NZDF has now conceded its claim there were no photographs is contrary to three images it published itself and additional unpublished images taken during the NZSAS raid.”
Insightful article by David Fisher. Will the outgoing PM change his mind and now call for an enquiry or just bury it? I’m so sick of the gutless lack of leadership from English on this matter.
Been subjected to manipulation by those in question in order to create forgetfulness; obfuscation, denial, distraction, delay, misdirection.
“Don’t care”, James? Is that your position? You don’t care?
I’m sure when you wrote, “or don’t believe Hagar”, you meant “Hagar and Stevenson”. I’m mindful that the NZDF recently expressed disbelief in claims by Mr Stevenson, but that ended badly for them. You remember that, James, or do you also suffer “severe medium term memory loss”?
You don’t believe the accounts of Mr Stevenson and others described in “Hit and Run”?
Why not, James?
Which accounts do you disbelieve?
It would appear from today’s article, that the NZDF account regarding photographs, was incorrect and not to be believed.
Your thoughts?
You’re coming across as extremely callous, James; you “don’t care” about the reported actions, despite not knowing whether or not they are true. Are you not even reservedly concerned that what Stephenson and others in Afghanistan reported could be true? Where does you confidence that the accounts are false come from? (an anatomical feature suggests itself)
Robert, when someone like James calls you “sanctimonious”, or “a do-gooder” or “a bleeding heart” or “politically correct”, it’s nothing more than an admission of defeat on his part. He has nothing to offer, and shutting down the conversation is his only option.
It’s the same strategy as that used by talkback radio hosts on the extremely rare occasions someone with a clue happens to ring them up…
Robert – forget about James – he isn’t worth wasting your breath over. There are people in this life that we call acceptors – they soak up everything that is bandied about – never have the energy or intelligence to critique or research what is put out in cyber space. They trust everybody and are hypocrites when they dismiss a statement or person out of hand ,- because they have never researched the information or the person to be able to dismiss or accept it. I don’t think he has much going for him upstairs really.
Thanks for that Kate, I appreciate your views. I do agree that James lacks breadth and depth in his thinking, but I like to trade comments with him in order to tease out his position. At times I’m astonished by his restricted views, the limits to his imagination and the difficulty he has in assimilating new ideas, but all in all it’s instructive to hear where he and his ilk sit. Irksome, perhaps, but you’ve gotta keep tabs.
Bill English just has to stick to the information given to him by the Army Leadership. That way the responsibility is not his but in this case Keating’s.
Simple but effective.
I think the Labour/Green bloc will poll 45 (30/15, 31/14, 32/13, 33/12) against the Nats 40. Where Winston goes from there is anybody’s guess, I agree.
I think, old chep, you miss the “we are tired of this lot, time to give the others a go” factor. and the “English is not Key’ factor and the “there will be no KDC this time” factor.
To Andre,
Many people tell us that Trump is unpredictable and impulsive, however upon close scrutiny his behaviour is very much true to form, cunning and planned. The firing or “staged execution” of Comey sends a strong message to anyone who doesn’t serve Trump with blind obedience. Trump is defined as an authoritarian, honours power over reason, we have seen these flaws in Nixon, Mussolini, Hitler etc. The sooner the citizens of the USA gets rid of Trump the better for all concerned.
Ah, the multidimensional chess grandmaster theory of Trump.
It seems to me the flaw in that argument is every time Trump does something, there needs to be another dimension or three added to the game he’s playing for it to make sense.
Whereas the alternative explanation, that he’s simply acting on whatever impulse feels good to him at the moment, remains a coherent and plausible explanation for everything he’s done. (Except his televised apology for “grab them by the pussy”, but his body language during that showed every sign there were a bunch of aides just off camera armed with cattle-prods to make sure he read out his prepared message and nothing else)
Meanwhile, there remains the tiny comfort that all the time and and effort he and his team put into dealing with the brushfires he lights is taking away from the nasty shit the Republicans really want to do. Which they would actually be successfully getting on with if someone like Pence were president.
So far there don’t seem to be signs Trump’s shit is peeling away support from his base or Republicans in Congress. The senators and representatives that have criticised firing Comey have mostly been the ones that were critical about other issues. So I don’t see impeachment getting any closer.
That’s who he is: a disregulated bundle of impulses, being manipulated by a cast of crooks and incompetents, supported by a Republican Party willing to bet the stability of the country against upper-income tax cuts. We need to stop looking for a more complicated story.
True, that Vox article feels grounded and accurate. But Trump is manifestly not an idiot and everyone made a bad mistake in underestimating him from the very outset.
Scott Adams made himself unpopular by pointing out Trump’s master skills as persuader and manipulator of the nation’s subconscious motivations, well before most other commentators.
I suspect that the master manipulator angle is a case of mistaking luck with intent.
Did he consciously reflect and adapt to the mood of the nation, or was he simply the candidate most suited to the situation: the loudest one dominated the room with the crowd of republican contenders in the primaries, and the republicans have spent twenty years disenfranchising minorities and rigging the system against anyone with a brain. And then there’s the simple fact that their electoral college also means that the winner of the popular vote might still lose the presidency.
I don’t see any evidence of intelligence: ego, insecurity, paranoia, corruption, nepotism, and other traits more suited to a feudal thug than a democratically-elected leader, sure. But all evidence I’ve seen points to him being a lucky idiot.
Good questions Mc Flock. I didn’t suggest Trump is a genius either. But he most certainly is a gold-plated, 100% certifiable, high functioning narcissist. Absolutely the only thing important to Trump is himself. All his behaviour confirms this.
And because narcissists literally don’t care the slightest what other people think of them, it is very easy for them (and their related cousins the psychopaths) to instinctively read other people’s motivations, weaknesses, manipulate, lie, cheat and generally do whatever it takes to win … with absolutely no conscience, guilt, nor any of the emotional cost that inhibits most other people. .
When most people are criticised for something they’ve just done, they immediately start to defend themselves. Trump doesn’t care about the attack, he has zero regard for what anyone else thinks, and simply forges on to the next outrage/tweet. It works because he’s a constantly moving target. This is why narcissists should never be underestimated. Especially when they have money, power and status. (Which of course they crave.)
For example the ‘pussy grabbing’ thing would have ended any normal politician, with Trump it’s an almost forgotten niggle from the distant past, buried under a constant torrent of daily outrages. In a few months time this Comey thing will have been forgotten while the world is transfixed by his latest WTF.
A simple approach Andre, ” If you don’t play ball with me then, YOU’RE FIRED!
Sounds familiar? He merely replaces one person for a yes-man. To control the department of the FBI is a powerful weapon, towards Trump’s end-game.
Yeah, he can try for a yes-man. But the new FBI director will need to be confirmed by the Senate. While I’m not sure if the Dems can filibuster it, I’m fairly confident that whatever honeymoon Trump had with the Senate is over and there’s at least three Republicans who will require the nominee to be someone with a few principles that will stand up to Trump when needed. Even if those principles are recidivist conservative ones that horrify us liberals.
Oh, perhaps on a weekend when everything Labour is everything good. Coz that means that nothing fucked up can be anything other than good if it’s coming from Labour quarters, and calling out something good is, of course, fucked up.
Least, that’s the best I can do by way of helping you overcome your struggling. Hope it helped.
Noted RWNJ journalists Trevett, Watkins, and Young will be all over this Congress and Andrew Little, criticising Labour and Little, and framing them negatively at any and every opportunity.
Watkins does so here, unhappy Little is consistently communicating Labour’s message and unhappy he’s not John Key.
Just watched an interview between Andrew Little and Paddy Gower on the Nation. As a life long supporter of the left, this interview gave Jacinda Ardern a tremendous political boost.
I almost feel sorry for the guy, then I remember the nastiness simmering under his angry countenance. Labour is past it’s use by date. Winstone will be the leader of the opposition after the election.
New book “shattered” autopsy of failed clinton campaign, plenty of hits on google and coverage in MSM but funnily enough so for none of them seem to cover this
pic.twitter.com/NDUk90Jp5q
Leaked documents reveal serious concerns about KiwiRail’s decision to switch from electric trains to diesel
“KiwiRail announced the decision last year, and said diesel would improve reliability and efficiency.
But an external peer review by engineering consultants WorleyParsons warns diesel trains bought from China have “a very high failure rate”.
Seven to nine are out of service at any one time for maintenance, repair and asbestos removal. And their performance has been “extraordinarily poor”.
The review said KiwiRail should be switching its whole fleet to electric, but it said a paper from the company’s board was “biased towards the diesel option”.
And there are more concerns from a separate internal report, which says KiwiRail over-inflated expected savings – and upgrading electric trains was actually $230m cheaper than replacing them with diesel.
And Treasury also had concerns. Cabinet advice given to the Green Party under the Official Information Act shows officials weren’t convinced by the business case.
They warned KiwiRail “provided no basis for its cost estimate” that electrifying the whole main trunk line could be up to $1bn.”
yeah well it didn’t take leaked documents to see that was a dumb idea!
but yes very interesting to see that kiwirail bosses also realised that
SO…. What was the real reason for that decision. Kickback? , govt policy of discouraging renewals?, CIA??.. hmm i wonder if this info will come out too
I knew a few senior KiwiRail engineers socially; and while they never told me anything I shouldn’t know it was clear they believed the Minister has politically interfered with the Board on a number of occasions.
The DL loco deal was corrupt. That was well understood.
And because KiwiRail is so dependent on govt funding to re-build it’s shattered infrastructure the pressure and meddling continues on all manner of decision big and small.
No surprises here … except perhaps that WorleyParsons (who have specific expertise in this area) used such blunt language.
“Mothballing” the NIMT electrification is a dumb idea. Just dumb. Switching the locos at Te Rapa and Palmy only takes about 10-20 mins, and can be quite easily timed with the engineer’s breaks. The DL’s are bascially crap from what I have heard, spening half their time in the shop.
It is also very well to say that the catenary will be left in place, but who’s to say that it will not be allowed to deterioarate? A few stormy winters and KR will be removing parts of the traction equipment due to storm damage.
When Toll’s above rail assets were purchased 9 years ago (that long!) it was supposed to be a new era for rail in this country. When National came in, they realised that they couldnt just turn around and flog it off as a going concern, so they decided to instead run it down and sell it off bit by bit. the mothball/closure of various lines (some not even announced) the sale of railway land and buildings, scrapping of locomotive classes, etc and so on.
The DL’s are bascially crap from what I have heard, spening half their time in the shop.
Specifically the major components like the German MTU engines are ok. But the integration of all the elements into a reliable machine takes decades of experience and many design iterations to nail all the gremlins. And the Chinese simply did not have that history when these locos where purchased.
So is this Solid Energy all over again? Just make stupid business decisions until it can’t function? It’s hard not to see this as deliberate, mostly because I can’t conceive of people being so inept. But hey, National, bringing us inept *and greedy since 2008.
Certainly looks that way. The private sector costs more, is less efficient than government departments and provides worse service and so National has to undermine them to make the private sector look good.
Inequality – (look at this in the context of the passenger that was recently beaten by airport staff at United Airlines when they decided to forcefully take his seat.)
At LA airport’s new private terminal, the rich can watch normal people suffer
Bradbury had nothing to do with it, the information was emailed to him. He didn’t publish any details about how it was done, nor did he publish the files anywhere.
However he did publish one document in the public interest — because ACT want to suppress iwi consultation in RMA decisions
James, on a day when you have been revealed as callous and uncaring on this very thread, how can you pop up again with your puerile witterings and hope to be taken seriously? Just askin’
Example #1, OneTwo commented: “This is base level, even by your handles low standards. Whatever ‘you’ are…”
What a sad indictment of yourself.”
“If you’re an actual human being, take a good look at how you’re conducting yourself on this topic, and in general”
Ed added, “You don’t care how a 3 year old was killed by NZ soldiers in her own village.
The transcripts of the Standard show what you do care about.”
Answer a question from a callous RWNJ who doesn’t care?
Why?
“Ed 1.1.2.1.2
13 May 2017 at 9:24 am
You don’t care how a 3 year old was killed by NZ soldiers in her own village.
The transcripts of the Standard show what you do care about.
While the vulnerability might be similar, the actions of the blogging political opponents are completely different. And the bulk of the uproar was in regards to the actions of the blogger and his political paymasters in the first case.
To James,
Yes indeed, Theresa May will probably increase her popularity, as she plays the Them vs Us game (Britain vs Europe). Perhaps we should listen to the experts James and get a reality check;-))))
Labour needs to figure out how to win without Corbyn’s new hard left supporters blaming everyone except themselves. They need to figure out their political egos.
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Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development A regional freight hub for the lower North Island will be built just northeast of Palmerston North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Government is investing $40 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to designate and buy land and design ...
Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for the introduction of a Guaranteed Minimum Income to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and prevent more families entering into further debt with the Ministry of Social Development. ...
There has been renewed focus on New Zealand First acting as a handbrake on the Government after our decision to not support Auckland light rail. We are a handbrake for bad ideas, that istrue, but our track record since 2017 has seen New Zealand First constructively also serve as an ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP New Zealand First’s Fair Residency for Superannuation Bill passed its First Reading in Parliament today. The Bill makes a significant change to NZ Super by raising the minimum residency requirement from 10 to 20 years, after age 20. “Currently, a migrant of ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill in the name of Darroch Ball introducing a six-month minimum prison sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its second reading in Parliament. The new offence of "injuring a first responder or corrections officer with ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the launch of the new Criminal Cases Review Commission, gifted with the name from Waikato-Tainui - Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, announced in Hamilton today by Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealand First has long believed in and ...
The Green Party is celebrating over $800m in new funding for green projects, which will get people into jobs while solving New Zealand’s long-term challenges. ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is appalled that Meridian seems to have been unnecessarily spilling water from its dams to drive up its profits."While New Zealanders have been coming together in some of our darkest hours, we don’t expect power gentailers to waste water and ...
We wrapped up the first half of 2020 with a busy month, taking additional steps to support New Zealanders as we continue with our economic recovery. We rolled out targeted packages to support key industries like tourism and construction, helped create jobs in the environmental and agriculture sectors, and set ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has welcomed the appointment of Maurice Davis and his deep infrastructure and construction experience to the board of the Infrastructure Commission. Mr Davis (Ngāti Maniapoto), is the seventh and final appointment to the board led by former Reserve Bank Governor ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand’s click bait journalism is taking a turn for the worse, with yet another example of sensationalist, wilful-misrepresentation of the facts. “New Zealand First has worked constructively with its Coalition partner on hundreds of pieces of legislation and policy, and ...
The Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
This week, we rolled out the next steps of our recovery plan, with new infrastructure investment, extra support for tourism operators, and a new programme to get Kiwis into agriculture careers. The global economic consequences of COVID-19 will continue to be a challenge, but we have a detailed plan to ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its final reading in Parliament today fulfilling a coalition agreement commitment. “This is an important step in saving the lives of New Zealanders and delivers a key coalition commitment ...
Whakatāne has been given a $2.5 million boost to speed up previously funded projects and create more than 450 jobs in the next decade. Of those, the equivalent of 160 full-time jobs could be delivered in the next six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is in town to make ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $2.5 million to accelerate three infrastructure projects in Whakatāne, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “This package is about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is throwing his weight behind a bid by the Auckland Council to fast-track the more than doubling of the city's water allowance from the Waikato River. And he's coming out strongly against anyone who plans on getting in the way of this campaign. "It is my ...
The Green Party is thrilled to see changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that mean consents for large projects can be declined if they will have significant climate change implications that are inconsistent with the Zero Carbon Act and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations. ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new ship, Aotearoa, set sail for New Zealand on 10 June from the Republic of Korea, and is due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow, announced Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “Aotearoa is the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new fleet ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters has today welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has ...
The Green Party has today put forward an amendment to the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill to ensure all people in prisons can vote in general elections. ...
The Green Party welcomes the decision to not proceed with Public Public Investment (PPI) delivery of Auckland’s light rail project and to instead run the process through the public service. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First List MP Hon Ron Mark welcomes the announcement of Provincial Growth Funding investment of $1.4 million to help secure the Wairarapa’s water supply. The funding boost will allow the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and ...
New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio is pleased to announce the inaugural launch of Kiribati Language Week as part of the 2020 Pacific language Weeks programme. “I am so pleased that this year we are able to provide resourcing support to the Kiribati community in Aotearoa which will ...
Wildlife institutions affected by a loss of visitor revenue during the COVID-19 lockdown are set to receive government support with nearly $15 million of funding available announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “Eco-sanctuaries, zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks, and wildlife rescue, hospital and rehabilitation facilities provide crucial support for the recovery ...
The Government is expanding and accelerating frontline mental health and wellbeing services at tertiary education institutes (TEI) to help students manage ongoing stresses related to COVID-19. “The lockdown has been hugely disruptive for students. Many of them have had to relocate and move to online learning, isolating them from their ...
The Minister of Police says a major operation against the Mongrel Mob in Waikato will make a big dent in drug harm and violent offending linked to organised crime networks. “Senior leadership of the Waikato Mongrel Mob has been taken out as a result of Operation Kingsville, which resulted in ...
The Government is extending the border exception criteria to enable some offshore victims and support people of the Christchurch mosque attacks to attend the sentencing of the accused beginning on 24 August2020, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. “We want to support our valued Muslim brothers and sisters who were directly ...
A project to support volunteer efforts to look after streams and rivers is getting a boost thanks to support from DOC’s Community Conservation Fund announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “The government is backing efforts to look after waterways with $199,400 for the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust from ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter today announced that funding for the COVID-19 Community Fund for women and girls will be doubled, as the first successful funding applications for the initial $1million were revealed. “Women and girls across the country have suffered because of the effects of COVID-19, and I ...
The Government’s books were better than forecast with a higher GST take as the economy got moving again after lockdown, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Crown Accounts for the 11 months to the end of May indicate the year end results for tax revenue will be stronger than forecast. ...
A plan to revitalise New Zealand’s strong wool sector and set it on a new, more sustainable and profitable path was unveiled today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. The newly-released report - Vision and Action for New Zealand’s Wool Sector - was developed by the Wool Industry Project Action Group ...
Community efforts to create a Predator Free Whangārei will receive a $6 million boost, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The new funding, through Government company Predator Free 2050 Ltd, will create around 12 jobs while enabling the complete removal of possums over ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that the New Zealand Government is reviewing the settings of its relationship with Hong Kong. “China’s decision to pass a new national security law for Hong Kong has fundamentally changed the environment for international engagement there,” Mr Peters said. “New Zealand remains deeply ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced details of a multimillion-dollar investment in Whangārei for infrastructure projects that will help it recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 200 jobs are expected to be created through the $26 million investment from the Government’s rejuvenation package ...
Following a second incident in which a person escaped from a managed isolation facility, security is being enhanced, including more police presence onsite, Minister Megan Woods said. “The actions of some individuals who choose to break the very clear rules to stay within the facilities means that more resourcing is ...
Waste reduction and recycling programmes in Kaipara are set to get a boost with Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage today announcing a $361,447 grant from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) Sustainable Kaipara. “The new funding will allow Sustainable Kaipara to partner with local schools, kura, community ...
The Government will support the Southland economy in the wake of multinational mining company Rio Tinto’s decision to follow through with its long signalled closure of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. “This day has unfortunately been on the cards for some time now, but nevertheless the final decision is a ...
New tools being developed to help boost Aotearoa’s Predator Free 2050 effort were unveiled today by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. A new rat poison, a camera with predator recognition software to detect and report predators, a new predator lure and a ...
The Coalition Government has approved the purchase of a fleet of Bushmaster vehicles to replace the New Zealand Army’s armoured Pinzgauers, Defence Minister Ron Mark has announced today. The new fleet of 43 Australian-designed and built Bushmaster NZ5.5 will provide better protection for personnel and improved carrying capacity. “The age ...
The Government’s three prevention frameworks to reduce family violence in Aotearoa were launched this week by Associate Minister for Social Development Poto Williams. The frameworks were developed in partnership with communities around New Zealand, and build on the work the Government has already begun with its new family violence prevention ...
The Government is pleased to confirm funding for improvements to radiology and surgical services at Hawke's Bay DHB, Health Minister Chris Hipkins says. "The Minister of Finance the Hon Grant Robertson and former Health Minister Dr David Clark approved funding for Hawke's Bay DHB’s redevelopment of their radiology facilities ...
• New funding for four beds at Napier’s Springhill Residential Addiction Centre • A new managed withdrawal home and community service, and peer support before and after residential care at Tairāwhiti DHB • A co-ordinated network of withdrawal management services throughout the South Island • Peer support in Rotorua and ...
Introduction, seafarers and POAL Good morning everyone, I am delighted to be online with you all today. Before I begin, I have to acknowledge that COVID-19 has disrupted the maritime sector on an unprecedented scale. The work of seafarers and the maritime industry is keeping many economies around the world ...
A $13 million investment from Government will create jobs and improve the resilience of the rail connection between Christchurch and the West Coast, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones and Regional Economic Development Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau say. The funding comes from the tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2020 for infrastructure projects ...
The Government is investing $761 million to assist local government upgrade under-pressure water services across the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The announcement was made at the site of the water bore that was found to be the source of the fatal ...
Recognised Seasonal Employers and migrant seasonal workers stranded in New Zealand will be able to continue working and supporting themselves with more flexible hours and roles, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. The time-limited visa changes are: Stranded RSE workers will be able to work part-time (a minimum of 15 hours ...
The Government is making immediate short-term changes to visa settings to support temporary migrants already onshore in New Zealand and their employers, while also ensuring New Zealanders needing work are prioritised, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. We are: Extending temporary work visas due to expire by the end of 2020 ...
Professor Peter Skelton CNZM has been appointed as Chief Freshwater Commissioner and Alternate Environment Court Judge Craig James Thompson as Deputy Chief Freshwater Commissioner for the newly established Freshwater Planning Process (FPP). Environment Minister David Parker today also announced the appointment of Chief Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook as the ...
Auckland Queen’s Counsel Neil Campbell has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Campbell graduated with a BCom and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 1992. He spent two years with Bell Gully Buddle Weir in Auckland before travelling to the United ...
The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to better enable the development and operation of commercial film and video facilities in Christchurch. The Proposal, developed by Regenerate Christchurch in response to a request from Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section ...
The Government has launched a bold plan to boost primary sector export earnings by $44 billion over the next decade, while protecting the environment and growing jobs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today released Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential, a 10-year roadmap to unlock greater value ...
A new approach to prevent family harm that encourages greater collaboration across government and community groups is being celebrated at the opening of a new facility in Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today opened the Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm Prevention Hub Te Taanga Manawa in Lambie Road in Manukau. The facility ...
The Government has released a major new report on the options for relocating the Port of Auckland’s freight operations while deferring any decision on the issue. “That decision needs to be informed by policy analysis that is still to be completed. As a result it will be up to a ...
The history of Rāpaki is being restored through the inclusion of te reo in thirteen official place names on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula and around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō, the Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage, announced today. “I am pleased to approve the proposals from Te Hapū o Ngāti ...
Bookings for seats on Air New Zealand flights into New Zealand will be managed in the short term to ensure the Government is able to safely place New Zealanders arriving home into a managed isolation or quarantine facility, says Housing Minister Megan Woods. “Last week Air Commodore Darryn Webb and I ...
Grant Robertson has today announced the first major release of funding from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced at Budget 2020. “Today we’re setting out how $80 million will be invested, with $54 million of that over the 2020/2021 financial year for organisations from community level through to elite ...
The Government is maintaining current levy rates for the next 2 years, as part of a set of changes to help ease the financial pressures of COVID-19 providing certainty for businesses and New Zealanders, ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “New Zealanders and businesses are facing unprecedented financial pressures as a ...
Small businesses are getting greater certainty about access to finance with an extension to the interest-free cashflow loan scheme to the end of the year. The Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme has already been extended once, to 24 July. Revenue and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says it will be ...
A package of 23 projects across the country will clean up waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker announced today. The $162 million dollar package will see 22 water clean-up projects put forward by local councils receiving $62 million and the Kaipara ...
Tena koutou katoa Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe o Pōneke, tena koutou Nau mai, haere mai ki te hui a tau mo te roopu reipa Ko tatou! Ko to tatou mana! Ko to tatou kaupapa kei te kokiri whakamua Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa Welcome. I ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $1.5 million to ensure QE Health in Rotorua can proceed with its world class health service and save 75 existing jobs, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The PGF funding announced today is in addition to the $8 million ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
The Tahr Foundation has released a short video that shows just what Himalayan tahr mean to Kiwis and why so many people are fighting so hard to maintain them in New Zealand. The video is a powerful reminder of the extent that tahr are now woven into ...
Introduction Thank you very much. Elections in New Zealand – like everywhere - are a very special tradition, because they are driven by you. They’re an opportunity to change your future. If you think about it, the Government doesn’t do much. It ...
“This election and Covid-19 present New Zealanders with an opportunity to change their future and create a fair, modern employment insurance scheme,” says ACT’s Employment Spokesperson, and third-ranked candidate, Nicole McKee. “Covid-19 has ...
“A new approach to mental health and addiction will reduce bureaucracy, improve patient choice, and empower New Zealanders,” says ACT’s Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Brooke van Velden. “Each year, the government spends about $2 billion ...
"Working people have signaled their commitment to do more to address the most pressing issue of our time; climate change. The energy policies that the Green Party have launched today provide a meaningful contribution to addressing climate change," ...
Climate justice organisation 350 Aotearoa welcomes the Greens' plan to transform Aotearoa’s energy system and set Aotearoa on course towards a fossil-fuel free future in which workers are supported into new jobs, and communities have the power ...
The Old Guard, new to Netflix, is a resounding success because it doesn’t focus on what makes these heroes great, it focuses on what makes them human, writes Sam Brooks.The climax of Netflix’s new movie The Old Guard shouldn’t be anything new, but it feels exhilarating. The titular old guard, ...
A new Green Party announcement heralds a fast-exit out of fossil fuels through a massive state housing solar panel installation programme, a ban on new coal boilers, and the shifting of a target for renewable energy Solar panels and batteries would be installed in 30,000 State homes to create a "virtual power plant" if ...
As yet more male-led festival lineups are announced, Shaquille Wasasala, aka halfqueen, writes an open letter to the industry.To those whose career it is booking talent for music festivals, punters, and people who listen to music.As a DJ and artist who exists at many intersections that directly inform my lens ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
Dunedin writer Victor Billot pens topical verse every Sunday. This week: disgraced MP Hamish Walker.Showing promise The MP for Clutha-Southland did, it is true, post on Facebook that he had been door knocking in Mataura when he hadn’t. He lied. The MP for Clutha-Southland did, it is ...
It’s one of the most commonly used weedkillers in the world, but pressure to phase out use of the herbicide glyphosate could force us to come up with alternatives quickly. Listen to the full episode of Two Cents Worth below. Subscribe to Two Cents' Worth for free on Apple ...
The Covid-19 crisis has exposed gaps in the funding of early education that we should be bold in responding to, writes Sue Cherrington of Victoria University of Wellington Early childhood education has been in the media a great deal over recent weeks, initially with positive but increasingly with negative news reports. ...
It’s an economic theory that advocates tout as a solution to governments’ debt crises, but critics warn is a recipe for hyperinflation. Either way, modern monetary theory is getting a lot more attention in the era of Covid-19.Two big economic ideas have captured the popular imagination during the Covid-19 pandemic: ...
For one hour a week the supermarket lights are dimmed and the music stops. And it’s a kind of triumph, writes Michelle Langstone.I thought there’d been a power cut. The lights were out at the entrance, so you arrived into a kind of gloom. There was no music, and no ...
It’s no secret that New Zealand’s Covid-19 response was one of the world’s most effective. But to get an idea of how eagerly parts of our economy have rebounded post lockdown, take a look at our electricity demand data.Despite an impending wave of unemployment and looming fiscal challenges down the ...
In the second in the Spnioff’s Last on the list series, Dave King explains what inspired him to stand for the Act Party in Manurewa. At 20th spot on the list, if David Seymour’s party can win around 16% of the party vote, King is parliament bound.It wasn’t that long ...
Basketball is growing massively in popularity around the country, led by thousands of youngsters picking up the game every day. To The Line looks at what it’s like for New Zealand high school kids with hoop dreams.If there’s been a narrative rumbling away in the sports pages, it’s that of ...
Unbelievable. A first-rank world leader picks a needless fight with blameless allies, thus imperiling their unity. But that’s General de Gaulle for you.Impressive work, even by his standards. In 1967, Canada was to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (their Gallipoli – except that they ...
From RNZ Saturday Morning Described by a Guardian reviewer as “superb hate-reading”, writer and columnist Anand Giridharadas‘s latest book Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World investigates the hypocrisy of billionaire “do-gooders”. He questions how and why we have become reliant on the philanthropy of the super-rich ...
The Professional Hunting Guides Association is welcoming the High Court decision on DoC’s controversial tahr campaign. The High Court in Wellington was asked on Wednesday by the Tahr Foundation for a judicial review of DoC’s plan to kill thousands ...
With the 2020 general election nearly three months away, a new campaign is asking voters to vote in line with the future. Vote Climate 2020 aims to highlight the opportunity to build momentum behind climate change, ensuring climate justice is a key election ...
“ACT will target the gangs by hitting them where it hurts – their pockets,” according to ACT Leader David Seymour and Firearms Spokesperson Nicole McKee. “New Zealanders deserve to be safe and secure, but violent gangs are a scourge on our ...
Waffles don’t need to be sweet – these cheese and onion numbers make an excellent savoury breakfast with an egg, or an equally tasty dinner with leftover mince.It’s easy to default to sweet breakfasts without thinking. At least that’s the case in our household, as porridge or bircher muesli is ...
The government is revitalising the wool sector, splashing out on freshwater restoration projects, relieving student stress and showing kindness to Muslims by extending the border exception criteria. It is also increasing its support (in announcements from two separate Green Party Ministers) for women and for wildlife institutions. And it is ...
People have called it for it be pulled from the service, but the escapist fantasy of 365 Days is nothing new, writes Alie Benge.To every generation, a bullish alpha-male psychopath is born, and is for someone reason considered a romantic hero. We’ve been through a lot this year, and instead ...
As Aucklanders reluctantly adjust to the inconvenient practice of water conservation, a drought-savvy Northlander shares the tips and temperament needed to get through the dry times.Auckland’s water shortage was recently reported on The Project, and viewers were earnestly exhorted to fill their dishwashers completely before turning them on. My husband ...
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk A request by the Philippines’ biggest radio and TV network for a new franchise has been rejected by a congressional committee in a vote that will go down in history as a flagrant violation of the country’s constitution, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The Paris-based media ...
Hamish Walker's privacy leak debacle dominated the news this week, but it's not the first time a southern MP has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, writes Daisy Hudson. ...
Let’s not allow the focus on big-budget infrastructure projects to detract from the vital role public transport will play in revitalising our cities in a post-Covid world, says Greg Pollock.The recent match between the Blues and the Hurricanes was one of the world’s first major post-lockdown sporting fixtures. It was ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
In the heart of Christchurch is a Designated Character high school. What makes it unique? And should there be more like it? Frank Film visits Hagley College Paddy Grant was a 27-year-old truck driver when he rocked up to Christchurch’s Hagley High School, as it was then known. It was ...
"After he calms down we share the pie and talk about how hard the years since the show have been for him": a short story by Wellington writer Jordan Hamel. Every morning it’s the same. Cling wrap on the toilet seat, a pop up snake in my can of breakfast ...
Childcare centre closures have left families and staff out in the cold. In some cases, they were given just three days’ notice, Laura Walters reports Staff and families of Auckland’s Discoveries Educare branches feel blindsided by the sudden closure of the early childhood education centres. The Ministry of Education has ...
Controversy and the America's Cup go hand-in-hand and the latest edition is no different with Emirates Team New Zealand at the centre of financial mismanagement allegations. Extra Time unpicks the debate and ponders what does the latest Cup drama mean? And should we care? A study has revealed racial bias ...
Over the decades, Mike Fox has witnessed the housing market progressively tilt towards larger, more expensive homes. Without a major overhaul of the current regulatory processes, he says, things will never change.It’s one of the biggest problems our country faces – we cannot produce the affordable housing that’s so desperately ...
So-called dirty deals have been roundly denounced over the years. Hayden Donnell argues that they need to be normalised, and even embraced, in September’s election.Just before the 2011 general election, Patrick Gower was confronted with a political act so stomach-churning, it forced him to abandon his trademark reserve. John Key ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Esterman, Professor of Biostatistics, University of South Australia Victoria has recorded 288 new COVID-19 cases since yesterday, the largest daily increase we’ve seen so far. This big jump must have the Victorian government and health authorities very concerned, especially since nearly ...
The controversial 101 East episode Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown on 3 July 2020. Video: Al JazeeraPacific Media Watch Newsdesk Malaysian police summoned six Al Jazeera media workers today for questioning relating to an investigation for defamation and violation of Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA), reports IFJ Asia-Pacific. ...
Analysis - A National MP destroys his career, the government explains how someone with Covid-19 could walk around a supermarket and the closure of Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is announced. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abrar Ahmad Chughtai, Epidemiologist, UNSW Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly today recommended people in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire wear masks when leaving the house: […] If people have symptoms and they need to go for a test, for example, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rochelle Wynne, Director, Western Sydney Nursing & Midwifery Research Centre, Western Sydney University Over the past week, we’ve seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 infections among health-care workers in Victoria. This includes a doctor at Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital, one ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paddy Nixon and Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan discuss the week in politics including the return to lockdown in Victoria, National Cabinet setting to slow the flow of Australian’s ...
We prefer our heroes untarnished. And few match the heroism of Winston Churchill. But a recent report in the Times reminds us of the inevitability of human frailty and the consequences of keeping it under wraps.During the second world war, Britain’s greatest single loss of life at sea was the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ou Yang, Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Donald Trump has ordered US federal agencies to bypass environmental protection laws and fast-track pipeline, highway and other infrastructure projects. Signing the executive order last month, the US president declared regulatory delays would hinder “our ...
SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says "The NZDIA has done the right thing, and we’re glad to see Bertram has been held to account over his actions. He should take this as an opportunity to right his wrongs and show that he takes animal welfare seriously." ...
Takuta Ferris, Te Tai Tonga candidate for the Māori Party, is urging government to place whānau first in the wake of announcements around Tiwai Point. “The declaration that one of the region's major employers the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is closing ...
Dietary Requirements is The Spinoff’s monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms. This month, we’re joined by The Spinoff’s managing editor, mall rat and self-confessed food philistine Duncan Greive.On this month’s Dietary Requirements, the gang’s back in the studio, and ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart 1: United States and Australia rising. Chart by Keith Rankin. These charts look at Covid19 incidence in China (the most important first-wave country, with a limited second wave), Italy (the lead second-wave country), and USA and Australia (second-wave countries – drawing their caseload from Europe ...
The Government must listen to the Muslim community to rectify its failure to act in the past, says the Human Rights Commission. The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ) submission to the Royal Commission of Inquiry was released this week. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, President, Australian Association for Professional & Applied Ethics. Senior Research Fellow, Moral philosophy, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Law Futures Centre., Griffith University Earlier this week, 150 high-profile authors, commentators and scholars signed an open letter in Harper’s magazine ...
You can’t keep a good woman down and Helen Clark is no exception. Her new appointment, as co-chair of a review of how the World Health Organisation handled the coronavirus pandemic, will test her formidable political skills. Sitting with her is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian president, who handled the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Connor, Lecturer, James Cook University While many people may enjoy a game of backyard cricket, only a few go on to become elite professional batsmen in Australia. Cricket batting is example of what human skills can achieve. The fastest bowling delivery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee Baumgartner, Professor of Fisheries and River Management, Institute for Land, Water, and Society, Charles Sturt University This article is a preview of Flora, Fauna, Fire, a multimedia project launching on Monday July 13. The project tracks the recovery of Australia’s native ...
CEAC review of pre-election National’s “outline plan” just sent to us by Todd Muller 9/7/20 was actually his speech about his plan and was described as ‘an outline’. So in our review of National Party response to A Greener, Smarter Future; climate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Podger, Honorary Professor of Public Policy, Australian National University In Hidden Hand, China scholars Clive Hamilton and Marieke Ohlberg examine the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in Europe and North America in a similar way to how Hamilton dissected the CCP’s influence ...
“I can see why people are fed up, many are wondering how to clothe and feed their kids, or how they are going to pay their rent next week and still others are wondering what has happened to our beautiful Kiwi Way of Life. Well no party in parliament ...
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk Sixty press freedom groups and civil society organisations, journalism institutions, filmmakers, and other supporters have formed a coalition in support of Maria Ressa and independent media in the Philippines, united around the call to #HoldTheLine. Today the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Center for ...
National MP Michael Woodhouse also received Covid-19 patient emails from Michelle Boag, and deleted them when he realised she was implicated in a separate email scandal. National Party leader Todd Muller says no further MPs in his party received confidential information from Michelle Boag, after revelations today that Michael Woodhouse also ...
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Is admitting you are wrong different from lying? I guess it depends which way you spin it or if you are the NZDF and need to bury/cover something up.
“After 20 days checking and then asserting there were no photographs, it has now had to admit it was wrong and there were photographs taken during Operation Burnham.
NZDF has now conceded its claim there were no photographs is contrary to three images it published itself and additional unpublished images taken during the NZSAS raid.”
Insightful article by David Fisher. Will the outgoing PM change his mind and now call for an enquiry or just bury it? I’m so sick of the gutless lack of leadership from English on this matter.
Truth is. While some in here thinks it’s a “big deal” in the real world – most people have forgotten this already.
Sad but true.
Killing civilians = “big deal” but it’s okay because “most people have forgotten.”.
That’s craven.
Forgotten, or don’t care, or don’t believe Hagar.
Been subjected to manipulation by those in question in order to create forgetfulness; obfuscation, denial, distraction, delay, misdirection.
“Don’t care”, James? Is that your position? You don’t care?
I’m sure when you wrote, “or don’t believe Hagar”, you meant “Hagar and Stevenson”. I’m mindful that the NZDF recently expressed disbelief in claims by Mr Stevenson, but that ended badly for them. You remember that, James, or do you also suffer “severe medium term memory loss”?
Correct. You can also put me in the don’t believe Hagar camp as well.
You don’t believe the accounts of Mr Stevenson and others described in “Hit and Run”?
Why not, James?
Which accounts do you disbelieve?
It would appear from today’s article, that the NZDF account regarding photographs, was incorrect and not to be believed.
Your thoughts?
That’s a foolish thing to write, James. On what basis would anyone choose to “not believe Hagar”?
Assuming you are correct and “most people” have severe medium term memory loss, The Herald just reminded them.
Diddums.
Perhaps don’t really care about it would have been a better wording.
James, everyone knows you are a callous piece of shit. Stop smearing your betters.
It hasn’t been proven as fact. So if Im callous I’ll go with you being gullible.
You’re coming across as extremely callous, James; you “don’t care” about the reported actions, despite not knowing whether or not they are true. Are you not even reservedly concerned that what Stephenson and others in Afghanistan reported could be true? Where does you confidence that the accounts are false come from? (an anatomical feature suggests itself)
And you are coming across all sanctimonious about the reported actions despite not knowing if they are true or not also.
“despite not knowing if they are true or not also.
AH so you would be is favour of an inquiry to sort out the truth James
Nope there was one already.
This is base level, even by your handles low standards. Whatever ‘you’ are…
If you’re an actual human being, take a good look at how you’re conducting yourself on this topic, and in general
Why can’t we vote James off this site ? He brings nothing but nastiness in every post.
That would be a bit yuk, plus
Quote my sanctimonious statements, James, if you can.
I’m happy to paste your callous ones in return.
Robert, when someone like James calls you “sanctimonious”, or “a do-gooder” or “a bleeding heart” or “politically correct”, it’s nothing more than an admission of defeat on his part. He has nothing to offer, and shutting down the conversation is his only option.
It’s the same strategy as that used by talkback radio hosts on the extremely rare occasions someone with a clue happens to ring them up…
Robert – forget about James – he isn’t worth wasting your breath over. There are people in this life that we call acceptors – they soak up everything that is bandied about – never have the energy or intelligence to critique or research what is put out in cyber space. They trust everybody and are hypocrites when they dismiss a statement or person out of hand ,- because they have never researched the information or the person to be able to dismiss or accept it. I don’t think he has much going for him upstairs really.
Thanks for that Kate, I appreciate your views. I do agree that James lacks breadth and depth in his thinking, but I like to trade comments with him in order to tease out his position. At times I’m astonished by his restricted views, the limits to his imagination and the difficulty he has in assimilating new ideas, but all in all it’s instructive to hear where he and his ilk sit. Irksome, perhaps, but you’ve gotta keep tabs.
You don’t care how a 3 year old was killed by NZ soldiers in her own village.
The transcripts of the Standard show what you do care about.
What a sad indictment of yourself.
If you wanted the right thing done then you wouldn’t be bringing out the false excuse that most people have forgotten about this.
So, why don’t you want the truth known?
Truth is your claim has no facts to back it up James, are your misconceptions a deliberate deception?
Maybe some people are numb to needless death and government cover ups? At least they are until it affects them, then things change rather rapidly.
Trump appears to be gagging many too, just like the outgoing government of NZ.
It’s a mad world
Bill English just has to stick to the information given to him by the Army Leadership. That way the responsibility is not his but in this case Keating’s.
Simple but effective.
Do you mean identify someone else to blame? National? No, surely not…
Read on twitter that the latest UMR poll had labour at 28%.
I guess they are used to polling around there as their natural home now.
Wondering if labour will break 30 % in the election.
Edit the tweet didn’t link to actual results but it falls in line with the last several years results so sounds about right.
@ James
Labour have been polling around 30+ on average recently.
30+15+12=57….it’s MMP old bean. English can’t get more than 40%.
Well for starters English can get over 40 and has done in every poll to date. (Although lower 40’s at the moment).
And you keep believing in that magical unicor that allows you to think Winston will go with Labour and the greens.
James is just trying to undermine Labours weekend plans.
…still trolling James???
Else it is 52 v. 45 to confuse seats with percentages…… more accurate is 67 v.52 or 54 v. 52 with 13 plus not known.
Greens wont get fifteen and Winston will not be in your equation, old bean.
I think the Labour/Green bloc will poll 45 (30/15, 31/14, 32/13, 33/12) against the Nats 40. Where Winston goes from there is anybody’s guess, I agree.
I think, old chep, you miss the “we are tired of this lot, time to give the others a go” factor. and the “English is not Key’ factor and the “there will be no KDC this time” factor.
Colbert reviews Trump’s last 48 or so hours.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/stephen-colbert-donald-trump-mocks_us_5915d399e4b00f308cf4d1e5?g7q&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
To Andre,
Many people tell us that Trump is unpredictable and impulsive, however upon close scrutiny his behaviour is very much true to form, cunning and planned. The firing or “staged execution” of Comey sends a strong message to anyone who doesn’t serve Trump with blind obedience. Trump is defined as an authoritarian, honours power over reason, we have seen these flaws in Nixon, Mussolini, Hitler etc. The sooner the citizens of the USA gets rid of Trump the better for all concerned.
Ah, the multidimensional chess grandmaster theory of Trump.
It seems to me the flaw in that argument is every time Trump does something, there needs to be another dimension or three added to the game he’s playing for it to make sense.
Whereas the alternative explanation, that he’s simply acting on whatever impulse feels good to him at the moment, remains a coherent and plausible explanation for everything he’s done. (Except his televised apology for “grab them by the pussy”, but his body language during that showed every sign there were a bunch of aides just off camera armed with cattle-prods to make sure he read out his prepared message and nothing else)
Meanwhile, there remains the tiny comfort that all the time and and effort he and his team put into dealing with the brushfires he lights is taking away from the nasty shit the Republicans really want to do. Which they would actually be successfully getting on with if someone like Pence were president.
So far there don’t seem to be signs Trump’s shit is peeling away support from his base or Republicans in Congress. The senators and representatives that have criticised firing Comey have mostly been the ones that were critical about other issues. So I don’t see impeachment getting any closer.
Best explanation so far –
That’s who he is: a disregulated bundle of impulses, being manipulated by a cast of crooks and incompetents, supported by a Republican Party willing to bet the stability of the country against upper-income tax cuts. We need to stop looking for a more complicated story.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/12/15621140/interpret-trump
True, that Vox article feels grounded and accurate. But Trump is manifestly not an idiot and everyone made a bad mistake in underestimating him from the very outset.
Scott Adams made himself unpopular by pointing out Trump’s master skills as persuader and manipulator of the nation’s subconscious motivations, well before most other commentators.
During the campaign he was a huckster salesman and showman, basically a (not-chilled-out) entertainer. Things he’s spent a lot of his life doing.
Now he’s in a totally different game that he doesn’t have the instinctive reactions for.
I suspect that the master manipulator angle is a case of mistaking luck with intent.
Did he consciously reflect and adapt to the mood of the nation, or was he simply the candidate most suited to the situation: the loudest one dominated the room with the crowd of republican contenders in the primaries, and the republicans have spent twenty years disenfranchising minorities and rigging the system against anyone with a brain. And then there’s the simple fact that their electoral college also means that the winner of the popular vote might still lose the presidency.
I don’t see any evidence of intelligence: ego, insecurity, paranoia, corruption, nepotism, and other traits more suited to a feudal thug than a democratically-elected leader, sure. But all evidence I’ve seen points to him being a lucky idiot.
“Being There” meets “The Godfather”.
Good questions Mc Flock. I didn’t suggest Trump is a genius either. But he most certainly is a gold-plated, 100% certifiable, high functioning narcissist. Absolutely the only thing important to Trump is himself. All his behaviour confirms this.
And because narcissists literally don’t care the slightest what other people think of them, it is very easy for them (and their related cousins the psychopaths) to instinctively read other people’s motivations, weaknesses, manipulate, lie, cheat and generally do whatever it takes to win … with absolutely no conscience, guilt, nor any of the emotional cost that inhibits most other people. .
When most people are criticised for something they’ve just done, they immediately start to defend themselves. Trump doesn’t care about the attack, he has zero regard for what anyone else thinks, and simply forges on to the next outrage/tweet. It works because he’s a constantly moving target. This is why narcissists should never be underestimated. Especially when they have money, power and status. (Which of course they crave.)
For example the ‘pussy grabbing’ thing would have ended any normal politician, with Trump it’s an almost forgotten niggle from the distant past, buried under a constant torrent of daily outrages. In a few months time this Comey thing will have been forgotten while the world is transfixed by his latest WTF.
A simple approach Andre, ” If you don’t play ball with me then, YOU’RE FIRED!
Sounds familiar? He merely replaces one person for a yes-man. To control the department of the FBI is a powerful weapon, towards Trump’s end-game.
Yeah, he can try for a yes-man. But the new FBI director will need to be confirmed by the Senate. While I’m not sure if the Dems can filibuster it, I’m fairly confident that whatever honeymoon Trump had with the Senate is over and there’s at least three Republicans who will require the nominee to be someone with a few principles that will stand up to Trump when needed. Even if those principles are recidivist conservative ones that horrify us liberals.
It’s a big weekend for Andrew Little and Labour. It’s critical that some solid policy is announced, and that Maori issues are properly addressed.
It’s sad to see this from the opening.
That’s awful.
Will you be OK?
Everyone take a moment to pity poor Peter.
I’m struggling to see a context where Lester’s comment would have been ok, given who he is and where he was speaking.
I’m more concerned about poor Peter.
Oh, perhaps on a weekend when everything Labour is everything good. Coz that means that nothing fucked up can be anything other than good if it’s coming from Labour quarters, and calling out something good is, of course, fucked up.
Least, that’s the best I can do by way of helping you overcome your struggling. Hope it helped.
These are politicians we’re talking about right? An allegedly ‘representative’ crowd.
I think Peter’s reaction is a little overblown. Demonstrative of obvious bias, possibly even a sort of blancmange malice.
As for Labour, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of ‘awful’ to go around once they start making policy announcements.
“reaction is a little overblown” – you really are a joker, aren’t you.
“possibly even a sort of blancmange malice” – more irony.
Are you aware that your overblown malice can be counterproductive to your agenda?
“These are politicians we’re talking about right? An allegedly ‘representative’ crowd.”
Making incest jokes is so the incestuous Labour voters don’t feel left out? Or maybe the incestuous Labour members and activists?
I get that you think having a go at PG is more important.
Good grief Pete lighten up.
“people are surprised you’re not married to your sister.”
The Invercargill people obviously mistook him for a member of ACT.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11210373
Noted RWNJ journalists Trevett, Watkins, and Young will be all over this Congress and Andrew Little, criticising Labour and Little, and framing them negatively at any and every opportunity.
Watkins does so here, unhappy Little is consistently communicating Labour’s message and unhappy he’s not John Key.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/92524621/andrew-little-stays-on-message-and-sounds-offkey
And Young here, using language like ‘sheer nightmare’.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11854696
Don’t forget Patrick “I am the story” Gower.
A good way to deal with the absurd and poisonous BHL
http://normanfinkelstein.com/2017/05/11/bhl-has-gotten-so-inured-to-the-cream-pies-that-it-might-be-time-to-leaven-them-with-dog-feces/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/92500123/could-french-intellectual-bernardhenri-levy-be-the-most-pied-man-in-europe
Just watched an interview between Andrew Little and Paddy Gower on the Nation. As a life long supporter of the left, this interview gave Jacinda Ardern a tremendous political boost.
Yeah I didn’t enjoy that, the tv performances are crucial.
Thanks Johan – just watched it.
I actually laughed out loud.
I encourage little to do more tv interviews.
Interviews are not his strong point are they – this and the charter school interview on radio Nz being good recent examples of train wrecks.
Edit link added for your viewing pleasure. http://bit.ly/2rbbUK9
I almost feel sorry for the guy, then I remember the nastiness simmering under his angry countenance. Labour is past it’s use by date. Winstone will be the leader of the opposition after the election.
🙄
Your borrowed astroturf is worn and tatty around the edges.
“Winstone will be the leader of the opposition after the election”
God, I hope so.
Not exactly Little’s worst performance.
New book “shattered” autopsy of failed clinton campaign, plenty of hits on google and coverage in MSM but funnily enough so for none of them seem to cover this
pic.twitter.com/NDUk90Jp5q
A NASA animation shows how much the Earth has warmed since 1880: the period 2012 to 2016 is the warmest on record
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/weather/news/video.cfm?c_id=1503080&gal_cid=1503080&gallery_id=175905
This is telling.
Leaked documents reveal serious concerns about KiwiRail’s decision to switch from electric trains to diesel
“KiwiRail announced the decision last year, and said diesel would improve reliability and efficiency.
But an external peer review by engineering consultants WorleyParsons warns diesel trains bought from China have “a very high failure rate”.
Seven to nine are out of service at any one time for maintenance, repair and asbestos removal. And their performance has been “extraordinarily poor”.
The review said KiwiRail should be switching its whole fleet to electric, but it said a paper from the company’s board was “biased towards the diesel option”.
And there are more concerns from a separate internal report, which says KiwiRail over-inflated expected savings – and upgrading electric trains was actually $230m cheaper than replacing them with diesel.
And Treasury also had concerns. Cabinet advice given to the Green Party under the Official Information Act shows officials weren’t convinced by the business case.
They warned KiwiRail “provided no basis for its cost estimate” that electrifying the whole main trunk line could be up to $1bn.”
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/leaked-documents-reveal-serious-concerns-kiwirails-decision-switch-electric-trains-diesel
yeah well it didn’t take leaked documents to see that was a dumb idea!
but yes very interesting to see that kiwirail bosses also realised that
SO…. What was the real reason for that decision. Kickback? , govt policy of discouraging renewals?, CIA??.. hmm i wonder if this info will come out too
Good hit Genter.
Was also important to see Braid from Mainfreight emphasising rail freight this week.
I’d prefer a Labour-Green govt committed to full grid electrification.
I knew a few senior KiwiRail engineers socially; and while they never told me anything I shouldn’t know it was clear they believed the Minister has politically interfered with the Board on a number of occasions.
The DL loco deal was corrupt. That was well understood.
And because KiwiRail is so dependent on govt funding to re-build it’s shattered infrastructure the pressure and meddling continues on all manner of decision big and small.
No surprises here … except perhaps that WorleyParsons (who have specific expertise in this area) used such blunt language.
“Mothballing” the NIMT electrification is a dumb idea. Just dumb. Switching the locos at Te Rapa and Palmy only takes about 10-20 mins, and can be quite easily timed with the engineer’s breaks. The DL’s are bascially crap from what I have heard, spening half their time in the shop.
It is also very well to say that the catenary will be left in place, but who’s to say that it will not be allowed to deterioarate? A few stormy winters and KR will be removing parts of the traction equipment due to storm damage.
When Toll’s above rail assets were purchased 9 years ago (that long!) it was supposed to be a new era for rail in this country. When National came in, they realised that they couldnt just turn around and flog it off as a going concern, so they decided to instead run it down and sell it off bit by bit. the mothball/closure of various lines (some not even announced) the sale of railway land and buildings, scrapping of locomotive classes, etc and so on.
The DL’s are bascially crap from what I have heard, spening half their time in the shop.
Specifically the major components like the German MTU engines are ok. But the integration of all the elements into a reliable machine takes decades of experience and many design iterations to nail all the gremlins. And the Chinese simply did not have that history when these locos where purchased.
Actual competition that reduces profits for National’s donors can’t be allowed.
So is this Solid Energy all over again? Just make stupid business decisions until it can’t function? It’s hard not to see this as deliberate, mostly because I can’t conceive of people being so inept. But hey, National, bringing us inept *and greedy since 2008.
Certainly looks that way. The private sector costs more, is less efficient than government departments and provides worse service and so National has to undermine them to make the private sector look good.
America has become so anti-innovation – it’s economic suicide
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/11/tech-innovation-silicon-valley-juicero
Inequality – (look at this in the context of the passenger that was recently beaten by airport staff at United Airlines when they decided to forcefully take his seat.)
At LA airport’s new private terminal, the rich can watch normal people suffer
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/12/lax-private-terminal-rich-people-celebrities
ACT got Hacked!
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/05/12/breaking-exclusive-massive-online-act-party-data-breach/
PG gets it wrong as usual —
https://yournz.org/2017/05/12/bradbury-does-dirty/
Bradbury had nothing to do with it, the information was emailed to him. He didn’t publish any details about how it was done, nor did he publish the files anywhere.
However he did publish one document in the public interest — because ACT want to suppress iwi consultation in RMA decisions
He went reading them when he knew he should not have. Then published stuff he thought could cause issues.
This is similar to the illegal actions of whale how ??
James, on a day when you have been revealed as callous and uncaring on this very thread, how can you pop up again with your puerile witterings and hope to be taken seriously? Just askin’
Example #1, OneTwo commented: “This is base level, even by your handles low standards. Whatever ‘you’ are…”
What a sad indictment of yourself.”
“If you’re an actual human being, take a good look at how you’re conducting yourself on this topic, and in general”
Ed added, “You don’t care how a 3 year old was killed by NZ soldiers in her own village.
The transcripts of the Standard show what you do care about.”
James? You okay?
I’m fine. Thanks for asking. You could just answer the question ….
Answer a question from a callous RWNJ who doesn’t care?
Why?
“Ed 1.1.2.1.2
13 May 2017 at 9:24 am
You don’t care how a 3 year old was killed by NZ soldiers in her own village.
The transcripts of the Standard show what you do care about.
What a sad indictment of yourself.”
All to complicated for me james. What happens now? -or could happen I probably should have said
It’s fucken strange how RWNJ’s don’t have a problem with Nacts endless lies and coverups but lose their shit when they are exposed.
Democracy requires transparency and honesty about what your party is doing or plans to do. Not lying to the public constantly .
““Don’t care”, James? Is that your position? You don’t care?”
James: “Correct”.
QFT
Act database left open online… mmm… smells like something that happened to Labour. I believe there was a massive uproar about that…
While the vulnerability might be similar, the actions of the blogging political opponents are completely different. And the bulk of the uproar was in regards to the actions of the blogger and his political paymasters in the first case.
+111
Standard please pay your power bill ,we miss you.
is TS hosted on windows?!? major worm outbreak. maybe lprent just patched it 😛
From memory I think he said it was a Linux OS.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/12/ukip-could-hand-theresa-may-landslide-victory-deciding-not-put/
The road for labour UK just got harder.
To James,
Yes indeed, Theresa May will probably increase her popularity, as she plays the Them vs Us game (Britain vs Europe). Perhaps we should listen to the experts James and get a reality check;-))))
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/may/11/bank-of-england-living-standards-interest-rates-inflation?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H+categories&utm_term=225630&subid=19486408&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2
perhaps you should listen to the votes and get a reality check.
Or are they all idiots for not agreeing with you and your chosen experts.
Labour needs to figure out how to win without Corbyn’s new hard left supporters blaming everyone except themselves. They need to figure out their political egos.
Some body turn off the main power switch again. james is back with vengeance, sorting out the poms now.
No need to sort them out. They seem to be doing very well by themselves.
Then maybe you should follow them and sort yourself out.
I’m all good thanks.
James your are a pet troll with some feelings . We can help.
James has feelings….what for….the act party website ???
A concise article about reframing: https://georgelakoff.com/2017/01/28/the-publics-viewpoint-regulations-are-protections/
‘regulations’ —> protections