Last time the Colmar Brunton – Reid Research sampling period significantly overlapped (late August) = CB had Labour 4 points higher & the Nats 2 points lower than RR
It’s generally accepted though that the swing to Labour that won that election was its late pitch to students and their families with interest free student loans. Will Labour be able to do something similar this time round?
swordfish
That’s good to know; CB certainly seem to be a lot more frequent during the election. Would I be right in supposing that the Roy Morgan is likely on Friday too (sampling 26/8 – 10/9)?
It began with an interview on RNZ (which was revealing, exposing their support for the TPP with a housing carve out and their preference of maintaining a surplus over spending more on addressing child poverty). Ardern also said neoliberalism has failed, yet largely ruled out overturning its underpinning of the economy.
While I’m willing to make concessions as there is no perfect party, it’s become clear from our discussions I’m not willing to lower the bar as far as you.
As for Labour’s headlining promises, they’re a little misleading. For example, take the headline free education, it equates to only 1 year free in their first term. And as I’ve often pointed out, a number of others also fall short.
And how is this for contradictory? Jacinda said “Any expectation that we just simply allow that the market to dictate our outcomes for people is where I would want to make sure that we were more interventionist.” Yet, entering into the TPP with only a housing carve out will curtail the Governments ability to intervene in the wider market.
Are you now going to make excuses and accept this form of double speak?
“The term ‘neoliberal’ is often said to be excessively vague, but its value in this context was in fact to give specificity to Espiner’s line of questioning. Most obviously: would Ardern consider revisiting the Reserve Bank Act, the Public Finance Act or any of the other legislative instruments that have allowed the last four governments to put neoliberal reforms into practice?
The answer – need I say it – was no. And in the process of the fairly gentle interrogation that followed, the much-vaunted boldness of the Ardern project evaporated. She thinks that climate change is the ‘nuclear-free’ issue of our time, but wouldn’t commit to divesting from coal or even ceasing to issue new licenses for deep-sea oil exploration. She wants to end child poverty, but wouldn’t resile from her predecessor’s foolish commitment to contain spending to 30% of GDP and keep guaranteeing operating surpluses – one of the main causes of the staggering, crippling rise of our household debt – nor does she think that the government needs to seek more revenue through taxation. ”
and…..
” For there really was a window. An opportunity. Instead of playing her part in the political assassination of Metiria Turei, Ardern could have used her new position and her extraordinary popularity to stand by her side. Together, she and Turei could have broken the siege that has prevented beneficiaries – which is to say, a significant portion of the working class – from leading a dignified life and participating in society. Such a decision would have carried its own risks, naturally. But then this is what defines political courage, and it’s nothing if not courage that we desperately need. ”
I too am struggling with having to limbo low to vote Labour.
For example, take the headline free education, it equates to only 1 year free in their first term.
And builds up over time as they can afford it while maintaining the same failed economic system…
Yet, entering into the TPP with only a housing carve out will curtail the Governments ability to intervene in the wider market.
Yep. We actually need to drop out of FTAs so that we can start to take back our sovereignty rather than signing up to more of them.
Labour doesn’t want to scare business by actually promising to do what needs to be done. But, of course, they actually think that the failed ideology of the 19th century works.
If this ‘Reid’ poll was ‘doctored’ by Joyce, (I have assessed) there is no way to confirm accuracy .
We contacted some of these polling companies last year after we looked into the methods used by requesting details from them.
Results of several polling companies was disturbing.
We found, it is all based on trust that they are accurate nothing else.
They confirmed there is no ability for them to conduct any rechecks of voters stated choices on any with these ‘polls’ they told us.
The same applies to the general election, the electoral commission sent us an email confirming “there no no way we can confirm voters choice was recorded accurately.
Overseas now many countries are using a ‘Voter Verified Audit Paper Trail’ (VVPAT) voting systems (even with the manual paper voting system we still use) as they use electronic counting of paper votes after we surrender our paper vote at the polling centre, and we have confirmed that is where false recording of votes can take place.
Here in NZ they only do a sample manual rechecking of a fraction of all votes taken during our General Election System, so there are many flaws left inside our voting system today.
So we asked the NZ Electoral Commission to switch to VVPAT and they refused so we are left to take their word for any poll conducted, so we must be wary of this lack of verification from any poll conducted now.
James Shaw today on TV one said their ‘internal’ polling showed the election will be very tight and every vote will count for them, so they will re-double their door knocking if able.
Bill English says some farmers may have to pay 50K for water if Labour win.
According to a chap on Natrad, if he did, that farmer would be using the same amount of water as 38,000 people. Or to put it another way, 50 such farmers would use more water than the entire city of Auckland.
Apparently, some dairy farmers on the dry plains of Canterbury use over three million litres of water per annum.
In total, agriculture uses 80% of all fresh water consumed in New Zealand. TIME TO PAY UP FARMER BROWN.
I thought the figure on Nat Radio this morning was an extra $70,000 for a farm (or was it $350,000?)- and he was concerned that the reduction in income would reduce the amount of purchasing in the local community. Imagine the positive effect of increasing the minimum wage!
If you want to see why not to do it, have a look at the last 50 60 years of fallow farming subsidies in the US.
Probably the longest blackmail experience that I have ever read about and one that has been distorting their agricultural practices without changing them in the intended manner significantly.
The only link I have was the history book I was reading about it in
On that recent Polluted Paradise Al Jazeera documentary they showed one typical dairy farmer in Canterbury who they calculate uses 12% of the total water Wellington does each year. Jaw dropping.
If a cow drinks 30 litres a day (about avg) and you have a herd of 350 cows, that is 10,500 litres a day just on drinking. Per annum that is 3.8 million litres. That at a 2 cent per litre levy would cost a farmer $76,000 per year extra.
So? What is your point? Apart from merely spinning a meaningless pile of cowshit.
For just myself and my partner I personally spend more than $1200 per year on getting drinking water and dealing with waste water. It is a resource that we use and for which we pay for.
The business that I work for pays for their water and sewerage for nearly 200 employees at a similar rate. Their bill would be heading up towards half a million dollars annually.
My point is that farmers should do the same. They should pay for the use of the common property of NZ.
If your business model and processes aren’t sustainable without a ‘free’ resource that you don’t care for properly and that others wind up having to pay for, then you should shut down the business. We aren’t prepared to give you that charity anymore bearing in mind the state you have been leaving the waterways and aquifers in.
If nothing else, putting price on your ‘free’ resource should cause you to start treating it like any other business input. Figuring out ways to use it more efficiently and without causing problems to those downstream.
Updated: And I missed the 3 orders of magnitude of cost that blackops lied about…..
I thought the proposed figure for water charges was to be per cubic metre which would be 2 cents per 1000 litres, not per litre, so about 7,600 dollars not 76,000 dollars.
It’s even more stupid – at $1 for 50,000 litres, you’d be looking at $76 per year for 3.8 mil litres of water. The fact is that farming is using so much water that such a nominal charge still adds up to plenty of money for improving water quality.
Per annum that is 3.8 million litres. That at a 2 cent per litre levy would cost a farmer $76,000 per year extra.
Yeah, that would be ridiculous, right?
Howver, Labour is talking 1 to 2 cents per thousand litres, not per litre. It would be nice if the media made it a bit clearer that we’re talking about $76 per year, not $76,000. You’ve been reading too much National bullshit.
It is intended that the tax will only be on people who are taking for irrigation so the average farmer who isn’t doing this is going to be just fine. It is the people farming in a way that is unsuited to the local environment and therefore creating a burden on that environment that will finally have to pay a small amount for something that they have polluted in the name of profit for far too long.
Water will be the new oil. We must do all we can to protect our clean water and take the maximum benefit as a country not as individuals for it’s use.
Another canard from the same right-wing stable as “This country used to have great race relations until the left started encouraging Maori to complain” and “Employment relations would be great if the unions weren’t instigating trouble.”
Well, that was over quickly. I feel like I won the lottery on Friday only to piss it all against a wall by Monday to be back where I started.
A forth term for National will break a lot of people. If you don’t own a mortgage-free house or farm or earn more than $60000 a year, then expect your living standards to slide, as National lowers wages and social spending.
A fourth term for National won’t be so bad, even Jacinda said NZ is doing pretty good, but theres still plenty of twists and turns still to come in this election I fel
Always nice to find a dumbarse troll who can’t quote properly and can’t link to the source of their quote. The key word that you missed out as you lied by omission was economically.
And I’d argue even that – I think that she is being charitable.
Because it looks to me like it is currently being sustained artificially on levels of nett inwards migration and inwards debt to pay for excessive property prices rather than on anything of sustainable use. Essentially my business trained sensors are detecting a ponzi scheme perpetuated by National to produce good figures without any particular substance.
And yet as she also points out we have a rapidly growing homeless problem, an epidemic of suicides, pollution, a massive sustained under investment in critical infrastructure and housing, inequality, and a large number of other issues that will cause the economy to tank in the medium term.
None of which National has shown ANY real inclination to change. Instead we just get the spewing of lies from Nick Smith or Steven Joyce, ineffectually supported by their mate Bill.
If you want to comment here, then I suggest you do better. We aren’t a place for stupid astroturfing parrots.
People do place a lot of stock of how well the country Is going economically and, not withstanding your business acumen, theres a lot of people who believe NZ is doing well
Is it enough for a fourth term though? I don’t know, this election has been very topsy-turvy so far
A lot of people taken in by Nationals propaganda. Even in right wing terms such as per capita GDP, balance of trade and productivity New Zealand is going downhill. Propped up only by the reserve banks excessive interest rates , immigration and natural disasters.
I would just like to know whether there is a difference in undecided between their last few polls and I find it odd that they are refusing to provide that information.
I like Tauraga the people are nice and friendly you can grow vegetables all year round its nice and warm being close to the sea and located were it’s.
Tauranga is a jewel in our beautiful country.
But I remember seeing sand on the road in the Mount and flooding was just about to happen the residents of Tauranga did not get flooded out this time.
But with OUR ocean warming up and the fact that heat is energy in the near future there will be major flooding and damage to the residents property’s.
This scenario is a when and not a if so WE must plan for the worst weather that could hit Tauranga and if WE don’t plan for climate change the residents of Tauranga will be in the shit.
Now I no most Tauranga residents adore
Winston Peters but I say that because cause Winston doesn’t have a plan to mitigate climate change that you people of Tauranga will be up a creek with out a paddle when the next BIG storm or BIG hurricane strikes as a lot of Tauranga is just above sea level and the sea has a huge and powerful force.
I did Not speak against Winston until he showed that he would side with national and if national and Winston get into parliament there will be no planning for climate change and no plans to protect you the residents of Tauranga or your properties.
I am not letting you no this out of malice for Winston as this is not the way I work I’m letting you people no out of concern for your future and your safety. So I plead for your safety don’t vote Winston in or national because national is hiding the climate report they don’t care for your safety. So vote for the anyone but the two party’s that are ignoring climate change it is your future and your grandchildren future your voting for.
Yes I did – sorry if I wasn’t clear – I meant I think they will still vote National – they are quite a conservative ‘head-in-the-sand’ society like a lot of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region
Thinking of business and why we have to keep on doing things to nurse our businesses along as they are always doing it hard, can’t find workers etc. Then we can’t afford to pay ordinary workers much while the people at the top live on the fat of the land for just doing a job that requires extra skills.
How about this for wage progression -Bottom under $40,000, few extra skills $60,000 (50% more), advanced experience $80,000, top managers $110,000 and Chief executive $150,000. But someone I know who I think is in human resources is getting $140,000 and is probably smart but just at keeping up with the others. So we are going backwards in NZ with he middle class going up or some getting lost and going down, the middle class is under pressure in western countries. The lower class is increasingly the precariat. Social mobility is now hard-won, not encouraged. Mainly to keep inflation low. To satisfy those with money to invest?
Hardly, how does low inflation, low interest help old age pensioners who were counting on interest to provide extras to the benefit?
If we are going to go backwards let’s try to put money into the regions’ pockets that stays there. Go back to where we encouraged small domestic industries which then branched out into export of excellent products. Let’s build a basecourse of solid small initiative ‘pop ups’ all over the country shouting look at us New Zealanders come and visit your own, and try us out. Nurture regional areas of excellence in what they do best. Ricardo economics within a domestic framework not over-extended as under free market machinations hand in hand with nasty neolib.
In an economic model, agents have a comparative advantage over others in producing a particular good if they can produce that good at a lower relative opportunity cost or autarky price, i.e. at a lower relative marginal cost prior to trade.[2] One does not compare the monetary costs of production or even the resource costs (labor needed per unit of output) of production.
Instead, one must compare the opportunity costs of producing goods across countries.[3] The closely related law or principle of comparative advantage holds that under free trade, an agent will produce more of and consume less of a good for which they have a comparative advantage.[4]
David Ricardo developed the classical theory of comparative advantage in 1817 to explain why countries engage in international trade even when one country’s workers are more efficient at producing every single good than workers in other countries.
He demonstrated that if two countries capable of producing two commodities engage in the free market, then each country will increase its overall consumption by exporting the good for which it has a comparative advantage while importing the other good, provided that there exist differences in labor productivity between both countries.[5][6] Widely regarded as one of the most powerful[7] yet counter-intuitive[8] insights in economics, Ricardo’s theory implies that comparative advantage rather than absolute advantage is responsible for much of international trade.
David Ricardo – Investopedia http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/david-ricardo.asp
David Ricardo was a classical economist known for his Iron Law of Wages, labor theory of value, theory of comparative advantage and theory of rents. David Ricardo and several other economists also simultaneously and independently discovered the law of diminishing marginal returns.
“Hardly, how does low inflation, low interest help old age pensioners who were counting on interest to provide extras to the benefit?”
And yet we still see the relentless promotion of Kiwisaver… Not to mention the eternal damnation of pension-age ‘Boomers’ whose little bits of money add to the income of shops and services.
Unless successive governments can protect the investments made by the citizens – what’s the use of saving for your retirement, eh? You’ll end up like Don Brash’s pa after he’d sold the farm and the inflation rate took off. A comfortable nest egg turned into less than an average year’s pay.
National has presided over the death of kids’ learning in New Zealand being important.
Real learning, proper learning, according to who and what the children are themselves , and capable of, have given way to checklists, targets and percentages.
What the kids could be and the type people we need in the world are incidental to charts and graphs.
When the teacher force is completely dumbed down to play the dumb game, and those who should be the leaders in the profession are singing from the Tolley/Parata/Kaye song sheet, we are totally stuffed. We are well on the way to that already.
Education in that sense is not an issue in the election yet that to me that is the real issue of the times. Are we to give Kaye the hammer and nails again to drive into the coffin they have fashioned? Also are we to give henchman Seymour a nail gun again?
Clearly committed to regional rail & restoring the regions.
September 13, 2017
gisborneherald.co.nz
On the hustings in Gisborne with Winston Peters
by Wynsley Wrigley Published: September 13, 2017 10:33AM
ON THE ATTACK: New Zealand First leader Winston Peters claims Gisborne does not have the ear of Wellington and “the old parties”. In Gisborne yesterday, Mr Peters said New Zealand First would provide financial support to regional airports, including Gisborne’s, and support reinstatement of the Gisborne to Napier rail line.
NEW Zealand First supports reinstatement of the Gisborne to Napier rail line and state funding of regional airports such as Gisborne’s, said party leader Winston Peters when he was in Gisborne yesterday.
He told the Herald that Land Transport funding of Railways of National Importance, such as the Gisborne line, had long been party policy, but was disappointed that many Gisborne people would not know that.
“We will provide much-needed funding for regional airports owned by local authorities to help pay for infrastructure improvements and to meet safety and amenity standards,” he said.
“Unlike big airports they don’t have large revenues to help pay for the things they need. Every OECD country subsidises regional airports and air services, except New Zealand.
“Even the USA, home of the market, knows and does that. These countries know airports are crucial for communications, business development, air ambulances, and tourism, and must be supported by central government.”
Mr Peters said the sky around Gisborne was “darkening” because of the “old parties”.
“Politicians come here and say what they want to do for you. I’ve seen years of them doing stuff all for you. I see Gisborne and what it’s become.
“It still has the same people, resources and assets. It has everything, but it does not have the ear of Wellington.”
Mr Peters said nothing could be more compelling in his argument than closure of Gisborne’s rail line.
New Zealand First supported it from beginning
“No one put their hand up to defend it other than one party: New Zealand First. Not now, not last month, not last year, but when it happened and since then.
“You give us a chance in this campaign, we are going to open it.”
He said no treasury analysis was required. No transport infrastructure was efficient everywhere. There could be both inefficient and efficient sectors, which together made a successful operation.
If inefficient areas were wound back, efficient areas were affected because overall numbers diminished.
He said regional airports were part of the national grid.
“If the United States and other OECD countries understand that, why not New Zealand?”
Mr Peters said other regional airports to benefit from the policy included Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Whangarei, Kaitaia, Chatham Islands, Hokitika, Masterton, Taupo, Timaru, Westport, Whakatane and Whanganui.
“Eleven airports are being told to put up or shut up. This is astonishing. Who do they think goes through Auckland Airport? A lot of them are going to places like Gisborne, they all add up.”
Public pronouncements
At a public meeting at the Cosmopolitan Club Mr Peters said:
• New Zealand First would ensure continuity of forestry supply for local processors, and keep forestry sustainable.
• The New Zealand Forestry Service would be reinstated. “This plan is so good the Labour Party swiped it a few days ago.”
• New Zealand First is committed to a massive campaign to seal rural roads, improve road quality and double-lane bridges where sensible. “We want Gisborne to have a fully co-ordinated transportation strategy with road, rail and coastal shipping.”
• New Zealand First would return the GST paid by international tourists in this region for tourism infrastructure and roads, and to stimulate job training and opportunities.
• Any water rights for exports in this region would pay serious royalties, which would return to Gisborne.
• New Zealand First will help exporters, farmers and others by fixing the Reserve Bank Act.
• Devaluation of the dollar would help export-orientated provinces like Gisborne.
I no I’m of topic but I have to say this.
The only way we are going to get the state to heal is not a commission’s investigation. We need someone to champion the issue of the harm done to those people in state care and use people power and start the court process and sue the state for the injustices that happened to those people
It could be. I think it has been done in other countries. This bunch don’t see treating all people with care and hopefully with respect as part of their core duties.
The job of pollies is wheeling and dealing for their class, which they have established over the last 30 years since the idea of equality was set aside as an impediment to business.
I have spoken to some of the wealthy and there mind set is totally different to mine.
They don’t want to shear there lollies they don’t care about our poor and vulnerable people they don’t agree with my thoughts which are that these people are OURS they are part of our SOCIETY we are all kiwis we are all humans .
So we have the responsibility to care for these people and we have the responsibility to make sure that the government that gets elected will care for these peoples future even if they are brown white or yellow they are our people to care for.
Now these people that don’t care about there neighbors or the environment well 99 % of these people will vote and in my view they are about 20 % of the population and the elderly will be about 20 % and 99 % of these people will vote. Now the elderly care about our poor but they don’t like change as they will be worried that change means hardship for them. So these two groups of our people will vote national and NZ first if only 60 % of the total population vote . Then these two groups of people are going to decide our whole country fate which will be shit. So every one that has left leaning principals
please do your duty to yourself the poor vulnerable and your children and go and vote for any party except national and NZ first This is our country and we must vote to clean up nationals MESS.
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Pundits have come out of the woodwork to defend the Greens co-leader, after he was stripped of his leadership last week by unhappy party members. The defences have all stuck to basically the same script: Shaw is a successful leader and minister who’s handed the party big victories in politics ...
Meghan Murphy talks with Batya Ungar-Sargon the author of Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy. The book charts the trajectory of journalism in the US as it shifted from being a blue collar occupation producing the penny press for the masses, to a profession for Ivy League university ...
Co-Leaders? The uncomfortable truth is: not the Army, not the Police, not the Spooks, and not even a combination of all three, could defeat the scale and violence of White Supremacist and Māori Nationalist resistance which the imposition of radical decolonisation – or its racism-inspired defeat – would unleash upon ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson and Jeff Masters Torrents of rain that began before dawn on Tuesday, July 26, gave St. Louis, Missouri, its highest calendar-day total since records began in 1873. And the deadly event is just the latest example of a well-established trend ...
Completed reads for July: The Prince, by Niccolo MachiavelliFaust, Part I, by Johann Wolfgang von GoetheFaust, Part II, by Johann Wolfgang von GoetheParadise Lost, by John MiltonParadise Regained, by John MiltonThe NibelungenliedAgricola, by TacitusGermania, by TacitusDialogue on Orators, by TacitusThe Gods of Pegana, by Lord DunsanyTime and the Gods, ...
A couple of weeks ago the High Court exposed a loophole in our electoral donations law, enabling corrupt parties to take in unlimited amounts of secret money and explicitly sell policy to the rich. Pretty obviously, this is unacceptable in a country which wants to call itself a democracy, and ...
This morning, National’s deputy leader Nicola Willis managed to get top of the bulletin news coverage by pointing out that some Kiwis living abroad might receive the government’s cost of living payment. Quelle horreur. What is the problem here? Inflation is a global problem, and Kiwis living abroad may be ...
Beyond Fixing? The critical question confronting New Zealanders is whether we any longer have the resources to repair our physical and human infrastructure?WHO WILL MAKE the New Zealand of the next 50 years? We had better hope that, whoever they are, they make a better job of it than those ...
Today’s speech by Jacinda Ardern to the China Business Summit in Auckland was full of soothing words for Beijing. The headline-grabber was Ardern’s comment that ‘a few plans are afoot’ for New Zealand ministers to return to China – and that the Prime Minister herself hopes to return to the ...
Rule-Breaker? It is easy to see why poor James Shaw found himself brutally deposed as the Greens’ co-leader. By seeking the responsibilities of leadership – and exercising them – he violated the first rule of Green Party governance. Then, by accepting the limitations of the Green Party’s electoral mandate (7.8 ...
After the incredibly sad story about the deaths of over 50 Ukrainian POWs in a Ukrainian missile attack on the prison they were housed in (see Over 50 POWs killed. A military accident or a cynical war crime?)I came across the heartwarming story about another Ukrainian POW. It’s about a ...
British mercenary Aiden Aslin, now a prisoner in the Donetsk People’s Republic, expressed real concern that he may die from the Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk. He has experienced many missile attacks that came close to the prison.Is he still alive? Understandably, we are always shocked about the losses ...
Politics is largely reported as theatre: tragedy and comedy, thriller and farce. Andrea Vance captures it all very successfully in Blue Blood. But it is the politics of personality, not of policy – of the impact of government on the people’s wellbeing. Even so, we can see from the book ...
This year the government finally got its clean car feebate scheme into place. But there's a problem: it's been too successful: Transport Minister Michael Wood will shortly review the cost of the fees and rebates in the Government's "feebate" scheme after the runaway success of the policy has meant ...
Given how the pandemic has disrupted the sporting calendar, no-one would begrudge our elite athletes their chance to compete at international level. What with the war in Ukraine and the cost of living, there are also not many ‘good news” stories out there. So… I suppose the strenuous efforts the ...
Everybody Having A Say: Democracy commands us to look outward; it demands our trust; it tells us what is expected of our humanity; it elevates the collective above the self; it celebrates the things we have in common; it defines our morals and values; it calculates what we owe one ...
Even right-wing commentators have, over recent days, and jusrifiably enough, been taking the National leader, Christopher Luxon, to task. They have lambasted him over his soft-shoe shuffle over abortion, for bad-mouthing New Zealand business while he was overseas, and for pretending to be in Te Puke while he was actually ...
So, now we know for sure. The “protesters” who defiled the grounds of parliament and who (according to their own account) intended to create in three of our major cities “maximum disruption and inconvenience” to other citizens, are not interested in democracy – indeed, quite the contrary. Their objective, quite ...
The issue with Christopher Luxon’s social media post talking about his day in Te Puke when he was in Hawaii is it’s fake news. He has since apologised for the mistake. But this doesn’t negate its impact. This mistake, misstep, gaffe or whatever you like to call it, is about ...
Over the last couple of years there has been a disturbing trend of new legislation containing secrecy clauses, which effectively make it illegal for affected government bodies to disclose information under the Official Information Act. Some of these are re-enacting old legislation from the pre- or early-OIA era (in which ...
Allegations of political corruption are once again at the heart of a new High Court trial this week. The trial follows straight on from the “not guilty” verdict for those running the New Zealand First Foundation. And this latest trial is once again about whether wealthy businesspeople and political parties ...
Ukrainian operation to steal Russian military aircraft exposed [English edit] Representatives of the Ukrainian special services offered up to $2 million for hijacking Russian military aircraft, as well as European passports for the pilots and their families. In order to gain trust, Ukrainians shared information they were not allowed ...
Struck Down: As James Shaw saved the pure Greens from themselves in 2017, they resented him. As he secured the Climate Change portfolio for his party, they suspected him. As he achieved cross-party support for crucial climate change legislation, they condemned him. And, as he was white, and male, and ...
If nothing else, some of the media treatment of the Luxon lu’au has reeked of a double standard. If Jacinda Ardern – or any of her Cabinet Ministers – had been holidaying in Hawaii while their social media imagery was depicting them working hard on the public’s behalf in Te ...
The Emissions Trading Scheme is broken. Stuffed with free allocations and rigged with a "cost containment reserve" which floods the market any time prices get "too high" (for a definition of "too high" set in a different world), its basicly served as a machanism to subsidise the production of the ...
Think Big: A democratic-socialist government could remove GST from basic food items. It could re-nationalise and centralise the generation and distribution of electric power, and then retail it to citizens at an affordable price. A democratic-socialist government could nationalise the public transportation system and make it free for everyone. A democratic-socialist government ...
Pure Poison: It is when the fetid atmosphere created by the Right’s toxic accusations and denunciations is at its thickest, that comparisons with the Woke Left spring most easily to mind. If the level of emotion on display, and the strength of the invective used, is inversely related to the ...
New Zealand companies are using their oligopolistic market power to gouge mega profits, driving up inflation. Overseas, such actions have resulted in windfall taxes, which have been used both to drive down inflation, and ameliorate its impacts (while driving down emissions). With New Zealand petrol companies pocketing record margins and ...
The Green Party once again calls on the Government to ban bottom trawling on all seamounts following the release of an industry white paper on so-called ‘sustainable’ trawling. ...
Urgent reform is essential to ensure disabled people have equal access to the care and support they need, the Green Party says in response to a new report that challenges politicians to fix the current system. ...
COVID-19 is here to stay and so the Government needs to put in place long-term protection measures, including mandatory ventilation standards, the Green Party says. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to overhaul the Recognised Seasonal Employers scheme in the wake of revelations of shocking human rights violations. ...
The Green Party is calling for a cross-party commitment to guaranteeing at least a living wage and safe working conditions to people seeking employment, instead of continuing benefit sanctions. ...
The Green Party is once again calling on the Government to announce its support for a moratorium on deep sea mining, and to support a member’s bill going to select committee. ...
The Government must take steps to ensure that the way we build our homes is helping to meet New Zealand’s climate change targets, the Green Party said. ...
The Government’s employment initiatives led by the Ministry of Social Development must guarantee liveable incomes and fair working conditions, the Green Party says. ...
New Zealanders deserve a health system that works for everyone, no matter who you are or where you live. Our Government has a plan to make this a reality, and we’re taking the next steps. We now have thousands more health professionals, such as doctors and nurses, working in New ...
During her time as Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has navigated New Zealand through unprecedented times. Through it all, she’s become known as someone who leads with kindness, compassion and strength, while keeping the wellbeing of Kiwis at the heart of her approach. To celebrate five years of Jacinda leading the ...
Since taking office in 2017, our Government has worked hard to lift wages and make life more affordable for New Zealanders, as we move forward with our plan to grow a secure economy for all. ...
The Government must use the opportunity of the Electoral Amendment Bill in Parliament to close the loophole in the political donations regime, the Green Party says. ...
Thanks to political pressure from the Green Party and the more than 900 personal stories of birth injury and trauma delivered to Minister Sepuloni, more injuries have been added to the ACC birth injuries bill. ...
Supporting New Zealanders is at the heart of our approach as a Government, and we’re working hard to tackle the big issues Kiwis are facing. While long term challenges like child poverty won’t be solved overnight, we’re putting in place policies that make a real difference for New Zealanders. Here ...
Delegates at the AGM of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand have voted to retain Marama Davidson as Green Party co-leader and to re-open nominations for the other co-leader position. ...
The Tourism Industry Transformation Plan outlines key actions to improve the sector This includes a Tourism and Hospitality Accord to set employment standards Developing cultural competency within the workforce Improving the education and training system for tourism Equipping business owners and operators with better tools and enabling better work ...
Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications Dr David Clark welcomes Google Cloud’s decision to make New Zealand a cloud region. “This is another major vote of confidence for New Zealand’s growing digital sector, and our economic recovery from COVID 19,” David Clark said. “Becoming a cloud region will mean ...
A package of changes to NCEA and University Entrance announced today recognise the impact COVID-19 has had on senior secondary students’ assessment towards NCEA in 2022, says Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti. “We have heard from schools how significant absences of students and teachers, as a result of COVID-19, ...
Te Reo Māori tauparapara… Tapatapa tū ki te Rangi! Ki te Whei-ao! Ki te Ao-mārama Tihei mauri ora! Stand at the edge of the universe! of the spiritual world! of the physical world! It is the breath of creation Formal acknowledgments… [Your Highness Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II and Masiofo] ...
The Government’s commitment to combatting firearms violence has reached another significant milestone today with the passage of the Firearms Prohibition Order Legislation Bill, Police Minister Chris Hipkins says. The new law helps to reduce firearm-related crime by targeting possession, use, or carriage of firearms by people whose actions and behaviours ...
Minister for Veterans, Hon Meka Whaitiri sends her condolences to the last Battle for Crete veteran. “I am saddened today to learn of the passing of Cyril Henry Robinson known as Brant Robinson, who is believed to be the last surviving New Zealand veteran of the Battle for Crete, Meka ...
Legislation to repeal the ‘Three Strikes’ law has passed its third reading in Parliament. “The Three Strikes Legislation Repeal Bill ends an anomaly in New Zealand’s justice system that dictates what sentence judges must hand down irrespective of relevant factors,” Justice Minister Kiri Allan said. “The three strikes law was ...
Work is under way on preliminary steps to improve the Government’s support for survivors of abuse in care while a new, independent redress system is designed, Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins says. These steps – recommended by the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry – include rapid payments for ...
Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki Online Forum 77 years ago today, an atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. Three days earlier, on the 6th of August 1945, the same fate had befallen the people of Hiroshima. Tens of thousands died instantly. In the years that followed 340,000 ...
An agreement signed today between the New Zealand and United States governments will provide new opportunities for our space sector and closer collaboration with NASA, Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash said. Stuart Nash signed the Framework Agreement with United States Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman. The signing ...
An agreement signed today between New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the United States’ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will strengthen global emergency management capability, says Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty. “The Government is committed to continually strengthening our emergency management system, and this Memorandum of Cooperation ...
New Zealand will remain at the Orange traffic light setting, while hospitalisations remain elevated and pressure on the health system continues through winter. “There’s still significant pressure on hospitals from winter illnesses, so our current measures have an ongoing role to play in reducing the number of COVID-19 cases and ...
Streets will soon be able to be transformed from unsafe and inaccessible corridors to vibrant places for all transport modes thanks to new legislation proposed today, announced Transport Minister Michael Wood. “We need to make it safe, quicker and more attractive for people to walk, ride and take public transport ...
More young minds eyeing food and fibre careers is the aim of new Government support for agricultural and horticultural science teachers in secondary schools, Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. The Government is committing $1.6 million over five years to the initiative through the Ministry for Primary ...
Kākāpō numbers have increased from 197 to 252 in the 2022 breeding season, and there are now more of the endangered parrots than there have been for almost 50 years, Conservation Minister Poto Williams announced today. The flightless, nocturnal parrot is a taonga of Ngāi Tahu and a species unique ...
The relationship between Aotearoa New Zealand and Malaysia is to be elevated to the status of a Strategic Partnership, to open up opportunities for greater co-operation and connections in areas like regional security and economic development. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta met her Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah today during a ...
With additional trains operating across the network, powered by the Government’s investment in rail, there is need for a renewed focus on rail safety, Transport Minister Michael Wood emphasised at the launch of Rail Safety Week 2022. “Over the last five years the Government has invested significantly to improve level ...
The Foreign Minister has wrapped up a series of meetings with Indo-Pacific partners in Cambodia which reinforced the need for the region to work collectively to deal with security and economic challenges. Nanaia Mahuta travelled to Phnom Penh for a bilateral meeting between ASEAN foreign ministers and Aotearoa New Zealand, ...
Extension of Aotearoa Touring Programme supporting domestic musicians The Programme has supported more than 1,700 shows and over 250 artists New Zealand Music Commission estimates that around 200,000 Kiwis have been able to attend shows as a result of the programme The Government is hitting a high note, with ...
Minister of Defence Peeni Henare will depart tomorrow for Solomon Islands to attend events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal. While in Solomon Islands, Minister Henare will also meet with Solomon Islands Minister of National Security, Correctional Services and Police Anthony Veke to continue cooperation on security ...
The Government is partnering with Ngāi Tahu Farming Limited and Ngāi Tūāhuriri on a whole-farm scale study in North Canterbury to validate the science of regenerative farming, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. The programme aims to scientifically evaluate the financial, social and environmental differences between regenerative and conventional practices. ...
52.5% of people on public boards are women Greatest ever percentage of women Improved collection of ethnicity data “Women’s representation on public sector boards and committees is now 52.5 percent, the highest ever level. The facts prove that diverse boards bring a wider range of knowledge, expertise and skill. ...
I am honoured to support the 2022 Women in Governance Awards, celebrating governance leaders, directors, change-makers, and rising stars in the community, said Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. For the second consecutive year, MPP is proudly sponsoring the Pacific Governance Leader category, recognising Pacific women in governance and presented to ...
Today Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash turned the sod for the new Whakatāne Commercial Boat Harbour, cut the ribbon for the revitalised Whakatāne Wharf, and inspected work underway to develop the old Whakatāne Army Hall into a visitor centre, all of which are part of the $36.8 million ...
New Zealanders are not getting a fair deal on some key residential building supplies and while the Government has already driven improvements in the sector, a Commerce Commission review finds that changes are needed to make it more competitive. “New Zealand is facing the same global cost of living and ...
Mana in Mahi reaches a milestone surpassing 5,000 participants 75 per cent of participants who had been on a benefit for two or more years haven’t gone back onto a benefit 89 per cent who have a training pathway are working towards a qualification at NZQA level 3 or ...
The Government has invested $7.7 million in a research innovation hub which was officially opened today by Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Dr Ayesha Verrall. The new facility named Te Pā Harakeke Flexible Labs comprises 560 square metres of new laboratory space for research staff and is based at ...
Unemployment has remained near record lows thanks to the Government’s economic plan to support households and businesses through the challenging global environment, resulting in more people in work and wages rising. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in the June quarter, with 96,000 people classed out ...
Action to address the risks identified in the 2020 climate change risk assessment, protecting lives, livelihoods, homes, businesses and infrastructure A joined up approach that will support community-based adaptation with national policies and legislation Providing all New Zealanders with information about local climate risks via a new online data ...
Māori with mental health and addiction challenges have easier access to care thanks to twenty-nine Kaupapa Māori primary mental health and addiction services across Aotearoa, Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare says. “Labour is the first government to take mental health seriously for all New Zealanders. We know that Māori ...
A Bill which updates New Zealand’s statistics legislation for the 21st century has passed its third and final reading today, Minister of Statistics David Clark said. The Data and Statistics Act replaces the Statistics Act, which has been in effect since 1975. “In the last few decades, national data and ...
The Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill has passed its first reading in Parliament today, marking a significant milestone to improve the lives of disabled people. “The Bill aims to address accessibility barriers that prevent disabled people, tāngata whaikaha and their whānau, and others with accessibility needs from living independently,” said ...
Kia ora koutou, da jia hao It’s great to be back at this year’s China Business Summit. I would first like to acknowledge Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister Helen Clark, His Excellency Ambassador Wang Xiaolong, and parliamentary colleagues both current and former the Right Honourable Winston Peters, the ...
Narrowing the expenses considered by lenders Relaxing the assumptions that lenders were required to make about credit cards and buy-now pay-later schemes. Helping make debt refinancing or debt consolidation more accessible if appropriate for borrowers The Government is clarifying the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance (CCCFA) Regulations, to ensure ...
The Firearms Prohibition Order Legislation Bill will be passed through all remaining stages by the end of next week, Police Minister Chris Hipkins said. The Justice Select Committee has received public feedback and finalised its report more quickly than planned. It reported back to the House on Friday. “The Bill will ...
The Government has stepped up activity to protect kauri, with a National Pest Management Plan (NPMP) coming into effect today, Biosecurity Minister Damien O'Connor and Associate Environment Minister James Shaw said. “We have a duty to ensure this magnificent species endures for future generations and also for the health of ...
Prime Minister Ardern met with members of Samoa’s Cabinet in Apia, today, announcing the launch of a new climate change partnership and confirming support for the rebuild of the capital’s main market, on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between Aotearoa New ...
Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for the Indo-Pacific region today for talks on security and economic issues at meetings of ASEAN and the East Asia Summit in Cambodia, and during bilateral engagements in Malaysia. “Engaging in person with our regional partners is a key part of our reconnecting strategy as ...
United Nations Headquarters, New York City Thank you, Mr President. Ngā mihi ki a koutou. I extend my warm congratulations to you and assure you of the full cooperation of the New Zealand delegation. I will get right to it. In spite of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the nuclear ...
A major milestone of 10,037 additional public homes has been achieved since Labour came into office, the Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods confirmed today. “It’s extremely satisfying and a testament to our commitment to providing a safety net for people who need public housing, that we have delivered these warm, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McNeil, Distinguished Professor of Design History, UTS, University of Technology Sydney Throughout his career, Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, who has died of cancer at 84, rejected terms like “fashion”. But his work allowed much of the world to reimagine ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. This morning, RNZ played the following story: Health stats show 87 people have died in their homes from Covid-19 since March, which references New Zealand’s ...
Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick says she is frustrated that her bill to ban alcohol sponsorship in sports is not receiving the backing of the government, despite the presence of overwhelming evidence. ...
By Gorethy Kenneth of the PNG Post-Courier in Port Moresby In a historic first, the Papua New Guinea Parliament has installed Pangu Pati leader and Tari-Pori MP James Marape by a unanimous majority as the country’s ninth Prime Minister. Immediately, in his address to the House and streamed live to ...
By Geraldine Panapasa, editor-in-chief of Wansolwara Newsin Suva Addressing the training development deficit in the Fiji media industry can stem journalist attrition and improve coverage of election reporting in the country, says University of the South Pacific journalism coordinator Dr Shailendra Singh. Speaking during last week’s launch of the National ...
Buzz from the Beehive Some ministers commemorated historical events in the latest press statements from the Beehive while others pointed to New Zealand’s role in the space age and to technological developments around the digital economy and data storage in the cloud. Three statements were related to events in the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karlo Doroc, PhD Candidate in Decision Science, Centre for Brain, Mind and Markets, The University of Melbourne Unsplash/Susan Q Yin Nobel laureate economist Richard Thaler famously quipped: People aren’t dumb, the world is hard. Indeed, we routinely ...
Flexible workshops designed to help students understand the impacts of climate change, and how they can make a difference Keep New Zealand Beautiful, an iconic not-for-profit organisation that this year celebrates its 55 year milestone, has today launched ...
“Numbers are dropping in the New Zealand Defence Force as personnel are faced with poor pay, poor dwellings, and poor leadership from the Minister,” says ACT’s Defence spokesperson Dr James McDowall. “NZDF is experiencing increasing attrition ...
Christopher Luxon says a member of his staff was told about the red flags around candidate Sam Uffindell during the campaign for the Tauranga by-election. ...
Christopher Luxon says member of his staff was told about the red flags around candidate Sam Uffindell during the campaign for the Tauranga by-election ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Huon pine in TasmaniaShutterstock When you think of “conifers”, tall, conical shaped trees often found in public parks or front yards may spring to mind. But ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has written to the Finance and Expenditure Committee on behalf of the more than 65,000 New Zealanders who took the time to submit on the Water Services Entities Bill (Three Waters) through our submission tool. “We learnt ...
The National Party's new president has admitted its candidate selection process could be improved, after its Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell was suspended over bullying allegations. ...
A top US diplomat says New Zealand could eventually become a member of the AUKUS defence alliance, highlighting the country's strategic importance. ...
National Party leader Christopher Luxon says work has already been done to reset the culture within the party and in improving its candidate selection process. ...
“James Shaw has doubled down on his Government’s assurance that existing land use will continue on Significant Natural Areas (SNAs),” says ACT’s Primary Industries spokesperson Mark Cameron. “Responding to written parliamentary questions from ...
To celebrate 90 years of supporting disabled people into employment opportunities, Workbridge has launched a new book, Taking Charge: The Story of Workbridge. Workbridge has a proud history as an independent disability-owned and led organisation, delivering ...
Kelvin Hastie – best known for starting New Zealand's first predator free community – has announced that he will run for the mayor of Wellington. "What we need now is unity," says Hastie, something that he ignited in the community when ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Strategy, Government and Alliances, Western Sydney University The 1973 Watergate Committee hearings ran for 51 days. The televised revelations drew a huge audience. The pressure built with slow, devastating intensity, devouring then US President Richard Nixon’s agenda, eventually ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University Jeffery Erhunse/Unsplash Egg freezing is promoted as an empowering option for women who want to stop the biological clock and improve their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Penelope Jones, Research Fellow in Environmental Health, University of Tasmania Shutterstock Savanna burning projects in northern Australia provide economic benefits to Indigenous communities and claim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But our research suggests smoke from these projects is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Sciberras, Associate Professor, Deakin University Simeon Frank/Unsplash COVID lockdowns and home schooling seemed never-ending for a lot of families. But there were some silver linings. Our new research published in two papers looked at children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sian Mitchell, Lecturer, Film, Television and Animation, Deakin University Warner Bros Batgirl has become the latest film to be added to a growing list of movies we will never get to see. The US$90 million film had been shot and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Howe, Research Fellow, University of Auckland Getty Images Routine childhood immunisations have dropped so dramatically globally during the COVID-19 pandemic that the World Health Organization and UNICEF are raising the alarm. Internationally, 25 million children in 2021 alone ...
Sam Uffendell should resign or be sacked and a new election held at National's expense. The NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party demand the National Party sack newly elected Sam Uffendell and pay for a new election giving the people of Tauranga a fair vote ...
When I was a student at Otago I enjoyed a student lifestyle, which included drinking and, at times, smoking marijuana. While in second year a number of flatmates fell out – and two of the flatmates left midway through the year. I reject any accusation ...
National MP Sam Uffindell has been stood down from the party's caucus while an investigation is carried out into further allegations of bullying raised by RNZ. ...
Asia Pacific Report newsdesk Papua New Guinea’s incumbent leader, James Marape, has been returned to the top job as the country’s ninth prime minister, reports the ABC’s Port Moresby correspondent Natalie Whiting. “Marape was voted in as prime minister unopposed, with unanimous support from all MPs present in the first ...
RNZ News New research details the extent of racism, othering and tokenism faced by Māori and Pacific postgraduate students in Aotearoa New Zealand. The paper, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, was based off responses of 43 Māori and Pacific students in science, technology, engineering, ...
RNZ Pacific Pacific athletes have won a total of 13 medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, split among six nations. Samoa won the region’s only gold, through weightlifter Don Opolenge and the nation’s lifters also won three silver medals. They also gained a silver in boxing. Fiji won four ...
The Auditor-General's submission on three waters legislation is a "constructive suggestion", the minister says, and a normal part of the Parliamentary process. ...
The latest political polling shows the centre-right parties pulling ahead of the centre-left—but it may be too soon for the leaders of the National and ACT parties to be thinking they will be forming the next government. The mood of the country has seldom been as dark, chastened as it ...
A former secretary of the National Party says he repeatedly asked then MP Jami-Lee Ross to provide information about the individual donors behind one large donation to the party but the information was not forthcoming. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Encarnacao, Musician, lecturer, Western Sydney University Photo by Roger Allston/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images My default mental image of Olivia Newton-John is from the mid-1970s: long, flowing floral dresses; long, centre-parted light brown hair; big inquisitive eyes; and, when called ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rodney Tiffen, Emeritus Professor, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Police direct traffic outside an entrance to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate after the former president said the FBI was conducting a search.Terry Renna/AP “These are dark times ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wasim Raja, Research scientist, CSIRO CSIRO ASKAP Science Data Processing/Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, Author provided Within 24 hours of accessing the first stage of Australia’s newest supercomputing system, researchers have processed a series of radio telescope observations, including a highly ...
Party People is joined by former National MP Paul Quinn to discuss the Sam Uffindell controversy, the National Party conference, and the latest 1 News / Kantar political poll. ...
Sam Uffindell's constituents in Tauranga appear largely ready to forgive and forget after the revelations of their MP's past as a self-confessed high school bully. ...
The government has passed its bill repealing the three strikes law, which automatically hands maximum sentences to criminals who commit three serious crimes. Justice Minister Kiri Allan says serious and repeat offenders will still be held to account. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Professor of Cyber Security Practice, Edith Cowan University stocker193/Shutterstock Less than two weeks after the announcement of its acquisition of US healthcare company One Medical, Amazon is continuing its expansion with a US$1.7 billion offer for iRobot, the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Professor of Cyber Security Practice, Edith Cowan University Earlier today, reports began emerging Google was down.
While it has since returned, it once again highlights our dependence on technology service providers and shows how reliant many people ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angela Brown, Midwifery Program Director , University of South Australia Shutterstock So far, there have been 57 confirmed and probable cases of monkeypox reported by Australian authorities. In July, the Australian government issued a health alert for monkeypox as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Author provided Australia once had vast oyster and mussel reefs, which anchored marine ecosystems and provided a key food source for coastal First Nations people. But after colonisation, Europeans harvested them for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Baker, Professor of Housing Research, University of Adelaide The federal government’s confirmation on Monday that it will set up a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council has not received much media or public attention. But, dollar for dollar, it might be ...
Yesterday Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson decided to write an opinion piece in the NZHerald that tries to justify the Labour Party’s push for apartheid in our country via co-governance. The fact that Willie loudly announced that New ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate professor, Music Industry, RMIT University Olivia Newton-John was a versatile artist with an appeal that spanned generations, and who played an important role in claiming a space for Australian popular culture on the world stage. She was the ...
National Party leader Christopher Luxon is standing by his MP for Tauranga, but says the assault of a smaller boy at boarding school should have been made public. ...
By Giff Johnson, editor of the Marshall Islands Journal in Majuro The Marshall Islands lost its covid-free status yesterday when tests confirmed six positive cases in the capital, the first known community transmission since the pandemic started in early 2020. It was not immediately clear the source of the covid-19 ...
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Colmar Brunton Poll due tomorrow
Last time the Colmar Brunton – Reid Research sampling period significantly overlapped (late August) = CB had Labour 4 points higher & the Nats 2 points lower than RR
Michael Appleton looks to polls during last close NZ election – 2005.
It’s generally accepted though that the swing to Labour that won that election was its late pitch to students and their families with interest free student loans. Will Labour be able to do something similar this time round?
swordfish
That’s good to know; CB certainly seem to be a lot more frequent during the election. Would I be right in supposing that the Roy Morgan is likely on Friday too (sampling 26/8 – 10/9)?
Another glorious rant from the god of swivel-eyed loons.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ahem-alex-jones-now-says-donald-trump-is-being-covertly-drugged_us_59b7d93de4b031cc65cca681?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
And in news we all already knew deep down but never really cared about, Ted Cruz’s twitter account gets honest.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-porn-like_us_59b76b91e4b031cc65cc1be4?section=us_politics
What’s the chance of a thread on one or all of the following?
A. Rachel Stewart’s article ‘Dont feel sorry for farmers.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11921404
B. Al Jazeera’s documentary ‘ Polluted Paradise.’
C. Bryan Bruce’s documentary ‘Who owns New Zealand?’
https://www.threenow.co.nz/shows/who-owns-new-zealand-now/S1344-012
Bryan Bruce’s documentary (‘Who owns New Zealand now?’) was great and is a must see.
I think there’s a post about the doco later the morning.
Very good.
Oooooou, I like all three
The effects of Irma, as seen from space.
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/9/11/16290234/hurricane-irma-2017-power-outages-florida-miami-naples-keys-space
The kind of fucked-up development that makes coastal region damage so expensive.
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/metropolis/2017/09/irma_made_marco_island_a_symbol.html
Twas a bad day for Labour yesterday.
It began with an interview on RNZ (which was revealing, exposing their support for the TPP with a housing carve out and their preference of maintaining a surplus over spending more on addressing child poverty). Ardern also said neoliberalism has failed, yet largely ruled out overturning its underpinning of the economy.
The day ended with a drop in the polls.
I beg your pardon they never promised you a rose garden, along with the sunshine there’s got to be a little rain sometimes…
😀
I never expected a “rose garden”, Marty.
While I’m willing to make concessions as there is no perfect party, it’s become clear from our discussions I’m not willing to lower the bar as far as you.
As for Labour’s headlining promises, they’re a little misleading. For example, take the headline free education, it equates to only 1 year free in their first term. And as I’ve often pointed out, a number of others also fall short.
And how is this for contradictory? Jacinda said “Any expectation that we just simply allow that the market to dictate our outcomes for people is where I would want to make sure that we were more interventionist.” Yet, entering into the TPP with only a housing carve out will curtail the Governments ability to intervene in the wider market.
Are you now going to make excuses and accept this form of double speak?
If you’re alone and life is making you lonely you can always go downtown…
;-D
sometimes all I need is the air that I breathe…
Giovanni Tiso has hit nail squarely on head….https://bat-bean-beam.blogspot.co.nz/2017/09/the-neoliberalism-question-notes-on.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+BatBeanBeam-AWeblogOnMemoryAndTechnology+(Bat,+Bean,+Beam+-+A+Weblog+on+Memory+and+Technology)
“The term ‘neoliberal’ is often said to be excessively vague, but its value in this context was in fact to give specificity to Espiner’s line of questioning. Most obviously: would Ardern consider revisiting the Reserve Bank Act, the Public Finance Act or any of the other legislative instruments that have allowed the last four governments to put neoliberal reforms into practice?
The answer – need I say it – was no. And in the process of the fairly gentle interrogation that followed, the much-vaunted boldness of the Ardern project evaporated. She thinks that climate change is the ‘nuclear-free’ issue of our time, but wouldn’t commit to divesting from coal or even ceasing to issue new licenses for deep-sea oil exploration. She wants to end child poverty, but wouldn’t resile from her predecessor’s foolish commitment to contain spending to 30% of GDP and keep guaranteeing operating surpluses – one of the main causes of the staggering, crippling rise of our household debt – nor does she think that the government needs to seek more revenue through taxation. ”
and…..
” For there really was a window. An opportunity. Instead of playing her part in the political assassination of Metiria Turei, Ardern could have used her new position and her extraordinary popularity to stand by her side. Together, she and Turei could have broken the siege that has prevented beneficiaries – which is to say, a significant portion of the working class – from leading a dignified life and participating in society. Such a decision would have carried its own risks, naturally. But then this is what defines political courage, and it’s nothing if not courage that we desperately need. ”
I too am struggling with having to limbo low to vote Labour.
Looking like Two Ticks Green for me….
And builds up over time as they can afford it while maintaining the same failed economic system…
Yep. We actually need to drop out of FTAs so that we can start to take back our sovereignty rather than signing up to more of them.
Labour doesn’t want to scare business by actually promising to do what needs to be done. But, of course, they actually think that the failed ideology of the 19th century works.
Horse manure is supposed to be good for roses too isn’t it?
Doesn’t get rid of the pricks though ☺
marty mars
Vote now while your brain is at its sharpest!
If this ‘Reid’ poll was ‘doctored’ by Joyce, (I have assessed) there is no way to confirm accuracy .
We contacted some of these polling companies last year after we looked into the methods used by requesting details from them.
Results of several polling companies was disturbing.
We found, it is all based on trust that they are accurate nothing else.
They confirmed there is no ability for them to conduct any rechecks of voters stated choices on any with these ‘polls’ they told us.
The same applies to the general election, the electoral commission sent us an email confirming “there no no way we can confirm voters choice was recorded accurately.
Overseas now many countries are using a ‘Voter Verified Audit Paper Trail’ (VVPAT) voting systems (even with the manual paper voting system we still use) as they use electronic counting of paper votes after we surrender our paper vote at the polling centre, and we have confirmed that is where false recording of votes can take place.
Here in NZ they only do a sample manual rechecking of a fraction of all votes taken during our General Election System, so there are many flaws left inside our voting system today.
https://www.verifiedvoting.org/resources/vvpr-legislation/
So we asked the NZ Electoral Commission to switch to VVPAT and they refused so we are left to take their word for any poll conducted, so we must be wary of this lack of verification from any poll conducted now.
James Shaw today on TV one said their ‘internal’ polling showed the election will be very tight and every vote will count for them, so they will re-double their door knocking if able.
If this ‘Reid’ poll was ‘doctored’ by Joyce…
No! Joyce is a mere puppet of the Lizard People! The poll was in fact doctored by the Illuminati.
The Illuminatui?
I thought it was the Blocklayers that did that.
If it is a National win = ‘we wind up with more poisoned water to drink and swim in’ and ‘truck gridlocked roads’ we will die on.
If National win, more people die cold and poor on the streets.
LOL Ed
Bill English says some farmers may have to pay 50K for water if Labour win.
According to a chap on Natrad, if he did, that farmer would be using the same amount of water as 38,000 people. Or to put it another way, 50 such farmers would use more water than the entire city of Auckland.
Apparently, some dairy farmers on the dry plains of Canterbury use over three million litres of water per annum.
In total, agriculture uses 80% of all fresh water consumed in New Zealand. TIME TO PAY UP FARMER BROWN.
I thought the figure on Nat Radio this morning was an extra $70,000 for a farm (or was it $350,000?)- and he was concerned that the reduction in income would reduce the amount of purchasing in the local community. Imagine the positive effect of increasing the minimum wage!
The answer is to stop farming and get a credit in cash for the water you could have used.
Smart, being paid for not using, or farming even. A useful subsidy. Didn’t they do this in Britain at one time?
If you want to see why not to do it, have a look at the last
5060 years of fallow farming subsidies in the US.Probably the longest blackmail experience that I have ever read about and one that has been distorting their agricultural practices without changing them in the intended manner significantly.
The only link I have was the history book I was reading about it in
It might be a practical way of easing the b…s out of using more than rationed water, and overstocking! Or shorten their pipes surgically.
Ed in a morning report on RNZ an expert said in ‘real terms’ now all these farms that use water ‘irrigation’ use 80% of our total water in NZ.
I am betting we will not hear this staggering fact on any other MSM today and anytime till after election time.
On that recent Polluted Paradise Al Jazeera documentary they showed one typical dairy farmer in Canterbury who they calculate uses 12% of the total water Wellington does each year. Jaw dropping.
My dairy farming neighbour reckons 200 litres a day the cows can drink.
Plus watering crops, plus hose out of shed, plus rinsing milking gear….
If a cow drinks 30 litres a day (about avg) and you have a herd of 350 cows, that is 10,500 litres a day just on drinking. Per annum that is 3.8 million litres. That at a 2 cent per litre levy would cost a farmer $76,000 per year extra.
This is excluding all other water.
So? What is your point? Apart from merely spinning a meaningless pile of cowshit.
For just myself and my partner I personally spend more than $1200 per year on getting drinking water and dealing with waste water. It is a resource that we use and for which we pay for.
The business that I work for pays for their water and sewerage for nearly 200 employees at a similar rate. Their bill would be heading up towards half a million dollars annually.
My point is that farmers should do the same. They should pay for the use of the common property of NZ.
If your business model and processes aren’t sustainable without a ‘free’ resource that you don’t care for properly and that others wind up having to pay for, then you should shut down the business. We aren’t prepared to give you that charity anymore bearing in mind the state you have been leaving the waterways and aquifers in.
If nothing else, putting price on your ‘free’ resource should cause you to start treating it like any other business input. Figuring out ways to use it more efficiently and without causing problems to those downstream.
Updated: And I missed the 3 orders of magnitude of cost that blackops lied about…..
Brilliant comment lprent
I suggest we each keep a copy of it and remind ourselves of the basis of the argument regularly.
I thought the proposed figure for water charges was to be per cubic metre which would be 2 cents per 1000 litres, not per litre, so about 7,600 dollars not 76,000 dollars.
It’s even more stupid – at $1 for 50,000 litres, you’d be looking at $76 per year for 3.8 mil litres of water. The fact is that farming is using so much water that such a nominal charge still adds up to plenty of money for improving water quality.
Per annum that is 3.8 million litres. That at a 2 cent per litre levy would cost a farmer $76,000 per year extra.
Yeah, that would be ridiculous, right?
Howver, Labour is talking 1 to 2 cents per thousand litres, not per litre. It would be nice if the media made it a bit clearer that we’re talking about $76 per year, not $76,000. You’ve been reading too much National bullshit.
http://www.labour.org.nz/fact_check_water_royalty
Thanks Psycho M – my glasses got misted when the spraying arm went past.
C’mon blackcap, that’s not cricket.
It is intended that the tax will only be on people who are taking for irrigation so the average farmer who isn’t doing this is going to be just fine. It is the people farming in a way that is unsuited to the local environment and therefore creating a burden on that environment that will finally have to pay a small amount for something that they have polluted in the name of profit for far too long.
Water will be the new oil. We must do all we can to protect our clean water and take the maximum benefit as a country not as individuals for it’s use.
English often laments the urban rural divide. Yet who exactly is creating and promoting the divide? English is and it is a cynical ploy.
Another canard from the same right-wing stable as “This country used to have great race relations until the left started encouraging Maori to complain” and “Employment relations would be great if the unions weren’t instigating trouble.”
Well, that was over quickly. I feel like I won the lottery on Friday only to piss it all against a wall by Monday to be back where I started.
A forth term for National will break a lot of people. If you don’t own a mortgage-free house or farm or earn more than $60000 a year, then expect your living standards to slide, as National lowers wages and social spending.
Yep whoever makes body bags is in for a killing.
A fourth term for National won’t be so bad, even Jacinda said NZ is doing pretty good, but theres still plenty of twists and turns still to come in this election I fel
Always nice to find a dumbarse troll who can’t quote properly and can’t link to the source of their quote. The key word that you missed out as you lied by omission was economically.
And I’d argue even that – I think that she is being charitable.
Because it looks to me like it is currently being sustained artificially on levels of nett inwards migration and inwards debt to pay for excessive property prices rather than on anything of sustainable use. Essentially my business trained sensors are detecting a ponzi scheme perpetuated by National to produce good figures without any particular substance.
And yet as she also points out we have a rapidly growing homeless problem, an epidemic of suicides, pollution, a massive sustained under investment in critical infrastructure and housing, inequality, and a large number of other issues that will cause the economy to tank in the medium term.
None of which National has shown ANY real inclination to change. Instead we just get the spewing of lies from Nick Smith or Steven Joyce, ineffectually supported by their mate Bill.
If you want to comment here, then I suggest you do better. We aren’t a place for stupid astroturfing parrots.
Hear Hear!! Iprent you said what I was thinking.
Ok then: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_the_economy,_stupid
“The key word that you missed out as you lied by omission was economically. ”
NZ is doing well economically:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_rankings_of_New_Zealand
NZ is improving the pay gap:
http://www.globalwomen.org.nz/news-and-events/blog/2017-women-in-work-index-places-nz-pay-gap-at-6/
People do place a lot of stock of how well the country Is going economically and, not withstanding your business acumen, theres a lot of people who believe NZ is doing well
Is it enough for a fourth term though? I don’t know, this election has been very topsy-turvy so far
A lot of people taken in by Nationals propaganda. Even in right wing terms such as per capita GDP, balance of trade and productivity New Zealand is going downhill. Propped up only by the reserve banks excessive interest rates , immigration and natural disasters.
Numerous people have asked Newshub to provide the figures for undecided voters from their poll last night. They are ignoring all requests. Why?
Boonman @boonman 30m30 minutes ago
“Still waiting for @patrickgowernz OR @NewshubNZ OR @NewshubPolitics to tell us the number of undecided voters from the poll last night”
Newshub RR have always been the least methodologically transparent of Pollsters
In stark contrast to Colmar Brunton
Nevertheless this obsession with Undecided voters = clutching at straws
(Like weka’s
)
I would just like to know whether there is a difference in undecided between their last few polls and I find it odd that they are refusing to provide that information.
By my reckoning New Zealand’s most militant “union” by a good margin would be Federated Farmers. Any chance of them having their wings clipped …
I like Tauraga the people are nice and friendly you can grow vegetables all year round its nice and warm being close to the sea and located were it’s.
Tauranga is a jewel in our beautiful country.
But I remember seeing sand on the road in the Mount and flooding was just about to happen the residents of Tauranga did not get flooded out this time.
But with OUR ocean warming up and the fact that heat is energy in the near future there will be major flooding and damage to the residents property’s.
This scenario is a when and not a if so WE must plan for the worst weather that could hit Tauranga and if WE don’t plan for climate change the residents of Tauranga will be in the shit.
Now I no most Tauranga residents adore
Winston Peters but I say that because cause Winston doesn’t have a plan to mitigate climate change that you people of Tauranga will be up a creek with out a paddle when the next BIG storm or BIG hurricane strikes as a lot of Tauranga is just above sea level and the sea has a huge and powerful force.
I did Not speak against Winston until he showed that he would side with national and if national and Winston get into parliament there will be no planning for climate change and no plans to protect you the residents of Tauranga or your properties.
I am not letting you no this out of malice for Winston as this is not the way I work I’m letting you people no out of concern for your future and your safety. So I plead for your safety don’t vote Winston in or national because national is hiding the climate report they don’t care for your safety. So vote for the anyone but the two party’s that are ignoring climate change it is your future and your grandchildren future your voting for.
Tauranga may be a jewel, Eco maori, but it still votes National 🙁
Did you not read right through JanM?
Yes I did – sorry if I wasn’t clear – I meant I think they will still vote National – they are quite a conservative ‘head-in-the-sand’ society like a lot of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region
Thinking of business and why we have to keep on doing things to nurse our businesses along as they are always doing it hard, can’t find workers etc. Then we can’t afford to pay ordinary workers much while the people at the top live on the fat of the land for just doing a job that requires extra skills.
How about this for wage progression -Bottom under $40,000, few extra skills $60,000 (50% more), advanced experience $80,000, top managers $110,000 and Chief executive $150,000. But someone I know who I think is in human resources is getting $140,000 and is probably smart but just at keeping up with the others. So we are going backwards in NZ with he middle class going up or some getting lost and going down, the middle class is under pressure in western countries. The lower class is increasingly the precariat. Social mobility is now hard-won, not encouraged. Mainly to keep inflation low. To satisfy those with money to invest?
Hardly, how does low inflation, low interest help old age pensioners who were counting on interest to provide extras to the benefit?
If we are going to go backwards let’s try to put money into the regions’ pockets that stays there. Go back to where we encouraged small domestic industries which then branched out into export of excellent products. Let’s build a basecourse of solid small initiative ‘pop ups’ all over the country shouting look at us New Zealanders come and visit your own, and try us out. Nurture regional areas of excellence in what they do best. Ricardo economics within a domestic framework not over-extended as under free market machinations hand in hand with nasty neolib.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantagehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage
The theory of comparative advantage is an economic theory about the work gains from trade for individuals, firms, or nations that arise from differences in their factor endowments or technological progress.[1]
In an economic model, agents have a comparative advantage over others in producing a particular good if they can produce that good at a lower relative opportunity cost or autarky price, i.e. at a lower relative marginal cost prior to trade.[2] One does not compare the monetary costs of production or even the resource costs (labor needed per unit of output) of production.
Instead, one must compare the opportunity costs of producing goods across countries.[3] The closely related law or principle of comparative advantage holds that under free trade, an agent will produce more of and consume less of a good for which they have a comparative advantage.[4]
David Ricardo developed the classical theory of comparative advantage in 1817 to explain why countries engage in international trade even when one country’s workers are more efficient at producing every single good than workers in other countries.
He demonstrated that if two countries capable of producing two commodities engage in the free market, then each country will increase its overall consumption by exporting the good for which it has a comparative advantage while importing the other good, provided that there exist differences in labor productivity between both countries.[5][6] Widely regarded as one of the most powerful[7] yet counter-intuitive[8] insights in economics, Ricardo’s theory implies that comparative advantage rather than absolute advantage is responsible for much of international trade.
David Ricardo – Investopedia
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/david-ricardo.asp
David Ricardo was a classical economist known for his Iron Law of Wages, labor theory of value, theory of comparative advantage and theory of rents. David Ricardo and several other economists also simultaneously and independently discovered the law of diminishing marginal returns.
“Hardly, how does low inflation, low interest help old age pensioners who were counting on interest to provide extras to the benefit?”
And yet we still see the relentless promotion of Kiwisaver… Not to mention the eternal damnation of pension-age ‘Boomers’ whose little bits of money add to the income of shops and services.
Unless successive governments can protect the investments made by the citizens – what’s the use of saving for your retirement, eh? You’ll end up like Don Brash’s pa after he’d sold the farm and the inflation rate took off. A comfortable nest egg turned into less than an average year’s pay.
Doesn’t pay to be prudent or thrifty.
National has presided over the death of kids’ learning in New Zealand being important.
Real learning, proper learning, according to who and what the children are themselves , and capable of, have given way to checklists, targets and percentages.
What the kids could be and the type people we need in the world are incidental to charts and graphs.
When the teacher force is completely dumbed down to play the dumb game, and those who should be the leaders in the profession are singing from the Tolley/Parata/Kaye song sheet, we are totally stuffed. We are well on the way to that already.
Education in that sense is not an issue in the election yet that to me that is the real issue of the times. Are we to give Kaye the hammer and nails again to drive into the coffin they have fashioned? Also are we to give henchman Seymour a nail gun again?
As a retired ece teacher, I spend time as a volunteer in my grandson’s new entrant classroom. It breaks my heart (and that of the experienced teacher)
Press cover of Winston in Gisborne yesterday.
http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/2990284-135/on-the-hustings-in-gisborne-with
Clearly committed to regional rail & restoring the regions.
September 13, 2017
gisborneherald.co.nz
On the hustings in Gisborne with Winston Peters
by Wynsley Wrigley Published: September 13, 2017 10:33AM
ON THE ATTACK: New Zealand First leader Winston Peters claims Gisborne does not have the ear of Wellington and “the old parties”. In Gisborne yesterday, Mr Peters said New Zealand First would provide financial support to regional airports, including Gisborne’s, and support reinstatement of the Gisborne to Napier rail line.
NEW Zealand First supports reinstatement of the Gisborne to Napier rail line and state funding of regional airports such as Gisborne’s, said party leader Winston Peters when he was in Gisborne yesterday.
He told the Herald that Land Transport funding of Railways of National Importance, such as the Gisborne line, had long been party policy, but was disappointed that many Gisborne people would not know that.
“We will provide much-needed funding for regional airports owned by local authorities to help pay for infrastructure improvements and to meet safety and amenity standards,” he said.
“Unlike big airports they don’t have large revenues to help pay for the things they need. Every OECD country subsidises regional airports and air services, except New Zealand.
“Even the USA, home of the market, knows and does that. These countries know airports are crucial for communications, business development, air ambulances, and tourism, and must be supported by central government.”
Mr Peters said the sky around Gisborne was “darkening” because of the “old parties”.
“Politicians come here and say what they want to do for you. I’ve seen years of them doing stuff all for you. I see Gisborne and what it’s become.
“It still has the same people, resources and assets. It has everything, but it does not have the ear of Wellington.”
Mr Peters said nothing could be more compelling in his argument than closure of Gisborne’s rail line.
New Zealand First supported it from beginning
“No one put their hand up to defend it other than one party: New Zealand First. Not now, not last month, not last year, but when it happened and since then.
“You give us a chance in this campaign, we are going to open it.”
He said no treasury analysis was required. No transport infrastructure was efficient everywhere. There could be both inefficient and efficient sectors, which together made a successful operation.
If inefficient areas were wound back, efficient areas were affected because overall numbers diminished.
He said regional airports were part of the national grid.
“If the United States and other OECD countries understand that, why not New Zealand?”
Mr Peters said other regional airports to benefit from the policy included Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Whangarei, Kaitaia, Chatham Islands, Hokitika, Masterton, Taupo, Timaru, Westport, Whakatane and Whanganui.
“Eleven airports are being told to put up or shut up. This is astonishing. Who do they think goes through Auckland Airport? A lot of them are going to places like Gisborne, they all add up.”
Public pronouncements
At a public meeting at the Cosmopolitan Club Mr Peters said:
• New Zealand First would ensure continuity of forestry supply for local processors, and keep forestry sustainable.
• The New Zealand Forestry Service would be reinstated. “This plan is so good the Labour Party swiped it a few days ago.”
• New Zealand First is committed to a massive campaign to seal rural roads, improve road quality and double-lane bridges where sensible. “We want Gisborne to have a fully co-ordinated transportation strategy with road, rail and coastal shipping.”
• New Zealand First would return the GST paid by international tourists in this region for tourism infrastructure and roads, and to stimulate job training and opportunities.
• Any water rights for exports in this region would pay serious royalties, which would return to Gisborne.
• New Zealand First will help exporters, farmers and others by fixing the Reserve Bank Act.
• Devaluation of the dollar would help export-orientated provinces like Gisborne.
I no I’m of topic but I have to say this.
The only way we are going to get the state to heal is not a commission’s investigation. We need someone to champion the issue of the harm done to those people in state care and use people power and start the court process and sue the state for the injustices that happened to those people
It could be. I think it has been done in other countries. This bunch don’t see treating all people with care and hopefully with respect as part of their core duties.
The job of pollies is wheeling and dealing for their class, which they have established over the last 30 years since the idea of equality was set aside as an impediment to business.
I have spoken to some of the wealthy and there mind set is totally different to mine.
They don’t want to shear there lollies they don’t care about our poor and vulnerable people they don’t agree with my thoughts which are that these people are OURS they are part of our SOCIETY we are all kiwis we are all humans .
So we have the responsibility to care for these people and we have the responsibility to make sure that the government that gets elected will care for these peoples future even if they are brown white or yellow they are our people to care for.
Now these people that don’t care about there neighbors or the environment well 99 % of these people will vote and in my view they are about 20 % of the population and the elderly will be about 20 % and 99 % of these people will vote. Now the elderly care about our poor but they don’t like change as they will be worried that change means hardship for them. So these two groups of our people will vote national and NZ first if only 60 % of the total population vote . Then these two groups of people are going to decide our whole country fate which will be shit. So every one that has left leaning principals
please do your duty to yourself the poor vulnerable and your children and go and vote for any party except national and NZ first This is our country and we must vote to clean up nationals MESS.