I’ve always detested the notion of user pays and hold the promotion of that concept as one of the fundamental strategies for the breakdown of socialist values in this country.
The right truly know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
They see service as benefitting the individual and not the collective and define everything in terms of individual effort for individual benefit.
It used to be we had services run for the community good such as bus services, rail services, postoffices, government departments that actually had branches in your town and used local businesses to meet their needs.
We all paid a more tax and all got more service.
Paying less tax means we get less service.
No party can increase services without increasing taxes. Until one party stands up and says we are going to tax you more to increase the revenue we get in then we will continue to get rubbish like this:
The irony of course is that the right are for collectiveness in things like insurance where you all pay a bit to spread the cost, or With owning shares where all the shareholders own collectively a little bit of a company, or trusts where there is in most cases a group of beneficiaries where it benefits them on an individual basis I.e. where profit can be made.
Remember to add the servicing costs (interest payments), on the collective debt, both public and private, to understand how much NZ is having removed from it each, and every year!
They see service as benefitting the individual and not the collective and define everything in terms of individual effort for individual benefit.
Except that they don’t. They think that individual effort should benefit them – and it doesn’t matter who made the effort. If they thought otherwise they wouldn’t be working so hard to lower wages.
The irony of course is that the right are for collectiveness in things like insurance where you all pay a bit to spread the cost…
Insurance is typical profiteering. Everyone pays in a little bit means that a few can take out a lot and if they can avoid having to pay out then they’ll never be shown as the rort that they are.
Under present regulations, if there are no standard rooms available, rest homes cannot turn away a client even if they cannot afford to pay extra.
But under the new proposal, some providers would be allowed to operate “premium-only” rest homes, where all residents would have to pay. The homes would still receive government subsidies and would not have to immediately accept residents who could not afford a room.
…
Submissions to the proposal, released under the Official Information Act, reveal public concerns about what “premium” might come to mean.
One submitter said her aunt already paid an extra $20 a week to be a few metres closer to the dining room. “We have asked how much a room with an outside window would be – and it would be about $150 a week more.”
We are so incredibly bad at looking after our elders. Myself, I intend to have an exit plan before I am forced to live in an institution with no outside window that is run by proto-fascists.
failing to plan is planning to fail; thats why I’ve gone downbeat-small pleasures are there-by a source of great pleasure and profound luxury to me.
I caught a bit of an examination of the Chinese economic migrant experience on channel 29, families moved from rural canton to Peking; many do not appreciate how fortunate we are. And as for the Costa del Sol, it is a beautiful day here in the Bay!
“If you had the chance, in what ever reality, to go on Campbell live and tell the prime minister what was what, you would right? You’d go on there and demand he call an immediate general election because he has no mandate to pervert NZ as his government sees fit.
You’d give him examples of where he’s fucked up, lied, misled and protected fraudsters in his own government, and you’d do it with passion and conviction because deep down you believe our people are worth more than money, and above all else, our sense of fair play, our humility and way of life are not for sale.
Would you? I know I would.
Ask David Shearer if he’ll do it.”
Talking about Thatcher, her biographer was on Radionz this morning. I heard him comment sadly on how welfare costs had gone up as a result of her actions, which just increased the numbers ‘being paid for doing nothing’.
Of course it’s their fault. It’s not the fault of the leaders of the country who have levers and pulleys to push and pull and billions within their purview. Purview is one of the weasel, superior words they would use in their reports on such matters.
Not simple words like ‘We’ve stuffed up big time here, and the country is not going to the dogs twice as much as before, it can’t afford to. We are sorry about this and are working to help you the British public who need work with livable wages, by setting up schemes that will start multiplier effects in each county. And encouraging employment by reducing company tax for each new employee in small businesses and each 10 for employers with over 50. And we are trialling some innovative measures that will provide at least short term employment which will be monitored and analysed for effectiveness.’ Or something like that.
Bit confused.
Did Shearer decline to turn up on Campbell Live?
Shearer has been invisible on the media on GCSB, Asset Sales etc.
I’ve only heard him warbling on about Gilmore, which is a distraction, not an issue.
The most effective way to continue growing Sheaer’s popularity is in fact to keep him away from the important issues.
Let him waffle on about Gilmour becuase that isn’t really an issue that changes our lives in any way. But when it comes to selling our assets and selling policy to corporates, it might be best to leave the opposition to those who won’t fuck up the message.
Is anyone out there is cyberland ever confident when Shearer opens his mouth over these things.
So it is a good strategy to keep him away from these things. Or alternativley we could just just replace him with someone who can articulate a simple message.
I was expecting that with the last one, but it did not happen and went the other way with National up and Labour down. So, regrettably, I am not holding my breath.
I wouldn’t be so confident Presland with a Labour bounce.
Gilmour to one side, it has not been a bad couple of weeks for the governent with unemployment down etc.
It is all bullshit and the good results have nothing to do with their management, but the public will still be reading those headlines and only ever hearing waffle from the ‘leader’ of the opposition.
a bounce would be consistent with the roy morgan pattern. Couple of percent may be.
I think it the gilmour thing only covered half the polling period or so?
The last Roy Morgan poll released on 3 May covered the period 15 – 28 April, which included the Labour/Green NZ Power announcement IIRC; but showed National up by about 6%, and both Labour and Greens down.
Assuming the next poll covers the period April 29 to May 12, then most of that period will cover the Gilmore fiasco. I cannot remember exactly what day the story broke.
So the Auckland housing package thing announced by the government proves, yet again, that the free market has failed. The free market is incapable of providing housing for all people so the government has had to step in.
This follows other well proven failures of the free market, private enterprise, deregulation policies of this government (and previous one). Those other examples;
1. Mining safety, resulting in 29 dead men at Pike River.
2. Housing (again), resulting in billions and billions of leaky homes.
3. The New Zealand stock market, the NZX. The absolute heart of free market private enterprise itself, fails to spark and function effectively to such an extent that again the government has to help them along by offering taxpayer businesses such as power companies.
4. Christchurch rebuild. Free market not even given a chance as this government intervenes all over the place.
5. Diary farming. Unable to gain funding from the private sector the dairy farmers trapise off the government for $400million to get their private business underway. Also unable to get the necessary consents they get the government to throw the rules out and simply take the consents.
Failure.
Complete and utter failure of the private enterprise free market model.
And this failure comes in the some of the biggest sectors in the country. Sectors which cry “free market free market” but act “taxpayer money taxpayer money”.
not just mining safety – the entire solid energy mismanagement has resulted in lots of west coast layoffs.
Suck to be a miner on the coast – Labour is aligned with the anti-mining greens who’d make you redundant, and nats strip the mines to pay down short term debt because they can’t balance the books.
Such a tragic government – the only benefit they have for the environment comes about because of their inability to manage the economy.
Flybuys:
(on the float of more Air New Zealand)
Ryall- “may be opportunities for ‘mums and dads’ to invest.
Oram- they “would be misguided investing”. YEP. (shakes head and prepares for shower).
Michelle Boag was just on Radio NZ and showed why National cannot be trusted. When Bryce Edwards talked about National leaking information on Hapless Gilmore she asked him to prove it and then said that it was more likely that the departments were leaking it.
She can only have been talking about MBIE’s release of emails.
I am certain that once the OIAs have been answered it will be concluded:
1. That the information was released not leaked.
2. That there was political pressure to get the information out as soon as possible.
Boag’s characterisation of the release as a leak was disingenuous in the extreme and shows either a complete lack of knowledge of what she was talking about or an intent to deceive or distract.
That’s just NZ politics – come on you know it. Labour leaks like throwing burley into the Manukau Heads when it senses the need to bring the sharks in to kill one of their own.
I would prefer a couple of staunch lefties in Parliament such as John Minto to this current arrangement. At least he would speak his mind and talk about things the way they are.
Well perhaps Gilmore will revert to form tomorrow with his last speech in Parliament and throw the dirt straight back at those colleagues of his in what should be renamed the Aaron Gilmore Party.
Perhaps he could call Key on his own lies.
Now that would show backbone…….. Come on Gilmore straighten that back for once.
His inclusive progressive style of leadership pleases me, his emphasis on public transport, a compact city form and the world’s most liveable city impresses me and demands my support, but his failure to resolve the POAL dispute, his support for the Sky City deal with passive support for the pokies for the convention centre deal and his less than fulsome support for a living wage are causes of concern.
But if I supported John all that I would do is making it more likely that Maurice Williamson became mayor.
So this particular contest is easily resolved.
But I would still prefer to see Minto in Parliament.
Yeah more platitudes, bullshit and lies, that’s about what we’ve come to expect from you. You’ll say anything but when push comes to shove you’ll be the first to gut the real left and working class as long as you and your mates retain power.
I found it interesting that Meteria Turei was given a very long interview on the Sky City deal this morning On Nine to Doom (scheduled from 0905 to 0930). Recording not yet available.
Turei was excellent and Ryan did not continually interrupt.
Where is Labour?
I did not hear all of Morning Report this morning so I could be wrong, but don’t recall one mention of Labour on any issue of the day.
Labour leaks like throwing burley into the Manukau Heads when it senses the need to bring the sharks in to kill one of their own.
Labour kills for different reasons. It’s confined to a few members of caucus and based on jealousy, ambition and a desire to hang on to their little bit of power. The most infamous of them went to ground at the beginning of the year and has since only been seen sitting in the debating chamber – where he feels safe?
I found that interview pretty funny. There was Michelle, trying to reconcile her previous dumb comments about ‘maybe Aaron can stay in the backbenches with his head down till the next election’ with the news he’s resigning without sounding completely hopeless.
Then once Bryce contradicted her point about MMP and suggested National were up to dirty tricks, she got very very defensive and steely.
Bit tough for her to deny it was dirty tricks when Whale was gloating last night about ‘the back room boys’ having gotten the job done, and Lusk identified in a story this morning.
But she has to try, because the way they’ve done it is ugly on the one hand, while on the other, she is in the opposite camp from Whale Lusk Collins. It’s a tough line to walk, balancing the internal and external narratives.
Gilmore was due to talk to party president Peter Goodfellow by telephone yesterday afternoon, and Goodfellow wanted a meeting in Wellington today.
However, it is understood the party drafted in fixer and consultant Simon Lusk to persuade Gilmore to go.
The MP was said to be privately seething last night and party members are anxious about what he might say in a valedictory speech planned for tomorrow.
If the convention centre is going to be a $90m a year money maker, and the government wants us to invest our money in stuff other than housing, why didn’t they get the new mum and dad investors of mighty river power to fund it instead of flogging off our assets?
$400m build, using their figures, it would be in surplus in four or five years. Of course, the government could have built and added a revenue stream for kiwis forever.
Why does a convention centre have to be connected to a casino, why should sky city get a government gift of law changes and a licence to print money?
Just for the record, this morning Geoff Robertson on Morning Report cut off someone from Sky City (CEO? Not sure) who was rambling on about the convention center deal.
Yes, that’s right, Geoff cut someone off mid-sentence. It was about 8:45am.
This underscores the point I made a week or so ago about the outrage that Geoff should dare to cut off a unionist talking about Pak’n’Savs youth rates issue because she was somehow saying something that Geoff didn’t want to hear, rather than the more obvious case of she had simply used up the time that had been allotted to her story.
I think if you pay close attention to Morning Report and Checkpoint, that you’ll find that it is not uncommon for stories or interviews to be cut off prematurely due to time constraints.
I also heard that, and laughed – particularly as it was not to go onto “an important issue”, but merely to allow Kathryn Ryan to promote today’s Nine to Doom.
A social lending scheme – run through a private-public partnership – will help ease the pressure on those families who can’t easily access mainstream financial services.
Methinks that these two have forgotten what social means.
“There is definitely an appetite amongst the private sector to operate in a more philanthropic space…
No there isn’t or they’d already be doing it. What there’s an appetite for in the private sector is government money.
It’s also strange that they see the solution to people not having enough money is to make it easier for these people to borrow rather than look at ways to increase their income.
While agreeing with what you say, DTB, I can also imagine cases where a short term loan at minimal interest could be useful. Labour could well set something up with a small cash investment, rather than leaving the loan sharks to feed at will. The fact that they can’t even do this without thinking of a partnership with the private sector really does ram home how lost they are.
So what does Labour think of grants being obtained from WINZ or of an advance of benefit being given or of recoverable loans at 0% interest repayable over 2 years being obtained from WINZ?
I guess we wont be seeing a relaxation of the restrictions or criteria set around those things under any labour led government because….well, because that would hurt the private sector they want to cozy up to.
My immediate concern when I read your post Draco, has to do with the pitfalls of third-wayism. This PPP approach could well pave the way to benefits being replaced by loans after a set period, or other similarly nasty scenarios. So long as parties of the so-called left take up these third way conceptions, they create openings for more ruthless measures further down the track.
I can hardly wait for Gilmore’s speech to Parliament tomorrow. Will he lay bare to public scrutiny the inner machinations of the National Party? Someone start preparing the popcorn!
Dunno. valedictory speeches often occur just before 5:30 pm but I suspect that Gilmore may need leave. He may pop up first thing. I wonder how this request will be treated?
thanks, meeting a client in Wellington tomorrow, but have a bit of a window before 5
might have to see if there is an open seat in the gallery for this show
“Housing Minister Nick Smith will be setting up the private charity sector to compete against the poor if he implements the failed social housing model from countries like the UK and Canada”, says Housing Lobby Spokesperson Sue Henry.
“We must retain the State Housing system we have and central Government must be responsible for it.”
“The private charity sector (trusts included) will never provide a better service for State tenants.”
“Under the provision of housing being delivered by private charities the income-related rents would go and State tenants would be paying market rents, as the previous Housing Minister Phil Heatley acknowledged the housing subsidy would be halved. (‘The Nation 1&2 October 2011).
Tenants would effectively only be temporary visitors in ‘transit’ housing.”
[“Duncan Okay, what happens if they move out of a state house?
You move them out and they get a private dwelling or a social housing somewhere else, are they eligible for income related rents.
Phil No, if they move from a state house they get income related rents which is worth about $9000 a year.
Duncan What happens if you kick them out to private dwellings?
Phil If they move to a private rental then they qualify not for income related rents which is about $8000 a year on average, they might get something like the accommodation supplement which is worth about $4000 a year.
Duncan So you’re sitting here today telling me that for those people and there will be cases, they’re gonna be worse off?
Phil No because if they’re in a state house, the amount of rent they pay depends on their income, so if their income doesn’t change when they shift from public to private…
Duncan But you’re telling me that they’re going to move to – potentially move to a private dwelling, so you can get other high needs people into that state house that they could be worse off. Can you sit here and say no one will be worse off?
Phil No, no I can’t. There’s a whole bunch of people in state houses at the moment who are being subsidised and have been there for a long time who we’re encouraging to move on.
Duncan How are they going to afford to go, because these people are already poor aren’t they?…”
“Private charities would not be ‘transparent’ or accountable and nepotism would be rife, as proven by the following UK research” :
______________________________________________________________________________
The social housing sector neatly demonstrates how closely aligned fraud and corruption can be. For example, the recent BBC documentary, The Great Housing Rip Off, estimated that approximately £3.5 billion of housing benefit is directed towards landlords who house tenants in very poor accommodation. While this is a misuse of entrusted power, it is more likely to be considered a fraudulent use of housing benefit.138
The main types of corruption in the social housing sector are:
• Tenancy fraud and corruption;
• Abuse of position by social landlords;
• Collusion and corruption in procurement…..”
______________________________________________________________________________
“Overseas, the ‘social housing model’ has delivered wealthy, duplicated administrative bodies, severe cuts in rent subsidies and cardboard box cities and tenement slums,” continues Sue Henry.
“Privatisation wave#2: demunicipalisation by any means
It was soon evident that the Right to Buy had natural limits – not least that poorer tenants would never be able to afford or access a mortgage – and although discounts would continue to rise over the decade, reaching 70% of market price,[10] the Conservatives unveiled a second privatisation wave from 1985 onwards that focused on selling council homes en masse to alternative landlords in the private and charity sectors. All manner of initiatives were tried and failed, and through resisting, tenants won the statutory right to be balloted on any privatisation proposals and be able to block them if they lacked majority support.
By the late 1980s, however, many local authorities began selling off their entire housing stocks to existing and specially formed not-for-profit companies called housing associations in response to the government’s financial straitjacket and the realisation that they would financially benefit. Housing associations – or Registered Social Landlords as they are known – were regulated and barred from floating on the stock exchange, but they were also private companies that had greater freedoms to charge market rents, evict tenants and build private housing, and had limited democratic accountability.”
______________________________________________________________________________
“People need to be reminded that here in New Zealand, care for the elderly devolved from private charity groups to now multinational companies, when the bulk-funding was cut.”
1) First – I believe we need to head off the proposed housing decrease through giving private sector organisations huge chunks of existing housing stock and to ban any sale of existing state housing stock.
I am opposed to ‘devolution’ of the provision of housing to ‘not-for-profit’ NGOs, as I believe it is still privatisation.
For example – care for the aged has devolved from the ‘not-for-profit’ church groups to ‘for profit’ multinational companies.
“The CEO of Presbyterian Support noted that the charitable organisations “reluctantly” exited the market which was increasingly dominated by “large national and multinational providers” (Presbyterian Support East Coast, 2005).
2004 also saw the sale of facilities belonging to the Auckland Methodists and Hastings St John of God (Presbyterian Support East Coast, 2005).
Charitable providers seemed to find the government’s then $80 daily subsidy5 made their business unsustainable (“No budget money for providers of residential care”, 2005).
In contrast to the charitable providers, the large for-profit providers are expanding within the market.
The Macquarie Group recently purchased Eldercare NZ .”
I believe we need to retain Housing New Zealand (HNZ) as a ‘one stop shop’ entity.
Housing is a Government responsibility, and if all Council tenants came under the HNZ umbrella, they too would have more affordable rents at 25% of their net income.
(As happened when Auckland City Council pensioner housing was taken over by HNZ in 2004). …………”
Snap. Just posted this on the Gilmore Goes stream.
Now will they try to stop him give his valedictory speech? IIRC, the Speaker did not respond to Mallard’s question asking whether Gilmore would be given a chance to give a valedictory speech at the start of last Thursday’s Question Time.
About to check Slater’s sewer to check whether he has posted on this yet – then hop in the shower.
Slater’s post essentially suggests that there are other emails etc that could be released on G’s sordid little life – or words to that effect. Not going back to check. Showertime asap.
In reply to my own comment and question – Can they stop Gilmore making a valedictory speech? – I have now checked the NZ Parliament website and found this provision in Chapter 7 of Standing Orders – see (2) and (3) below.
356 Maiden and valedictory statements
(1) A member who has not made a maiden speech during an Address in Reply debate or has not already made a maiden statement may make a maiden statement.
(2) A member who is about to retire or resign from the House may make a valedictory statement.
(3) A maiden or valedictory statement may interrupt a debate, and is made at such time that the Speaker or the Business Committee determines.
Presumably under (3), the Speaker or the Business Committee could determine that Gilmore cannot make his valedictory speech tomorrow and put it off until doomsday.
But if they did that, I suspect that Gilmore would go to the media. And the opposition would have a field day. The NATZ might have sighed in relief too soon.
Gilmore certainly seems to have lost the plot- or cracked. As I said yesterday, I am pretty sickened by the whole saga as it has panned out as I suspect that there are deeper mental health/psychological issues here.
Yankey’s Chum in the U$K Cameron and his Tory scum government have caused the suicide of a disabled woman with their class war austerity bedroom tax. Don’t forget Yankey and Dave come out of the same stable.
“This Is What Austerity Looks Like – First Suicide Due To Bedroom Tax Reported”
“Then she walked 15 minutes through the sleeping estate to Junction 4 of the M6.
And at 6.15am she walked straight into the path of a northbound lorry and was killed instantly. Stephanie Bottrill had become the first known suicide victim of the hated Bedroom Tax.”
One Comment:
“This heartbreaking story has touched me and brought me to tears. I really hope one day every evil, crooked, lying scheming bastard in Government pays a similar price. I would be first in line to change my name to Pierrpoint and hang the lot of them from lamposts outside Parliament and let them ROT. They bring shame on humanity! Cameron. IDS, Grayling, Hoban, McVey, Lansley I hope they burn in HELL!”
The Artist taxi driver’s reaction to this obscenity of the bedroom tax and suicide.
“They don’t understand as £20 is nothing for an MP it’s breakfast, a taxi ride, a posh box chocs, for those affected by bedroom tax it’s for basics like food & heating! and remember MPs can claim all these luxuries back at the taxpayers expense. Stephanie Bottril must not have died in vain. We must fight in her memory and for the others who have died (from Government, ATOS & DWP bullying & threats) and stop this lying, evil government from killing more.”
Nope . . . Vodascum has actually be rocking and rolling all day in Manukau. Mind you, MrsBLiP is claiming not have received various texts I sent to her in the city.
My google-fu is not up to scratch, obviously, because I cannot find a link to download the “ MacKenzie Agreement “. Anyone know where I can lay my cursor upon it?
” North Otago Federated Farmers’ high country chairman Simon Williamson, described the agreement as a “definite way forward”, but the key was “where it goes from here”. “It is going to take some fairly serious funding to get it off the ground,” he said.
Perhaps they could garner donations from those that have already profited ?
“http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8659944/High-country-farmer-subdivision-profits-released
p.s in related commentary,
is Simon Williamson Maurice Williamson’s son (whose name is Simon) ? or is that just coincidence
Eastern bloc socialism had to keep going through the 1970s and 80s, inspite of lagging growth and failed ideological hegemony, because nobody knew what else to do. This is the stage neoliberal policy-making has now reached. The difference is that there is still one area of our economy that is still moving and changing, namely the money economy, with corporate profits high and financial innovation ongoing. What seems to have changed, post-2008, is that the price paid for this monetary dynamism is that the rest of us all have to stand completely still. In order that ‘they’ in the banks can cling on to their modernity of liquidity and ultra-fast turnover, ‘we’ outside have to relinquish our modernity, of a future that is any different from the present. Finance is to our stagnant societies what the space race and the Cold War were to the Eastern Bloc countries of the 1970s and 80s – a huge cost that the state imposes on its public, with the result that cities and economies start to become tedious processions of the same.
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Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
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 ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Pacific Media Watch Television New Zealand Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities in a ceremony at Government House, reports 1News. She has been the Pacific correspondent for 1News since 2002, breaking many ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Tuesday’s budget will respond to the deepening public agitation over Australia’s housing shortages by pouring new money into crisis accommodation for women and children, social housing and infrastructure. A specially-convened national cabinet late Friday ticked ...
By Kaneta Naimatu in Suva Journalists in the Pacific region play an important role as the “eyes and ears on the ground” when it comes to reporting the climate crisis, says the European Union’s Pacific Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. Speaking at The University of the South Pacific (USP) on World Press ...
Aldora Itunu is back in the Black Ferns squad after a three-year absence. The last of her 24 internationals was an underwhelming loss to France (7-29) in Castres to conclude the disastrous 2021 Northern Tour. The powerhouse prop won a Rugby World Cup in 2017 and thought she was done. ...
The fight to control major transport policy and projects in Auckland has burst into the open again, with councillors rejecting Mayor Wayne Brown’s latest attempt to steer things more under his influence. Councillors from the left and right broke ranks on the mayor’s bid to control Auckland Transport more directly ...
Exhausted by the general election campaign, horrified by the twilight zone of coalition negotiations, distracted by the silly season and waiting for the honeymoon to begin, Raw Politics has been in hibernation since October. From today, we’re back. Our weekly political video show and podcast returns for ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Authorities in the small town of Boulouparis have commemorated Armistice Day on May 8 with a new memorial honouring New Zealand soldiers who were stationed in New Caledonia during World War II. The ceremony took place in the township on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skylineAleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/ShutterstockRecent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...
Papua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...
The Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell?Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...
The New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...
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I’ve always detested the notion of user pays and hold the promotion of that concept as one of the fundamental strategies for the breakdown of socialist values in this country.
The right truly know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
They see service as benefitting the individual and not the collective and define everything in terms of individual effort for individual benefit.
It used to be we had services run for the community good such as bus services, rail services, postoffices, government departments that actually had branches in your town and used local businesses to meet their needs.
We all paid a more tax and all got more service.
Paying less tax means we get less service.
No party can increase services without increasing taxes. Until one party stands up and says we are going to tax you more to increase the revenue we get in then we will continue to get rubbish like this:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8663784/Vulnerable-at-risk-in-police-fees
And this
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8663702/Rest-home-luxury-plan-unfair-critics
The irony of course is that the right are for collectiveness in things like insurance where you all pay a bit to spread the cost, or With owning shares where all the shareholders own collectively a little bit of a company, or trusts where there is in most cases a group of beneficiaries where it benefits them on an individual basis I.e. where profit can be made.
Nice post. Does anyone know how much profit leaves the country each year? (thanks to the efficiencies of the private sector)
Remember to add the servicing costs (interest payments), on the collective debt, both public and private, to understand how much NZ is having removed from it each, and every year!
http://canterbury.cyberplace.org.nz/community/CAFCA/keyfacts.html
It’s a bit dated but should give you some idea of how much we’re losing.
Except that they don’t. They think that individual effort should benefit them – and it doesn’t matter who made the effort. If they thought otherwise they wouldn’t be working so hard to lower wages.
Insurance is typical profiteering. Everyone pays in a little bit means that a few can take out a lot and if they can avoid having to pay out then they’ll never be shown as the rort that they are.
Under present regulations, if there are no standard rooms available, rest homes cannot turn away a client even if they cannot afford to pay extra.
But under the new proposal, some providers would be allowed to operate “premium-only” rest homes, where all residents would have to pay. The homes would still receive government subsidies and would not have to immediately accept residents who could not afford a room.
…
Submissions to the proposal, released under the Official Information Act, reveal public concerns about what “premium” might come to mean.
One submitter said her aunt already paid an extra $20 a week to be a few metres closer to the dining room. “We have asked how much a room with an outside window would be – and it would be about $150 a week more.”
We are so incredibly bad at looking after our elders. Myself, I intend to have an exit plan before I am forced to live in an institution with no outside window that is run by proto-fascists.
failing to plan is planning to fail; thats why I’ve gone downbeat-small pleasures are there-by a source of great pleasure and profound luxury to me.
I caught a bit of an examination of the Chinese economic migrant experience on channel 29, families moved from rural canton to Peking; many do not appreciate how fortunate we are. And as for the Costa del Sol, it is a beautiful day here in the Bay!
Rent-a-robo-cop.
“British fugitive caught sunbathing in Spain”
The Herald’s main online headline as I type.
Says it all about this rag.
Paul :shock:!
Sky city – Another open goal for the opposition leader.
Go on, get Grant to phone Campbell and set it up.
Lead or fuck off as I go earning my living.
http://thestandard.org.nz/governing-for-their-rich-mates-again/#comment-632220
“If you had the chance, in what ever reality, to go on Campbell live and tell the prime minister what was what, you would right? You’d go on there and demand he call an immediate general election because he has no mandate to pervert NZ as his government sees fit.
You’d give him examples of where he’s fucked up, lied, misled and protected fraudsters in his own government, and you’d do it with passion and conviction because deep down you believe our people are worth more than money, and above all else, our sense of fair play, our humility and way of life are not for sale.
Would you? I know I would.
Ask David Shearer if he’ll do it.”
And just because, I’ll give David his closing line to Key
“You can steal our assets, but you can’t and won’t be allowed to steal our kiwi way of life.”
Yes that great “kiwi life” as you go on about, as long as it is a carbon copy of pre Thatcher UK.
Talking about Thatcher, her biographer was on Radionz this morning. I heard him comment sadly on how welfare costs had gone up as a result of her actions, which just increased the numbers ‘being paid for doing nothing’.
Of course it’s their fault. It’s not the fault of the leaders of the country who have levers and pulleys to push and pull and billions within their purview. Purview is one of the weasel, superior words they would use in their reports on such matters.
Not simple words like ‘We’ve stuffed up big time here, and the country is not going to the dogs twice as much as before, it can’t afford to. We are sorry about this and are working to help you the British public who need work with livable wages, by setting up schemes that will start multiplier effects in each county. And encouraging employment by reducing company tax for each new employee in small businesses and each 10 for employers with over 50. And we are trialling some innovative measures that will provide at least short term employment which will be monitored and analysed for effectiveness.’ Or something like that.
Bit confused.
Did Shearer decline to turn up on Campbell Live?
Shearer has been invisible on the media on GCSB, Asset Sales etc.
I’ve only heard him warbling on about Gilmore, which is a distraction, not an issue.
“Did Shearer decline to turn up on Campbell Live?”
Not that I’m aware of, but he will if he doesn’t front tonight.
It’s called a direct challenge.
DS turn up? Speak out? Not a chance.
I still think the Invisible Man is on a retainer from the Nats.
Please ask Cunliffe to do it …
The most effective way to continue growing Sheaer’s popularity is in fact to keep him away from the important issues.
Let him waffle on about Gilmour becuase that isn’t really an issue that changes our lives in any way. But when it comes to selling our assets and selling policy to corporates, it might be best to leave the opposition to those who won’t fuck up the message.
Is anyone out there is cyberland ever confident when Shearer opens his mouth over these things.
So it is a good strategy to keep him away from these things. Or alternativley we could just just replace him with someone who can articulate a simple message.
Check-out.Records, 44 Willis St.Pow!
Any idea when the next polls are out?
Probably this Thursday (Roy Morgan) and expect a bounce back to Labour.
Much obliged.
“…and expect a bounce back to Labour.”
I was expecting that with the last one, but it did not happen and went the other way with National up and Labour down. So, regrettably, I am not holding my breath.
I wouldn’t be so confident Presland with a Labour bounce.
Gilmour to one side, it has not been a bad couple of weeks for the governent with unemployment down etc.
It is all bullshit and the good results have nothing to do with their management, but the public will still be reading those headlines and only ever hearing waffle from the ‘leader’ of the opposition.
a bounce would be consistent with the roy morgan pattern. Couple of percent may be.
I think it the gilmour thing only covered half the polling period or so?
The last Roy Morgan poll released on 3 May covered the period 15 – 28 April, which included the Labour/Green NZ Power announcement IIRC; but showed National up by about 6%, and both Labour and Greens down.
Assuming the next poll covers the period April 29 to May 12, then most of that period will cover the Gilmore fiasco. I cannot remember exactly what day the story broke.
My, time flies when you’re laughing at a dickhead’s expense! 🙂
Wikipedia knows who Aaron Gilmore is – reckons the story broke on 2 May. So it will be for much of the polling period, my mistake.
Just in case we thought our prejudices were wrong, book yourself an hour of quiet time and have a good scroll and view through this one:
http://www.salon.com/2013/05/12/top_5_investigative_videos_of_the_week_some_rich_people_are_just_jerks_partner/
I just loved it. Some great (albeit US) sources in there.
better Ads than Television on the Wire. 😀
‘
What a top link. Thank’s Ad.
So the Auckland housing package thing announced by the government proves, yet again, that the free market has failed. The free market is incapable of providing housing for all people so the government has had to step in.
This follows other well proven failures of the free market, private enterprise, deregulation policies of this government (and previous one). Those other examples;
1. Mining safety, resulting in 29 dead men at Pike River.
2. Housing (again), resulting in billions and billions of leaky homes.
3. The New Zealand stock market, the NZX. The absolute heart of free market private enterprise itself, fails to spark and function effectively to such an extent that again the government has to help them along by offering taxpayer businesses such as power companies.
4. Christchurch rebuild. Free market not even given a chance as this government intervenes all over the place.
5. Diary farming. Unable to gain funding from the private sector the dairy farmers trapise off the government for $400million to get their private business underway. Also unable to get the necessary consents they get the government to throw the rules out and simply take the consents.
Failure.
Complete and utter failure of the private enterprise free market model.
And this failure comes in the some of the biggest sectors in the country. Sectors which cry “free market free market” but act “taxpayer money taxpayer money”.
The failure is monumental and complete.
I don’t think it’s failing at all – after all, the right people are benefiting quite well and getting hold of the communities wealth just as planned.
Of course, it’s not doing the majority of people any good but that doesn’t matter – they’re not the right people.
not just mining safety – the entire solid energy mismanagement has resulted in lots of west coast layoffs.
Suck to be a miner on the coast – Labour is aligned with the anti-mining greens who’d make you redundant, and nats strip the mines to pay down short term debt because they can’t balance the books.
Such a tragic government – the only benefit they have for the environment comes about because of their inability to manage the economy.
Flybuys:
(on the float of more Air New Zealand)
Ryall- “may be opportunities for ‘mums and dads’ to invest.
Oram- they “would be misguided investing”. YEP. (shakes head and prepares for shower).
Michelle Boag was just on Radio NZ and showed why National cannot be trusted. When Bryce Edwards talked about National leaking information on Hapless Gilmore she asked him to prove it and then said that it was more likely that the departments were leaking it.
She can only have been talking about MBIE’s release of emails.
I am certain that once the OIAs have been answered it will be concluded:
1. That the information was released not leaked.
2. That there was political pressure to get the information out as soon as possible.
Boag’s characterisation of the release as a leak was disingenuous in the extreme and shows either a complete lack of knowledge of what she was talking about or an intent to deceive or distract.
That’s just NZ politics – come on you know it. Labour leaks like throwing burley into the Manukau Heads when it senses the need to bring the sharks in to kill one of their own.
Aye but there has to be a better way.
I would prefer a couple of staunch lefties in Parliament such as John Minto to this current arrangement. At least he would speak his mind and talk about things the way they are.
Well perhaps Gilmore will revert to form tomorrow with his last speech in Parliament and throw the dirt straight back at those colleagues of his in what should be renamed the Aaron Gilmore Party.
Perhaps he could call Key on his own lies.
Now that would show backbone…….. Come on Gilmore straighten that back for once.
Well why don’t you start getting behind the Greens and Mana instead of white anting for your mates in Labour.
Alternatively you could throw your weight behind John in the mayoral race rather than Len Brown who’s spent this morning lauding the sky City deal.
Len Brown?
His inclusive progressive style of leadership pleases me, his emphasis on public transport, a compact city form and the world’s most liveable city impresses me and demands my support, but his failure to resolve the POAL dispute, his support for the Sky City deal with passive support for the pokies for the convention centre deal and his less than fulsome support for a living wage are causes of concern.
But if I supported John all that I would do is making it more likely that Maurice Williamson became mayor.
So this particular contest is easily resolved.
But I would still prefer to see Minto in Parliament.
Yeah more platitudes, bullshit and lies, that’s about what we’ve come to expect from you. You’ll say anything but when push comes to shove you’ll be the first to gut the real left and working class as long as you and your mates retain power.
Don’t be like that.
I have set out my reasons.
Do you think I should concentrate only on the negative? The positives are very important.
I found it interesting that Meteria Turei was given a very long interview on the Sky City deal this morning On Nine to Doom (scheduled from 0905 to 0930). Recording not yet available.
Turei was excellent and Ryan did not continually interrupt.
Where is Labour?
I did not hear all of Morning Report this morning so I could be wrong, but don’t recall one mention of Labour on any issue of the day.
Hone
Labour kills for different reasons. It’s confined to a few members of caucus and based on jealousy, ambition and a desire to hang on to their little bit of power. The most infamous of them went to ground at the beginning of the year and has since only been seen sitting in the debating chamber – where he feels safe?
I found that interview pretty funny. There was Michelle, trying to reconcile her previous dumb comments about ‘maybe Aaron can stay in the backbenches with his head down till the next election’ with the news he’s resigning without sounding completely hopeless.
Then once Bryce contradicted her point about MMP and suggested National were up to dirty tricks, she got very very defensive and steely.
Bit tough for her to deny it was dirty tricks when Whale was gloating last night about ‘the back room boys’ having gotten the job done, and Lusk identified in a story this morning.
But she has to try, because the way they’ve done it is ugly on the one hand, while on the other, she is in the opposite camp from Whale Lusk Collins. It’s a tough line to walk, balancing the internal and external narratives.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8663752/MP-quits-with-a-heavy-heart
As I head out the door, Sky city.
If the convention centre is going to be a $90m a year money maker, and the government wants us to invest our money in stuff other than housing, why didn’t they get the new mum and dad investors of mighty river power to fund it instead of flogging off our assets?
$400m build, using their figures, it would be in surplus in four or five years. Of course, the government could have built and added a revenue stream for kiwis forever.
Why does a convention centre have to be connected to a casino, why should sky city get a government gift of law changes and a licence to print money?
Screamadelica those Pet Sounds Some Velvet Morning Country Girl. 😉
Just for the record, this morning Geoff Robertson on Morning Report cut off someone from Sky City (CEO? Not sure) who was rambling on about the convention center deal.
Yes, that’s right, Geoff cut someone off mid-sentence. It was about 8:45am.
This underscores the point I made a week or so ago about the outrage that Geoff should dare to cut off a unionist talking about Pak’n’Savs youth rates issue because she was somehow saying something that Geoff didn’t want to hear, rather than the more obvious case of she had simply used up the time that had been allotted to her story.
I think if you pay close attention to Morning Report and Checkpoint, that you’ll find that it is not uncommon for stories or interviews to be cut off prematurely due to time constraints.
didn’t hear this morning’s show.
Have no reason to doubt it happened as you say.
Good to know he is unprofessional with everyone, equally.
I also heard that, and laughed – particularly as it was not to go onto “an important issue”, but merely to allow Kathryn Ryan to promote today’s Nine to Doom.
Small change will make a big difference
Methinks that these two have forgotten what social means.
No there isn’t or they’d already be doing it. What there’s an appetite for in the private sector is government money.
It’s also strange that they see the solution to people not having enough money is to make it easier for these people to borrow rather than look at ways to increase their income.
Labour has really lost the plot.
When told “this is a Stock market, there’s no money to steal here!”
Bane rightly answers: “Then why are you here?”
copycat, flirty pat 🙂
While agreeing with what you say, DTB, I can also imagine cases where a short term loan at minimal interest could be useful. Labour could well set something up with a small cash investment, rather than leaving the loan sharks to feed at will. The fact that they can’t even do this without thinking of a partnership with the private sector really does ram home how lost they are.
So what does Labour think of grants being obtained from WINZ or of an advance of benefit being given or of recoverable loans at 0% interest repayable over 2 years being obtained from WINZ?
I guess we wont be seeing a relaxation of the restrictions or criteria set around those things under any labour led government because….well, because that would hurt the private sector they want to cozy up to.
B’stards!
My immediate concern when I read your post Draco, has to do with the pitfalls of third-wayism. This PPP approach could well pave the way to benefits being replaced by loans after a set period, or other similarly nasty scenarios. So long as parties of the so-called left take up these third way conceptions, they create openings for more ruthless measures further down the track.
The infamous Simon Lusk was drafted in to “fix” the Aaron Gilmore problem …
According to Stuff “Fairfax Media understands the party drafted in fixer and consultant Simon Lusk to persuade Gilmore to go.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8663792/Embattled-Gilmore-quits-Parliament
[Lusk and Gilmore go back to the 2008 campaign. Gilmore was part of Lusk’s stable. They fell out when Gilmore didn’t pay Lusk’s fees. Eddie]
Isn’t Lusk in the Collins-Slater camp?
Oops just saw Pascal’s Bookie already linked to the story.
But it is developing, Gilmore has sent threatening texts to four different members of the National Party including Cameron Slater promising Utu. Details are at http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8663792/Embattled-Gilmore-quits-Parliament in an update to the story.
I can hardly wait for Gilmore’s speech to Parliament tomorrow. Will he lay bare to public scrutiny the inner machinations of the National Party? Someone start preparing the popcorn!
EDIT: PB bet me to it again below.
Mickey, roughly what time in the proceedings would that speech be do you reckon?
Dunno. valedictory speeches often occur just before 5:30 pm but I suspect that Gilmore may need leave. He may pop up first thing. I wonder how this request will be treated?
Edit see Veutoviper below at 14.1.2
thanks, meeting a client in Wellington tomorrow, but have a bit of a window before 5
might have to see if there is an open seat in the gallery for this show
Seen this?
______________________________________________________________________________
13 May 2013
Press Release: Sue Henry Spokesperson, Housing Lobby:
“We cannot and will not allow the failed ‘social housing’ model to take over State Housing.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8662181/Govt-plans-to-ditch-Housing-NZ-properties
“Housing Minister Nick Smith will be setting up the private charity sector to compete against the poor if he implements the failed social housing model from countries like the UK and Canada”, says Housing Lobby Spokesperson Sue Henry.
“We must retain the State Housing system we have and central Government must be responsible for it.”
“The private charity sector (trusts included) will never provide a better service for State tenants.”
“Under the provision of housing being delivered by private charities the income-related rents would go and State tenants would be paying market rents, as the previous Housing Minister Phil Heatley acknowledged the housing subsidy would be halved. (‘The Nation 1&2 October 2011).
Tenants would effectively only be temporary visitors in ‘transit’ housing.”
______________________________________________________________________________
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1110/S00006/the-nation-phil-heatley.htm
[“Duncan Okay, what happens if they move out of a state house?
You move them out and they get a private dwelling or a social housing somewhere else, are they eligible for income related rents.
Phil No, if they move from a state house they get income related rents which is worth about $9000 a year.
Duncan What happens if you kick them out to private dwellings?
Phil If they move to a private rental then they qualify not for income related rents which is about $8000 a year on average, they might get something like the accommodation supplement which is worth about $4000 a year.
Duncan So you’re sitting here today telling me that for those people and there will be cases, they’re gonna be worse off?
Phil No because if they’re in a state house, the amount of rent they pay depends on their income, so if their income doesn’t change when they shift from public to private…
Duncan But you’re telling me that they’re going to move to – potentially move to a private dwelling, so you can get other high needs people into that state house that they could be worse off. Can you sit here and say no one will be worse off?
Phil No, no I can’t. There’s a whole bunch of people in state houses at the moment who are being subsidised and have been there for a long time who we’re encouraging to move on.
Duncan How are they going to afford to go, because these people are already poor aren’t they?…”
______________________________________________________________________________
“Private charities would not be ‘transparent’ or accountable and nepotism would be rife, as proven by the following UK research” :
______________________________________________________________________________
CORRUPTION IN THE UK PART TWO – Transparency International …
http://www.transparency.org.uk/component/cckjseblod/?…publication...
” 4.5.1 Types of social housing corruption
The social housing sector neatly demonstrates how closely aligned fraud and corruption can be. For example, the recent BBC documentary, The Great Housing Rip Off, estimated that approximately £3.5 billion of housing benefit is directed towards landlords who house tenants in very poor accommodation. While this is a misuse of entrusted power, it is more likely to be considered a fraudulent use of housing benefit.138
The main types of corruption in the social housing sector are:
• Tenancy fraud and corruption;
• Abuse of position by social landlords;
• Collusion and corruption in procurement…..”
______________________________________________________________________________
“Overseas, the ‘social housing model’ has delivered wealthy, duplicated administrative bodies, severe cuts in rent subsidies and cardboard box cities and tenement slums,” continues Sue Henry.
______________________________________________________________________________
http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=4180
“Privatisation wave#2: demunicipalisation by any means
It was soon evident that the Right to Buy had natural limits – not least that poorer tenants would never be able to afford or access a mortgage – and although discounts would continue to rise over the decade, reaching 70% of market price,[10] the Conservatives unveiled a second privatisation wave from 1985 onwards that focused on selling council homes en masse to alternative landlords in the private and charity sectors. All manner of initiatives were tried and failed, and through resisting, tenants won the statutory right to be balloted on any privatisation proposals and be able to block them if they lacked majority support.
By the late 1980s, however, many local authorities began selling off their entire housing stocks to existing and specially formed not-for-profit companies called housing associations in response to the government’s financial straitjacket and the realisation that they would financially benefit. Housing associations – or Registered Social Landlords as they are known – were regulated and barred from floating on the stock exchange, but they were also private companies that had greater freedoms to charge market rents, evict tenants and build private housing, and had limited democratic accountability.”
______________________________________________________________________________
“People need to be reminded that here in New Zealand, care for the elderly devolved from private charity groups to now multinational companies, when the bulk-funding was cut.”
http://www.business.auckland.ac.nz/Portals/4/Research/General/Wokiring_Paper_07_1_.pdf
“We cannot and will not, allow this to happen to our State houses and our families.”
Sue Henry
Spokesperson
Housing Lobby
STATEMENT BY PENNY BRIGHT, 2013 AUCKLAND MAYORAL CANDIDATE:
” MY POSITION ON ‘SOCIAL HOUSING’ IS UNCHANGED FROM 2010″:
http://waterpressure.wordpress.com/2010/09/07/response-from-auckland-mayoral-candidate-penny-bright-to-waitakere-housing-call-to-action/
“…INCREASED HOUSING PROVISION:
1) First – I believe we need to head off the proposed housing decrease through giving private sector organisations huge chunks of existing housing stock and to ban any sale of existing state housing stock.
I am opposed to ‘devolution’ of the provision of housing to ‘not-for-profit’ NGOs, as I believe it is still privatisation.
For example – care for the aged has devolved from the ‘not-for-profit’ church groups to ‘for profit’ multinational companies.
http://www.business.auckland.ac.nz/Portals/4/Research/General/Wokiring_Paper_07_1_.pdf(Pg 17)
“The CEO of Presbyterian Support noted that the charitable organisations “reluctantly” exited the market which was increasingly dominated by “large national and multinational providers” (Presbyterian Support East Coast, 2005).
2004 also saw the sale of facilities belonging to the Auckland Methodists and Hastings St John of God (Presbyterian Support East Coast, 2005).
Charitable providers seemed to find the government’s then $80 daily subsidy5 made their business unsustainable (“No budget money for providers of residential care”, 2005).
In contrast to the charitable providers, the large for-profit providers are expanding within the market.
The Macquarie Group recently purchased Eldercare NZ .”
I believe we need to retain Housing New Zealand (HNZ) as a ‘one stop shop’ entity.
Housing is a Government responsibility, and if all Council tenants came under the HNZ umbrella, they too would have more affordable rents at 25% of their net income.
(As happened when Auckland City Council pensioner housing was taken over by HNZ in 2004). …………”
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption/anti-privatisation’ campaigner
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
“Utu”.
That boy just don’t give up.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8666101/Gilmore-threatens-revenge-on-enemies
Snap. Just posted this on the Gilmore Goes stream.
Now will they try to stop him give his valedictory speech? IIRC, the Speaker did not respond to Mallard’s question asking whether Gilmore would be given a chance to give a valedictory speech at the start of last Thursday’s Question Time.
About to check Slater’s sewer to check whether he has posted on this yet – then hop in the shower.
Slater’s post essentially suggests that there are other emails etc that could be released on G’s sordid little life – or words to that effect. Not going back to check. Showertime asap.
you should smell my arm pits. (just a little bathroom humour).
In reply to my own comment and question – Can they stop Gilmore making a valedictory speech? – I have now checked the NZ Parliament website and found this provision in Chapter 7 of Standing Orders – see (2) and (3) below.
356 Maiden and valedictory statements
(1) A member who has not made a maiden speech during an Address in Reply debate or has not already made a maiden statement may make a maiden statement.
(2) A member who is about to retire or resign from the House may make a valedictory statement.
(3) A maiden or valedictory statement may interrupt a debate, and is made at such time that the Speaker or the Business Committee determines.
Presumably under (3), the Speaker or the Business Committee could determine that Gilmore cannot make his valedictory speech tomorrow and put it off until doomsday.
But if they did that, I suspect that Gilmore would go to the media. And the opposition would have a field day. The NATZ might have sighed in relief too soon.
Gilmore certainly seems to have lost the plot- or cracked. As I said yesterday, I am pretty sickened by the whole saga as it has panned out as I suspect that there are deeper mental health/psychological issues here.
He’d probably prefer to try and fire any thunderbolts under parliamentary privilege. Does he get that for a valedictory speech though?
He’s got Garry Gilmore eyes.
Maybe he has a voodoo doll or two as well..
We’ll miss this guy! 10 days of entertainment for the Left and embarrassment for the Right. Run the pic of him and Key occasionally to remind us.
Classic Nat Prat. In it for the Social Climbing and Sticking it to the Plebs. Plenty more in caucus, but much smoother versions.
Yankey’s Chum in the U$K Cameron and his Tory scum government have caused the suicide of a disabled woman with their class war austerity bedroom tax. Don’t forget Yankey and Dave come out of the same stable.
“This Is What Austerity Looks Like – First Suicide Due To Bedroom Tax Reported”
http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/
“Then she walked 15 minutes through the sleeping estate to Junction 4 of the M6.
And at 6.15am she walked straight into the path of a northbound lorry and was killed instantly. Stephanie Bottrill had become the first known suicide victim of the hated Bedroom Tax.”
One Comment:
“This heartbreaking story has touched me and brought me to tears. I really hope one day every evil, crooked, lying scheming bastard in Government pays a similar price. I would be first in line to change my name to Pierrpoint and hang the lot of them from lamposts outside Parliament and let them ROT. They bring shame on humanity! Cameron. IDS, Grayling, Hoban, McVey, Lansley I hope they burn in HELL!”
Actual link
The Artist taxi driver’s reaction to this obscenity of the bedroom tax and suicide.
“They don’t understand as £20 is nothing for an MP it’s breakfast, a taxi ride, a posh box chocs, for those affected by bedroom tax it’s for basics like food & heating! and remember MPs can claim all these luxuries back at the taxpayers expense. Stephanie Bottril must not have died in vain. We must fight in her memory and for the others who have died (from Government, ATOS & DWP bullying & threats) and stop this lying, evil government from killing more.”
Tiwai – money down the pot in lieu.
Shades of Mad Macs
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10883260
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10883232
(“turning the roads over to criminals”)
What is about mothers and pieces of silver?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10883201.
Is this what austerity/balancing the books/state asset sales looks like?
Kal at – http://econ.st/17OYd3I
LIARS OF OUR TIME
No. 5: Rawdon Christie
Television One Breakfast, Monday 13 May 2013, 7:20 a.m. ….
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
RAWDON CHRISTIE: Now, speaking of replacements, a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
See also…..
No. 4: Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628803
No. 3: John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628703
No. 2: Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.” (TV3 News, 24 April 2013) http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25042013/#comment-624381
No. 1: Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19042013/#comment-621738
LIARS OF OUR TIME
No. 6: New Zealand Herald PR department
The New Zealand Herald, Monday 13 May 2013, Page 4….
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
See also….
No. 5: Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13052013/#comment-632594
No. 4: Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628803
No. 3: John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-06052013/#comment-628703
No. 2: Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.” (TV3 News, 24 April 2013) http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25042013/#comment-624381
No. 1: Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19042013/#comment-621738
After signing off> as the ISS Commander Chris Hadfield performed Space Oddity.
We’re with Vodafone and our system has been down for most of the afternoon. I don’t know what caused it. Anyone else affected?
‘
Nope . . . Vodascum has actually be rocking and rolling all day in Manukau. Mind you, MrsBLiP is claiming not have received various texts I sent to her in the city.
‘
My google-fu is not up to scratch, obviously, because I cannot find a link to download the “ MacKenzie Agreement “. Anyone know where I can lay my cursor upon it?
Nope. Thanks for the tip. I can only find articles about it:
NBR.
Scoop business
no joy, but here is the Mayor’s email: mayor@mackenzie.govt.nz
” North Otago Federated Farmers’ high country chairman Simon Williamson, described the agreement as a “definite way forward”, but the key was “where it goes from here”. “It is going to take some fairly serious funding to get it off the ground,” he said.
Perhaps they could garner donations from those that have already profited ?
“http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8659944/High-country-farmer-subdivision-profits-released
p.s in related commentary,
is Simon Williamson Maurice Williamson’s son (whose name is Simon) ? or is that just coincidence
Some tips to improve your google-fu.
http://webapps.stackexchange.com/questions/753/hidden-features-of-google-search/
http://www.hackcollege.com/blog/2011/11/23/infographic-get-more-out-of-google.html
edit:
file type pdf: The Mackenzie Agreement Williamson Holdings, Southdown Holdings, Five Rivers site:.nz
results
‘
Thanks, joe90.
I especially like Will Davies’ conclusion:
Eastern bloc socialism had to keep going through the 1970s and 80s, inspite of lagging growth and failed ideological hegemony, because nobody knew what else to do. This is the stage neoliberal policy-making has now reached. The difference is that there is still one area of our economy that is still moving and changing, namely the money economy, with corporate profits high and financial innovation ongoing. What seems to have changed, post-2008, is that the price paid for this monetary dynamism is that the rest of us all have to stand completely still. In order that ‘they’ in the banks can cling on to their modernity of liquidity and ultra-fast turnover, ‘we’ outside have to relinquish our modernity, of a future that is any different from the present. Finance is to our stagnant societies what the space race and the Cold War were to the Eastern Bloc countries of the 1970s and 80s – a huge cost that the state imposes on its public, with the result that cities and economies start to become tedious processions of the same.
http://potlatch.typepad.com/weblog/2013/04/brezhnev-capitalism.html