I do the scheduling but occasionally scheduled posts failed to appear (!?) and I have to push them out manually. I noticed 7:06 AM and needed a minute to get over the shock 😉
The tragedy at White Island shows the importance of provincial hopistals, like the one at Whakatane. Most of these hospitals were closed down in the 1990's by National to pay for tax cuts, thankfully, Whakatane's was somehow kept open.
I agree. if there was a major tragedy in the Central Otago/Lakes district, or Fiordland, then there would be grossly inadequate hospital care available. Helicopters are used a lot now (they are in and out of Dunedin all the time), and there are advantages with evacuating people to larger hospitals, but capacity, travel time and weather are potential issues.
No live volcanoes down this way, but there are major faultlines so earthquakes are an obvious risk.
there's a difference between not having basic secondary support and not having sufficient support to deal with a couple of dozen serious cases requiring ICU or specialists.
I'm impressed by how smoothly the dedicated burns units around the country have shared the load. Imagine needing a million square cm of skin for repeated grafting during the healing process.
Major re-seal underway this week at Lake Hayes, about 5 km of it. Less than two weeks to Christmas…… tradie meltdown.
Credit to contractors though, they are doing a really good job of it and managing traffic well.
Great irony is that it was last resealed about 3 years ago and fell to pieces because of a cheap job with no traffic management on the new seal. Going from less than 5000 vehicles/day 20 years ago to over 30,000 probably doesn't help either.
Bloody good question. But when the last seal was done it was pretty obvious what was going to happen with the amount of post seal traffic control, and both contractors were the same, so I'd be looking at NZTA there for screwing the price down. Resealing is a very refined and practiced game, so that reduced price comes from doing less.
I've seen seal lift like that a few times, notably the Bay road on the Otago Peninsula. That would have been a DCC contract. Maybe the contracts need more scrutiny.
Culture of trying to hold cost down, which results in only doing half the job.
Would have been interesting to see how National would have handled it if they had stayed in power, but a huge amount has to be done quite quickly. Big shout to the infrastructure team in Government that they are just doing it.
They do, but if the contractor's work is within the scope of the contract then it's the principle's problem. A prudent contractor will tag out anything they foresee causing a problem as well. Pretty rare that a contractor stuffs up, does happen but margins aren't that great and having to re-do jobs hurts, even big contractors can't handle much of that, ie Fletchers
Generally roading problems go back to poorly scoped and / or specified contracts
Part of the issues sit with the way the budgets work around new spends and maintenance. In short money is scrimped in the build phase to make a budget look good and then the fix up comes from the maintenance budget which is more opaque.
Contractors for the most part aren't thay keen on doing a half arsed job but that's where the contract specs…
5,000>30,000 daily in 20 years for vehicles on road near Lake Hayes. Would NZ tourists and new settlers in the area have caused that? Mainly international tourists causing that sort of exponential rise?
Mainly "locals". Interesting driving past a line of stopped traffic and getting a good look at the vehicles and occupants. Vast majority are either resident or construction related.
A tight little circular economy; land sold, builders come, vital services installed, buyers come, traffic comes, more services and better roads needed. Repeat. But has that served the resident populations needs and interests? It brings to mind Flanders and Swann 'It all makes work for the working man to do.'
Yes that's the picture I got from your comment. Seems that this house stuff is like a big Ponzi scheme. There just isn't enough reliable business going on to invest in that will produce 8% or more dividend annually. So solid-brick housing, or what appears to be solid, is the plat du jour.
Too much money sloshing around while those diseased with affluenza have the gripe and the gout from accumulated money blockage but won't allow a small operation to make the equivalent of an organ donation to a small-loans low interest bank so that it can be used where it will give immediate relief and healthy, steady growth.
I have been reading a crime novel that is so-so. But the author has come up with an apt description of the residents of a self-centred, materialistic, hubristic gated community. I thought that the above description of the culture of the community sizes up National Party thinking. The author describes the attitudes of the individuals:
'Malice with taste, cruelty with restraint, and deceit with a smile.'
(An old paperback 19993 by Janice Law; A Safe Place to Die.)
I see the whakatane mayor wants White Island trips to resume. she's quoted as saying "nature of adventure tourism is that there is a degree of risk.." Risk of injury maybe but dying isn't part of healthy tourism industry.
Leadership required here as whilst we're known for adventure tourism, landing people on a small island that has an active volcano most would say is more than risky.
I turned down a trip there years ago as it's an active volcano, no thank you. Like whale watching, go close but don't endanger anyone. IMO no more landing tourists on the island ever again.
[Sadly, we will have to miss your lovely trolling contributions over Christmas because you have failed to respond to moderation requests. Banned for three weeks and enjoy the break – Incognito]
How much crystalline silicon have we in the world? I haven’t read all the article yet but the demand would be enormous. It could be a great idea but not sustainable, and obtaining it could damage the environment. So I will read on to check affects.
Thatsite has interesting science headings down the bottom, could be one to bookmark.
A lot of sand / rock is silicon – so no shortage of the underlying raw material. But takes significant energy to convert to the forms used in solar cells, so there is a potential greenhouse gas consideration.
Edit
The UK voters are queuing; that shows Brit solidarity and determination rising to the fore indicating determination for something, not apathy which might have fallen upon the benighted country grappling with EU disagreements within UK for the best part of…decades. I hope the determination is not to cut themselves adrift from Europe
which might be with a bang, but will end up with a whimper.
The Guardian has produced a great little timeline outlining important dates in the bubbling volcanic situation between the UK and the EU. The summaries make for interesting reading as these neighbours attempt harmonious and prosperous relationships.
Back to queues, I am reading a book by Polish Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski* who in WW2 got away to the UK in about 1940 with Polish troops and became Commander there. He said 'queue' was the first English word he learned. The Polish fought with the UK on the Allied side. When they arrived in England he notes his first sight was of the 'beautiful Plymouth cliffs'. The green grass, the brightly painted houses, the boys and girls swimming were peaceful and comforting, in contrast with frightened, burning France…
* Freely I Served by Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski from Battery Press, Nashville USA ISBN 0-89839-061-3
In a foreword to this book British General Sir Richard Gale writes; "In these days of alliances it is of vital importance that we British should understand our allies. They have points of view, often at variance with ours. Though their aims are the same as ours, their approach to problems will often differ."
The ties to Europe from the UK can not be lightly passed over. The idea of going off like rough and smart buccaneers comes from the upper classes, who often made all their money from extractive ventures in other countries where they gained dominance.
Independent trade experts from the UK Trade Policy Observatory (UKTPO) looked at the likely impact of US, Australian and New Zealand free trade deals.
They found that even combined, new tariff-cutting agreements were likely to boost the UK economy by just 0.4%.
A simple free trade deal would also depress the economy UKTPO said. The body said that moving from full EU membership to a simple deal with our closest trading partner – the objective enshrined in Boris Johnson's Withdrawal Agreement – would depress the size of the economy by at least 1.8%.
Not looking like a very promising end to the year….UK election and this
"The talks, known as COP25 in UN parlance, appear to be faltering, according to interviews with negotiators, delegates and observers, who say there is a serious risk of failure.
Developing countries are growing increasingly angry at what they have called concerted attempts by high-emitting countries to block progress in Madrid."
Yup, dirty politics by the massed forces of the British establishment appear to have been sufficient to grind the reputation of an extraordinarily principled man into the dust.
For @UKLabour leadership to blame Brexit for the result is mendacious nonsense. Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership was a bigger problem. To say otherwise is delusional. The Party’s leadership went down like a lead balloon on the doorstep. Labour’s leadership needs to take responsibility.
We warned this would happen. We tried everything we could to prevent the hard-left self-indulgence within the Labour Party. And now the country will pay the price. I’m so sorry too few within Labour took a stand with us, when it would have mattered.
[sorry Pete, lefties only in that thread – weka]
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Pete, when you are quoting tweets, please click on the date/time stamp of the tweet, then copy and paste the URL into the TS comment text box. This will link to the tweet not the account, and thus people can click through for context. Thanks.
if you don't want the tweet embedded, then you can past the quote, then click on the date/time stamp, copy the URL, then paste into a comment using the link HTML tags. More work that way.
also, if you want to talk politics with actual lefties and be taken seriously maybe focus more on the politics and less on taking potshots at the left.
I note in your "lefties only" comment item on the UK election that some (you included) are saying Jacinda will loose in 2020 because she is not left enough.
Surely the result in the UK shows that is wrong. Jacinda is successful because she is not seen as extreme. She uses progressive language, but does not threaten an economic revolution. Instead she says things can get better with a moderate amount of social democracy.
Most people don't want revolution because who knows where it might end up. Revolutions are full of risk. And basically don't happen in democratic nations.
While there is no doubt Johnson's simple Brexit message appeals because it offers certainty (in contrast to Labour promise of more confusion), I am also certain that Corbyn's socialist message did not appeal. What Labour needs is a modern Blair. In fact that is exactly what Jacinda is. Which in my view is why she is successful.
A question, would Blair be reviled if Iraq had never happened, or instead would he be seen as the most successful Labour Prime Minister ever?
No, I think Labour will get to form govt next year, but it will be closer than is comfortable for the left. Labour do have a problem in that many people voted Labour last time presumably because of JA (multiple reasons) but may be disappointed in what Labour have achieved. The solution to that is to vote Green, so we're not in the same situation as the UK.
"I am also certain that Corbyn's socialist message did not appeal."
Obviously not enough, but I think the UK election is more about poor voter turnout, people being sick of Brexit back and forth, Labour Leavers objecting to Labour's second referendum, vote splitting with the LDs, MSM and poll bias and so on. In other words, lots of dynamics going on.
The issue for the left is how to shift the Overton Window in NZ. I agree with you that NZ doesn't want a revolution, but that doesn't mean it's not possible to move the centre. The right has done this in the past 35 years without prior approval /shrug.
I know that is a theme with the momentum left, but in truth their views only appeal to a small minority of voters. Some on the left also accuse Helen Clark of also accepting/endorsing neo-liberalism, but most people regard her as a very good PM. Without Iraq wouldn't Blair be seen in the same light?
In my view NZers (apart from a mysogonist rump) have formed the same view of Jacinda as they did with Helen. A same pair of hands who won't fundamentally unsettle the economic compact that prevails in NZ (for instance her commitment against CGT so long as she is PM). The major criticism she gets is that she (her government) have not delivered that well on their stated targets. In my view that is fixable with more focus and discipline.
From a YouGov poll at the start of November, asking about policies in Labour's manifesto.
… and generally they are pretty, or very popular.
The tax rises on the rich are actually the most popular policy YouGov polled: The most popular is the 50 per cent tax rate for earnings over £123,000: 64 per cent of voters support that, with just 20 per cent opposed and 16 per cent not sure.
A 45 per cent rate for earnings over £80,000 is similarly popular: 60 per cent support and just 23 per cent oppose.
Concerns that voters would oppose tax rises on a bracket they one day hope to aspire to seem to be, frankly, not true.
The party's nationalisation plans are also broadly popular: 56 per cent support nationalising railways and just 22 per cent oppose. Water companies 50 per cent support and just 25 per cent oppose. Utilities like gas and electricity are supported by 45 per cent – though Labour's policy is less ambitious than this and relates to the national grid and publicly owned competitors.
The most high-profile announcement on broadband is a bit more complicated: voters aren't as sure about nationalising Openreach, with 32 per cent supporting and 31 per cent opposed – not an unpopular policy by any means. But the ends of the policy: free broadband for all, is widely supported. 62 per cent support the idea and 22 per cent oppose it.
The plans discussed by John McDonnell on Friday to overhaul corporate governance and make boards one third elected workers have also been very positively received: 54 per cent support these policies and 21 per cent oppose them.
What to make of all this? The public are absolutely not scared of government intervention and quite like Labour's socialist platform. These policies individually range from quite popular to ridiculously popular.
There's more that troubles the Left than you suppose Wayne. Clark rode into office on a wave of resentment against the vicious and ineffectual policies of the Black Decade of Gnat misrule.
Jacinda also needs to distance herself from the squalor and ineptitude of Gnat misrule, not cozy up to the fork- tongued weasels of the right.
The CGT is long overdue – but we understand, Boomer, that you never intended to pay your share.
Wayne, UK Labour is losing seats in the north because the working class there has Brexit sympathy. Given the Blairite faction is the pro Remain one in the caucus – while they will blame Corbyn for the defeat, it's an outright deceit.
Blair won elections – but he also encouraged local takeover of state schools, creating a lot of resistance in working class areas to inward migration by Moslems. Then there was the opening up of the labour market to the East Europeans (10 years before Germany) and thus an influx leading to northern support for Brexit. Whatever his intent it has come to bite Labour big time. And now they will blame it on Corbyn and reclaim their natural right to be lords managing the working class party like bosses of a company founded union.
And labour have picked up their only gain in Putney, my old stomping ground, which overwhelmingly voted remain.
Corbyn’s brexit stance has damaged labour, and proves that an each way bet may sometimes work on the gee gees, but not so much in politics.
Given Corbyn was leading a pro Remain caucus, how could he have taken a side that would have helped Labour hold (Brexit voting) seats in the north?
His real mistake was to agree to an election before Brexit was sorted. It was an election which would give BJ a majority for Brexit and cost him and maybe the left leadership of Labour.
I think the Al1en was highlighting that most Labour boroughs were pro brexit and the UK Labour position on that appears to have influenced the election outcome.
Here is a prediction of just that from a few weeks ago,
Harsh Wayne. I am generally a critic of NZ Labour but even I wouldn't accuse Jacinda of being NZs Tony Blair.
Also Iraq isn't something which just happened to the war criminal. Its a war he actively persued. His legacy is obviously not separable from the policies he persued in office.
While there is no doubt Johnson's simple Brexit message appeals because it offers the perception of certainty …
FIFY
This was not an election, it was the second referendum. Simplicity appeals because it makes it appear simple while, in fact, it is the opposite.
People were sick of it. However, the future is as uncertain as tomorrow’s Lotto numbers and perhaps even less so because we don’t even know how many balls are in the game and when they will be drawn. If Boris is the man to do it then I suggest people have no clue what it entails.
I don't consider myself a centrist. I don't think you have much idea at all about my political and policy preferences.
There's things I support across the spectrum, and also don't support. Same with politicians. I think two of the more successful MPs this year have been David Seymour on the End of Life Choice Bill and Chloe Swarbrick on a number of issues. Both have worked hard across party lines.
James Shaw has done pretty well given the political circumstances, again working cross party – but I know he's not left enough for some here either. Would you stop him from commenting in one of your lefty-only threads?
I don't really care what others may deem to be right or left, it's a pointless game unless you want to promote differences and division.
I understand that some old school activists can't fathom it,but it's becoming more common that people ignore political labels and pigeon holes and judge issues on what they see as their merits and drawbacks.
Actually while large party PR tries to promote differences there's a lot more common ground and cooperation in Parliament than is publicly apparent. Bloody centrists.
"I don't really care what others may deem to be right or left, it's a pointless game unless you want to promote differences and division."
And yet you clearly tried to join a dedicated left wing conversation. As mentioned, keep shitting on the left and we're hardly likely to want to engage.
Iain McNicol was general secretary of Labour from 2011 to 2018
I think it's you (and others) who shits on anyone deemed outside your political bubble. I get it that you don't like being told that, but I think it's a big problem for the leftward in Aotearoa. 'Divide and conquer' doesn't work very well when it's just on your own side of the political divide.
James and Chloe get how successful politics needs to work. Some of their party supporters could learn something off them, but I don't know whether that will happen.
I wasn’t referring to the tweet, but to you spending way more time here bitching about the left. It’s in most of your comments, about how lacking the left is and what their problem is. Maybe consider that I don’t want to talk politics with you because of that. You can choose to be defensive about that and continue doing, all I’m saying is that it won’t endear me to talk politics.
One of the reasons I support the Greens is because of their beyond L/R kaupapa. But it’s hard in a space like TS, which isn’t culturally green, to work with that. Much of that atm is due to trolling and the large amount of time/energy spent combating that, as well as the interpersonal stuff. This is why I am suggesting to you (not just today) to focus on the politics not the inter personal fighting and put downs of the left. If people are giving you a hard time based on history I think your redemption is to take the higher ground and talk politics. Not that will be necessarily easy, but the opposite will just keep you mired in the bullshit (and eventual bans). FWIW.
Dude, it was things that you claimed were across the spectrum.
So these things that you agree with that you said are from all parts of the spectrum, what % do you think, in your estimation, come from the right third, the middle third, and the left third of the spectrum?
Or is answering that question too close to introspection for your taste?
It's pretty much undefinable especially in any quantifiable way – but prove me wrong and try it for yourself if you like – and I think pretty much irrelevant.
In general I don't like the direction Bridges and National are moving at the moment, I think that while the government has been a bit slow and underperforming and underwhelming policies promoted by Labour and Greens seem mostly fairly good. I realise that's not left enough for some here, but it's around about where many voters seem to be comfortable.
You can't 'make' me anything. I may tend center-ish on some things, but I don't see myself as a centrist, because that suggest to me an unwillingness to look at ideas and policies right across the spectrum.
Both John Key and Jacinda Ardern have been described as political pragmatists – I largely support much of the approach of both of them, but with some criticisms.
But that's nothing like a centrist label. Why do you see a need to label other than to exclude people from some of your discussions?
You want more people to support the Greens (I've voted Green at times) but dump on people that don't fit with whatever you think is necessary to be green. That seems counter-productive to me.
I think that one of the best ways of learning about issues is by engaging with people with different ideals and ideals. But I have found that engagement is not what most political activists seem to want, they prefer the 'agree or you're an enemy' type of approach.
It's not me making you centrist Pete, it's your views.
"I largely support much of the approach of both of them, but with some criticisms."
QED.
You can call yourself whatever you like Pete, and sure, pick a word that isn't 'centrist', but that doesn't make you left wing. I'm sorry, it just doesn't. LW people don't support John Key.
You want more people to support the Greens (I've voted Green at times) but dump on people that don't fit with whatever you think is necessary to be green. That seems counter-productive to me.
I'm not actually expect you to support the Greens, but it is true that I've given you a hard time over the years. Before I was an author and mod that was mostly driven by seeing the impact you had on the discussions coupled with you being unwilling to take feedback on it and instead staying to fight which just causes disruptions. That's not about your politics but instead is about how you engage. The Chairman has a similar problem and it is hard to overcome such a reputation.
But, you know how to think and formulate and argument and what I am suggesting here is that instead of choosing to fight about your right to be here or part of the left, instead talk politics. eg this conversation started with you debating the way the Lefties thread is being run. Instead you could have talked about the UK election.
If you want to talk meta politics (eg how political debate happens on TS, issues with L/R framing), then try and separate out the behaviour from the personal stuff. But I think you need to be solid on the political debate first.
"If you want to talk meta politics (eg how political debate happens on TS, issues with L/R framing), then try and separate out the behaviour from the personal stuff. But I think you need to be solid on the political debate first."
That's really funny, but I presume you didn't intend it as a joke.
You at least tacitly support personal attacks and sideshows here with no attempt made to discuss the topic raised (that happened a day or two ago and many times in the past) when I post something, and blame me for that behaviour?
Next thing will you be saying that posting something that someone else may disagree with is asking for it?
“You at least tacitly support personal attacks and sideshows here with no attempt made to discuss the topic raised (that happened a day or two ago and many times in the past) when I post something, and blame me for that behaviour?”
In the interests of us getting somewhere then, can you please link me to what you are referring to and give a brief explanation of what you think I am missing in terms of moderation? My memory of the past week was of a lot of time and energy being spent managing trolls, and doing some early intervention to dampen down fires. It’s entirely possibly I am missing something, so it’s always better to be specific (otherwise I won’t know how you are seeing things).
“Next thing will you be saying that posting something that someone else may disagree with is asking for it?”
As you know, my position, and something I say reasonably often when moderating is that abuse for its own sake isn’t ok, but that people can get away with being rude if they are making a political comment. It’s the balance between the robust debate ethic and not using tone or language that puts other people off. I don’t set the standard for that here, but like other mods I do influence it by how I moderate. I’m open to feedback that is constructive.
In terms of asking for it, unfortunately it’s a dynamic of many online spaces (and RL too) that communities of people just get sick of certain patterns of behaviour when they go on too long. There’s not really anything much a moderator can do about that once it involves a large number of people. Hence the tendency to focus on the person perceived as having the problematic behaviour. The obvious exception to that is if a mob forms and targets someone, but that’s not so common on TS at the moment (have seen it in other political spaces though). What people forget here is that much of moderation comes down to lessening moderator work load in the future and often in the ends if there is an intractable problem it’s just more efficient to remove the most impactful part of the dynamic. It’s not that people are asking for abuse, it’s that there are people who just simply refuse to change and there has to be a break point somewhere if we don’t want the community destroyed.
If you confuse my comments with some kind of official declaration by the site's moderators, that's not my fault. You've said you're bemused by "this left/right division" – in that case, take the advice of people who aren't bemused by it: no, you're not part of the left.
Obviously I'm not part of the left who judge everyone else's leftworthiness and dump on anyone deemed not up to scratch, but I don't think you own membership of the left.
If your "the left" drives all the unworthy away what do you think you will have left? Probably only infighting left.
Only you seem to be under the impression you've been deemed "unworthy" of something, Pete. The rest of us are just pointing out that "lefties on the The Standard" doesn't include you, for reasons you've provided extensively via your comments.
I will add that I did think about the good of TS generally in running a leftie only post on UK election day when it was likely that no other author would put up an election post. But actually, with some exceptions, the quality of right wing contributions to the commentariat at the moment is so low I don't think it matters. Most of the volume from the right recently has been Gosman and co trolling. I'm pleased to see some other righties making an effort and I hope this increases. Bring decent political discussion to the table and we'll all have a better time.
FYI, James, if you comment like a “righty” you are likely to cop some flak but might also earn some respect depending on how you handle things. If you act like a stirrer, you will cop a ban.
Yet United Future's positioning is (was) quite a long way from your claimed position, and there's three other parties awfully close to the line between your claimed position and UF.
Not really, I had a dabble which was a very interesting experience but very much from the outside – and I had an undertaking that I could promote cannabis law reform if the opportunity arose.
But that's a long time ago and has little to nothing to do with now – except that after the efforts of many people from different political leanings cannabis law reform may be a reality in the next year or two. I had a very useful discussion with Kevin Hague on it while he was still an MP. Some Green supporters are happy to talk to anyone with common interests.
Could be a decade or more. Or maybe someone with a more engaging and pragmatic personality will emerge from the ranks and turn things around like Jacinda did.
Let's face it, BloJo really isn't likely to do anything that's going to improve his image and popularity, is he? So he's always going to be vulnerable to a Labour party with a leader that's at least moderately acceptable.
That's one of the things that's always bothered me about political defeats. Instead of regrouping and thinking about what could be done differently/better next time, people start slagging each other off, and screeching, "This is all your fault!" Labour looks likely to lose, and that sucks. Britain has a chance to do something different and better under the leadership of beige, cardigan-wearing hippie with a track record of fighting the good fight and only the best of intentions. Instead they'll probably chose the leadership of a pathological liar with a personal grooming phobia — a man who would rather hide in a fridge than face the humiliation of being grilled by the media. Because he's quite obviously full of shit and making it up as he goes along.
If the Tories win… well done, Britain. Give yourself an upper cut.
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Yeah, that's how I see it too. Not Boris or Jeremy, Left or Right. A simple 'Leave' or 'Remain' choice.
I guess the people voted for Leave, and Boris made a clear and time stamped promise to fulfill that (forgetting for the moment whether or not he can deliver), and Jeremy…. well what did Jeremy want – leave or remain?
Therein lies the seeds of Labours defeat today. I guess defy the will of the people at your peril.
Dont discount that Corbyn was unelectable. Brexit may have been the defining issue – but Corbyn is the reason for the mammoth defeat that will have the Tories in power for a decade.
Defy the will of the majority you mean. Let's face it, the majority are frequently morons who only understand words of one syllable. That could be described as a fault across all Labour/Labor parties who like to use words of two syllables or more.
For the more moronic among us (ie.rwnjs) yes, I’m exaggerating to make a point.
We can look forward to fun and games watching the Tories bugger-up Brexit and Britain (with the possible exception of Scotland) goes down the gurgler.
You keep talking about "the people" and "everyone" as though referring to some overwhelming majority, rather than a plurality of voters. The UK has an FPP electoral system, so a "landslide" win could mean little more than 40% of the vote. Likewise, a "landslide" loss could also mean more than 40% of the vote. There is no "the people have spoken" under FPP, just some decisions by a relatively small number of voters in a relatively small number of seats. That's why we dumped it.
Anne. The 'majority' are just that. So you think MOST people are morons who, presumably because they disagree with you, are not capable of understanding what affects them or not?
So clearly, in your eyes, the majority should not have the right to choose their future. Yeah, let's bring in those who know better and can think on their behalf.
Pathetic. The extreme left always pretend to speak for the people, but never wish to listen to them.
I suggest you read your post again, as clearly the concept of democracy is something you either fail to understand or do not believe in. And you are a Labour NZ person of long standing who, at least publicly, pretended to wish to represent the people. Not good.
Get off your high horse and read what I said P chch
1) I made it clear I was exaggerating.
2) I was baiting James who has a history for making exaggerated claims and starting flame wars. Hence the reason he regularly gets banned from this site.
3) I wasn't disclaiming your view rather adding to it.
4) Many people are politically moronic naive. If it is considered non-pc to say so then… happy to admit I'm non-pc.
Perhaps that little endpiece /sarc should be used again. People who when annoyed don't go out and kinghit somebody, or kick the cat or dog, need to vent with sarcasm, irony, wit or whatever as the more controlled and cerebral outlet. But some people have never developed the ironic bit in the brain that can tell when someone is having someone on.
I am just reading Our Kids – the American Dream in Crisis by Robert D Putnam and on p161 I think he talks about the importance of brain development from pre-natal time and especially 3-5 years. I think many NZs lack much stimulation in these foundation years. He talks about what seems to be the 'tennis affect' – the baby gurgles or utters sounds, the carer looks at the baby and makes a sound in turn. Then the baby tries that simple communication again, and is encouraged by interest from the carer, and so on. Simple eh, and not new, but just confirmed as absolutely necessary for underpinning the habit of communication and confirmation of the worth of the individual's thought.
learn some maths sunshine…conservatives 43.6% brexit 3 %..the conservatives got a plurality ..which under fpp gave them a big majority of seats…they were further away from a majority of voters than national were here
It's so sweet that you think the Conservative Party got a majority of the vote. Or at least, it would be sweet if you were a child. In an adult it would just be exasperating – hopefully you're under 18?
WOW – Ruth Smeeth, the Labour candidate for Stoke-on-Trent North.
"Jeremy Corbyn’s action on antisemitism have made us the nasty party. We are the racist party. When you have a prime minister who has said such vile Islamphonic comments and we’re the racist party because of the actions of my leader, then we have a real real problem.
The Labour party needs detoxified, we need to move on and this culture needs destroyed within the party."
Personally I think anyone who stood behind Corbyn and his party while comments like the above deserve to lose their seat.
Notice she used the expression "Jews". That is regarded as a demeaning slang word for "Jewish" people. If she doesn't know the correct nomenclature, then you have to wonder if the rest of her rant is any more correct.
I don't know the truth for sure, but have long held the suspicion that the extent of anti-semitism inside the British Labour Party has been a big beat-up by Corbyn opponents.
I agree, Anne – a big beat-up. The interesting thing is that earlier on when they tried to oust Corbyn, they could not because he had inspired so many new members to join up with the Labour Party.
What will happen now, if those disillusioned new members leave Labour? Few will replace them, and Labour could now find its membership diminished, as well as its voice in Parliament.
Emily Thornberry impresses me. A strong, compassionate and very articulate woman who could stand up to anything the Tories – and Boris Johnson in particular – tried to throw at her.
She would be my pick for the next leader of the British Labour Party.
So, is Smeeth disingenuous or stupid? I presume disingenuous, ie she wants Corbyn gone so is happy to smear him using Tory talking points she knows are bullshit. At least we're agreed she deserved to lose her seat.
Its a lot more likely that she knows a lot more about the guy than you do.
No doubt. And yet she says
…we’re the racist party because of the actions of my leader…
without specifying those actions (because there aren't any) and without mentioning the actual cause of the propaganda campaign alleging anti-semitism against Corbyn (payback from UK Israel lobbyists for his pro-Palestinian views, and the usual right-wing dirty politics).
My assumption is that a Labour MP would have to be either disingenuous or stupid to peddle that bullshit, because there isn't any obvious third possibility. Do you see one?
"There is only one poll that counts – and it’s today."
Irrespective of whether that is true, you mocked Corbyn for saying that Labour's policies were popular. Research shows he is right.
It doesn't take theoretical physics to see that this was a complex election with many dynamics, some of them unusual. Denying one aspect of that supported by evidence seems like hubris.
The Leader of the Opposition in Ottawa, Conservative Andrew Scheer has just resigned. He was facing a backlash for his performance on the hustings in the recent Federal Election and some in the party had started to leak against him. It’s been revealed he had quietly diverted Cons Party funds to help pay for his 5 kids private school fees in Ottawa.
Edit!
Thatcher declared 'There's no such thing as society' And set in action policies to ensure that was true.
Centrist Labour, trying not to step over the line marked where the RW starts, is trying to think of a catchphrase for themselves that dissembles but means 'There is no such thing as labour',
Replacing physical labour they need to read Terry Pratchett's Discworld book where he outlines the principles and practice of ‘headology*'; a new way of thinking about things. Politics has always been a sideshow, with sleight-of-hand, confusing legerdemain and magical promises, and this has reached a stage of high art. Wise witches developed 'headology' and anything they thought must be better than what is too often grimy drivel we hear from pollies.
In NZ the Labour Coalition has been trying but people should note that the strain is so much on many of the politicians who try to be good and practical, and care about the country, that they often die of exhaustion and stress-related disease before being able to implement their ideas in full. The death of Michael Savage and Norman Kirk come to mind; now Shane Jones has need of some RandR.
*Headology. From Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki. Like psychology, but many witches think "psychology" is a bad word, or that it means "having a psychological problem". The practice of headology relies on the principle that what people believe is what is real.Sep 3, 2017
Headology – Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki – LSpace Wiki https://wiki.lspace.org › mediawiki › Headology
Well that's being charitable I think. Why can't they deliver in your opinion? And Labour doesn’t seem drawn very far to the left very notably either here or in the UK. Just putting a few toes in the water.
Shamabeel Equb advising that new controls on bank businesses will result in higher prices for borrowers. Oh dear. Each year, the uncontrolled buying of homes needed for real people to live in, by investors wanting solid reliable investments has put the prices up by over 10% per annum and out of reach of ordinary people. Heaven forbid that we should stop those inflationary price rises!
From people who think like shop tills 'ker-ching'; – to having our news collected, sorted, promoted by machines, (and who drives the machines?) Algorithmically turbo-charged journalism
Two big tragedies now this year in NZ which have a taint of carelessness of government controls in the background requiring compassion from our Prime Minister with soothing words. What is then to be done to put it right, and ensure that there are no more preventable tragedies. Do older commenters remember the motto of company LV Martin 'It's the putting right that counts'? That is an oldie but a goodie, still true.
Yes Its good that the Auckland City mission is taking a more thoughtful approach to gifting Kai to the poor Allso using Marae to help with the increaseing numbers of poor. This is not just A Aotearoa phenomenon this is happening all around the world.
I agree with the Professor from Otago. There is A old saying about
He tangata He tangata have to keep the pressure on the climate deniers to change the world so Our mokopuna will have a healthy environment and healthy wildlife. We have to become carbon neutral ASAP.
The UN climate talks are over for another year – was anything achieved?
A conference marked by squabbling and deferral yielded little progress despite protests
Two weeks of talks ended on Sunday afternoon with a formal recognition of the need to bridge the gap between greenhouse gas targets set in 2015 in Paris and scientific advice that says much deeper cuts are needed. Current targets would put the world on track for 3C of warming, which scientists say would ravage coastal cities and destroy agriculture over swathes of the globe.
Few countries came up with new targets at these talks.
The snail’s pace and low ambition of the talks stood in stark contrast to pleas from activists, who staged a 500,000-strong march through the Spanish capital. Greta Thunberg, the Swedish school striker, said the last year of protests had “achieved nothing” as countries were still failing to bring forward the measures needed
“The world is screaming out for action but this summit responded with a whisper. The poorest nations are in a sprint for survival, yet many governments have barely moved from the starting blocks. Instead of committing to more ambitious cuts in emissions, countries have argued over technicalities.
The EU came up with the strongest new plan, finally agreeing a bloc-wide goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2050. Scores of smaller countries agreed similar long-term targets, but other major emitters held back.
There was widespread recognition that long-term targets are not enough, and the pressure is now on to forge a short-term climate plan for the next 10 years. The UK will play a leading role
I say war is for Idiots why kill other humans just because some people are different. We need to learn to respect all cultures. We need to remember and respect our Tipuna /Ancestors We need to have respect for our Mokopuna / Grandchildren future. I avoided this subject because I know how these people behave. Thanks for publishing this story.
The climate emergency, military emissions and Greta Thunberg.
With reference to your report on the COP25 climate talks in Madrid (13 December), we have just returned from Madrid, where we displayed a large banner saying “War causes climate change and climate change causes war”. Thousands of passing delegates expressed a great interest in, and approval of, the message.
Scientists for Global Responsibility estimates that 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions result from military-related activity – apart from the unfathomable human devastation – so at first sight it appears astonishing that the subject of war does not feature in the COP negotiations; nor are its emissions taken into account when reduction targets are set.
Perhaps this absence can be explained by the fact that military-related emissions have been excluded by some of the largest polluters from the global north whose delegates, as government officials, will naturally avoid jeopardising lucrative arms and military aid contracts, and whose people do not suffer the catastrophic wars and climatic devastation that directly affect the global south. Evidently we cannot rely on government negotiators to address the subject of war and militarism.
We have to stop believing that war is inevitable and accept that international climate finance offers better value in both resolving conflict and sustaining the environment than the equivalent spent on military operations
• I was delighted to see Greta Thunberg announced as Time magazine’s person of the year (Report, 12 December). For me, after so many years of campaigning on environmental issues, it has been a huge relief that now, in 2019, the future of the planet has finally entered the political mainstream – and not a moment too soon.
This is thanks, in no small part, to the vision and actions of Greta herself, but also to those many others whom she has inspired to take up the fight. The world is realising the scale of the threat posed by every aspect of our destructive exploitation of our lovely planet.
Now we need to see some real political leadership so that the leading nations of the world, our own included, can ensure a real revolution in practice, to match the fiery ambitions that have been lit up in our hearts by this inspirational Swedish teenager
Edit
Some extracts from Robert D Putnam book Our Kids The American Dream in Crisis.
Under What Is to be Done after he has explored problems through talking and discussing their formative years with those who have emerged affected by their various backgrounds, either triumphant or okay but still struggling, he covers suggestions under these headings:
Family Structure, Child Deveopment and Parenting, Schools, Community.
These are some of the ideas aired.
Under Community – He refers to what he has found about the importance of neighborhood effects and puts two bullet points – Invest in poor neighbourhoods and, Move poor families to better neighbourhoods which generally has positive results especially on younger kids. (He found some areas that were totally munted, guns everywhere, and people unable and unwilling to help each other, isolated in the safety of their homes.)
Under Schools – he talks about groups of say 100 students within larger high schools, offering a mixed curriculum of academic and hands-on technical couses for work skills. This to replace the neglected workforce training in the USA. We used to have this system in NZ, but probably along with other lacklustre policies from recent governments, it has been 'let go'.
Under Child Development and Parenting – Children do better if the parent does not work during their first year, and 'Virtually all other advanced countries' are more supportive to parents than USA. Then quality day-care. Read to your children every day. Help programs from trained professionals for parents as needed.
Family Structure – 'By some estimates, 60% of births to young, single women are unplanned, and [note] low-income women don't aspire to have more children than more affluent women. Teen pregnancies have dropped dramatically over recent decades.
But it is felt that young adult women, lacking definite goals and pathways for the future, are more inclined to accept pregnancy as a milestone achieved in their lives, in the absence of a good man to be husband or permanent partner.
And from an economic point oif view, investing in the young saves large further cost in the future, the young become productive increasing the state income by billions.
The fact that capitalist states choose not to consider these figures, and to be cheese-paring about supporting and guiding with known good practices, the raising ofhealthy, active and happy poor kids must be an example of mean prejudice, the Scrooge-like mentality. There is the sickness noted in the book Affluenza, and which is illustrated in the real-life story of Grandpa Getty who was refusing to pay a ransom for his kidnapped grandson, even when they cut off his ear to show they meant business. A torture to the body, but also to the heart to think that no-one loved or cared about him. The story of his mother's campaign to save him was told in the film –
All the Money in the World is a 2017 crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa, based on John Pearson's 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Money_in_the_World
Q. How did J. Paul Getty die? A. Heart failure!
How did he make his money. By hard work, careful money management, and an abstemious life. Hah.
J. Paul Getty took the reins of Getty Oil along with many other businesses that went with it when his father died in 1930. … J. Paul Getty became a billionaire after negotiating a series of oil leases with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait starting in 1949. He soon was being widely reported as the richest man alive.
Ordinary good people who have the security of a job and prospects, have to turn to give some time to help others to have the opportunities they have. And because of the economic multiplier effect, the more people working, trading, enjoying life, the more the money flows around, the more work there is, and the more enjoyment and community. Let's keep at it.
That's a rip off tipical pakiha ripping Tangata Whenua off.
$9 million.
Rua kenana was treated badly by the Crown just like most Tangata Whenua. Some think they got treated fairly but next minute the crown is pulling the rug out from under our feet or our mokopuna future.
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
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 Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University A year ago, the AUKUS agreement was formally announced between Australian and UK Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden. The agreement mapped out the “optimal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andreas Helwig, Associate Professor, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland SmartS/Shutterstock Steam locomotives clattering along railway tracks. Paddle steamers churning down the Murray. Dreadnought battleships powered by steam engines. Many of us think the age of steam has ended. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carrie Leonetti, Associate Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Victims who experience family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand are treated differently, depending on which part of the justice system they turn to for help. But a new member’s bill ...
Good morning all. Big day today.
I hope it is not a sign of things to come today but OM got ‘stuck’ and missed its schedule by 7 min.
Apologies for the inconvenience.
Isn't it just scheduled?
sometimes scheduling fails for reasons completely invisible to me. Not usually posts set that far ahead though. Weird.
I do the scheduling but occasionally scheduled posts failed to appear (!?) and I have to push them out manually. I noticed 7:06 AM and needed a minute to get over the shock 😉
There is a fail-safe that will eventually unstick it. But 7 minutes is a bit long.
However that can wait until well after I fall off a plane in jetlagged state on monday.
Friday the 13th…..who's going to wear the bad luck?
I hope you touched wood after that comment.
The tragedy at White Island shows the importance of provincial hopistals, like the one at Whakatane. Most of these hospitals were closed down in the 1990's by National to pay for tax cuts, thankfully, Whakatane's was somehow kept open.
I agree. if there was a major tragedy in the Central Otago/Lakes district, or Fiordland, then there would be grossly inadequate hospital care available. Helicopters are used a lot now (they are in and out of Dunedin all the time), and there are advantages with evacuating people to larger hospitals, but capacity, travel time and weather are potential issues.
No live volcanoes down this way, but there are major faultlines so earthquakes are an obvious risk.
there's a difference between not having basic secondary support and not having sufficient support to deal with a couple of dozen serious cases requiring ICU or specialists.
I'm impressed by how smoothly the dedicated burns units around the country have shared the load. Imagine needing a million square cm of skin for repeated grafting during the healing process.
Expect roadworks galore over summer as maintenance budgets catch up on a decade of being diverted to building wasteful duplicate highways instead. Where are govt comms teams on this? https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/405389/nzta-doubles-road-maintenance-for-this-summer
Major re-seal underway this week at Lake Hayes, about 5 km of it. Less than two weeks to Christmas…… tradie meltdown.
Credit to contractors though, they are doing a really good job of it and managing traffic well.
Great irony is that it was last resealed about 3 years ago and fell to pieces because of a cheap job with no traffic management on the new seal. Going from less than 5000 vehicles/day 20 years ago to over 30,000 probably doesn't help either.
who is paying for the reseal?
Bloody good question. But when the last seal was done it was pretty obvious what was going to happen with the amount of post seal traffic control, and both contractors were the same, so I'd be looking at NZTA there for screwing the price down. Resealing is a very refined and practiced game, so that reduced price comes from doing less.
I've seen seal lift like that a few times, notably the Bay road on the Otago Peninsula. That would have been a DCC contract. Maybe the contracts need more scrutiny.
Culture of trying to hold cost down, which results in only doing half the job.
Would have been interesting to see how National would have handled it if they had stayed in power, but a huge amount has to be done quite quickly. Big shout to the infrastructure team in Government that they are just doing it.
what I don't understand is why the contracts don't include a 'if it fails you hav to fix it' clause.
They do, but if the contractor's work is within the scope of the contract then it's the principle's problem. A prudent contractor will tag out anything they foresee causing a problem as well. Pretty rare that a contractor stuffs up, does happen but margins aren't that great and having to re-do jobs hurts, even big contractors can't handle much of that, ie Fletchers
Generally roading problems go back to poorly scoped and / or specified contracts
what was the technical issue with the Lake Hayes road (apart from the traffic control)?
Part of the issues sit with the way the budgets work around new spends and maintenance. In short money is scrimped in the build phase to make a budget look good and then the fix up comes from the maintenance budget which is more opaque.
Contractors for the most part aren't thay keen on doing a half arsed job but that's where the contract specs…
Yes, we've been happy to pocket the income from more visitors but not to build the infrastructure they need. Public toilets are a disgrace too.
That growth isn't so much from the visitors, but from "locals". Building houses to house people to build more houses.
5,000>30,000 daily in 20 years for vehicles on road near Lake Hayes. Would NZ tourists and new settlers in the area have caused that? Mainly international tourists causing that sort of exponential rise?
Mainly "locals". Interesting driving past a line of stopped traffic and getting a good look at the vehicles and occupants. Vast majority are either resident or construction related.
A tight little circular economy; land sold, builders come, vital services installed, buyers come, traffic comes, more services and better roads needed. Repeat. But has that served the resident populations needs and interests? It brings to mind Flanders and Swann 'It all makes work for the working man to do.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1dvAxA9ib0
Scary thing up here is that there's no economy to pay for it all. Tourism doesn't pay that many million dollar mortgages.
So building houses to house people to build more houses.
Going to be really entertaining when it all unwinds
Yes that's the picture I got from your comment. Seems that this house stuff is like a big Ponzi scheme. There just isn't enough reliable business going on to invest in that will produce 8% or more dividend annually. So solid-brick housing, or what appears to be solid, is the plat du jour.
Too much money sloshing around while those diseased with affluenza have the gripe and the gout from accumulated money blockage but won't allow a small operation to make the equivalent of an organ donation to a small-loans low interest bank so that it can be used where it will give immediate relief and healthy, steady growth.
I have been reading a crime novel that is so-so. But the author has come up with an apt description of the residents of a self-centred, materialistic, hubristic gated community. I thought that the above description of the culture of the community sizes up National Party thinking. The author describes the attitudes of the individuals:
(An old paperback 19993 by Janice Law; A Safe Place to Die.)
I see the whakatane mayor wants White Island trips to resume. she's quoted as saying "nature of adventure tourism is that there is a degree of risk.." Risk of injury maybe but dying isn't part of healthy tourism industry.
Leadership required here as whilst we're known for adventure tourism, landing people on a small island that has an active volcano most would say is more than risky.
I turned down a trip there years ago as it's an active volcano, no thank you. Like whale watching, go close but don't endanger anyone. IMO no more landing tourists on the island ever again.
First question is "how did tour operators assess the risk before each trip?"
next question, how are they getting informed consent to do low risk/high consequence tourism?
Wow, that's kind of early for a Mayor to be having that conversation. They're still bringing the bodies home, and the rahui is still in place.
I would support the govt providing financial support for people affected by loss of income. This is what the social security system is meant to do.
This was probably more interesting earlier in the morning, but here's the HMNZS Wellington and support boat near Whakaari.
https://www.myshiptracking.com/
Hatip mpledger the day of the eruption.
Exit polls indicate Bills predictions were a long way off – lets see what the evening delivers.
[Deleted]
[You have not yet fully complied with moderation requests. Last warning – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 11:29 AM.
[Deleted]
[Sadly, we will have to miss your lovely
trollingcontributions over Christmas because you have failed to respond to moderation requests. Banned for three weeks and enjoy the break – Incognito]See my Moderation note @ 11:13 AM.
https://newatlas.com/materials/scientists-punched-holes-solar-cells-transparent/
Imagine if every pane of glass produced electricity
That is a great idea bwaghorn. Thanks for link.
How much crystalline silicon have we in the world? I haven’t read all the article yet but the demand would be enormous. It could be a great idea but not sustainable, and obtaining it could damage the environment. So I will read on to check affects.
Thatsite has interesting science headings down the bottom, could be one to bookmark.
A lot of sand / rock is silicon – so no shortage of the underlying raw material. But takes significant energy to convert to the forms used in solar cells, so there is a potential greenhouse gas consideration.
Edit
The UK voters are queuing; that shows Brit solidarity and determination rising to the fore indicating determination for something, not apathy which might have fallen upon the benighted country grappling with EU disagreements within UK for the best part of…decades. I hope the determination is not to cut themselves adrift from Europe
which might be with a bang, but will end up with a whimper.
The Guardian has produced a great little timeline outlining important dates in the bubbling volcanic situation between the UK and the EU. The summaries make for interesting reading as these neighbours attempt harmonious and prosperous relationships.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/25/a-timeline-of-britains-eu-membership-in-guardian-reporting
Back to queues, I am reading a book by Polish Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski* who in WW2 got away to the UK in about 1940 with Polish troops and became Commander there. He said 'queue' was the first English word he learned. The Polish fought with the UK on the Allied side. When they arrived in England he notes his first sight was of the 'beautiful Plymouth cliffs'. The green grass, the brightly painted houses, the boys and girls swimming were peaceful and comforting, in contrast with frightened, burning France…
* Freely I Served by Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski from Battery Press, Nashville USA ISBN 0-89839-061-3
In a foreword to this book British General Sir Richard Gale writes; "In these days of alliances it is of vital importance that we British should understand our allies. They have points of view, often at variance with ours. Though their aims are the same as ours, their approach to problems will often differ."
‘The Polish forces as a whole are considered to have been the 4th largest Allied army in Europe, after the Soviet Union, United States and Britain.’… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_contribution_to_World_War_II#Polish_Forces_(West)
The ties to Europe from the UK can not be lightly passed over. The idea of going off like rough and smart buccaneers comes from the upper classes, who often made all their money from extractive ventures in other countries where they gained dominance.
In actuality: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50719616
Brexit: Free trade deals 'won't offset leaving EU'
Independent trade experts from the UK Trade Policy Observatory (UKTPO) looked at the likely impact of US, Australian and New Zealand free trade deals.
They found that even combined, new tariff-cutting agreements were likely to boost the UK economy by just 0.4%.
A simple free trade deal would also depress the economy UKTPO said.
The body said that moving from full EU membership to a simple deal with our closest trading partner – the objective enshrined in Boris Johnson's Withdrawal Agreement – would depress the size of the economy by at least 1.8%.
Looking like Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson is could lose her seat – Excellent news. Its lining up to be a good day – lots of interesting results to come.
Not looking like a very promising end to the year….UK election and this
"The talks, known as COP25 in UN parlance, appear to be faltering, according to interviews with negotiators, delegates and observers, who say there is a serious risk of failure.
Developing countries are growing increasingly angry at what they have called concerted attempts by high-emitting countries to block progress in Madrid."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/405333/cop25-hopes-for-a-miracle-as-climate-talks-appear-to-falter
For anyone who thought Corbyn wasnt the problem.
You were wrong.
https://twitter.com/IanMurrayMP/status/1205271817839095810
Yup, dirty politics by the massed forces of the British establishment appear to have been sufficient to grind the reputation of an extraordinarily principled man into the dust.
Pfft – much you know about Corbyn.
https://twitter.com/Maitahitui/status/1205217184240193537
Labour MPs who are not happy:
@Siobhain_Mc
Sorry @daneacross this is one mans fault. His campaign, his manifesto, his leadership.
@VotePhilWilson
For @UKLabour leadership to blame Brexit for the result is mendacious nonsense. Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership was a bigger problem. To say otherwise is delusional. The Party’s leadership went down like a lead balloon on the doorstep. Labour’s leadership needs to take responsibility.
@ChrisLeslieUK
We warned this would happen. We tried everything we could to prevent the hard-left self-indulgence within the Labour Party. And now the country will pay the price. I’m so sorry too few within Labour took a stand with us, when it would have mattered.
[sorry Pete, lefties only in that thread – weka]
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Pete, when you are quoting tweets, please click on the date/time stamp of the tweet, then copy and paste the URL into the TS comment text box. This will link to the tweet not the account, and thus people can click through for context. Thanks.
it will look like this (and I think one tweet per comment is better unless there is a good reason to put them together).
https://twitter.com/Siobhain_Mc/status/1205252381807656960
https://twitter.com/VotePhilWilson/status/1205274706439475202
https://twitter.com/ChrisLeslieUK/status/1205279445709443073
if you don't want the tweet embedded, then you can past the quote, then click on the date/time stamp, copy the URL, then paste into a comment using the link HTML tags. More work that way.
Obviously you get to judge leftness in this case.
But:
https://i2.wp.com/www.gotoquiz.com/politics/grid/16×22.gif
From https://yournz.org/2019/02/09/political-compass-policies-versus-practice/
That put me close to the Maori, Mana and Green parties and a long way left of Labour and especially National.
pity your commenting history doesn't reflect that then.
It probably depends on what you consider passes for leftness – that further lefties are intolerant of anyone deemed doesn't determine my politics.
But according to some on your lefty only post the Labour MPs and ex MPs I quoted probably wouldn't be deemed lefties either.
I find this left/right division quite amusing and bemusing – and often quite inaccurate. And some wonder why 'the left' is struggling for support.
Pete, you're a centrist. Own it and be proud of it.
also, if you want to talk politics with actual lefties and be taken seriously maybe focus more on the politics and less on taking potshots at the left.
Weka,
I note in your "lefties only" comment item on the UK election that some (you included) are saying Jacinda will loose in 2020 because she is not left enough.
Surely the result in the UK shows that is wrong. Jacinda is successful because she is not seen as extreme. She uses progressive language, but does not threaten an economic revolution. Instead she says things can get better with a moderate amount of social democracy.
Most people don't want revolution because who knows where it might end up. Revolutions are full of risk. And basically don't happen in democratic nations.
While there is no doubt Johnson's simple Brexit message appeals because it offers certainty (in contrast to Labour promise of more confusion), I am also certain that Corbyn's socialist message did not appeal. What Labour needs is a modern Blair. In fact that is exactly what Jacinda is. Which in my view is why she is successful.
A question, would Blair be reviled if Iraq had never happened, or instead would he be seen as the most successful Labour Prime Minister ever?
would Blair be reviled if Iraq had never happened
Given how strongly some commenters here condemn Bill Clinton and Obama, I assume that's just a rhetorical question.
No, I think Labour will get to form govt next year, but it will be closer than is comfortable for the left. Labour do have a problem in that many people voted Labour last time presumably because of JA (multiple reasons) but may be disappointed in what Labour have achieved. The solution to that is to vote Green, so we're not in the same situation as the UK.
"I am also certain that Corbyn's socialist message did not appeal."
Obviously not enough, but I think the UK election is more about poor voter turnout, people being sick of Brexit back and forth, Labour Leavers objecting to Labour's second referendum, vote splitting with the LDs, MSM and poll bias and so on. In other words, lots of dynamics going on.
The issue for the left is how to shift the Overton Window in NZ. I agree with you that NZ doesn't want a revolution, but that doesn't mean it's not possible to move the centre. The right has done this in the past 35 years without prior approval /shrug.
Blair is hated because of how he cemented neoliberalism. Without Iraq only the neoliberals would see him as a great PM.
weka,
I know that is a theme with the momentum left, but in truth their views only appeal to a small minority of voters. Some on the left also accuse Helen Clark of also accepting/endorsing neo-liberalism, but most people regard her as a very good PM. Without Iraq wouldn't Blair be seen in the same light?
In my view NZers (apart from a mysogonist rump) have formed the same view of Jacinda as they did with Helen. A same pair of hands who won't fundamentally unsettle the economic compact that prevails in NZ (for instance her commitment against CGT so long as she is PM). The major criticism she gets is that she (her government) have not delivered that well on their stated targets. In my view that is fixable with more focus and discipline.
Wayne,
From a YouGov poll at the start of November, asking about policies in Labour's manifesto.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tactical-voting-blog/labour-manifesto-policies-popular-polling-nationalise-tax-rising-a9214276.html
There's more that troubles the Left than you suppose Wayne. Clark rode into office on a wave of resentment against the vicious and ineffectual policies of the Black Decade of Gnat misrule.
Jacinda also needs to distance herself from the squalor and ineptitude of Gnat misrule, not cozy up to the fork- tongued weasels of the right.
The CGT is long overdue – but we understand, Boomer, that you never intended to pay your share.
Wayne, UK Labour is losing seats in the north because the working class there has Brexit sympathy. Given the Blairite faction is the pro Remain one in the caucus – while they will blame Corbyn for the defeat, it's an outright deceit.
Blair won elections – but he also encouraged local takeover of state schools, creating a lot of resistance in working class areas to inward migration by Moslems. Then there was the opening up of the labour market to the East Europeans (10 years before Germany) and thus an influx leading to northern support for Brexit. Whatever his intent it has come to bite Labour big time. And now they will blame it on Corbyn and reclaim their natural right to be lords managing the working class party like bosses of a company founded union.
And labour have picked up their only gain in Putney, my old stomping ground, which overwhelmingly voted remain.
Corbyn’s brexit stance has damaged labour, and proves that an each way bet may sometimes work on the gee gees, but not so much in politics.
Given Corbyn was leading a pro Remain caucus, how could he have taken a side that would have helped Labour hold (Brexit voting) seats in the north?
His real mistake was to agree to an election before Brexit was sorted. It was an election which would give BJ a majority for Brexit and cost him and maybe the left leadership of Labour.
I think the Al1en was highlighting that most Labour boroughs were pro brexit and the UK Labour position on that appears to have influenced the election outcome.
Here is a prediction of just that from a few weeks ago,
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=43759
Harsh Wayne. I am generally a critic of NZ Labour but even I wouldn't accuse Jacinda of being NZs Tony Blair.
Also Iraq isn't something which just happened to the war criminal. Its a war he actively persued. His legacy is obviously not separable from the policies he persued in office.
I will turn to that question in a post shortly.
FIFY
This was not an election, it was the second referendum. Simplicity appeals because it makes it appear simple while, in fact, it is the opposite.
People were sick of it. However, the future is as uncertain as tomorrow’s Lotto numbers and perhaps even less so because we don’t even know how many balls are in the game and when they will be drawn. If Boris is the man to do it then I suggest people have no clue what it entails.
I don't consider myself a centrist. I don't think you have much idea at all about my political and policy preferences.
There's things I support across the spectrum, and also don't support. Same with politicians. I think two of the more successful MPs this year have been David Seymour on the End of Life Choice Bill and Chloe Swarbrick on a number of issues. Both have worked hard across party lines.
James Shaw has done pretty well given the political circumstances, again working cross party – but I know he's not left enough for some here either. Would you stop him from commenting in one of your lefty-only threads?
I suspect that there's more than a few outliers to the right of the spectrum that you support.
Suspicions are meaningless without specifics.
I don't really care what others may deem to be right or left, it's a pointless game unless you want to promote differences and division.
I understand that some old school activists can't fathom it,but it's becoming more common that people ignore political labels and pigeon holes and judge issues on what they see as their merits and drawbacks.
Actually while large party PR tries to promote differences there's a lot more common ground and cooperation in Parliament than is publicly apparent. Bloody centrists.
"I don't really care what others may deem to be right or left, it's a pointless game unless you want to promote differences and division."
And yet you clearly tried to join a dedicated left wing conversation. As mentioned, keep shitting on the left and we're hardly likely to want to engage.
How is quoting UK Labour MPs 'shitting on the left'?
https://twitter.com/IainMcNicol/status/1205277908148932608
Iain McNicol was general secretary of Labour from 2011 to 2018
I think it's you (and others) who shits on anyone deemed outside your political bubble. I get it that you don't like being told that, but I think it's a big problem for the leftward in Aotearoa. 'Divide and conquer' doesn't work very well when it's just on your own side of the political divide.
James and Chloe get how successful politics needs to work. Some of their party supporters could learn something off them, but I don't know whether that will happen.
I wasn’t referring to the tweet, but to you spending way more time here bitching about the left. It’s in most of your comments, about how lacking the left is and what their problem is. Maybe consider that I don’t want to talk politics with you because of that. You can choose to be defensive about that and continue doing, all I’m saying is that it won’t endear me to talk politics.
One of the reasons I support the Greens is because of their beyond L/R kaupapa. But it’s hard in a space like TS, which isn’t culturally green, to work with that. Much of that atm is due to trolling and the large amount of time/energy spent combating that, as well as the interpersonal stuff. This is why I am suggesting to you (not just today) to focus on the politics not the inter personal fighting and put downs of the left. If people are giving you a hard time based on history I think your redemption is to take the higher ground and talk politics. Not that will be necessarily easy, but the opposite will just keep you mired in the bullshit (and eventual bans). FWIW.
It is notable that you only quote Labour MPs who dissent from Corbyn' s very moderate social democracy.
Had you anything positive to contribute we would have seen some of it by now.
"to you spending way more time here bitching about the left.
I call bullshit on that.
I don't bitch about centrists either.
A funny thing is that I think that maybe most of the bitching about the left here is from a few on the far left.
Dude, it was things that you claimed were across the spectrum.
So these things that you agree with that you said are from all parts of the spectrum, what % do you think, in your estimation, come from the right third, the middle third, and the left third of the spectrum?
Or is answering that question too close to introspection for your taste?
It's pretty much undefinable especially in any quantifiable way – but prove me wrong and try it for yourself if you like – and I think pretty much irrelevant.
In general I don't like the direction Bridges and National are moving at the moment, I think that while the government has been a bit slow and underperforming and underwhelming policies promoted by Labour and Greens seem mostly fairly good. I realise that's not left enough for some here, but it's around about where many voters seem to be comfortable.
"There's things I support across the spectrum, and also don't support"
Yes Pete, this is what makes you a centrist.
You can't 'make' me anything. I may tend center-ish on some things, but I don't see myself as a centrist, because that suggest to me an unwillingness to look at ideas and policies right across the spectrum.
Both John Key and Jacinda Ardern have been described as political pragmatists – I largely support much of the approach of both of them, but with some criticisms.
But that's nothing like a centrist label. Why do you see a need to label other than to exclude people from some of your discussions?
You want more people to support the Greens (I've voted Green at times) but dump on people that don't fit with whatever you think is necessary to be green. That seems counter-productive to me.
I think that one of the best ways of learning about issues is by engaging with people with different ideals and ideals. But I have found that engagement is not what most political activists seem to want, they prefer the 'agree or you're an enemy' type of approach.
It's not me making you centrist Pete, it's your views.
"I largely support much of the approach of both of them, but with some criticisms."
QED.
You can call yourself whatever you like Pete, and sure, pick a word that isn't 'centrist', but that doesn't make you left wing. I'm sorry, it just doesn't. LW people don't support John Key.
You want more people to support the Greens (I've voted Green at times) but dump on people that don't fit with whatever you think is necessary to be green. That seems counter-productive to me.
I'm not actually expect you to support the Greens, but it is true that I've given you a hard time over the years. Before I was an author and mod that was mostly driven by seeing the impact you had on the discussions coupled with you being unwilling to take feedback on it and instead staying to fight which just causes disruptions. That's not about your politics but instead is about how you engage. The Chairman has a similar problem and it is hard to overcome such a reputation.
But, you know how to think and formulate and argument and what I am suggesting here is that instead of choosing to fight about your right to be here or part of the left, instead talk politics. eg this conversation started with you debating the way the Lefties thread is being run. Instead you could have talked about the UK election.
If you want to talk meta politics (eg how political debate happens on TS, issues with L/R framing), then try and separate out the behaviour from the personal stuff. But I think you need to be solid on the political debate first.
"If you want to talk meta politics (eg how political debate happens on TS, issues with L/R framing), then try and separate out the behaviour from the personal stuff. But I think you need to be solid on the political debate first."
That's really funny, but I presume you didn't intend it as a joke.
You at least tacitly support personal attacks and sideshows here with no attempt made to discuss the topic raised (that happened a day or two ago and many times in the past) when I post something, and blame me for that behaviour?
Next thing will you be saying that posting something that someone else may disagree with is asking for it?
“You at least tacitly support personal attacks and sideshows here with no attempt made to discuss the topic raised (that happened a day or two ago and many times in the past) when I post something, and blame me for that behaviour?”
In the interests of us getting somewhere then, can you please link me to what you are referring to and give a brief explanation of what you think I am missing in terms of moderation? My memory of the past week was of a lot of time and energy being spent managing trolls, and doing some early intervention to dampen down fires. It’s entirely possibly I am missing something, so it’s always better to be specific (otherwise I won’t know how you are seeing things).
“Next thing will you be saying that posting something that someone else may disagree with is asking for it?”
As you know, my position, and something I say reasonably often when moderating is that abuse for its own sake isn’t ok, but that people can get away with being rude if they are making a political comment. It’s the balance between the robust debate ethic and not using tone or language that puts other people off. I don’t set the standard for that here, but like other mods I do influence it by how I moderate. I’m open to feedback that is constructive.
In terms of asking for it, unfortunately it’s a dynamic of many online spaces (and RL too) that communities of people just get sick of certain patterns of behaviour when they go on too long. There’s not really anything much a moderator can do about that once it involves a large number of people. Hence the tendency to focus on the person perceived as having the problematic behaviour. The obvious exception to that is if a mob forms and targets someone, but that’s not so common on TS at the moment (have seen it in other political spaces though). What people forget here is that much of moderation comes down to lessening moderator work load in the future and often in the ends if there is an intractable problem it’s just more efficient to remove the most impactful part of the dynamic. It’s not that people are asking for abuse, it’s that there are people who just simply refuse to change and there has to be a break point somewhere if we don’t want the community destroyed.
I find this left/right division quite amusing and bemusing…
Then stop quibbling about it with people who aren't bemused by it.
Sorry, I didn't see that this thread was restricted to the non-bemused only. Where does it say that?
If you confuse my comments with some kind of official declaration by the site's moderators, that's not my fault. You've said you're bemused by "this left/right division" – in that case, take the advice of people who aren't bemused by it: no, you're not part of the left.
"no, you're not part of the left"
Funny.
Obviously I'm not part of the left who judge everyone else's leftworthiness and dump on anyone deemed not up to scratch, but I don't think you own membership of the left.
If your "the left" drives all the unworthy away what do you think you will have left? Probably only infighting left.
Only you seem to be under the impression you've been deemed "unworthy" of something, Pete. The rest of us are just pointing out that "lefties on the The Standard" doesn't include you, for reasons you've provided extensively via your comments.
Pete, Weka's little club of purists just lets the losers weep for a bit.
Come back tomorrow once they're dried themselves and straightened their mascara.
So the election thread is only for people that others on here identify as "lefties" – regardless of peoples own view of their own politics?
Anyway – I identify as a "righty" – if you disagree please let me know and Ill come comment in the election thread.
No the post in question is Lefties on the Standard, part of an ongoing series of leftie-dedicated discussion. Read the post ffs.
At the moment I make the call on who can take part, and that is almost entirely predicated on people's commenting history.
I will add that I did think about the good of TS generally in running a leftie only post on UK election day when it was likely that no other author would put up an election post. But actually, with some exceptions, the quality of right wing contributions to the commentariat at the moment is so low I don't think it matters. Most of the volume from the right recently has been Gosman and co trolling. I'm pleased to see some other righties making an effort and I hope this increases. Bring decent political discussion to the table and we'll all have a better time.
FYI, James, if you comment like a “righty” you are likely to cop some flak but might also earn some respect depending on how you handle things. If you act like a stirrer, you will cop a ban.
Weren't you quite tight with United Future?
Yet United Future's positioning is (was) quite a long way from your claimed position, and there's three other parties awfully close to the line between your claimed position and UF.
Not really, I had a dabble which was a very interesting experience but very much from the outside – and I had an undertaking that I could promote cannabis law reform if the opportunity arose.
But that's a long time ago and has little to nothing to do with now – except that after the efforts of many people from different political leanings cannabis law reform may be a reality in the next year or two. I had a very useful discussion with Kevin Hague on it while he was still an MP. Some Green supporters are happy to talk to anyone with common interests.
Siobhain McDonagh has never done anything other than make the UK Labour Party look bad.
Phil Wilson..among other things ..a very successful lobbyist for the Gambling Industry.
Leslie left Labour alongside six other MPs in protest at the leadership of Corbyn to form The Independent Group,
The beatings will continue until all the traitors are excommunicated?
Traitors do nothing to improve electability.
Corbyn has proven to be unelectable.
Corbyn has proven to be unelected.
FiFy
Gareth Snell, the labour candidate in Stoke-on-Trent Central – who hasnt lost yet (but expects too) says Corbyn should resign.
That didnt take long did it?
Corbyn and momentum have been nothing short of a disaster for Labour. Could be a decade before they get a look in again.
Could be a decade or more. Or maybe someone with a more engaging and pragmatic personality will emerge from the ranks and turn things around like Jacinda did.
Let's face it, BloJo really isn't likely to do anything that's going to improve his image and popularity, is he? So he's always going to be vulnerable to a Labour party with a leader that's at least moderately acceptable.
That's one of the things that's always bothered me about political defeats. Instead of regrouping and thinking about what could be done differently/better next time, people start slagging each other off, and screeching, "This is all your fault!" Labour looks likely to lose, and that sucks. Britain has a chance to do something different and better under the leadership of beige, cardigan-wearing hippie with a track record of fighting the good fight and only the best of intentions. Instead they'll probably chose the leadership of a pathological liar with a personal grooming phobia — a man who would rather hide in a fridge than face the humiliation of being grilled by the media. Because he's quite obviously full of shit and making it up as he goes along.
If the Tories win… well done, Britain. Give yourself an upper cut.
Whakaari Island. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/405402/live-whakaari-white-island-eruption-day-5
Australian Nine News
New Zealand authorities will start a criminal investigation into the circumstances of the death and injuries of those impacted by the White Island volcano. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/2noaGhv Get more breaking news at: https://bit.ly/2nobVgF
Looking at the results – its an extremely clear mandate for brexit now.
No more moaning from the left – it was clear a vote for Boris was a vote to leave – fast !
Yeah, that's how I see it too. Not Boris or Jeremy, Left or Right. A simple 'Leave' or 'Remain' choice.
I guess the people voted for Leave, and Boris made a clear and time stamped promise to fulfill that (forgetting for the moment whether or not he can deliver), and Jeremy…. well what did Jeremy want – leave or remain?
Therein lies the seeds of Labours defeat today. I guess defy the will of the people at your peril.
Dont discount that Corbyn was unelectable. Brexit may have been the defining issue – but Corbyn is the reason for the mammoth defeat that will have the Tories in power for a decade.
Defy the will of the majority you mean. Let's face it, the majority are frequently morons who only understand words of one syllable. That could be described as a fault across all Labour/Labor parties who like to use words of two syllables or more.
For the more moronic among us (ie.rwnjs) yes, I’m exaggerating to make a point.
We can look forward to fun and games watching the Tories bugger-up Brexit and Britain (with the possible exception of Scotland) goes down the gurgler.
Gee Anne – you sound a bit bitter.
The people have spoken. Labour and Corbyn are being given the message loud and clear.
Still there will be hard of learning like yourself who think you know better than everyone else.
You keep talking about "the people" and "everyone" as though referring to some overwhelming majority, rather than a plurality of voters. The UK has an FPP electoral system, so a "landslide" win could mean little more than 40% of the vote. Likewise, a "landslide" loss could also mean more than 40% of the vote. There is no "the people have spoken" under FPP, just some decisions by a relatively small number of voters in a relatively small number of seats. That's why we dumped it.
I knew it!
Saw that dear James was back among us so dropped him an encouraging line. He fell for it as he invariably does.
Anne. The 'majority' are just that. So you think MOST people are morons who, presumably because they disagree with you, are not capable of understanding what affects them or not?
So clearly, in your eyes, the majority should not have the right to choose their future. Yeah, let's bring in those who know better and can think on their behalf.
Pathetic. The extreme left always pretend to speak for the people, but never wish to listen to them.
I suggest you read your post again, as clearly the concept of democracy is something you either fail to understand or do not believe in. And you are a Labour NZ person of long standing who, at least publicly, pretended to wish to represent the people. Not good.
Get off your high horse and read what I said P chch
1) I made it clear I was exaggerating.
2) I was baiting James who has a history for making exaggerated claims and starting flame wars. Hence the reason he regularly gets banned from this site.
3) I wasn't disclaiming your view rather adding to it.
4) Many people are politically
moronicnaive. If it is considered non-pc to say so then… happy to admit I'm non-pc.As for being extreme left… good grief. 😯
Perhaps that little endpiece /sarc should be used again. People who when annoyed don't go out and kinghit somebody, or kick the cat or dog, need to vent with sarcasm, irony, wit or whatever as the more controlled and cerebral outlet. But some people have never developed the ironic bit in the brain that can tell when someone is having someone on.
I am just reading Our Kids – the American Dream in Crisis by Robert D Putnam and on p161 I think he talks about the importance of brain development from pre-natal time and especially 3-5 years. I think many NZs lack much stimulation in these foundation years. He talks about what seems to be the 'tennis affect' – the baby gurgles or utters sounds, the carer looks at the baby and makes a sound in turn. Then the baby tries that simple communication again, and is encouraged by interest from the carer, and so on. Simple eh, and not new, but just confirmed as absolutely necessary for underpinning the habit of communication and confirmation of the worth of the individual's thought.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/20/our-kids-american-dream-in-crisis-robert-putnam-observer-review
learn some maths sunshine…conservatives 43.6% brexit 3 %..the conservatives got a plurality ..which under fpp gave them a big majority of seats…they were further away from a majority of voters than national were here
The 'majority' are just that.
It's so sweet that you think the Conservative Party got a majority of the vote. Or at least, it would be sweet if you were a child. In an adult it would just be exasperating – hopefully you're under 18?
Putin will be rubbing his hands with delight.
That is exactly what I thought. 🙂
WOW – Ruth Smeeth, the Labour candidate for Stoke-on-Trent North.
"Jeremy Corbyn’s action on antisemitism have made us the nasty party. We are the racist party. When you have a prime minister who has said such vile Islamphonic comments and we’re the racist party because of the actions of my leader, then we have a real real problem.
The Labour party needs detoxified, we need to move on and this culture needs destroyed within the party."
Personally I think anyone who stood behind Corbyn and his party while comments like the above deserve to lose their seat.
Hey James, I saw that interview on Sky News, was like crikey she doesn't like him at all.
She was nasty as about her leader.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/ruth-smeeth-labour-party-racist-sky-news-a4312521.html
Sounds like Corbyn will stay on for a short time then resign, judging from his speech, after retaining his seat.
when you have a leader saying "such vile Islamphonic comments" – its easy to be nasty about them.
deservidly so if you believe it
I don't know much about it, but that interview was jaw dropping.
Notice she used the expression "Jews". That is regarded as a demeaning slang word for "Jewish" people. If she doesn't know the correct nomenclature, then you have to wonder if the rest of her rant is any more correct.
I don't know the truth for sure, but have long held the suspicion that the extent of anti-semitism inside the British Labour Party has been a big beat-up by Corbyn opponents.
I agree, Anne – a big beat-up. The interesting thing is that earlier on when they tried to oust Corbyn, they could not because he had inspired so many new members to join up with the Labour Party.
What will happen now, if those disillusioned new members leave Labour? Few will replace them, and Labour could now find its membership diminished, as well as its voice in Parliament.
Maybe all is not lost In Vino.
I saw this Guardian item just now:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/13/who-will-be-the-next-labour-party-leader
Emily Thornberry impresses me. A strong, compassionate and very articulate woman who could stand up to anything the Tories – and Boris Johnson in particular – tried to throw at her.
She would be my pick for the next leader of the British Labour Party.
'Methinks she (Ruth Smeeth) doth protest too much.'
So, is Smeeth disingenuous or stupid? I presume disingenuous, ie she wants Corbyn gone so is happy to smear him using Tory talking points she knows are bullshit. At least we're agreed she deserved to lose her seat.
"she knows are bullshit."
Its a lot more likely that she knows a lot more about the guy than you do.
You got any evidence that she knows this is bullshit?
You are delusional – I can see why you like Corbyn so much.
Israeli lobby groups do like to try and influence UK politicians not to back a two state solution regarding Palestine.
https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/thelobby/
Backing a two state solution DOES NOT make a person anti-semitic. Least that's how I see it.
I think there is much confusion as a result.
James, you're only just back, drop the flaming please.
Its a lot more likely that she knows a lot more about the guy than you do.
No doubt. And yet she says
…we’re the racist party because of the actions of my leader…
without specifying those actions (because there aren't any) and without mentioning the actual cause of the propaganda campaign alleging anti-semitism against Corbyn (payback from UK Israel lobbyists for his pro-Palestinian views, and the usual right-wing dirty politics).
My assumption is that a Labour MP would have to be either disingenuous or stupid to peddle that bullshit, because there isn't any obvious third possibility. Do you see one?
LOL – Corbyn says "party’s policies were popular".
Delusional to the end.
And its his end – he says he wont lead the party to any more elections – no shit. After this who would want him.
YouGov poll on popularity of Labour policies 2019
/shrug.
There is only one poll that counts – and it’s today.
it doesn’t seem that the popular policies have resulted in votes – this cant be THAT popular.
You are assuming people voted for policies.
"There is only one poll that counts – and it’s today."
Irrespective of whether that is true, you mocked Corbyn for saying that Labour's policies were popular. Research shows he is right.
It doesn't take theoretical physics to see that this was a complex election with many dynamics, some of them unusual. Denying one aspect of that supported by evidence seems like hubris.
The Leader of the Opposition in Ottawa, Conservative Andrew Scheer has just resigned. He was facing a backlash for his performance on the hustings in the recent Federal Election and some in the party had started to leak against him. It’s been revealed he had quietly diverted Cons Party funds to help pay for his 5 kids private school fees in Ottawa.
That man will get a directorship in a thriving business somewhere in the West.
Edit!
Thatcher declared 'There's no such thing as society' And set in action policies to ensure that was true.
Centrist Labour, trying not to step over the line marked where the RW starts, is trying to think of a catchphrase for themselves that dissembles but means 'There is no such thing as labour',
Replacing physical labour they need to read Terry Pratchett's Discworld book where he outlines the principles and practice of ‘headology*'; a new way of thinking about things. Politics has always been a sideshow, with sleight-of-hand, confusing legerdemain and magical promises, and this has reached a stage of high art. Wise witches developed 'headology' and anything they thought must be better than what is too often grimy drivel we hear from pollies.
In NZ the Labour Coalition has been trying but people should note that the strain is so much on many of the politicians who try to be good and practical, and care about the country, that they often die of exhaustion and stress-related disease before being able to implement their ideas in full. The death of Michael Savage and Norman Kirk come to mind; now Shane Jones has need of some RandR.
*Headology. From Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki. Like psychology, but many witches think "psychology" is a bad word, or that it means "having a psychological problem". The practice of headology relies on the principle that what people believe is what is real.Sep 3, 2017
Headology – Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki – LSpace Wiki
https://wiki.lspace.org › mediawiki › Headology
Corbyn lost because of centrist Labour?
Politicians can't deliver because they're under strain?
Well that's being charitable I think. Why can't they deliver in your opinion? And Labour doesn’t seem drawn very far to the left very notably either here or in the UK. Just putting a few toes in the water.
On Radionz News:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/404938/borrowers-will-pay-price-of-securing-banks-future
Shamabeel Equb advising that new controls on bank businesses will result in higher prices for borrowers. Oh dear. Each year, the uncontrolled buying of homes needed for real people to live in, by investors wanting solid reliable investments has put the prices up by over 10% per annum and out of reach of ordinary people. Heaven forbid that we should stop those inflationary price rises!
From people who think like shop tills 'ker-ching'; – to having our news collected, sorted, promoted by machines, (and who drives the machines?) Algorithmically turbo-charged journalism
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018725569/algorithmically-turbo-charged-journalism
Two big tragedies now this year in NZ which have a taint of carelessness of government controls in the background requiring compassion from our Prime Minister with soothing words. What is then to be done to put it right, and ensure that there are no more preventable tragedies. Do older commenters remember the motto of company LV Martin 'It's the putting right that counts'? That is an oldie but a goodie, still true.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/405402/whakaari-white-island-today-was-all-about-reuniting-them-with-their-loved-ones-pm
Emotions running high in UK Labour…high enough to break up the party?
Not the Tories- they are more than happy.
when did 'UK Labour ' become the Tories?
Leave James to his gloating. It's all he has at the best of times.
https://youtu.be/qQfetkoGrpU
Kia Ora 1 News.
Dog whilst politics.
Yes devious people take advantage of vulnerable people like imaginats and refugees the vulnerable need to be protected.
Its a pity some people got their mahi from other tangata Mana and not their own it shows in their actions.
Hacked.
That's great good minimiseing waste for courier freighted goods any goods at that.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Condolences to Tipene Whanau for their loss.
Toia 250 showed Te local Iwi true feeling of whats going down at that minute.
I the Kina is sweet and fat from Mahia.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Breakfast.
Yes Its good that the Auckland City mission is taking a more thoughtful approach to gifting Kai to the poor Allso using Marae to help with the increaseing numbers of poor. This is not just A Aotearoa phenomenon this is happening all around the world.
I agree with the Professor from Otago. There is A old saying about
Te waewae.
The old Maori Tikanga is koha.
Ka kite Ano
He tangata He tangata have to keep the pressure on the climate deniers to change the world so Our mokopuna will have a healthy environment and healthy wildlife. We have to become carbon neutral ASAP.
COP 25: Madrid climate change conference 2019
The UN climate talks are over for another year – was anything achieved?
A conference marked by squabbling and deferral yielded little progress despite protests
Two weeks of talks ended on Sunday afternoon with a formal recognition of the need to bridge the gap between greenhouse gas targets set in 2015 in Paris and scientific advice that says much deeper cuts are needed. Current targets would put the world on track for 3C of warming, which scientists say would ravage coastal cities and destroy agriculture over swathes of the globe.
UN climate talks end with limited progress on emissions targets
Few countries came up with new targets at these talks.
The snail’s pace and low ambition of the talks stood in stark contrast to pleas from activists, who staged a 500,000-strong march through the Spanish capital. Greta Thunberg, the Swedish school striker, said the last year of protests had “achieved nothing” as countries were still failing to bring forward the measures needed
“The world is screaming out for action but this summit responded with a whisper. The poorest nations are in a sprint for survival, yet many governments have barely moved from the starting blocks. Instead of committing to more ambitious cuts in emissions, countries have argued over technicalities.
The EU came up with the strongest new plan, finally agreeing a bloc-wide goal of reaching net-zero carbon by 2050. Scores of smaller countries agreed similar long-term targets, but other major emitters held back.
There was widespread recognition that long-term targets are not enough, and the pressure is now on to forge a short-term climate plan for the next 10 years. The UK will play a leading role
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/science/2019/dec/15/cop25-un-climate-talks-over-for-another-year-was-anything-achieved
Merry Christms Eco Maori. Your range of comments is interesting with great musical enhancements FTTT.
Meri Kirihimete me te Hape Nū Ia
Catch this – I want to wish you a merry -Maori- Christmas! Haha.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OvWmzpS3Ec
Kia Ora 1 News
There is no need to be confused the World has to dump carbon out of our economy's.
Yes we need to give our Dolphins and Whales respect.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Ka pai to the Wahine Waka sailing as part of Tuia 250 I miss sailing on Tangaroa.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Breakfast.
Its sad no concrete laws have been made to limit Global Warming to 1.5 degrees at Cop 25 in Madrid this year.
New Zealand has to show the world how to quickly change our economy to a clean and Green economy.
I haven't brought Christmas present for quite a few years now since my children reached their teens.
Ka kite Ano
I say war is for Idiots why kill other humans just because some people are different. We need to learn to respect all cultures. We need to remember and respect our Tipuna /Ancestors We need to have respect for our Mokopuna / Grandchildren future. I avoided this subject because I know how these people behave. Thanks for publishing this story.
The climate emergency, military emissions and Greta Thunberg.
With reference to your report on the COP25 climate talks in Madrid (13 December), we have just returned from Madrid, where we displayed a large banner saying “War causes climate change and climate change causes war”. Thousands of passing delegates expressed a great interest in, and approval of, the message.
Scientists for Global Responsibility estimates that 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions result from military-related activity – apart from the unfathomable human devastation – so at first sight it appears astonishing that the subject of war does not feature in the COP negotiations; nor are its emissions taken into account when reduction targets are set.
Perhaps this absence can be explained by the fact that military-related emissions have been excluded by some of the largest polluters from the global north whose delegates, as government officials, will naturally avoid jeopardising lucrative arms and military aid contracts, and whose people do not suffer the catastrophic wars and climatic devastation that directly affect the global south. Evidently we cannot rely on government negotiators to address the subject of war and militarism.
We have to stop believing that war is inevitable and accept that international climate finance offers better value in both resolving conflict and sustaining the environment than the equivalent spent on military operations
• I was delighted to see Greta Thunberg announced as Time magazine’s person of the year (Report, 12 December). For me, after so many years of campaigning on environmental issues, it has been a huge relief that now, in 2019, the future of the planet has finally entered the political mainstream – and not a moment too soon.
This is thanks, in no small part, to the vision and actions of Greta herself, but also to those many others whom she has inspired to take up the fight. The world is realising the scale of the threat posed by every aspect of our destructive exploitation of our lovely planet.
Now we need to see some real political leadership so that the leading nations of the world, our own included, can ensure a real revolution in practice, to match the fiery ambitions that have been lit up in our hearts by this inspirational Swedish teenager
Ka kite Ano link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/16/the-climate-emergency-military-emissions-and-greta-thunberg
Edit
Some extracts from Robert D Putnam book Our Kids The American Dream in Crisis.
Under What Is to be Done after he has explored problems through talking and discussing their formative years with those who have emerged affected by their various backgrounds, either triumphant or okay but still struggling, he covers suggestions under these headings:
Family Structure, Child Deveopment and Parenting, Schools, Community.
These are some of the ideas aired.
Under Community – He refers to what he has found about the importance of neighborhood effects and puts two bullet points – Invest in poor neighbourhoods and, Move poor families to better neighbourhoods which generally has positive results especially on younger kids. (He found some areas that were totally munted, guns everywhere, and people unable and unwilling to help each other, isolated in the safety of their homes.)
Under Schools – he talks about groups of say 100 students within larger high schools, offering a mixed curriculum of academic and hands-on technical couses for work skills. This to replace the neglected workforce training in the USA. We used to have this system in NZ, but probably along with other lacklustre policies from recent governments, it has been 'let go'.
Under Child Development and Parenting – Children do better if the parent does not work during their first year, and 'Virtually all other advanced countries' are more supportive to parents than USA. Then quality day-care. Read to your children every day. Help programs from trained professionals for parents as needed.
Family Structure – 'By some estimates, 60% of births to young, single women are unplanned, and [note] low-income women don't aspire to have more children than more affluent women. Teen pregnancies have dropped dramatically over recent decades.
But it is felt that young adult women, lacking definite goals and pathways for the future, are more inclined to accept pregnancy as a milestone achieved in their lives, in the absence of a good man to be husband or permanent partner.
And from an economic point oif view, investing in the young saves large further cost in the future, the young become productive increasing the state income by billions.
The fact that capitalist states choose not to consider these figures, and to be cheese-paring about supporting and guiding with known good practices, the raising ofhealthy, active and happy poor kids must be an example of mean prejudice, the Scrooge-like mentality. There is the sickness noted in the book Affluenza, and which is illustrated in the real-life story of Grandpa Getty who was refusing to pay a ransom for his kidnapped grandson, even when they cut off his ear to show they meant business. A torture to the body, but also to the heart to think that no-one loved or cared about him. The story of his mother's campaign to save him was told in the film –
All the Money in the World is a 2017 crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa, based on John Pearson's 1995 book Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul Getty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Money_in_the_World
Q. How did J. Paul Getty die? A. Heart failure!
How did he make his money. By hard work, careful money management, and an abstemious life. Hah.
J. Paul Getty took the reins of Getty Oil along with many other businesses that went with it when his father died in 1930. … J. Paul Getty became a billionaire after negotiating a series of oil leases with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait starting in 1949. He soon was being widely reported as the richest man alive.
Ordinary good people who have the security of a job and prospects, have to turn to give some time to help others to have the opportunities they have. And because of the economic multiplier effect, the more people working, trading, enjoying life, the more the money flows around, the more work there is, and the more enjoyment and community. Let's keep at it.
Kia Ora Newshub.
A tornado in Kirikiriroa global warming whanau.
Ron I see a lot of that.
shon – – – – – – – – – – – – – – anatokai.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
That's a rip off tipical pakiha ripping Tangata Whenua off.
$9 million.
Rua kenana was treated badly by the Crown just like most Tangata Whenua. Some think they got treated fairly but next minute the crown is pulling the rug out from under our feet or our mokopuna future.
Ka pai Shane.
Ka kite Ano