Oh yes, I forgot it was propaganda monday on our glorious state television. There will be tales from the vacation of our leader taking on a hundred infidels at once, on his own of course.
A good day – despite the refugee crisis, anti-immigrant fear-mongering, uncertain economic times and a State election that was supposedly too close to call – ‘red’ Vienna remains red (infused with a little green).
Socialise housing! Let’s bulldoze all the rich pricks mansions and replace them with standard houses built by the State! Replace all housing with standard state houses! No more rich in mansions while the rest of us are cramped in hovels! This is why we need to revolt now! The rich better watch their back when the revolution comes! I pick they they won’t of course. But the day will come I guarantee!
Alternatively, buy up a bit of land in Remmers and Khandallah and elsewhere (Papanui, etc.) and build a few PUBLICLY owned houses on it (PUBLIC as opposed to ‘state’).
The residents in those ‘burbs can hardly complain can they since we’re told just what an egalitarian soity we are, AND we jiss dunno hear lucky we are.
I won’t hold my breath though – there’d be a cacophony of pig like squeeling before that ever happens.
Stroke me a pony tail will ya Adam!
Everyone enrolled to vote is allowed to vote in regional council elections. So why are regional councils still stacked with pro-industrial farming, pro-pollution types instead of with people who give a shit about the region beyond how much mon is to be made?
“Everyone enrolled to vote is allowed to vote in regional council elections”
Where regional council elections are held, of course 🙂
Where such councils are not “stacked with pro-industrial farming” types elections tend not to be held. A case where democracy is apparently too dangerous for the national interest by far.
Which is an interesting insight into how some people, at least, come to define the ‘national interest’.
Things are always ‘more complex’ so I tend to focus on ‘necessary and sufficient’ conditions.
From that perspective, ECAN councillors would not have been replaced, I suspect, if there wasn’t concern that such councillors were a threat to the exploitation of Canterbury’s water.
The government has said as much in defending its original decision and subsequent extensions of Commissioner-led governance.
That is another way our democracy is under attack through litigation at local body level. Think how much more frightening it will be under TPP.
Public groups spend a lot of money to take a public issue to court, win and then the losers and council collaborate to make the court order meaningless by ignoring it.
The planning officers at councils are out of control. They are stupid and have too much power and not enough oversight.
The farmers are being encouraged by the council to break the district plan against the environment court ruling.
Lets see how ports of Auckland play out. Similar thing – councils and planners are working against the public to give corporate welfare against the rules at the cost to ratepayers.
Sirenia, Thanks for that important reference to the disgusting pollution that has been allowed to occur in that area.
Aucklands Upper Harbour was to be the overflow receiver for the North Shore Rosedale Treatment Plant but a number of concerned residents stood their ground and that danger is no longer a possibilty.
Bilateral Investment Treaties not decided by democratically elected people like our Government, but by International Lawyers. But it is binding on the Government. And “hidden” inside so-called “Trade Deals.”
Like the TPP. Bastards.
Thanks Draco but more sleepless nights!
So when politicians promise to bring in a new tax or a new law once the Treaty is signed, they cannot carry out the promise because they could be sent to Arbitration at huge cost. No choice. No appeal.
Hell’s Bells!
And Arbitration is actioned by just 15 lawyers (55%) who are sometimes for and sometimes against the issue. Obviously our own Courts are rubbish. Really?
So whatever thin shadow of democracy we have to be hog-tied and bound by the threat of binding arbitration carried out by three of a select group of corporate law firm lawyers? Jolly good.
That’s correct. The possibility of arbitration will be in the minds of policy creators (with potential challenges hanging overhead) putting them off selecting certain policies.
Yet there is a parallel collapse in the economic order that is less conspicuous: the hundreds of billions of dollars fleeing emerging economies, from Brazil to China, don’t come with images of women and children on capsizing boats. Nor do banks that have lent trillions that will never be repaid post gruesome videos. However, this collapse threatens our liberal universe as much as certain responses to the refugees. Capital flight and bank fragility are profound dysfunctions in the way the global economy is now organised that will surface as real-world economic dislocation.
To put it succinctly: Our economic system is delusional.
[ I’ll go check if you’ve been banned, will I? This and your previous comment were in moderation. Don’t be feeling special there though, it’s randomly happening to a few folks this morning] – Bill
More like what people do with other consenting adults is no ones business but their own and all personal drug use should be decriminilised, someone with a needle in their arm is not a criminal but needs help instead
Nope, that puts you inline to be a Māori Party supporter. Apparently, even Labour is more RWNJ than you which really explains why they’re losing votes.
What an amazing story. In a New Zealand context this would be like outcasting Peter Snell if he was outspoken on a political issue. I draw that comparison because both Norman and Snell still hold respective national records for their events over 50 years later! Normans is probably more impressive as its a sprint event, its more contestable, and a black dominated sport.
Coming soon in Auckland – this Wednesday to be specific:
Rod Oram
‘Follow the money – the future of business journalism’
Wednesday 14 October
The feeble state of business journalism in New Zealand and around the world is but a subset of journalism’s general decline. To try to survive financially, many media organisations are increasingly blurring the distinction between journalism and advertising, devaluing both in the process. Yet, there has never been a more important time for business journalism.
Profound change is sweeping through business and economics and the societies they help shape. Journalists should be trying to explain what’s happening – the good and the ill – for the benefit of participants and public alike.
Wednesday 14 October, 6pm
Maidment Theatre, 8 Alfred Street, The University of Auckland
Doors open at 5.45pm, lecture starts at 6pm. The Maidment Bar will open from 5pm
Koha
There will be a collection for donations, so please bring some cash. This is a key fundraising opportunity for us.
If you can’t make it to the lecture but would like to support our work you can make a donation via the website.
The work of the Bruce Jesson Trust, which holds a lecture each year by a leading thinker and has these available on line for later perusal.
It also runs an annual competition for journalism excellence – and I think this is for encouraging young journalists particularly, not sure, and I think also applies to publications involving research.
More details on their website – google Bruce Jesson.
No I couldn’t, while Helen Clark had/has some very good qualiaties I admire there were things like WFF that felt like far too much like middle-class bribery for me
Of course its now so entrenched and National lacks the cajones to change it that we’re stuck with it…
I also was livid at the ‘bribery’ of WfF – weaseling out of doing something to improve wages by offering a tax credit that was effectively a low-wages subsidy to employers, what a crappy thing for the party of labour to come up with.
I suspect your reason for annoyance with it was different from mine, though…
Lol
So now the “minimum wage increase increase unemployment” mantra is replaced by a sudden concern that it’ll disproportionately help the top 10% of households.
You know what? I don’t care. If the richest households are demonstrably better off, they can pay higher taxes when that becomes evident.
The only objection to minimum wage that was worth a damn was that a rushed increase would be a false improvement, hiding increased unemployment behind slightly higher wages for those lucky enough to keep their jobs. Glad to see that bullshit has expired and been replaced by an irrelevancy.
I suggest you read it again.
I says that low levels of a minimum wage don’t have short term effects on unemployment BUT that the long term effects are unknown as are high levels of the minimum in comparison to the average.
You have to read it right through.
…that the long term effects are unknown as are high levels of the minimum in comparison to the average.
Why would anyone serious be interested in the effects on “average” incomes||wages? That includes people on high incomes who don’t feel effects from minimum wages. That means that increases in minimum wages will show little change in average wages in any society with severe inequalities in incomes (ie like NZ).
Shouldn’t anyone who was serious about looking at the effects be interested in the changes on median incomes||wages?
Furthermore, minimum wages at both low and high levels have been present in various economies for more than 50 years. Surely any credible study would consider that to be a good enough base line to draw some results from across a number of economies. I’d suggest that either the authors were talking out of their illiterate arseholes, or they were trying for making political or ideological point.
Perhaps you should re-read whatever you are talking about, because you aren’t making a good case for getting me to read it.
Gee, I made a slip.
I typed “average” when I meant to type “median”, in line with the article.
That appears to fix the thing you object to, doesn’t it?
After all you say that “Shouldn’t anyone who was serious about looking at the effects be interested in the changes on median incomes||wages”.
Since that appears to be the main thing you are complaining about, perhaps you will now decide to spend some of your time and will look at the link? It isn’t very long. I doubt it will take more than three minutes to read it right through.
The Economist article you cite says that activists in the US have succeeded in getting politicians to support a $15 minimum wage without once mentioning Seattle.
Alwyn repeating Murdoch’s mantra.
OECD figures prove you wrong.
OECD research on the US economy state by state,show that those states with the highest minimum wage have the lowest unemployment!
Also states with the highest taxes have the most economic growth!
States with Ring wing governments ie Republican and tea party govts have the highest unemployment and lowest growth!
To OAB @ 10.58.
Mostly to avoid stretching out the article to infinity I suppose.
The did mention Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco in a previous article that they referenced from the one I linked to.
It was at the point “article” here.
“several big cities, including New York this week, plan to phase in a $15 minimum wage, and Hillary Clinton’s two rivals for the Democratic nomination support the policy (see article). ”
I think you are seeing to many conspiracies.
yeah I saw all that “accelerating into a fog” nonsense.
But a few years ago the tory meme was that it would distort the wage supply and demand curve and increase unemployment, no distinction between short and long term, and adamant about the religious doctrine.
It took years for real world research to demonstrate that not only was the prediction false, in several studies unemployment actually decreased (e.g. NJ hospo and minimum wage). Feel free to use the minimume wage tag to see how the discussion has evolved on this website.
So now we’re supposed to be afraid of long-term unknown unknowns being predicted by the same crowd who previously predicted immediate and serious harm? Excuse me while I just press harder on the accelerator. It’s fun watching you squirm for no reason.
Here’s the other thing: if a living wage genuinely disproportionately favoured the top 10%, it would already be National Party policy. If tories believed their own shit, of course.
I used to think that PRs pseudo was a turnaround of Ruckish Pogue and that the Pogues were Irish so the last comment prompted me to google but no The Pogues were from London. But I put up a link to them anyway. They seem a bit more entertaining than PRs search for truth. Struth!
Just a bit of light relief. I apologise in advance to any offended R.Catholics among us. I spied today on Trade Me a hugely amusing portrait of John Key in the solemn traditional pose of Jesus of the Sacred Heart, but replacing where the sacred heart should be is a dollar sign. The title is “The Transmogrification of John Key” and the number to look up on the Trade Me site is 960113553 if you wish to read how the artist describes it – unfortunately the portrait has already gone under the hammer. I see its going to also be printed off into posters – I wonder how long it will be before it is taken out of circulation under the guise of the cyber bullying bill because of poor John’s injured sensibilities.
All praise to the artist, we need some more of this type of satirical art circulating – I think the painting says it all.
Radio NZ management seems to have discouraged analysis of the secret TPPA talks.
So why does Jim Mora continue to claim he has been discussing it? The Panel, Radio NZ National, Monday 12 October 2015
Jim Mora, Irene Gardiner, Bruce Slane, Zoe George
After indulging in banal, painfully long-winded and unnecessary reintroductions to Bruce Slane and Irene Gardiner, who are regular guests, the host moved on to the first topic for the once-over-lightly treatment….
JIM MORA:[apologetically] Just a little bit at the start: we’re probably all TPP’ed out….
That’s crap, of course. The most “serious” discussion of these top-secret talks consisted of the hapless University of Waikato “international law expert” Al Gillespie intoning pompously: “To a degree we have to trust the government.” [1] Otherwise, on the rare occasions this exercise in governmental contempt for the population has even been mentioned, it has received no more than a derisory half a minute or so of comments pretty much identical to the learned Professor Gillespie’s. Appalled, I sent the less than honest host the following email…
How can you be “all TTP’ed out”?
Dear Jim,
After the 4 o’clock news you claimed, not for the first time, that “we’re probably all TPP’ed out.”
In fact you, or more likely your producers, have hardly dealt at all with that vital topic. You have, by stark contrast, chosen to chat about the flag “debate” almost every day. [2]
If, as it seems, Radio NZ management has discouraged you from treating the issue seriously, please say so, and stop pretending that you have given the TPPA more than a few cursory comments.
As relations between the West and Russia steadily deteriorate, Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots have been given the go-ahead to shoot down Russian military jets when flying missions over Syria and Iraq, if they are endangered by them. The development comes with warnings that the UK and Russia are now “one step closer” to being at war.
RAF Tornado pilots have been instructed to avoid contact with Russian aircraft while engaged in missions for Operation Shader – the codename for the RAF’s anti-Isis work in Iraq and Syria. But their aircraft have been armed with air-to-air missiles and the pilots have been given the green light to defend themselves if they are threatened by Russian pilots.
“The first thing a British pilot will do is to try to avoid a situation where an air-to-air attack is likely to occur — you avoid an area if there is Russian activity,” an unidentified source from the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) told the Sunday Times. “But if a pilot is fired on or believes he is about to be fired on, he can defend himself. We now have a situation where a single pilot, irrespective of nationality, can have a strategic impact on future events.”
Anybody would think that they’re trying to start WWIII.
The front page of today’s Star on Sunday speculates that RAF Tornados bombing ISIL targets in Iraq are to be armed with air-to-air missiles to protect them from attack and that RAF pilots have been cleared to fire on hostile Russian jets. The Sunday Times features a similar story and quotes a military source who is alleged to have said “up until now there has been no or little air-to-air threat, but the situation has changed and we need to respond accordingly”.
The MoD statement is a laugh: of course they’re “ready” to attack hostile aircraft. Are they going to do dogfights with Vlad? Um, that’s unlikely, това́рищ.
Far from keeping their country men and women safe, western media generally has a death wish by spreading lies and provoking other countries on our behalf. That goes for our media too as they just repeat the overseas stuff. I would say in a lot of instances they are more dangerous than the military. John Pilger’s doco – The War on Terror – truth & lies, is a good starting point for anyone who wants to know more.
“Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump during Wednesday’s presidential debate linked vaccinations to what he called an autism “epidemic.”
Trump said autism rates have risen over the past few decades, becoming “an epidemic,” and that he’s had employees whose children became autistic after taking vaccines.
“You take this little beautiful baby, and you pump — I mean, it looks like just it’s meant for a horse and not for a child,” Trump said. “We had so many instances [in which] a child had a vaccine, and came back and a week back had a tremendous fever, got very very sick, and now is autistic.”….
Fair point, however Chooky’s postings and the back and forth on this particular issue just seem to be a rallying call for morons to bring out the same old anti vaccination arguments again and again despite those arguments having been debunked numerous times.
Pity he can’t even bring himself to call the New Zealand flag the New Zealand flag.
This of course is just another mechanism to try to devalue the New Zealand flag. This sort of behaviour and these sort of attacks on the flag of New Zealand will only increase over the Summer.
But…
…oddly enough, Farrar has created this six way poll in direct contradiction to the two stage process he and his masters prefer. In fact, he’s created this poll in the very image the Labour Party has advocated.
Not sure where Farrar is getting his advice on this but he looks even more stupid than usual.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
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Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
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This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
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The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
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Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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Can we expect to see Little come under fire from the media this week for his comments (opposing the TPP) on Q&A?
It’s already started, our esteem liar in chief on TVNZ’s brekkie channel having a go. but sounding a little hysterical in my book.
Oh yes, I forgot it was propaganda monday on our glorious state television. There will be tales from the vacation of our leader taking on a hundred infidels at once, on his own of course.
It’s an attempt to paint Labour as radicals, turning off the mainstream as seen with Corbyn in the UK.
Moreover, it’s an attempt to get Labour to tow the neoliberal line.
Although National don’t require it, they would prefer Labour’s support.
10 climate change canaries
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11527479
No mention of frogs? One thing I really miss from childhood is the frog chorus in summer evenings. http://www.alternet.org/environment/frog-species-going-extinct-alarming-rate
“Almost four tonnes of oil has spilled into New Zealand’s harbours and oceans since the Rena disaster.” http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/72344235/death-by-a-thousand-cuts-nzs-oil-spill-record-revealed (Why is the media so quiet about this?)
A good day – despite the refugee crisis, anti-immigrant fear-mongering, uncertain economic times and a State election that was supposedly too close to call – ‘red’ Vienna remains red (infused with a little green).
A common-sense solution to Auckland’s housing!!!
Socialise housing! Let’s bulldoze all the rich pricks mansions and replace them with standard houses built by the State! Replace all housing with standard state houses! No more rich in mansions while the rest of us are cramped in hovels! This is why we need to revolt now! The rich better watch their back when the revolution comes! I pick they they won’t of course. But the day will come I guarantee!
if thats what you regard as common sense …see a doctor.Your unrealistic ‘solutions ‘ will find no favour right or left…or is that your intention!
+1 Les.
Parody commenter I believe Les.
The problem is there’d be more then a few on here that would agree with it
Or at least not have as much of a problem with it as one might have with many current government policies.
I have a problem bulldozing them.
Keep them standing, just move families into them.
Alternatively, buy up a bit of land in Remmers and Khandallah and elsewhere (Papanui, etc.) and build a few PUBLICLY owned houses on it (PUBLIC as opposed to ‘state’).
The residents in those ‘burbs can hardly complain can they since we’re told just what an egalitarian soity we are, AND we jiss dunno hear lucky we are.
I won’t hold my breath though – there’d be a cacophony of pig like squeeling before that ever happens.
Stroke me a pony tail will ya Adam!
Where are the ‘democracy is under attack’ headlines for this news of gross environmental degradation by a regional council?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/72886964/backtracking-regional-council-must-be-taken-to-task–rachel-stewart
very good piece from Stewart.
Everyone enrolled to vote is allowed to vote in regional council elections. So why are regional councils still stacked with pro-industrial farming, pro-pollution types instead of with people who give a shit about the region beyond how much mon is to be made?
“Everyone enrolled to vote is allowed to vote in regional council elections”
Where regional council elections are held, of course 🙂
Where such councils are not “stacked with pro-industrial farming” types elections tend not to be held. A case where democracy is apparently too dangerous for the national interest by far.
Which is an interesting insight into how some people, at least, come to define the ‘national interest’.
Ah yes, of course. Although I think that the situation was more complex than the election of the pro-environment councillors, wasn’t it?
Things are always ‘more complex’ so I tend to focus on ‘necessary and sufficient’ conditions.
From that perspective, ECAN councillors would not have been replaced, I suspect, if there wasn’t concern that such councillors were a threat to the exploitation of Canterbury’s water.
The government has said as much in defending its original decision and subsequent extensions of Commissioner-led governance.
+ 1 Sirenia – excellent link.
That is another way our democracy is under attack through litigation at local body level. Think how much more frightening it will be under TPP.
Public groups spend a lot of money to take a public issue to court, win and then the losers and council collaborate to make the court order meaningless by ignoring it.
The planning officers at councils are out of control. They are stupid and have too much power and not enough oversight.
The farmers are being encouraged by the council to break the district plan against the environment court ruling.
Lets see how ports of Auckland play out. Similar thing – councils and planners are working against the public to give corporate welfare against the rules at the cost to ratepayers.
Sirenia, Thanks for that important reference to the disgusting pollution that has been allowed to occur in that area.
Aucklands Upper Harbour was to be the overflow receiver for the North Shore Rosedale Treatment Plant but a number of concerned residents stood their ground and that danger is no longer a possibilty.
A good message to be writ large on a placard where Turnbull can see it.
Hello, hello
AUSTRALIA
our
GOOD FRIEND.
And the R in friend would have a backward slash – so it reads fiend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fDCbf4O-0s
Bilateral Investment Treaties not decided by democratically elected people like our Government, but by International Lawyers. But it is binding on the Government. And “hidden” inside so-called “Trade Deals.”
Like the TPP. Bastards.
Thanks Draco but more sleepless nights!
So when politicians promise to bring in a new tax or a new law once the Treaty is signed, they cannot carry out the promise because they could be sent to Arbitration at huge cost. No choice. No appeal.
Hell’s Bells!
And Arbitration is actioned by just 15 lawyers (55%) who are sometimes for and sometimes against the issue. Obviously our own Courts are rubbish. Really?
Alternatively, ianmac, Governments may avoid legislating in a certain manner (or promising too) to avert the possibility of arbitration.
So whatever thin shadow of democracy we have to be hog-tied and bound by the threat of binding arbitration carried out by three of a select group of corporate law firm lawyers? Jolly good.
That’s correct. The possibility of arbitration will be in the minds of policy creators (with potential challenges hanging overhead) putting them off selecting certain policies.
That was very long, but very, very good.
Clear, concise…no jargon. Hugely accessible. Thanks.
The world economic order is collapsing and this time there seems no way out
To put it succinctly: Our economic system is delusional.
Have I been banned again or in moderation?
[ I’ll go check if you’ve been banned, will I? This and your previous comment were in moderation. Don’t be feeling special there though, it’s randomly happening to a few folks this morning] – Bill
Cheers
You and me both PR, so it’s not a conspiracy to shut up the Right leaning, just a conspiracy to get some of us to shut up! 😉
I’m right leaning?
I spose you’re centre leaning, just like our leader..
Damn straight!
Take the test Puck and give us an honest report on where you land on the chart: https://www.politicalcompass.org/test/
Your Political Compass
Economic Left/Right: -0.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.56
Which fits for current National supporter
But then I’ve always been socially liberal and fiscally conservative…mostly
“socially liberal”
Like like em up and throw away the key?
More like what people do with other consenting adults is no ones business but their own and all personal drug use should be decriminilised, someone with a needle in their arm is not a criminal but needs help instead
Then you keep voting for the wrong party PR.
Nope, that puts you inline to be a Māori Party supporter. Apparently, even Labour is more RWNJ than you which really explains why they’re losing votes.
Well some of the options weren’t that great plus i am at work though so couldn’t give it my full attention
Ref this compass which places the parties as of election ’14:
http://www.politicalcompass.org/nz2014
Either you’re piss poor at assessing which party best represents your viewpoint or you made a total hash of filling out the questionnaire.
-0.38, -2.56 is about where the Greens are. And nowhere near where National are. So it makes no real sense for you to support National.
I suspect you hang to the right, yes…
You’ve given it some thought then 🙂
😉
so glad I’m not the only one – I suspected I might have been guilty of some whiskey-induced indelicacy one evening that had escaped my memory 🙂
me too – about being the only one that is 🙂
I see Avaaz.org has targeted New Zealand as the country to stop the TPPA.
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/tpp_2015_loc_nz/?tIkRubb
This is a global petition and at the time of writing had attracted almost 300,000 signatures.
Admirable piece of work by Avaaz but given our PM ignores the result of official referenda by his own citizens, I can’t see this having any impact.
Best of the web.
http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/the-white-man-in-that-photo/
thanks joe.
What an amazing story. In a New Zealand context this would be like outcasting Peter Snell if he was outspoken on a political issue. I draw that comparison because both Norman and Snell still hold respective national records for their events over 50 years later! Normans is probably more impressive as its a sprint event, its more contestable, and a black dominated sport.
Coming soon in Auckland – this Wednesday to be specific:
Rod Oram
‘Follow the money – the future of business journalism’
Wednesday 14 October
The feeble state of business journalism in New Zealand and around the world is but a subset of journalism’s general decline. To try to survive financially, many media organisations are increasingly blurring the distinction between journalism and advertising, devaluing both in the process. Yet, there has never been a more important time for business journalism.
Profound change is sweeping through business and economics and the societies they help shape. Journalists should be trying to explain what’s happening – the good and the ill – for the benefit of participants and public alike.
Wednesday 14 October, 6pm
Maidment Theatre, 8 Alfred Street, The University of Auckland
Doors open at 5.45pm, lecture starts at 6pm. The Maidment Bar will open from 5pm
Koha
There will be a collection for donations, so please bring some cash. This is a key fundraising opportunity for us.
If you can’t make it to the lecture but would like to support our work you can make a donation via the website.
There is street parking – which after 6pm is free. If none available – car park buildings as follows:
Parking at Owen Glen building 16 Grafton Road, and a walk up the hill to theatre I think.
There are mobility car parks around see map.
http://www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz/en/maidment/contact/location-map.html
Info. on transport, street parking etc
http://www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz/en/maidment/plan-your-visit/parking-and-transport.html
Donation to whose work?
The work of the Bruce Jesson Trust, which holds a lecture each year by a leading thinker and has these available on line for later perusal.
It also runs an annual competition for journalism excellence – and I think this is for encouraging young journalists particularly, not sure, and I think also applies to publications involving research.
More details on their website – google Bruce Jesson.
Sorry, I didn’t see the link to Bruce Jesson Lecture. Hence I asked
I should have put Bruce Jesson Foundation’s link –
civicrm@brucejesson.com
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/11924431/Revealed-Jeremy-Corbyn-and-John-McDonnells-close-IRA-links.html
If its true then bye bye to his election chances, of course if its not true then Corbyn can always sue the telegraph
This might help you understand PR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_yrAD69fLQ
You see PR, you are not really a centrist but maybe a populist. Did you ever vote for the last Clark led Labour Government?
No I couldn’t, while Helen Clark had/has some very good qualiaties I admire there were things like WFF that felt like far too much like middle-class bribery for me
Of course its now so entrenched and National lacks the cajones to change it that we’re stuck with it…
I wasn’t ok with the bribery of WFF so couldn’t vote for Labour…and now its so entrenched that it’d be electoral suicide to take it away
well my friend you are no centrist then… 😉
I also was livid at the ‘bribery’ of WfF – weaseling out of doing something to improve wages by offering a tax credit that was effectively a low-wages subsidy to employers, what a crappy thing for the party of labour to come up with.
I suspect your reason for annoyance with it was different from mine, though…
+1
It was a way to say they were helping the poor and vulnerable while actually assisting a numbe rof the so-called middle NZ
Your point is valid, I just thought it was a straight up bribe to the middle class
According to the studies reported by the Economist the benefits are split so that about 75% goes to the employee, and only about 25% to the employer.
It is also much more efficient than is an increase in the minimum wage which appears to go, surprisingly, disproportionally to the better off.
It is also unlikely to cause the loss of jobs that a high minimum wage can cause.
See
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21659741-global-movement-toward-much-higher-minimum-wages-dangerous-reckless-wager?zid=309&ah=80dcf288b8561b012f603b9fd9577f0e
Lol
So now the “minimum wage increase increase unemployment” mantra is replaced by a sudden concern that it’ll disproportionately help the top 10% of households.
You know what? I don’t care. If the richest households are demonstrably better off, they can pay higher taxes when that becomes evident.
The only objection to minimum wage that was worth a damn was that a rushed increase would be a false improvement, hiding increased unemployment behind slightly higher wages for those lucky enough to keep their jobs. Glad to see that bullshit has expired and been replaced by an irrelevancy.
I suggest you read it again.
I says that low levels of a minimum wage don’t have short term effects on unemployment BUT that the long term effects are unknown as are high levels of the minimum in comparison to the average.
You have to read it right through.
Why would anyone serious be interested in the effects on “average” incomes||wages? That includes people on high incomes who don’t feel effects from minimum wages. That means that increases in minimum wages will show little change in average wages in any society with severe inequalities in incomes (ie like NZ).
Shouldn’t anyone who was serious about looking at the effects be interested in the changes on median incomes||wages?
Furthermore, minimum wages at both low and high levels have been present in various economies for more than 50 years. Surely any credible study would consider that to be a good enough base line to draw some results from across a number of economies. I’d suggest that either the authors were talking out of their illiterate arseholes, or they were trying for making political or ideological point.
Perhaps you should re-read whatever you are talking about, because you aren’t making a good case for getting me to read it.
Gee, I made a slip.
I typed “average” when I meant to type “median”, in line with the article.
That appears to fix the thing you object to, doesn’t it?
After all you say that “Shouldn’t anyone who was serious about looking at the effects be interested in the changes on median incomes||wages”.
Since that appears to be the main thing you are complaining about, perhaps you will now decide to spend some of your time and will look at the link? It isn’t very long. I doubt it will take more than three minutes to read it right through.
The Economist article you cite says that activists in the US have succeeded in getting politicians to support a $15 minimum wage without once mentioning Seattle.
I wonder why.
I am always concerned at the numbers of people who appear to not understand the difference between median and average in skewed distributions.
I might find time later to scan it. But right now I’m late heading to work.
Alwyn repeating Murdoch’s mantra.
OECD figures prove you wrong.
OECD research on the US economy state by state,show that those states with the highest minimum wage have the lowest unemployment!
Also states with the highest taxes have the most economic growth!
States with Ring wing governments ie Republican and tea party govts have the highest unemployment and lowest growth!
To OAB @ 10.58.
Mostly to avoid stretching out the article to infinity I suppose.
The did mention Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco in a previous article that they referenced from the one I linked to.
It was at the point “article” here.
“several big cities, including New York this week, plan to phase in a $15 minimum wage, and Hillary Clinton’s two rivals for the Democratic nomination support the policy (see article). ”
I think you are seeing to many conspiracies.
yeah I saw all that “accelerating into a fog” nonsense.
But a few years ago the tory meme was that it would distort the wage supply and demand curve and increase unemployment, no distinction between short and long term, and adamant about the religious doctrine.
It took years for real world research to demonstrate that not only was the prediction false, in several studies unemployment actually decreased (e.g. NJ hospo and minimum wage). Feel free to use the minimume wage tag to see how the discussion has evolved on this website.
So now we’re supposed to be afraid of long-term unknown unknowns being predicted by the same crowd who previously predicted immediate and serious harm? Excuse me while I just press harder on the accelerator. It’s fun watching you squirm for no reason.
Here’s the other thing: if a living wage genuinely disproportionately favoured the top 10%, it would already be National Party policy. If tories believed their own shit, of course.
Yeah, there’s good reasons why I don’t read the Economist – generally speaking, they’re usually wrong.
I used to think that PRs pseudo was a turnaround of Ruckish Pogue and that the Pogues were Irish so the last comment prompted me to google but no The Pogues were from London. But I put up a link to them anyway. They seem a bit more entertaining than PRs search for truth. Struth!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOn2geVpVqM
I have no problems with someone saying the Pogues seem a bit more entertaining then me
😉
“He often performs while intoxicated and has been impaired in interviews.”
MacGowan
I’ve never been drunk at work if thats what you’re suggesting 🙂
I was thinking of the impaired while typing…
“…often performs while intoxicated and has been impaired in interviews.”
Hmmmm. Sounds familiar….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-CtemSQZ40
Just a bit of light relief. I apologise in advance to any offended R.Catholics among us. I spied today on Trade Me a hugely amusing portrait of John Key in the solemn traditional pose of Jesus of the Sacred Heart, but replacing where the sacred heart should be is a dollar sign. The title is “The Transmogrification of John Key” and the number to look up on the Trade Me site is 960113553 if you wish to read how the artist describes it – unfortunately the portrait has already gone under the hammer. I see its going to also be printed off into posters – I wonder how long it will be before it is taken out of circulation under the guise of the cyber bullying bill because of poor John’s injured sensibilities.
All praise to the artist, we need some more of this type of satirical art circulating – I think the painting says it all.
http://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/tq/416384467.jpg
He looks tired. Must be all that weight on his soul.
Radio NZ management seems to have discouraged analysis of the secret TPPA talks.
So why does Jim Mora continue to claim he has been discussing it?
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Monday 12 October 2015
Jim Mora, Irene Gardiner, Bruce Slane, Zoe George
After indulging in banal, painfully long-winded and unnecessary reintroductions to Bruce Slane and Irene Gardiner, who are regular guests, the host moved on to the first topic for the once-over-lightly treatment….
JIM MORA: [apologetically] Just a little bit at the start: we’re probably all TPP’ed out….
That’s crap, of course. The most “serious” discussion of these top-secret talks consisted of the hapless University of Waikato “international law expert” Al Gillespie intoning pompously: “To a degree we have to trust the government.” [1] Otherwise, on the rare occasions this exercise in governmental contempt for the population has even been mentioned, it has received no more than a derisory half a minute or so of comments pretty much identical to the learned Professor Gillespie’s. Appalled, I sent the less than honest host the following email…
How can you be “all TTP’ed out”?
Dear Jim,
After the 4 o’clock news you claimed, not for the first time, that “we’re probably all TPP’ed out.”
In fact you, or more likely your producers, have hardly dealt at all with that vital topic. You have, by stark contrast, chosen to chat about the flag “debate” almost every day. [2]
If, as it seems, Radio NZ management has discouraged you from treating the issue seriously, please say so, and stop pretending that you have given the TPPA more than a few cursory comments.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
[1] http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04092015/#comment-1066917
[2] http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-01102015/#comment-1077187
I know RNZ have barely mentioned it.
Getting like the US media
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/02/06/tpp-opposition-soars-corporate-media-blackout-deafening
I suggest Labour walk away from it….It can only benefit National.
[lprent: And that has nothing to do with the post and appears to be made purely as a diversion flame starter.
Moved to OpenMike and you are banned for two weeks. Read the policy. ]
And the present UK government has just authorised their pilots to fire upon Russian aircraft:
Anybody would think that they’re trying to start WWIII.
RAF Tornados
Possibly giving air to air defences to British aircraft?
Anyone would think russian radars had been locking onto NATO aircraft or something… /sarc
The MoD statement is a laugh: of course they’re “ready” to attack hostile aircraft. Are they going to do dogfights with Vlad? Um, that’s unlikely, това́рищ.
We hope.
quite a bit of dick-measuting going on at the moment.
Far from keeping their country men and women safe, western media generally has a death wish by spreading lies and provoking other countries on our behalf. That goes for our media too as they just repeat the overseas stuff. I would say in a lot of instances they are more dangerous than the military. John Pilger’s doco – The War on Terror – truth & lies, is a good starting point for anyone who wants to know more.
completely and utterly unreatlated to anything
beautiful music via a friend from france
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaZT3I3Zd1Q&index=4&list=RDxa3uPdlFwSI
Fatoumata Diawara fome Mali, currently living and working in France.
Enjoy!
amazing voice
That was lovely. Thankyou sabine.
‘Donald Trump links vaccines to autism ‘epidemic’ ‘
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/donald-trump-vaccines-autism-2015-9
“Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump during Wednesday’s presidential debate linked vaccinations to what he called an autism “epidemic.”
Trump said autism rates have risen over the past few decades, becoming “an epidemic,” and that he’s had employees whose children became autistic after taking vaccines.
“You take this little beautiful baby, and you pump — I mean, it looks like just it’s meant for a horse and not for a child,” Trump said. “We had so many instances [in which] a child had a vaccine, and came back and a week back had a tremendous fever, got very very sick, and now is autistic.”….
DNFTT
That doesn’t work, Doc. It just cedes ground.
I dunno – in this case it’s a trump quote, it speaks for itself 🙂
“It just cedes ground.”
Only if the person was actually trolling. As opposed to say making a comment that you disagree with/think is stupid/don’t like.
I mean, I thought the comment was pretty daft myself, but it doesn’t fit normal definitions of trolling.
Fair enough perhaps DNFTTw.
Fair point, however Chooky’s postings and the back and forth on this particular issue just seem to be a rallying call for morons to bring out the same old anti vaccination arguments again and again despite those arguments having been debunked numerous times.
National Party shill, David Farrar, is polling the six possible outcomes of the two flag referenda.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2015/10/rank_the_six_possible_new_zealand_flags.html
Pity he can’t even bring himself to call the New Zealand flag the New Zealand flag.
This of course is just another mechanism to try to devalue the New Zealand flag. This sort of behaviour and these sort of attacks on the flag of New Zealand will only increase over the Summer.
But…
…oddly enough, Farrar has created this six way poll in direct contradiction to the two stage process he and his masters prefer. In fact, he’s created this poll in the very image the Labour Party has advocated.
Not sure where Farrar is getting his advice on this but he looks even more stupid than usual.
I am sure DPF is acting independently and taking instructions from nobody as usual. Posts on Kiwiblog are not subject to directions from his clients.
I wonder how you came by that piece of information; didn’t he do what your boss asked?