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.’
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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NNy289k6Oc
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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“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
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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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbqA6o8_WC0
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.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCAyUxY0Cm0
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe4Tlccbx58
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX-P4mx1FLU
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1ZIXbh_Kg0
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdFOhwo48IY
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFzEZaazTe0
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0RHyPPXCoQ
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckfUILnsc20
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NNy289k6Oc
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.