Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez’s five minute video of her asking questions about campaign financing is now the most viewed video featuring a politician on Twitter of all time …
The primary purpose of the proposed new conservative right party might be to simply leak a percentage point or two from NZF. Sink NZF and the gate opens wider for National.
The primary purpose of one of the new parties might be for the founder/leader to try to get acceptance. After being turned away by sundry others in his quest for recognition he has decided the only way to get it is to start his own party.
If none of the others want him how is he to find enough acceptance from the general public to get enough support to affect NZF or be of any use to National in any way?
Beto shows us there’s a better way to respond to Darth Drumpf’s orgasms of hate than to just protest and feed the hate narrative. Hold a counter-rally to showcase an alternative.
“Some people just want trees gone, and would rather rip out an entire row of trees than put a trench across their garden so their broadband antenna can be located away from their house or office.”
Due to weaker signals at higher frequencies required for next generations 5G + wireless networks, greater density of cell tower technology is required by all carrier networks…
Councils will lease out public amenities, cut and remove trees and foliage which ‘interfers’ and private property owners can cut trees and force neighbours to do the same
When your corporations own gold, diamond and other mines in Venezuela you bet a liberal tard like Trudeau is going to support the overthrow of a legitimate government.
How else do you keep the poor, poor, and shit on workers.
Anne-Marie Brady break-ins: Police investigation hits dead end
An investigation into a burglary and other incidents reported by prominent China critic Anne-Marie Brady is unresolved and police say they have no further lines of enquiry.
Anne-Marie Brady Anne-Marie Brady Photo: Supplied
Canterbury University professor Anne-Marie Brady has said her office has been broken into twice, her house burgled, her car tampered with and she has received a threatening letter after she published a paper on the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the Pacific.
“Professor Brady has reported a number of incidents which have occurred since late 2017 including a burglary at her home, two break-ins at her university office, damage to her vehicle, and a series of anonymous phone calls,” Detective Superintendent Stu Allsop-Smith said.
“Police have taken these incidents very seriously and a lengthy, detailed and extensive investigation has been conducted.
“This has involved all necessary police resources including detailed forensic analysis, interviews and expert advice.
“The burglaries and other matters reported remain unresolved at this time.”
Mr Allsop-Smith said at this point there were no further lines of enquiry to pursue unless new information became available.
“Any new information will be carefully assessed to determine what, if any, evidential relevance it may have,” he said in a statement.
Police and the university would continue to provide her with updated advice, including security advice if required, and maintain an active response plan, Mr Allsop-Smith said.
International academics, researchers and human rights advocates wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last year in support of Prof Brady.
Agreed, the male game of NZ Rugby has taken what’s good and completely abused it in it’s administration. Over rated Average bunch of cheating twits & liability to NZ.
CHCoff was thinking of you the other day, they did a back burn on the fire here… when I heard it I thought.. hmmm I wonder if CHCoff gave them some advice 🙂
Is it possible the neo-liberal brains of Britain and business sages might start to realise we’ve reached peak bottom in terms of wages and conditions.
May be they might also start to realise that if your business has to rely on paying pittances on which a person cannot survive, then maybe the business isn’t actually viable.
Even the wage-slaved cheap labour immigrants are starting to leave, as indebted as they are because of false promises NZ Inc. was a party to, and past lack of enforcement of employment standards..
No worries @ Indiana. We’ll just schedule them to start tomorrow morning shall we?
We could even get bus passengers to volunteer to drive the number 21 home starting tonight.
And meanwhile senior management could give themselves a bonus for improving productivity, and the spin doctors can tell us that all services ran as scheduled
No (legally) employed New Zealander is paid a pittance.
Most low earners receive top ups and other allowances.
Most of these folk over time will move into a better income bracket .
The outlook for 99% of Kiwis is generally good.
So that would be why many drivers chose to leave would it? And go to places like Tasmania and elsewhere. Keep telling yourself that @Rata – you’ll go far. Your ideology and rote learnings precede you going forward.
And by the way – it isn’t just about being paid a pittance.
And yes, the outlook for 99% is NOW a little better, though if many in that 99% had to ‘cash up’ tomorrow, they’d realise just how indebted they really are.
And what have you to say about the (illegally) employed New Zealanders or the immigrant that was enticed to NZ with false promises?
@ Rata: I’d be interested to know what your explanation is for a public transport system in Wellington that has now gone bugger up.
Is there an explanation you could provide the greater Wellington region’s citizenry as to why they had a workable and patronised system, and now they don’t?
And once you’ve given that explanation, there’ll probably be some consultant’s role whose mission it is to attract people back onto public transport. Currently there are a good many former patrons that have realised that they may as well opt for an Uber – especially if more than one is travelling, and they get door-door service.
Low paid workers in New Zealand, and the taxpayers, subsidise their bosses businesses. They suffer no or poor housing, insufficient income to survive on, and have little to no job security, so that the boss has a business. Where is the free market???
It is wholly wrong.
I have no respect for these business owners – the sooner they fail the better. They should f&#k off
This contribution is by Gerard Otto writing on the T.D.B
So far Bridges is distinguished by his record low popularity and ability to train wreck his own party to boot.
Judith may think she is playing the long game too but as they say in the famous Aussie Film “The Castle” – tell her she’s dreaming.
Most of the National party will not allow her to get her hands on power and the overall electorate don’t trust her nor like her.
Simon has been relentless in his denial about his own failings and this trait should frighten the pants off everyone.
Simon cannot stand too much scrutiny, and when the public get a glimpse of how he really operates under the charade he presents – they are gob smacked.
Don’t forget this man is under a police investigation regarding his part in election donations and we have not yet heard a word from the police about those matters.
Under pressure Simon has run away to get his story straight first, which is what you have to do, if you are liar or out of touch with all the facts you should know.
On several occasions the “Prime Minister in waiting” has fled the press and ran under a rock to hide when the heat was on.
All sins are forgiven by his partisan, ever hopeful supporters who will vote for any old monkey driving the blue bus.
Yet the majority of the voting public are increasingly becoming away of the dishonesty of this man.
His ridiculous claims did not stand up to the facts.
Time and time again – he said things that were factually incorrect.
Think petrol prices and how it is all about tax when it is really more about our exchange rate and the price of crude oil.
Think business confidence and how it will kill our economy when in fact it’s just a reflection of National getting over the election.
Think industrial action and how it only just happened when it’s roots are in years of being underpaid or contract cycles.
Think fossil fuels and a just transition and how much was made about consultation versus seeing that not one job has been lost and there’s ten years before we stop drilling.
Think how Bridges claimed Labour promised no new taxes – when they claimed no new taxes beyond those they had already committed to.
All topics Simon Bridges has deliberately told half truths about – trying to pin responsibility on the Coalition and it’s policies.
This opposition for opposition’s sake, flies in the face of the longer term solutions this country really needs.
It harms New Zealand and the majority can see that.
Shouting slogans and half truths just galvanises the majority to keep the harmful pretender from the throne.
The fear that such a person might wield power doubles the effort to resist the manipulations of National.
There’s a strong resistance to dropping the standard so far down from the heights of international acclaim to the pits of dishonesty and cronyism.
It’s a disgrace that over 40% of New Zealanders are so entrenched in their ideologies and misinformed by a dysfunctional fourth estate that they are impervious to facts and reason.
So we are polarised but never more passionately so than now.
Most kiwis have not forgotten Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett and Judith Collins and what they did to New Zealand during those nine long years.
The $120 Million meth testing scam that evicted hundreds of kiwis onto the street, the under spending on hospitals, the spilt milk at Oravida, the Panama Papers, the dirty dirty politics, the facilitation of record OECD homelessness, the extinction of 75% of New Zealand’s fresh water fish, the sealing up of Pike River Mine, the backs turned upon Waitangi, the Housing Crisis that accelerated house price inflation – something they all denied and a host of other transgressions against our citizens.
These people are not fit to govern.
This stuff cuts deep into the hearts and minds of the majority so no matter how much smoke they blow up the ass of the “Prime Minister in waiting” that is NOT going to happen on our watch!!!
Was this broadcast – if so can you give us the link? It would be easier to listen to than to read this series of sentences strung down the page. I have found the bricks of words difficult to follow but didn’t realise that sentences not grouped in a paragraph that makes one point is just as bad.
“Sixteen New Zealand Industry Training Providers will merge into a single entity under a massive overhaul of the industry proposed by Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
With the polytechnics and technical institutes facing what one commentator called a “perfect storm” of demographic shift and government policy changes, Hipkins on Wednesday released his proposal to strengthen the “broken” sector.
The proposals would also see industry and employers have greater say over the sector, as well as more distance and “blended” learning.”
Watched Parliament this afternoon. Simon Britches was somewhat subdued and a little on the quiet side. No shouting or screeching across the house at Jacinda, looking apoplectic as is the case normally with him when he’s in vocal mode. Something must be bothering/distracting the leader of the Opposition …. hmm!
Jacinda, while in her usual sharp form, responded to questions concisely and quickly, seemed a little cross. Could have been about the unnecessary Select Committee BS from Natz earlier today, of which nothing was mentioned in the House today.
When Jami-Lee Ross was called on to put across the first of his allocated two questions, several Natz MPs quickly turned their heads to look at him, then turned away smartly. Maybe they were a bit concerned on what topic his questions would be based on … guilty consciences perhaps? Have to say, JLR did look well.
The government should find money that they can’t find to pay doctors working to identify and treat people who are just ill, undiagnosed, in pain etc. It is so unfair that the middle classes can’t have the full use of the guarantee on their comfortable lives and are complaining about being short-changed. https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018682193/terminally-ill-breast-cancer-patients-plea-fund-drugs-or-we-die
New drugs have extended terminally ill breast cancer patients’ lives by months and years. And while they’re available overseas, they’re not funded here, meaning NZ patients are dying far quicker than in other developed countries. Alex Perrottet reports.
It used to be that people hoped for a cure, now they know they are dying and want the government to spend an arm and a leg on an extra few months of life. What is reasonable. Other people have to put up with sleeping anywhere, never having any money for more than the basics. Do these women think we have a money tree? It is a nasty trick to cheated of your expected years and die while you are young. Perhaps they need to take out a special insurance policy at birth that will pay for the extra $000’s for drugs and treatments, so much per day.
Perhaps people can have a month to say goodbye to everyone and then start their decline without the extra medication. They certainly do not have the right to hold death at bay for long at great cost. Leaders might attempt this, but the ordinary people don’t have the right to take up scarce medical care.
Bryan Gould on his blogsite talking about a book he co-authored about Britain in mid January 2019:
I am delighted to report that a new book, co-authored by my long-time colleague, John Mills, and myself was published in London last week by W H Allen. The book is called “Call To Action” and comprises a powerful argument for addressing the major problems that have now held back the British economy for decades.
Those problems include a damaging loss of competitiveness, a policy blind spot on the importance of the exchange rate, a perennial and debilitating foreign payments deficit, the perilous decline of manufacturing, and the futile focus on the government deficit as the prime goal of policy.
The book provides a carefully researched case for taking action now before it is too late and could offer the way to better outcomes following the May election.
Call to Action by John Mills and Bryan Gould
The bolded piece is because it sounds exactly like NZ. How come?: They are big, we are small. If someone would like to tell me why I am very silly thinking that
I would welcome a different understanding of it.
Funny that there is to be a May election – with Theresa May involved. That may be one to remember!
This is just a taste of whats to come from our 21,s century comunacation device that is why Eco Maori has BIG concern,s about AI even the people who are paided to stop crime are baffled enough said.
Cryptopia breach highlights gaps in cybersecurity, and cryptocurrency regulation, experts say
Claims a further $260,000 has been stolen from Christchurch-based cryptocurrency company Cryptopia are “not correct”, police say. (Video first published January 31, 2019)
Christchurch-based cryptocurrency exchange Cryptopia suffered a security breach almost a month ago. Customers have no idea what’s happened to their funds, while police remain tight-lipped about the investigation. Little is being said, but there’s a lot to learn from this case so far, experts say. KATIE KENNY reports.
If you follow the news, you may have heard about the “significant” losses of cryptocurrency after a security breach at Christchurch-based exchange Cryptopia. The online currency trading platform is said to have as many as 1.4 million registered users. Millions of dollars’ worth of tokens were stolen.
Cryptocurrency can be difficult to understand. So let’s try and use the example of an ordinary bank heist to illustrate what happened.
Let’s say a bank in Christchurch was robbed. Customers first noticed something was wrong when they tried to log into their online accounts and saw a message saying the site was in “unscheduled maintenance” mode.
The robbers weren’t in a hurry. They’d got hold of the master keys, and locked everyone else out. Then, they’d changed the locks. So they took their time, stuffing sacks with valuables, smuggling them out through tunnels, shipping them overseas.
Today, almost a month later, the windows are still dark. Customers can’t access their accounts. The investigation is ongoing, with few updates.
The combined worth of tokens stolen from Cryptopia’s digital wallets is unclear. On January 13, it’s estimated more than $5 million was transferred to an unknown digital wallet. The following day, the website was down. On January 15, Cryptopia admitted a “security breach” and said “appropriate government agencies” had been notified. But New York-based analyst Max Galka, of Elementus, said in his blog that funds continued being drained until January 17. He estimated the total value of stolen tokens at around US$16m (NZ$24m).
Cryptocurrencies stolen from exchanges and scammed from investors totalled around US$1.7 billion (NZ$2.5b) in 2018, up 400 per cent from the previous year, according to United States cybersecurity firm CipherTrace. Internationally speaking, the Cryptopia breach was relatively small – being in the tens rather than hundreds of millions.
Do you know more about the Cryptopia hack? Email Katie.kenny@stuff.co.nz
But it was “different” from other high profile hacks, Galk wrote. Namely, because it seemed to go on for several days: “The lack of urgency on the part of the thieves is striking.” Another unusual factor was that funds were taken from more than 76,000 different wallets.
A likely explanation for both these things is that the offenders gained access to the server holding the private keys. From there, they could have downloaded and wiped the keys, leaving Cryptopia unable to access its own wallets, and the authorities stuck on the outside of this digital bank.
How is all this known? Owing to the blockchain technology underlying cryptocurrencies, the stolen funds are hiding in plain sight. They’re visible, but anonymous. “Pseudo-anonymous,” explains Guy Kloss, a blockchain architect at SingleSource Ltd.
It can be difficult for people to understand why the illegal transactions can’t simply be reversed. But on the blockchain (the secure database, or ledger), transactions are recorded across many, many computers simultaneously, with no single authority controlling and verifying the authenticity of the data. The system is based on pure mathematics, on cryptography. And keys.
If you want to trade cryptocurrencies, you need a private and a public key to prove you are who you say you are. (The public key is like a business card, while the private key unlocks your online identity.) The keys are verified by the worldwide network of computers, and the payment proceeds.
Banks aren’t that secure. If you hack into a bank’s computer system, you can, potentially, get money out. But if you try to get tokens out of a blockchain system, the network will stop you, because it can’t prove you own those funds.
So if someone else gets hold of your private keys, it’s game over. They can transfer money, change the keys, lock you out. And the transactions can’t be reversed, any more than those valuables could have been sucked back up an .
Ka kite ano links below P.S I want to say more https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/110440396/cryptopia-breach-highlights-gaps-in-cybersecurity-and-cryptocurrency-regulation-experts-say
Eco Maori Thanks Stuff and the reporter and Green Peace for getting this story out to the Tangata/people read on and you will see why Eco Maori puts the gloves on when It come,s to shonky and his national party puppets they just want power to full there trough,s and leave te tangata who are owed by the crown heaps what drips off there plates $001 cent in the dollar. Lets get this STRAIGHT I don,t mind BILLIONAIRE,s so long as the pay there taxes and earned there money hounestly humanely and from were Eco Maori see there ain,t many of those a few may be.
The multimillion dollar public land sales scheme, tenure review, will be stopped
The Government intends to scrap the contentious land reforms known as tenure review, following a scathing internal report which pointed to multiple failings in the process.
An announcement on the cancellation is imminent, according to multiple people with knowledge of the Government’s plans.
The reforms – which began informally in the early 1990s but were adopted formally in 1998 – concerned hundreds of Crown-owned farms that were leased to pastoral farmers.
The voluntary tenure review process broke up those leases: Part of the land went into private ownership, with the remainder entering the conservation estate.
Critics of the reforms have said the resulting privatisation of land handed some of New Zealand’s most valuable land to wealthy property developers, often at a cost to the Crown.
Some of those who bought land that was formerly Crown leases include{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Peter Thiel,}}}}}}}}}}}} Graham Hart, and{{{{{ shonky John Key.}}}}} Some of the most expensive properties advertised for sale in New Zealand are on former pastoral leases.
In numerous cases, land that was privatised by the Crown for significantly less than market value was quickly on-sold for enormous profits.
A Stuff investigation in 2018 found that tenure review had cost taxpayers around $65m, and resulted in the privatisation of nearly half a million hectares of once Crown-owned land, some of which had become property developments and luxury golf courses.
Supporters of the process, however, say the nature of the Crown lease meant the leaseholders had significant rights over the land, and were thus entitled to most of the benefits of privatisation.
Tenure review resulted in around 400,000ha of leasehold land entering the conservation estate, which led to the creation of several conservation parks.
The decision to scrap the process appears to be driven by an internal report conducted by Land Information New Zealand (Linz), which manages tenure review on behalf of the Commissioner of Crown Lands Ka kite ano links below P.S SOCIALISM FOR The 00.1 %
Eco Maori backs school tamariki striking for climate change as they see there reality is going to be a big mess if they behave like there fathers and only look at brexit and trump as they will have to clean up OUR MESS kia kaha stay strong.
Environmental activism
Academics back UK schools’ climate change strikes
More than 200 sign letter to the Guardian saying pupils right to be angry at inaction
School climate strike children’s brave stand has our support
More than 200 academics have voiced their support for this week’s school climate strikes, in which thousands of young people are expected to take to the streets in towns and cities across the UK.
The academics, including almost 100 professors, say the “tragic and desperate facts” of the unfolding climate breakdown – and the lack of meaningful action by politicians – leave young people with little option but to take matters into their own hands.
In a letter to the Guardian, they write: “[Those taking part in the strike] have every right to be angry about the future that we shall bequeath to them, if proportionate and urgent action is not taken.”
The number of those taking part in Friday’s strike is growing rapidly, amid mounting evidence of the scale and impact of the climate emergency. There are more than 50 confirmed events from Fort William to Hastings, with more added each day.
The UK day of action is part of a movement that started in August when Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, held a solo protest outside Sweden’s parliament. Globally, up to 70,000 schoolchildren each week are taking part in 270 towns and cities.
Individual demonstrations have already been held in the UK, but Friday’s coordinated day of action is expected to see the biggest protests by students and young people in the UK since the student strikes of 2010 over tuition fees.
There has been some criticism of the strikes by climate change deniers and politicians who claim the strike amounts to little more than truanting.
Earlier this month a Belgian environment minister was forced to resign after falsely claiming the country’s intelligence services held evidence that the tens of thousands of children skipping school were being directed by unnamed powers.
Ka kite ano links below P.S The fathers are so easy to distract not the ladys and children thou
Kia ora Newshub I had seen story’s about the lease land given away in the south island last year.
Hundreds of million in lost value to kiwis given away to people who are RICH.
I seen the story today and the time was good to get the story out there.
The bovine disease was imported by farmers down south island if the farmers and there national M8 did not hide the problem it wouldn’t have grown into the big mess our coalition has to clean up NOW. Tell them to have a look in a mirror.
It’s good to see that the Pike river coal mine cover up mess is beening cleaned up and advancing safely.
That’s a huge dust storm in Australia some people are still lying about climate change fire every fire every were when it gets extremely hot the moisture evaporates and slash can just ignite with any little fire starting phenomenon Ka kite ano. P.S one doesn’t know the huge efforts the sandflys are putting into suppressing ECO MAORI
Kia ora Wairangi & James from The Crowd Goes Wild . Eco can still interact with you with out writing about our sports stars yes the rugby and the league is going to be exciting this year Kia kaha.
Eco,s a south paw. Josh you got your dream job for a retired sports star looks like these
Eco Maori loves watching the electronic F1 Race cars in action they are so power full and quick and environmental friendly and the FUTURE OF CARS. Ka kite ano P.S you know whom I back Eco has seen a lot of Tangaroa,s beautiful creature
Some people are trying to say that Eco Maori Is just getting my views on AI off of MOVIES .
Well know I have warned about cambridge analytic and Global Warming & Artificial Intelligence for over 2 years no one person tryed to dispute my consernce of cambridge analytic but with help from someone else we proved the power that a aglorithm can have the in american elections in 2016 computers can minuplate the masses trick them into beleving the lies that are being sold to them for proff one will have to research my post on thestandard to find it + I cannot afford to got to the picture theatre Ka kite ano links below P.S What also made me check out AI is the power I have seen the sandflys minuplate the people that are around me .
I see nationals money flowing in the wealthy Maori hip pockets they don’t care if the common tangata whenua get kicked in the puku from national they only care about there RUA being full to over flowing with kumara .
Whanu ignore the attacks on OUR humane Coalition Government but don’t worry ECO Maori won’t be scared to call out Our coalition government if I see them disrespecting Tangata Whenua. Ka kite ano P.S te tangata te tangata te tangata
Kia ora Newshub let’s hope no more fruit fly found in Auckland. I don’t think buying international carbon cridets cut it electric cars and trucks minamization of waste is what counts for me. That’s sad that the Air Bus A380 plane is not being made they should have been investing in fuel efficiency low cost planes hybrid planes.
I say the pools need to have axcess restrictions to save the coral and fish,s from to much pressure from human.
Te Ururoa Flavell that’s a good cause te smear your meir high light cervical cancer and get Wahine to get checked to help minimise cervical cancer in Maori Wahine who are 30 %, more likely to get cervical cancer than other ladies
Condolences to Talei Morrison whanau she died from getting cervical cancer.
Australia found dinosaur footprint in the outback that’s cool They have a enormous lake in Queensland now to from global warming there pollies still denies it is happening with all the extremely bad weather events over there and here I say the lump of coal has more noodles. Ka kite ano
The Crowd goes Wild James and Mulls should be a excellent game of Rugby in the Tron tonight had some hard working days the 1500 cows milked 2 x a day through a 52 aside herringbone shed Eco was dreaming about cupping cows lol started my dairy courier there.
NO it not fair
Anna that circus looks awesome all the great feats they do. Ka kite ano
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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 ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
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 ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
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 ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
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 ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
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 ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
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 ...
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 ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
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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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez’s five minute video of her asking questions about campaign financing is now the most viewed video featuring a politician on Twitter of all time …
The video is at https://thestandard.org.nz/the-problems-with-americas-political-system/
What they really said at the SOTU.
https://youtu.be/066WAeG5muE
Good laugh to start the day – ta
Very very weak 2/10.
The primary purpose of the proposed new conservative right party might be to simply leak a percentage point or two from NZF. Sink NZF and the gate opens wider for National.
If people really want to take that last poll seriously then it isn’t really needed if this is the case.
The primary purpose of one of the new parties might be for the founder/leader to try to get acceptance. After being turned away by sundry others in his quest for recognition he has decided the only way to get it is to start his own party.
If none of the others want him how is he to find enough acceptance from the general public to get enough support to affect NZF or be of any use to National in any way?
Beto shows us there’s a better way to respond to Darth Drumpf’s orgasms of hate than to just protest and feed the hate narrative. Hold a counter-rally to showcase an alternative.
https://www.salon.com/2019/02/12/the-best-way-to-resist-trump-beto-and-el-paso-show-us-how-its-done/
A property owner could be forced to trim their trees if they interfere with their neighbour’s wireless broadband, according to a High Court judgment – and a top lawyer says the decision could spark a flurry of legal action.
“Some people just want trees gone, and would rather rip out an entire row of trees than put a trench across their garden so their broadband antenna can be located away from their house or office.”
Due to weaker signals at higher frequencies required for next generations 5G + wireless networks, greater density of cell tower technology is required by all carrier networks…
Councils will lease out public amenities, cut and remove trees and foliage which ‘interfers’ and private property owners can cut trees and force neighbours to do the same
Definitive proof that weasels can talk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3qjZnEiOCc
When your corporations own gold, diamond and other mines in Venezuela you bet a liberal tard like Trudeau is going to support the overthrow of a legitimate government.
How else do you keep the poor, poor, and shit on workers.
As always, smart stuff from Danny Glover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMKLK6UQBaQ&ab_channel=TheRealNewsNetwork
No surprises here.
Anne-Marie Brady break-ins: Police investigation hits dead end
An investigation into a burglary and other incidents reported by prominent China critic Anne-Marie Brady is unresolved and police say they have no further lines of enquiry.
Anne-Marie Brady Anne-Marie Brady Photo: Supplied
Canterbury University professor Anne-Marie Brady has said her office has been broken into twice, her house burgled, her car tampered with and she has received a threatening letter after she published a paper on the influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the Pacific.
“Professor Brady has reported a number of incidents which have occurred since late 2017 including a burglary at her home, two break-ins at her university office, damage to her vehicle, and a series of anonymous phone calls,” Detective Superintendent Stu Allsop-Smith said.
“Police have taken these incidents very seriously and a lengthy, detailed and extensive investigation has been conducted.
“This has involved all necessary police resources including detailed forensic analysis, interviews and expert advice.
“The burglaries and other matters reported remain unresolved at this time.”
Mr Allsop-Smith said at this point there were no further lines of enquiry to pursue unless new information became available.
“Any new information will be carefully assessed to determine what, if any, evidential relevance it may have,” he said in a statement.
Police and the university would continue to provide her with updated advice, including security advice if required, and maintain an active response plan, Mr Allsop-Smith said.
International academics, researchers and human rights advocates wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last year in support of Prof Brady.
Huawei could well be, in fact, just like New Zealand Rugby
If it can be demonstrated that Huawei cheats cynically and relentlessly, that is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XBqetaCfgo&t=27s
Agreed, the male game of NZ Rugby has taken what’s good and completely abused it in it’s administration. Over rated Average bunch of cheating twits & liability to NZ.
Apologies for thread jumping… but
CHCoff was thinking of you the other day, they did a back burn on the fire here… when I heard it I thought.. hmmm I wonder if CHCoff gave them some advice 🙂
We all wanted the fire to be dealt to.
There’s more to NZ community than just it’s placid exterior.
New Zealand rugby is like google.
Fast, exciting, colourful, modern, popular, successful, the world’s best.
Doesn’t pay its taxes and rips off intellectual property ratty?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/110529728/fifty-trains-cancelled-as-wellington-is-gripped-by-a-chronic-driver-shortage
and
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/110554815/commuter-chaos-again-in-wellington-as-28-peakhour-bus-services-cancelled
Is it possible the neo-liberal brains of Britain and business sages might start to realise we’ve reached peak bottom in terms of wages and conditions.
May be they might also start to realise that if your business has to rely on paying pittances on which a person cannot survive, then maybe the business isn’t actually viable.
Even the wage-slaved cheap labour immigrants are starting to leave, as indebted as they are because of false promises NZ Inc. was a party to, and past lack of enforcement of employment standards..
An excellent argument for driverless trains.
No worries @ Indiana. We’ll just schedule them to start tomorrow morning shall we?
We could even get bus passengers to volunteer to drive the number 21 home starting tonight.
And meanwhile senior management could give themselves a bonus for improving productivity, and the spin doctors can tell us that all services ran as scheduled
they have tried pushing the bus..
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/109249341/passengers-push-start-bus-after-it-gets-stuck-in-central-wellington
No (legally) employed New Zealander is paid a pittance.
Most low earners receive top ups and other allowances.
Most of these folk over time will move into a better income bracket .
The outlook for 99% of Kiwis is generally good.
So that would be why many drivers chose to leave would it? And go to places like Tasmania and elsewhere. Keep telling yourself that @Rata – you’ll go far. Your ideology and rote learnings precede you going forward.
And by the way – it isn’t just about being paid a pittance.
And yes, the outlook for 99% is NOW a little better, though if many in that 99% had to ‘cash up’ tomorrow, they’d realise just how indebted they really are.
And what have you to say about the (illegally) employed New Zealanders or the immigrant that was enticed to NZ with false promises?
@ Rata: I’d be interested to know what your explanation is for a public transport system in Wellington that has now gone bugger up.
Is there an explanation you could provide the greater Wellington region’s citizenry as to why they had a workable and patronised system, and now they don’t?
And once you’ve given that explanation, there’ll probably be some consultant’s role whose mission it is to attract people back onto public transport. Currently there are a good many former patrons that have realised that they may as well opt for an Uber – especially if more than one is travelling, and they get door-door service.
rata you dick…
Low paid workers in New Zealand, and the taxpayers, subsidise their bosses businesses. They suffer no or poor housing, insufficient income to survive on, and have little to no job security, so that the boss has a business. Where is the free market???
It is wholly wrong.
I have no respect for these business owners – the sooner they fail the better. They should f&#k off
They will take it as proof that the ghastly ingrates don’t deserve jobs and public transport isn’t feasible timbo.
This contribution is by Gerard Otto writing on the T.D.B
So far Bridges is distinguished by his record low popularity and ability to train wreck his own party to boot.
Judith may think she is playing the long game too but as they say in the famous Aussie Film “The Castle” – tell her she’s dreaming.
Most of the National party will not allow her to get her hands on power and the overall electorate don’t trust her nor like her.
Simon has been relentless in his denial about his own failings and this trait should frighten the pants off everyone.
Simon cannot stand too much scrutiny, and when the public get a glimpse of how he really operates under the charade he presents – they are gob smacked.
Don’t forget this man is under a police investigation regarding his part in election donations and we have not yet heard a word from the police about those matters.
Under pressure Simon has run away to get his story straight first, which is what you have to do, if you are liar or out of touch with all the facts you should know.
On several occasions the “Prime Minister in waiting” has fled the press and ran under a rock to hide when the heat was on.
All sins are forgiven by his partisan, ever hopeful supporters who will vote for any old monkey driving the blue bus.
Yet the majority of the voting public are increasingly becoming away of the dishonesty of this man.
His ridiculous claims did not stand up to the facts.
Time and time again – he said things that were factually incorrect.
Think petrol prices and how it is all about tax when it is really more about our exchange rate and the price of crude oil.
Think business confidence and how it will kill our economy when in fact it’s just a reflection of National getting over the election.
Think industrial action and how it only just happened when it’s roots are in years of being underpaid or contract cycles.
Think fossil fuels and a just transition and how much was made about consultation versus seeing that not one job has been lost and there’s ten years before we stop drilling.
Think how Bridges claimed Labour promised no new taxes – when they claimed no new taxes beyond those they had already committed to.
All topics Simon Bridges has deliberately told half truths about – trying to pin responsibility on the Coalition and it’s policies.
This opposition for opposition’s sake, flies in the face of the longer term solutions this country really needs.
It harms New Zealand and the majority can see that.
Shouting slogans and half truths just galvanises the majority to keep the harmful pretender from the throne.
The fear that such a person might wield power doubles the effort to resist the manipulations of National.
There’s a strong resistance to dropping the standard so far down from the heights of international acclaim to the pits of dishonesty and cronyism.
It’s a disgrace that over 40% of New Zealanders are so entrenched in their ideologies and misinformed by a dysfunctional fourth estate that they are impervious to facts and reason.
So we are polarised but never more passionately so than now.
Most kiwis have not forgotten Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett and Judith Collins and what they did to New Zealand during those nine long years.
The $120 Million meth testing scam that evicted hundreds of kiwis onto the street, the under spending on hospitals, the spilt milk at Oravida, the Panama Papers, the dirty dirty politics, the facilitation of record OECD homelessness, the extinction of 75% of New Zealand’s fresh water fish, the sealing up of Pike River Mine, the backs turned upon Waitangi, the Housing Crisis that accelerated house price inflation – something they all denied and a host of other transgressions against our citizens.
These people are not fit to govern.
This stuff cuts deep into the hearts and minds of the majority so no matter how much smoke they blow up the ass of the “Prime Minister in waiting” that is NOT going to happen on our watch!!!
Gerard Otto is an activist and a writer.
Was this broadcast – if so can you give us the link? It would be easier to listen to than to read this series of sentences strung down the page. I have found the bricks of words difficult to follow but didn’t realise that sentences not grouped in a paragraph that makes one point is just as bad.
Quite like this idea from Chris Hipkins
Looking forward to learning more about it..
“Sixteen New Zealand Industry Training Providers will merge into a single entity under a massive overhaul of the industry proposed by Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
With the polytechnics and technical institutes facing what one commentator called a “perfect storm” of demographic shift and government policy changes, Hipkins on Wednesday released his proposal to strengthen the “broken” sector.
The proposals would also see industry and employers have greater say over the sector, as well as more distance and “blended” learning.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/110554835/government-proposes-merging-16-polytechnics-in-major-overhaul-of-vocation-education
Cinny (13) … Can hear them already …
OMG OMG creeping communism … OMG OMG OMG /sarc.
Seriously though, from what I’ve read about it, it seems like a good idea. However, I want to know more about it.
ROFL!!! Makes me laugh what you said, because the nat’s are attacking government re not being friendly enough with communist China
Yup.
https://twitter.com/HoarseWisperer/status/1095335366284828672
Who the hell is Iris Krzyzosiak? I have no time for Sean Plunket but that interview was painful to listen to.
Watched Parliament this afternoon. Simon Britches was somewhat subdued and a little on the quiet side. No shouting or screeching across the house at Jacinda, looking apoplectic as is the case normally with him when he’s in vocal mode. Something must be bothering/distracting the leader of the Opposition …. hmm!
Jacinda, while in her usual sharp form, responded to questions concisely and quickly, seemed a little cross. Could have been about the unnecessary Select Committee BS from Natz earlier today, of which nothing was mentioned in the House today.
When Jami-Lee Ross was called on to put across the first of his allocated two questions, several Natz MPs quickly turned their heads to look at him, then turned away smartly. Maybe they were a bit concerned on what topic his questions would be based on … guilty consciences perhaps? Have to say, JLR did look well.
The government should find money that they can’t find to pay doctors working to identify and treat people who are just ill, undiagnosed, in pain etc. It is so unfair that the middle classes can’t have the full use of the guarantee on their comfortable lives and are complaining about being short-changed.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018682193/terminally-ill-breast-cancer-patients-plea-fund-drugs-or-we-die
New drugs have extended terminally ill breast cancer patients’ lives by months and years. And while they’re available overseas, they’re not funded here, meaning NZ patients are dying far quicker than in other developed countries. Alex Perrottet reports.
It used to be that people hoped for a cure, now they know they are dying and want the government to spend an arm and a leg on an extra few months of life. What is reasonable. Other people have to put up with sleeping anywhere, never having any money for more than the basics. Do these women think we have a money tree? It is a nasty trick to cheated of your expected years and die while you are young. Perhaps they need to take out a special insurance policy at birth that will pay for the extra $000’s for drugs and treatments, so much per day.
Perhaps people can have a month to say goodbye to everyone and then start their decline without the extra medication. They certainly do not have the right to hold death at bay for long at great cost. Leaders might attempt this, but the ordinary people don’t have the right to take up scarce medical care.
Bryan Gould on his blogsite talking about a book he co-authored about Britain in mid January 2019:
I am delighted to report that a new book, co-authored by my long-time colleague, John Mills, and myself was published in London last week by W H Allen. The book is called “Call To Action” and comprises a powerful argument for addressing the major problems that have now held back the British economy for decades.
Those problems include a damaging loss of competitiveness, a policy blind spot on the importance of the exchange rate, a perennial and debilitating foreign payments deficit, the perilous decline of manufacturing, and the futile focus on the government deficit as the prime goal of policy.
The book provides a carefully researched case for taking action now before it is too late and could offer the way to better outcomes following the May election.
Call to Action by John Mills and Bryan Gould
The bolded piece is because it sounds exactly like NZ. How come?: They are big, we are small. If someone would like to tell me why I am very silly thinking that
I would welcome a different understanding of it.
Funny that there is to be a May election – with Theresa May involved. That may be one to remember!
This is just a taste of whats to come from our 21,s century comunacation device that is why Eco Maori has BIG concern,s about AI even the people who are paided to stop crime are baffled enough said.
Cryptopia breach highlights gaps in cybersecurity, and cryptocurrency regulation, experts say
Claims a further $260,000 has been stolen from Christchurch-based cryptocurrency company Cryptopia are “not correct”, police say. (Video first published January 31, 2019)
Christchurch-based cryptocurrency exchange Cryptopia suffered a security breach almost a month ago. Customers have no idea what’s happened to their funds, while police remain tight-lipped about the investigation. Little is being said, but there’s a lot to learn from this case so far, experts say. KATIE KENNY reports.
If you follow the news, you may have heard about the “significant” losses of cryptocurrency after a security breach at Christchurch-based exchange Cryptopia. The online currency trading platform is said to have as many as 1.4 million registered users. Millions of dollars’ worth of tokens were stolen.
Cryptocurrency can be difficult to understand. So let’s try and use the example of an ordinary bank heist to illustrate what happened.
Let’s say a bank in Christchurch was robbed. Customers first noticed something was wrong when they tried to log into their online accounts and saw a message saying the site was in “unscheduled maintenance” mode.
The robbers weren’t in a hurry. They’d got hold of the master keys, and locked everyone else out. Then, they’d changed the locks. So they took their time, stuffing sacks with valuables, smuggling them out through tunnels, shipping them overseas.
Today, almost a month later, the windows are still dark. Customers can’t access their accounts. The investigation is ongoing, with few updates.
The combined worth of tokens stolen from Cryptopia’s digital wallets is unclear. On January 13, it’s estimated more than $5 million was transferred to an unknown digital wallet. The following day, the website was down. On January 15, Cryptopia admitted a “security breach” and said “appropriate government agencies” had been notified. But New York-based analyst Max Galka, of Elementus, said in his blog that funds continued being drained until January 17. He estimated the total value of stolen tokens at around US$16m (NZ$24m).
Cryptocurrencies stolen from exchanges and scammed from investors totalled around US$1.7 billion (NZ$2.5b) in 2018, up 400 per cent from the previous year, according to United States cybersecurity firm CipherTrace. Internationally speaking, the Cryptopia breach was relatively small – being in the tens rather than hundreds of millions.
Do you know more about the Cryptopia hack? Email Katie.kenny@stuff.co.nz
But it was “different” from other high profile hacks, Galk wrote. Namely, because it seemed to go on for several days: “The lack of urgency on the part of the thieves is striking.” Another unusual factor was that funds were taken from more than 76,000 different wallets.
A likely explanation for both these things is that the offenders gained access to the server holding the private keys. From there, they could have downloaded and wiped the keys, leaving Cryptopia unable to access its own wallets, and the authorities stuck on the outside of this digital bank.
How is all this known? Owing to the blockchain technology underlying cryptocurrencies, the stolen funds are hiding in plain sight. They’re visible, but anonymous. “Pseudo-anonymous,” explains Guy Kloss, a blockchain architect at SingleSource Ltd.
It can be difficult for people to understand why the illegal transactions can’t simply be reversed. But on the blockchain (the secure database, or ledger), transactions are recorded across many, many computers simultaneously, with no single authority controlling and verifying the authenticity of the data. The system is based on pure mathematics, on cryptography. And keys.
If you want to trade cryptocurrencies, you need a private and a public key to prove you are who you say you are. (The public key is like a business card, while the private key unlocks your online identity.) The keys are verified by the worldwide network of computers, and the payment proceeds.
Banks aren’t that secure. If you hack into a bank’s computer system, you can, potentially, get money out. But if you try to get tokens out of a blockchain system, the network will stop you, because it can’t prove you own those funds.
So if someone else gets hold of your private keys, it’s game over. They can transfer money, change the keys, lock you out. And the transactions can’t be reversed, any more than those valuables could have been sucked back up an .
Ka kite ano links below P.S I want to say more
https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/110440396/cryptopia-breach-highlights-gaps-in-cybersecurity-and-cryptocurrency-regulation-experts-say
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fImH0j44i6s
Eco Maori Thanks Stuff and the reporter and Green Peace for getting this story out to the Tangata/people read on and you will see why Eco Maori puts the gloves on when It come,s to shonky and his national party puppets they just want power to full there trough,s and leave te tangata who are owed by the crown heaps what drips off there plates $001 cent in the dollar. Lets get this STRAIGHT I don,t mind BILLIONAIRE,s so long as the pay there taxes and earned there money hounestly humanely and from were Eco Maori see there ain,t many of those a few may be.
The multimillion dollar public land sales scheme, tenure review, will be stopped
The Government intends to scrap the contentious land reforms known as tenure review, following a scathing internal report which pointed to multiple failings in the process.
An announcement on the cancellation is imminent, according to multiple people with knowledge of the Government’s plans.
The reforms – which began informally in the early 1990s but were adopted formally in 1998 – concerned hundreds of Crown-owned farms that were leased to pastoral farmers.
The voluntary tenure review process broke up those leases: Part of the land went into private ownership, with the remainder entering the conservation estate.
Critics of the reforms have said the resulting privatisation of land handed some of New Zealand’s most valuable land to wealthy property developers, often at a cost to the Crown.
Some of those who bought land that was formerly Crown leases include{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Peter Thiel,}}}}}}}}}}}} Graham Hart, and{{{{{ shonky John Key.}}}}} Some of the most expensive properties advertised for sale in New Zealand are on former pastoral leases.
In numerous cases, land that was privatised by the Crown for significantly less than market value was quickly on-sold for enormous profits.
A Stuff investigation in 2018 found that tenure review had cost taxpayers around $65m, and resulted in the privatisation of nearly half a million hectares of once Crown-owned land, some of which had become property developments and luxury golf courses.
Supporters of the process, however, say the nature of the Crown lease meant the leaseholders had significant rights over the land, and were thus entitled to most of the benefits of privatisation.
Tenure review resulted in around 400,000ha of leasehold land entering the conservation estate, which led to the creation of several conservation parks.
The decision to scrap the process appears to be driven by an internal report conducted by Land Information New Zealand (Linz), which manages tenure review on behalf of the Commissioner of Crown Lands Ka kite ano links below P.S SOCIALISM FOR The 00.1 %
https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2018/01/half-a-million-hectares-sold/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/103781152/simons-pass-in-tenure-review-could-see-thousands-of-hectares-freeholded?rm=m
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/110557002/the-multimillion-dollar-public-land-sales-scheme-tenure-review-will-be-stopped
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfTN2tx35Ns
Eco Maori backs school tamariki striking for climate change as they see there reality is going to be a big mess if they behave like there fathers and only look at brexit and trump as they will have to clean up OUR MESS kia kaha stay strong.
Environmental activism
Academics back UK schools’ climate change strikes
More than 200 sign letter to the Guardian saying pupils right to be angry at inaction
School climate strike children’s brave stand has our support
More than 200 academics have voiced their support for this week’s school climate strikes, in which thousands of young people are expected to take to the streets in towns and cities across the UK.
The academics, including almost 100 professors, say the “tragic and desperate facts” of the unfolding climate breakdown – and the lack of meaningful action by politicians – leave young people with little option but to take matters into their own hands.
In a letter to the Guardian, they write: “[Those taking part in the strike] have every right to be angry about the future that we shall bequeath to them, if proportionate and urgent action is not taken.”
The number of those taking part in Friday’s strike is growing rapidly, amid mounting evidence of the scale and impact of the climate emergency. There are more than 50 confirmed events from Fort William to Hastings, with more added each day.
The UK day of action is part of a movement that started in August when Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, held a solo protest outside Sweden’s parliament. Globally, up to 70,000 schoolchildren each week are taking part in 270 towns and cities.
Individual demonstrations have already been held in the UK, but Friday’s coordinated day of action is expected to see the biggest protests by students and young people in the UK since the student strikes of 2010 over tuition fees.
There has been some criticism of the strikes by climate change deniers and politicians who claim the strike amounts to little more than truanting.
Earlier this month a Belgian environment minister was forced to resign after falsely claiming the country’s intelligence services held evidence that the tens of thousands of children skipping school were being directed by unnamed powers.
Ka kite ano links below P.S The fathers are so easy to distract not the ladys and children thou
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/13/academics-back-uk-schools-climate-change-strikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc8sppzaueo
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeGhazPjhoA
I dedicate the song above to my greatgrandmother who raised me till I was 9 she was OUR Mama
Kia ora Newshub I had seen story’s about the lease land given away in the south island last year.
Hundreds of million in lost value to kiwis given away to people who are RICH.
I seen the story today and the time was good to get the story out there.
The bovine disease was imported by farmers down south island if the farmers and there national M8 did not hide the problem it wouldn’t have grown into the big mess our coalition has to clean up NOW. Tell them to have a look in a mirror.
It’s good to see that the Pike river coal mine cover up mess is beening cleaned up and advancing safely.
That’s a huge dust storm in Australia some people are still lying about climate change fire every fire every were when it gets extremely hot the moisture evaporates and slash can just ignite with any little fire starting phenomenon Ka kite ano. P.S one doesn’t know the huge efforts the sandflys are putting into suppressing ECO MAORI
Kia ora Wairangi & James from The Crowd Goes Wild . Eco can still interact with you with out writing about our sports stars yes the rugby and the league is going to be exciting this year Kia kaha.
Eco,s a south paw. Josh you got your dream job for a retired sports star looks like these
Eco Maori loves watching the electronic F1 Race cars in action they are so power full and quick and environmental friendly and the FUTURE OF CARS. Ka kite ano P.S you know whom I back Eco has seen a lot of Tangaroa,s beautiful creature
Some Eco Maor Music for the minute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I
Some people are trying to say that Eco Maori Is just getting my views on AI off of MOVIES .
Well know I have warned about cambridge analytic and Global Warming & Artificial Intelligence for over 2 years no one person tryed to dispute my consernce of cambridge analytic but with help from someone else we proved the power that a aglorithm can have the in american elections in 2016 computers can minuplate the masses trick them into beleving the lies that are being sold to them for proff one will have to research my post on thestandard to find it + I cannot afford to got to the picture theatre Ka kite ano links below P.S What also made me check out AI is the power I have seen the sandflys minuplate the people that are around me .
https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files
https://futureoflife.org/background/benefits-risks-of-artificial-intelligence/?cn-reloaded=1
https://futureoflife.org/2018/12/17/updates-from-the-cop24-climate-change-meeting/
I see nationals money flowing in the wealthy Maori hip pockets they don’t care if the common tangata whenua get kicked in the puku from national they only care about there RUA being full to over flowing with kumara .
Whanu ignore the attacks on OUR humane Coalition Government but don’t worry ECO Maori won’t be scared to call out Our coalition government if I see them disrespecting Tangata Whenua. Ka kite ano P.S te tangata te tangata te tangata
Kia ora Newshub let’s hope no more fruit fly found in Auckland. I don’t think buying international carbon cridets cut it electric cars and trucks minamization of waste is what counts for me. That’s sad that the Air Bus A380 plane is not being made they should have been investing in fuel efficiency low cost planes hybrid planes.
I say the pools need to have axcess restrictions to save the coral and fish,s from to much pressure from human.
Te Ururoa Flavell that’s a good cause te smear your meir high light cervical cancer and get Wahine to get checked to help minimise cervical cancer in Maori Wahine who are 30 %, more likely to get cervical cancer than other ladies
Condolences to Talei Morrison whanau she died from getting cervical cancer.
Australia found dinosaur footprint in the outback that’s cool They have a enormous lake in Queensland now to from global warming there pollies still denies it is happening with all the extremely bad weather events over there and here I say the lump of coal has more noodles. Ka kite ano
The Crowd goes Wild James and Mulls should be a excellent game of Rugby in the Tron tonight had some hard working days the 1500 cows milked 2 x a day through a 52 aside herringbone shed Eco was dreaming about cupping cows lol started my dairy courier there.
NO it not fair
Anna that circus looks awesome all the great feats they do. Ka kite ano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQfetkoGrpU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAB6aXOfUmU