If our finances are so dire and Joky Hen has identified where we can make serious adjustments that will put us back on the right track, how come he won’t implement those changes with immediate effect? Seems to me that if you are haemorrhaging then you apply the tourniquet now This is a sticking plaster approach to managing the economy, where the bleeding is of the government’s making in the first place.
So what do you say to Phil Goff who, although bleating about the changes to kiwisaver, is also reported to have said that Labour would not reverse them.
Another “Axe the tax” campaign coming up?
Phil Goff is still the best leader of the opposition the government can have.
The Herald reports that Goff said “Labour would spread the burden more evenly, although such cuts were difficult to reverse all at once when there was a big deficit.”
He has not said he will not reverse them, only that the timing will need to be managed because of budgetary constraints.
Remind me never to believe anything you say ever again.
lovely .JM. we should use that in a core-flute at election time.Bye the way how many people picked up Brash’s comment on morning report ‘That the poor spend to much money on groceries. Perhaps he wants us to only eat tinned peas?
Was checking on whether I had typed something or changed my mind at the last minute and found the follow-up comments … you guys might like one previously posted:
The above, is the likely main issue around which the General Election will be about.
– and which all the contending political parties will be judged on.
One of the groups that has sought to make tax an election issue is the Tax Justice Campaign.
One of the main calls of the Tax Justice Campaign is the introduction of a Robin Hood tax, relabelled in this country the Hone Heke Tax, after the popular folk hero of New Zealand history.
Tax Justice are asking Kiwis to send a message to John Key following the release of the budget, next week.
“Employers and employees are going to have to shoulder more of the burden.”
and Phil O’Reilly agrees.
Kerr and his mates in the Round Table, however, have said that it is not
the responsibility of business to be involved in socially responsible issues.
It is their business to be as efficient and as profitable as possible.
Seems they would assert that the employee should be providing for himself, work harder, get more money and find his/her own retirement scheme.
Children and teachers at a fifth of the 1,600 schools in Fukushima are receiving at least 20 millisieverts of radiation per year, said Nakate, according to readings from the government. That’s the limit for a nuclear power plant worker, according to Japan’s nuclear safety commission.
Prior to this thing happening children were legally ‘permitted’ 2 millisieverts per year, the Japanese government has OKed the higher dose.
Fukushima is the latest growing disaster the MSM are ignoring, did anyone hear that reactor buildings 3 & 4 were burning for a few days over the weekend, and might still be? And radio active steam and water are still gushing from the plants? With contaminated ground water moving IN land. ‘We’ got more accurate and up to date information from the Russians re Chernobyl …. which was under control 6 weeks after it shit itself, where as Fukushima is at best 9 months away from being ‘under control’ if ever.
There is song that describes what is going to happen globally regarding cancer – Turning Japanese, oh yes I think so ….
For more info that is way beyond our idiot editors, and the even bigger sacks of shit, you know the ones in the Beehive.
Nuclear collapse looms? Fukushima No. 4 reactor ‘leaning’
Look at 4:27 ish on this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxbm7iJTT8U
What you can see is the side of the spent fuel pond gone.
Not that anyone gives a rats arse
Yeah not even to demand the truth out of the ruling cartel, because that would mean learning something themselves …. then dragging themselves off the couch and acting.
There are a few positive moves around the World in terms of closing old Nuclear reactors down and undertaking more inspections. This has been a direct result of people making their voices heard. It’s also a result of some politicians waking up and realising that if they don’t do something, similar “accidents” will occur. However not enough is being done to ensure our safety and the human species survival for that matter.
“The company had “no association” with the contract for the ministerial cars which he said would have been negotiated directly with BMW New Zealand.”
Question: Who has the maintainance contract on these cars. My guess is that it will probably be a Wellington dealership?
There are still questions that need answering…will the great Radio NZ political editor Brent Edwards go looking…or is he happy to regurgitate the National spin.
Speaking of smears and big issues and not fronting them, perhaps the PM might want to put his big boy pants on and do a sit down interview with this guy:
Although deceptive people do not say much, they tend to spontaneously give a justification for what little they are saying, without being prompted.
They are more likely to press their lips when asked a sensitive question and are more likely to play with their hair or engage in other “grooming” behaviors. Gesturing toward one’s self with the hands tends to be a sign of deception; gesturing outwardly is not.
Well this week’s award recipient was pretty easy to choose. Kyle Chapman jumped up and yelled; “I’m an asshole, look at me.” So naturally he was our top candidate. Kyle’s latest ridiculous crusade after taking a break from his National Front duties (to become a Mormon and rut his new wife Claire Clifford), was to start the fundamentalist group Right Wing Resistance (RWRNZ). Incidentally, Claire left the fascist in 2009 when he again became involved in hate campaigns. Wise move.
I started this as an open Letter to old smile and wave, but then I figured he would just ignore and delete so I will put it up here All comments are welcome. BTW I do not write for a living.
John Key You really think you are smart don’t you? you don’t give a flying fuck that you are leading New Zealand to Financial ruin. And you, who worships, and loves nothing more than money, and a job well done, why do you continue to sabotage Ordinary Kiwi’s?? you could have been a good prime minister. however you are a joke now. They Call you Shonky, Jonky, Smile and Wave and other less flattering things. What a legacy. The rich fool who hated his own country so much, that he lived in America. Until he came home to take his revenge against the very system that made him, gave him a safe environment, an education, (school and University) he went on to make millions, and what did he do ? He extracted his revenge on the very system that made him what he is. State Housing (ruined) ACC (ruined ready to be sold) Power Companies (readying them for sale 100% ( Don’t bullshit me)) WINZ ruined (where staff have been gutted, and now are overworked, demoralised, and underpaid). Early learning centres , Kindys and such funding slashed . The Family court that’s screwed now for sure. How will anyone ever get Free legal assistance ever again, or a competent lawyer, the Legal Aid service Slashed and cut. The Womans Refuge for gods sake the last bastion of safety for a battered woman, Funding Gutted. And I am sure others could add many more. And the numerous, faceless public servants that he has ruined, their lives in tatters, Bills to pay, bills that were incurred on a high income, and NO money or help, except to default. Because Winz won’t help if you can get an appointment in under 2 weeks, then you have to be like a performing dog, jumping through what ever hoops they feel like putting you through (You have NO choice in this. No do. NO MONEY). And then along come the vultures your mates they buy up NZ companies that you have ruined for a song. There are no jobs or if there are they don’t hire you. The minimum wage plummets, benefits are slashed, and crime increases and there you have it John Keys Utopia for all to see. A prison country..
Who would have thought Key would have watched Star trek Voyager episode 1 season 1 where a guy called Paris was serving on a prison colony in New Zealand.
Elections tend to be won or lost in Auckland – so, in my considered opinion, opposition to the proposed Auckland ($upercity) Council 4.9% increase, is not to be underestimated.
When the good folk in Epsom, living in their medium/ high value properties, realise that the Citizens and Ratepayer Councillors on 13 December 2010 supported a 3.9% rate increase – when they were led to believe that the Auckland ‘$upercity’ was going to achieve ‘economies of scale’ – I believe that some form of electoral backlash is to be expected….
Nominations are open for an Act candidate to replace Rodney Hide and contest the Epsom electorate in the November 26 election.
“Act has always had a strong presence in Epsom – from 1996, when the party won 22% of the party vote, to the present day,” Auckland South board member Barbara Steinijans said.
“In Rodney Hide the people of Epsom have had strong local representation for the past six years. Once again, Act will be running a strong electorate vote based campaign.”
The incumbent MP, Mr Hide, does not have the support of new party leader Don Brash, although Mr Hide is yet to formally rule himself out from standing in the seat.
Mr Hide won 56% of the vote in the 2008 election, although National won 63% of the party vote.
John Banks was a loud and proud ‘$upercity’ supporter from Day One.
But – the first thing the $upercity -$uper RIP OFF Auckland Council wants to do is to put up residential and commercial rates 4.9%.
So much for the ‘economies of scale’ that were to be achieved by forcibly amalgamating our 8 former Councils, in another ‘Rogernomic$ blitzkrieg’ (without a binding poll of citizens and ratepayers).
For those who just want to jump on the band wagon and blame Mayor Len Brown and the ‘left-leaning’ majority on the Auckland Council – here are the FACTS:
C&R Councillors on 13 December 2010 voted in support of a 3.9% rates increase.
(You will note that young National Party ‘Wonder boy’ (?) Jami-Lee Ross supported a 3.9% rate increase? )
Auckland Council Finance and Strategy Committee meeting 13 December 2010 (Pgs 7-8)
12. Annual Plan 2011/2012 – High Level Budget Review
(c) That the Strategy and Finance Committee agrees a rates target of 4.9% for 2011 -2012 to inform the Mayor’s development of the draft annual plan.
MOVED by Councillor Wood seconded Councillor Fletcher
That a rates increase of not more than 3.9% be struck and officers work to identify further savings.
A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:
For
Councillors
Cameron Brewer
Hon Chris Fletcher
Des Morrison
Callum Penrose
Noelene Raffills
Jami-Lee Ross
Sharon Stewart
George Wood
Against
Councillors
Anae Arthur Anae
Len Brown
Dr Cathy Casey
Sandra Coney
Alf Filipaina
Ann Hartley
Penny Hulse
Richard Northey
Sir John Walker
Wayne Walker
Penny Webster
Councillors Michael Goudie and Mike Lee were absent.
The division was declared lost 8 votes to 11
________________________________________________________________________________
The Auckland Council ‘books’ are NOT open.
If a giant scalpel were to be applied to all that consultant and private contractor BLUBBER, and core council services returned to ‘in-house’ provision (cutting out all these private ‘piggies-in-the-middle’), in my considered opinion, rates could be slashed by hundreds of millions of dollars.
That’s why I’m standing in the Howick by-election.
To help achieve that.
‘OPEN THE BOOKS! – CUT OUT THE CONTRACTORS!’
PS: If you think replacing the ‘bureaucracy’ with the ‘contractocracy’ is so ‘efficient’ – ask yourself this one simple question.
Over the last 20 years – have YOUR rates gone up or down?
Penney I fully sympathasise because we are experiencing the same phenomenon with the Selwyn District Council who have just put up our rates nearly 15% on top of a 20% increase last year for Lake Coleridge Village.
The situation is a wee bit different as these increases are mostly on targeted rates like water and sewage on a small village of 40 households, but having said that we have to pay for a new swimming pool at Rolleston that is about 2 hours drive from here.
This pool cost about 14 million was approved regardless of earthquake damage in the area and on top of $14 million that was spent on building the new council chambers two years ago.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote to Mr Hide (a bit late) but I also wrote to Sue Kedgley we are trying to get the audit office in to have a look at the books.
Yes I agree the more it is outscoursed the less accountability there is, well I guess the most obvious example is contractors putting in their tenders, that has to be treated as commercially sensitive information. Still an auditor can still go through the books without compromising anyones privacy.
Yet they seem powerless and furthermore there doesn’t seem to be any political will to back them up.
So much for Rodney Hide’s promise to put a cap on Rates that exceed the rate of inflation, that promise can’t even be held in a supercity such as Auckland where the economies of scale is vastly different to the Selwyn District in Canterbury.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her colleagues from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden will gather in Greenland’s tiny capital of Nuuk to discuss how to manage the [Arctic’s] development while protecting its fragile ecosystem….
…It “is a historic turning point to deepen and strengthen international cooperation in the Arctic as we seek to meet the dramatic challenges of the equivalent of a melting continent over the next several decades,”…
…”By working together to ensure the safety of human life in a newly emerging region of human activity we can show in particular that Russia and the United States are key actors in helping to propel cooperation on core issues.”
…Earlier this month scientists said that warming in the Arctic is occurring at twice the global average and is on track to lift sea levels by up to 1.6 metres (5.3 feet) by 2100, a far steeper jump than predicted a few years ago…
wait for it, wait for iiiiit…
…
…Washington wants the Nuuk talks to launch a task force designed to negotiate an instrument for handling Arctic oil spills.
“We know that there are significant deposits of oil and gas that were in the past difficult to access and may become more accessible over time,” he said.
The United States wants the Arctic countries to be prepared to both prevent oil spills or other disasters and to create “effective mechanisms to deal with accidents should they happen,” Steinberg said.
More than one fifth of the world’s undiscovered but technically recoverable reserves of hydrocarbons are located north of the Arctic Circle, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The region accounts for about 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30 percent of the undiscovered natural gas, USGS data shows. About 84 percent of the resources are offshore.
Exploration off Greenland has yet to produce any commercially exploitable reserves, but that did not stop British firm Cairn from boosting its investment there by one billion dollars on the back of “encouraging” first results.
I’ve always been puzzled by the apparent certainty that the Arctic holds huge amounts of ‘undiscovered’ resources. Isn’t it also possible that it actually holds very little? Or that some other part on the planet that hasn’t been thoroughly explored (and there are lots) could actually turn out to have the motherlode?
Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age?.
Dr Jan Zalasiewicz of the University of Leicester is one of the leading proponents of the Anthropocene theory. He told BBC News: “Simply put, our planet no longer functions in the way that it once did. Atmosphere, climate, oceans, ecosystems… they’re all now operating outside Holocene norms. This strongly suggests we’ve crossed an epoch boundary.”
Yeah. Hopefully he’ll be able to sort EQC out and get some proper co-ordination going there.
I really think they need to move to a model where people have case managers to deal with their claims so there’s some continuity of information and handling, instead of getting the ridiculous run-around of ringing up the call center, being put on hold for 20 minutes only to be told “no, we have no information for you”.
Interesting the thought of lowering taxes for business to a really low rate.
Had a mate just come back from living in Vegas for many years and he talked to me about how well that’s not gone over there.
As a result of lowering business taxes to low levels, and in some case state taxes to zero, new business has not been attracted to states like Nevada because as they now have no money services and infrastructure and education has been cut and no business wants to move there – you can’t for instance get skilled staff because the education system doesn’t produce any.
Sure Nevada for instance has other problems such as billions of dollars of clean up needed from now absent mining companies but lowering taxes has made things worse not better.
A recent article by the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), concerning a number of peer reviewed scientific papers, has received widespread global condemnation from environmentalists, scientists and some of the authors of the papers themselves. The article references more than 900 papers which, according to the GWPF, refute “concern relating to a negative environmental or socio-economic effect of AGW.
Roger Sutton will start in the role in mid-June, as the permanent chief executive of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. CERRA
Crikey. That was suggested by many including Jim Anderton at least 2months ago. A great leader for the job, as long as he can manage Brownlie.
# David Farrar (1,467) Says:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
I might donate to Kelvin also.
Kelvin has no chance … labour party policy don’t give him the room to capture enough votes, and why vote your Kelvin he is already in next term at 23 on the list.
Hey David I think the last thing Kelvin would want is an endorsement from yourself, that would surely lower his mana in the north.
In the last Election Hone had a 32% mayority over Kelvin. If Kelvin wants a mandate he should also stand down from the Parliament, and remove himself from the list for the general election to test his mandate at this by election. I doubt he would.
“A number of jobs currently being advertised on Work and Income’s ‘Find a Job website offer positions below the legal minimum wage and without employment rights such as holiday pay and sick leave.
This is what I’ve been saying for years now about the building industry in Auckland especially but around the country in general. It’s possible to be offered a position as a builder (4 years on the job training) for $15/hr +GST and for that one low price you have to supply all your own tools and vehicle (and old junker won’t cut it either as it will be unreliable). The tools aren’t cheap and need to be maintained and certified every three months.
Basically, once you take into account all your expenses for that hourly rate you’re quite literally paying to go to work. Paula Bennett’s “any job’s a good job” just shows how out of touch she is.
If you’re on the UE benefit WINZ will cut you off if you turn down said job because you must accept any reasonable offer of a job and the idiots at WINZ just look at the $15/hr and think it’s reasonable.
Hon PAULA BENNETT: I suppose the difference between this side of the House and the other side is that this side thinks that any job is a good job. We do not always get to do our dream job. Sometimes we have to work hard, sometimes we have to get a bit stuck in, sometimes we have to prove ourselves to get promoted, and sometimes we have to wash dishes in a rest home for a while, or dig drains. But there are opportunities out there, and that is a great thing. Work and Income currently has 5,386 open positions, and over the last 12 months it has listed more than 65,000 positions on its website. I cannot guarantee that every single one of them is right, but I think it has got the criteria pretty strong, as much as they are.
My thought at the time was that she was assuming only young people would be looking for such jobs. But what of the people who have already proved themselves, have a lot of experience and have been made redundant, especially older people? I heard a section on Nine-to-Noon this week about discrimination against older workers by recruitment practices, making it hard for older people to get jobs.
That website is utter shite! Having been told that we have to make x applications per month through it, I look every so often. Many of the vacancies listed are old (and actually the positions are closed) and one can’t apply directly, but have to go through a case manager…
Getting the ‘case manager’ to pull finger and put in an application within the time specified is a job in itself (I have missed out on being considered for many jobs because of lazy or incompetent case managers and job brokers one of whom could not find my CV on time, although I followed her instructions and sent it to her time and time again, and it was already on their system!
All of the jobs seem to be unskilled, and some of them are frankly scams (telemarketing, pyramid selling etc.) One job broker referred me for a job I had already applied for and been turned down for, and then referred me for a job way above my competence. I was very embarassed when the employer (DOS of a language school) phoned to tell me gently that I wasn’t qualified, sorry, and I told her “I know. I didn’t want to be referred for the job, but WINZ wouldn ‘t listen”
WINZ don’t know their rectums from their ante-cubital fossae..
Summing up Goldman Sachs business practice: Finangle a sale of paper to the client that we get paid a commission for, when the paper fucks over the client it we will benefit again because we took bets out that the paper we sold the client will collapse.
Yeah, I don’t think that getting G/S to help AMI will help AMI – probably do G/S real good though.
Today on my way to Parnell, I had the misfortune to sit right behind a chatty bus driver who insisted on pointing out John Key’s house, and telling me how much better he is under NACT, and how NACT will force his ‘malingerer’ brother on a sickness benefit to get a job, and force his prisoner ‘good for nothing’ brother in law to go straight…
Then he showed some more of his true charm by letting me off outside off at the primary school where I was going to interview for a special needs teacher aide job – and as I got off the bus saying to me “There they are, the little bastards. Rich kids!” * as he drove away.
As my son said later when I told him about it, the guy is the second type of RWNJ, a poor or middle class guy who thinks that a leader like Shonkey will make him (Mr Bus Driver) into a plutocrat, who can crap on the poor, as in his perception the ‘dictator’ Helen Clark used to do. By him Phil Goff is a weak ninny who wouldn’t stand up to Helen, and John Key is a brave knight who has rescued our economy. (Above all, my making beneficiaries ‘shape up’! )
*As the school principal interviewing me said, the school is decile 10, but it takes children from all over the show, including the children of doctoral candidates from University of Auckland, and its make up is changing. Not all “rich kids” by any means.
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This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...
by Daphna Whitmore US social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt spoke on 1 August in Auckland to a crowd of around one thousand people. He is best known for his bookThe Coddling of the American Mind which examines the new climate of trigger warnings and acute sensitivity of Gen Z. ...
What an extraordinarily depressing experience it is to be compelled to watch, at 12,000 miles distance, the contortions and machinations of the British political class as they set about their determined attempt to overturn the decision taken by the British people that they wish to leave the European Union. The ...
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...
by Don Franks Way back when British guitar virtuoso Joe Brown was a beginning session guy he got to back a visiting American artist. Young Joe was an able technician but had yet to learn some points of professionalism. Part way through “Five foot high and rising” Joe tired of ...
Since scientists started studying climate change, they have warned that it will reduce food production. And now, its happening:The climate crisis is damaging the ability of the land to sustain humanity, with cascading risks becoming increasingly severe as global temperatures rise, according to a landmark UN report compiled by some ...
The Abortion Legislation Bill just passed its first reading, 94-23. Its a far bigger margin than I expected, even allowing for the Winston factor, and it reflects the overwhelming support there is in this country for reform. but that support isn't a new thing - it has existed for literally ...
The Justice Committee has called for submissions on the Referendums Framework Bill. The Bill does what it says on the label - establishes a framework for referenda. Things you may want to address in your submission: Whether the bill should apply only at the 2020 election, or whether it should ...
The Thompson and Clark / MBIE spying scandal continues to result in fallout, this time in the form of a report on the implementation of MBIE's "Operation Exploration", its internal operation to enforce the infamous Anadarko Amendment which criminalised protests against the oil industry. MBIE's enforcement operation was tainted by ...
So, Winston Peters is defending his last-minute demand for a referendum on abortion by claiming he was "blindsided" by the bill. Really? The bill is a government bill. It has been working through the cabinet approval process since December last year. As part of that process, NZ First was consulted, ...
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...
Last week, the ongoing democracy protests in Hong Kong saw a pro-Hong Kong student assaulted at the University of Auckland. The Chinese consulate in Auckland followed this up with a press release "express[ing] its appreciation to the students for their spontaneous patriotism" - effectively condoning the assault and inciting further ...
Only those who close their eyes and minds to the evidence can still be in any doubt that we are facing a climate change crisis. The evidence is conclusive that the world is not only getting inexorably hotter, but also that the rising temperatures are creating a number of other ...
Rural communities are wailing about forestry conversions "taking land out of production" and putting it into locking up carbon. Its driven purely by economics: there's more money and lower costs in carbon than in sheep or beef, and if carbon prices rise, there'll be more net money than dairy even. ...
This week, the government introduced its (underwhelming) Abortion Legislation Bill. And despite having negotiated the text of the bill through the coalition process, Winston Peters is now suggesting that he will demand a referendum on it:NZ First leader Winston Peters has hinted that his party may only support the Government's ...
Blowing-Up The House: Is Winston Peters planning to put himself at the head of all those New Zealanders who refuse to countenance the Coalition Government caving-in to the Ihumatao protesters? The most effective way of doing this would be to issue Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with an ultimatum. If she ...
Last night the police dramatically incresed their numbers at Ihumātao, shoving over protestors and threatening them with arrest. Despite police talk about the need to maintain "public order" and prevent a "breach of the peace", there appeared to be absolutely no justification for this: the protest camp is, was, and ...
A Cult, that many actors, politicians, and those with a low IQ are joining is sweeping across civilisation, with one main intention – ending humans reign on Earth. Starting as a well meaning though deeply flawed theory, that the Earth was warming due to mankind emitting greenhouse gasses, it was ...
Today's abortion reform announcement is just the latest in a long line of disappointing decisions or outright failures from the Labour government. The 90-day law. KiwiBuild. A capital gains tax. Climate change. Every time they make one of those decisions, we hope for better next time. No repeal of the ...
The Greens used their party conference over the weekend to push for a rent-to-own scheme, where people would be able to work towards home ownership by renting from the government. Its a sensible policy, and one which could make a real difference to home ownership rates. But its also basicly ...
by Daphna Whitmore Over the past fortnight, thousands of people have come to the Ihumātao land protest in South Auckland. On 23 July police prepared to evict a few dozen people who had maintained the encampment at Ihumātao for the past three years. As hundreds of supporters arrived the ...
The following article is translated from an article in Lutte de Classe (Class Struggle), the magazine of the French revolutionary workers’ organisation Lutte Ouvrière (Workers Struggle). The United States’ blacklisting of the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, which took shape in Google’s ban on Huawei using its systems on its phones, marks a ...
There is a military phrase: “Full spectrum dominance”. It refers to the all-encompassing policy to dominate across all spheres of war. Lately, that has come to include the internet – in other words, cyberwarfare initiatives. That is in addition to land, sea, air and the like. Now, if ...
The IMF issued a Report on the state of the Economy as it is at present. Some of it points out significant issues that certainly warrant attention, but that we know already exist. Some of it is very much tied to the very obvious context of global concerns, that everyone ...
I'm glad to see the Lib Dems won.I had a moment of terror yesterday thinking that the Conservatives might cling on, due to a combination of Johnson's elevation to the premiership, the apparent uselessness of the Lib Dem candidate (who had failed to be elected in other constituencies) and the ...
. . Current Leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges gave the usual rah-rah speech to the Loyal & Faithful in Christchurch today (27 July). With National’s party polling and his own personal popularity sliding steadily in the polls, Mr Bridges has not much left to reverse his fortunes. ...
Those concerned for Langridge’s wellbeing say they hope he’ll change his mind when he sees the ocean coming. The protester who has vowed to stand outside Parliament every day until the Government announces a climate emergency says he accepts that his quest will most likely end in drowning. Ollie Langridge, ...
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...
Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the report of the Small Business Council will help maintain the momentum for innovation and improvements in the sector. Mr Nash has thanked the members of the Small Business Council (SBC) who this week handed over their report, Empowering small businesses to aspire, succeed ...
Extra Police officers are being deployed from Northland to Southland with the graduation of a new wing of recruits from the Royal New Zealand Police College. “The graduation of 78 constables today means that 1524 new constables have been deployed since the government took office,” says Police Minister Stuart Nash. ...
An Auckland Homelessness Collective is optimistic extra government support for sustaining tenancies signals a commitment to a multi-pronged approach to tackling homelessness. ...
Wanaka-based trust ONE New Zealand will be hosting six days of talks, workshops and hands-on activities with local and national experts to educate, inspire and enable grassroots action towards a sustainable future. ...
In last week’s episode of Politics in Full Sentences, David, Brooke and Ruwan discussed why Jacinda Ardern has been lecturing our friends overseas, why Andrew Little called ACT's three strikes law “fascism”, whether he will give prisoners the right to ...
“Community safety must be the paramount consideration when releasing an offender, and the only way for that to be achieved is for the offender to acknowledge their crimes.” ...
“District Health Boards are failing to foster a culture of distributed clinical leadership, despite its demonstrated benefits to the sector,” says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS). ...
Ratepayers around Auckland were spitting out their morning coffees listening to Phil Goff’s incredible claims on breakfast radio today that this election is about ‘honesty’ and that Aucklanders can trust him on his promises. Auckland Ratepayers’ ...
The Hōkai Rangi plan for reducing Māori reoffending announced today fails to fulfil the Waitangi Tribunal’s recommendations, says justice organisation People Against Prisons Aotearoa. Minister Kelvin Davis announced the plan this morning, which aims ...
Waatea News at the invitation of the North Island Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency will exclusively broadcast the next Māori-led Inquiry into Oranga Tamariki starting today at 1pm. ...
Staff at the Ministry of Social Development say they are enthusiastic about the government’s $54 million investment in housing the homeless, with many describing it as a welcome change. ...
Today posters have gone up outside ANZ branches across New Zealand to expose ANZ’s sponsorship of an exclusive oil industry group, ‘The Petroleum Club’. The satirical posters play on ANZ’s recent ad campaigns, replacing the banks’ tagline ‘healthy ...
Imagine a country where children look forward to walking or cycling to school, parents arrive home safely, and the journeys we take for work or pleasure do more than leave us alive or uninjured, they also improve our lives. This is happening now in countries ...
Sunday, 18 August, 2019 - Environmental groups and well known New Zealanders are preparing to deliver a 55,000 strong petition to the steps of Parliament tomorrow, calling on the Government to protect the world’s smallest dolphin. ...
The Government’s proposed rescue plan must be strengthened because it is the last chance to save Māui dolphins from extinction and secure the future for Hector’s dolphins, Forest & Bird says. ...
Simon Shepherd: Roads, schools, hospitals, prisons, the building blocks that keep society functioning. And we don't have enough. It's called the infrastructure deficit and will be the focus of a major conference this coming week. The man charged with ...
New Zealand has been issued a stark challenge from Pacific leaders to dramatically upscale its action to address climate breakdown, Oxfam says, after a clear rallying cry from nations at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum. ...
Support for Recreational Dope Going ‘Up in Smoke’ Family First NZ is welcoming yet another poll showing plummeting support for legalising cannabis in New Zealand. The Horizon Research poll shows support for legalising has plummeted from 60% last ...
The prospect of ending wider cannabis prohibition looks increasingly unlikely. Over the last nine months, the percentage of New Zealanders who would vote for legalising the personal use of cannabis has declined at a near linear rate of around 10% per ...
“It’s disappointing that news out of the United States of hospitalisations linked to illegal street drugs is somehow seen as relevant to the New Zealand vaping scene,” says Ben Pryor, Director of Alt New Zealand – the largest Kiwi-owned vaping company. ...
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) welcomes the successful passing of Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill through parliament, by the New Zealand Government. ...
Today’s news from the Electoral Commission has provided the party with the clarity it was seeking around use of the word “Coalition” being used as the brand name of the party. ...
A recently released Otago University study has provided further evidence that low-quality housing is a significant problem in Aotearoa. This has prompted the Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACENZ) Paul Evans to question “why ...
With the BNZ-Business NZ PMI signaling manufacturing is contracting , the Government needs to seriously consider tax relief, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...
The New Zealand Maori Council has called for an overhaul of the Public Services executive ranks as the Corrections debacle shows mis-management and incompetence at the highest level. Matthew Tukaki, Executive Director of the New Zealand Maori Council has said ...
Findings from the 2018 New Zealand Consumer Survey have been released and the results are in; 48 per cent of respondents consider their purchases based on how ethically employees are treated. ...
The responsibility for the fact that Westland Milk Products is now in the hands of an overseas conglomerate 25% owned by the Chinese government can be laid fair and square at our government's doorstep. ...
As Fonterra is projecting multi million dollar losses for the second year in a row, it is clear the writing is on the wall for dairy as more and more Kiwis turn to plant milks. 22nd August is International Plant Milk Day and there is now a different plant ...
The $65,000 granted to Interislander so it can install electric vehicle chargers on its ferries is the most absurd waste of money yet to be delivered by the “Low Emissions” vehicle fund, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. ...
Wellingtonians will have the chance to hear international child rights experts from Ireland, Scotland and Samoa speak at the Making Child Rights Real in Aotearoa New Zealand seminar to be held in the city on Wednesday 21 August. ...
Paul Evans, Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers (ACENZ), is advocating a balanced approach to the development of productive land. ...
CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group) says that new research from the University of Otago provides a solid foundation for why the Government must not delay instating a comprehensive Warrant of Fitness for tenanted homes in Aotearoa-New Zealand, and ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that an officer drove carelessly during a pursuit and that this was the primary cause of a collision with a motorcycle that injured the rider. ...
Responding to the Prime Minister’s commitment of $150 million in funding for climate change response in the Pacific, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “It is no secret that many Pacific nations lack serious oversight when it ...
AUT research not only shows an increase in political affiliation, but that candidates affiliated to a central political party are more likely to win seats in Auckland local government. ...
On the 23rd of August School Strike NZ will join Ollie Langridge in his 100th day of sitting outside of New Zealand Parliament calling for the government to declare a climate emergency. School Strike 4 Climate NZ also demand that Parliament acknowledge ...
You have stood up for what is fair, and I am sure you will speak for over 7 million people who have been muted and rendered voiceless in Indian occupied Kashmir for more than a 10 days now. I am writing to bring to your notice the plight of Kashmiri ...
In the last 10 months alone, 11 petitions have been delivered to Parliament calling for medicines to be funded by Pharmac. Today, another nine petitions have been launched by Patient Voice Aotearoa (PVA) members asking that life changing, saving and extending ...
When we were first working to get Miscanthus approved for import into New Zealand, the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) waived the fee for their work because they thought that having Miscanthus in New Zealand was so very much in the ...
PHARMAC’s recent decision to fund two additional drugs from December this year has been widely welcomed by patients and the general public alike. The drugs, Kadcyla and Ibrance, are used in the treatment of advanced lung and breast cancers and will ...
Animal rights organisation SAFE is urging the Government to include experts and advocates from outside the agriculture industry on its newly announced winter crop grazing taskforce. ...
The Government’s plans to prohibit housing on ‘productive’ farmland will serve as yet another regulatory tax on housing, and is a shameful breach of Jacinda Ardern’s promise to fix housing supply, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . ...
The latest round of the Ethnic Communities Development Fund opens today, supporting projects that grow the leadership and capability of ethnic groups, improve cultural understanding, and ensure our ethnic communities are a vibrant and celebrated part ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is warning of the dangers of hiking excise tax, in response to calls from a former Prime Minister for stronger action on alcohol harm. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “It seems inevitable ...
LGNZ will be cautiously assessing the wider implications of the newly proposed National Position Statement on Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL), noting that that it traverses a number of highly complex policy areas including housing affordability and property ...
Alex Casey chats to Bree Tomasel about hosting Celebrity Treasure Island NZ, farting in the ZM studio and going viral on the regular. The most important thing you need to know about Bree Tomasel is not the fact that she peed her pants during Celebrity Treasure Island NZ, but the glee ...
Dr Bryce EdwardsAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – The election race is on. The nominations process for local government positions has now closed, and the political campaign is officially underway. But does the public care? Will many of us even vote for any of the various mayoral or council ...
At Eden Park on Saturday night, the Wallabies were on the receiving end of a ruthless players’ revenge, writes Scotty StevensonThe rain came. It always seems to at Eden Park, just as the Wallabies warm up on the pitch, dreaming of ending a drought. It came from the west, the ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Local government Michael Fallow (Stuff): Your council – what’s its job description? Dileepa Fonseka and ...
Protesters occupying land at Ihumātao will begin a four-hour hikoi to Mt Albert on Thursday to present a petition calling on the Prime Minister to visit the land. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jamie Walvisch, Lecturer, Monash University This morning an Extinction Rebellion protester was arrested after hanging from a rope over the William Jolly Bridge in Brisbane, blocking all lanes to peak hour traffic. And earlier this month in Brisbane, more than 70 climate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Jobson, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Monash University Many of us enjoy writing in a diary, reading autobiographies or nostalgically reflecting with others about past times. Why is remembering our past so important? Are there downsides? And what can we do ...
Roll Red Roll is a brutal, painfully illuminating documentary on the Steubenville High School rape case, a shocking crime that made headlines worldwide. Emily Writes reviews. This review discusses rape and sexual violenceAugust 11, 2012: two teenage boys rape an unconscious teenage girl as two of their peers watch and ...
By RNZ Pacific Tuvalu’s Prime Minister has condemned the Australian Prime Minister’s conduct at last week’s Pacific Islands Forum, calling Scott Morrison’s attitude “unfortunate” and “neo-colonial,” and questioning Australia’s future in the 18-member body. In an interview with RNZ on Sunday, Enele Sopoaga also threatened to pull Tuvaluan labour from ...
The second hui of the Māori-led inquiry into Oranga Tamariki takes place in Hamilton today. Newsroom, in partnership with Radio Waatea, are broadcasting it live from 1pm. ...
Prolific, award-winning Palmerston North poet Paula Harris somehow manages to be stroppy and properly vulnerable all at once. Here, she writes about her first slam competition – and why she cried all the way home. I am old enough to have given birth to most of the people here.Sure, there’s a ...
High speed rail links between cities could play a massive role in revitalising regional New Zealand, says a visiting transport infrastructure expert. Professor Andrew McNaughton spoke to Alex Braae. Imagine commuting from Hamilton to Auckland, and it only taking an hour to get there. It’s a vision of how the right ...
On the good days, riding a bike is the best. But in Auckland there aren’t nearly enough of those days, and unless decision makers take urgent action, that’s not going to change.This piece originally appeared on Bike AucklandMy first bike crash in central Auckland happened on Symonds Street. I was ...
It's not since 1989 that a mayoralty campaign in the southern city has been so unpredictable - a record 14 candidates have put their names forward. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Mills, Hon Senior Lecturer, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney On the morning of the last Monday in April, 2019, federal election officials opened the doors of more than 500 pre-poll voting centres around Australia, and waited for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Veronica Alfano, Research Fellow, Australian Catholic University Memorising poetry was once common in classrooms. But it has, for the most part, gone out of style. There are good reasons for this. Memorisation can clash with creativity and analytical thought. Rote learning can ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darren Paul Fisher, Head of Directing, Department of Film, Screen and Creative Media, Bond University What do J.J. Abrams, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Shonda Rhimes, David Lynch, Aaron Sorkin, Donald Glover, Jenji Kohan, Jordan Peele, Tina Fey, and Joss Whedon have in common? They ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Mayors launch bids to return in Auckland and Wellington, Hamilton’s skyline could change significantly, and support for cannabis legalisation plummets in poll.Two incumbent mayors have launched their re-election campaigns over the weekend, with a bigger fight on their hands than ...
MediaWorks has been lobbying the Government to turn TVNZ 1 into a non-commercial channel to help stem its own financial bleeding. Frustrated, and getting nowhere, it’s decided to change tack. ...
The 37-8 result meant the Black Ferns finished with a handy 5-1 record for the year, suggesting they are tracking well enough towards a successful defence of the 2021 World Cup. ...
Customs has cracked down on a GST rort, leaving Trade Me to pay back thousands of dollars to customers who had new cameras and smartphones seized at the border. ...
New Zealand has long been the world’s imagined lifeboat – and increasingly for something more than just escape, writes Elle Hunt.One Friday morning in January 1847, Charles Dickens wrote to his friend John Forster that he was “disposed to go to New Zealand and start a magazine”. The quote was ...
New Zealand is one of only two developed countries, along with the US, that permits direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines, and it needs to stop, writes Dr David Menkes. It’s been a long time coming: a new Consumer report makes it clear that most New Zealanders want to see a ban ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison has a sharp lecture for bureaucrats about their KPIs, in a comprehensive speech laying down how he expects the Australian Public Service to operate under his government. Morrison stresses the service must be ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has issued a timetable for the government’s dealing with the recommendations from the royal commission into banking, superannuation and financial services, which aims to have all measures needing legislation introduced by the ...
By Ghinan Salman in Surabaya As many as 43 Papuan students were taken to the district police headquarters after Indonesian police fired teargas and forced their way into a student dormitory in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya at the weekend. The Papuan students were forcibly removed from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Senior Associate, Grattan Institute Each new generation of Australians since Federation has enjoyed a better standard of living than the one that came before it. Until now. Today’s young Australians are in danger of falling behind. A new Grattan Institute ...
Jamie Wall reviews Jonah, the two-part Three telefeature that follows the life of our most famous All Black, and finds it an effective but mixed retelling of the legend.Honestly, it’s a wee bit disappointing that the only notable on-screen dramatisation of the All Blacks in recent years was centred on replacement ...
We love it battered and served with chips, but tarakihi stocks aren’t doing well and another big cut to commercial catch limits is in the works. Ah yes, terrakee, that’s a fish, right?Well, first things first, let’s say it correctly. Pronounce every syllable, remember the Māori vowel sounds (A-E-I-O-U), roll the ...
Good on their own, even better with cheese – these crisp, moreish crackers are destined to become your new go-to savoury snack.These crackers have been on high rotation in our household – they’ve filled lunchboxes, accompanied fine cheeses on evening platters and been eaten by the fistful straight from the jar. ...
Lists are good and so are Sundays. We combine both those things in a new Spinoff feature. This week: Headlines from the past six months about the the Reserve Bank governor, Adrian OrrRBNZ prepares to stick its Orr inASB, March 29Banks Orr-struck yet againThe Australian, April 10Big banks brace for ...
Over 300 hours of interviews condensed into five episodes that cover the entirety of New Zealand’s comedy history – how do you even start to approach that? Sam Brooks interviews Paul Horan, the documentarian behind the show.It’s one of those projects that sounds utterly futile – how does one cover ...
Judgement prevents understanding, which in itself is a barrier to preventing unsafe behaviour. Are different approaches to harm reduction in the Rainbow community needed? Sex. Drugs. Carly Rae Jepsen. This is the iconography that tends to be massaged into mainstream conceptions of gay culture. Depictions in TV/film see us railing lines ...
Open mike 12/05/2011 
by Philip Ferguson This weekend just past marks the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, the most famous of the great 1960s music festivals. It was held over the weekend (Friday-Monday) of August 15-18, 1969. Woodstock was a highpoint of the US ‘counter-culture’, and also the beginning of its end. When exploring the ...1 hour ago
Last week, Australia sabotaged the Pacific Forum by opposing action on climate change. Their Deputy Prime Minister followed that up by saying that Pacific Peoples could always pick Australian fruit - just as they had done in the era of blackbirding. And now, that arrogant, tone-deaf approach has drawn a ...1 hour ago
In the previous two posts, I laid out the context and set the theoretical framework to answer a question: whether indigenous economies should take the LEAP. This final part outlines ways to conceive of practicing mana motuhake within the existing legal system by carving out special jurisdictions that enable Indigenous ...1 day ago
Fully Informed? Labour’s 2017 promises raised expectations that were little short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, they were never adequately shaken through the fiscal sieve. The hard economic work was not done – and it shows. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s critics have long complained that her grasp of the way the New ...1 day ago
You cannot expect to pound communities into the ground day after day, year after year, decade after decade and just expect them to take it lying down. There’s a point at which the place will explode. And we’re faced with some very big ructions on both sides of the Atlantic ...3 days ago
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Going Down? Once truth and propaganda become fused in the minds of one’s followers, debate and discussion become redundant. If one’s opponents are all outrageous liars, then engaging with them in any way is pointless. Rather than waste its time, a political party should, instead, target all its messages at ...3 days ago
We need to fundamentally reframe our systems settings to address the drivers causing and underpinning inequality; structural change in systems especially financial. The Equality Network Hui was held in Wellington on 27 June 2019. The hui covered important topics such as child poverty; a living wage; taxation; public health; mental ...5 days ago
The views-per-page for some of my recent postings:Depressing, isn't it? Provide thoughtful and wise commentary on the mainstream of British politics and no-one notices. Make a passing reference to Tommy DICKHEAD Robinson in a thread title and you get hundreds of views. Write something about anti-Semitism and you get another ...5 days ago
The government has announced plans to move the Treaty of Waitangi and other taonga to a new site. Great news! So where are they going? Right next to the old one:The new plan will see a new 22,000-square-metre archive built on the former site of Defence House - the former ...5 days ago
Back in June, StatsNZ went public about a project to track population data on an hourly level by using people's cellphones. It wasn't as bad as it initially looked - they were receiving no individual data, only counts by suburb - but there was still a huge consent problem, so ...5 days ago
Most economists agree that a currently slowing economy could do with some stimulus – and they would also agree that there is no shortage of infrastructure projects which could be brought to productive fruition with help from that stimulus. In view of the current practice of sub-contracting economic policy decisions ...5 days ago
I did an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast Show about the situation in Hong Kong. I tried to frame the issue as a collective action problem between two sides with very different end games. The video is here. Because of time constraints we could not discuss the fact that the ...5 days ago
Image Credit: Wild Rose College A new study reporting the ranges of values for kidney and liver parameters in a healthy population is being actively misrepresented by anti-fluoride campaigners. The Fluoride Action Network’s (FAN) latest ... 5 days ago
Alone, Alone. All, All Alone: Will it be a good or a bad thing, when humanity’s bright blue spacecraft is stricken by the civilisation-destroying problem of Climate Change, that no Huston Control will be standing-by to rescue the crew?“WE HAVE A PROBLEM, HUSTON.” These were the words used by the ...6 days ago
Divided Loyalties: Can the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, be relied upon? That’s what the boys and girls at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon needed to be reassured about. Because, from the perspective of Washington, it’s looking more and more like Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party comrades are getting ready ...1 week ago
This handy Queer Theory Glossary is from thetranswidow.com In case you’ve had trouble keeping up with the spate of new queer theory terms, here’s a handy glossary for your reference. Queer – A straight person with an interesting haircut. Non-binary/genderqueer – A chubby young female, typically 16-28, who has ...1 week ago
The winter grazing issue is becoming a highly sensitised one that I hope will not become so politicised that it delays solutions and results in the suicides of some very stressed farmers.Winter grazing has hit the headlines after a determined campaign, including the release of a video of some very ...1 week ago
The Green Part has been accused of lack of transparency in two recent situations. The first was the claimed media lockdown during Green's annual conference and the second was Julie Ann Genter's refusal to release a letter she had sent to Phil Twyford.I do get frustrated when journalist's succumb to ...2 weeks ago
Blowing-Up The House: Is Winston Peters planning to put himself at the head of all those New Zealanders who refuse to countenance the Coalition Government caving-in to the Ihumatao protesters? The most effective way of doing this would be to issue Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with an ultimatum. If she ...2 weeks ago
A Cult, that many actors, politicians, and those with a low IQ are joining is sweeping across civilisation, with one main intention – ending humans reign on Earth. Starting as a well meaning though deeply flawed theory, that the Earth was warming due to mankind emitting greenhouse gasses, it was ...2 weeks ago
There is a military phrase: “Full spectrum dominance”. It refers to the all-encompassing policy to dominate across all spheres of war. Lately, that has come to include the internet – in other words, cyberwarfare initiatives. That is in addition to land, sea, air and the like. Now, if ...2 weeks ago
The IMF issued a Report on the state of the Economy as it is at present. Some of it points out significant issues that certainly warrant attention, but that we know already exist. Some of it is very much tied to the very obvious context of global concerns, that everyone ...2 weeks ago
I'm glad to see the Lib Dems won.I had a moment of terror yesterday thinking that the Conservatives might cling on, due to a combination of Johnson's elevation to the premiership, the apparent uselessness of the Lib Dem candidate (who had failed to be elected in other constituencies) and the ...2 weeks ago
. . Current Leader of the National Party, Simon Bridges gave the usual rah-rah speech to the Loyal & Faithful in Christchurch today (27 July). With National’s party polling and his own personal popularity sliding steadily in the polls, Mr Bridges has not much left to reverse his fortunes. ...2 weeks ago
Those concerned for Langridge’s wellbeing say they hope he’ll change his mind when he sees the ocean coming. The protester who has vowed to stand outside Parliament every day until the Government announces a climate emergency says he accepts that his quest will most likely end in drowning. Ollie Langridge, ...2 weeks ago
Opportunities to dodge tax are shrinking with the completion of a new tax agreement with Switzerland, Revenue Minister Stuart Nash announced today. Mr Nash and the Swiss Ambassador David Vogelsanger have today signed documents to update the double tax agreement (DTA). The previous DTA was signed in 1980. “Double tax ...2 weeks ago
An Auckland Homelessness Collective is optimistic extra government support for sustaining tenancies signals a commitment to a multi-pronged approach to tackling homelessness. ...2 hours ago
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If our finances are so dire and Joky Hen has identified where we can make serious adjustments that will put us back on the right track, how come he won’t implement those changes with immediate effect? Seems to me that if you are haemorrhaging then you apply the tourniquet now This is a sticking plaster approach to managing the economy, where the bleeding is of the government’s making in the first place.
Labour: KiwiSaver
National: KiwiSlaver
So what do you say to Phil Goff who, although bleating about the changes to kiwisaver, is also reported to have said that Labour would not reverse them.
Another “Axe the tax” campaign coming up?
Phil Goff is still the best leader of the opposition the government can have.
Bullshirt Sam, Bullshirt.
The Herald reports that Goff said “Labour would spread the burden more evenly, although such cuts were difficult to reverse all at once when there was a big deficit.”
He has not said he will not reverse them, only that the timing will need to be managed because of budgetary constraints.
Remind me never to believe anything you say ever again.
lovely .JM. we should use that in a core-flute at election time.Bye the way how many people picked up Brash’s comment on morning report ‘That the poor spend to much money on groceries. Perhaps he wants us to only eat tinned peas?
Great Jim! 🙂
Was checking on whether I had typed something or changed my mind at the last minute and found the follow-up comments … you guys might like one previously posted:
Helen Kelly: Working Bros
National: Warner Bros
🙂
‘
The Big Issues
Social Spending Cuts vs. Tax Cuts for the Rich.
The above, is the likely main issue around which the General Election will be about.
– and which all the contending political parties will be judged on.
One of the groups that has sought to make tax an election issue is the Tax Justice Campaign.
One of the main calls of the Tax Justice Campaign is the introduction of a Robin Hood tax, relabelled in this country the Hone Heke Tax, after the popular folk hero of New Zealand history.
Tax Justice are asking Kiwis to send a message to John Key following the release of the budget, next week.
Join the campaign, read all about it here.
“Employers and employees are going to have to shoulder more of the burden.”
and Phil O’Reilly agrees.
Kerr and his mates in the Round Table, however, have said that it is not
the responsibility of business to be involved in socially responsible issues.
It is their business to be as efficient and as profitable as possible.
Seems they would assert that the employee should be providing for himself, work harder, get more money and find his/her own retirement scheme.
Conservative bloggers use the repatriation of a head to accuse Maori of barbarism and praise European colonisation, but what about the European role in the nineteenth century head trade?
http://readingthemaps.blogspot.com/2011/05/white-headhunters.html
Children and teachers at a fifth of the 1,600 schools in Fukushima are receiving at least 20 millisieverts of radiation per year, said Nakate, according to readings from the government. That’s the limit for a nuclear power plant worker, according to Japan’s nuclear safety commission.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-11/fukushima-students-wear-masks-as-radiation-looms.html
Prior to this thing happening children were legally ‘permitted’ 2 millisieverts per year, the Japanese government has OKed the higher dose.
Fukushima is the latest growing disaster the MSM are ignoring, did anyone hear that reactor buildings 3 & 4 were burning for a few days over the weekend, and might still be? And radio active steam and water are still gushing from the plants? With contaminated ground water moving IN land. ‘We’ got more accurate and up to date information from the Russians re Chernobyl …. which was under control 6 weeks after it shit itself, where as Fukushima is at best 9 months away from being ‘under control’ if ever.
There is song that describes what is going to happen globally regarding cancer – Turning Japanese, oh yes I think so ….
For more info that is way beyond our idiot editors, and the even bigger sacks of shit, you know the ones in the Beehive.
But we will be ok as we have Kiwi Saver 😉
Nuclear collapse looms? Fukushima No. 4 reactor ‘leaning’
Look at 4:27 ish on this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxbm7iJTT8U
What you can see is the side of the spent fuel pond gone.
Not that anyone gives a rats arse
Oh I think most people give a rat’s arse, but there is nothing – repeat – nothing – they can do about it.
Yeah not even to demand the truth out of the ruling cartel, because that would mean learning something themselves …. then dragging themselves off the couch and acting.
There are a few positive moves around the World in terms of closing old Nuclear reactors down and undertaking more inspections. This has been a direct result of people making their voices heard. It’s also a result of some politicians waking up and realising that if they don’t do something, similar “accidents” will occur. However not enough is being done to ensure our safety and the human species survival for that matter.
Ground level photos of the damage at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP.
“The company had “no association” with the contract for the ministerial cars which he said would have been negotiated directly with BMW New Zealand.”
Question: Who has the maintainance contract on these cars. My guess is that it will probably be a Wellington dealership?
There are still questions that need answering…will the great Radio NZ political editor Brent Edwards go looking…or is he happy to regurgitate the National spin.
Storm in a tea cup.
Now that Hodgson is retiring Labour gets a new attack dog – Hipkins??
Speaking of smears and big issues and not fronting them, perhaps the PM might want to put his big boy pants on and do a sit down interview with this guy:
http://www.tv3.co.nz/John-Stephenson-re-Take-No-Prisoners-Apr-27/tabid/1833/articleID/70759/Default.aspx
Yeah, nah.
He would need to take his clown pants off first.
The amazing thing about Emperors Clothes is that they never need changing 😈
How to tell when someone’s lying.
Although deceptive people do not say much, they tend to spontaneously give a justification for what little they are saying, without being prompted.
They are more likely to press their lips when asked a sensitive question and are more likely to play with their hair or engage in other “grooming” behaviors. Gesturing toward one’s self with the hands tends to be a sign of deception; gesturing outwardly is not.
Ya reckon?.
Asshole of the Week Award – Kyle Chapman
http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/05/asshole-of-week-award-kyle-chapman.html
Well this week’s award recipient was pretty easy to choose. Kyle Chapman jumped up and yelled; “I’m an asshole, look at me.” So naturally he was our top candidate. Kyle’s latest ridiculous crusade after taking a break from his National Front duties (to become a Mormon and rut his new wife Claire Clifford), was to start the fundamentalist group Right Wing Resistance (RWRNZ). Incidentally, Claire left the fascist in 2009 when he again became involved in hate campaigns. Wise move.
Aye and a progressive counter march is planned at the same time. Details are here.
todd, why did you change Nazi in the actual blog, to fundamentalist when quoting it here? Odd…
I started this as an open Letter to old smile and wave, but then I figured he would just ignore and delete so I will put it up here All comments are welcome. BTW I do not write for a living.
John Key You really think you are smart don’t you? you don’t give a flying fuck that you are leading New Zealand to Financial ruin. And you, who worships, and loves nothing more than money, and a job well done, why do you continue to sabotage Ordinary Kiwi’s?? you could have been a good prime minister. however you are a joke now. They Call you Shonky, Jonky, Smile and Wave and other less flattering things. What a legacy. The rich fool who hated his own country so much, that he lived in America. Until he came home to take his revenge against the very system that made him, gave him a safe environment, an education, (school and University) he went on to make millions, and what did he do ? He extracted his revenge on the very system that made him what he is. State Housing (ruined) ACC (ruined ready to be sold) Power Companies (readying them for sale 100% ( Don’t bullshit me)) WINZ ruined (where staff have been gutted, and now are overworked, demoralised, and underpaid). Early learning centres , Kindys and such funding slashed . The Family court that’s screwed now for sure. How will anyone ever get Free legal assistance ever again, or a competent lawyer, the Legal Aid service Slashed and cut. The Womans Refuge for gods sake the last bastion of safety for a battered woman, Funding Gutted. And I am sure others could add many more. And the numerous, faceless public servants that he has ruined, their lives in tatters, Bills to pay, bills that were incurred on a high income, and NO money or help, except to default. Because Winz won’t help if you can get an appointment in under 2 weeks, then you have to be like a performing dog, jumping through what ever hoops they feel like putting you through (You have NO choice in this. No do. NO MONEY). And then along come the vultures your mates they buy up NZ companies that you have ruined for a song. There are no jobs or if there are they don’t hire you. The minimum wage plummets, benefits are slashed, and crime increases and there you have it John Keys Utopia for all to see. A prison country..
Who would have thought Key would have watched Star trek Voyager episode 1 season 1 where a guy called Paris was serving on a prison colony in New Zealand.
Maybe that’s his goal a prison country.
Elections tend to be won or lost in Auckland – so, in my considered opinion, opposition to the proposed Auckland ($upercity) Council 4.9% increase, is not to be underestimated.
When the good folk in Epsom, living in their medium/ high value properties, realise that the Citizens and Ratepayer Councillors on 13 December 2010 supported a 3.9% rate increase – when they were led to believe that the Auckland ‘$upercity’ was going to achieve ‘economies of scale’ – I believe that some form of electoral backlash is to be expected….
__________________________________________________________________________
FYI:
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/act-begins-search-epsom-candidate-replace-hide-ne-92821#comment-121262
Colin Williscroft | Wednesday May 11, 2011 | 13 comments
Act begins search for Epsom candidate to replace Hide
Nominations are open for an Act candidate to replace Rodney Hide and contest the Epsom electorate in the November 26 election.
“Act has always had a strong presence in Epsom – from 1996, when the party won 22% of the party vote, to the present day,” Auckland South board member Barbara Steinijans said.
“In Rodney Hide the people of Epsom have had strong local representation for the past six years. Once again, Act will be running a strong electorate vote based campaign.”
The incumbent MP, Mr Hide, does not have the support of new party leader Don Brash, although Mr Hide is yet to formally rule himself out from standing in the seat.
Mr Hide won 56% of the vote in the 2008 election, although National won 63% of the party vote.
Nominations close at 5pm on May 24.
__________________________________________________________________
MY COMMENT:
John Banks was a loud and proud ‘$upercity’ supporter from Day One.
But – the first thing the $upercity -$uper RIP OFF Auckland Council wants to do is to put up residential and commercial rates 4.9%.
So much for the ‘economies of scale’ that were to be achieved by forcibly amalgamating our 8 former Councils, in another ‘Rogernomic$ blitzkrieg’ (without a binding poll of citizens and ratepayers).
For those who just want to jump on the band wagon and blame Mayor Len Brown and the ‘left-leaning’ majority on the Auckland Council – here are the FACTS:
C&R Councillors on 13 December 2010 voted in support of a 3.9% rates increase.
(You will note that young National Party ‘Wonder boy’ (?) Jami-Lee Ross supported a 3.9% rate increase? )
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/meetings_agendas/committees/Pages/strategyandfinancecommittee.aspx
Auckland Council Finance and Strategy Committee meeting 13 December 2010 (Pgs 7-8)
12. Annual Plan 2011/2012 – High Level Budget Review
(c) That the Strategy and Finance Committee agrees a rates target of 4.9% for 2011 -2012 to inform the Mayor’s development of the draft annual plan.
MOVED by Councillor Wood seconded Councillor Fletcher
That a rates increase of not more than 3.9% be struck and officers work to identify further savings.
A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:
For
Councillors
Cameron Brewer
Hon Chris Fletcher
Des Morrison
Callum Penrose
Noelene Raffills
Jami-Lee Ross
Sharon Stewart
George Wood
Against
Councillors
Anae Arthur Anae
Len Brown
Dr Cathy Casey
Sandra Coney
Alf Filipaina
Ann Hartley
Penny Hulse
Richard Northey
Sir John Walker
Wayne Walker
Penny Webster
Councillors Michael Goudie and Mike Lee were absent.
The division was declared lost 8 votes to 11
________________________________________________________________________________
The Auckland Council ‘books’ are NOT open.
If a giant scalpel were to be applied to all that consultant and private contractor BLUBBER, and core council services returned to ‘in-house’ provision (cutting out all these private ‘piggies-in-the-middle’), in my considered opinion, rates could be slashed by hundreds of millions of dollars.
That’s why I’m standing in the Howick by-election.
To help achieve that.
‘OPEN THE BOOKS! – CUT OUT THE CONTRACTORS!’
PS: If you think replacing the ‘bureaucracy’ with the ‘contractocracy’ is so ‘efficient’ – ask yourself this one simple question.
Over the last 20 years – have YOUR rates gone up or down?
Penny Bright
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com
http://www.stopthesupercity.org.nz
http://www.stopprivatisation.org.nz
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
Penney I fully sympathasise because we are experiencing the same phenomenon with the Selwyn District Council who have just put up our rates nearly 15% on top of a 20% increase last year for Lake Coleridge Village.
The situation is a wee bit different as these increases are mostly on targeted rates like water and sewage on a small village of 40 households, but having said that we have to pay for a new swimming pool at Rolleston that is about 2 hours drive from here.
This pool cost about 14 million was approved regardless of earthquake damage in the area and on top of $14 million that was spent on building the new council chambers two years ago.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote to Mr Hide (a bit late) but I also wrote to Sue Kedgley we are trying to get the audit office in to have a look at the books.
Yes I agree the more it is outscoursed the less accountability there is, well I guess the most obvious example is contractors putting in their tenders, that has to be treated as commercially sensitive information. Still an auditor can still go through the books without compromising anyones privacy.
Yet they seem powerless and furthermore there doesn’t seem to be any political will to back them up.
So much for Rodney Hide’s promise to put a cap on Rates that exceed the rate of inflation, that promise can’t even be held in a supercity such as Auckland where the economies of scale is vastly different to the Selwyn District in Canterbury.
World’s Satirists Jump Under Buses
“Just can’t compete with this shit”
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/arctic-countries-seek-cooperation-ice-melts-150250967.html
wait for it, wait for iiiiit…
…
I’ve always been puzzled by the apparent certainty that the Arctic holds huge amounts of ‘undiscovered’ resources. Isn’t it also possible that it actually holds very little? Or that some other part on the planet that hasn’t been thoroughly explored (and there are lots) could actually turn out to have the motherlode?
Obviously, the concern about the 1.6m rise in sea levels is about how much more it’s going to cost to build the offshore oil rigs.
Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age?.
Dr Jan Zalasiewicz of the University of Leicester is one of the leading proponents of the Anthropocene theory. He told BBC News: “Simply put, our planet no longer functions in the way that it once did. Atmosphere, climate, oceans, ecosystems… they’re all now operating outside Holocene norms. This strongly suggests we’ve crossed an epoch boundary.”
Read this..
Funny photo of John Key too.. lol
http://www.webcitation.org/5VxD4yxyR
On the face of it looks like a good choice for once.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/4995021/Roger-Sutton-chief
Yeah. Hopefully he’ll be able to sort EQC out and get some proper co-ordination going there.
I really think they need to move to a model where people have case managers to deal with their claims so there’s some continuity of information and handling, instead of getting the ridiculous run-around of ringing up the call center, being put on hold for 20 minutes only to be told “no, we have no information for you”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4992150/PM-announces-Tai-Tokerau-by-election-date
25th June. Hone has till 31 May get his 500 members or he’ll have to run as an independant.
Would love Michael Cullen back:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10336666
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10336779
Interesting the thought of lowering taxes for business to a really low rate.
Had a mate just come back from living in Vegas for many years and he talked to me about how well that’s not gone over there.
As a result of lowering business taxes to low levels, and in some case state taxes to zero, new business has not been attracted to states like Nevada because as they now have no money services and infrastructure and education has been cut and no business wants to move there – you can’t for instance get skilled staff because the education system doesn’t produce any.
Sure Nevada for instance has other problems such as billions of dollars of clean up needed from now absent mining companies but lowering taxes has made things worse not better.
90% of Climate Denial Papers linked to ExxonMobil
http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/05/90-of-climate-denial-papers-linked-to.html
A recent article by the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), concerning a number of peer reviewed scientific papers, has received widespread global condemnation from environmentalists, scientists and some of the authors of the papers themselves. The article references more than 900 papers which, according to the GWPF, refute “concern relating to a negative environmental or socio-economic effect of AGW.
Roger Sutton will start in the role in mid-June, as the permanent chief executive of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. CERRA
Crikey. That was suggested by many including Jim Anderton at least 2months ago. A great leader for the job, as long as he can manage Brownlie.
# David Farrar (1,467) Says:
May 12th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
I might donate to Kelvin also.
Kelvin has no chance … labour party policy don’t give him the room to capture enough votes, and why vote your Kelvin he is already in next term at 23 on the list.
Hey David I think the last thing Kelvin would want is an endorsement from yourself, that would surely lower his mana in the north.
In the last Election Hone had a 32% mayority over Kelvin. If Kelvin wants a mandate he should also stand down from the Parliament, and remove himself from the list for the general election to test his mandate at this by election. I doubt he would.
Ok serious issues now, what the frack was Maurice Williamson on today?
Check out what he’s saying at 1:57, 2:00, and 2:17 in this vid: http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/8742
What’s he playing at meow?
http://labour.org.nz/news/national-shows-further-contempt-for-workers%E2%80%99-rights
This is what I’ve been saying for years now about the building industry in Auckland especially but around the country in general. It’s possible to be offered a position as a builder (4 years on the job training) for $15/hr +GST and for that one low price you have to supply all your own tools and vehicle (and old junker won’t cut it either as it will be unreliable). The tools aren’t cheap and need to be maintained and certified every three months.
Basically, once you take into account all your expenses for that hourly rate you’re quite literally paying to go to work. Paula Bennett’s “any job’s a good job” just shows how out of touch she is.
If you’re on the UE benefit WINZ will cut you off if you turn down said job because you must accept any reasonable offer of a job and the idiots at WINZ just look at the $15/hr and think it’s reasonable.
Yes, I saw that live today:
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QOA/9/5/2/49HansQ_20110512_00000009-9-Find-a-Job-Website-Vacancies-Employment.htm
My thought at the time was that she was assuming only young people would be looking for such jobs. But what of the people who have already proved themselves, have a lot of experience and have been made redundant, especially older people? I heard a section on Nine-to-Noon this week about discrimination against older workers by recruitment practices, making it hard for older people to get jobs.
The great right wing myth that the min wage is just something kids get paid until they “move up”.
Or move to Australia.
That website is utter shite! Having been told that we have to make x applications per month through it, I look every so often. Many of the vacancies listed are old (and actually the positions are closed) and one can’t apply directly, but have to go through a case manager…
Getting the ‘case manager’ to pull finger and put in an application within the time specified is a job in itself (I have missed out on being considered for many jobs because of lazy or incompetent case managers and job brokers one of whom could not find my CV on time, although I followed her instructions and sent it to her time and time again, and it was already on their system!
All of the jobs seem to be unskilled, and some of them are frankly scams (telemarketing, pyramid selling etc.) One job broker referred me for a job I had already applied for and been turned down for, and then referred me for a job way above my competence. I was very embarassed when the employer (DOS of a language school) phoned to tell me gently that I wasn’t qualified, sorry, and I told her “I know. I didn’t want to be referred for the job, but WINZ wouldn ‘t listen”
WINZ don’t know their rectums from their ante-cubital fossae..
I heard that Goldman Sachs has been hired to help AMI Insurance.
Learn a bit more about Goldman Sachs on the excellent Keiser Report. NB some offensive language 🙂
Summing up Goldman Sachs business practice: Finangle a sale of paper to the client that we get paid a commission for, when the paper fucks over the client it we will benefit again because we took bets out that the paper we sold the client will collapse.
Yeah, I don’t think that getting G/S to help AMI will help AMI – probably do G/S real good though.
Today on my way to Parnell, I had the misfortune to sit right behind a chatty bus driver who insisted on pointing out John Key’s house, and telling me how much better he is under NACT, and how NACT will force his ‘malingerer’ brother on a sickness benefit to get a job, and force his prisoner ‘good for nothing’ brother in law to go straight…
Then he showed some more of his true charm by letting me off outside off at the primary school where I was going to interview for a special needs teacher aide job – and as I got off the bus saying to me “There they are, the little bastards. Rich kids!” * as he drove away.
As my son said later when I told him about it, the guy is the second type of RWNJ, a poor or middle class guy who thinks that a leader like Shonkey will make him (Mr Bus Driver) into a plutocrat, who can crap on the poor, as in his perception the ‘dictator’ Helen Clark used to do. By him Phil Goff is a weak ninny who wouldn’t stand up to Helen, and John Key is a brave knight who has rescued our economy. (Above all, my making beneficiaries ‘shape up’! )
*As the school principal interviewing me said, the school is decile 10, but it takes children from all over the show, including the children of doctoral candidates from University of Auckland, and its make up is changing. Not all “rich kids” by any means.