Nikki Kaye wants to see ‘healthy, well-rounded’ students’
KEY POINTS
• New Education Minister Nikki Kaye wants kids to be “digitally fluent, healthy and well-rounded” as well as knowing the 3 Rs.
• Kids’ physical and mental health will be a focus.
And after she’s spoken to Tolley, a chat with Coleman about funding of mental health services will be needed too.
Canterbury children’s mental health is deteriorating while they wait for months to access help, advocates say.
Recent Government figures show more than 450 children aged under 12 waited longer than three weeks for a first mental health appointment in Canterbury last year – equating to almost 60 per cent of those seeking help.
This was an increase on the previous year’s figures.
In 2015, 41 per cent of children under 12 needed help waited more than three weeks – a total of 250 children.
Child advocates said the wait did not stop at the first appointment – many children waited several months to get treatment after that.
In 2016, there was a 27 per cent increase in the number of under 12s needing mental health help. Services struggled to keep up, the figures show.
Child and Family Psychologist and University of Canterbury lecturer Sarah Whitcombe-Dobbs said children waiting to get treatment were “likely to be in considerable distress” and their families “struggling to cope”.
“Anecdotally in Canterbury, I hear that families are waiting up to six months for receiving treatment after they have had their first appointment because the services are so overwhelmed with need.”
Mental health problems left untreated in children could affect “all areas of functioning and development”, including academic, social and emotional development.
And after she’s spoken to Coleman, a chat with ex National minister Rich, who pimps for big sugar, explaining how the government is going to ignore her lobbying for Coca Cola and other companies Rich represents.
The FGC won’t be cheering future announcements, Kaye will sY.
Trump’s tinpot dictatorship continues as he fires Sally Yates, Preet Bharara, and this week Comey, head of the FBI. All three were involved in the investigation of possible Russian meddling in the election. Trump will be eager to have the vacant head of the FBI position filled with a reliable yes-man.
President Donald Trump blasted ousted FBI chief James Comey as a “showboat” and “grandstander” even as the agency’s acting leader contradicted the president’s account that the agency had been in turmoil before he fired Comey.
Psychological projection is a theory in psychology in which humans defend themselves against their own unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others. For example, a person who is habitually rude may constantly accuse other people of being rude. It incorporates blame shifting.
This behavior fascinates me. I see it as: ‘Sometimes the words we say are the words we most need to hear ourselves’. I believe it’s something that we are all guilty of to a degree, it manifests in so many situations and forms.
I catch myself doing it, suggesting someone do something a certain way and then consider, ‘Shheesh, if I’m so smart, why aren’t I doing that then?” I saw someone give 1 of 2 children a light swat on the bum the other day and say “Don’t hit your sister”. Ha! Can a message be any more mixed?
Trump’s Proceeds to drain the swamp as he fires Sally Yates, Preet Bharara, and this week Comey, head of the FBI. All three were involved in promoting perception of Russian meddling in the election. Trump will be eager to have the vacant head of the FBI position filled with a reliable competant person.
Trump's cabinet, the wealthiest in history, is worth more than the annual GDP of 70 countries. So much for draining the swamp…— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 27, 2016
A great idea. I wonder if it is the glass that has the warranty rather than the photo sensitive cells? Existing panels/cells steadily loose their potency.
There is so much junk on the net. So many oysters, so few pearls. maybe our tastes are aligned Joe but I think you’re pretty good at finding pearls.
Mr Musk in the sort of high quality ‘All the pizazz’ presentation we used to get from Steve Jobs. I think I like it, it’s interesting. The face of Corporate Green. Big money neoliberal green. Spins my head man but I’m very pleased you stuck it infront of me, thanks.
Moreso that damn clown from the other day. I’ve watched that clip 5 times. Watching his earlier stuff it’s neat to track the progress of his chosen art form? I can’t decide if it’s very high end cutting edge art or junk. I love it but it’s doing my head in Joe.
joe 90.Very interesting. A mixture of right wing enterprise and left wing sense. I now think that overall both camps should work together more. Less stress = less mental problems. Some money for business and cleaner planet for all. The rich pay we all gain for free in effect.
That’d make it a no brainer for a new house or if the roof needs replacing.
Wonder what the price difference is between the two types of tile that they use:
Customize the amount of electricity your Solar Roof produces to fit your energy needs. This feature is made possible by using two types of glass tile, solar tile and non-solar tile.
That test on the link from Molly is wrong though as the tile is rotated through 90 degrees from the other tiles meaning that it’s actually got far more support.
Wow, that’s serious and careless of the one man anti female pay equality party.
The left would be wise to not publicly exploit such an open door, leave it to the media, media should be reporting this as ACT party members and any names listed in the leak should be made aware that their details are out there for all to see
The left would also be wise to check their info is secure and read all the ACT party leak info available, insight and information is everything.
Sounds similar to me on both respective web sites .Fair point james. Cinny does not the old saying ‘What’s good for the Goose is good for the Gander ” approach the type, or style, of logic that should apply here? I believe it should at first glance.
What, when he put a youtube video that looked like him reading instructions someone else gave him, as he showed viewers exactly how to gain unauthorised access?
Bradbury is a dick, which makes me think that he might not have informed ACT about their vulnerability a couple of hours before he put his post up. That having been said, it’s not like he gave everyone a “privacy violation for dummies” help video.
I’d give him a B+ if he gave them a heads up, a C- if he didn’t, and an E for slater’s attempt. Graded by ethics and competence.
Thanks Rosemary. Very interesting though it would seem that there are shades of stopping ECan so that water actions can be forced through. This seems to be similar in that the District Council influence has been stopped also.
They kept saying that the Minister would decide but without naming him. It would be the infamous Nick Smith wouldn’t it?
With long term connections to Marlborough, I can observe a change regarding local and outside control of the resources of Marlborough.
When the local authorities were reorganised, Marlborough had its own district council but a regional district council which involved Tasman as well. Our MP of the time, with local support, had Marlborough assume full control of the Regional Authority functions in a unitary authority.
When the Sounds were being quite adversely affected by the wash of fast ferries, the council did not have the will or the clout to control this. Then I wanted the wider input of a larger authority to be able to take action and also have a wider input, not so easily affected by purely local interests.
Now, it seems that wider commercial interests are thwarted by local control of significant commercial opportunity which are being denied because the district plan has designated parts of the Sounds as having significant landscape values.
Consequently, salmon farms are now pushing for changes. Larger government power is being used to affect this, over-riding local processes and values.
The Sounds have been degraded with commercial exploitation and population pressure- salmon, scallops, commercial and private fishing, forestry, housing.
The point of this is to point out that commercial interests tend to override local interests, and that control of local resources are also placed where commercial interests can overpower.
Marlborough is a third world economy within NZ. Its significant industries are largely controlled outside the region, its profits largely go outside the province, its wages are lower than the national average, we import foreign labour to support this situation, we suffer from rental and housing difficulties, and our workers are consistently exploited.
“Marlborough is a third world economy within NZ. Its significant industries are largely controlled outside the region, its profits largely go outside the province, its wages are lower than the national average, we import foreign labour to support this situation, we suffer from rental and housing difficulties, and our workers are consistently exploited.”
When I responded to a shower of ‘NZers are lazy and that’s why we need the foreign labourers.’ comments elsewhere on the web the owner/chief mod stepped in and shut the thread down. Seems it may only become a ‘political discussion’ (and hence attracts a ban on that particular site) when actual facts countering the rightist narrative are presented. Ho hum.
Thanks mac1 for your commentary on this. Insight from locals are most important.
It will be interesting to what response from locals if their democratically elected council is overridden by central government.
You mean *when* their council is over-ridden – that’s what’s happening with this situation. Smith has meddled in that region’s affairs many times before.
Maybe the New Zealand Labour Party could take note of Mr Chomsky….and we could all learn a thing or two about the future of Centrism …..
“In the extended interview, Davis asks Chomsky whether the Labour Party needs to split after the election. He notes the divide between the ‘Thatcher-lite party’ and the ‘Corbyn party’. Chomsky acknowledged that there were divisions. And he asserted:
These are internal problems to these decaying centrist institutions.
So according to Chomsky, the notion that the Labour Party can survive as a ‘centrist’ institution is over. It’s essentially dead in the water. But the BBC didn’t broadcast that claim. And it’s not hard to see why. Because the BBC has continuously championed supposedly centrist politicians. It’s apparently a supporter of, and a believer in, such ideals. And it has attacked people like Corbyn, who are attempting to orientate the party in a “democratic socialist” direction; a principle that the party is supposed to be defined by.”
Some commentators put up scares if our Labour suggests anything socialist
I think in order to scare Labour into an unwinnable Centrist position.
eg The demon Union spectre.
I know its late james ,but I think you should be worried about NZ labours tactical election polls, and campaign. not pomy ones. Bit in the herald now about it , more to follow Sunday.
Reason #345 to protect NZ biodiversity. Tuatara aren’t lizards and they’re literally one of a kind,
We now know that the tuatara is the only living member of Rhynchocephalia, a reptile group that was widespread between 240mil-60mill yrs ago pic.twitter.com/0Wk7VgIOCg
— The Conversation (@ConversationEDU) May 12, 2017
I assume you mean -mother in laws. Mothers are sweet, albeit with eyes in the back of their heads? Hmmm I’d better shut up –things are running away somewhat.
that nude ‘model’ flashing on Taranaki was disgusting to me – it showed everything wrong with the selfish, self centred idiot types who just are so self absorbed that all they care about is themselves and their publicity.
For this person to then blop on about that Māori not being indigenous shows what a very dim person this ‘model’ is.
Hey ‘model’ fuck off will you.
Every time Māori have to defend views and beliefs – every. fucken. time.
Moari have a right to defend their views and not all Maori think alike, but like religion it does not mean every body has to accept somebody else’s metaphysical belief Drawing a long bow if superstition can dictate what a person can do on a whole bloody mountain when the only offense is to upset some ones belief, and after the event at that, people (all) just need to get over themselves and stop been so easily offended
that’s the bloody point – it ISN’T just a mountain for many – but whatever – engaging with the tripe you wrote is tedious, unproductive and a waste of my time. Keep believing everyone can do anything whenever their pea sized brain thinks of it and when they come and shit on your sensibilities don’t come moaning to me.
Yeah, but the Virgin in a Condom was intended to be a dick move (sorry, I meant to type that it was a provocative piece designed to stimulate controversy about the relevance and role of religious thought in the modern age. Or something).
What’s her face was just looking for social media clicks.
people (all) just need to get over themselves and stop been so easily offended
Of course, a millennia or two scrapping over the Temple Mount and all the while, people (all) just need[ed] to get over themselves and stop been so easily offended, and everything would’ve been just fucking peachy, too.
It is just a mountain that is the only fact rock and dirt, was there well before human existence and will be after, anything else is simply a metaphysical, superstitious belief that is also anybodies right to believe but not a right to impose on others lawful liberty
nah – you are talking rubbish – take your mechanistic viewpoint and, well, do whatever you like because you’re just a squeaking hinge anyway aren’t you?
But nor do people not have a right to point out when someone else is just being a dick.
Ulhuru does it well, it just has a sign that basically asks people to not be dicks and walk over the rock. Most people aren’t dicks, so they don’t climb the rock. Some people do climb the rock, but there’s a sign there so everyone knows they’re being a dick.
This woman gets publicity by taking her kit off in strange places. Fair enough. But in some of those places, that’s just placing your publicity-seeking ahead of everyone else’s feelings. Her doubling-down and making the “indiginous” comment was simply more dickish publicity seeking. red, don’t be like her. Don’t be a dick.
It’s a bit like if I pass a memorial service or meeting, let’s say an ANZAC service or a group of people grieving at the spot someone died. Now, I’m a bit of a dick, so I like swearing, and maybe if I’m drunk I might have done the occasional public urination. Dick move, fair call. But this service might be important to someone. Me taking a piss in the bushes right next to them would be a really dick move. I’m a bit of a dick, but I try not to be a massive dick. It might still be legal if they couldn’t see my dick, but they’d still know what I was doing. I’d be a massive dick. I don’t want to be a massive dick.
Be like me. Try not to be a massive dick. There’s no law against it, but it’s still a dick move. She’s just a dick, because she likes the publicity she gets by being a dick. Don’t be like her.
I get your line of arguement but for a metaphysical belief to control a whole mountain vs some ones freedom of expression is going to far, no matter how silly that freedom of expression is The act is Harmless barring upsetting the Marty snow flakes of the world, who chooses to be offended, which is his right. if it was not reported no one would even no, ie joe public walking up the mountain Starkers tomorrow, that’s the real test of how harmless the act really is
How far do you take this bill, a memorial structure commemorating a human event that happened vs a metaphysical belef about a whole mountain Not equivalent I would argue on these grounds and we are talking a whole mountain not a small to a degree private space
So you’re quite happy with people tramping all over our conservation estate, without respect for the environment: happy for people to be posing nude in a public domain in front of a diverse section of the public; happy for free campers pooing and tossing their slops on open countryside, etc, etc.?
sigh!
Posing nude on a mountain in private is not equivalent to posing nude in public How is been starkers and one with nature tramping all over the conservation estate Freedom campers Pooing all over the place is is health hazard and impinges on other people rights, standing starkers on a mountain alone is like a tree falling in the forrest with no one around, impacts nobody apart from snow flakes looking to be offended
The whole metaphysical belief line is a red herring. If any culture has the right to determine its own cultural values, then that applies across the board to all cultures.
You obviously don’t think that and either believe that some cultures are special and deserve that right but Māori don’t, or that no cultures deserve that so you would be ok for the woman to have posed nude at an ANZAC day dawn service. Either way, as McFlock points out, you’re being a dick.
You’re happy till it all comes up against your values or beliefs red then you’ll weep and teeth gnash about how wrong it all is. You big freedom bods always do.
Nup not at all, live and let live It’s a mountain volcano, if some one wants to go starkers up there more fool them, if some one gets upset because they think it offends the mountain and some how that offends them, well good on them but does not mean I have to take such offense seriously or rediculous equavalence been used to justify as such, think about it logically rather than emotionally , again the left pushes science and rationality to it suits them until it clashes with their primitive left ideology and identity politics
So basically you’re good? No issue. Starkers okay, getting upset okay. But somehow youve got offended because… the example used made you think you much?
Struggling with your meaning Marty, its s bit of a mumble ( it is Friday) , but I sort of get your gist, I am not offended at any one just challenging the fact that some people been offended by this action has any merit
So your position has changed from you boldly fighting tyranny with comments like “not a right to impose on others lawful liberty”, to you simply refusing to take other peoples’ beliefs and offense seriously.
I mean, nobody’s saying you have to share those beliefs, but you don’t have to be a completely inconsiderate dick about it, either.
I’ve seen the ‘Don’t make a dick of yourself’ theory work at Cable Bay in Northland. A young guy was lost diving for kaimoana on a rocky point/reef.
There was one simple cardboard and felt pen sign pinned up under the council info for the beach, dog rules, rubbish rules, camping rules, lighting fire rules etc. All those other guidelines we follow.
The Rangitira from the boy’s Iwi declared a rahui on the beach for a number of days. The Iwi had no rights to block access. The tribe’s wishes were respected en masse. The occasional van full of Germans needed the circumstances pointed out to them, they were free to make their own choice. By and large they were fascinated by the custom, wanted to know more and moved on to have a swim somewhere else in the 40 kms of bays and beaches.
I believe it enjoyed popular support. It prompted people to keep an eye open for the still missing corpse, it prompted people to find out something of the missing boy and the custom. Giving up access to Cable Bay for a week seemed a small price to pay. I’m not sure how the call would of gone down if the Rangitira had called for a 10 year Rahui. I think all parties were well served. A harmonious compromise as opposed to “I own this”
try this one red – I did a mindfulness exercise yesterday – write for 3 minutes or just think about it from this statement, “I know… ”
When I did it I realised that most of what I know has been taught or gleaned from others and even the stuff that comes directly into my brain via the senses is 2nd or 3rd hand electrontrickery – what actually do you KNOW red?
I hate to nit-pick, but this is for such a troll… “It is just a mountain that is the only fact rock and dirt, was there well before human existence and will be after, …”
That may be true for some ancient alps like the Himalayas, but Egmont (Mt Taranaki) is a volcano, and quite possibly did not exist prior to the existence of humans.
I’m calling you out for your typical bullshit, Red. Do some research, and prove that statement you so boldly made. Prove that Mt Tarnaki’s existence predates the existence of the human species. I accuse you of being wrong – yet again.
And by pretending that the mountain predates all humans, Red seeks to belittle the cultural values of all humans – not just Maori. Fallacious and feeble, Red.
Human existence in NZ is utterly irrelevant to your silly first assertion, by which you sought to belittle human cultural concerns – especially the ones you don’t like.
Might want to check your own superstitious belief system first like why don’t you cross the centerline on the road, go to the toilet in the bushes, only drive if there’s a plastic label on your windscreen.
1. Punishing the poor for being poor
2. Putting more people in prison despite prison actually making things worse
3. War
4. Cutting taxes because of their greed despite the damage both cutting taxes and greed does to society
5. Cutting health spending – especially in mental health
6. Profits before people, society and the environment
WTF are you on about stick to topic, re raising straw men , ad hominem and red herring arguements. You choose to be offended, it’s not imposed on you, no one has a right not to be offended by someone words or actions that are not illegal You of course have the right to disagree and counter with a more meritorious arguement or action , something that has been very lacking here on this thread
I find that comment offensive , please stop, do you get it now, if not we mywell stop here as I suggest you are incapable of reason
[lprent: Reading that comment thread, I’d strongly suggest that if you want to continue commenting on this site, then you’d better either get used to being offended as people respond to you. Basically you look like you are a idiot parrot with a phrasebook babbling crap. I have no idea if that is because that is who you are – ie because you are too stupid to say something sensible. Or if you are taking the piss (in one of several possible ways).
In any case, my scan through this thread indicates that you just look like a dumb troll. I don’t like trolls, and I have a standing policy of being extremely offensive to them as way of improving online behaviour. If you persist in acting like a troll, then you will discover who sets the rules about behaviour on this site. I will give you a hint – it isn’t you. Read the policy to find out what happens in reality. ]
One of four Muslim women targeted in four successive and unprovoked Islamophobic attacks on Wednesday said she was randomly punched in the face as she walked through the city wearing her headphones.
Maria Claudia Gimenez Wilson, a 39-year-old journalism student from Paraguay, is charged with assaulting the four women, aged 18-23, as they walked along busy roads near UTS in Ultimo on Wednesday afternoon.
[…]
A report by a Justice Health nurse said that Ms Wilson had schizoaffective disorder and “appears to be suffering persecutory beliefs”.
Ms Wilson, whose Facebook profile is littered with far right-wing and anti-Islamic material, interrupted proceedings to say that she was not unwell.
“The only thing I did was to take a bull cut [sic] to a Muslim lady,” she said. “I don’t see any problem with that.”
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The Marlborough District Council, tired of public scrutiny, wants to increase the amount it charges for LGOIMA requests:The cost of requesting official information from Marlborough's government agency could almost double after a jump in "fishing expeditions". Charges could be raised from $60 to $100 an hour for information supplied by ...
When Winston Peters was caught money laundering donations and stalking journalists, the Greens were conspicuous by their silence. It was another example of how getting along with their government partners was eroding their values and their own reputation. It was obviously unsustainable, and so now James Shaw has finally spoken ...
I am among the most pro-free speech people I know. I don’t doubt there are others more strident than me, but I’m certainly up there. And my support for freedom of expression isn’t limited to opposition to government-imposed restrictions. It extends to a belief that employers should have limited powers ...
With over 69,000 confirmed cases and 1,600 deaths, here’s your round-up of the latest coronavirus news. New disease and virus have now officially been named On the 11th February, the WHO Director General announced a new name for the disease: COVID-19 which is short for coronavirus disease 2019. The naming ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, Feb 9, 2020 through Sat, Feb 15, 2020 Editor's Pick ANALYSIS-Climate change opens up 'frontier' farmland, but at what cost to the planet?Climate change could expand farmland globally by ...
After cross-examination Jones knew he would lose the defamation case he took against film maker Renae Maihi. That’s why he threw in the towel. The weight of evidence was clearly against the old tycoon with the defense presenting fifty articles to confirm Jones’ racist views.Being unable to harass somebody into ...
Sprung! Former NZ First president, Lester Gray, chats with RNZ's Guyon Espiner in the carpark of a Tauranga shopping centre.(Photo supplied anonymously to NZ First and The BFD.)IT’S CLEAR THAT an important aspect of Jacinda Ardern’s political success is her willingness to seek – and take – advice. This ...
Ruth Cunningham, Charlotte Paul, Andrew MoorePublic health responses to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 require us to draw on our common humanity and be explicit about our values. Recognising this will help us make good decisions in difficult situations so that, for example, the need to impose restrictive measures ...
The Helen Clark Foundation has released its report on the housing crisis, and found that house-hoarders are to blame for it:Property investors are to blame for New Zealand's high house prices, a new research paper published by the Helen Clark Foundation says. [...] McArthur said previous attempts to address housing ...
The Abortion Legislation Committee has reported back on the Abortion Legislation Bill and recommended that it be passed with some amendments. Unfortunately, the latter include even more hoops to jump through for those seeking abortions after 20 weeks, including a time-wasting requirement to consult a second doctor. No-one casually seeks ...
Brexit is likely to be a disaster for the UK (how sad, never mind). But now that they're out of the EU, the latter has finaly taken the opportunity to blacklist one of their key tax havens:The Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory, is to be put on an EU ...
I’m not quite sure of what to make of the new figures for COVID-19 (as we must now call the novel coronavirus – though I’m not sure the capitalisation is correct) from Hubei province:Image from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51495484The spike yesterday is a consequence of a using a different way of ...
Bob Jones has dropped his defamation case against Renae Maihi. Good. But at the same time, it perfectly exposes what the case was all about: not protecting Jones' reputation, but punishing someone who had dared to criticise him, and deterring others from doing the same. This rich pompous asshat dragged ...
As I've done for the past few years, I'm curating and presenting The Listening Lounge, the talk programme at Splore. On the morning of Saturday the 22nd at the Living Lounge stage, the korero goes like this.Yes, we're talking about drugs again, not just because I'm professionally interested in drug ...
What Were They Thinking? RNZ's CEO Paul Thompson (left) and Jim Mather, Chairman of the RNZ Board of Governors, attempt to justify the debacle arising out of their attempt to downgrade RNZ Concert to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Select Committee at Parliament on Thursday, 13 February 2020.WHAT IS ...
Dame Tariana Turia with former PM John KeyWhat is it about Tariana Turia’s grudge against the Labour Party? Not content with attacking the Government over Whānau Ora funding, which was increased by $80 million in 2019, she has now made it personal by saying that Jacinda Ardern is out of her ...
Back in 2017, right after being elected, Jacinda Ardern promised that there would be no new mines on conservation land. Since then, her government has done nothing to make that happen, and now the policy has been officially "parked" for the election:West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O'Connor says the "no new ...
So the guy who advocated for public burning and beheading feels offended because someone called him a racist!Perhaps Bob Jones hasn't heard of the very old saying; Live by the sword, die by the sword?I mean for someone who often writes opinionated nonsense about Maori; this is a ridiculous case ...
The government today announced a major support package aimed at reducing homelessness. A thousand new transitional housing places, more support for people to find homes (or not lose them in the first place), all good stuff. The one problem with it is that they're going to start charging people in ...
Courtroom Drama: There is no off-switch in a courtroom. Neither is it possible to turn the page in disgust. Ill-formed and ill-defended opinions will be exposed ruthlessly and unapologetically. As Shakespeare put it: “Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.” Sometimes the ...
As of today, the novel coronavirus spreading in China is called COVID-19. Why does it matter? Around the office, we’ve had several conversations over the past few weeks about how 2019-nCoV needed its own name. First, it was getting annoying calling it by the above designation, and ‘novel coronavirus’ doesn’t ...
by Philip Ferguson Last month B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, reported: “In 2019, Israeli security forces killed 133 Palestinians, including 28 minors. Of the casualties, 104 were killed in the Gaza Strip, 26 in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and three within ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Arms (Firearms Prohibition Orders) Amendment Bill (No 2) (Brett Hudson)Its basicly more "tough on crime" nonsense (its already illegal for unlicensed people to own guns) designed to wedge NZ First against its arsehole base. ...
In 2015 the world agreed to the Paris Agreement to fight climate change. Each country would offer a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) "that it intends to achieve", and "pursue domestic mitigation measures, with the aim of achieving [it]". And every five years, they'd improve on it, ratcheting up ambition until ...
In theory, the emissions trading scheme should reduce emissions. Making polluters pay for permits to pollute lets them save money by reducing pollution, giving them a financial incentive to do the right thing. But right from the start the ETS was broken with a system of free allocation, so polluters ...
Irish voters went to the polls on Saturday in parliamentary elections, and perhaps delivered a political revolution. Since independence, Irish politics has been dominated by two parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Basicly patronage networks with indistinguishable policies, their cleavage isn't ideology, but who killed whose father or grandfather in ...
Once again the Aotearoa Bike Challenge is on us, and once again I’m participating. In principle this is not hard because it does not represent a significant switch in behavior for me. I already bike nearly every day. The Bicycle The fascinating thing about cycling is the realisation that this ...
Lately there has been a great deal of misinformation regarding the origins and purpose of Skeptical Science. As John Cook wrote nearly a decade ago, Skeptical Science is primarily a website that debunks climate misinformation with peer-reviewed science. Despite the ever-worsening impacts from climate change, with record after record being broken in ...
Under Attack: By sacking not only RNZ Concert’s presenters, but also its producers and librarians, and reducing the station to an automated purveyor of classical music in-between parliamentary broadcasts, RNZ’s CEO, Paul Thompson, wasn’t simply announcing an operational shake-up, he was declaring war on one of the most important guardians of ...
Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Australian smoke plume sets recordsThe recent wildfires in Australia sent one of ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Finance, Fletcher Tabuteau has welcomed Statistics New Zealand’s latest report as a timely reminder of the value that this Coalition Government brings to every day New Zealanders: “This Coalition Government has meant a ...
Today New Zealand First made a pledge to campaign at the election to fund St John Ambulance the 90 per cent it has asked for. Government funding would allow St. John’s to achieve fully funded status. Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters publicly declared his determination to deliver ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order Newly released Police data shows once again the number of fleeing drivers have continued to skyrocket with a record 512 incidents occurring in December – almost tripling the number of incidents occurring just ten years ago, says New Zealand First Law and ...
While the Provincial Growth Fund has provided $2 million to set up temporary water supplies in Kaikohe and Kaitaia, Regional Economic Minister Shane Jones said he is greatly concerned that there are “issues” in implementing the projects. The Minister said the immediate solution was to pipe water from a bore ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP for Clutha-Southland NZ First is calling on Rio Tinto to accept its responsibilities to the Southland community and enable the immediate removal of the toxic Aluminium Dross from the Mataura Paper Mill site. New Zealand First List MP for Clutha-Southland, Mark Patterson ...
The Coalition Government has announced that a further $500,000 will be given to help residents in Southland and Otago to speed up recovery efforts from the floods. It follows prior government assistance of $200,000 earlier this month where the Southland Mayoral Relief Fund received $100,000 to support communities impacted by ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones was on RNZ’s Morning Report talking about the recent droughts in the Northland region and what the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is doing to alleviate its impact. The PGF recently announced a funding of $2 million for temporary water supplies to Kaikohe and Kaitaia, ...
Speaking to The Country’s Jamie Mackay, New Zealand First MP and Cabinet Minister Shane Jones talks water storage, plant-based meat imitation, and superstar Hollywood director James Cameron. While water storage may have its critics, Minister Jones defended the scheme by saying: “unless we invest and continue to invest” in this ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones is accusing northern iwi leaders of selling out Māori by voting for ideologically-driven court cases rather than practical steps to increase water supply. “I just think that iwi leaders who think that water issues are going to be solved by perpetually fighting in the ...
A dairy owner in St Kilda, Dunedin was delighted to hear that an attempted robbery of his establishment was foiled by a government-funded security system. Sean Lee was delighted at how well the anti-theft smoke system worked. When a knife-wielding man entered the store, the shop assistant immediately pressed a ...
Customs says it stopped more than three tonnes of illegal drugs coming into New Zealand last year. This includes 1,180kg of methamphetamine, 329kg of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine precursors, which could have been converted into 246kg of methamphetamine, 739kg and 6469 pills of MDMA or Ecstasy and 60kg of cocaine. Offshore, ...
Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Up to $2 million will be allocated from the Provincial Growth Fund to set up temporary water supplies in Kaikohe and Kaitaia where drought is biting hard, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Drought conditions in Northland have led to ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Law and Order New Zealand First welcomes the deployment of an Eagle Police helicopter in Christchurch in what is a step towards fulfilling its long-standing goal to increase the use of police helicopters for the front line, particularly in addressing the scourge of fleeing drivers. Christchurch leads ...
It may have been the first sitting week of 2020, but our Government is already in full-swing - managing a strong economy, investing in infrastructure, and working to break the cycle of homelessness. Read below for all that, and more... ...
In a heated debate in Parliament, National's Deputy Leader Paula Bennett claimed that “nearly 1600 patched gang members have been added” since the Coalition Government took power. To illustrate her point, she altered a chart used by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to show her government’s progress in housing to instead ...
Speech by the Rt Hon Winston Peters at Parliament’s Opening 2020 "We all need insurance" This year New Zealanders are going to have a clear choice to make That choice is between: Optimism versus pessimism; More progress versus back to the future; Investment versus divestment; Unity versus division. New Zealand ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has slammed the Board of Auckland Airport following the airport's runway closing twice within two weeks due to maintenance. Around 2,000 passengers were affected by last week’s runway closures, according to 1NEWS. Another maintenance closure on January 24 saw two international flights and three domestic flights ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Broadcasting New Zealand First supports the commissioning of a business case to assess the viability of a new public media entity. “A strong media environment is critical for a healthy democracy. New Zealand First is a strong supporter of a diverse, independent media,” New Zealand First broadcasting spokesperson ...
Pounamou and technology industries in the West Coast region are set to receive more than $2 million in Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) funding. This was announced by the Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau during Waitangi Day commemorations in Hokitika. He said $800,000 would be given to Development West ...
Clayton Mitchell MP, New Zealand First spokesperson for Labour and Industrial Relations Unemployment and wage growth numbers released by Stats NZ today demonstrate a labour market in good shape with unemployment falling to 4.0%, the underutilisation rate falling to an 11 year low, and wage growth at a 10-year high ...
Hon. Ron Mark, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Defence New Zealand First Spokesperson for Defence Ron Mark, welcomes the official opening of Te Rau Aroha, a new museum at Waitangi Treaty Grounds as part of our Coalition Agreement. “It is a great honour to be part of an effective Government ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime MinisterGood morning,Let us start with important acknowledgements.First, this special day, in remembrance of the 28th Maori Battalion, is also to honour all those men and women who have risked their lives in the service of our country.Second, special guest Robert ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand will look to build on its relationship with the United Kingdom and recommit to the European Union, after the country officially left the continental union recently. The Minister said New Zealand already cooperates closely with Britain on defence and security issues and has ...
Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is delivering on its commitment to unlock the potential of Māori-owned land with investments up and down the country making a genuine difference to communities, Regional Economic Development Shane Jones says.At Waitangi last year, the Government ...
Rt. Hon. Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister The Government is placing temporary entry restrictions into New Zealand on all foreign nationals travelling from, or transiting through mainland China to assist with the containment of the novel coronavirus and to protect New Zealand and the Pacific Islands from the disease. This ...
Strengthening New Zealand’s political and business ties with India will be the focus of Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters’ and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker’s visit to India this week. The Ministers are co-leading a high level business delegation to India to support increased people and economic engagement ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio continues to champion for greater Pacific participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers with the announcement of the Toloa Awards, with 8 recipients of the Toloa Community Fund and 13 Toloa Tertiary Scholarships. “The Toloa Programme encourages more Pacific peoples ...
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has extended the date for people to have their say on proposed changes to improve management of whitebait across New Zealand. Submissions were due to close on 2 March 2020 but will now remain open until 9am on Monday 16 March 2020. “I have ...
The endangered toroa/Antipodean albatross has new international protection for its 100,000km annual migration, thanks to collaborative efforts led by New Zealand, Australia and Chile. Today, 130 countries agreed to strictly protect Antipodean albatross at the Conference of Parties on the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild ...
No sales to under-18-year-olds No advertising and sponsorship of vaping products and e-cigarettes No vaping or smokeless tobacco in smokefree areas Regulates vaping product safety comprehensively, - including devices, flavours and ingredients Ensure vaping products are available for those who want to quit smoking Vaping regulation that balances ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little will travel to Berlin tomorrow to represent New Zealand at a high-level summit on nuclear disarmament. This year, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) celebrates 50 years since it entered into force. “New Zealand’s proud record and leadership on nuclear disarmament is unwavering, so it’s important we are present ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit two of New Zealand’s most important Pacific partners, Fiji and Australia, next week. The visit to Fiji will be the first by a New Zealand Prime Minister in four years and comes during the 50th anniversary of Fijian independence and diplomatic relations between our ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little and New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball, have today announced the appointment of the Chief Commissioner of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the location, and the membership of the Establishment Advisory Group. Colin Carruthers QC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the CCRC for an ...
Māori Development Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta and Agriculture Minister Hon Damien O’Connor co-announced the first horticultural finalists for the Ahuwhenua Trophy celebrating excellence in the Māori agricultural sector. The three finalists are Ngai Tukairangi Trust from Mt Maunganui, Otama Marere Trust from Tauranga, and Hineora Orchard Te Kaha 15B Ahuwhenua ...
A new kete of resources to strengthen support for students with dyslexia will provide extra tools for the new Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs) as they start in schools, Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Minister launched the kete in Wellington this morning, at the first of three induction ...
The Government continues to make progress on a fairer and more secure rental market for renters and landlords with the First Reading of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill and its referral to the Social Services and Community Select Committee. “Now is the opportunity for landlords, tenants and others who want ...
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Hon James Marape will visit New Zealand from 21-25 February, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have a warm and friendly relationship. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Marape here and strengthening the relationship between our two countries,” ...
Thousands of children have begun receiving a free lunch on every day of the school week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. The Government’s free and healthy school lunch programme is under way for 7,000 students at 31 schools in Hawke’s Bay / Tairāwhiti and Bay of Plenty / Waiariki, extending ...
The Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni today announced a new approach that continues to broaden the Government’s social sector focus from a narrow, investment approach to one centred on people and wellbeing. Minister Sepuloni said redefining the previous approach to social investment by combining science, data and lived experience ...
The Government is strengthening the Protected Disclosures Act to provide better protection for whistle blowers, Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins said today. “The Protected Disclosures Act is meant to encourage people to speak up about serious wrongdoing in the workplace and protect them from losing their jobs or being ...
Nǐn hǎo (Hello in Mandarin). Xīn Nián Kuài Lè (Happy New Year in Mandarin) Néi Hóu (Hello in Cantonese). Sun Nin Fai Lok (Happy New Year in Cantonese) Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you for your invitation to attend this celebration today. I would like to acknowledge ...
Kia ora. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. Nau mai haere mai ki te Whare Pāremata. E ngā mana whenua ki tēnei rohe Taranaki Whānui, Te Upoko o Te Ika, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Raukawa – kei te mihi, kei te mihi, kei te mihi. E ngā mana, e ...
Kia ora. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa. Nau mai haere mai ki te Whare Pāremata. E ngā mana whenua ki tēnei rohe Taranaki Whānui, Te Upoko o Te Ika, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Raukawa – kei te mihi, kei te mihi, kei te mihi. E ngā mana, e ngā ...
Tougher penalties for gun crime are a step closer with the passage of firearms reform legislation through another stage in Parliament. The Arms Legislation Bill has tonight passed its Second Reading. “The changes have one objective - to prevent firearms falling into the wrong hands,” said Police Minister Stuart Nash. ...
Introduction Mr Speaker We all know why we are here today. It has been a long journey. The journey did not actually begin on 15 March 2019. It began on 30 June 1997. Almost 23 years ago, Justice Sir Thomas Thorp told us what was wrong with our firearms legislation. ...
The Government’s work to put trades and vocational education back on the agenda took another major step forward today with the passing of the Education (Vocational Education and Training Reform) Amendment Bill, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “This is a watershed day for trades and vocational education. These law changes formalise ...
Speeding up the return of Christchurch regeneration activities to local leadership is behind the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament today by Minister Megan Woods. “As we approach nine years since the February 2011 earthquake in Canterbury, and with the transition to local leadership well underway, the time ...
Hundreds of New Zealanders and international visitors will be able to get back out into nature with the Milford Track partially reopening next week, after extensive assessments and repairs, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. The popular Great Walk has been closed since 3 February after an extreme ...
Up to 110 new EV chargers nationwide in cities and regions 50 electric vehicles for ride-sharing The Government is helping deliver more infrastructure and options for low emissions transport through new projects, Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods says. Tauranga, Nelson, Levin, New Plymouth and Oamaru are just some ...
New Zealanders are increasingly better off under this Government as wages rise and families have more disposable income, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. Stats NZ reported today that average household disposable incomes after housing costs rose 4.9% in 2019. This was the highest rise in four years and came as ...
All New Zealanders need to have their voices heard at work to ensure we have an inclusive and productive economy. Today we introduce a Bill to do this for workers in the New Zealand screen industry, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “The Screen Industry Workers Bill will ...
The Government has announced further help for the Southland and Otago regions to speed up recovery efforts from the floods. “I’ve approved Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG), making $500,000 available to help with the clean-up in Fiordland, Southland, and the Clutha district in Otago,” Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said. ...
Following the announcement that more than 340 schools will be funded to run events promoting vocational education, the Government has announced it will fund a further 257 events to be run by employers and industry. “These industry-run events will allow more than 30,000 students to connect with more than 2,000 ...
Today the Government is making progress on a fairer and more secure rental market for renters and landlords with the introduction of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill in Parliament. “This Bill includes a series of reforms to improve the wellbeing of the 609,700 households that live in rented homes, and ...
A Government programme to wipe out pea weevil has achieved a world first, with Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor today announcing the successful eradication of the noxious pest from Wairarapa. This means the nearly four-year ban on pea plants and pea straw was lifted today. Commercial and home gardeners can again grow ...
Southland residents hit by flooding caused by heavy rainfall can now access help finding temporary accommodation with the Government activating the Temporary Accommodation Service, Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare announced today. “The Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to help ...
“Is that it?” That’s Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s response to Simon Bridges’ much-hyped economic speech today. “Simon Bridges just gave the most over-hyped and under-delivered speech that I can remember during my time in politics,” Grant Robertson said. “It’s not surprising. Simon Bridges literally said on the radio this morning ...
A trial deployment of the Police Eagle helicopter in Christchurch will test whether the aircraft would make a significant difference to crime prevention and community safety. “The Bell 429 helicopter will be based in Christchurch for five weeks, from 17 February to 20 March,” said Police Minister Stuart Nash. “The ...
The Government has kept up the pace of its work to promote New Zealand’s trade interests and diversify our export markets, with visits to Fiji and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker. Building momentum to bring the PACER Plus trade and development agreement ...
The Coalition Government’s investment in a strong border and disrupting transnational organised crime produced record results for stopping drugs in 2019, says Minister of Customs Jenny Salesa. The illegal drugs were seized at the New Zealand border by Customs, and overseas by Customs’ international border partners before the drugs could ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today kicked off construction of a separated cycleway alongside Tamaki Drive. A two-way separated cycleway will be built along the northern side of Tamaki Drive, between the Quay Street Cycleway extension and Ngapipi Road. There will be a separate walking path alongside. Phil Twyford said giving ...
Owner-occupiers of unit and apartments living in earthquake-prone buildings will have certainty about the financial support they’ll be eligible for with the release of criteria for an upcoming assistance scheme, Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa says. The Residential Earthquake-Prone Building Financial Assistance Scheme will help unit owners facing ...
Temporary restrictions on travel from China will remain in place as a precautionary measure to protect against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The restrictions which prevent foreign nationals travelling from, or transiting through, mainland China from entering New Zealand have been extended for a further 8 days. This position ...
Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today that Tairāwhiti rangatahi will benefit from an investment made by the Government’s He Poutama Rangatahi (HPR) scheme. The funding will go to the Tautua Village, Kauneke programme and the Matapuna Supported Employment Programme which will fund 120 rangatahi over two years. “Both programmes work ...
All parents and caregivers need to ensure that their children go to school unless they are sick, Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin said today. “The school attendance results for 2019 show, across the board, a drop in the number of students going to school regularly,” the Minister says. “Apart from ...
After 43 years on the telly, Fair Go knows exactly how to stick up for Kiwi consumers. Tara Ward talks to Sophie Baird, the woman changing New Zealand, one consumer complaint at a time. For over four decades, Fair Go has been our saviour. They’ve defended us when we’ve been ripped ...
ANALYSIS:By Asmiati Malik in Jakarta The Indonesian government plans to evaluate the efficacy of special funds for the West Papua region. These funds have been disbursed to the easternmost region, comprising the two provinces of Papua and West Papua, for nearly two decades. The funds, paid since 2002 to ...
Last week Nick Loosley, founder of food waste and food poverty charity Everybody Eats, was named the 2020 Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year. He talked to Alex Braae about how a more sustainable approach to our food system can help feed those in need. There’s a theme of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Skead, Professor, Dean of Law School, University of Western Australia In 2017, a business lecturer posted a photo on LinkedIn showing a completely empty university classroom, 15 minutes after the class had been scheduled to start. This is not an isolated ...
The coronavirus outbreak is set to cost Air New Zealand as much as $75 million, as it moved to cut more flights to lessen the impact. The airline has issued a revised forecast for its full year earnings, cutting its estimate of operating earnings by between $35m to $75m to ...
New Zealand's steps to shield itself from the Covid-19 coronavirus will not save the economy from feeling its effects. Hundreds of millions of dollars is likely to be shaved off the value of the economy for the first quarter, with estimates currently between 0.3 and 0.6 percentage points less than ...
By Evaristo Soares Martins in Dili Early elections cannot be allowed to “become the political culture” in Timor-Leste, says the leader of the opposition Fretilin party, Dr Marí Alkatiri. The former Prime Minister said he wants to see an end to the political impasse, prompted by the collapse of ...
By Sharlyne Eri in Lae A Papua New Guinean man who once resorted to crime to make a living is now running a bicycle repair business. Collin Kunan is a long-time resident of West Taraka, one of Lae’s urban settlements where petty crime is rife because of high unemployment. ...
Jamie’s away with the lads, Claire’s elbow deep in a dead man’s abdomen, and Roger wants to go back to the future. Tara Ward recaps episode two of season five of Outlander.Well, my thirstly little Outlander cherubs, that was something else, wasn’t it? It’s been many a moon since I watched ...
Opposition leader Simon Bridges says a National government will look at amending the law to allow Australians convicted of serious crimes in New Zealand to be deported. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carlo Perrotta, Senior lecturer, Monash University The spread of the coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 is a public health emergency with economic and social ramifications in China and across the world. While the impacts on business are well documented, education is also ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Cullen, Adjunct professor, University of Western Australia The extradition hearing to decide whether to send Julian Assange to the United States to be tried for publishing classified military documents on Wikileaks is expected to finally begin today in London. Assange is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bernadette McSherry, Foundation Director, Melbourne Social Equity Institute, University of Melbourne In 2018, the Victorian Ombudsman, Deborah Glass, delivered a report about “the saddest case” she had ever seen. A 39-year-old woman with a developmental disorder had been locked in her prison ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick O’Connor, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Among the vast number of native species damaged by the recent bushfire crisis, we must not forget native pollinators. These animals, mainly insects such as native bees, help sustain ecosystems by pollinating native plants. Native ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Skead, Professor, Dean of Law School, University of Western Australia In 2017, a business lecturer posted a photo on LinkedIn showing a completely empty university classroom, 15 minutes after the class had been scheduled to start. This is not an isolated ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neil G Sipe, Adjunct Researcher in Transport and Planning, The University of Queensland Over the past decade almost US$200 billion has been invested globally in mobility technology that promises to improve our ability to get around. More than US$33 billion was invested ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dodd, Director of the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne In a recent ruling the Australian Press Council has given a signal to gossip magazines it is OK to make up and publish rubbish about people, so long as the ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern anticipates cabinet ministers will decide to extend the ban on foreign travellers arriving from mainland China which is due to expire tonight. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The transformation of the national electricity market has “progressed at a remarkable pace and scale” over the last year as it moves towards renewables, but security is a critical issue, according to the Energy Security ...
The Labour Party has selected Kerrin Leoni as their candidate for the electorate of Waikato. In a confirmation meeting held in Ngaruawahia on 23rd February, Ms Leoni, 39, was nominated unopposed as the electorate candidate, with the electorate covering ...
RNZ Checkpoint last week reported that the rodeo industry has killed two animals during the current rodeo season. Information recently obtained by animal rights organisation SAFE reveals two bulls were killed at ‘Mad Bull’ rodeo events in November and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern anticipates cabinet ministers will decide to extend the ban on foreign travellers arriving from mainland China - which is due to expire tonight. ...
Climate change will be a hot topic in Jacinda Ardern's meeting with the Fijian PM this week, but an elephant in the room for her talk with the Australian PM. ...
In today’s edition: plant-based diets add a new item to the rural-urban tension menu, Genesis plans NZ’s biggest solar farm and a major regulatory push on vaping.The Sunday Star-Timesdevoted its whole cover to a dramatic image under the headline ‘Is meat for the chop?’, while inside a Colmar ...
What’s the economic impact of draining a wetland, or depleting soil health? An economist is looking at the value of some of the mostly unseen ecological services nature performs. A lot of what occupies economist Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta’s mind is invisible processes. While environmentalists fighting for wetland protection, or ...
Coronavirus has created new economic uncertainties in China and beyond. There is no doubt the short-term impact on New Zealand’s businesses will be severe, but how exactly is difficult to foresee. The outlook for global trade already looks grim compared to our expectations late last year. CNN reported that Maersk, ...
Belinda Muller has managed major Kiwi sports teams in three different codes – netball, rugby and, now, cricket. The only difference, she's found, is the size of their balls. It was supposed to last just three days. A bit of a paperwork at a netball centre, to help out a ...
The Children’s Commissioner responds to a UN committee's decision about the torture of children at Lake Alice. David Williams reports Pressure is building on a police review of their file into Lake Alice psychiatrist Selwyn Leeks. The review was prompted by a landmark decision by the United Nations Committee against ...
ReadingRoom is devoting all week to the best-selling book in New Zealand right now, In The Clearing, the brilliant new thriller by Kiwi author JP Pomare, inspired by creepy Australian cult The Family. Today: The creepy opening chapter.— Amy’s journal — Here are two things I learnt today: 1. ...
Back to university today? Beware the flashy voluntourism brochures promising a chance to save the world, writes AUT lecturer Daniel Crouch.It was my first day as a lecturer, February 2018, and I was feeling pretty nervous as students filed in. Just before the nine o’clock start, a young woman approached ...
The rise of litigation funding in New Zealand puts politicians and business leaders on notice – their actions will now be policed by a powerful new sheriff, writes Chris Lee.In business, as in life, there may be a range of thought processes that quell the temptation to cheat. One would ...
Aucklanders are breaking records for water usage - at the same time as the city breaks records for days without rain. How secure is the city's future water supply if these droughts continue? Auckland's water use has gone through the roof this summer, breaking records of 560 million litres per ...
News broke today that Hannah Tamaki has been cast for the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. Emily Writes explains why the religious leader and aspirant politician has no place on the show.In an exceptionally sad display of desperation, MediaWorks appears to have booked Hannah Tamaki, known for her ...
Political parties must, this election year, pledge to press forward with a massive build of “social” homes to tackle New Zealand’s human rights crisis in housing, a move that will also help reduce inequality, Peter Malcolm, spokesperson for the ...
Details of the Government's newly-announced vaping crackdown may keep New Zealanders smoking and paying exorbitant excise taxes, says the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union. Taxpayers' Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, "We welcome the decision not ...
News that the Government is set to regulate vaping is welcomed. However, heavily restricting where most vape flavours can be sold is a step too far and could lead to rising smoking rates, says the Vaping Trade Association of New Zealand (VTANZ). ...
Tala Pasifika is applauding Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa’s Vaping Amendment Bill announcement and hopes that all parties will support the bill as a positive move for Pacific peoples trying to quit smoking. The Smoke-free Environments ...
Rawiri Waititi will stand for the Maori Party in Waiariki at September’s General Election. The 39-year-year old’s candidacy was today confirmed in Rotorua. Waiariki Maori Party Electorate Chair Verna Ohia-Gates said Waititi was an outstanding choice ...
ASH NZ congratulates Minister Salesa on the introduction of legislation to regulate vaping. ASH NZ Chair, Prof Robert Beaglehole said, “It is wonderful that a Bill will be introduced next week and we congratulate Minister Salesa on balancing the ...
Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa has announced, after an anxious wait, the proposed Vaping Amendment Bill. CEO of Hāpai Te Haora, Selah Hart wants to congratulate the Minister and is encouraging all parties to help bring the bill home. The Smoke-free ...
ALRANZ president Terry Bellamak and HELP Chief Executive Conor Twyford respond to the news that medical practitioners may keep the right to refuse to provide contraception to sexual assault survivors. Approximately 1 in 4 New Zealand women experience a serious sexual assault. That’s a lot of suffering. How do we care for ...
The Cancer Society calls for cross-party support to ensure vaping regulations are introduced. The Cancer Society is pleased to see the vaping Bill introduced by Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa and urges for a speedy process, supported by all political ...
Host Duncan Greive is joined by The Spinoff editor Toby Manhire to discuss the dramatic events surrounding RNZ this month on The Spinoff’s media podcast, The Fold.It’s an institution whose major point-of-difference is its stability – while the rest of media is slashing and pivoting, RNZ has shows which run ...
The government will introduce laws to further regulate vaping and e-cigarettes, including tightening age restrictions, barring advertising, and regulating where they can be sold and used. ...
If you’re not the foraging type, fear not: supermarket berries will work just fine (but imagine how wholesome you’ll feel if you pick your own!)This is one of my favourite times of the year, when we pile the kids in the car and head east, over the hills to where ...
It’s called ‘CANZUK’, and it’s a bad idea. New Zealand should not be suckered in by dreams of Empire 2.0, writes Lewis Holden.The clock struck 11 on January 31, 2020 and it was all over. Britain was out of the European Union after 47 years. Under the much-maligned Brexit deal ...
As a rising Hindu nationalism exerts itself in India, online Indian communities in New Zealand are also seeing a growth in Islamophobic sentiment.It was the scariest night of his life.Mohammad still remembers hiding in a shallow ditch with his family. He remembers covering his one-year-old brother’s mouth each time the ...
Being a new parent is scary and overwhelming and you can forget that it’s also full of happiness. Simon Day shares the moments of joy that have pulled him through the first eight weeks of being a new dad to twins. It’s 3:36am and I’ve just fed, changed, burped, and put ...
The Labour Party says it has received money from two of the people facing charges in relation to National Party donations but says they were above board. ...
New Zealand First’s action to halt the introduction of a ‘feebate’ scheme designed to support the nation’s transition to low-emission vehicles is a leap back into the industrial age, says Drive Electric Chairman Mark Gilbert. “While ...
Staff expenses at the Reserve Bank – which have increased by an average 4.4% a year since 2009/11 – surged by 14.8% in the 12 months to 2018/19. Total staff numbers increased by an average 3.4 a year during those nine years but shot up by 19 in 2018/19 from ...
The Socialist Equality Group is holding a protest rally on Sunday February 23 in Wellington to demand freedom for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Sunday 23 February, 3:00pm Cuba Street (Left Bank intersection) ...
By Felipe F. Salvosa II in Manila ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Lopez Katigbak has broken his silence amid the controversy over renewal of the Philippine TV giant’s broadcast franchise, which expires in one month. Katigbak, in a video posted on the ABS-CBN News site and aired over flagship ...
RNZ management wants to grow a youth audience without having to build a costly new platform. Anna Dean offers a bunch – none of which involves scrapping RNZ Concert.Over the next few weeks RNZ National Concert staff are set to take part in strategy workshops focused on “growth in audience reach, ...
Today LockerRoom brings you the first episode of Pure As, a mini documentary series on the Silver Ferns' personal journeys to World Cup glory. So much of the magic and composure Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio brings to the netball court today was learned from years of sitting on the ...
"He was an energy vacuum, a shit magnet, a waste of skin": a black comedy by Nelson writer Grant Smithies. The stars he saw were blue, green, golden. Little lights swam around slowly, then went out one by one. His face felt hot. His left eye wasn’t working. And ...
Yes, it’s still summer and, en route to that final festival or beach bolt-hole, the season of the road trip. Here Spinoff Art co-editor Mark Amery runs down some of the best North Island contemporary art stopovers, and the mavericks behind them. We cross the Cook Strait next year, promise.Back ...
The Star Wars prequels are universally regarded as the nadir of the franchise, but at least they gave us spinoff series The Clone Wars, writes Sam BrooksNobody likes the Star Wars prequels. Though that statement is slightly hyperbolic, it’s not far from the truth. Even if you can make a ...
Jai Breitnauer on what happens when male role models start disappearing from a child’s life.Recently, we saw a ghost from the past. Once a regular visitor to our home, there just after the birth of our first child and a constant presence for more than a decade, this individual disappeared ...
Dragon Quest: Your Story feels like an hour-and-a-half-long highlight reel of an adventure spanning dozens of hours, but it’s damn fun, writes Felix Walton.One of Netflix’s current hustles seems to be grabbing movies with little to no hope of a wide release and publishing them as “Netflix Originals.” The latest ...
The Ministry of Education is proposing a number of changes to NCEA Level One, including the merging of several subjects to be phased in over the next five years. Felix Walton looks into how, and why, these changes are happening.Why are they changing things now?They aren’t changing things now, per ...
Pacific Media Centre Chinese authorities are systematically harassing Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic groups even after they have left the country, according to new testimonies gathered by Amnesty International. Uyghur New Zealanders were among those interviewed, despite the threat of further intimidation. The case studies, published online today, reveal ...
A victim of the Generate KiwiSaver hack is considering legal action to seek compensation for stress and the risk of identity theft. One of the 26,000 KiwiSavers who had personal information, including their physical address, IRD number, bank statements and identification, stolen by an unknown third party has sought advice ...
Healthcare appliance manufacturer Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has upped its profit forecasts for the third time this year, with increased sales off the back of the coronavirus. The company now expects a full year net profit of between $260 and $270 million, up 1.9 percent on its previous forecast. Chief ...
Power company Genesis Energy has taken a significant financial hit and lowered its guidance, because of lower hydro generation and gas shortages. Net profit for the six months ended December fell 81.4 percent to $9.2 million, from slightly lower revenue of $1.3 billion. Lower inflows for its hydro power stations ...
Kiwibank's first half profit is down on flat revenue growth and increased operations and compliance costs. The New Zealand-owned bank's net profit fell 18 percent to $51 million in the six months to December, compared with the year earlier's $62m. "As expected the bank faced rising operating costs due to ...
The New Zealand Bar Association has urged Parliament to balance carefully the need to reform legislation in respect of sexual violence with the need to ensure that only the guilty are convicted. The Association told the Justice Select Committee ...
Open Mike 12/05/2017 
Genesis Energy is planning to build the country's biggest PV solar farm:Power generator and retailer Genesis Energy says it is in advanced discussions to build New Zealand's biggest solar farm in northern Waikato. The company, which earlier reported a 15 per cent decline in operating earnings to $167.2 million, said ...57 mins ago
You’ve really got to wonder what the NZ First Party was thinking and drinking last Friday? Not only did they hamstring the Greens by halting one of their main environmental policies, the electric vehicle fee-bate scheme, a policy that the public was led to believe was a done deal…but they ...1 hour ago
High Risk Call: Insensitive though it may seem to even pose the question: how will the electorate respond to what the Prime Minister’s opponents will undoubtedly characterise as an attack on New Zealanders’ freedom of speech? At more than twelve month’s remove from the terrible events of 15 March 2019, ...3 hours ago
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Last week the Wall Street Journal published an article ‘The Dangerous Denial of Sex by two scientists Colin Wright and Emma Hilton. Write is an evolutionary biologist at Penn State and Hilton is a developmental biologist at the University of Manchester. It is well worth reading the article in full. Here ...2 days ago
I am about to mail my overseas ballot to Florida so that it can be counted in the Democratic primary on March 17. In Florida you have closed as opposed to open primaries, which means that one must declare a party preference in order to vote in a party primary. ...2 days ago
Last Monday SpaceX launched another clutch of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, bringing up to 300 the number of these units intended to bring 5G internet to the whole globe. In this post I present a movie showing how all 300 such satellites will be zipping around our planet over ...3 days ago
In mid-December the Israeli secret police, the Shin Beit, revealed it had arrested dozens of Palestinian left-wing activists, including members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), in the previous few months. Among those arrested was one of the central leaders of the PFLP, Khalida Jarrar. As ...5 days ago
I am among the most pro-free speech people I know. I don’t doubt there are others more strident than me, but I’m certainly up there. And my support for freedom of expression isn’t limited to opposition to government-imposed restrictions. It extends to a belief that employers should have limited powers ...1 week ago
...2 weeks ago
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Finance, Fletcher Tabuteau has welcomed Statistics New Zealand’s latest report as a timely reminder of the value that this Coalition Government brings to every day New Zealanders: “This Coalition Government has meant a ...45 mins ago
We're taking action on child poverty, getting Kiwis into the trades, and more ...2 days ago
Strengthening New Zealand’s political and business ties with India will be the focus of Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters’ and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker’s visit to India this week. The Ministers are co-leading a high level business delegation to India to support increased people and economic engagement ...50 mins ago
The coronavirus outbreak is set to cost Air New Zealand as much as $75 million, as it moved to cut more flights to lessen the impact. ...17 mins ago
After 43 years on the telly, Fair Go knows exactly how to stick up for Kiwi consumers. Tara Ward talks to Sophie Baird, the woman changing New Zealand, one consumer complaint at a time. For over four decades, Fair Go has been our saviour. They’ve defended us when we’ve been ripped ...24 mins ago
ANALYSIS: By Asmiati Malik in Jakarta The Indonesian government plans to evaluate the efficacy of special funds for the West Papua region. These funds have been disbursed to the easternmost region, comprising the two provinces of Papua and West Papua, for nearly two decades. The funds, paid since 2002 to ...53 mins ago
The coronavirus outbreak is set to cost Air New Zealand as much as $75 million, as it moved to cut more flights to lessen the impact. The airline has issued a revised forecast for its full year earnings, cutting its estimate of operating earnings by between $35m to $75m to ...3 hours ago
New Zealand's steps to shield itself from the Covid-19 coronavirus will not save the economy from feeling its effects. Hundreds of millions of dollars is likely to be shaved off the value of the economy for the first quarter, with estimates currently between 0.3 and 0.6 percentage points less than ...3 hours ago
Opposition leader Simon Bridges says a National government will look at amending the law to allow Australians convicted of serious crimes in New Zealand to be deported. ...3 hours ago
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The Labour Party has selected Kerrin Leoni as their candidate for the electorate of Waikato. In a confirmation meeting held in Ngaruawahia on 23rd February, Ms Leoni, 39, was nominated unopposed as the electorate candidate, with the electorate covering ...4 hours ago
What’s the economic impact of draining a wetland, or depleting soil health? An economist is looking at the value of some of the mostly unseen ecological services nature performs. A lot of what occupies economist Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta’s mind is invisible processes. While environmentalists fighting for wetland protection, or ...8 hours ago
Coronavirus has created new economic uncertainties in China and beyond. There is no doubt the short-term impact on New Zealand’s businesses will be severe, but how exactly is difficult to foresee. The outlook for global trade already looks grim compared to our expectations late last year. CNN reported that Maersk, ...8 hours ago
Belinda Muller has managed major Kiwi sports teams in three different codes – netball, rugby and, now, cricket. The only difference, she's found, is the size of their balls. It was supposed to last just three days. A bit of a paperwork at a netball centre, to help out a ...8 hours ago
The Children’s Commissioner responds to a UN committee's decision about the torture of children at Lake Alice. David Williams reports Pressure is building on a police review of their file into Lake Alice psychiatrist Selwyn Leeks. The review was prompted by a landmark decision by the United Nations Committee against ...8 hours ago
ReadingRoom is devoting all week to the best-selling book in New Zealand right now, In The Clearing, the brilliant new thriller by Kiwi author JP Pomare, inspired by creepy Australian cult The Family. Today: The creepy opening chapter. — Amy’s journal — Here are two things I learnt today: 1. ...8 hours ago
Aucklanders are breaking records for water usage - at the same time as the city breaks records for days without rain. How secure is the city's future water supply if these droughts continue? Auckland's water use has gone through the roof this summer, breaking records of 560 million litres per ...8 hours ago
Nationwide councils have underspent on water infrastructure by billions, Wellington is one of the first to feel the fallout. ...19 hours ago
Staff expenses at the Reserve Bank – which have increased by an average 4.4% a year since 2009/11 – surged by 14.8% in the 12 months to 2018/19. Total staff numbers increased by an average 3.4 a year during those nine years but shot up by 19 in 2018/19 from ...2 days ago
Today LockerRoom brings you the first episode of Pure As, a mini documentary series on the Silver Ferns' personal journeys to World Cup glory. So much of the magic and composure Silver Ferns captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio brings to the netball court today was learned from years of sitting on the ...2 days ago
"He was an energy vacuum, a shit magnet, a waste of skin": a black comedy by Nelson writer Grant Smithies. The stars he saw were blue, green, golden. Little lights swam around slowly, then went out one by one. His face felt hot. His left eye wasn’t working. And ...2 days ago
Peter Griffin looks past the rollercoaster ride that is cryptocurrency to find out its true potential. ...3 days ago
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Healthcare appliance manufacturer Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has upped its profit forecasts for the third time this year, with increased sales off the back of the coronavirus. The company now expects a full year net profit of between $260 and $270 million, up 1.9 percent on its previous forecast. Chief ...3 days ago
Power company Genesis Energy has taken a significant financial hit and lowered its guidance, because of lower hydro generation and gas shortages. Net profit for the six months ended December fell 81.4 percent to $9.2 million, from slightly lower revenue of $1.3 billion. Lower inflows for its hydro power stations ...3 days ago
Kiwibank's first half profit is down on flat revenue growth and increased operations and compliance costs. The New Zealand-owned bank's net profit fell 18 percent to $51 million in the six months to December, compared with the year earlier's $62m. "As expected the bank faced rising operating costs due to ...3 days ago
Nikki Kaye wants to see ‘healthy, well-rounded’ students’
Wonder if this means she’ll reinstate healthy food regulations at school that Anne Tolley got rid of in 2009.
Schools’ healthy food rule scrapped
Or is this just words as ever from the National Party?
And after she’s spoken to Tolley, a chat with Coleman about funding of mental health services will be needed too.
Canterbury families ‘struggling to cope’ as children wait ‘months’ for mental health help
Or is this just words as ever from the National Party?
And after she’s spoken to Coleman, a chat with ex National minister Rich, who pimps for big sugar, explaining how the government is going to ignore her lobbying for Coca Cola and other companies Rich represents.
The FGC won’t be cheering future announcements, Kaye will sY.
https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-food-grocery-council-taxpayers-union-cheer-obesity-package-targets-education-health
Or are these just words from Kaye and her National minders?
Wonder if this means she’ll reinstate healthy food regulations at school that Anne Tolley got rid of in 2009.
Given that Labour’s “healthy food regulations” were a crock of shit, I certainly hope not.
They seemed to improve what primary schools did around food especially lower decile schools.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23216495
In what way?
@ Ed (1) … it’s election year, don’t forget! So expect many forked tongue statements to spew forth from Natz, between now and 23 September.
Trump’s tinpot dictatorship continues as he fires Sally Yates, Preet Bharara, and this week Comey, head of the FBI. All three were involved in the investigation of possible Russian meddling in the election. Trump will be eager to have the vacant head of the FBI position filled with a reliable yes-man.
https://theintercept.com/2017/05/10/after-james-comeys-firing-who-will-stop-trumps-tinpot-dictatorship/
This gave me a good laugh in stuff this am.
President Donald Trump blasted ousted FBI chief James Comey as a “showboat” and “grandstander” even as the agency’s acting leader contradicted the president’s account that the agency had been in turmoil before he fired Comey.
Comeys a showboat!!!!
Takes one to know one.
dv @ 2.1
Best example ever…..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_projection
Listen to this:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201843559
Load up the fridge and get ready for a few days of hell fire and brimstone like we’ve rarely seen before. Incredible.
This behavior fascinates me. I see it as: ‘Sometimes the words we say are the words we most need to hear ourselves’. I believe it’s something that we are all guilty of to a degree, it manifests in so many situations and forms.
I catch myself doing it, suggesting someone do something a certain way and then consider, ‘Shheesh, if I’m so smart, why aren’t I doing that then?” I saw someone give 1 of 2 children a light swat on the bum the other day and say “Don’t hit your sister”. Ha! Can a message be any more mixed?
Trump’s Proceeds to drain the swamp as he fires Sally Yates, Preet Bharara, and this week Comey, head of the FBI. All three were involved in promoting perception of Russian meddling in the election. Trump will be eager to have the vacant head of the FBI position filled with a reliable competant person.
Fixed it for ya.
But Bernie sez –
To Xanthe,
For a start try spelling competent correctly!
Fixed it for ya.
The future.
https://futurism.com/elon-musk-just-announced-that-teslas-solar-roofs-will-have-an-infinity-warranty/
A great idea. I wonder if it is the glass that has the warranty rather than the photo sensitive cells? Existing panels/cells steadily loose their potency.
Musk presentation.
There is so much junk on the net. So many oysters, so few pearls. maybe our tastes are aligned Joe but I think you’re pretty good at finding pearls.
Mr Musk in the sort of high quality ‘All the pizazz’ presentation we used to get from Steve Jobs. I think I like it, it’s interesting. The face of Corporate Green. Big money neoliberal green. Spins my head man but I’m very pleased you stuck it infront of me, thanks.
Moreso that damn clown from the other day. I’ve watched that clip 5 times. Watching his earlier stuff it’s neat to track the progress of his chosen art form? I can’t decide if it’s very high end cutting edge art or junk. I love it but it’s doing my head in Joe.
Can already access this in NZ – be useful to see some estimated prices, but at least that option is there.
joe 90.Very interesting. A mixture of right wing enterprise and left wing sense. I now think that overall both camps should work together more. Less stress = less mental problems. Some money for business and cleaner planet for all. The rich pay we all gain for free in effect.
Afaict, somewhere near the cost of slate – > $300 /sqM.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-10/tesla-s-solar-roof-is-finally-ready-for-you-to-buy
http://www.refreshrenovations.co.nz/project-estimates/how-much-does-a-new-roof-cost/
That’d make it a no brainer for a new house or if the roof needs replacing.
Wonder what the price difference is between the two types of tile that they use:
That test on the link from Molly is wrong though as the tile is rotated through 90 degrees from the other tiles meaning that it’s actually got far more support.
BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Massive online ACT Party data breach
http://thedailyblog.co.nz
[permanent link added – weka]
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/05/12/breaking-exclusive-massive-online-act-party-data-breach/
tricky ethical dilemma for the left. I wonder if Bradbury told them directly or left it to social media.
Wow, that’s serious and careless of the one man anti female pay equality party.
The left would be wise to not publicly exploit such an open door, leave it to the media, media should be reporting this as ACT party members and any names listed in the leak should be made aware that their details are out there for all to see
The left would also be wise to check their info is secure and read all the ACT party leak info available, insight and information is everything.
So anyone accessing this – are they any different to when Whale did something similar on the labour website?
Sounds similar to me on both respective web sites .Fair point james. Cinny does not the old saying ‘What’s good for the Goose is good for the Gander ” approach the type, or style, of logic that should apply here? I believe it should at first glance.
What, when he put a youtube video that looked like him reading instructions someone else gave him, as he showed viewers exactly how to gain unauthorised access?
Bradbury is a dick, which makes me think that he might not have informed ACT about their vulnerability a couple of hours before he put his post up. That having been said, it’s not like he gave everyone a “privacy violation for dummies” help video.
I’d give him a B+ if he gave them a heads up, a C- if he didn’t, and an E for slater’s attempt. Graded by ethics and competence.
Fair point.
But at least TDB appear to be giving ACT a heads up, am pretty sure whale blubber did not offer the same courtesy to Labour in the past.
Either way some questions should be addressed by Seymour to those affected by his unsecure database.
Is said data base now secure?
Have all people in database been contacted by ACT to reassure them?
Just heard on Natrad…Kathryn Ryan’s in depth discussion about government backing of polluting salmon farm by forcing change to Regional Plan.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201843586/salmon-stoush-exposes-rma-loophole
Devotes a rather stunning 30 minutes to this….
Thanks Rosemary. Very interesting though it would seem that there are shades of stopping ECan so that water actions can be forced through. This seems to be similar in that the District Council influence has been stopped also.
They kept saying that the Minister would decide but without naming him. It would be the infamous Nick Smith wouldn’t it?
Current Councillors have been very very quiet on the subject of protecting the Marlborough Sounds.
And “What future the magnificent Marlborough Sounds? ” by ex Councillor Peter Jerram.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/opinion/92333781/opinion-what-future-the-magnificent-marlborough-sounds
With long term connections to Marlborough, I can observe a change regarding local and outside control of the resources of Marlborough.
When the local authorities were reorganised, Marlborough had its own district council but a regional district council which involved Tasman as well. Our MP of the time, with local support, had Marlborough assume full control of the Regional Authority functions in a unitary authority.
When the Sounds were being quite adversely affected by the wash of fast ferries, the council did not have the will or the clout to control this. Then I wanted the wider input of a larger authority to be able to take action and also have a wider input, not so easily affected by purely local interests.
Now, it seems that wider commercial interests are thwarted by local control of significant commercial opportunity which are being denied because the district plan has designated parts of the Sounds as having significant landscape values.
Consequently, salmon farms are now pushing for changes. Larger government power is being used to affect this, over-riding local processes and values.
The Sounds have been degraded with commercial exploitation and population pressure- salmon, scallops, commercial and private fishing, forestry, housing.
The point of this is to point out that commercial interests tend to override local interests, and that control of local resources are also placed where commercial interests can overpower.
Marlborough is a third world economy within NZ. Its significant industries are largely controlled outside the region, its profits largely go outside the province, its wages are lower than the national average, we import foreign labour to support this situation, we suffer from rental and housing difficulties, and our workers are consistently exploited.
“Marlborough is a third world economy within NZ. Its significant industries are largely controlled outside the region, its profits largely go outside the province, its wages are lower than the national average, we import foreign labour to support this situation, we suffer from rental and housing difficulties, and our workers are consistently exploited.”
When I responded to a shower of ‘NZers are lazy and that’s why we need the foreign labourers.’ comments elsewhere on the web the owner/chief mod stepped in and shut the thread down. Seems it may only become a ‘political discussion’ (and hence attracts a ban on that particular site) when actual facts countering the rightist narrative are presented. Ho hum.
Thanks mac1 for your commentary on this. Insight from locals are most important.
It will be interesting to what response from locals if their democratically elected council is overridden by central government.
You mean *when* their council is over-ridden – that’s what’s happening with this situation. Smith has meddled in that region’s affairs many times before.
Maybe the New Zealand Labour Party could take note of Mr Chomsky….and we could all learn a thing or two about the future of Centrism …..
“In the extended interview, Davis asks Chomsky whether the Labour Party needs to split after the election. He notes the divide between the ‘Thatcher-lite party’ and the ‘Corbyn party’. Chomsky acknowledged that there were divisions. And he asserted:
These are internal problems to these decaying centrist institutions.
So according to Chomsky, the notion that the Labour Party can survive as a ‘centrist’ institution is over. It’s essentially dead in the water. But the BBC didn’t broadcast that claim. And it’s not hard to see why. Because the BBC has continuously championed supposedly centrist politicians. It’s apparently a supporter of, and a believer in, such ideals. And it has attacked people like Corbyn, who are attempting to orientate the party in a “democratic socialist” direction; a principle that the party is supposed to be defined by.”
https://www.thecanary.co/2017/05/11/heres-the-moment-from-yesterdays-newsnight-the-bbc-didnt-want-you-to-see-video/
Some commentators put up scares if our Labour suggests anything socialist
I think in order to scare Labour into an unwinnable Centrist position.
eg The demon Union spectre.
Full interview here…
I would vote for Corbin too.
With 8 weeks to go Corbyn is handing the Conservatives an even bigger majority in Commons.
And it’s never ever his fault.
Is Chomsky Corbyn’s sock puppet then?
Is this your way of saying you don’t support social democracy Ad?
You couldn’t tell me the exact time he says he will support Corbyn could you-I know I should listen to the whole lot but…..
testing.
~tui
Interesting reading for anyone that thinks Labour have a chance in the UK elections.
Its not looking good for you.
http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/homepage.html
My prediction is that Labour will do even worse (I guess its possible) after they release their manifesto .
I know its late james ,but I think you should be worried about NZ labours tactical election polls, and campaign. not pomy ones. Bit in the herald now about it , more to follow Sunday.
Reason #345 to protect NZ biodiversity. Tuatara aren’t lizards and they’re literally one of a kind,
Plus they have a third eye. Not very common in nature, that.
James appears to have a third eye ,by what he’s posted above.
My mother had eyes in the back of her head.
LOL.
double lol. But has her family been around for 240 million years?
I bet a few of them look like it..
I assume you mean -mother in laws. Mothers are sweet, albeit with eyes in the back of their heads? Hmmm I’d better shut up –things are running away somewhat.
okay I’m going to say it
that nude ‘model’ flashing on Taranaki was disgusting to me – it showed everything wrong with the selfish, self centred idiot types who just are so self absorbed that all they care about is themselves and their publicity.
For this person to then blop on about that Māori not being indigenous shows what a very dim person this ‘model’ is.
Hey ‘model’ fuck off will you.
Every time Māori have to defend views and beliefs – every. fucken. time.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/92359296/the-cultural-divide-between-maori-and-pakeha
http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/92475284/maori-are-not-indigenous-playmate-reveals
Agree. Posing nude there is just so much sensationalist PR, and not worthy of the location.
And the associated stuff poll offers 2 views, which ignore the core issue – basically just refers to differing views.
Moari have a right to defend their views and not all Maori think alike, but like religion it does not mean every body has to accept somebody else’s metaphysical belief Drawing a long bow if superstition can dictate what a person can do on a whole bloody mountain when the only offense is to upset some ones belief, and after the event at that, people (all) just need to get over themselves and stop been so easily offended
that’s the bloody point – it ISN’T just a mountain for many – but whatever – engaging with the tripe you wrote is tedious, unproductive and a waste of my time. Keep believing everyone can do anything whenever their pea sized brain thinks of it and when they come and shit on your sensibilities don’t come moaning to me.
First the Virgin in a Condom, and now this.
Yeah, but the Virgin in a Condom was intended to be a dick move (sorry, I meant to type that it was a provocative piece designed to stimulate controversy about the relevance and role of religious thought in the modern age. Or something).
What’s her face was just looking for social media clicks.
Of course, a millennia or two scrapping over the Temple Mount and all the while, people (all) just need[ed] to get over themselves and stop been so easily offended, and everything would’ve been just fucking peachy, too.
Who knew!.
It is just a mountain that is the only fact rock and dirt, was there well before human existence and will be after, anything else is simply a metaphysical, superstitious belief that is also anybodies right to believe but not a right to impose on others lawful liberty
nah – you are talking rubbish – take your mechanistic viewpoint and, well, do whatever you like because you’re just a squeaking hinge anyway aren’t you?
But nor do people not have a right to point out when someone else is just being a dick.
Ulhuru does it well, it just has a sign that basically asks people to not be dicks and walk over the rock. Most people aren’t dicks, so they don’t climb the rock. Some people do climb the rock, but there’s a sign there so everyone knows they’re being a dick.
This woman gets publicity by taking her kit off in strange places. Fair enough. But in some of those places, that’s just placing your publicity-seeking ahead of everyone else’s feelings. Her doubling-down and making the “indiginous” comment was simply more dickish publicity seeking. red, don’t be like her. Don’t be a dick.
It’s a bit like if I pass a memorial service or meeting, let’s say an ANZAC service or a group of people grieving at the spot someone died. Now, I’m a bit of a dick, so I like swearing, and maybe if I’m drunk I might have done the occasional public urination. Dick move, fair call. But this service might be important to someone. Me taking a piss in the bushes right next to them would be a really dick move. I’m a bit of a dick, but I try not to be a massive dick. It might still be legal if they couldn’t see my dick, but they’d still know what I was doing. I’d be a massive dick. I don’t want to be a massive dick.
Be like me. Try not to be a massive dick. There’s no law against it, but it’s still a dick move. She’s just a dick, because she likes the publicity she gets by being a dick. Don’t be like her.
I get your line of arguement but for a metaphysical belief to control a whole mountain vs some ones freedom of expression is going to far, no matter how silly that freedom of expression is The act is Harmless barring upsetting the Marty snow flakes of the world, who chooses to be offended, which is his right. if it was not reported no one would even no, ie joe public walking up the mountain Starkers tomorrow, that’s the real test of how harmless the act really is
See if the penny drops.
damn, that brings it home. Loved the email address.
How far do you take this bill, a memorial structure commemorating a human event that happened vs a metaphysical belef about a whole mountain Not equivalent I would argue on these grounds and we are talking a whole mountain not a small to a degree private space
it’s a public space with a bunch of concrete blocks.
Different people have massively different emotional perspectives on it, as the link demonstrated.
Same with different mountains.
So you’re quite happy with people tramping all over our conservation estate, without respect for the environment: happy for people to be posing nude in a public domain in front of a diverse section of the public; happy for free campers pooing and tossing their slops on open countryside, etc, etc.?
sigh!
Posing nude on a mountain in private is not equivalent to posing nude in public How is been starkers and one with nature tramping all over the conservation estate Freedom campers Pooing all over the place is is health hazard and impinges on other people rights, standing starkers on a mountain alone is like a tree falling in the forrest with no one around, impacts nobody apart from snow flakes looking to be offended
It wasn’t posing nude in private on a mountain top. It was a photo shoot.
The whole metaphysical belief line is a red herring. If any culture has the right to determine its own cultural values, then that applies across the board to all cultures.
You obviously don’t think that and either believe that some cultures are special and deserve that right but Māori don’t, or that no cultures deserve that so you would be ok for the woman to have posed nude at an ANZAC day dawn service. Either way, as McFlock points out, you’re being a dick.
You’re happy till it all comes up against your values or beliefs red then you’ll weep and teeth gnash about how wrong it all is. You big freedom bods always do.
that’s the one.
Nup not at all, live and let live It’s a mountain volcano, if some one wants to go starkers up there more fool them, if some one gets upset because they think it offends the mountain and some how that offends them, well good on them but does not mean I have to take such offense seriously or rediculous equavalence been used to justify as such, think about it logically rather than emotionally , again the left pushes science and rationality to it suits them until it clashes with their primitive left ideology and identity politics
So basically you’re good? No issue. Starkers okay, getting upset okay. But somehow youve got offended because… the example used made you think you much?
Struggling with your meaning Marty, its s bit of a mumble ( it is Friday) , but I sort of get your gist, I am not offended at any one just challenging the fact that some people been offended by this action has any merit
Why do that. Why do you care if it doesn’t bother you.
So your position has changed from you boldly fighting tyranny with comments like “not a right to impose on others lawful liberty”, to you simply refusing to take other peoples’ beliefs and offense seriously.
I mean, nobody’s saying you have to share those beliefs, but you don’t have to be a completely inconsiderate dick about it, either.
I’ve seen the ‘Don’t make a dick of yourself’ theory work at Cable Bay in Northland. A young guy was lost diving for kaimoana on a rocky point/reef.
There was one simple cardboard and felt pen sign pinned up under the council info for the beach, dog rules, rubbish rules, camping rules, lighting fire rules etc. All those other guidelines we follow.
The Rangitira from the boy’s Iwi declared a rahui on the beach for a number of days. The Iwi had no rights to block access. The tribe’s wishes were respected en masse. The occasional van full of Germans needed the circumstances pointed out to them, they were free to make their own choice. By and large they were fascinated by the custom, wanted to know more and moved on to have a swim somewhere else in the 40 kms of bays and beaches.
I believe it enjoyed popular support. It prompted people to keep an eye open for the still missing corpse, it prompted people to find out something of the missing boy and the custom. Giving up access to Cable Bay for a week seemed a small price to pay. I’m not sure how the call would of gone down if the Rangitira had called for a 10 year Rahui. I think all parties were well served. A harmonious compromise as opposed to “I own this”
try this one red – I did a mindfulness exercise yesterday – write for 3 minutes or just think about it from this statement, “I know… ”
When I did it I realised that most of what I know has been taught or gleaned from others and even the stuff that comes directly into my brain via the senses is 2nd or 3rd hand electrontrickery – what actually do you KNOW red?
Ranting now Marty, settle
“people (all) just need to get over themselves and stop been so easily offended”
The irony is dripping at this point….
lol.
Yep i overestimated again.
I hate to nit-pick, but this is for such a troll… “It is just a mountain that is the only fact rock and dirt, was there well before human existence and will be after, …”
That may be true for some ancient alps like the Himalayas, but Egmont (Mt Taranaki) is a volcano, and quite possibly did not exist prior to the existence of humans.
I’m calling you out for your typical bullshit, Red. Do some research, and prove that statement you so boldly made. Prove that Mt Tarnaki’s existence predates the existence of the human species. I accuse you of being wrong – yet again.
And by pretending that the mountain predates all humans, Red seeks to belittle the cultural values of all humans – not just Maori. Fallacious and feeble, Red.
125000 years old http://www.teara.govt.co so does not predate Homo sapiens, but does human existence in nz by only 124200 years
Human existence in NZ is utterly irrelevant to your silly first assertion, by which you sought to belittle human cultural concerns – especially the ones you don’t like.
Now your just making stuff up
You’re, please. And it seems you don’t understand your own cacklemush.
Might want to check your own superstitious belief system first like why don’t you cross the centerline on the road, go to the toilet in the bushes, only drive if there’s a plastic label on your windscreen.
?
Entire concpet of ‘liberty’ is metaphysical nonsense mate.
😀
Yes by the primitive left
It’s not the Left that’s primitive but the RWNJs.
It’s the Right-wing that call for:
1. Punishing the poor for being poor
2. Putting more people in prison despite prison actually making things worse
3. War
4. Cutting taxes because of their greed despite the damage both cutting taxes and greed does to society
5. Cutting health spending – especially in mental health
6. Profits before people, society and the environment
And the list goes on.
Nobody has the right to affect others without those others permission.
Everything you do affects others.
Your liberty of always limited because of this. To say otherwise is to declare that you have the right to oppress others.
WTF are you on about stick to topic, re raising straw men , ad hominem and red herring arguements. You choose to be offended, it’s not imposed on you, no one has a right not to be offended by someone words or actions that are not illegal You of course have the right to disagree and counter with a more meritorious arguement or action , something that has been very lacking here on this thread
Just because something is legal doesn’t mean that it’s right.
Forget legal you don’t have a snow flake right to not be offended no matter how you want to twist it
You know what?
You’re becoming ever more incomprehensible with each comment.
I find that comment offensive , please stop, do you get it now, if not we mywell stop here as I suggest you are incapable of reason
[lprent: Reading that comment thread, I’d strongly suggest that if you want to continue commenting on this site, then you’d better either get used to being offended as people respond to you. Basically you look like you are a idiot parrot with a phrasebook babbling crap. I have no idea if that is because that is who you are – ie because you are too stupid to say something sensible. Or if you are taking the piss (in one of several possible ways).
In any case, my scan through this thread indicates that you just look like a dumb troll. I don’t like trolls, and I have a standing policy of being extremely offensive to them as way of improving online behaviour. If you persist in acting like a troll, then you will discover who sets the rules about behaviour on this site. I will give you a hint – it isn’t you. Read the policy to find out what happens in reality. ]
Consequences, but hey, free speech.
.
/
One of four Muslim women targeted in four successive and unprovoked Islamophobic attacks on Wednesday said she was randomly punched in the face as she walked through the city wearing her headphones.
Maria Claudia Gimenez Wilson, a 39-year-old journalism student from Paraguay, is charged with assaulting the four women, aged 18-23, as they walked along busy roads near UTS in Ultimo on Wednesday afternoon.
[…]
A report by a Justice Health nurse said that Ms Wilson had schizoaffective disorder and “appears to be suffering persecutory beliefs”.
Ms Wilson, whose Facebook profile is littered with far right-wing and anti-Islamic material, interrupted proceedings to say that she was not unwell.
“The only thing I did was to take a bull cut [sic] to a Muslim lady,” she said. “I don’t see any problem with that.”
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/four-muslim-women-punched-in-the-face-in-islamophobia-attacks-near-uts-ultimo-20170511-gw2pvy.html