Still having tons of problems with commenting from my tablet usually cant get focus in comments pane, sometimes can make new comment but not reply, often there is no replies sidebar …. then exit reload and get a working unit
GUEST BLOG: Bryan Bruce – What is the purpose of an economy?
Last week RNZ reported on two stories that should give us all pause to think about who we are , what we stand for and the ACTUAL rather than the pretend economic policy by which our country is run .
The first was on the queues of people lining up at the Manurewa MSD office on Thursday to get emergency assistance .Some had been there, in the cold and rain since 2 am.
The Minister Carmel Sepuloni put the blame on the Auckland Action Against Poverty group because that’s the day they have their advocates there to advise people about their rights and they won’t spread out their advocacy over the week, through pre appointments and at other offices
Bullet points from Bryan Bruce's article. Really to the heart of it. And no bullets in sight, may we get there and without any shooting.
…the fact that so many people are so desperate for assistance the government itself has had to increase the amount it has allocated for hardship grants to $128.5 million, tells you there is something very wrong with the way we are running our economy…
Again the problem lies in the way we run our economy . The government, for all it’s recent PR about wellbeing is still running to the neoliberal agenda which promotes selfishness and competition over cooperation and the common good…
neoliberal economics has turned us into a low wage economy – a Gig economy – where many people have to work 2 and 3 jobs just to make ends meet.
It [the Government] is still running an austerity budget with $3.5 Billion surplus when food parcel distribution at the Auckland City Mission is up 50% on last year…
What do we want? We want our economy (I think) –
…to deliver the greatest good for the largest number of our citizens over the longest time? (Progressive economics)
I’m for the progress ‘greatest good’ approach to running our economy.
I'm not a landlord. If I had my way there would be at least a CGT of 60% on this social parasitism which is a blight on all societies. So bad our young couples cannot afford to buy starter houses. I believe in social housing and keeping house prices as low as possible including restricting immigration. NZ had it right until Roger the pig farmer came along! 🙁 It's a disgrace the capital Gain these types get away with. This Government refuses to address the problem.
There’s the crux of it Johnm what you believe and reality There is a capital tax on housing and CGT is not the prime reason for supply and demand issues in housing, nor as history show us is communism or rent : price controls the answer. The government can’t build houses cheaper than the market as kiwibuild has shown , start their and work backwards
Newsroom has a very interesting story about farmers being "shafted" by ANZ over "interest rates swaps." Even quoting for Sir John's head:
Newsroom’s Nikki Mandow tells the extraordinary story of the Taranaki dairy farmers who unwittingly got caught in the world of high finance, got shafted by the ANZ Bank following the global financial crisis, refused to take a Commerce Commission-brokered settlement because it was worth only a tiny fraction of what they had lost, took the country’s biggest bank to court – and against the odds, won.
How 2030 is the new 2100: Global Food Yields Already Dropping from Abrupt Climate Change
2030 is the new 2100. Climate change is ALREADY reducing global food yields TODAY, with an average 1% annual reduction in the worlds top ten global crops, providing 83% of food calories to humanity: top ten food crops: barley, cassava, maize (corn), oil palm, rapeseed (canola), rice, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane, wheat. Most reduced: oil palm (-13.4%); increased: soybeans (+3.5%). Negatively affected regions are Europe, South Africa, and Australia; +ve is Latin America; mixed is Asia, North and Central America. Growing season temperatures over all harvested areas is up 0.5 to 1.2 C since the early 1970s.
They will happily spend 30,000,000 on one bomb yet will not spend a penny on healthcare and the environment. This world is going down the pan very very fast and whoever is at the top you know the one that holds all the cards and has all the money. well they too will also diminish you could ask the question are they even human, because in my experience humanity is a collective and at the moment is falling apart. is anyone going to do anything? I doubt it
Here is a very good piece from the ever reliable FAIR on NYTimes peddling more bullshit and disinformation…seems one of the most important things do do during the coming US election cycle will be sorting through the mountains of misdirection, disinformation and straight out lies that the so called liberal MSM will spew forth in their vain attempt to derail the progressive wave building in the USA…keep your eyes peeled and your bullshit detectors set on high!
In the future (and today's research), conventional plastics will be biodegradeable.
Scientists have already discovered an enzyme that breaks down PET, and within a wireworms microbiome lies the secrets to breaking down polystyrene. The search is on for more promising enzymes, and how we might harness them upon discovery.
Leading the charge is consumer demand for sustainable products. Those without the tech will lose more and more public support, and as alternative options become available, consumer led protest over polluters will see government support withdrawn and even government opposition to recalcitrant industry.
While we see enormous resources today dedicated to PR and legal fees to hide/justify industrial activities, the far easier and cheaper way will be to work with ethical and environmental consideration.
Leading vehicle manufacturers are switching to EV production. Oil companies to carbon capture techniques and investment in renewable research and development.
In the interim, we need to plant 1.2 trillion trees.
If the boomers could understand the difference between hemp and marijuana, what a difference that would make.
2 crop cycles of hemp remove the same amount of CO2 from the atmosphere as 30 years of pine trees.
Hemp is also a far more sustainable, low impact crop. It also regenerates the soil and isn't required to have rotation planting like so many other crops do.
Hemp is wonderful. There are so many functional uses for hemp, and way more sustainable than trying to develop enzymes.
So true – hemp is a wonderful plant – you can pretty well use all of it – I can't understand why farmers aren't getting serious about creating diversity by laying some hectares in hemp – get out of the way regulation – and for the numbnuts – your dope people don't like being near the hemp too much – too much pollen floating around.
Flax too – we used to have a whole industry for this and we can get it back again – get ready to create more wetland, plant more flax, clean more rivers for transport, fix up the old docks and so on and before you know it we will have travelled back in time to the future.
The Virtual Whurl is amusing ain't it? Open to mis-interpretation and contests between virtual egos.
Funny as a fart at times.
Have to say how pleasantly surprised I was the last time I returned from regions where hemp grows wild and where it serves as an inherent part of a natural cycle.
Customs' Doggy Doos took a liking to me because I'd been living for a few months amongst it all. Thankfully, simply declaring all that was sufficient to prevent an anal search.
It was either that, or arrival was close to midnight and everyone just wanted to get home, or maybe that the Customs Ossifer was quite obviously a total stoner
I have been waiting for the current incarnation of the Wool Board to maximise wool's properties against the horrid polypropylene clothing that is popular at the moment.
Very sobering thinking that fish have a gut full of fossil fuel based plastic fibres because…. vanity? cheaper?
I was talking to a local farmer who has had a few trial crops of hemp. He seemed to think he could use some tired old gear to process it. He spent more time fixing equipment.
I was thinking too about time that wool started being promoted strongly again. They used to have fashion shows and original garments featured. This wedding dress is an example of the way that wool was promoted and the effects that could be gained working with it.
They should use Jones fund and build a hemp plant in the Canterbury plains . Gaurentee a purchase price for any cockies that want to grow 5 % of their farm area in hemp for 10 years . Get the ball rolling.
Who has the ear of Jonesy? That idea should be rounged out, and fed to him, along with his favourite beverage, plus a goody bag filled with hemp products which seem to be varied and extensive.
He looks like he'd be partial to some of the hemp steam pudding.
Not tonight though, rhubarb crumble it is. Serve with vanilla ice cream for the tart/sweet combo. Luscious. A favorite.
I do think he'd go for something so progressive if someone made a sound business case. A group of farmers/landholders might do very well to pursue such a thing.
We don't have a hemp seed de-huller in the country either, so we'll be wanting an industrial one of those too.
This is a clear case for another viable industry, perhaps we could slow down the dairy and diary for targets for hemp – a five year plan. Let's have some Chinese central planning, it seems to have done them good as far as economic progress is concerned.
Introduction: For half a century, a high level of total cholesterol (TC) or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been considered to be the major cause of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and statin treatment has been widely promoted for cardiovascular prevention.
However, there is an increasing understanding that the mechanisms are more complicated and that statin treatment, in particular when used as primary prevention, is of doubtful benefit.
I found this the other day – it sorta shows (in a funny way) why bernie won't get there – this is the truth of it – no big conspiracy. He is consistent, he is on message, he is who he is. lol
There's been a lot of talk lately about the Titirangi Village chicken infestation, but there's something important missing from the discussion. About a year ago I had a chat with the woman who feeds the chickens. (The one referred to by Andre as the "crazy duck lady".) She told me that she regularly arranges for chickens to be rehomed on a farm, but that the Titirangi population is maintained by regular dumping of chickens/roosters in the village by members of the public. Thus, a one-off removal of the entire chicken population will not solve the problem.
…I had a chat with the woman who feeds the chickens.
What?! You actually went and engaged with this person? You held a conversation with her? You found out from her information not as yet in the media? Oh, the horror!/sarc
I was having a chuckle yesterday thinking how much easier it is going to be to round up these chooks if they are being regularly fed. Even better if this lady is catching and re homing them. "Crazy" indeed.
If one has no problem with chooks becoming food, then there are no doubt lots of folk more than happy to take unwanted chooks of the hands of the dumpers. Or have we all become too precious to even think about folks killing their own chickens to eat?
Onya phantom snowflake, and thanks for sharing that information.
That's more like it. Some truth to the matter rather than sneering contempt.
The same occurs at Western Springs (Pet dumping). I view turtles in the lake, chooks all over the place, and if you go there on a moonlit night, rabbits and guinea pigs mowing the lawns.
With a Zoo next door housing many carnivores, I can think of a sustainable solution…
But the public would rather dump pets and have exterminators do the job, rather than think Fluffy has been eaten by a lion. As for the chook populations, some culling of the roosters (wherever dumped animals form flocks) would be an efficient way to keep numbers down. That and infrequent round-ups.
Rosemary & WtB: Similarly clichéd mental health-related slurs about the woman concerned are thrown about in the Titirangi community as are on this site, sadly. In person, what is most striking is her huge love and compassion towards chickens in particular, and I can't see why that's something to sneer at. In my view, when it comes to the chicken issue she is definitely a stakeholder, and I hope that the Waitakere Ranges local board will engage with and involve her as they seek a solution.
Apparently there will soon be an egg shortage, so the 'chicken lady' could have the last laugh as she may get the opportunity to charge top dollar for her rescued chickens eggs 🙂
Very true Cinny. Mr Jilly Bee and I recently became the owners of a couple of scrawny looking Red Shaver hens – we went on an hour and a half drive to pick them up, and back again. After a comfortable night in their new home, there were a couple of eggs in the nest and they have continued to each lay regularly (the more scrawny one, who is just coming out of her moult, manages one every second day. We're getting about a dozen a week at present. All good, and they're weeding the gardens for us as well – including getting rid of the accursed violets, which had pretty much taken over everywhere. Looking to plant some goodies for them to feast on. I believe they like comfrey – we've fenced off the rhubarb as they had started to eat the leaves, which can are toxic.
Locals have engaged with this woman for many, many years. Her views are well known. Her behaviour is antisocial and if she were living in earlier times the village would have ousted her by now. She has earned any contempt people here are divining.
First up, why I call her "crazy duck lady": she goes out of her way to create traffic hazards in front of her home. One time I was going down the hill in front of her home in my old-skool Landrover with a moderately loaded trailer on behind, and she marches out into the road from behind a flaxbush to shake a roadkill duck at me. She did it when I was way too close to have stopped even if I hadn't had the trailer on, so I had to swerve around her into the other lane.
Her habit of feeding ducks at home means there's often ducks crossing the road where the road narrows, there's vegetation close to the road reducing visibility and the ducks have zero road sense so they will walk out directly in front of you so it can be difficult to avoid them, even if you're going unreasonably slow. The duck carnage on the road directly in front of her is all on her, not the drivers, yet by her behaviour she seems to have no comprehension of that.
Then there's the health hazard and other nuisance she's creating for her neighbours by encouraging the massive concentration of ducks. There have been times I've gone past and the concrete of her driveway was literally completely covered in duck shit and ducks.
When it comes to her and the chickens, I've seen her feeding the chickens numerous times. I have never seen her in any activity that even vaguely looked like trying to capture them for rehoming. Over the past few months, there have been many of the chickens in various stages of juvenile development (possibly a majority of the chickens). They are breeding prolifically, not just being dumped. And her regular feeding encourages that successful breeding.
While some of her activity might need to be curtailed, so does the lack of understanding.
It is the Mast season allowing prolific rat breeding, a nationwide phenomenon in which Titirangi is no special case except they've found a scapegoat who has pissed a few people off by the sounds of things. The dumping of unwanted roosters and mast year is causing the prolific breeding of chooks. Clutch numbers rise as food availability rises, hence this is not such an issue in non-mast years, years this lady is still feeding the flocks.
It would be good to seat this lady at the table with others and work through these issues. Creating a traffic hazard is not on, dismissing her as a kook is also not on.
How we see things is not necessarily how others do. Context required, understanding required. For all stakeholders.
The rats in the village have been knocked back to normal levels by a combination of poisoning and trapping. A few months ago I too had the worst rat and mouse problem I've ever had in my 19 years there (possibly not having any cats anymore contributed), but a solid campaign of poisoning and trapping has knocked them back around my place, too.
Crazy duck lady's habits of feeding pest animals and creating traffic hazards are simply anti-social. Why should her foibles be accorded any more respect than those who have obnoxiously loud parties into the wee hours, or enjoy doing burnouts on public streets? As just a couple of examples of obnoxious anti-social behaviour that society curtails.
The South Titirangi Environmental Network has got specials on the gas-fired rat traps. Mostly our cats get them, but on occasion it gets a mouse or two.
My Timms trap dealt to the rats quite satisfactorally. But lately the local possums seem to be treating it as the signpost to their bonking tree directly above it. Bastards.
Hell's teeth Andre. You're so overflowing with compassion and understanding for others in your community that I wonder what on Earth you are doing hanging around on a left wingish blog site.
All of us with vision clear enough to see have people who are 'different' living in our communities.
The real lefty trick is to not only to tolerate difference but to endeavor to understand the factors that make these individuals, well, different.
The bigger lefty challenge is knowing when to support the community when shared interests are threatened by individuals. The quirky underdog is not always in the right.
The intolerance is as palpable as it is unsurprising.
Smears and insults indicate the levels of intolerance on display.
Edit: Titirangi many decades ago, used to be a bush surrounded vibrant hub of all wonderful flavours and types of folks…some of them possibly still remain in the area…
…But as the housing markets have gone up, the areas will have been overrun by the intolerant types who moved into those once eclectic bush suburbs in the Waitakere Rangers …
Same as can be seen in other areas in that part of West Auckland….areas which families had generations of heritage…very few likely remain…
I mean who are these types…what actual benefit would those who use insults, bigoted smears against others inside their own community bring to that community with such intolerant traits…communities which they have only recently moved into no less…
The language being used to describe the circumstances is symptomatic of the very real problems which all communities are facing…that being the hypocritical do-gooders …who are anything but….
Why should her foibles be accorded any more respect than those who have obnoxiously loud parties into the wee hours, or enjoy doing burnouts on public streets? As just a couple of examples of obnoxious anti-social behaviour that society curtails.
and
Her views are well known. Her behaviour is antisocial and if she were living in earlier times the village would have ousted her by now. She has earned any contempt people here are divining.
She sounds like a hard case. That's the shitty thing with poultry, the sloppy poo.
Go to any park/Queens gardens in NZ with a pond and it's sloppy poo city, just like the ladies drive way. Part of the parcel and all that.
Maybe you could make her a ducks crossing sign. Actually you might be able to pick one up at a garden centre or Farmlands etc. We've one up at the commune in a certain location on the driveway. Lolz there are places I do not walk in bare feet up there even in the summer due to poultry poo, it's always runny lmao. Peacocks are the worst, that's super sized runny shit that stuff.
Re the breeding…. too many roosters huh? Roosters can be eaten, the trick is once you've caught them, to lock them up in the coup for about a week, then they aren't using their muscles as much tearing around the place, helps to tenderise the meat as such, then off with their heads and let the plucking begin.
Are people just giving up on keeping chooks and dumping them at Titirangi? Must be super annoying for the locals. WTB is correct in suggesting to seat the lady at the table with others to form a plan.
Why respond sourly to an informative thought-through comment from Cinny? I see you taking potshots quite often Sacha. Doesn't add anything to the discussion.
There used to be at least one homeless guy apparently living in one of the bush patches currently over-infested with chickens. But I haven't seen any of them since what used to be a carpark right next to the bush patch became a construction zone. Maybe he/they had something to do with controlling the chicken population…
Wouldn't that be ironic 🙂 There's a rest stop up the valley that seems to be a popular place for rooster dumping. Friends have been gathering up the roosters when they see them.
Maybe it's as innocent as a child wanting a chicken and to hatch it from an egg and then hello it's a rooster. I know in the suburban areas of our district that people aren't allowed to keep roosters. So maybe the most sympathetic way they think to get rid of them is to drop them off at a lush looking rural area, like Titirangi. And then it literally all turns to shite.
Oh, and as far as a duck crossing sign, there's proper official duck signs at the correct distance going both ways. They got put in a few years ago.
I'll speculate it was the result of a deal the council made with her to stop her lining up and displaying roadkill on the side of the road encroaching into where buses need to use the full width. Or even occasionally hanging roadkill ducks (guts hanging out and all) from trees on the side of the road.
Got a couple of neighbors I'll trade for the duck lady. Specifically the gang members who like to intimidate other neighbors. While they don't mess with me I've had to call them off their treatment of others a couple of times. That's anti-social. Eccentricity is different.
In a perfect world that lady would be working at an aviary, or a free range farm.
Well, Peter "Pedro" Cleven was just a couple of driveways down from my place for years, and he was less of a worry than someone attracting pest animals to that house and feeding them would have been.
She may have always been eccentric, or she may have dementia. There are more people with dementia than ever before living amongst us.
They cannot be reasoned with, their remaining strength of mind is focussed on their own drives. Soon every second person will have a slightly mad old person living near them. Get used to it.
We oldies are living longer, and those of us with a desire to be living all the time they are alive, would also like to be able to decide when we realise it is time to arrange our affairs and pass away otherwise it will only be medical intervention that keeps us going at cost to the state, and great emotional cost to our families or carers.
I've got a mildly demented old being just behind me. We disagreed about something, and he got an axe and chopped it down. My friend has one who constantly stares out of the windows opposite to my friend's house, sometimes apparently kneeling on the floor to peek. The woman has accused her and neighbours of stealing things from her garden. It is unpleasant and annoying and the delusions from the mentally incapacitated take many forms. This woman's one is feeding the dear birds, without consideration for the dear people affected. Watch out you people working for the environment, for signs that you or fellow advocates, don't become as narrowly focussed and then have bad faith to ordinary humans, ignoring the needs of people suffering and without help and consideration. I'm already hearing people comment scornfully, almost with hate, about people having children – they are 'breeding' and are to be despised as (bloody) irresponsible.
I wrote a comment the othr day on the spread of retirement villages and who might own them.
There was a recent news item about some owners finding that they are required to pay an extra $100 a week they hadn't realised they were liable for. Apparently the small print is extensive. Perhaps it is as bad as that coming with your cellphone.
Federal Aged Care and Senior Australians Minister Senator Richard Colbeck thanked Queensland Health, local emergency services and the staff members who took care of residents.
"It appears that this incident arose from a contractual dispute between the approved aged care provider and a sub-contractor who was providing administrative, nursing, catering and other support services," he said.
"It appears that the sub-contractor, without notice, withdrew all services and proceeded to remove equipment from site, leaving the facility unsuitable for residents to occupy.
Government response:
"I will be using the full suite of resources available to investigate the circumstances of this matter and I have issued instructions to that effect to my department last night.
That's if they don't contract out of doing anything responsible for their citizens. I wonder how Oz people will feel as they become aware that their government cares as little for them, as the citizens do for the refugees held on island penitentiary hellholes, shades of French penal colony Devil's Island and Papillon.
A petty criminal, Papillon is wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to life in a French penal colony in 'Guiane' (French Guiana, South America).
"I'm pretty sure our text machine is going to get very BUSY with this choice." Yadana Saw nervously transgresses the fatwa against Michael Jackson.Music 101, RNZ National, Saturday 29 June 2019, 4:10 p.m.
Over many years, RNZ National has played host to some of the most heinous people imaginable. Kim Hill has provided an open platform for liars and propagandists such as the odious hatchet-man Alex Gibney [1] and the discredited Grauniad hacks Luke Harding and Jonathan Freedman. [2] Jesse Mulligan last year gave the war criminal Alistair Campbell half an hour—uninterrupted by any troubling questions like "Why did you expose Dr. Kelly?" or "How do you sleep at night?"—to talk about his incessantly self-advertised "battle with depression." Jim Mora and his producer sat schtum one day as that malevolent old sod Michael Bassett croaked, ludicrously, that Nicky Hager was "a holocaust-denier." Noelle McCarthy conducted a fawning interview with a former U.S. Navy SEAL, nodding along vacantly as he enthused: "Everybody wanted a piece of Grenada!" [3]
As I type this out, Kim Hill is interviewing the "Australian academic and media artist" Mitch Goodwin about "the history and cultural significance" of David Bowie's pop song "Space Oddity."
KIM HILL: Bowie, I mean he KNEW what he was talking about didn't he.
MITCH GOODWIN: He did, he was one of the cultural commentators of our time…. zeitgeist…. The space race and the Cold War, I mean Bowie saw both of those. et cetera.
Kim Hill knows as well as anyone that Bowie was notorious for preying on young, under-age girls. I wonder if she'd be so unabashed in her admiration for him if he was a black American instead of a white Englishman with a Home Counties accent; four years ago, she and the chatty "theatre-maker" Stella Duffy were in carnival mode as they enthusiastically expressed their support for the Key government's refusal to let black U.S. rapper Chris Brown into New Zealand. [4]
This peculiar and highly selective corporate "morality" at RNZ National reached its nadir two weeks ago, when the grimly chirpy Music 101 host Yadana Saw became very nervous about playing a song by that monster Michael Jackson….
The Mixtape: Ardijah. As Ardijah celebrates 40 years of making music, lead singer Betty-Anne Monga reflects on her life of waiata and whānau for the RNZ Mixtape.
YADANA SAW:[brightly and chirpily] Kia ora koutou, this is the RNZ Music Mixtape, with me-e-e-e, Yadana SAW, and joining us as the selector for THIS episode of the Mixtape is Ardijah's Betty-Anne Monga. Kia ora ehoa!
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Kia ora, Yadana.
YADANA SAW: Aaaaaahhh, it's SO LOVELY to have you as our Mixtape selector this, um, this afternoon, ahhhh…..
….. and so on. Betty-Anne Monga had many interesting things to say about living in Otara, singing in a band while still at school, and the music business. The talk was interspersed with musical selections, including Ardijah's cover of the Phoebe Snow hit "Every Night" and Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls." Then she told Yadana Saw that she left school to join the band—"I ran away from home," she laughed.
YADANA SAW:[carefully, delicately] All right, well let's get to your—speaking of CONTROVERSY, this one sounds quite controversial for a, y' know, a YOUNG WOMAN to be doing that in those times, in South Auckland, um, I hope you don't mind me saying that your NEXT song is a LITTLE bit of a controversial CHOICE, a-a-a-a-and….
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Hmmmmm.
YADANA SAW: I'm really interested why you were brave enough to be choosing a MICHAEL JACKSON track—
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Oh, okay.
YADANA SAW: — at this time.
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Well, you know, for me, once I joined the band and I was able to buy music, you know, that I quite loved, Michael Jackson, yeah he was the—I think I only purchased that album. That was about it, but everything else has been— hmmm, it's the era. That song there and that album is quite influential for me, anyway.
YADANA SAW: Betty-Anne, the—w-w-what will happen is that, I'm pretty sure our text machine is going to get very BUSY with this choice.
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Hmmmm.
YADANA SAW:[very delicately, nervously] What would you SAY to-o-o-o listeners, and to our audience, who may say "We CAN'T listen to this music any more"?
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Yeah. Well you know I think that's everybody's prerogative, you know, and I respect that, and I think it is about people making that choice for themselves. You know what, and honestly, Yadana, I didn't even think. I was looking at the music, the journey, you know, that I've walked, and that I know that other people have as well. But bringing it, discussing it, and talking about it now, um, yeah, I can't really, gosh, you know, but people have their—it's freedom of speech. And share it, you know, so we can see where others are coming from, and how they feel about it. It's okay to talk about it.
YADANA SAW: Uh, thank you, Betty-Anne! Umm, fro-o-o-om the album Off the Wall, this is Michael Jackson's "Rock With You."
…. Cue three minutes of music from the Devil Incarnate, according to Yadana Saw and no doubt the chatty "theatre-maker" and scourge of Chris Brown, Stella Duffy. *
YADANA SAW: That's "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson, from the album Off the Wall, the choice of Betty-Anne Monga from Ardijah, who's our Mixtape selector today-y-y-y.
Bloody hell Morrissey. I can't stand saints. Or are you a whited sepulchure that is going to find fault with all those we know and appreciate and be the one to triumphantly show them up? I think this is a terrible burden for you and will warp your life. Certainly you are beginning to warp mine.
I don't claim to be a saint, Mr Shark. The people closest to claiming such status are the likes of Stella Duffy and Yadana Saw, with their highly selective emphasis on the crimes of black singers —-of course the crimes are totally unproven in the case of Michael Jackson, but that hasn’t stopped the likes of Ms. Saw from expressing her disdain and disapproval.
Quite the contrast with the treatment of David Bowie.
No, I'm not. And neither is Kim Hill. But they and others in the media lack the courage to speak out against or refuse to accept these informal and unwritten kinds of groupthink. It's interesting, and disturbing, to see how readily people will join in with an ostracism or a denunciation as long as it has the imprimatur of a few opinion gauges such as —God help us— Grauniad or BBC “journalists.” We've seen—or heard— how ostensibly decent people can be led into laughing at the suffering of a prisoner, and expressing contempt for him in the manner of Red Guards in 1960s China.
That fear of standing up to the prevailing political climate is what leads to such otherwise inexplicable phenomena as Kim Hill's willingly providing an uncritical audience to the most ridiculous and obscene conspiracy theories as peddled by the likes of Alex Gibney and Luke Harding.
That fear of falling out of favour with the mob is the reason that Yadana Saw was so nervous when she brought up the subject of Michael Jackson and made that ludicrous comment about "our audience, who may say 'We CAN'T listen to this music any more'."
I am pleased that you don’t consider either Kim or Yadana racists, because your first comment was a bit ambiguous.
Moving on to what you have said in your reply about Yadana Saw, I laughed.
While you are obviously entitled to your opinion, your claim that “fear of falling out of favour with the mob” is so off the mark in relation to Yadana; and I therefore assume that you possibly know very little about her (other than as a RNZ Music 101 host), her ethnicity, her background as an activist, and that of her older whanau.
Although part pakeha,Yadana is in fact one of a very small community of Burmese here in Wellington. As well as being known for her activism and leadership in saving a well loved Crossways Community Creche a couple of years ago, she is now on the Board of Trustees of my own first primary school Newtown School, well known for its multiculturalism and leadership in the local community – and is apparently doing a very good job in that role.(Note – she is young enough to be a daughter or probably a granddaughter of mine!)
More than that, however, she is also known for being active in standing up for human/civil rights in Myammar. While 12 years ago now, Yadana was organizer and MC of a Vigil for Burma back in 2007 which saw a very big turnout in Wellington from a wide range of the community and political leaders.
This activism is very much in her blood, as she is the granddaughter of one of Wellington’s most loved restauranteurs, “Aunty Mabel” who ran Wellington’s only Burmese restaurant the “Monsoon” for many years after arriving in NZ in 1976. Aunty Mabel was well known for her outspokenness and support of refugees and others of all ethnicities.
Even better known however, was Mabel’s older brother, Bill Maung. Bill (Yadana’s great uncle, a former judge and high level political figure in Burma) arrived in NZ as a political exile in 1967; and went on to become a political force in his own right – known for standing up to Muldoon, becoming a good friend of James K Baxter, and going on to be a friend and very active supporter and mentor to Rei Harris and Black Power.
For many years, Bill was a well known figure and friend to many in the Southern suburbs of Wellington, including me. He was also a good friend of Bruce Stewart (founder), and active supporter and member of my local marae, Tapu Te Ranga Marae (which sadly burnt down a couple of weeks ago). The work Bill Maung did over many years through the marae and Black Power in relation to Maori men and gangs is immeasurable, despite the difference in ethnicities, religious beliefs etc. .
So, with that family background, Yadana afraid “of falling out of favour of the mob” or “lacking the courage to speak out”– No way!!!!!!! LOL.
—————————————————————————–
Here is an interview in 2014 with Yadana where she goes into more detail (mainly in the second half).
Thanks for that very interesting info, Viper. I had guessed she was Burmese, going by her surname, but I had no idea she was related to the legendary Bill Maung.
I don't agree with you, however, that her ethnicity or her activism means that she is not susceptible to the very real pressure of hivemind syndrome. She had no good reason to make those ridiculous comments about Betty-Anne Monga being "brave" in choosing that song by Michael Jackson, and her fanciful, entirely unjustified suggestion about the thinking of "our audience, who may say 'We CAN'T listen to this music any more'."
I'm sure that Yadana Saw has devoted practically no time at all to following the fantastical and spectacularly unsuccessful attempted takedown of Jackson by James Safechuck and Wade Robson; what she does know, however, is that many of the chattering set in Wellington have made their minds up that he must have been guilty, and she's decided not to swim against the tide.
Why are we so fixated on everything USA. As if we don't have much to talk about at home and in Oz. Up the USA, they have more citizens than we have and more furores in the news therefore. But I am concerned about NZ and what is going on with us. You sound Irish Morrissey, have you always lived in NZ, or did you come from another country and remained pulled between the two, lost at sea virtually.
Looks like democratic eating their own Pelosi now is also a racist ( ouch) which is simply what you are if you don’t agree with anybody to your left, no matter how left you maybe
Meanwhile, the locals are having conniptions with regards to not getting their road sealed. Some have business that would benefit, and are not prepared to wait, or are afraid funding will vanish.
So there's concern on both sides. One trying to do it right, the others wanting to just get on with it. Both understandable.
We've tried business models of just get on with it to the detriment of the environment forever. It's made the whole planet untenable run the way it is. This new road seal could open an entire new (global) industry for the region. The same region Tuhoe detractors say is only good for tourism, and that they're 'wrecking it'.
I thought kiwis didn't want their parks overrun by tourists and freedom campers? Here we have Tuhoe leading the way, limiting numbers. Thank god someone is doing it, and building green roads to boot, amazing! Or are you happier with green washing BS like charging a tourist levy…
Sux to be the white minority who can’t blindly reap profits from Te Urewera I guess. lol
Brexit could well see the end of Corbyn as well as many other British politicians. However, the main point here is that the infernal machinations of old Yenta Hodge, Tom Watson, and the rest of the Blairite rump have had virtually no effect on the voters. The Blairites think that the British people are stupid; they're not, and they can recognize crude political smearing when they see it. Clearly no one with an I.Q. above room temperature believes a word that comes from the mouth of Yenta Hodge and her cronies.
Degrees of separation creepiness. It seems one of Epstein's first jobs was teaching at a private school in New York, headmastered by a Donald Barr, whose son is the ultimate overseer of Epstein's prosecution, William Barr …
Just as well the attack was on Christianity and Jewish faiths otherwise some would be asking for a lot more than as mild a response as you can possibly make.
“That was not my intention and I unreservedly apologise. " so what is Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman apologising for. So we can make offensive statements but not have that intention and it is OK ??
The Quran was written about 600 years later so has zero eye witnesses to the 'prophet not God or son of God' [according to the Quran] portrayed as Jesus.
"although some scholars had in the past supported the Slavonic Josephus, to my knowledge no one today believes that they contain anything of value for Jesus research"
Chilton, Bruce; Evans, C.A. (1998). Studying the Historical Jesus: Evaluations of the State of Current Research.
Iterations of iterations. Chinese whispers by believers over centuries.
Ok then what are your thoughts of an MP mis representing religion and history to further her own agenda ?
And when it was pointed out her errors that her comments were offensive, gives what some could consider the bird ? and what contrite has been displayed ?
Please God don't let them fight over whether you exist from their puny position on earth. If someone tried to believe in someone good and lasting over centuries, and in general that person also tries to be good inspired by the belief, then please don't start trying to unpick the belief either of you.
Well GG and I both agree that Jesus existed, WTB goes off tangent (and takes me with them) diverting from the issue. Making a statement and then making the IMO the worst form of apology and The Green's leadership also seem to fail that what was commented on is wrong and Both The Greens Leadership and GG should have appreciated that for some how offensive such a comment is.
apology lacks accountability when you focus on how the other person feels instead of what you did.
Edit:
Why do you have to fight about your religion. It is important to you but Christianity is about bringing peace surely.
It seems that the Jewish spokesperson has a set approach which gets wheeled out. She said that the woman said that Jesus was not Jewish. Actually she made the point that Mary and Joseph were refugees (in their own land). They were escaping Herod weren’t they!
What about arguing for others being treated badly in NZ – about getting things better for people. Argue for people rather than dogma.
I've just been reading this. It is possible you already advocate for people having a rough time. If so please do more – there is such a need.
…I'm now 37, and I've been on and off the benefit since I was 18. I've done odd jobs, but they mostly haven't lasted long either because the role was temporary or I didn't fit in with the other workers….
When my parents died suddenly in 2010, I got no empathy from Work and Income. In fact, they told me to let it go and move on just two weeks after it happened, and kept threatening to cut my benefit.
They did end up cutting it for two weeks, which left me eating beans and rice or nothing. That was traumatising and hurtful.
Cut to 2019, I recently asked if they would be able to help me pay for a course I wanted to do, because it didn't fit in with Studylink funding and didn't qualify for the training allowance. They refused to help me. This course could have got me an internship and a paid job in a position I would love, and be happy to do every day. They wouldn't even loan me the money.
Even for the muddled and discredited NZJC, that was a moronic press release. The NZJC does not speak for Jewish people of New Zealand; it is an extreme right, racist organization that promulgates hatred and supports apartheid. The fact you quote that discredited organization is not at all helpful to your reputation, my befuddled friend.
18.) The so-called “friends of Israel”, who support Israel automatically and blindly: this has nothing to do with friendship. They are enemies of Israel—they corrupt us. The Jewish establishment in Australia kept saying to me: “Israel right or wrong.” Well, Israel is wrong and they need to stop supporting it. Continuous support by Western governments and by the Jewish establishment is anything BUT friendship.
That GG was placed in the naughty corner by her leaders, gave an apology and directed to work closer with the Jewish community doesn’t say much about how others have viewed her actions. Perhaps some within the greens are attempting to hold to their principles.
Funny how those who espouse tolerance are sometimes found lacking 😉
Grey, ponder this. If you walked down town and asked people who their local council CEO is, most wouldn't even know, let alone know what they are paid. More could probably name the contestants on the Block. And that is most likely a big part of the problem.
Most are looking the other way and it becomes like taking candy off a baby.
Most people have no idea how big their council's annual budget, asset base, or staff numbers are. Nor how that compares with other organisations in their region or their pay rates.
Is The Chair agitating for cheaper local government?
In this instance, I'm questioning profuse CEO salaries.
The new CEO is from the United Kingdom and her new pay is $100,000 more than the £210,000 ($NZ397,000) she earns in her current role as chief executive of Birmingham City Council – despite the British city being more than twice the size of Christchurch (see link above).
Local government organisations aim to provide public services and facilities at or below cost – they're not in the business of making a profit.
"Chief executives at New Zealand's biggest companies got a 2.2 per cent pay rise last year, taking their average earnings to $1,755,352 in the 2017 financial year."
"While CEO earnings increases were modest compared to some previous years, 38 of the 50 chief executives in the survey still received more than $1 million in remuneration, and their average was 55 times the median annual income Kiwis received in that year, recorded at $31,928, according to Statistics NZ."
Some of those 'private' companies have been bailed out by the NZ taxpayer, and some receive generous corporate welfare so that they may continue to return a dividend to their shareholders.
But by all means take a pot shot at local government – it’s your “lefty” choice.
It's not only local Government where CEO salaries are profuse, but unlike the private sector, the public have far more say. But they don't seem to be using their power to slow down these outrageous salaries. A sustained media campaign is required.
Do you support the new CEO salary? If not, why have a go at me?
If you consider that new CEO's salary to be "outrageous", then you must have been ‘positively’ apoplectic about Speiring's $8,000,000+ renumeration package, for all the good he did!
Could you use Givealittle to fund your "sustained media campaign"?
"Since 1989 New Zealand has witnessed a gradual reduction in the number of locally elected positions." [see table & figure on page 7]
"The Taxpayers’ Union, in collaboration with Fairfax Media, this morning launched "Ratepayers’ Report" hosted by Stuff.co.nz."
"For the first time, New Zealanders now have an interactive online tool to compare their local council to those of the rest of the country. Go to http://www.ratepayersreport.nz/ to compare your local council including average rates, debt per ratepayer and even CEO salaries."
Good point about the media holding power to account – been making that point long, have you?
I absolutely agree that the lot of most NZers would improve gradually if Labour turned (more) left, but given MMP (which I support), keeping National (aren't they just stinkers) out requires continued broad public support. Bridges is doing a fine job in that regard.
If, in changing tack, Labour fails to take enough voters with them, then it's back to asset sales, setting up public services for failure and privatisation, tax cuts for the wealthy (actually that'll be first, just like last time), GST increases, inequality increases, flags, tax havens, etc. etc.
This report on Matata, Bay of Plenty and its residents, many elderly, being shunted around by an inept local Council displays that small Councils are out of their depth in trying to get their heads around climate change and its effects. It is full and factual by Nikki Macdonald on Stuff and is another example of Stuff doing a great job of informing us about our country's challenges and triumphs.
It shows graphically how remiss our Local Government central body is. They should have seen this coming because they have seen for decades central government withdrawing from responsibility and local govt is still noting that there is more being pushed on them, more expectations. Years ago Local Government should have had square-table meetings laying the problems on the table and the consequent costs and difficulties.
Without that careful thinking their Council has misled Matata people after one weather event to invest their insurance money back into their homes and land, only to tell them to shift and offer them inadequate money for their homes which will be abandoned.
It's time for government to consult with Councils and people affected, set up a system that enables a coastal retreat, and erects shelters for emergencies and a fund must be set up to provide for alternative housing.
Forethought of some sort by voters, not to keep electing a Party whose leader was willing to play the clown to amuse the hoi polloi would have given us three years extra to start facing such problems, part of our dire future. But no, why shift yourself when you aren't forced to. Others can go and jump. And many Councils seem to have caught the same Rip-van-Winkle sleeping sickness.
Listen to MP Eugenie Sage saying little Westland will have to pick up all its own rubbish, yet it is known that it needs to be done quickly now before the historic spring rain. Of course that might not happen, because of disruptive climate change, but as the saying goes about being flummoxed, 'Expect the unexpected, but remember you can't count on it'.
Can some wealthy triad put their money in and buy them out? The wealthy have had a go at banner businesses that traditionally have been bought by the kingpins of finance, eg Bill Gates bought into a Canadian railway. But Stuff is there and presumably still for sale. It's not a big building that you can put your name on, but Murdoch made his name with newspapers and anyone who had a desire to own a newspaper that runs well and supports the country and both sides of Parliament, would be a god to many of us. All our wealthy can't be warped lightweights morally?
Would have thought that the democratic processes of the collected representatives of the directly elected E.U. govt. nations, would take precedent over that of the E.U. elecs
&
that the results of the E.U. elecs. would take precedent over those in national parliaments in the arrangements of rewarded working majorities to those proportions.
Would seem like the basic win win default convenant of all pro E.U. vote reps. to their support bases, that would carry the best guarantee of getting a good shake of the stick at some point.
I’ve been thinking about the left and their plight.
For me, being left is pretty simple, it’s people vs money and things.
We all like money and things, lefties place people at the top.
A standard contributor recently posted the observation that 2 of us have as much wealth as 1.5 million of us.
It’s an imbalance that can’t be conducive to the betterment of New Zealand. Rich and poor alike can only predict calamity ahead.
I think the inevitable rise of the left will not come from stomping our feet and demanding houses, food grants and dollars. It will come from stomping our feet and demanding humanity. "Hello my friend"
Can someone tell me if you can make two submissions on a bill. I have made one myself but would also like to sign Forest and Bird's for the Zero Carbon Bill. It's not like a vote is it. I have put in a different submission than Forst and Bird with different points in each.
Thanks to national for the Tsunami of homeless people. Eco Maori just about end up in a motel but I didn't want to put up with all the actors the sandfly's throw at me .
A black out in New York wow that must have been fun .
It's cool to see all the people enjoying All the beautiful sight that Aotearoa has to offer like hump ridge track I have a awesome view were I'm going to build.
There you go Whanau these puppets are using the Orange tamariki problems like they used the forshaw and sea bed issue to try and discredit our government that treats Maori and the poor common tangata better than the last lot wake up you puppets .
I don't think that Google te reo will be that accurate in translating te reo as the dialects are different for each Iwi.
Bullshit any person with a brain know don't go to war unless you are going to win. taniana last war you lost the forshaw and seabed and gave national the power to stuff up Maori and the poor people for NINE YEARS FOOL you will cause more harm to tangata whenua that good if there actions let national back in power .Ngati Porou own our sea bed right.
Awesome to see Maori getting into online video gaming that is the industry to chase it ten times the revenue of Hollywood. Ka kite ano
It was a exciting day for Papatuanuku Cricket Lloyd.
Our Blackcaps Stars did Aotearoa fine even with the final results.
Banks is just a national puppet . national are desperate for a win in any political seen.
trump is just showing his true colors.
It is cool that China is going to help save the Godwit bird . China is going to preserve some mud flats in the yellow sea were the Goodwit stop halfway on there yearly migration ka Pai.
It's cool our government is going to change some system in Whanau Ora to consult with the Whanau more .
Those people and culture that are in Oranga tamariki are the same ones that the national party you back so you need to stand up and take responsibility for YOUR Actions Tainana .
It cool to see plastic being recycled to in Aotearoa and seeing it being turned in New products.
Eco Maori is a birdwatcher they are such beautiful creature.
It's awesome that our government is going to put money into normalising Te reo in Aotearoa society you should see heads turn when I say ki Ora in A shop .
Awesome to see a Wahine elected as European union commission President. Congratulations Ursula
Ursula von der Leyen has been confirmed as the European commission’s first female president and the first German in the job for more than 50 years.
In a secret ballot, MEPs voted narrowly to support the German defence minister as a replacement for Jean-Claude Juncker when he steps down on 31 October She won the support of 383 MEPs, nine votes more than required to secure an absolute majority but below the 400 threshold that would have given her a stable majority to get her policies through parliament over the next five years
Eco Maori tau toko supports Equality for Wahine equality for all. KIA KAHA stay strong all Wahine championing this cause
This is a huge problem with charity's all the money doesn't make it to the cause. Its burned up by administration and other things .
Only 1% of gender equality funding is going to women’s organisations – why?
There’s been a $1bn boost in support in the last two years, but only tiny pots of money are trickling down to feminist groups
In the past two years alone, governments and international institutions have announced more than $1bn (£0.8bn) in new commitments to support gender equality globally.
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
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 ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 29 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
Still having tons of problems with commenting from my tablet usually cant get focus in comments pane, sometimes can make new comment but not reply, often there is no replies sidebar …. then exit reload and get a working unit
Hi Xanthe, I have the same problem in Chrome but followed someone here and their advice and use Brave.
No probs with commenting.
ahh will give it a go thanks
chrome is nasty anyway
GUEST BLOG: Bryan Bruce – What is the purpose of an economy?
Last week RNZ reported on two stories that should give us all pause to think about who we are , what we stand for and the ACTUAL rather than the pretend economic policy by which our country is run .
The first was on the queues of people lining up at the Manurewa MSD office on Thursday to get emergency assistance .Some had been there, in the cold and rain since 2 am.
The Minister Carmel Sepuloni put the blame on the Auckland Action Against Poverty group because that’s the day they have their advocates there to advise people about their rights and they won’t spread out their advocacy over the week, through pre appointments and at other offices
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/07/08/guest-blog-bryan-bruce-what-is-the-purpose-of-an-economy/
A good opinion piece Johnm but I wonder how the wealth of the two richest could be undone.
Bullet points from Bryan Bruce's article. Really to the heart of it. And no bullets in sight, may we get there and without any shooting.
…the fact that so many people are so desperate for assistance the government itself has had to increase the amount it has allocated for hardship grants to $128.5 million, tells you there is something very wrong with the way we are running our economy…
Again the problem lies in the way we run our economy . The government, for all it’s recent PR about wellbeing is still running to the neoliberal agenda which promotes selfishness and competition over cooperation and the common good…
neoliberal economics has turned us into a low wage economy – a Gig economy – where many people have to work 2 and 3 jobs just to make ends meet.
It [the Government] is still running an austerity budget with $3.5 Billion surplus when food parcel distribution at the Auckland City Mission is up 50% on last year…
What do we want? We want our economy (I think) –
…to deliver the greatest good for the largest number of our citizens over the longest time? (Progressive economics)
I’m for the progress ‘greatest good’ approach to running our economy.
Johnm
Why did you Tell Lies about Work An Income ?
You are so untrustworthy –
Your friends the Landlords place excessive Rents on people in New Zealand. You should have a chat to your Wealthy mates.
I'm not a landlord. If I had my way there would be at least a CGT of 60% on this social parasitism which is a blight on all societies. So bad our young couples cannot afford to buy starter houses. I believe in social housing and keeping house prices as low as possible including restricting immigration. NZ had it right until Roger the pig farmer came along! 🙁 It's a disgrace the capital Gain these types get away with. This Government refuses to address the problem.
There’s the crux of it Johnm what you believe and reality There is a capital tax on housing and CGT is not the prime reason for supply and demand issues in housing, nor as history show us is communism or rent : price controls the answer. The government can’t build houses cheaper than the market as kiwibuild has shown , start their and work backwards
Observer why do you attack JohnM for stating truths. And make up stories about him. You seem unreliable.
Please state exactly what JohnM said that was lies. And how do you come to say that his friends are landlords?
Newsroom has a very interesting story about farmers being "shafted" by ANZ over "interest rates swaps." Even quoting for Sir John's head:
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/07/12/678226/the-taranaki-farmers-who-took-on-a-2bn-bank-and-won
Still, all the three MPs in the Taranaki area are National Party. Seems they are pretty happy with being shafted overall.
How 2030 is the new 2100: Global Food Yields Already Dropping from Abrupt Climate Change
2030 is the new 2100. Climate change is ALREADY reducing global food yields TODAY, with an average 1% annual reduction in the worlds top ten global crops, providing 83% of food calories to humanity: top ten food crops: barley, cassava, maize (corn), oil palm, rapeseed (canola), rice, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane, wheat. Most reduced: oil palm (-13.4%); increased: soybeans (+3.5%). Negatively affected regions are Europe, South Africa, and Australia; +ve is Latin America; mixed is Asia, North and Central America. Growing season temperatures over all harvested areas is up 0.5 to 1.2 C since the early 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SModhHUpcj0
Hey John
Have you seen any bandwidth in the NZ MSM regards this dissonance ?
https://www.rt.com/news/464051-finnish-study-no-evidence-warming/
I'm not ascribing any credence to the claim – just an aghast reaction to the Nihilism exhibited by NZHERALD / STUFF.
Oh John
But there's still more to assimilate;
https://arxiv.org/pdf/1907.00165.pdf
David Attenborough speaks in parliament about climate change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv3DPaMaS2g
Dr. Respect 2 days ago
They will happily spend 30,000,000 on one bomb yet will not spend a penny on healthcare and the environment. This world is going down the pan very very fast and whoever is at the top you know the one that holds all the cards and has all the money. well they too will also diminish you could ask the question are they even human, because in my experience humanity is a collective and at the moment is falling apart. is anyone going to do anything? I doubt it
Here is a very good piece from the ever reliable FAIR on NYTimes peddling more bullshit and disinformation…seems one of the most important things do do during the coming US election cycle will be sorting through the mountains of misdirection, disinformation and straight out lies that the so called liberal MSM will spew forth in their vain attempt to derail the progressive wave building in the USA…keep your eyes peeled and your bullshit detectors set on high!
For NYT, Inconvenient Facts Equal ‘Russian-Style Disinformation’
https://fair.org/home/for-nyt-inconvenient-facts-equal-russian-style-disinformation/?awt_l=CnT3e&awt_m=gcztzYGTwIR._TQ
In the future (and today's research), conventional plastics will be biodegradeable.
Scientists have already discovered an enzyme that breaks down PET, and within a wireworms microbiome lies the secrets to breaking down polystyrene. The search is on for more promising enzymes, and how we might harness them upon discovery.
Leading the charge is consumer demand for sustainable products. Those without the tech will lose more and more public support, and as alternative options become available, consumer led protest over polluters will see government support withdrawn and even government opposition to recalcitrant industry.
While we see enormous resources today dedicated to PR and legal fees to hide/justify industrial activities, the far easier and cheaper way will be to work with ethical and environmental consideration.
Nature to aid tech:
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/plastic-bottle-waste-eating-enzyme-mutant/
Leading vehicle manufacturers are switching to EV production. Oil companies to carbon capture techniques and investment in renewable research and development.
In the interim, we need to plant 1.2 trillion trees.
Tech to aid nature:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/treeplanting-drones-could-help-restore-world-s-forests-a4116376.html
If the boomers could understand the difference between hemp and marijuana, what a difference that would make.
2 crop cycles of hemp remove the same amount of CO2 from the atmosphere as 30 years of pine trees.
Hemp is also a far more sustainable, low impact crop. It also regenerates the soil and isn't required to have rotation planting like so many other crops do.
Hemp is wonderful. There are so many functional uses for hemp, and way more sustainable than trying to develop enzymes.
Excellent thoughts/facts. It was the cotton growers started the whole reefer madness/hemp ban to my (limited) knowledge.
Using hempcrete, hemp fibre… we could sequester the carbon FAST using hemp crops for building. And the seeds make top notch oils.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d_wsoZS6j0
The enzymes are required to remove the enormous volume of plastic pollution we have.
So true – hemp is a wonderful plant – you can pretty well use all of it – I can't understand why farmers aren't getting serious about creating diversity by laying some hectares in hemp – get out of the way regulation – and for the numbnuts – your dope people don't like being near the hemp too much – too much pollen floating around.
Flax too – we used to have a whole industry for this and we can get it back again – get ready to create more wetland, plant more flax, clean more rivers for transport, fix up the old docks and so on and before you know it we will have travelled back in time to the future.
Here's a relatively comprehensive talk on industrial hemp for some history, historical application and potential for applications.
We have some farms trialing hemp now, and I believe legislation has allowed its use for human food now? Is going to?
I can make a hemp (seed meal) & honey steam pudding that's pure goodness!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s599N6f-6s4
ta – I'm up to speed on hemp.
It's not all about you marty. We've got a few readers who are farmers here, others who are businessmen.
lol not about me? ffs…
Yeah I shoulda worded that better. The post was for other reader's interest, I know you know your stuff in this area.
all good 🙂
The Virtual Whurl is amusing ain't it? Open to mis-interpretation and contests between virtual egos.
Funny as a fart at times.
Have to say how pleasantly surprised I was the last time I returned from regions where hemp grows wild and where it serves as an inherent part of a natural cycle.
Customs' Doggy Doos took a liking to me because I'd been living for a few months amongst it all. Thankfully, simply declaring all that was sufficient to prevent an anal search.
It was either that, or arrival was close to midnight and everyone just wanted to get home, or maybe that the Customs Ossifer was quite obviously a total stoner
I have been waiting for the current incarnation of the Wool Board to maximise wool's properties against the horrid polypropylene clothing that is popular at the moment.
Very sobering thinking that fish have a gut full of fossil fuel based plastic fibres because…. vanity? cheaper?
I was talking to a local farmer who has had a few trial crops of hemp. He seemed to think he could use some tired old gear to process it. He spent more time fixing equipment.
That is the beauty of the stuff, very strong.
gsays
I was thinking too about time that wool started being promoted strongly again. They used to have fashion shows and original garments featured. This wedding dress is an example of the way that wool was promoted and the effects that could be gained working with it.
https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/712450
http://www.nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/tina-grenville/
http://www.nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/gaye-bartlett/
http://www.nzfashionmuseum.org.nz/michael-mattar
https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/713938
https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2011/06/10/its-wool-week-celebrating-wool-in-fashion/
These are all womens clothes but there would have been men's gear designed as well.
It is border line criminal that the value of wool has slumped to where it is now.
Merino opossum blends are wonderful, in construction as an insulation….
They should use Jones fund and build a hemp plant in the Canterbury plains . Gaurentee a purchase price for any cockies that want to grow 5 % of their farm area in hemp for 10 years . Get the ball rolling.
+ 1 yep agreed
YES !!!! A thousand times yes 🙂
Perfect for the area. Get rid of (at least some of) the dairy and put trees back on the land to shelter the crops.
Who has the ear of Jonesy? That idea should be rounged out, and fed to him, along with his favourite beverage, plus a goody bag filled with hemp products which seem to be varied and extensive.
He looks like he'd be partial to some of the hemp steam pudding.
Not tonight though, rhubarb crumble it is. Serve with vanilla ice cream for the tart/sweet combo. Luscious. A favorite.
I do think he'd go for something so progressive if someone made a sound business case. A group of farmers/landholders might do very well to pursue such a thing.
We don't have a hemp seed de-huller in the country either, so we'll be wanting an industrial one of those too.
This is a clear case for another viable industry, perhaps we could slow down the dairy and diary for targets for hemp – a five year plan. Let's have some Chinese central planning, it seems to have done them good as far as economic progress is concerned.
LDL-C does not cause cardiovascular disease
Yay for me being stubborn and refusing the statins. Trying to contain my pie addiction and sweet tooth while awaiting further research…
Seems they've been flogging 'sugar pills' again. Wonder how much was made after the dodgy studies.
Possibly inflammation raising platelet counts… I'll stop already. Not a doctor…
bernie gold
I found this the other day – it sorta shows (in a funny way) why bernie won't get there – this is the truth of it – no big conspiracy. He is consistent, he is on message, he is who he is. lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oxfzabpTWY
There's been a lot of talk lately about the Titirangi Village chicken infestation, but there's something important missing from the discussion. About a year ago I had a chat with the woman who feeds the chickens. (The one referred to by Andre as the "crazy duck lady".) She told me that she regularly arranges for chickens to be rehomed on a farm, but that the Titirangi population is maintained by regular dumping of chickens/roosters in the village by members of the public. Thus, a one-off removal of the entire chicken population will not solve the problem.
…I had a chat with the woman who feeds the chickens.
What?! You actually went and engaged with this person? You held a conversation with her? You found out from her information not as yet in the media? Oh, the horror!/sarc
I was having a chuckle yesterday thinking how much easier it is going to be to round up these chooks if they are being regularly fed. Even better if this lady is catching and re homing them. "Crazy" indeed.
If one has no problem with chooks becoming food, then there are no doubt lots of folk more than happy to take unwanted chooks of the hands of the dumpers. Or have we all become too precious to even think about folks killing their own chickens to eat?
Onya phantom snowflake, and thanks for sharing that information.
That's more like it. Some truth to the matter rather than sneering contempt.
The same occurs at Western Springs (Pet dumping). I view turtles in the lake, chooks all over the place, and if you go there on a moonlit night, rabbits and guinea pigs mowing the lawns.
With a Zoo next door housing many carnivores, I can think of a sustainable solution…
But the public would rather dump pets and have exterminators do the job, rather than think Fluffy has been eaten by a lion. As for the chook populations, some culling of the roosters (wherever dumped animals form flocks) would be an efficient way to keep numbers down. That and infrequent round-ups.
The homeless cull some of them
Rosemary & WtB: Similarly clichéd mental health-related slurs about the woman concerned are thrown about in the Titirangi community as are on this site, sadly. In person, what is most striking is her huge love and compassion towards chickens in particular, and I can't see why that's something to sneer at. In my view, when it comes to the chicken issue she is definitely a stakeholder, and I hope that the Waitakere Ranges local board will engage with and involve her as they seek a solution.
Apparently there will soon be an egg shortage, so the 'chicken lady' could have the last laugh as she may get the opportunity to charge top dollar for her rescued chickens eggs 🙂
Now that would be a cool ending.
Very true Cinny. Mr Jilly Bee and I recently became the owners of a couple of scrawny looking Red Shaver hens – we went on an hour and a half drive to pick them up, and back again. After a comfortable night in their new home, there were a couple of eggs in the nest and they have continued to each lay regularly (the more scrawny one, who is just coming out of her moult, manages one every second day. We're getting about a dozen a week at present. All good, and they're weeding the gardens for us as well – including getting rid of the accursed violets, which had pretty much taken over everywhere. Looking to plant some goodies for them to feast on. I believe they like comfrey – we've fenced off the rhubarb as they had started to eat the leaves, which can are toxic.
Locals have engaged with this woman for many, many years. Her views are well known. Her behaviour is antisocial and if she were living in earlier times the village would have ousted her by now. She has earned any contempt people here are divining.
That's really unfortunate Sacha.
It really is.
First up, why I call her "crazy duck lady": she goes out of her way to create traffic hazards in front of her home. One time I was going down the hill in front of her home in my old-skool Landrover with a moderately loaded trailer on behind, and she marches out into the road from behind a flaxbush to shake a roadkill duck at me. She did it when I was way too close to have stopped even if I hadn't had the trailer on, so I had to swerve around her into the other lane.
Her habit of feeding ducks at home means there's often ducks crossing the road where the road narrows, there's vegetation close to the road reducing visibility and the ducks have zero road sense so they will walk out directly in front of you so it can be difficult to avoid them, even if you're going unreasonably slow. The duck carnage on the road directly in front of her is all on her, not the drivers, yet by her behaviour she seems to have no comprehension of that.
Then there's the health hazard and other nuisance she's creating for her neighbours by encouraging the massive concentration of ducks. There have been times I've gone past and the concrete of her driveway was literally completely covered in duck shit and ducks.
When it comes to her and the chickens, I've seen her feeding the chickens numerous times. I have never seen her in any activity that even vaguely looked like trying to capture them for rehoming. Over the past few months, there have been many of the chickens in various stages of juvenile development (possibly a majority of the chickens). They are breeding prolifically, not just being dumped. And her regular feeding encourages that successful breeding.
While some of her activity might need to be curtailed, so does the lack of understanding.
It is the Mast season allowing prolific rat breeding, a nationwide phenomenon in which Titirangi is no special case except they've found a scapegoat who has pissed a few people off by the sounds of things. The dumping of unwanted roosters and mast year is causing the prolific breeding of chooks. Clutch numbers rise as food availability rises, hence this is not such an issue in non-mast years, years this lady is still feeding the flocks.
It would be good to seat this lady at the table with others and work through these issues. Creating a traffic hazard is not on, dismissing her as a kook is also not on.
How we see things is not necessarily how others do. Context required, understanding required. For all stakeholders.
The rats in the village have been knocked back to normal levels by a combination of poisoning and trapping. A few months ago I too had the worst rat and mouse problem I've ever had in my 19 years there (possibly not having any cats anymore contributed), but a solid campaign of poisoning and trapping has knocked them back around my place, too.
Crazy duck lady's habits of feeding pest animals and creating traffic hazards are simply anti-social. Why should her foibles be accorded any more respect than those who have obnoxiously loud parties into the wee hours, or enjoy doing burnouts on public streets? As just a couple of examples of obnoxious anti-social behaviour that society curtails.
The South Titirangi Environmental Network has got specials on the gas-fired rat traps. Mostly our cats get them, but on occasion it gets a mouse or two.
My Timms trap dealt to the rats quite satisfactorally. But lately the local possums seem to be treating it as the signpost to their bonking tree directly above it. Bastards.
Hell's teeth Andre. You're so overflowing with compassion and understanding for others in your community that I wonder what on Earth you are doing hanging around on a left wingish blog site.
All of us with vision clear enough to see have people who are 'different' living in our communities.
The real lefty trick is to not only to tolerate difference but to endeavor to understand the factors that make these individuals, well, different.
The bigger lefty challenge is knowing when to support the community when shared interests are threatened by individuals. The quirky underdog is not always in the right.
Threatened. Shared Interests.
Not much of a community then, is it.
Communities reconcile individual and shared interests.
The intolerance is as palpable as it is unsurprising.
Smears and insults indicate the levels of intolerance on display.
Edit: Titirangi many decades ago, used to be a bush surrounded vibrant hub of all wonderful flavours and types of folks…some of them possibly still remain in the area…
…But as the housing markets have gone up, the areas will have been overrun by the intolerant types who moved into those once eclectic bush suburbs in the Waitakere Rangers …
Same as can be seen in other areas in that part of West Auckland….areas which families had generations of heritage…very few likely remain…
Don't you worry One Two, next time there's outrage at yet another 'clean up' of the indigent Out West, I'll be reminding 'em.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11466807
Perhaps if this lady is living with health issues the Waipareira Trust could reach out?
I mean who are these types…what actual benefit would those who use insults, bigoted smears against others inside their own community bring to that community with such intolerant traits…communities which they have only recently moved into no less…
The language being used to describe the circumstances is symptomatic of the very real problems which all communities are facing…that being the hypocritical do-gooders …who are anything but….
and
What in the absolute f***
"who are these types"
Now there's a line of discussion that can only end well.
They out themselves, Sacha…
And it is ugly.
There are only two types: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I do not envy moderators your role.
I reckon it’s Karma.
lol very good
That’s a colourful picture you’re painting there, in B & W or is it shades of pink?
One Two back in your favourite role of acting as Lord High Announcer of Correctness and Rightness and negativity.
She sounds like a hard case. That's the shitty thing with poultry, the sloppy poo.
Go to any park/Queens gardens in NZ with a pond and it's sloppy poo city, just like the ladies drive way. Part of the parcel and all that.
Maybe you could make her a ducks crossing sign. Actually you might be able to pick one up at a garden centre or Farmlands etc. We've one up at the commune in a certain location on the driveway. Lolz there are places I do not walk in bare feet up there even in the summer due to poultry poo, it's always runny lmao. Peacocks are the worst, that's super sized runny shit that stuff.
Re the breeding…. too many roosters huh? Roosters can be eaten, the trick is once you've caught them, to lock them up in the coup for about a week, then they aren't using their muscles as much tearing around the place, helps to tenderise the meat as such, then off with their heads and let the plucking begin.
Are people just giving up on keeping chooks and dumping them at Titirangi? Must be super annoying for the locals. WTB is correct in suggesting to seat the lady at the table with others to form a plan.
What do you think Greg and the other local leaders have been doing for years?
Why respond sourly to an informative thought-through comment from Cinny? I see you taking potshots quite often Sacha. Doesn't add anything to the discussion.
Read the discussion above.
There used to be at least one homeless guy apparently living in one of the bush patches currently over-infested with chickens. But I haven't seen any of them since what used to be a carpark right next to the bush patch became a construction zone. Maybe he/they had something to do with controlling the chicken population…
Wouldn't that be ironic 🙂 There's a rest stop up the valley that seems to be a popular place for rooster dumping. Friends have been gathering up the roosters when they see them.
Maybe it's as innocent as a child wanting a chicken and to hatch it from an egg and then hello it's a rooster. I know in the suburban areas of our district that people aren't allowed to keep roosters. So maybe the most sympathetic way they think to get rid of them is to drop them off at a lush looking rural area, like Titirangi. And then it literally all turns to shite.
And then it literally all turns to shite.
An intelligent and resourceful person might see that shite as the most awesomest fertiliser for one's crops.
Pause on the way past and leap out with one's shovel and load up that trailer. Kill two birds with one stone. So to speak.
Good thinking Batman 🙂 There's the silver lining, love that type of thinking Rosemary
Oh, and as far as a duck crossing sign, there's proper official duck signs at the correct distance going both ways. They got put in a few years ago.
I'll speculate it was the result of a deal the council made with her to stop her lining up and displaying roadkill on the side of the road encroaching into where buses need to use the full width. Or even occasionally hanging roadkill ducks (guts hanging out and all) from trees on the side of the road.
Dang… ok now I can feel the frustration.
Got a couple of neighbors I'll trade for the duck lady. Specifically the gang members who like to intimidate other neighbors. While they don't mess with me I've had to call them off their treatment of others a couple of times. That's anti-social. Eccentricity is different.
In a perfect world that lady would be working at an aviary, or a free range farm.
Well, Peter "Pedro" Cleven was just a couple of driveways down from my place for years, and he was less of a worry than someone attracting pest animals to that house and feeding them would have been.
She may have always been eccentric, or she may have dementia. There are more people with dementia than ever before living amongst us.
They cannot be reasoned with, their remaining strength of mind is focussed on their own drives. Soon every second person will have a slightly mad old person living near them. Get used to it.
We oldies are living longer, and those of us with a desire to be living all the time they are alive, would also like to be able to decide when we realise it is time to arrange our affairs and pass away otherwise it will only be medical intervention that keeps us going at cost to the state, and great emotional cost to our families or carers.
I've got a mildly demented old being just behind me. We disagreed about something, and he got an axe and chopped it down. My friend has one who constantly stares out of the windows opposite to my friend's house, sometimes apparently kneeling on the floor to peek. The woman has accused her and neighbours of stealing things from her garden. It is unpleasant and annoying and the delusions from the mentally incapacitated take many forms. This woman's one is feeding the dear birds, without consideration for the dear people affected. Watch out you people working for the environment, for signs that you or fellow advocates, don't become as narrowly focussed and then have bad faith to ordinary humans, ignoring the needs of people suffering and without help and consideration. I'm already hearing people comment scornfully, almost with hate, about people having children – they are 'breeding' and are to be despised as (bloody) irresponsible.
I wrote a comment the othr day on the spread of retirement villages and who might own them.
There was a recent news item about some owners finding that they are required to pay an extra $100 a week they hadn't realised they were liable for. Apparently the small print is extensive. Perhaps it is as bad as that coming with your cellphone.
https://www.cffc.org.nz/news-and-media/news/cffc-demands-greater-clarity-from-retirement-village-operators/
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/394199/retirees-paying-up-to-100-a-day-in-surprise-care-fees-report
http://www.sharechat.co.nz/article/aec06adf/retirement-village-watchdog-calls-for-clarity-on-rules-costs.html
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/69112545/
Now there is a piece from the latest Nelson Mail about Australian experience headed Care residents abandoned.
This source info from the Brisbane Times that I found quickly online.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/retirement-home-ransacked-by-disgruntled-contractors-residents-abandoned-20190712-p526lq.html
Federal Aged Care and Senior Australians Minister Senator Richard Colbeck thanked Queensland Health, local emergency services and the staff members who took care of residents.
"It appears that this incident arose from a contractual dispute between the approved aged care provider and a sub-contractor who was providing administrative, nursing, catering and other support services," he said.
"It appears that the sub-contractor, without notice, withdrew all services and proceeded to remove equipment from site, leaving the facility unsuitable for residents to occupy.
Government response:
"I will be using the full suite of resources available to investigate the circumstances of this matter and I have issued instructions to that effect to my department last night.
That's if they don't contract out of doing anything responsible for their citizens. I wonder how Oz people will feel as they become aware that their government cares as little for them, as the citizens do for the refugees held on island penitentiary hellholes, shades of French penal colony Devil's Island and Papillon.
A petty criminal, Papillon is wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to life in a French penal colony in 'Guiane' (French Guiana, South America).
Papillon (1973) – Plot Summary – IMDb
"I'm pretty sure our text machine is going to get very BUSY with this choice." Yadana Saw nervously transgresses the fatwa against Michael Jackson. Music 101, RNZ National, Saturday 29 June 2019, 4:10 p.m.
Over many years, RNZ National has played host to some of the most heinous people imaginable. Kim Hill has provided an open platform for liars and propagandists such as the odious hatchet-man Alex Gibney [1] and the discredited Grauniad hacks Luke Harding and Jonathan Freedman. [2] Jesse Mulligan last year gave the war criminal Alistair Campbell half an hour—uninterrupted by any troubling questions like "Why did you expose Dr. Kelly?" or "How do you sleep at night?"—to talk about his incessantly self-advertised "battle with depression." Jim Mora and his producer sat schtum one day as that malevolent old sod Michael Bassett croaked, ludicrously, that Nicky Hager was "a holocaust-denier." Noelle McCarthy conducted a fawning interview with a former U.S. Navy SEAL, nodding along vacantly as he enthused: "Everybody wanted a piece of Grenada!" [3]
As I type this out, Kim Hill is interviewing the "Australian academic and media artist" Mitch Goodwin about "the history and cultural significance" of David Bowie's pop song "Space Oddity."
Kim Hill knows as well as anyone that Bowie was notorious for preying on young, under-age girls. I wonder if she'd be so unabashed in her admiration for him if he was a black American instead of a white Englishman with a Home Counties accent; four years ago, she and the chatty "theatre-maker" Stella Duffy were in carnival mode as they enthusiastically expressed their support for the Key government's refusal to let black U.S. rapper Chris Brown into New Zealand. [4]
This peculiar and highly selective corporate "morality" at RNZ National reached its nadir two weeks ago, when the grimly chirpy Music 101 host Yadana Saw became very nervous about playing a song by that monster Michael Jackson….
The Mixtape: Ardijah. As Ardijah celebrates 40 years of making music, lead singer Betty-Anne Monga reflects on her life of waiata and whānau for the RNZ Mixtape.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018701828
YADANA SAW: [brightly and chirpily] Kia ora koutou, this is the RNZ Music Mixtape, with me-e-e-e, Yadana SAW, and joining us as the selector for THIS episode of the Mixtape is Ardijah's Betty-Anne Monga. Kia ora ehoa!
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Kia ora, Yadana.
YADANA SAW: Aaaaaahhh, it's SO LOVELY to have you as our Mixtape selector this, um, this afternoon, ahhhh…..
….. and so on. Betty-Anne Monga had many interesting things to say about living in Otara, singing in a band while still at school, and the music business. The talk was interspersed with musical selections, including Ardijah's cover of the Phoebe Snow hit "Every Night" and Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls." Then she told Yadana Saw that she left school to join the band—"I ran away from home," she laughed.
YADANA SAW: [carefully, delicately] All right, well let's get to your—speaking of CONTROVERSY, this one sounds quite controversial for a, y' know, a YOUNG WOMAN to be doing that in those times, in South Auckland, um, I hope you don't mind me saying that your NEXT song is a LITTLE bit of a controversial CHOICE, a-a-a-a-and….
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Hmmmmm.
YADANA SAW: I'm really interested why you were brave enough to be choosing a MICHAEL JACKSON track—
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Oh, okay.
YADANA SAW: — at this time.
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Well, you know, for me, once I joined the band and I was able to buy music, you know, that I quite loved, Michael Jackson, yeah he was the—I think I only purchased that album. That was about it, but everything else has been— hmmm, it's the era. That song there and that album is quite influential for me, anyway.
YADANA SAW: Betty-Anne, the—w-w-what will happen is that, I'm pretty sure our text machine is going to get very BUSY with this choice.
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Hmmmm.
YADANA SAW: [very delicately, nervously] What would you SAY to-o-o-o listeners, and to our audience, who may say "We CAN'T listen to this music any more"?
BETTY-ANNE MONGA: Yeah. Well you know I think that's everybody's prerogative, you know, and I respect that, and I think it is about people making that choice for themselves. You know what, and honestly, Yadana, I didn't even think. I was looking at the music, the journey, you know, that I've walked, and that I know that other people have as well. But bringing it, discussing it, and talking about it now, um, yeah, I can't really, gosh, you know, but people have their—it's freedom of speech. And share it, you know, so we can see where others are coming from, and how they feel about it. It's okay to talk about it.
YADANA SAW: Uh, thank you, Betty-Anne! Umm, fro-o-o-om the album Off the Wall, this is Michael Jackson's "Rock With You."
…. Cue three minutes of music from the Devil Incarnate, according to Yadana Saw and no doubt the chatty "theatre-maker" and scourge of Chris Brown, Stella Duffy. *
YADANA SAW: That's "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson, from the album Off the Wall, the choice of Betty-Anne Monga from Ardijah, who's our Mixtape selector today-y-y-y.
et cetera….
[1] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-hatchet-man-speaks-alex-gibney.html
[2] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/04/freedland-uncritically-interviewed-by.html
[3] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/noelle-mccarthy-interviews-ex-navy-seal.html
[4] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/who-is-more-violent-and-despicable.html
Bloody hell Morrissey. I can't stand saints. Or are you a whited sepulchure that is going to find fault with all those we know and appreciate and be the one to triumphantly show them up? I think this is a terrible burden for you and will warp your life. Certainly you are beginning to warp mine.
I don't claim to be a saint, Mr Shark. The people closest to claiming such status are the likes of Stella Duffy and Yadana Saw, with their highly selective emphasis on the crimes of black singers —-of course the crimes are totally unproven in the case of Michael Jackson, but that hasn’t stopped the likes of Ms. Saw from expressing her disdain and disapproval.
Quite the contrast with the treatment of David Bowie.
Are you suggesting that Yadana is being (gulp) racist?
No, I'm not. And neither is Kim Hill. But they and others in the media lack the courage to speak out against or refuse to accept these informal and unwritten kinds of groupthink. It's interesting, and disturbing, to see how readily people will join in with an ostracism or a denunciation as long as it has the imprimatur of a few opinion gauges such as —God help us— Grauniad or BBC “journalists.” We've seen—or heard— how ostensibly decent people can be led into laughing at the suffering of a prisoner, and expressing contempt for him in the manner of Red Guards in 1960s China.
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/an-unusually-inane-and-depraved-edition.html
That fear of standing up to the prevailing political climate is what leads to such otherwise inexplicable phenomena as Kim Hill's willingly providing an uncritical audience to the most ridiculous and obscene conspiracy theories as peddled by the likes of Alex Gibney and Luke Harding.
That fear of falling out of favour with the mob is the reason that Yadana Saw was so nervous when she brought up the subject of Michael Jackson and made that ludicrous comment about "our audience, who may say 'We CAN'T listen to this music any more'."
I am pleased that you don’t consider either Kim or Yadana racists, because your first comment was a bit ambiguous.
Moving on to what you have said in your reply about Yadana Saw, I laughed.
While you are obviously entitled to your opinion, your claim that “fear of falling out of favour with the mob” is so off the mark in relation to Yadana; and I therefore assume that you possibly know very little about her (other than as a RNZ Music 101 host), her ethnicity, her background as an activist, and that of her older whanau.
Although part pakeha,Yadana is in fact one of a very small community of Burmese here in Wellington. As well as being known for her activism and leadership in saving a well loved Crossways Community Creche a couple of years ago, she is now on the Board of Trustees of my own first primary school Newtown School, well known for its multiculturalism and leadership in the local community – and is apparently doing a very good job in that role.(Note – she is young enough to be a daughter or probably a granddaughter of mine!)
More than that, however, she is also known for being active in standing up for human/civil rights in Myammar. While 12 years ago now, Yadana was organizer and MC of a Vigil for Burma back in 2007 which saw a very big turnout in Wellington from a wide range of the community and political leaders.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0710/S00082.htm
This activism is very much in her blood, as she is the granddaughter of one of Wellington’s most loved restauranteurs, “Aunty Mabel” who ran Wellington’s only Burmese restaurant the “Monsoon” for many years after arriving in NZ in 1976. Aunty Mabel was well known for her outspokenness and support of refugees and others of all ethnicities.
Even better known however, was Mabel’s older brother, Bill Maung. Bill (Yadana’s great uncle, a former judge and high level political figure in Burma) arrived in NZ as a political exile in 1967; and went on to become a political force in his own right – known for standing up to Muldoon, becoming a good friend of James K Baxter, and going on to be a friend and very active supporter and mentor to Rei Harris and Black Power.
For many years, Bill was a well known figure and friend to many in the Southern suburbs of Wellington, including me. He was also a good friend of Bruce Stewart (founder), and active supporter and member of my local marae, Tapu Te Ranga Marae (which sadly burnt down a couple of weeks ago). The work Bill Maung did over many years through the marae and Black Power in relation to Maori men and gangs is immeasurable, despite the difference in ethnicities, religious beliefs etc. .
So, with that family background, Yadana afraid “of falling out of favour of the mob” or “lacking the courage to speak out”– No way!!!!!!! LOL.
—————————————————————————–
Here is an interview in 2014 with Yadana where she goes into more detail (mainly in the second half).
https://bsidestories.org/2014/05/09/yadana-saw-holding-onto-independent-childcare-and-being-a-burmese-kiwi/
Bill Maung:
https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-dominion-post/20110611/282153582892373
https://www.nzedge.com/magazine/kia-pakeke-ahau/
Thank you. What an interesting background.
Thanks for that very interesting info, Viper. I had guessed she was Burmese, going by her surname, but I had no idea she was related to the legendary Bill Maung.
I don't agree with you, however, that her ethnicity or her activism means that she is not susceptible to the very real pressure of hivemind syndrome. She had no good reason to make those ridiculous comments about Betty-Anne Monga being "brave" in choosing that song by Michael Jackson, and her fanciful, entirely unjustified suggestion about the thinking of "our audience, who may say 'We CAN'T listen to this music any more'."
I'm sure that Yadana Saw has devoted practically no time at all to following the fantastical and spectacularly unsuccessful attempted takedown of Jackson by James Safechuck and Wade Robson; what she does know, however, is that many of the chattering set in Wellington have made their minds up that he must have been guilty, and she's decided not to swim against the tide.
Why are we so fixated on everything USA. As if we don't have much to talk about at home and in Oz. Up the USA, they have more citizens than we have and more furores in the news therefore. But I am concerned about NZ and what is going on with us. You sound Irish Morrissey, have you always lived in NZ, or did you come from another country and remained pulled between the two, lost at sea virtually.
Looks like democratic eating their own Pelosi now is also a racist ( ouch) which is simply what you are if you don’t agree with anybody to your left, no matter how left you maybe
For those who think that handing over national parks to iwi is such a f**ing wonderful idea.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/114077524/tuai-community-affected-detrimentally-by-thoe-holdup-at-lake-waikaremoanahttps://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/114077524/tuai-community-affected-detrimentally-by-thoe-holdup-at-lake-waikaremoana
Quite the dishonest post there.
Tuhoe have been investigating – and have developed – a natural non-toxic road sealer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=116&v=QmlmwkAG_cE
That video comes with the article.
Meanwhile, the locals are having conniptions with regards to not getting their road sealed. Some have business that would benefit, and are not prepared to wait, or are afraid funding will vanish.
So there's concern on both sides. One trying to do it right, the others wanting to just get on with it. Both understandable.
We've tried business models of just get on with it to the detriment of the environment forever. It's made the whole planet untenable run the way it is. This new road seal could open an entire new (global) industry for the region. The same region Tuhoe detractors say is only good for tourism, and that they're 'wrecking it'.
I thought kiwis didn't want their parks overrun by tourists and freedom campers? Here we have Tuhoe leading the way, limiting numbers. Thank god someone is doing it, and building green roads to boot, amazing! Or are you happier with green washing BS like charging a tourist levy…
Sux to be the white minority who can’t blindly reap profits from Te Urewera I guess. lol
Their constant smears and attacks on Corbyn don't seem to be working
Britain Elects
@britainelects
· 5h
Westminster voting intention:
LAB: 29% (+3)
CON: 23% (-1)
BREX: 20% (-)
LDEM: 19% (-)
GRN: 3% (-2)
via @Survation, 10 – 11 Jul
Chgs. w/ 20 Jun
Corbyn did a massive policy shift on Brexit and managed to pull precisely 0% off the Libdems.
Do yourself a favour and buy a dictionary and look up "plurality".
Brexit could well see the end of Corbyn as well as many other British politicians. However, the main point here is that the infernal machinations of old Yenta Hodge, Tom Watson, and the rest of the Blairite rump have had virtually no effect on the voters. The Blairites think that the British people are stupid; they're not, and they can recognize crude political smearing when they see it. Clearly no one with an I.Q. above room temperature believes a word that comes from the mouth of Yenta Hodge and her cronies.
Wellington needs more roads! – Nat party local election offshoot reckon they're onto a winner: https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/114209468/rightwing-wellington-party-to-contest-council-elections
Nice deconstruction of conspiracy theories – worth your 7 and a half minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4stezD9MgsI&ab_channel=RebeccaWatson
Degrees of separation creepiness. It seems one of Epstein's first jobs was teaching at a private school in New York, headmastered by a Donald Barr, whose son is the ultimate overseer of Epstein's prosecution, William Barr …
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jeffrey-epstein-math-science-students-memories_n_5d28cf17e4b0060b11ebf987
But wait – there's more!
One of James Comey's daughters, Maurene, is apparently also on the prosecution team.
Plenty of links with more information if you google "James Comey daughter" but here is the first one I grabbed (am rushing out the door) –
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/comeys-daughter-named-to-epstein-prosecution-team
Just as well the attack was on Christianity and Jewish faiths otherwise some would be asking for a lot more than as mild a response as you can possibly make.
“That was not my intention and I unreservedly apologise. " so what is Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman apologising for. So we can make offensive statements but not have that intention and it is OK ??
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/114200033/new-zealand-jewish-council-accuses-green-party-mp-of-antisemitism
I will wait for the lack of response and most peoples credibility will also go into the void of principle.
Faux outrage!
Cry me a river.
Buy a plant so that you will be doing some good to the plant, and you can tell the world, because just occupying a space does nothing for anyone.
They're arguing about the pedigree of a fictional character.
Definitely we should be outraged. They fight wars over these lies.
Make yourself useful: a case with evidence Jesus actually even existed.
Take a read of the Gospels. Matthew and Luke plagiarise Mark. Mark and John contradict each other…
And the bible is pretty much it for 'evidence'.
Yet now, even questioning the origin of this persona is an insult. Where's the evidence for any of it? Palestinian or Jewish. Where is it?
But as you know SOOOOO much I shouldn't have to direct you.
The Antiquities, Josephus for one, even the Koran has references.
Yes questioning is because that then goes against the link between the old and new testaments.
I am yet to see anything from you that is proactive, Just all negative. I hope it makes you feel worth something and gives you some self worth.
The Quran was written about 600 years later so has zero eye witnesses to the 'prophet not God or son of God' [according to the Quran] portrayed as Jesus.
"although some scholars had in the past supported the Slavonic Josephus, to my knowledge no one today believes that they contain anything of value for Jesus research"
Chilton, Bruce; Evans, C.A. (1998). Studying the Historical Jesus: Evaluations of the State of Current Research.
Iterations of iterations. Chinese whispers by believers over centuries.
Ok then what are your thoughts of an MP mis representing religion and history to further her own agenda ?
And when it was pointed out her errors that her comments were offensive, gives what some could consider the bird ? and what contrite has been displayed ?
Please God don't let them fight over whether you exist from their puny position on earth. If someone tried to believe in someone good and lasting over centuries, and in general that person also tries to be good inspired by the belief, then please don't start trying to unpick the belief either of you.
Well GG and I both agree that Jesus existed, WTB goes off tangent (and takes me with them) diverting from the issue. Making a statement and then making the IMO the worst form of apology and The Green's leadership also seem to fail that what was commented on is wrong and Both The Greens Leadership and GG should have appreciated that for some how offensive such a comment is.
apology lacks accountability when you focus on how the other person feels instead of what you did.
It really is a silly discussion, everybody knows that Jesus was Anglo-Celtic.
Edit:
Why do you have to fight about your religion. It is important to you but Christianity is about bringing peace surely.
It seems that the Jewish spokesperson has a set approach which gets wheeled out. She said that the woman said that Jesus was not Jewish. Actually she made the point that Mary and Joseph were refugees (in their own land). They were escaping Herod weren’t they!
What about arguing for others being treated badly in NZ – about getting things better for people. Argue for people rather than dogma.
I've just been reading this. It is possible you already advocate for people having a rough time. If so please do more – there is such a need.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/114190512/im-doing-my-best-but-work-and-incomes-support-is-practically-nonexistent
…I'm now 37, and I've been on and off the benefit since I was 18. I've done odd jobs, but they mostly haven't lasted long either because the role was temporary or I didn't fit in with the other workers….
When my parents died suddenly in 2010, I got no empathy from Work and Income. In fact, they told me to let it go and move on just two weeks after it happened, and kept threatening to cut my benefit.
READ MORE:
* No new clothes, no haircuts, no fresh veg – the harsh reality of being a working poor mum
* My illnesses make it hard to live – WINZ makes it impossible
* Treated like a criminal for being on a benefit
They did end up cutting it for two weeks, which left me eating beans and rice or nothing. That was traumatising and hurtful.
Cut to 2019, I recently asked if they would be able to help me pay for a course I wanted to do, because it didn't fit in with Studylink funding and didn't qualify for the training allowance. They refused to help me. This course could have got me an internship and a paid job in a position I would love, and be happy to do every day. They wouldn't even loan me the money.
Some people think Jesus was an Alien. Is that anti-semitic too?
The only agenda here is you pushing the Gharaman-bad bandwagon.
Really, look at the issue; there is no issue – except people stirring it up.
Those poor victims.
Jesus was an Albanian punk rocker.
Even for the muddled and discredited NZJC, that was a moronic press release. The NZJC does not speak for Jewish people of New Zealand; it is an extreme right, racist organization that promulgates hatred and supports apartheid. The fact you quote that discredited organization is not at all helpful to your reputation, my befuddled friend.
"The fact you quote that discredited organization is not at all helpful to your reputation, my befuddled friend."
Great line.
That GG was placed in the naughty corner by her leaders, gave an apology and directed to work closer with the Jewish community doesn’t say much about how others have viewed her actions. Perhaps some within the greens are attempting to hold to their principles.
Funny how those who espouse tolerance are sometimes found lacking 😉
The new Christchurch City Council chief executive's $495,000 pay packet trumps that of Prime Minister.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/114189193/christchurch-city-council-chief-executives-salary-just-higher-than-pms
As most ratepayers oppose these profuse salaries, how do councils continually get away with paying out so much?
Good question The Chairman. What are your reckons?
Grey, ponder this. If you walked down town and asked people who their local council CEO is, most wouldn't even know, let alone know what they are paid. More could probably name the contestants on the Block. And that is most likely a big part of the problem.
Most are looking the other way and it becomes like taking candy off a baby.
Most people have no idea how big their council's annual budget, asset base, or staff numbers are. Nor how that compares with other organisations in their region or their pay rates.
Penny Bright did but she was rather unique.
She had little idea of the comparators.
Yes, that’s probably true.
Is The Chair agitating for cheaper local government? Anyone?
Bit like the Ratepayers Association. Or the Taxpayers' 'Union'
https://www.lgnz.co.nz/news-and-media/2019-media-releases/prod-comm-report-supports-lgnzs-calls-for-funding-and-financing-revamp/
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/114014666/more-loose-panels-found-on-auckland-apartment-building-where-one-fell-causing-traffic-chaos
In this instance, I'm questioning profuse CEO salaries.
The new CEO is from the United Kingdom and her new pay is $100,000 more than the £210,000 ($NZ397,000) she earns in her current role as chief executive of Birmingham City Council – despite the British city being more than twice the size of Christchurch (see link above).
Local government organisations aim to provide public services and facilities at or below cost – they're not in the business of making a profit.
Some of those 'private' companies have been bailed out by the NZ taxpayer, and some receive generous corporate welfare so that they may continue to return a dividend to their shareholders.
But by all means take a pot shot at local government – it’s your “lefty” choice.
It's not only local Government where CEO salaries are profuse, but unlike the private sector, the public have far more say. But they don't seem to be using their power to slow down these outrageous salaries. A sustained media campaign is required.
Do you support the new CEO salary? If not, why have a go at me?
If you consider that new CEO's salary to be "outrageous", then you must have been ‘positively’ apoplectic about Speiring's $8,000,000+ renumeration package, for all the good he did!
Could you use Givealittle to fund your "sustained media campaign"?
"The Taxpayers’ Union, in collaboration with Fairfax Media, this morning launched "Ratepayers’ Report" hosted by Stuff.co.nz."
"For the first time, New Zealanders now have an interactive online tool to compare their local council to those of the rest of the country. Go to http://www.ratepayersreport.nz/ to compare your local council including average rates, debt per ratepayer and even CEO salaries."
Alternatively, the fourth estate could just do their job and hold power to account.
Good point about the media holding power to account – been making that point long, have you?
I absolutely agree that the lot of most NZers would improve gradually if Labour turned (more) left, but given MMP (which I support), keeping National (aren't they just stinkers) out requires continued broad public support. Bridges is doing a fine job in that regard.
If, in changing tack, Labour fails to take enough voters with them, then it's back to asset sales, setting up public services for failure and privatisation, tax cuts for the wealthy (actually that'll be first, just like last time), GST increases, inequality increases, flags, tax havens, etc. etc.
This report on Matata, Bay of Plenty and its residents, many elderly, being shunted around by an inept local Council displays that small Councils are out of their depth in trying to get their heads around climate change and its effects. It is full and factual by Nikki Macdonald on Stuff and is another example of Stuff doing a great job of informing us about our country's challenges and triumphs.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/114151717/mismanaged-retreat-the-lifelimiting-limbo-of-matats-red-zone
It shows graphically how remiss our Local Government central body is. They should have seen this coming because they have seen for decades central government withdrawing from responsibility and local govt is still noting that there is more being pushed on them, more expectations. Years ago Local Government should have had square-table meetings laying the problems on the table and the consequent costs and difficulties.
Without that careful thinking their Council has misled Matata people after one weather event to invest their insurance money back into their homes and land, only to tell them to shift and offer them inadequate money for their homes which will be abandoned.
It's time for government to consult with Councils and people affected, set up a system that enables a coastal retreat, and erects shelters for emergencies and a fund must be set up to provide for alternative housing.
Forethought of some sort by voters, not to keep electing a Party whose leader was willing to play the clown to amuse the hoi polloi would have given us three years extra to start facing such problems, part of our dire future. But no, why shift yourself when you aren't forced to. Others can go and jump. And many Councils seem to have caught the same Rip-van-Winkle sleeping sickness.
Listen to MP Eugenie Sage saying little Westland will have to pick up all its own rubbish, yet it is known that it needs to be done quickly now before the historic spring rain. Of course that might not happen, because of disruptive climate change, but as the saying goes about being flummoxed, 'Expect the unexpected, but remember you can't count on it'.
Can some wealthy triad put their money in and buy them out? The wealthy have had a go at banner businesses that traditionally have been bought by the kingpins of finance, eg Bill Gates bought into a Canadian railway. But Stuff is there and presumably still for sale. It's not a big building that you can put your name on, but Murdoch made his name with newspapers and anyone who had a desire to own a newspaper that runs well and supports the country and both sides of Parliament, would be a god to many of us. All our wealthy can't be warped lightweights morally?
Faithful stenographer Stacy Kirk returns with a briefing from the Nats election campaign prep in Australia: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/114171219/still-fatigued-from-the-last-election-gird-your-loins-for-2020–parties-deep-in-planning
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-jobs-vonderleyen-explainer/explainer-von-der-leyens-rocky-path-to-confirmation-as-eu-commission-chief-idUSKCN1U71M3
Would have thought that the democratic processes of the collected representatives of the directly elected E.U. govt. nations, would take precedent over that of the E.U. elecs
&
that the results of the E.U. elecs. would take precedent over those in national parliaments in the arrangements of rewarded working majorities to those proportions.
Would seem like the basic win win default convenant of all pro E.U. vote reps. to their support bases, that would carry the best guarantee of getting a good shake of the stick at some point.
I’ve been thinking about the left and their plight.
For me, being left is pretty simple, it’s people vs money and things.
We all like money and things, lefties place people at the top.
A standard contributor recently posted the observation that 2 of us have as much wealth as 1.5 million of us.
It’s an imbalance that can’t be conducive to the betterment of New Zealand. Rich and poor alike can only predict calamity ahead.
I think the inevitable rise of the left will not come from stomping our feet and demanding houses, food grants and dollars. It will come from stomping our feet and demanding humanity. "Hello my friend"
He Tangata He Tangata He Tangata
Can someone tell me if you can make two submissions on a bill. I have made one myself but would also like to sign Forest and Bird's for the Zero Carbon Bill. It's not like a vote is it. I have put in a different submission than Forst and Bird with different points in each.
Kia ora Newshub.
Thanks to national for the Tsunami of homeless people. Eco Maori just about end up in a motel but I didn't want to put up with all the actors the sandfly's throw at me .
A black out in New York wow that must have been fun .
It's cool to see all the people enjoying All the beautiful sight that Aotearoa has to offer like hump ridge track I have a awesome view were I'm going to build.
There you go Whanau these puppets are using the Orange tamariki problems like they used the forshaw and sea bed issue to try and discredit our government that treats Maori and the poor common tangata better than the last lot wake up you puppets .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora Te Ao Maori news.
I don't think that Google te reo will be that accurate in translating te reo as the dialects are different for each Iwi.
Bullshit any person with a brain know don't go to war unless you are going to win. taniana last war you lost the forshaw and seabed and gave national the power to stuff up Maori and the poor people for NINE YEARS FOOL you will cause more harm to tangata whenua that good if there actions let national back in power .Ngati Porou own our sea bed right.
Awesome to see Maori getting into online video gaming that is the industry to chase it ten times the revenue of Hollywood. Ka kite ano
Its was quite windy on the ranges
A "perfect storm" of earthquakes and high winds triggered Mt Ruapehu's eruption alarms on Sunday.
The mountain's Eruption Detection System (EDS) was activated after a cluster of earthquakes near Turangi, north of Mt Ruapehu, and strong wind gusts.
GeoNet reported 20 small earthquakes near Turangi on Sunday morning, ranging from magnitude 4 to 2.2.
"Nature is testing the Ski Area eruption alarms on Mt Ruapehu this morning," a post on the ski area's Facebook page explained
Ka kite ano link below.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/114233236/mt-ruapehu-eruption-alarms-triggered-by-earthquakes-and-wind-gusts
Kia ora Newshub.
It was a exciting day for Papatuanuku Cricket Lloyd.
Our Blackcaps Stars did Aotearoa fine even with the final results.
Banks is just a national puppet . national are desperate for a win in any political seen.
trump is just showing his true colors.
It is cool that China is going to help save the Godwit bird . China is going to preserve some mud flats in the yellow sea were the Goodwit stop halfway on there yearly migration ka Pai.
Ka kite ano
Kia ora Te Ao Maori News.
It's cool our government is going to change some system in Whanau Ora to consult with the Whanau more .
Those people and culture that are in Oranga tamariki are the same ones that the national party you back so you need to stand up and take responsibility for YOUR Actions Tainana .
It cool to see plastic being recycled to in Aotearoa and seeing it being turned in New products.
Eco Maori is a birdwatcher they are such beautiful creature.
It's awesome that our government is going to put money into normalising Te reo in Aotearoa society you should see heads turn when I say ki Ora in A shop .
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/hlfQVvsNLFk
These Hawksbay sandflys must have a bee in their bonnet I see heaps of marked cop cars in my travels around the place
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/h4DFXUndvbw
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/mOFvJVroAJE
Eco Maori story keeps getting Reka it will be worth heaps thanks
Awesome to see a Wahine elected as European union commission President. Congratulations Ursula
Ursula von der Leyen has been confirmed as the European commission’s first female president and the first German in the job for more than 50 years.
In a secret ballot, MEPs voted narrowly to support the German defence minister as a replacement for Jean-Claude Juncker when he steps down on 31 October She won the support of 383 MEPs, nine votes more than required to secure an absolute majority but below the 400 threshold that would have given her a stable majority to get her policies through parliament over the next five years
Ka kite ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/16/ursula-von-der-leyen-elected-first-female-european-commission-president
Eco Maori tau toko supports Equality for Wahine equality for all. KIA KAHA stay strong all Wahine championing this cause
This is a huge problem with charity's all the money doesn't make it to the cause. Its burned up by administration and other things .
Only 1% of gender equality funding is going to women’s organisations – why?
There’s been a $1bn boost in support in the last two years, but only tiny pots of money are trickling down to feminist groups
In the past two years alone, governments and international institutions have announced more than $1bn (£0.8bn) in new commitments to support gender equality globally.
These include: €500m (£440m) for the European Union and UN’s joint Spotlight Initiative, €120m by France for its feminist foreign policy and $114m by Norway to end sexual and gender-based violence in conflicts. Canada has announced CAD$490m (£290m) towards three programmes: women’s leadership($150m), the LGBTQ2 Fund ($40m), and the Equality Fund ($300m). This fund was among the nearly $600m committed to women and girls in June at the Women Deliver conference.
Ka kite ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jul/02/gender-equality-support-1bn-boost-how-to-spend-it