Robert Fisk writes an excellent article condemning Theresa May.
Theresa May, your words about chemical warfare make you a hypocrite
As Theresa May gears up for war in Syria, we should remember what hypocrites we are about chemical warfare in the Middle East.
Not a soul today is mentioning the terrible war fought between 1980 and 1988, which was fought with our total acquiescence. It’s almost an ‘exclusive’ to mention the conflict at all, so religiously have we forgotten it.
Meanwhile Craig Murray continues to shine the spotlight on the other lie. The one about spies. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has published its report on the Salisbury incident.
It would appear Theresa May has been telling some massive lies.
The word “Russia” does not occur in today’s OPCW report. The OPCW Report says nothing whatsoever about the origin of the chemical which poisoned the Skripals and certainly does not link it in any way to Russia.
The technical ability of Porton Down to identify a chemical has never been in doubt, and the only “finding of the United Kingdom”the OPCW has confirmed is the identity of the chemical.
There are scores of countries that chemical could have come from. For the BBC and other mainstream media outlets to pretend that the OPCW has in any sense endorsed Boris Johnson’s claims about Russia is to spread deliberate lies as propaganda. In fact what they have confirmed is simply the finding of Porton Down – and that finding was that it is a chemical which cannot be confirmed as made in Russia.
So, just to be clear, the Skripals and the police officers weren’t affected by dodgy seafood, insecticide, or a weird planetary alignment. It was in fact a novichok agent, even though according to Craig Murray it couldn’t have been that because novichok is “instant acting” and Porton Down couldn’t identify it anyway.
And yet if my summary were incorrect, you would have said why.
So if even an idiot can see the contradictions and flat-out inaccurracies in Murray’s statements, why would anyone use him as an authority on this matter?
Another canary in the coalmine.
Climate catastrophe is happening.
We cannot afford to tinker.
An international emergency needs to be declared.
We need to mobilise for World War 3.
The war to save life on our planet.
Is the Gulf Stream about to collapse and is the new ice age coming sooner than scientists think?
Two new studies published in the scientific journal Nature have brought a new threat to the world’s attention: the shutdown of the Atlantic Ocean currents including the Gulf Stream.
Barely a day goes by without new research emerging warning humanity of its impending doom, but the collapse of the Gulf Stream is an event with particularly ominous connotations.
Scientists have previously linked disruptions to Atlantic currents with everything from heatwaves in Europe to rising sea levels in coastal US cities.
Yes Ed – and today on Newshub AM Show we witnessed more ‘biased’ industry reaction to the new Labour Government policy of “Energy Policy” using Duncan Garner as their trumpet sadly;
Regarding Duncan Garner;
Duncan Garner was this morning on the AM show’ viciously attacking labour’s newly released Energy Policy, while at the same time was seeming to be supporting National’s abysmal past policy again, and not following up with labour’s Phil Twyford asking Judith Collins when will national begin to plan to turn off the oil tap, then when Garner had the chance to drill Collins he failed repeatedly without asking national Judith Collins “when will National stop oil drilling in NZ” – a sorry sight there.
Garner should feel ashamed of his bias shown today. His children will suffer if he doesn’t wake up now and fight to turn off the oil tap.
When National talk about energy there is a one worded reply which displays their pig ignorant beliefs ….. Lignite
I wonder what happened to all the valuable farmland purchased to chase this national party rainbow of shite … it had the usual rainbow treasure hunters results.
Th Pike river non-compliant killing zone …..and running solid energy into insolvency attest to Nationals slash and crash management skills.
Garner represents color blind segregation …. Economic segregation favoring the wealthy
national is also telling lies about jobs in “exploration”
Just looked at Fiztroy Engineering in New |Plymouth contract list
This is a typical recent example
“Managing the logistics and the erection of 6000 tonnes of structural
steel for the new Christchurch Hospital Acute Services Building,
Canterbury, New Zealand”
There is work related to oil refining – in Australia
“Ongoing onsite planning and coordination of the relevant
subcontractors for the fabrication and installation of structural
steel, pipe spooling and pump skids across all areas of the Caltex
Lytton Refinery, QLD, Australia”
Fitzroy’s main business is in oil and gas (look after the guys that look for the stuff). structural steel is a sideline brought in when the oil price nosedived.
Maybe if Twyford wasn’t screaming “lies!!” the whole time anyone else was trying to talk and making stupid promises that no jobs will be affected Garner could have actually got a word in edgeways.
Your theory seems a little bit unlikely.
The term “went to high school together” does rather imply that they were at the school as pupils at the same time.
If this is actually true, and they really were at Westlake Boys High School at the same time, could you please tell me.
Was Phil Twyford a really, really slow learner?
Or was Duncan Garner a child prodigy?
I ask because Twyford was born on 4 May 1963 and Duncan Garner on 6 March 1974. Twyford is almost 11 years older and it seems a little unlikely that they were actually at the school at the same time.
I take it that you went to the same school, did you?
Did you enjoy your time there?
I notice that the school doesn’t seem to be very keen on publicising the fact that Twyford went there. Their entry in Wikipedia lists Duncan Garner as being an old boy but there is no mention of Twyford. The only politician listed is an Auckland Councillor, John Watson. I guess if he was an old boy of my old school I wouldn’t boast about it either. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westlake_Boys_High_School#Notable_alumni
“”What worries us is that those in power in Croatia now are largely the same as during the Nazi era,” said Dr Klara Mandic, a senior Jewish community leader at yesterday’s ceremony. ”In some cases, they are exactly the same people, now in their seventies and back from exile under the Communists. In other cases, they are the children of the Ustashe.
”They wear the same black shirts, the same black trousers, many carry the same ”Serbo-seks” knives for the Serbs . Tudjman the Croatian President would not dare touch Jews now that we have our own state to protect us. But he has prepared an atmosphere similar to that at the start of the Second World War and the fact is that many of the Croatian groups are out of his control.”.
Fox definitely pick and choose which fascists they diss ….
Apart from war …. whats your other preferred road to peace in Syria Jenny ??
I’d say a great job by alternative media and people who share it. Puts pressure on everyone else to either attempt truth or risk their braindead viewers seeing through their façade.
So in your mind a free Syria would be one which can attack Israel with impunity, have Assad use chemicals on whichever his people he wants, and which is a secure haven foe ISIS terrorism.
Strange definition of free.
Countries are limited in the amount of freedom they are allowed. Being a base to attack other countries (ISIS), using chemical and nerve gases are generally seen as being a limit on state freedom.
I believe you are incorrect with your assertions Wayne.
Jenny’s position on Syria, which she may choose to explain herself, is more nuanced than many and she is staunchly pro the Syrian people and anti all those who are making their lives miserable in particular she is very critical of Assad and his enablers.
I presume thats your effort at a derail Stunned Mullet
more info on Waynes darling ….. Israel ….
neither side owns the moral high ground during this period.
This same scholarship also reveals that the
creation of Israel in 1947-48 involved
explicit acts of ethnic cleansing, including
executions, massacres and rapes by
Jews.
48
Such atrocities have taken place
in many wars, of course, but their occur-
rence in this period undercuts Israel’s claim
to a special moral status.”
“Israeli personnel have tortured numer-
ous Palestinian prisoners, systematically
humiliated and inconvenienced Palestinian
civilians, and used force indiscriminately
against them on numerous occasions.
During the first intifada (1987-91), for
example, the IDF distributed truncheons to
its troops and encouraged them to break
the bones of Palestinian protestors. The
Swedish “Save the Children” organization
estimated that “23,600 to 29,900 children
required medical treatment for their beating
injuries in the first two years of the
intifada,” with nearly one-third sustaining
broken bones. It also estimated that
“nearly one-third of the beaten children
were aged ten and under.”
54
Israel’s response to the second intifada
(2000-05) has been even more violent,
leading Ha’aretz to declare that “the IDF
… is turning into a killing machine whose
efficiency is awe-inspiring, yet shocking.”
55″ http://mearsheimer.uchicago.edu/pdfs/IsraelLobby.pdf
“Since 1970, China has used its veto power eight times, and Russia (and the former Soviet Union) has used its veto power 13 times. However, the United States has used its veto power 83 times, primarily in defense of allies accused of violating international humanitarian law. Forty-two of these US vetoes were to protect Israel from criticism for illegal activities, including suspected war crimes. To this day, Israel occupies and colonizes a large swath of southwestern Syria in violation of a series of UN Security Council resolutions, which the United States has successfully blocked from enforcing. Yet, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insists that it is the Russians and Chinese who have “neutered” the Security Council in its ability to defend basic human rights.”
Thank you Stunned Mullet for your show of support.
But personally, I don’t feel that my position on Syria is that nuanced. In fact my position is quite simple.
I will never support a regime that commits genocide. Simple as that.
It is one of the reasons I keep posting the video of the destruction of Homs, and inviting the pro-regime commenters, or authors, to give me their remarks. Despite giving them many opportunities to do so. Not one of them has ever had the courage to venture an opinion, on what clearly is vision of hell on earth. (or at least its aftermath).
What is unique about the drone footage of the genocidal destruction of the rebel city of Homs, is that it was taken by a camera fitted to a Russian Drone and was first aired on RT the Russian propaganda channel.
Weirdly, everything else that RT put out is frequently cited uncritically by supporters of the regime.
I also, don’t support shooting of unarmed protesters in the streets.
Nor can I support detention without trial, and/or disappearances.
In forming my opinion, it helped, that I had actually been to Syria. (admittedly not when the revolt broke out, but only a matter of months before). And I can attest to the deep hatred and contempt for the Assad regime commonly held by the Syrian people. I can also attest to the regime as an oppressive Orwellian police state, that none of us would want to live under.
Most of my time in Syria I spent in the Northern city of Latakia, and mostly in the company of Palestinian refugees in the camp there. This camp was one of the very first civilian areas shelled by regime in 2011.
I was back in New Zealand at the time, but I followed the live feeds of the bombs falling on a place I knew well.
No doubt some regime supporters will have the gall to tell me that the live feeds were fake and I mistook the places I was familiar with.
Some of these same people will no doubt tell me, that the Arab Spring which, by sheer weight of numbers of the millions who took part is the biggest popular revolt in human history, was a CIA plot. They may even provide links to prove it.
No Wayne – that is not Jenny’s stance on Syria (a country in which (I gather from a previous comment) she has lived and worked). As Stunned Mullet says, her position is more nuanced than most here, and I support her stand on this.
The people of Syria have ben starved, bombed, gassed, cast out of their homes, murdered, and generally abused by a tyrannical regime since the major drought of 2005. I’m sure that in Jenny’s eyes – a free Syria would be one without conflict, without the oppression of Assad, and at peace with its Neighbours. The people of Syria have had enough.
A free Syria could be modelled on a free Iraq, free Afghanistan and a free Libya I spose… The tyrants are gone, are you happy now? Was it worth it? Why do countries always turn into hell holes after the west takes an interest in them..
One of the consequences of war, whoever the antagonist, is just that – a power vacuum that results in a breakdown of stabile government. The situation in Syria will inevitably result in an unstable region for some time to come. But let’s get this quite clear – the revolt of the people in Syria erupted not from insurgents from the west – but from within. People have been fed up with the corruption and abuse of power from the Assad regime since at least 2005. Food prices in 2006 were skyrocketing following the worst drought in history – and the drought persisted. Assad did nothing to assist the people and lived in obscene luxury. The resulting chaos and the arrival of ISIS was inevitable.
The country doesnt matter, the Saudis who back the ISIS group will just find another country…. surely you noticed where Osma Bin laden and his supporters were based.
They will just move to another country even if Syria and Iraq were occupied by US troops.
Remind us again how ISIS ended up in Iraq and how the Syrian civil war backed by US , Turkey and Saudi/UAE grew into a larger conflict
I think that if you are truely off the Grid then you don’t have to pay line charges.
But if you have solar or what have you but still are connected to the grid then you pay. In countries like Germany they gave incentives to have solar energy so they did not have to pay to upgrade the grid as well as more sustainable in the long run.
But in NZ they have decided to target people with solar and charge them more. We are a world joke!
Here is an article on way-to-be-cleared-for-big-electricity-players-to-prey-on-lowincome-households
Remember you can have a heat pump and insulation but if people are too poor to pay for power (or the power is off due to storms) then you have no heating.
Obviously investment in solar will reduce the amount that people have to pay, but that gets the power company up in arms because their profits will be effected. So what does the government do – cave in.
Who do you propose should be able to set a “take it or leave it price”?
I suspect that the power companies would be quite happy not to have to take any power from people with their own Solar generation. If they could I am sure that they might set a price of 0.001 cent/kwh. Such power tends to be erratic and is only supplied back to the grid at a time when there is little demand for it. It really isn’t easy to store surplus electricity for use when it is in demand.
“It really isn’t easy to store surplus electricity for use when it is in demand.”
So if they’re not that fussed about getting power back does that means there is quite a surplus of power in the system. And if there’s a surplus, why are we charged so much? Let me guess, power prices have gone up so much in recent years because privatization is always cheaper, more efficient and provides a better deal for consumers…Wait a minute!!
“These regulations, Minister Woods has now signalled, are to be dumped overboard to clear the way for the industry to increase its squeeze on the poor. Recognising that will probably leave more and more poor households unable to pay, and so cut off from supply, the industry’s solution is for taxpayers to subsidise electricity purchases by the poor, thereby underwriting the electricity industry’s profits in the same way as the Accommodation Supplement has enabled landlords to hold up rents.
“Woods duly refers to ‘the wider context of supporting New Zealanders to afford their energy bills’.”
Are these subsidies going to be in the form of the Winter Energy Payments the Government has announced?
They managed to get away with all sorts of things @savenz.
We should for example, be telling suppliers to relocate their meters onto the nearest lamp post, since at the time of privatisation, they managed to shift ‘demarcation’ points such that they could have it both ways.
You’re responsible (financially) to fix any cable problems from the lamp post, YET their meters (their property) is more often than not way past the demarc point.
Cost shifting.
I also seem to remember a guy around the bays in Wellington with an efficient wind generator. Most of the time his electricity was sufficient to keep his Ferranti Meter going backwards.
Oh NO! they thought – we can’t have this. Think of what might happen if others do the same!!
We want to be able to charge you for electricity at OUR rate, but if you give us electricity, we want it at OUR rate too!
Ekshully, don’t get me started. We could go through all that spin an shit about ‘baseloads’ and other stuff, and smart meters versus the basic ripple control.
It’s bloody tedious.
I think it’ll eventually come back to the point that where there are natural monopolies, such as with reticulation of the basics (water, shit-pipes, electricity, fibre – or copper, gas supply, etc., railway lines, roads et al), these things must be in public ownership or government [local or central]), OR they need to be heavily regulated.
Gordon Campbell takes David Parker to task over his announcement of the Afganostan inquiry. The NZDF commander is sounding strong and confisant but still not being pressed on why he said the name of the village in Hit and Run was wrong, when it was right. There is a difference between no comment on the groubds of National Security and lying to the NZers whose lives and fundamental rights you say you fight for.
Parker was playing politics yesterday and if you closed your eyes it coukd have been National speaking.
Well there’s the worry @Tracey. Not too dissimilar as to whether other Munsters want to confront the obvious spin and bullshit from “their officials” busy trying to protect their arses, be they in MPI, OR MSD, or MoT (NZTA), or MBIE, or Health, or Education, or, or, or….
Expediency, or pragmatism, or whatever bullshit excuse they want to offer to an uncritical MSM, it’ll eventually end badly for them (the spin meisters or the Johnalists).
It’s why I don’t get too upset or emotionally involved these days. They’re unknowingly experts in shitting in their own nests and self-copulation
What do you think the Natz were up to in Auckland… if you get off the racial profiling and just look at the concept of displacement which in NZ is bringing more people into Auckland, and pushing those out into other parts of NZ, pushing those out, you will be more on the money.
Even if you somehow got enough money to buy back into Auckland, you need to be able to earn enough to cover the increasing rates and costs that brings with how the Auckland council is behaving giving away rates money like a lolly scramble to big business while depriving non core areas or siphoning it off into consultants pockets so that nothing is being upgraded ahead of time.
Which is turning our city into a slum while creating ‘shock doctrine’ thinking… to ram through ill thought out plans that are counter to democracy or even reasonable thinking.
The Council has had many National members and the Mayor gets one vote.
They fought any improvements and hog tied changes quite often. Real nimbys, the Citizens and Rate payers Association.
I certainly wouldn’t disagree with your views on this, but am more inclined to give council, etc less credit. I think that they really have no clue and are winging it..
I hope the 50 million spent of emergency housing in hotels, is being beefed up… because the new housing is more of what you would call the gentrified type….
Isn’t a ‘crisis’ enough reason to perhaps declare a state of emergency and call in the army to erect some temporary shelters?
Oh no, that’s right, it’s only those bloody poor people and beneficiary bludgers that can’t handle putting a roof over their heads. It can’t really be a crisis
I’ll think there is bugger all tradies left in the Green in the Machine, unless they trained a heap more the during the PRT deployments? as they had stuff all during the ET deployments as a result of the No Mates Party defence cuts in the 90’s. The manta back then was you don’t need these tradies all doing in house work, like the old MoW so you can get rid of them. Then along came Bosnia, the Sollies , ET and the Sandpit deployments etc etc.
I’m not against a trade agreement but it’s not a trade agreement… it’s a security arrangement, asset striping double speak, that has been piggy backed by corporations to asset strip countries and leave the mess behind… and if you don’t like it, they can sue you in their illegal (EU Ruling) court.
Seriously if there is some blow out between China and US, probably the Pacific would be a good place for the show down, and it hasn’t worked out too well, for the Middle East civilians to be in the middle of oil/cultural war…
Even worse if China and US get together and we have some sort of hybrid of their business and human rights style come to the Pacific…
Yes, Trump is also my idol and so is Xi Jinping. If only we can bring their wise ways to NZ and both join TPPA and exploit all the holes in the agreement for their economic and strategic gain, it would be my dream country.
I’m also truely grateful for David Parker, who cleverly negotiated that ‘7 out of 10’ agreement. 10 out of 10 was too much pressure, obviously. And Jacinda has banned new oil but luckily when Natz get in again, we will already be in TPPA to get their agenda back on track.
Likewise the rise of the right and totaliarialism across many countries. Luckily we will be tied into an agreement that does not really consider any future risks including changes of government, new policy and climate change.
We love you too Australia because we export to you too, in spite of your human rights on refugees and others, and we can disagree with you because at least we are culturally similar and you are less likely to get offended and try to make us pay for our opinions.
Funny enough, probably not a good idea to enter into binding poorly worded agreements where the power imbalance is so unequal like TPPA and the cultural fit and interpretation is so wide.
Could be a mining plant, chicken factory or some thing else coming your way, there James, I’d have a contingency plan to bail out.
Unfortunately once there you generally can’t sell that easily or get enough to move somewhere of the same quality of life.
I know quality of life is something that is alien to both left and righties these days. It’s seems to be more important to just be alive and consuming stuff as an economic unit, the quality is irrelevant.
Life is such a lottery these days. I’t didn’t use to be like that, but one stoke of a Auckland council’s pen or the RMA and there will be nothing you can do about it, because their is only the pretence of democracy – the reality Auckland is starting to run like China – top down.
Not all together savenz. Twyford stopped the State house sell off. Had those tested for P retested treated if needed and people back in them.
Repairs and upgrades are now happening. I laughed when the Nats said “Costs are 7 times what landlords are spending” Well … when some landlords spend nothing on improvements, it would be easy to out spend them. Twyford is doing great.
Granted “affordable” is a poor choice of word by MSM. $600 000 is much better than $1000 000 though, and there has been $300 000 for a 1 bed apartment and $ 450 000 for two.
Yes winter is coming, but this government will do their utmost to house people and keep them warm and fed.
The Chairman, the Coalition are committed to building refurbishing and giving a bit more certainty for those in a state house.
The huge numbers brought in each year through loose immigration, has stressed housing beyond belief. You must admit that at least, and that the last government did not provide public housing to match it, or private either. Hence the horrific prices.
So Key did well when he sold his house in their created market of shortages. $ 21 000 000 Makes me fume. “What shortage?”
“What a fekker!!!” As my Irish ancestors would say
this is Trump we’re talking about here….it may become of concern if there is some official action regarding reopening negotiations…think the US may have its hands a little full at the moment.
It’s not a wind up. I really believe it was the best thing for New Zealand.
The fact that labour were dishonest and misled people who were against it – when they were always going to sign – makes me laugh because it was always going to happen.
It IS good for New Zealand. That’s why both main petite will be supporting it.
People arguing against it simply are ideological or have less knowledge than the people actually working on it.
Besides muttonbird on here tells me most kiwis have had all their concerns addressed by labour and are all ok with the signing now – so that must be right.
Yes but your preferred government negotiated it. The reality is, they both sold us out because seriously, you trust that they did a good job?
Our Met service can’t even predict bad weather that accurately and tens of thousands of people have no power. It does not sound like fingers on the pulse of our government and officials.
Because protectionism stops the rich pricks from stealing everything and they really don’t like that and as they own the MSM and the economists we dutifully get told that it’s bad.
Do we want to go bust trying to keep our Government control over keeping unscrupulous so called investors out NZ that could totally undermine our futures?
Yes, Labour, James is pleased, not enough to vote Labour though I’ll expect.
Quite a few Labour voters are vitriolic though, but no worry, just like the houses, bring the people in and the market will provide the houses, transport and wastewater and power.. oh and if they don’t then the taxpayers will and we will raise the taxes. simple.
Can’t we use “food grade” ‘high purity’ Hydrogen Peroxide instead?
Hydrogen peroxide has been proven to not cause any serious medical effects and also prevents many diseases.
Florida USA also uses Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in many residential and commercial pools now. – Time we woke up here in our so called “clean green” country.
Say what you like about Shane Jones but this is the most coherent and rational I have heard him…maybe there is some intellect behind the flowery language.
He also did well in Parliament yesterday in reply to Goldsmith in Question 7 and later in the Urgent Debate on the government announcements re gas and oil :
On a lighter note, Jones’ facial expression during the press conference with Ardern and Shaw have certainly hit the news. Se Q7 above at about 4.30mins. Also the many faces of Shane Jones seem to be the subject du jour today:
Had been thinking the same thing Carolyn nth. She’s so entertaining to watch. I used to get a lot of laughs with Upston as well when she was chief nodder behind key.
Did you see Paula Bennet yesterday in Question Time? She had a question to the PM who of course was not there being Thursday, not was Peters who usually answers on the PM’s behalf on Thurs. Bennett got Davis who did better than he has in the past, and Bennett just fumed. She – and Collins – then incurred the wrath of the Speaker (starting at 2 mins in the video).
I agree with Ffloyd that Upston was also amusing when she was sittiing behind Key as a Whip. These days she is an angry fumer, who loves making Points of Order which usually fall flat with the Speaker.
we should really keep a record of the ‘nodders’ during QT.
It’s a bloody shame we don’t have anything like political satire in the MSM these days (no matter how pathetic we may once have thought it to be)
lol…think i know whats happened…my link went to a page that automatically plays the last thing you listened to on RNZ….it works for me but obviously not others
thanks for the heads up.
More on Siomon on the 3pm news – I’ve got to say I’m coming reluctantly to admire the guy!
He virtually said, forget whose fault it was that Middlemore’s in a mess, why doesn’t the Labour Government stop moaning and get it fixed! (And is wasn’t our fault anyway!)
I mean, he takes denial to a whole new level! What a l**** politician!
Just as an aside @Tony V,
I recently had someone chastise me for moi pathetic attempts at ridiculing him over his prinunseeayeshun. Genuinely though, sometoims I really can’t understand him without a translation, but then Fill Stein was sumtoims a chellunj too.
Their justification was that he’d apparently had a speech impediment that he’d overcome.
I called bullshit because the impediment had nothing to do with what is effectively just laziness (apologies to Toika Woititti ).
Loik Key though.. Lazy speech, lazy moind. Oidilogikill commitmunt is lot simpla en ya done hefta rilly think to much, speshly when ya learn the spin an torkin points.
You can account for different eggsents built up from location over toim – there’s even some ekademuk thet toll us orl we’d better get use twit goan forward – can’t remember where, but Soimun is jiss over the top. Oi suspek it wuz on radio layba maybe, or maybe red radio.
Sometoims I wunna what Phil Stein and Soimun’s IELTS points would be (goan forwid) … but of course they’re for the ‘others’
Audrey Young’s latest in the Herald is a reasoned piece about Labour’s recent woes. She’s right in my view. The government has left itself open to attacks from the opposition. As she says they’re not on the ropes yet… but imo they will be of they don’t tighten up the ship. Worth a read:
The Government’s $1 billion a year regional fund was launched in February. About $40m had been allocated thus far.
What’s totally disappointing is there are no strings attached (such as employees receiving a living wage) with the taxpayer money being splashed about.
Yes we should Chairman. But will anyone in Labour, NZ First or Greens notice? Too busy hobnobbing and showering mates with money? Of course we expect that from Natz, but maybe left voters expect more accountability?
“Yes we should Chairman. But will anyone in Labour, NZ First or Greens notice? Too busy hobnobbing and showering mates with money?”
Dead right, savenz. Their silence on the matter pretty much sums it up.
“Of course we expect that from Natz, but maybe left voters expect more accountability?”
Indeed. If this was National splashing taxpayer money about with no strings, I’m sure the left would be far more vocal. It seems many here are happy to turn the blind eye when Labour do it.
Labour are wasting an opportunity to improve the living standards of many by failing to ensure a living wage is paid. As a result, robbing workers of their fair share, hence reinforcing the status quo.
Next this Hong Kong based firm, will be explaining how they are really there to help the poor get cheap eggs, make a selected few in NZ richer, and the shitty town, good for nothing Maori, farmers and stupid chooks are not worth worrying about, and just collateral damage for their egalitarian ways and cheap exports.
Watch the clip from the Hui. The farm is 1.3 million chickens housed in 32 sheds (40,000 chickens in a shed). The sheds have a small opening (to let air in or let the chickens have a run outside?). The farm is considered free-range because of the small openings. But the impression is that most of their lives are spent in a shed crammed in with 40,000 other chickens. Their lifespan is a total of 6 weeks. Free-range chicken farming, wow.
Editorial Herald. Who would have thought that the writer would put a reasoned view regarding the “oil exploration.” A good summary.
Someone needed to rip the scab off because this day was always coming for the fossil fuel industry.
The question was would it be swallowed up by clean energy? Would it run out? Would it burn with the planet?
Or would it be a conscious decision?
The Government wants to make it the latter with its ban on offshore oil and gas exploration….
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be heaped with plaudits and criticism in equal measure.
But the charge of economic vandalism levelled at this decision is either scaremongering or a genuine reaction to the unknown.
Major industries have fallen in quicker time and the economy has carried on its merry way.
Now this is interesting. I just had a phone call from Colmar Brunton, specifically asking for me. They’re doing a random survey of WINZ clients on behalf of MSD to get our feedback of our experiences dealing with said agency. Being highly suspicious and not quite believing it would be totally anonymous as she assured me, I was the one doing the interviewing initially but it seems to be legit.
Unfortunatlely I was screened out- going on the initial questioning it was obviously because I hadn’t had phone or face to face contact with real people there in the last 4 weeks. Bugger- the one time I get a chance to tell them what I think!!
Are any of my peers here aware of these surveys ever taking place in the past, or perhaps this is something new? A small glimmer of hope would be someone with influence is at least making a start on getting an idea of reality. One can only hope…
Hiya Kay, the same thing happened to a friend a few weeks back, unfortunately, they had not been to WINZ in the last 4-6 weeks so they were ruled out as well.
I went home to Te tairawhiti East Coast I went through Turangi Gisborne and went back to Putaruru around the Cape so I travelled right around Te tairawhiti. What I notice was that a lot of trees are gone in the Gisborne district and the landscape was dry and in Te tairawhiti heaps of trees native and exotic planted forests the landscape was green and lush. I’m watching David Attenborough Natures Curiosities this program shows we have learnt a lot off mother nature and I say we have much more to learn from her and her beautiful creatures.
My point on Gisborne is you cannot cut all the trees down without a negative effect on the environment this is a fact that is right in front of our eyes on one 13 hours driveing around the East Coast. Of Atoearoa New Zealand. If the trees are left intact on the steep hills around the rivers and creeks all the waterways They attrack the Rain the hold the Wai in the ground they stop tawhiti the wind drying the land out. I say if the trees are left in all the right places all the flat to rolling land would be much more productive and will easily make up for the land left to mother nature and more + more deer wild pigs ect. Man has to respect mother nature and use her wisely if we carry on abuseing her we will be the ones that ultimately will lose with OUR society collapseing because we abuse mother nature all for the Dollar and to have utopia we just have to respect her all all the creations she has given us including all HUMAN BEINGS show respect for all and reap the GOOD KARMA.
Ka kite ano
I use to fly out of Hawkesbay quite a bit 25 years ago I noticed that the landscape was baron of trees and dry I would bet even though I don’t gamble that before the beautiful trees were cleared that the rainfall was higher than Hawkesbay has now if we work with Papatuanukue mother earth we will reap the rewards we have to stop poisoning the land with sprays we pour nitrogen on the land and this just causes the humus to break down faster you don’t get nothing from nothing this is basic science the way we are farming we are exporting our humus. We need to work with Papatuanukue mother nature and use no to low till cropping and use organic farming to produce our export products.
The pro intensive farm advisors say that Organic farming is less productive that high input chemical / poisonous farming. The reason that our land takes a few years of Organic farming to become as productive as chemical farming is the land is hooked on chemicals and the chemicals have damaged all the natural orginmisams that provide the nitrates that OUR crops need to grow.
If I was to grow Organically on soils that have no man made chemicals in it the land would produce more that chemical farming I have heard the storys when they first cleared the land here of how fast the crops grew how fast the grass grew but you have to feed the land organic fertilisers worm casting compost crushed rock lime or your harvest will decrease leave some land in fallow as well.
The pro Organic farming organisation don’t have the money to spend on getting there facts out there like the Chemical backed farming people have. Ka kite ano
Here we go a article that tells us exactly why Aotearoa New Zealand is Racist Iv had it from both ends being called white and moving to Hawkesbay and hearing the racist story that have not been research about Maori and the land and being called a black Maori. Now w I have the system Breaking all the rules just to try and suppress me because some people underestimated Me. I see all there players they paid to use against me. They don’t underestimate ECO MAORI now I learn fast???? . All I want is to be paid compensation for this fasard of a suppression campaign against me and be left alone to raise my Whano. I know my destiny and that is to lead us into a bright and prosperous future for all OUR Mokopunas and all Papatuanukue creatures into a bright and prosperous future.
Here’s the link Ka kite ano. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12031105
This is the actions of a desperate man willing to sacrifice the Whole World to give him more power to put out the fires he has started on all of his fronts he started trying to go to War against Korea everywhere he turned he was trying to start a War. Everyone knows that the American President gets more power when they are at War. The American people are letting him damage there reputation there future there Mokopunas future just so he can do as he wants which is become a 300 billionaire who is untouchable someone has to have the Mana to stand up to this BULLYING idiot as all bullies underneath are shit scared when the shit hits the fan they are the first to run and hide look in the books you will see what Im saying is true.
Newshub the sandflys must not have liked my comments on trump they stuff my phone up for a bit got it sussed now. Good on the Kiwi Restauranter for telling it like it is on trump and supporting his workers. Looks like OUR Lady’s are doing excellent at the commonwealth games Mana Wahine. Looks like Auckland is get more bad weather Climate change is real. Ka kite ano
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
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 ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Robert Fisk writes an excellent article condemning Theresa May.
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/theresa-may-syria-war-uk-chemical-weapons-attack-iran-iraq-thatcher-russia-a8300881.html
Meanwhile Craig Murray continues to shine the spotlight on the other lie. The one about spies. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has published its report on the Salisbury incident.
It would appear Theresa May has been telling some massive lies.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2018/04/opcw-salisbury-report-confirms-nothing-but-the-identity-of-the-chemical/
What a wise decision by the Coalition government to refuse to get involved in all this.
So, just to be clear, the Skripals and the police officers weren’t affected by dodgy seafood, insecticide, or a weird planetary alignment. It was in fact a novichok agent, even though according to Craig Murray it couldn’t have been that because novichok is “instant acting” and Porton Down couldn’t identify it anyway.
That’s some expert commentary, right there. /sarc
Idiot.
And yet if my summary were incorrect, you would have said why.
So if even an idiot can see the contradictions and flat-out inaccurracies in Murray’s statements, why would anyone use him as an authority on this matter?
Another canary in the coalmine.
Climate catastrophe is happening.
We cannot afford to tinker.
An international emergency needs to be declared.
We need to mobilise for World War 3.
The war to save life on our planet.
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/gulf-stream-ice-age-collapse-climate-change-amoc-global-warming-a8301511.html
Meanwhile the Herald thinks this is more important.
‘Shopper claims she wasn’t allowed to try ring on because of her race.’
‘TV3’s in house war over Taika’s racist comment.’
And Stuff thinks this is more important.
‘Khloe Kardashian gives birth to baby girl.’
Yes Ed – and today on Newshub AM Show we witnessed more ‘biased’ industry reaction to the new Labour Government policy of “Energy Policy” using Duncan Garner as their trumpet sadly;
Regarding Duncan Garner;
Duncan Garner was this morning on the AM show’ viciously attacking labour’s newly released Energy Policy, while at the same time was seeming to be supporting National’s abysmal past policy again, and not following up with labour’s Phil Twyford asking Judith Collins when will national begin to plan to turn off the oil tap, then when Garner had the chance to drill Collins he failed repeatedly without asking national Judith Collins “when will National stop oil drilling in NZ” – a sorry sight there.
Garner should feel ashamed of his bias shown today. His children will suffer if he doesn’t wake up now and fight to turn off the oil tap.
When National talk about energy there is a one worded reply which displays their pig ignorant beliefs ….. Lignite
I wonder what happened to all the valuable farmland purchased to chase this national party rainbow of shite … it had the usual rainbow treasure hunters results.
Th Pike river non-compliant killing zone …..and running solid energy into insolvency attest to Nationals slash and crash management skills.
Garner represents color blind segregation …. Economic segregation favoring the wealthy
national is also telling lies about jobs in “exploration”
Just looked at Fiztroy Engineering in New |Plymouth contract list
This is a typical recent example
“Managing the logistics and the erection of 6000 tonnes of structural
steel for the new Christchurch Hospital Acute Services Building,
Canterbury, New Zealand”
There is work related to oil refining – in Australia
“Ongoing onsite planning and coordination of the relevant
subcontractors for the fabrication and installation of structural
steel, pipe spooling and pump skids across all areas of the Caltex
Lytton Refinery, QLD, Australia”
Their work seems connected to Construction rather than Exploration.
http://www.fitzroyengineering.com/about/contracts-history.html
Fitzroy’s main business is in oil and gas (look after the guys that look for the stuff). structural steel is a sideline brought in when the oil price nosedived.
Maybe if Twyford wasn’t screaming “lies!!” the whole time anyone else was trying to talk and making stupid promises that no jobs will be affected Garner could have actually got a word in edgeways.
Garner and Twyford went to high school together – old sparing partners, probably cak themselves laughing off screen.
sparring
Your theory seems a little bit unlikely.
The term “went to high school together” does rather imply that they were at the school as pupils at the same time.
If this is actually true, and they really were at Westlake Boys High School at the same time, could you please tell me.
Was Phil Twyford a really, really slow learner?
Or was Duncan Garner a child prodigy?
I ask because Twyford was born on 4 May 1963 and Duncan Garner on 6 March 1974. Twyford is almost 11 years older and it seems a little unlikely that they were actually at the school at the same time.
Old boys get togethers Alwyn… discussing all the jolly good radishings and all that..
I take it that you went to the same school, did you?
Did you enjoy your time there?
I notice that the school doesn’t seem to be very keen on publicising the fact that Twyford went there. Their entry in Wikipedia lists Duncan Garner as being an old boy but there is no mention of Twyford. The only politician listed is an Auckland Councillor, John Watson. I guess if he was an old boy of my old school I wouldn’t boast about it either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westlake_Boys_High_School#Notable_alumni
Goodness, you just know things are complicated when even Fox News urges caution on Syria!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=252&v=cSGf2ZpDENU
Just over 7 minutes long.
Sanity from FOX.
Now I know this just a bad dream….
Business as usual from Fox
Fascism and fascists always get a free pass from Fox News
Did you actually watch the clip?
Just asking because your response seems completely at odds with the content.
Business as usual around here is Jenny calling al-nusra / ISIS types … ‘rebels’
White helmet speak.
Regarding Fox, …did they criticise the Banderite / right sector in the violent western backed coup in the Ukraine Jenny ??…….
How about the Croatian Ustashe linked fascists in the NATO driven destruction of Yugoslavia http://emperors-clothes.com/docs/croatjews.htm
“”What worries us is that those in power in Croatia now are largely the same as during the Nazi era,” said Dr Klara Mandic, a senior Jewish community leader at yesterday’s ceremony. ”In some cases, they are exactly the same people, now in their seventies and back from exile under the Communists. In other cases, they are the children of the Ustashe.
”They wear the same black shirts, the same black trousers, many carry the same ”Serbo-seks” knives for the Serbs . Tudjman the Croatian President would not dare touch Jews now that we have our own state to protect us. But he has prepared an atmosphere similar to that at the start of the Second World War and the fact is that many of the Croatian groups are out of his control.”.
Fox definitely pick and choose which fascists they diss ….
Apart from war …. whats your other preferred road to peace in Syria Jenny ??
Jenny, do you even know what fascism is?
I would have thought the Army of Islam was quite undemocratic…..
I’d say a great job by alternative media and people who share it. Puts pressure on everyone else to either attempt truth or risk their braindead viewers seeing through their façade.
Excellent work from Tucker. A journalist really doing his job.
Trump’s phoney war on Syrian fascism.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/103072064/donald-trump-says-syria-attack-very-soon-or-not-so-soon-at-all
The US has bombed Syria lots of times, (but, just not the regime, if he can avoid it.)
America bombs Syria,
Syria bombs Syria,
Israel bombs Syria,
Russia bombs Syria,
Turkey bombs Syria.
None of those doing the bombing can tolerate a free Syria.
Or indeed a free Middle East.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2016/feb/04/drone-footage-homs-syria-utter-devastation-video
So in your mind a free Syria would be one which can attack Israel with impunity, have Assad use chemicals on whichever his people he wants, and which is a secure haven foe ISIS terrorism.
Strange definition of free.
Countries are limited in the amount of freedom they are allowed. Being a base to attack other countries (ISIS), using chemical and nerve gases are generally seen as being a limit on state freedom.
I believe you are incorrect with your assertions Wayne.
Jenny’s position on Syria, which she may choose to explain herself, is more nuanced than many and she is staunchly pro the Syrian people and anti all those who are making their lives miserable in particular she is very critical of Assad and his enablers.
you sound like a bit of a war crime enabler yourself stunned mullet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzg99i-mhAA&feature=youtu.be
Whereas your comments have all the intelligence of the follow through from a bottom belch.
I presume thats your effort at a derail Stunned Mullet
more info on Waynes darling ….. Israel ….
neither side owns the moral high ground during this period.
This same scholarship also reveals that the
creation of Israel in 1947-48 involved
explicit acts of ethnic cleansing, including
executions, massacres and rapes by
Jews.
48
Such atrocities have taken place
in many wars, of course, but their occur-
rence in this period undercuts Israel’s claim
to a special moral status.”
“Israeli personnel have tortured numer-
ous Palestinian prisoners, systematically
humiliated and inconvenienced Palestinian
civilians, and used force indiscriminately
against them on numerous occasions.
During the first intifada (1987-91), for
example, the IDF distributed truncheons to
its troops and encouraged them to break
the bones of Palestinian protestors. The
Swedish “Save the Children” organization
estimated that “23,600 to 29,900 children
required medical treatment for their beating
injuries in the first two years of the
intifada,” with nearly one-third sustaining
broken bones. It also estimated that
“nearly one-third of the beaten children
were aged ten and under.”
54
Israel’s response to the second intifada
(2000-05) has been even more violent,
leading Ha’aretz to declare that “the IDF
… is turning into a killing machine whose
efficiency is awe-inspiring, yet shocking.”
55″ http://mearsheimer.uchicago.edu/pdfs/IsraelLobby.pdf
“Since 1970, China has used its veto power eight times, and Russia (and the former Soviet Union) has used its veto power 13 times. However, the United States has used its veto power 83 times, primarily in defense of allies accused of violating international humanitarian law. Forty-two of these US vetoes were to protect Israel from criticism for illegal activities, including suspected war crimes. To this day, Israel occupies and colonizes a large swath of southwestern Syria in violation of a series of UN Security Council resolutions, which the United States has successfully blocked from enforcing. Yet, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insists that it is the Russians and Chinese who have “neutered” the Security Council in its ability to defend basic human rights.”
Colostomy bag salesman Stunted?
Contents of said colostomy bag Gobby ?
Did you guys go to school together?
Hang on, I meant to say did you guys go to the same school but not together?
Hang on…
Thank you Stunned Mullet for your show of support.
But personally, I don’t feel that my position on Syria is that nuanced. In fact my position is quite simple.
I will never support a regime that commits genocide. Simple as that.
It is one of the reasons I keep posting the video of the destruction of Homs, and inviting the pro-regime commenters, or authors, to give me their remarks. Despite giving them many opportunities to do so. Not one of them has ever had the courage to venture an opinion, on what clearly is vision of hell on earth. (or at least its aftermath).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoRdCbDd50o
What is unique about the drone footage of the genocidal destruction of the rebel city of Homs, is that it was taken by a camera fitted to a Russian Drone and was first aired on RT the Russian propaganda channel.
Weirdly, everything else that RT put out is frequently cited uncritically by supporters of the regime.
I also, don’t support shooting of unarmed protesters in the streets.
Nor can I support detention without trial, and/or disappearances.
Nor do I support torture.
Nor can I support, the silencing and murder of journalists.
Nor do I support, the murder of singers.
In forming my opinion, it helped, that I had actually been to Syria. (admittedly not when the revolt broke out, but only a matter of months before). And I can attest to the deep hatred and contempt for the Assad regime commonly held by the Syrian people. I can also attest to the regime as an oppressive Orwellian police state, that none of us would want to live under.
Most of my time in Syria I spent in the Northern city of Latakia, and mostly in the company of Palestinian refugees in the camp there. This camp was one of the very first civilian areas shelled by regime in 2011.
I was back in New Zealand at the time, but I followed the live feeds of the bombs falling on a place I knew well.
No doubt some regime supporters will have the gall to tell me that the live feeds were fake and I mistook the places I was familiar with.
These same people may have the gall to tell me that a person called Ibrahim Qashoush was an unperson. A comment that George Orwell’s Winston Smith’ could have related to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCS8SsFOBAI
Some of these same people will no doubt tell me, that the Arab Spring which, by sheer weight of numbers of the millions who took part is the biggest popular revolt in human history, was a CIA plot. They may even provide links to prove it.
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-02-04-2018/#comment-1469006
HHHmmm Who to believe????
Wayne Mapp ….. or an Israeli generals son.
Just who is telling the truth about war, violence and Israel?.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOaxAckFCuQ
No Wayne – that is not Jenny’s stance on Syria (a country in which (I gather from a previous comment) she has lived and worked). As Stunned Mullet says, her position is more nuanced than most here, and I support her stand on this.
The people of Syria have ben starved, bombed, gassed, cast out of their homes, murdered, and generally abused by a tyrannical regime since the major drought of 2005. I’m sure that in Jenny’s eyes – a free Syria would be one without conflict, without the oppression of Assad, and at peace with its Neighbours. The people of Syria have had enough.
A free Syria could be modelled on a free Iraq, free Afghanistan and a free Libya I spose… The tyrants are gone, are you happy now? Was it worth it? Why do countries always turn into hell holes after the west takes an interest in them..
One of the consequences of war, whoever the antagonist, is just that – a power vacuum that results in a breakdown of stabile government. The situation in Syria will inevitably result in an unstable region for some time to come. But let’s get this quite clear – the revolt of the people in Syria erupted not from insurgents from the west – but from within. People have been fed up with the corruption and abuse of power from the Assad regime since at least 2005. Food prices in 2006 were skyrocketing following the worst drought in history – and the drought persisted. Assad did nothing to assist the people and lived in obscene luxury. The resulting chaos and the arrival of ISIS was inevitable.
“syria a secure haven for ISIS terrorism’ ?
The country doesnt matter, the Saudis who back the ISIS group will just find another country…. surely you noticed where Osma Bin laden and his supporters were based.
They will just move to another country even if Syria and Iraq were occupied by US troops.
Remind us again how ISIS ended up in Iraq and how the Syrian civil war backed by US , Turkey and Saudi/UAE grew into a larger conflict
Interesting exposure in your comment, Wayne…
Seems a nerve was touched in your interpretation of Jennys comment…
Were you as open about the Palistinians who were gunned down by IDF recently…
Power outage – is it true that if you live in the city but are off grid that you still are forced to pay line charges??
Seems unfair.
I think that if you are truely off the Grid then you don’t have to pay line charges.
But if you have solar or what have you but still are connected to the grid then you pay. In countries like Germany they gave incentives to have solar energy so they did not have to pay to upgrade the grid as well as more sustainable in the long run.
But in NZ they have decided to target people with solar and charge them more. We are a world joke!
Here is an article on way-to-be-cleared-for-big-electricity-players-to-prey-on-lowincome-households
Remember you can have a heat pump and insulation but if people are too poor to pay for power (or the power is off due to storms) then you have no heating.
Obviously investment in solar will reduce the amount that people have to pay, but that gets the power company up in arms because their profits will be effected. So what does the government do – cave in.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/102708888/way-to-be-cleared-for-big-electricity-players-to-prey-on-lowincome-households
Note also that selling back to the grid used to be as high as 17c. It is now 7 or 8 cents.
And that is outrageous too. Should be able to set a take it or leave it price.
Who do you propose should be able to set a “take it or leave it price”?
I suspect that the power companies would be quite happy not to have to take any power from people with their own Solar generation. If they could I am sure that they might set a price of 0.001 cent/kwh. Such power tends to be erratic and is only supplied back to the grid at a time when there is little demand for it. It really isn’t easy to store surplus electricity for use when it is in demand.
“It really isn’t easy to store surplus electricity for use when it is in demand.”
Unless one has glommed public hydro generation assets.
“It really isn’t easy to store surplus electricity for use when it is in demand.”
So if they’re not that fussed about getting power back does that means there is quite a surplus of power in the system. And if there’s a surplus, why are we charged so much? Let me guess, power prices have gone up so much in recent years because privatization is always cheaper, more efficient and provides a better deal for consumers…Wait a minute!!
Thanks for this.
Govt should be encouraging independence even if just solar hot water. One storm and half a major city is pathetically waiting for rescue.
Taken from your link, savenz
“These regulations, Minister Woods has now signalled, are to be dumped overboard to clear the way for the industry to increase its squeeze on the poor. Recognising that will probably leave more and more poor households unable to pay, and so cut off from supply, the industry’s solution is for taxpayers to subsidise electricity purchases by the poor, thereby underwriting the electricity industry’s profits in the same way as the Accommodation Supplement has enabled landlords to hold up rents.
“Woods duly refers to ‘the wider context of supporting New Zealanders to afford their energy bills’.”
Are these subsidies going to be in the form of the Winter Energy Payments the Government has announced?
Chairman, you seem to be in a state of perpetual dismay over what New Zealand isn’t doing for you.
For anything beyond getting by it appears you’ll need to make your own arrangements.
They managed to get away with all sorts of things @savenz.
We should for example, be telling suppliers to relocate their meters onto the nearest lamp post, since at the time of privatisation, they managed to shift ‘demarcation’ points such that they could have it both ways.
You’re responsible (financially) to fix any cable problems from the lamp post, YET their meters (their property) is more often than not way past the demarc point.
Cost shifting.
I also seem to remember a guy around the bays in Wellington with an efficient wind generator. Most of the time his electricity was sufficient to keep his Ferranti Meter going backwards.
Oh NO! they thought – we can’t have this. Think of what might happen if others do the same!!
We want to be able to charge you for electricity at OUR rate, but if you give us electricity, we want it at OUR rate too!
Ekshully, don’t get me started. We could go through all that spin an shit about ‘baseloads’ and other stuff, and smart meters versus the basic ripple control.
It’s bloody tedious.
I think it’ll eventually come back to the point that where there are natural monopolies, such as with reticulation of the basics (water, shit-pipes, electricity, fibre – or copper, gas supply, etc., railway lines, roads et al), these things must be in public ownership or government [local or central]), OR they need to be heavily regulated.
Depends how off the grid you are. But it’s simple really, they can’t give you an invoice for line charges if you don’t have an account with them.
Gordon Campbell takes David Parker to task over his announcement of the Afganostan inquiry. The NZDF commander is sounding strong and confisant but still not being pressed on why he said the name of the village in Hit and Run was wrong, when it was right. There is a difference between no comment on the groubds of National Security and lying to the NZers whose lives and fundamental rights you say you fight for.
Parker was playing politics yesterday and if you closed your eyes it coukd have been National speaking.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1804/S00040/gordon-campbell-on-the-hitrun-inquiry.htm
Well there’s the worry @Tracey. Not too dissimilar as to whether other Munsters want to confront the obvious spin and bullshit from “their officials” busy trying to protect their arses, be they in MPI, OR MSD, or MoT (NZTA), or MBIE, or Health, or Education, or, or, or….
Expediency, or pragmatism, or whatever bullshit excuse they want to offer to an uncritical MSM, it’ll eventually end badly for them (the spin meisters or the Johnalists).
It’s why I don’t get too upset or emotionally involved these days. They’re unknowingly experts in shitting in their own nests and self-copulation
OH look Yanks have more spin than Kiwis.
https://knock-la.com/the-biggest-rent-strike-in-la-history-burlington-tenants-vs-slumlord-attorney-lisa-ehrlich-52917abc79a8
Our slumlords get a free pass every time in Auckland, well they have a compliant media and Tory party to back them up.
What do you think the Natz were up to in Auckland… if you get off the racial profiling and just look at the concept of displacement which in NZ is bringing more people into Auckland, and pushing those out into other parts of NZ, pushing those out, you will be more on the money.
Even if you somehow got enough money to buy back into Auckland, you need to be able to earn enough to cover the increasing rates and costs that brings with how the Auckland council is behaving giving away rates money like a lolly scramble to big business while depriving non core areas or siphoning it off into consultants pockets so that nothing is being upgraded ahead of time.
Which is turning our city into a slum while creating ‘shock doctrine’ thinking… to ram through ill thought out plans that are counter to democracy or even reasonable thinking.
The Tories had no plan, that is why we have so many problems in Auckland.
It’s more cock-up theory than a conspiracy.
Who are these tories you speak of ? Goff, Brown, Hubbard, Banks ?
The Council has had many National members and the Mayor gets one vote.
They fought any improvements and hog tied changes quite often. Real nimbys, the Citizens and Rate payers Association.
There’s also a considerable number of City Vision and openly Labour candidates as well as the independents.
I’d prefer the general public to have more of a say myself rather than the council cabal.
I certainly wouldn’t disagree with your views on this, but am more inclined to give council, etc less credit. I think that they really have no clue and are winging it..
I hope the 50 million spent of emergency housing in hotels, is being beefed up… because the new housing is more of what you would call the gentrified type….
Isn’t a ‘crisis’ enough reason to perhaps declare a state of emergency and call in the army to erect some temporary shelters?
Oh no, that’s right, it’s only those bloody poor people and beneficiary bludgers that can’t handle putting a roof over their heads. It can’t really be a crisis
I’ll think there is bugger all tradies left in the Green in the Machine, unless they trained a heap more the during the PRT deployments? as they had stuff all during the ET deployments as a result of the No Mates Party defence cuts in the 90’s. The manta back then was you don’t need these tradies all doing in house work, like the old MoW so you can get rid of them. Then along came Bosnia, the Sollies , ET and the Sandpit deployments etc etc.
Bring back the MoW I and the DSIR I say?
He’s baaaack….
Trump wants US back in the Trans-Pacific Partnership – report
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2018/04/trump-wants-us-back-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership-report.html
If your first thoughts are ‘get us out of here’ then
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/document/52SCFD_SCF_ITE_76583/international-treaty-examination-of-the-comprehensive-and
I’m not against a trade agreement but it’s not a trade agreement… it’s a security arrangement, asset striping double speak, that has been piggy backed by corporations to asset strip countries and leave the mess behind… and if you don’t like it, they can sue you in their illegal (EU Ruling) court.
Seriously if there is some blow out between China and US, probably the Pacific would be a good place for the show down, and it hasn’t worked out too well, for the Middle East civilians to be in the middle of oil/cultural war…
Even worse if China and US get together and we have some sort of hybrid of their business and human rights style come to the Pacific…
Great news about this.
It will be even better with the US in there.
Best thing labour have done signing this.
lol…stirrer
Yes, Trump is also my idol and so is Xi Jinping. If only we can bring their wise ways to NZ and both join TPPA and exploit all the holes in the agreement for their economic and strategic gain, it would be my dream country.
I’m also truely grateful for David Parker, who cleverly negotiated that ‘7 out of 10’ agreement. 10 out of 10 was too much pressure, obviously. And Jacinda has banned new oil but luckily when Natz get in again, we will already be in TPPA to get their agenda back on track.
Likewise the rise of the right and totaliarialism across many countries. Luckily we will be tied into an agreement that does not really consider any future risks including changes of government, new policy and climate change.
Ha ha savenz
Donald Trump is just firing blanks here, – as he knows he needs to change TPP far more than it is now.
So it may make our new labour Government now own up and declare now that it’s new ‘side’ agreement’s may be in jeopardy?
Yes James the “EX Aucklander always is a stirrer see my reasons for opposing TPP.
theres every chance that Trump will change his mind in a 3a.m. tweet tomorrow….James delights in winding everyone up.
Of course US will come because of
Chinese military expansion into Vanuatu aimed at Australia and NZ
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/04/10/chinese-military-expansion-into-vanuatu-aimed-at-australia-and-nz/
But then China will come and NZ is piggy in the middle.
We love you US and that is why we have 5 eyes, We love you too, China, because we sold all our assets to you.
We turn a blind eye to any moral or human rights issues these days, and actually we have plenty of our own in NZ to worry about… https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/04/11/justice-delayed-is-justice-denied-what-the-latest-grotesque-national-party-underfunding-has-done/
We love you too Australia because we export to you too, in spite of your human rights on refugees and others, and we can disagree with you because at least we are culturally similar and you are less likely to get offended and try to make us pay for our opinions.
Funny enough, probably not a good idea to enter into binding poorly worded agreements where the power imbalance is so unequal like TPPA and the cultural fit and interpretation is so wide.
I’m not an EX Aucklander. Currently live in Coatesville – very much part of Auckland.
Could be a mining plant, chicken factory or some thing else coming your way, there James, I’d have a contingency plan to bail out.
Unfortunately once there you generally can’t sell that easily or get enough to move somewhere of the same quality of life.
I know quality of life is something that is alien to both left and righties these days. It’s seems to be more important to just be alive and consuming stuff as an economic unit, the quality is irrelevant.
“Could be a mining plant, chicken factory or some thing else coming your way, there James, I’d have a contingency plan to bail out.”
Im confident you are wrong on this one for sure.
Life is such a lottery these days. I’t didn’t use to be like that, but one stoke of a Auckland council’s pen or the RMA and there will be nothing you can do about it, because their is only the pretence of democracy – the reality Auckland is starting to run like China – top down.
Not all together savenz. Twyford stopped the State house sell off. Had those tested for P retested treated if needed and people back in them.
Repairs and upgrades are now happening. I laughed when the Nats said “Costs are 7 times what landlords are spending” Well … when some landlords spend nothing on improvements, it would be easy to out spend them. Twyford is doing great.
Granted “affordable” is a poor choice of word by MSM. $600 000 is much better than $1000 000 though, and there has been $300 000 for a 1 bed apartment and $ 450 000 for two.
Yes winter is coming, but this government will do their utmost to house people and keep them warm and fed.
Labour’s shortcomings in the number of state homes they are prepared to build is problematic, thus a concern.
thanks for your concern
The Chairman, the Coalition are committed to building refurbishing and giving a bit more certainty for those in a state house.
The huge numbers brought in each year through loose immigration, has stressed housing beyond belief. You must admit that at least, and that the last government did not provide public housing to match it, or private either. Hence the horrific prices.
So Key did well when he sold his house in their created market of shortages. $ 21 000 000 Makes me fume. “What shortage?”
“What a fekker!!!” As my Irish ancestors would say
No I mean it.
I’ve always been in support of it.
Im sure you do…the wind ups a bonus,eh
Maybe’s Parker’s ‘7 out of 10’ scenario means he only thinks we could have a 30% chance of something bad happening. 30%, quite good odds, ah, maybe,
this is Trump we’re talking about here….it may become of concern if there is some official action regarding reopening negotiations…think the US may have its hands a little full at the moment.
It’s not a wind up. I really believe it was the best thing for New Zealand.
The fact that labour were dishonest and misled people who were against it – when they were always going to sign – makes me laugh because it was always going to happen.
It IS good for New Zealand. That’s why both main petite will be supporting it.
People arguing against it simply are ideological or have less knowledge than the people actually working on it.
Besides muttonbird on here tells me most kiwis have had all their concerns addressed by labour and are all ok with the signing now – so that must be right.
I guess that potential 1/3 of 1 percent gain over decades is worth all the risks, eh James.
Ask Cindy – Her government signed it.
Yes but your preferred government negotiated it. The reality is, they both sold us out because seriously, you trust that they did a good job?
Our Met service can’t even predict bad weather that accurately and tens of thousands of people have no power. It does not sound like fingers on the pulse of our government and officials.
I trust National did a good job – yes.
Labour – Im sure they stuffed parts of it up.
Our Met service can’t even predict bad weather that accurately and tens of thousands of people have no power.
I think you can blame Woolworths for that. The MetService have the same problem as James Shaw, those magic wands are just shit.
The Saudi sheep deal’s a great example of just how good a job National did.
So Robert – you all happy with the new tpp?
Think that’s a good dea ?
National do a great job when negotiating deals – remember the Saudi sheep
dealdebacle?Except for the fact that it isn’t. From it we’ll see more poverty and deprivation while a few make out like the bandits that they are.
As we’ve seen over the last thirty years.
Maybe james. The US have shown themselves to be protectionists and bullies.
I don’t even know why protectionist is such a bad word these days. Surely you want to protect workers, your environment, your country?
Because protectionism stops the rich pricks from stealing everything and they really don’t like that and as they own the MSM and the economists we dutifully get told that it’s bad.
Lmao James, I wonder if those who signed will let him back in, I think Agent Orange is feeling left out and is bloody dreaming re TPP.
I think you will find they will be extremely happy to have them back in.
Maybe they would be exempt from recent USA tariffs as a result?
lol there’s the rub. He wants to start a trade war with China at the same time as joining a trade agreement with countries that have FTAs with China.
TPP was soft power. Trump doesn’t understand soft power. He’ll probably fuck it up somehow, even if he’s serious about trying to get back in.
Yes if USA joins then they will shaft us all as they did Canada and Mexico already in the NAFTA trade agreement which is in tatters.
Canada has more lawsuits against itself now in this NAFTA agreement then any other country globally.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/13/canada_being_sued_for_billions_under_nafta_investor_protections.html
Do we want to go bust trying to keep our Government control over keeping unscrupulous so called investors out NZ that could totally undermine our futures?
Nonsense.
Labour always knew it was a good deal. That’s why the signed it so quickly.
Yes, Labour, James is pleased, not enough to vote Labour though I’ll expect.
Quite a few Labour voters are vitriolic though, but no worry, just like the houses, bring the people in and the market will provide the houses, transport and wastewater and power.. oh and if they don’t then the taxpayers will and we will raise the taxes. simple.
“Yes, Labour, James is pleased, not enough to vote Labour though I’ll expect.”
Of course Im pleased and no wont be voting labour.
At least National said they were going to sign it – Labour sucked you in.
By cunningly saying what they’d do? Damned fiendish, these Labour politicians.
Why the hell are the municipal Authorities using chlorine in all drinking water around our country now as it has been proven to cause cancer?????????
http://www.pure-earth.com/chlorine.html
Can’t we use “food grade” ‘high purity’ Hydrogen Peroxide instead?
Hydrogen peroxide has been proven to not cause any serious medical effects and also prevents many diseases.
Florida USA also uses Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) in many residential and commercial pools now. – Time we woke up here in our so called “clean green” country.
http://www.educate-yourself.org/cancer/benefitsofhydrogenperozide17jul03.shtml
😆 that’s some fine drivel cleangreen, next it’ll be no flouridation for water supplies and and an anti-immunisation diatribe.
I hear they bring the chlorine into Gisborne on great big trucks too.
Cool stuff the good old HOHO juice.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to die from drinking the water in the tap.
But, hey, I’ve pointed that out to you before as well.
And, no, I’m not going to go to your delusional websites – again.
We really have been quite slack on the renewable energy front. Portgale on the other hand.
https://windeurope.org/newsroom/news/renewables-fully-meet-portugals-power-needs-in-march/
Say what you like about Shane Jones but this is the most coherent and rational I have heard him…maybe there is some intellect behind the flowery language.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018640452
Psssst – did you really mean to put up 18 or so minutes of Brownlee trying to explain EQC repairs? LOL.
Or perhaps you meant this one of Shane on Morning Report? I agree he was in good form in this interview.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018640454/jones-labels-bridges-chicken-licken-of-climate-change
He also did well in Parliament yesterday in reply to Goldsmith in Question 7 and later in the Urgent Debate on the government announcements re gas and oil :
Q7 – https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=199916
Urgent Debate:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=199923
Oops – Snap I now see Kat has put up the right RNZ link, but will leave this for the other links for anyone interested.
On a lighter note, Jones’ facial expression during the press conference with Ardern and Shaw have certainly hit the news. Se Q7 above at about 4.30mins. Also the many faces of Shane Jones seem to be the subject du jour today:
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/04/the-resting-faces-of-minister-shane-jones.html
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/103068858/photo-says-it-all-how-shane-jones-reacted-to-governments-oil-news
Even Jacinda Ardern has got in on the act with this little video with Jones and Shaw on Jones’ faces on her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/jacindaardern/videos/10155186971777441/
😊
Now someone should do a similar version of Paula Bennett’s faces , when she’s sitting beside NoBridges when he asks questions in Question Time.
Had been thinking the same thing Carolyn nth. She’s so entertaining to watch. I used to get a lot of laughs with Upston as well when she was chief nodder behind key.
LOL. Indeed!
Did you see Paula Bennet yesterday in Question Time? She had a question to the PM who of course was not there being Thursday, not was Peters who usually answers on the PM’s behalf on Thurs. Bennett got Davis who did better than he has in the past, and Bennett just fumed. She – and Collins – then incurred the wrath of the Speaker (starting at 2 mins in the video).
Here it is (only 4.35 mins)
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=199913
I agree with Ffloyd that Upston was also amusing when she was sittiing behind Key as a Whip. These days she is an angry fumer, who loves making Points of Order which usually fall flat with the Speaker.
we should really keep a record of the ‘nodders’ during QT.
It’s a bloody shame we don’t have anything like political satire in the MSM these days (no matter how pathetic we may once have thought it to be)
lol…think i know whats happened…my link went to a page that automatically plays the last thing you listened to on RNZ….it works for me but obviously not others
thanks for the heads up.
Shane Jones….. https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018640454
“Simon Bridges is the “Chicken Licken of climate change”………..”National believe the economy is a gramophone”
Funny that Bridges says National cares about tge environment but every time they have a chance to prove it, they fail.
It’s the National Polluter Party!
More on Siomon on the 3pm news – I’ve got to say I’m coming reluctantly to admire the guy!
He virtually said, forget whose fault it was that Middlemore’s in a mess, why doesn’t the Labour Government stop moaning and get it fixed! (And is wasn’t our fault anyway!)
I mean, he takes denial to a whole new level! What a l**** politician!
Just as an aside @Tony V,
I recently had someone chastise me for moi pathetic attempts at ridiculing him over his prinunseeayeshun. Genuinely though, sometoims I really can’t understand him without a translation, but then Fill Stein was sumtoims a chellunj too.
Their justification was that he’d apparently had a speech impediment that he’d overcome.
I called bullshit because the impediment had nothing to do with what is effectively just laziness (apologies to Toika Woititti ).
Loik Key though.. Lazy speech, lazy moind. Oidilogikill commitmunt is lot simpla en ya done hefta rilly think to much, speshly when ya learn the spin an torkin points.
You can account for different eggsents built up from location over toim – there’s even some ekademuk thet toll us orl we’d better get use twit goan forward – can’t remember where, but Soimun is jiss over the top. Oi suspek it wuz on radio layba maybe, or maybe red radio.
Sometoims I wunna what Phil Stein and Soimun’s IELTS points would be (goan forwid) … but of course they’re for the ‘others’
Audrey Young’s latest in the Herald is a reasoned piece about Labour’s recent woes. She’s right in my view. The government has left itself open to attacks from the opposition. As she says they’re not on the ropes yet… but imo they will be of they don’t tighten up the ship. Worth a read:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12023322
Oops… I see the item is about 12 days old. Sorry about that, but still a good read if you missed it. 😳
As you say a bit old but still worth a read.
Here is Young’s latest from yesterday on the oil and gas announcements – surprisingly ‘neutral ‘ for her imo.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12030723
But did she really have to report on this? Bridges in a speech to his old college, partly about a murderer he put behind bars as a Crown Prosecutor.
I could only cope with skipping through the video. Talk about stilted.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12031041
The Government’s $1 billion a year regional fund was launched in February. About $40m had been allocated thus far.
What’s totally disappointing is there are no strings attached (such as employees receiving a living wage) with the taxpayer money being splashed about.
Shouldn’t we on the left be calling out for this?
Yes we should Chairman. But will anyone in Labour, NZ First or Greens notice? Too busy hobnobbing and showering mates with money? Of course we expect that from Natz, but maybe left voters expect more accountability?
“Yes we should Chairman. But will anyone in Labour, NZ First or Greens notice? Too busy hobnobbing and showering mates with money?”
Dead right, savenz. Their silence on the matter pretty much sums it up.
“Of course we expect that from Natz, but maybe left voters expect more accountability?”
Indeed. If this was National splashing taxpayer money about with no strings, I’m sure the left would be far more vocal. It seems many here are happy to turn the blind eye when Labour do it.
Labour are wasting an opportunity to improve the living standards of many by failing to ensure a living wage is paid. As a result, robbing workers of their fair share, hence reinforcing the status quo.
You got a Marae and you want fresh air too!
Marae threatened by proposed chicken farm – locals
http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/marae-threatened-proposed-chicken-farm-locals
Next this Hong Kong based firm, will be explaining how they are really there to help the poor get cheap eggs, make a selected few in NZ richer, and the shitty town, good for nothing Maori, farmers and stupid chooks are not worth worrying about, and just collateral damage for their egalitarian ways and cheap exports.
Grrr “state of the art facilities” aren’t if they aren’t free range.
Watch the clip from the Hui. The farm is 1.3 million chickens housed in 32 sheds (40,000 chickens in a shed). The sheds have a small opening (to let air in or let the chickens have a run outside?). The farm is considered free-range because of the small openings. But the impression is that most of their lives are spent in a shed crammed in with 40,000 other chickens. Their lifespan is a total of 6 weeks. Free-range chicken farming, wow.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/04/huge-chicken-farm-has-iwi-vege-growers-worried.html
Free range.
A con for the sheeple to believe.
Some are better than others.
I always buy https://bostocksorganic.co.nz
Good on ya, John.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/102983793/waipareira-trust-staff-paid-a-minimum-of-20-an-hour
Editorial Herald. Who would have thought that the writer would put a reasoned view regarding the “oil exploration.” A good summary.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12031325
Now this is interesting. I just had a phone call from Colmar Brunton, specifically asking for me. They’re doing a random survey of WINZ clients on behalf of MSD to get our feedback of our experiences dealing with said agency. Being highly suspicious and not quite believing it would be totally anonymous as she assured me, I was the one doing the interviewing initially but it seems to be legit.
Unfortunatlely I was screened out- going on the initial questioning it was obviously because I hadn’t had phone or face to face contact with real people there in the last 4 weeks. Bugger- the one time I get a chance to tell them what I think!!
Are any of my peers here aware of these surveys ever taking place in the past, or perhaps this is something new? A small glimmer of hope would be someone with influence is at least making a start on getting an idea of reality. One can only hope…
They have been going for a couple years I think. Of course like many things it trains clients to be great scam victims.
You should always be able to ring back through a known number to ensure it is legit and one should be set aside for this purpose.
The best people to scam are people who are poor because they tend not to be on top of, heir statements and slow to pick up fraud.
@AWW it wasn’t a scam call. I’ve had plenty of those plus I did a good job of screening this particular caller.
edit: when it doubt, google. Response to an OIA request from 2 years ago:
https://fyi.org.nz/request/4944/response/16373/attach/html/2/20161220%20OIA%20Response%20COLE.PDF.pdf.html
so very legit. Still annoyed I didn’t get to vent my spleen just a bit!
Hiya Kay, the same thing happened to a friend a few weeks back, unfortunately, they had not been to WINZ in the last 4-6 weeks so they were ruled out as well.
I’m beginning think instead of just having a hamster in a wheel for a brain this guy has two hamster and two wheels going in opposite directions.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-asks-advisers-to-study-rejoining-pacific-trade-pact-talks-1523553620?mod=e2fb
Finally my new oven is delivered!
Exciting times. While waiting this AM I came across Jump, an electric bike thing used in San Fan. Like Uber but you take yourself.
Users are taking 5-7 rides a day!! So popular.
That pisspoor cartoonist Emmerson is substandard, even by the
abysmally low standards accepted by the New Zealand Herald.
https://twitter.com/rodemmerson/status/981399111231565829
Ha ha ….one of Emerson’s best.
🙂
Some of the whining lefties comments are as funny as the cartoon.
interesting,
as in the programatic criteria used to determine legitimacy in submitting comments.
Not too dissimilar from the ‘smarts’ used to determine demography by the likes of INZ, or Facebooks algorithms.
I suppose we just have to put our faith in some of the greatest programmers on Earth.
By the way, I’ve NEVER been ‘Tim’ or anything like it.
I’m looking forward to any/if any comments asking WTF I’m on about
I went home to Te tairawhiti East Coast I went through Turangi Gisborne and went back to Putaruru around the Cape so I travelled right around Te tairawhiti. What I notice was that a lot of trees are gone in the Gisborne district and the landscape was dry and in Te tairawhiti heaps of trees native and exotic planted forests the landscape was green and lush. I’m watching David Attenborough Natures Curiosities this program shows we have learnt a lot off mother nature and I say we have much more to learn from her and her beautiful creatures.
My point on Gisborne is you cannot cut all the trees down without a negative effect on the environment this is a fact that is right in front of our eyes on one 13 hours driveing around the East Coast. Of Atoearoa New Zealand. If the trees are left intact on the steep hills around the rivers and creeks all the waterways They attrack the Rain the hold the Wai in the ground they stop tawhiti the wind drying the land out. I say if the trees are left in all the right places all the flat to rolling land would be much more productive and will easily make up for the land left to mother nature and more + more deer wild pigs ect. Man has to respect mother nature and use her wisely if we carry on abuseing her we will be the ones that ultimately will lose with OUR society collapseing because we abuse mother nature all for the Dollar and to have utopia we just have to respect her all all the creations she has given us including all HUMAN BEINGS show respect for all and reap the GOOD KARMA.
Ka kite ano
I use to fly out of Hawkesbay quite a bit 25 years ago I noticed that the landscape was baron of trees and dry I would bet even though I don’t gamble that before the beautiful trees were cleared that the rainfall was higher than Hawkesbay has now if we work with Papatuanukue mother earth we will reap the rewards we have to stop poisoning the land with sprays we pour nitrogen on the land and this just causes the humus to break down faster you don’t get nothing from nothing this is basic science the way we are farming we are exporting our humus. We need to work with Papatuanukue mother nature and use no to low till cropping and use organic farming to produce our export products.
The pro intensive farm advisors say that Organic farming is less productive that high input chemical / poisonous farming. The reason that our land takes a few years of Organic farming to become as productive as chemical farming is the land is hooked on chemicals and the chemicals have damaged all the natural orginmisams that provide the nitrates that OUR crops need to grow.
If I was to grow Organically on soils that have no man made chemicals in it the land would produce more that chemical farming I have heard the storys when they first cleared the land here of how fast the crops grew how fast the grass grew but you have to feed the land organic fertilisers worm casting compost crushed rock lime or your harvest will decrease leave some land in fallow as well.
The pro Organic farming organisation don’t have the money to spend on getting there facts out there like the Chemical backed farming people have. Ka kite ano
Here we go a article that tells us exactly why Aotearoa New Zealand is Racist Iv had it from both ends being called white and moving to Hawkesbay and hearing the racist story that have not been research about Maori and the land and being called a black Maori. Now w I have the system Breaking all the rules just to try and suppress me because some people underestimated Me. I see all there players they paid to use against me. They don’t underestimate ECO MAORI now I learn fast???? . All I want is to be paid compensation for this fasard of a suppression campaign against me and be left alone to raise my Whano. I know my destiny and that is to lead us into a bright and prosperous future for all OUR Mokopunas and all Papatuanukue creatures into a bright and prosperous future.
Here’s the link Ka kite ano.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12031105
This is the actions of a desperate man willing to sacrifice the Whole World to give him more power to put out the fires he has started on all of his fronts he started trying to go to War against Korea everywhere he turned he was trying to start a War. Everyone knows that the American President gets more power when they are at War. The American people are letting him damage there reputation there future there Mokopunas future just so he can do as he wants which is become a 300 billionaire who is untouchable someone has to have the Mana to stand up to this BULLYING idiot as all bullies underneath are shit scared when the shit hits the fan they are the first to run and hide look in the books you will see what Im saying is true.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/103108258/us-president-donald-trump-orders-syria-strike
Here is one of his fires here.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/103105697/trumps-allies-worry-investigators-may-have-seized-recordings-made-by-his-lawyer
Newshub the sandflys must not have liked my comments on trump they stuff my phone up for a bit got it sussed now. Good on the Kiwi Restauranter for telling it like it is on trump and supporting his workers. Looks like OUR Lady’s are doing excellent at the commonwealth games Mana Wahine. Looks like Auckland is get more bad weather Climate change is real. Ka kite ano