Interesting to watch the akl transport blame game. Akl council had no say in the tournament, the number of games etc and has to pay toward refurbishing (with temporary structures!) a ground in a suburb when Mallard was right in the needs for a waterfront stadium close to every transport element, bus, rail, motorways.
RWC, tourism, transport ministers and tournament CEO all akl residents whom are paid to manage and lead so this should be very entertaining as a poorly constructed supercity, yet another NACT piece of crap, is probably left holding the baby.
Can someone explain who will be paying for those people who didn’t get to game? Because as a ratepayer I figure two things (a) the company that owns the failed transport pays or (b) in any other situation if I missed an event due to a transport failure no way in hell would anyone think of paying me back. Certainly I ain’t shelling out for people who missed out.
The government signed a contract to supply the Rugby World Cup, and said
people would not be shortchanged, now they have been, its necessary for
the standing of NZ to pay them compensation least we get slated as a
nation of welchers. The blame should lie with the government and all
government MPs should put their hands in their pocket personally, they
admit openly to hate public service, hate public transport, hate governing
effectively as its ‘too complex’.
So Simon Power is proposing to leave the decision on whether to do away with the centuries old right to silence to a panel of Judges.
He is obviously having problems getting the numbers to get through Parliament proposed changes to the Criminal Law and is having to go to the likes of Hillary Calvert to get the numbers. She must be relishing the prospect of being relevant. Rodney Hide to his credit is sticking to his guns and showing his libertarian nature by condemning the proposed changes as an affront to long held constitutional rights.
Power’s proposal, that Parliament leaves it up to the Rules Committee to make the final decision, will politicise Judiciary in a way that no previous Government has done. As a citizen surely it will be my right to lobby the decision makers, the Judges, to persuade them to do what is right and veto the proposed changes.
It also blurs the roles. Parliament is meant to determine the law and Judges are meant only to interpret it.
Surely Power should acknowledge defeat and withdraw the pernicious provisions. As Charles Chauvel noted does he really want to be the Justice Minister to be remembered as the one who did away with the right to silence?
America has a closed court, grand jury system where silence is not a option but anything
said cannot be used in further courts (unless they lie) I believe and could be wrong.
It plugs a hole before trials where the merit of the case itself is discussed.
Such serious court processes cannot be suddenly revamped by one ideologically
driven party and one silly justice ‘power’ seeking minisiter.
Our parliament is corrupt, it does not fear its decisions will ever come back to harm
them.
Apparently supporters of most rugby teams broke into spontaneous national anthem singing, in stations, in the bars and wherever there was a group of them, possibly because they had a tuneful anthem that they were comfortable in singing.
It would be nice to have one like that for New Zealand.
At Otago Stadium on Saturday night it was the first time I’ve experienced God Save The Queen and thought it felt appropriate. It always seemed odd when we had to stand to it at movies.
Listening to Prince Charles’ hypocritical cant a few hours ago during the 9/11 memorial service only underlines the necessity of getting rid of these useless bloodsuckers.
I loved the English cricket supporters singing “God save YOUR gracious Queen/ Long live YOUR noble Queen etc.” during last year’s Ashes in Australia. Change one word and it becomes a clever Geo-political put down.
So Key and relevant ministers were silent about Auckland’s RWC opening rail fail, while their proxies were busy putting the blame on Brown and Auckland Council. Yet behind the scenes they were working to ensure it doesn’t happen again – surely this shows the buck stops with Key, Joyce, McCully et al….
Prime Minister John Key says Cabinet ministers have been working with the Auckland Council over the weekend to avoid a repeat of Friday night when transport failures resulted in some ticket-holders missing the opening game of the Rugby World Cup.
[…]
The Council had said it was working to resolve the problems and there would be more back-up by buses for future games, he said.
Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully and Transport Minister Steven Joyce had been in talks with the Council over the weekend.
Yet Key is still trying to blame the council: Key told Newstalk ZB there had been an “operational failure” and the council had not considered every potential problem.
“They had the back up for the back ups but obviously they hadn’t thought through every single contingency or hadn’t acted
Meanwhile, there are criticisms from a Labour MP Key et als premiere endeavour known as Party Central:
Labour’s tourism spokesman Kelvin Davis said Party Central could be best described as “Party Shambles”.
“It was an embarrassment. This was our big opportunity to promote New Zealand to overseas visitors.
Labour’s tourism spokesman Kelvin Davis said Party Central could be best described as “Party Shambles”. “It was an embarrassment.
It was always going to be – didn’t matter who was in government. And the reason why it was going to be a shambles is because NZ always tries to do things on the cheap, we never seem to be willing to put in the necessary effort to get things right. We wanted lower taxes, lower prices and then, when things turn to custard, we complain about it but we don’t change how we do things still demanding lower taxes and prices. At some point lower pricing costs more and NZ is well into that area of the price spectrum.
Looks like the German’s are going to throw in the towel and let Greece default.
After almost two years of fighting to contain the region’s debt crisis and providing the biggest share of three European bailouts, Chancellor Angela Merkel is laying the ground for what markets say is almost a sure thing: a Greek default.
“It feels like Germany is preparing itself for a debt default,” Jacques Cailloux, chief European economist at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc in London, said in an interview. “Fatigue is setting in. Germany could be a first mover or other countries could be preparing too.”
Good to hear John Pagani on Radio NZ’s political spot (just finished) refusing to let Matthew Hooton dominate the debate. He even managed to shut him down a few times and without adopting Hooton’s favourite trick – shouting his opponent down. Well done.
Good to hear John Pagani on Radio NZ’s political spot (just finished) refusing to let Matthew Hooton dominate the debate.
Hooton did not need to say anything. Pagani’s positions on everything were more extreme than Hooton’s. I don’t think even Hooton would be crass enough to say, as Pagani did, that the U.S. and U.K. are countries that “stand for decency and human values”.
He even managed to shut him down a few times
When? He certainly did not have the spine to challenge Hooton when Hooton lied about the intent of the Electoral Finance Act.
I think you need to listen to it again. Pagani’s performance (or failure to perform) was a disgrace.
Indeed, Anne. Makes a nice change from Williams and Bradford who both – in spite of their considerable abilities – let Hooton get away with framing every issue however he likes and proceed to argue the issues on his terms.
Further evidence of the decline of National Radio
From the Left and From the Right
Matthew Hooton (“Right”), John Pagani (“Left”) and Kathryn Ryan
National Radio, Monday 12 September 2011
Some dyspeptic, wandery and ill-informed extreme right-wing comments on the show this morning: “We needed to stand with the Americans in Afghanistan”, the U.S. and U.K. are countries that “stand for decency and human values” and “we were right to go in to Afghanistan because they shot some of our boys.”
No, it was not Matthew Hooton speaking. It was John Pagani, who must have had a brain fade and thought he was on NewstalkZB, trying to impress Paul Holmes by talking tough on his Saturday morning slot.
To compound Pagani’s shallow ranting, he sat impotently while Hooton claimed that the Electoral Finance Bill was “to stop criticism of the Clark government”.
When someone strong and intelligent enough to counter Hooton’s nonsense (Sue Bradford, Lila Harre, Mike Williams) is on, this programme is excellent and entertaining. But with someone like Pagani representing “the Left”, it’s about as balanced, and as interesting, as the egregious “Huddle” on Larry Williams Drive on NewstalkZB.
I presume the show will now be called “From the Right and from the Bewildered”. At least when John Pagani is on.
But with someone like Pagani representing “the Left”, it’s about as balanced, and as interesting, as the egregious “Huddle” on Larry Williams Drive on NewstalkZB.
I presume the show will now be called “From the Right and from the Bewildered”. At least when John Pagani is on.
Agreed! I haven’t been able to listen for some weeks until yesterday, and then when I did, I was shocked! It’s already two against one, as Ryan appears to be solidly pro-NACT…
Morrissey, I didn’t hear Pagani talk specifically about the US and UK… standing for decency and human values. Actually, the majority of the British and American citizenry do stand for such values. That aspects of their respective governments let them down from time to time is hardly evidence of over-all amoral and evil behaviour. I didn’t say I agreed with what Pagani said, I simply pointed out that he didn’t let Hooton dominate the show – something Sue Bradford in particular allows him to do.
Honestly sometimes this guy strikes me as a spoilt 12 year old kid who’s arrogant parents (NATS) drill a sense of entitlement from birth. I’d even question whether he knows the definition of inequality after reading this post ….
Yes, everybody should be “able” to have a comfortable life.
Just as long as they are happy to work for it.
That is the difference, you lot want to give everybody a comfortable life by stealing my money from me that I earn by working hard and giving it to parasites and DPB slappers who do not want to work.
Clearly you should spend less time ‘working hard’ for money and a lot more time ‘working hard’ on your Emotional Quotient – that money is never gonna love you back buddy, and you will never have enough of it to fill that knawing hole in your chest where your heart should be.
Some of those slappers and parasites will have given birth to children who will care for you when you are old and grey. Nobody survives without the influence of others.
Karma BB, it will come back and bite you on the arse, and when it does, when you have a disabled family member, or your house falls down like ChCh, or any other type of thing that you are unprepared for, you’ll be the first in the queue demanding the state sorts it out – because you mate are simply precious, greedy and self serving, like the other tory trolls on here (except several of them actually can see the other side of the coin and provide rigorous debate).
How can a bunch of benefit stealing bludgers care for me in my old age?
I take it that this grand plan of yours does not include making sure that people work for a living?
Or are you really just wanting to use my money to buy votes from the so called poor to enable your corrupt party to regain power?
What you fail to admit is that you know your way (social welfare) has not worked, throwing money at people to do nothing is destroying this country yet you steadfastly refuse to look at alternatives.
The more the “state” interferes with our day to day affairs the more we go backward, get the ‘state’ out of our lives and things will improve.
.What you fail to admit is that you know your way (social welfare) has not worked, throwing money at people to do nothing is destroying this country yet you steadfastly refuse to look at alternatives
Actually, what isn’t working is the economic system that, in 2008, created all those people now relying on social welfare to survive. That was your free market system, Bruv.
And you’re right: neo-liberalism isn’t working Any system that can double unemployment from 3.8% to 7% in just under two years is an economic bomb that Al Qaida would dearly love to get their hands on.
BB theirs 24,000 more on the dpb since Key National got elected and his mother was one of those parasites that lived in a state house.The Dpb is so partners can get away from ignorant abusers like you.So have you got any ideas on the creation of around 400,000 full time jobs or can you only keep repeating your Act mantra of abuse!
Oh, cry us a river, Bruv. So ytou want a free ride and not pay your taxes? If you want a Libertarian Nirvana, Somalia is that-a-way.
Here in NZ, pay your taxes and be grateful that you have a road to drive on; a hospital to care for you when you bump your brain cell; and a welfare system that keeps the hungry and desperate from your door.
What about the outrageous assertion from mathew hooton that because the rail system failed once then Aucklanders will never use it again. What a load of garbage. And john pagani got it right about the board of Auckland Transport. Hand picked by National to cock everything up. When the Aussie had the Olympics in 2000 the Sydney trains were free for a week before hand. Why didnt the numbskulls try that here instead of trying to create a riot. why is new zealand in the grip of pinheads and ignoramusses at the moment. oh I forgot. national is inpower and their voters like their mp’s to be like them. dull and stupid and mercenary.
@randal – What was that towards the end about guns, I think after they had discussed the Tuhoe thing? Matthew Hooton seemed about to say that everybody should be able to carry a gun, for a minute sounding like some redneck USA person, then Kathryn Ryan moved right along as time was running out.
Prism – no, I wasn’t making a pro-gun statement, I was making a free-speech one. John was saying you shouldn’t be able to be using a gun and talk about politics. I think that if people are hunting or shooting targets or something else that is legal, they should be able to do that thing while talking about politics. It’s just one of those strange free-speech ideas I hold, like that Helen Clark shouldn’t have tried to make it illegal to criticise her government in election year, that most people here at The Standard don’t understand.
I thought at the time you misunderstood what Pagani said, nice to have it confirmed! He was saying that political arguments should not be settled with guns, not that duck hunting and politics were mutually incompatible. D’oh!
Actually I’m pretty sure John did say people shouldn’t be playing with guns while talking politics.
The little toad Holmes said much the same thing several times this weekend on q+a. I hate agreeing with Matthew but I don’t care much for this new rule either.
It’s just one of those strange free-speech ideas I hold, like that Helen Clark shouldn’t have tried to make it illegal to criticise her government in election year.
That’s a load of crap Hooton and you know it! Helen Clark and her govt. were responding to the Exclusive Brethren revelations and related Nat Party Trust skulduggery. Ok, the legislation had holes in it because it was hastily thrown together. That was the result of electoral cycle time constraints and you know that too. Stop telling lies Hooton and some of us might start treating you with more respect!
He’s more prevalent around Holloween time Logie 97. he always looking for new ideas as he has none of his own.At duck shooting time we should aim high and shoot low and you’ll get that slippery little hollow eel hooton with a little shooten
Thanks Matthew that clears that up for me. But I do think the argument sounds a bit fuzzy and general. Looking at an example – for instance taking a gun to a political meeting. That would not be an encouragement of freedom or free-speech because the playing field isn’t equal then – angry words are often wounding but don’t break flesh usually!
I think that having a loaded gun and at the same time talking politics could backfire. These are two ‘loaded’ activities, it would be better to do them separately I think.
“Just what would be expected of a proper clone of USA Tea Party.
It’s telling fibs, if it’s Tea Party there must be religion there somewhere, but it hasn’t mentioned it….
right to life, anti-abortion, sanctity of life with George Carlin – hysterically funny take on hugely controversial subjects.
Do not watch if you hate rude language or can’t face the fact that there is little consistency amongst right to lifers, anti-abortionists or the sanctity of life followers.
Carlin speaks many truths. Also, he’s dead and he’s not an abortion doctor so nobody can shoot him.
Do not watch if you hate rude language or can’t face the fact that there is little consistency amongst right to lifers, anti-abortionists or the sanctity of life followers.
I can’t watch vids (can’t afford broadband) but I have to comment – first, well, people like that just can’t help themselves with the effing and blinding, can they? Some juvenile people think swearing is “grown up” and oh-so-clever!
Also, what consistency do you want? If you want pro-life people to oppose war and capital punishment, well, surprise, we do! (The non-Protestants among us, anyway.)
Hi, Vicky32. I don’t want to pry, but if you’ve got dial up, I presume you are paying $50-60 per month to get that service. I’ve seen some broadband packages which include the landline starting at around $70. That might still be out of reach, but keep an eye out for specials at Telecom or the other providers. They often do deals that might just be affordable. It will definitely change your life if you get broadband and not just in terms of blogging. It’s like switching from black and white to colour TV. A whole new way of seeing the world.
but if you’ve got dial up, I presume you are paying $50-60 per month to get that service.
Thanks for the advice, but I am lucky – I am paying only $9.95 a month! It’s rubbish service, but it will do for the time being… 🙂 My son sent me a pre-loaded Vodafone stick, but I am eking that out (don’t tell him!) and use it only for vital things, although you’re right, it is like getting colour TV….
Good on ya, I look forward to the political party that puts broadband for all up as an election promise. I think one of the Nordic countries is already talking about enshrining it in human rights legislation along with water supply, education and the other basics of life.
That’s been talked about over on Red Alert here and there. Not sure about what the Greens say about it but it’s certainly at the point where broadband is becoming an essential part of society (ie, should be supplied free through taxation).
@Jum Thanks for that – very funny. You are veryfunny and pithy too “Carlin speaks many truths. Also, he’s dead and he’s not an abortion doctor so nobody can shoot him.” Pity to lose Carlin, he’s outstanding.
It was reported by the Los Angeles Times that a major power cut shut down a couple of San Onofre nuclear reactors in San Diego last week. But what is really interesting is that a spike in radiation levels was registered on a background radiation monitor I happen to keep an eye on, at exactly the same time…
Joky Hen on Auckland – We are not too interested in finger pointing….
Radio interviews with two women, one caught up in the crush at Quay Street and the other in the unbearable heat and crowds on her train, was a scary story. They were real cool survivors and helpers.
Both said it was noticeable that there was no crowd control, no security at either place. On the train they were stopped for about an hour and there was no report from the captain etc. Aren’t ground travelling people on trains entitled to any information through speakers installed in the carriages? Are the trains being run by remote control as all the time they were stationary (unintended pun) they didn’t see a rail worker?
At the Quay there weren’t obvious signs giving directions to the various venues and not a policeman in sight except some telling some people not to sit on a roof ignoring the crowds milling below.
Hooton is ful of “strange” ideas that dont stand up to any logical scrutiny whatsoever. i.e. technically they are not valid. he just makes it up. He is just a small person who wants to get even with the world and thinks money counts for everything. In short he is a neanderthal tory party drongo flack who does what he is told by the “BIG BOYS”.
So dishing jobs out to your unqualified brother is OK according to your ethical code BB?
Why not comment on that instead of being your usual tolling self?
I know this will be hard for you to understand given that all of you left wing types slavishly support anybody (regardless of how corrupt they are) on your team but if this means that Bill English is sacked or forced to resign then nobody will be happier than me.
English is an idiot, a sopping wet liberal idiot with a strong socialist streak.
As for appointing an unqualified person to a government appointed job….well does the name Diane Yates not ring any bells with you?
I am not saying it is right, what I am saying is that in typical fashion the left make a song and dance about something that they have done themselves many, many times, the display of faux outrage is hilarious.
little pesk Pails into insignificance Media works dirty2007-8 campaign was rewarded with $43 million hand up from key dipton and joyce.Every DJ at media works set out to bring down clark!
When a publicly owned monopoly is privatised (management replaced by a profit motivated group) who monitors their performance?
Take, for example, Auckland airport.
When the amenities become foul and stinking, as they did after this weekends influx of tourists, who checks that those running the place are meeting acceptable standards.
The turists they never come back.John banks sold Auckland airport shares for $350 million they are now worth 1.5 billion that saved the Auckland rate payer millions in debt. Why don’t epsom voters reward him for being such a hopeless politician they will cut of their noses to spite their faces a Big Bruv or is that big girls blouse.Or more likely in a new game we should play here is who’s the tory blogger my guess is tau.
The morale of the story lies with the current bright idea of selling other assets before their price peaks, regardless of the fact they are returning a profit and are of strategic importance.
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Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
While police are "broadly in favour", the government's proposed anti-gang laws are facing pushback from lawyers, rights groups and former gang members. ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived at Kokoda Station, Northern province, at the start of his state visit to Papua New Guinea. Both Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape will meet with the locals and the Northern Provincial government before they begin their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Shutterstock An important principle was invoked by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week in defence of the government’s Future Made in Australia industry ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Security forces reinforcements were sent from France ahead of two rival marches in the capital Nouméa today, at the same time and only two streets away one from the other. One march, called by Union Calédonienne party (a component of the ...
A poll last August found that just 16% of New Zealanders oppose bringing back the ‘Three Strikes’ law. The nationwide poll of 1,000 New Zealanders was commissioned by Family First NZ and carried out by Curia Market Research. ...
The solo show from Ana Scotney is both sprawling and intimate, and a must-see, writes Mad Chapman. In the opening moments of Scattergun: After the Death of Rūaumoko, writer and performer Ana Scotney lays out the groundwork, literally. Silently moving around the square stage, Scotney is not so much dancing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Burridge, Professor of Linguistics, Monash University Who makes the words? Why are trees called trees and why are shoes called shoes and who makes the names? – Elliot, age 5, Eltham, Victoria Good question Elliot! Let’s start with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne at amRawpixel.com/Shutterstock Roles of health professionals are still unfortunately often stuck in the past. That is, before the ...
COMMENTARY:By Malcolm Evans Last week’s leaked New York Times staff directive, as to what words can and cannot be used to describe the carnage Israel is raining on Palestinians, is proof positive, since those reports are published verbatim here in New Zealand, that our understanding of the conflict is ...
In the case of New Zealand, the results confirm that there is no popular support for the vicious austerity program being imposed by the National Party-led government, which is backed in all fundamental respects by the opposition Labour Party. ...
The ‘Vampire’ singer has never visited our part of the world, but that might all be about to change. We assess the evidence.Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour is pulling in massive crowds as it whips around the US and Europe, even helping to catapult regular supporting act Chappell Roan ...
Testing of drinking water in rural Canterbury over the weekend by Greenpeace revealed that several public town supplies were reaching levels of nitrate above 5 mg/L - the threshold which a growing body of scientific evidence has linked to increased ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University It may come as a surprise to hear 2023 was Australia’s biggest bushfire season in more than a decade. Fires burned across an area eight times as big as the 2019–20 Black ...
Responding to the Government’s announcement of changes to resource management laws, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: “These changes are a step in the right direction in terms of removing ideological and unworkable ...
More than two years after the Human Rights Council called for the establishment of a national human rights commission, such a body has yet to be formed. ...
Comment:An emergency management system with wide variations in performance, significant capability gaps, funding shortfalls and above all a setup that is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders at times of crisis. The Government’s inquiry into the response to Cyclone Gabrielle and other severe weather events in the North ...
Welcome to the whirring wonders of one brain trying to align its actions with its beliefs within a system it thinks is evil. My brain has been spiralling in a woke conundrum ever since I found out a bookshop I’ve never been to was shutting down. Good Books, a bookshop ...
We repeat our call for criminal justice policy to be based on evidence, something the three strikes regime neglects to recognise – with no evidence that it either reduces crime or assists with rehabilitation. ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara With only four more seats in the 50-member Parliament yet to be officially declared, there is no outright winner in the Solomon Islands elections. As of Monday, the two largest blocs in the winner’s circle, independents and the incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh ...
Two/fiftyseven is a multi-purpose space hidden in the heart of Wellington that is paving a way for sustainable building and responsible landlording in Aotearoa and beyond.By 2060 the world is predicted to double its entire building stock, which equates to building an entire New York City every 34 days, ...
Popstars wasn’t just a reality television revolution, it was also a huge moment for Y2K fashion.It’s 25 years since girl group TrueBliss was formed on New Zealand national television, breaking new ground for both the reality television industry and the shiny clothing industry. With the first episode on NZ ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Pepping, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, Griffith University Marvin / Shutterstock Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume it’s because single people have insecurities that make ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Geary, Lecturer in Quantitative Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation, The University of Melbourne Trismegist san, Shutterstock Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbour vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Shutterstock/S Curtis Why are we crossing ecological boundaries that affect Earth’s fundamental life-supporting capacity? Is it because we don’t have enough information about how ecosystems respond to change? Or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Crocker, PhD Student in Economics, Deakin University Here’s something for the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia to ponder as it meets next month to set interest rates. It has pushed up rates on 13 occasions since it began its ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a charity director outlines how she’s saving for retirement and buying secondhand. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 45 Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: Charity director, mum of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie Yates, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a ...
It’s been called a failed experiment and a judicial straightjacket but the government says the revised three strikes law will be a more workable regime, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Three ...
New Zealand’s Palestinian community and Palestinian Youth Aotearoa are voicing alarm and disappointment with the lack of factual rigour present during the Israeli Ambassador’s appearance as a guest on TVNZ’s Q+A With Jack Tame Sunday (21/04). ...
Both ACT leader David Seymour, who played a key role in drawing up the assisted dying law, and hospice leaders say it's time the legislation was changed. ...
Public submissions on proposed gang control laws are being heard today. Rising gang membership has been cited as rationale for a crackdown – but what do we actually know about how many people belong to gangs in New Zealand?What’s all this then?A rise in the number of gang ...
Climate activists are setting their sights on an unpopular target, and hoping to bring lots of the public with them. It’s hard to miss the Majestic Princess: the enormous cruise ship, docked at Auckland’s Prince’s Wharf, looms over the nearby buildings. The ship, which can fit nearly 6,000 people, ...
In the 16 years since it was bought by the government for $690 million, KiwiRail has had several overhauls and turnaround plans worth billions of dollars. Its ambitions as a successful, profitable operator of tourism, freight and ferries have often been derailed by disasters from earthquakes to cyclones, mine explosions ...
Black Ferns trailblazer Kendra Cocksedge was on the verge of tears when her young protégé, Hannah King, unassumingly broke the news. Three-time Rugby World Cup winner Cocksedge and Lincoln agriculture student King meet every few weeks over a hot chocolate, in an enduring mentorship that’s spanned years. “Before we even ...
Opinion: We’ve kicked the tyres on the perception NZ’s economy is in a parlous state compared to Australia. We take a quick tour of relative trends in GDP, housing markets, labour markets, trade, the fiscal situation, and the outlooks for inflation and interest rates. We find the cyclical positions of ...
Opinion: Making sure developers, local and central government, and landowners are all on the same page makes sense The post A new kind of city deal appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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The following korero between Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku, author of the newly published memoir Hine Toa, one of the year’s most important books, and Dale Husband from e-tangata, was first published in October. It traverses her involvement with the activist group Ngā Tamatoa at Auckland University in the early 1970s, her ...
By Russell Palmer, RNZ News digital political journalist New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters is putting off recognition of Palestine as a state, despite opposition Labour’s formal request that he make the move. Peters said diplomatic recognition of Palestine was a matter of “when not if”, but doing so now ...
The opposition has laid into the government's plan to reintroduce a "three strikes" regime, saying it's inequitable and there's very little evidence it works. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior research associate, University of Sydney Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has ordered social media platform “X” (formerly known as Twitter) to remove graphic videos of the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Sydney last week from the site. The incident ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Turnbull, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney John Turnbull, CC BY-NC-ND In past bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef, the southern region has sometimes been spared worst of the bleaching. Not this time. This year’s intense underwater heat has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Austin, Lecturer in Theatre, The University of Melbourne Darren Gill/Mackey, Darling & Collaborators The relationship between witchcraft and teenage girls has been the subject of many books, films and television shows. Over time, the traditional image of witch as crone ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Becky Freeman, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Sydney Andres Siimon/Unsplash There are no silver bullets, magic tricks or secret hacks to solving complex public health problems. Taking on the global tobacco industry and reducing the devastating consequences of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam B. Watts, Research Associate in galaxy evolution, The University of Western Australia ESO/A. Watts et al., CC BY We breathe oxygen and nitrogen gas in our atmosphere every day, but did you know that these gases also float through space, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Nielsen, Professor and Deputy Director, Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University Maxime Bhm/Unsplash A new group of drugs called nitazenes has been detected in Australia. They have been sold as heroin as well as other drugs like ketamine. Concerns ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anne Twomey, Professor emerita, University of Sydney Image from Bradlow + Bock campaign Can the job of being a federal member of parliament be shared by two or more persons? Two prospective candidates for the inner-Melbourne federal seat of Higgins, Lucy ...
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We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love a good cry: All of Us Strangers (Disney+)It’s the dreamlike, emotional film that had viewers running from the cinema in floods of tears, and ...
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Interesting to watch the akl transport blame game. Akl council had no say in the tournament, the number of games etc and has to pay toward refurbishing (with temporary structures!) a ground in a suburb when Mallard was right in the needs for a waterfront stadium close to every transport element, bus, rail, motorways.
RWC, tourism, transport ministers and tournament CEO all akl residents whom are paid to manage and lead so this should be very entertaining as a poorly constructed supercity, yet another NACT piece of crap, is probably left holding the baby.
Important research on this very topic here: http://bit.ly/pL1hsu
Can someone explain who will be paying for those people who didn’t get to game? Because as a ratepayer I figure two things (a) the company that owns the failed transport pays or (b) in any other situation if I missed an event due to a transport failure no way in hell would anyone think of paying me back. Certainly I ain’t shelling out for people who missed out.
The government signed a contract to supply the Rugby World Cup, and said
people would not be shortchanged, now they have been, its necessary for
the standing of NZ to pay them compensation least we get slated as a
nation of welchers. The blame should lie with the government and all
government MPs should put their hands in their pocket personally, they
admit openly to hate public service, hate public transport, hate governing
effectively as its ‘too complex’.
So Simon Power is proposing to leave the decision on whether to do away with the centuries old right to silence to a panel of Judges.
He is obviously having problems getting the numbers to get through Parliament proposed changes to the Criminal Law and is having to go to the likes of Hillary Calvert to get the numbers. She must be relishing the prospect of being relevant. Rodney Hide to his credit is sticking to his guns and showing his libertarian nature by condemning the proposed changes as an affront to long held constitutional rights.
Power’s proposal, that Parliament leaves it up to the Rules Committee to make the final decision, will politicise Judiciary in a way that no previous Government has done. As a citizen surely it will be my right to lobby the decision makers, the Judges, to persuade them to do what is right and veto the proposed changes.
It also blurs the roles. Parliament is meant to determine the law and Judges are meant only to interpret it.
Surely Power should acknowledge defeat and withdraw the pernicious provisions. As Charles Chauvel noted does he really want to be the Justice Minister to be remembered as the one who did away with the right to silence?
America has a closed court, grand jury system where silence is not a option but anything
said cannot be used in further courts (unless they lie) I believe and could be wrong.
It plugs a hole before trials where the merit of the case itself is discussed.
Such serious court processes cannot be suddenly revamped by one ideologically
driven party and one silly justice ‘power’ seeking minisiter.
Our parliament is corrupt, it does not fear its decisions will ever come back to harm
them.
Apparently supporters of most rugby teams broke into spontaneous national anthem singing, in stations, in the bars and wherever there was a group of them, possibly because they had a tuneful anthem that they were comfortable in singing.
It would be nice to have one like that for New Zealand.
At Otago Stadium on Saturday night it was the first time I’ve experienced God Save The Queen and thought it felt appropriate. It always seemed odd when we had to stand to it at movies.
This is the only appropriate version of the English national anthem….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUH2YSFlVU
Listening to Prince Charles’ hypocritical cant a few hours ago during the 9/11 memorial service only underlines the necessity of getting rid of these useless bloodsuckers.
I can’t think of any time when I though God Save the Queen was appropriate. In fact, I go out of my way to avoid the cringing POS.
I dunno, I thought Morrissey’s example above was pretty appropriate.
I loved the English cricket supporters singing “God save YOUR gracious Queen/ Long live YOUR noble Queen etc.” during last year’s Ashes in Australia. Change one word and it becomes a clever Geo-political put down.
last chance to share the Toronto Hearings Q&A
final session in 5 minutes
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings
Great piece by Roger Brooking over at Pundit on our culture of imprisionment and irrational climate of fear
http://pundit.co.nz/content/new-zealands-strange-relationship-with-prisons
So Key and relevant ministers were silent about Auckland’s RWC opening rail fail, while their proxies were busy putting the blame on Brown and Auckland Council. Yet behind the scenes they were working to ensure it doesn’t happen again – surely this shows the buck stops with Key, Joyce, McCully et al….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5606408/Govt-Auckland-council-work-to-avoid-new-cup-rail-fail
Yet Key is still trying to blame the council:
Key told Newstalk ZB there had been an “operational failure” and the council had not considered every potential problem.
“They had the back up for the back ups but obviously they hadn’t thought through every single contingency or hadn’t acted
Meanwhile, there are criticisms from a Labour MP Key et als premiere endeavour known as Party Central:
It was always going to be – didn’t matter who was in government. And the reason why it was going to be a shambles is because NZ always tries to do things on the cheap, we never seem to be willing to put in the necessary effort to get things right. We wanted lower taxes, lower prices and then, when things turn to custard, we complain about it but we don’t change how we do things still demanding lower taxes and prices. At some point lower pricing costs more and NZ is well into that area of the price spectrum.
Looks like the German’s are going to throw in the towel and let Greece default.
After almost two years of fighting to contain the region’s debt crisis and providing the biggest share of three European bailouts, Chancellor Angela Merkel is laying the ground for what markets say is almost a sure thing: a Greek default.
“It feels like Germany is preparing itself for a debt default,” Jacques Cailloux, chief European economist at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc in London, said in an interview. “Fatigue is setting in. Germany could be a first mover or other countries could be preparing too.”
Good to hear John Pagani on Radio NZ’s political spot (just finished) refusing to let Matthew Hooton dominate the debate. He even managed to shut him down a few times and without adopting Hooton’s favourite trick – shouting his opponent down. Well done.
Good to hear John Pagani on Radio NZ’s political spot (just finished) refusing to let Matthew Hooton dominate the debate.
Hooton did not need to say anything. Pagani’s positions on everything were more extreme than Hooton’s. I don’t think even Hooton would be crass enough to say, as Pagani did, that the U.S. and U.K. are countries that “stand for decency and human values”.
He even managed to shut him down a few times
When? He certainly did not have the spine to challenge Hooton when Hooton lied about the intent of the Electoral Finance Act.
I think you need to listen to it again. Pagani’s performance (or failure to perform) was a disgrace.
Pagani is not up to it he is a damp squib. Hooton is a slippery piece of work you need an abrasive type to hold him to account.
Indeed, Anne. Makes a nice change from Williams and Bradford who both – in spite of their considerable abilities – let Hooton get away with framing every issue however he likes and proceed to argue the issues on his terms.
Further evidence of the decline of National Radio
From the Left and From the Right
Matthew Hooton (“Right”), John Pagani (“Left”) and Kathryn Ryan
National Radio, Monday 12 September 2011
Some dyspeptic, wandery and ill-informed extreme right-wing comments on the show this morning: “We needed to stand with the Americans in Afghanistan”, the U.S. and U.K. are countries that “stand for decency and human values” and “we were right to go in to Afghanistan because they shot some of our boys.”
No, it was not Matthew Hooton speaking. It was John Pagani, who must have had a brain fade and thought he was on NewstalkZB, trying to impress Paul Holmes by talking tough on his Saturday morning slot.
To compound Pagani’s shallow ranting, he sat impotently while Hooton claimed that the Electoral Finance Bill was “to stop criticism of the Clark government”.
When someone strong and intelligent enough to counter Hooton’s nonsense (Sue Bradford, Lila Harre, Mike Williams) is on, this programme is excellent and entertaining. But with someone like Pagani representing “the Left”, it’s about as balanced, and as interesting, as the egregious “Huddle” on Larry Williams Drive on NewstalkZB.
I presume the show will now be called “From the Right and from the Bewildered”. At least when John Pagani is on.
Isn’t John Pagani the advisor that told Labour to be more like National?
Guess he really did mean it too. Nice to see someone take their own bullshit to heart. Now if he would just fuck off…
That might be because that was exactly what Clark had in mind when she created the EFA.
It remains a shocking piece of legislation and the biggest attack on free speech this nation has ever seen.
Agreed! I haven’t been able to listen for some weeks until yesterday, and then when I did, I was shocked! It’s already two against one, as Ryan appears to be solidly pro-NACT…
Morrissey, I didn’t hear Pagani talk specifically about the US and UK… standing for decency and human values. Actually, the majority of the British and American citizenry do stand for such values. That aspects of their respective governments let them down from time to time is hardly evidence of over-all amoral and evil behaviour. I didn’t say I agreed with what Pagani said, I simply pointed out that he didn’t let Hooton dominate the show – something Sue Bradford in particular allows him to do.
Has anyone seen Farrar’s latest spin attempt at justifying inequality?
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2011/09/an_essay_in_favour_of_income_inequality.html
Honestly sometimes this guy strikes me as a spoilt 12 year old kid who’s arrogant parents (NATS) drill a sense of entitlement from birth. I’d even question whether he knows the definition of inequality after reading this post ….
Rijab,
My question would be: Why does anyone have to be POOR? There will always be inequality but everyone should be able to have a comfortable life.
Follow the link and you’ll find many answers in the comments … unfortunately not many are well thought out.
Jum
Yes, everybody should be “able” to have a comfortable life.
Just as long as they are happy to work for it.
That is the difference, you lot want to give everybody a comfortable life by stealing my money from me that I earn by working hard and giving it to parasites and DPB slappers who do not want to work.
Clearly you should spend less time ‘working hard’ for money and a lot more time ‘working hard’ on your Emotional Quotient – that money is never gonna love you back buddy, and you will never have enough of it to fill that knawing hole in your chest where your heart should be.
Some of those slappers and parasites will have given birth to children who will care for you when you are old and grey. Nobody survives without the influence of others.
Karma BB, it will come back and bite you on the arse, and when it does, when you have a disabled family member, or your house falls down like ChCh, or any other type of thing that you are unprepared for, you’ll be the first in the queue demanding the state sorts it out – because you mate are simply precious, greedy and self serving, like the other tory trolls on here (except several of them actually can see the other side of the coin and provide rigorous debate).
Ian
How can a bunch of benefit stealing bludgers care for me in my old age?
I take it that this grand plan of yours does not include making sure that people work for a living?
Or are you really just wanting to use my money to buy votes from the so called poor to enable your corrupt party to regain power?
What you fail to admit is that you know your way (social welfare) has not worked, throwing money at people to do nothing is destroying this country yet you steadfastly refuse to look at alternatives.
The more the “state” interferes with our day to day affairs the more we go backward, get the ‘state’ out of our lives and things will improve.
.What you fail to admit is that you know your way (social welfare) has not worked, throwing money at people to do nothing is destroying this country yet you steadfastly refuse to look at alternatives
Actually, what isn’t working is the economic system that, in 2008, created all those people now relying on social welfare to survive. That was your free market system, Bruv.
And you’re right: neo-liberalism isn’t working Any system that can double unemployment from 3.8% to 7% in just under two years is an economic bomb that Al Qaida would dearly love to get their hands on.
Hmmmm… whose side did you say you were on?
BB theirs 24,000 more on the dpb since Key National got elected and his mother was one of those parasites that lived in a state house.The Dpb is so partners can get away from ignorant abusers like you.So have you got any ideas on the creation of around 400,000 full time jobs or can you only keep repeating your Act mantra of abuse!
Oh, cry us a river, Bruv. So ytou want a free ride and not pay your taxes? If you want a Libertarian Nirvana, Somalia is that-a-way.
Here in NZ, pay your taxes and be grateful that you have a road to drive on; a hospital to care for you when you bump your brain cell; and a welfare system that keeps the hungry and desperate from your door.
Jeez, you National/ACT lot can whinge…
What about the outrageous assertion from mathew hooton that because the rail system failed once then Aucklanders will never use it again. What a load of garbage. And john pagani got it right about the board of Auckland Transport. Hand picked by National to cock everything up. When the Aussie had the Olympics in 2000 the Sydney trains were free for a week before hand. Why didnt the numbskulls try that here instead of trying to create a riot. why is new zealand in the grip of pinheads and ignoramusses at the moment. oh I forgot. national is inpower and their voters like their mp’s to be like them. dull and stupid and mercenary.
ITS the brain drain
@randal – What was that towards the end about guns, I think after they had discussed the Tuhoe thing? Matthew Hooton seemed about to say that everybody should be able to carry a gun, for a minute sounding like some redneck USA person, then Kathryn Ryan moved right along as time was running out.
Prism – no, I wasn’t making a pro-gun statement, I was making a free-speech one. John was saying you shouldn’t be able to be using a gun and talk about politics. I think that if people are hunting or shooting targets or something else that is legal, they should be able to do that thing while talking about politics. It’s just one of those strange free-speech ideas I hold, like that Helen Clark shouldn’t have tried to make it illegal to criticise her government in election year, that most people here at The Standard don’t understand.
I thought at the time you misunderstood what Pagani said, nice to have it confirmed! He was saying that political arguments should not be settled with guns, not that duck hunting and politics were mutually incompatible. D’oh!
Actually I’m pretty sure John did say people shouldn’t be playing with guns while talking politics.
The little toad Holmes said much the same thing several times this weekend on q+a. I hate agreeing with Matthew but I don’t care much for this new rule either.
I had another listen and it still makes sense to me, felix.
“If we want to live in a free society, free from political violence, we cannot have people running around with guns when they are talking politics.”
I took that as a reference to Norway, not knocking off Bambi.
I don’t see any reference to either of those things.
It’s just one of those strange free-speech ideas I hold, like that Helen Clark shouldn’t have tried to make it illegal to criticise her government in election year.
That’s a load of crap Hooton and you know it! Helen Clark and her govt. were responding to the Exclusive Brethren revelations and related Nat Party Trust skulduggery. Ok, the legislation had holes in it because it was hastily thrown together. That was the result of electoral cycle time constraints and you know that too. Stop telling lies Hooton and some of us might start treating you with more respect!
So Hooten does sniff around this site. Thought he just liked to be the first entry on Open mike from time to time.
He’s more prevalent around Holloween time Logie 97. he always looking for new ideas as he has none of his own.At duck shooting time we should aim high and shoot low and you’ll get that slippery little hollow eel hooton with a little shooten
Thanks Matthew that clears that up for me. But I do think the argument sounds a bit fuzzy and general. Looking at an example – for instance taking a gun to a political meeting. That would not be an encouragement of freedom or free-speech because the playing field isn’t equal then – angry words are often wounding but don’t break flesh usually!
I think that having a loaded gun and at the same time talking politics could backfire. These are two ‘loaded’ activities, it would be better to do them separately I think.
http://nzteaparty.co.nz/
joined yet?
@ kriswgtn – Quite good web site page. Promises, no fibs, new, blah blah blah though. Just what would be expected of a proper clone of USA Tea Party.
“Just what would be expected of a proper clone of USA Tea Party.
It’s telling fibs, if it’s Tea Party there must be religion there somewhere, but it hasn’t mentioned it….
btw the design is terrible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvF1Q3UidWM&feature=related
right to life, anti-abortion, sanctity of life with George Carlin – hysterically funny take on hugely controversial subjects.
Do not watch if you hate rude language or can’t face the fact that there is little consistency amongst right to lifers, anti-abortionists or the sanctity of life followers.
Carlin speaks many truths. Also, he’s dead and he’s not an abortion doctor so nobody can shoot him.
I can’t watch vids (can’t afford broadband) but I have to comment – first, well, people like that just can’t help themselves with the effing and blinding, can they? Some juvenile people think swearing is “grown up” and oh-so-clever!
Also, what consistency do you want? If you want pro-life people to oppose war and capital punishment, well, surprise, we do! (The non-Protestants among us, anyway.)
Hi, Vicky32. I don’t want to pry, but if you’ve got dial up, I presume you are paying $50-60 per month to get that service. I’ve seen some broadband packages which include the landline starting at around $70. That might still be out of reach, but keep an eye out for specials at Telecom or the other providers. They often do deals that might just be affordable. It will definitely change your life if you get broadband and not just in terms of blogging. It’s like switching from black and white to colour TV. A whole new way of seeing the world.
Thanks for the advice, but I am lucky – I am paying only $9.95 a month! It’s rubbish service, but it will do for the time being… 🙂 My son sent me a pre-loaded Vodafone stick, but I am eking that out (don’t tell him!) and use it only for vital things, although you’re right, it is like getting colour TV….
Good on ya, I look forward to the political party that puts broadband for all up as an election promise. I think one of the Nordic countries is already talking about enshrining it in human rights legislation along with water supply, education and the other basics of life.
Edit: it’s Finland.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10374831-2.html
That’s been talked about over on Red Alert here and there. Not sure about what the Greens say about it but it’s certainly at the point where broadband is becoming an essential part of society (ie, should be supplied free through taxation).
@Jum Thanks for that – very funny. You are veryfunny and pithy too “Carlin speaks many truths. Also, he’s dead and he’s not an abortion doctor so nobody can shoot him.” Pity to lose Carlin, he’s outstanding.
Radiation Spike in San Diego
It was reported by the Los Angeles Times that a major power cut shut down a couple of San Onofre nuclear reactors in San Diego last week. But what is really interesting is that a spike in radiation levels was registered on a background radiation monitor I happen to keep an eye on, at exactly the same time…
Good to see David Parker up the frOnt having a dance at the Drab Doo Riffs gig on Friday night.
As it was good to see Jacinda front and centre watching Shane Carter a while back.
Can’t imagine a single Nat MP lowering themselves to the level of rubbing shoulders with the primes like that.
They are using the feelers music in their campaign follow on from rwc if the abs loose they might have to change bands mid election.
A band that comes to mind is the ‘Headless Chickens.’
That name, not the band, perfectly describes the current bunch.
Shame not to see a single headless chicken front up to answer questions about the RWC fail today, at least Len Brown has the courage to front up.
Joky Hen on Auckland – We are not too interested in finger pointing….
Radio interviews with two women, one caught up in the crush at Quay Street and the other in the unbearable heat and crowds on her train, was a scary story. They were real cool survivors and helpers.
Both said it was noticeable that there was no crowd control, no security at either place. On the train they were stopped for about an hour and there was no report from the captain etc. Aren’t ground travelling people on trains entitled to any information through speakers installed in the carriages? Are the trains being run by remote control as all the time they were stationary (unintended pun) they didn’t see a rail worker?
At the Quay there weren’t obvious signs giving directions to the various venues and not a policeman in sight except some telling some people not to sit on a roof ignoring the crowds milling below.
Too busy dishing out speeding tickets somewhere…..
Ha ha, another day and another Labour staffer has been caught stealing.
At least I will no longer have to pay this thief’s wages, I wonder if Sonny will make it in the real world?
What? ” Like Bill English was caught rorting the taxpayer, to the tune of $1000 a week? http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10588023&ref=rss
Cheeky buggers, you Nats…
Hooton is ful of “strange” ideas that dont stand up to any logical scrutiny whatsoever. i.e. technically they are not valid. he just makes it up. He is just a small person who wants to get even with the world and thinks money counts for everything. In short he is a neanderthal tory party drongo flack who does what he is told by the “BIG BOYS”.
BTW Helen Clark only trtied to make it harder to buy elections. But National went ahead and bought it anyway.
Lol…you forget the 850k she stole from the tax payer to win the 05 election.
So dishing jobs out to your unqualified brother is OK according to your ethical code BB?
Why not comment on that instead of being your usual tolling self?
Ianupnorth
I know this will be hard for you to understand given that all of you left wing types slavishly support anybody (regardless of how corrupt they are) on your team but if this means that Bill English is sacked or forced to resign then nobody will be happier than me.
English is an idiot, a sopping wet liberal idiot with a strong socialist streak.
As for appointing an unqualified person to a government appointed job….well does the name Diane Yates not ring any bells with you?
I am not saying it is right, what I am saying is that in typical fashion the left make a song and dance about something that they have done themselves many, many times, the display of faux outrage is hilarious.
little pesk Pails into insignificance Media works dirty2007-8 campaign was rewarded with $43 million hand up from key dipton and joyce.Every DJ at media works set out to bring down clark!
It is quite alarming how many times they have him on phone ins on all manner of stations!
Nah, the people voted for her cos she was better than Bill from Dipstick…
Crack up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubub3p8E4FQ&feature=player_embedded
Now that really is dysfunctional behaviour. Eeew.
He was a political animal in 1981 and had some pretty strong opinions – his mother leaves us in no doubt about that … gotcha Joky Hen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAI0Xp3C36o&feature=related
When a publicly owned monopoly is privatised (management replaced by a profit motivated group) who monitors their performance?
Take, for example, Auckland airport.
When the amenities become foul and stinking, as they did after this weekends influx of tourists, who checks that those running the place are meeting acceptable standards.
The turists they never come back.John banks sold Auckland airport shares for $350 million they are now worth 1.5 billion that saved the Auckland rate payer millions in debt. Why don’t epsom voters reward him for being such a hopeless politician they will cut of their noses to spite their faces a Big Bruv or is that big girls blouse.Or more likely in a new game we should play here is who’s the tory blogger my guess is tau.
The morale of the story lies with the current bright idea of selling other assets before their price peaks, regardless of the fact they are returning a profit and are of strategic importance.
… would be interesting to know who the “Mums and Dads” investors are who have shares in the airport company acshully – how would one find out?
I bet the mums and dads are not the chosen 12,000 who had no trouble at Queens Wharf on Friday night.