Connoisseurs and students of the human condition would be crazy to miss the latest episode, Ep10, of How Not to Be an Asshole – and probably crazy to want to hear it. Wow, these guys are really white-knuckling it now, and it delivers some exceptional performances, extended periods of chaos, interspersed with interesting tales and ideological definitions of certainty, as only ideology can supply.
This week the guys interview a feminist/sexologist, former BFM feature host, Sarin Moddle. She talks about what cisgender is, the difference between sex and gender, living “outside your bubble of understanding”, accuses the guys of being “oppressors” (that bit was hilarious… I thought he was going to snap) and how she pities anyone who hasn’t slept with more than ten people. The guys talk about their foray into vigilante justice – sans capes or lycra – distrust of the cops, and how their various relationships ended.
This may be the last one I listen to, not because it’s bad, but because I have a much lower tolerance for the kind of Jane Austin-Emily Emily Brontë style of violence and irony these guys and their guests eagerly subject themselves. I might need a cup of tea to calm down. Whatever it is they’re after, I hope it’s worth it. If becoming less of an asshole can be learned by being around assholes, I applaud these guy’s courage. In the meantime, it just keeps getting “better”.
“Legislation giving U.S. President Barack Obama authority to speed trade deals through Congress failed a crucial procedural test on Tuesday, delaying a measure that may be key to President Barack Obama’s diplomatic pivot to Asia.
In a setback to the White House trade agenda, the Senate voted 52-45 – eight votes short of the necessary 60 – to clear the way for debate on the legislation, which would allow a quick decision on granting the president so-called fast track authority to move trade deals quickly through Congress.”
Thank you, Wikileaks, for providing a counter to the antidemocratic secrecy that was employed in these negotiations. Tim Groser’s ideas of democracy differ markedly from mine.
Obama’s plans for trade deals with Asia and Europe in tatters after Senate vote
Senate legislation fails to pass after Democrats put concerns about US jobs ahead of president’s argument that trade deals will boost global economy.
Barack Obama’s ambitions to pass sweeping new free trade agreements with Asia and Europe fell at the first hurdle on Tuesday as Senate Democrats put concerns about US manufacturing jobs ahead of arguments that the deals would boost global economic growth.
A vote to push through the bill failed as 45 senators voted against it, to 52 in favor. Obama needed 60 out of the 100 votes for it to pass.
Failure to secure so-called “fast track” negotiating authority from Congress leaves the president’s top legislative priority in tatters.
It may also prove the high-water mark in decades of steady trade liberalisation that has fuelled globalisation but is blamed for exacerbating economic inequality within many developed economies with the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs. Internet activists had said the deal would curb freedom of speech, while other critics charged it would enshrine currency manipulation.
Drama over the landmark trade negotiations has been escalating for weeks, propelling Obama into a public feud with Democrats – going so far as to accuse opposing members within his party of lying about the fast-track bill. The vote marked a rare moment in which Republicans lined up to support the president’s agenda, even as GOP leadership pointed to Obama’s failure to rally his own party in favor of the legislation.
Opponents have been emboldened by the growing influence of liberal senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders and were joined by all but one Senate Democrat in voting against moving forward with TPA.
Even Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner for the 2016 presidential race and historically a supporter of free trade, has been cautious amid growing concern over the effect of globalisation on middle-class jobs, warning against “trade for trade’s sake”.
—-
This is AMAZING news! Nearly unanimous opposition from the Democrats and it looks like fast-track might be thwarted. This is important because if Obama can’t make progress on the TPP soon, he won’t bother expending political capital on it so close to the election season.
Can somebody please explain to me exactly why 60 votes are required to pass this bill?
I realise that 60 votes are required to invoke cloture, terminating debate, but that wasn’t what was being voted on here was it?
In terms of your last comment, why shouldn’t he try and pass things? By this stage in his term Obama, who will be FORMER President Obama after the next election is surely interested solely in his legacy. If he doesn’t get things done now he never will. He certainly has no reason at all to wait as he will have no political capital at all after next years Presidential vote.
Obama’s interested in his “legacy”? I would say he’s more interested in well paid post-public office corporate board positions. That’s why he wants to get the TPPA fast tracked for the multinationals.
You sound a bit cynical, but you may be correct.
On the other hand an ex-President, like Bill Clinton, can get almost any number of very highly paid speaking gigs which would be much easier.
Accepting your view though simply adds weight to my view that saying “he won’t bother expending political capital on it so close to the election season” is patently wrong.
Cynical would be saying that the Clinton foundation would accept millions from Russian doners roughly around the same time that Hilary was considering approving natural resource sales to Russian companies…and even though that has come out it hasn’t appeared to cost her any political capital.
Doesn’t it make you rather sorry about the nasty things said about the Bush’s, father and son?
They appear to have both made very dignified exits, with not even a single nasty comment about their successors. Actually George Bush was a pretty good President in my view.
George W? Pretty good as an ex-President. Pity about the time before the “ex” bit though.
“an ex-President, like Bill Clinton, can get almost any number of very highly paid speaking gigs”
Well yeah, that’s how they bribe their politicians.
No-one really thinks it’s worth half a million bucks to hear Clinton speak before dinner, but it looks slightly less corrupt than throwing him half a mill while he’s in office.
Thank you McFlock. I hadn’t realised that it had got to the point where you didn’t even have to speak to create a filibuster.
The article you linked to is rather funny. We really do have a case of “they did it so we are going to do it too”, haven’t we?
There is hugely significant movement on the NSA and the complicit behaviour of 5 eyes members going on outside of these cloistered walls. I can understand that thestandard wants to protect you from the subversive influence of dotcom but the waves are crashing higner and higher against the walls that protect you. raise your eyes for a moment and take a look. a good place to start might be .coms twitter
Thanks but I know how to find a twitter account. I meant links that would tell us what you are talking about, because the comment on its own doesn’t make much sense.
1. Investors in Auckland will require 30% LVR deposit
2. Owner-occupiers in Auckland still only require 20% LVR deposit, and existing 10% ‘speed limit’ on banks remain for this lending
3. Lending outside of Auckland has the 10% bank ‘speed limit’ increased to 15%.
While applauding that something has been done I can’t see that this will much effect at all.
I’d be far more impressed to see the government do something – low to no chance of that of course.
What we need is tightening rules on who can purchase – only permanent residents, instituting a comprehensive capital gains tax and bringing forward the local body elections in Auckland so we can evict the odious Len Brown and his council.
I hope you mean two transactions, rather than one.
I was considering moving to a smaller house sometime. That would mean
1. Selling one house.
2. Buying a new house.
“hefty stamp duty” the man says.
Hey, that comment was really more of a joke.
My next one is mostly meant seriously though.
Actually I don’t think that high stamp duty works that well.
I bought a place in Melbourne about 25 years ago, while living there. From memory it cost about $450,000 and the stamp duty was something over $22,000.Didn’t seem to have much effect on sales in the city. People still wanted somewhere to live.
It is always the introduction of a tax that changes behaviour to a new level. Classic supply and demand curve – increasing price will lead to decreased demand.
Once the tax has been in place for a while, the market will get used to it and factor it in to pricing. If you were to then take the tax off, you would see a step-change back up in demand.
“instituting a comprehensive capital gains tax”
Why do people have such faith in a proposal that a capital gains tax will have any effect on house prices in Auckland? It wouldn’t even be a comprehensive one as all the parties that propose such a tax plan to exclude the primary home. Once you do that you merely open up an enormous loophole. After all, if you want to sell a property you simply move into it, claim that it is now your primary home and sell it CGT free.
Ignoring that of course you have to explain why, if it is such a great idea, it simply hasn’t worked in Australia, which has had such a tax for more that 20 years. The price of houses in Melbourne and Sydney is at least as bad as the situation in Auckland. If CGT has had no effect there why should it work here?
The problem is one of supply, and particularly the supply of land, in Auckland. Fix that and you have some chance of fixing the price spiral.
Your final point says “evict the odious Len Brown and his council”. Actually, if you want to hold down house prices Len is helping. Wind the rates up, I say. No 10% increases. Make them at least 25% per annum and continue it until the house prices crumble. Who is going to buy a $2.5 million doer-upper, as DC and his wife did, if the rates were $250,000 per year?
The price of houses in Melbourne and Sydney is at least as bad as the situation in Auckland.
[citation needed]
That said, there are many instances of CGTs around the world where the CGT is lower than both corporate taxes and top personal taxes which means that the imbalance of not having a CGT is still there. It may not be as much of an imbalance as not having a CGT but it would still create housing bubbles.
Why do people have such faith in a proposal that a capital gains tax will have any effect on house prices in Auckland?
Most of us recognise that there needs to be a range of policies implemented with the CGT being only one of those policies. Others would include the government building huge amounts of state housing and banning offshore ownership.
Here is an example. Have a look at the bit on the Inner Suburbs, but I suggest you ignore Toorak and its $3.3 million. That is a special case and I would say there was nothing in Auckland that compares.
Hawthorn, Camberwell and Malvern are nothing special. They are pleasant but not exceptional. You should also note that “Inner Suburbs” means within 10 km of the City.
Extracts are
“$1,164,500 median price for the first three months of this year was up from $1,099,000 in the December quarter – a six per cent increase. ”
“June 2012 when the median price was $848,500. ”
““By the September quarter of 2013 the median price of $971,500 broke the previous record, set in March 2010. Since then, there has been an increase every quarter and with it, a new record. By March last year the inner Melbourne median had broken the $1,000,000 barrier.”
“for metropolitan Melbourne for this year’s March quarter was $688,000, up 3.5 per cent on the December quarter’s $664,500 median. That’s a year-on-year change of 10 per cent.”
If I were to think like a banker, I’d encourage speculators to finance any shortfall in their 30% deposit by borrowing against the equity in their own homes. If there’s something in these measures to stop that kind of behaviour, then this may have greater effect.
Indeed, Ovid. Failing to avert investors ability to leverage off equity renders LVR restrictions somewhat toothless, largely minimizing the impact.
Moreover, the Reserve Bank confirmed it had no plans to extend deposit rules to cover P2P lending, providing investors with another way round the restrictions.
Considering the acceleration in house prices, one would expect restrictions to be a little more robust, thus boosting their overall effect.
I’m not convinced 30% deposit is the way to go, I think it’ll make it harder for young couples to get the money needed together
I was thinking that lowering the deposit needed as long as kiwisaver is used might be a way to go but then that might just make it eaiser for the kids of wealthy parents to get into houses
It’s not Tommo and it wasn’t Aranda either. For some reason other peoples details keep coming up on my idevices (iPad and iPhone). Clearly there is a security issue at your end. I have no interest in Tommo or Arandar and their email addresses remain intact. I will leave it to the great lprent to work out how this happened and be thankful that I am not Rawshark, Rachinger or Whaleoil.
Having had my bit of fun, mainly just to check that your site security is indeed rubbish, I will leave you alone. A passing thought though, if these details come up on my devices, they are also coming up on others’ who may not be as charitable as I am.
More to the point … the government getting on with providing more houses, state houses, and tailoring them to need not more space for individuals to spread themselves. Both Labour and now National have been complete failures on this point.
So heartland is going in a granny emotive piece I skipped through which made no mention of the fact that sky actually air it or detailed reasons for its demise.
WTF is really going on as it is a rerun channel FFS.
Great minds thinking alike.
Note how eager Josie Pagani is to agree with everything Farrar says. The Panel, Radio NZ National, Tuesday 12 May 2015
Jim Mora, David Farrar, Josie Pagani, Noelle McCarthy
3:45 p.m. ……
JIM MORA: And good afternoon, very nice to have your company. 2101 if you’re contacting us, or the panel@radionz.co.nz. W-w-w-what the World is Talking About with Noelle shortly: Is Seymour Hersh’s account of the SEAL attack on Osama bin Laden fact or fantasy? The superbug strain of typhoid is spreading, the end of independence for Norfolk Island, the end of American Idol, Bear Grylls’s island show embroiled in an animal cruelty stoush, the plan to get rid of the names of well known diseases: why? And, er, when you donate to Wikipedia, where does your money go? Also what happens when you rotate your dinner plate? And our —ha ha, ha ha!—aahhh, and—I’m sorry Noelle, that was—
NOELLE McCARTHY: Slightly to the right.
MORA: Yes, or slightly to the left. Ah, our love of bottled water shows no sign of f-f-f-f-fizzing. Speaking of slightly to the right and slightly to the left, on the Panel today are David Farrar and Josie Pagani!
JOSIE PAGANI: He he he.
DAVID FARRAR: What’s this “slightly”?
JOSIE PAGANI: Hallo! Yes, he’s a RABID right winger.
DAVID FARRAR: Miss former ALLIANCE staffer!
JOSIE PAGANI: Tory bastard.
MORA: Ha!
DAVID FARRAR: What—how is the Alliance going, Josie?
JOSIE PAGANI: Um, I’ve no idea, David!
DAVID FARRAR: Ha ha ha ha!
MORA: We’ve made a good beginning!
DAVID FARRAR: Ha ha ha!
JOSIE PAGANI: We have!
MORA: Facial hair on schoolboys, Prince Harry looking for love, the awfully bad weather—I’ll ask you two about that later, Guy Carawan is dead—ahh, what was his claim to fame? Well he never found much fame, but something he did made the world better. Terrorism across the ditch but don’t worry, we’re good here, and the art of Quaxing with Josie and David after 4 o’clock. Noelle McCarthy, What the World is Talking About, good afternoon.
NOELLE McCARTHY: Good afternoon, all. Well we talked yesterday, didn’t we, about journalist Seymour Hersh and his report on the killing of Osama bin Laden, where he said that the White House version of these events was basically a fairy story. He said that the Pakistani authorities knew about the raid, contrary to what we heard from the President at the time. Well the reactions to this are coming in now, critics calling him a conspiracy theorist, ahhhm, and questioning his source, we talked about the source briefly yesterday, ahhhhm, Seymour Hersh said he had a “retired intelligence official” who was the person who told him that the Pakistani authorities had been holding Osama bin Laden this whole time. Ahhhhmmm, the, those who are questioning his account now say, well THIS guy isn’t exactly a key player, and he’s anonymous.
MORA: Not enough of a source, Seymour.
DAVID FARRAR: Interesting if you go through, as a journalist did, all of Seymour Hersh’s recent writings, he claims to have anonymous* sources in more than thirty foreign governments, and every U.S. department of state. He’s written some great stuff in the past, but the last ten years, almost every article he’s written has been anonymous* sources, and you do have to be skeptical when that is your only, ahhhh, validity.
JOSIE PAGANI: And you have to ask, what is the motive? What would be the motive to have this incredibly complicated alternative version of reality?
NOELLE McCARTHY: Yes, and the scope of the accusations is something else that’s attracting attention. If what Seymour Hersh is saying is true, then hundreds of people in at least two governments have been lying in unison for years.
JOSIE PAGANI: And no one leaked? [bemused snickering]
DAVID FARRAR: Part of his theory or article is that Saudi Arabia was behind protecting him in Pakistan. Now, he is the mortal enemy of the House of Saud. They expelled him from Saudi Arabia because he tried to overthrow them effectively, so the notion that—
JOSIE PAGANI: David’s just segueing into an episode of Game of Thrones now!
DAVID FARRAR: A ha ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Yeah, it does sound a bit like that!
DAVID FARRAR: It does, doesn’t it! But I think the point being that, y’ow, it’s pretty, even if, y’ow, there was better verification, you just apply the logic test, and almost everything in this article just doesn’t really add up in terms of motivations.
MORA: Well it’s got Seymour’s name in the headlines again.
NOELLE McCARTHY: That’s right. Mike Morell who used to be head of the CIA is FURIOUS, he says he has ABSOLUTELY no idea what he was talking about, EVERY one of those sentences he’s written is wrong. He says the Pakistanis didn’t know, they were FURIOUS, and HE was sent to Pakistan to sort it out.
MORA: Mmkay, that’s the latest on Seymour Hersh. ….[Loudly shuffling papers]…. Now, typhoid! Pink spots on the chest, isn’t it….
I see NBC has come up with elements which corroborate Seymour Hersh’s report on what actually happened around Osama’s death. Specifically, that a walk in from the Pakistani intelligence services told the CIA where Bin Laden was and that Pakistan had been holding Bin Laden for years. Of course, getting Bin Laden was a key rationale for the US to be in Afghanistan, so having Bin Laden on hand was very inconvenient.
“When you have a boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, you’re discriminating against Israel,” Cardin told a packed auditorium at the pro-Israel gathering. “And the United States should take a stance to make sure other countries that want trade agreements with the United States do not participate in BDS against Israel.”
In France, the law has for years criminalized hate speech based on national origin, and authorities there have in recent years been using it to prosecute BDS advocates. To date, more than 20 have been convicted.
Listen very carefully, I will says this onleez once…
You know how it’s well known that National equals self interest, and that once upon a time Labour equaled collective good? Well, everyone knows that. And you know how Labour hasn’t been doing so well in the polls lately? Yeah, bummer about that.
And you know how The NZ Herald, and associated media outlets are percieved as anti-Labour government/Socialism etc etc. Well, everyone now knows that, too.
And you know how, if Labour says anything directly critical of the Nats, or anyone else, the stories in the media will spend all their words focussing on the negative that was said, even if it was just 50% of the whole speech?
Yeah, well everyone knows that. Except for you it seems. Even though the rest of the time all we hear is moaning about a biased media and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
So today in the NZ Herald we find that Andrew Little said some things about the Nats in a pre-budget speech. They’re irresponsible, he says, how are they irresponsible? Let him count the ways… and anyone who says otherwise is a fraud. What were you thinking? This isn’t a forum flame-war, it’s national politics.
Unsurprisingly, the ways in which the Nats were irresponsible became 7/8th of an influencial newspaper report. The coverage of the speech made him sound bitter and small-minded, all from ideas you wrote, and this part:
” “Tackling New Zealand’s problems takes commitment, perseverance, vision, and the willingness to take risks,” he said. “Doing the right thing for New Zealand requires focus, not focus groups.” A responsible Government would deliver a surplus, a solution to the housing crisis, vibrant regions, and a plan to diversify the economy.” ”
…barely had any space to breathe.
So why not try this, for all future speeches: why not just talk about the committment you have, the vision you have, the willingness, the focus, the policy, and not even once mention the Nats, or associated frauds, or how you’ll expose bludgers, track down dodgy dudes, hold bogeymen to account, sanction nose-pickers or shoot wild pigs on the farm? Because everyone knows about the Nats – they are their own endlessly absurd advertisement, with no indication of self-restraint any time soon. The media don’t like your Party much, and you’re not helping the line they play on that you lot are negative and nasty.
Good idea maybe? Even if the media then made up stories about you, the people that heard you in person would get the picture – and it is they who you seek in influence, yes? Everyone now knows how the Nats are, and will, screw them. They see it everyday, they live it. It goes without saying. Tell them how you won’t screw them, then you’ll pick up the missing million voters, easy. Or don’t, and struggle along into obscurity by trying to convinvce a marginal percentage of the people who are more comfortable with National to momentarily jump ship, for a single term, by using methods they theoretically don’t condone.
Yours sincerely, and not holding my breath for a cheque for advisory services,
Charles.
Labour had a “vote positive” message for their 2014 election campaign. It was widely derided, and really screwed them when DP came out of left field because they could barely mention it, despite it being what everyone was talking about.
These days the economic right often sound more humanist and progressive than the left on immigration. We need a serious dose of class politics and internationalism.
There isn’t one. The problem with open borders in a world that is over-populated is that you’ll end up with most of that over-population heading for the Promised Land of the Western Nations which will, inevitably, result in the collapse of those nations and the inevitable war that follows.
Now, it’s true that many of those Western Nations are only rich because of the slave labour in the poorer nations from which the Western Nations are importing huge amounts of resources. And this shows the real problem – that national resources are being used to support the living standards of other nations.
The right of workers to move and live wherever they please is a pretty fundamental workers’ right. You may as well say that workers from rural NZ should stay there and not come into the main cities because that’ll wreak havoc here.
The left has abandoned far too much in the way of basic freedoms, like the right of workers to move to where jobs and conditions are better. The right and left have almost swapped places on some issues, like this.
It’s time to get back to some very basic issues of class and class solidarity.
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This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 28 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
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Connoisseurs and students of the human condition would be crazy to miss the latest episode, Ep10, of How Not to Be an Asshole – and probably crazy to want to hear it. Wow, these guys are really white-knuckling it now, and it delivers some exceptional performances, extended periods of chaos, interspersed with interesting tales and ideological definitions of certainty, as only ideology can supply.
https://hownottobeanasshole.wordpress.com/
also available on The Daily Blog.
This week the guys interview a feminist/sexologist, former BFM feature host, Sarin Moddle. She talks about what cisgender is, the difference between sex and gender, living “outside your bubble of understanding”, accuses the guys of being “oppressors” (that bit was hilarious… I thought he was going to snap) and how she pities anyone who hasn’t slept with more than ten people. The guys talk about their foray into vigilante justice – sans capes or lycra – distrust of the cops, and how their various relationships ended.
This may be the last one I listen to, not because it’s bad, but because I have a much lower tolerance for the kind of Jane Austin-Emily Emily Brontë style of violence and irony these guys and their guests eagerly subject themselves. I might need a cup of tea to calm down. Whatever it is they’re after, I hope it’s worth it. If becoming less of an asshole can be learned by being around assholes, I applaud these guy’s courage. In the meantime, it just keeps getting “better”.
there is a problem with pot – for ladies…
..it’s called cotton-vagina..
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/pot-problems-dreaded-cotton-vagina
“Legislation giving U.S. President Barack Obama authority to speed trade deals through Congress failed a crucial procedural test on Tuesday, delaying a measure that may be key to President Barack Obama’s diplomatic pivot to Asia.
In a setback to the White House trade agenda, the Senate voted 52-45 – eight votes short of the necessary 60 – to clear the way for debate on the legislation, which would allow a quick decision on granting the president so-called fast track authority to move trade deals quickly through Congress.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/12/us-usa-trade-idUSKBN0NX0B320150512
Yay
Audio on the significance of the failed Fast Track Vote on TPPA from RNZ.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201754132/hopes-for-trans-pacific-free-trade-deal-dealt-blow
plus Tim Groser’s response.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201754147/t-p-p-a-dealt-blow
Thank you, Wikileaks, for providing a counter to the antidemocratic secrecy that was employed in these negotiations. Tim Groser’s ideas of democracy differ markedly from mine.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/68437377/riding-the-conservative-revolution
– Food for thought or Tory wish-fulfillment?
Have said similar meself – definitely a time for conservatives…
why?
the populace is fed fear and uncertainty (think terrorists, gfc, precariat, labour settings (zero hour contracts), troops in Iraq at war)
when there is fear and uncertainty the conservatives rise
human nature
Hooton taking to his bed today? Or round 2?
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/12/obama-trans-pacific-partnership-senate-vote
Obama’s plans for trade deals with Asia and Europe in tatters after Senate vote
Senate legislation fails to pass after Democrats put concerns about US jobs ahead of president’s argument that trade deals will boost global economy.
Barack Obama’s ambitions to pass sweeping new free trade agreements with Asia and Europe fell at the first hurdle on Tuesday as Senate Democrats put concerns about US manufacturing jobs ahead of arguments that the deals would boost global economic growth.
A vote to push through the bill failed as 45 senators voted against it, to 52 in favor. Obama needed 60 out of the 100 votes for it to pass.
Failure to secure so-called “fast track” negotiating authority from Congress leaves the president’s top legislative priority in tatters.
It may also prove the high-water mark in decades of steady trade liberalisation that has fuelled globalisation but is blamed for exacerbating economic inequality within many developed economies with the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs. Internet activists had said the deal would curb freedom of speech, while other critics charged it would enshrine currency manipulation.
Drama over the landmark trade negotiations has been escalating for weeks, propelling Obama into a public feud with Democrats – going so far as to accuse opposing members within his party of lying about the fast-track bill. The vote marked a rare moment in which Republicans lined up to support the president’s agenda, even as GOP leadership pointed to Obama’s failure to rally his own party in favor of the legislation.
Opponents have been emboldened by the growing influence of liberal senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders and were joined by all but one Senate Democrat in voting against moving forward with TPA.
Even Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner for the 2016 presidential race and historically a supporter of free trade, has been cautious amid growing concern over the effect of globalisation on middle-class jobs, warning against “trade for trade’s sake”.
—-
This is AMAZING news! Nearly unanimous opposition from the Democrats and it looks like fast-track might be thwarted. This is important because if Obama can’t make progress on the TPP soon, he won’t bother expending political capital on it so close to the election season.
Can somebody please explain to me exactly why 60 votes are required to pass this bill?
I realise that 60 votes are required to invoke cloture, terminating debate, but that wasn’t what was being voted on here was it?
In terms of your last comment, why shouldn’t he try and pass things? By this stage in his term Obama, who will be FORMER President Obama after the next election is surely interested solely in his legacy. If he doesn’t get things done now he never will. He certainly has no reason at all to wait as he will have no political capital at all after next years Presidential vote.
Obama’s interested in his “legacy”? I would say he’s more interested in well paid post-public office corporate board positions. That’s why he wants to get the TPPA fast tracked for the multinationals.
You sound a bit cynical, but you may be correct.
On the other hand an ex-President, like Bill Clinton, can get almost any number of very highly paid speaking gigs which would be much easier.
Accepting your view though simply adds weight to my view that saying “he won’t bother expending political capital on it so close to the election season” is patently wrong.
Cynical would be saying that the Clinton foundation would accept millions from Russian doners roughly around the same time that Hilary was considering approving natural resource sales to Russian companies…and even though that has come out it hasn’t appeared to cost her any political capital.
Doesn’t it make you rather sorry about the nasty things said about the Bush’s, father and son?
They appear to have both made very dignified exits, with not even a single nasty comment about their successors. Actually George Bush was a pretty good President in my view.
George W? Pretty good as an ex-President. Pity about the time before the “ex” bit though.
“an ex-President, like Bill Clinton, can get almost any number of very highly paid speaking gigs”
Well yeah, that’s how they bribe their politicians.
No-one really thinks it’s worth half a million bucks to hear Clinton speak before dinner, but it looks slightly less corrupt than throwing him half a mill while he’s in office.
here.
To get to any vote, debate needs to be closed. US politics is at the stage that petulant legislators just refuse to close the debate.
Thank you McFlock. I hadn’t realised that it had got to the point where you didn’t even have to speak to create a filibuster.
The article you linked to is rather funny. We really do have a case of “they did it so we are going to do it too”, haven’t we?
There is hugely significant movement on the NSA and the complicit behaviour of 5 eyes members going on outside of these cloistered walls. I can understand that thestandard wants to protect you from the subversive influence of dotcom but the waves are crashing higner and higher against the walls that protect you. raise your eyes for a moment and take a look. a good place to start might be .coms twitter
got a link?
https://twitter.com/kimdotcom
Thanks but I know how to find a twitter account. I meant links that would tell us what you are talking about, because the comment on its own doesn’t make much sense.
from that Twitter link .. this is serious …
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150326/18041530458/how-us-government-legally-stole-millions-kim-dotcom.shtml
So it was legal. Thus it is not stealing.
Reserve Bank is finally taking action against Auckland housing: http://www.rbnz.govt.nz/news/2015/fsr-13-may-2015.html
1. Investors in Auckland will require 30% LVR deposit
2. Owner-occupiers in Auckland still only require 20% LVR deposit, and existing 10% ‘speed limit’ on banks remain for this lending
3. Lending outside of Auckland has the 10% bank ‘speed limit’ increased to 15%.
While applauding that something has been done I can’t see that this will much effect at all.
I’d be far more impressed to see the government do something – low to no chance of that of course.
What we need is tightening rules on who can purchase – only permanent residents, instituting a comprehensive capital gains tax and bringing forward the local body elections in Auckland so we can evict the odious Len Brown and his council.
And a hefty stamp duty on anything more than one home transaction a year.
I hope you mean two transactions, rather than one.
I was considering moving to a smaller house sometime. That would mean
1. Selling one house.
2. Buying a new house.
“hefty stamp duty” the man says.
Clearly CR is talking about buying houses attracting a stamp duty. In your example, you have only bought one house.
Hey, that comment was really more of a joke.
My next one is mostly meant seriously though.
Actually I don’t think that high stamp duty works that well.
I bought a place in Melbourne about 25 years ago, while living there. From memory it cost about $450,000 and the stamp duty was something over $22,000.Didn’t seem to have much effect on sales in the city. People still wanted somewhere to live.
It is always the introduction of a tax that changes behaviour to a new level. Classic supply and demand curve – increasing price will lead to decreased demand.
Once the tax has been in place for a while, the market will get used to it and factor it in to pricing. If you were to then take the tax off, you would see a step-change back up in demand.
Well, we could word it so such could be considered a single move.
“instituting a comprehensive capital gains tax”
Why do people have such faith in a proposal that a capital gains tax will have any effect on house prices in Auckland? It wouldn’t even be a comprehensive one as all the parties that propose such a tax plan to exclude the primary home. Once you do that you merely open up an enormous loophole. After all, if you want to sell a property you simply move into it, claim that it is now your primary home and sell it CGT free.
Ignoring that of course you have to explain why, if it is such a great idea, it simply hasn’t worked in Australia, which has had such a tax for more that 20 years. The price of houses in Melbourne and Sydney is at least as bad as the situation in Auckland. If CGT has had no effect there why should it work here?
The problem is one of supply, and particularly the supply of land, in Auckland. Fix that and you have some chance of fixing the price spiral.
Your final point says “evict the odious Len Brown and his council”. Actually, if you want to hold down house prices Len is helping. Wind the rates up, I say. No 10% increases. Make them at least 25% per annum and continue it until the house prices crumble. Who is going to buy a $2.5 million doer-upper, as DC and his wife did, if the rates were $250,000 per year?
[citation needed]
That said, there are many instances of CGTs around the world where the CGT is lower than both corporate taxes and top personal taxes which means that the imbalance of not having a CGT is still there. It may not be as much of an imbalance as not having a CGT but it would still create housing bubbles.
Most of us recognise that there needs to be a range of policies implemented with the CGT being only one of those policies. Others would include the government building huge amounts of state housing and banning offshore ownership.
http://www.reiv.com.au/Property-Research/Median-Prices
Here is an example. Have a look at the bit on the Inner Suburbs, but I suggest you ignore Toorak and its $3.3 million. That is a special case and I would say there was nothing in Auckland that compares.
Hawthorn, Camberwell and Malvern are nothing special. They are pleasant but not exceptional. You should also note that “Inner Suburbs” means within 10 km of the City.
Extracts are
“$1,164,500 median price for the first three months of this year was up from $1,099,000 in the December quarter – a six per cent increase. ”
“June 2012 when the median price was $848,500. ”
““By the September quarter of 2013 the median price of $971,500 broke the previous record, set in March 2010. Since then, there has been an increase every quarter and with it, a new record. By March last year the inner Melbourne median had broken the $1,000,000 barrier.”
“for metropolitan Melbourne for this year’s March quarter was $688,000, up 3.5 per cent on the December quarter’s $664,500 median. That’s a year-on-year change of 10 per cent.”
If I were to think like a banker, I’d encourage speculators to finance any shortfall in their 30% deposit by borrowing against the equity in their own homes. If there’s something in these measures to stop that kind of behaviour, then this may have greater effect.
Indeed, Ovid. Failing to avert investors ability to leverage off equity renders LVR restrictions somewhat toothless, largely minimizing the impact.
Moreover, the Reserve Bank confirmed it had no plans to extend deposit rules to cover P2P lending, providing investors with another way round the restrictions.
Considering the acceleration in house prices, one would expect restrictions to be a little more robust, thus boosting their overall effect.
I’m not convinced 30% deposit is the way to go, I think it’ll make it harder for young couples to get the money needed together
I was thinking that lowering the deposit needed as long as kiwisaver is used might be a way to go but then that might just make it eaiser for the kids of wealthy parents to get into houses
The requirement is for investors, not owner occupiers.
Finally indeed, Lanthanide. The Reserve Bank should have acted long ago.
It’s not Tommo and it wasn’t Aranda either. For some reason other peoples details keep coming up on my idevices (iPad and iPhone). Clearly there is a security issue at your end. I have no interest in Tommo or Arandar and their email addresses remain intact. I will leave it to the great lprent to work out how this happened and be thankful that I am not Rawshark, Rachinger or Whaleoil.
Having had my bit of fun, mainly just to check that your site security is indeed rubbish, I will leave you alone. A passing thought though, if these details come up on my devices, they are also coming up on others’ who may not be as charitable as I am.
JUST MAKING SURE LPRENT HAS SEEN THIS COMMENT AS THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING SECURITY ISSUE. CHEERS “TOMMO”
Thanks but I’m not Tommo. That is the point. And I wasn’t Arandar in the weekend either. God knows who I will not be tomorrow.
More to the point … the government getting on with providing more houses, state houses, and tailoring them to need not more space for individuals to spread themselves. Both Labour and now National have been complete failures on this point.
Also we cannot keep stuffing 1/3 of NZ (and probably most of the immigrants) into 0.3% of the land area.
So heartland is going in a granny emotive piece I skipped through which made no mention of the fact that sky actually air it or detailed reasons for its demise.
WTF is really going on as it is a rerun channel FFS.
Great minds thinking alike.
Note how eager Josie Pagani is to agree with everything Farrar says.
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Tuesday 12 May 2015
Jim Mora, David Farrar, Josie Pagani, Noelle McCarthy
3:45 p.m. ……
JIM MORA: And good afternoon, very nice to have your company. 2101 if you’re contacting us, or the panel@radionz.co.nz. W-w-w-what the World is Talking About with Noelle shortly: Is Seymour Hersh’s account of the SEAL attack on Osama bin Laden fact or fantasy? The superbug strain of typhoid is spreading, the end of independence for Norfolk Island, the end of American Idol, Bear Grylls’s island show embroiled in an animal cruelty stoush, the plan to get rid of the names of well known diseases: why? And, er, when you donate to Wikipedia, where does your money go? Also what happens when you rotate your dinner plate? And our —ha ha, ha ha!—aahhh, and—I’m sorry Noelle, that was—
NOELLE McCARTHY: Slightly to the right.
MORA: Yes, or slightly to the left. Ah, our love of bottled water shows no sign of f-f-f-f-fizzing. Speaking of slightly to the right and slightly to the left, on the Panel today are David Farrar and Josie Pagani!
JOSIE PAGANI: He he he.
DAVID FARRAR: What’s this “slightly”?
JOSIE PAGANI: Hallo! Yes, he’s a RABID right winger.
DAVID FARRAR: Miss former ALLIANCE staffer!
JOSIE PAGANI: Tory bastard.
MORA: Ha!
DAVID FARRAR: What—how is the Alliance going, Josie?
JOSIE PAGANI: Um, I’ve no idea, David!
DAVID FARRAR: Ha ha ha ha!
MORA: We’ve made a good beginning!
DAVID FARRAR: Ha ha ha!
JOSIE PAGANI: We have!
MORA: Facial hair on schoolboys, Prince Harry looking for love, the awfully bad weather—I’ll ask you two about that later, Guy Carawan is dead—ahh, what was his claim to fame? Well he never found much fame, but something he did made the world better. Terrorism across the ditch but don’t worry, we’re good here, and the art of Quaxing with Josie and David after 4 o’clock. Noelle McCarthy, What the World is Talking About, good afternoon.
NOELLE McCARTHY: Good afternoon, all. Well we talked yesterday, didn’t we, about journalist Seymour Hersh and his report on the killing of Osama bin Laden, where he said that the White House version of these events was basically a fairy story. He said that the Pakistani authorities knew about the raid, contrary to what we heard from the President at the time. Well the reactions to this are coming in now, critics calling him a conspiracy theorist, ahhhm, and questioning his source, we talked about the source briefly yesterday, ahhhhm, Seymour Hersh said he had a “retired intelligence official” who was the person who told him that the Pakistani authorities had been holding Osama bin Laden this whole time. Ahhhhmmm, the, those who are questioning his account now say, well THIS guy isn’t exactly a key player, and he’s anonymous.
MORA: Not enough of a source, Seymour.
DAVID FARRAR: Interesting if you go through, as a journalist did, all of Seymour Hersh’s recent writings, he claims to have anonymous* sources in more than thirty foreign governments, and every U.S. department of state. He’s written some great stuff in the past, but the last ten years, almost every article he’s written has been anonymous* sources, and you do have to be skeptical when that is your only, ahhhh, validity.
JOSIE PAGANI: And you have to ask, what is the motive? What would be the motive to have this incredibly complicated alternative version of reality?
NOELLE McCARTHY: Yes, and the scope of the accusations is something else that’s attracting attention. If what Seymour Hersh is saying is true, then hundreds of people in at least two governments have been lying in unison for years.
JOSIE PAGANI: And no one leaked? [bemused snickering]
DAVID FARRAR: Part of his theory or article is that Saudi Arabia was behind protecting him in Pakistan. Now, he is the mortal enemy of the House of Saud. They expelled him from Saudi Arabia because he tried to overthrow them effectively, so the notion that—
JOSIE PAGANI: David’s just segueing into an episode of Game of Thrones now!
DAVID FARRAR: A ha ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Yeah, it does sound a bit like that!
DAVID FARRAR: It does, doesn’t it! But I think the point being that, y’ow, it’s pretty, even if, y’ow, there was better verification, you just apply the logic test, and almost everything in this article just doesn’t really add up in terms of motivations.
MORA: Well it’s got Seymour’s name in the headlines again.
NOELLE McCARTHY: That’s right. Mike Morell who used to be head of the CIA is FURIOUS, he says he has ABSOLUTELY no idea what he was talking about, EVERY one of those sentences he’s written is wrong. He says the Pakistanis didn’t know, they were FURIOUS, and HE was sent to Pakistan to sort it out.
MORA: Mmkay, that’s the latest on Seymour Hersh. ….[Loudly shuffling papers]…. Now, typhoid! Pink spots on the chest, isn’t it….
* Farrar pronounces this word “anomynous”.
I see NBC has come up with elements which corroborate Seymour Hersh’s report on what actually happened around Osama’s death. Specifically, that a walk in from the Pakistani intelligence services told the CIA where Bin Laden was and that Pakistan had been holding Bin Laden for years. Of course, getting Bin Laden was a key rationale for the US to be in Afghanistan, so having Bin Laden on hand was very inconvenient.
He had some sort of speech impediment as a child which resulted in not speaking until the age of 35.
His first words were, “John Key”.
hahaha
teasing people with speech impediments is fun
derp a derp
He’s a big boy.
Yeah, but someone in speech therapy reading this might not be.
And someone who is waiting to be told it’s ok to have a go at people with speech impediments might be too.
The long long arm…
The Harper government is signalling its intention to use hate crime laws against Canadian advocacy groups that encourage boycotts of Israel.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-cites-hate-crime-laws-when-asked-about-its-zero-tolerance-for-israel-boycotters-1.3067497
And don’t think it couldn’t happen here.
“When you have a boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, you’re discriminating against Israel,” Cardin told a packed auditorium at the pro-Israel gathering. “And the United States should take a stance to make sure other countries that want trade agreements with the United States do not participate in BDS against Israel.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/23/congress-israel-settlements_n_7129064.html
Yes, free speech is for insulting Arabs and Muslims, not for protesting against Israel.
In France, apparently so.
from the CBC link above
In France, the law has for years criminalized hate speech based on national origin, and authorities there have in recent years been using it to prosecute BDS advocates. To date, more than 20 have been convicted.
Freedom of speech can be dangerous
BBC reports Bangladesh blogger Ananta Bijoy Das hacked to death
Dear Andrew Little’s speech writers,
Listen very carefully, I will says this onleez once…
You know how it’s well known that National equals self interest, and that once upon a time Labour equaled collective good? Well, everyone knows that. And you know how Labour hasn’t been doing so well in the polls lately? Yeah, bummer about that.
And you know how The NZ Herald, and associated media outlets are percieved as anti-Labour government/Socialism etc etc. Well, everyone now knows that, too.
And you know how, if Labour says anything directly critical of the Nats, or anyone else, the stories in the media will spend all their words focussing on the negative that was said, even if it was just 50% of the whole speech?
Yeah, well everyone knows that. Except for you it seems. Even though the rest of the time all we hear is moaning about a biased media and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
So today in the NZ Herald we find that Andrew Little said some things about the Nats in a pre-budget speech. They’re irresponsible, he says, how are they irresponsible? Let him count the ways… and anyone who says otherwise is a fraud. What were you thinking? This isn’t a forum flame-war, it’s national politics.
Unsurprisingly, the ways in which the Nats were irresponsible became 7/8th of an influencial newspaper report. The coverage of the speech made him sound bitter and small-minded, all from ideas you wrote, and this part:
” “Tackling New Zealand’s problems takes commitment, perseverance, vision, and the willingness to take risks,” he said. “Doing the right thing for New Zealand requires focus, not focus groups.” A responsible Government would deliver a surplus, a solution to the housing crisis, vibrant regions, and a plan to diversify the economy.” ”
…barely had any space to breathe.
So why not try this, for all future speeches: why not just talk about the committment you have, the vision you have, the willingness, the focus, the policy, and not even once mention the Nats, or associated frauds, or how you’ll expose bludgers, track down dodgy dudes, hold bogeymen to account, sanction nose-pickers or shoot wild pigs on the farm? Because everyone knows about the Nats – they are their own endlessly absurd advertisement, with no indication of self-restraint any time soon. The media don’t like your Party much, and you’re not helping the line they play on that you lot are negative and nasty.
Good idea maybe? Even if the media then made up stories about you, the people that heard you in person would get the picture – and it is they who you seek in influence, yes? Everyone now knows how the Nats are, and will, screw them. They see it everyday, they live it. It goes without saying. Tell them how you won’t screw them, then you’ll pick up the missing million voters, easy. Or don’t, and struggle along into obscurity by trying to convinvce a marginal percentage of the people who are more comfortable with National to momentarily jump ship, for a single term, by using methods they theoretically don’t condone.
Yours sincerely, and not holding my breath for a cheque for advisory services,
Charles.
Reading and concurring.
Labour had a “vote positive” message for their 2014 election campaign. It was widely derided, and really screwed them when DP came out of left field because they could barely mention it, despite it being what everyone was talking about.
Cartoon illustrating today’s Open Mike reminds me of my favourite Gary Larson offering…..Beware of Doug
…..http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6715691973_bca11f829f.jpg
Test message – ignore
These days the economic right often sound more humanist and progressive than the left on immigration. We need a serious dose of class politics and internationalism.
The case for open borders:
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/the-case-for-open-borders/
Phil
There isn’t one. The problem with open borders in a world that is over-populated is that you’ll end up with most of that over-population heading for the Promised Land of the Western Nations which will, inevitably, result in the collapse of those nations and the inevitable war that follows.
Now, it’s true that many of those Western Nations are only rich because of the slave labour in the poorer nations from which the Western Nations are importing huge amounts of resources. And this shows the real problem – that national resources are being used to support the living standards of other nations.
The right of workers to move and live wherever they please is a pretty fundamental workers’ right. You may as well say that workers from rural NZ should stay there and not come into the main cities because that’ll wreak havoc here.
The left has abandoned far too much in the way of basic freedoms, like the right of workers to move to where jobs and conditions are better. The right and left have almost swapped places on some issues, like this.
It’s time to get back to some very basic issues of class and class solidarity.
Phil
Despite their success in imposing austerity on the working class in many countries, the ruling class hasn’t been able to produce a *real* new boom. The debate between austerians and Keynesians continues:
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/05/12/austerity-has-it-really-worked-for-the-capitalists/