Putin's war crimes multiply. The strategy here is clear – keeping the Dniepr river in flood to protect the Russian's western flank from an amphibious assault, eventually deny drinking water to millions of Ukrainian civilians and ensure that there will be no grain for export this year from the Ukraine. This is not the actions of a reasonable or even sane regime. It is the unhinged and genocidal actions of criminals and totally unjustified by any norm of civilised behaviour.
So let's be clear. Russia is waging a total war on the Ukraine at a level of demented brutality not seen since the darkest days of the second world war. Millions rely on Ukrainian grain for food in the middle east. Putin appears to be prepared to plunge the entire nations of innocents into hunger in order to achieve whatever ruinous, messianic vision he has descended to in his all-encompassing madness.
Putin and his mob of equally psychopathic gangsters who run Russia are determined to keep raising the stakes on the already high crimes they are guilty of, and they are playing for keeps for maximalist war aims. Surely, such behaviour simply makes a wider war inevitable. Poland is engaged in a crash rearmament, ordering staggering amounts of weapons from especially South Korea. Putin can't conquer the Ukraine, his army is too weak now. If he drags on a demented, genocidal assault on the Ukraine for another year then I can't see the likes of Poland staying out forever.
Poland would have to be the "aggressor" if war were to break out between them and Russia. I doubt whether Russia is planning on attacking Poland. It sounds as though the latter are becoming paranoid. Still, arming themselves is good for the arms manufacturers.
There are two Nations that the Poles hate the most Germany & Russia!
Given that Germany is a democracy & both the EU & NATO.
The other Russia is run by a one man raving lunatic who thinks he's the next Russia Tsar who wants to rebuild the Russian/ USSR Imperial.
Who has invaded another country aka Ukraine Violation of Article 51 of the UN Charter,the Lisbon protocol & Budapest memorandum which Russia signed when Ukraine got its independence in 1991. (well Poot's has invaded a few countries as the Russia President btw).
Russia has also now setup shop Belarus with what 100k+ troops & let's not forget the Russian garrison in Kaliningrad Oblast which shares a border with Poland.
Given what Tsar Poot's has said about Poland over the last decade or so & especially in the last 5yrs.
Poles can be almost be forgiven to be a tad on edge atm, given pass history at the way Imperial & USSR Russia has treated Poland especially from post WW1 onwards!
If Russia & Belarus were too be stupid enough to invade Ukrane from Belarus in the forthcoming Russian Offensive? I wouldn't be surprised if Poland goes all in, while telling the EU & NATO to FUCK OFF!
Plus I'm also sure that Poland has & no doubt the EU along with NATO has read the Riot Act to Belarus. That if it facilitates a Russian invasion of Ukraine from its Borders, it will find itself in trouble & that NATO nor the EU will have any Responsibility for Poland's Actions if it chooses to support Ukraine by Invading Belarus!
Poland has not forgotten what Russia has done to Poland & it will never for give them either!!
That should be post WW2. In 1918-1920 Poland waged two sucessful eastern wars: firstly against a short-lived nascent Ukraine Republic that claimed cities like Lvov, (now Lviv), which had 60% Polish-speaking population, a large Jewish population and minority Ukraine population; and secondly against Russian and Ukraine Soviets.
A 1920-1939 map of Poland shows significant areas now in western Ukraine and Belarus were a part of Poland between WW1 and WW2. Polish veterans were given land grants in those regions.
It was touch an go for the Poles at one stage as they were fighting a two front war for their independence against the remains of the Imperial Germany Armed Forces aka the Freikorps & the Bolsheviks in the East while supporting the newly independent Ukraine as well with the idea of reforming the Polish- Ukranian Commonwealth. Which is an interesting story IRT Ukraine in itself btw, but with a tragic ending of a Greek Opera.
The fighting in the East against the Bolsheviks was some of the Bloodiest, where no quarter was given.
"Note there new book is about to be released on this period of Polish History about fighting Lenin's Red Bolsheviks in the East & it sounds like a ripping read btw".
If you think a Albanian or Yugoslavian Blood Feud can be little bit crazy at times?
The Polish & Russia Feud has lasted alot longer & if Russia gives the Poles a half chance/ an excuse? They will be in like Flynn & even God won't help Tsar Poot's!
Yes, but that's what the West is hoping to avoid, by giving Ukraine as much help as possible. Because if Poland goes in, and Russia loses, Putin will try and immolate the world.
It’s in everyone’s interest to get Russia to back off.
Poland "will not take a backward step to Russia"? It certainly does exactly that to Germany, the U.K. and the United States. It's as much of a doormat now as it's ever been.
Robologic, And, like most Soviet satellite states, would do anything to stop the return of a similar overlordship, whether capitalist, fascist, or communist.
RNZ thinks we have an interest in American "news'..or atleast RNZ's limited understanding of what makes American News..that is.."Trump Bad, Shootings and Bad China with its spy balloons"…for anyone here reduced to having RNZ as their only radio news sourse..but with an actual interest in the state of that particular Nation..I would like to share this terrible story…
I suspect on a very slow news day, had this happened in say..India or wherever, RNZ may have reported this story as part of the usuale narrative. about so called third world nations….but we seem to be holding on to the illusion of America being a first World Nation..not to mention our delusions about what that even means…
Yeah..atleast the Democrats, and the rest of us, know how to farm out child labour when its needed..(I was going to say needed for our cheap crap..but then I remember reading this just last week..
I have no idea what RNZ ‘thinks’ or what you’re going on about. You seem to believe that you’re offering some context and balance to the poor Kiwis who need it without even knowing about and/or asking for it. You seem to think that there are people who are ‘reduced’ to only source of information, which clearly is the wrong one, in your mind.
Obviously, it is not a slow news day and RNZ and other NZ MSM sites are understandably dominated by the current event called Gabrielle, which seems to have escaped you.
Your hypotheticals are idle speculation and show your biased thinking, your illusions, and what you think things even mean…
I'm trying to work out how anyone could be reduced to having only RNZ as their radio news.
Surely with communications systems and capitalists all over the place trying to make money out of media the numbers in that boat would be infinitesimal.
Siobhan, I've noticed when scrolling through English-language news sites that the same stories pop up on most. The shrinking number of hard-news on-the-ground journalists inevitably leads to a more homogenous, more limited news reporting. If you shop around, Al Jazeera generates novel Islamic-world news, France 24 reports on North and Central Africa, etc. No one source seems to provide a whole-world news update.
And disaster porn has always been a feature of headline news, hence the preponderance of wildfire/earthquake/flood reporting with little analysis. Also, if I remember from the Ohio train derailment, there's no death toll, only the possibilty if it had occurred in a more populous area.
Amid questions, Biden administration officials have found themselves issuing private assurances there is no evidence they involve extraterrestrial activity, the New York Times reports.
The latest incurious came as US officials were still trying to precisely identify two others objects blown from the sky by F-22 fighter jets over the past two days, and were working to determine whether China was responsible as concerns escalate about what Washington says is Beijing's large-scale aerial surveillance programme.
A precedent now set with the 1st balloon, anything unidentified that flies over North America has to be shot down. Get Mulder and Scully onto it.
Peak insanity. I hope this doesn't impact on the output of global weather forecasting models…..
They can land things on the Moon and Mars, they can bring back manned shuttles to Earth, but they cannot take down a balloon without destroying/losing the evidence?? Have they watched too many movies starring Tom Cruise?
"Centre for Political Research" is one of those innocuous names often favoured by extreme Right astroturfers. They do no more "research" than anyone else who has Google.
Lol. Had a peruse. VERY strange place. Laden with very well known Climate Deniers, Racists,Business vampires, libertarians And, variations…of nutbars (disclaimer…some guests Not so, were maybe allowed a say to show how open they were? )
Was listening to Heather Stupidity-Allan interview her father, Barry Soper, just now.
Three Waters came up (of course) and Soper played an audio clip of a recent exchange between Rawiri Waititi and David Seymour. Waititi accused Seymour of using racist rhetoric. Seymour used the handbook for racists who don't want to appear racist and asks Waititi to say specifically what Seymour has said that is racist.
Waititi demurred. Soper, his daughter, and boomers up and down the country laughed.
If the Maori Party are going to be combative they need to have ready answers when Seymour asks what he has said that is racist.
Rawiri should have held his line, repeated his certainty and shown that the ACT guy's "dive down into the detail"is a technique designed to befuddle the listener. TPM are correct. ACT are duplicitous 🙂
"Jong Khee did not do detail when he accused the Labour Party of backing rapists and murderers."
Actually, he did.
"Key's justification is that the Australian's have supplied him with a list revealing that some of the Kiwi detainees are rapists and murders. Australia's immigration minister has also labelled them the worst sort of criminals. But that contradicts what Davis and others have been claiming about the petty nature of some of the crimes of those who are detained. Key's office later released a list compiled by the Australian government earlier this year to prove his claim, though whether or not it does is a moot point. It showed that as of May there were 34 child sex offenders, 22 murderers and 16 rapists and sex offenders on Australia's hit list, along with 121 Kiwis convicted of assault, 83 with theft, robbery and breaking and entering offences to their name and 64 drug offenders. But that's out of a total 585 New Zealanders who are in the system for visa cancellation. Presumably that leaves 140 or more who are being deported for less serious offences."
“Bless, by linking the Tracy Watkins article your defence of Key and the political right did not turn out how you wanted.”
I don’t know what you mean by ‘how I wanted’. It turned out that John Key did provide detail to justify his comments about the 501’s.
I agree. Seymour asked a simple question that Rawiri couldn't answer because people like Rawiri have become accustomed to spouting racist rhetoric with little fear of being taken to task for their comments.
The question is: should this clown hold the balance of power at election time, I can't see either Labour or National gaining from going into coalition with the Maori Party. National would lose a massive voter base, and Labour would be forced into more Three Waters type sops to accommodate a coalition agreement. The result for either party would probably be a one term tenure before getting the boot.
In practice Seymour is about as Maori as I am which is zero. It hurts actual Maori people to have him claim whakapapa but never ever use it for the good of Maori. In fact his policies actively work against a Maori renaissance, rather amalgamating and diluting Te Ao into a One NZ where cultural identity comes second to the economic power of the individual.
For ACT it's all about locking in those gains of the 17th Century, and more recently here locking in the illicit gains wayward European settlers made in the dead of the night.
For them Maori have the right to exist but in no way should that be at the expense or inconvenience of the very white people who have benefitted from proceedings thus far.
It shouldn't be difficult, but Seymour is a wily politician with 8 years of sharpening rhetoric under his belt, and Waititi is a first term MP
The racism is covert dogwhistling. Calls for one nation. Accusing Māori activists of separatism, apartheid, etc. Extremely dishonest shit.
The problem is what Seymour doesn't say. He talks about equality and opportunity, but his party's sociopathic policies do exactly the opposite.
Seymour is a skilled and amoral liar.
We like to joke about him twerking on TV and looking like Rimmer the hologram, but he’s probably the most dangerous politician in NZ right now. If he gets into government NZ will descend into a “BoJo Britain” level of dysfunction.
I'm glad you mentioned Boris Johnson because I suspect his style is what David Seymour is trying to copy. His 'state of the nation' speech was about European superiority in the 17th Century. Boris Johnson is a gregarious Classics buffoon and Seymour is emulating that.
The problem is what Seymour doesn't say. He talks about equality and opportunity, but his party's sociopathic policies do exactly the opposite. Seymour is a skilled and amoral liar.
So true and this is what I'd like to see the Maori Party and others really highlight. That is the inherent racism of the ACT Party.
At 9am on Monday, MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker said the former tropical cyclone system was sitting a couple of hundred kilometres almost directly north of Great Barrier Island.
As of 1pm, Cyclone Gabrielle was sitting about 250km to the north, northeast of Great Barrier Island, MetService meteorologist Peter Little said….
….Cyclone Gabrielle is forecast to continue to take a more southerly course, bringing it down to Great Barrier (just shy of 100km from Auckland), and Coromandel Peninsula on Monday night….
….“We can say with pretty good certainty that [Gabrielle] will come closer to Great Barrier Island today.”
Putin's hypocrisy, continuing their attacks on civilians in Ukraine the Russian Federation does not let up on its attacks on the people of Syria.
Despite the suffering caused by the devastating earthquake Russia uses its veto in the UN to stop the free flow of humanitarian aid into North West Syria. While demanding the sanctions on its ally the genocidal Assad regime be lifted.
You can be all negative about these charter schools if you want, but I’m here to accentuate the positive. You can get all worked up, if you want to, by the contradiction of Luxon saying We’re going to make sure that every school in the country is teaching exactly the same ...
Losing The Room: One can only speculate about what has persuaded the Coalition Government that it will pay no electoral price for unreasonably pushing ahead with policies that are so clearly against the national interest. They seem quite oblivious to the risk that by doing so they will convince an increasing ...
Name suppression decisions can be tough sometimes. No matter your views on free speech, you have to be hard-hearted not to be torn by the tug of the competing arguments. I think you can feel the Supreme Court wrestling with that in M v The King. The case for ...
The Merchants of Menace: The Coalition Government has convinced itself that the “Brahmins’” emollient functions have become much too irksome and expensive. Those who see themselves as the best hope of rebuilding New Zealand’s ailing capitalist system, appear to have convinced themselves that a little bit of blunt trauma is what their mollycoddled ...
When National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants:On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...
Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point. Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...
“Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...
It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...
Time To Choose: Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into AUKUS’s “Pillar 2” – or they are going to China.HAD ZHENG HE’S FLEET sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks ...
Henry Ergas writes – When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...
New Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision Michael Reddell writes – When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...
Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...
If there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...
Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...
The University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...
As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...
This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...
Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...
Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading → ...
David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
Muriel Newman writes – Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
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 ...
“The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
David Farrar writes – Kata MacNamara reports: Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
RNZ reports – It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
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To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
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Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
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Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
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Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
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Peter Dunne writes – I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
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And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction? Gary Judd writes – Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
The Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland This week’s budget was Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ third and – for practical purposes – final for the current parliamentary term. Even if the 2025 election is delayed long enough to give ...
They held a noisy but peaceful demonstration against the ongoing genocide being carried out by the State of Israel, condemning the Israeli ambassador who was hosting an invitation-only event to celebrate the establishment of the State of Israel. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Senior lecturer, public health ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week’s federal budget. Some $26m of this is for “PrEP” for people without access to ...
Karen Chhour wants Oranga Tamiriki to establish more partnerships with Māori, despite introducing a bill to Parliament removing their obligation to do so. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Senior lecturer, public health ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week’s federal budget. Some $26m of this is for “PrEP” for people without access to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole George, Associate Professor in Peace and Conflict Studies, The University of Queensland New Caledonia’s capital city, Noumea, has endured widespread violent rioting over the past 48 hours. This crisis intensified rapidly, taking local authorities by surprise. Peaceful protests had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brad Elphinstone, Lecturer in psychology., Swinburne University of Technology A DNA sequence.Gio.tto/Shutterstock Should you be denied life insurance or have to pay extra if you have a genetic risk for certain diseases? Should insurance companies even have access to your genetic ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior research associate, University of Sydney Barely a day has gone by this month without politicians or commentators talking about online harms. There have been multiple high-profile examples spurring on the conversation. There was the circulation of videos of Bishop ...
With less than six months to go, it’s time to start paying attention to what could be the most consequential election of our lifetimes. It’s less than half a year until election day in the United States, which makes this a good opportunity to review what’s happened thus far in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ryan Storr, Research fellow, Swinburne University of Technology The topic of homophobia in sport has recently made headlines in Australia, with a series of homophobic incidents involving men’s AFL players. These homophobic incidents are usually well-reported in news media, but research ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ryan Storr, Research fellow, Swinburne University of Technology The topic of homophobia in sport has recently made headlines in Australia, with a series of homophobic incidents involving men’s AFL players. These homophobic incidents are usually well-reported in news media, but research ...
Asia Pacific Report France has declared a state of emergency on the Pacific territory of New Caledonia — New Zealand’s closest neighbour — after four people, including a police officer, have been killed in pro-independence riots over voting changes that further marginalise indigenous Kanaks, news agencies report. The move came ...
The biggest winner from the 2024 Ockham book awards talks to Madeleine Chapman about her fascination with stages of life, advocating for the arts, and what’s next. Last night, at a not-as-long-as-expected ceremony at Q Theatre in downtown Auckland, Emily Perkins won the Big Prize for the second time. Her ...
With funding ending for Archives New Zealand’s digitisation programme, Hera Lindsay Bird shares a taste of what’s being lost – because history isn’t just about the big-ticket items. On Tuesday morning the PSA held a snap protest outside the National Library in Wellington, urging the government to continue funding the ...
“North Korea would better serve its people by meaningfully re-engaging with the international community through diplomacy rather than threats” says Mr Peters. ...
Following comments from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in yesterday’s pre-budget speech that not adjusting tax brackets for inflation each year is “lazy”, the Taxpayers’ Union is releasing a new poll that reveals that the vast majority of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Marie Cumming-Potvin, Associate Professor/ Director of Research (School of Education), Murdoch University Shutterstock Despite social change, LGBTQI+ people still face discrimination at school and in the community. Language for diverse genders and sexualities is continually changing. LGBTQI+ allyship is part ...
Should I tell her before I see someone else? Invent a story about being stuck overseas? Grow my hair long? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzHello Hera,I’ve been seeing my hairdresser for about 12 years, making this one of the longest relationships of my adult life (longer than my ...
More than 25 environmental and community groups have published an Open Letter calling on Parliament to honour Te Tiriti and protect the environment. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jakob Weis, Postdoctoral research associate, University of Tasmania Dust storm blowing off the Australian east coast over the South Pacific.Jeff Schmaltz/NASA GSFC, Author provided The Southern Ocean, a region critical to Earth’s climate, hosts vast blooms of microscopic ocean plants known ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Dew, Professor of Sociology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images One in three of us will develop cancer at some point in our lives. But survival rates have improved to the point that two-thirds of those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mona Nikidehaghani, Senior Lecturer in Accounting, University of Wollongong Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a draft NDIS reform ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Belinda Smaill, Professor of Film and Screen Studies, Monash University National Archives of Australia In 2017, then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull alighted from a helicopter to announce a grand plan: Snowy Hydro 2.0. It would turn the famous hydroelectric scheme into a ...
In some ways, I couldn’t have been closer to the tragedy. In others, I was a whole universe away. This essay was first published on 3 March, 2024. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Had you been trying to market a suburb in ...
WorkSafe has found shortcomings at Fire and Emergency (FENZ) over how two volunteer firefighters died in a landslide in Cyclone Gabrielle. But it will not prosecute FENZ, nor release its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ray Nickson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Newcastle Law School, University of Newcastle Bullying by judges, magistrates and other judicial officers is a factor in many lawyers leaving the profession. This month is the first anniversary of the Judicial Commission of Victoria’s ...
The prime minister has made it clear this is a no frills budget in all but name, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The group has also raised concerns about the power that ministers could have after it was revealed Shane Jones failed to report a dinner with a company deputy chair. ...
Minister Shane Jones’ failure to declare a dinner with mining interests is just one red flag of many about the Government’s proposed fast-track legislation, Transparency International says. Earlier this week, Newsroom revealed Jones, the Resources Minister, at a dinner on the West Coast on February 16, encouraged a mining company ...
Exclusive: A transgender man is bringing an unprecedented human rights case against the Department of Corrections. He tells Alex Casey about his experience at work and what he’s fighting for. This story contains transphobic language and references to self-harm. Take care. A trans Corrections officer is taking a case against ...
Opinion: New Zealand is a country of food producers. We may be a small, isolated nation at the end of the world, but we create an outsized amount of kai, most of it bound for faraway shores. Each year New Zealand exports enough food to feed 39 million people their ...
When households and businesses pulled the country back from the brink of painful power cuts on the coldest day of the year, there was no reward for the sacrifices they made in turning off their heat pumps and lights. Matt Ward, SolarZero CEO Photo: Supplied Consumers saved the day ...
Critics say they cause consumer confusion, contribute to food waste and should be ditched, but brands and retailers rely on them. I thought Pods were dead. Discontinued to the dismay of thousands. Sold for hundreds on Trade Me before disappearing for ever. So when I found some in a dairy ...
Opinion: A recent study published in Nature’s Scientific Reports recently presented a novel approach to predicting which chemicals might be emitted from a vape. During heating, chemicals can break down into smaller molecules. A process known as pyrolysis. This study combined deep learning computational methods with chemical structure information from ...
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While women’s sport is exploding in Aotearoa and around the world, you still don’t hear a lot of talk about athletes and their periods, RED-S, breastfeeding and visible panty-lines. SASS Talk isn’t afraid to have that kōrero.LockerRoom founder Suzanne McFadden and Olympian broadcaster Sarah Cowley Ross host the episodic podcast, sparking ...
RNZ Pacific Outgoing Secretary-General Henry Puna of the Pacific Islands Forum is “not surprised” with the violent unrest in New Caledonia which has shut down the French Pacific territory. New Caledonia has come to a virtual stop after three days of civil unrest, resulting in burning, shooting and looting, as ...
COMMENTARY:By Antoinette Lattouf Sorry Palestinian women and children. It seems Australia’s leading women’s media company has more pressing issues to cover than the seemingly endless human rights atrocities committed against you. It’s been seven months of almost complete silence from Mamamia and their most popular writers and podcast hosts. ...
Asia Pacific Report As Israel drives the Palestinians deeper into another Nakba in Gaza with its assault on Rafah, the Palestine Youth Aotearoa (PYA) and solidarity supporters in Aotearoa New Zealand tonight commemorated the original Nakba — “the Catastrophe” — of 1948. The 1948 Nakba . . . more than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gwilym Croucher, Associate Professor, Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne On one level, the 2024 federal budget brought few big surprises for universities. The two key measures were already announced leading up to May 14: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Tuesday handed down his third budget. It had a second successive surplus and sweeteners, including relief on energy bills, and tax breaks for development of green hydrogen and critical minerals processing. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reports on the winners of this year’s book awards.Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction ($65,000 prize)Lioness by Emily Perkins (published by Bloomsbury), about a middle-aged woman wrestling with her life choices, has won the $65,000 Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction.Hooo boy this ...
Emily Perkins has won the fiction prize at the 2024 Ockham book awards for her novel Lioness. She collects $65,000, the most loot you can pocket in New Zealand letters, as winner of the Jan Medlicott Acorn fiction prize for her satire of the anxious rich. It’s kind of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute This year’s budget has “something for everyone”, with very little in the way of cuts and no new taxes. It’s a classic “good news” pre-election budget. Whether it is too good to ...
A new steel-making furnace will reduce emissions so much, environment officials have pitched reducing the whole country's supply of carbon credits. ...
Three people have now died in New Caledonia in the wake of pro-independence protests and escalating unrest. Charles Wea, a spokesperson for international relations in the New Caledonian territorial President’s office, confirmed the deaths to RNZ Pacific. The circumstances are unclear in the French territory’s third day of violence. France’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ziguras, Director, Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne The federal government is due to introduce legislation on Thursday to enable new caps on the number of international student places at educational institutions in Australia. These include ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Jaana Dielenberg Australians have more pet cats than ever before – more than 5 million in total. With the growing number, expectations on pet owners are shifting. Many cat owners are now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Tracey Leigh/State Theatre Company of South Australia Symphonie of the Bicycle is a tour de force. Actor and writer Hew Parham takes the audience through comic and heartfelt parallel stories ...
Why worry about accurate messaging around gangs when you can throw out some scary numbers instead? As sure as night follows day, Mark Mitchell will premise a gang policy announcement with a spine-tingling stat about soaring gang membership. “New Zealanders need only look at the fatal shooting in Ponsonby recently ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theresa Larkin, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, University of Wollongong BonNontawat/ShutterstockWhy is blood red?– Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales What a great question about something in our body, Asher. Blood is inside our body, but ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Parmeter, Research Scholar, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University The Gaza war has now entered its eighth month and a resolution to the conflict still seems far off. Israel claims to have killed 13,000 Hamas militants so far. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Raven Cretney, Postdoctoral Fellow, Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Getty Images Adaptation to climate change will challenge New Zealand politically and economically. As such, it becomes a problem of imagination. We will need to fund things differently, build differently, restructure aspects ...
A new 10-year budget for Auckland has dropped funding for the fourth and final part of the up to $1.4 billion dollar Eastern Busway, partly because the Government ditched the regional fuel tax. The Auckland Council believes it has been left $600m short by that early call to do away ...
A tragic and completely avoidable scandal.
GIDS ignored children’s histories of sexual abuse
https://twitter.com/hadleyfreeman/status/1624470873527705601?s=46&t=NI8SGvk3IMQ1knONqyaDpQ
And ongoing in many places. And they still don't want to know.
"GIDS ignored children’s histories of sexual abuse"
…and a range of other issues as well.
"Former clinicians at the Gender Identity Development Service (Gids), part of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust in London, have detailed how some “incredibly complex” children were placed on medication after one face-to-face assessment, despite many having a variety of mental health or family background problems.
More than a third of young people referred to the service had moderate to severe autistic traits, compared with fewer than 2 per cent of children in the general population. Some identified not just as a different gender, but a different ethnic background, such as Japanese or Korean. One young person had “three different alter egos, two of whom spoke in an Australian accent”.
It's frightening what has been done to these children.
Fortunately, the USA is beginning to have its whistle blowers also.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11734551/St-Louis-trans-clinic-investigated-harming-600-teens.html?fbclid=IwAR19PDd77gWo0OZWl0MIM0XYH9bYdtZ95YzXXaIgd-KlB8ukzMetUkfWgYE
Horrible. I wonder what the consequences will be on those doctors if the allegations are proven?
Putin's war crimes multiply. The strategy here is clear – keeping the Dniepr river in flood to protect the Russian's western flank from an amphibious assault, eventually deny drinking water to millions of Ukrainian civilians and ensure that there will be no grain for export this year from the Ukraine. This is not the actions of a reasonable or even sane regime. It is the unhinged and genocidal actions of criminals and totally unjustified by any norm of civilised behaviour.
So let's be clear. Russia is waging a total war on the Ukraine at a level of demented brutality not seen since the darkest days of the second world war. Millions rely on Ukrainian grain for food in the middle east. Putin appears to be prepared to plunge the entire nations of innocents into hunger in order to achieve whatever ruinous, messianic vision he has descended to in his all-encompassing madness.
Putin and his mob of equally psychopathic gangsters who run Russia are determined to keep raising the stakes on the already high crimes they are guilty of, and they are playing for keeps for maximalist war aims. Surely, such behaviour simply makes a wider war inevitable. Poland is engaged in a crash rearmament, ordering staggering amounts of weapons from especially South Korea. Putin can't conquer the Ukraine, his army is too weak now. If he drags on a demented, genocidal assault on the Ukraine for another year then I can't see the likes of Poland staying out forever.
Poland will look at what has eventuated in the Ukraine and it will stay out forever (if it has the option).
Poland is preparing for war. It will not take a backward step to Russia. References
Poland would have to be the "aggressor" if war were to break out between them and Russia. I doubt whether Russia is planning on attacking Poland. It sounds as though the latter are becoming paranoid. Still, arming themselves is good for the arms manufacturers.
Are you annoying Polish History?
There are two Nations that the Poles hate the most Germany & Russia!
Given that Germany is a democracy & both the EU & NATO.
The other Russia is run by a one man raving lunatic who thinks he's the next Russia Tsar who wants to rebuild the Russian/ USSR Imperial.
Who has invaded another country aka Ukraine Violation of Article 51 of the UN Charter,the Lisbon protocol & Budapest memorandum which Russia signed when Ukraine got its independence in 1991. (well Poot's has invaded a few countries as the Russia President btw).
Russia has also now setup shop Belarus with what 100k+ troops & let's not forget the Russian garrison in Kaliningrad Oblast which shares a border with Poland.
Given what Tsar Poot's has said about Poland over the last decade or so & especially in the last 5yrs.
Poles can be almost be forgiven to be a tad on edge atm, given pass history at the way Imperial & USSR Russia has treated Poland especially from post WW1 onwards!
If Russia & Belarus were too be stupid enough to invade Ukrane from Belarus in the forthcoming Russian Offensive? I wouldn't be surprised if Poland goes all in, while telling the EU & NATO to FUCK OFF!
Plus I'm also sure that Poland has & no doubt the EU along with NATO has read the Riot Act to Belarus. That if it facilitates a Russian invasion of Ukraine from its Borders, it will find itself in trouble & that NATO nor the EU will have any Responsibility for Poland's Actions if it chooses to support Ukraine by Invading Belarus!
Poland has not forgotten what Russia has done to Poland & it will never for give them either!!
That should be post WW2. In 1918-1920 Poland waged two sucessful eastern wars: firstly against a short-lived nascent Ukraine Republic that claimed cities like Lvov, (now Lviv), which had 60% Polish-speaking population, a large Jewish population and minority Ukraine population; and secondly against Russian and Ukraine Soviets.
A 1920-1939 map of Poland shows significant areas now in western Ukraine and Belarus were a part of Poland between WW1 and WW2. Polish veterans were given land grants in those regions.
It was touch an go for the Poles at one stage as they were fighting a two front war for their independence against the remains of the Imperial Germany Armed Forces aka the Freikorps & the Bolsheviks in the East while supporting the newly independent Ukraine as well with the idea of reforming the Polish- Ukranian Commonwealth. Which is an interesting story IRT Ukraine in itself btw, but with a tragic ending of a Greek Opera.
The fighting in the East against the Bolsheviks was some of the Bloodiest, where no quarter was given.
"Note there new book is about to be released on this period of Polish History about fighting Lenin's Red Bolsheviks in the East & it sounds like a ripping read btw".
If you think a Albanian or Yugoslavian Blood Feud can be little bit crazy at times?
The Polish & Russia Feud has lasted alot longer & if Russia gives the Poles a half chance/ an excuse? They will be in like Flynn & even God won't help Tsar Poot's!
Yes, but that's what the West is hoping to avoid, by giving Ukraine as much help as possible. Because if Poland goes in, and Russia loses, Putin will try and immolate the world.
It’s in everyone’s interest to get Russia to back off.
Yep and that's what some people are forgetting, helping Ukraine defend itself is going to be better than the alternative….
Poland "will not take a backward step to Russia"? It certainly does exactly that to Germany, the U.K. and the United States. It's as much of a doormat now as it's ever been.
.
Poland is a member of NATO because they have a belligerent genocidal madman living next door. Perfectly sensible
And that's just Alexander Lukashenko!
Robologic, And, like most Soviet satellite states, would do anything to stop the return of a similar overlordship, whether capitalist, fascist, or communist.
Prison of the peoples
I'm sorry, but I'm not going near your references link, on my screen its gobbledygook
Poland is a little more circumspect about providing fighter jets than it's gung ho days last year
https://www.rferl.org/a/poland-ukraine-fighter-jets-nato/32266934.html
Pastebin is just a boring copy/paste site for text documents. That particular link was to a list of URLs detailing Poland's military buildup
Interesting opinion piece by Gareth Hughes over whether the Greens should make a serious bid for more electorate seats in 2023.
Noting that there are realistic options in Wellington Central & Rongotai.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/131200840/gareth-hughes-time-for-the-greens-to-ditch-a-key-election-strategy#comments
The fight for the rights of Julian Assange (and all of us) goes on
https://alphaville451.wordpress.com/2023/02/12/night-carnival-for-julian-assange-11-feb-2023/
RNZ thinks we have an interest in American "news'..or atleast RNZ's limited understanding of what makes American News..that is.."Trump Bad, Shootings and Bad China with its spy balloons"…for anyone here reduced to having RNZ as their only radio news sourse..but with an actual interest in the state of that particular Nation..I would like to share this terrible story…
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/02/12/east-palestine-ohio-derailment-residents/
Though even the poor old washington post couldn't bring themselves to acknowledge the absolutely illusion shattering irony…
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/11/health/ohio-train-derailment-white-noise/index.html
I suspect on a very slow news day, had this happened in say..India or wherever, RNZ may have reported this story as part of the usuale narrative. about so called third world nations….but we seem to be holding on to the illusion of America being a first World Nation..not to mention our delusions about what that even means…
While we're doing terrible; Republicans in at least four states want to expand permissible child work hours, broaden the types of jobs young workers are permitted to do, and shield employers from liability for injuries, illnesses or workplace fatalities involving very young workers and in another state Republicans are arguing that putting "arbitrary" limits on child marriage interferes with parental rights and religious liberty.
Yeah..atleast the Democrats, and the rest of us, know how to farm out child labour when its needed..(I was going to say needed for our cheap crap..but then I remember reading this just last week..
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/03/child-labour-toxic-leaks-the-price-we-could-pay-for-a-greener-future
Gotta love that Guardian headline.."the price we pay.." LOL
https://www.worldvision.org.nz/getmedia/6904e490-14b7-4fbf-b11e-308ddf99c44a/WVNZ-research-risky-goods-nz-imports/
I have no idea what RNZ ‘thinks’ or what you’re going on about. You seem to believe that you’re offering some context and balance to the poor Kiwis who need it without even knowing about and/or asking for it. You seem to think that there are people who are ‘reduced’ to only source of information, which clearly is the wrong one, in your mind.
Obviously, it is not a slow news day and RNZ and other NZ MSM sites are understandably dominated by the current event called Gabrielle, which seems to have escaped you.
Your hypotheticals are idle speculation and show your biased thinking, your illusions, and what you think things even mean…
Your boring whining sounds familiar.
I'm trying to work out how anyone could be reduced to having only RNZ as their radio news.
Surely with communications systems and capitalists all over the place trying to make money out of media the numbers in that boat would be infinitesimal.
Looks round, sheepishly raises hand.
Its Radio Control or RNZ for me, I don't go near commercial radio unless the cricket commentary is on. I am sure there are more of us…
Siobhan, I've noticed when scrolling through English-language news sites that the same stories pop up on most. The shrinking number of hard-news on-the-ground journalists inevitably leads to a more homogenous, more limited news reporting. If you shop around, Al Jazeera generates novel Islamic-world news, France 24 reports on North and Central Africa, etc. No one source seems to provide a whole-world news update.
And disaster porn has always been a feature of headline news, hence the preponderance of wildfire/earthquake/flood reporting with little analysis. Also, if I remember from the Ohio train derailment, there's no death toll, only the possibilty if it had occurred in a more populous area.
The cost of corruption.
https://twitter.com/WarInUkraineYet/status/1623815342207168512
https://twitter.com/WarInUkraineYet/status/1623815409739726849
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/us-canada/300805292/its-not-aliens-us-officials-quietly-say-after-4th-mystery-object-shot-down
A precedent now set with the 1st balloon, anything unidentified that flies over North America has to be shot down. Get Mulder and Scully onto it.
Peak insanity. I hope this doesn't impact on the output of global weather forecasting models…..
They can land things on the Moon and Mars, they can bring back manned shuttles to Earth, but they cannot take down a balloon without destroying/losing the evidence?? Have they watched too many movies starring Tom Cruise?
Slash Cam – Hikuwai River at Willowflat.
https://www.gdc.govt.nz/environment/river-webcam
Good grief. What next. She gives the weather information in English as well! You will never please these people.
https://twitter.com/KarinMary1/status/1624658544091090944
"Centre for Political Research" is one of those innocuous names often favoured by extreme Right astroturfers. They do no more "research" than anyone else who has Google.
Average age 108.
Lol. Had a peruse. VERY strange place. Laden with very well known Climate Deniers, Racists,Business vampires, libertarians And, variations…of nutbars (disclaimer…some guests Not so, were maybe allowed a say to show how open they were? )
https://www.nzcpr.com/guest-articles-archive/
Did feel my Sanity Warning alert going off..the scale : ).
Had to smile at..an old one from the "iron duke" himself….dooming about the evils of the Minimum wage ! 2009
And, this guy…who knew? 2011
And..escaped. with no urge to vote act. : )
Whangarei and Mercury Bay (Coromandel) getting the worst of Gabrielle so far. Last night was pretty darn windy in Auckland but no massive deluge (yet)
https://twitter.com/MattDyer01/status/1624938686449336320?s=20
https://twitter.com/nzherald/status/1624954476124688390?s=20
The Hikuwai river (Gisborne) is looking ominous. *13* m over its normal level.
River webcam | Gisborne District Council (gdc.govt.nz)
nz centre for political research staff
Set up by ex-Act member. Busy pushing Māori 'apartheit' and evil Jacinda messages
Was listening to Heather Stupidity-Allan interview her father, Barry Soper, just now.
Three Waters came up (of course) and Soper played an audio clip of a recent exchange between Rawiri Waititi and David Seymour. Waititi accused Seymour of using racist rhetoric. Seymour used the handbook for racists who don't want to appear racist and asks Waititi to say specifically what Seymour has said that is racist.
Waititi demurred. Soper, his daughter, and boomers up and down the country laughed.
If the Maori Party are going to be combative they need to have ready answers when Seymour asks what he has said that is racist.
It should not be difficult!
Waititi 'demurred' (in the sense of hesitating), because he made an accusation he couldn't back up. It wasn't a good look.
Edit: the full exchange is https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/02/act-s-david-seymour-rejects-racist-rhetoric-allegations-in-heated-am-clash-with-te-p-ti-m-ori-co-leader-rawiri-waititi.html
Rawiri should have held his line, repeated his certainty and shown that the ACT guy's "dive down into the detail"is a technique designed to befuddle the listener. TPM are correct. ACT are duplicitous 🙂
I would expect someone accusing a parliamentary colleague on national television of racist rhetoric would be able to dive down into the detail.
Jong Khee did not do detail when he accused the Labour Party of backing rapists and murderers.
Even had his diplomatic squad rough up Kelvin Davis, as if a nod to the settler takeover of Maori assets way back when.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/73884590/john-key-sparks-walk-out-after-saying-labour-backs-rapists-and-murderers
Nats are cunts, always will be. ACT are worse.
"Even had his diplomatic squad rough up Kelvin Davis…"
Well that's one side of the story. Here's another:
"It's one thing to have your opponents yelling insults across the House, and quite another to be waylaid by a fellow MP in the corridor and verbally abused. "
"Jong Khee did not do detail when he accused the Labour Party of backing rapists and murderers."
Actually, he did.
"Key's justification is that the Australian's have supplied him with a list revealing that some of the Kiwi detainees are rapists and murders. Australia's immigration minister has also labelled them the worst sort of criminals. But that contradicts what Davis and others have been claiming about the petty nature of some of the crimes of those who are detained. Key's office later released a list compiled by the Australian government earlier this year to prove his claim, though whether or not it does is a moot point. It showed that as of May there were 34 child sex offenders, 22 murderers and 16 rapists and sex offenders on Australia's hit list, along with 121 Kiwis convicted of assault, 83 with theft, robbery and breaking and entering offences to their name and 64 drug offenders. But that's out of a total 585 New Zealanders who are in the system for visa cancellation. Presumably that leaves 140 or more who are being deported for less serious offences."
Key ramps up the politics on Kiwi detainees | Stuff.co.nz
Bless, by linking the Tracy Watkins article your defence of Key and the political right did not turn out how you wanted.
It highlights that the current problems NZ has with retail, ram-raid, and gang related firearms crime is down to one John Keys.
He did meekly provide the pathway for Australian based problems to manifest here. We are now paying that price.
“Bless, by linking the Tracy Watkins article your defence of Key and the political right did not turn out how you wanted.”
I don’t know what you mean by ‘how I wanted’. It turned out that John Key did provide detail to justify his comments about the 501’s.
I agree. Seymour asked a simple question that Rawiri couldn't answer because people like Rawiri have become accustomed to spouting racist rhetoric with little fear of being taken to task for their comments.
The question is: should this clown hold the balance of power at election time, I can't see either Labour or National gaining from going into coalition with the Maori Party. National would lose a massive voter base, and Labour would be forced into more Three Waters type sops to accommodate a coalition agreement. The result for either party would probably be a one term tenure before getting the boot.
You have read my comment so you will be aware I have asked Rawiri Waititi to be more prepared to combat Seymour's Age of Enlightenment points.
These scumbags will do whatever to minimise a similar Maori renaissance because they know the value of what has been taken without permission.
Land owning farmers which NACT represent are terrified the accusation of their multi billion dollar estate might be subject to scrutiny…
…imagine those bloody Maoris having a say in what we can do with NZ land!
A strange comment, considering of their 10 MP's, three are Maori, including the party leader, and the #3 and #6 on the party list.
In practice Seymour is about as Maori as I am which is zero. It hurts actual Maori people to have him claim whakapapa but never ever use it for the good of Maori. In fact his policies actively work against a Maori renaissance, rather amalgamating and diluting Te Ao into a One NZ where cultural identity comes second to the economic power of the individual.
For ACT it's all about locking in those gains of the 17th Century, and more recently here locking in the illicit gains wayward European settlers made in the dead of the night.
For them Maori have the right to exist but in no way should that be at the expense or inconvenience of the very white people who have benefitted from proceedings thus far.
We'll have to agree to disagree. Keep safe wherever you are.
I'm not agreeing to anything, but thanks anyway.
It shouldn't be difficult, but Seymour is a wily politician with 8 years of sharpening rhetoric under his belt, and Waititi is a first term MP
The racism is covert dogwhistling. Calls for one nation. Accusing Māori activists of separatism, apartheid, etc. Extremely dishonest shit.
The problem is what Seymour doesn't say. He talks about equality and opportunity, but his party's sociopathic policies do exactly the opposite.
Seymour is a skilled and amoral liar.
We like to joke about him twerking on TV and looking like Rimmer the hologram, but he’s probably the most dangerous politician in NZ right now. If he gets into government NZ will descend into a “BoJo Britain” level of dysfunction.
I'm glad you mentioned Boris Johnson because I suspect his style is what David Seymour is trying to copy. His 'state of the nation' speech was about European superiority in the 17th Century. Boris Johnson is a gregarious Classics buffoon and Seymour is emulating that.
So true and this is what I'd like to see the Maori Party and others really highlight. That is the inherent racism of the ACT Party.
apartheid
Autocrats of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your….
Oh wait; You have everything to lose.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/2023/02/13/world-government-summit-2023-live/
Elon Musk and Egypt's El Sisi among key speakers at the three-day event
For some unstated reason, Basha Al Assad was not able to attend in person.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47483714
No matter. If Assad can't go to the UAE the UAE can go to Assad.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/2023/02/12/sheikh-abdullah-bin-zayed-meets-syrian-president-in-damascus/
There is a reason they call it the Great Barrier.
Long may it stand between cyclones and me.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/weather-news/300805400/cyclone-gabrielle-to-reach-closest-point-to-auckland-on-monday-tracking-southeast
Putin's hypocrisy, continuing their attacks on civilians in Ukraine the Russian Federation does not let up on its attacks on the people of Syria.
Despite the suffering caused by the devastating earthquake Russia uses its veto in the UN to stop the free flow of humanitarian aid into North West Syria. While demanding the sanctions on its ally the genocidal Assad regime be lifted.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/syria/2023/02/12/white-helmets-demand-extra-border-crossings-to-allow-earthquake-aid-into-north-west-syria/