Two recent posts on David Shearer are not very illuminating.
Gordom Campbell seemed frustrated at the lack of substance in many vague responses in an interview.
And yesterday here Anthony Robins tried to add to the coming out of the new Labour leader, and the lack of support from the strong Labour contingent here was very noticable.
I actually think Shearer is doing pretty good and he has gone up in my estimation since his announced support for MUNZ. It is all good stuff. There ya go.
Should I take your failure to respond to CV’s and my criticisms of the follicled ones as an act of treachery? Planning a coup d’etat Petey?
To be fair it seems New Zealand isn’t helping itself much either.
Was it his typo muzza? There’s a very big difference between a couple of minor mistakes that have been picked up and intentionally fucking New Zealand over like what John Keys party is up to.
National are selling off our future at a loss to foreign owners that will be stripping our country bare. They’re gutting our public sector workforce, increasing unemployment, reducing wages and people’s rights… but all that is A OK because John Key can have a little scoff at the opposition leader and it becomes news.
I wonder if the NZ Herald gave PoAL a discount on those full-paged adverts they’ve been running?
An extended interview of David Shearer by Gordon Campbell. Pretty sure there will be a post about it later on, but for the delectation of impatient political junkies….
edit: I see Pete Squirrel has linked to this above. But I’ll leave the link because I find linking via the linker’s website/blog is the worst kind of link-whoring, and always pisses me off.
That interview could be titled: “Dude, where’s the Labour Party?”
Right now, Labour would have a better chance of re-election if they switched David for Darien, without so much as a thank you bye, and let her rant free-reign over the airways. Hell, make it a co-leadership between her and Twyford – the only two Labour MPs who have either consistently publicly voiced representation for Labour’s roots over the past year or behaved in a manner that supported it.
I don’t know who Labour are any more, especially when the leader shy’s away from stock standard industrial disputes with a Len Brown-esque explanation and by saying that they will respond with the standard opposition model to National’s debate agendas.
“A moderate response”? “The “struggling middle classes”?
David Shearer knows this is rubbish and his personal fire comes out when he’s talking about real life. How can you come from an Iraqi or Somalian refugee camp and seriously look someone in the eye and talk about the idea of the “struggling middle classes”? No wonder he burbles. Having to swallow that shit must be intolerable. If people don’t know NZders live two families to a garage, how the hell can they comprehend the social conditions of a refugee camp, then compare it to their decadent lifestyle, describing themselves as “struggling”. What it describes is a population completely devoid of awareness of life on earth. These people need a wake up, not a to be tucked into bed. Ignorance and denial will cost the disadvantaged, not the gobblers at the table. If Shearer’s upcoming speeches are officially reigned in for the good of the party, they’ll be the dishwater they are described to be.
So, my advice, since he enjoys getting it: Find two co-leaders representing Labour’s roots… maybe Fenton and Twyford. Set to work nationwide filing the airways with no nonsense hard talking, actions and vision, based in those roots and give NZ a spearhead for a united Left that people can see is different – not moderated National Lite. Unite the LEFT David, don’t sell Lite Right. The public perception of the Labour brand is that they are the leaders of the Left. Where they go, the minor partys follow. Use that advantage – even if it is complete bollocks. Because no party will, or ever will, move Left once in power to help the poor and disadvantaged if they spend all their electioneering time imitating a “compassionate” Right. Everyone always moves right.
And just for the record: NZ didn’t “inherit” the more disgusting features of our culture. We built them, one excess at a time. Credit where credit’s due.
Why and how would Labour want to please everyone across the whole spectrum? Are they competing for Young Oxymoroner of the Year? Listen, there are no “compassionate, hard-arsed liberals”. People largely live a sub/cultural norm, regardless of their personal thoughts on a matter. They may know a thing is wrong, but they will act to preserve their cultural identity, even if it means doing the wrong thing, reluctantly, apologetically; explaining they had no choice, that they were under orders; and finally bursting forth with abuse to protect the abberation and reconcile the irreconcilable. There may be rare exceptions, but casually blending a word with an opposing adjective doesn’t make the result possible in real life.
It isn’t a matter of pleasing everyone, it’s a matter of creating a legislative base that does not allow wide cracks to open for people to fall through and restrains those who will not curb their misanthropic tendencies in industrial relations, social relations and in economic arrangements. You can’t do that by being afraid to scare someone – someone who has more than enough to bear it.
@Uturn
You get me wondering – what do Labour people believe in these days? What do lawyers, such a common group for aspiring candidates, think gives them insight into the aspiring upper lower class? It seems that when personal circumstances improve, altruisim and respect for all at whatever their level disappears.
That’s a large and difficult question to answer – I don’t have that kind of specific information. All I have is the history of Labour being a working class socialist party, the transitional Douglas and Clark years, and now finding they are not – even though they still try to associate with it. What does it say about a party that falls apart when its leader resigns? Where was its vision? What did it stand for? Were the beliefs and values grounded in human truths or were they manipulated cynical political expediencies?
The idea that comfort (read, excess) propagates self destruction is recorded throughout history. I would suggest that those who are prone to forgetting the values of their party – of not living their values – never truly held them to begin with. It’s popular for people to be encouraged to wander around full of nice ideas about fairness, social etiquette and manners, but how they arrived at those ideas – through a projection of their own issues, a ticket into social identity, or an understanding of who they really are – makes an large difference. If someone is expressing who they are, they cannot then forget it and trade it in. If someone adopts nice ideas without self awareness, as they are influenced by the responses their actions bring, they will change into something else. Their values were a temporary development. These people are not visionaries or leaders.
For example, how is that John Key can hold up his upbringing as evidence of compassionate insight, turn around and make a career in money off other people’s misery and attack those who were like him?
How can Shearer say he was enlightened on the back of a truck with a handful of orange peels, and then turn around and protect the people who create a system that would have our own children running after a truck for food scraps?
After just 6 years and two examples, NZ’s affair with “look at me I understand life” type candidates has gone stale.
If the lawyers I have met are anything to go by, they are adept and useful administrators, sometimes exceptionally well versed in the way humans behave and when “on stage” excellent communicators. It is a good idea to have sound laws underpinning society, but what those laws are and which direction they proceed should not be decided solely by lawyers. Once again, the appearance of certain useful traits and skills does not mean a person will be a good leader – unless their understanding of people and the law was incidental to their overall arrival as a true leader or visionary. They need something inside them that does not change; if not a genuine charismatic streak, then an archetypal spark, or soul, something that unavoidably constructively connects them to other people, humanity, call it what you like.
Sooner or later, a person has to face what they are, realise the price to be paid and not betray themselves or those who rely on them. Both Key and Shearer can sit on the back of that metaphorical truck and throw stones at the children chasing, and I’ll not condemn them as frauds, if they admit that is what they truly are. If one of them is not like that, then not much good will come of being scared of what you are.
Don’t really care what it’s called. The Huffington Post (which I don’t read) isn’t a commenter at the Standard. If it was, I’d expect it to start or contribute to discussions on sites like this, as a commenter, not as an advertiser for its own wares. I don’t like to be forced to contribute to the visitor numbers at a blog I’m not voluntarily visiting. It’s not just an information way station, it’s your personal blog. If you want to talk about something in discussion fora like this one, link to it directly. I’m sure many like me very seldom follow links to somehwere else via a commenter’s blog, so indirect linking hinders convesration, as well as being bloody annoying.
I don’t think you do yourself, or your blog any favours by indulging in this kind of “marketing” behaviour.
Just, you know, saying…..
edit afterthought. It’s the kind of thing I expect from Pete
Philip, I did read a very interesting article about a possible link between schizophrenia and inflammation in the brain, and a large trial of an antibiotic which seemed to have significant therapeutic effects in some cases, at your site. So the technique does increase visitor traffic in some cases. In that instance it would have likely taken a bit of time to find the article elsewhere.
But if you are talking politics on a political site, linking to political aticles elsewhere in the net, via your site, probably antagonises more potential readers than it procures.
In my opinion.
Listing the internet sites I visit for news and information would be time-consuming and embarrassing. – proving I spend far too much time in front of this screen. For your satisfaction there are “aggregation” sites amongst them, but as far as I know, they don’t link-whore at the Standard.
Senior management at ACC were told three months ago that they had possibly made the biggest privacy breach in New Zealand history, but they have made no effort to investigate or contain the breach with the recipient.
…
The board was given an example of a branch medical adviser who covertly communicated with an ACC assessor providing false information to manipulate a medical report in ACC’s favour.
Well, I guess we should be expecting the senior managers to be getting a big “stress” bonus !
A timely example of why wholesale information sharing between Govt departments should not go ahead – the risk of serious breaches of privacy is just too great.
@burt
I am of the opinion that the “leak” of sensitive personal information from ACC is far from accidental. As of late and showcased in the Herald, ACC have been militant in the manner in which they treat claimants in an effort to cover up the billions of dollars lost in financial transactions in failed investment companies offshore.
ACC have morphed from an institution that was once considerate in it’s approach to claimants, to an organisation that is openly hostile towards claimants.
Walking home yesterday I was listening to National Radio’s The Panel featuring (in a poverty stricken manner) no less a luminary than Stephen Franks (ACT candidate and misanthrope extraordinare). Stephen in his gormless simple minded manner made the assertion (backed by surveys no less carefully filtered by himself) that people on the “right” were generally happier than those on the “left”. Of course he did not get challenged….maybe the experience of being the host of one of these programs leads to the development of a “what the fuck, just let it go” attitude, a form of sanity preservation technique?
So for all those RWNJs who think that I am less happy than them, well yes I am (breifly) every time I realise that short of a well tested totalitarian technique I have to share the planet with you. That thought passes rapidly as I return to my usual cheery liking for my fellow citizens and our joint welfare.
Happily I will now stroll off to work with the joyous thought that I was fortunate enough to be born me and not a Stephen Franks with a blinkered mean nasty little world view. My generosity of spirit flies like a lark, singing……..the “left’s” joy knows no boundaries.
I listened to the same interview .where the hell did Franks get that idea
from. most of the great comics throughout the world have been people of the Left.Chaplin, Elton ,Warris and even Vic Oliver , the list is endles .
Most of the London East End
Jews are know for their wonderfull sense of humour he vast
majority being supporters of the political left many from the far left. Its interesting I have heard Franks often on Mora”s progamme I have never once heard him laugh .
I think he got his talking points from this. I presume he didn’t mention that, in that survey,
(a) more people identified as ‘left’ than ‘right’
(b) the best way to improve happiness was found to be a better work-life balance (i.e., work less)
People with higher incomes in a society tend to score higher on ‘happiness’. But, for ‘developed’ economies, and over time, increments in GDP do not correlate with Subjective Well-Being (SWB – the technical definition of ‘happiness’ in the psychological literature).
Interestingly, SWB is a composite measure that includes measures of positive and negative affect (feelings) and Life Satisfaction. As this study found, economic prosperity seems to affect SWB through ‘Life Satisfaction’ rather than through positive feelings.
That is, wealthier people pat themselves on the back for successfully acquiring life’s luxuries, conveniences and status symbols. Some studies have found that they actually have less positive affect than their less wealthy compatriots – possibly because they work longer hours and it is a consistent finding that people have less positive affect at work than elsewhere in their life.
The same study found that positive affect (what we usually think of as ‘happiness’) was correlated with better quality social relationships and the development and use of skills.
I was listening to The Panel on RNZ yesterday and Stephen Franks was saying how those on the left aren’t any fun because they are only ever ‘against’ things, rather than ‘for’ things. I wrote a post on this remarkably stupid statement and invite people to come and add to the list of things that those on the left are ‘for’. http://afinetale.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/for.html
Why should there be? The left isn’t in government and hasn’t been for some time. Should there be oodles of joy oozing from a community that is watching their country being ruined? Get the left back in government, then we’ll start seeing some good news.
You’re sort of illustrating Frank’s point. You seem to be destined to have no fun for another three or six years.
You may not have noticed, but despite claims of doom the country hasn’t been ruined by past National (or Labour) governments. Not everyone gets the policies they prefer but most people manage to survive our democracy.
Look for the positives in Shearer – you do have hopes for what he can do don’t you? Or are you just an envy shade of Green?
Well I’m not sure that is a fair assessment Pete, the 4th Labour government (not a left govt) did tremendous damage to our society and began a process of widening inequality that is starting to bear fruit today. The further down the road of enriching the wealthy we go, the less our society will resemble ‘egalitarian New Zealand’.
Shearer? I hope he wins back some swing voters in the middle.
An envy shade of green? What a terribly clumsy sentence. Little wonder that your oratory didn’t manage to get you elected.
This is an assertion I have also heard on the Panel from the mouth of David Farrar. As with Franks’s little tirade, nobody challenged him either.
Foolishly, the self-styled “leftist” Chris Trotter said the same thing on one of his Panel appearances. He had gone to watch P.J. O’Rourke speak at a function organised by Farrar, and he was brimful of enthusiasm for the “camaraderie” and “bonhomie” he reckoned he experienced in the room full of right wingers. “I doubt very much,” he intoned with deadly gravitas, “that you’d ever get the same degree of cordiality in a left wing event.”
Perhaps even more objectionable than Franks’s rancorous slur on yesterday’s programme was the pathetic response of Jeremy Elwood. “I have to agree,” he purred, desperate to win the approval of the cadaverous SS member.
I’ve commented for a long time at Kiwiblog, most of that as an outsider, and for quite a while here. The degree of and incessant bitterness of attacks here is a noticable difference. However I don’t know how much of this is weighted by the fact that it’s always been while National are in government and Labour have struggled.
I’d previously been on Aardvark (probably more right than left,) for a few years, and while there was quite a bit of moaning there was far less vitriol and personal attack there too.
Dunne could have an attack of conscience over future generations of NZers and vote against asset sales. But that’s more in the realms of fantasy rather than reality.
You obviously don’t have any idea. For at least the first year I was active there I was very much an outsider and experienced gang attacks and heaps of vitriol and personal abuse. That gradually changed to acceptance of me as a lefty who was prepared to stand up to the crap. I still have strongly contested debates there, much more on the issue than personal attack than it ued to be.
I often prod righty debate there as I prod lefty debate here.
So I’m thinking that after another year or two here I might be grudingly accepted as an alternative view, apart from by a few inevitable resident troll attacks (I still get that at KB).
I take to the attack with positive gusto, much strong and positive vitriol and extremely strong positive personal attacks on any negative bastard like Dunne who attempts to negatively rob me and my fellow positive citizens of their positively hard earned belongings like SOEs. Thier negative thinking and nasty negative larceny deserves a positive thrashing.
sSome things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you’re chewing on life’s gristle
Don’t grumble, give a whistle
And this’ll help things turn out for the best
@Pete Georg
Personal attacks and abusive comments are routine on KB, it’s all part of the culture of commenting on blogs and frankly it’s best to ignore it and just carry on as per normal. Don’t take it personally is the motto.
Good one Alex, I happily agree with you, with much pleasure and joy, I stand for all those things, all positive and user friendly to everybody except the usual parasitic RWNJs.
Should appointments to public service appointments like these be more open, more transparent and subject to more public scrutiny?
Should former politicians, especially ex-Cabinet ministers, be subject to a ‘stand-down’ period (3 years, 4 years, or 6 years?) before appointment to senior public servant positions?
Deaker counsels Pownceby: “Just say nothing”.
July 7, 2004
Anybody who has been unfortunate enough, or silly enough, to listen for more than a few minutes to Radio Sport’s Murray Deaker will be well aware of his malicious, occasionally almost deranged, campaign of vilification against New Zealand football administrators, players, coaches and teams – in particular the Otago Highlanders and the All Blacks. For some four years now, he has never missed an opportunity to express just how “sick and tired” he is of the “boofheads” who refuse to “communicate” with “the fans”. That means, of course, that they refuse to talk to Murray Deaker.
The reason for that of course is easy to pinpoint: Deaker’s arrogant and ignorant behaviour before, and especially after, the All Blacks’ 1999 World Cup semifinal loss to France. Fans were dismayed and disgusted by the moronic antics of Deaker and his acolytes like Martin Devlin—but the players were utterly outraged. (Just read Jeff Wilson’s or Josh Kronfeld’s or Norm Hewitt’s autobiographies to see this.)
Deaker’s anti-All Black crusade took a remarkably loathsome turn in 2002, when he decided to back John O’Neill and Vernon Pugh’s conspiracy to rob the World Cup sub-hosting from New Zealand, treacherously turning on the NZRFU chiefs, repeatedly calling them “dumb”, blaming them alone for the betrayal and sycophantically “interviewing” Pugh (“a man of integrity”, “loves the game”) and O’Neill (“incredibly smart Aussie”, “a man of integrity”).
Deaker’s campaign reached its nadir on Sunday 16 November, the day after the All Blacks had lost to Australia in the World Cup semifinal. Having promised just the day before that he would “not be leading the death squad” if New Zealand lost, Deaker interviewed the new NZRFU chief Chris Moller. Actually, he didn’t interview Moller, he shouted at him for an hour: “They’re saying the All Blacks are ARROGANT, they’re IGNORANT…. Chris, DAMN you! Why should we be so PLEASANT?”
Deaker became almost apopleptic as the determinedly pleasant and unflappable Moller remained calm in the face of this blizzard of self-righteous indignation. Lately, of course, it’s been all sunshine and smiles; Deaker’s old Auckland Grammar teaching colleague and mate Graham Henry is in charge of the All Blacks, and Deaker now has unfettered access. The grizzling has stopped, at least until they lose a match.
But no doubt many radio listeners gasped tonight, when they heard the great broadcaster say this: “How should Soulan Pownceby handle the media? He should just say nothing. Mark Todd had the right idea about how to handle the media: JUST SAY NOTHING.” Perhaps Christopher Hitchens (also a notorious drunkard) is the most infamous flip-flopper in media history, but surely Murray Deaker’s advice to anyone, even the beleaguered Pownceby, to “just say nothing” to the media is about the most hypocritical about-turn that we’ve seen in this country for some time.
I challenge anyone else to provide a more craven example of humbug by a New Zealand media personality.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DEAKER-WATCH is a series dedicated to highlighting the contributions of Murray Deaker to New Zealand public life.
Nah given the mentality of the media they will soon be writing about how its making us all wealthier by the fact the billionaires are even sawnning around our airspace…
“That is about the only thing that will get [young people] out of bed before 7 o’clock at night to vote, but it’s not politically sustainable to put interest back on student loans. It may not be great economics, but it’s great politics.
So when Labour removed student loan interest it was the mother of all bribes, but not putting it back is just “great politics”?
I’m all for interest-free loans, hell, I think the courses should be free, but is this not hypocritical? This story has also been watered down since I first read it, I’m sure it explicitly said “lose the election” or something similar.
The low-level nasty that fucks me off this year about loans is that, as a part time student, I’m not eligible for course related costs. I’ve got a job, fair enough, but this week I have to drop $200 on a textbook that is only moderately useful since my home pc committed suicide. It’ll take weeks to actually get together all the stuff I need for course, as opposed to sorting it all at the beginning of semester. I pity those who aren’t in a good job like mine.
I can’t see the reasoning – it’s just a petty, bullshit way of making people’s lives a bit more difficult for little change in the govt purse.
Key will be voted out for numerous reasons and he should stop making it a virtue of losing the next election by pinning it on student interest-free loans.
Yep, create a problem/crisis and then criticise anyone who won’t consider asset sales as ‘part of’ the ‘solution’. Councils are not in debt just because of spending money on fripperies. Increased costs and unfunded extra responsibilities from central government are part of the issue.
The aim here goes beyond local body asset sales. As was ACT policy, Smith is aiming to restrict the kinds of things councils can spend money on. He’s calling for them to stick to ‘core business’ – which he assumes is a non-political, uncontestable notion.
In a democracy, a citizenry should be able to spend money on what it wishes – Smith’s proposals are a case (as DTB points out) of central government saying it knows better than local citizens what they should be spending their money (i.e., rates levied by elected representatives) on.
It’s clearly anti-democratic, paternalistic and interfering with the collective choices of citizens.
The rationale for Auckland borrowing is in hansard.
Hon David Parker: Is he reinforced in the concern that lay behind his statement given the reality that in New Zealand’s largest city council, Auckland City Council, rates were held at falsely low levels by increasing council debt by the greatest amount ever in New Zealand’s history, from $322 million at 30 June 2008, to $1,149 million at 30 June 2010—an increase of over a billion dollars in 2 years under John Banks?
Hon RODNEY HIDE: No, funnily enough, and the reason is that ahead of the reforms, Treasury functions across the various councils in Auckland were amalgamated, and Auckland City Council took on that role. So it borrowed $416 million, which it then on-lent to other councils, saving them considerable money because we had just one council. The Auckland City Council also borrowed another $215 million on behalf of Metro Water, which the council then on-lent. If that is netted out, we will find that the trend for debt in the Auckland City Council is exactly as predicted. In fact, Auckland City Council, in taking on that function ahead of the amalgamation, saved Auckland ratepayers some considerable money.
Auckland City Council debt more than trebled in his last 3 years as Mayor!
2007 2008 2009 31/10/2010
$135m $322m $499m $738 million !!!!!!!!
The Act spin that debt increased because the old Auckland City was borrowing for the new City is untrue. (That extra $416m of borrowing in the 2010 year took Auckland City Council debt to $1,155m at the time of amalgamation, but is excluded from the above figures.)
To be fair the whole system needs an overhaul, there are to many courses floating round which offer little benefit for the money spent.
For example,
I am in the horticulture industry post trade certs the qualification which recognises someone as qualified in their particular field is a National certificate level 4.
Now you can take out a loan of @ $2-3000 dollars and obtain this certificate in 6-9 months at various polytechs.
Recently I interviewed to fill a position and interviewed only candidates that had this certificate as the role need someone with a reasonable base behind them,
One of the candidates knowledge fell far below what should and used to be required to obtain the certificate especially in regard to botanical knowledge and pest identification etc. Otherwise he was keen with good references.
I actually felt sorry for him in that he had taken out a loan on the basis that the the course would enable him to start work as a qualified gardener when due to the fact that it is so rushed, brief and open book it does nothing of the sort.
So in other words a waste of money.
The ridiculous thing about it is that on paper he has the same qualification as someone that has completed a 3-4 year apprenticeship but without the depth of knowledge or skill.
These courses need to be canned and proper apprenticeships need to begin again and labours policy on this was a good one.
Also I have been extremely concerned in the manner in which applied handlers certificates have been given out in recent years on 1 day courses tied up with growsafe.
An applied handlers cert allows you to access some quite dangerous chemicals in large quantities and shouldn’t be issued lightly and certainly not to people who have obtained a basic growsafe for the first time on the same day.
Another computer scam alert! Phone call. Broken reception -distant female caller- accent.
“You have a problem with your computer sir and I want to help you fix it,” she says having to repeat it several times.
“What is wrong with my computer?”
“If you turn it on I will talk you through and fix it.”
“But what is wrong with it?”
“Just turn on your computer etc etc….”
” No I won’t. Nothing wrong with it. You madam, are a scammer, a cheat, and a liar,” I bravely offer.
“Oh….” Beep beep beep. Gone.
I led them down the path of allowing them to assist and appearing stupid when their instructions would not work, after a lengthy fault diagnosis with a gullible user they ascertained I was using one of those new fangled iPhones for internet access, they promptly hung up.
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News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
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:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
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. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
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 ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
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. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
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Two recent posts on David Shearer are not very illuminating.
Gordom Campbell seemed frustrated at the lack of substance in many vague responses in an interview.
And yesterday here Anthony Robins tried to add to the coming out of the new Labour leader, and the lack of support from the strong Labour contingent here was very noticable.
This week there’s an attempt to show David Shearer emerging? But is he shunned too much by his own?
A successful leader needs to have followers who believe in him.
Hence Peter Dunne is by definition a “successful leader” because you “believe in him” lol Hey is that kool-aid in the fridge?
Standard diversion – anything but Shearer? Where’s his support? Doesn’t seem to be here.
Standard diversion – who is Peter Dunne? Where’s his support? Doesn’t seem to be anywhere.
Where’s Shearer’s support?
Answer:
Red Alert
http://www.labour.org.nz
Where’s Dunne’s support?
Answer:
in his hairstyle
A successful leader needs to have followers who believe in him.
It is actually more important for a successful leader to at least have followers. How is United Follicle’s polling Petey?
EDIT: Bet me to it CV!
Morning troll duty Greg? Will you pledge enthusiastic support for Shearer? Or avoid that one?
Ha Petey you are such a laugh!
I actually think Shearer is doing pretty good and he has gone up in my estimation since his announced support for MUNZ. It is all good stuff. There ya go.
Should I take your failure to respond to CV’s and my criticisms of the follicled ones as an act of treachery? Planning a coup d’etat Petey?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10791657
To be fair its seems Shearer is not helping himself much!
To be fair it seems New Zealand isn’t helping itself much either.
Was it his typo muzza? There’s a very big difference between a couple of minor mistakes that have been picked up and intentionally fucking New Zealand over like what John Keys party is up to.
National are selling off our future at a loss to foreign owners that will be stripping our country bare. They’re gutting our public sector workforce, increasing unemployment, reducing wages and people’s rights… but all that is A OK because John Key can have a little scoff at the opposition leader and it becomes news.
I wonder if the NZ Herald gave PoAL a discount on those full-paged adverts they’ve been running?
http://werewolf.co.nz/2012/03/waiting-for-the-man/
An extended interview of David Shearer by Gordon Campbell. Pretty sure there will be a post about it later on, but for the delectation of impatient political junkies….
edit: I see Pete Squirrel has linked to this above. But I’ll leave the link because I find linking via the linker’s website/blog is the worst kind of link-whoring, and always pisses me off.
Thanks JS, that was the first real insight I’ve had into Shearer’s ideas. I thought it rather interesting and on the whole, positive.
That interview could be titled: “Dude, where’s the Labour Party?”
Right now, Labour would have a better chance of re-election if they switched David for Darien, without so much as a thank you bye, and let her rant free-reign over the airways. Hell, make it a co-leadership between her and Twyford – the only two Labour MPs who have either consistently publicly voiced representation for Labour’s roots over the past year or behaved in a manner that supported it.
I don’t know who Labour are any more, especially when the leader shy’s away from stock standard industrial disputes with a Len Brown-esque explanation and by saying that they will respond with the standard opposition model to National’s debate agendas.
“A moderate response”? “The “struggling middle classes”?
David Shearer knows this is rubbish and his personal fire comes out when he’s talking about real life. How can you come from an Iraqi or Somalian refugee camp and seriously look someone in the eye and talk about the idea of the “struggling middle classes”? No wonder he burbles. Having to swallow that shit must be intolerable. If people don’t know NZders live two families to a garage, how the hell can they comprehend the social conditions of a refugee camp, then compare it to their decadent lifestyle, describing themselves as “struggling”. What it describes is a population completely devoid of awareness of life on earth. These people need a wake up, not a to be tucked into bed. Ignorance and denial will cost the disadvantaged, not the gobblers at the table. If Shearer’s upcoming speeches are officially reigned in for the good of the party, they’ll be the dishwater they are described to be.
So, my advice, since he enjoys getting it: Find two co-leaders representing Labour’s roots… maybe Fenton and Twyford. Set to work nationwide filing the airways with no nonsense hard talking, actions and vision, based in those roots and give NZ a spearhead for a united Left that people can see is different – not moderated National Lite. Unite the LEFT David, don’t sell Lite Right. The public perception of the Labour brand is that they are the leaders of the Left. Where they go, the minor partys follow. Use that advantage – even if it is complete bollocks. Because no party will, or ever will, move Left once in power to help the poor and disadvantaged if they spend all their electioneering time imitating a “compassionate” Right. Everyone always moves right.
And just for the record: NZ didn’t “inherit” the more disgusting features of our culture. We built them, one excess at a time. Credit where credit’s due.
Why and how would Labour want to please everyone across the whole spectrum? Are they competing for Young Oxymoroner of the Year? Listen, there are no “compassionate, hard-arsed liberals”. People largely live a sub/cultural norm, regardless of their personal thoughts on a matter. They may know a thing is wrong, but they will act to preserve their cultural identity, even if it means doing the wrong thing, reluctantly, apologetically; explaining they had no choice, that they were under orders; and finally bursting forth with abuse to protect the abberation and reconcile the irreconcilable. There may be rare exceptions, but casually blending a word with an opposing adjective doesn’t make the result possible in real life.
It isn’t a matter of pleasing everyone, it’s a matter of creating a legislative base that does not allow wide cracks to open for people to fall through and restrains those who will not curb their misanthropic tendencies in industrial relations, social relations and in economic arrangements. You can’t do that by being afraid to scare someone – someone who has more than enough to bear it.
@Uturn
You get me wondering – what do Labour people believe in these days? What do lawyers, such a common group for aspiring candidates, think gives them insight into the aspiring upper lower class? It seems that when personal circumstances improve, altruisim and respect for all at whatever their level disappears.
That’s a large and difficult question to answer – I don’t have that kind of specific information. All I have is the history of Labour being a working class socialist party, the transitional Douglas and Clark years, and now finding they are not – even though they still try to associate with it. What does it say about a party that falls apart when its leader resigns? Where was its vision? What did it stand for? Were the beliefs and values grounded in human truths or were they manipulated cynical political expediencies?
The idea that comfort (read, excess) propagates self destruction is recorded throughout history. I would suggest that those who are prone to forgetting the values of their party – of not living their values – never truly held them to begin with. It’s popular for people to be encouraged to wander around full of nice ideas about fairness, social etiquette and manners, but how they arrived at those ideas – through a projection of their own issues, a ticket into social identity, or an understanding of who they really are – makes an large difference. If someone is expressing who they are, they cannot then forget it and trade it in. If someone adopts nice ideas without self awareness, as they are influenced by the responses their actions bring, they will change into something else. Their values were a temporary development. These people are not visionaries or leaders.
For example, how is that John Key can hold up his upbringing as evidence of compassionate insight, turn around and make a career in money off other people’s misery and attack those who were like him?
How can Shearer say he was enlightened on the back of a truck with a handful of orange peels, and then turn around and protect the people who create a system that would have our own children running after a truck for food scraps?
After just 6 years and two examples, NZ’s affair with “look at me I understand life” type candidates has gone stale.
If the lawyers I have met are anything to go by, they are adept and useful administrators, sometimes exceptionally well versed in the way humans behave and when “on stage” excellent communicators. It is a good idea to have sound laws underpinning society, but what those laws are and which direction they proceed should not be decided solely by lawyers. Once again, the appearance of certain useful traits and skills does not mean a person will be a good leader – unless their understanding of people and the law was incidental to their overall arrival as a true leader or visionary. They need something inside them that does not change; if not a genuine charismatic streak, then an archetypal spark, or soul, something that unavoidably constructively connects them to other people, humanity, call it what you like.
Sooner or later, a person has to face what they are, realise the price to be paid and not betray themselves or those who rely on them. Both Key and Shearer can sit on the back of that metaphorical truck and throw stones at the children chasing, and I’ll not condemn them as frauds, if they admit that is what they truly are. If one of them is not like that, then not much good will come of being scared of what you are.
(reply to ‘just saying’..)
do you use any mainstream news-aggregation websites..like..i dunno..huffington post..?
..where a lot of their material is links to other material from other sites..?
..it’s called ‘news-aggregation’…just saying..a new media-model..and is what i also do at whoar..
..but hey..!..you just stick with yr te kuiti bugle..eh..?
..and a question for you…
..dosen’t the quality of the information outweigh some delivery ‘piss-off’ in yr mind..?
..one that is just ‘in yr mind’..?
phil-at-whoar.
...it’s called ‘news-aggregation…
Don’t really care what it’s called. The Huffington Post (which I don’t read) isn’t a commenter at the Standard. If it was, I’d expect it to start or contribute to discussions on sites like this, as a commenter, not as an advertiser for its own wares. I don’t like to be forced to contribute to the visitor numbers at a blog I’m not voluntarily visiting. It’s not just an information way station, it’s your personal blog. If you want to talk about something in discussion fora like this one, link to it directly. I’m sure many like me very seldom follow links to somehwere else via a commenter’s blog, so indirect linking hinders convesration, as well as being bloody annoying.
I don’t think you do yourself, or your blog any favours by indulging in this kind of “marketing” behaviour.
Just, you know, saying…..
edit afterthought. It’s the kind of thing I expect from Pete
so what was the headline in the te kuiti bugle today..?
where do you get yr ‘news/information’ from..?
..the herald..?
phil-at-whoar.
Herald and information in the same sentence without the words ‘false’ or ‘misleading’ -lol.
seriously..where do you get yr news/information/new ideas from..?
indulge me..
phil-at-whoar.
Philip, I did read a very interesting article about a possible link between schizophrenia and inflammation in the brain, and a large trial of an antibiotic which seemed to have significant therapeutic effects in some cases, at your site. So the technique does increase visitor traffic in some cases. In that instance it would have likely taken a bit of time to find the article elsewhere.
But if you are talking politics on a political site, linking to political aticles elsewhere in the net, via your site, probably antagonises more potential readers than it procures.
In my opinion.
Listing the internet sites I visit for news and information would be time-consuming and embarrassing. – proving I spend far too much time in front of this screen. For your satisfaction there are “aggregation” sites amongst them, but as far as I know, they don’t link-whore at the Standard.
Only in a monopoly;
Stuff: Privacy breach on 9000 ACC claims
Well, I guess we should be expecting the senior managers to be getting a big “stress” bonus !
What’s that got to do with a monopoly?
Meanwhile as usual the relevant Minister (Judith Collins in this case) has refused to front.
Here’s yet another congratulation to be offered to the lady and John Key for the new ministerial standard of not fronting up.
A timely example of why wholesale information sharing between Govt departments should not go ahead – the risk of serious breaches of privacy is just too great.
@burt
I am of the opinion that the “leak” of sensitive personal information from ACC is far from accidental. As of late and showcased in the Herald, ACC have been militant in the manner in which they treat claimants in an effort to cover up the billions of dollars lost in financial transactions in failed investment companies offshore.
ACC have morphed from an institution that was once considerate in it’s approach to claimants, to an organisation that is openly hostile towards claimants.
Walking home yesterday I was listening to National Radio’s The Panel featuring (in a poverty stricken manner) no less a luminary than Stephen Franks (ACT candidate and misanthrope extraordinare). Stephen in his gormless simple minded manner made the assertion (backed by surveys no less carefully filtered by himself) that people on the “right” were generally happier than those on the “left”. Of course he did not get challenged….maybe the experience of being the host of one of these programs leads to the development of a “what the fuck, just let it go” attitude, a form of sanity preservation technique?
So for all those RWNJs who think that I am less happy than them, well yes I am (breifly) every time I realise that short of a well tested totalitarian technique I have to share the planet with you. That thought passes rapidly as I return to my usual cheery liking for my fellow citizens and our joint welfare.
Happily I will now stroll off to work with the joyous thought that I was fortunate enough to be born me and not a Stephen Franks with a blinkered mean nasty little world view. My generosity of spirit flies like a lark, singing……..the “left’s” joy knows no boundaries.
stephen franks was also talking actual factual-crap..
..conservatives are by their very nature very scared..afraid of a lot…
..but most of all..of change…
phil-at-whoar.
I listened to the same interview .where the hell did Franks get that idea
from. most of the great comics throughout the world have been people of the Left.Chaplin, Elton ,Warris and even Vic Oliver , the list is endles .
Most of the London East End
Jews are know for their wonderfull sense of humour he vast
majority being supporters of the political left many from the far left. Its interesting I have heard Franks often on Mora”s progamme I have never once heard him laugh .
I think he got his talking points from this. I presume he didn’t mention that, in that survey,
(a) more people identified as ‘left’ than ‘right’
(b) the best way to improve happiness was found to be a better work-life balance (i.e., work less)
People with higher incomes in a society tend to score higher on ‘happiness’. But, for ‘developed’ economies, and over time, increments in GDP do not correlate with Subjective Well-Being (SWB – the technical definition of ‘happiness’ in the psychological literature).
Interestingly, SWB is a composite measure that includes measures of positive and negative affect (feelings) and Life Satisfaction. As this study found, economic prosperity seems to affect SWB through ‘Life Satisfaction’ rather than through positive feelings.
That is, wealthier people pat themselves on the back for successfully acquiring life’s luxuries, conveniences and status symbols. Some studies have found that they actually have less positive affect than their less wealthy compatriots – possibly because they work longer hours and it is a consistent finding that people have less positive affect at work than elsewhere in their life.
The same study found that positive affect (what we usually think of as ‘happiness’) was correlated with better quality social relationships and the development and use of skills.
yeah..yr right..
..he gives every impression of being a miserable bastard..
..but if you want sad looking bugger..
..you can’t go past banks as he fights the urge to nana-nap during questiontime…
..i sometimes wonder if he is wondering w.t.f. is he doing there..
(..as are many others…)
..he is rich..he is getting on in years….
..he dosen’t have to do this any more..
phil-at-whoar.
Sorry. Somehow I managed to delete my content as I posted.
Can’t be bothered retyping it.
I was listening to The Panel on RNZ yesterday and Stephen Franks was saying how those on the left aren’t any fun because they are only ever ‘against’ things, rather than ‘for’ things. I wrote a post on this remarkably stupid statement and invite people to come and add to the list of things that those on the left are ‘for’.
http://afinetale.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/for.html
You must admit there isn’t oodles of joy oozing from a leftish place like this.
There are three certainties in life; Death, Taxes and Pete George talking shite.
Why should there be? The left isn’t in government and hasn’t been for some time. Should there be oodles of joy oozing from a community that is watching their country being ruined? Get the left back in government, then we’ll start seeing some good news.
You’re sort of illustrating Frank’s point. You seem to be destined to have no fun for another three or six years.
You may not have noticed, but despite claims of doom the country hasn’t been ruined by past National (or Labour) governments. Not everyone gets the policies they prefer but most people manage to survive our democracy.
Look for the positives in Shearer – you do have hopes for what he can do don’t you? Or are you just an envy shade of Green?
Well I’m not sure that is a fair assessment Pete, the 4th Labour government (not a left govt) did tremendous damage to our society and began a process of widening inequality that is starting to bear fruit today. The further down the road of enriching the wealthy we go, the less our society will resemble ‘egalitarian New Zealand’.
Shearer? I hope he wins back some swing voters in the middle.
An envy shade of green? What a terribly clumsy sentence. Little wonder that your oratory didn’t manage to get you elected.
and of course the tories were a bundle of joy under Lab5 – not bitching about gay conspiracies or social engineering at all, were they…
And yet leftist humour is inherently funnier than that of the right.
as opposed to say mr oils’ place..?…at the penguins..?
..do point out a ‘fun’ rightwing site for us all there..p.g..
..and it also feeds into the given..that ..with very few exceptions..
..rightwingers usually come with their requisite sense-of-humour-byepass at birth..
..i guess it must be difficult to be permanently scared..and funny…
phil-at-whoar.
This is an assertion I have also heard on the Panel from the mouth of David Farrar. As with Franks’s little tirade, nobody challenged him either.
Foolishly, the self-styled “leftist” Chris Trotter said the same thing on one of his Panel appearances. He had gone to watch P.J. O’Rourke speak at a function organised by Farrar, and he was brimful of enthusiasm for the “camaraderie” and “bonhomie” he reckoned he experienced in the room full of right wingers. “I doubt very much,” he intoned with deadly gravitas, “that you’d ever get the same degree of cordiality in a left wing event.”
Perhaps even more objectionable than Franks’s rancorous slur on yesterday’s programme was the pathetic response of Jeremy Elwood. “I have to agree,” he purred, desperate to win the approval of the cadaverous SS member.
There could be some validity to the argument.
I’ve commented for a long time at Kiwiblog, most of that as an outsider, and for quite a while here. The degree of and incessant bitterness of attacks here is a noticable difference. However I don’t know how much of this is weighted by the fact that it’s always been while National are in government and Labour have struggled.
I’d previously been on Aardvark (probably more right than left,) for a few years, and while there was quite a bit of moaning there was far less vitriol and personal attack there too.
Try looking for and working on positives more.
Dunne could have an attack of conscience over future generations of NZers and vote against asset sales. But that’s more in the realms of fantasy rather than reality.
You’ve never been an outsider on the RWNJ sites.
You obviously don’t have any idea. For at least the first year I was active there I was very much an outsider and experienced gang attacks and heaps of vitriol and personal abuse. That gradually changed to acceptance of me as a lefty who was prepared to stand up to the crap. I still have strongly contested debates there, much more on the issue than personal attack than it ued to be.
I often prod righty debate there as I prod lefty debate here.
So I’m thinking that after another year or two here I might be grudingly accepted as an alternative view, apart from by a few inevitable resident troll attacks (I still get that at KB).
I take to the attack with positive gusto, much strong and positive vitriol and extremely strong positive personal attacks on any negative bastard like Dunne who attempts to negatively rob me and my fellow positive citizens of their positively hard earned belongings like SOEs. Thier negative thinking and nasty negative larceny deserves a positive thrashing.
you talk utter shit p.g…
..the trolls/bottom-dwellers at both oils’ and penguins are beyond virulent…
..and all they have is shouted cliches/slogans and ad homs…
..and the level/degree of both is far far worse than i have ever seen at any lefty-blog…
..you know that..
..this is yet another of yr many faces is it…?
..i have this mental image of you ..p.g…as this jelly-like chameleon….
..constantly changing/morphing into something different..dependant on where you are..
..and your words utterly meaningless..
..as they also change with each morphing..
phil-at-whoar.
why am i in moderation..?
phil-at-whoar.
sSome things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you’re chewing on life’s gristle
Don’t grumble, give a whistle
And this’ll help things turn out for the best
ok Pete?
You sing, I’ll whistle. And always look on the bright siide of life, dum dum dee dee
@Pete Georg
Personal attacks and abusive comments are routine on KB, it’s all part of the culture of commenting on blogs and frankly it’s best to ignore it and just carry on as per normal. Don’t take it personally is the motto.
Kevin – I learnt not to take it personally long ago. And not just there.
Good one Alex, I happily agree with you, with much pleasure and joy, I stand for all those things, all positive and user friendly to everybody except the usual parasitic RWNJs.
Thanks, feel free to add some of your own, the left is a broad church and we don’t all necessarily stand for exactly the same things.
No jobs for you,
but jobs for my cronies …?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10791656
Should appointments to public service appointments like these be more open, more transparent and subject to more public scrutiny?
Should former politicians, especially ex-Cabinet ministers, be subject to a ‘stand-down’ period (3 years, 4 years, or 6 years?) before appointment to senior public servant positions?
DEAKER-WATCH No. 1
Deaker counsels Pownceby: “Just say nothing”.
July 7, 2004
Anybody who has been unfortunate enough, or silly enough, to listen for more than a few minutes to Radio Sport’s Murray Deaker will be well aware of his malicious, occasionally almost deranged, campaign of vilification against New Zealand football administrators, players, coaches and teams – in particular the Otago Highlanders and the All Blacks. For some four years now, he has never missed an opportunity to express just how “sick and tired” he is of the “boofheads” who refuse to “communicate” with “the fans”. That means, of course, that they refuse to talk to Murray Deaker.
The reason for that of course is easy to pinpoint: Deaker’s arrogant and ignorant behaviour before, and especially after, the All Blacks’ 1999 World Cup semifinal loss to France. Fans were dismayed and disgusted by the moronic antics of Deaker and his acolytes like Martin Devlin—but the players were utterly outraged. (Just read Jeff Wilson’s or Josh Kronfeld’s or Norm Hewitt’s autobiographies to see this.)
Deaker’s anti-All Black crusade took a remarkably loathsome turn in 2002, when he decided to back John O’Neill and Vernon Pugh’s conspiracy to rob the World Cup sub-hosting from New Zealand, treacherously turning on the NZRFU chiefs, repeatedly calling them “dumb”, blaming them alone for the betrayal and sycophantically “interviewing” Pugh (“a man of integrity”, “loves the game”) and O’Neill (“incredibly smart Aussie”, “a man of integrity”).
Deaker’s campaign reached its nadir on Sunday 16 November, the day after the All Blacks had lost to Australia in the World Cup semifinal. Having promised just the day before that he would “not be leading the death squad” if New Zealand lost, Deaker interviewed the new NZRFU chief Chris Moller. Actually, he didn’t interview Moller, he shouted at him for an hour: “They’re saying the All Blacks are ARROGANT, they’re IGNORANT…. Chris, DAMN you! Why should we be so PLEASANT?”
Deaker became almost apopleptic as the determinedly pleasant and unflappable Moller remained calm in the face of this blizzard of self-righteous indignation. Lately, of course, it’s been all sunshine and smiles; Deaker’s old Auckland Grammar teaching colleague and mate Graham Henry is in charge of the All Blacks, and Deaker now has unfettered access. The grizzling has stopped, at least until they lose a match.
But no doubt many radio listeners gasped tonight, when they heard the great broadcaster say this: “How should Soulan Pownceby handle the media? He should just say nothing. Mark Todd had the right idea about how to handle the media: JUST SAY NOTHING.” Perhaps Christopher Hitchens (also a notorious drunkard) is the most infamous flip-flopper in media history, but surely Murray Deaker’s advice to anyone, even the beleaguered Pownceby, to “just say nothing” to the media is about the most hypocritical about-turn that we’ve seen in this country for some time.
I challenge anyone else to provide a more craven example of humbug by a New Zealand media personality.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
DEAKER-WATCH is a series dedicated to highlighting the contributions of Murray Deaker to New Zealand public life.
NZ: The Billionaires’ Playground
Gee I feel better already. By playground do they mean “circus”?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10791406
Nah given the mentality of the media they will soon be writing about how its making us all wealthier by the fact the billionaires are even sawnning around our airspace…
Super rich people (swoon)
Key rules out interest on student loans, says it’ll cost him the next election
So when Labour removed student loan interest it was the mother of all bribes, but not putting it back is just “great politics”?
I’m all for interest-free loans, hell, I think the courses should be free, but is this not hypocritical? This story has also been watered down since I first read it, I’m sure it explicitly said “lose the election” or something similar.
The low-level nasty that fucks me off this year about loans is that, as a part time student, I’m not eligible for course related costs. I’ve got a job, fair enough, but this week I have to drop $200 on a textbook that is only moderately useful since my home pc committed suicide. It’ll take weeks to actually get together all the stuff I need for course, as opposed to sorting it all at the beginning of semester. I pity those who aren’t in a good job like mine.
I can’t see the reasoning – it’s just a petty, bullshit way of making people’s lives a bit more difficult for little change in the govt purse.
Key will be voted out for numerous reasons and he should stop making it a virtue of losing the next election by pinning it on student interest-free loans.
Act is really getting into the Nanny State meme.
hmmmm… wasn’t John Banks the guy who kept Auckland City rates increasing at par with inflation by increasing borrowing by 500%?
He is a vile little man, that much is without question.
Notice the repetition of the Nick Smith comments http://www.interest.co.nz/news/58131/local-govt-minister-nick-smith-warns-councils-increasing-debt-levels-hits-back-figures-lo
This is setting the table for the local asset sell offs, if I had to speculate…
Yep, create a problem/crisis and then criticise anyone who won’t consider asset sales as ‘part of’ the ‘solution’. Councils are not in debt just because of spending money on fripperies. Increased costs and unfunded extra responsibilities from central government are part of the issue.
The aim here goes beyond local body asset sales. As was ACT policy, Smith is aiming to restrict the kinds of things councils can spend money on. He’s calling for them to stick to ‘core business’ – which he assumes is a non-political, uncontestable notion.
In a democracy, a citizenry should be able to spend money on what it wishes – Smith’s proposals are a case (as DTB points out) of central government saying it knows better than local citizens what they should be spending their money (i.e., rates levied by elected representatives) on.
It’s clearly anti-democratic, paternalistic and interfering with the collective choices of citizens.
yep..banks blew council debt right out the door..
..i dunno how rightwingers that do this/that then declare po-faced that they are economic-rationalists…
..’a safe pair of hands’..
..phil-at-whoar.
The rationale for Auckland borrowing is in hansard.
Hon David Parker: Is he reinforced in the concern that lay behind his statement given the reality that in New Zealand’s largest city council, Auckland City Council, rates were held at falsely low levels by increasing council debt by the greatest amount ever in New Zealand’s history, from $322 million at 30 June 2008, to $1,149 million at 30 June 2010—an increase of over a billion dollars in 2 years under John Banks?
Hon RODNEY HIDE: No, funnily enough, and the reason is that ahead of the reforms, Treasury functions across the various councils in Auckland were amalgamated, and Auckland City Council took on that role. So it borrowed $416 million, which it then on-lent to other councils, saving them considerable money because we had just one council. The Auckland City Council also borrowed another $215 million on behalf of Metro Water, which the council then on-lent. If that is netted out, we will find that the trend for debt in the Auckland City Council is exactly as predicted. In fact, Auckland City Council, in taking on that function ahead of the amalgamation, saved Auckland ratepayers some considerable money.
and here
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/auckland-city-council/news/article.cfm?o_id=13&objectid=10633684
All very nice but a load of bollocks none the less.
http://pc.blogspot.co.nz/2011/10/poor-old-banksie.html
To be fair the whole system needs an overhaul, there are to many courses floating round which offer little benefit for the money spent.
For example,
I am in the horticulture industry post trade certs the qualification which recognises someone as qualified in their particular field is a National certificate level 4.
Now you can take out a loan of @ $2-3000 dollars and obtain this certificate in 6-9 months at various polytechs.
Recently I interviewed to fill a position and interviewed only candidates that had this certificate as the role need someone with a reasonable base behind them,
One of the candidates knowledge fell far below what should and used to be required to obtain the certificate especially in regard to botanical knowledge and pest identification etc. Otherwise he was keen with good references.
I actually felt sorry for him in that he had taken out a loan on the basis that the the course would enable him to start work as a qualified gardener when due to the fact that it is so rushed, brief and open book it does nothing of the sort.
So in other words a waste of money.
The ridiculous thing about it is that on paper he has the same qualification as someone that has completed a 3-4 year apprenticeship but without the depth of knowledge or skill.
These courses need to be canned and proper apprenticeships need to begin again and labours policy on this was a good one.
Also I have been extremely concerned in the manner in which applied handlers certificates have been given out in recent years on 1 day courses tied up with growsafe.
An applied handlers cert allows you to access some quite dangerous chemicals in large quantities and shouldn’t be issued lightly and certainly not to people who have obtained a basic growsafe for the first time on the same day.
Reporters without Borders annual Enemies of the Internet –
Libya’s off the list, but who’s on? Bahrain, China, Myanmar, North Korea, Australia…
Rest in peace Jock.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10790841
Another computer scam alert! Phone call. Broken reception -distant female caller- accent.
“You have a problem with your computer sir and I want to help you fix it,” she says having to repeat it several times.
“What is wrong with my computer?”
“If you turn it on I will talk you through and fix it.”
“But what is wrong with it?”
“Just turn on your computer etc etc….”
” No I won’t. Nothing wrong with it. You madam, are a scammer, a cheat, and a liar,” I bravely offer.
“Oh….” Beep beep beep. Gone.
They are lying to you, so tell a lie back.
Try telling them you don’t have a computer. Insist on it – they give up very quickly.
I led them down the path of allowing them to assist and appearing stupid when their instructions would not work, after a lengthy fault diagnosis with a gullible user they ascertained I was using one of those new fangled iPhones for internet access, they promptly hung up.