Open mike 13/05/2020

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 13th, 2020 - 209 comments
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209 comments on “Open mike 13/05/2020 ”

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  1. adam 1
    13 May 2020 at 6:18 am

    Well in a world gone mad, a world committed to an economic model – which has set to the world up for no more human habitation. Why wouldn't you vote green?

    https://howiehawkins.us/about-angela-walker/

    https://howiehawkins.us/about-howie/

    But then again, you could just support a rapist and a lunatic who support unfettered capitalism – which just keeps handing more and more power to corporations.

    The choice is yours.

    • Dennis Frank 1.1
      13 May 2020 at 6:37 am

      Good one, Adam. That man has been on the right track as long as me, and contributed a lot more. Problem is, green politics never really caught on in the USA. The movement there was big – but mostly too alienated to want to get active in representative politics.

      Could that change now? Possibly, but Sanders voters will not be likely to support another socialist. Socialism is too tenuous a belief system to motivate them. Most will follow Sanders and vote Biden. Pragmatism defeats idealism usually.

      • KJT 1.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 8:50 am

        Socialism is not a belief system.

        It is how functional countries work.

        The USA has the worlds largest joint social enterprise, their military.

        Not intended for a social purpose, but that is what it does within the USA. It mops up unemployment, and keeps money in local parts of their economy. Without the economic stimulus, from maintaining a military for their endless wars, the US project would fail.

        • Dennis Frank 1.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 9:03 am

          Socialism is not a belief system.

          "Socialism is a political, social and economic philosophy encompassing a range of economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production and workers' self-management of enterprises." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

          Next question: is a philosophy a belief system? 🤔

          • Gabby 1.1.1.1.1
            13 May 2020 at 9:19 am

            No.

          • Adrian Thornton 1.1.1.1.2
            13 May 2020 at 9:42 am

            Next question: is a philosophy a belief system?

            Political ideology is the only belief system that is worth really examining if how the western world actually operates is your interest, all other belief systems are now well and truly subservient to it.

            Of course this is not what Liberal thinkers (and believers) will tell you, they have been trying to tell (and teach) the world that liberalism is post ideology…or some such nonsense.

          • KJT 1.1.1.1.3
            13 May 2020 at 10:00 am

            You could argue that, everything is a belief system.

            A common climate denier argument. "It is just what you believe_.

            I'm a seafarer. The sea doesn't care about beliefs.

            I care about real world effects.

            Despite claims from the USA, about being primarily capitalist, they, at the period of their greatest prosperity, had the largest State/people controlled, if they are a democracy as they claim, "means of production"/ infrastructure on earth.

            More Socialist than the USSR, where the means of production were controlled, in reality, by a tiny, elite. The way the USA , has been heading for several decades, now. To their detriment.

            It doesn't matter what "Philosophy" or beliefs, they call it. It is how countries work, in reality.

            • Dennis Frank 1.1.1.1.3.1
              13 May 2020 at 10:14 am

              For an ocean sailor, the interaction between the internal belief system and environmental circumstances encountered determines survival. Polynesians were successful in returning home after discovering new lands because of their shared navigational gnosis. How to read star configurations, etc.

              I agree re how societies operate in practice, but that is also consequent of the ruling paradigm (belief system) – currently neoliberalism.

              • KJT …
                13 May 2020 at 10:38 am

                Polynesian Navigation is an example of empirical science.

                Direct observation. Wave patterns, celestial body positions, wildlife concentrations and direction of travel. (The same as Western navigation, we just had better materials for making instruments. A twig and shell star map is conceptually the same as an, almanack).

                Beliefs, interfered with the progress of Navigation.

                Neo-liberal economics, is a belief system. It has never been proven, by reality. Just as flat earthers and earth centric beliefs, interfered with progress in Navigation, economic belief systems, with no basis beyond theoretical fantasies, interfere with human progress.

                In ideas about Pacific Navigation. Thor Heyerdahl was a theorist. David Lewis and Heke Busby were, sailors.

                • Dennis Frank …
                  13 May 2020 at 10:55 am

                  Empirical science established that belief system. The sailor sets a course for a particular star or constellation if there is a shared societal belief that it will get them to their destination. The sailor trains an apprentice both by showing how to do it and explaining the belief system to them. That's how the transmission of knowledge happens.

                  • KJT …
                    13 May 2020 at 11:20 am

                    It is not a "belief".

                    They know for a "fact", that is how they got to a destination previously.

                    It is, not, a matter of opinion, a belief. It is a fact, confirmed by observation and experience.

                    Just as they knew if land birds headed in a direction, then it is worth looking for land in that direction.

                    Just as Westerners knew since before Af Chapman, look him up, that ships built to a certain standard of stability and strength, nearly always completed their voyages, intact.

                    It is common for self appointed experts to dress things up in mysticism and beliefs, to give them more credibility, hence, economists! but you can be sure that Polynesian, or any other, Navigators, that haven’t a good grasp on reality, don’t last long.

                    • Dennis Frank …
                      13 May 2020 at 11:33 am

                      Not according to my reading of history. Islanders passed on their traditions via verbal instruction of younger generations (just like our educators), but when you read their account of that they seem more anecdotal than fact.

                      Anyway, as a physics graduate I have a sceptical view of facts, so I ought to own my bias. It is a fact that some experiments prove the electron is a particle while others prove it is a wave. Since those facts were established a century ago, physics students have been obliged to replicate those experiments to validate the non-zero-sum conclusion. Both explanations are correct (both/and logic). So the belief system resulting from the empirical science authorises physicists to conclude that facts depend on how you view them…

                    • KJT …
                      13 May 2020 at 11:38 am

                      Is that absence of facts, or absence of the knowledge, or instruments, to understand them?

                      We understand the world by what we observe. Though some understand it by making up their own personal, reality. Which makes them dangerous.

                      Newtonian physics is factual, in the terms of explaining what we could observe at the time. As we learn more, we find that they still work, I use it, and Galileo’s physics, every day, but not at the levels of observation, and scales we can now see, with more sensitive instruments.

                    • KJT …
                      13 May 2020 at 11:51 am

                      The accuracy and repeatability of traditional Polynesian Navigation.

                      Finding small islands in the Pacific was difficult, very often, even when I started navigating with Western instruments.

                      The fact, Polynesians managed to repeatedly find small dots in a vast ocean, proves much more than anecdotal, navigation skills.

                      To much of history seems to be an attempt to prove that modern “civilised” people are superior. In fact, as I studied past technology, and navigation in particular, I’m in awe of the sophistication of thought and abilities of so called, “primitive” people with little resources.

                    • Dennis Frank …
                      13 May 2020 at 12:24 pm

                      Yep, I go along with all that. My focus on belief systems as operational entities coordinating large numbers of people was formed intuitively back at university long ago, but informed considerably further by mimetics & meme theory.

                      I've mentioned it before, but Mind Wars by Ian McFadyen articulated it well. When I read it I thought `all rather obvious really, no revelation' – but you know how sometimes there's a delayed reaction to gnosis? Around six months later I realised I was often reflecting on the thesis. It had considerable resonance in later years too. The gist is the colonising effect (via the mind/body interface).

                      Bit like a virus. The thing gets into your brain & takes over your thinking. That's the upside of postmodernism: you relativise beliefs, liberating yourself from control by any particular one. You then view them in terms of utility value, and apply them to suit a set of circumstances on the basis of merit: does this theory fit the facts better, or does this other one?

                    • Dukeofurl …
                      13 May 2020 at 1:12 pm

                      "Finding small islands in the Pacific was difficult, very often, even when I started navigating with Western instruments. "

                      That issue was you were a beginner .

                      Meanwhile starting in 1565 a twice yearly galleon would travel twice yearly between Manila and Acapulco and return. It lasted till 1815 when Mexico became independent

                      The route was established by Basque navigator Andrés de Urdaneta using both empirical methods and instruments

                      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9s_de_Urdaneta

                      While the Polynesiam navigators could navigate between the islands something like this over the vast open spaces of the Northern Pacific was beyond them. The migration to Hawaii and NZ was an advanced form of island hopping. Being unable to reach Australia or South America showed the limitations of the navigation and the vessels they used.

                    • solkta …
                      13 May 2020 at 1:21 pm

                      Polynesians definitely reached South America – study

                      https://www.newshub.co.nz/world/polynesians-definitely-reached-south-america—study-2014102406

                      Did early Polynesians sail to the Americas?

                      A mounting body of evidence suggests that Polynesian voyagers sailed to the distant shores of South America – but the idea remains controversial.

                      https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/201827415/did-early-polynesians-sail-to-the-americas

                    • joe90 …
                      13 May 2020 at 1:40 pm

                      advanced form of island hopping.

                      Millennia spent carting mum, kids, livestock and the necessaries across the Polynesian triangle rates a little higher than island hopping.

                      How did the first inhabitants of Easter Island arrive? It is the most remote inhabited island on Earth. The coast of Chile lies 2,300 miles to the east, Tahiti 2,500 miles to the northwest, and the nearest island, with a total population of 54 people, is tiny Pitcairn, 1,400 miles to the west. The answer lies in the deeply rooted traditions of Polynesian culture.

                      https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/polynesia-genius-navigators/

                      Austronesian migrations

                      Map of expansion of Austronesian languages. Numbers represent approximate years when migrations occurred. Negative numbers are BCE, positive are CE.

                      http://nautil.us/blog/dragons-memory–navigating-the-globe-using-only-your-wits

                    • KJT …
                      13 May 2020 at 2:07 pm

                      The people who navigated around the Pacific were doing much more than an "advanced form of island hopping".

                      Like the Acapulco galleons they were able to repeat the same voyages consistently. Unlike the Acapulco galleons, who had their share of misses, btw, they had much smaller and lower targets to hit.
                      The people who think that are theorists, Not Navigators.
                      And, guilty of cultural arrogance.
                      It is manifestly false..

                      And. Not just beginners, which I was a long way from, had trouble with finding Pacific islands, pre GPS.

                    • Dukeofurl …
                      13 May 2020 at 2:35 pm

                      Ask Cook about trouble finding his way back to NZ with limited instruments.

                      I dont know what your navigation issues were , but centuries of exploration suggest you were a beginner…I bet you read a book or something and hoped your sailing skills would improve along the way.

                      The regular galleons, which you could buy tickets for show it worked for them. It worked for them.

                      Clearly Maori lost the empirical skills as here they were only coastal navigators , not to different to the Romans

                    • KJT …
                      13 May 2020 at 2:40 pm

                      Bollocks. Dukefurl.

                      As I was getting paid for my Navigation skills, I can assure you they were a long way from, amateur.

                      And. There has been a lot of culturally dismissive crap written about Polynesian Navigation skills.

                      Which can easily be proven wrong. You don't find islands in the Pacific, over and over again, by blind luck, or island hopping.

    • McFlock 1.2
      13 May 2020 at 10:00 am

      Because the green candidate isn't going to get anywhere, so it's essentially a vote for dolt45?

      • weka 1.2.1
        13 May 2020 at 5:25 pm

        Only in areas where voting Dem makes a difference. In areas where it doesn't, voting Green is really good tactics.

        It’s the Greens in NZ that changed the electoral system to MMP.

        • McFlock 1.2.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 7:05 pm

          So in those areas it will be a good reason to not vote Green or write in "Captain Kangaroo". And one would need to be pretty damned sure their vote wouldn't count in that area (in which case I'd probably stay home because covid19).

          Not sure what your comment about MMP has to do with the US presidential election.

          • weka 1.2.1.1.1
            13 May 2020 at 8:55 pm

            The general idea is that the only way to break the duopoly (and things like money in politics) is electoral reform, and the Greens are the ones that will do that. Somewhat possible in the UK, prob not in the US (because it's a shit show, and because the population is the way it is).

            The reason to grow the Green vote despite them not being able to win, is to build an alternative politics. Then change can happen. Pretty much what happened here.

            • McFlock 1.2.1.1.1.1
              13 May 2020 at 10:13 pm

              The Greens were part of the change to MMP, but they didn't get into parliament until the first MMP election.

              In the US, the presidential elections a duopoly because the system is incredibly resource-intense with a win-or-complete-loss outcome. A third party won't break that up.

              I suspect the only way to have a Green party president would be for the green party to largely supplant one of the mainstream parties in the mational legislature, providing both the permanent party inftrastructure and political credibility a presidential candidate needs.

              The trouble with a US 3rd party candidate is that there's a long window where their popularity serves only to take electoral college members from their most closely-aligned main party but not have a chance of winning themselves.

              • weka …
                14 May 2020 at 2:14 am

                The Greens were part of the change to MMP, but they didn't get into parliament until the first MMP election.

                Right, and them standing before that and having people vote for them was part of the change to MMP (not least because it again showed how daft FPP was). Voting can effect change even where the person/party doesn't win at the time.

                The point of voting Green in the US at the moment isn't to try and get a Green president, it's to raise the profile of green politics and thus change the culture. There are also the other elections that run alongside the presidential ones.

                • McFlock …
                  14 May 2020 at 7:38 am

                  Well, there are lots of reasons to vote Green for potus. A reason not to is if there is a tiny chance one's vote might actually matter.

                  Adam asked why one wouldn't vote Green. That's a reason why.

  2. roblogic 2
    13 May 2020 at 6:40 am

    Good morning, I am just going to sleep now as I've been playing Civilization VI all night. Finally conquered the world by nuking my enemies!

    Losing the meta-game however, by making poor life choices 😛

    • Sanctuary 2.1
      13 May 2020 at 7:23 am

      I always end up using the nukes as well. The secret is to foster good relations with your neighbours and building up a mighty first strike capacity before BAM! you slug them with the nukes and occupy all their key cities.

      • mac1 2.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 7:52 am

        The game is called "Civilisation"?

        Tacitus comes to mind. "They created desolation and called it peace."

        • KJT 2.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 9:44 am

          "We napalmed the village, to save it".

          • mac1 2.1.1.1.1
            13 May 2020 at 2:46 pm

            KJT, I thought the very same words when I wrote my comment, wrote them down and then deleted them before publishing the comment. I was thinking of Hué city in 1968 as being the subject of that quote but you are right, KJT.

            Wikepedia said this of Hué. " In the end, although the Allies declared a military victory, the city of Huế was virtually destroyed, and more than 5,000 civilians were killed (2,800 of them executed by the PAVN and VC), while South Vietnamese forces killed a further 1,000–2,000 people after the battle. The PAVN-VC lost an estimated 5,133 killed, while Allied forces lost 668 dead and 3,707 wounded. The losses negatively affected the American public's perception of the war, and political support for the war began to wane."

            As some are playing war games in lockdown, in the world soldiers are still fighting and civilians are dying along with them. It is as if we are afflicted with another covert virus deep within us that allows, as do some governments, massive casualties among innocent civilians.

            A compassionate society with strong leadership pointing the correct way, using empathy and appeals to our better natures, making use of the best of scientific and bureaucratic practice, is far preferable to the divisive and selfish society that America has become far too much.

            In essence, some people are saying that we need thousands of innocent citizens to risk severe illness and death in order to save the economy. Is there a parallel here?

            • KJT 2.1.1.1.1.1
              13 May 2020 at 3:11 pm

              I think there is.

              The disregard for human life that characterised Vietnam. "Bombing them into Democracy", though they have found that economic warfare is more politically palatable, even if it kills more than bombing, continues today in Venezuela, Israel, Brazil and, probably soon, Iran.

              And, as someone once said, "regimes that treat foreigners with callous disregard, eventually extend it to their own people".

              I think our Government, faults and all, has proven better than that.

              • mac1 …
                13 May 2020 at 8:21 pm

                KJT quoted ""regimes that treat foreigners with callous disregard, eventually extend it to their own people".

                No argument with that. It's in the nature of regimes to be callous, in the modern usage of the word 'regime' anyway. Finally, as Pastor Niemoller said, they come for us.

        • roblogic 2.1.1.2
          13 May 2020 at 3:40 pm

          There are other victory conditions, I was very close to a Science victory by creating a Mars colony. You can also win a pinko victory by Cultural or Religious dominance, but that's boring.

          PS: I played as the USA but found the Communist form of government to be most efficient 😛

  3. Dennis Frank 3
    13 May 2020 at 6:53 am

    Spinoff gives platform to minor parties: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/13-05-2020/the-minor-parties-on-how-they-would-have-responded-to-the-covid-19-crisis/

    "The NZ Outdoors Party seeks to empower New Zealanders and our communities to become more self-sufficient. Let’s grow community vegetable gardens and fruit trees. Let’s encourage people to stay physically, emotionally and spiritually well. Let’s reconnect people with each other and with nature. Let’s support local businesses. Let’s create a culture where small and local are beautiful. Let’s give power back to local communities."

    Social Credit: "we would push for the first $20,000 of income to be tax free, for the cost of visits to doctors and dentists to be capped at $30, and for trips on urban public transport to be made free. All these measures could be paid for with direct funding from the Reserve Bank without incurring additional government debt. This would require a commensurate decrease in the amount of money creation by the commercial banks to ensure that there was no overall increase in the money supply and therefore no risk of inflation."

    Sustainable NZ: "This week we are releasing an integrated suite of programmes to create a world-leading and enduring “Innovation Ecosystem”."

    TOP: "A Universal Basic Income (UBI). $250 per week for all Kiwis, no questions asked. Covid-19 has shown us the future; a weak and disrupted job market. A UBI and 33% flat tax would put cash in everyone’s pockets, simplify the tax and welfare system, and stimulate the economy. A UBI also honours the unpaid work of parents, carers, and volunteers. Kiwis could retrain, start new businesses, or take time to care for whānau without going under. It means entrepreneurs can start new ventures to create more jobs. A UBI is our best shot at future-proofing our society."

    • Sanctuary 3.1
      13 May 2020 at 7:13 am

      Interesting how TOP – the vanity project of an old neo-liberal millionaire white guy – is the only party left proposing the Utopian neoliberal policies last championed by middle aged neoliberal millionaire white guys 25 years ago.

      • Dukeofurl 3.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 8:33 am

        Sheep in wolfs clothing….. did you not notice the flat tax proposal.. Roger Douglas still pushes that

        Trump talked up the working class before the election and in office gave the 1% the biggest benefits

        • RedLogix 3.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 12:02 pm

          Both you and Sanctuary make the very common mistake of treating a UBI and a flat tax separately, and reaching false conclusions based on this.

          You see the words 'flat tax' and leap to the conclusion that it's a right wing trojan horse. You see the term UBI and think of it as some kind of miserly targeted welfare.

          It's the necessary combination of the two that changes everything. Because it's universal it's helpful to think of a UBI as a kind of negative tax, and that it's the sum of both the "positive PAYE (or other income source) tax' and the 'negative UBI tax' and the which is what actually matters.

          When you do the arithmetic it's obvious that the total tax outcome is quite nicely progressive. Indeed it works out for most less than median incomes the total tax rate is either zero or very close to it.

      • RedLogix 3.1.2
        13 May 2020 at 9:16 am

        the only party left proposing the Utopian neoliberal policies

        Any chance you care to back that assertion with facts?

        • Sanctuary 3.1.2.1
          13 May 2020 at 10:33 am

          UBI and flat tax are both libertarian/utopian right wing ideas. Because of the superficial attraction of free money for everyone leftists fail to grasp that UBI are originally a right wing idea. The individual gets a sum of money from the government. The quid pro quo is that money is meant to then absolve the state and society of all responsibility. You use your money as you see fit – but if you decide to go on a holiday and can't afford health care, then you die like a dog in the street and that is that. Bad choices, bro. The net effect of a UBI will eventually be those best at managing it – the advantaged middle class – will love it, and they’ll love working in jobs that separate all the fools from their UBI. people with bad money skills or mental health or addiction issues will end up dying in third world squalor.

          Flat tax proposals are routinely peddled by the likes of ACT and other far right market parties.

          • RedLogix 3.1.2.1.1
            13 May 2020 at 11:06 am

            UBI and flat tax are both libertarian/utopian right wing ideas.

            Flat tax proposals are routinely peddled by the likes of ACT and other far right market parties.

            The combination of a UBI and a flat tax is inherently progressive; the arithmetic absolutely makes it so; exactly how progressive depends on the settings. This is a common mistake people make when they treat each component separately.

            You use your money as you see fit – but if you decide to go on a holiday and can't afford health care, then you die like a dog in the street and that is that.

            Can you link to the TOP policy specifying this?

            people with bad money skills or mental health or addiction issues will end up dying in third world squalor.

            All the trials of a UBI so far have pointed in the exact opposite direction. Do you have any evidence to support this rather grim contention?

            • Sanctuary 3.1.2.1.1.1
              13 May 2020 at 11:14 am

              Trials of UBI have been conducted in the context of a welfare state. The idea that once a left wing party introduces a UBI the other lot will never win an election and then start tinkering with the provision of social, health and education services because people now have free money to buy their own is naive.

              • RedLogix …
                13 May 2020 at 11:22 am

                Can you link to TOP's policies to privatise our health, education and social services? Because I just did a quick check to see if I missed this the first time, and still didn’t spot it. Maybe it’s buried in some secret code I’m too stupid to understand.

                But maybe you are correct, maybe I am naive and Geoff Simmons is secretly planning to sacrifice and eat all our first born,

                • Sanctuary …
                  13 May 2020 at 11:30 am

                  Geoff Simmons has more chance of playing bass guitar for Kiss than he does of ever getting into parliament. In is the likes of Goldsmith and Seymour fucking us over once we have a UBI that worries me.

                  • RedLogix …
                    13 May 2020 at 11:50 am

                    I just cannot see the causal connection, or even a historic correlation, between a UBI and the kind of neo-liberal privatisation you are using as a bogeyman here.

                    And first up you tell us that 'TOP is the only neo-liberal party left in Parliament', and now you've shifted to telling us ACT and National are the real threat. Now I'm not just naive, but confused as well. blush

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      13 May 2020 at 1:08 pm

                      RL, you're not the only one that's confused.

                      And first up you tell us that 'TOP is the only neo-liberal party left in Parliament'

                      You may be able to point me to that counter-factual statement, but it's much more likely that you're just putting words in Sanctuary's comments. Why do you do this – stretched thin?

                    • RedLogix …
                      13 May 2020 at 4:07 pm

                      Maybe it was back at 7:13am where Sanctuary wrote this:

                      Interesting how TOP – the vanity project of an old neo-liberal millionaire white guy – is the only party left proposing the Utopian neoliberal policies

                      OK so I'm guilty of paraphrasing a bit. Bite me.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      13 May 2020 at 4:12 pm

                      Guilty of questioning whether that Logix comment @11:50 am was factual – bite me!

      • KJT 3.1.3
        13 May 2020 at 12:22 pm

        Don't think TOP, is inherently Neo-liberal.

        In fact their other policy goals, such as reducing house price inflation, which makes a liveable UBI, more affordable, are the opposite.

        I think they have been too influenced by Gareth Morgan's, narrow conventionally educated economists, financial view of the world, but I think their aims are fine.

        A UBI/negative income tax, combined with a flat tax, is progressive. As is their ideas on broadening the tax base, to wealth taxes on top.

        I share sanctuaries concern, about what a right wing Government may do with a UBI, however.

    • KJT 3.2
      13 May 2020 at 9:46 am

      TOP's UBI , is too little, to have the effects intended.

      Though, I agree with the intention.

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    13 May 2020 at 7:10 am

    "The letter went on to say that Bridges' claim that the Official Information Act had been "suspended" was wrong. "The Ministry of Health has not received any direction that the Official Information Act 1982 has been suspended and we continue to respond to OIA requests," it said." https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=12331443

    The Herald political reporter didn't investigate whether the OIA was suspended or not, apparently. Since Bridges asserted that it was a week ago, apart from TVNZ reporting his statement, the media seems to have ignored it. The truth is out there somewhere, but all our media professionals have apparently developed a consensus that it's too hard to find. People will assume Bloomfield is right, and the Leader of the Opposition wrong, but will we ever know who to believe really?? Perhaps there's has been a mass conversion to postmodernism, and the truth no longer matters…

    • gsays 4.1
      13 May 2020 at 7:24 am

      With that in mind.. grab a first-aid kit and the transistor, The Tauranga Express is about to derail on RNZ.

      • Dukeofurl 4.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 8:28 am

        I heard it repeated by two political commentators on ZB while in the car on Sunday Afternoon… not something I would normally listen too

        Weekend Collective was the show.

    • aj 4.2
      13 May 2020 at 9:23 am

      People will assume Bloomfield is right, and the Leader of the Opposition wrong, but will we ever know who to believe really??

      Do you really think Bridges will let it go if he is right? Not a snowflake's chance in hell.

    • ianmac 4.3
      13 May 2020 at 11:10 am

      Marlborough Express has an item headed "Bridges insists no questions Unanswered." Whatever that means??

      "Bridges yesterday said he stood by his assertion saying it took two to two and a half weeks for the Ministry to respond to the committee."

      " In fact of the eve of that committee, we received answers that I hadn't received through no fault, because they were literally on the eve. We had a right as Parliament to be getting timely answers, and that certainly did not happen.” (???)

      The column writer makes no comment on Bloomfield's statement that the OIA was not "suspended."

      Just thinking how much fuss there is on every word spoken by Jacinda where the rather wobbly words of Simon get a free pass.

      Can't find this item online. No by-line

      • Dennis Frank 4.3.1
        13 May 2020 at 11:22 am

        Thanks Ian. Seems like a consistent pattern of evasion by the media. I wonder if they are so induced by his prior dodgy utterances that they automatically file everything he says into the `loopy' category as if fact-checking him is a waste of time.

        However his assertion that the OIA had been suspended is classic fake news, and their consistent collective failure to identify it as such is clear evidence that journalism has become a joke (rather than a profession).

      • McFlock 4.3.2
        13 May 2020 at 4:42 pm

        pressreader app seems to have a similar article bottom page three of Taranaki Daily news.

        It's not Bloomfield's fault that Bridges can't check his own emails in the morning.

  5. Molly 5
    13 May 2020 at 7:23 am

    A report from the New Economics Foundation, on how the UK can offset the damage to renters/landlords/homeowners from Covid-19. (Muttonbird, given our previous conversations it may be of interest to you.)

    I like the premise because it follows through the whole system in order to solve the issue, which is primarily about people losing their homes. As I have mentioned before, I would extend this solution to our government creating a NZ Housing loan that allowed current mortgage holders to switch to low or non-interest loans, that would both save homeowners and renters from loss of housing. Given that we are heading towards negative interest rates, this solution is not as unimaginable as it would have been even five years ago.

    The money created by the government for this purpose, could then be reabsorbed as mortgage payments are received.

    • greywarshark 5.1
      13 May 2020 at 10:38 am

      Good, sensible, practical, doable policy Molly. Thanks. Can everyone talk about it more until it gets loud enough to reach to the top level who get the message – everyone's talking about this.

      If the masses want it, they should get it – that's nelib econ101 isn't it?

    • KJT 5.2
      13 May 2020 at 12:49 pm

      Rather than a "mortgage holiday" bank style, which simply makes more money for the bank, just later, as they charge the earlier forgone interest, and cumulative interest on that also.

      A real mortgage/rent/interest holiday? which simply halts all payments for the period of the lockdown. Restarting on the same basis as before, at the end of it.

      May have saved some otherwise viable small businesses, as well as tenancies.

  6. francesca 6
    13 May 2020 at 7:33 am

    Anyone know the most direct route to complain to Newshub about misleading and factually incorrect reporting?

    I'm referring Tova O'Brien's allegation that the MOH has been lying about the number of hospitalisations due to Covid

    • aj 6.1
      13 May 2020 at 9:28 am

      She could have asked that question in a different way and not insulted the MoH at all.

      "How can we reconcile the difference between numbers you are telling us and number published in other areas?" (gives example.)

      But no, I think it was deliberately framed to be confrontational and feed into the right wing agenda.

      • francesca 6.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 10:18 am

        And I find it unbelievable that she could not remember Ashley explaining on the April 21presser that the people transferred to hospital from nursing homes due to staffing shortages would not be counted in the hospitalisation statistics

        Even I retained that info.How is it an experienced political editor could not?

  7. ScottGN 7
    13 May 2020 at 7:41 am

    Broadcasting Standards Authority

    https://www.bsa.govt.nz/

    • francesca 7.1
      13 May 2020 at 7:55 am

      Thanks Scott

      I've just registered my complaint with Newshub and will also go the BSA way, though my experience with it in the past was pretty frustrating

      I tend to think Tova is hanging herself with her own rope

  8. OnceWasTim 8
    13 May 2020 at 8:23 am

    Here's a wise old owl (Dr Geoff Bertram)

    "These signs of disconnection between what the elected Government wants to do and its ability to deliver on the ground suggest it is time to take a deep and serious look at two of the key pillars of the state sector reforms pushed in 1987………..":

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/05/13/1167622/the-future-of-the-new-zealand-state-sector

    Transformation and kindness might have been an easier task had state sector reform been high on the agenda too.

    • KJT 8.1
      13 May 2020 at 8:30 am

      Echoing what I've often said about the idea of "generic managers" parachuted in, with little knowledge or ability in the area they manage.

      MNZ was/is a prime example, I’ve had dealings with..
      Competent and knowledgeable people, within the organisation, having to keep their heads down so as not to embarrass barely competent “Managers”.

      It usually fails in the private sector, so why the hell did we copy it for Government departments.

      “Jobs for the boys”??

      • Dukeofurl 8.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 8:37 am

        The MSD senior manager just below the CEO in charge of Service delivery..effectively the whole benefit system and public offices and call centres is …. Viv Rickard a deputy Commissioner of Police ( seconded)

        • OnceWasTim 8.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 11:15 am

          Yep for a while there (months ago now) I wondered if it could possibly be the same guy – and it is. ffs!

          But if it wasn't going to be him, it'd have been something similar – along the lines of what I described on OM on the 10th. (beginning at Sacha's '2' but specifically at 2.1.1.2 )

      • RedLogix 8.1.2
        13 May 2020 at 9:47 am

        Echoing what I've often said about the idea of "generic managers" parachuted in, with little knowledge or ability in the area they manage.

        Indeed, I think we've probably both expressed our dismay at this many times. Looking back over my working life, the really good managers were without exception also highly experienced in the industry.

        Middle management is a shit of a job usually, caught between C-level managers or owners who are being driven by financial or political goals, and the realities on the ground floor. Lacking the authority to say no to their managers, and often lacking the skill and authority to make much difference on the work front … it's a stressful, lonely and thankless task many capable people don't want to do. (And here in Aus it's well known they have high suicide rate, known as 'middle management syndrome').

      • greywarshark 8.1.3
        13 May 2020 at 10:45 am

        Treasury and gummint bought into USA methods and policies, because the leading managers were told to be change agents and business does it better was the mantra.

        Policies were sold like a fictional screenplay that would be an exciting and new theme ie 'Nobody Does It Better' with Roger Moore etc. Public servants wear cardigans, new business-oriented types are sharp, sexy, and adorable!

        (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7__rt0hRm8s

      • RedBaronCV 8.1.4
        13 May 2020 at 1:47 pm

        Frequently senior managers who have never been outside their own personal socio-economic bubble or even out of Auckland for that matter. The private sector is awash with this. I have sat listening to presentations where you can just hear everyone thinking"they don't even have broadband out there so this won't work". More seriously though there is pressure , a lot of it, in a deniable way to skip over the rules and laws that govern business so that someone further up can earn the bonus.

        So yes the public service does need some serious repurposing but the trick will be to keep it repurposed (& state assets in state hands) when the next RW government turns up. Otherwise everything will be sold and the proceeds distributed in high end tax cuts. Nobody really wanted the power companies sold but sold they were. We need to be able to put brakes on this. Perhaps by having state owned companies holding the assets with company rules that designate every one of us as shareholders so there needs to be a nationwide vote (referendum) for this type of sale to occur- to line it up with the corporate provisions for non state companies

    • Janet 8.2
      13 May 2020 at 10:25 am

      When Dr Geoff Bertram says there are signs of disconnection – deliberate or otherwise- between what the elected Government wants to do and its ability to deliver, I have to agree. Some government departments seem quite incestuous to deal with now, no doubt the networking system and the high number of "academically qualified "that fill those departments now.. or as KIT says jobs for the boys.

      Having family members who have received very unfair and unresolved outcomes with ACC and the education department in recent years, I fully understand that :1/ the buck no longer stops somewhere these days 2/ politicians have less influence than in the past and in fact seem to be held at arms-length by government departments unless they are parroting government department policy perfectly eg Eugenie Sage is a good example with her repetitive echoing of DOC,s “there is no alternative to aerial 1080”, when in fact there is,:enviroMate 100TM for all areas man can walk.

      • OnceWasTim 8.2.1
        13 May 2020 at 11:41 am

        Yep. Good responses above following '8'

        There are more serious problems with things the way they are too – such as the complete contempt for the OIA, and some of these senior PS and CEO's thinking it OK to use T & C for various little 'projects'. Really that should disqualify them from ever holding a PS position again.

        But there's another thing too. While JA and CO have handled the COVID19 situation spectacularly, I doubt it would have gone nearly so smoothly had we not been in a state of national emergency.

        Again, PS reform should have been one of the first things the coalition should have AT LEAST made a start on

        • Janet 8.2.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 12:49 pm

          Did you know that all the pest control tenders that DOC placed on GETS since 2017 require an aerial 1080 capability ( whether or not it would be needed) It is their way of effectively cutting out all ground operators. So highhanded and unfair and not ensuring the NZ tax payer gets the best deal for their money. Heads must roll .

      • Treetop 8.2.2
        13 May 2020 at 12:44 pm

        Having a robust no cost review process and legal advice can make a difference. Also I feel it is up to the government to take note of review decisions and to amended the law so a person does not need to take on a huge government ministry to win their case.

  9. Ad 9
    13 May 2020 at 8:41 am

    He's delivering a talk sponsored by the PSA on this theme shortly.

    First for the chopping block should be eradicating DHB's completely. They have been nothing but an accountability nightmare, and a stumbling block during this crisis.

    • bill 9.1
      13 May 2020 at 10:11 am

      Was that meant to be a reply to OnceWasTim?

      Anyway. Yes. Get the market out of the health system and be done with business orientated fiefdoms.

      Adrian Thornton posted a lengthy interview with Corbyn the other day on the steady privatisation of the NHS. Many parallels with NZ with regards outcomes from what I can grasp.

      That no private hospitals or providers do A&E because "profit"…I'm guessing that's the same here. Get rid of the fucks.

      • roblogic 9.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 1:04 pm

        I broke my arm in Northland earlier this year, needed surgery to screw the bone back together. Couldn't even book an *appointment* with orthopaedics at Whangarei hospital. Came back home to Auckland, got an appointment to see orth surgeon in a few days. He took one look at the X-rays and said "oops why wasn't this done days ago!?" and I got surgery the next day.

        That was 11 days of fucking around with different DHBs & fighting bureaucracy while my arm was smashed in 5 places, before finally getting surgery

        https://twitter.com/roblogic_/status/1232242516805599233?s=20

        • bill 9.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 1:14 pm

          Aye well, before NZ, I'd never been to a doctor and been asked "Do you have insurance?"

          Then – I recall some minor 'scandal' over a surgeon leveraging the DHB down this way for an exorbitant salary – I can't remember the exact details, but essentially it was a surgeon playing one DHB off against another in an environment of supply and demand.

          And my back's unneccesarily and permanently fucked, meaning I won't have a job again, because the fragmented health service in NZ doesn't know its arse from its elbow.

          And teeth. The USA aside – is there another so-called developed nation in the world where poor people can be identified by their teeth?

          I could go on (as I'm sure most people could).

          • roblogic 9.1.1.1.1
            13 May 2020 at 1:23 pm

            I could go on

            Side effect of getting older is a collection of dramas. Every day above ground is a good day 👍🏼

            • Grafton Gully 9.1.1.1.1.1
              13 May 2020 at 6:36 pm

              Every day above ground for me is being taxed to pay people with self inflicted injuries and hidden disabilities to stay out of the workforce.

              • I Feel Love …
                13 May 2020 at 7:10 pm

                All I heard GG was "wah wah wah".

              • McFlock …
                13 May 2020 at 7:25 pm

                So much to unpack… the likelihood of some implication of lack of deservingness from "self inflicted", equating an undeserving injury with a hidden disability, the hope that maybe a visible disability would be viewed as deserving, and the idea that if that comment is indicative of GG's current go-to state of mind, maybe they currently have depression, which is often a hidden disability.

                Bless.

              • Tricledrown …
                13 May 2020 at 10:14 pm

                GG you can't be earning enough money to worry so much.Without ACC you would have many lawsuits bankrupting employers US style.

                • Incognito …
                  13 May 2020 at 10:19 pm

                  Good evening.

                  Would you please be so kind to acknowledge that you have seen and understood your recent moderation?

                  If yes, I will release you from Pre-Moderation.

                  If no or nothing, you will be banned for a while.

                  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

                  • Tricledrown …
                    13 May 2020 at 10:25 pm

                    Yes

                    • Incognito …
                      13 May 2020 at 10:27 pm

                      Thank you 🙂

                    • I Feel Love []
                      14 May 2020 at 8:04 am

                      Maybe that butcher had a "hidden disability", ie depression, stress, ptsd who knows, but it's comments like GGs which add to that pressure. But we've also seen the Tax Payers Union ask for some public relief, so if needed I'm sure GG will also be lining up for welfare too. Hypocrite.

    • Brigid 10.1
      13 May 2020 at 10:07 am

      She's soo hilarious. I couldn't work out where she was at the end. She's standing in the wardrobe!!

  11. Molly 11
    13 May 2020 at 9:07 am

    Kind of appalling to make this the lead article on the online Herald: Butcher's death after lockdown struggles: Family's plea to PM to lift lockdown rule.

    Series of editorial decisions made here:

    1. To run the article in the first place, although many people have lost friends and family in the last month.

    2. To put it in prominent homepage position.

    3. "Butcher's death after lockdown struggles…" is the (current) tagline on the homepage, click through and the article is titled "Covid 19 coronavirus: Family of Mad Butcher store owner Roy Green make heartfelt plea to allow them to attend his funeral", allowing the initial tagline to be changed – usual practice – when enough people have seen the tagline and absorbed the implied criticism.

    4. The first line promotes the idea that the liquidation is the most important factor in his death. Other factors are reported, but as an addition to a reiteration of the business line. Someone well versed in grammar, could perhaps explain the paragraphing here.

    "Roy Green, 38, died at the weekend after his business went into liquidation a week ago.

    The father-of-two owned the store in Pukekohe, South Auckland, and had run it for about five years. The Herald understands Green had also been struggling with other personal issues not related to the business."

    5. The tagline strongly implies the lockdown struggles are the reason for the butcher's death.

    6. The tagline also reduces the restrictions on Level 2 to a whim or arbitrary decision on the part of the PM, not a nationwide protocol.

    7. The article itself is completely unvetted. Quoting someone who while saying there should be no exceptions, seems to think they warrant it. There is also a bit of a sedgway in there, regarding the negative impact to business in general.

    8. All of which allows a statement be inserted in:

    "..the National Party says the limits are not only unkind, but "inhumane"."

    The National Party going anywhere near a discussion about humanity, is a novel experience.

    The reality is: a funeral is a time when physical expressions of sympathy, love and support are a fundamental part of the process. Social distancing during this time, will be harder to adhere to than any other gathering. This article is a good example of ill-considered and malignant editorial decision making, that will influence the goodwill of the Herald reading public unfortunately, and gives prominence to the Exceptional Me school of thought.

    • Sabine 11.1
      13 May 2020 at 10:17 am

      I understand the need for social distancing. I think most people do.

      but to reconcile the need for no more then 10 people at a funeral while at the same time allowing Malls to re-open, cafes to accept parties of no more then ten people but several there of makes no sense to me.

      We are debating how to go into level two atm and to be honest it is confusing. I have to have a registar for every person staying longer then 15 min, but everyone else can come into the shop? Lol. So if someone comes in – asymptomatic but infected – and stays less then 15 min its all good, no tracing required.

      It is confusing, and it makes little sense.

      But to pretend that the Heralds writers – many whom are in a class to profit of a National No Mates Party government – would not write National No Mates Party positive is also a bit naive. The Herald writers with the nice income know where their tax cuts and tax deductions come from, and it ain’t the Labur Party.editorial.

      However, the question stands, why can Malls be open with potentially hundreds of people showing up to get in, while a Tangi can only have ten people.

      And to be honest, butchers should have been considered essential services, as bakers and green grocers. Standing in line for several hours at a Supermarket can also a bea detriment to ones health.

      Meh, is all i got to say.

      • francesca 11.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 10:23 am

        I think you will find Sabine that attendance at a tangi is a way more emotional experience with a great deal of kissing and hugging and tender closeness than you would ever find at the average mall

        I'm glad however after all your angst that you have survived and are opening the shop again

        All the best

        • Sabine 11.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 11:28 am

          As a person how has lost both parents and a good amount of friends believe me, I have been at a Tangi and also at other funerals, and generally yes, they are emotional and generally they are also full of people. But thanks for educating me in the ways of the humans.

          As for your concern for my well being, thanks. But there is not one small business owner that has survived this, some just have an option of getting out earlier and hopefully with less damage then the butcher from Pukekohe. RIP.

          And if you think that at a Mall, jam packed with consumers, or people who just come to browse, eat, drink, kids running around playing etc are not emotional i must conclude that you have not been in a Mall for a while. And above all you have very little idea about humans in general.

          And lastly, maybe you care to actually address the points that i raised in good faith, rather then just go and be snarky with very little to say.

          Because by tomorrow, Cafes can allow groups of max 10 people each to come for emotional gathering, drinking and eating,

          But you can not have several groups of 10 people attend a tangi at the same time. And that is the difference that makes no fucking sense.

          And you can get the illness in a line at the supermarket (of which there have been many) but you can't online order and have a no contact pick up or delivery with your local butcher/green grocer/bakery, and that too makes no sense.

          bye now. 🙂

          • Dukeofurl 11.1.1.1.1
            13 May 2020 at 12:54 pm

            You dont seem to understand the details of the rules nor the obvious differences between a mall and a funeral/tangi

            At level 2 before lockdown they were largely empty., not jam packed and as with supermarkets now numbers are still restricted.

            Wild claims like "And you can get the illness in a line at the supermarket (of which there have been many)" show the inherent implausibility of all your arguments.

            All Mad Butcher shops struggled before the Coronavirus and there seems to be other pre-existing personal issues for this person

          • SPC 11.1.1.1.2
            13 May 2020 at 8:30 pm

            Supermarkets (food) were an essential, dairies are all there are in some areas. And in person shopping – not enough on-line ordering let alone delivery capacity, was required.

            For their competitors, any expanded risk of infection beyond minimalist operation of a food service.

            One issue was safe entry.

            By their nature some shops – butchers and greengrocers keep doors closed (unlike dairies) and flies out – and unlike supermarkets do not have electronic doors. This requires door handle entry, hands and all that.

            While I supported these shops being open, I (now realising the risk) would have required the retailer to open and close doors for one in and one out customers.

            Method of Payment – eftpos cards

            Supermarkets and dairies either have paywave, or they do not.

            For others the capacity to provide contactless service – on-line payment and delivery or contactless collect.

            They could have allowed butchers and greengrocers to operate if they had paywave instore, not just on-line payment delivery or collect – as many did at level 3.

            The positive for many butchers and greengrocers is that they will now be using the on-line order and delivery serivce to expand their customer base.

            And for the rest of us – paywave will become commonplace and thus community infection spread will reduce for more than just coronavirus.

        • aj 11.1.1.2
          13 May 2020 at 11:58 am

          I agree with francesca, and the the rules are quite rational. It's because of these apparent contradictions that it becomes easy to pick holes. But if you look at the overall intent of the rules, and apply them to every situation, then they become quite reasonable.
          Another story in today’s newspaper repeated that churches are only allow congregations of 10. That is incorrect, up to 100 with social distancing.

          • KJT 11.1.1.2.1
            13 May 2020 at 12:31 pm

            Just seeing a whole lot of Facebook posts from PI and Māori agreeing with the Government about Tangi.

            Saying "hard as it is, we don't want more people dying after a Tangi".

            And, that it is impossible to attend a Tangi, and "distance".

            • aj 11.1.1.2.1.1
              13 May 2020 at 12:59 pm

              Someone needs to ask Bridges and other national MP's a simple yes/no question. If health advice was to limit the attendance at funerals to 10, would they have ignored it. Yes or no. Quite simple.

      • Molly 11.1.2
        13 May 2020 at 12:48 pm

        Didn't expect the Herald to be pro-Labour, but at present have been in close proximity to people who loudly, and aggressively have resisted any restrictions on their behaviour, even during Alert 4. I do think the consequences of this kind of reporting have real world impacts on individuals, and those they interact with in the community.

        Regarding the opening of malls, etc. That is going to be an interesting study in the behaviour patterns of people. Given the mobile and dynamic nature of shopping in malls, there is quite a bit of movement. Maintaining social distancing is going to be a ballet performance, with a few incidents of two left feet I would think. It will also be interesting to see if people do flock back to the malls, just because they can, or whether those that feel vulnerable, or have concerns still about transmission reduce the patronage numbers. (Along with the large number of people who may have lost any disposable income).

        I hope it will be easier for you in your cafe. With seated patrons, protocols are easier to define and implement. Our local bakery has marked positions on the pavement outside, and customers go in one at a time to order and purchase. My partner has spent quite a lot of time in the last few weeks writing up new SoP's and induction processes for his workplace to go back to work.

        I don't think the restriction on funerals – at this stage – is onerous, although I do feel for those who have lost loved ones, or will lose loved ones – at this time. I agree with francesca that the ability to social distance from others who are grieving, is a much harder task than to distance yourself from strangers in a shopping environment.

        My point about the article about butcher from Pukekohe, is that the article was framed that it was the loss of business that caused his death. It is apparent, however, that no-one knows what it was. Regarding your comment about butchers being essential, AFAIK, butchers have been able to operate on-line and contactless delivery in Alert 3. Our regular butcher has been able to do so. It also contained a lot of expectation for exceptionalism, which is in contradiction to what is needed.

      • Editractor 11.1.3
        13 May 2020 at 12:55 pm

        Perhaps it is also because funerals and weddings are more likely to draw in people from far and wide, making tracking and containment of any spread more difficult.

    • I Feel Love 11.2
      13 May 2020 at 10:24 am

      Stuff still running the headline. So now the mans story is made public, a weapon for the opposition and gutter press.

      • Treetop 11.2.1
        13 May 2020 at 2:22 pm

        It is important for the media to not add to the families distress.

        Have the media set up a give a little page?

        Words are cheap sincere action is not.

    • ianmac 11.3
      13 May 2020 at 11:31 am

      The father-of-two owned the store in Pukekohe, South Auckland, and had run it for about five years. The Herald understands Green had also been struggling with other personal issues not related to the business."

      That should have been the main idea because one might guess it was the main reason for his death. But it should not have been published it at all as it is written should have been a compassionate decision. Must be very trying for Mr Green's family.

      • Molly 11.3.1
        13 May 2020 at 12:52 pm

        " But it should not have been published it at all as it is written should have been a compassionate decision. ". I agree, my long-winded meandering comment corrected down to the most salient point. Thanks, ianmac.

    • SPC 11.4
      13 May 2020 at 8:07 pm

      The headline about the family's call to lift the lockdown rule was about the funeral, not the operation of the business under levels 4 and 3.

      The Herald first reported last Friday about the liquidation of the buisness a week earlier. (the story noted how many other Mad Butcher franchises had closed in the past year – pre pandemic. Some during the term of the franchiose some when these ended. Because the franchise model had low profits pre pandemic). He died on the Sunday – the story was about the funeral.

  12. Kay 12
    13 May 2020 at 9:39 am

    Inter city bus/rail travel around a nation should a NECESSARY part of the infrastructure, not a 'nice to have'. Just another example of the mass privatisations of the 1990s catching up with us. Hopefully the government will realise that a subsidy for the duration to keep this vital service running is necessary.

    https://www.intercity.co.nz/travel-info/network-status/level-2

  13. Adrian Thornton 13
    13 May 2020 at 9:55 am

    New Zealand exports over 800 Million dollars of goods to Indonesia, while our "kindness" govt remain silent over the genocide of the indigenous people of West Papua….I guess this kindness is only valid if it doesn't get in the way of their free trade ideology…as I keep banging on about, no morals or ethics can be found in the Liberal ideology.

    The battle for West Papuan independence from Indonesia has intensified with deadly results

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-12/west-papua-secret-war-with-indonesia-for-independence/12227966

  14. Dennis Frank 14
    13 May 2020 at 9:58 am

    "The French economist Thomas Piketty is the bestselling author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2013) and its follow-up, Capital and Ideology (2019), a sweep through 1,000 years of the history of inequality. Speaking to the Guardian, he said he had been thinking about the opportunities this pandemic may present to build fairer, more equal societies." https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/12/will-coronavirus-lead-to-fairer-societies-thomas-piketty-explores-the-prospect

    He says “powerful shocks like pandemics, wars or financial crashes have an impact on society, but the nature of that impact depends on the theories people hold about history, society, the balance of power – in a word, ideology – which varies from place to place. It always takes major social and political mobilisation to move societies in the direction of equality.”

    So belief systems determine the outcome of those shocks: particularly those bonding the largest social groups.

    • bill 14.1
      13 May 2020 at 10:16 am

      Well – the largest social group has been taught there is no alternative, capitalism is natural, the clowns in charge know what they're doing and that everything must be paid for.

      Meanwhile, those in charge in the US have gifted corporations $US4 Trillion for a buying spree in an unfolding global depression.

      So between what people believe and the balance of power they perceive…

      • francesca 14.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 10:26 am

        We've still a way to run .

        Can you see attempts at reinstating business as usual being successful .We may have to wait a bit longer for that to be seen as futile

        • bill 14.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 1:05 pm

          I'm thinking that the idea is to eat the US. Y'know, America can die, but the US corporation can rise triumphant and spread across the globe.

          There has been precious little for small businesses over there, and a single $1200 cheque for those who qualified.

          Meanwhile, the US has been leaning on the UK to allow it to veto any trade arrangements with China it may negotiate.

          Does Robertson and the other clowns think they can get NZ a slice of that $US 4+ Trillion US corporations have? Do they think it will come by way of neutral investment? Is that why the bullshit from the US songbook that Peter's splurted about Taiwan and the WHO?

          • Pat 14.1.1.1.1
            13 May 2020 at 1:17 pm

            Think what our 'clowns' are more concerned with is maintaining access to the ability to purchase offshore in a world where others determine the rules.

            Like us they dont necessarily like or agree with the environment we find ourselves in but nevertheless must do the best they can within it.

            Peters playing his own games off to the side.

            • bill 14.1.1.1.1.1
              13 May 2020 at 4:25 pm

              You saying "our" clowns want to keep playing the game? They've got a golden opportunity to lead the world, pivot and allow the laws of physics to determine sets of rules and strategies…

              I'm not suggesting that would be easy, but hey….

              • Pat …
                13 May 2020 at 4:34 pm

                I think our "clowns" (who in this instance I believe are not) are between a rock and a hard place and what Ive seen to date dosnt lead me to be so certain they want to keep the game being played the way it has been….whether that leads to the necessary (and gutsy) changes required is yet to be seen…im still hopeful but also mindful how easy it will be for any change to be unwound

  15. gsays 15
    13 May 2020 at 10:41 am

    Morena folks, I am seeking tips and tactics for dealing with a reasonably serious complaint about a landline service provider.

    How I see it, the company has changed its policy and doesn't accept cheques. My in-laws have paid their last two bills by cheque. The company disconnected them three days ago.

    They are elderly, diabetic (one with serious other health issues), no cell phone, no internet/computer. We were assured yesty morn the phone would be back on "in a few minutes".

    Later that arvo, still no phone. Another call and we find out that as the line is disconnected, it may take up to 5days to reconnect!

    Who is best to contact both in the company and perhaps outside of company?

    Any ideas on how to get things moving quicker?

    Cheers.

    • greywarshark 15.1
      13 May 2020 at 10:55 am

      gsays This will be interesting. I have been wondering about this cheque business. I hope someone can suggest something, cheques should still be legal tender and a refusal to accept them should put that business in the wrong. What does the Reserve Bank do about this? Hasn't it got any teeth to deal with our money system's wrongdoings and desires of businesses to make up their own rules?

      My bank SBS says it is not stopping having cheques because we customers want them to hold on to the system. Yet Kiwibank, supposedly close to the people has decided to cut them out. It shows the distance that the need to be seen as 'businesslike' by SOEs makes between their real purpose to serve the people, and shows in the mind that they are efficient according to the current mantra from technocrats etc.

    • Anne 15.2
      13 May 2020 at 11:25 am

      I'm not knocking your in-laws gsays because I'm an older person and had difficulty paying bills during lockdown. I don't do online banking due to an experience years ago and I tried communicating with the providers but with no success. In the end a relative paid the bills and I reimbursed by way of cash.

      And therein I think lies the source of the problem. None of these organisations are operating as per normal. Staff are working from home and many services have been seriously affected. I also recall major service organisations announcing they would no longer accept cheques – last year I think it was.

      With the start of level 2 tomorrow, they will be up and running close to normal again but it could take a day or two to happen. Your in-laws won't be the only ones adversely affected so there may eventually be an element of compensation but I wouldn't hazard a guess what form it would take.

      In the meantime, I don't think there's much you can do but keep trying to get through to them.

      • gsays 15.2.1
        13 May 2020 at 12:25 pm

        Thanks Grey, Anne and Sabine.

        I get that companies are in a bit of turmoil at the moment. Not too busty to arrange a disconnect though. Their messaging has been inconsistent at best.

        The company has not communicated with the account holder about 'non-payment, although they claim to have sent a text!

        Part of the problem too is dealing with the person who answers the phone rather than, say, their team leader (or whatever they are called nowadays.
        One blessing is that they were unaware they had been cut off, otherwise they would have worried themselves sick.

    • Sabine 15.3
      13 May 2020 at 11:32 am

      Go to the news would be my best guess.

    • Bazza64 15.4
      13 May 2020 at 2:19 pm

      gsays – we had huge problems with Vodafone last year with our Broadband package. Despite many assurances they would fix it after we called them a heap of times nothing was ever done. The only way we got it resolved was by posting on Vodafone's Facebook page saying how useless they were with customer service, if they didn't respond we kept posting again saying how many days they had dragged it on for. This eventually made them pull finger & get it sorted.

      That might be a help if you are willing to do that ?

      Nowdays nobody wants to talk to you – just useless chatbots

    • Treetop 15.5
      13 May 2020 at 3:01 pm

      There should of been no disconnections during lockdown and for another week after lockdown level 2 starts.

      During lock down level 4 and 3 the person's bank needed to provide a service to set up a automatic payment. The wait time to get through was long and I opted to be called back. A separate number for high needs and those on NZ Super or a transfer would have helped. Also an option for do not disconnect would have helped.

      I am anti Internet banking. I find phone banking to be enough. I also will not use a personal teller ATM in a bank to deposit money.

      The level of control a bank has over me in what I am required to do to deposit money into a bank has gone too far.

      • gsays 15.5.1
        13 May 2020 at 4:03 pm

        I like yr healthy cynicism of the banksters.

        We are starting a complaint process with Telecommunications Dispute Resolution.

        They can investigate, advocate and, if it gets to it, make a judgement.

        Fingers crossed.

    • SPC 15.6
      13 May 2020 at 7:50 pm

      Don't they have a credit/debit card they can make payments by landline phone with? Others can pay on their behalf by this method also.

      • gsays 15.6.1
        13 May 2020 at 10:09 pm

        Yes, all that is possible once it is known that the cheques are not being accepted.

        Finding this out because you have been disconnected is a shitty way to do business, and a miserable way to treat long term customers. .

  16. A 16
    13 May 2020 at 10:53 am

    These are fucking creepy. Imagine going for a walk with these on patrol telling you what to do. Singapore has them, Australia is considering getting them "for public safety" to help enforce social distancing.

    Won’t be long before authorities find other uses for those dogs. Taxation, parking, policing…who knows.

  17. greywarshark 17
    13 May 2020 at 11:15 am

    That's right Efficiency NZ – remove controls and precautionary measures on something else that the neolib lean, efficient bunch of clots have prevailed on you turning you into their lapdogs, you in leadership positions! Now the agency running the airport controls.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/416493/proposal-to-remove-air-traffic-control-services-raises-safety-concerns-union

    ‘lapdogs’ and robot dogs above! Coincidence!

  18. Sanctuary 18
    13 May 2020 at 12:23 pm

    Oh man, I broke the second most important rule after not getting involved in a land war in Asia – I got into an argument with an anti-vaxer on FB, who it turns out thinks 5G also causes autism and Jacinda Ardern is part of a Freemason plot.

    God almighty spare me.

    • gsays 18.1
      13 May 2020 at 12:28 pm

      Have you come round to their way of thinking then?

      • Sanctuary 18.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 1:34 pm

        I told her the reason the government was passing legislation to support going to level 2 under urgency was because it wanted to round up all the anti-vaxxers and inject them with a vaccine that give them autism when/if they are exposed to 5G radiation.

        I then posted a youtube video of a fairground merry-go-round and left the FB conversation and turned off notifications…

        • Barfly 18.1.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 4:39 pm

          Love it ! cheeky

        • ianmac 18.1.1.2
          13 May 2020 at 4:58 pm

          Great Sanctuary. A sort of If you can't beat 'em join 'em but with a touch of malice. angry

        • RedBaronCV 18.1.1.3
          13 May 2020 at 5:34 pm

          Sanctuary mon hombre you will have entered the conspiracy hall of fame by now for that worthy effort…

          Anyone taking bets on how soon this gets face book tagged for incorrect news – 1 day 2 days goes viral …

          u devil u

    • Dennis Frank 18.2
      13 May 2020 at 12:30 pm

      Look on the bright side – the British royal family are lizards from outer space theory wasn't included. 😵

    • Anne 18.3
      13 May 2020 at 12:34 pm

      These nut-bars need to be banned from social media. Either that or agree to be treated for their bat-shit crazy notions. They are dangerous and they prey on vulnerable people.

    • joe90 18.4
      13 May 2020 at 12:39 pm

      Jacinda Ardern is part of a Freemason plot

      It's working.

      https://twitter.com/themattdimitri/status/1259230159573413889

    • roblogic 18.5
      13 May 2020 at 1:19 pm

      Problem is, there really *is* a conspiracy to screw over everybody and wreck the Earth, it's called Capitalism

  19. A 19
    13 May 2020 at 12:42 pm

    [WARNING

    Before you consider experimenting on and with yourself through self-medicating, especially if it is suggested somewhere on-line by a non-authoritative or non-authorised source without a disclaimer and without any mention of potential risks to your health, you should always consult your GP or other health professional first – Incognito]

    Testing is flawed and the issue is not as bad as it is represented as. – Thank God.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaIh0dmvRrI

    Aside from bad testing Covid 19 is a blood clotting issue, people aren't being treated properly so it's not surprising people are having a shit time with it. Current best evidence suggests additional vit C, zinc, quercetin, and vit D3/K2 will reduce symptoms and duration. Supplements work best taken early on. Anecdotal evidence suggests taking 3x 500 mg aspirins dissolved in lemon juice boiled with honey, taken hot will be a quick fix and sort of makes sense if dealing with a clotting issue – who knows? Worth a try.

    [You are free to believe your beliefs but when you post dangerous claptrap from some conspiracy nutter with a commercial interest in selling snake oil, I will push back hard and fast.

    None of what is in your comment is covered in the YouTube clip!?

    Current best evidence suggests additional vit C, zinc, quercetin, and vit D3/K2 will reduce symptoms and duration. Supplements work best taken early on.

    If this is “current best evidence” then you will have no trouble providing three links to independent, reputable, and verifiable sources.

    The “anecdotal evidence” looks right-out dangerous to me. One link to a reputable source will do.

    AFAIK, a dose of 3× 500 mg aspirin is much higher than any prophylactic dose, for adults! Nobody should take this without advice from a qualified health provider!

    … will be a quick fix and sort of makes sense if dealing with a clotting issue – who knows? Worth a try.

    This is dangerous lunacy layered over more lunacy, stupidity, and obvious ignorance!

    You are in Pre-Moderation until you provide those four links, with a decent commentary and explanation from you. If you fail to comply, you can withdraw your comment in full, but failing that, you will receive a ban – Incognito]

    • Dukeofurl 19.1
      13 May 2020 at 12:58 pm

      Bizarre nonsense

      "3x 500 mg aspirins dissolved in lemon juice boiled with honey, taken hot will be a quick fix..

      Have you tried injecting it ?

    • mac1 19.3
      13 May 2020 at 2:52 pm

      Now, what evidence is more trustworthy? "Anecdotal evidence" or the best evidence that scientists and medical experts using best scientific method produces? Anecdotal evidence that "sort of makes sense"?

      I want better than that, A.

    • Incognito 19.4
      13 May 2020 at 3:39 pm

      See my Moderation note @ 12:42 PM.

      • Stunned Mullet 19.4.1
        13 May 2020 at 4:31 pm

        Although very few people are likely to take health advice from such a post could you please remove it from the site.

        Apart from the quite large dose of an antiplatelet agent aspirin is contraindicated in children and teenagers due to risk of Reye's syndrome.

        • Incognito 19.4.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 8:17 pm

          Thank you. In situations like this, we need (more) input and guidance from commenters who know what they’re talking about.

          We generally don’t delete anything and leave it for educational purposes so that others can read & learn, but I’ll add a strong warning at the top of the comment.

      • RedLogix 19.4.2
        13 May 2020 at 4:46 pm

        In summary, the early use of aspirin in covid-19 patients, which has the effects of inhibiting virus replication, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-inflammatory and anti-lung injury, is expected to reduce the incidence of severe and critical patients, shorten the length of hospital duration and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular complications.

        https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04365309

        Given these lines of evidence, the purpose of the proposed multi-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial is to test the hypothesis that low-risk, early treatment with aspirin and vitamin D in COVID-19 (The LEAD COVID-19 Trial) can mitigate the prothrombotic state and reduce hospitalization rates.

        https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04363840

        I'm not endorsing the high dose of aspirin, and it's clear there are contraindications in young people … who are not likely to become seriously ill anyway. But neither does it seem a crazy dangerous notion either given the serious medical trials underway.

        Also the Vitamin D connection is quite well understood.

        And given I usually take a zinc supplement every day, I'm can't say I'm alarmed at that recommendation either.

        • swordfish 19.4.2.1
          13 May 2020 at 8:24 pm

          EVMS Critical Care COVID-19 Management Protocol

          Eastern Virginia Medical School's recommended approach to COVID-19 based on "the best (and most recent) literature" (May 11)

          Covers Prophylaxis, Symptomatic patients (at home), mildly symptomatic patients (in hospital), … through to … severely symptomatic patients (hospital).

          Emphasis on immune-boosters, anti-virals, antioxidants early on: Vitamin C & D3, Zinc, Quercetin, Melatonin & possibly Aspirin, Hydroxychloroquine Ivermectin to prevent infection or at early symptomatic stage … then adding anti-inflammatories & immune suppressive treatments as the disease progresses in hospital.

          https://www.evms.edu/media/evms_public/departments/internal_medicine/EVMS_Critical_Care_COVID-19_Protocol.pdf

          And the MATH+ Treatment Protocol recommended by Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Working Group

          https://covid19criticalcare.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/MATHPressRelease.pdf

        • Incognito 19.4.2.2
          13 May 2020 at 9:00 pm

          Thank you, but your comment highlights the hidden danger with health-related suggestions that sound innocuous and like ‘common sense’.

          You link to two clinical trials with aspirin that address the same medical problem of blood clots.

          There are a number of important differences between these trials, for example, and the crazy stuff dispensed by the snake oil salesman in the video clip @ 19, which had no bearing on the dangerous suggestions made in the comment @ 19.

          There is no evidence presented @ 19 that this “[c]urrent best evidence” and there is, of course, nothing to back-up the so-called “[a]necdotal evidence”.

          These two trials use much lower doses of aspirin of 100 and 81 mg, respectively, compared to 1,500 mg in the comment @ 19! When “dissolved in lemon juice boiled with honey” it might actually taste quite nice and why not have second one later in the day? “Worth a try.” Yeah, nah!

          The patients participating in these trials are tested beforehand for known contraindications and selected based on the inclusion criteria, which you can find in these links. You will also find the exclusion criteria in these links and you should have a read.

          The patients are carefully and regularly monitored for any side effects and adverse events caused by aspirin.

          This is very different from experimenting on yourself at home without any (prior) knowledge of the health risks and without any guidance or advice from a health professional whilst using a much higher dose of aspirin.

          The comment @ 19 gave no link to check, no warnings of any potential dangerous side effects, and was a concoction of dangerous quackery and harmful ignorance. In my view, it is as bad as Trump’s suggestion to inject disinfectant, which has led to poisoning cases in the US, I believe. In fact, I think it is worse because it sounds so harmless and reasonable to take aspirin. Doesn’t it just?

      • RedLogix 19.4.3
        13 May 2020 at 5:19 pm

        I'm fully aware of how difficult moderation can be Incognito; in no sense is my comment above intended to attack or discourage in any fashion. I'm 100% certain you were moderating A's post in good faith.

        Cheers

  20. ScottGN 20
    13 May 2020 at 1:23 pm

    Latest death in NSW is an 80 year old plus woman, a passenger on the Ruby Princess who first showed symptoms in mid-March and has been fighting Covid for 2 months. Poor woman, what an awful outcome.

  21. joe90 21
    13 May 2020 at 1:47 pm

    South Korea's covid containment strategy in action.

    https://twitter.com/vicjkim/status/1260034178629791745

  22. Ffloyd 22
    13 May 2020 at 1:48 pm

    Tova should go and work for Fox News. She’s a shocker. Always first up and always with the personal questions/attacks on Jacinda and Ashley. They have my utmost admiration for staying so calm and reasonable with her even though they know she’s not going to listen to a word they say. She’s like a bleedin dag that won’t drop off no matter how much the sheep rattles them. A political reporter she ain’t. Attack dog maybe. Chihuahua!?

    • observer 22.1
      13 May 2020 at 3:35 pm

      I have no problem with journos asking tough Qs (and I don't like seeing them abused on social media). But a minimum professional requirement is to ask those Qs in good faith.

      Tova O'Brien fails that test. It is certainly fair to ask if the max 10 limit is justified. But not to accuse people of being heartless, as if that was the real motivation for the decision.

      In fact, she's doing the opposite of holding to account. She's so gratuitously offensive that people switch off – literally or metaphorically. So any serious raising of the issue is lost.

      I agree that Ardern and Bloomfield handle this very well. I know I wouldn't.

      • I Feel Love 22.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 4:44 pm

        Her style of questioning is counter productive & easy to bat away, "are we being heartless? I don't think so, next."

    • KJT 22.2
      13 May 2020 at 4:06 pm

      Given up listening past the initial statements from Adern and Blomfield.

      Anything past that, is mostly random noise.

      Any other information, including business requirements, is available on Government Covid websites, and the remains of decent media online.

  23. Ad 23
    13 May 2020 at 2:06 pm

    Zero cases again today!

    • bwaghorn 23.1
      13 May 2020 at 2:43 pm

      Awesome .

      What is the government to do if in 1 year time we are fully clear of covid but no vaccine is coming and this bastard bug is still roaming the planet, can we survive being a little fortress and the bottom of the planet or will we have to open at some point?

      • Barfly 23.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 4:00 pm

        " can we survive being a little fortress at the bottom of the planet"

        Yep

  24. Peter 24
    13 May 2020 at 2:24 pm

    Simon Bridges in a number of utterances he's made in recent days, including today, shows he doesn't want future generations to pay for debts arising out of the Covid-19 situation.

    When I've got more freedom in the next short while I'm going to go to the local cemetery to ask generations gone by if they want to pay for them. I'm not confident of their support for the notion.

  25. Poission 25
    13 May 2020 at 2:53 pm

    NZ increases trade surplus since 1 Feb.

    2.5b vs 1.1 B (2019)year on year.

    https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/effects-of-covid-19-on-trade-1-february-6-may-2020-provisional

    we might be on track to reduce our current account deficit substantially for the first time in a generation.

  27. observer 27
    13 May 2020 at 3:46 pm

    Here is the news. Today, yesterday and tomorrow. Every day.

    "In a post that has since been deleted, Idiot X has ranted at Jacinda Ardern …"

    Today it's Leo Molloy, other times it's a Nat MP, or some other Angry Man (sic).

    Happens every single time. It's not just the rants, it's that they are so stupid they try and undo what can't be undone.

    Just put the phone down, lads. Breathe before Send. Share your hate with a pillow, not the world. So much easier than trying to make a time machine that never works.

  28. joe90 28
    13 May 2020 at 4:03 pm

    Aww..

    Mark Davies is used to flying around the world, typically visiting Geneva and Monaco every month in his work as a tax adviser for the super-wealthy.

    Now he’s sequestered at home in southwest London because of the coronavirus pandemic, which is wreaking havoc on his business and the tax plans of his clients similarly accustomed to globetrotting.

    “The pandemic means we’ve now got people stuck in the U.K. who didn’t intend to be here, and people who did want to be here that couldn’t,” he said. “It’s gone both ways.”

    As nations have closed borders, some individuals are confronting unexpectedly complex tax situations. These include the prospect of higher levies from spending too many days in a foreign locale, or having to shelve plans to obtain tax breaks by moving abroad.

    It’s not just international travel that poses tax risks. The question of tax complications also looms for the thousands of people in the U.S. who’ve crossed state lines to hunker down in vacation homes or with in-laws.

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-12/stranded-super-rich-confront-tax-chaos-after-pandemic-lockdowns?

    • RedBaronCV 28.1
      13 May 2020 at 5:12 pm

      …..shucks

      I wonder if we managed to trap any here that we can subsequently domesticate?

    • Gabby 28.2
      14 May 2020 at 1:00 am

      Just watch how quick HM Gov is to arrange exemptions for the paw widdle nondoms.

  29. Herodotus 29
    13 May 2020 at 4:05 pm

    No one needs to be concerned … We have a Labour/Green/NZ1 government, and what powers is parliament pushing thru currently regarding increasing police powers. And only a wee peep by one Left leaning organisation/blogs etc. UNBELIEVABLE

    🙈🙉🙊

    https://twitter.com/NZGreens

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12331487

    https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/05/13/why-on-earth-are-the-nz-police-trailing-mass-surveillance-face-recognition-tech-without-any-clearance/

      • mac1 29.1.1
        13 May 2020 at 8:47 pm

        The powers in the bill passed today are limited to 90 days currency. The government would have to return for an extension to the House if it felt the situation then warranted it.

        A month after that, we have an election!

        Not really the modus operandi of an aspiring authoritarian régime.

        • KJT 29.1.1.1
          14 May 2020 at 7:27 am

          Not so concerned about this Government, at present.

          The police, on the whole, have taken the direction to , “be kind” on board, and seem to have taken a common sense approach.

          At some stage though, we will return to a National Government, that turns a blind eye or even encourages abuse of police and spy agency powers. Tacitly supporting police overreach. They don't need any precedents for that.

          It is hypocritical that National criticises this bill, after their previous extensions to legislation, giving police, spooks and customs powers we associate with police States.

          • mac1 29.1.1.1.1
            14 May 2020 at 8:29 am

            Sorry, KJT, my comment was directed at Herodotus' fears. I do like what you write, though. 🙂

            I have noticed for many years a fear expressed by some, as laws are enacted, that although the present government might be OK, the legislation they are introducing may be misused by some future bunch of rogues.

            Many years have passed……. Smith's Dream is still just that.

            Rogues will either act ultra vires if they need to, or will enact their own legislation to give themselves a fiat. Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. (Having referred to that quote, I have just realised that it could be taken to mean that eternal vigilance by the state over its citizens is the price of freedom, rather than the vigilance of the citizen to prevent that.) Some further investigation found some great examples in US history of the power of eternal vigilance. https://conversableeconomist.blogspot.com/2017/07/notes-on-eternal-vigilance-is-price-of.html

            This includes an action to oppose and eventually have repealed a land grab in Georgia by speculators who bribed their way to the enactment of a law to allow the alienation to their speculative companies of millions of acres of public land in the 1790s. Fascinating stuff and a testimony to one man who saw the wrong and brought about its repeal.

    • I Feel Love 29.2
      13 May 2020 at 4:49 pm

      Media too busy stalking David Clark or looking for suicides. When we first went into lockdown I was terrified the cops were gonna be over the top, but they weren't. In the UK & Aus they have been, so it's a credible fear (but the Herald suddenly concerned about police going onto marae? Pfft.)

      • Anne 29.2.1
        13 May 2020 at 6:35 pm

        When we first went into lockdown I was terrified the cops were gonna be over the top, but they weren't.

        Yep. I did too. Pleasantly surprised they acted with common sense and discretion. Whether it has anything to do with the new Commissioner of Police (whose name currently escapes me but that’s normal for me 🙁 ), I don’t know.

        I have had good reason to be cynical of the NZ Police in the past but maybe things have changed.

        • gsays 29.2.1.1
          13 May 2020 at 10:20 pm

          " I have had good reason to be cynical of the NZ Police in the past but maybe things have changed. "

          Not so fast there Anne. The coppers implementing trialing the face recognition spying stuff, didn't know the commissioner's name either.

    • weka 29.3
      13 May 2020 at 5:29 pm

      Not sure what your first link was meant to be to, but it went to the GP twitter account (I've fixed the visuals on the link).

  30. joe90 30
    13 May 2020 at 5:28 pm

    Relying on a bloke who usually deals in wedding gowns to import life-saving equipment from a CCP member didn't work out too well.

    But the shipment arriving that night in late March wasn’t going to solve the problem. An Associated Press investigation has found those masks were counterfeits — as are millions of medical masks, gloves, gowns and other supplies being used in hospitals across the country, putting lives at risk.

    […]

    Florida-based importer Mark Kwoka said he believes the Shanghai Dasheng masks with ear loops that he obtained came from their factory, based on information he received from his partners in China.

    “This is kind of getting out of control,” said Kwoka, who made a career in bridal gown design and manufacturing in China but turned to masks earlier this year.

    https://apnews.com/850d9e6834fc71967af6d3dda65ad874?

  31. millsy 31
    13 May 2020 at 6:40 pm

    This young butcher who died is being turned to a martyr by the National Party, #nzpol, ACT and business sector.

    While it is said that he was under a lot of stress, it wasn't like he was going to end up sleeping in his car. Had he waited a bit longer, an interest free IRD loan would have tied him over, with no repayments for 3 years. Repayments would probably have been at $20 a week even.

    A few years ago, I read about an older couple who had been bounced around motels for 6 months after being evicted by Housing NZ on trumped up meth charges. Their daughter, a mother of 6, had killed herself because WINZ had told her that they wouldn't be paying for her motel rooms anymore. So they had to take their 6 kids with them as they were trapped in motel room purgatory.

    Unfortunately that woman didn't get made into a glorious martyr for the National Party cause. Nope, her belongings got tossed and 2 pensioners are working out how the hell they are going to bring up 6 kids in a world where some Boomer's return matters more than giving people a roof over their head.

    • SPC 31.1
      13 May 2020 at 7:31 pm

      The problem was the Mad Butcher franchise system was/is going under – little profit. The number have halved in the past year (pre-pandemic) – franchises ending with the term or during term.

      There was a liquidator appointed. Franchise models complicate getting bank support. Especially with that franchises recent record.

  32. millsy 32
    13 May 2020 at 6:44 pm

    Woodhouse knows that Muldoon was a National Party PM right? Not even the CCP denigrates Mao like that, even if they do accept his failings.

  35. logie97 35
    13 May 2020 at 11:44 pm

    Restaurants to open again.

    One waiter/ress per table.

    As there is to be monitoring of distance and non-contact, those with pony tails working in Parnell should feel fairly safe then.

    • I Feel Love 35.1
      14 May 2020 at 8:07 am

      do a Larry David, to keep people away from You wear a MAGA cap. Social distance device.

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    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
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    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
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    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
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    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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