They claimed Sharma would get disappointed when staff members put fridge magnets in the wrong box.
"It was like walking on eggshells," they said.
"I had to go to counselling.
"I've never been depressed or wanted to harm myself. I'm a happy person who has always been positive. I had never known about mental health," the staffer said.
"I was thinking of ways that I could kill myself. I didn't want to go back to work. I would have rather killed myself than go back to work," they said.
Anyone…who has ever had the unfortunate circumstance of dealing with a narcissist bully…or worse, the Dark Triad, will maybe be seeing some similarities here.
Dr Gaurav Sharma is the second sitting politician to suffer a major health setback this year after East Coast MP Kiri Allan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in April.
I'm not sure what how this makes him a narcissist….unles you are happy for the same label to apply to Kiri Allan. Allan could quite rightly claim she was drawing attention to cervical cancer and the importance for women, especially wahine Maori, to get checked.
Likewise, Sharma is also drawing attention to the importance of addressing potential health issues and quite rightly highlights how beneficial it is for doctors to experience the health system from the patients' perspective.
No, not seeing how this Fits the narcissist definition.
They are extremely adept at covering themselves. They are also adept at playing the victim game and before the actual victims know it, they are deemed to be the perpetrators.
In some situations it can go on for years and the 'powers that be' just bat it away like a bothersome fly. They don't want to know. If the bully or bullies take it beyond the work-place or where-ever – as happened in my case – it can get dangerous and frightening.
There was an added dimension to my experience which put me in a dangerous position. I was the innocent piggy in the middle involving among other things, a significant incident which took place on NZ soil.
It is starting to look like the victim game-playing model. Narcissistic bullies come in all shapes and sizes and usually also have a personality disorder or two. They are not stable and, as I have said, can become quite dangerous.
Then you too must accept that maybe maybe this 'dark triad' dude was put where he is by Labour and the electorate. What does that say about Labour selection process and vetting?
In saying that, the dude at least has good job prospects once he leaves the Labour Party for good.
I know your replying to PLA @ 1.1.1 Sabine but I will add my cent-worth too.
In one sense you are right. It does not look good for Labour's selection process. But if what I suspect (and PLA) turns out to be correct, then I fully understand why they missed it. These types are brilliant at covering themselves. Anyone who has been on the receiving end of narcissistic bullies will tell you as much. They can get away with it for years and no-one – bar the victims – is any the wiser.
To be fair, it applies to National and Uffindell too. National can't crystal ball gaze any more than Labour can. It is inevitable that from time to time these mistakes are made. The only difference is: there have been sufficient recent 'mistakes' by National to suggest their selection processes are in need of a major over-haul. Labour? Well time will tell.
"These types are brilliant at covering themselves. Anyone who has been on the receiving end of narcissistic bullies will tell you as much. They can get away with it for years and no-one – bar the victims – is any the wiser."
Absolutely. While they systematically pull your support from under you. Evil shits.
Aye highly passive-aggressive in my experience. Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths most of the time. Also took slight at the mildest of disagreeing with them. Disagreement was always portrayed as disloyalty.
Couldn't be trusted to play by normal rules e.g. confidentiality in meetings.
Very curated front facing view – until they decided you were in the out crowd.
I came home at 10am this very frosty morning after helping with a sausage sizzle duty for the organisation I volunteer at, at our local Farmers Market, to sit down and generally thaw out! I turned the TV on to see if the T20 cricket match between the West Indies and Black Caps was still in progress. It had finished with a good win to the Black Caps. Following that there was a very interesting in depth interview by Laura McGoldrick with recently retired cricketer Ross Luteru Taylor, which delved into passages in his recently published memoir 'Black and White' by/with Paul Thomas. I was so impressed with the way he coped with his treatment (bullying?) by Cricket N Z, regarding the captaincy issues and coming back after a self imposed break to resume his cricketing career was in my humble opinion the very opposite to the manner Dr Sharma has presented and endeavoured to deal with his very real problems. Ross had some great mentors he could rely on to help him, including the late, great Martin Crowe and also Ian Smith who helped him to come through those dark times to be able to finish his illustrious cricket career with honours and retire on a high. I believe Gaurav Sharma could take time out to watch that interview – I saw distinct parallels with the way both scenarios unfolded and in Gaurav's case continues to unravel. I just hope he seeks the help he so needs.
and still i don't care one bit what N does as i don't vote nor have i any intention in voting for N. I have however in the past voted L, gave money to L, gave fence space for hoardings etc to L.
So in an essence i am interested in what L does. And L in this instance either managed to hire someone totally unsuitable for the job, promoted him for the job, took his electoral victory as their own because they thought he fit their profile – another diversity/minority pick – whom they thought would not win, or could not win, but was a body that they put up for appearance sake, or they got played like fools.
Sometimes people have flaws which show up under pressure, but othering does not help.
When a person is successful as an academic, they are often surprised by their own failure to manage people and situations.
In teaching, highly educated people could write excellent units of work, but would fail in the management of implementation.
This man appears to be unwell, highly stressed, and feeling badly misunderstood. His main cry is "no one is listening" and almost "they are out to get me".
What he needs is beyond the expertise of whips and casual help. He appears to need to discover his physical medical problem, plus get treatment for stress.
It is extremely upsetting for a clever person who has been a leader to find himself not coping, and feeling isolated enough that he did not confide in friends. This is a sad situation. Otherwise, it could suggest rationalisation after the fact of lashing out.
His posts are confused cries for help imo. Sadly help has to be accepted before it begins to work. He is angry upset and lashing out. What he is saying is true to his perspective but skewed by unhappiness and anger.
Being an MP is complex and is people centered. A person skilled in noting details to diagnose, is not perhaps the person to carry out management and implementation of treatment. imo.
He appears to find no fault in his own behaviour a big red flag, in my opinion.
I hope he goes for professional assistance. He won’t find that on F.B.
'Judging from his op-ed piece, Sharma may even have been labouring under the misapprehension that he was in Parliament to represent the electors of Hamilton West. He may even have thought that they were the people to whom he was ultimately answerable. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! That is merely his constitutional role.
His actual role is to shut up and do as the Whips command. Make a speech on a subject he knows nothing about. Sit on a Select Committee and vote exactly as the Labour Chair indicates – no matter how wrong or stupid. Most importantly, say nothing, write nothing, and do nothing that attracts unwanted attention.
The poor man would soon have discovered that this “sit still and shut up” rule applied with equal force in caucus. If he was ever incautious enough to stand up in front of his colleagues and express views contrary to those of the Front Bench, then he would very soon have appreciated why those tasked with the responsibility for keeping the Back Bench under control are called “Whips”..'
It seems that Parliament, and the parties, hasn't changed a bit in the last 25 years.
Pam Corkery did one term as an MP in the Alliance Party. After that she wrote a book about it and gave a searing portrait of Jim Anderton. The book was Pam's Political Confessions, and was published in, IIRC, 1999. The Wellington City Library still has a copy available, and others may also.
In it she wrote "Politicians are, by and large, far more self-deluding, devious, bloated, insecure, egocentric wankers than I had feared."
Im not sure she necessarily would do poorly….she would certainly upset many but I suspect she would have considerable appeal to a sizeable cohort.
It is an idle wonder in any case as she has been there , done that and worked out she had better things to do….someone similar however may appear…..whether any mainstream party would stand such a candidate is another question however…I suspect not.
Anyone…who has ever had the unfortunate circumstance of dealing with a narcissist bully…or worse, the Dark Triad, will maybe be (sic) seeing some similarities here.
Look in the mirror. More than a few narcissists among the Woke Dogmatist element here. Indeed, certain former authors, now long-departed, were notorious for making everyone tiptoe on eggshells around them at all times … resulting in some degree of backlash from a segment of regular commenters.
Same outrageous narcissism, authoritarianism & (highly-disturbed) controlling behaviour from the (mock-)"heroic" Woke warriors on Twitter.
Hardly surprising, then, that more than one recent study in Psychology has suggested both the Alt Right & the Authoritarian Woke attract more than their fair share of activists possessing Dark Triad Personality traits (1. Machiavellianism, 2. Narcissism [esp high Entitlement], 3. Psychopathy).
I find it quite amazing how many contributors here are pontificating on a topic that must surely require a great deal of training and presonal knowledge of the person being discussed.
Are you, for example, a trained and licensed Psychologist or Psychiatrist?
Have you ever treated Dr Sharma, or even met him?
In other words are your comments based on professional knowledge, and detailed knowledge of the gentleman concerned or are they just the views of a staunch Labour Party follower who is unhappy that these things are being brought to public attention?
The same questions also seem appropriate for some of the other commenters here.
I can only think of one occasion when I commented on a person's psychological status. That was back in 2016 when someone assumed that I would, if it were possible, vote for Trump instead of Bernie Sanders.
I said I would vote for anyone except Trump because, although Bernie would be useless I thought Trump was totally nuts. That was the only time that I can remember making any such comment.
Now, to get back to the case in point, are you professionally qualified and do you know the person concerned, so that you can comment on his mental state?
Just to remind ourselves that there are two types of Labour parties that have little in common ideologically …
The Socialist Democratic type as represented by Jeremy Corbyn, at one time Bernie Sanders and it could be said recently in NZ by David Shearer.
The Centrist Free Market, Neo-Liberal type as represented by Keir Starmer, Biden (sort of) and Jacinda Ardern in NZ and sadly it seems James Shaw of The Green Party.
All institutions of main stream press and big business fear and hate the former and will generally support the later in any open battle for power between the two, for obvious reasons…a fact that, as I mentioned earlier, is well worth remembering…..
Sounds like things getting worse an worse in the UK but at least some of the unions are fighting back .Gandhi apparently said " if the people elect a fool they will be well represented " Must be fairly obvious now that the shit is well an truely hitting the fan !!
Alex Aleti Seu, who identifies as a woman, was jailed in March 2017 for six years and nine months after admitting a number of charges involving unlawful sexual connection with a male over 16, indecent assault and assault with intent to commit sexual violation in relation to three men.
She dragged him into an alleyway and threw him into a brick wall, stunning him in the process, before pulling down his pants and sexually violating him.
The man was able to escape but Seu chased him and forced him down in the grounds of a church where she raped him a second time
so when ever this dude is getting released there will be a warning going out for a 'woman' rapist, that drags man of the street, throws them into a wall before in the end raping them.
Imagine the surprise when you get instead dragged of the street, thrown into a wall before getting raped by a man instead.
Never mind the dude that has to pretend that he was not raped by a bloke. Good fucking grief, but i totally get that the dignity and safety of the rapists is more important then the dignity and safety of the raped man and any other prospective victims this man will created once he is allowed out of prison. Calling this Rapist a male – he / him – would be total bigotry, cruel and transphobic. Making a mockery out of rape is totally acceptable in order to not be a bigot, cruel and transphobic.
It says a lot about the quality of journalism in this country that in an obvious case of penis driven rape the writer refers to the perpetrator as "woman" and "she". What should have been written is "Man masquerading as a woman rapes man …", used the pronouns "he", and waited for a complaint of misgendering and hate speech. Do what journalists are supposed to do and speak truth to power…
Nah, our current lot of stenographers can not conceive of a more horrible thing then to loose access to the woksters and be cancelled. That would rival death!!
I'm just grateful that they pointed out that it is a man who identifies as a woman. There was a period of time when even that didn't happen, seems to have changed now.
Small mercies.
What I want to know, and what should be reported given the nature of the crime, is when the man started identifying as a woman. If they are trans (have a history of full time being a TW), then report that. If they started IDing after the arrest, report that. If they are part time/cross dresser report that. It matters.
I am not ever going to be OK with a man who rapes a person (rape by penis) being referred to as a women, being she/her'd, and having these crimes counted as a 'woman rapes man' crime, nor with that person potentially being incarcerated with women.
If they are a Fa'afafine, then they should be referred to as such. To me there is a big difference between a Fa'afafine and a Transwomen. Whilst both present feminine the culture behind both idendities are quite different.
The Herald referred to Toko Shane "Ashley" Winter as a woman and showered him with female pronouns all through his trial, conviction and sentencing for the crime of the sadistic torture and murder of a young woman. By the time of his (failed) appeal they were reporting his correct sex, but they mysteriously left the name of his victim out of a later feature on femicide.
"OPINION: You’ll recall the narrative driven (and accepted by many) during the Wellington protest that it was peaceful and had one objective: to end the mandates.
Scratching not too far beneath the surface, though, it was apparent there was an entirely different – and dangerous – agenda.
At Stuff Circuit our role is to investigate matters that are in the public interest, and two things happened around the time of the occupation that got our attention.
First, we saw talk in social media about making the country “ungovernable”. It sounded like a direct threat to democracy. What did it mean? Who were the people saying it and what was their intent?"
Of course Robert….I read the rags at 5 am before my caring duties begin about 5.45 ish.
I took the bait…as so should you…and clicked on the embedded links that support their view.
And bugger me, the links lead to other Stuffed pieces, which I know from previous clicking sessions, also contain links that predominantly take one to other Stuffed articles. It is rabbit hole Stuff. Very incestuous.
Somebody needs to explain to these so called journalists that their work would have more heft if they used actual factual references to support their argument.
I confess to have tried….but as soon as I suggested that a few more articles interviewing vaccine injured, and perhaps a few more interviewing we fucking filth unvaxxed who have had Covid and who didn't die or need medical intervention, to balance out the near daily "I'm triple vaxxed and Omicron nearly killed me!" pieces that they were running for a while there had me cast into the conspiracy theory basket. Another day in the trenches.
…does the hand- wavey 'we saw placards threatening violence towards politicians and journalists at the protests!!!' journalist have anything to say about these protestors from the Left back in 2012? Shall we compare the guillotine and fake blood and the beheading of lifesize photos of the PM and half the Cabinet with gallows and nooses from Wellington?
Nah. Didn't think so.
I'd love to stay and chat Robert…but I have another cubic metre of compost to mix and spread on my garden beds before it gets too hot to work. Frost here this morning in the Far Far North and it has been hot. Clouding over a little, so I need to get back to my mahi before the sun reappears.
If this opinion piece was written in 1981, it would say angry people protesting the springbok tour and donning motorbike helmets are also a threat to society.
It provides little insight or analysis into the issues at play, it stokes people fears and emotions, and it has the writing style of the King's courtier.
The pandemic be up there, but minority ‘anti-mandate’ protests weren't unique to NZ (497 Deaths/1M pop) – USA (3200), UK (2711), Canada (1123) etc. had them too.
"The bad news is that, to investigate 200,000-300,000 terrible rentals, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has employed a frontline inspectorate numbering … 37. Each inspector will have to check somewhere between 5000 and 8000 rentals.
This reminds one of the fanciful calculations showing Santa Claus would have to be a high-speed blur if he really visited each of the world’s 2 billion children on Christmas Eve. Less humorously, it recalls the sole inspector employed to check mine safety around the time of the Pike River disaster, which killed 29 men."
I reported a house as 'condemned' to the AKL Council a long time ago. I still have the emails, tenancy tribunal ruling and so on and so forth.
I asked why this house could not be condemned to protect any other tenants that may have the misfortune to rent the shitbox. I was told that if they were to do this they would have to condemn most of Aucklands housing and btw, we don't even have enough people to inspect the houses that have the facades fall off, and where the roofs are about to cave in.
Yes , it is indeed by design….and the result of decades of 'free market' economics. Regulation is an anathema to them but politically difficult to sell so we have nominal regulation but ensure we are unable to enforce it.
Did you happen to see this particular developer/landlord incentive announced this week:
Housing Minister Megan Woods today announced that certain types of new and existing build-to-rent developments would be exempt from interest limitation rules in perpetuity.
Legislation for the proposal is expected to be introduced to Parliament at the end of August.
“To qualify, developments need to offer tenants leases of at least 10 years. Tenants can ask for shorter agreements if they wish and the development will still qualify for the exemption,” she said.
Labour (Polytechs, DHBs, 3 Waters, RNZ/TVNZ) and NAct (MBIE, Super City, Schools) may be mergaholics, but we are a small country – best to 'think bigger'?
Interesting idea. What if the Effindell legacy is that the Criminal Law system regarding children is properly reformed?
If children committing serious offences can be managed without a life sentence in Germany and Spain, why can't New Zealand do it too? Instead of ruining more lives with life sentences and ineffective criminal convictions, why not reduce the scope and severity of penalties for children who offend?
At the time the criminal assault at Kings happened, it would have been like hens-teeth for a schoolboy bullying case (no matter how violent) to have ended up in court.
Schools then (and now) do everything in their power to hush up violence – especially under the new privacy laws – which protect the criminal, rather than the victim.
Had Uffindell committed the crime today – and it had gone to court (not at all guaranteed) – it would have been tried in the Youth Court, which means: it would not have been reported; the court record would have been sealed (and it would have been a criminal offence for the victim to reveal it – even 30 years later); and the focus would have been on rehabilitating the perpetrator, rather than the welfare of the victim.
Almost certainly, the victim would be facing the criminal in school, on a daily basis. And the school would do little or nothing to protect them. It's almost always the victims who leave, these days, rather than the perpetrators – certainly in public schools (private schools have different methods of informally giving someone the boot)
ATM, it is only the most serious of crimes (usually resulting in a death) for which children are charged in adult courts (rather than the youth court – which is already doing all of the things you suggest).
In those cases, 'ruining … lives with life sentences and ineffective criminal convictions' might well come a poor second to the fact that someone else's life has been ended forever.
In NZ courts, unlike Germany and Spain 'life' most certainly does not mean 'life' – most will serve 10 years or less.
" In a deglobalizing world we risk dealing with enormous price shocks and dominant economic theory is not preparing us to deal with this. Deglobalisation can be an inflationary force especially if it happens in a chaotic manner. We have an extremely interconnected global economy in which many countries are dependent on monocultural exports. If trade is disrupted this can lead to supply issues, rising prices due to rising costs or simply reflecting temporary scarcities and pricing power. On top of that we need to consider the long-term impact of climate change. Because of high temperatures we can have negative effects on basic infrastructure, such as roads melting, and there are all sorts of industrial processes that need to happen within a certain temperature band. Climate change and extreme weather events can cause or exacerbate supply chain issues. Before the current multifaceted crisis, globalisation was dominated by just-in-time production networks. If demand went up, supply could easily follow and prices were remarkably stable. But now you have the opposite situation. If supply networks are not operating just in time anymore, when supplies stop flowing prices rise. In face of sector wide supply disruptions, the dynamic of competition switches from competition for market shares, to a dynamic of competition which prioritises charging higher prices for available inventories and this can be a further inflationary factor. "
However, [Massey University associate professor Grant] Duncan predicted Molloy would not endorse Collins, and he expected he would look to negotiate policy before endorsing a centre-right candidate.
The first death threat arrived last November, on the very day Lisa-Maria Kellermayr was set to take over her own medical practice.
[…]
Kellermayr’s fears and concerns went, time after time, unaddressed by authorities at all levels of Austrian government and law enforcement. And as a result, her case raises fundamental questions about what responsibility the state has to its citizens in times of unprecedented online hatred and abuse. “You get the feeling you need to protect yourself, because nobody’s going to help you,” she told me last month.
“Everybody up to the chancellor knew about this case before I went public. Everybody said it’s horrifying and I should get help. But nobody helped me.”
While the rivers of water are drying out and cease to exist the rivers of filth are flowing stronger than ever sweeping a path of hatred & destruction.
Michel Wood correctly named it and called it out for what it is on 16 Feb 2022:
But underneath all of that, there is a river of filth. There is a river of violence and menace. There is a river of anti-Semitism. There is a river of islamophobia. There is a river of threats to people who work in this place and our staff.
Those in government/parliament/deep state and Jews and Moslems as the collective of people under threat from the crusaders – it's so post Jan 6 terminology.
For me, this reinforces the need for police to be able to track down the 'real' identities of the anonymous online trolls.
Once a threat has been made, it should simply require signoff from a judge (checking that a threat really does exist), and the online service delivering the threat be required to disclose the identity (IP address at the very least); as well as actively assist police in tracking down the individual.
Most of the time, these trolls aren't exactly IT experts – they're using their home internet connection, and just hiding behind an anonymous name.
Yes, there are lots of good reasons for anonymity in public chat rooms, etc. (TS for example) – but that right vanishes the moment the individual crosses the line into illegal behaviour.
Of course, international platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) etc are inclined to hide behind the facade of 'we're not in your jurisdiction' but law changes imposing hefty penalties or banning from operation across the EU would swiftly change their minds.
It does nothing for the 8chan style of dark net – but, really, they're not significant in the day to day harassment. It mostly is the keyboard warriors using the most basic of IT tools.
Our laws, law enforcement and judicial system is lagging way behind the modern IT world.
It was not so much a social media pile on, but a series of death threats to her and the staff of her practice – and the total lack of action against the perps (a hacker identified someone and even now it seems police have taken no action).
The person who attacked Salman Rushdie is named Hadi Matar.
The name Hadi is derived from the Arabic word for guidance (Hadi'r makes it sound of thunder) and the surname (most common in West Asia/Levant) has a meaning in Latin (to kill) and Arabic (rain).
Currently in Hospital, so I'm not watching much news atm. But the-
Poor bastard, never read his books unfortunately.
But I understand the fatwa is still valid when old mate from Iran made a decreed for insulting the Prophet Muhammad many moons ago.
But stabbing him, is plain BS!
I wonder if this is to with some internal issue/s in Iran atm or worst a possible false flag by Israel's Mossad?
They would be the type of assholes to pull a stunt like this!
Was in UAE when Mossad did their hit on the No3 (the bag man) Man for Hamas or the other mob & it wasn't pretty either considering Mossad used UK Canadian, NZ & Oz Passports as we had a major Military Presence in UAE at the time.
Tensions are getting high in Iraq. No government has been formed since elections in October 2021.
The largest party led by al-Sadr has tried and failed to form a nationalist regime with Sunni and Kurds and now other (pro Iranian) Shia parties want the chance to form a government, but al-Sadr wants to hold new elections.
The other parties fear, if al-Sadr forms a government, he will disband the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella of mostly Iran-backed Shia militias. If these forces become permanent, rather than temporary (allied to the army in the defeat of Islamic State) they would become entrenched like Hezbollah in Lebanon.
What happens next will be decided in the next week or two – a civil war is not implausible.
TV3 news leads with Luxon confirming that disabled people on a benefit will face possible sanctions under his policy.
We know what happens next, because it keeps happening: Nicola Willis or another spokesperson will "clarify" his comments, and Luxon will say "let me be clear" while distancing himself from himself.
If he keeps this up, he'll talk himself out of a job.
Luxon is an idiot, but the wider question is why people who have genuine permanent disabilities that mean they can't work, are on the jobseeker benefit at all.
But, my understanding is that 'unemployed' people with significant and permanent disabilities, but who nevertheless would be able to work, either with suitable accommodations or with reduced hours, are on the jobseeker benefit.
The National Government bundled most of the benefits together and called them Jobseekers about 2014 I think. The sickness beneficiaries were included. The word "Dole" was dropped too. A bit odd that Luxon didn't know that.
But, Labour haven't changed it since they came into office in 2017, so presumably they agree with it.
I think it was covered in the WEAG report – though perhaps not in that language – it was about people with disabilities being given financial support to live in dignity.
There’s also the Supported Living benefit – for those who can’t work at all – but don’t think it’s much better (apart from a reduction in the endless pressure to ‘get a job, any job’)
There are many people on TS who will be a lot more familiar with this than I am.
Supported Living Allowance is quite a bit more generous than the Jobseeker Benefit – National's last "improvement" on it was to reduce the maximum length of Medical Certificate allowable from 5 years to 2 years. Are you still missing limbs? Are you still blind? et cetera
As examples he cites work being done at Housing New Zealand and specifically at the Ministry of Social Development by the welfare working advisory group looking at the big driver of future costs: long-term invalids and sickness beneficiaries, a group he describes as "this big hard lump of long-term waste of human potential".
English says the MSD is not set up to deal with them.
Rather, it is set up to deal with "the easy stuff" – the unemployment and the domestic purposes benefits.
"They do the easy stuff and they do it very well, but they don't worry about these guys. If they were ACC customers, we would be spending a lot of money on trying to move them. They cost a bit less on sickness and invalids [benefits], not a hell of a lot less, but we do nothing and we are actually doing nothing to reduce this very large long-term liability."
A U.S. House candidate in Wyoming who disclosed that he impregnated a 14-year-old girl when he was 18 scoffed at the idea of dropping out of the race and challenged any legislators who might make an issue of his past. “That’d be great,” state Sen. Anthony Bouchard…
…then refused to answer questions about the girl he married after she bore his son and who killed herself at age 20 in 1990, the year after they divorced.
The man who founded the birther movement, the election loss cry baby, and those who participate in the cult of allegiance to the liar in chief – for servitude to the lie is the power of the Orwellian regime.
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
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Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
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Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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 ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
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Anyone…who has ever had the unfortunate circumstance of dealing with a narcissist bully…or worse, the Dark Triad, will maybe be seeing some similarities here.
And here i thought they were the elected Labour MP for Hamilton West who is also a Doctor.
Well…Sabine. I'm sure you might..just might maybe, accept that a Doctor, could also be a narcissist. Or worse. And quite adept at covering themselves.
It's also a bit strange for a doctor, especially a GP, to share health information in so much detail and so publicly. Fits the narcissist definition.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/labours-hamilton-west-mp-gaurav-sharma-reveals-health-scare-worsening-symptoms/FMMBQVE47ZASXORYC2F4HSMEHY/
Kiri Allan did too, but that was to raise awareness of cervical cancer and getting a smear. And it worked.
Dr Gaurav Sharma is the second sitting politician to suffer a major health setback this year after East Coast MP Kiri Allan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in April.
I'm not sure what how this makes him a narcissist….unles you are happy for the same label to apply to Kiri Allan. Allan could quite rightly claim she was drawing attention to cervical cancer and the importance for women, especially wahine Maori, to get checked.
Likewise, Sharma is also drawing attention to the importance of addressing potential health issues and quite rightly highlights how beneficial it is for doctors to experience the health system from the patients' perspective.
No, not seeing how this Fits the narcissist definition.
They are extremely adept at covering themselves. They are also adept at playing the victim game and before the actual victims know it, they are deemed to be the perpetrators.
In some situations it can go on for years and the 'powers that be' just bat it away like a bothersome fly. They don't want to know. If the bully or bullies take it beyond the work-place or where-ever – as happened in my case – it can get dangerous and frightening.
As ever, Anne. And I hope you escaped most of the toll these type take.
No I didn't PL.A.
There was an added dimension to my experience which put me in a dangerous position. I was the innocent piggy in the middle involving among other things, a significant incident which took place on NZ soil.
I'm off to hide. 😮
Far out. You sure have led the "Interesting" life ! But awesome how youve retained your sense of Humour : )
Thats got me thru some "interesting" times too. Good for you Anne.
It is starting to look like the victim game-playing model. Narcissistic bullies come in all shapes and sizes and usually also have a personality disorder or two. They are not stable and, as I have said, can become quite dangerous.
Then you too must accept that maybe maybe this 'dark triad' dude was put where he is by Labour and the electorate. What does that say about Labour selection process and vetting?
In saying that, the dude at least has good job prospects once he leaves the Labour Party for good.
I know your replying to PLA @ 1.1.1 Sabine but I will add my cent-worth too.
In one sense you are right. It does not look good for Labour's selection process. But if what I suspect (and PLA) turns out to be correct, then I fully understand why they missed it. These types are brilliant at covering themselves. Anyone who has been on the receiving end of narcissistic bullies will tell you as much. They can get away with it for years and no-one – bar the victims – is any the wiser.
To be fair, it applies to National and Uffindell too. National can't crystal ball gaze any more than Labour can. It is inevitable that from time to time these mistakes are made. The only difference is: there have been sufficient recent 'mistakes' by National to suggest their selection processes are in need of a major over-haul. Labour? Well time will tell.
"These types are brilliant at covering themselves. Anyone who has been on the receiving end of narcissistic bullies will tell you as much. They can get away with it for years and no-one – bar the victims – is any the wiser."
Absolutely. While they systematically pull your support from under you. Evil shits.
"While they systematically pull your support from under you."
Do they ever. And its incredible the lengths they will go to in order to succeed.
Aye highly passive-aggressive in my experience. Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths most of the time. Also took slight at the mildest of disagreeing with them. Disagreement was always portrayed as disloyalty.
Couldn't be trusted to play by normal rules e.g. confidentiality in meetings.
Very curated front facing view – until they decided you were in the out crowd.
I came home at 10am this very frosty morning after helping with a sausage sizzle duty for the organisation I volunteer at, at our local Farmers Market, to sit down and generally thaw out! I turned the TV on to see if the T20 cricket match between the West Indies and Black Caps was still in progress. It had finished with a good win to the Black Caps. Following that there was a very interesting in depth interview by Laura McGoldrick with recently retired cricketer Ross Luteru Taylor, which delved into passages in his recently published memoir 'Black and White' by/with Paul Thomas. I was so impressed with the way he coped with his treatment (bullying?) by Cricket N Z, regarding the captaincy issues and coming back after a self imposed break to resume his cricketing career was in my humble opinion the very opposite to the manner Dr Sharma has presented and endeavoured to deal with his very real problems. Ross had some great mentors he could rely on to help him, including the late, great Martin Crowe and also Ian Smith who helped him to come through those dark times to be able to finish his illustrious cricket career with honours and retire on a high. I believe Gaurav Sharma could take time out to watch that interview – I saw distinct parallels with the way both scenarios unfolded and in Gaurav's case continues to unravel. I just hope he seeks the help he so needs.
and still i don't care one bit what N does as i don't vote nor have i any intention in voting for N. I have however in the past voted L, gave money to L, gave fence space for hoardings etc to L.
So in an essence i am interested in what L does. And L in this instance either managed to hire someone totally unsuitable for the job, promoted him for the job, took his electoral victory as their own because they thought he fit their profile – another diversity/minority pick – whom they thought would not win, or could not win, but was a body that they put up for appearance sake, or they got played like fools.
What is it?
A bit of all of that Sabine.
Sometimes people have flaws which show up under pressure, but othering does not help.
When a person is successful as an academic, they are often surprised by their own failure to manage people and situations.
In teaching, highly educated people could write excellent units of work, but would fail in the management of implementation.
This man appears to be unwell, highly stressed, and feeling badly misunderstood. His main cry is "no one is listening" and almost "they are out to get me".
What he needs is beyond the expertise of whips and casual help. He appears to need to discover his physical medical problem, plus get treatment for stress.
It is extremely upsetting for a clever person who has been a leader to find himself not coping, and feeling isolated enough that he did not confide in friends. This is a sad situation. Otherwise, it could suggest rationalisation after the fact of lashing out.
His posts are confused cries for help imo. Sadly help has to be accepted before it begins to work. He is angry upset and lashing out. What he is saying is true to his perspective but skewed by unhappiness and anger.
Being an MP is complex and is people centered. A person skilled in noting details to diagnose, is not perhaps the person to carry out management and implementation of treatment. imo.
He appears to find no fault in his own behaviour a big red flag, in my opinion.
I hope he goes for professional assistance. He won’t find that on F.B.
Thank you Patricia, my thoughts exactly.
As what? And Oh Yeah, we ALL get you hate Labour. Thing is… I also have previously posted about JLR….and John Banks….and….
Anyway. Have a Nice Day. I'm sure the Sun must be shining for you sometime. even UNDER Labour
As a doctor.
Desperate shortage of them in NZ at the moment.
Chris Trotter’s article is worth a read.
'Judging from his op-ed piece, Sharma may even have been labouring under the misapprehension that he was in Parliament to represent the electors of Hamilton West. He may even have thought that they were the people to whom he was ultimately answerable. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! That is merely his constitutional role.
His actual role is to shut up and do as the Whips command. Make a speech on a subject he knows nothing about. Sit on a Select Committee and vote exactly as the Labour Chair indicates – no matter how wrong or stupid. Most importantly, say nothing, write nothing, and do nothing that attracts unwanted attention.
The poor man would soon have discovered that this “sit still and shut up” rule applied with equal force in caucus. If he was ever incautious enough to stand up in front of his colleagues and express views contrary to those of the Front Bench, then he would very soon have appreciated why those tasked with the responsibility for keeping the Back Bench under control are called “Whips”..'
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2022/08/parting-shots.html
It seems that Parliament, and the parties, hasn't changed a bit in the last 25 years.
Pam Corkery did one term as an MP in the Alliance Party. After that she wrote a book about it and gave a searing portrait of Jim Anderton. The book was Pam's Political Confessions, and was published in, IIRC, 1999. The Wellington City Library still has a copy available, and others may also.
In it she wrote "Politicians are, by and large, far more self-deluding, devious, bloated, insecure, egocentric wankers than I had feared."
It sounds as if nothing has changed.
Lol…and that is a very Pam Corkery quote.
Theres a certain type of person that succeeds in politics…unfortunately.
I wonder how she would fare (politically) in todays environment?
Very poorly, I suspect. She excelled in calling a spade a bloody spade, and completely failed to suffer fools at all (let alone gladly).
Im not sure she necessarily would do poorly….she would certainly upset many but I suspect she would have considerable appeal to a sizeable cohort.
It is an idle wonder in any case as she has been there , done that and worked out she had better things to do….someone similar however may appear…..whether any mainstream party would stand such a candidate is another question however…I suspect not.
Pam Squarkery wouldn't cross the road unless you…paid her.
.
Look in the mirror. More than a few narcissists among the Woke Dogmatist element here. Indeed, certain former authors, now long-departed, were notorious for making everyone tiptoe on eggshells around them at all times … resulting in some degree of backlash from a segment of regular commenters.
Same outrageous narcissism, authoritarianism & (highly-disturbed) controlling behaviour from the (mock-)"heroic" Woke warriors on Twitter.
Hardly surprising, then, that more than one recent study in Psychology has suggested both the Alt Right & the Authoritarian Woke attract more than their fair share of activists possessing Dark Triad Personality traits (1. Machiavellianism, 2. Narcissism [esp high Entitlement], 3. Psychopathy).
Classic deception, the traits exist amongst all classes and spheres of politics – not just those you resent.
Huh? I usually ignore you…but are you aiming that at me?
I find it quite amazing how many contributors here are pontificating on a topic that must surely require a great deal of training and presonal knowledge of the person being discussed.
Are you, for example, a trained and licensed Psychologist or Psychiatrist?
Have you ever treated Dr Sharma, or even met him?
In other words are your comments based on professional knowledge, and detailed knowledge of the gentleman concerned or are they just the views of a staunch Labour Party follower who is unhappy that these things are being brought to public attention?
The same questions also seem appropriate for some of the other commenters here.
Whatever..its sure never stopped you. Maybe you have more "presonal" knowledge when pontificating…..
I can only think of one occasion when I commented on a person's psychological status. That was back in 2016 when someone assumed that I would, if it were possible, vote for Trump instead of Bernie Sanders.
I said I would vote for anyone except Trump because, although Bernie would be useless I thought Trump was totally nuts. That was the only time that I can remember making any such comment.
Now, to get back to the case in point, are you professionally qualified and do you know the person concerned, so that you can comment on his mental state?
Just to remind ourselves that there are two types of Labour parties that have little in common ideologically …
All institutions of main stream press and big business fear and hate the former and will generally support the later in any open battle for power between the two, for obvious reasons…a fact that, as I mentioned earlier, is well worth remembering…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tglgldqEHpE
Sounds like things getting worse an worse in the UK but at least some of the unions are fighting back .Gandhi apparently said " if the people elect a fool they will be well represented " Must be fairly obvious now that the shit is well an truely hitting the fan !!
Happy he has been vindicated. Shame the media are/were such chumps.
The Forde Report is here:
https://www.fordeinquiry.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/The-Forde-Report.pdf
and this rapist is a man, not a she/her.
This is not a womans crime.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/woman-who-sexually-assaulted-dunedin-man-after-all-blacks-game-denied-parole-again/IYDVUP3SKJJZQSJKUH4TG4F76A/
so when ever this dude is getting released there will be a warning going out for a 'woman' rapist, that drags man of the street, throws them into a wall before in the end raping them.
Imagine the surprise when you get instead dragged of the street, thrown into a wall before getting raped by a man instead.
Never mind the dude that has to pretend that he was not raped by a bloke. Good fucking grief, but i totally get that the dignity and safety of the rapists is more important then the dignity and safety of the raped man and any other prospective victims this man will created once he is allowed out of prison. Calling this Rapist a male – he / him – would be total bigotry, cruel and transphobic. Making a mockery out of rape is totally acceptable in order to not be a bigot, cruel and transphobic.
assuming he's trans 😉 Anyone can be a woman now!
'you can't make this shit..up'!
It says a lot about the quality of journalism in this country that in an obvious case of penis driven rape the writer refers to the perpetrator as "woman" and "she". What should have been written is "Man masquerading as a woman rapes man …", used the pronouns "he", and waited for a complaint of misgendering and hate speech. Do what journalists are supposed to do and speak truth to power…
Tear the scab of this festering sore.
We have journalism in NZ ?
Best laugh I've had in a long time Rosemary.
Nah, our current lot of stenographers can not conceive of a more horrible thing then to loose access to the woksters and be cancelled. That would rival death!!
I'm just grateful that they pointed out that it is a man who identifies as a woman. There was a period of time when even that didn't happen, seems to have changed now.
Small mercies.
What I want to know, and what should be reported given the nature of the crime, is when the man started identifying as a woman. If they are trans (have a history of full time being a TW), then report that. If they started IDing after the arrest, report that. If they are part time/cross dresser report that. It matters.
Reading the article, possibly they are fa'afafine. I'm ok with them or TW being referred to as they in cases like this.
I am not ever going to be OK with a man who rapes a person (rape by penis) being referred to as a women, being she/her'd, and having these crimes counted as a 'woman rapes man' crime, nor with that person potentially being incarcerated with women.
If they are a Fa'afafine, then they should be referred to as such. To me there is a big difference between a Fa'afafine and a Transwomen. Whilst both present feminine the culture behind both idendities are quite different.
I suspect that the journo and/or editor are concerned over being sued for 'mis-using preferred pronouns' .
However, it it not only the content which spread mis-information, it's the headline (which is the only part many people will see).
I suppose it might be click-bait (What! A woman raping someone)
It might so easily have been better worded, e.g.: Rapist who sexually assaulted a Dunedin man after AB game in Dunedin is denied parole again.
And then make it clear in the first para that (named) offender identifies as a woman, but is biologically male.
The Herald referred to Toko Shane "Ashley" Winter as a woman and showered him with female pronouns all through his trial, conviction and sentencing for the crime of the sadistic torture and murder of a young woman. By the time of his (failed) appeal they were reporting his correct sex, but they mysteriously left the name of his victim out of a later feature on femicide.
Rosemary – have you looked at this article?
"OPINION: You’ll recall the narrative driven (and accepted by many) during the Wellington protest that it was peaceful and had one objective: to end the mandates.
Scratching not too far beneath the surface, though, it was apparent there was an entirely different – and dangerous – agenda.
At Stuff Circuit our role is to investigate matters that are in the public interest, and two things happened around the time of the occupation that got our attention.
First, we saw talk in social media about making the country “ungovernable”. It sounded like a direct threat to democracy. What did it mean? Who were the people saying it and what was their intent?"
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/stuff-circuit/300657828/opinion-why-we-decided-we-should-report-this-dangerous-speech
Of course Robert….I read the rags at 5 am before my caring duties begin about 5.45 ish.
I took the bait…as so should you…and clicked on the embedded links that support their view.
And bugger me, the links lead to other Stuffed pieces, which I know from previous clicking sessions, also contain links that predominantly take one to other Stuffed articles. It is rabbit hole Stuff. Very incestuous.
Somebody needs to explain to these so called journalists that their work would have more heft if they used actual factual references to support their argument.
I confess to have tried….but as soon as I suggested that a few more articles interviewing vaccine injured, and perhaps a few more interviewing we fucking filth unvaxxed who have had Covid and who didn't die or need medical intervention, to balance out the near daily "I'm triple vaxxed and Omicron nearly killed me!" pieces that they were running for a while there had me cast into the conspiracy theory basket. Another day in the trenches.
Again…(and as yet not a single Labour flag waver here on TS has responded to this) … https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/02/20/guest-blog-suzie-dawson-remembering-the-left/
…does the hand- wavey 'we saw placards threatening violence towards politicians and journalists at the protests!!!' journalist have anything to say about these protestors from the Left back in 2012? Shall we compare the guillotine and fake blood and the beheading of lifesize photos of the PM and half the Cabinet with gallows and nooses from Wellington?
Nah. Didn't think so.
I'd love to stay and chat Robert…but I have another cubic metre of compost to mix and spread on my garden beds before it gets too hot to work. Frost here this morning in the Far Far North and it has been hot. Clouding over a little, so I need to get back to my mahi before the sun reappears.
No frost here today, Rosemary, but some of my sub-tropical plants have been "nipped" by the frost that fell on the past 2 mornings.
I asked maui, "… the article suggests that those "very angry people" represent a growing threat to the country's hauora.
What do you think about that suggestion/concern?" and thought to seek your thoughts also, if you can find the time and energy 🙂
In one of the biggest moments in NZ civil rights history, journos found some very angry people. Stunning journalism that…
Maui, the article suggests that those "very angry people" represent a growing threat to the country's hauora.
What do you think about that suggestion/concern?
Concern troll is concerned.
If this opinion piece was written in 1981, it would say angry people protesting the springbok tour and donning motorbike helmets are also a threat to society.
It provides little insight or analysis into the issues at play, it stokes people fears and emotions, and it has the writing style of the King's courtier.
There's a post up now, mauī, on the film.
Looking forward to your participation in the discussion.
https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/new-zealand/articles/12-moments-that-shaped-new-zealands-history/
The pandemic be up there, but minority ‘anti-mandate’ protests weren't unique to NZ (497 Deaths/1M pop) – USA (3200), UK (2711), Canada (1123) etc. had them too.
https://elius-books.com/so-many-rabbit-holes-even-in-trusting-new-zealand-protests-show-fringe-beliefs-canish-new-zealand/
"The bad news is that, to investigate 200,000-300,000 terrible rentals, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has employed a frontline inspectorate numbering … 37. Each inspector will have to check somewhere between 5000 and 8000 rentals.
This reminds one of the fanciful calculations showing Santa Claus would have to be a high-speed blur if he really visited each of the world’s 2 billion children on Christmas Eve. Less humorously, it recalls the sole inspector employed to check mine safety around the time of the Pike River disaster, which killed 29 men."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/129555393/max-rashbrooke-terrible-landlords-arent-bad-apples–theyre-endemic
The same issue applies to employment law especially pertaining to migrants…the lack of enforcement of already minimal protections.
Claytons regulation.
I reported a house as 'condemned' to the AKL Council a long time ago. I still have the emails, tenancy tribunal ruling and so on and so forth.
I asked why this house could not be condemned to protect any other tenants that may have the misfortune to rent the shitbox. I was told that if they were to do this they would have to condemn most of Aucklands housing and btw, we don't even have enough people to inspect the houses that have the facades fall off, and where the roofs are about to cave in.
Its by design.
Yes , it is indeed by design….and the result of decades of 'free market' economics. Regulation is an anathema to them but politically difficult to sell so we have nominal regulation but ensure we are unable to enforce it.
Did you happen to see this particular developer/landlord incentive announced this week:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/472745/tax-break-for-investors-providing-long-term-rentals
They seem to prefer tax incentives to actual regulation.
Yes, have seen that announcement…and agree that they continue to adhere to the free market ideology in deed even if not in word.
"They seem to prefer tax incentives to actual regulation."
I think they seem to prefer tax incentives to actual building of homes.
One's easy, the other is difficult.
False dichotomy that is not surprising coming from someone who only knows and thinks in B & W.
In any case, this Government has been building new houses, which you would have known unless you’ve been living under a rook.
Santa, however has magic; MBIE…. less so
Labour (Polytechs, DHBs, 3 Waters, RNZ/TVNZ) and NAct (MBIE, Super City, Schools) may be mergaholics, but we are a small country – best to 'think bigger'?
Interesting idea. What if the Effindell legacy is that the Criminal Law system regarding children is properly reformed?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/sam-uffindell-was-lucky-to-avoid-nzs-criminal-justice-system-as-a-schoolboy-but-it-was-the-right-outcome/4JJFJQXVOALL5C76BSBTNU4N5Y/
At the time the criminal assault at Kings happened, it would have been like hens-teeth for a schoolboy bullying case (no matter how violent) to have ended up in court.
Schools then (and now) do everything in their power to hush up violence – especially under the new privacy laws – which protect the criminal, rather than the victim.
Had Uffindell committed the crime today – and it had gone to court (not at all guaranteed) – it would have been tried in the Youth Court, which means: it would not have been reported; the court record would have been sealed (and it would have been a criminal offence for the victim to reveal it – even 30 years later); and the focus would have been on rehabilitating the perpetrator, rather than the welfare of the victim.
Almost certainly, the victim would be facing the criminal in school, on a daily basis. And the school would do little or nothing to protect them. It's almost always the victims who leave, these days, rather than the perpetrators – certainly in public schools (private schools have different methods of informally giving someone the boot)
ATM, it is only the most serious of crimes (usually resulting in a death) for which children are charged in adult courts (rather than the youth court – which is already doing all of the things you suggest).
In those cases, 'ruining … lives with life sentences and ineffective criminal convictions' might well come a poor second to the fact that someone else's life has been ended forever.
In NZ courts, unlike Germany and Spain 'life' most certainly does not mean 'life' – most will serve 10 years or less.
The Iranian bounty on Rushdie's life remains active.
― Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses
https://twitter.com/Anthony/status/1558235634866786309
" In a deglobalizing world we risk dealing with enormous price shocks and dominant economic theory is not preparing us to deal with this. Deglobalisation can be an inflationary force especially if it happens in a chaotic manner. We have an extremely interconnected global economy in which many countries are dependent on monocultural exports. If trade is disrupted this can lead to supply issues, rising prices due to rising costs or simply reflecting temporary scarcities and pricing power. On top of that we need to consider the long-term impact of climate change. Because of high temperatures we can have negative effects on basic infrastructure, such as roads melting, and there are all sorts of industrial processes that need to happen within a certain temperature band. Climate change and extreme weather events can cause or exacerbate supply chain issues. Before the current multifaceted crisis, globalisation was dominated by just-in-time production networks. If demand went up, supply could easily follow and prices were remarkably stable. But now you have the opposite situation. If supply networks are not operating just in time anymore, when supplies stop flowing prices rise. In face of sector wide supply disruptions, the dynamic of competition switches from competition for market shares, to a dynamic of competition which prioritises charging higher prices for available inventories and this can be a further inflationary factor. "
https://agendapublica.elpais.com/noticia/18172/world-of-overlapping-emergencies-we-need-new-forms-of-price-stabilization
New tools needed…but more importantly an acceptance by the powers that be that the old paradigm is unfit for purpose (if it ever was).
A feature article to look forward to tomorrow: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/stuff-circuit/300657828/opinion-why-we-decided-we-should-report-this-dangerous-speech
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/472792/efeso-collins-could-scoop-molloy-votes-analyst
Sounds more like ‘the kiss of death’ to me, but to the (some) candidates it’ll be ‘mana from heaven’ – votes are votes, after all.
Pile-ons have consequences.
/
The first death threat arrived last November, on the very day Lisa-Maria Kellermayr was set to take over her own medical practice.
[…]
Kellermayr’s fears and concerns went, time after time, unaddressed by authorities at all levels of Austrian government and law enforcement. And as a result, her case raises fundamental questions about what responsibility the state has to its citizens in times of unprecedented online hatred and abuse. “You get the feeling you need to protect yourself, because nobody’s going to help you,” she told me last month.
“Everybody up to the chancellor knew about this case before I went public. Everybody said it’s horrifying and I should get help. But nobody helped me.”
https://www.codastory.com/waronscience/lisa-maria-kellermayr-anti-science/
While the rivers of water are drying out and cease to exist the rivers of filth are flowing stronger than ever sweeping a path of hatred & destruction.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/300660877/european-drought-dries-up-rivers-kills-fish-shrivels-crops
Michel Wood correctly named it and called it out for what it is on 16 Feb 2022:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20220216_20220216_16
Michael Wood our very own Enoch Powell.
Higherstandard, the commenter with the wrong de plume.
Those in government/parliament/deep state and Jews and Moslems as the collective of people under threat from the crusaders – it's so post Jan 6 terminology.
It is so post March 15 terminology
Who in government felt threatened after March 15?
They are us
But not those protesting.
Choices, people make choices and then they try to mould the reality (aka perceptions) to fit & suit those choices (aka confirmation bias).
For me, this reinforces the need for police to be able to track down the 'real' identities of the anonymous online trolls.
Once a threat has been made, it should simply require signoff from a judge (checking that a threat really does exist), and the online service delivering the threat be required to disclose the identity (IP address at the very least); as well as actively assist police in tracking down the individual.
Most of the time, these trolls aren't exactly IT experts – they're using their home internet connection, and just hiding behind an anonymous name.
Yes, there are lots of good reasons for anonymity in public chat rooms, etc. (TS for example) – but that right vanishes the moment the individual crosses the line into illegal behaviour.
Of course, international platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) etc are inclined to hide behind the facade of 'we're not in your jurisdiction' but law changes imposing hefty penalties or banning from operation across the EU would swiftly change their minds.
It does nothing for the 8chan style of dark net – but, really, they're not significant in the day to day harassment. It mostly is the keyboard warriors using the most basic of IT tools.
Our laws, law enforcement and judicial system is lagging way behind the modern IT world.
The term troll has a wider meaning than someone making a direct threat.
Making a threat to kill is itself a crime, regardless of whether it is assessed as a serious one or not.
Yes but it is alot harder to prove a verbal threat than one that can be tracked in the cyber world.
It was not so much a social media pile on, but a series of death threats to her and the staff of her practice – and the total lack of action against the perps (a hacker identified someone and even now it seems police have taken no action).
Her family should sue the police.
Double-you-aitch-eh-eh tee tee ???????????
"Inside the Caesars hotel and casino, rain fell through the ceiling onto the heads of diners in a restaurant."
What?
Where?
No! Surely not!!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/us-canada/300661091/las-vegas-casinos-flooding-for-second-time-in-two-weeks
The person who attacked Salman Rushdie is named Hadi Matar.
The name Hadi is derived from the Arabic word for guidance (Hadi'r makes it sound of thunder) and the surname (most common in West Asia/Levant) has a meaning in Latin (to kill) and Arabic (rain).
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62528689
Imad Mughniyeh was a former Hezbollah Chief of Staff reputedly assassinated by Mossad.
https://twitter.com/karol/status/1558217204373618697
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imad_Mughniyeh
The inference is a cult of assassins activated because the nuclear talks have folded.
Currently in Hospital, so I'm not watching much news atm. But the-
Poor bastard, never read his books unfortunately.
But I understand the fatwa is still valid when old mate from Iran made a decreed for insulting the Prophet Muhammad many moons ago.
But stabbing him, is plain BS!
I wonder if this is to with some internal issue/s in Iran atm or worst a possible false flag by Israel's Mossad?
They would be the type of assholes to pull a stunt like this!
Was in UAE when Mossad did their hit on the No3 (the bag man) Man for Hamas or the other mob & it wasn't pretty either considering Mossad used UK Canadian, NZ & Oz Passports as we had a major Military Presence in UAE at the time.
Tensions are getting high in Iraq. No government has been formed since elections in October 2021.
The largest party led by al-Sadr has tried and failed to form a nationalist regime with Sunni and Kurds and now other (pro Iranian) Shia parties want the chance to form a government, but al-Sadr wants to hold new elections.
The other parties fear, if al-Sadr forms a government, he will disband the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella of mostly Iran-backed Shia militias. If these forces become permanent, rather than temporary (allied to the army in the defeat of Islamic State) they would become entrenched like Hezbollah in Lebanon.
What happens next will be decided in the next week or two – a civil war is not implausible.
TV3 news leads with Luxon confirming that disabled people on a benefit will face possible sanctions under his policy.
We know what happens next, because it keeps happening: Nicola Willis or another spokesperson will "clarify" his comments, and Luxon will say "let me be clear" while distancing himself from himself.
If he keeps this up, he'll talk himself out of a job.
Luxon is an idiot, but the wider question is why people who have genuine permanent disabilities that mean they can't work, are on the jobseeker benefit at all.
Not supporting this….
But, my understanding is that 'unemployed' people with significant and permanent disabilities, but who nevertheless would be able to work, either with suitable accommodations or with reduced hours, are on the jobseeker benefit.
He is constantly showing his true colours for which we should be thankful.
The National Government bundled most of the benefits together and called them Jobseekers about 2014 I think. The sickness beneficiaries were included. The word "Dole" was dropped too. A bit odd that Luxon didn't know that.
Yeah, looks like 2013.
https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/benefit/benefit-factsheet-changes-2013.html
But, Labour haven't changed it since they came into office in 2017, so presumably they agree with it.
I think it was covered in the WEAG report – though perhaps not in that language – it was about people with disabilities being given financial support to live in dignity.
There’s also the Supported Living benefit – for those who can’t work at all – but don’t think it’s much better (apart from a reduction in the endless pressure to ‘get a job, any job’)
There are many people on TS who will be a lot more familiar with this than I am.
Some reaction: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/health-and-disability-advocates-hit-out-at-national-s-unfair-new-welfare-policy.html
Supported Living Allowance is quite a bit more generous than the Jobseeker Benefit – National's last "improvement" on it was to reduce the maximum length of Medical Certificate allowable from 5 years to 2 years. Are you still missing limbs? Are you still blind? et cetera
There are many people on TS who will be a lot more familiar with this than I am.
Groundhog Day it is.
Luxon…nobody can accuse him of not recycling.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/driver-of-the-big-cuts/62IRSCMLOD264ROVUKYXHHQCNQ/
As examples he cites work being done at Housing New Zealand and specifically at the Ministry of Social Development by the welfare working advisory group looking at the big driver of future costs: long-term invalids and sickness beneficiaries, a group he describes as "this big hard lump of long-term waste of human potential".
English says the MSD is not set up to deal with them.
Rather, it is set up to deal with "the easy stuff" – the unemployment and the domestic purposes benefits.
"They do the easy stuff and they do it very well, but they don't worry about these guys. If they were ACC customers, we would be spending a lot of money on trying to move them. They cost a bit less on sickness and invalids [benefits], not a hell of a lot less, but we do nothing and we are actually doing nothing to reduce this very large long-term liability."
#nothingnewunderthesun
Agree Chess Player. The rolling of all benefits under "job seeker" did not help.
What would bomber make of this?
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wyoming-house-elections-teen-pregnancy-health-7ac5a0a6221a0472c7a75263575eaae2
'Murica!
– Edwin Edwards
https://oilcity.news/wyoming/legislature/2020/02/13/wyoming-house-kills-child-marriage-restriction-bill3/
16 year olds would find it hard to predict the realities of marriage. Some in their 20s find it hard.
Don't limit it. There are eternal children in their 30s and 40s – the Peter Pan syndrome is alive and well.
In Wyoming under 16s can marry with judicial approval.
The man who founded the birther movement, the election loss cry baby, and those who participate in the cult of allegiance to the liar in chief – for servitude to the lie is the power of the Orwellian regime.
https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage/status/1558218986898210821