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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Today is a Member's day, and David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill continues its slow crawl through its committee stage. They're spending the whole day on it today, though the first hour is likely to be spent on voting left over from last time. After that they'll move on ...
An ambitious plan to fly to Los Angeles petered out into a brief sight-seeing trip and a desire to return home and get some sleep before work tomorrow. Air New Zealand has confirmed a flight to Los Angeles last night was turned back about a quarter of the way into ...
There appears to be consensus – by omission – that the concept of indigenous futures should be accepted at face value. So I scavenged the internet to see if I could locate an academic descriptor or a framework around how we think about it as a concept, and whether it ...
Here’s another novelty chocolate to shove in your gob, New Zealand Cadbury could be seeking to make itself great again with a rumoured new release: Pineapple Trumps, a spin on its classic chocolate-encased pineapple treat and do-it-yourself tooth remover. The global confectionery manufacturer and bumbling “before” character in an infomercial, ...
During my time in the Pentagon I had the privilege of sitting down with military leaders and defence and security officials from a variety of Latin American nations. Sometimes I was present as a subordinate assistant to a senior US defence department official, sometimes as part of a delegation that ...
Kia ora, Aotearoa. It’s that magical time of year. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. In English, the week that frightens talk radio. As you probably know by now, all your favourite media outlets are participating, some more successfully than others. Stuff has changed its name to Puna for the ...
Eighteen months ago, the government promised to strengthen the Bill of Rights Act, by explicitly affirming the power of the courts to issue declarations of inconsistency and requiring Parliament to formally respond to them. So how's that going? I was curious, so I asked for all advice about the proposal. ...
As the Brexit saga staggers on, the focus is naturally enough on the Prime Minister and his attempts to achieve Brexit “do or die”. But the role played by the Leader of the Opposition is of almost equal interest and complexity. The first problem for Jeremy Corbyn is that he ...
Last week, English Prime Minister Boris Johnson boldly declared that he would rather die be dead in a ditch than delay Brexit. Unfortunately for him, the UK parliament accepted the challenge, and promptly dug one for him. The "rebellion bill" requires him to ask for and secure yet another temporary ...
Lost In Political Space: The most important takeaway from this latest Labour sexual assault scandal, which (if I may paraphrase Nixon’s White House counsel’s, John Dean’s, infamous description of Watergate) is “growing like a cancer” on the premiership, is the Labour Party organisation’s extraordinary professional paralysis in the face of ...
by Daphna Whitmore Every Sunday for the past two months unionists from First Union, with supporters from other unions, have set out to the Ihumatao land protest, put up gazebos and gas barbeques, and cooked food for a few hundred locals and supporters who have come from across the country. ...
Newsroom today has an excellent, in-depth article on pine trees as carbon sinks. The TL;DR is that pine is really good at soaking up carbon, but people prefer far-less efficient native forests instead. Which is understandable, but there's two problems: firstly, we've pissed about so long on this problem that ...
Canan Kaftancioglu is a Turkish politician and member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). Like most modern politicians, she tweets, and uses the platform to criticise the Turkish government. She has criticised them over the death of a 14-year-old boy who was hit by a tear gas grenade during ...
Hi there, just call me Tim.We face tough problems, and I’d like to help, because there are solutions.An Auckand District Health Board member has nominated me for as a candidate for the ADHB, because her MS-related pain and fatigue is reduced with hemp products from Rotorua. Nothing else helped her. If I ...
The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security has published their report on whether the SIS and GCSB had any complicity in American torture. And its damning. The pull quote is this:The Inquiry found both agencies, but to a much greater degree, the NZSIS, received many intelligence reports obtained from detainees who, ...
Bewhiskered Cassandra? Professor Hugh White’s chilling suggestion, advanced to select collections of academic, military and diplomatic Kiwi experts over the course of the past week, is that the assumptions upon which Australia and New Zealand have built their foreign affairs and defence policies for practically their entire histories – are ...
For most of the time I was a British MP, my party was out of government – these were the Thatcher years, when it was hard for anyone else to get a look-in. As a front-bencher and shadow minister, I became familiar with the strategies required in a parliamentary democracy ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On August 29th a video in which veteran FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) commander Iván Márquez announced that they had taken up arms again was released. There was no delay in the reaction to it, from longtime Liberal Party figure and former president Uribe, for ...
Air New Zealand couldn’t believe its luck that this seemingly ideal piece of real estate had so far gone entirely unnoticed. Air New Zealand’s search for a site to build a second Auckland Airport may have made a breakthrough this afternoon, after employees scanning Google satellite imagery spotted a huge, ...
No-one on the anti-capitalist left in this country today puts forward a case that Labour is on the side of the working class. There are certainly people who call themselves ‘socialist’ who do, but they are essentially liberals with vested interests in Labourism – often for career reasons. Nevertheless, there ...
When National was in government and fucking over the poor for the benefit of the rich, foodbanks were a growth industry. And now Labour is in charge, nothing has changed: A huge demand for emergency food parcels means the Auckland City Mission is struggling to prepare for the impending arrival ...
Gayford, pictured here on The Project, before things got wildly out of control. A bold public relations move by the Government to encourage parents to vaccinate their children has gone horribly wrong. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appeared on tonight’s episode of Three’s The Project, where the plan was for her ...
Mr. Whippy’s business model has driven it down a dark road of intimidation. Residents in major centres around the country are becoming disgruntled by the increasingly aggressive actions of purported ice cream company Mr. Whippy, who have taken to parking on people’s front lawns and doorsteps in a desperate attempt ...
Today the government released its Action Plan for Healthy Waterways, aimed at cleaning up our lakes and rivers. Its actually quite good. There will be protection for wetlands, better standards for swimming spots, a requirement for continuous improvement, and better standards for wastewater and stormwater. But most importantly, there's a ...
Today I appeared before the Environment Committee to give an oral submission on the Zero Carbon Bill. Over 1,500 people have asked to appear in person, so they've divided into subcommittees and are off touring the country, giving people a five minute slot each. The other submitters were a mixed ...
Anti-fluoride activists have some wealthy backers – they are erecting billboards misrepresenting the Canadian study on many New Zealand cities – and local authorities are ordering their removal because of their scaremongering. Many New Zealanders ...
So, those who “know best” have again done their worst. While constantly claiming to be the guardians of democracy and the constitution, and respecters of the 2016 referendum result, diehard Remainers (who have never brought themselves to believe that their advice could have been rejected) have striven might and main ...
Responding to the Government’s decision to give around $300 million to Amazon as a sweetener for filming a TV series in New Zealand, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “As a matter of simple waste, this is striking, ...
I am very pleased with Air New Zealand’s Decision to backdown and withdraw their application to trademark into a logo Kia Ora. I said at the time that it was an ill conceived idea and poorly thought out – more importantly it should never have been ...
NZEI Te Riu Roa members will be joining with others across the union movement by wearing black and white in support of pay equity on Suffrage Day tomorrow, and urging the Government to commit to a settlement for teacher aides this year. ...
Yesterday’s announcement from the Minister for Immigration, to improve temporary work visas for migrant workers, provides some positive changes but more detail is needed. The Council of Trade Unions fundamentally supports the principle of making ...
FIRST Union today welcomed Westpac’s public admission of the significant gender pay gap in its workforce and reiterated its call for employers to work with unions to close this disparity, arguing that this work must begin at the bottom of the pay ...
Changes to the work visa system announced by the Minister of Immigration are not all positive for employers or migrants, comments Ms June Ranson, chair of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment (NZAMI) , a leading voice in the ...
The Dairy Workers Union (DWU) has welcomed the announcement from dairy company, Synlait, that they will be boosting parental leave entitlements significantly for working parents. ...
In June, the Children’s Commissioner announced a thematic review into Oranga Tamariki’s policies, processes and practice relating to care and protection issues for tamariki Māori aged 0-3 months. Today the Children’s Commissioner has released the full ...
“Closing the Gap” Tauranga, one of the area groups of Income Equality Aotearoa NZ Inc., has surveyed all candidates in the three local body elections to discover attitudes to some basic issues of the Western Bay region. We believe that this is ...
In response to DairyNZ's attempt to dismiss an economic report that highlighted dairy's role in the New Zealand economy is only three per cent of GDP, Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive Martin Taylor says: "If DairyNZ wishes to reject a report ...
Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has successfully guided the mana whenua of lhumaatao to reach a consensus on the future of their whenua. ...
Two activists disguised as shareholders interrupted the AGM of a gold mining company in central Auckland this morning to inform shareholders their plans to mine for gold in conservation estate in the Karangahake Gorge were unwelcome. ...
The Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB) has been labelled ‘NATO’ (no action, talk only) when it comes to child mental health, with just 0.6 full time staff (24 hours per week) for inpatient child psychology and just 0.8 full time staff ...
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL has awarded three New Zealand climate youth groups with its Ambassador of Conscience award, its highest recognition for human rights work, previously given to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Ai Weiwei and Malala Yousafzai. ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union , in partnership with the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance , has today published this year's Ratepayers' Report – online local government league tables – at www.ratepayersreport.nz . ...
NZUS Council executive director Jordan Small welcomes the news New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will meet with US President Donald Trump in New York next week. ...
The recent NZIER report trivialises the significant role the dairy sector plays in New Zealand’s economy – and fails to look at the specifics of the Government’s freshwater package, according to DairyNZ. DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said ...
This week, the New Zealand Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will jointly host a seminar on tackling the global spread of illicit weapons. ...
In a landmark judgment issued this morning, the Court of Appeal confirmed that the Southern Response Concealment Class Action will proceed issued on an "opt out” basis. ...
Mainstream media, as the purveyors of truth and source of balanced information, took another backward step today with the announcement by Stuff that most New Zealand organisations had joined 170 media outlets from around the world in the “Covering ...
The goal of one million Kiwis having basic conversations in te reo by 2040 is unrealistic if more is not done to get serious about reo acquisition says the Māori Party. “While small steps have been taken to bolster efforts to increase the numbers of speakers, ...
Changes announced today by the Immigration Minister to employer-assisted visas will help businesses, but more work is needed to boost economic growth says Business Central. ...
DairyNZ Chief Executive Dr Tim Mackle is welcoming today’s announcement that the Government will be streamlining the employer assisted work visa process to help businesses and farms fill skills shortages. ...
Lawrence Yule MP wrote to our Office with concerns about the Department of Corrections' approach to procuring design and build services for rapid deployment of prison accommodation. We have published our response to Mr Yule on our website . ...
That from the chair of the Wellington Region of the College of Midwives, Siobhan Connor, following the news that Hutt Valley District Health Board is targeting midwives from overseas to help fill gaps in maternity units. ...
70% of New Zealand’s surface water take is allocated to Meridian’s Manapouri Power Scheme. But when Environment Minister David Parker asked to exempt the Scheme from his Freshwater Action Plan, he didn’t tell Cabinet that. ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that officers responded in a timely and appropriate manner as soon as they were aware that a fleeing driver had hit a pedestrian. ...
prevention and intervention. Following Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s post-Cabinet press conference we are encouraged to see the acknowledgement of the mistakes made and the need to address this. The five points outlined in the action plan, which ...
A surge in teen vaping rates and a series of deaths being linked to vaping has resulted in a number of bans on the sales of flavoured Vape juice products in the United States. Though it is widely acknowledged that vaping is far less harmful than smoking tobacco, ...
The governments’ new environmental proposals will further accentuate the move of good, productive farmland into forestry according to environmental lobby group 50 Shades of Green. ...
17 September 2019: New Zealanders are acutely aware of the impact food production processes have on our planet according to new research released today by the 5+ A Day Charitable Trust. ...
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL is awarding three New Zealand climate youth groups with its Ambassador of Conscience award, its highest recognition for human rights work, previously given to the likes of Nelson Mandela, Ai Weiwei and Malala Yousafzai. ...
On 14 September 2017, the pipeline that brings diesel, petrol, and jet fuel from Marsden Point Oil Refinery into Auckland ruptured. It leaked jet fuel into rural properties and stopped the transmission of fuels into Auckland for 10 days. The rupture ...
Victims Advocate Louise Nicholas - Labour should have brought in “specialist support” “When there is a complaint especially a serious complaint of sexual assault, the first thing that should have happened was specialist support brought in to ensure ...
Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods says New Zealand is ‘not close’ to bringing in oil reserves after the attack on Saudi fields. “We would have to see prices rise by about $20 per barrel in order for some of those strategic reserves ...
New Zealand's new fresh water regulation rules will have no major impacts on the national economy, according to an independent report just out. The report by independent economic consultancy New Zealand Institute of Economic Research shows that dairying ...
Fish & Game New Zealand has welcomed the findings of a New Zealand Institute of Economic Research report, which rejects claims the Government’s freshwater proposals will have a significant economic impact. ...
The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO) says the Government should take its proposed firearms legislation to the people with a touring Select Committee, as it just has with the Zero Carbon bill. ...
Water reforms and the long term sustainability of water will be a key focus at the Water New Zealand conference and expo this week (18-20 September) in Hamilton. ...
“Kiwi ex-smokers are mobilising against the Government’s plans to drastically limit vaping flavours. Flavours have been key to them quitting tobacco and they now just want other smokers to have the same chance,” says Jonathan Devery, co-owner ...
Oil company Tamarind Resources has reportedly halted drilling at its Tui oil field off the Taranaki coast after the first of the three planned wells came up dry and bad weather caused delays. ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the left-wing campaign group “ActionStation” to front up and be transparent about how much taxpayer funding it takes from the Government to underwrite its activism activities. Earlier in the month, the Taxpayers’ ...
The ‘ Unplanned ’ movie is here and Family First has secured one of the first screenings in New Zealand tonight. ‘Unplanned’ brings an eye-opening look inside the abortion industry from a woman who was once its most passionate advocate. All ...
James Renwick claim that NZ is failing on climate change is valid, and since James has been receiving widespread media coverage that we outline most of it again here now as we gear up for the ‘Global climate change conference’ beginning next week. ...
Protestors will be outside the venue of the fourth hearing for Operation Burnham Inquiry on Monday morning from 8.30am to give a message to former and current military officers as they arrive to speak about the ongoing coverup of the 2010 attack on ...
The long-running campaign against purported Chinese “interference” in New Zealand’s political system intensified in the past week following a five-day visit to Beijing by opposition National Party leader Simon Bridges. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Climate change Sharon Murdoch (Stuff): 4000 Days: A climate change story where you choose the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Orrman-Rossiter, PhD Research Student, History & Philosophy of Science, University of Melbourne If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au.How big is the International Space Station? – Isla, aged 6, Australia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Lecturer Sport Management, Western Sydney University In March this year, photographer Michael Willson captured an image of AFL footballer Tayla Harris kicking for a goal. The image shows Harris in athletic flight, right leg extended skyward and muscles flexed as ...
It’s a hard road getting attention for outsider candidates in local elections. Alex Braae, writer of The Bulletin and stout defender of the political little guy, thought he’d lend a hand by moderating a rebel Wellington mayoral debate.The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The SpinoffMembers. For more ...
Covering Climate Now: A midweek update from the Spinoffers who have ditched dairy (and eggs, and meat, and fish…) for the week. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!Read this for the background on what this plant-based palaver is all about.Three ...
Auckland mayoral candidate John Tamihere is defending his use of the words "sieg heil" during last night's lively political debate with Phil Goff, despite being lambasted for it on social media. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Belinda Xie, Scientia PhD Scholar, School of Psychology, UNSW This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story. This Friday in the lead-up to the United Nations ...
Covering Climate Now: It’s easy to indulge in the idea that individual actions can’t have an impact on climate change. But a few simple ideas from economics show how wrong that is, argues Waikato University lecturer in environmental economics Zach Dorner.The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Victoria University of Wellington CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Laurenceson, Acting Director and Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI), University of Technology Sydney Last week’s Asian-Australian Leadership Summit in Melbourne saw the release of valuable new survey data on the discrimination some Australians face. A survey conducted by the Australian National ...
Last night Auckland mayoral contender John Tamihere said “sieg heil” when answering a question on diversity. Sadly that has forced us to put together a cheat sheet on how not to say Nazi phrases in debates.About one hour and 18 minutes into a pub politics debate at Chapel Bar on ...
In a special video interview ahead of the big UN Climate Action Summit, UN Secretary General Antonion Guterres says he is hopeful rather than desperate in the face of the climate emergency. ...
The Future of Work at Hutt City’s Dowse Art Museum makes visible our changing work conditions. Mark Amery took a tour, and even got some work done himself while he was there.I’ve gone to work at the gallery. And I’m making an exhibition of myself. Making my labour visible. I’m ...
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council was the first in New Zealand to vote in Māori ward seats. This election, the region’s longest-standing Māori councillor is up against some fierce competition from a former broadcaster who’s already put his skills to use in a viral video.The Spinoff local election coverage ...
With only a few more sleeps until the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Tara Ward looks at the variety of ways you can watch the tournament from the comfort of your own home.Set your clocks, sound the alarms and gird your scrum-loving loins for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which kicks ...
Covering Climate Now: As part of The Spinoff’s commitment to Covering Climate Now, the food section has gone vegan. Today, a delicious recipe to herald the arrival of spring. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here!Roman-style vignarolahas great appeal at ...
Covering Climate Now: Connecting your everyday choices at the supermarket to a crisis half a world away might be a hard concept get your head around, but we all have power to effect change, writes Hannah McGowan.The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University When we think of a bank robbery, we might imagine a safe with the door blown open. But nowadays it might be more accurate to picture criminals accessing our bank account online ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Senior Fellow, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University In the hit biopic Rocket Man, the ambitious young Reginald Dwight is counselled to hide his working-class roots if he wants to make it in “showbiz”: You gotta kill the person ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Senior Lecturer, University of Western Australia Countries around the world, including Australia, are using different ways to get parents to vaccinate their children. Our new research, published this week in the journal Milbank Quarterly, looks at diverse mandatory vaccination policies ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Hare, Director, Climate Analytics, Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University (Perth), Visiting scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research This piece is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathalie Collins, Academic Director (National Programs), Edith Cowan University The hit sitcom Friends aired for the first time 25 years ago this week. Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey have not aged on our small screen – and neither has their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hall, Senior Researcher in Politics, Auckland University of Technology This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story. As a new sense of urgency to act ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Love, Hon Senior Fellow, Transport Health and Urban Design (THUD) Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne The Spanish city of Barcelona has pioneered an innovative approach to managing traffic, freeing up public space and promoting walking and cycling. The “superblocks” ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Govt makes business-friendly migrant worker changes, PM off overseas to talk trade, and the cost of Christchurch water in China revealed.A range of changes around the immigration system have been announced, reports Newshub. Among the biggest headline grabbers was the decision that ...
A group representing migrant workers says the government's overhaul of work visas has failed to remove a clause that means they can be treated like modern day slaves. ...
A leading US energy expert has spoken optimistically about improving energy efficiency through existing infrastructure rather than relying on future technologies. ...
Covering Climate Now: Currently, more than a third of all of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions come from sheep and cattle. There’s no easy solution, but a variety of anti-methane methods are being developed to curb this gaseous issue. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Terry Carney, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Sydney The announcement by Gordon Legal of a class action to compensate victims of the government’s so-called robo-debt scheme is welcome, perhaps even groundbreaking. Standing alongside class action litigator Peter Gordon at a press ...
It was another wild week in our favourite island paradise, as our remaining celebrities continued their quest to win cash for charity. Tara Ward power ranks. The bells of change have rung on Celebrity Treasure Island, and we’re now knee deep in an individual game of trickery, ping-pongery, and Tim-Tammery. The two ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Arthur Sinodinos will soon leave the Senate, and early next year take up the position of Australian ambassador in Washington. A former staffer and one-time public servant as well as a former minister, in this ...
Open Mike 12/05/2017 
We surveyed candidates on their attitudes to issues facing the Western Bay Region, find out what they think: “Closing the Gap” Tauranga, one of the area groups of Income Equality Aotearoa NZ Inc., has surveyed all candidates in the three local body elections to discover attitudes to some basic issues ...28 mins ago
Please spread widely, and sign, to support science and rationalism over the new irrationalism sweeping universities and institutions. PROJECT NETTIE Sexual reproduction, the generation of offspring by fusion of genetic material from two different individuals, evolved over 1 billion years ago. It is the reproductive strategy of all higher animals ...2 hours ago
Just when I was thinking that Palmerston North's mayoral race (which includes a convicted child molester / public wanker and a convicted child beater) was the worst in the country, Auckland mayoral candidate John Tamihere opened his mouth:Auckland mayoral candidate John Tamihere is being slammed for using the words "sieg ...2 hours ago
Why is New Zealand climate change policy so crap? The Herald this morning has a long article on the twists and turns of climate change policy in New Zealand [paywalled / depaywall script], which shows where we've been. The short version is that the government first began worrying about this ...5 hours ago
The All Blacks have been, for more than a century, arguably the most successful International sports team in the world. But they are more than that; even for those Kiwis who are immune to the charms of rugby (and there are more than a few), the All Blacks are ambassadors ...8 hours ago
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In times of hysteria about the “World coming to an end” and “rising sea levels” so-called ‘Journalists’ who can barely spell words longer than four letters are having a ball! Though the majority of the Public have worked out that manmade climate change is nothing short of pseudo-science, and the ...1 day ago
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Dangerous Foes: For those readers of Bowalley Road who feel disposed to dismiss any prospect of an Israeli destabilisation of New Zealand politics, the example of the United Kingdom repays close attention. Ever since the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the British Labour Party, the Israelis have sanctioned, funded and ...2 days ago
Make It 16, the youth-led campaign to lower New Zealand's voting age, is holding an official campaign launch at Parliament this Friday from 16:30. If you'd like to attend, you can register using EventBrite here. ...2 days ago
by Don Franks It was a lovely sunny Wellington afternoon with blue skies above the beaches. In Courtenay Place, political activists packed out a stuffy upstairs room for an important meeting. The assembled pacifists, anarchists, communists and independent young radicals of Peace Action Wellington felt the need for a mission ...2 days ago
From the Wall Street Journal:Inside a room of the ornately decorated Hotel du Palais during last month’s Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, President Trump awaited a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. Mr. Trump looked over a gathering of American and Egyptian officials and called out in ...3 days ago
. . This blogpost is different to my usual format of reporting on issues… Since July 1011, I have blogged on a variety of political issues; near always political and/or environmental; mostly highly critical of the previous National Government. Other issues included Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and repression of ...4 days ago
Those close to the Police Minister believe the initiative may be the result of Nash “seeing a great deal” on AliExpress. In a move that comes seemingly out of nowhere, Police Minister Stuart Nash announced this afternoon that he expects all frontline staff to don bearskin hats, famously worn by ...5 days ago
Moving And Shaking: There was a time when people spoke matter-of-factly about the “labour movement” – a political phenomenon understood to embrace much more than the Labour Party. Included within the term’s definition was the whole trade union movement – many of whose members looked upon the Labour Party as ...5 days ago
By Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern I am every bit as angry as you are. I am every bit as disappointed as you must be. The people with power, oversight and the ability to do something about these processes within the Labour Party should be ashamed. Whoever those people are, I ...6 days ago
Two-Faced? Labour insiders' commitment to the neoliberal status quo puts them at odds with their party’s membership; its trade union affiliates; and a majority of Labour voters, but this only serves to strengthen the perception they have of themselves as a special elite. Among the lesser breeds, they’ll talk up a ...6 days ago
By Simon Bridges. The following is a press release from the office of Simon Bridges, leader of The National Party. Key ora, New Zealand. Happy Maori Language Week. Look, I’m writing to you today because I want to clear something up. There’s been a lot of kerfuffle around some things ...7 days ago
Dr. Christopher Labos and Jonathan Jarry discuss the recent Canadian fluoride/IQ research. They provide an expert analysis of the paper and its problems. Click on image to go to podcast. The critical debate about the recent ... 1 week ago
An ambitious plan to fly to Los Angeles petered out into a brief sight-seeing trip and a desire to return home and get some sleep before work tomorrow. Air New Zealand has confirmed a flight to Los Angeles last night was turned back about a quarter of the way into ...1 week ago
There appears to be consensus – by omission – that the concept of indigenous futures should be accepted at face value. So I scavenged the internet to see if I could locate an academic descriptor or a framework around how we think about it as a concept, and whether it ...1 week ago
Here’s another novelty chocolate to shove in your gob, New Zealand Cadbury could be seeking to make itself great again with a rumoured new release: Pineapple Trumps, a spin on its classic chocolate-encased pineapple treat and do-it-yourself tooth remover. The global confectionery manufacturer and bumbling “before” character in an infomercial, ...1 week ago
During my time in the Pentagon I had the privilege of sitting down with military leaders and defence and security officials from a variety of Latin American nations. Sometimes I was present as a subordinate assistant to a senior US defence department official, sometimes as part of a delegation that ...1 week ago
Kia ora, Aotearoa. It’s that magical time of year. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. In English, the week that frightens talk radio. As you probably know by now, all your favourite media outlets are participating, some more successfully than others. Stuff has changed its name to Puna for the ...1 week ago
Lost In Political Space: The most important takeaway from this latest Labour sexual assault scandal, which (if I may paraphrase Nixon’s White House counsel’s, John Dean’s, infamous description of Watergate) is “growing like a cancer” on the premiership, is the Labour Party organisation’s extraordinary professional paralysis in the face of ...1 week ago
Hi there, just call me Tim.We face tough problems, and I’d like to help, because there are solutions.An Auckand District Health Board member has nominated me for as a candidate for the ADHB, because her MS-related pain and fatigue is reduced with hemp products from Rotorua. Nothing else helped her. If I ...1 week ago
Bewhiskered Cassandra? Professor Hugh White’s chilling suggestion, advanced to select collections of academic, military and diplomatic Kiwi experts over the course of the past week, is that the assumptions upon which Australia and New Zealand have built their foreign affairs and defence policies for practically their entire histories – are ...1 week ago
Air New Zealand couldn’t believe its luck that this seemingly ideal piece of real estate had so far gone entirely unnoticed. Air New Zealand’s search for a site to build a second Auckland Airport may have made a breakthrough this afternoon, after employees scanning Google satellite imagery spotted a huge, ...2 weeks ago
Gayford, pictured here on The Project, before things got wildly out of control. A bold public relations move by the Government to encourage parents to vaccinate their children has gone horribly wrong. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appeared on tonight’s episode of Three’s The Project, where the plan was for her ...2 weeks ago
Mr. Whippy’s business model has driven it down a dark road of intimidation. Residents in major centres around the country are becoming disgruntled by the increasingly aggressive actions of purported ice cream company Mr. Whippy, who have taken to parking on people’s front lawns and doorsteps in a desperate attempt ...2 weeks ago
Anti-fluoride activists have some wealthy backers – they are erecting billboards misrepresenting the Canadian study on many New Zealand cities – and local authorities are ordering their removal because of their scaremongering. Many New Zealanders ... 2 weeks ago
Responding to the Government’s decision to give around $300 million to Amazon as a sweetener for filming a TV series in New Zealand, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says: “As a matter of simple waste, this is striking, ...20 mins ago
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.
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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.
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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