This seems to mean that she expects TVNZ to support the televisionisation of RNZ. Hoever, the future of TVNZ in the medium to long term seems uncertain.
The Labour-led Government will indeed pump cash back into RNZ (referred to as ‘Red Radio’’ by some in the corridors of Parliament).
Under the current plan, RNZ will likely receive between an additional $20-30 million of a new $38m public media fund with the remainder to be divvied out to other media outlets doing investigative journalism through NZ On Air and an overarching public media funding commission.
The idea is for that money to be used by RNZ to launch itself into the television space, complementing its already strong radio offering and growing multimedia presence.
Curran sees it as a ‘lite’ version of Australia’s ABC and says it’s a necessary investment to ensure the survival of public media that has been “hanging on by their fingertips”.
Why is this Government planning to spend about a hundred times as much on this idea as the amount they are apparently planning to take away from the amazingly successful KidsCan charity? From last nights Checkpoint on RNZ we were told that the organisation has been getting about $350,000/year from the State. Their activities include, according to the person running it –
“”We are feeding 30,000 children a week across New Zealand, we’re providing around 25 to 30,000 pairs of shoes, 50,000 pairs of socks, 40,000 raincoats a year,” Ms Chapman said.”
Now it is apparently going to stop getting the money.
The Minister, Tracy Martin, was interviewed on RNZ this morning on Morning Report. Apart from sounding way out of her depth she didn’t seem to know anything about what was going on and her major complaint seemed to be that it was supported by a fund that John Key had implemented. The “Not invented here” syndrome seemed to be very strong in Ms Martin, didn’t it?
The current PM claims that her major aim is to get kids out of poverty. Here is an organisation doing precisely that. She should tell Minister Martin that the support WILL continue. Don’t just try and find something vastly more expensive to replace it so that you can get lots of photo ops. It is doing wonderful work and it shouldn’t be meddled with.
By the way I did love the marvellous word “televisionisation” you used. I doubt that any current dictionary includes it but they should.
So you would scrap any contribution to KidsCan would you?
Doesn’t fit into your view of what is “right”.
They are doing a wonderful job. The Martin woman doesn’t seem to like them because they seem to get money from a small, inexpensive, grant scheme set up by John Key when he was PM.
So what? The grant scheme works and an enormous number of children get assistance. Just because it doesn’t fit into your particular political paradigm doesn’t matter.
Do you mean, by that statement that ONLY the state should be doing it?
I really don’t think that the State is the only source for such help.
The state has a role of course. I see no reason why it need be an exclusive one though. This organisation seems to be helping about 170,000 children and the contribution of the taxpayer seems to be a direct grant of $350,000/year.
Sure, there will be further costs to the taxpayer from tax deductions for donations to them if they are a registered charity. I would much rather see that than the money that goes from the taxpayer to groups such as Greenpeace in the same way.
and its worth remembering that there have been numerous cases of charities where claimed dollar splits havnt held up to scrutiny…..may not be the case here but it is an issue that needs attention.
Fine, but the $350k is only a very small portion of their income.
20% is actually quite good for a charity I believe.
The operational costs that are in the 20% would include collecting and distributing the things like shoes to the kids.
I’ll bet the percentage spent by WINZ, if you exclude the very easy to run National Super is more than that.
Regardless if it’s only a small portion of their income, it’s taxpayer funding, thus the Government has an obligation to ensure taxpayers are receiving value for money.
And while 20% may be a low running cost for a charity, it may be the Government can administer it for far less.
Moreover, going off some of the reports I’ve heard, there are questions surrounding their expenses and running costs.
Executive Julie Chapman told Checkpoint for every dollar it spent, at least 80 cents went to children. That’s a 20% running cost.
Which is massive. IIRC, Our government run hospitals have ~95% going to the patients.
So, that would be more proof of the inefficiency of the private system and that would be increased for every such organisation.
It really is better to make such social welfare organisations a state monopoly. Of course, it’s even better to make it so that it’s not needed but that’s not going to happen any time soon especially since capitalism actually requires and produces poverty.
“Our government run hospitals have ~95% going to the patients”
I would love to know exactly how you work that out.
The major part of the cost of running the Public Hospitals is the wages and salaries of the staff I would think
That is money going to those staff, just as the administration costs of a charity is no doubt the wages and salaries of their staff.
It would be quite silly to call those Hospital costs something going to the patients but not say the same thing about the same sort of expenditure by a charity.
Apart from the very pertinent point that you ignore regarding charitable institutions, have you ever bothered to look at the annual returns for Kidscan.
There is a decided lack of clarity regarding operating expenses and programme costs which account for up to 40% of spending. There is no transparency, there is no credible method for determining if what they deliver is what is required.
Worth looking at the Rusty Radiator awards site to get some kind of insight into reliance on/ and misplaced charity.
You seem to be getting fired up about a decision that hasn’t actually been made yet, alwyn. The funding for this charity was always a fixed term contract (and always a stop-gap). The contract is expiring and there’s no ongoing provision for funding. There’s no moral obligation to extend it.
If you look at her comments, Tracey Martin doesn’t seem to be averse to renewing the funding, but instead of discussing it with her, Kids Can seem to have gone on the attack.
‘The KidsCan charity for children living in poverty spent donors’ money on “champagne lunches” and taxis to and from restaurants, say former staff.
They say hospitality spending was a feature of discontent among workers, along with some salaries being counted in ways that made KidsCan’s administration budget appear lower.’
‘How much of the near two million dollars raised for the KidsCan Stand Tall Trust in TV3’s weekend Telethon will go to meet the “basic needs” of children in poverty? You’d have to hope it’s more than the 19 cents in the dollar that KidsCan managed to spend on its four charitable programmes last year.
Its financial statement to the Charities Commission for 2008 show that the trust raised $1.95 million last year, of which $1.5 million went in operating costs.
[NB: I could have been clearer here: the $1.95m and costs come from the statement for the KidsCan Charitable Trust Group, which consolidates KidsCan’s various activities, including the Big Night In.]
Of $1,351,162 declared in expenses by the KidsCan Trust itself, the largest item was $341,668 in wages for six full-time staff and two part-time, followed by “Events and Promotions” at $293,768.
I accept that in order to administer its programmes, and to attract funding, the trust needs staff. But a bill of nearly $300,000 for events and promotions, and a further $60,000 on advertising and $45,383 on PR? Really?
A total $357,354 went to the charitable programmes themselves — Food for Kids, Raincoats for Kids, Stand Tall, and Shoes for Kids.’
But a bill of nearly $300,000 for events and promotions, and a further $60,000 on advertising and $45,383 on PR? Really?
Yep. Wouldn’t surprise me. Part of the massive inefficiency of the private sector doing this is that they have to inform people that they exist, where to donate and to wine and dine large sponsors.
The government doesn’t need to do all that and so is inherently far more efficient.
Charity is not the solution to society’s needs.
But it can make a few people well off while providing cover for the sociopathic actions of some rich people. You’ll note that many corrupt rich people gave to charity and it was always in the MSM.
The first link doesn’t work.
The second one I knew about.
The gist of it is, of course, “It’s all John Key’s fault”.
Followed by running for cover.
The previous Government couldn’t possibly provide money for it that was ring fenced. A Government can’t commit future Governments to do anything.
Do you mean, by that statement that ONLY the state should be doing it?
I really don’t think that the State is the only source for such help.
I agree. But the point is that the state already funds its own organisations to do this work. It would be wasteful to also fund private organisations to do the same work. A charity is supposed to be funded by charitable giving, not the state.
So what. Why does it matter if the state is or is not doing it? Isn’t it more important that its just done – regardless of who delivers it, so long as the programme makes a positive difference.
Sounds like a case of rigid ideology trumping practical results focused programmes that are make a difference.
Two main reasons, from my position: firstly, direct public oversight. If stories about drinks budgets come up in ministries, the opposition has a field day.
Secondly, private charity is always petulant and biased towards “cute”. Even if child poverty were eliminated, charities working with homeless alcoholics with mental health disorders will still struggle for funding. People bitch about back-room bureaucrats, but ministerial poo-bahs are usually much more logical in their allocations than people who just saw an ad with an Oliver Twist / orphan Annie substitute in it.
Bonus third point: less need to spend the accrued funds to entertain and advertise to gain more funding for the following year.
Why does it matter if the state is or is not doing it?
If the state simply does it then there’s no opportunity for rich people to rort the system while feeling special while giving to charity that, to some degree, lessens the poverty that they created by being rich.
Thanks very much for thisvery informative update on our new media that will finally give us all a independant media to privide good solid transperancy and “investigative jornalism that we need so very badly in this current “Key/Joyce/English type propagandist meadia hype” we had all grown so very tired of over the last nine years, and finally are about to be freed from.
This was good stuff the Ombudsman saw through the tired ranting of the national party smoke screen “secrecy” on the 33 page ‘agreement’. – as we saw Joyce’s $1.7 Billion Dolllar hole.
Hon’ Claire Curran was reportedly as stated here;
“Ombudsman Peter Boshier has backed the Government’s refusal to release the 33-page document in a provisional ruling revealed this morning by Newsroom.
Speaking before the ruling’s release, Curran is critical of National’s written question tactic while claiming it was a good look for the Ombudsman to be investigating the new Government so early.”
Labour deserve a medal for conducting a clever process here.
Claire Curran is a worthy soul that we need to appreciate now, as she was boxed in by the National muck racking of the “secrecy issue between NZF and Labour 33 page agreement’ that only a day ago was put to rest thankfully when the privacy Commissioner backed the government.
Go Claire Go ‘lets do this’.
Let us have a independant public media for a voice of the people again.
Many Thanks to the Australian Rugby union for hiring the best person for there CEO who happens to be a lady I’m sure she will get your Mana back Ka pai.
Email well I have to retrieve some from Gmail Data on the IPCA but ha I can use the official information act to achieve the same objective. Yes Matty I will tour the South Island before I go over seas my wife deserves a holiday after what she been thought. And I no I will get my Mana back. When I do I will buy a house a electric car solar power veggie garden an live a minimualmistic life and keep the good fight for mother nature and equally for everyone on mother earth. I plan to set our requirement period up so I have heaps of food and other things so all our mokos will come and see us regularly and there parents. I no I fight for Maori Alot and don’t talk about the polite of our Pacific cousins but ha what good for the poor is good for OUR Pacific cousins to I want equality for all. Ka pai
Well dopy and sneezy are still pissing in the wind. I love milky bar chocolate and the kid when I was one I no what it will take to get these ass holes off my back Ana to kai
Thanks for the heads up people from the Rock looks like some one is going to be shelling out a heap for loss of potential earnings. Sorry Matty I did not mean to upset you you are a awesome KIWI Kia kaha
Just trying to divert attention away from real issues and Natz disaster legacy and turn it into yet another story about a politician to divide people’s opinions.
And as soon as Labour and Greens start implementing popular policy like cleaning up National’s water debacle and National’s assets sales and land to overseas buyers leaving many in NZ homeless, and the so called war on P from the Natz, more like enablement of P from National, then Labour and Greens will improve on 46%.
Even though Jacinda is considered a ‘communist’ by right wingers she still beats Bill in preferred PM. What does that say?
Certainly as you would expect after being run down for that many years.
Nothing a few billion dollars wouldn’t fix.
The best lesson we ever learned in my era was the stupid temporary market of ACC that Labour under Lange brought in, and reverse it back to a full monopoly under Clark.
Our health system also suffers from chronic underfunding. Since the election I’ve now had a look inside CCDHB and it is shocking. I am convinced that staff are making treatment decisions prioritising economics over effectiveness. This not due to staff incompetence. It is a straight out response to being under resourced. Our hospitals are staffed ny heroes and it’s unsustainable.
I’m currently sourcing diabetes-related foot amputation rates as an example of this. So many of them are unnecessary if the intervention and the right treatment are provided earlier. Worse still many of the diabetes patients ending up being admitted for an amputation have never even seen a podiatrist.
‘The Daily Wire is a politically conservative American news and opinion website founded in 2015 by conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro, who currently serves as Editor-in-Chief. The Daily Wire presents news with a right wing bias in reporting and wording. Virtually every story favors the right and denigrates the left. The Daily Wire has also published false information such as this and this from Ben Shapiro. The Daily Wire is a far right biased news source that is Mixed for factual reporting. (9/2/2016)
Yes and I wonder if the reports are written by your Breitbart friends.
If you want to know WHY it is failing, then look no further than your Tory friends and their plans for it to fail.
The NHS crisis is manufactured by deliberate policies of cuts – so your Breitbart friends’ owners can make a fortune out of the privatisation of UK medicine.
“”We believe there is a real opportunity for private health insurance to help reduce the ever increasing health cost burden on the Government by helping facilitate access to healthcare for Kiwis,” said nib chief executive Rob Hennin.
We are committed to creating new businesses and services that we know Kiwis will value and we’re open to talking with other businesses about opportunities where we can partner to leverage our competitive strengths,” Fairfax Media chief executive Sinead Boucher said.
Done was an example of the publisher’s commitment to find new ways to fund journalism in New Zealand by partnering with industry experts and leveraging the marketing strength Fairfax’s audience brings, Boucher said.
“We think offering comprehensive and cost effective health insurance is another way we can service our monthly audience of 3.4 million New Zealanders.””
Interestingly enough, people with private insurance use more public health resources than those without private insurance. Therefore, private insurers should pay a premium to the government for the extra burden they place on the public health system.
“Things were going pretty well until the 1990s for us, and at that stage neoliberalism really was the order of the day with managerialism in medicine.
“Medicine took a terrible hit, everybody knew that at the time, but very few people did, publically at least, anything about it. They may have complained behind closed doors, they certainly didn’t come out in the media and complain.”
When the age of austerity started to bite in the 1990s, Bagshaw and some of his colleagues openly questioned the philosophy and its consequences.
“We wrote a book called The Patients Are Dying, which chronicled the deaths and problems occurring at Christchurch Hospital, and some of us were threatened with unemployment and all sorts of other things.”
Bagshaw says he tried to voice his concerns through traditional professional channels.
“All of which I found didn’t help. It was just not possible to change things. Whilst you can think globally, you must act locally in order to make change.”
The following extract is from the editorial in the British Medical Journal. You can see how the Herald has screwed the content to get its own anti-commie, red under the bedders, like James, all excited.
As Terry Eagleton argued in Why Marx Was Right (2011), Marxism isn’t about violent world revolution, tyrannical dictatorships, or unachievable utopian fantasies. I think Marx matters to medicine for three reasons. First, Marx offers a critique of society, a method of analysis, that enables explication of disquieting trends in modern medicine and public health—privatised health economies, the power of conservative professional elites, the growth of techno-optimism, philanthrocapitalism, the importance of political determinants of health, global health’s neoimperialist tendencies, product-driven definitions of disease, and the exclusion of stigmatised communities from our societies. These aspects of 21st-century health care are all better investigated and interpreted through a Marxist lens. Second, Marxism defends a set of values. The free self-determination of the individual, an equitable society, the end of exploitation, deepening possibilities for public participation in shaping collective choices, refusing to accept the fixity of human nature and believing in our capacity to change, and keeping a sense of the interdependence and indivisibility of our common humanity. Finally, Marxism is a call to engage, an invitation to join the struggle to protect the values we share. You don’t have to be a Marxist to appreciate Marx. As the centenary of his birth approaches, we might agree that medicine has a great deal to learn from Marx.
The free self-determination of the individual, an equitable society, the end of exploitation, deepening possibilities for public participation in shaping collective choices, refusing to accept the fixity of human nature and believing in our capacity to change, and keeping a sense of the interdependence and indivisibility of our common humanity.
Everything after that first one fills right-wingers with fear and loathing. I’m not surprised the Herald editor shat his pants.
James, I think it’s interesting that Barnaby Joyce is (in the article you so helpfully linked to) demonstrating exactly the behaviour he is so helpfully warning Jacinda Ardern against:
1) Interfering in another country’s domestic affairs (how is it his business if we offer to take refugees that his country has refused?);
2) Using the media to talk to another government, rather than contacting them directly. He says, “And if you are going to talk to them at all, talk to them quietly and discreetly, off the record, not via telephone, not via TV.” (and note that Ardern DID speak to Turnball directly whereas Joyce is using Newstalk ZB, as relayed by The Herald).
James clearly approves of some of the most racist policies in the world towards refugees.
No wonder. His Breitbart friends told him to think like that.
Hardly – though the last men standing as the Turnbull government shambles its way towards the dustbin of history are desperately looking for anyone else to blame.
Point out something inaccurate in the link I posted ?
Oh, there’s nothing inaccurate in there – it makes a pretty clear case that Australia is currently run by the most appalling shits and Ardern needs to take seriously the threat that said appalling shits pose to NZ. It’s just not clear how you come to see it as some kind of indictment of Ardern.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it agian: every year NZ should find the two biggest jerks in the Australian government, and grant them a one-year-only, unrenouncable citizenship to NZ.
Kepp your friends close, make your enemies citizens
Dutton definitely needs an urgent grant of NZ citizenship. The one-year-only thing is also a good idea, as there’d be a significant risk of him being deported here for poor character.
An application to remove 18 million litres of water a day from a small Bay of Plenty town and send it offshore has been rejected by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
NZ Aquifer managing director Roydon Hartnett, who is representing the two companies, said the council advised it of a “very minor administrative change” where they asked it to separate the extraction and drilling activities. The company would change it before resubmitting the application this week.
Hartnett said this would slightly delay plans as they had been expecting a decision this year.
“We are now hopeful of hearing positive news from the regional council by mid-January.”
Hartnett was behind the two previous attempts at setting up water bottling plants in South Waikato and Ashburton.
The latest proposal is more ambitious than his previous attempts as it wants to take almost three times the amount of water Hartnett’s company Blue Spring Limited proposed extracting from Putaruru’s Blue Spring in the Waihou River.
NZ Pure Blue Springs Ltd withdrew its application in October after Raukawa Iwi refused to support it because of the significant adverse affects to the spring.
The company behind a proposal to drain millions of litres of water a day from a popular spring to sell overseas has revealed it is only 39 per cent New Zealand-owned.
NZ Pure Blue, also known as NZ Pure Blue Springs Limited, has lodged a resource consent application to drain 6.9 million litres form the Putaruru Blue Spring in the Waikato to bottle locally and offshore.
A source informed the NZ Herald that the company told members of the local iwi, the Raukawa Settlement Trust, at a meeting in Tokoroa on Monday night that 61 per cent of the company was owned by overseas investors including 10 per cent Australian and some Chinese.
They are taking water from the ground water or out of “deep well ejection?
If they take water from the deep aquifer areas and leave the shallow aquifer water for municipal authorities because the water quality is so bad that it will be rejected by overseas experts seeking ‘pristine water’ so there is where these “water bandits” are doing now.
We must have them all rejected from our country as also the water is sent by trucks over our roads to ports ruining our roads and residential areas near roads they transport our prinstine water.
So we are being screwed all directions by these “water bandits” and paying to fix the roads they are wrecking too????.
Attn Penny Bright.Watching a recent video about Key,I saw when you challenged him at a public meeting in Papatoetoe about your O.I.A request regarding,exactly who NZ has borrowed billions off.
He was his usual evasive self,but did you ever find out?
When Obama was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, we never heard the end of it. Maybe that farce explains the silence when such an award is won by someone who actually deserves it….
Jeremy Corbyn will lose the next election in the UK and the Tories will win.
The Tories cannot be doing any worse than they are at present: each and every minister and PM May screw up at every opportunity.
Yet Corbyn is behind in the polls,
Arctic climate ‘report card’ reveals ‘rapid and dramatic changes’ to the polar environment.
‘The devastating impact of climate change in the polar regions has been confirmed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) annual Arctic Report Card
Authors from the American scientific agency concluded that 2017 was not a record-breaking year in terms of climate extremes, there was still evidence that the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the global average.
The widespread environmental changes that arise as a result of this warming are beginning to define “an emerging new normal” in the region, the report said.’
‘Reading this, I feel physically sick. I feel so anxious. I’m not sure how many more years or months I’m going to be able to work daily on climate change. Today is one of those days.’
I will be unpopular but will give the Portsmouth Sinfonia’s version an airing.
There is a lot of goodwill going into performing this music, and by the audience. A lot of the choir turned up at the Albert Hall on the day and swelled the numbers.
Yes a lot of my elderly clients are spending Christmas by them selves I talk to them about it. That is the reason I will have a plan to have a culture that will encourage vist from our children an mokos. Many thanks to all my viewers for giving ECO the Mana to advocate for Lady’s equality human rights an OUR environmental sustainability for our World. Many thanks to all the people who have got my back at home in NZ you show that the good logical Kiwi people are still prevalent in OUR beautiful country. Most of our international stars display these qualities. Ka pai
Many thanks to to all the good information and guidance my fellow bloggers post here on the standard I have a couple of Yodas the first star Wars movie was released when I was 8 Im a Sci fi fan just to busy to watch last time I went to the cinema I fell asleep in 10 minutes my wife was not happy lol.
Kai kaha
Have a good Christmas eco maori, hope you can get a dvd Christmas special or borrow some and then you can fall asleep in front of as many movies as you feel like.
I suppose everyone has seen this nasty sour, threatening little piece from the man with the nasty, sour face – Barnaby Joyce. Thank goodness he has broken his ties with this country. Australia is the place for him for sure.
There is something about that name Joyce that is seeming to be aggressive as our “Steven Joyce” is another one like “nasty sour, threatening little piece from the man with the nasty, sour face – Barnaby Joyce”
While looking for something entirely different I found a film called Barnaby Jones.
It must have been in his Mum and Dad’s mind when they named Ozzie Barnaby Joyce.
The blurb about it :
‘Barnaby Jones (TV Series 1973–1980) – IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069557/
Crime · The exploits of milk-swilling, geriatric private eye Barnaby Jones. ..’
Milk-swilling and geriatric. Sounds like a lot more laughs than Ozzie Joyce.
cleangreen
Related? How many in politics have connections with others in leading roles, or previous politicians? Family lines, professionals beget the same, tradies the same? Roger Douglas and Bill Anderton are a pair with a family connection for instance.
And able to look out for each other. Bill English has brothers in positions of authority.
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For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated. Neither side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force. But now there is significant diplomatic activity as well. Ukraine has agreed to ...
One of the first aims of the United States’ new Department of Government Efficiency was shutting down USAID. By 6 February, the agency was functionally dissolved, its seal missing from its Washington headquarters. Amid the ...
If our strategic position was already challenging, it just got worse. Reliability of the US as an ally is in question, amid such actions by the Trump administration as calling for annexation of Canada, threating ...
Small businesses will be exempt from complying with some of the requirements of health and safety legislation under new reforms proposed by the Government. The living wage will be increased to $28.95 per hour from September, a $1.15 increase from the current $27.80. A poll has shown large opposition to ...
Summary A group of senior doctors in Nelson have spoken up, specifically stating that hospitals have never been as bad as in the last year.Patients are waiting up to 50 hours and 1 death is directly attributable to the situation: "I've never seen that number of patients waiting to be ...
Although semiconductor chips are ubiquitous nowadays, their production is concentrated in just a few countries, and this has left the US economy and military highly vulnerable at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. While the ...
Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New ...
In short in our political economy this morning:Fletcher Building is closing its pre-fabricated house-building factory in Auckland due to a lack of demand, particularly from the Government.Health NZ is sending a crisis management team to Nelson Hospital after a 1News investigation exposed doctors’ fears that nearly 500 patients are overdue ...
Exactly 10 years ago, the then minister for defence, Kevin Andrews, released the First Principles Review: Creating One Defence (FPR). With increasing talk about the rising possibility of major power-conflict, calls for Defence funding to ...
In events eerily similar to what happened in the USA last week, Greater Auckland was recently accidentally added to a group chat between government ministers on the topic of transport.We have no idea how it happened, but luckily we managed to transcribe most of what transpired. We share it ...
Hi,When I look back at my history with Dylan Reeve, it’s pretty unusual. We first met in the pool at Kim Dotcom’s mansion, as helicopters buzzed overhead and secret service agents flung themselves off the side of his house, abseiling to the ground with guns drawn.Kim Dotcom was a German ...
Come around for teaDance me round and round the kitchenBy the light of my T.VOn the night of the electionAncient stars will fall into the seaAnd the ocean floor sings her sympathySongwriter: Bic Runga.The Prime Minister stared into the camera, hot and flustered despite the predawn chill. He looked sadly ...
Has Winston Peters got a ferries deal for you! (Buyer caution advised.) Unfortunately, the vision that Peters has been busily peddling for the past 24 hours – of several shipyards bidding down the price of us getting smaller, narrower, rail-enabled ferries – looks more like a science fiction fantasy. One ...
Completed reads for March: The Heart of the Antarctic [1907-1909], by Ernest Shackleton South [1914-1917], by Ernest Shackleton Aurora Australis (collection), edited by Ernest Shackleton The Book of Urizen (poem), by William Blake The Book of Ahania (poem), by William Blake The Book of Los (poem), by William Blake ...
First - A ReminderBenjamin Doyle Doesn’t Deserve ThisI’ve been following posts regarding Green MP Benjamin Doyle over the last few days, but didn’t want to amplify the abject nonsense.This morning, Winston Peters, New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, answered the alt-right’s prayers - guaranteeing amplification of the topic, by going on ...
US President Donald Trump has shown a callous disregard for the checks and balances that have long protected American democracy. As the self-described ‘king’ makes a momentous power grab, much of the world watches anxiously, ...
They can be the very same words. And yet their meaning can vary very much.You can say I'll kill him about your colleague who accidentally deleted your presentation the day before a big meeting.You can say I'll kill him to — or, for that matter, about — Tony Soprano.They’re the ...
Back in 2020, the then-Labour government signed contracted for the construction and purchase of two new rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries, to be operational from 2026. But when National took power in 2023, they cancelled them in a desperate effort to make the books look good for a year. And now ...
The fragmentation of cyber regulation in the Indo-Pacific is not just inconvenient; it is a strategic vulnerability. In recent years, governments across the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, have moved to reform their regulatory frameworks for cyber ...
Welcome to the March 2025 Economic Bulletin. The feature article examines what public private partnerships (PPPs) are. PPPs have been a hot topic recently, with the coalition government signalling it wants to use them to deliver infrastructure. However, experience with PPPs, both here and overseas, indicates we should be wary. ...
Willis announces more plans of plans for supermarketsYesterday’s much touted supermarket competition announcement by Nicola Willis amounted to her telling us she was issuing a 6 week RFI1 that will solicit advice from supermarket players.In short, it was an announcement of a plan - but better than her Kiwirail Interislander ...
This was the post I was planning to write this morning to mark Orr’s final day. That said, if the underlying events – deliberate attempts to mislead Parliament – were Orr’s doing, the post is more about the apparent uselessness of Parliament (specifically the Finance and Expenditure Committee) in holding ...
Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC’s plan to build a plant in the United States looks like a move made at the behest of local officials to solidify US support for Taiwan. However, it may eventually lessen ...
This is a Guest Post by Transport Planner Bevan Woodward from the charitable trust Movement, which has lodged an application for a judicial review of the Governments Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 Auckland is at grave risk of having its safer speed limits on approx. 1,500 local streets ...
We're just talkin' 'bout the futureForget about the pastIt'll always be with usIt's never gonna die, never gonna dieSongwriters: Brian Johnson / Angus Young / Malcolm YoungMorena, all you lovely people, it’s good to be back, and I have news from the heartland. Now brace yourself for this: depending on ...
Today is the last day in office for the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr. Of course, he hasn’t been in the office since 5 March when, on the eve of his major international conference, his resignation was announced and he stormed off with no (effective) notice and no ...
Treasury and Cabinet have finally agreed to a Crown guarantee for a non-Government lending agency for Community Housing Providers (CHPs), which could unlock billions worth of loans and investments by pension funds and banks to build thousands of more affordable social homes. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest:Chris Bishop ...
Australia has plenty of room to spend more on defence. History shows that 2.9 percent of GDP is no great burden in ordinary times, so pushing spending to 3.0 percent in dangerous times is very ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Winston Peters will announce later today whether two new ferries are rail ‘compatible’, requiring time-consuming container shuffling, or the more efficient and expensive rail ‘enabled,’ where wagons can roll straight on and off.Nicola Willisthreatened yesterday to break up the supermarket duopoly with ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 23, 2025 thru Sat, March 29, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
For prospective writers out there, Inspired Quill, the publisher of my novel(s) is putting together a short story anthology (pieces up to 10,000 words). The open submission window is 29th March to 29th April. https://www.inspired-quill.com/anthology-submissions/ The theme?This anthology will bring together diverse voices exploring themes of hope, resistance, and human ...
Prime minister Kevin Rudd released the 2009 defence white paper in May of that year. It is today remembered mostly for what it said about the strategic implications of China’s rise; its plan to double ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Voters want the Government to retain the living wage for cleaners, a poll shows.The Government’s move to provide a Crown guarantee to banks and the private sector for social housing is described a watershed moment and welcomed by Community Housing Providers.Nicola Willis is ...
The recent attacks in the Congo by Rwandan backed militias has led to worldwide condemnation of the Rwandan regime of Paul Kagame. Following up on the recent Fabian Zoom with Mikela Wrong and Maria Amoudian, Dr Rudaswinga will give a complete picture of Kagame’s regime and discuss the potential ...
New Zealand’s economic development has always been a partnership between the public and private sectors.Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) have become fashionable again, partly because of the government’s ambitions to accelerate infrastructural development. There is, of course, an ideological element too, while some of the opposition to them is also ideological.PPPs come in ...
How Australia funds development and defence was front of mind before Tuesday’s federal budget. US President Donald Trump’s demands for a dramatic lift in allied military spending and brutal cuts to US foreign assistance meant ...
Questions 1. Where and what is this protest?a. Hamilton, angry crowd yelling What kind of food do you call this Seymour?b.Dunedin, angry crowd yelling Still waiting, Simeon, still waitingc. Wellington, angry crowd yelling You’re trashing everything you idiotsd. Istanbul, angry crowd yelling Give us our democracy back, give it ...
Two blueprints that could redefine the Northern Territory’s economic future were launched last week. The first was a government-led economic strategy and the other an industry-driven economic roadmap. Both highlight that supporting the Northern Territory ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
By Harlyne Joku and BenarNews staff Residents of an informal Port Moresby settlement that was razed following the gang rape and murder of a woman by 20 men say they are being unfairly punished by Papua New Guinea authorities over alleged links to the crime. Human rights advocates and the ...
Nearly 25 years after the "corngate" saga, the debate on genetic modification is back thanks to the Gene Technology Bill currently in select committee. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Brodie, Research Scientist in Marine Ecology, CSIRO jittawit21, Shutterstock Picture this: you’re lounging on a beautiful beach, soaking up the sun and listening to the soothing sound of the waves. You run your hands through the warm sand, only to ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Although New Zealand and Australia seem to have escaped the worst of Donald Trump’s latest tariffs, some Pacific Islands stand to be hit hard — including a few that aren’t even “countries”. The US will impose a base tariff of 10 percent on all ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton both agree Australia should react to US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff regime by continuing to seek a special deal. They just disagree about which of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Orlando, Researcher, Digital Literacy and Digital Wellbeing, Western Sydney University UK Prime Minster Keir Starmer met with Adolescence writer Jack Thorne to discuss adolescent safety at Downing Street on Monday. Jack Taylor/ GettyImages Netflix’s Adolescence has ignited global debate. ...
By Anneke Smith,RNZ News political reporter A stoush between the Chief Human Rights Commissioner and a Jewish community leader has flared up following a showdown at Parliament. Appearing before a parliamentary select committee today, Dr Stephen Rainbow was asked about his recent apology for incorrect comments he made about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rakesh Gupta, Associate Professor of Accounting & Finance, Charles Darwin University US President Donald Trump’s new trade war will not only send shockwaves through the global economy – it also upsets efforts to tackle the urgent issue of climate change. Trump has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Toohey, Professor of Law, UNSW Sydney It had the hallmarks of a reality TV cliffhanger. Until recently, many people had never even heard of tariffs. Now, there’s been rolling live international coverage of so-called “Liberation Day”, as US President Donald Trump ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Fuller, Clinical Trials Director, Department of Endocrinology, RPA Hospital, University of Sydney mavo/Shutterstock In the ever-changing wellness industry, one diet obsession has captured and held TikTok’s attention: protein. Whether it’s sharing snaps of protein-packed meals or giving tutorials to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Maslow, Associate Professor, International Relations, University of Tokyo Two months into US President Donald Trump’s second term, the liberal international order is on life support. Alliances and multilateral institutions are now seen by the United States as burdens. Europe and ...
Starving public services of resources, gutting the workforce and then proposing private market solutions has been a key strategy of this government, says Vanessa Cole, spokesperson for Public Housing Futures. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
The government’s own Regulatory Impact Statement acknowledges that organic producers will bear the financial burden of adapting to the risks posed by GMO expansion. ...
The committee has "rammed it through with outrageous haste", with a report now expected tomorrow, but excluding thousands of submissions, Duncan Webb says. ...
The US president’s sweeping programme of global tariffs will hit every country abroad, including New Zealand, and dramatically raise prices at home. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here.In a dramatic, flag-draped address from the White ...
Alex Casey talks to Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi, the couple who launched a project to change 51 lives in honour of those lost in the Christchurch mosque attacks. When Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi walked into Naeem’s house in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, they knew immediately that he needed their help. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology US President Donald Trump has imposed a range of tariffs on all products entering the US market, with Australian exports set to face a 10% tariff, effective April ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Shutterstock Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents. The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and ...
The three MPs whose rule-breaking haka caught the world’s attention didn’t attend their scheduled hearing yesterday. Constitutional law expert Andrew Geddis has the rundown of what happened, why, and what’s likely to come next. I see Te Pāti Māori and the privileges committee are in some sort of stand-off – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Turner, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.Nido Huebl/Shutterstock Earth is the only known planet which has plate tectonics today. The constant movement of these giant slabs of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Meta has stolen millions of books to train its AI, including books by kaituhi Māori. What does that mean for mātauranga and its status as taonga? New Zealand authors are among the millions whose books have been pirated and scraped by Meta to train its AI. The New Zealand Society of ...
Some hoped the open of the New Zealand markets would open with a bounce as certain tariffs fell short of the worst-case scenario, but investors were met with a deflated thud.The New Zealand market fell immediately as stock market darling Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s shares were punished, with no update ...
Healthcare dominated the debate in an unusually sober and serious question time. “Hey David!” a group of high school students in the public gallery called out as Act leader David Seymour entered the debating chamber. Standing in the middle of the floor, before any other MPs had arrived, he happily ...
As reported yesterday on newsroom, among other things Clare Curran says that the government will be upping funding for RNZ in support of them launching themselves into the television space.
This seems to mean that she expects TVNZ to support the televisionisation of RNZ. Hoever, the future of TVNZ in the medium to long term seems uncertain.
Why is this Government planning to spend about a hundred times as much on this idea as the amount they are apparently planning to take away from the amazingly successful KidsCan charity? From last nights Checkpoint on RNZ we were told that the organisation has been getting about $350,000/year from the State. Their activities include, according to the person running it –
“”We are feeding 30,000 children a week across New Zealand, we’re providing around 25 to 30,000 pairs of shoes, 50,000 pairs of socks, 40,000 raincoats a year,” Ms Chapman said.”
Now it is apparently going to stop getting the money.
The Minister, Tracy Martin, was interviewed on RNZ this morning on Morning Report. Apart from sounding way out of her depth she didn’t seem to know anything about what was going on and her major complaint seemed to be that it was supported by a fund that John Key had implemented. The “Not invented here” syndrome seemed to be very strong in Ms Martin, didn’t it?
The current PM claims that her major aim is to get kids out of poverty. Here is an organisation doing precisely that. She should tell Minister Martin that the support WILL continue. Don’t just try and find something vastly more expensive to replace it so that you can get lots of photo ops. It is doing wonderful work and it shouldn’t be meddled with.
By the way I did love the marvellous word “televisionisation” you used. I doubt that any current dictionary includes it but they should.
Private charity is never a substitute for public welfare
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/dec/31/francis-maude-big-society-charity
http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/03/21/private_charity_and_the_safety_net_why_philanthropy_can_t_replace_government.html
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/30/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20140330
So you would scrap any contribution to KidsCan would you?
Doesn’t fit into your view of what is “right”.
They are doing a wonderful job. The Martin woman doesn’t seem to like them because they seem to get money from a small, inexpensive, grant scheme set up by John Key when he was PM.
So what? The grant scheme works and an enormous number of children get assistance. Just because it doesn’t fit into your particular political paradigm doesn’t matter.
They do good work but it is work the state should be doing.
Do you mean, by that statement that ONLY the state should be doing it?
I really don’t think that the State is the only source for such help.
The state has a role of course. I see no reason why it need be an exclusive one though. This organisation seems to be helping about 170,000 children and the contribution of the taxpayer seems to be a direct grant of $350,000/year.
Sure, there will be further costs to the taxpayer from tax deductions for donations to them if they are a registered charity. I would much rather see that than the money that goes from the taxpayer to groups such as Greenpeace in the same way.
Executive Julie Chapman told Checkpoint for every dollar it spent, at least 80 cents went to children. That’s a 20% running cost.
Therefore, it may be the Government are considering whether there are more efficient ways to ensure more of that funding gets to the kids in need.
and its worth remembering that there have been numerous cases of charities where claimed dollar splits havnt held up to scrutiny…..may not be the case here but it is an issue that needs attention.
Indeed.
Fine, but the $350k is only a very small portion of their income.
20% is actually quite good for a charity I believe.
The operational costs that are in the 20% would include collecting and distributing the things like shoes to the kids.
I’ll bet the percentage spent by WINZ, if you exclude the very easy to run National Super is more than that.
Regardless if it’s only a small portion of their income, it’s taxpayer funding, thus the Government has an obligation to ensure taxpayers are receiving value for money.
And while 20% may be a low running cost for a charity, it may be the Government can administer it for far less.
Moreover, going off some of the reports I’ve heard, there are questions surrounding their expenses and running costs.
Which is massive. IIRC, Our government run hospitals have ~95% going to the patients.
So, that would be more proof of the inefficiency of the private system and that would be increased for every such organisation.
It really is better to make such social welfare organisations a state monopoly. Of course, it’s even better to make it so that it’s not needed but that’s not going to happen any time soon especially since capitalism actually requires and produces poverty.
“Our government run hospitals have ~95% going to the patients”
I would love to know exactly how you work that out.
The major part of the cost of running the Public Hospitals is the wages and salaries of the staff I would think
That is money going to those staff, just as the administration costs of a charity is no doubt the wages and salaries of their staff.
It would be quite silly to call those Hospital costs something going to the patients but not say the same thing about the same sort of expenditure by a charity.
Probably.
95% goes to supporting the patients. 5% goes on administration. A doctor’s salary is supporting the patients.
A fairly large part of the private sector is spending on advertising, functions and other useless stuff that a government department doesn’t need.
Apart from the very pertinent point that you ignore regarding charitable institutions, have you ever bothered to look at the annual returns for Kidscan.
There is a decided lack of clarity regarding operating expenses and programme costs which account for up to 40% of spending. There is no transparency, there is no credible method for determining if what they deliver is what is required.
Worth looking at the Rusty Radiator awards site to get some kind of insight into reliance on/ and misplaced charity.
Even from their own records., a lot of money does not go to need children….
https://www.kidscan.org.nz/sites/default/files/Annual%20Report%202015%20Web%20copy.pdf
Yes Ed. Meant to include charity commission links to their annual accounts, but was interrupted and forget. Thanks for doing so.
You seem to be getting fired up about a decision that hasn’t actually been made yet, alwyn. The funding for this charity was always a fixed term contract (and always a stop-gap). The contract is expiring and there’s no ongoing provision for funding. There’s no moral obligation to extend it.
If you look at her comments, Tracey Martin doesn’t seem to be averse to renewing the funding, but instead of discussing it with her, Kids Can seem to have gone on the attack.
Must be scared of losing their slush fund.
Their accounts are interesting.
2015
Administration Costs $1,290,059
Operating Costs $2,140,927
Their accounts are interesting.
2015
Administration Costs $1,290,059
Operating Costs $2,140,927
Programme Costs $ 4,609,456
Maybe these are some of the ‘operating costs’.
‘The KidsCan charity for children living in poverty spent donors’ money on “champagne lunches” and taxis to and from restaurants, say former staff.
They say hospitality spending was a feature of discontent among workers, along with some salaries being counted in ways that made KidsCan’s administration budget appear lower.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11449523
Hopefully they’ve improved since 2009.
‘How much of the near two million dollars raised for the KidsCan Stand Tall Trust in TV3’s weekend Telethon will go to meet the “basic needs” of children in poverty? You’d have to hope it’s more than the 19 cents in the dollar that KidsCan managed to spend on its four charitable programmes last year.
Its financial statement to the Charities Commission for 2008 show that the trust raised $1.95 million last year, of which $1.5 million went in operating costs.
[NB: I could have been clearer here: the $1.95m and costs come from the statement for the KidsCan Charitable Trust Group, which consolidates KidsCan’s various activities, including the Big Night In.]
Of $1,351,162 declared in expenses by the KidsCan Trust itself, the largest item was $341,668 in wages for six full-time staff and two part-time, followed by “Events and Promotions” at $293,768.
I accept that in order to administer its programmes, and to attract funding, the trust needs staff. But a bill of nearly $300,000 for events and promotions, and a further $60,000 on advertising and $45,383 on PR? Really?
A total $357,354 went to the charitable programmes themselves — Food for Kids, Raincoats for Kids, Stand Tall, and Shoes for Kids.’
https://publicaddress.net/hardnews/where-your-money-goes/
Sponsors & Supporters include
The Coffee Club
Heinz Watties
Nestle
Westfield NZ
Wonder if these companies pay the minimum wage?
Be warned Ed, from someone who has been there…scrutinising the Annual Returns of “charities” is a down the rabbit hole exercise.
I’ve been there with IHC/Idea Services, Spectrum Care, Carers NZ, DPA NZ, NZDSN, et al….
….path to misery and disillusionment mate.
My point exactly.
Charity is not the solution to society’s needs.
Yep. Wouldn’t surprise me. Part of the massive inefficiency of the private sector doing this is that they have to inform people that they exist, where to donate and to wine and dine large sponsors.
The government doesn’t need to do all that and so is inherently far more efficient.
But it can make a few people well off while providing cover for the sociopathic actions of some rich people. You’ll note that many corrupt rich people gave to charity and it was always in the MSM.
And money for perks and drinks…..
I’m predicting you read none of the articles I linked.
The first link doesn’t work.
The second one I knew about.
The gist of it is, of course, “It’s all John Key’s fault”.
Followed by running for cover.
The previous Government couldn’t possibly provide money for it that was ring fenced. A Government can’t commit future Governments to do anything.
Do you mean, by that statement that ONLY the state should be doing it?
I really don’t think that the State is the only source for such help.
I agree. But the point is that the state already funds its own organisations to do this work. It would be wasteful to also fund private organisations to do the same work. A charity is supposed to be funded by charitable giving, not the state.
So what. Why does it matter if the state is or is not doing it? Isn’t it more important that its just done – regardless of who delivers it, so long as the programme makes a positive difference.
Sounds like a case of rigid ideology trumping practical results focused programmes that are make a difference.
And that’s just dumb.
Two main reasons, from my position: firstly, direct public oversight. If stories about drinks budgets come up in ministries, the opposition has a field day.
Secondly, private charity is always petulant and biased towards “cute”. Even if child poverty were eliminated, charities working with homeless alcoholics with mental health disorders will still struggle for funding. People bitch about back-room bureaucrats, but ministerial poo-bahs are usually much more logical in their allocations than people who just saw an ad with an Oliver Twist / orphan Annie substitute in it.
Bonus third point: less need to spend the accrued funds to entertain and advertise to gain more funding for the following year.
+111
If the state simply does it then there’s no opportunity for rich people to rort the system while feeling special while giving to charity that, to some degree, lessens the poverty that they created by being rich.
…bonus 4th point: you don’t have to pay charities to clip the ticket when you’ve already paid public servants to administer the health budget.
Bonus 5th point: the greedy right wing low-lives that caused poverty and misery in the first place don’t get to lord it over their betters.
100% Caroyln
Thanks very much for thisvery informative update on our new media that will finally give us all a independant media to privide good solid transperancy and “investigative jornalism that we need so very badly in this current “Key/Joyce/English type propagandist meadia hype” we had all grown so very tired of over the last nine years, and finally are about to be freed from.
This was good stuff the Ombudsman saw through the tired ranting of the national party smoke screen “secrecy” on the 33 page ‘agreement’. – as we saw Joyce’s $1.7 Billion Dolllar hole.
Hon’ Claire Curran was reportedly as stated here;
“Ombudsman Peter Boshier has backed the Government’s refusal to release the 33-page document in a provisional ruling revealed this morning by Newsroom.
Speaking before the ruling’s release, Curran is critical of National’s written question tactic while claiming it was a good look for the Ombudsman to be investigating the new Government so early.”
Labour deserve a medal for conducting a clever process here.
Nice coverage there Carolyn,
Claire Curran is a worthy soul that we need to appreciate now, as she was boxed in by the National muck racking of the “secrecy issue between NZF and Labour 33 page agreement’ that only a day ago was put to rest thankfully when the privacy Commissioner backed the government.
Go Claire Go ‘lets do this’.
Let us have a independant public media for a voice of the people again.
Many Thanks to the Australian Rugby union for hiring the best person for there CEO who happens to be a lady I’m sure she will get your Mana back Ka pai.
Email well I have to retrieve some from Gmail Data on the IPCA but ha I can use the official information act to achieve the same objective. Yes Matty I will tour the South Island before I go over seas my wife deserves a holiday after what she been thought. And I no I will get my Mana back. When I do I will buy a house a electric car solar power veggie garden an live a minimualmistic life and keep the good fight for mother nature and equally for everyone on mother earth. I plan to set our requirement period up so I have heaps of food and other things so all our mokos will come and see us regularly and there parents. I no I fight for Maori Alot and don’t talk about the polite of our Pacific cousins but ha what good for the poor is good for OUR Pacific cousins to I want equality for all. Ka pai
Well dopy and sneezy are still pissing in the wind. I love milky bar chocolate and the kid when I was one I no what it will take to get these ass holes off my back Ana to kai
Thanks for the heads up people from the Rock looks like some one is going to be shelling out a heap for loss of potential earnings. Sorry Matty I did not mean to upset you you are a awesome KIWI Kia kaha
Forget Vogue – Comrade Jacinda makes the British Medical Journal.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11958258
Just trying to divert attention away from real issues and Natz disaster legacy and turn it into yet another story about a politician to divide people’s opinions.
Peoples opinions are already divided – thats why National poll at 46%.
But it dosnt surprise me that you have nothing to say on the issue put forward.
What was the issue you want to discuss James?
The issues in the link which I’m guessing you did not read.
So which is issue you want to discuss There we several in the article?
(PS prove ED wrong)
He never discusses issues. He just talks about polls and repeats personal attacks by other rwnjs.
Yes Ed you have it in one
The Man talks rubbish sadly and offers no real value sadly.
I think these national clingons have completetly gone nuts.
Asking him a specific issue is a sure way to stop him rambling on.
You win ed. No reply from James.
And as soon as Labour and Greens start implementing popular policy like cleaning up National’s water debacle and National’s assets sales and land to overseas buyers leaving many in NZ homeless, and the so called war on P from the Natz, more like enablement of P from National, then Labour and Greens will improve on 46%.
Even though Jacinda is considered a ‘communist’ by right wingers she still beats Bill in preferred PM. What does that say?
Never were more true words spoken savenz – friend. 100%
Nye Bevan, founder of the British NHS:
“I’m real proud of the National Health Service.
It’s a real piece of socialism.
It’s a real piece of Christianity too.”
and its failing:
https://www.dailywire.com/news/14470/7-things-you-need-know-about-britains-failing-aaron-bandler#
Certainly as you would expect after being run down for that many years.
Nothing a few billion dollars wouldn’t fix.
The best lesson we ever learned in my era was the stupid temporary market of ACC that Labour under Lange brought in, and reverse it back to a full monopoly under Clark.
Just checked James’s source.
Now I get where his unhinged views come from.
James isn’t wrong.
And our health system isn’t always something to write home about.
But it’s sure better than the capitalist version.
Our health system also suffers from chronic underfunding. Since the election I’ve now had a look inside CCDHB and it is shocking. I am convinced that staff are making treatment decisions prioritising economics over effectiveness. This not due to staff incompetence. It is a straight out response to being under resourced. Our hospitals are staffed ny heroes and it’s unsustainable.
I’m currently sourcing diabetes-related foot amputation rates as an example of this. So many of them are unnecessary if the intervention and the right treatment are provided earlier. Worse still many of the diabetes patients ending up being admitted for an amputation have never even seen a podiatrist.
A commentary on your news source.
‘The Daily Wire is a politically conservative American news and opinion website founded in 2015 by conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro, who currently serves as Editor-in-Chief. The Daily Wire presents news with a right wing bias in reporting and wording. Virtually every story favors the right and denigrates the left. The Daily Wire has also published false information such as this and this from Ben Shapiro. The Daily Wire is a far right biased news source that is Mixed for factual reporting. (9/2/2016)
Updated (8/16/2017)’
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/the-daily-wire/
Ben Shapiro sounds like a piece of work….
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Shapiro
That is (generally) a fair comment.
However they have listed numerous sources and provided links in this specific article (from a wide variety of sources).
But if you google NHS failing you will get thousands of other links to read – plenty pointing out just how screwed it is.
Yes and I wonder if the reports are written by your Breitbart friends.
If you want to know WHY it is failing, then look no further than your Tory friends and their plans for it to fail.
The NHS crisis is manufactured by deliberate policies of cuts – so your Breitbart friends’ owners can make a fortune out of the privatisation of UK medicine.
The ultimate aim is this…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/99807252/fairfax-media-nib-launch-health-insurance-partnership-done
“”We believe there is a real opportunity for private health insurance to help reduce the ever increasing health cost burden on the Government by helping facilitate access to healthcare for Kiwis,” said nib chief executive Rob Hennin.
We are committed to creating new businesses and services that we know Kiwis will value and we’re open to talking with other businesses about opportunities where we can partner to leverage our competitive strengths,” Fairfax Media chief executive Sinead Boucher said.
Done was an example of the publisher’s commitment to find new ways to fund journalism in New Zealand by partnering with industry experts and leveraging the marketing strength Fairfax’s audience brings, Boucher said.
“We think offering comprehensive and cost effective health insurance is another way we can service our monthly audience of 3.4 million New Zealanders.””
Service?
yeah, right.
Interestingly enough, people with private insurance use more public health resources than those without private insurance. Therefore, private insurers should pay a premium to the government for the extra burden they place on the public health system.
…you make a very interesting point there mpledger.
A mate used to work as a health care assistant in the operating theatre of a busy public hospital.
The number of patients coming into theatre from the private hospital over the road was quite significant.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/jun/29/pfi-crippling-nhs
“Second, we can still afford to pay for universal healthcare – but only if we stop using NHS funds to prop up banks and equity investors.”
So will the (private) market be more efficient?…..the evidence is clear, less reach and inflated cost…but great returns!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_total_health_expenditure_per_capita
Stick your PPP’s where the sun dont shine.
I think this man says it all pity he never became PM
on the strength of that brief encounter i’m inclined to agree….could Jacinda Adern become a contemporary kiwi version?
Phillip Bagshaw…on why (NZ) doctors need to speak out.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018623967/philip-bagshaw-why-doctors-need-to-speak-out
“Things were going pretty well until the 1990s for us, and at that stage neoliberalism really was the order of the day with managerialism in medicine.
“Medicine took a terrible hit, everybody knew that at the time, but very few people did, publically at least, anything about it. They may have complained behind closed doors, they certainly didn’t come out in the media and complain.”
When the age of austerity started to bite in the 1990s, Bagshaw and some of his colleagues openly questioned the philosophy and its consequences.
“We wrote a book called The Patients Are Dying, which chronicled the deaths and problems occurring at Christchurch Hospital, and some of us were threatened with unemployment and all sorts of other things.”
Bagshaw says he tried to voice his concerns through traditional professional channels.
“All of which I found didn’t help. It was just not possible to change things. Whilst you can think globally, you must act locally in order to make change.”
The following extract is from the editorial in the British Medical Journal. You can see how the Herald has screwed the content to get its own anti-commie, red under the bedders, like James, all excited.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)32805-2/fulltext
Pooling of resources to achieve a common purpose is not inherently bad, James. It is what you would expect from most groups of animals.
Jonathon Coleman used the Commie angle in Question Time yesterday. What a ratbag.
Coleman has blood on his hands by screwing down public health and causing the deaths of so many he should be tarred and feathered.
That list of values:
The free self-determination of the individual, an equitable society, the end of exploitation, deepening possibilities for public participation in shaping collective choices, refusing to accept the fixity of human nature and believing in our capacity to change, and keeping a sense of the interdependence and indivisibility of our common humanity.
Everything after that first one fills right-wingers with fear and loathing. I’m not surprised the Herald editor shat his pants.
Vogue-Gate is just another silly sideshow propagated by those who want us to avoid the real news at any cost.
This is news we should be paying attention to: Gender ‘pinkwashing’ at WTO bodes ill for trade agenda – Kelsey
James wants to avoid the real news.
The Lancet, a British medical journal, not THE British Medical Journal.
If you can’t even get the basic citation right, how perfunctory was the rest of your reading?
A small but (indeed) important difference.
But the rest of the point remains.
Oh yes. The latest Meme is Jacinda is a communist. LOL.
She is a socialist lite if anything.
Reds under the bed, all Hanna Barbera again!! Wonder who is paying now for the dancing cossacks?
Meanwhile the reforms keep coming. Not quickly enough for some, but great 50 days in.
A not so subtle comment aimed at Jacinda from our Australian friends.
I guess she missed the diplomacy part of the job induction.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11958367
Sledging is something that the Australians are good at.
James believes what the Herald writes………
Point out something inaccurate in the link I posted ?
I prefer to discuss issues James.
History proves that not to be a fact.
But let’s discuss what’s wrong with believing that article linked to in the herald?
Do you not believe it?
Do you have anything to back up your reasoning ?
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13-12-2017/#comment-1425565
James, you are the inaccuracy in the link you posted.
So I take it you folk cannot find anything inaccurate in the link – and have to resort to little insults to deflect from the issue.
Jacinda is a walking trainwreck with Australia.
What is your view on our levels of inequality?
What are the solutions?
This is called a serious political issue, James.
Are you able to discuss this?
http://www.inequality.org.nz/understand/
http://www.closingthegap.org.nz/
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/01/revealed-new-zealand-s-growing-wealth-gap-fracturing-society.html
James, I think it’s interesting that Barnaby Joyce is (in the article you so helpfully linked to) demonstrating exactly the behaviour he is so helpfully warning Jacinda Ardern against:
1) Interfering in another country’s domestic affairs (how is it his business if we offer to take refugees that his country has refused?);
2) Using the media to talk to another government, rather than contacting them directly. He says, “And if you are going to talk to them at all, talk to them quietly and discreetly, off the record, not via telephone, not via TV.” (and note that Ardern DID speak to Turnball directly whereas Joyce is using Newstalk ZB, as relayed by The Herald).
Oh, the irony!
James clearly approves of some of the most racist policies in the world towards refugees.
No wonder. His Breitbart friends told him to think like that.
This is what James supports.
5.11121 James, Sutton is not all Australia. Most Aussies think Jacinda is great, especially when compared with the views held by Turnbull and Abbot.
“Most Aussies” really?
Hardly – though the last men standing as the Turnbull government shambles its way towards the dustbin of history are desperately looking for anyone else to blame.
Point out something inaccurate in the link I posted ?
Oh, there’s nothing inaccurate in there – it makes a pretty clear case that Australia is currently run by the most appalling shits and Ardern needs to take seriously the threat that said appalling shits pose to NZ. It’s just not clear how you come to see it as some kind of indictment of Ardern.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it agian: every year NZ should find the two biggest jerks in the Australian government, and grant them a one-year-only, unrenouncable citizenship to NZ.
Kepp your friends close, make your enemies citizens
Dutton definitely needs an urgent grant of NZ citizenship. The one-year-only thing is also a good idea, as there’d be a significant risk of him being deported here for poor character.
And notice James uses the NZ Herald as his stable for “truth” ha ha that is a frigging joke the NZ herald has been likened to “The Daily Fail”
So we should call james paper as the “NZ Herald – Mail Fail”
An application to remove 18 million litres of water a day from a small Bay of Plenty town and send it offshore has been rejected by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
NZ Aquifer managing director Roydon Hartnett, who is representing the two companies, said the council advised it of a “very minor administrative change” where they asked it to separate the extraction and drilling activities. The company would change it before resubmitting the application this week.
Hartnett said this would slightly delay plans as they had been expecting a decision this year.
“We are now hopeful of hearing positive news from the regional council by mid-January.”
Hartnett was behind the two previous attempts at setting up water bottling plants in South Waikato and Ashburton.
The latest proposal is more ambitious than his previous attempts as it wants to take almost three times the amount of water Hartnett’s company Blue Spring Limited proposed extracting from Putaruru’s Blue Spring in the Waihou River.
NZ Pure Blue Springs Ltd withdrew its application in October after Raukawa Iwi refused to support it because of the significant adverse affects to the spring.
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/director-of-water-bottling-plant-has-yet-another-attempt/
Pure Blue overseas-owned
The company behind a proposal to drain millions of litres of water a day from a popular spring to sell overseas has revealed it is only 39 per cent New Zealand-owned.
NZ Pure Blue, also known as NZ Pure Blue Springs Limited, has lodged a resource consent application to drain 6.9 million litres form the Putaruru Blue Spring in the Waikato to bottle locally and offshore.
A source informed the NZ Herald that the company told members of the local iwi, the Raukawa Settlement Trust, at a meeting in Tokoroa on Monday night that 61 per cent of the company was owned by overseas investors including 10 per cent Australian and some Chinese.
Thanks for this Ed,
The water bandits are still coming are they?
They are taking water from the ground water or out of “deep well ejection?
If they take water from the deep aquifer areas and leave the shallow aquifer water for municipal authorities because the water quality is so bad that it will be rejected by overseas experts seeking ‘pristine water’ so there is where these “water bandits” are doing now.
We must have them all rejected from our country as also the water is sent by trucks over our roads to ports ruining our roads and residential areas near roads they transport our prinstine water.
So we are being screwed all directions by these “water bandits” and paying to fix the roads they are wrecking too????.
Are we stupid to allow this?
Attn Penny Bright.Watching a recent video about Key,I saw when you challenged him at a public meeting in Papatoetoe about your O.I.A request regarding,exactly who NZ has borrowed billions off.
He was his usual evasive self,but did you ever find out?
Funny that.
James never seems to want to debate the issue of inequality in New Zealand.
He goes silent or moves to another thread with another smear.
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13-12-2017/#comment-1425579
Sometimes I just cannot be bothered with people that type hysterical shit like you do.
other times – I’m busy with one of the businesses and have better things to do.
Other times I’m too busy laughing at you.
James is happy with the inequality as are most RWNJs. They think it’s normal rather than the sociopathy that it is.
James loves misery that shows clearly now.
Misery is his second name.
He is now deeply affected by the every day appearance of labour policies being rollled out and is freaking out about it all.
Get over it as we have had a gut full of your constant wining.
My middle name is George.
I know speculation is against the policy, but James Misery George desperately need an appropriately double-barrelled surname.
The Herald thinks Jacinda Ardern is a Marxist.
Surely a misnomer.
James finds poverty a laughing matter.
Like Paula Bennett.
You seem to have a high opinion of your ability to know my thoughts on matters.
If you want to state my view on a topic – then link to something I have said that supports it.
Linking to something different and then stating that it is my view is dishonest at best, unhinged at worst.
And is simple (and not very effective) trolling.
Please come out and tell us your view on inequality in NZ.
Would love to hear it.
No point asking Ed, he wont come clean, as he loves misery.
I must admit – it is clear that a few of you lead miserable lives.
When Obama was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, we never heard the end of it. Maybe that farce explains the silence when such an award is won by someone who actually deserves it….
https://www.rt.com/uk/412667-corbyn-chomsky-peace-prize-geneva/
Jeremy Corbyn will lose the next election in the UK and the Tories will win.
The Tories cannot be doing any worse than they are at present: each and every minister and PM May screw up at every opportunity.
Yet Corbyn is behind in the polls,
“Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour messiah for the many not the few, who still manages to straddle both sides of the Brexit fence.
Amid that fiasco, the concealment of impact studies, accelerating inflation and stagnant wages, his party should be streaking ahead. The latest YouGov poll puts the Tories in front by a point.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/kathy-sheridan-city-of-culture-farce-pretty-much-sums-up-brexit-1.3324608
Arctic climate ‘report card’ reveals ‘rapid and dramatic changes’ to the polar environment.
‘The devastating impact of climate change in the polar regions has been confirmed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) annual Arctic Report Card
Authors from the American scientific agency concluded that 2017 was not a record-breaking year in terms of climate extremes, there was still evidence that the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the global average.
The widespread environmental changes that arise as a result of this warming are beginning to define “an emerging new normal” in the region, the report said.’
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/arctic-climate-change-report-sea-temperature-rise-melting-ice-caps-polar-environment-global-warming-a8106161.html
Climate scientists response
Eric Holthaus
‘Reading this, I feel physically sick. I feel so anxious. I’m not sure how many more years or months I’m going to be able to work daily on climate change. Today is one of those days.’
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/Report-Card/Report-Card-2017
More blackmail from Team New Zealand.
I’m going to pick up my toys and go home.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/12/12/67845/superyachts-in-the-balance-in-auckland-cup-call
Is the most obnoxious MP around?
Hearing this comfortably off woman and her faux concern for the poor makes me feel sick.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/09/16/wow-how-much-does-louise-upston-hate-women-why-sacking-the-minister-for-women-shouldnt-be-the-only-minister-to-go/
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11440715
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/heavily-criticised-louise-upston-loses-womens-affairs-portfolio-new-minister-paula-bennett
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11768159
If the speaker ruled that ad hominem arguments are unparliamentary, the National Party would have a serious problem.
Ed
Any excuse to play the Messiah is welcome. And that about the houses is one of the better excuses.
Well that disappeared so I’ll put it up as it’s a great bit of Christmas music.
Nice presentation by great choir with young boy sopranos at Kings College, Cambridge and they are really throwing themselves into it with verve.
I will be unpopular but will give the Portsmouth Sinfonia’s version an airing.
There is a lot of goodwill going into performing this music, and by the audience. A lot of the choir turned up at the Albert Hall on the day and swelled the numbers.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkPGByh_F50
Yes a lot of my elderly clients are spending Christmas by them selves I talk to them about it. That is the reason I will have a plan to have a culture that will encourage vist from our children an mokos. Many thanks to all my viewers for giving ECO the Mana to advocate for Lady’s equality human rights an OUR environmental sustainability for our World. Many thanks to all the people who have got my back at home in NZ you show that the good logical Kiwi people are still prevalent in OUR beautiful country. Most of our international stars display these qualities. Ka pai
Many thanks to to all the good information and guidance my fellow bloggers post here on the standard I have a couple of Yodas the first star Wars movie was released when I was 8 Im a Sci fi fan just to busy to watch last time I went to the cinema I fell asleep in 10 minutes my wife was not happy lol.
Kai kaha
Have a good Christmas eco maori, hope you can get a dvd Christmas special or borrow some and then you can fall asleep in front of as many movies as you feel like.
I suppose everyone has seen this nasty sour, threatening little piece from the man with the nasty, sour face – Barnaby Joyce. Thank goodness he has broken his ties with this country. Australia is the place for him for sure.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/dec/13/barnaby-joyce-says-new-zealand-should-back-off-on-offer-to-resettle-refugees
There is something about that name Joyce that is seeming to be aggressive as our “Steven Joyce” is another one like “nasty sour, threatening little piece from the man with the nasty, sour face – Barnaby Joyce”
While looking for something entirely different I found a film called Barnaby Jones.
It must have been in his Mum and Dad’s mind when they named Ozzie Barnaby Joyce.
The blurb about it :
‘Barnaby Jones (TV Series 1973–1980) – IMDb
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069557/
Crime · The exploits of milk-swilling, geriatric private eye Barnaby Jones. ..’
Milk-swilling and geriatric. Sounds like a lot more laughs than Ozzie Joyce.
cleangreen
Related? How many in politics have connections with others in leading roles, or previous politicians? Family lines, professionals beget the same, tradies the same? Roger Douglas and Bill Anderton are a pair with a family connection for instance.
And able to look out for each other. Bill English has brothers in positions of authority.