Rachel Stewart highlights a vital issue by pointing to an important article.
Our farming is NOT sustainable.
She says
Every New Zealander should read this. Why? To fully grasp how deeply our economy is built on myriad products that directly hurt others, our land, and our waterways. Farming must change, or it will be taken out of our hands.
The cycle that underpins New Zealand’s economy starts with a town in the desert, shielded by a minefield. A white, dusty rock is stripped from the earth and put on a conveyor belt, which rumbles slowly across the Sahara – flat, desolate and silent – for 100km. It leaves a cloud of dust so vast it can be seen from satellites, etching a scar across Northern Africa.
When it reaches port, the rocks topple off the belt and are loaded onto trucks, which are driven to awaiting cargo ships. They sail a tedious route south, ducking beneath the horn of South America to avoid nations that may confiscate the cargo.
The ships arrive at their destination: It could be Bluff, Dunedin, Lyttelton, Napier, or Tauranga, depending on who is buying the cargo. The rock is driven to a factory and blended with other rocks, mixed with sulfuric acid, and compressed into small, white balls. The balls are dropped with precision from planes over the countryside and bleed into the soil, releasing nutrients into plants, which are eaten by sheep and cows, which are eaten by us.
The scale of the operation is enormous. The conveyor belt is the longest in the world, as is the minefield protecting it.
……If you are a farmer in New Zealand and you use Superphosphate fertiliser, it is likely the raw materials came from the western side of the world’s longest minefield, and made the long, slow journey to the sea on the world’s longest conveyor belt.
When it arrives in New Zealand, records will say the phosphate came from Morocco, but the many thousands of people in Algerian refugee camps would say it was stolen from them.
“New Zealand farmers are the only clients in the whole world of the Moroccan plunder of Western Sahara,” says Erik Hagen of Western Saharan Resource Watch, an NGO that monitors trade from the region.
“New Zealand stands alone now as the main funder of the illegal occupation… They are buying stolen goods.”
“Labour ministers seem to have been painfully slow to learn that lesson, presenting as policy decisions that have not been signed off by Peters. And Peters is the ultimate showman, timing those lessons for maximum effect. But it’s Ardern who has had to pay the price by having to turn the other cheek to Peters’ gamesmanship and opportunism.”
“Peters jumped down the throat of reporters who questioned on Wednesday whether Labour’s latest sacrifice might be the multi employer agreements specified under its industrial relations reforms – but, notably, he also refused to commit to supporting them. Stuff has been told that NZ First has drafted changes to the legislation for when it comes back before the House. The end game appears to be either leverage, or oxygen, or kudos from the business sector for moderating Labour’s union base – or at least cultivating that perception.”
So we have Labour ministers allowed to operate like loose cannons and announce policies that haven’t actually been agreed to by NZF, giving Winston the opportunity to market his brand as superior. Does such political brand differentiation really work to the advantage of either party? Not at present. Makes more sense in a suitable part of the electoral cycle: 2020.
“The government was forced to halt a planned announcement about its Crown/Māori Relations portfolio after New Zealand First raised last minute objections. It’s the latest in a string of incidents where New Zealand First has pulled its support for Labour-led initiatives at the 11th hour.”
“Media were briefed and invited to attend an announcement by Crown/Māori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday, where the new agency was set to be unveiled following sign-off at Cabinet. But Ms Ardern and Mr Davis had to roll back the announcement after NZ First refused to support it.”
That must be the fourth or fifth such instance in recent times! “It’s understood the lines of communication between Labour and NZ First are still not clear almost one year into the coalition arrangement. RNZ has been told the two parties are at odds over whether NZ First was properly consulted over such policies.”
So, after a year in government, when the coalition ought to be shifting into second gear at least, if not third, it seems instead intent on proving that the training wheels have yet to be removed!! Leadership now essential. Do it.
There appears to be a complete lack of leadership and communication between the partners. There is just this constant stream of missteps that should be getting cleared up behind closed doors, not in the media.
National doesn’t have to do anything at the moment as the sloppy management of this government is getting splashed all over the media on a daily basis.
Jacinda is a great on screen communicator but she needs to get the back of house management sorted
You got it. Not only that, his boss forgot to check it was okay with His Pomposity’s boss. Almost like deliberately, as if playing a game called `let’s forget we’re supposed to be govt awhile – more fun competing with NZF than the Nats’…
As Hurricane Florence bears down on the US Atlantic coast, residents would not be comforted to know that the persecution of immigrants has been put above their safety….
And as well as being soft on fascism and against public health care, the Trump administration; has rolled back regulation of Coal, of asbestos, of air quality, of automatic weapons….. and….. and…. nuclear weapons…..
Scary times…you betcha, here is the warmongering no conservative John Bolton sounding like a villain straight out a 1980’s Robocop movie, threatening the International Criminal Court and it’s judges and anyone who assists them…
Looks like the US might be going year zero..
Unfortunately we probably don’t get to see all the villains get their justice at the end.
there are almost 8 billion people on this planet. Literally 4 billion give or take a few millions to many.
Its not a death cult, its an extermination cult by proxy. It kills the old, the sick, the ailing, the infirm first by refusing to fund health care and aged care and disabled care. It kills the young ones by refusing to vaccinate on grounds of what ever. It kills the women by not funding female centric health care, it kills them pregnant, in child birth, it kills the mothers or the babies and sometimes both.
It kills the men by removing any rule, any legislation that would make work safe, that would prevent death through accidents, toxic waste etc.
it kills all without difference by refusing to send aid to disaster areas, it will kill the people in hospitals by not fixing the electricity net, by not cleaning the water ways, by not fixing the infra structure needed to bring in aid after a natural disaster.
Of course it will kill the poor first. The poor people of color will die before the poor white people die. But die they will.
the rich, the monied, the connected, the pundit class, the political class, the technocrats have known at least since the Bush 2nd years that climate change is coming, and with it rising sea levels, floods, destruction of habitat and arable land and with it migration.
It is about time to take of the blinders and stop believing that we can still stop this. We can’t. Its well underway. And our governments – any and all – know this, and they also know that mass migration and poverty are what awaits us. And the US is happy to let die all those the ruling class believe are surplus, they are happy for the preachers to screech stay at home, the righteous will be saved – after all are n’t they all righteous?
And we have had the same mindset here for the last years under National. So they are poor? Thems lazy buggers. So the child is poor and hungry? Should have choose better parents. So they don’t have a house? Should get another job. So they aren’t healthy? Must have been something they done. Right?
There are too many humans on this planet, The ruling class and their technocrats know this, and we – the unwashed masses – are surplus to requirement. We will not be saved, we will not be educated, we will not be considered of importance. And they don’t hide it. Time to stop acting surprised.
It is about time to take of the blinders and stop believing that we can still stop this.
Erm. But we can. An on-going 10% (or whatever it takes to stay within the known global carbon budget) annual cut in fossil consumption stops it. It might not leave us sitting below 2 degrees. But it might.
Why don’t you hassle the crap out of your local MP and demand they insist that government AGW policy gets written wholly off the back of science, instead of bent to accommodate economics?
And sure, we may already have passed a tipping point that takes the “anthropogenic” out of the global warming equation. Who knows? Maybe that possibility could feed into an unwavering insistence that we do what needs done no matter what?
We can also admit that we are too many on this planet. Capacity is reached, what now. We can admit that our governments world wide do not really care about those that it deems surplus. Namely the very poor, the very old, etc. You get the drift.
We can admit that our government short funds anything that would keep us alive, could make life better and maybe even more sustainable but generally does little more then pay lip service. Again, because they – our elected overlords – care little about our survival, after all theirs is assured.
As for what i do, whom i write to, how i live etc. You know nothing and you should not assume.
Non of us is wrong, and i am not saying it is too late, that is only what you hear. I say that there are to many humans on this planet. There are too many cars on this planet. To many MacMansions that house no one. Too much shit that people have because we need growth. Lol. And i say that non of that is gonna change anytime soon, unless we give up on the myth that the next generation needs it better then we had. We are at the highest living standard literally since ages ago and people still complain that they don’t have enough .We pull fucking boats across the middle of the country to go water skiing in a lake hundreds of kilometers from home, that is how fucked up we are. We inject our self with poison to be young for ever. We pretend to have it all with an empty fridge at home and no electricity. We buy on tick and then complain that we own nothing.
Yeah, right lets tell the poor that they can’t have it all, in fact what little they have they should give it up;, that they should not aspire to get out of the muck. . Cause it ain’t our ruling classes and their enablers that are gonna give up the tiniest sliver of their excesses.
You want change? Start with giving up hope that those task to know better actually know better.
Poor Winston. Trying to stay relevant. Don’t think much of his methods. Everything last minute. Not exactly showing Labour any respect at all. Shame! Oh well. Hes dominating news this morning so he and B@B will all be ecstatic. I hope he doesn’t stop Labour from doing it’s best to return NZ to its egalitarian status. Bloody annoyed at his timing.
Takes two to tango. He wouldn’t be able to grandstand if Labour didn’t keep on giving him the opportunities. The government ought to be doing consensus politics. It ought not to be allowing individual Labour ministers to hijack the process.
Ardern knows she can only be successful by securing agreement. Sometimes that means working through disagreement by solving problems. She isn’t telling us that the process has failed, has she? So the obvious conclusion is that they didn’t even try. Labour arrogance, presumably, as Mahuta demonstrated. What’s missing currently is leadership at the top. Those loose cannons must be brought under control before they sink the ship.
“In her speech from the porch of the whare runanga, Jacinda urged Maori to hold the Labour-NZF-Green government to account if it failed to deliver on its promises of uplift and renewal”
Winston is effectively doing everyone elses job they forgot to do!!!!!!!.
Best to make the best decision, not the first decision, so let’s hope NZF are delaying for worthy reasons. Anyway, Labour coalition is still performing better than the last lot of crims, so there’s that!
Bullshit. Labour are trying to do leftish things like reverse Labour law changes but Winston first is blocking it. Labour are trying to make attempts to honour the treaty by setting up the Maori/Crown thing but Winston is blocking it. Labour are trying to make meaningful changes to prisons but Winston is blocking it. Etc. Winston is the great dragging break on most of the progressive stuff that Labour and the Greens want to do.
“Putin called on the two men to appear in the media to protest their innocence, saying he “wanted to address them directly”. The Russian’s president’s words marked a departure from his country’s earlier position, which was to dismiss the evidence released by Scotland Yard as a fabrication.”
Apart from questions being raised around identical date stamps on video stills that appeared to be from the same location (and that was cleared up), what “fabrication” are you referring to marty?
‘I am cautious in who i read and what I believe from them. Even people i love like russell brand I still am circumspect rather than just like all they say because i really like something they say.’
I just wrote that and then thought, it sums up the problem well. We really struggle with this good person doing bad, bad person doing good, previous good person now doing bad and previous bad person now doing good. (I’m ignoring the value judgments of what is good or bad). I wonder why we can’t seem to compartmentalize a person’s actions and them or is that the problem – they are holistic. I’ve seen leftie unionists turn into capitalist pigdogs. I read good stuff and absolute rubbish from the same author. Probably just a reflection, a mirror of inside us and the turmoil we often live within.
Yes, to some degree as it’s a hangover from old “rat eyes” John Howard’s” era and from memory it maybe something to with Federal funding at the time as I can’t really be sure as I had more important things to worry about.
Back in the 70s Merv Wellington was out Min of Ed. He set out to demand that every kid at every school on every morning should salute the NZ flag and sing the National Anthem. He also asked that every image of nudity be removed from every book in every library. There was at least one Principal who inked out every image of nudity including those in the encyclopaedias. Thank goodness the National Government of the day fell. Very few schools responded to his Methodist beliefs. Phew!
Mr Poole wrote a scathing email to the group behind the Save the Schools campaign expressing his frustration at being included in the ad but Catherine Isaac, who is a supporter of the group and used to head the charter school authorisation board, doesn’t think the ad did any damage.
This government is not “Government was not “Labour-led”
I guess Labour are going to have to wake up to this at some point – else they are going to be continued to be shocked at whats “work in progress” – normally after they announce it.
Good. Some sanity for a change. ” “You had the coalition agreement, then you had the 100-day statement, then you had the Speech from the Throne, then the Budget. If those things we’re talking about are not in those four documents then they are always work in progress,” Peters said. He insisted the Government was not “Labour-led”.” What kind of a dance is it when one partner leads, then the other partner leads?
“What kind of a dance is it when one partner leads, then the other partner leads?”
I was introduced in an alternatives to violence workshop to the concept of effective relationships by the physical act of dancing with a fellow participant. The group felt what it was like, in turn, to dance in a way where both partners led at the same time (conflict and huge waste of energy), where neither led ( boring with nothing happening at all), and then where both partners led in turn.
Great fun. Great learning.
Could work in the great soft shoe shuffle of politics, too.
Better tell Jacinda and her ministers they need to run things pasted Winston then.
Jacinda could be excused for thinking 37% verse 7% did not entitle Winston to have the power to veto / water down key Labour policy.
The “not for public release” NZF – Labour document must not have been explicit enough in that regard!
Winston knows where NZF votes come from…he is positioning NZF not to suffer the minor party fate come 2020. He will trumpet keeping Labour and those looney Greens in check.
Dance is an interesting metaphor from a depiction of Christ’s life in
“Lord of the Dance” to the sex act as in “Shake, Rattle and Roll” to deceit as in leading someone a merry dance to bliss as in “I could have danced all night”.
I guess politics is similar. You just gotta choose if and when you gotta get down close and dirty.
The question remains-“Will you still love me tomorrow?”
And then the next day. Is it “So long, It’s been good to know you” or is it “Silver threads amongst the gold”?
Criminal in Chief puts corporate profits ahead of life.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved closer Tuesday to rolling back Obama-era rules reducing oil and gas industry leaks of methane gas, one of the most potent agents of climate change.
The Environmental Protection Agency formally released its proposed substitute for a 2016 Obama administration rule that aimed to step up detection and elimination of methane leaks at well sites and other oil and gas facilities. The agency’s move is part of a broad Trump administration effort to undo President Barack Obama’s legacy programs to fight climate change by cutting emissions from oil, gas and coal.
No Right Turn is reporting that Parliamentary Services is currently advertising for a pair of “security intelligence officers” and quotes the PS ad: “Reporting to the Security Enablement Manager, this role will collect information of intelligence value, conduct analysis of the information collected and prepare standardised intelligence product, in order to inform and influence the security and risk posture of Parliamentary Service.”
NRT: “Why the hell does Parliamentary Services need this? Who will they be collecting intelligence on?” Leakers, I presume. Wonder why that’s not obvious to NRT!
Croaking propagandist Barbara Walters fails miserably
This horrible woman has cozied up to Israeli presidents, American presidents, Henry Kissinger, and bloodstained military leaders like Norman Schwarzkopf and that arch-liar Colin Powell. She says that if she traveled abroad, she would love to have Powell as a “buddy”. She is infamous for her fawning and groveling manner.
However, when it came to interviewing the President of Syria, she tried to come across as an interrogator. Unfortunately for her, besides not having prepared properly, she is not nearly as sharp intellectually as her interlocutor….
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For some reasons, my post about the mystery message from inside the Downing Street bunker seemed to catch people's attention. Quite a lot of hits from NZ (unsurprisingly) and the USA (a bit more puzzlingly, but hi there, USAians!!) and 76 views from the Ukraine.I've celebrated my Ukrainian readers in ...
First, almost a score of Labour MPs seem to have sent a letter to the EU basically begging them to accept a deal - any deal - just so Britain can get the Heck on with Brexiting instead of being trapped in limbo:
by Phil Duncan In 2016 the National-led government suspended the Parent Visa Category, through which migrants were able to bring their parents into New Zealand. Since then over 5,700 people have been in immigration limbo, stuck on the visa wait list. Labour is now bringing back the scheme. Well, sort ...
The following was released yesterday (Tues, October 8) by the women’s liberation organisation Speak Up for Women. On 23 September Speak Up For Women announced that we would be holding an event at the Massey University Theaterette in Wellington. The event is called Feminism 2020. The intention of the event ...
The government is currently consulting on plans to improve freshwater quality. So naturally, farmers oppose it:South Taranaki farmers are preparing to fight proposed national freshwater changes that some fear will bankrupt them. The Government's proposed National Environment Standard on Freshwater Management, released in September, rated the Waingongoro River as one ...
Yesterday was the last day for (reliably) posting your vote away in local body elections. Turnouts are mostly much lower than the equivalent time last year (Palmerston North is down 2.3%), and so naturally people are pushing their online-voting snake oil again. Because the online census worked so well, lets ...
This essay, on the political legacy of the eugenics movement, by Kenan Malik was originally published in the Observer on 6 October 2019, under the headline ‘The spirit of eugenics is still with us, as immigrants know to their cost’. Birth control. Intelligence tests. Town planning. Immigration controls. It’s striking how ...
Another year, and the government has announced another enormous government "surplus". And just like last year, its nothing of the sort. When we have people homeless and sick and hungry, when we have schools and hospitals still falling down, when we have underpaid public servants and infrastucture unmaintained or unbuilt, ...
James Forsyth at The Spectator (I know, I know) has tapped one of his contacts inside Number Ten for an insight into the Johnson administration's thinking and strategy.It is fascinating, unsettling and quite, quite mad. Some key points:Negotiations have stalled and the Johnson administration are keen to blame the EU: ...
Fatal Contact: With the arrival of captain James Cook in October 1769, the islands of what would become New Zealand ceased to be the preserve of Polynesian navigators and settlers and became a part of both the world’s map and the world’s history.THE MAORI NATIONALIST assault upon the historical meaning ...
Another round of tactical talks about forming a Government of National Unity have come to nothing with the Liberal Democrats still refusing countenance putting Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street:Opposition talks on Monday made little headway over when to try and vote down Boris Johnson's government and who might succeed him as ...
by Nick Rogers The debate around the meaning of sex and gender made an appearance at this year’s British Labour Party conference in Brighton. Women’s Place UK – an organisation that questions the demand that biological males who self-identify as woman should have access to women’s spaces, to all-women shortlists, ...
Yesterday I went down to Wellington to participate in the Extinction Rebellion protest. Its part of the latest global wave of XR actions, with actions happening all over the world. Some of those protests are massively disruptive: in Canada, XR is blocking major bridges, stopping people from getting to work. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is predicting a hard Brexit for the United Kingdom, as he believes British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be able to negotiate terms before the October 30 deadline. The Minister, who was one of the first to publicly come out and predict British voters would leave ...
Speaking at the Council of Trade Unions' (CTU) biennial conference, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told unionists that any future attacks on the Government won't work. "Now, we are being attacked by the union movement in this country. You can have your views but I'm here to say standing ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have delivered an upgrade of the SuperGold Card website and a new smartphone app, which will help unlock the full benefits of the SuperGold Card for 750,000 New Zealand seniors.Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters, ...
Delivering a key election campaign promise, New Zealand First is proud to have accomplished a long overdue upgrade of the SuperGold Card today. At an event in Auckland, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined Minister for Seniors Hon. Tracey Martin in unveiling the new website and smartphone app which ...
The Government today announced its support for a project that could substantially reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from cattle. The announcement was made as part of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor’s visit to Nelson’s Cawthron Aquaculture Park. The Cawthron Institute will receive $100,000 from the Government’s ...
Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni has welcomed the first reading of the New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Legislation Amendment Bill. “Every New Zealander has a stake in New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension,” says Carmel Sepuloni. “They are our most common form of social assistance – nearly 800,000 New ...
Babies in Auckland aged six months and over can receive a free vaccination and children will all have access to vaccines, Associate Minister of Health Julie Anne Genter announced today at Papatoetoe High School. The move comes as part of Government efforts to step up the fight against measles. ...
***Check against delivery*** Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here, and to have the honour of opening this important conference on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. Let us take the opportunity to acknowledge all the people who have helped make today possible, including our special ...
Police Minister Stuart Nash says the safety of frontline officers and members of the public will be the focus of a new trial of specialist Police response teams in three of our largest urban centres. Police have this morning released details of an initiative to be trialled in Counties Manukau, ...
The Minister of Fisheries is calling for entries for a new public award to celebrate innovation in our seafood sector. “I have established the Seafood Sustainability Awards to recognise and celebrate those throughout industry, tangata whenua and communities who demonstrate outstanding dedication and innovation towards the sustainability of New Zealand’s ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter welcomes leaders in the private sector taking action on closing their gender pay gaps to ensure a fairer workplace for all New Zealanders. Ms Genter today launched a new report, Addressing the gender pay gap and driving women’s representation in senior leadership, from the Champions for ...
Government Ministers today welcomed the release of a marine environment report highlighting the four key issues affecting our oceans, estuaries and coastlines. The release underlines the importance of government proposals to combat climate pollution, ensure clean freshwater, protect biodiversity, make land use more sustainable, and reduce waste and plastic. Environment ...
The Government has approved funding for a new acute mental health facility for Waikato which will provide better care and support to people with mental health and addiction issues. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Dr David Clark announced the $100 million project to replace the aging Henry Rongomau ...
The Government is making progress on its goal to integrate te reo Māori into education by 2025, with over 500 teachers and support staff already graduating from Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Kelvin Davis made the announcement at an awards ceremony in Waikanae today, for ...
Statistics Minister James Shaw has welcomed the first release of 2018 Census data. The first release of data today, 23 September, includes key data on population, regional growth, the number of homes and the size of different ethnic groups in New Zealand. Data from the 2018 Census will support the ...
Minister for Statistics James Shaw today announced a public consultation on a proposed algorithm charter for government agencies. The charter has been developed by the Government Chief Data Steward in response to growing calls for more transparency in government use of data. Computer algorithms – procedures or formulas for solving ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, Climate Change Minister James Shaw and visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte co-hosted a business roundtable in Auckland this morning focused on working together to address climate change. “The Netherlands is an important partner for New Zealand. We share a strong agricultural history. Sustainable agribusiness and ...
The Government is taking action to build an inclusive economy where more of us receive our fair share at work and businesses can compete on great products and services, not undercutting wages and conditions, Immigration and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. Two consultations launched today seek feedback ...
The future for New Zealand’s threatened indigenous freshwater fish looks brighter with the passing of the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill in Parliament today said Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “Until now, our freshwater fish legislation has been 20 years out of date. We have lacked effective tools to ...
At 1.30pm tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of Kiwis will join about 65 million people around the globe in ShakeOut, the world’s biggest earthquake drill. The annual drill is to remind people of the right action to take during an earthquake which is to Drop, Cover, Hold, and to practise their ...
Kiwis are benefiting from higher wage growth and low inflation under the Coalition Government. Stats NZ data out today shows the rise in the cost of living remains low, as annual Consumers Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 1.5% in September from 1.7% in June. “The low inflation comes as ...
New Zealand’s economic strength and resilience has been recognised in a major update on the state of the global economy. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook released overnight shows a reduced global growth forecast over the next two years as issues like the US-China trade war and Brexit take hold. ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little has today introduced a new Bill to prevent terrorism and support the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill gives the New Zealand Police the ability to apply to the High Court to impose control orders on New Zealanders who ...
A Bill that proposes targeted changes to simplify the processes for Māori land owners when engaging with the Māori Land Court has had its First Reading today. “The approach taken by the Government is to ensure that the protection of Māori land remains a priority as we seek to improve ...
Let me first thank all the new unionists and members in the room. There is nothing more important to improving people’s working lives than people making the decision to care, to get on board and help, to take up the reins and get involved. Congratulations to you. You bring the ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has signed a certificate exempting the activity of engine testing at Whenuapai Airbase from the Resource Management Act 1991. The Act gives the Minister of Defence the power to exempt activities for the purposes of national security. The certificate will mean the recent Environment Court ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced New Zealand will join the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action while attending APEC meetings in Chile. The objective of the 39 member Coalition is to share information and promote action to tackle climate change. It was formed in April this year, in ...
Feedback sought– Lyttelton commercial zone parking The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to remove on-site car parking requirements for new developments in the Lyttelton commercial zone. The proposal, by Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section 71 of the Greater ...
Hon Minister Poto Williams Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration MEDIA STATEMENT Tuesday 15 October 2019 Feedback sought – Hagley Oval The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal about Hagley Oval. The proposal was developed by Regenerate Christchurch ...
Ladies and gentlemen, NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff, members of respective unions – thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. This might be preaching to the choir, but the importance of trade unions in New Zealand’s historical arch is difficult to understate. And it is my belief that ...
"Let’s start by acknowledging that it has been a huge year. " Police Association Annual Conference James Cook Grand Chancellor Hotel Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou katoa. President of the Police Association, Chris Cahill; Members of the Association and ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark have announced the New Zealand Government’s decision to again deploy a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. New ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand continues to have serious concerns for peace and stability in north-east Syria. “Recent reports that hundreds of ISIS-affiliated families have fled from a camp are deeply concerning from a humanitarian and security perspective”, Mr Peters says. “While we acknowledge Turkey’s domestic security ...
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is warning travelling Kiwis to be vigilant as the high-season for the crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is under way. “We’re on high alert to stop BMSB arriving in NZ. The high season runs until April 30 and we’ve strengthened our measures to stop stink ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
The construction sector is being freed up to allow more homes to be built more quickly as the Government cuts through some of the red tape of the Building Act. “Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home and old inefficiencies in the Building Act make building slow and ...
Four months ago Caroline Shaw bought an e-bike. She explains why they’re the answer to our lethal car culture.Four months ago we took what felt like a huge leap of faith and bought an e-cargo bike. The combination of three things tipped us over the edge: feeling the need to ...
The online magazine that boasted a bigger Instagram following than most New Zealand media has abruptly come to an end. So what was Auckland Mag? Why did it exist? And who was it mysterious founder Dan Rolph? David Farrier investigates. The reply from Dan Rolph at Auckland Magazine came quickly. It came ...
In the wake of the shocking revelations about Three, Duncan Greive assesses the health of New Zealand’s six big media companies.Winston Peters has studied the cold, pitiless heart of a certain strand of New Zealander for four decades now, and has become our foremost expert on both expressing its feelings ...
US justice reform activists Deborah Small and asha bandele say white supremacy and colonialism are at the heart of punitive drug laws. They spoke to Teuila Fuatai about how drug reform can reverse their effects on minority communities. Deborah Small sees Donald Trump as the US Dorian Gray. “He’s the physical ...
Madeleine Chapman spent a day learning about Christchurch through its most famous dishes.What is there do with with a day in Christchurch? Thanks to the inexplicably early check-out times at hotels all over the world and a 7pm flight back to Auckland, I had a full day to wander the ...
Winston Peters says his party is a handbrake on bad ideas and a "supercharged turbo" for good ones - but will it be in the driver's seat come 2020? ...
Our former prime minister secured a meeting with Chinese premier Xi Jinping outside all normal diplomatic channels. Interest’s Jenée Tibshraeny asks what it means for New Zealand’s evolving relationship with the superpower.Former prime minister John Key secured a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week without the involvement of ...
David Robiecontinues his three-part series about travelling in Iran. I stumbled on the scene by chance. Our host family in Iran’s second city Mashhad, a modern and beautiful metropolis that would comfortably fit in New Zealand’s entire population, was taking us on a drive to the outskirts to ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lashed out at the media, in particular, MediaWorks, just a day after the company announced it was selling off its television arm. ...
About a hundred disgruntled licensed gun owners have descended on the New Zealand First conference to tell the party leader Winston Peters that they feel like victims. ...
New Zealand First members will vote on a policy today that would allow businesses of all sizes to enforce 90-day trials when they employ people straight out of prison. ...
"Each time she held her lighter underneath the pipe and sucked the smoke into the back of her throat, the promise was there": a New Zealand tragedy by Alice Tawhai. ...
With the future of Mediaworks’ TV business hanging in the balance, Al Jazeera news presenter Kamahl Santamaria reflects on what the imperilled channel meant, and continues to mean, to him.I always liked the logo. The fresh bright colours, the nod to a koru in its shape, and just the fact ...
There are still many barriers preventing people from voting in local elections. Laura O’Connell Rapira proposes some social solutions.The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click here.To vote in the local elections, I cast ...
What’s really stood out for me being back in Tokyo is the unique qualities of Japan’s spectators, writes Richard Light, professor of sport coaching at the University of Canterbury.The Rugby World Cup has thrown a global spotlight on Japan over recent weeks. Not just the rugby: the distinctive culture and ...
As the New Zealand First Party gathers for its annual conference, the question swirling in the year is how it can carve out a path to avoid electoral defeat in 2020, writes Jo Moir for RNZ. It’s not you, it’s me. It’s a familiar break up excuse that’s used ...
To the early intervention therapists, to the teachers, to the speech therapists, the occupational therapists, music therapists, diabetes nurses and all: you change the world.When I was married almost a decade ago we had the following reading at our wedding:You are holding up a ceilingwith both arms. It is very ...
The faces said it all. The smiles of the European leaders crowded round Boris after the Brexit deal was struck. The deal his opponents – no, pretty much everyone – said was impossible.So what’s in it? The detail is still opaque, but subject to gremlins in the fine print, ...
Iran attracts an onslaught of negative media in New Zealand and Western media. But is it fair or deserved? David Robie has spent several weeks travelling in the country on sabbatical and finds the media negativity far from the reality of the “most friendly” country he has ever visited ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]University of Canberra Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Leigh Sullivan discusses the week in politics with Michelle Grattan. They talk about Alan Jones accusing Prime Minister Scott Morrison of failing the immediate needs of drought-striken farmers, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anita Parbhakar-Fox, Senior Research Fellow in Geometallurgy/Applied Geochemistry, The University of Queensland Last month, scientists uncovered a mineral called Edscottite. Minerals are solid, naturally occurring substances that are not living, such as quartz or haematite. This new mineral was discovered after an ...
The Auckland-based collective talk origins, ambitions and making the rave accessible to everybody.Friendly Potential is an outfit that defies easy summary. They’re among the country’s most ambitious and prolific club promoters. In their almost five-years of operation, they’ve been responsible for the local debuts of electronic music icons including Detroit ...
Analysis: Two polls show support for Labour sliding, the government is accused of breaking another promise and the Greens's refusal to back a bill forces Labour to rely on National to get it through. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kiera Lindsey, University of Technology Sydney One spring morning in 1850, over 8,000 Sydneysiders marched through town to protest the resumption of transportation – the act of sending British criminals to Australia. It was the largest protest in Australia thus far, an ...
Two shareholders of failed insurance firm company CBL are leading a class action against the firm's former directors seeking compensation for financial losses. ...
Sam Brooks recaps the third episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and wonders why some of these queens don’t know how to sew.This episode asks, and sort of answers the main question that millions of people across the world: why would you come on Drag Race and not know how to sew?!There ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John M Clarke, Team Leader, Regional Projections, CSIRO Last month we lost Dr Penny Whetton – one of the world’s most respected climate scientists and a brilliant mentor to the next generation of researchers. Penny will also be remembered as a passionate ...
Ten moose were upended into the Dusky Sounds in 1910. Now, their descendants are getting their day in the sun.The climate crisis is affecting wildlife all over the country: rockhopper penguin populations are in drastic decline, tuatara eggs aren’t hatching females, and the ice walls keeping predators away from kea ...
Security footage of NZ First MP Clayton Mitchell being thrown out of a Tauranga bar looks unlikely to ever be aired - despite his leader Winston Peters promising a screening. ...
Amnesty International is concerned that Justice Minister Andrew Little's Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill could have the potential to undermine human rights in New Zealand. The Bill would give the New Zealand Police the ability to apply to ...
Expect the old campaigner Winston Peters to be at his belligerent best as he gears up for another election. He’s kept his party alive for 27 years and he shows no sign of quitting. The omens may be bleak—polls this week showed his party below the 5% threshold– but Peters ...
The National Party has agreed to take down any videos breaching the current rules around the use of parliamentary TV footage, as all parties try to reach consensus. ...
Recently the Health Promotion Agency released a report into hazardous drinking in New Zealand. The report shows that Māori who drink alcohol and live in deprived circumstances are less likely to have a harmful relationship with alcohol if they ...
Turkey-US joint-statement on military ops within Syria’s territory.The Turkish Embassy in New Zealand issued Evening Report this unabridged United States of America-Republic of Turkey joint-statement detailing what both sides agreed to regarding Turkey’s military operations within the so-called security zone within Syrian territory near Turkey’s southern border. It is ...
Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash didn’t mention what winners will receive, when he proudly called for entries for a new public award “to celebrate innovation in our seafood sector”. Nor did he mention the cost to taxpayers of this initiative. Point of Order’s checks with the website where more details have ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona R Martin, Senior Lecturer in Convergent and Online Media, University of Sydney One of the basic tenets of the ABC Act is independence from government. Yet once again, in contravention to that principle, the federal government is trying to push through ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Lily Holloway.modernity to globalisationwhen I get there as still life and landscape and also portraitureseeking the cacti in small pots who dot the globeslices of pie offer up the vision after the sermonexpressing emotions without coherent narrative supportbecause no artist responded to this callemploying ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi to rule out any taxpayer-funded purchase or bailout for Mediaworks’s channel Three. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “For the last few months Mediaworks ...
The Police Commissioner's announcement that squadcars of officers with automatic rifles will patrol New Zealand's streets is dangerous and unnecessary, according to the criminal justice community organisation People Against Prisons Aotearoa. The ...
News broke this morning that Mediaworks is seeking to sell off, and even contemplating closing, its TV division. What might that mean for journalism?For journalism in New Zealand, the loss of Three’s TV division is a devastating blow. It is not yet known whether any of the news properties will ...
In our defence of our coalition Government policy on climate change, we fully support Government plan to use rail funding for rail infrastructure upgrades to promote use rail infrastructure for freight around NZ. ...
The billions of tonnes of plastic in our oceans isn’t going away any time soon, but innovative companies here and abroad are working together to find silver linings to this daunting problem.Fishing boats head out to sea and set their nets. They go back to shore. They head back out, ...
An EveningReport.nz investigation by Kevin ListKiwibank services. Image by Kevin List.Evening Report looks into the separation of Kiwibank from New Zealand Post, and considers the impact on the public’s access to banking services in their communities.Kiwibank. What’s going on? Kiwibank and New Zealand Post are in the ...
Local Government New Zealand today confirmed what many local election commentators have observed; that more of the voting public cast their ballots in favour of women candidates than ever before. ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington (this week we totted up the data a day early, on Wednesday, to let our books ed. ...
New Zealand's mineral manufacturing sector is expected to face some testing times, with softer prices, tighter margins and sluggish export markets. ...
Portugal has been painted by pro-cannabis legalisation groups as a model to follow. Yet just last month, the mayor of Porto contradicted his previous pro-harm reduction position and endorsed reintroducing criminal penalties for drug use in public spaces. ...
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Open Mike 13/09/2018 
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Rachel Stewart highlights a vital issue by pointing to an important article.
Our farming is NOT sustainable.
She says
The article she refers to is entitled ‘Precious rock New Zealand is accused of stealing from the Sahara’
An excerpt.
Kia ora Ed. Nga mihi maui.
Isn’t the area under Moroccan control?
part of the problem, that is.
Tracey Watkin: “The lesson is that, unless Labour policies are agreed in coalition negotiations and tied down in Ardern’s speech from the throne, it shouldn’t be assumed they are Government policy.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/107025942/why-national-insists-on-calling-jacinda-ardern-weak
“Labour ministers seem to have been painfully slow to learn that lesson, presenting as policy decisions that have not been signed off by Peters. And Peters is the ultimate showman, timing those lessons for maximum effect. But it’s Ardern who has had to pay the price by having to turn the other cheek to Peters’ gamesmanship and opportunism.”
“Peters jumped down the throat of reporters who questioned on Wednesday whether Labour’s latest sacrifice might be the multi employer agreements specified under its industrial relations reforms – but, notably, he also refused to commit to supporting them. Stuff has been told that NZ First has drafted changes to the legislation for when it comes back before the House. The end game appears to be either leverage, or oxygen, or kudos from the business sector for moderating Labour’s union base – or at least cultivating that perception.”
So we have Labour ministers allowed to operate like loose cannons and announce policies that haven’t actually been agreed to by NZF, giving Winston the opportunity to market his brand as superior. Does such political brand differentiation really work to the advantage of either party? Not at present. Makes more sense in a suitable part of the electoral cycle: 2020.
There’s also this: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/366312/nz-first-pull-support-for-labour-led-initiatives-at-last-minute
“The government was forced to halt a planned announcement about its Crown/Māori Relations portfolio after New Zealand First raised last minute objections. It’s the latest in a string of incidents where New Zealand First has pulled its support for Labour-led initiatives at the 11th hour.”
“Media were briefed and invited to attend an announcement by Crown/Māori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday, where the new agency was set to be unveiled following sign-off at Cabinet. But Ms Ardern and Mr Davis had to roll back the announcement after NZ First refused to support it.”
That must be the fourth or fifth such instance in recent times! “It’s understood the lines of communication between Labour and NZ First are still not clear almost one year into the coalition arrangement. RNZ has been told the two parties are at odds over whether NZ First was properly consulted over such policies.”
So, after a year in government, when the coalition ought to be shifting into second gear at least, if not third, it seems instead intent on proving that the training wheels have yet to be removed!! Leadership now essential. Do it.
I agree completely.
There appears to be a complete lack of leadership and communication between the partners. There is just this constant stream of missteps that should be getting cleared up behind closed doors, not in the media.
National doesn’t have to do anything at the moment as the sloppy management of this government is getting splashed all over the media on a daily basis.
Jacinda is a great on screen communicator but she needs to get the back of house management sorted
Kelv must’ve forgotten to check in with El Pomposo, Prince of the Provinces.
You got it. Not only that, his boss forgot to check it was okay with His Pomposity’s boss. Almost like deliberately, as if playing a game called `let’s forget we’re supposed to be govt awhile – more fun competing with NZF than the Nats’…
Is the US being run by a death cult?
As Hurricane Florence bears down on the US Atlantic coast, residents would not be comforted to know that the persecution of immigrants has been put above their safety….
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/107038928/donald-trump-moved-fema-funds-to-ice-at-start-of-hurricane-season
And as well as being soft on fascism and against public health care, the Trump administration; has rolled back regulation of Coal, of asbestos, of air quality, of automatic weapons….. and….. and…. nuclear weapons…..
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/white-house-hobbles-nuclear-weapons-safety-agency/
Scary times
Scary times…you betcha, here is the warmongering no conservative John Bolton sounding like a villain straight out a 1980’s Robocop movie, threatening the International Criminal Court and it’s judges and anyone who assists them…
Looks like the US might be going year zero..
Unfortunately we probably don’t get to see all the villains get their justice at the end.
John S. Hall – America Kicks Ass
there are almost 8 billion people on this planet. Literally 4 billion give or take a few millions to many.
Its not a death cult, its an extermination cult by proxy. It kills the old, the sick, the ailing, the infirm first by refusing to fund health care and aged care and disabled care. It kills the young ones by refusing to vaccinate on grounds of what ever. It kills the women by not funding female centric health care, it kills them pregnant, in child birth, it kills the mothers or the babies and sometimes both.
It kills the men by removing any rule, any legislation that would make work safe, that would prevent death through accidents, toxic waste etc.
it kills all without difference by refusing to send aid to disaster areas, it will kill the people in hospitals by not fixing the electricity net, by not cleaning the water ways, by not fixing the infra structure needed to bring in aid after a natural disaster.
Of course it will kill the poor first. The poor people of color will die before the poor white people die. But die they will.
the rich, the monied, the connected, the pundit class, the political class, the technocrats have known at least since the Bush 2nd years that climate change is coming, and with it rising sea levels, floods, destruction of habitat and arable land and with it migration.
It is about time to take of the blinders and stop believing that we can still stop this. We can’t. Its well underway. And our governments – any and all – know this, and they also know that mass migration and poverty are what awaits us. And the US is happy to let die all those the ruling class believe are surplus, they are happy for the preachers to screech stay at home, the righteous will be saved – after all are n’t they all righteous?
And we have had the same mindset here for the last years under National. So they are poor? Thems lazy buggers. So the child is poor and hungry? Should have choose better parents. So they don’t have a house? Should get another job. So they aren’t healthy? Must have been something they done. Right?
There are too many humans on this planet, The ruling class and their technocrats know this, and we – the unwashed masses – are surplus to requirement. We will not be saved, we will not be educated, we will not be considered of importance. And they don’t hide it. Time to stop acting surprised.
It is about time to take of the blinders and stop believing that we can still stop this.
Erm. But we can. An on-going 10% (or whatever it takes to stay within the known global carbon budget) annual cut in fossil consumption stops it. It might not leave us sitting below 2 degrees. But it might.
Why don’t you hassle the crap out of your local MP and demand they insist that government AGW policy gets written wholly off the back of science, instead of bent to accommodate economics?
And sure, we may already have passed a tipping point that takes the “anthropogenic” out of the global warming equation. Who knows? Maybe that possibility could feed into an unwavering insistence that we do what needs done no matter what?
We can also admit that we are too many on this planet. Capacity is reached, what now. We can admit that our governments world wide do not really care about those that it deems surplus. Namely the very poor, the very old, etc. You get the drift.
We can admit that our government short funds anything that would keep us alive, could make life better and maybe even more sustainable but generally does little more then pay lip service. Again, because they – our elected overlords – care little about our survival, after all theirs is assured.
As for what i do, whom i write to, how i live etc. You know nothing and you should not assume.
Non of us is wrong, and i am not saying it is too late, that is only what you hear. I say that there are to many humans on this planet. There are too many cars on this planet. To many MacMansions that house no one. Too much shit that people have because we need growth. Lol. And i say that non of that is gonna change anytime soon, unless we give up on the myth that the next generation needs it better then we had. We are at the highest living standard literally since ages ago and people still complain that they don’t have enough .We pull fucking boats across the middle of the country to go water skiing in a lake hundreds of kilometers from home, that is how fucked up we are. We inject our self with poison to be young for ever. We pretend to have it all with an empty fridge at home and no electricity. We buy on tick and then complain that we own nothing.
Yeah, right lets tell the poor that they can’t have it all, in fact what little they have they should give it up;, that they should not aspire to get out of the muck. . Cause it ain’t our ruling classes and their enablers that are gonna give up the tiniest sliver of their excesses.
You want change? Start with giving up hope that those task to know better actually know better.
Poor Winston. Trying to stay relevant. Don’t think much of his methods. Everything last minute. Not exactly showing Labour any respect at all. Shame! Oh well. Hes dominating news this morning so he and B@B will all be ecstatic. I hope he doesn’t stop Labour from doing it’s best to return NZ to its egalitarian status. Bloody annoyed at his timing.
+ 1 yep – he is acting like a baby who needs his nappies changes.
Winston gets what Winston wants. Labour gets what Winston allows them to have.
Seems he’s not afraid to simply say “no”.
It was always going to happen – and it’s fun to watch it play out.
That’s what happens when you have such an ill prepared and weak leader like Jacinda (IMHO).
no james it is just life with adults
Takes two to tango. He wouldn’t be able to grandstand if Labour didn’t keep on giving him the opportunities. The government ought to be doing consensus politics. It ought not to be allowing individual Labour ministers to hijack the process.
Ardern knows she can only be successful by securing agreement. Sometimes that means working through disagreement by solving problems. She isn’t telling us that the process has failed, has she? So the obvious conclusion is that they didn’t even try. Labour arrogance, presumably, as Mahuta demonstrated. What’s missing currently is leadership at the top. Those loose cannons must be brought under control before they sink the ship.
Maybe Labour are not dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s properly ?
More like just not asking the boss first (Winston).
Isn’t respect earned?
As DPF points out, labour can’t even run a proper meeting in parliament. Why should Winston show them any respect?
Awesome little aussie battler – thank you Harper, for highlighting this.
“Harper Nielsen claimed the song “Advance Australia Fair” ignored the nation’s indigenous people.
“When it says ‘we are young’ it completely disregards the Indigenous Australians who were here before us,” she told ABC news Australia.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-45495675
That’s a 9 year old with courage.
That’s a well-programmed 9yo.
Yeah they probably had a well rounded education with minimal time on devices or the zombie box.
Does anyone know what this Prime Minister’s speech at AUT on Sunday is all about?
Generally geeing up the troops, or something substantial?
Long live Winston!! our real hero of the north;
Winston is needed to keep Labour honest as Labour has many rigjht wingers in their “broad church”.
So if Winston does not check on labour swinging right who will????
Remember it was Jacinda that challenged all to keep her government to keep her promises at the Whitangi day speak right?
Here is Chris Trotter’s own coverage of the speech that day.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/02/08/blowing-smoke-why-jacinda-needs-to-talk-less-and-do-more/
“In her speech from the porch of the whare runanga, Jacinda urged Maori to hold the Labour-NZF-Green government to account if it failed to deliver on its promises of uplift and renewal”
Winston is effectively doing everyone elses job they forgot to do!!!!!!!.
Best to make the best decision, not the first decision, so let’s hope NZF are delaying for worthy reasons. Anyway, Labour coalition is still performing better than the last lot of crims, so there’s that!
Bullshit. Labour are trying to do leftish things like reverse Labour law changes but Winston first is blocking it. Labour are trying to make attempts to honour the treaty by setting up the Maori/Crown thing but Winston is blocking it. Labour are trying to make meaningful changes to prisons but Winston is blocking it. Etc. Winston is the great dragging break on most of the progressive stuff that Labour and the Greens want to do.
“Putin called on the two men to appear in the media to protest their innocence, saying he “wanted to address them directly”. The Russian’s president’s words marked a departure from his country’s earlier position, which was to dismiss the evidence released by Scotland Yard as a fabrication.”
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/12/skripal-poisoning-suspects-are-civilians-not-criminals-says-putin-novichok
A good development putting paid to the fabrication conspiracy adherents.
Apart from questions being raised around identical date stamps on video stills that appeared to be from the same location (and that was cleared up), what “fabrication” are you referring to marty?
The one mentioned in the quote bill.
There’s nothing specific mentioned in the quote – just an all encompassing and meaningless mention of “the evidence”.
What are you worried about then.
From what I can tell we still have one story versus another story. We need more evidence from both sides to see what story makes more sense.
If you’re implying there is a change of story so that leans toward guilt. I don’t see that. The president’s latest comment clarifies the earlier one.
Yes I’m sure you can read into it whatever suits.
This report is very much like CNN coverage of Venezuelan. Like the added bit from the CIA – calling people conspiracy theorists.
‘I am cautious in who i read and what I believe from them. Even people i love like russell brand I still am circumspect rather than just like all they say because i really like something they say.’
I just wrote that and then thought, it sums up the problem well. We really struggle with this good person doing bad, bad person doing good, previous good person now doing bad and previous bad person now doing good. (I’m ignoring the value judgments of what is good or bad). I wonder why we can’t seem to compartmentalize a person’s actions and them or is that the problem – they are holistic. I’ve seen leftie unionists turn into capitalist pigdogs. I read good stuff and absolute rubbish from the same author. Probably just a reflection, a mirror of inside us and the turmoil we often live within.
WTF!?
Are Australian kids expected to do a “national anthem” mambo every morning or something?
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/sep/12/rightwing-australian-politicians-criticise-girl-9-in-row-over-anthem
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/school-life/queensland-schoolgirl-threatened-with-suspension-after-refusing-to-stand-for-national-anthem/news-story/33a07500c2cbf17d765af7da742c5dfc
Yes, to some degree as it’s a hangover from old “rat eyes” John Howard’s” era and from memory it maybe something to with Federal funding at the time as I can’t really be sure as I had more important things to worry about.
Back in the 70s Merv Wellington was out Min of Ed. He set out to demand that every kid at every school on every morning should salute the NZ flag and sing the National Anthem. He also asked that every image of nudity be removed from every book in every library. There was at least one Principal who inked out every image of nudity including those in the encyclopaedias. Thank goodness the National Government of the day fell. Very few schools responded to his Methodist beliefs. Phew!
Mr Poole wrote a scathing email to the group behind the Save the Schools campaign expressing his frustration at being included in the ad but Catherine Isaac, who is a supporter of the group and used to head the charter school authorisation board, doesn’t think the ad did any damage.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/366348/head-of-two-charter-schools-annoyed-by-newspaper-ad
Catherine Isaac married to the late Roger Kerr. RWs rule Okay!
Managing things to suit themselves first and foremost since at least 1984.
I don’t think that generalised statement will do any damage, even if not true in every letter of that paragraph.
Winston clarfies once and for all.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12124423
This government is not “Government was not “Labour-led”
I guess Labour are going to have to wake up to this at some point – else they are going to be continued to be shocked at whats “work in progress” – normally after they announce it.
Good. Some sanity for a change. ” “You had the coalition agreement, then you had the 100-day statement, then you had the Speech from the Throne, then the Budget. If those things we’re talking about are not in those four documents then they are always work in progress,” Peters said. He insisted the Government was not “Labour-led”.” What kind of a dance is it when one partner leads, then the other partner leads?
“What kind of a dance is it when one partner leads, then the other partner leads?”
I was introduced in an alternatives to violence workshop to the concept of effective relationships by the physical act of dancing with a fellow participant. The group felt what it was like, in turn, to dance in a way where both partners led at the same time (conflict and huge waste of energy), where neither led ( boring with nothing happening at all), and then where both partners led in turn.
Great fun. Great learning.
Could work in the great soft shoe shuffle of politics, too.
Thanks, good response. Let’s hope the coalition proceeds on that basis eh? 😊
Better tell Jacinda and her ministers they need to run things pasted Winston then.
Jacinda could be excused for thinking 37% verse 7% did not entitle Winston to have the power to veto / water down key Labour policy.
The “not for public release” NZF – Labour document must not have been explicit enough in that regard!
Winston knows where NZF votes come from…he is positioning NZF not to suffer the minor party fate come 2020. He will trumpet keeping Labour and those looney Greens in check.
Dance is an interesting metaphor from a depiction of Christ’s life in
“Lord of the Dance” to the sex act as in “Shake, Rattle and Roll” to deceit as in leading someone a merry dance to bliss as in “I could have danced all night”.
I guess politics is similar. You just gotta choose if and when you gotta get down close and dirty.
The question remains-“Will you still love me tomorrow?”
And then the next day. Is it “So long, It’s been good to know you” or is it “Silver threads amongst the gold”?
But the dance goes on, and I’m in the band.
Criminal in Chief puts corporate profits ahead of life.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved closer Tuesday to rolling back Obama-era rules reducing oil and gas industry leaks of methane gas, one of the most potent agents of climate change.
The Environmental Protection Agency formally released its proposed substitute for a 2016 Obama administration rule that aimed to step up detection and elimination of methane leaks at well sites and other oil and gas facilities. The agency’s move is part of a broad Trump administration effort to undo President Barack Obama’s legacy programs to fight climate change by cutting emissions from oil, gas and coal.
https://apnews.com/a42323c0e0ed4572be8f752388d86787/EPA-moves-closer-to-rolling-back-Obama-era-rules-on-methane?
No Right Turn is reporting that Parliamentary Services is currently advertising for a pair of “security intelligence officers” and quotes the PS ad: “Reporting to the Security Enablement Manager, this role will collect information of intelligence value, conduct analysis of the information collected and prepare standardised intelligence product, in order to inform and influence the security and risk posture of Parliamentary Service.”
NRT: “Why the hell does Parliamentary Services need this? Who will they be collecting intelligence on?” Leakers, I presume. Wonder why that’s not obvious to NRT!
Croaking propagandist Barbara Walters fails miserably
This horrible woman has cozied up to Israeli presidents, American presidents, Henry Kissinger, and bloodstained military leaders like Norman Schwarzkopf and that arch-liar Colin Powell. She says that if she traveled abroad, she would love to have Powell as a “buddy”. She is infamous for her fawning and groveling manner.
However, when it came to interviewing the President of Syria, she tried to come across as an interrogator. Unfortunately for her, besides not having prepared properly, she is not nearly as sharp intellectually as her interlocutor….