Lucky Anthony, the Boodle Boodle Boodle album is rare, unless they've started re-pressing them. A few years ago I declined buying one for $100 at a second hand Cuba St. store and still regret it to this day.
Oh cheers reply matey. Amongst my vinyl ( I know : ) I have it…Echo Records …..price on it $6.99.
That song and the Dunedin sound…Flying Nun.. still awesome today.
I met up some Americans while back..they saying that Flying Nun still highly rated on American Student Radio. Quality. Was a cool thing to read Jacinda connection
Straight men, just so you know you’re not exempt. You will be expected to be sexually attracted to trans women, and because self ID means any man who says he’s a woman is a woman and thus trans, you will have to learn to be gay. Think this isn’t happening? Lesbians have been at the brunt of this now for years, it’s called the cotton ceiling.
To be *very clear, this isn’t trans people generally. This is trans activists and gender identity ideologists. Trans people obviously have concerns about whether people won’t date them because of actual transphobia, but what’s happening here is that male bodied people are telling lesbians they have to learn to like girl dick. Next up, straight men will have to learn to like girl dick or be branded transphobic. Don’t worry, there are workshops now that will teach you.
if all that seems outlandish, it is. It’s also rape culture and the identity left is endorsing it. Think it won’t affect ordinary people? It’s now at policy level in the UK, and there is a big push to say sexual attraction is based on gender identity not sex. This means there is no such thing as homosexuality (or heterosexuality), so it’s also a homophobic position. In NZ there is a push to replace sex with gender identity in other areas (eg Stats NZ), we will see if the gender identity sexuality ideology takes hold here.
Challenging trans ideology is clearly having an impact. The clip below is recent, and yet the trans protagonists are carrying on as if there has been no research that emphatically questions the safety of 'affirming' therapies. There's a strong hint of the cornered cat about the presenter…and the professionals who proffer their opinions on some US states severely restricting or criminalising medicalised therapies for gender dysphoric children are almost creepy. They are coming across as a cult.
Blows my mind that some people appear to not have educated themselves about what happens with gender reassignment surgeries, what the complication rates are, the lack of research showing outcomes. I mean I get it on one level, reading about the surgeries is challenging for many I think (myself included) but reading about the complications is full on. If one believes that surgery is useful for teens, all that can be ignored I guess. I suspect there's a fair amount of superficial acceptance of trans humanism too, and that medicine is Good therefore this must be too.
Weird though, because Bee must have a research team, and it's not hard to find out the arguments against child and teen medical/surgical transition.
The other aspect though is that in the US there really are reasons to be concerned about Republicans passing anti-trans laws. Is the law the dude mentions really saying no to 'gender-affirming health care' for youth? Is that a euphemism for surgery and hormones? Or does it apply to all trans specific health care for people transitioning? Let's not forget these are the same legislators that are removing abortion rights.
Is that a euphemism for surgery and hormones? Or does it apply to all trans specific health care for people transitioning? Let's not forget these are the same legislators that are removing abortion rights.
These laws are very sensibly putting the brake on the rampant medicalisation of gender dysphoria and will protect children/youth from being experimented on by those creepy vivisectionists. Claiming that there is a 'right' to such 'treatments' is disingenuous. The trans activists are (again) coat tailing on other legitimate battles for rights…such as the availability of safe abortion services. As they are wont to do.
depends on what is being banned. If someone has had surgery they will need medical care afterwards, sometimes for a long time. Is that banned too? What if they need surgery to remedy complications? Are they still allowed to get hormone prescriptions if already on hormones? What if they just want counselling but not drugs and surgery?
None of that is explained. Both sides (Bee and Republicans) are as bad as each other. It's all rhetoric and I don't trust either of them. So sure, we can be thankful that there is a brake, but we should also be looking at what should be put in place instead.
Some conservatives will be wanting to protect children, some will be wanting to remove trans people from society.
ok I watched the first few minutes and am stopping now, because it's basically propaganda. I do think there are problems with what Republicans are doing, but the solution isn't to allow free-for-all transition. The whole 'all medical people agree' is such bullshit, and the fact that in NZ people are trying to stop a conference on gender therapy for youth because it's taking a critical look at the affirmation only model tells me that backlash can be expected against trans people. Because there is no public mandate for this, and otherwise liberal/left leaning people will support bans because that's the only way to stop things now.
Unfortunately, as the loudest voices in the Transactivists movement are the autogynephiliacs (the men who are sexually aroused by the thought of themselves as women) and they are mostly heterosexual, they are not sexually interested in straight men. A big part of their paraphilia is identification of themselves not only as women, but as lesbians. Sex with lesbians is seen as an ultimate validation of their being a woman. That is why it is lesbians who are finding their dating sites stuffed full of "transbians", and it is lesbians who are being bullied and blackmailed into accepting their "girldicks".
True. What interests me here is that McKinnon said what they said (in 2018), making it a political position I think. The idea is that people won't sleep with trans people because they think there is something wrong with being trans, but this has now morphed into the rapey, you should ignore someone's body and your own sexual orientation.
I think it's significant that this has been pushed by trans women (males), not trans men (females). AGP is almost certainly part of that, although the need for validation is across all trans people as far as I can tell (hence pronouns and giving birth and wanting to be called a father). AGP trans people have a quite specific need and way of approaching that.
I also think the patriarchal hierarchy is too: people being harrassed in this order: lesbians, gay men, heterosexual men (maybe)
As you point out, this perspective isn't based on the rights of transgender people to live without discrimination, it is proponents of Queer theory coat-tailing on a separate movement to appropriate support and credibility.
The colonisation of sexual orientation organisations with gender identity has been phenomenally successful. Now the initially welcome guest, has taken over the house and unpacking a lot of unwanted baggage.
This unfortunately seems to be initiating a pushback on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual hard-won rights and acceptance. The baser proponents of Queer theory have been unquestioningly provided with support and platforms. When people realise what they are saying, there will be resistance not only to those ideas, but also unfortunately to the movements that gave them influence.
My disdain remains with the cascade of institutions, politicians and experts who promote all aspects of Queer theory without even the most cursory scrutiny.
There is of course a shedload of $$$$ in the promotion of gender identity. Organisations that used to be funded to promote the rights and protections of same sex attracted people are now almost entirely funded to promote "queer" theory and with it the ideology of gender identity. Plus – particularly in America – which has a "for profit" health system, there is a lot of money to be made from lifelong dependence on artificial hormones and sterilizing and mutilating (removal of healthy tissue) surgeries with very high "complications" rates.
In my recent foray into reading about porn the growing influence of hypno cissy porn has come up multiple times, so it may pay for some to approach your suggestion with caution.
There's now quite a lot I wish I didn't know, although it still seems necessary to have some knowledge on the topic.
Watched the Blair White video. Good points, well made.
TBH, though I can think of a quite a few rad FEMS who could've knocked out those points in a quarter of the time, made a cup of tea, and got down to the nitty-gritty by the halfway point.
Likely my text bias at play.
The great aspect of Blaire White is the extensive reach into a distinctly non-feminist audience that has concerns about specific aspects of gender ideology, combined with the nonchalant waving away of accusations of transphobia.
It was a fair review. Award more stars then I thought it merited.
As a gay man I've been told by activists that "same sex attraction is transphobic" and noticed left wing orgs saying "same gender attraction" and that saying you're only interested in biological makes is transphobic and reducing people to their privates, but that's what the activists are doing.
However, I don't hear trans people saying this, it's almost always thier cis hetero allies on Twitter who say this stuff for social media likes and unfortunately corporations, govt institutions see this and pander to that lot.
I've never met a trans person who thought not wanting to sleep with someone is transphobic my trans friends say "times ain't that tough , I don't need to guilt people into sex" I've only met allies who say this.
Genitals are huge part of being gay. In fact it's 99% of it to a lot of gay men lol.
I find this deeply, deeply homophobic and borderline endorsed conversion therapy.
Ive seen it in lots of discourse.
I couldn't help notice that the ACLU when the overturning people who would be most effected by the overturning of Roe v Wade didn't list women once, in fact it listed the LGBT+ first (not everything is about the LGBT)
This "if you're not attracted to x you're a bigot" is what happens when you constantly update the definitions of bigotry, to me, transphobia is when someone can't get a job, or rent a house because they are trans, it's when you want to demean someone for being trans, it's when you want to hurt someone for being trans, transphobia is not I don't want to sleep with you.
You cannot change someone's sexuality whether they are straight gay bi and to attempt to do so is evil and quite frankly anyone attempting to do so should be charged with attempting conversion therapy, which is illegal.
Unfortunately Corey, as I said above, for the autogynephiliacs, who are constantly seeking "validation" of their identity as a woman through forcing themselves into every women's activity or spaces from bathrooms to knitting groups for their sexual gratification, almost the ultimate (apart from perhaps selection for an Olympic Games women's team) is to blackmail, bamboozle or bully a lesbian into having sex with them.
I find it deeply homophobic too, and am at a loss to understand why progressives support this. Part of it is No Debate and the threat of cancellation and slap downs, but even so it's very odd.
Unfortunately, the messaging is not limited to the Twitter sphere.
Gay, lesbian and bisexual youth seeking information and support from Rainbow Youth NZ and Inside Out (the 2 main well-founded organisations) will also be told that they are same-gender attracted, not same-sex attracted.
The movement that screams about conversion therapy has in yet another linguistic twist, removed any and all sexual orientations – including heterosexual – from consideration. Despite sexual orientation being a protected characteristic in the Human Rights Act 1993.
Rainbow Youth website has zero occurrences of the word "lesbian".
Unfortunately, this damage is compounded by advice – or lack of it – regarding consent with sexual partners. While some noises are made regarding being open, contradictory advice is offered regarding your right to not be 'outed' until you feel it is something you want to do.
There's a whole conversation about the legal charge of Sex by Deception that is avoided
What does this mean for young people inexperienced and uncertain about exploring their sexual nature's? If you want to know research. You will find some young people laughing about their casual sexual partners only discovering their sex, AFTER intimacy. The resultant distress is a source of amusement, as it is viewed as exposing bigotry – an obsession with genitals.
Old school feminists, and old school gay and lesbian rights activists had more accurate names for this practice:
With respect, I really don't think you have the faintest idea who or what "straight" men will or won't go to bed with. Speaking from experience. Whether or not they're open about it is another matter.
Also I'm pretty sure that's not how patriarchy works. You are absolutely entitled to the way you feel about the topic, but framing heterosexual cis-men as being vulnerable parties in the sexual ecosystem is not the strongest argument I've ever heard.
Straight men, just so you know you’re not exempt. You will be expected to be sexually attracted to trans women, and because self ID means any man who says he’s a woman is a woman and thus trans, you will have to learn to be gay.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that sounds a little like pandering to old school homophobic gay panic, trap stereotypes and fragile masculinity. I'm perfectly open to gender critical points of view and see the validity to them in many contexts, but there is a point when you begin to sound slightly ridiculous.
This is one of those points. That's all I'm going to say on the matter because most debate on the topic is mostly futile here.
I'm aware of the men who sleep with men and don't consider themselves gay. Also aware of the various situations where males are having sex of some kinds with other men. This isn't my point though. My point is about whether people have the right to define their own sexual orientation, and whether straight men realise that calling themselves straight (as in, they will only have sex with females) is transphobic.
I'm also not saying that het men are vulnerable parties in the sexual ecosystem, I'm talking politics. There are lots of reasons why het men take stands against women's politics, I've been surprised but not really surprised about it on gc issues, the transphobia accusations seem relevant to this. But of course het men won't be targeted in the same way that lesbians and gay men are, because patriarchy, sexism, and AGP. This was discussed upthread.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that sounds a little like pandering to old school homophobic gay panic, trap stereotypes and fragile masculinity. I'm perfectly open to gender critical points of view and see the validity to them in many contexts, but there is a point when you begin to sound slightly ridiculous.
Scratching my head at that. The point here isn't that straight men can't like girldick. It's that people are entitled to their own sexual orientation, including straight men (but, obviously, they get let off the hook).
The left wing GC position is solidly that people can be how they are, be that straight, gay, GNC, trans, whatever. It's not homophobic to point out to straight men that being straight is now considered transphobic. It is homophobic to put political and personal pressure on gay people to have sex with people of the opposite sex. Is that ridiculous? Of course, many aspects of this debate are. If you think it's not happening, you are ill informed. Straight men aren't being targeted, yet, for the reasons already mentioned. I think you missed the pointedness if my comment.
But many have come up against several technical issues. Newshub on Sunday revealed several stories from people who found the process far from simple; from struggles filling out forms, to spending hours trying to grasp the rules and misunderstandings over what was required to re-enter New Zealand.
That needs looking at to see if it's common, or if Shub are exaggerating.
Two is that when the guy approached customs about the one minute early test, this was also declined. That's madness. It's also $160/test, which is a lot of money for some people.
Given that Customs themselves admit there are issues and are making changes – I don't think you can dismiss the complaints in their entirety (quote from the NHub article linked above – my emphasis)
a Customs spokesperson insists the process is "working well" for most travellers coming into New Zealand – although they admit the process has proven challenging for some, and are now making changes to ensure the system is more "user-friendly".
The assumption (prevalent amount civil servants) that everyone is technologically literate (able to upload a picture of a negative test, for example) – is widespread, and has been a demonstrated barrier to service in many areas.
And the fact that the help numbers don't connect (possibly overwhelmed, possibly only staffed during the working day – who knows) is another major issue.
After trying it three times – each of which took around 20 minutes – Rutledge tried calling the help numbers on the page but none of them would connect.
There's quite a short time-window between when you get results pre-departure, and when you have to check into your flight, with all the documentation complete. You really need 'real time' assistance available for when the online process falls over.
Belladonna-I got a good grasp as to the requirements required for both people coming in from NZ/OZ (very few requirements) and people coming in from other countries in 6 minutes on the site below. (not "hours")
I accept that the 48 hours for a PCR test could be a bit iffy-but these days they come back in 24 hours. (I have some experience here; coming back from Darwin a year ago was quite a hassle).
But in any event the requirement now is only for a supervised RAT test which should be no problem at all.
According to the article, the biggest issue isn't the test, it's the challenges uploading the results.
Which, it's clear, Customs have acknowledged and committed to resolve.
And, yes, it's 'easy' to find the requirements online if you have a straightforward situation – but the problem arises, when it's not – and the contact systems (to get in touch with a real person) don't work.
And, really, declining a test result because it was 1 minute outside the time frame – is the sort of decision a computer makes, not a person…..
Are there any complaints about the Customs procedures that you would be prepared to characterise as not whinging?
I think I have got so pissed off with the Covid era oh-so-entitled whingers and the way the Herald and even RNZ have reported them so favourably and without balance (remembering here that the whingers form a tiny tiny percentage of the people coming to NZ) that I've got little tolerance for any whinging at this stage.
I am only slightly taking the mickey when I have said since 2020 that coming in with Covid was the Moaning Minnie Virus where people seem to be moaning because they have a greater possibility of NOT dying of Covid because of the actions of Govt.
We now know, if we did not know it before, that a great proportion of Govt bashing is actually misogyny against the PM both as proxy and personally.
My point is not so much about the whinging but the automatic response of taking it to the media.
I really am not interested in the moans of a person being taken up by the media as if it is newsworthy rather than the sham beating up of the Govt/Ministers that it really is. The issue is minor in the scheme of things. as if you were really hard-up you just would not be travelling around NZ let alone to Australia.
Nah. The truly privileged have PAs, assistants and aides, to sort all of this stuff out for them. Catch them wasting an hour of their lives trying to upload a photo to a Customs website. Not likley. They have 'people' to do all of that for them…
Let us not forget that the media are either run privately, or are 'state-owned enterprises' which means they get run by people from the bloody marketing industry, etc.. Effectively the same. National Radio now runs far more advertising of its own programmes than it used to do because they now do a tiny new news-headline-break on the half-hour at half-past, and follow it with and ad for their own programmes about which we already know, and that ad often lasts as long as the headline-news break did.
(Hint to RNZ – WE DON’T NEED THIS!!)
Our media are biased towards right-wing private enterprise dogma., and will always give big publicity to such whinging about Covid restrictions, 3 Waters, etc – whatever, whether justified or not.
Our news media are not unbiased, and we cannot trust them.
Context is everything.To understand the Ukraine invasion we need to examine the reasons for the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Then we were 2 seconds to midnight on the Doomsday clock. I was 16 ,and not surprisingly I took a close interest in events. The Western newspapers told us that Russia , with no provocation , was sending nuclear missiles to be erected in Communist Cuba ,ninety miles from the United States coast. This act was regarded as a existential threat , and the U.S threatened Russia with a nuclear attack if it did not desist. I watched with horror as the Russian ships approached Cuba with their nuclear missiles onboard . Fortunately the U.S. had a sane leader in John Kennedy, who negotiated with the Russian leader [ Khruschev] and Mutually Assured Destruction was avoided.! However, four years later I learned that that there had been provocation from the U.S. in that they had previously erected nuclear missiles in Turkey, aimed at Russia. ! There had been an agreement struck that the U.S would remove its missiles from Turkey, and Russia would turn around its ships. The U.S had lied to the world about the existence of the missiles in Turkey. Just as they have lied about the Coup De'tat they arranged in Ukraine in 2014 ,overthrowing a democratically elected government.That was the next event that has brought us back to Cuban Missile Crisis Mark 2. What would happen if Russia erected nuclear missiles in Cuba , Mexico, or Venezuela like the U.S. is doing around the borders of Russia??? I have already lived through an event that absolutely threatened to destroy all life on earth. I do not particularly want to do it all again. Russia regards itself to be under a existential threat. They have said so repeatedly. Unless they get security guarantees they will progress things to the point of a nuclear exchange. There is no John Kennedy with his finger on the nuclear trigger in the U.S. this time around!!!
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[lprent: While probably interesting, accurate, and badly formatted about an event that happened soon after I was born. It really doesn’t address anything in the post. Essentially you appear to be (reading between the lines) arguing that if a government has nuclear weapons then it should be able to do whatever they want.
However you haven’t presented any reasoning why this should be the case. Which means that you aren’t arguing to the post. You are just waffling and appear to be unable to formulate any points worth debating in the context of the post.
OpenMike is the place for post irrelevant ranting. Please read the policy. ]
Mid-term cabinet re-shuffles are more common than not. However, it may well be that Ardern is not quite as in control of the timing, as she would like to be. She will, no doubt be well-aware of the downwards tend of the polls, and Labour do (I believe) a lot of polling of specific issues – so will be aware which Ministers are not being *perceived* as performing well.
Some interesting speculation here, over which MPs are likely to retire at the next election (so may be moving sideways to allow others to gain experience)
I'm delighted to see two of my 'favourites' (Kiri Allan and Kieran McAnulty- and ones I tipped as future leadership potential, last week) – to be touted as potentially able to move into the police role. Regardless of whether or not Williams is doing a good job, she is looking increasingly besieged in the job, and doesn't appear to be dealing well with the media.
I do hope that Ardern brings on new leadership, rather than relying on the increasingly overburdened Hipkins and Woods.
Interestingly (perhaps this is a Wellington issue – so hadn't impinged on my radar) – Paul Eagle is tipped to resign in order to take the mayoralty. He's in Rongotai – Annette King's old seat – so absolutely a safe Labour by-election. I would hope that Szabo and Ardern, are looking towards the future for the selection. Eagle hasn't exactly shone, and you want something more than a solid backbencher in such a safe seat.
Eagle is another failure,a head nodder.Fitzsimons who is not seeking council reelection is picked to be the candidate.She represented wellington south and is disliked by many labour stalwarts in Island bay,over a number of issues and especially the IB cycleway which pissed a whole community off,and grandstanding with the vanity projects that help rape the ratepayers pockets.Another lawyer.
Yes Fleur Fitzsimons is not everyone's cup of tea. She & the mayor got it wrong in my view in supporting the views of those who wanted to deny women the ability to discuss the implications for bio women of the BDM amendment bill/now act. It did not seem to matter to either that the Courts had thrown out the denial of the booking for a space. So not an outstanding person to go to Parliament based on her Council work. Yet Paul Eagle was a very good councillor who, it must be said, has not shone as an MP.
So it is odd how it turns out.
The person who has been working solidly away in Rongotai is Laurie Foon from the Green Party. She would make a good MP. Far better than the rather divisive Fleur Fitzsimons.
Certainly agree with you. Both have done very well over the term of this parliament – and ones to watch for the future.
Part of problem with die-hard Labour supporters, who defend every minister to the death – is that it becomes very difficult to discuss, meaningfully, which ministers are actually stars (combination of competence, public relations and media smarts).
– Hipkins into Police is rewarding successful delivery in COVID with stronger pure political management into Law and Order media which he excels at. Hipkins is the purest of our Pure Politicians and that's what's needed right now.
– Not choosing Nash for Police is a pretty important signal to Nash that he's peaked.
– Williams into Conservation is a useful move since there are so many deep Maori partnerships in National Parks now. Ardern doesn't always get it right and this is a better portfolio fit. Also she has a strong Disability background already.
– Fa'afoi leaving but delivering the merged RNZ-TVNZ to Jackson is a bit of a dream job for Jackson as a broadcasting specialist. What a gift: Don't fuck it up Jackson.
– Wood getting Immigration and keeping Transport and Workplace is a big Rising Star signal that he has excellent risk aerials and commands his briefs.
– Kiri Allen getting Associate Finance not Deb Russell is a bit of s signal Russell has peaked. Russell should have got Revenue long ago: Parker is no good at it.
– Radhakrishnan into Cabinet is a really important community signal of seniority that will not be lost.
– Dr Verrall taking Research Science and Innovation is not a huge step when surely all hands on deck are needed in Health for Little in the ginormous restructure.
– Great to see Mahuta get some help in Foreign Affairs so she can concentrate more delivering 3 Waters which is a core Labour legacy at this point.
– Dr Woods has big calls to make on Energy coming up, so I hope taking more Construction portfolio work doesn't see her lose a step elsewhere.
– Presumably Mallard will get the EU Ambassador role coming up.
Good on Ardern for shuffling a but more than otherwise. It was needed in the circumstances.
Hmm. I don't think it really is more extensive than 'minor'. Most of it is triggered by Faaroi leaving, and Williams being demoted; the consequent promotions into their vacant portfolios, and the subsequent shuffling of the minor roles that those people are vacating (in order to not be totally overwhelmed).
You're outlining many of the issues which have *not* been addressed, in this shuffle.
Ardern has said there will be another shuffle in (I think) January – though that's really too late to make any difference to the legislative programme.
I agree that Nash and Russell should be reading the writing on the wall. Though it can't really be news for either – they've been out of favour for some time.
Cabinet reshuffle today. Finally!!! This is the governments chance for a reset.
If Labour wants a shot at winning 2023 or atleast of having an experienced caucus in opposition it needs to give the 2017 and 2020 class of fresh blood cabinet positions.
I'd personally like to see:
I'd give
Duncan Webb Justice.
Mcnaulty Agriculture.
Nash Police. This is a must.
Kiri Allen regional development.
I'd like Michael Wood to get a promotion but he's performing very well in that portfolio.
Poto Williams Civil defence (she's an mp from Christchurch East, who better for earthquake preparedness)
Ardern foreign affairs (Kirk, Lange and for a time Clark held this portfolio as Pm and tbh Ardern shines while overseas and the more she's overseas not dealing with grumpy NZ media the better she gets in rooms no other NZ pm could dream of,she's our best rep on the world stage )
I'd also shake up education, housing, defence.
Mallard Must Go!!
Id like to see people like Jo Luxon, Marja Lubeck, Ginny Anderson, Tracy McKellen, Shan Halbert Ibrahim Omer, Jamie Strange Rachel Boyak, Steph Lewis Sarah Pallet getting positions, if not cabinet positions ministers out of cabinet or junior minister positions. A lot of these people are in extremely unsafe seats so it could be a risk but more public exposure could help. I mean c'mon, Pallet beat Brownlee in ILAM.
Get David Parker off the Am show, he's not particularly liked by labour members let alone the public. Get Kiri Allen or Grant Robertson on that show.
Keep Debra Russell, Labours version of Maureen Pugh away from Cabinet.
Its very much time for the new blood to take over, currently we have the front bench from labours time in opposition in cabinet, the same backstabbing, unpopular lot who were utterly useless in opposition are unpopular and quite useless in cabinet.
This is labours chance to reset the govt and get a whole bunch of new blood experience.
Also just quietly, for a "Labour party" , there's not many mps in their list that appeal to working class people, they all look like robots with no sense of humour I hope the next labour list is as diverse in class, professions as it is diversity in gender sexuality and ethnicity, we need more real people in politics not more lawyers and uni lecturers who demand to be called Dr.
I'd like to see Kiri Allen take the Police portfolio. I think she's absolutely got the PR skills to front with the media, and the no-bullshit approach to problem-solving, that's needed.
She's also (I get the impression) a lot more popular inside the Labour party than Nash is – so more likely to be able to 'sell' some of the changes which need to happen.
I agree that many of the MPs you list are in very unsafe seats – and I suspect that Szabo and Ardern will be weighing up who's likely to be around after 2023.
The 'robot' description is absolutely true. My local MP is one of the list above – and just about every utterance on social media (a highly important communication platform) is Labour-party-script – literally cut-and-pasted from the policy website or a media release.
Add immigration to your list. Faafoi is looking increasingly uninterested in his portfolios. It seems fairly firmly established that he actually wanted to resign in 2020 – and was persuaded to stay on. I think he’s likely to announce his retirement. And those ministerial portfolios are an ideal environment to break in some new talent.
Mallard won’t resign from being Speaker. And, I think it’s unlikely that Ardern would push him out. Best you can hope for is that he retires at the next election (which has, I think, been fairly strongly signalled). Or that a plum High-Commissioner job suddenly becomes vacant (though diplomacy isn’t exactly his strong suit)
Indeed. I got that one wrong. But got right that he's being parachuted into a diplomatic post in Europe.
Not uncommon for ex-speakers – though usually after they actually retire from politics.
If they had God in every Cabinet seat would it make a difference when the agenda in front of them says 'Three Waters,' and 'He Puapua' ? And the newspapers chucked on the table say 'shootings, gangs, poverty, housing, mental health and health system?'
Oh, and Willie Jackson uses the word 'co-governance.'
Is it about Lawyers, uni lecturers who demand to be called Dr., beer rather than wine and rock not opera?
That was most notably used in New Zealand in David Lange's description of Roger Douglas. It might not have been original but it was both funny and appropriate.
He was a Trojan horse – pretended to be Left to destroy the Labour party – an archetypal dirty trickster. The masses are not to be allowed to vote in their interests, so the Right is constantly in need of Judas goats. Your idol Hosking is one of them.
Well yes. I had noticed that about you. You exhibit that when you make remarks like "Typical of you Tories". I am certainly not a Tory. I am a Liberal in the original meaning of the word.
''If it's your own phrase, why put it in quote marks?''
I thought it might look better.
''Of course you have appropriated the name of the 1979 album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Rust Never Sleeps.''
No, I haven't. As far as I knew it was orginal. Obviously I may have picked the phrase up subconsciously. And I notice the word 'socialist' is missing from the name so I may still have an original use of the name.
This sometimes happens with disputes over who originally wrote a song. There are many chord progressions in music that can produce similar results.
There are many good quotes citing rust. Here's a cautionary one for Blade.
"It is not work that kills men: it is worry. Worry is rust upon the blade." Henry Ward Beecher.
All joking and point-scoring aside, that's a powerful statement. How much political and social action, right or wrong, stems from worry, anxiety and its attendant fear?
You seriously expect readers of this forum to believe you came up with the phrase, 'socialists are like rust, they never sleep' on your own without any help from Neil Young and Crazy Horse and the subsequent years of common, celebrated, vernacular use of that term?
You'd have to be a stupid idiot to have never heard the phrase, "Rust Never Sleeps" before, and a real shifty character to believe you in fact thought it up all on your own.
''All joking and point-scoring aside, that's a powerful statement. How much political and social action, right or wrong, stems from worry, anxiety and its attendant fear?''
More than a few, unfortunately.
I would also add that old adage: ''Hard work never killed anyone.''
Excellent. One down. Let's hope the Police Commissioner can draw a not particularly long bow and ask himself would the leadership of his frontline staff and the people of New Zealand move him on if he was in cabinet?
Chris Hipkins unfortunately is just a mechanic who fixes things for Labour. I doubt he has any passion for his new police portfolio. Time will tell.
David Parker is a strange bird. When I look into his eyes, I see a fanatic. I know he can be a vicious operator… but I've never been able to make him out. Ian Wishart dealt to him a number of years back.
Good try to find a negative reason for the reshuffle but it has been flagged for some time and was brought about by resignations of Faafoi and Mallard. The PM also announced that a larger reshuffle will take place in the new year.
If you believe it's all about departing Labour MPs then I have a 3G Sim Card you can have for free.
This from Belladonna’s post above:
”Mid-term cabinet re-shuffles are more common than not. However, it may well be that Ardern is not quite as in control of the timing as she would like to be. She will, no doubt be well-aware of the downwards trend of the polls, and Labour do (I believe) a lot of polling of specific issues – so will be aware which Ministers are not being perceived as performing well.”
"If you believe it's all about departing Labour MPs".
If he believes that I would think you could do a lot better than give him a 3G sim card. Anyone who could believe that would probably pay you a couple of hundred bucks for a 2G card.
Nah, aren't they the ones with electro-magnetic properties requiring tin foil hats and deep state implants run by the Masonic order and the Vatican? I'm writing this from my bunker deep under the Southern Alps with my Italian Alpine Special Forces group. That humming you can hear you think is tinnitus, but's it's not……
It's conjecture, Blade, yours, mine, and Belladonna's. However, I have this on my side. The headline reads, "Labour reshuffle prompted by departure of Faafoi, Mallard".
The sub-heading says "Labour’s long-awaited reshuffle has been triggered today by the departure of senior Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi and Speaker Trevor Mallard
Today's Cabinet reshuffle has been sparked by the departures of Kris Faafoi and Trevor Mallard."
In addition, note the words 'long awaited' which rather denies your polling pressure argument.
Fair comment, Mac. It is conjecture on my part. But have you considered this:
Labour's poor internal polling can be denied as an excuse for a reshuffle because Labourhad a long-awaited reshuffle in the pipeline. That in itself could have been cunning advanced planning?
And talking of reshuffles, this one doesn't seem minor to me, it's seems quite substantial.
Remember John Tamihere's notorious interview a few years back? The front-bums interview? He said something like this about Labour's sisterhood if I remember correctly:
''While the rest of us are taking our kids to Saturday sports events, they are at the cafe scheming. That's all they do.''
''Quoting Tamihere as a credible backup to your ah, assertions, does not help………''
People sometimes become so focused on the immediate issue they fail to take in a global picture surrounding that issue. I like to sniff around the perimeter. Sometimes it's a wasted effort, more often than not you find a gem or a new perspective. For example, the Tamihere quote about the sisterhood and their scheming. Well, it seems the scheming is still going on, but it's the Maori caucus at the cafe now. And they can see the storm that's coming – the PM may have to move on Nanaia Mahuta and Kelvin Davis at the next reshuffle. Both are costing Labour votes. But any such move will be met with utu from the Maori Caucus.
Oh, I absolutely agree it's all about 'reckons' (I'm not claiming either insider knowledge, or psychic powers!)
And, it is a fairly minor re-shuffle – almost all of the movements have been as the result of Faafoi moving aside (it's not clear when he actually plans to leave parliament – but as a List MP won't trigger a bye-election), and Poto Williams being demoted (she may still be a minister, but it's not a front line portfolio).
The rest of the changes are the fallout from those two.
Mallard leaving is an interesting thing to announce as part of a cabinet re-shuffle. As Speaker, he's not part of the cabinet, and it wouldn't be usual for an announcement for a change to this role to be bundled up with shifting Ministerial portfolios. It's also unusual (I think) for there not to be a specific diplomatic job referenced (certainly both Jonathan Hunt & Lockwood Smith resigned specifically to take up the role of High Commissioner in London)
Hipkins has a criminology degree, he might actually like it. Jan Tinetti, a former school principal and teacher, takes on the operational part of the Education portfolio – handy set of knowledge to have in the wings.
If they can make a difference, Graig, I say all power to them. I don't care who the Minster of Police is or from what party. If he/she can stop innocent people getting hurt, they will have my support.
“If he/she can stop innocent people getting hurt, they will have my support”.
Totally – though you do realise that taking that sentiment at face value would also, say, be a reason for criminalising speculation in residential property which hurts sh*tloads of innocent people by turbocharging asset price inflation and rent rises?
Or are you opposed only to some types of harm – such as those you might potentially suffer rather than those you might potentially inflict?
Very good point AB. Will Blade suddenly emerge as the hero of the poor, underpaid people who try to hold down several low-paid jobs, but still struggle to pay their mercilessly high and raised rents?
''Be a reason for criminalising speculation in residential property which hurts sh*tloads of innocent people by turbocharging asset price inflation and rent rises?''
Don't throw that socialist crap at me. You save that for your buddies who have the same processing chip as you.
Or are you opposed only to some types of harm – such as those you might potentially suffer rather than those you might potentially inflict?
No, I'm opposed to people who break laws on the statute books. Not laws your ideology believes are laws or should be laws.
And I'm for victims not criminals. Something I doubt rarely crosses your mind unless there is some political gain.
More accurate to say Minister Poto Williams remains as a cabinet minister with Customs, according to the Herald. Minister Chris Hipkins picks up the Police role.
But a very significant and substantial demotion.
She wasn't shifted sideways into one of the significant ministerial roles vacated by Faafoi, but definitely down a tier into Conservation and Disability issues (not arguing they aren't important – but not first-raked ministerial portfolios)
Nobody with a grain of sense accepts the word of Muhammad Idrees Ahmad
The good-hearted but woefully ill-informed "Jenny How to Get There" recently commended, with apparent sincerity, one of the most bloody-minded and unhinged proponents of chaos and bloodshed in the Middle East. She did that in the course of a wild, fact-free attempt to traduce one of the most outstanding journalists in America.
Jenny called Idrees Ahmad a "real professor", as if being a "Lecturer in Digital Journalism" at a second-rate university bestowed credibility on that jihadist.
I invite Standard readers to look at the facts about this "real professor" and then judge for themselves, rather than accepting the word of someone who has been wrong too often.
Idrees Ahmad is a fanatical regime change troll who has viciously maligned and lied about anti-war journalists, Idrees Ahmad defended the Trump administration’s bombing of Syria’s Shayrat airbase in April. Before that, Idrees Ahmad was one of the leading cheerleaders for NATO-led regime change in Libya, which destroyed the oil-rich North African country and plunged it into chaos. A contributing editor at the Los Angeles Review of Books, Ahmad phoned AlterNet senior editor Max Blumenthal to threaten him about the planned publication of a two-part exposé of the Syrian rebel-tied White Helmets organization.
One is an internationally renowned journalist, respected all over the world, and hated and feared by the political establishment and its media mouthpieces. The other fellow rejoices in the splendid title of "Lecturer in Digital Journalism" at Stirling University, and has no academic or journalistic credentials whatsoever.
A fact free link, that doesn't dare address any of the indisputable evidence put up by the Left exposing the Assad regime, and their Russian ally, as being engaged in war crimes, genocide and mass murder of civilians in Syria.
The same tactics we see being revisited by the Putin regime in their bloody invasion of Ukraine. A bloody invasion that you support.
You may dispute Idrees Ahmad qualifications as a ‘real professor’ compared to your own phoney self title. But one thing you can’t dispute is that Idrees Ahmad is a real Syrian Left activist.
Professor Longhair, you accuse me of being wrong to often.
Unfortunately I have been right about the atrocities commited by the Putin regime and the Assad regime more often than I would like.
Just to be clear, Professor Longhair. The Putin regime is actively recruiting Syrian mercenaries to continue the same sort of the indisputable proven war crimes they commit against the Syrian people, against the Ukraine population.
It is a shame about Kris Faafoi leaving as I always thought he had a good future, but his heart clearly wasn't in it this last year and sounds like he really wanted to leave 18 months ago according to Jacinda's announcement.
Also Minister of Justice and of Broadcasting (covering the highly contentious merger of Radio and TV).
While it may be difficult to recall successful Ministers of Immigration, Labour has had 2 lemons in a row: Ian Lees-Galloway and Kris Faafoi. It's to be hoped that Michael Wood will be a safe pair of hands.
Faafoi sat on his hands, and allowed his Immigration ministry to do zip, during the whole of 2020 and most of 2021. There was no reason not to continue to process documentation for immigrants already in NZ – and he created vast uncertainty for many people, resulting in sorely needed staff actually leaving the country, as they couldn't get residency confirmed. He seemed incapable of directing his ministry to co-ordinate effectively with border security in getting critical personnel (doctors, nurses, vets, etc.) in to NZ.
It looked like bureaucratic capture of a Minister who basically just wasn't interested.
In terms of Justice, the previous two incumbents (Andrew Little and Amy Adams) were streets ahead of Faafoi.
Broadcasting, is often a 'nothing' ministry – unless there's some scandal brewing…. But Labour went into government with a plan to merge radio and TV – so it is currently a 'hot' portfolio, needing a Minister across the detail. This one should have been a gift to Faafoi, with his background in journalism. But, once again, he wasn't able to answer (or apparently even anticipate) the questions that the keenly interested journalists had (and continue to have) about the new structure.
While he's leaving to spend more time with his kids (and that's a really good reason) – it seems inescapable that he tried politics, and found that he doesn't actually enjoy the big picture policy side of things. That's not a disaster. It's something that you learn about yourself by doing. But it's also not something to be camouflaged, by pretending that there wasn't a performance issue.
Looking at the last 25 years of immigration ministers, doing nothing is the benchmark.
Kris Faafoi has done a great deal. He's been at the front of the government's immigration reset. That is the policy shift away from open-tap, low skill, low value education back door immigration.
It's a bold, socially responsible policy which, by definition, I expect you don't understand.
And the re-set where Faafoi said he'd be "quite grumpy!" if the dept didn't manage to process visas in a timely fashion (their processing times have got worse, not better since he's been in charge). I bet that's making the bureaucrats shake in their shoes (not).
Yet to hear your explanation over why it was OK for the Dept of Immigration to do nothing for most of 2020 and 2021.
I absolutely don't have a problem with NZ being a high-skills immigration destination. Though (according to the Green spokesman), it's not exactly socially responsible.
Still waiting for your take on Faafoi as the greatest Justice minister of all time….
sadly no, the Ministry of Imm has been a disaster for years and Faafoi made absolutely no improvement…and gave the impression he wasnt interested, which he probably wasnt.
Remember the days when Jong Kee did musical chairs with his cabinet and his fans called it clever refreshment?
I always wondered why Keys would change his ministers twice a year but suspected it was because he struggled to show what he actually did as PM so simply showing he was boss was it for him.
Clearly some of the die-hard Labour supporters aren't actually interested in debate, just in an echo chamber.
I point out and discuss the Ministers I think are performing well (Woods, Wood, Allan, McAnulty) – and equally the ones which I think are not performing well.
I'm happy to debate issues (indeed, I enjoy doing so). However, debate actually requires that the other party engage with the specific issues being discussed – rather than just going silent and popping up to deflect with a 'squirrel' viewing. Under another comment.
I'm sorry that you think I'm poisonous, but that reflects more on you than on me. Time for a bit of reflection, perhaps.
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
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This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
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Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
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My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
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A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
A Cold Winters Morn….but this is great. (And maybe haters gonna hate. Fuck them : )
Lucky Anthony, the Boodle Boodle Boodle album is rare, unless they've started re-pressing them. A few years ago I declined buying one for $100 at a second hand Cuba St. store and still regret it to this day.
Oh cheers reply matey. Amongst my vinyl ( I know : ) I have it…Echo Records …..price on it $6.99.
That song and the Dunedin sound…Flying Nun.. still awesome today.
I met up some Americans while back..they saying that Flying Nun still highly rated on American Student Radio. Quality. Was a cool thing to read Jacinda connection
Reissue. I still got my original copy plus the 2nd ep, great records.
Straight men, just so you know you’re not exempt. You will be expected to be sexually attracted to trans women, and because self ID means any man who says he’s a woman is a woman and thus trans, you will have to learn to be gay. Think this isn’t happening? Lesbians have been at the brunt of this now for years, it’s called the cotton ceiling.
To be *very clear, this isn’t trans people generally. This is trans activists and gender identity ideologists. Trans people obviously have concerns about whether people won’t date them because of actual transphobia, but what’s happening here is that male bodied people are telling lesbians they have to learn to like girl dick. Next up, straight men will have to learn to like girl dick or be branded transphobic. Don’t worry, there are workshops now that will teach you.
if all that seems outlandish, it is. It’s also rape culture and the identity left is endorsing it. Think it won’t affect ordinary people? It’s now at policy level in the UK, and there is a big push to say sexual attraction is based on gender identity not sex. This means there is no such thing as homosexuality (or heterosexuality), so it’s also a homophobic position. In NZ there is a push to replace sex with gender identity in other areas (eg Stats NZ), we will see if the gender identity sexuality ideology takes hold here.
https://twitter.com/francesweetman/status/1536085843718426625
Challenging trans ideology is clearly having an impact. The clip below is recent, and yet the trans protagonists are carrying on as if there has been no research that emphatically questions the safety of 'affirming' therapies. There's a strong hint of the cornered cat about the presenter…and the professionals who proffer their opinions on some US states severely restricting or criminalising medicalised therapies for gender dysphoric children are almost creepy. They are coming across as a cult.
We are heading into crucial times on this issue…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdVVlHg0PIA
Blows my mind that some people appear to not have educated themselves about what happens with gender reassignment surgeries, what the complication rates are, the lack of research showing outcomes. I mean I get it on one level, reading about the surgeries is challenging for many I think (myself included) but reading about the complications is full on. If one believes that surgery is useful for teens, all that can be ignored I guess. I suspect there's a fair amount of superficial acceptance of trans humanism too, and that medicine is Good therefore this must be too.
Weird though, because Bee must have a research team, and it's not hard to find out the arguments against child and teen medical/surgical transition.
The other aspect though is that in the US there really are reasons to be concerned about Republicans passing anti-trans laws. Is the law the dude mentions really saying no to 'gender-affirming health care' for youth? Is that a euphemism for surgery and hormones? Or does it apply to all trans specific health care for people transitioning? Let's not forget these are the same legislators that are removing abortion rights.
Is that a euphemism for surgery and hormones? Or does it apply to all trans specific health care for people transitioning? Let's not forget these are the same legislators that are removing abortion rights.
These laws are very sensibly putting the brake on the rampant medicalisation of gender dysphoria and will protect children/youth from being experimented on by those creepy vivisectionists. Claiming that there is a 'right' to such 'treatments' is disingenuous. The trans activists are (again) coat tailing on other legitimate battles for rights…such as the availability of safe abortion services. As they are wont to do.
depends on what is being banned. If someone has had surgery they will need medical care afterwards, sometimes for a long time. Is that banned too? What if they need surgery to remedy complications? Are they still allowed to get hormone prescriptions if already on hormones? What if they just want counselling but not drugs and surgery?
None of that is explained. Both sides (Bee and Republicans) are as bad as each other. It's all rhetoric and I don't trust either of them. So sure, we can be thankful that there is a brake, but we should also be looking at what should be put in place instead.
Some conservatives will be wanting to protect children, some will be wanting to remove trans people from society.
ok I watched the first few minutes and am stopping now, because it's basically propaganda. I do think there are problems with what Republicans are doing, but the solution isn't to allow free-for-all transition. The whole 'all medical people agree' is such bullshit, and the fact that in NZ people are trying to stop a conference on gender therapy for youth because it's taking a critical look at the affirmation only model tells me that backlash can be expected against trans people. Because there is no public mandate for this, and otherwise liberal/left leaning people will support bans because that's the only way to stop things now.
Unfortunately, as the loudest voices in the Transactivists movement are the autogynephiliacs (the men who are sexually aroused by the thought of themselves as women) and they are mostly heterosexual, they are not sexually interested in straight men. A big part of their paraphilia is identification of themselves not only as women, but as lesbians. Sex with lesbians is seen as an ultimate validation of their being a woman. That is why it is lesbians who are finding their dating sites stuffed full of "transbians", and it is lesbians who are being bullied and blackmailed into accepting their "girldicks".
True. What interests me here is that McKinnon said what they said (in 2018), making it a political position I think. The idea is that people won't sleep with trans people because they think there is something wrong with being trans, but this has now morphed into the rapey, you should ignore someone's body and your own sexual orientation.
I think it's significant that this has been pushed by trans women (males), not trans men (females). AGP is almost certainly part of that, although the need for validation is across all trans people as far as I can tell (hence pronouns and giving birth and wanting to be called a father). AGP trans people have a quite specific need and way of approaching that.
I also think the patriarchal hierarchy is too: people being harrassed in this order: lesbians, gay men, heterosexual men (maybe)
As you point out, this perspective isn't based on the rights of transgender people to live without discrimination, it is proponents of Queer theory coat-tailing on a separate movement to appropriate support and credibility.
The colonisation of sexual orientation organisations with gender identity has been phenomenally successful. Now the initially welcome guest, has taken over the house and unpacking a lot of unwanted baggage.
This unfortunately seems to be initiating a pushback on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual hard-won rights and acceptance. The baser proponents of Queer theory have been unquestioningly provided with support and platforms. When people realise what they are saying, there will be resistance not only to those ideas, but also unfortunately to the movements that gave them influence.
My disdain remains with the cascade of institutions, politicians and experts who promote all aspects of Queer theory without even the most cursory scrutiny.
There is of course a shedload of $$$$ in the promotion of gender identity. Organisations that used to be funded to promote the rights and protections of same sex attracted people are now almost entirely funded to promote "queer" theory and with it the ideology of gender identity. Plus – particularly in America – which has a "for profit" health system, there is a lot of money to be made from lifelong dependence on artificial hormones and sterilizing and mutilating (removal of healthy tissue) surgeries with very high "complications" rates.
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-sex-reassignment-surgery-market
Agree with all your comments Weka, Molly and Visubversa.
Perhaps a survery of the straight men on this site to see if they would be happy to sleep with transbians with their girl dicks?
You can always go onto youporn or similar sites to see how popular it really is
So I’ve been told
In my recent foray into reading about porn the growing influence of hypno cissy porn has come up multiple times, so it may pay for some to approach your suggestion with caution.
There's now quite a lot I wish I didn't know, although it still seems necessary to have some knowledge on the topic.
"Reading about"
Cautions no fun, best to jump in the deep end!
I find porn really difficult to watch, even for 'research purposes'.
Have the same aversion to excessively gory or violent scenes on the screen. But am able to read in prose what I can't handle on screen.
That distance buffer allows me to rake in the info with less of an emotional reaction.
Interesting.
I find reading about it is more disturbing than watching it, at least thats the way fiction is for me.
Though I have to admit when it comes to porn I prefer the over top, funny stuff
The bad acting, worse dialogue, stick on moustaches, that kind of thing
On a more serious note I watched What Is A Woman the other day.
It won't tell you anything you don't already know (and I don't want to give away spoilers)
But here is Blaire Whites reaction and review of the documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzCs23OVnso
Great review of What is a Women.
Surprized that Blaire didn’t talk about the gender lecturer who came across as (sorry to use a derogatory term), a crackpot.
I loved the bit about chickens having an assigned gender,
I don't know what it was but she was really making me angry, maybe the condescending way she was talking (even more than the other crackpots)
Her whole demeanour changed when Lupron was mentioned , she didn't like that at all
Watched the Blair White video. Good points, well made.
TBH, though I can think of a quite a few rad FEMS who could've knocked out those points in a quarter of the time, made a cup of tea, and got down to the nitty-gritty by the halfway point.
Likely my text bias at play.
The great aspect of Blaire White is the extensive reach into a distinctly non-feminist audience that has concerns about specific aspects of gender ideology, combined with the nonchalant waving away of accusations of transphobia.
It was a fair review. Award more stars then I thought it merited.
the bit where she acknowledges that Santa isn't real, "but to that child they are".
It's hyper individualism. Which I guess is another explanation for the cotton ceiling stuff – all that matters is what the individual feels/wants.
These
RomansAmericans are crazy.Thanks, will watch.
In return a link to the free-to-view Dysphoric by Vaishnavi Sundar.
You might find Part 1 a bit slow going, but the pace picks up and keeps improving
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRU9NIX0AA143z2QKukQcOqS96qriKGyw
I'll give it a watch
Urgh. Blair White is a bit too hard right MAGA for my tastes.
On the money as usual. I bet most parents have no idea that their children are being taught this stuff at school.
https://theministryhasfallen.substack.com/p/the-terrible-coyness-of-trans-ideology
As a gay man I've been told by activists that "same sex attraction is transphobic" and noticed left wing orgs saying "same gender attraction" and that saying you're only interested in biological makes is transphobic and reducing people to their privates, but that's what the activists are doing.
However, I don't hear trans people saying this, it's almost always thier cis hetero allies on Twitter who say this stuff for social media likes and unfortunately corporations, govt institutions see this and pander to that lot.
I've never met a trans person who thought not wanting to sleep with someone is transphobic my trans friends say "times ain't that tough , I don't need to guilt people into sex" I've only met allies who say this.
Genitals are huge part of being gay. In fact it's 99% of it to a lot of gay men lol.
I find this deeply, deeply homophobic and borderline endorsed conversion therapy.
Ive seen it in lots of discourse.
I couldn't help notice that the ACLU when the overturning people who would be most effected by the overturning of Roe v Wade didn't list women once, in fact it listed the LGBT+ first (not everything is about the LGBT)
This "if you're not attracted to x you're a bigot" is what happens when you constantly update the definitions of bigotry, to me, transphobia is when someone can't get a job, or rent a house because they are trans, it's when you want to demean someone for being trans, it's when you want to hurt someone for being trans, transphobia is not I don't want to sleep with you.
You cannot change someone's sexuality whether they are straight gay bi and to attempt to do so is evil and quite frankly anyone attempting to do so should be charged with attempting conversion therapy, which is illegal.
Agree 100% Corey.
Unfortunately Corey, as I said above, for the autogynephiliacs, who are constantly seeking "validation" of their identity as a woman through forcing themselves into every women's activity or spaces from bathrooms to knitting groups for their sexual gratification, almost the ultimate (apart from perhaps selection for an Olympic Games women's team) is to blackmail, bamboozle or bully a lesbian into having sex with them.
I find it deeply homophobic too, and am at a loss to understand why progressives support this. Part of it is No Debate and the threat of cancellation and slap downs, but even so it's very odd.
Unfortunately, the messaging is not limited to the Twitter sphere.
Gay, lesbian and bisexual youth seeking information and support from Rainbow Youth NZ and Inside Out (the 2 main well-founded organisations) will also be told that they are same-gender attracted, not same-sex attracted.
The movement that screams about conversion therapy has in yet another linguistic twist, removed any and all sexual orientations – including heterosexual – from consideration. Despite sexual orientation being a protected characteristic in the Human Rights Act 1993.
Rainbow Youth website has zero occurrences of the word "lesbian".
Unfortunately, this damage is compounded by advice – or lack of it – regarding consent with sexual partners. While some noises are made regarding being open, contradictory advice is offered regarding your right to not be 'outed' until you feel it is something you want to do.
There's a whole conversation about the legal charge of Sex by Deception that is avoided
What does this mean for young people inexperienced and uncertain about exploring their sexual nature's? If you want to know research. You will find some young people laughing about their casual sexual partners only discovering their sex, AFTER intimacy. The resultant distress is a source of amusement, as it is viewed as exposing bigotry – an obsession with genitals.
Old school feminists, and old school gay and lesbian rights activists had more accurate names for this practice:
Corrective sex or corrective rape.
With respect, I really don't think you have the faintest idea who or what "straight" men will or won't go to bed with. Speaking from experience. Whether or not they're open about it is another matter.
Also I'm pretty sure that's not how patriarchy works. You are absolutely entitled to the way you feel about the topic, but framing heterosexual cis-men as being vulnerable parties in the sexual ecosystem is not the strongest argument I've ever heard.
In fact, I'd go so far as to say that sounds a little like pandering to old school homophobic gay panic, trap stereotypes and fragile masculinity. I'm perfectly open to gender critical points of view and see the validity to them in many contexts, but there is a point when you begin to sound slightly ridiculous.
This is one of those points. That's all I'm going to say on the matter because most debate on the topic is mostly futile here.
I'm aware of the men who sleep with men and don't consider themselves gay. Also aware of the various situations where males are having sex of some kinds with other men. This isn't my point though. My point is about whether people have the right to define their own sexual orientation, and whether straight men realise that calling themselves straight (as in, they will only have sex with females) is transphobic.
I'm also not saying that het men are vulnerable parties in the sexual ecosystem, I'm talking politics. There are lots of reasons why het men take stands against women's politics, I've been surprised but not really surprised about it on gc issues, the transphobia accusations seem relevant to this. But of course het men won't be targeted in the same way that lesbians and gay men are, because patriarchy, sexism, and AGP. This was discussed upthread.
Scratching my head at that. The point here isn't that straight men can't like girldick. It's that people are entitled to their own sexual orientation, including straight men (but, obviously, they get let off the hook).
The left wing GC position is solidly that people can be how they are, be that straight, gay, GNC, trans, whatever. It's not homophobic to point out to straight men that being straight is now considered transphobic. It is homophobic to put political and personal pressure on gay people to have sex with people of the opposite sex. Is that ridiculous? Of course, many aspects of this debate are. If you think it's not happening, you are ill informed. Straight men aren't being targeted, yet, for the reasons already mentioned. I think you missed the pointedness if my comment.
"I'm aware of the men who sleep with men and don't consider themselves gay."
Let Ice T explain how it works :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd8vzIRQLLM
Oh piss off. This is getting absurd. Really if my thinking was aligning to the likes of Matt Walsh I'd really be questioning that thinking.
By that logic you're aligned with MRAs
Absurd doesn't even come close to what is happening. Read this and weep if you have any kind of compassion beyond your ideology.
https://twitter.com/garwhoungle/status/1536507544344330240
'Moaners gotta moan'.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2022/06/covid-19-kiwi-traveller-says-he-was-denied-entry-from-australia-because-pre-departure-test-was-a-minute-early.html
I must admit that going to the media about something that was, in the end, my fault would not be the first thing I would have thought of.
Let us hope that his business in Australia did not include drawing up the engineering specs for a multistory building when accuracy is also important.
It looks like the Moaning Minnie virus that accompanied Covid also has a long tail and staying power.
How is it his fault?
There are two stories here. One is this,
That needs looking at to see if it's common, or if Shub are exaggerating.
Two is that when the guy approached customs about the one minute early test, this was also declined. That's madness. It's also $160/test, which is a lot of money for some people.
"Spending hours trying to grasp the rules…"…..yeah right.
Given that Customs themselves admit there are issues and are making changes – I don't think you can dismiss the complaints in their entirety (quote from the NHub article linked above – my emphasis)
The assumption (prevalent amount civil servants) that everyone is technologically literate (able to upload a picture of a negative test, for example) – is widespread, and has been a demonstrated barrier to service in many areas.
And the fact that the help numbers don't connect (possibly overwhelmed, possibly only staffed during the working day – who knows) is another major issue.
There's quite a short time-window between when you get results pre-departure, and when you have to check into your flight, with all the documentation complete. You really need 'real time' assistance available for when the online process falls over.
Belladonna-I got a good grasp as to the requirements required for both people coming in from NZ/OZ (very few requirements) and people coming in from other countries in 6 minutes on the site below. (not "hours")
https://www.customs.govt.nz/covid-19/personal/travelling-to-nz/#:~:text=Most%20travellers%20must%20have%20a,you%20arrive%20in%20New%20Zealand.
I accept that the 48 hours for a PCR test could be a bit iffy-but these days they come back in 24 hours. (I have some experience here; coming back from Darwin a year ago was quite a hassle).
But in any event the requirement now is only for a supervised RAT test which should be no problem at all.
The privileged whingers are still whinging.
According to the article, the biggest issue isn't the test, it's the challenges uploading the results.
Which, it's clear, Customs have acknowledged and committed to resolve.
And, yes, it's 'easy' to find the requirements online if you have a straightforward situation – but the problem arises, when it's not – and the contact systems (to get in touch with a real person) don't work.
And, really, declining a test result because it was 1 minute outside the time frame – is the sort of decision a computer makes, not a person…..
Are there any complaints about the Customs procedures that you would be prepared to characterise as not whinging?
I think I have got so pissed off with the Covid era oh-so-entitled whingers and the way the Herald and even RNZ have reported them so favourably and without balance (remembering here that the whingers form a tiny tiny percentage of the people coming to NZ) that I've got little tolerance for any whinging at this stage.
That's quite a whinge BG
Let me join you in this BG.
I am only slightly taking the mickey when I have said since 2020 that coming in with Covid was the Moaning Minnie Virus where people seem to be moaning because they have a greater possibility of NOT dying of Covid because of the actions of Govt.
We now know, if we did not know it before, that a great proportion of Govt bashing is actually misogyny against the PM both as proxy and personally.
Excellent
My point is not so much about the whinging but the automatic response of taking it to the media.
I really am not interested in the moans of a person being taken up by the media as if it is newsworthy rather than the sham beating up of the Govt/Ministers that it really is. The issue is minor in the scheme of things. as if you were really hard-up you just would not be travelling around NZ let alone to Australia.
As BG says
Nah. The truly privileged have PAs, assistants and aides, to sort all of this stuff out for them. Catch them wasting an hour of their lives trying to upload a photo to a Customs website. Not likley. They have 'people' to do all of that for them…
Let us not forget that the media are either run privately, or are 'state-owned enterprises' which means they get run by people from the bloody marketing industry, etc.. Effectively the same. National Radio now runs far more advertising of its own programmes than it used to do because they now do a tiny new news-headline-break on the half-hour at half-past, and follow it with and ad for their own programmes about which we already know, and that ad often lasts as long as the headline-news break did.
(Hint to RNZ – WE DON’T NEED THIS!!)
Our media are biased towards right-wing private enterprise dogma., and will always give big publicity to such whinging about Covid restrictions, 3 Waters, etc – whatever, whether justified or not.
Our news media are not unbiased, and we cannot trust them.
Which makes it somewhat ironic when the right complain that the media are bought and paid for through the PI Journalism Fund.
Where should we get our news? From Facebook?
In Vino…I too hate the new RNZ half hour newsbreak with very irritating programme ad attached. Wonder who thought that crap idea up.
Am curious why you are sceptical. WINZ is the same, IRD not quite as bad, but still not always easy. Why would customs be any different?
Context is everything.To understand the Ukraine invasion we need to examine the reasons for the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Then we were 2 seconds to midnight on the Doomsday clock. I was 16 ,and not surprisingly I took a close interest in events. The Western newspapers told us that Russia , with no provocation , was sending nuclear missiles to be erected in Communist Cuba ,ninety miles from the United States coast. This act was regarded as a existential threat , and the U.S threatened Russia with a nuclear attack if it did not desist. I watched with horror as the Russian ships approached Cuba with their nuclear missiles onboard . Fortunately the U.S. had a sane leader in John Kennedy, who negotiated with the Russian leader [ Khruschev] and Mutually Assured Destruction was avoided.! However, four years later I learned that that there had been provocation from the U.S. in that they had previously erected nuclear missiles in Turkey, aimed at Russia. ! There had been an agreement struck that the U.S would remove its missiles from Turkey, and Russia would turn around its ships. The U.S had lied to the world about the existence of the missiles in Turkey. Just as they have lied about the Coup De'tat they arranged in Ukraine in 2014 ,overthrowing a democratically elected government.That was the next event that has brought us back to Cuban Missile Crisis Mark 2. What would happen if Russia erected nuclear missiles in Cuba , Mexico, or Venezuela like the U.S. is doing around the borders of Russia??? I have already lived through an event that absolutely threatened to destroy all life on earth. I do not particularly want to do it all again. Russia regards itself to be under a existential threat. They have said so repeatedly. Unless they get security guarantees they will progress things to the point of a nuclear exchange. There is no John Kennedy with his finger on the nuclear trigger in the U.S. this time around!!!
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[lprent: While probably interesting, accurate, and badly formatted about an event that happened soon after I was born. It really doesn’t address anything in the post. Essentially you appear to be (reading between the lines) arguing that if a government has nuclear weapons then it should be able to do whatever they want.
However you haven’t presented any reasoning why this should be the case. Which means that you aren’t arguing to the post. You are just waffling and appear to be unable to formulate any points worth debating in the context of the post.
OpenMike is the place for post irrelevant ranting. Please read the policy. ]
Stuff is reporting that Ardern will announce a 'minor' Cabinet reshuffle at 3pm.
What's the bet it's about Poto Williams and Nanaia Mahuta.
Ideally a few more support-posts around them like Ardern did for Housing.
Its one already announced as a mid year reshuffle,so not a responsive act to opposition noise.
Agree it's already announced/expected.
Mid-term cabinet re-shuffles are more common than not. However, it may well be that Ardern is not quite as in control of the timing, as she would like to be. She will, no doubt be well-aware of the downwards tend of the polls, and Labour do (I believe) a lot of polling of specific issues – so will be aware which Ministers are not being *perceived* as performing well.
Some interesting speculation here, over which MPs are likely to retire at the next election (so may be moving sideways to allow others to gain experience)
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/labour-reshuffle-as-pressure-goes-on-police-minister
I'm delighted to see two of my 'favourites' (Kiri Allan and Kieran McAnulty- and ones I tipped as future leadership potential, last week) – to be touted as potentially able to move into the police role. Regardless of whether or not Williams is doing a good job, she is looking increasingly besieged in the job, and doesn't appear to be dealing well with the media.
I do hope that Ardern brings on new leadership, rather than relying on the increasingly overburdened Hipkins and Woods.
Interestingly (perhaps this is a Wellington issue – so hadn't impinged on my radar) – Paul Eagle is tipped to resign in order to take the mayoralty. He's in Rongotai – Annette King's old seat – so absolutely a safe Labour by-election. I would hope that Szabo and Ardern, are looking towards the future for the selection. Eagle hasn't exactly shone, and you want something more than a solid backbencher in such a safe seat.
Eagle is another failure,a head nodder.Fitzsimons who is not seeking council reelection is picked to be the candidate.She represented wellington south and is disliked by many labour stalwarts in Island bay,over a number of issues and especially the IB cycleway which pissed a whole community off,and grandstanding with the vanity projects that help rape the ratepayers pockets.Another lawyer.
Yes Fleur Fitzsimons is not everyone's cup of tea. She & the mayor got it wrong in my view in supporting the views of those who wanted to deny women the ability to discuss the implications for bio women of the BDM amendment bill/now act. It did not seem to matter to either that the Courts had thrown out the denial of the booking for a space. So not an outstanding person to go to Parliament based on her Council work. Yet Paul Eagle was a very good councillor who, it must be said, has not shone as an MP.
So it is odd how it turns out.
The person who has been working solidly away in Rongotai is Laurie Foon from the Green Party. She would make a good MP. Far better than the rather divisive Fleur Fitzsimons.
Glad to see people are coming around to my (nearly) 2 year old view of Kiri and Kieran.
https://thestandard.org.nz/what-should-labour-do-in-the-next-three-years/#comment-1762086
Certainly agree with you. Both have done very well over the term of this parliament – and ones to watch for the future.
Part of problem with die-hard Labour supporters, who defend every minister to the death – is that it becomes very difficult to discuss, meaningfully, which ministers are actually stars (combination of competence, public relations and media smarts).
That was more extensive than 'minor'.
On the ups and downs of it:
– Hipkins into Police is rewarding successful delivery in COVID with stronger pure political management into Law and Order media which he excels at. Hipkins is the purest of our Pure Politicians and that's what's needed right now.
– Not choosing Nash for Police is a pretty important signal to Nash that he's peaked.
– Williams into Conservation is a useful move since there are so many deep Maori partnerships in National Parks now. Ardern doesn't always get it right and this is a better portfolio fit. Also she has a strong Disability background already.
– Fa'afoi leaving but delivering the merged RNZ-TVNZ to Jackson is a bit of a dream job for Jackson as a broadcasting specialist. What a gift: Don't fuck it up Jackson.
– Wood getting Immigration and keeping Transport and Workplace is a big Rising Star signal that he has excellent risk aerials and commands his briefs.
– Kiri Allen getting Associate Finance not Deb Russell is a bit of s signal Russell has peaked. Russell should have got Revenue long ago: Parker is no good at it.
– Radhakrishnan into Cabinet is a really important community signal of seniority that will not be lost.
– Dr Verrall taking Research Science and Innovation is not a huge step when surely all hands on deck are needed in Health for Little in the ginormous restructure.
– Great to see Mahuta get some help in Foreign Affairs so she can concentrate more delivering 3 Waters which is a core Labour legacy at this point.
– Dr Woods has big calls to make on Energy coming up, so I hope taking more Construction portfolio work doesn't see her lose a step elsewhere.
– Presumably Mallard will get the EU Ambassador role coming up.
Good on Ardern for shuffling a but more than otherwise. It was needed in the circumstances.
"Presumably Mallard will get the EU Ambassador role coming up".
I think he would be rather better as our Ambassador in Belarus.
Hmm. I don't think it really is more extensive than 'minor'. Most of it is triggered by Faaroi leaving, and Williams being demoted; the consequent promotions into their vacant portfolios, and the subsequent shuffling of the minor roles that those people are vacating (in order to not be totally overwhelmed).
You're outlining many of the issues which have *not* been addressed, in this shuffle.
Ardern has said there will be another shuffle in (I think) January – though that's really too late to make any difference to the legislative programme.
I agree that Nash and Russell should be reading the writing on the wall. Though it can't really be news for either – they've been out of favour for some time.
I must have missed this. Has someone been appointed into an associate Foreign Affairs role?
Its been triggered by Kris Faafoi who is stepping down and out of politics. We'll know in a few minutes.
"What's the bet it's about Poto Williams and Nanaia Mahuta."
Nanaia? Did I miss something?
Cabinet reshuffle today. Finally!!! This is the governments chance for a reset.
If Labour wants a shot at winning 2023 or atleast of having an experienced caucus in opposition it needs to give the 2017 and 2020 class of fresh blood cabinet positions.
I'd personally like to see:
I'd give
Duncan Webb Justice.
Mcnaulty Agriculture.
Nash Police. This is a must.
Kiri Allen regional development.
I'd like Michael Wood to get a promotion but he's performing very well in that portfolio.
Poto Williams Civil defence (she's an mp from Christchurch East, who better for earthquake preparedness)
Ardern foreign affairs (Kirk, Lange and for a time Clark held this portfolio as Pm and tbh Ardern shines while overseas and the more she's overseas not dealing with grumpy NZ media the better she gets in rooms no other NZ pm could dream of,she's our best rep on the world stage )
I'd also shake up education, housing, defence.
Mallard Must Go!!
Id like to see people like Jo Luxon, Marja Lubeck, Ginny Anderson, Tracy McKellen, Shan Halbert Ibrahim Omer, Jamie Strange Rachel Boyak, Steph Lewis Sarah Pallet getting positions, if not cabinet positions ministers out of cabinet or junior minister positions. A lot of these people are in extremely unsafe seats so it could be a risk but more public exposure could help. I mean c'mon, Pallet beat Brownlee in ILAM.
Get David Parker off the Am show, he's not particularly liked by labour members let alone the public. Get Kiri Allen or Grant Robertson on that show.
Keep Debra Russell, Labours version of Maureen Pugh away from Cabinet.
Its very much time for the new blood to take over, currently we have the front bench from labours time in opposition in cabinet, the same backstabbing, unpopular lot who were utterly useless in opposition are unpopular and quite useless in cabinet.
This is labours chance to reset the govt and get a whole bunch of new blood experience.
Also just quietly, for a "Labour party" , there's not many mps in their list that appeal to working class people, they all look like robots with no sense of humour I hope the next labour list is as diverse in class, professions as it is diversity in gender sexuality and ethnicity, we need more real people in politics not more lawyers and uni lecturers who demand to be called Dr.
Beer not wine.
Rock not opera.
I'd like to see Kiri Allen take the Police portfolio. I think she's absolutely got the PR skills to front with the media, and the no-bullshit approach to problem-solving, that's needed.
She's also (I get the impression) a lot more popular inside the Labour party than Nash is – so more likely to be able to 'sell' some of the changes which need to happen.
I agree that many of the MPs you list are in very unsafe seats – and I suspect that Szabo and Ardern will be weighing up who's likely to be around after 2023.
The 'robot' description is absolutely true. My local MP is one of the list above – and just about every utterance on social media (a highly important communication platform) is Labour-party-script – literally cut-and-pasted from the policy website or a media release.
Add immigration to your list. Faafoi is looking increasingly uninterested in his portfolios. It seems fairly firmly established that he actually wanted to resign in 2020 – and was persuaded to stay on. I think he’s likely to announce his retirement. And those ministerial portfolios are an ideal environment to break in some new talent.
Mallard won’t resign from being Speaker. And, I think it’s unlikely that Ardern would push him out. Best you can hope for is that he retires at the next election (which has, I think, been fairly strongly signalled). Or that a plum High-Commissioner job suddenly becomes vacant (though diplomacy isn’t exactly his strong suit)
Turns out Mallard will be retiring as Speaker.
Indeed. I got that one wrong. But got right that he's being parachuted into a diplomatic post in Europe.
Not uncommon for ex-speakers – though usually after they actually retire from politics.
I imagine there is a number of career diplomats who wonder why they bothered.
If they had God in every Cabinet seat would it make a difference when the agenda in front of them says 'Three Waters,' and 'He Puapua' ? And the newspapers chucked on the table say 'shootings, gangs, poverty, housing, mental health and health system?'
Oh, and Willie Jackson uses the word 'co-governance.'
Is it about Lawyers, uni lecturers who demand to be called Dr., beer rather than wine and rock not opera?
Kelvin Davis has to go, the guy is completely useless as Corrections Minister.
Can't be done, PR. Look at the new reshuffle. Kevin has special status.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300612069/postcabinet-live-jacinda-ardern-announces-that-trevor-mallard-kris-faafoi-are-leaving-parliament
Well shit…
Always remember: '' Socialists are like rust, they never sleep.''
Where is this quote from, Blade?
That was most notably used in New Zealand in David Lange's description of Roger Douglas. It might not have been original but it was both funny and appropriate.
"He's like rust, he never sleeps".
I'm confused. Roger Douglas was in no way a socialist.
Typical of you Tories. Muddled thinking and poor recall.
He was a reformed socialist. He saw the light. And that light wasn't coming from a miners helmet…but rather from the blue light district of economics.
He was a Trojan horse – pretended to be Left to destroy the Labour party – an archetypal dirty trickster. The masses are not to be allowed to vote in their interests, so the Right is constantly in need of Judas goats. Your idol Hosking is one of them.
Muttonbird says "I'm confused".
Well yes. I had noticed that about you. You exhibit that when you make remarks like "Typical of you Tories". I am certainly not a Tory. I am a Liberal in the original meaning of the word.
I made it up myself as far as I know.
Robbo Hood is another original.
Someone told me I was the first to use the moniker 'Cindy.'' I don't if that's true, but I was definitely using it well before this dated link.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/122658284/shes-not-a-doll-so-dont-call-the-prime-minister-cindy
If it's your own phrase, why put it in quote marks?
Of course you have appropriated the name of the 1979 album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Rust Never Sleeps.
I don't know whether you have done this intentionally or because you are simply not very bright, but it is dishonest either way.
"Dimbo" – I said it first!
"Dimbo'' From the primordial swamp of limited creativity.
Robbo Hood – true genius.
"From the primordial swamp of limited creativity."
Ha ha ha ha!
Isn't the primordial swamp the epitome of creativity – the soup from which we all emerged, the very crucible of creativity?
Not feeling ya, Blade.
''If it's your own phrase, why put it in quote marks?''
I thought it might look better.
''Of course you have appropriated the name of the 1979 album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Rust Never Sleeps.''
No, I haven't. As far as I knew it was orginal. Obviously I may have picked the phrase up subconsciously. And I notice the word 'socialist' is missing from the name so I may still have an original use of the name.
This sometimes happens with disputes over who originally wrote a song. There are many chord progressions in music that can produce similar results.
There are many good quotes citing rust. Here's a cautionary one for Blade.
"It is not work that kills men: it is worry. Worry is rust upon the blade." Henry Ward Beecher.
All joking and point-scoring aside, that's a powerful statement. How much political and social action, right or wrong, stems from worry, anxiety and its attendant fear?
You seriously expect readers of this forum to believe you came up with the phrase, 'socialists are like rust, they never sleep' on your own without any help from Neil Young and Crazy Horse and the subsequent years of common, celebrated, vernacular use of that term?
You'd have to be a stupid idiot to have never heard the phrase, "Rust Never Sleeps" before, and a real shifty character to believe you in fact thought it up all on your own.
But butter, Muttonbird, wouldn't … you know.. that phrase that, probably, most likely, Blade coined.
Melt.
In there.
''All joking and point-scoring aside, that's a powerful statement. How much political and social action, right or wrong, stems from worry, anxiety and its attendant fear?''
More than a few, unfortunately.
I would also add that old adage: ''Hard work never killed anyone.''
Bullshit, it kills millions globally each year.
Looks as though Neil Young and Crazy Horse also appropriated the phrase — from the slogan of a US anti-rust paint brand – Rust-Oleum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust-Oleum
There aint nothing new under the Sun….
Lol… you are as potent as you name, Belladonna.
One Muttonbird in the pot. Hard to cook and smelly. But the feast is delicious.
Poto is gone!!!!!
Excellent. One down. Let's hope the Police Commissioner can draw a not particularly long bow and ask himself would the leadership of his frontline staff and the people of New Zealand move him on if he was in cabinet?
Chris Hipkins unfortunately is just a mechanic who fixes things for Labour. I doubt he has any passion for his new police portfolio. Time will tell.
David Parker is a strange bird. When I look into his eyes, I see a fanatic. I know he can be a vicious operator… but I've never been able to make him out. Ian Wishart dealt to him a number of years back.
Man, Labour's internal polling must be dynamite.
"internal polling must be dynamite."
Good try to find a negative reason for the reshuffle but it has been flagged for some time and was brought about by resignations of Faafoi and Mallard. The PM also announced that a larger reshuffle will take place in the new year.
If you believe it's all about departing Labour MPs then I have a 3G Sim Card you can have for free.
This from Belladonna’s post above:
”Mid-term cabinet re-shuffles are more common than not. However, it may well be that Ardern is not quite as in control of the timing as she would like to be. She will, no doubt be well-aware of the downwards trend of the polls, and Labour do (I believe) a lot of polling of specific issues – so will be aware which Ministers are not being perceived as performing well.”
"If you believe it's all about departing Labour MPs".
If he believes that I would think you could do a lot better than give him a 3G sim card. Anyone who could believe that would probably pay you a couple of hundred bucks for a 2G card.
Nah, aren't they the ones with electro-magnetic properties requiring tin foil hats and deep state implants run by the Masonic order and the Vatican? I'm writing this from my bunker deep under the Southern Alps with my Italian Alpine Special Forces group. That humming you can hear you think is tinnitus, but's it's not……
I always wondered why I never graduated from driving a Datsun.
It's conjecture, Blade, yours, mine, and Belladonna's. However, I have this on my side. The headline reads, "Labour reshuffle prompted by departure of Faafoi, Mallard".
The sub-heading says "Labour’s long-awaited reshuffle has been triggered today by the departure of senior Cabinet Minister Kris Faafoi and Speaker Trevor Mallard
Today's Cabinet reshuffle has been sparked by the departures of Kris Faafoi and Trevor Mallard."
In addition, note the words 'long awaited' which rather denies your polling pressure argument.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/labour-reshuffle-as-pressure-goes-on-police-minister
Fair comment, Mac. It is conjecture on my part. But have you considered this:
Labour's poor internal polling can be denied as an excuse for a reshuffle because Labour had a long-awaited reshuffle in the pipeline. That in itself could have been cunning advanced planning?
And talking of reshuffles, this one doesn't seem minor to me, it's seems quite substantial.
Remember John Tamihere's notorious interview a few years back? The front-bums interview? He said something like this about Labour's sisterhood if I remember correctly:
''While the rest of us are taking our kids to Saturday sports events, they are at the cafe scheming. That's all they do.''
No, I've not considered them, and having read them am not doing so in the future.
There's conjecture, there's 'reckons' and then there's plain tomfoolery.
Quoting Tamihere as a credible backup to your ah, assertions, does not help………
''Quoting Tamihere as a credible backup to your ah, assertions, does not help………''
People sometimes become so focused on the immediate issue they fail to take in a global picture surrounding that issue. I like to sniff around the perimeter. Sometimes it's a wasted effort, more often than not you find a gem or a new perspective. For example, the Tamihere quote about the sisterhood and their scheming. Well, it seems the scheming is still going on, but it's the Maori caucus at the cafe now. And they can see the storm that's coming – the PM may have to move on Nanaia Mahuta and Kelvin Davis at the next reshuffle. Both are costing Labour votes. But any such move will be met with utu from the Maori Caucus.
Interesting times ahead, eh, Mac1?!
"I like to sniff around the perimeter. Sometimes it's a wasted effort, more often than not you find a gem …"
People fossick for gems, sniff for …rotten stuff.
Just sayin'
You still here, Robert. Go spread some salt.
I take your advice, Blade, with a grain.
That old curse, Blade! Plenty of opportunity to say, "Back in my day" and "I told you it wouldn't work".
I told my brother today that was going on my headstone…….
As for your punditry on the Māori caucus, he whakatauki mou. "Mā te wahine, mā te whenua, ka ngaro te tangata."
Oh, I absolutely agree it's all about 'reckons' (I'm not claiming either insider knowledge, or psychic powers!)
And, it is a fairly minor re-shuffle – almost all of the movements have been as the result of Faafoi moving aside (it's not clear when he actually plans to leave parliament – but as a List MP won't trigger a bye-election), and Poto Williams being demoted (she may still be a minister, but it's not a front line portfolio).
The rest of the changes are the fallout from those two.
Mallard leaving is an interesting thing to announce as part of a cabinet re-shuffle. As Speaker, he's not part of the cabinet, and it wouldn't be usual for an announcement for a change to this role to be bundled up with shifting Ministerial portfolios. It's also unusual (I think) for there not to be a specific diplomatic job referenced (certainly both Jonathan Hunt & Lockwood Smith resigned specifically to take up the role of High Commissioner in London)
Hipkins has a criminology degree, he might actually like it. Jan Tinetti, a former school principal and teacher, takes on the operational part of the Education portfolio – handy set of knowledge to have in the wings.
If they can make a difference, Graig, I say all power to them. I don't care who the Minster of Police is or from what party. If he/she can stop innocent people getting hurt, they will have my support.
“If he/she can stop innocent people getting hurt, they will have my support”.
Totally – though you do realise that taking that sentiment at face value would also, say, be a reason for criminalising speculation in residential property which hurts sh*tloads of innocent people by turbocharging asset price inflation and rent rises?
Or are you opposed only to some types of harm – such as those you might potentially suffer rather than those you might potentially inflict?
Very good point AB. Will Blade suddenly emerge as the hero of the poor, underpaid people who try to hold down several low-paid jobs, but still struggle to pay their mercilessly high and raised rents?
I somehow doubt it,
You mean like this guy who at one stage I believe held 7 jobs…and has donated money to Labour.
Listen to the reporter. You whine like her:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5p7B_MPL_g
Irrelevant, immaterial and incompetent. Not very sharp either.
''Be a reason for criminalising speculation in residential property which hurts sh*tloads of innocent people by turbocharging asset price inflation and rent rises?''
Don't throw that socialist crap at me. You save that for your buddies who have the same processing chip as you.
Or are you opposed only to some types of harm – such as those you might potentially suffer rather than those you might potentially inflict?
No, I'm opposed to people who break laws on the statute books. Not laws your ideology believes are laws or should be laws.
And I'm for victims not criminals. Something I doubt rarely crosses your mind unless there is some political gain.
One down, one to go.
More accurate to say Minister Poto Williams remains as a cabinet minister with Customs, according to the Herald. Minister Chris Hipkins picks up the Police role.
Do you work for the Labour spin team?
No, it's not accurate to say she has gone. She is still a cabinet minister.
I should have been more specific for you……..she is gone as police minister.
I don't think Mac1 is totally surprised by your superfluous comment, Jimmy. He obviously knew it already.
But a very significant and substantial demotion.
She wasn't shifted sideways into one of the significant ministerial roles vacated by Faafoi, but definitely down a tier into Conservation and Disability issues (not arguing they aren't important – but not first-raked ministerial portfolios)
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/poto-williams-loses-police-portfolio-mallard-faafoi-depart
That the Disability portfolio is the nearest alternative to being sacked speaks volumes. Imagine the hearing she will get in Cabinet on our behalf?
Nobody with a grain of sense accepts the word of Muhammad Idrees Ahmad
The good-hearted but woefully ill-informed "Jenny How to Get There" recently commended, with apparent sincerity, one of the most bloody-minded and unhinged proponents of chaos and bloodshed in the Middle East. She did that in the course of a wild, fact-free attempt to traduce one of the most outstanding journalists in America.
https://thestandard.org.nz/justice-for-shaireen/#comment-1889305
Jenny called Idrees Ahmad a "real professor", as if being a "Lecturer in Digital Journalism" at a second-rate university bestowed credibility on that jihadist.
I invite Standard readers to look at the facts about this "real professor" and then judge for themselves, rather than accepting the word of someone who has been wrong too often.
hard to see from that comment why we should believe one over the other.
One is an internationally renowned journalist, respected all over the world, and hated and feared by the political establishment and its media mouthpieces. The other fellow rejoices in the splendid title of "Lecturer in Digital Journalism" at Stirling University, and has no academic or journalistic credentials whatsoever.
The difference is stark.
A fact free link, that doesn't dare address any of the indisputable evidence put up by the Left exposing the Assad regime, and their Russian ally, as being engaged in war crimes, genocide and mass murder of civilians in Syria.
The same tactics we see being revisited by the Putin regime in their bloody invasion of Ukraine. A bloody invasion that you support.
You may dispute Idrees Ahmad qualifications as a ‘real professor’ compared to your own phoney self title. But one thing you can’t dispute is that Idrees Ahmad is a real Syrian Left activist.
Professor Longhair, you accuse me of being wrong to often.
Unfortunately I have been right about the atrocities commited by the Putin regime and the Assad regime more often than I would like.
Just to be clear, Professor Longhair. The Putin regime is actively recruiting Syrian mercenaries to continue the same sort of the indisputable proven war crimes they commit against the Syrian people, against the Ukraine population.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/27/massacre-in-tadamon-how-two-academics-hunted-down-a-syrian-war-criminal
Where's Chris T? They made a confident prediction here recently…
5 June 2022 at 6:18 pm
link?
I did try 🙂
Robert, imho your comment that provoked Chris T's bullish bet was priceless.
Took me a few seconds to correctly assign Chris T's two proposed labels ("slow" and "amazingly brilliant") to he and thee – CT might need more time.
More time, more rope.
Thanks for your generous parsing.
he's on a ban. Back on Thurs I think.
I'm a patient sort of guy. His mea culpa will be all the sweeter for the passage of time 🙂
"They" made a confident prediction? How many Chris Ts are there?
It is a shame about Kris Faafoi leaving as I always thought he had a good future, but his heart clearly wasn't in it this last year and sounds like he really wanted to leave 18 months ago according to Jacinda's announcement.
For some strange reason Kris Faafoi was once a favourite of the rabid right. It was when he was doing small stuff like car recalls.
When Faafoi became minister of immigration they changed their tune, didn't they? No more cheap, brown, foreign labour for the rich pricks to exploit.
Does anyone, really, think that Faafoi has been an outstanding success in any of his ministerial roles?
Name an 'outstandingly successful' immigration minister.
Name a minister of immigration of note.
Name any immigration minister at all.
Without looking it up.
Also Minister of Justice and of Broadcasting (covering the highly contentious merger of Radio and TV).
While it may be difficult to recall successful Ministers of Immigration, Labour has had 2 lemons in a row: Ian Lees-Galloway and Kris Faafoi. It's to be hoped that Michael Wood will be a safe pair of hands.
Faafoi sat on his hands, and allowed his Immigration ministry to do zip, during the whole of 2020 and most of 2021. There was no reason not to continue to process documentation for immigrants already in NZ – and he created vast uncertainty for many people, resulting in sorely needed staff actually leaving the country, as they couldn't get residency confirmed. He seemed incapable of directing his ministry to co-ordinate effectively with border security in getting critical personnel (doctors, nurses, vets, etc.) in to NZ.
It looked like bureaucratic capture of a Minister who basically just wasn't interested.
In terms of Justice, the previous two incumbents (Andrew Little and Amy Adams) were streets ahead of Faafoi.
Broadcasting, is often a 'nothing' ministry – unless there's some scandal brewing…. But Labour went into government with a plan to merge radio and TV – so it is currently a 'hot' portfolio, needing a Minister across the detail. This one should have been a gift to Faafoi, with his background in journalism. But, once again, he wasn't able to answer (or apparently even anticipate) the questions that the keenly interested journalists had (and continue to have) about the new structure.
While he's leaving to spend more time with his kids (and that's a really good reason) – it seems inescapable that he tried politics, and found that he doesn't actually enjoy the big picture policy side of things. That's not a disaster. It's something that you learn about yourself by doing. But it's also not something to be camouflaged, by pretending that there wasn't a performance issue.
I had a look for you. In reverse order:
Ian Lees-Galoway – Shagged his assistant on tour, got fired, career over.
Michael Woodlouse – He of the phantom homeless person while he wasn’t bullying and harassing Claire Curran for fun.
Nothing Guy – The only thing he brought into NZ successfully was Microplasma Boris. It really took off.
Jonathan Coleman – Dr Death himself.
Clayton Cosgrove – Meh.
David Cunliffe – So reviled in the NZ political landscape he was forced to resign after apologising for being a man.
Paul Swain – Who?
Lianne Dalziel – Retired to mayoralty…
Wyatt Creech – Acting minister for 16 days!
Tuariki Delamere – Dismissed after an NZ First coup attempt.
I'd say Faafoi is the best of the lot, with the possible exception of Clayton Cosgrove.
Not if you look at his total lack of performance over 2020-21.
Unless you think that doing nothing is the ministerial bench mark for any Minister of Immigration.
Try doing that analysis with his Justice portfolio.
Looking at the last 25 years of immigration ministers, doing nothing is the benchmark.
Kris Faafoi has done a great deal. He's been at the front of the government's immigration reset. That is the policy shift away from open-tap, low skill, low value education back door immigration.
It's a bold, socially responsible policy which, by definition, I expect you don't understand.
Is that the one where Doctors are on the priority skills shortage list, but Nurses aren't?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/128611289/midwives-and-nurses-flabbergasted-over-sexist-immigration-changes
And the re-set where Faafoi said he'd be "quite grumpy!" if the dept didn't manage to process visas in a timely fashion (their processing times have got worse, not better since he's been in charge). I bet that's making the bureaucrats shake in their shoes (not).
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2022/05/kris-faafoi-grilled-over-new-immigration-settings-says-he-ll-get-grumpy-if-visas-aren-t-processed-promptly.html
Yet to hear your explanation over why it was OK for the Dept of Immigration to do nothing for most of 2020 and 2021.
I absolutely don't have a problem with NZ being a high-skills immigration destination. Though (according to the Green spokesman), it's not exactly socially responsible.
Still waiting for your take on Faafoi as the greatest Justice minister of all time….
"Nothing Guy" – too good!
sadly no, the Ministry of Imm has been a disaster for years and Faafoi made absolutely no improvement…and gave the impression he wasnt interested, which he probably wasnt.
Ooof, you can't say that Pat.
According to @Muttonbird all Labour ministers are the pinnacle of perfection. No criticism allowed, or possible /sarc/
Meh…that is to be expected from certain quarters…the whole reshuffle has an air of desperation about it.
Remember the days when Jong Kee did musical chairs with his cabinet and his fans called it clever refreshment?
I always wondered why Keys would change his ministers twice a year but suspected it was because he struggled to show what he actually did as PM so simply showing he was boss was it for him.
Still waiting for your take on Faafoi as the greatest Justice minister of all time. Popcorn at the ready.
I'm sure you'll be able to add a few links to like-minded commentators supporting your views.
Yes, that is sarcasm. Thought you might need me to spell it out for you.
Belladonna,you are poisonous,you point out too me,who here has stated all Labour ministers are/has been the best ?
Try looking at @Muttonbird's comments.
Clearly some of the die-hard Labour supporters aren't actually interested in debate, just in an echo chamber.
I point out and discuss the Ministers I think are performing well (Woods, Wood, Allan, McAnulty) – and equally the ones which I think are not performing well.
I'm happy to debate issues (indeed, I enjoy doing so). However, debate actually requires that the other party engage with the specific issues being discussed – rather than just going silent and popping up to deflect with a 'squirrel' viewing. Under another comment.
I'm sorry that you think I'm poisonous, but that reflects more on you than on me. Time for a bit of reflection, perhaps.
John Key left politics (proper) in 2016.
+1 Muttonbird
What are you on about, Robert?
Nanaia.