiet but increasingly deep defense relationship with Singapore.
The horrific truth is that we could only secure medical supplies through the trade of sentient beings.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/covid-19-test-kits-tonnes-medical-supplies-singapore-arrive-in-auckland
I missed that story, thanks! Cows are very tasty, and proved their worth to NZ by making the ultimate sacrifice.
Cow muscle and fat are tasty and you can trim off the gristle to avoid having to chew it The stomach boils down well to tripe and a young cow's liver tastes good too. No one wants to eat cow brains or eyes, but you can boil down the bones for stock if you can be bothered. The skin could make leather. The remains "blood and bone". Pancreas, kidneys, lungs, ovaries, udders, hair, nose, uterus, bladder probably end up in the blood and bone. Hooves once made glue and jelly. You're right Sanctuary cows are worth a lot to NZ. And of course before the works they produce milk and calves, so all good !
I saw that Parker had signed the trade agreement between the two countries. Good to see it working for both countries. Looks like a better idea than TPPA – maybe based on trade not corporate welfare and control.
Yet even he referred to the "Void" of other Ministers standing with her. They were safe at home, keeping in touch and operating by Zoom. In their bubble.
Far from sinister it was sensible.
But I'd really, really like to know the story behind how we built a full pandemic response capability in less two months.
We didn't. Civil defence and DHB's and government agencies and private sector business owners all worked on a pandemic response about 10+ years ago. A lot of work following on from previous work. Lots of things were thrashed out.
You missed the "Truck drivers moan about not being able to get KFC! End lockdown now!" story.
For me it was walking the 'hood & seeing the bears in people's windows that made me realise we are in this together.
Me too! But my teddies want to know when they can go and have a picnic in the woods with all their friends!
How well this conversation encapsulates the political and social smarts of our PM.
Her opposition will talk about "they" as in "They oughta do something about…." but Ardern talks about "we" and "the team of 5 million". She is about inclusion, togetherness, cooperation.
Remember what the criticism was that Obama levelled recently at Trumpian style politics and widespread social exclusionary views of 'the other".
He said, ""This election that's coming up — on every level — is so important because what we're going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party," Obama said. "What we're fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy — that has become a stronger impulse in American life."
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/09/politics/obama-trump-coronavirus-response-flynn-case
The PMs speech writers deserve a hearty pat on the back.
There have been some great metaphors. Yesty's one about us being a wall for each other hit the right note.
Yes 🙂 And that's the key to it, people working together to rid the virus.
Something MAGA can't seem to grasp or even comprehend. They are so hell bent on an us v's them mentality, no matter the situation or the cost. It's messed up.
Don’t hold your breath for any of that Sanctuary.
"No wonder she goes direct on FB". 442,000 went to FB to watch her. 2K comments which on a small sample I counted were 3:1 women. Amazing numbers. 1 in 5 households.
How many watched the 4 pm broadcast, I wonder? All of that contact with the public without the influence/interpretation/editing of media journalists. It's on a par with Roosevelt's fireside chats.
Can we have more political engagement like that during the election? Let the people hear. Let the journalists prognosticate after the speeches and interpret, but having journalists/media 'personalities' asking the questions based on recent performances demeans the political process.
Apparently this technique is called "performative stupidity" and it is a standard go-too for much of the NZ media. Experienced journalists and commentators pretend to not understand or fail to research something so it can be lazily mocked from a position of safe ignorance.
From what I hear from other folk, the journos are a reflection of their readership.
The amount of people that can spin their situation so that the rules don't apply to them.
The Health Minister is a good example. Moving house wasn't against the rules, but it isn't a good look considering his other actions.
Did I hear the PM say on Morning Report that she wouldn’t be firing him?
Correct.
If he were to be fired then he would be by now. His example was not flash for someone in a leadership role.
No probably not. But Also probably not a career ending malfeasance either.
You know he moved two doors up the road before the Lockdown started? But he maintained his office – presumably with the incoming owners' agreement – for a short time probably because he was too busy to shift it due to the fast moving pandemic developments.
But of course the media wouldn't want to dwell on that because it would make it all look reasonable in the circumstances. The boxes he was seen carrying up the road were likely office equipment he transferred bit by bit.
OMG what a terrible crime. 🙄
No crime but a piss poor example.
A lack of judgement that was repeated.
So you didn't read my comment – the first paragraph in particular?
It was, in short, a pathetic media beat-up of an unfortunate situation over which David Clark had no control. Some local Nats must have been stalking him – no doubt with the help of a nasty neighbour.
Yes, the bike ride was a lack of judgement for which he profusely apologised and offered his resignation to the PM. It was not accepted. End of story.
End of story for you Anne, yes.
Yes I read Anand comprehend yr first paragraph.
My point is the example that was set. The Minister of Health should be an exemplar during a pandemic. To borrow one of our PMs metaphor- he dropped the ball.
BTW, I haven't learnt about his house moving from the press. It came from a senior nurse, who had met and spoke with the minister. She held him in very high regard and us now more than a tad disappointed in her boss.
Over-reactions at a very tense time. And I would be saying the same thing if it had befallen a National health minister in the same situation.
Btw, the walk with his bubble on an isolated beach was replicated thousands upon thousands of times throughout NZ under Code level 4. I went twice to a local beach and there were several hundred others there at the same time. No-one intruded on anyone else's space and civility was the norm. The police tacitly kept their distance and I applaud them for showing commonsense. Had there been any disregard for the outdoor rules they would have been on the scene in a jiffy.
And it was the minister himself who informed during a short interview that he and his family moved to their new house shortly before the lockdown started. It should come as no surprise that, as far as I can tell, no media outlet bothered to report it.
I agree Anne, I found the whole thing quite hypocritical, BFD.
Half the time media/tories complain JA treats people like children, the other half of the time they are complaining shit's too difficult and they don't know what's going on even after being told three times.
Possible side effect of the pandemic: PM more sympathetic to giving teachers a pay rise 🙂
"Possible side effect of the pandemic: PM more sympathetic to giving teachers a pay rise 🙂"
My students never got a third warning. Warning number two came with that as a rider.
If people weren't so prone to behaving like petulant toddlers, perhaps she wouldn't have to treat them like children.
"Don't go outside and wander aimlessly about. You might contract a potentially fatal illness, spread it to your family, and everyone could die."
"But… I want to go to the pub. And the hairdresser. And McDonald's. Fascism! Police state! The shameless violation of my civil liberties!"
"Okay. Fine. But take this shovel. You'll need it to dig your own grave."
Legal Beagle: "This is one of those occasions where the distinction between the House of Representatives and the Parliament of New Zealand matters, so I will endeavour not to stuff it up, but it is useful to begin with the question of where the House gets its powers. In short, it gets them from Parliament. The House acts in a multitude of ways. Parliament acts in one way: enacting legislation." https://publicaddress.net/legalbeagle/parliamentary-privilege-and-the-summonsing/
Graeme Edgeler splits a constitutional hair to illuminate a dual collective function of MPs, then explores the likely consequences of the summonses issued to the DGH/CP/SG by the Epidemic Response Committee.
"The Attorney-General also argued that there was no need for the Committee to see the advice, and that in investigating the legality of the Government’s response to the epidemic, it was potentially trampling on the role of the Courts. I cannot accept this."
"It is the role of parliamentary committees to report to the House of action it might wish to take. If a committee considers that there is need for legislative action, it need not wait for a Court to rule that the Government behaved unlawfully."
"Of course, the House should be careful, but there will times, as the House of Commons determined in 2018, that it’s interest in conducting its business outweighs the Crown’s interest in keeping relevant material from it. I would go so far as to say that if the law does not permit [the] House to require the production of advice from the Crown’s lawyers, it should be extended to allow it."
So there are serious implications for our democracy at play in this saga, and readers ought not to allow the superficial impression of grandstanding to distract them – even though that impression is entirely reasonable!
Edgeler is a constitutional law expert. He has earned the right to be as nuanced as he wants.
That was a great link thanks.
it will be very interesting to see what happens with this.
I find it interesting that the government is saying their advise was completely different from the draft (and it may well be). But they do seem to be pushing back in this waaaaaay too much.
wouldn’t be shocking If the documents come out that it wasn’t as clear cut as they are saying.
Pushing back way too much. Are they? Really? For my money this is in the same category as the so-called gagging email. Both issues seem to have gotten the Wellington beltway hugely exercised but NZers couldn’t really give a toss. In fact I think if you asked, most people wouldn’t really mind if the PM was seen to exercise her power a bit more overtly. That’s not say these matters aren’t important, it’s just that there’s another massive issue that’s the dominant matter right now.
Yesterday I received an email from my work detailing the restructuring process going forward. In essence the company (which has been really successful thus far) will shrink by about 25 to 30% over the next year. So that’s 25% of my work colleagues who were advised of redundancy process yesterday. What do you think is top of mind for them right now James?
“In fact I think if you asked, most people wouldn’t really mind if the PM was seen to exercise her power a bit more overtly.”
perhaps you miss the point that she *may* have exercised power that she didn’t lawfully have. And more than that she *may* have received advise that it wasn’t legal.
I have no idea what your business is – but perhaps some of them may think our business has been shot by this lockdown. We could have safely been open and this government has cost me my livelihood.
Exactly James – she *may* have done this or she *may* have done that. Mr Edgeler’s opinion is just one of many, though I do respect his view. I’m sure mightier minds than ours will decide. That still doesn’t detract from my observation that a lot of NZers have bigger more personal issues to deal with.
At the top of the thread you’re trying to take the high ground by claiming that the government was slow to act on border closures, yet here you’re decrying the steps they actually have taken to deal with the crisis. Make up your mind bro.
"this government has cost me my livelihood."
Name the party or politician that opposed the lockdown.
There are none in Parliament.
Gee James – if I am reading your posts correctly – nothing was really right about the lockdown or the documents or anything here in New Zealand. That's pretty sad and I know that you must be upset. But do cheer up – I saw that someone flew to the USA the other day so that must still be a possible journey. You could catch a flight there and enjoy a lockdown which is pretty much the direct opposite of the one here. You most likely would feel much more comfortable and therefore a lot happier – rather than being miserable here.
When, where, and who said it was “clear cut”? It can’t have been that legal genius (I forgot his name, for the briefest of instants), because he’s not part of Government.
The two key points in that piece – assuming that some of the hair splitting is correct (which to me seems unlikely).
It is parliament that could have the authority and
My bold.
Effectively that is exactly what happened in the UK in 2018.
Does anyone know if the ERC has actually requested that from Mallard? Or was it like the 'lack of information' that the tone-deaf loudmouth was pushing Bloomfield with. Bloomfield has responded to that (see below) essentially saying 'you haven't asked' with a polite sub-text of 'pillock'.
The issue for me is really about ineffectual idiotic grandstanding on the ERC ny blowhard looking for headlines and votes rather than being effective. If he’d wanted to be effective rather than grandstanding, my guess is that he could have just asked rather than demanding. And I gather that access to the advice was offered
https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/media/erc-letter-7may2020.pdf
signed by the Speaker
That's interesting. Did the mallard duck? A shrewdy, him. May have issued them without signing. "Ah, dearie me, an omission." Distracted by something else, perhaps, at the time. Or maybe blame the junior staffer involved.
All good fun, but I suspect he did sign them, since Parker declared he wants the Privileges Committee to examine the issue.
Up to your usual tricks Frank
"But, assuming they have been served facially valid summonses (ie signed by the Speaker, etc.)
Yet you run off that has been signed by Speaker, and assume what Mallard has done.
The AG has referred to the Speaker the privilege claim, not the Privilege Committee
https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/how-parliament-works/parliamentary-privilege-in-new-zealand/
You're wrong: "I suspect he did sign them". Do try to read what I wrote before mouthing off. 🙄
read what I wrote ?……cafes arent open yet and yet this is your word salad
"That's interesting. Did the mallard duck? A shrewdy, him. May have issued them without signing. "Ah, dearie me, an omission." Distracted by something else, perhaps, at the time. Or maybe blame the junior staffer involved."
A 'suspect' requires evidence but you just make up more happenings before falling flat on your face over what Parker did. You should put on an orange wig and do satire..theres money it doing it that way
UK in 2018 was different , regarding the legal Advice on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement – which was to be voted on later by the Commons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit_withdrawal_agreement
It wasnt a Committee of the Commons it was the full parliament. First on a motion from Keir Starmer to publish the Legal advice , as the Government abstained passed without a vote.
Later when the May government refused to publish the advice the Commons again on vote of the full house passed a motion that it was contempt (311 votes to 293)
Of course Bercow as Speaker was egging all these motions on. Mallard would rule them invalid in NZ and national doesnt have a majority to pass its motions
Edgeler is being highly misleading to suggest The Commons was 'exercising a power.' and then that the UK Commons translates to an NZ Committee.
Its seems to be 'car boot lawyer' level advice
It was a straight out partisan vote
A similar situation happened with the legal advice over the Iraq war, defeated by 283 to 192, as Blair had a large majority.
In NZ, select committees are an arm of parliament have essentially the same powers as parliament – if the speaker or possibly the privileges committee decide to pursue whatever they were after.
However conventions are really hard to overrule simply because the speaker hoards those for a real issue, rather than something like Simon Bridges posturing like a tone-deaf and incompetent fool.
In the UK, Bercow while being a conservative MP, saw that there was sufficient support across the house and across partisan lines for more information, and there was a clear need for it as the information being provided to the house to make legislation on was (ummm) excessively groomed. That was why he was rightfully pushing it. The speakers primary job is to protect parliament from passing bad legislation or going into disrepute for doing it and to promote informed debate in the house.
Just a reminder that the core benefit is income tested, not cash asset tested. This means you could have say $1,000,000 in the bank and still qualify for any of the core benefits.
However the income from your money would be taken into account.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300009971/ministry-of-social-development-investigating-after-work-and-income-benefit-bungle
RW "a whole bunch of ppl have lost their livelihoods!"
me "thank goodness we have social welfare, but it really should be higher, less punitive, couples should be able to claim, etc.."
RW "Well I wouldn't go that far…"
The interest from $1M would fail the income abatement, but it would be interesting to know what amount of asset cuts off the eligibility.
You just make sure any return on the $1m does not come to you during the relevant time. Trusts are very handy for owning things like houses on your behalf as well.
and, of course, you can just spend that million at $25k a year for forty years. As a topup to the benefit.
WINZ require beneficiaries to declare Trusts. Not sure what the rules are around assets in Trusts and if they count them in the asset test.
I was thinking more about the redundancy payments and at what point the income from interest negated the benefit. It's probably reasonably high.
It's my money and …
Over the past few weeks, Tauranga and Auckland have done nothing but worry about their money. They are shedding crocodile tears into all the land and tarmac, night and day.
Even the Sky tower is throbbing miserably away, covered with money measles. They don't give a damn about a thing called Covid -19. Not a single thing.
Which is why we have to take the money off them. They have had untold years of placing the Nation into Poverty.
Just to begin with, they will not have free Health. Or any benefits – whatever.
In Short, All Businesses, Lawyers, Builders and Share Holders, Financiers, will be levied to realistic amounts.
The days of Upping the cost of Electricity – are over!
Interesting legal bullying stoush in Labour: "Labour MP Louisa Wall is preparing to take legal action against her own party over a bid to oust her from her Manurewa electorate, Newsroom understands."
"The threat of a court case played out in the public eye stems from the party’s decision to accept a late nomination from lawyer and recently-appointed Waitematā DHB board member Arena Williams, seen as a viable threat to oust the incumbent." https://www.newsroom.co.nz/politics/2020/05/11/1167589/legal-action-looms-over-labours-manurewa-selection
"There was a feeling that Labour’s national headquarters was overreaching into the local selection process to push out candidates who senior MPs did not like, or who were not fully compliant with the messaging from the top of the party."
For some reason the Labour Party leadership has had quite a beef against Louisa for some time. For some reason they don't see her as a team player. Even though she has more success than most MP's in getting members bills through into law.
I hope she wins her case. It is very shonky practise for HQ to accept a late nomination, especially against a sitting MP. To do so, means that HQ is doing more than applying the rules, they are actively trying to remove an MP. And they are doing so without regard to proper process.
It is not as if the rules are unclear. There are specific time frames that are well understood. Would be candidates are expected to comply with them. And if they don't, well that should be that. They had their chance.
I suspect that the issue isn't so much the Labour NZ Council, but more what happens inside the electorate. From the link above one of the challengers was
(which is rather unusual)
and
This isn't exactly abnormal in Labour electorate organisations. Volunteers have choices of just walking away (essentially what I did in Mt Albert after looking at David Shearer for a while – plus it allowed me to put more effort here) or trying to mount a challenge (which appears to be what is happening here).
Yeah right – it is clear that you haven't read the Labour constitution which is, in my view, a moderately incoherent accumulation of about 100 years of amendments put forward and debated at Labour party conferences – that badly needs a bit of a rewrite by a constitutional lawyer. Because you can find something in there to argue just about every position.
This is the latest version of the rules and constitution as held by the electoral commission. All 120 pages of it.
https://elections.nz/assets/Party-rules/Labour-Party-Rules-and-Constitution.pdf
So true. My former experiences as an LP official back in the 1970s and early 1980s tells me that there are always conflicting ambitions within local electorate organisations which occasionally break out into all out war. It applies equally to National as it does Labour or any other political party. They're often very tricky to handle and malfeasance is not uncommon.
I have no knowledge of the background here but personality clashes between old hands and relative newcomers is usually at the bottom of it.
Rule 8.2.2 seems reasonably clear.
I presume the notice seeking nomination actually had the closing date of nominations on the Notice. I would have thought that in this situation you either get your nomination in by the due date, or you miss out.
It is not obvious to me from the Rules and the Schedules that that a late nomination can actually be accepted. To do so would require the NZ Council to override the Rules, but where is their power to do that.
You will note that there is nothing to say that your assumption is correct? There is also nothing to say that a late nomination cannot be accepted.
If you look at 8.2.2 and 8.2.4 in conjunction, they effectively say that there are two time limits that much be met. But they're not definitive.
As far as I can see the actual hard limit is the Q&A session in section 8.6. There isn't any report of that happening.
Well, I guess the Court will inform us one way or the other.
That is my guess.
I have read a few decisions based on the rule book for NZLP and the odd one for the National party.
I get the impression that the judges weren't impressed by quality and tightness of the
codingphrasing.As you would know she was part of a minority in caucus supporting Cunliffe for leader, but he won because of party member support. And she has been on the outer with caucus since – the notable MP passed over for posts in 2017 (basically an invitation to the electorate to mount a chellenge).
Here she has lost local electorate support, the faction of the older white heterosexual men Hawkinesque is making a challenge seeing her position as weakened because her support for transgender activists has upset feminists.
Basically the centre did not not like the look of what the local electorate was throwing up as next Labour candidate and so parachuted in someone else.
remember that the Labor party was in total dissarray prior 2017 and there has been a series of high profile gaffes and misconduct since. The whole mess is held together by jacindas personal popularity and ability. Expect a Purge! It has to be done.. "lets do this"!!
Yes only polling at 55% Xanthe….Nats languishing in the 20's…or maybe teens by now?
Move to Oz if you want to spell it Labor
Louisa Wall would belong within whatever remains of a left wing presence in NZ Labour, yes?
Heh. You're asking the wrong person! Fwiw, my two cents, an identity politics frame would indeed seem to locate her there. Using an economic lens (traditional leftism), who knows?
It was more intended as a question for anyone. I wouldn't equate identity politics with "left", but hey…
I do believe the purge to be successful will remove those who hold their place by virtue of their "identity". Ability needs to become the new metric!
Simon’s trying to take credit for the move to Level 2, “it was our idea, we’ve been calling for it for ages…”.
Good grief.
Watch nationals media puppets pick that up and run with it
The Herald already has.
“When I was conceived, it was my idea to name me Simon. In fact, I had the idea when I was still a twinkle in my father’s eye.”
Yet another Russia gate wheel falls off…..
Bombshell: Crowdstrike admits 'no evidence' Russia stole emails from DNC server
No evidence of a hack.
Charges against the Internet Research Agency dropped.
Michael Flynn deliberately set up.
The Mueller Report and the Steele Dossier and toilet paper.
'Funny' how no-one of a liberal disposition has anything to say these days after being so agitated over anyone who was calling bullshit at the time.
And the next time an intelligence agency makes a claim but says it can’t release any fcking evidence to back their claim up, you think those same liberal folks will pause and reflect or rush to sing in the chorus? 👿
Yeah, I have to say this whole Russiagate thing ( and then Bernie's sad demise) has left me pretty disillusioned with politics in general and the liberal (so called) left in particular, the ease in which so many people who I really thought were intelligent observers have allowed themselves to be manipulated has been quite incredible to witness.
I was watching a Trump speech attacking the Chinese over Covid 19 last night and was reading he comments, which were about as stupid as you would imagine and then doubled, I pointed out how easy these Trump supporters are lead around by Trump to my wife, her retort was "how is that any different to most liberals" ..sadly she was right, and I had no answer.
+1 to all three comments.
Just had a look at jacinda Ardern's FB page.
her last five personal update videos have the following viewer figures:
455,000 (last night, still going up)
766,000
658,000
1,000,000
1, 600,000
895,000 average views.
These are phenomenal numbers. Simon Bridges gets in the few thousands range. These are the sort of figures you expect from a super star entertainer, not a PM of a small country in the South Pacific. Her cut through over the head of the MSM is simply incredible.
Yep.
yup no wonder they pissed off. they thought they controlled the message and politicians just had to put up with it no matter what. well they were wrong! jacinda is way over their heads.
NCEA from Level 2 onwards. Our local high-school is now removing some elements of the curriculum and the associated assessments – thereby reducing the total number of credits available for the year. I'm OK with that if it applies to all schools in the country – and NCEA's mania for assessment is one of the things that makes it so ridiculous in the first place anyway.
However, if 'elite' schools can get away with it, they will certainly not do the same thing. Because the purpose of elite schools is to deliver an advantage for the children of rich parents over the children of poorer parents – they will see this as a grand opportunity to deepen and extend that advantage.
Don't worry about elite schools and their educational programmes.
Over a few weeks we've heard about fruit pickers and farm workers being needed and workers in other menial jobs. I can see it now, around the breakfast tables of the elite, parents encouraging Giles and Penelope, Millicent and Oliver to take up careers picking apples and packing Kiwifruit.
And when the kids are at their elite school there'll be the inspirational speeches from principals or headmasters or rectors or whatever fancy tag they've got. "Your country needs you! Head to the provinces! And bursting into song;
"You an’ me, we sweat an’ strain
Body all achin’ an’ racked wid pain,
Pickdat fruit!
Lif’ dat bale!
Do dat work!
You cannot fail! ……."
And after rousing, exciting and moving their charges to lives they previously didn't know existed, retreating to counselling sessions to deal with the most terrible impact of the pandemic in New Zealand: The First XV they'd bought and cultivated to prove their superiority, not being able to go out and smash the schools they'd bought the players from.
I see luxon gets a soapbox about public transport out east in granny, his new role must be a cruise with no electorate to serve officially yet.
Someone needs to remind him national f'd up akl with supercity and their well documented lack of infrastructure spend on akl transport
I saw that, it seemed to be about AMETI. That project has taken far, far to long.
Well this is good news…
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-12/alan-jones-retires-from-radio/12237330
Classy response from PM when asked about this at her 1 pm presser:
"I feel sorry for anyone who's sick" (not verbatim quote, but gist). Nothing more.
One important political skill is knowing what NOT to say. For politicians that's not as easy as it seems. They often like to add a little dig … it's hard to resist.
She resisted. Which was far more effective than any dig.
Obviously, some of the purveyors of liquid fueled mayhem now want to move into the realms of becoming facilitators of viral catastrophe: https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/drinks/300009889/were-gutted-bars-cant-open-until-one-week-after-first-day-of-alert-level-2. Do revenue fueled bar owners think that Wellingtonians have forgotten the scenes at Courtenay Place the weekend before L4 when the need for restrictions was 'smack you in the face' obvious. Hopefully when the alcohol only outfits are able to ply their trade with a few restrictions, there will be tight policing and quickly imposed shut-downs so that they learn that there are bounds to self-serving irresponsibility.
"China has issued a stern rebuke to New Zealand, urging it to "stop making wrong statements" on the issue of Taiwan's membership of the World Health Organisation or risk damaging the two nations' relationship. The comments came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who told a news conference in Beijing that New Zealand's stance was a violation of the "one China" policy, which he said is the political foundation of our bilateral relationship." https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12331174
"Expressing a "personal position" last week, Peters told reporters: "In the interests on international health you want every country in an international organisation designed to improve the world's health. It's just logic.""
So what we have here is a communist fella trying to pretend that NZ said something wrong in response to a personal opinion expressed by Winston. Well, who would expect a communist to recognise the right of an individual to express an opinion? It takes a certain amount of intelligence to figure out there's a difference between a person and a country. Communists lack that.
Complexifying the situation is the traditional policy of both China & Taiwan: One China. Each claiming to be its rightful representative. Is Taiwan a country, as Winston suggests? Yes, a tradition of around six millennia of indigenous occupancy – before annexation by a Chinese emperor a few centuries back. Seems to be de facto independent currently, too, ever since WWII. Winston ain't wrong!
Well how disturbing – a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman reminds the Minister of Foreign Affairs that he is not entitled to very publicly express an opinion that undermines a political foundation of a bilateral relationship. Should there be no consequences, not even polite reminders, for breaching terms of formal contracts? The rights and wrongs of China's relationship with Taiwan are not the issue – what is, is that the Minister should be more circumspect, especially when trade worth billions of dollars annually are at stake. Ministers have lost their portfolios for less.
IS the one china policy the foundation and basis etc etc, or did china decide that?
One China Policy is , but not the One China principle which says that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the PRC.
Winnie's statement of support for Taiwan as an observor at WHO is government policy and regarded by us as consistent with our one China position. We have it based on the fact that Taiwan is self-governing and part of a world where collective action is taken during a global pandemic.
k – so imagine if he'd said Wales ought to have WHO membership. Or Scotland. Or Catalonia.
That wouldn't be seen as messing with the internal affairs of a foreign country?
He's the foreign minister and knows full well that NZ recognises the Peoples' Republic of China – just as it recognises Spain and the UK.
That analogy works if those countries have de facto independence – which they don't. Yet. I see the global trend as being toward devolution. A more nuanced view is as much realpolitik as clinging to the 20th century frame – if you factor in the future to balance the past. In the present, you can be creative in tilting the balance one way or the other as needs be. On that basis, I acknowledge Winston's style.
You might see it as a global trend, PRC sure doesn't.
The main issue isn't so much with the position Peters took, as the diplomatic tone he used. I.e., nondiplomatic.
The position was broadly consistent with NZ's position on Taiwan, but the key to that is to not be too obvious about it.
I suspect it was partially a domestic PR job, partially that Peters doesn't like being treated with the same arrogance he has for everyone else, and partially that he'd like to see NZ pivot more strongly towards the US and pissing off the Chinese is a way to do that.
Yeah, nothing there I'd disagree with. But rather than pro-US, I'd go with a stance balancing them & China. Equidistant, as in the equilateral triangle. Applied metaphysics: best way to reframe a polarity. Averse to metaphysics? Use the old term from the protest movement back in the 1970s: non-aligned.
What you would prefer and what Winston would prefer are different things
The position was broadly consistent with NZ's position on Taiwan
Not quite understanding that statement. NZ officially recognises the Peoples' Republic of China. That means officially, they do not recognise the Republic of China (or whatever Taiwan calls itself).
So then it's absurd to suggest NZ would/should petition for Taiwan to be a part of any international body comprised of nation states.
Some of the subtleties are expanded upon by a newsroom bit.
Sometimes, diplomacy is a bit like Schrodinger's Diplomacy: both things are true until someone makes a big song and dance about it, upon which the other participants are shocked and outraged that such a thing could ever have happened.
So yeah, it's like if members of a multinational organisation decided Catalonia had some practical input or involvement that Spain was not reflecting, and as long as nobody said Catalonia was independent (e.g. got a vote at the table of independent countries), Spain would ignore their presence. Spain wouldn't be happy, but for the sake of practicality just might not see them there, and "believe" the comments that Catalan presence is purely as observer status, alongside first nations representatives and the Vatican.
Another example of Schrodinger's Diplomacy was the letter of the two sorries, after a PRC fighter and a US intelligence aircraft collided, the Chinese pilot being killed and the spy plane made an emergency landing at a Chinese airbase. As part of the diplomatic resolution, the US sent a letter to China saying it was sorry such a thing had happened. China graciously accepted it as "I'm sorry I did this to you", the US described the contents as "I'm sorry to hear this thing happened to you". Neither forcefully corrected the other, both sides walked away with both interpretations being true because nobody observed exactly which meaning it contained.
Needless to say, Peters would have loudly told the media exactly what he thought the letter meant.
In the present, you can be creative in tilting the balance one way or the other as needs be.
What do you mean "needs be"? That signals an acceptance or approval of one country messing with the internal affairs of another. Are you suggesting that if the so-called Russian interference in the last US elections had been for real (in terms of suggested scale and influence) that you'd have approved?
Does it mean you approve of sanctions, blockades, governments fomenting civil unrest in foreign countries and attempted coups (any objection being merely at the level of 'style')?
No, I was referring to how one uses the triadic structure of time (past/present/future). People assume pragmatism rules. Not necessarily. If you look at history using a geopolitical frame, you see key players like Kissinger, Metternich, Talleyrand, using rulers like pieces on a chess board.
Now, when they do so, they factor in consequences. Into their planning, and the advice they give to rulers, I mean. So its not just realpolitik that determines the top-level outcomes. They are playing trajectories of development and evolution (in the broader, social, sense) as much as they are playing the status quo.
I'm not suggesting Winston is in that league, of course, but I do see him operating with an intuitive grasp of power dynamics in foreign policy, along those lines…
Keep digging Dennis. Your esoteric ruminations are becoming more intriguing each time you respond.
I try to provide a positive alternative. I'm aware that deep context looks too murky to most readers. But like any other contrarian I know convention is the path to boredom so must spice things up somewhat. Really, the point I was making is likely to be self-evident to any good chess player. They have long since become adept at seeing the consequences of moves many moves ahead. The best say they see an entire spectrum of likely trajectories in their minds at each play. I don't claim that ability!
So, not messing with internal politics, merely positioning or alignment – which is a wholly domestic decision and therefor not quite gelling with Winston sounding off on another country's domestic affairs.
He actually wasn't "sounding off on another country's domestic affairs". He was letting them know he sees Taiwan as a country. Which it is. Realism. Why are you so keen to swallow the communist line? They get off on telling others what to think. They even tried to tell him what to say. He demonstrated considerable restraint in not telling them to fuck off, eh?
Did you notice the media story the other day in which Jacinda was quoted referring to Taiwan as a country? So they're on the same page.
Consistent with NZ previous policy
The ringer statement
"Nor is it necessarily inconsistent with the one-China policy that New Zealand adheres to (distinct from the one-China principle, which holds that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China).
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/05/12/1164535/taiwans-who-claims-a-test-of-peters-diplomatic-nous
Which makes me think why do we even care that Stuff sinks or swims when we have material of this calibre
He was letting them know he sees Taiwan as a country. Which it is.
It's no more a country than Scotland is – ie, it isn't recognised as such in the international community of nation states and their legal frameworks.
Or, if you just automatically think of Scotland as a country, then think in terms of Catalonia – same thing.
Or maybe throw aside any analogies and just think of it in the real terms of a defeated ruling clique taking off and fortressing themselves on a country's off shore islands – that they themselves had insisted Japan should return to Chinese rule – where they then instigated single party rule for decades.
Okay, what you're not factoring in is the difference between country & state. No mere technicality! I suggest you read the wikipedia page on sovereignty. Country is a colloquialism – it is in common usage as a general term. The UN & international law refer to states. This usage is structural, restricted, deriving from rulership of large geographic domains. If you look up state as a definition you'll get the gist of how it differs from country.
Taiwan is recognised as a state by some countries, I think, but not most. I vaguely recall it was a UN member (representing China) but was displaced when the UN recognised the communist regime as rulers of China. It is the recognition by other sovereign states that is the crucial signifier of sovereign status – and that principle derives from the earlier geopolitical practice of monarchs in foreign policy.
Yup. A country has no legal standing unless it's a recognised state. And NZs international relations are based on legalities.
I guess any country (state) that recognises Taiwan has no diplomatic relations with China.
Looks like 1971 was the year that they were no longer recognised as representing China at the UN (Just prior to Kissinger visiting China, yes?)
It's their shit to sort out (the political adversaries and the poor fucking Taiwanese who're stuck in the middle).
"…It's no more a country than Scotland is – ie, it isn't recognised as such in the international community of nation states and their legal frameworks…"
God you spout some utter tosh sometimes. The Republic of China (ROC) was a sovereign state on mainland China from 1912, and the Kuomintang has a continuous link as the governing party that sovereign state since that time. The CCP was the victorious faction in the Chinese Civil War and the PRC was declared in 1949. The ROC has as strong legal claim to be the legitimate government of mainland China and an extremely strong claim to be both a de facto and de jure sovereign state, since it maintains it's own armed forces, ststem of government and laws. And Taiwan at least respects the rule of law and is a democracy, unlike the Orwellian regime in Bejing with it's lawless dictator and his murderous mates in the CCP.
Scotland WAS a sovereign state, until the act of union in 1707. Scotland does not have an army, although it retains some internal governance structures. It isn't a sovereign state now, otherwise they wouldn't have had a vote on devolution, would they? If you don't believe me there are several excellent Wikipedia articles will will act as an excellent primer to filling the gaps in your knowledge on the topic.
Catalonia has never been a sovereign state, being part of the kingdom of Aragon from the early/mid 12th century and since 1469 part of the kingdom of Castille and Aragon which is the direct ancestor of the modern Spanish state.
The Republic of China (ROC) was a sovereign state on mainland China from 1912 , and the Kuomintang has a continuous link as the governing party that sovereign state since that time .
China went through a revolution and the Nationalists who governed were defeated in that revolution and so no longer the government.
btw – Taiwan was hardly a bastion of democracy under Kuomintang's declared state of martial law until 1987, aye?
So by that logic, the PRC does not have dominion over Taiwan, because the PLA did not defeat the nationalists on Formosa. 2 Chinas, 2 systems.
You know the whole ceding of Taiwan by Japan was messy as fuck, right?
Anyway. I'd actually like to know what the Taiwanese (not the Chinese) inhabitants of Taiwan want. (They didn't fair at all well under those decades of dictatorship)
apparently that doesn't matter, because the KMT beat them, too so no longer a government there.
Assuming statehood's sole criterion is military success, of course.
Election to proceed on September 19 if at Level 2 or lower.
Who wants to go back to Level 3?
Simon says, "Yes me. Me. It would be wisest as I have always said, stay in Level 3 much longer. This shambolic Government rushed getting out of Level 3 and must return. All the people want to."
I sets 'em up. and you knocks 'em down, ianmac. 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121484712/a-number-of-bunnings-stores-to-close
gathering steam
Earlier this month Bunnings Warehouse cut its salaried workers pay and hours by 20 per cent until it could trade "normally" and has been working with landlords on rent reductions.
And since the wage subsidy was intended to safeguard employment, Bunnings will be paying back the wage subsidy received for soon to be redundant workers?
Or, minimally, they will be offering all affected workers a generous redundancy package (even though I suspect there are no redundancy provisions in their Agreements)?
the workers will be made redundant at the end of the subsidy period …as to redundancy provisions I would expect that which is in the agreements would be implemented….small comfort for those impacted Id suggest and as commented earlier it is but the beginning of many more to come
I get that subsidy period will have ended. I'm suggesting Bunnings had already gone most of the way to deciding what was going to happen, and so acted in bad faith when they accepted the wage subsidy.
Employers like Bunnings tend to have redundancy clauses that run (very loosely) along the lines of "In the event of redundancy, the employee will not be entitled to any redundancy payments".
All that aside, I agree this is just the beginning – that apart from small businesses genuinely going belly up, many bigger players will use the situation to 'rationalise' (or whatever the term that's in vogue is)
"I get that subsidy period will have ended. I'm suggesting Bunnings had already gone most of the way to deciding what was going to happen, and so acted in bad faith when they accepted the wage subsidy."
Working to the letter and not the spirit is to be expected
"Employers like Bunnings tend to have redundancy clauses that run (very loosely) along the lines of "In the event of redundancy, the employee will not be entitled to any redundancy payments"."
You may be surprised to learn not…corporates tend to have redundancy clauses (not withstanding casual employment and contractors)…it is SMEs that are more likely to not have.
"All that aside, I agree this is just the beginning – that apart from small businesses genuinely going belly up, many bigger players will use the situation to 'rationalise' (or whatever the term that's in vogue is)"
Ah 'Rationalisation"…a blast from the past…and something Ben Bernanke said had been defeated…..shows what he knew. SFA
corporates tend to have redundancy clauses
I've been privy to a fair few corporate EAs from my "past life", and don't recall a single one that included redundancy entitlements. If Bunnings EAs have, then yes, I'd be genuinely surprised.
then be surprised…they do…6 and 2…my experience the past 40 years is as stated above. I dont like corporate culture but when it comes to redundancy the facts are they tend to have and honour them (as said casuals and contractors aside)..that dosnt mean its a great model
Yep looks like stores they are likely to have wonted to close anyway. Just taking advantage. But I wouldn't be surprised if their turnover held up pretty well. Overseas holidays are gone so people may spend more on their houses. If it does i would expect any wage cuts to be back paid?
They experienced what all businesses have(and will)…a splurge of pent up activity and then a reduced turnover…yes they were marginal pre covid but many businesses were…the reduced future turnover (discretionary dollar) means regardless of what gov support happens short term means they are not viable in the reduced environment….the sooner we understand that the better….the only question really is which businesses will capture that reduced churn.
They closed two stores in December. They took 32 million in wage subsidies. Covid pushed a teetering model?
Interesting that it seems full steam ahead on site clearance for their new Queenstown store.
Interesting but maybe not surprising….and who knows how secure.
A moveable feast
Just saw on 1 news a Japanese experiment. People at a buffet and self serve. A glow in the dark paint was applied to hands. 30 minutes later the paint (substitute virus) was so obvious in a darkened room on surfaces. Hand washing is so important after touching surfaces.
Worth a watch – short clip speaks louder than words:
Thanks for providing a clip. I knew it was bad but not that bad.
"Economist Tony Alexander said people like the idea of “seemingly free money”." Astonishing! I wonder which equation he used to work that out.
"The idea of a “helicopter payment” – a lump sum of money paid out to all New Zealanders to encourage them to spend – has been mooted as the country ponders its recovery from Covid-19 disruption." https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300010347/new-zealanders-want-payments-from-government
The lolly scramble is no longer an integral feature of kiwi social life, but govt choppers doing local community drops would resonate with older folk as they send their grandchildren out to scoop up the dollars.
"Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr suggested a $1500 payment for all adults would be a “firestarter” for the economy." The kids may need a wheelbarrow.
Australia has 22 new Covid-19 cases today.
Victoria +15, Queensland +6 and Western Australia +1.
https://covidlive.com.au/
Didn't Paddington like to make envious comparisons, casting our policies as murderous for the economy, and Australia's as far superior? (Seem to remember Bridges burbling on in a similar manner..)
“Matter of fact, there’s some major Republicans who are already forming ‘Republicans for Biden,’” the former vice president said. “Major officeholders.”
That's a direct quote from the guy who said he could imagine having a Republican as his Vice President and having Republicans in his cabinet.
If you want to see him come out with that Republicans for Biden stuff (inbetween his good wife doing all of his speaking and reasoning for him) then jump through this link to an 11 min vid of accompanying opinion.
Or this one for the take of Krystal Ball of Rising.
There's a cyclical idea of change that suggests fluid states of change get slowed by increasing inertia until, finally, a crystalisation occurs and things burst apart and a new period of fluidity emerges.
Anyone with a skerrick of awareness knows there's been a coalescing of the so-called opposites within the realm of liberalism's representative democratic framework these past decades.
Jenny Shipley was the first politician I heard suggest that parties across the tiny political divide should just merge and be done with the pretence (NZ Labour and the Nats in the 90s).
Maybe Jenny's idea is finally coming to fruition in the US?
I can't see such an obvious expression of corporatism as any Biden/GOP dealings would represent, going down well, ending well, or lasting long
This is one of the groups you are thinking about.
The Lincoln Group includes Kelly Conway's husband, actively working against Kelly Conway's clilent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GzdrNsSLBU
Wishful thinking.
That's a reference to two years ago joe90, and…nothing to do with what Biden was claiming.
Bitcofer's saying her opinion remains unchanged.
No matter what party talking heads do or say, rank and file repugs remain wedded to their MAGA convictions and are unlikely to swing toward Biden.
That may be true.
But the point of the comment was to highlight a kind of attempted amalgamation of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party…not about how people are likely to vote.
Hands up all who think Soimon will survive till the next election.
Given that this site is riddled (not unlike TDB) with expertise (or at least experiences) of the political class, I'm genuinely interested – if we could keep it kind of 'simple' and not turn it into a battle that tries to demonstrate how utterly smarter and more pontifcatingly accurate ye are to me
I've got an anthem for Soimon (and Pulla, and probably quite a few others for that matter):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yux-OrxLzuk
It's why I can only take TS and TDB in small doses although both are valuable vehicles for the humble peeps to contribute – IF they can get past the fucking ego-driven agendas at play that'll argue to the death at times. Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!! don't they have better things to do?
I appreciate that @ Wayne is still grieving over the demise of the leisure suit and bobby socks and has had imagination bypass surgery. James and a few other just want to show how fucking smart they are and like others, argue to the death (sorry about your livelihood @James – it must be humbling to have to become a dole bludger – or are you jiss jiving? but the Whurl is in turmoil in case you hadn't noticed).
I suspect it's better to just watch and chuckle.
But …. really – giviss ya thorts on the Great Pretender Soimon. Supposedly he's so tuff he can take it – not unloik Pulla. OR all the others ….. from the Jevon's with their new-found (equipped with mamma Hannahs), to the fucking Goldsmiths that are about as charasmatic as a fart in a lift trying to shift blame onto the closest to the door.
Simon's massive ego and arrogance will ensure he survives until the next election and he will take the National Party down with him. Here's my anthem for Simon's failed leadership.
Lonesome Loser by Little River Band
Have you heard about the Lonesome Loser? Beaten by the Queen of Hearts every time. Have you heard about the Lonesome Loser? He's a loser but he still keeps on trying.
Let's just hope the Queen of Hearts (almost typed the Queen of Hearst) isn't Judith
There is only one Queen of NZ politics and her name is Jacinda, our PM.
Simon will survive and thrive because he is a kiwi battler and kiwi battlers vote.
Forgot the sarc. tab?
So depressing. A highly-trained lawyer who seems to have no sense of language, something lawyers should be acutely aware of. Not our Simon. (Graduate from Harvard???) In trying to express the adage 'The cure is worse than the disease', Simon says 'The medicine is worse than the cure'. Spare me days – any semi-educated person knows that in older parlance, the medicine and the cure were the same thing. But not our Simon.
This is depressing because so many Kiwi Battlers, supposedly the future of our enterprising country, still, apparently, support Simon's leadership.
Uncle Sam the loan shark.
Just viewed during TV1 news 6:19 about level 2
"Please rememer to be patient, as some shops may need to limit customer numbers"
Can anyone see anything wrong with this message ??
Spelling mistake "rememer"? 🙂
I cannot take credit in spotting the error, the teacher in the family noticed. Just goes to show how well educated our teachers are 😉. Even if some on "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" blog don't value our teachers.
I note that MP Stuart Smith has apologised for his off-colour comment supporting a National Party staffer who criticised our PM as addressing the nation as if she was talking to six year olds, the intellectually disabled and Labour Party members.
In his apology he said in his defence he had not read the five line tweet before agreeing with it.
He then further said that he "did agree that the Prime Minister does give off a schoolteacher type persona which grates with a lot of people including me."
Run that statement past "the teacher in the family".
I am a former teacher married to a former teacher with a teacher daughter.
Two things from Stuart Smith's statement. What evidence does he have to claim that a lot of people agree with his opinion of 'school-teacher' persona. Why is he locked into a six year old's mentality? What did he do to get that attention, and why is he so sensitive about it?
Secondly, is an apology that stigmatises a thousand people in his electorate, all those teachers and their spouses, their children, their parents, their school board members really an apology?
That thousand number refers only to the teachers in the electorate. 70 electorates and 70,000 teachers in NZ in round figures. Add family and those connected to education you have a lot of people to piss off. A lot of voters.
I won't lose any sleep over your spelling mistake.
Herodotus – I am a semi-retired teacher, and I am horribly disappointed that the obvious typo was what you were after. I spent several seconds looking for deeper, more serious implications. Damn!
24:13 into the link – I did not with a wee smile that an item preceding this was about ECE works achieving a well deserved pay rise with focus of improving the quality of education 🤫
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/live-stream-1-news-6pm-and-seven-sharp
Herodotus, did you notice the misspelling of 'hopsitality' and the incorrect use of 'less' rather than 'fewer' in the same announcement?
My appreciation of the language, spelling and grammar is somewhat lacking I would be the 1st to admit to. I am indebted to the teacher in the family to have noticed one error. I know Peter Williams is not one who is prized here, yet I recall a few instances when live he grammatically corrected a few news items, and I appreciate those who do take standards seriously and occasionally I can still learn and implement the learning. But thanks mac1 for pointing out those 2 other observations.👍🏾
Some clever dick sub at the Herald has titled a piece by Jason Walls on the enabling legislation for Level 2 rules, ‘National moves to block law…’. What planet are these guys living on? National can’t block any legislation in the House, they don’t have the numbers, that’s why they are the Opposition.
Has he been listening to Wayne?
Just determined to get that party into as many headlines as they can, regardless.
https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1259981566874234881/photo/1
NZ is currently best in the world.
US is the worst.
Can we expect a Trump inspired rant about dishonest fake NZ in the near future?
Also, scroll down to Sarah Cooper’s latest. “Obamagate”
Anne – please note that the Nats are unlikely to keep on quoting Australia as the country which brilliantly did the same as us without 'killing the economy.'
If Australian infection rates keep rising, Nats will become as silent about Australia as they now are about Sweden.
But beware. We may stay on top, but given our premature (to my mind) drop to level 2 we could also get what Australia got – a new, climbing infection rate..
He will probably look at this world map and claim we don't even exist:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/76931981/new-zealand-is-being-left-off-world-maps
Do you actually think he can read a graph like that and comprehend its meaning?
He can't even comprehend a tweet that is critical of the Dept of Justice under his "minder" Attorney General Barr.
This just last weekend.
No. But there's a few people at WH who might understand and they could explain it to him. Like… they could cut out all the other countries and just leave the US at the top and NZ at the bottom.
Mind you that presents the strong risk he will think it means the US is at the top cos its the greatest country in the world and NZ's at the bottom cos its the horribilest. 🙄
That is assuming he knows there’s a country called New Zealand. He thought Jacinda was Justin Trudeau’s wife remember.
Kia Ora Newshub.
It will be awesome moving to level 2 tomorrow.
I hope the government will take care of the workers.
I feel sad for those people who are in a crisis already.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
That is a good organisation Te Matawai establishing Te reo Maori in Maori whare.
Cool seeing Auckland transport employing Maori contractors to do mahi at some Marae.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Am Show.
Back to level 2 YEA.
Correct times have changed it will be a waste of money propping up business that are just going to fold once the support stops. It will be better to invest in new enterprise.
Yes I seen the teeth today and yesterday.
Its like Back in the days of old when you just to had work 40 hours a week to have a comfortable life.
Ka kite Ano
Love you my cousin 😇
Kia Ora Newshub.
That's good 50 billion economy stimulis program.
I we had a reunion with the Mokopuna.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I think that Tangata whenua Pacific and the common people can climb high up there ladders of life with the economic stimulis program.
1. billion dollars invested in environmental control and Doc is very cool.
Ka kite Ano