Excellent column in the NY Times on the election that Mitt Romney won. Â He set out to win the votes of heterosexual white males and succeeded resoundingly. Â The only problem was that he forgot about women, latinos, gays and the black community.
The article also suggests there is hope. Â Maureen Dowd suggests that while Obama lifted progressive America last time, this time progressive America lifted Obama to victory. Â And there is an expectation, that climate change, minority rights and secularism are now given a chance.
How far out of touch is this guy??? I mean FFS all we are is “Nonsense” . Well Fuck you too Shearer
That’s a real good way to keep your voters, all though I cannot for the life of me see that many staying around if you are left in charge of this bunch of children, your caucus, it’s completely out of touch with reality, and running to individual agenda’s, IE: Shane Bloody Jones, he should have been slapped down hard for going into someone Else’s portfolio, instead of that it’s just ignored. You have had a year to ‘get your shit together’ but you have done little to improve the problems you have with speech, and over interpreting every thing, you have obviously ignored any tips from your media tutors, as it seems you have ignored everyone else. So here’s my prediction if you are in charge in 2014. The Green, Mana, & Labour Government led by Dr Norman, and his deputies, Minister of Maori Affairs Metria Turei And associate Hone Hawaria, and Minister of Finance, the Labour leader David Cunliffe. One of only a handful of MP’s to have retained his seat, in the biggest bloodletting in history, as the traditional Labour voters deserted the party in droves, to the Greens and Mana parties.
[lprent: Fixed links – watch out for the trailing ‘ on links. ]
Here is a thought, following on what you say, David H, and the many posts questioning Shearer’s leadership. Someone, I’ve forgotten who, said in one of those posts, that Helen’s favoured successor’s were in turn Steve Maharey and David Cunliffe, but Phil ended up with the job. And it seems to me that this left/right battle for control of the LP has been going on for some time, and has become a public issue since the right had to turn to an inexperienced man to retain their slender hold. It is said that Shearer has no position. I think that his position is to try to be loyal to the right wingers who want him there, to keep the left at bay.
No doubt these people have their reasons for thinking as they do: that there is no going back, that lefties do not attract business donations, etc, etc. What they need to face is that most people who want to see a LP “modernised” to fit the right wing agenda actually want the poor, the low paid, etc. to have no voice, despite their being mercilessly screwed. This is not a moral position for a LP to be in, and it would also be a dangerous one if Australia stopped serving as a safety valve.
No doubt these people have their reasons for thinking as they do: that there is no going back, that lefties do not attract business donations, etc, etc. What they need to face is that most people who want to see a LP âmodernisedâ to fit the right wing agenda actually want the poor, the low paid, etc. to have no voice, despite their being mercilessly screwed. This is not a moral position for a LP to be in, and it would also be a dangerous one if Australia stopped serving as a safety valve
Oh, see how evil Shearer is! What nonsense.
Don’t you people who hate Shearer see how delighted Matthew Hooton and Duncan Garner are with you? If I were you, that would worry me – if the actual right want Shearer to go, and they very very obviously do, then ask oyurself why they want him gone? Maybe you’ve been had?
Vicky: I have yet to see evidence that Shearer is of the left, and that is what worries me. The Labour Party has been hijacked before. And Matthew Hooton has largely showed approval of Shearer’s leadership.
And Matthew Hooton has largely showed approval of Shearerâs leadership.
I suppose you didn’t hear him on Radio NZ yesterday, then! đ
He was rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of the leadership challenge that he just knows (an insider told him, he said when challenged) is coming.
Ask yourself, why does Hooton cream his jeans at the ;idea of a leadership challenge?
Standatdistas has been campaigning against Shearer for most of this year, and I have never been able to understand why. Someone months ago, even pointed out that an anti-Shearer post deliberately misquoted DS, and yet no one gave a monkeys (except, it would seem for me, and for Labour people out there in the real world.)
Standatdistas has been campaigning against Shearer for most of this year, and I have never been able to understand why.
Ah no. If you have a look at the authors, some are for him for one reason or another and some are against for some reason or another. Ditto with the commentators. I suspect you’re mistaking “volume” for reasoning and failing to read what people are actually saying. Hell I wrote a post explaining it.
In my case I questioned the competence of someone with only a couple of years in parliament to run the parliamentary caucus. He was a neophyte in a area that I have never seen people get competent at in less than 5-6 years as a simple MP. So far he hasn’t shown any signs of exceeding that speed. Quite simply he is at about 3 years now and starting to look like a MP rather than a PM. It is pretty good progress – just not useful to the party who might have to win an early election (if I was a Nat, I’d be calculating when to give John Banks to the police and lose a confidence motion).
Sure John Key became leader after three and a half years. But he was lucky enough to come in just after the Nat’s had repaired most of the party and parliamentary damage from the 1999 and 2002 elections and had nearly won the 2005 and they had a clear campaign strategy underway. There was a pretty experienced and supportive team who helped him a lot. Watching him in 2006 and even 2007 was like watching a fledging try to fly.
With David Shearer this year it has been more like watching him learning how to break the egg.
I question is why the loons in caucus stuck David Shearer in that position with what looks like very limited experienced support. But it has been on a par with some of the other wierdo decisions from caucus over the past few years. I’m annoyed with it.
I question is why the loons in caucus stuck David Shearer in that position with what looks like very limited experienced support.
They saw the icing on the cake (his back-story) and forgot to take into account… whether the ingredients underneath had reached a sufficient mix of knowledge and experience for the job.
My quarrel is not with David Shearer. Its with those in caucus who, in my view, were not thinking of him but rather themselves.
The same is the lack of discipline within the caucus, given the experience of many of those who have self inflicted harm on the party. Mallard, Jones and those who with experience that have been a no show Horomia, Prasad, King. With 34 MP’s there is a dearth of “Team” and it appears to be a few solo efforts holding the party together. Labours issue is not all Shearers but lack of commitment from the dead wood.
I never knew Hooten wants Shearer gone…do you have a link for that (I actually thought he was scared of having Cunliffe as the leader)…Garner I’m not surprised, he’s a political journalist, so he naturally wants political action (I’m not of the opinion that Garner is really that much into National, I’ve always thought of him as being quite fair between Labour and National, despite what some claim here)
I never knew Hooten wants Shearer goneâŠdo you have a link for that (I actually thought he was scared of having Cunliffe as the leader)âŠ
No, I don’t have a link. But he said as much on Radio NZ yesterday.
What craziness. Garner is not too bad, David Shearer is a rightist. Honestly, what has become of the Standard?
most of these blog posts from Garner are anti-National, the fewer times he focuses on Labour he is just as critical of them. I dunno where this idea of a National-bias from Garner comes from. Especially considering he works for media works…and he quit their weekend morning politics bore-fest because it sucks big time. Most of the time he’s pointing out that there is little difference between National and Labour.
I can’t be bothered listening to Hooten…here is an article from him backing Shearer. Hooten wants a lame duck running Labour
Those are his more recent ones – at least at first. Â Garner often spins in the government, or right wing favour: e.g. when analysing TV3 polls. Â He favours Shearer over Cunliffe, and tends to repeat the smears against Cunliffe.
Also, something else I had been thinking about incorporating in a blog post on the MSM, and never got to it. Â Mediaworks repaid its loan to the government back at the beginning of October.Â
How much has that coincided with the likes of Campbell regaining his critical edge?
true…I remember that half-story about Cunliffe that came across as a school yard rumour. That was some b-grade journalism there.
The mediaworks loan relating to channel 3’s critique of the Government would be interesting. I remember years ago when Clark was boosting funding to TVNZ (TVNZ7, Heartland, NZ on air etc) it appeared that she was getting preferential coverage from them – obviously this ended with the nanny-state nonsense around 07-08…not sure if the funding dried up then?
I dunno if what I’ve just written is accurate, just a hunch. Not sure how TVNZ has changed much since TVNZ7 got cut…but I guess if the wages of those in power at TVNZ has increased then who cares if the only channel worth watching gets cut…fat cats and all that.
Sometimes the easiest explanation is the one right in front of you.
A few may “hate Shearer”, but I certainly don’t, and I reckon that goes for most of his critics. We just don’t think he should be leader of the Labour party.
We don’t reach this conclusion by worrying about what Matthew Hooten wants us to think. We get there by observing David Shearer.
I don’t think he should be a ballet dancer or All Black either. Doesn’t mean I hate him. Just exercising the brain. Evidence in, conclusion out.
DH: Â Are you referring to this article: ‘Shearer plays down leadership row‘, by Claire Trevett.? Â Your links go to the NZH main page. Â
They are also running a poll on whether he should stand down, beside the article – no rrecorded votes as yet.
Labour leader David Shearer is brushing off a crescendo of calls for him to step down by left-leaning bloggers and commentators, saying it is “nonsense” and should be ignored….
The series of those calling for Shearer to step down included three bloggers on the Standard blog, although another Standard blogger, former Labour secretary Mike Smith, counselled against a change. Other critics included Brian Edwards, who has consistently been critical of Shearer, and Herald columnist Tapu Misa.
Yesterday the three MPs regarded as having leadership goals – Grant Robertson, David Cunliffe and Andrew Little – all ruled out any immediate challenge and rejected suggestions they were involved in any attempt to undermine Mr Shearer.Â
It crossed my mind this morning that Labour may well have gifted itself an ‘enfant terrible’. I don’t know if that’s quite the right expression, but bashing on…How democratically inclined is a person, simply used to being ensconced in a bureaucracy, likely to be? How likely is years of working in unaccountable bureaucracies likely to foster a mentality along the lines of – “Those ‘poor underlings’ know nothing about how I know what’s good for them. But for them and their better interests, I will persevere”
I’ve been having a problem with the WYSIWYG buttons. Â The blockquote button puts the command around the whole comment, not just the highlighted text. Â I have to go to the html view to sort it out.
It is on my fix list. But the Feed panel was requested by Irish in 2010 according to my notes…..
Nearly through the bugs and features at work – ETA is about 2 weeks for the release of product 2 code.
What I want to do is to drop the tinymce/wysiwg approach and use something a lot simpler more like the the comment editor in the backend. But I have been accumulating holidays while Lyn has been using her’s for festivals and the like. I’ll have to use some of them up shortly and do a site refresh.
He also says the authors here are “feeding off each other” – a similar claim as Farrar’s “co-ordinated strategy to de-stabilise”. Is Shearer running Farrar’s attack lines?
Unless he can prove inside knowledge, perhaps using the footage from a secret camera, the precendent set by The Standard moderation could ban Shearer for implying a hive-mind to a machine. Who’s to say he is not already among us? đŻ
The past three days have given us two further definitions of the word, discussion:
1) co-ordinated strategy to destabilise
2) feeding off each other.
Is Shearer running Farrar’s attack lines? C’mon Uturn, that’s about as silly as Pete George claiming that I’m Shearer’s advisor. RFLMAO Oh how the lines are becoming seriously blurred on this issue. Warning! I just linked to Whaleoil again… Let the cleansing begin.
Ooooh, somebody doesn’t like you, Jackal. You must doing good work! I note that PG is still fixated with my contribution to his downfall, namechecking me in his (sort of) humorous response to the PG5000 joke on Imperator Fish. I think you can take the hatred displayed against you on Whale oil in the same way; proof that you are hitting them where it hurts.
Thanks Te Reo Putake. Yes! The PG5000 is indeed a diabolical super-weapon the likes of which we’ve never seen before. It’s also well past its warranty. Here’s the post we’re talking about btw people: A Day In The Life Of That Labour MP. Excellent!
As an aside, “feeding off each other” is completely different to a coordinated campaign.
  Â
The difference is like between an angry mob that happens to clock off and a gang of bank robbers. The mob mills around, pushes against itself, and basically herds in the direction of least resistance. Robbers move on an objective according to a plan, use targeted force against obstacles, and have a clear endpoint in mind.Â
Comments posted by Eddie on The Standard are quoted. Shearers response is “thats basically people sitting in front of their computers giving their opinions and continuing to drive the discussion of it (his leadership) up”. I found that quite offensive, arrogant and pretty rude given that he is referring to potential Labour supporters and voters. I’ve left a comment on that article but my comments on fairfax only get posted about 50% of the time. I’d encourage others to post on this story. How else are we going to ge them to listen?
We know how to SHOUT online. Not sure about whispering. Is this a whisper? {or this?}
When I read Shearer’s words, ‘whispering’ to me sounds like something that happens at parliament when people want to talk about something but don’t want to be overheard. It’s a strange choice of word to apply to the internet, where in this case authors and commenters at TS are being quite loud and open. Maybe it’s just a case of Shearer not understanding how the internets work. Or having advisors who don’t quite get it either.
Sigh. Yeah, I know DTB, or rather, I give up. I think he is in head in sand territory. Privately he might be in head in hands territory but can’t find the way to front up and face it.
thats basically people sitting in front of their computers
I think he’s going for some kind of riff on “interviewing their keyboards”. However the problem for Shearer – or whoever came up with that line – is that a hell of a lot of people spend quite a bit of their day “sitting in front of their computers”. We’ve got Stuff Nation, for fuck’s sake. That’s a lot of “ordinary New Zealanders” with their fingers typing away, it’s hardly nerds-only territory …
I found that quite offensive, arrogant and pretty rude given that he is referring to potential Labour supporters and voters
It is to laugh, as Bugs Bunny says. When I first questioned the anti-Shearer hate campaign when it got started at the beginning of the year, I was informed that the anti-Shearer people are all Greenies, therefore generally more honest, decent, etc, than Labour people…
(Richer too, and that’s not to be sneezed at, he?)
All the crocodile tears for beneficiaries from the anti-Shearer people make me projectile vomit.
Hi Vicky at post # 3.6.4. You’ve quoted me and in the same sentence you’ve referred to the “anti Shearer hate campaign”. Just because I and many others can’t support Shearer as the leader of the opposition doesn’t mean I/we/whoever hate him. It’s not personal, its practical. I’m not into hating up on folks. I save hate (as a form of disempowerment, frustration and anger) for very special occasions, such as our current govt, not for those I would normally stand beside.
Also, please don’t assume that all Green supporters are rich. You might be heading into stereotype territory there. I support the Greens, always have, and respect their work but I’m as broken arse as they come. No, I’m not a beneficiary but at the same time its not crocodile tears I’ve shed, as you’ve pointed out that the “anti Shearer campaign” have done. It is genuine despair that I feel that at the way that mostly Key, Bennett, retards of NZ inc and Co, but also Shearer have belittled and attacked their fellow NZers. It really sucks. Labour have left their roots Vicky and I’m only about the gazillionth person to say it. I wish that wasn’t the case and I’d still love to vote for them but with Shearer in charge I can’t. Its feels crappy and a bit sad.
Don’t know if you saw 3news tonight but Clayton Cosgrove dismissed journalists questions about the validity of the Labour Party leadership as “its just the blogosphere”. If thats how they respond to their potential and actual voter base can you really trust them to respect you as a voter?
No, Iâm not a beneficiary but at the same time its not crocodile tears Iâve shed, as youâve pointed out that the âanti Shearer campaignâ have done
Well, I am a beneficiary, and not one of the ‘good’ ones (I am not brown, I am not a solo mother (any more) or under 25.) When the rubber meets the road, to use a cliche, Shearer has helped me and others, with issues we have had with Housing NZ and with WINZ, and that matters more to me than his being perfectly politically correct.
As for what Cosgrove said, no, I didn’t hear it (I don’t watch 3 News, I listen to it) but from what I see around me, and what I hear, he was correct. Afaik, it is the blogosphere.
Oddly, I find myself wishing very much that I did come into one of the favoured categories – if I were under 25 I’d have a much better chance of getting a job. The new owner of the language school, that I wrote about on Friday, fired all the previous staff, and everyone he hired to replace them is under 25, and everyone fired, was over 40. I was in there today, with one of those fired staff, she was collecting her property, and I was providing moral support. We spoke to one of the students, and her whispered comment (as the new owner was ear-wigging) about her new teacher was “She’s very young, isn’t she?” Keith seems not to have realised that international students have no faith in teachers who are younger than they are, and that hiring 18-23 year olds because you can pay them in washers is not such a crash-hot idea.
No, they shouldn’t have dumped a former deputy PM and experienced politician with a strong base in the party, a formidable intellect, an impressive grasp of the issues and a total commitment to self-discipline, and the authority to discipline others.
But they should dump David Shearer, because he isn’t any of those things.
formidable intellect, an impressive grasp of the issues and a total commitment to self-discipline, and the authority to discipline others.
Except when she was interviewing and things did not go as Herr Helen liked, then the tears and blathering would come out.
Wonder where she leant such discipline anyway, and wonder if she really thought the faux marriage to the dodgy pervert actually fooled anyone that it was not about hiding both their sexuality from the public. Media sure did a cracking job sitting on that for so many years, and still now it doesnt get much mention. Nah its not about Helens preferences, thats fine, and her business, its about the lies!
Helen Clarke, got as high up at the UN because she is a “great politician & human being”, and contributed so much to humanity! /sarc
Argh, the lies people accept!
PS – Cunliffe has got far too much inside knowledge, having been a member of the Clarke governement, there will be little he is not aware of….How effective can he be given he is part of the establishment, therefore accomplice to the corruption which rules our parliamentary system!
That was two decades ago. There are voters alive today who weren’t even born then and they’ve grown up on twitter and blogs. I may not like it, but it’s a fact. Even assuming that Shearer’s a nice guy (and so what?… and I don’t think that a bene-basher is, BTW), he’s simply not effective in this age. Obama won by knowing who the voters are, not what they “should” be.
Excellent report by Eugenie Sage: The Green Party Minority Report – Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill. Â It incorporates responses from some public submissions on the Bill. Â
Particularly of concern are the cutting back of the kinds of activities local councils are involved in (focus on “core” services) , increased government intervention, increasing the power of mayors
The main things the Green Party opposes:Â
– The changes to the purpose of local government and the deletion of the âfour well-beingsâ (social, economic, environmental and cultural);
– The increased mayoral powers;
– The loss of democracy represented by the increased powers of Ministerial intervention and the processes for how and when this will be used;
– The content of the fiscal benchmarks and
– The undemocratic procedures and criteria for council re-organisation
Also, important is the fact that the proposed changes are not supported by relevant evidence:
The lack of sound data and information or any robust analysis to support the changes in the Bill risks it being ineffective, having unintended consequences, and putting additional costs on councils and ratepayers, such as to amend long term plans.
And, Lynn, I got to this document (and other significant web pages/articles/posts) from the new RSS feeds on the right – very useful, thank-you.
Gaynz editorial: open letter to John Key [on gay red shirt issue].
It explains why the use of such language is an important political issue, and slams the Nats on their anti-gay record.
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: your party seems to be the natural political home for homophobia, whether you like it, or understand it, or want it, or not. From the lowliest newbie MPs right up to yourself your party continues to be steeped in the subtle homophobia of the street, the bar and the schoolyard.
The systems are full of people who are being arm twisted into the decisions that are making, and you can apply this to other sectors which “govern, direct and dicate” our lives.
The question is, what are they being “arm twisted” about!
It has been rather disconcerting to read some of the commentary about all round nice guy David Shearer recently, not least because it takes the focus off more important issues. Of particular concern is the amount of articles that completely write him off without a second chance, and as far as I can tell, without really giving any valid reasons for doing so…
I don’t know which articles you are talking about because the ones I’ve read acknowledge Shearer has had plenty of chances, and give logical, valid reasons for him stepping down. Your paragraph above reads like opinion dressed up as fact. By all means support Shearer, but please don’t make out that people who want him gone don’t have any valid reasons and haven’t given him a chance.
“Then thereâs the claim that Shearer doesn’t hold true to Labours principles, as apparently exhibited by the painter on the roof comments. Despite the various misrepresentation of what Shearer said, I think itâs safe to say that he does believe in a fair and equal society, as exhibited by the brevity and contents of his speeches and press releases. Claims that heâs somehow anti-welfare are quite obviously incorrect, and only promoted by the ignorant or those with a vested interest in seeing his political demise.”
I remember the intellectual tools you used to pull apart Paul Holmes utterances. Use those same tools on Shearers speeches and you’ll see what his detractors have been seeing since his first speech. If Shearer cannot understand basic political rhetoric, he has limited use as a spokesperson for anything. You may think this doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be a leader – a silent leader perhaps? Why not, any policy should be able to stand on it’s own regardles of who presents it.
If someone spends all their time saying something that seems hostile, something that can’t conclusively be proven to be so – since no one can ever truly know the contents and intent of another man’s mind and because words and logic can be pretty, but limited – the only thing left to do is wait and see what happens.
The problem many people have, is that they’ve spent their lives observing people they would prefer to be good – despite the indicators. They want and desperately need other people to be good, and choose it as default judgement. It’s called good faith and the world would be a much worse place if some people did not fight to uphold that concept. The line between good faith, naivety and romanticism becomes blurred when logic is dismissed entirely. People will hold out years, decades, to find the good they see in others and instead one day they find that it isn’t coming. They review the years of action and words and they have to face the fact it all adds up to a picture they wish didn’t exist. They’re then faced with a tough choice.
Experience and logic blind us to possibility, tie us to the known, strangle the life out of the new. Hope and naivety can make us creative visionaries, laying the foundation for advancements or just suckers for punishment. But reality is reality. When the moment comes that each person makes their own decision, there is no right or wrong, just a bet on a roll of the dice.
Fair enough Uturn, you make a compelling argument. Just a few things though… My pulling apart of Holmes’ rhetoric was mainly about his racism, and I see nothing similar in Shearer. I’m also aware that he does need to step up to the plate so to speak, but its policy in my opinion that Labour should focus on, not personality politics.
You’re entirely correct that what people want can cloud their vision of reality. However I don’t believe that’s the case with my observations on David Shearer, and I’m open to the possibility that he’s not right for the job. The main question remains largely unanswered though… Is there anybody better placed to achieve Labours victory at the next election, especially considering the instability caused by changing leaders now?
I wonder if they care about who we advocate for anyway, and after reading today’s Herald article “Shearer plays down leadership row”, it would appear that they don’t. Not much has changed in that respect since Helen Clark was in charge then. Pity!
In my opinion, throwing the dice on such things as leadership is not advisable… But I’ve more than chafed my bit on this issue. Let’s hope it all works out in the end.
On Shearer’s “racism” it could certainly be proven logically, but logic cannot prove if he intended to include a racist element, or whether it is a symptom of poor rhetoric i.e. the gaps in the message are so wide they could mean anything. The measure we normally use, “reasonable doubt”, would rest on a person’s perspective. It certainly isn’t at the same level of intent as Holmes openly saying maori – or anyone else – are this or that. Shearer’s constant promotion of Pakeha middle-class values and attitudes could be said to be racist. The environment he works in and the position he holds will encourage him to take that approach whether he wants to or not. This would be a difficult thing to escape for any politician in our system. Even Hone Harawira likes to play with the idea of Maori abandoning their roots for money and moving to Australia.
On the question of who is better placed to lead Labour to victory next election, if we agree that Labour’s policy is all that matters, it doesn’t matter who leads. It only matters who can promote the policy effectively, interpret it for all scenarios, to make it sound like it’s always fresh. Shearer could do the simple memorise-the-script exercise, but for whatever reason, he can’t re-fit it for all scenarios and variations. Then we get those explanations about what he really meant that meanader in contradictions. If winning is all that matters to Labour, all they need do is enforce an internal environment where everyone sticks to their area of concern, find one salesperson among them to take on the “leader role” and set them loose in the media. Then after they win they can go back to whatever they were up to, safe in the knowledge they have three years to sort it out.
I’m annoyed with shearers attitude to the bloggers that question his leadership,after all it is a democratic right to question the leader of a party if you are not happy with him/her.
There are traditional labour supporters/voters/followers who comment on all sorts of blogs and
media outlets, are they nonsense too ?
Shearers next blog should be ignored as well.
OPEN LETTER TO TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL NZ, THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNANCE AND POLICY STUDIES:
Today, in Wellington, you are ‘launching the New Zealand National Integrity System Assessment.
Leading us into the future’.
Your graphic illustrating ‘National Integrity Foundations’, covering ‘Politics – Society – Economy – Culture’ – shows thirteen ‘pillars’ upon which this ‘National Integrity’ is supposedly based.
These thirteen pillars include:
Legislature
Executive
Judiciary
Public Sector
Law Enforcement
Electoral Management Body
Ombudsman
Audit Institution
Anti-Corruptiion Agencies
Political Parties
Media
Civil Society
Business
Having studied your programme, and having checked the backgrounds of your speakers and facilitators, I fail to see one person who could be said to represent ‘Civil Society’?
(Perhaps not all ‘pillars’ are equal? Perhaps some ‘pillars’ are more significant than others?)
I say this an a recognised ‘Anti-corruption activist’ / ‘Whistleblower’ who has attended two significant Anti-Corruption Conferences – the Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference in Brisbane in 2009, and the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference in Bangkok in 2010.
My track record is proven in fighting for a genuinely ‘open, transparent and accountable’ NZ local and central government and judiciary.
Had I known about this event – I would have made the effort to attend.
Not only was I not notified – it was only by chance that I even discovered that it was happening.
However, given my previous treatment by Transparency International NZ – I am not surprised that myself, and other ‘civil society / anti-corruption Public Watchdogs/ Whistleblowers’ were not notified.
In 2009, not only did Transparency International NZ refuse to accept me (and others) as a member (no reasons were given), but at the November 2009 AGM, after being denied access to the TINZ AGM address by the Attorney-General (which was open to non-members), again – with no reasons given, myself and judicial ‘Public Watchdog’ – Vince Siemer, were arrested for trespass.
“TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL NEW ZEALAND ORDERS ARREST OF ANTI-CORRUPTION ADVOCATE
11 December 2009
In a stinging irony – on United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day no less – Chairman Gerald McGhie of Transparency International’s “autonomous” New Zealand chapter ordered Police to arrest public watchdog Penny Bright for trespassing at its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday. This was despite the government-funded group riding her coat-tails as a watchdog front ostensibly focused on increasing transparency and exposing corruption. Attendees were given pamphlets with the bold heading “CORRUPTION RUINS LIVES – FIGHT BACK”.
………………………….
________________________________________________________________________________
The Police later dropped the charges – but what sort of purported ‘anti-corruption’ organisation treats genuine ‘anti-corruption activists’ like that?
It is with some concern that I note the prominent role being played in the establishment of this ‘National Integrity System’ by some of the major accountancy firms, such as Deloitte, KPMG, PwC – who arguably have a vested interest in New Zealand being ‘perceived’ as ‘the least corrupt country in the world’ – when the reality, in my considered opinion, is that New Zealand is actually a corrupt, polluted tax haven.
For example – to whom is the money going in New Zealand in the establishment of ‘foreign trusts’?
The role of international accountancy firms has been highlighted by internationally acknowledged experts such as Professor Prem Sikka, with whom I am in regular contact.
FYI – I have ‘blown the whistle’, nationally and internationally, and sent the following post around the world on 10 November 2012:
To members of the international Tax Justice Network / separately to my latest Transparency International Secretariat and individual country ‘chapter’ list / to 70 World Bank folk whose addresses I found on the World Bank website / to all NZ MPs / to all Auckland Council elected reps (council + Local Boards) / NZ and some international media / NZ human rights groups …… etc….
Transparency International were in the middle of their 15th International Anti-Corruption Conference, and should be announcing any time soon their 2012 ‘Corruption Perception Index’.
(Which isn’t very transparent – given that it is based upon the subjective opinions of anonymous business people?)
……………………………………………….. ”
Oustanding – These events are the outward promotion of how currupted NZ actually is, and should be roundly protested for the sham society that we have, run by these wrong-uns.
Penny do you have the list of speakers, publish it, then let people play the association game, which involves cross checking the incestuous nature of those who spoke, their “network and business interests”, not to mention the stench of criminal activity which is what they seek to protect.
All the while lecturing outwardly to the masses about pillars, and integrity!
You can read the full nine yards here – the full OPEN LETTER I sent to most of those participating in today’s National Integrity System launch: THANK YOU INDYMEDIA! http://www.indymedia.org.nz/submissions/394
Shearer backed by Norman and Winston will lead the country after the next election.
Shearer will make a good job of our Prime Minister as he grows with the role.
The Nats simply cannot coddle enough MMP seats to retain a third term, so it is natural fall to Labour.
3 News is Little America again… sigh…
In an item about the BBC, the reporter refers to someone walking out of an interview because he was behind ‘sked-yool’… đ
Then, they make a point of referring to Mr McAfee, of anti-virus fame, being wanted for murder, as “Briddish Born”… perish the thought that a murderer could be American – even though Stuff refers to him as a US citizen. It’s not a big deal, but it just struck me as bizarre.Â
Wikipedia thinks he is an American… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McAfee
Now, Hil’ry Berry is banging on about the leadership challenge to Shearer. The Standard wants Shearer to go, says the reporter. Well, I for one, don’t want Shearer gone!
Â
I was a cautious supporter of Shearer, then I got a bit iffy about him, but I now think that he should stay. It’s all well and good to say, ‘let’s stick Cunliffe in’, but what if he turns out a dissapointment, do we ditch him and appoint someone else? Do we just go through Robertson, Ardern, Little, Curran? The ALP tends to do that, and look where that got them…
Perhaps the likes of Mallard, Dyson, King, etc needs to go instead.
Yep, the Standard should be able to hit an order of magnitude above that. A little bit more marketing and self promotion and some interesting things will happen.
I wouldn’t mind reading some of the older The Standard publications from the 1930’s onwards. It would be interesting to compare what they were writing about then to today’s topics. Wonder if there are any old copies lying around the place?
“To appreciate fully the inhumanity of [unemployment] you have to see the hurt and despair in the eyes of a man suddenly told he is redundant without provision made for suitable alternative employment . . . Someone, somewhere has decided he is unwanted, unneeded, and is to be thrown on the industrial scrap heap. ”
It isn’t only men who are made redundant Chris. What about the large number of single parent, working women, who are not only likely to be underpaid relative to men when they are working, but as the sole support if a family, both they and the children suffer from any redundancy. There simply isn’t the same number of single parent families headed by males, so when a male loses a job there is likely to be another potential income earning adult in the household.
BTW I know that redundancy is dreadful for anybody, but it seems Chris limits his sympathy to only one group. His workers seem to consist of only adult males, nobody young, nobody female. Perhaps he’d like to reflect on the groups that returned Obama to power.
The problem about New Zealand RB is NZ’ers are cowards when it comes to protesting and standing up against the elites and the government, as a result our occupy movement only contained a few determined students and lecturers. Remember it was the left that opposed the Springbok tour, while the right such as John Key stood silent and only saw rugby balls in their eyes. Why is society so scared to come out on the streets, like in Spain, Greece or even the US?
My guess is because New Zealand is conditioned to shut up and do what it is told, blindly follow and ignore social injustice. Most New Zealanders ignore politics and party away, ignoring the beggar on the street. But when they fall on hard times only then do they realize the truth, that most of the country have forgotten what compassion, empathy or community really is. National’s religion is selfishness, as is the religion of their supporters.
You can see the mentality here by those who think that blogging means anything, or makes a genuine differnce..
What the internet does, is allows people into a false sense of contribution and involvement, when in fact the “elite” will be more than happy with people sitting on their arses typing shit which is not making a difference!
Hell, just take a look at what the Greeks et al are getting from their real life protests, SFA other than another good hiding and some tear gas, rubber bullets and riot police!
Yeah, typing words is really making the world of difference here!
Shall I attempt a rewrite to satisfy the Labour Party/Liberal Left’s minimum PC quotient requirement for fully inclusive language?
âTo appreciate fully the inhumanity of [unemployment] you have to see the hurt and despair in the eyes of a man, woman, or transgendered individual, whether single or attached, and if they have children, in the eyes of their children too, suddenly told he (or their partner, or parent, as is applicable) is redundant without provision made for suitable alternative employment . . . Someone, somewhere has decided he (she, they) is (are) unwanted, unneeded, to be thrown on the industrial scrap heap. â
Now that we’ve hit the minimum PC quotient for fully inclusive language, can we get on with the FRAKING POINT that Trotter was trying to make – that being made redundant with no alternatives hurts and causes despair to the person it happens to.
No wonder Labour/the Left is nowhere and going fast.
By the way. In his Sickness Bene Bashing speech did Shearer specify that the bene in question was male, female, transgendered? Because it’s very important that you don’t bash people in an inequitable way.
Meh.
    Â
I just don’t see why you’d be outraged that people are pointing out the hypocrisy of complaining about social maltreatment in our society while reinforcing other forms of social maltreatment.Â
I think I made it pretty damn clear why I was “outraged” McFlock: but feel free to continue supporting the languaging police against social maltreatment .
I suppose Labour doesn’t want the Waitakere Man vote anyways.
Or the Waikato Man vote or the Taranaki Man vote or the Wairarapa Man vote or the Marlborough Man vote or the McKenzie Man vote or the Taupo Man vote, or the Otago Man Vote or the Southland Man vote or the Hawkes Bay Man vote or the King Country Man vote.
Oh look! Labour hardly holds any seats in each of those areas, what a co-incidence!
Oh, well then. Shearer should probably amend the RMA so putting cowshit in our rivers isn’t a problem.
Or are you suggesting that the only way to get any vote is to pretend other portions of the country don’t exist? I see Robert Moulden is of voting age. Maybe you want Shearer to buy some spray paint?
I agree with your anger at the counterproductive nature of mindless stereotypes. I’ve squealed about them before myself. The point is that a politically constructed derogatory term that simply uses a place name and a gender is the highest level of stupid. It will capture individuals who might ally themselves with a supportive point of view and instead isolates them. Doesn’t matter if the term is Urban Gays, Northland Maori, Taranaki Man, The Disabled or Housewives. It’s lazy and stupid. It could be argued that those isolated types should then just magically find the bridge to freedom themselves, detaching their identity from their past, but it takes time – longer than a three year term. It could be argued that no one can be allied with an ideology that can only end in the death or oppression of the ally. If that person defers to good faith, they can then see that a person can support the good in another’s ideas, without disabling their own self-preservation. This is the trouble created by politicians simulating enemies to push against, just so there is a point to illuminate or something to say. There is a faster, more direct, plain english way. For example:
âTo appreciate fully the inhumanity of [unemployment] you have to see the hurt and despair in the eyes of a person suddenly told they’re redundant without provision made for suitable alternative employment . . . Someone, somewhere has decided they’re unwanted, unneeded, and is to be thrown on the industrial scrap heap. â
The scope for understanding within the article is then widened considerably – especially for the author. It brings all people together for a shared the message, also tending to details of difference. In our current time of crisis, sharing the known effects of defunct beliefs is important. Yes, sections of society have it tougher than others. The article could deal with each in turn, or defer those who have a direct understanding; once again showing how not having a livelihood can effect anyone and illustrating beliefs that contribute to covert hurdles.
The recent marriage amendmnet bill was an excellent example of this approach. It was about equality under law for all people to marry. It did not force those who did not want to marry some people to go against their wishes. By not forcing other people to do anything differently than they already did, it did not further divide an already divided people into smaller groups. By not forcing other people, did it suppress the voice of a minority? Not at all.
Talking about things, at a higher political level, that collectively effect all people does not actively silence minority voices or make social prejudice go away. If a party or political faction wavering at 30% in the polls thinks dividing 30% by anything is going to help them win, they better think again.
Now that weâve hit the minimum PC quotient for fully inclusive language, can we get on with the FRAKING POINT that Trotter was trying to make â that being made redundant with no alternatives hurts and causes despair to the person it happens to.
For the fourth straight day, Israeli airstrikes are pounding Gaza.
Yesterday, Gaza’s main resistance factions, including the Big Two of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, offered a truce if Israel “stops its aggression”.
The Israeli answer has been â more airstrikes.
And there are indications that Tel Aviv is seriously calculating a major military offensive against the Palestinian enclave.
Yesterday, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting of Israel’s foreign ambassadors in what was widely seen as a mission to claim international sympathy for an onslaught against Gaza.
Israel’s leading daily newspaper said Washington had already green-lighted such an Israeli operation.
It remains to be seen how much is politicking and bluff by Netanyahu and his inner cabinet, and how much is a real escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the Zionist regime in Tel Aviv.
Kia Ora Gaza’s website, kiaoragaza.net, has been carrying multiple daily reports on these potentially serious developments. Here’s a link to their latest story, courtesy of the Palestinian news agency Ma’an:
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. Itâs important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes –Â The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that âthe first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.â When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECDâs second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commissionâs 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the governmentâs official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious:Â we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisition  NOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamarikiâs statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. âThere are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a âfirst strikeâ (that is, a âstage-1 convictionâ under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a âsecond strikeâ. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesnât normally happen in politics. Thatâs refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to âsaveâ the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Governmentâs official website – arrived in Point of Orderâs email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive  Melissa Lee â as may be discerned from the screenshot above â has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Governmentâs focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes –Â Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu â often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the governmentâs readiness to make urgent changes to âthe resource management systemâ through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes donât go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a âmedia summitâ to discuss âthe state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalismâ. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes –Â This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
 Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for âfast trackâ consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill â currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes-Â The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you arenât wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said âSince we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Te PÄti MÄori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veteransâ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veteransâ affairs spokesperson Greg OâConnor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxonâs management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonightâs court decision to overturn the summons of the Childrenâs Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about MÄori without evidence, says Te PÄti MÄori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. âThe judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labourâs environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our countryâs most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te PÄti MÄori Justice Spokesperson, TÄkuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, MÄori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te PÄti MÄori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. âThis act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.â Said Te PÄti MÄori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for TÄmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te PÄti MÄori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mĆ TÄmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with MÄori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Governmentâs democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Governmentâs proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change thatâs great for the planet and great for consumers after her memberâs bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the countryâs books after Teanau Tuionoâs membersâ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his memberâs bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Todayâs advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,â says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. âWe know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,â Dr Reti says. âEvery day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikoheâs new $14.7 million sports complex. âThe completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,â Mr Jones says. âThis facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Petersâ engagements in TĂŒrkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges.  âReturning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,â Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen â good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood â a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - Â It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Â Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Â Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. âOur Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealandâs hydrogen future, with the opening of the countryâs first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. âI want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealandâs own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealandâs energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. âThe report shows that New Zealandâs emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,â Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where heâll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Governmentâs work to restore law and order. âAttending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the worldâs largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. âThe reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealandâs wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin  NgÄ mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho  Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today.  I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. âOur Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealandâs overseas missions.  âOur diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealandâs interests around the world,â Mr Peters says.  âI am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. Â âOver 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. âIt is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. âOur coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
âChina remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,â Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says.  Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachersâ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. âScience, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĆ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĆ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĆ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. âThe coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
âOur exporters should, therefore, be deeply concerned that the Fast-track Approvals Bill was not assessed for consistency with any of our free trade commitments prior to being introduced to the House,â says Gary Taylor, Chief Executive of the Environmental ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Memberâs Bill from Labourâs workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurchâs best kept secrets â and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, thereâs the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. âYouâre not going to be able to sell it.â Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. âEnter!â says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. âI can explain everything âŠâ she begins. âFine,â says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.âIt didnât start out like, âThis is a show about Nina,ââ says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. Iâm another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. Itâs important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our Whatâs Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scoutâs human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird â she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including âterribleâ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking âdo you have what it takes to be a popstar?â 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar â a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldnât stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes â while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. Itâs not often an episode of a childrenâs cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but thatâs exactly what happened this week when ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people ⊠and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minuteâs silence to mark the âblood debtâ owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. âA promise to most people is a promise,â Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an âadministrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the countryâs major TV network of broadcasting âpropagandaâ backing Israelâs genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to menâs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock âChildhoodâ and âdementiaâ are two words we wish we didnât have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The governmentâs Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9â17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Thereâs been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russiaâs war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peaceâs new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a womanâs hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingwayâs Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time â ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australiaâs fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The âWicked Gameâ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didnât stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from âWicked Gameâ, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called đ, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao MÄori and remove many specialist MÄori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, weâve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedinâs India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoaâs drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says itâs hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. Itâs been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you donât believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Iâm going to do it, right now. Iâm going to say ...
You will note the new RSS feeds on the right. These are:-
1This is known as the Whaledreck rule as described here.
2This is known as the PG 5000 rule. Described in here.
like it
Me too. Thanks Lynn.
And I notice the PG5000 has struck in there.
Nice!
…and The Standard on 3 News; curiouser and curiouser…
Excellent column in the NY Times on the election that Mitt Romney won. Â He set out to win the votes of heterosexual white males and succeeded resoundingly. Â The only problem was that he forgot about women, latinos, gays and the black community.
The article also suggests there is hope. Â Maureen Dowd suggests that while Obama lifted progressive America last time, this time progressive America lifted Obama to victory. Â And there is an expectation, that climate change, minority rights and secularism are now given a chance.
Thanks for the link ms, great read.
How far out of touch is this guy??? I mean FFS all we are is “Nonsense” . Well Fuck you too Shearer
That’s a real good way to keep your voters, all though I cannot for the life of me see that many staying around if you are left in charge of this bunch of children, your caucus, it’s completely out of touch with reality, and running to individual agenda’s, IE: Shane Bloody Jones, he should have been slapped down hard for going into someone Else’s portfolio, instead of that it’s just ignored. You have had a year to ‘get your shit together’ but you have done little to improve the problems you have with speech, and over interpreting every thing, you have obviously ignored any tips from your media tutors, as it seems you have ignored everyone else. So here’s my prediction if you are in charge in 2014. The Green, Mana, & Labour Government led by Dr Norman, and his deputies, Minister of Maori Affairs Metria Turei And associate Hone Hawaria, and Minister of Finance, the Labour leader David Cunliffe. One of only a handful of MP’s to have retained his seat, in the biggest bloodletting in history, as the traditional Labour voters deserted the party in droves, to the Greens and Mana parties.
[lprent: Fixed links – watch out for the trailing ‘ on links. ]
Here is a thought, following on what you say, David H, and the many posts questioning Shearer’s leadership. Someone, I’ve forgotten who, said in one of those posts, that Helen’s favoured successor’s were in turn Steve Maharey and David Cunliffe, but Phil ended up with the job. And it seems to me that this left/right battle for control of the LP has been going on for some time, and has become a public issue since the right had to turn to an inexperienced man to retain their slender hold. It is said that Shearer has no position. I think that his position is to try to be loyal to the right wingers who want him there, to keep the left at bay.
No doubt these people have their reasons for thinking as they do: that there is no going back, that lefties do not attract business donations, etc, etc. What they need to face is that most people who want to see a LP “modernised” to fit the right wing agenda actually want the poor, the low paid, etc. to have no voice, despite their being mercilessly screwed. This is not a moral position for a LP to be in, and it would also be a dangerous one if Australia stopped serving as a safety valve.
Stuff have a poll on the Labour Leadership issue if anyone is interested.
And the Herald have one too.
Oh, see how evil Shearer is! What nonsense.
Don’t you people who hate Shearer see how delighted Matthew Hooton and Duncan Garner are with you? If I were you, that would worry me – if the actual right want Shearer to go, and they very very obviously do, then ask oyurself why they want him gone? Maybe you’ve been had?
Vicky: I have yet to see evidence that Shearer is of the left, and that is what worries me. The Labour Party has been hijacked before. And Matthew Hooton has largely showed approval of Shearer’s leadership.
I suppose you didn’t hear him on Radio NZ yesterday, then! đ
He was rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of the leadership challenge that he just knows (an insider told him, he said when challenged) is coming.
Ask yourself, why does Hooton cream his jeans at the ;idea of a leadership challenge?
Standatdistas has been campaigning against Shearer for most of this year, and I have never been able to understand why. Someone months ago, even pointed out that an anti-Shearer post deliberately misquoted DS, and yet no one gave a monkeys (except, it would seem for me, and for Labour people out there in the real world.)
Ah no. If you have a look at the authors, some are for him for one reason or another and some are against for some reason or another. Ditto with the commentators. I suspect you’re mistaking “volume” for reasoning and failing to read what people are actually saying. Hell I wrote a post explaining it.
In my case I questioned the competence of someone with only a couple of years in parliament to run the parliamentary caucus. He was a neophyte in a area that I have never seen people get competent at in less than 5-6 years as a simple MP. So far he hasn’t shown any signs of exceeding that speed. Quite simply he is at about 3 years now and starting to look like a MP rather than a PM. It is pretty good progress – just not useful to the party who might have to win an early election (if I was a Nat, I’d be calculating when to give John Banks to the police and lose a confidence motion).
Sure John Key became leader after three and a half years. But he was lucky enough to come in just after the Nat’s had repaired most of the party and parliamentary damage from the 1999 and 2002 elections and had nearly won the 2005 and they had a clear campaign strategy underway. There was a pretty experienced and supportive team who helped him a lot. Watching him in 2006 and even 2007 was like watching a fledging try to fly.
With David Shearer this year it has been more like watching him learning how to break the egg.
I question is why the loons in caucus stuck David Shearer in that position with what looks like very limited experienced support. But it has been on a par with some of the other wierdo decisions from caucus over the past few years. I’m annoyed with it.
They saw the icing on the cake (his back-story) and forgot to take into account… whether the ingredients underneath had reached a sufficient mix of knowledge and experience for the job.
My quarrel is not with David Shearer. Its with those in caucus who, in my view, were not thinking of him but rather themselves.
Exactly.
And Shearer himself should have said, thanks but no thanks, I’ll take my turn when I’ve time under my belt and it’s right to do so.
The same is the lack of discipline within the caucus, given the experience of many of those who have self inflicted harm on the party. Mallard, Jones and those who with experience that have been a no show Horomia, Prasad, King. With 34 MP’s there is a dearth of “Team” and it appears to be a few solo efforts holding the party together. Labours issue is not all Shearers but lack of commitment from the dead wood.
I never knew Hooten wants Shearer gone…do you have a link for that (I actually thought he was scared of having Cunliffe as the leader)…Garner I’m not surprised, he’s a political journalist, so he naturally wants political action (I’m not of the opinion that Garner is really that much into National, I’ve always thought of him as being quite fair between Labour and National, despite what some claim here)
No, I don’t have a link. But he said as much on Radio NZ yesterday.
What craziness. Garner is not too bad, David Shearer is a rightist. Honestly, what has become of the Standard?
most of these blog posts from Garner are anti-National, the fewer times he focuses on Labour he is just as critical of them. I dunno where this idea of a National-bias from Garner comes from. Especially considering he works for media works…and he quit their weekend morning politics bore-fest because it sucks big time. Most of the time he’s pointing out that there is little difference between National and Labour.
I can’t be bothered listening to Hooten…here is an article from him backing Shearer. Hooten wants a lame duck running Labour
Those are his more recent ones – at least at first. Â Garner often spins in the government, or right wing favour: e.g. when analysing TV3 polls. Â He favours Shearer over Cunliffe, and tends to repeat the smears against Cunliffe.
Also, something else I had been thinking about incorporating in a blog post on the MSM, and never got to it. Â Mediaworks repaid its loan to the government back at the beginning of October.Â
How much has that coincided with the likes of Campbell regaining his critical edge?
true…I remember that half-story about Cunliffe that came across as a school yard rumour. That was some b-grade journalism there.
The mediaworks loan relating to channel 3’s critique of the Government would be interesting. I remember years ago when Clark was boosting funding to TVNZ (TVNZ7, Heartland, NZ on air etc) it appeared that she was getting preferential coverage from them – obviously this ended with the nanny-state nonsense around 07-08…not sure if the funding dried up then?
I dunno if what I’ve just written is accurate, just a hunch. Not sure how TVNZ has changed much since TVNZ7 got cut…but I guess if the wages of those in power at TVNZ has increased then who cares if the only channel worth watching gets cut…fat cats and all that.
To say nothing of Rachael Smalley she got real smarts there. As proved when she interviewed Hone.
Vicky
Sometimes the easiest explanation is the one right in front of you.
A few may “hate Shearer”, but I certainly don’t, and I reckon that goes for most of his critics. We just don’t think he should be leader of the Labour party.
We don’t reach this conclusion by worrying about what Matthew Hooten wants us to think. We get there by observing David Shearer.
I don’t think he should be a ballet dancer or All Black either. Doesn’t mean I hate him. Just exercising the brain. Evidence in, conclusion out.
Shearer would make an excellent Crown Minister in his 2nd or 3rd full term as an MP.
We’ll see what kind of a director he is in the new year ….
(Which is where everyone’s fear really lives)
Trundling along on Planet Shearer as usual…
DH: Â Are you referring to this article: ‘Shearer plays down leadership row‘, by Claire Trevett.? Â Your links go to the NZH main page. Â
They are also running a poll on whether he should stand down, beside the article – no rrecorded votes as yet.
It crossed my mind this morning that Labour may well have gifted itself an ‘enfant terrible’. I don’t know if that’s quite the right expression, but bashing on…How democratically inclined is a person, simply used to being ensconced in a bureaucracy, likely to be? How likely is years of working in unaccountable bureaucracies likely to foster a mentality along the lines of – “Those ‘poor underlings’ know nothing about how I know what’s good for them. But for them and their better interests, I will persevere”
ARRRRRGG The links did’nt work. Thats what you get for trying to be tidy.
Nonsense should be http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10846967
SBJ should be http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10846365
Can some one please fix.
I’ve been noticing a few broken links lately on TS – they all have an errant apostrophe at the end. Is that a cut and paste issue?
I’ve been having a problem with the WYSIWYG buttons. Â The blockquote button puts the command around the whole comment, not just the highlighted text. Â I have to go to the html view to sort it out.
WYSIWYG doesn’t work propery in Safari. I find it’s fine in Firefox (mac)
I’ve been using Chrome a lot lately.
It is on my fix list. But the Feed panel was requested by Irish in 2010 according to my notes…..
Nearly through the bugs and features at work – ETA is about 2 weeks for the release of product 2 code.
What I want to do is to drop the tinymce/wysiwg approach and use something a lot simpler more like the the comment editor in the backend. But I have been accumulating holidays while Lyn has been using her’s for festivals and the like. I’ll have to use some of them up shortly and do a site refresh.
Yes. From the incoming side. Just comment to call them to our attention and someone will fix them eventually.
How could he know if the blogs were nonsense if he doesn’t read them? đ
He also says the authors here are “feeding off each other” – a similar claim as Farrar’s “co-ordinated strategy to de-stabilise”. Is Shearer running Farrar’s attack lines?
Unless he can prove inside knowledge, perhaps using the footage from a secret camera, the precendent set by The Standard moderation could ban Shearer for implying a hive-mind to a machine. Who’s to say he is not already among us? đŻ
The past three days have given us two further definitions of the word, discussion:
1) co-ordinated strategy to destabilise
2) feeding off each other.
Is Shearer running Farrar’s attack lines? C’mon Uturn, that’s about as silly as Pete George claiming that I’m Shearer’s advisor. RFLMAO Oh how the lines are becoming seriously blurred on this issue. Warning! I just linked to Whaleoil again… Let the cleansing begin.
Ooooh, somebody doesn’t like you, Jackal. You must doing good work! I note that PG is still fixated with my contribution to his downfall, namechecking me in his (sort of) humorous response to the PG5000 joke on Imperator Fish. I think you can take the hatred displayed against you on Whale oil in the same way; proof that you are hitting them where it hurts.
Thanks Te Reo Putake. Yes! The PG5000 is indeed a diabolical super-weapon the likes of which we’ve never seen before. It’s also well past its warranty. Here’s the post we’re talking about btw people: A Day In The Life Of That Labour MP. Excellent!
It’s true, there’s no way Shearer is part of a Nat conspiracy…
…or is he?
đŻ
I suggest an immediate purge of commenters who like to throw mangoes.
As an aside, “feeding off each other” is completely different to a coordinated campaign.
  Â
The difference is like between an angry mob that happens to clock off and a gang of bank robbers. The mob mills around, pushes against itself, and basically herds in the direction of least resistance. Robbers move on an objective according to a plan, use targeted force against obstacles, and have a clear endpoint in mind.Â
So… they’ve got you too. I’m not sure who they are anymore, but they’re good…
Must be Vorlons then.
Paranoia much? Honestly, this place has gone insane.
Who did Shearer offend? The identity politics crowd is my guess.
Hi David. Yes, our discussion IS nonsense apparently. Check out this story in the Dom Post:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/7941813/Shearer-confident-knives-won-t-come-out
Comments posted by Eddie on The Standard are quoted. Shearers response is “thats basically people sitting in front of their computers giving their opinions and continuing to drive the discussion of it (his leadership) up”. I found that quite offensive, arrogant and pretty rude given that he is referring to potential Labour supporters and voters. I’ve left a comment on that article but my comments on fairfax only get posted about 50% of the time. I’d encourage others to post on this story. How else are we going to ge them to listen?
Rosie, looks like your comment is the first up this time. Â Well said. And this “whispering” meme is nasty and wrong.
Karol, the choice of the word ‘whispering’ got me. Shades of “innoculation” ala crobsy textor/Nat stylez?
We know how to SHOUT online. Not sure about whispering. Is this a whisper? {or this?}
When I read Shearer’s words, ‘whispering’ to me sounds like something that happens at parliament when people want to talk about something but don’t want to be overheard. It’s a strange choice of word to apply to the internet, where in this case authors and commenters at TS are being quite loud and open. Maybe it’s just a case of Shearer not understanding how the internets work. Or having advisors who don’t quite get it either.
I can’t post I get an error every time, and NO matter how much I E-Mail them, they won’t fix it.
Don’t bother trying – Shearer just proved that, no matter what you do, he isn’t listening.
Sigh. Yeah, I know DTB, or rather, I give up. I think he is in head in sand territory. Privately he might be in head in hands territory but can’t find the way to front up and face it.
thats basically people sitting in front of their computers
I think he’s going for some kind of riff on “interviewing their keyboards”. However the problem for Shearer – or whoever came up with that line – is that a hell of a lot of people spend quite a bit of their day “sitting in front of their computers”. We’ve got Stuff Nation, for fuck’s sake. That’s a lot of “ordinary New Zealanders” with their fingers typing away, it’s hardly nerds-only territory …
It also runs counter to his statement last week: “Now we’ve all got Skype”.
That would be news to a lot of Labour voters.
It is to laugh, as Bugs Bunny says. When I first questioned the anti-Shearer hate campaign when it got started at the beginning of the year, I was informed that the anti-Shearer people are all Greenies, therefore generally more honest, decent, etc, than Labour people…
(Richer too, and that’s not to be sneezed at, he?)
All the crocodile tears for beneficiaries from the anti-Shearer people make me projectile vomit.
Hi Vicky at post # 3.6.4. You’ve quoted me and in the same sentence you’ve referred to the “anti Shearer hate campaign”. Just because I and many others can’t support Shearer as the leader of the opposition doesn’t mean I/we/whoever hate him. It’s not personal, its practical. I’m not into hating up on folks. I save hate (as a form of disempowerment, frustration and anger) for very special occasions, such as our current govt, not for those I would normally stand beside.
Also, please don’t assume that all Green supporters are rich. You might be heading into stereotype territory there. I support the Greens, always have, and respect their work but I’m as broken arse as they come. No, I’m not a beneficiary but at the same time its not crocodile tears I’ve shed, as you’ve pointed out that the “anti Shearer campaign” have done. It is genuine despair that I feel that at the way that mostly Key, Bennett, retards of NZ inc and Co, but also Shearer have belittled and attacked their fellow NZers. It really sucks. Labour have left their roots Vicky and I’m only about the gazillionth person to say it. I wish that wasn’t the case and I’d still love to vote for them but with Shearer in charge I can’t. Its feels crappy and a bit sad.
Don’t know if you saw 3news tonight but Clayton Cosgrove dismissed journalists questions about the validity of the Labour Party leadership as “its just the blogosphere”. If thats how they respond to their potential and actual voter base can you really trust them to respect you as a voter?
Well, I am a beneficiary, and not one of the ‘good’ ones (I am not brown, I am not a solo mother (any more) or under 25.) When the rubber meets the road, to use a cliche, Shearer has helped me and others, with issues we have had with Housing NZ and with WINZ, and that matters more to me than his being perfectly politically correct.
As for what Cosgrove said, no, I didn’t hear it (I don’t watch 3 News, I listen to it) but from what I see around me, and what I hear, he was correct. Afaik, it is the blogosphere.
Oddly, I find myself wishing very much that I did come into one of the favoured categories – if I were under 25 I’d have a much better chance of getting a job. The new owner of the language school, that I wrote about on Friday, fired all the previous staff, and everyone he hired to replace them is under 25, and everyone fired, was over 40. I was in there today, with one of those fired staff, she was collecting her property, and I was providing moral support. We spoke to one of the students, and her whispered comment (as the new owner was ear-wigging) about her new teacher was “She’s very young, isn’t she?” Keith seems not to have realised that international students have no faith in teachers who are younger than they are, and that hiring 18-23 year olds because you can pay them in washers is not such a crash-hot idea.
Well as I wrote earlier A Green / Mana / Labour decimated and all the deadwood gone Hmm Not such a bad outcome after all.
From memory, Labours polling after Clark had been leader for about a year were hovering just below 20%. Should the paryt have dumped her then?
No, they shouldn’t have dumped a former deputy PM and experienced politician with a strong base in the party, a formidable intellect, an impressive grasp of the issues and a total commitment to self-discipline, and the authority to discipline others.
But they should dump David Shearer, because he isn’t any of those things.
Except when she was interviewing and things did not go as Herr Helen liked, then the tears and blathering would come out.
Wonder where she leant such discipline anyway, and wonder if she really thought the faux marriage to the dodgy pervert actually fooled anyone that it was not about hiding both their sexuality from the public. Media sure did a cracking job sitting on that for so many years, and still now it doesnt get much mention. Nah its not about Helens preferences, thats fine, and her business, its about the lies!
Helen Clarke, got as high up at the UN because she is a “great politician & human being”, and contributed so much to humanity! /sarc
Argh, the lies people accept!
PS – Cunliffe has got far too much inside knowledge, having been a member of the Clarke governement, there will be little he is not aware of….How effective can he be given he is part of the establishment, therefore accomplice to the corruption which rules our parliamentary system!
That was two decades ago. There are voters alive today who weren’t even born then and they’ve grown up on twitter and blogs. I may not like it, but it’s a fact. Even assuming that Shearer’s a nice guy (and so what?… and I don’t think that a bene-basher is, BTW), he’s simply not effective in this age. Obama won by knowing who the voters are, not what they “should” be.
Actually, you just broke them in a different way – the NZH doesn’t use trailing / on their URLs.
David, your prediction for 2014 is the best argument I have seen for having Shearer as Labour leader.
You know it may not be so bad after all. Just 2 ticks GREEN.
Well that’d be a tick wasted, David. The Greens are not going to win an electorate seat.
They have before.
Thank you. I will.
Excellent report by Eugenie Sage: The Green Party Minority Report – Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill. Â It incorporates responses from some public submissions on the Bill. Â
Particularly of concern are the cutting back of the kinds of activities local councils are involved in (focus on “core” services) , increased government intervention, increasing the power of mayors
The main things the Green Party opposes:Â
Also, important is the fact that the proposed changes are not supported by relevant evidence:
And, Lynn, I got to this document (and other significant web pages/articles/posts) from the new RSS feeds on the right – very useful, thank-you.
National hates democracy though, unless it suits their interests.
Gaynz editorial: open letter to John Key [on gay red shirt issue].
It explains why the use of such language is an important political issue, and slams the Nats on their anti-gay record.
Â
Nearly half their party are homophobic if we take the recent gay marriage vote as evidence.
I’d re-examine that if I were you..
The systems are full of people who are being arm twisted into the decisions that are making, and you can apply this to other sectors which “govern, direct and dicate” our lives.
The question is, what are they being “arm twisted” about!
Very good editorial. Maybe we should start a trend of using the word Key to mean fuckwit. “Do you have to be such a Key?”
Blood in the water
It has been rather disconcerting to read some of the commentary about all round nice guy David Shearer recently, not least because it takes the focus off more important issues. Of particular concern is the amount of articles that completely write him off without a second chance, and as far as I can tell, without really giving any valid reasons for doing so…
I don’t know which articles you are talking about because the ones I’ve read acknowledge Shearer has had plenty of chances, and give logical, valid reasons for him stepping down. Your paragraph above reads like opinion dressed up as fact. By all means support Shearer, but please don’t make out that people who want him gone don’t have any valid reasons and haven’t given him a chance.
From your blog:
“Then thereâs the claim that Shearer doesn’t hold true to Labours principles, as apparently exhibited by the painter on the roof comments. Despite the various misrepresentation of what Shearer said, I think itâs safe to say that he does believe in a fair and equal society, as exhibited by the brevity and contents of his speeches and press releases. Claims that heâs somehow anti-welfare are quite obviously incorrect, and only promoted by the ignorant or those with a vested interest in seeing his political demise.”
I remember the intellectual tools you used to pull apart Paul Holmes utterances. Use those same tools on Shearers speeches and you’ll see what his detractors have been seeing since his first speech. If Shearer cannot understand basic political rhetoric, he has limited use as a spokesperson for anything. You may think this doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be a leader – a silent leader perhaps? Why not, any policy should be able to stand on it’s own regardles of who presents it.
If someone spends all their time saying something that seems hostile, something that can’t conclusively be proven to be so – since no one can ever truly know the contents and intent of another man’s mind and because words and logic can be pretty, but limited – the only thing left to do is wait and see what happens.
The problem many people have, is that they’ve spent their lives observing people they would prefer to be good – despite the indicators. They want and desperately need other people to be good, and choose it as default judgement. It’s called good faith and the world would be a much worse place if some people did not fight to uphold that concept. The line between good faith, naivety and romanticism becomes blurred when logic is dismissed entirely. People will hold out years, decades, to find the good they see in others and instead one day they find that it isn’t coming. They review the years of action and words and they have to face the fact it all adds up to a picture they wish didn’t exist. They’re then faced with a tough choice.
Experience and logic blind us to possibility, tie us to the known, strangle the life out of the new. Hope and naivety can make us creative visionaries, laying the foundation for advancements or just suckers for punishment. But reality is reality. When the moment comes that each person makes their own decision, there is no right or wrong, just a bet on a roll of the dice.
Fair enough Uturn, you make a compelling argument. Just a few things though… My pulling apart of Holmes’ rhetoric was mainly about his racism, and I see nothing similar in Shearer. I’m also aware that he does need to step up to the plate so to speak, but its policy in my opinion that Labour should focus on, not personality politics.
You’re entirely correct that what people want can cloud their vision of reality. However I don’t believe that’s the case with my observations on David Shearer, and I’m open to the possibility that he’s not right for the job. The main question remains largely unanswered though… Is there anybody better placed to achieve Labours victory at the next election, especially considering the instability caused by changing leaders now?
I wonder if they care about who we advocate for anyway, and after reading today’s Herald article “Shearer plays down leadership row”, it would appear that they don’t. Not much has changed in that respect since Helen Clark was in charge then. Pity!
In my opinion, throwing the dice on such things as leadership is not advisable… But I’ve more than chafed my bit on this issue. Let’s hope it all works out in the end.
I’m sure it will work out in the end.
On Shearer’s “racism” it could certainly be proven logically, but logic cannot prove if he intended to include a racist element, or whether it is a symptom of poor rhetoric i.e. the gaps in the message are so wide they could mean anything. The measure we normally use, “reasonable doubt”, would rest on a person’s perspective. It certainly isn’t at the same level of intent as Holmes openly saying maori – or anyone else – are this or that. Shearer’s constant promotion of Pakeha middle-class values and attitudes could be said to be racist. The environment he works in and the position he holds will encourage him to take that approach whether he wants to or not. This would be a difficult thing to escape for any politician in our system. Even Hone Harawira likes to play with the idea of Maori abandoning their roots for money and moving to Australia.
On the question of who is better placed to lead Labour to victory next election, if we agree that Labour’s policy is all that matters, it doesn’t matter who leads. It only matters who can promote the policy effectively, interpret it for all scenarios, to make it sound like it’s always fresh. Shearer could do the simple memorise-the-script exercise, but for whatever reason, he can’t re-fit it for all scenarios and variations. Then we get those explanations about what he really meant that meanader in contradictions. If winning is all that matters to Labour, all they need do is enforce an internal environment where everyone sticks to their area of concern, find one salesperson among them to take on the “leader role” and set them loose in the media. Then after they win they can go back to whatever they were up to, safe in the knowledge they have three years to sort it out.
I want an all round nice guy as a neighbour looking after my dogs for the weekend, and collecting my mail when I head on holiday for a week.
I’m annoyed with shearers attitude to the bloggers that question his leadership,after all it is a democratic right to question the leader of a party if you are not happy with him/her.
There are traditional labour supporters/voters/followers who comment on all sorts of blogs and
media outlets, are they nonsense too ?
Shearers next blog should be ignored as well.
“basically people sitting in front of their computers giving their opinions”
That says it all, really. A 14th century monarch could only agree.
Future definitions by David Shearer
“people coming along, giving their opinions” (= party conference)
“people answering the phone, giving their opinions” (= opinion polls)
“people with a piece of paper, giving their opinions” (= elections)
Damnit. The Recommend button for Facebook is dead again. No change to the code. I guess that they have changed something in the API yet again.
Fix this evening.
an interesting symbiosis between The Herald and The Standard today; all those links from the Shearer article: like magic
FYI.
Why have proven ‘anti-corruption’ civil society ‘whistleblowers not been invited to today’s launch of the NZ National Integrity System Assessment?
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/viclife/events/conferences/new-zealand-national-integrity-system-assessment
OPEN LETTER TO TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL NZ, THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL, VICTORIA UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNANCE AND POLICY STUDIES:
Today, in Wellington, you are ‘launching the New Zealand National Integrity System Assessment.
Leading us into the future’.
Your graphic illustrating ‘National Integrity Foundations’, covering ‘Politics – Society – Economy – Culture’ – shows thirteen ‘pillars’ upon which this ‘National Integrity’ is supposedly based.
These thirteen pillars include:
Legislature
Executive
Judiciary
Public Sector
Law Enforcement
Electoral Management Body
Ombudsman
Audit Institution
Anti-Corruptiion Agencies
Political Parties
Media
Civil Society
Business
Having studied your programme, and having checked the backgrounds of your speakers and facilitators, I fail to see one person who could be said to represent ‘Civil Society’?
(Perhaps not all ‘pillars’ are equal? Perhaps some ‘pillars’ are more significant than others?)
I say this an a recognised ‘Anti-corruption activist’ / ‘Whistleblower’ who has attended two significant Anti-Corruption Conferences – the Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference in Brisbane in 2009, and the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Conference in Bangkok in 2010.
My track record is proven in fighting for a genuinely ‘open, transparent and accountable’ NZ local and central government and judiciary.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/central-leader/21588/Hubbard-defends-big-water-bills
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10602660
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10655565
Had I known about this event – I would have made the effort to attend.
Not only was I not notified – it was only by chance that I even discovered that it was happening.
However, given my previous treatment by Transparency International NZ – I am not surprised that myself, and other ‘civil society / anti-corruption Public Watchdogs/ Whistleblowers’ were not notified.
In 2009, not only did Transparency International NZ refuse to accept me (and others) as a member (no reasons were given), but at the November 2009 AGM, after being denied access to the TINZ AGM address by the Attorney-General (which was open to non-members), again – with no reasons given, myself and judicial ‘Public Watchdog’ – Vince Siemer, were arrested for trespass.
http://kiwisfirst.co.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145845357#transparency-international-new-zealand
“TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL NEW ZEALAND ORDERS ARREST OF ANTI-CORRUPTION ADVOCATE
11 December 2009
In a stinging irony – on United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day no less – Chairman Gerald McGhie of Transparency International’s “autonomous” New Zealand chapter ordered Police to arrest public watchdog Penny Bright for trespassing at its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday. This was despite the government-funded group riding her coat-tails as a watchdog front ostensibly focused on increasing transparency and exposing corruption. Attendees were given pamphlets with the bold heading “CORRUPTION RUINS LIVES – FIGHT BACK”.
………………………….
________________________________________________________________________________
The Police later dropped the charges – but what sort of purported ‘anti-corruption’ organisation treats genuine ‘anti-corruption activists’ like that?
________________________________________________________________________________
It is with some concern that I note the prominent role being played in the establishment of this ‘National Integrity System’ by some of the major accountancy firms, such as Deloitte, KPMG, PwC – who arguably have a vested interest in New Zealand being ‘perceived’ as ‘the least corrupt country in the world’ – when the reality, in my considered opinion, is that New Zealand is actually a corrupt, polluted tax haven.
For example – to whom is the money going in New Zealand in the establishment of ‘foreign trusts’?
The role of international accountancy firms has been highlighted by internationally acknowledged experts such as Professor Prem Sikka, with whom I am in regular contact.
http://www.publishwhatyoupay.no/conference/speaker/prem-sikka
________________________________________________________________________________
FYI – I have ‘blown the whistle’, nationally and internationally, and sent the following post around the world on 10 November 2012:
To members of the international Tax Justice Network / separately to my latest Transparency International Secretariat and individual country ‘chapter’ list / to 70 World Bank folk whose addresses I found on the World Bank website / to all NZ MPs / to all Auckland Council elected reps (council + Local Boards) / NZ and some international media / NZ human rights groups …… etc….
Transparency International were in the middle of their 15th International Anti-Corruption Conference, and should be announcing any time soon their 2012 ‘Corruption Perception Index’.
(Which isn’t very transparent – given that it is based upon the subjective opinions of anonymous business people?)
……………………………………………….. ”
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
Oustanding – These events are the outward promotion of how currupted NZ actually is, and should be roundly protested for the sham society that we have, run by these wrong-uns.
Penny do you have the list of speakers, publish it, then let people play the association game, which involves cross checking the incestuous nature of those who spoke, their “network and business interests”, not to mention the stench of criminal activity which is what they seek to protect.
All the while lecturing outwardly to the masses about pillars, and integrity!
Phooey!
http://www.transparency.org.nz/National-Integrity-System-Assessment.htm
You can read the full nine yards here – the full OPEN LETTER I sent to most of those participating in today’s National Integrity System launch: THANK YOU INDYMEDIA! http://www.indymedia.org.nz/submissions/394
Penny Bright
Shearer backed by Norman and Winston will lead the country after the next election.
Shearer will make a good job of our Prime Minister as he grows with the role.
The Nats simply cannot coddle enough MMP seats to retain a third term, so it is natural fall to Labour.
Government ignores responsibility and demonstrates little concern for job losses:
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/defending-indefensible.html
My goodness, I just realised I’m wondering where the next Roy Morgan poll is, nay even eagerly anticipating it! I must go and get some fresh air…
3 News is Little America again… sigh…
In an item about the BBC, the reporter refers to someone walking out of an interview because he was behind ‘sked-yool’… đ
Then, they make a point of referring to Mr McAfee, of anti-virus fame, being wanted for murder, as “Briddish Born”… perish the thought that a murderer could be American – even though Stuff refers to him as a US citizen. It’s not a big deal, but it just struck me as bizarre.Â
Wikipedia thinks he is an American…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McAfee
Now, Hil’ry Berry is banging on about the leadership challenge to Shearer. The Standard wants Shearer to go, says the reporter.
Well, I for one, don’t want Shearer gone!
Â
I was a cautious supporter of Shearer, then I got a bit iffy about him, but I now think that he should stay. It’s all well and good to say, ‘let’s stick Cunliffe in’, but what if he turns out a dissapointment, do we ditch him and appoint someone else? Do we just go through Robertson, Ardern, Little, Curran? The ALP tends to do that, and look where that got them…
Perhaps the likes of Mallard, Dyson, King, etc needs to go instead.
Anyone notice that Matt McCarten didnt have his column in the HoS Sunday?
I did. I hope he hasn’t taken a turn for the worse.
Nice work getting the TV promos guys, not a cent spent? …. sweet M8! O-:
Whats next ? ….
More links in the Herald/Truth/KiwiBlog etc etc etc ?
A set “The Standard” as your homepage promo maybe ?
“The Standard” Flyers at the Bank/Post Office/Pub/Cafe ?
The Dreaded email campaign ? )-|
…
H8 me yet anyone ? (-:
4000 more hits this month, not bad Lads but we can do better!
No More HypnoToad!!
Union tables in the Standard from a foggy memory 25 years ago …..
Yep, the Standard should be able to hit an order of magnitude above that. A little bit more marketing and self promotion and some interesting things will happen.
I wouldn’t mind reading some of the older The Standard publications from the 1930’s onwards. It would be interesting to compare what they were writing about then to today’s topics. Wonder if there are any old copies lying around the place?
I have one borrowed copy, 1938 I think. I mean to scan it (so I can return it), then start posting articles from it. Must get on to that…
Laugh at Romney
Chris Trotter is at it with his myopia again.
“To appreciate fully the inhumanity of [unemployment] you have to see the hurt and despair in the eyes of a man suddenly told he is redundant without provision made for suitable alternative employment . . . Someone, somewhere has decided he is unwanted, unneeded, and is to be thrown on the industrial scrap heap. ”
It isn’t only men who are made redundant Chris. What about the large number of single parent, working women, who are not only likely to be underpaid relative to men when they are working, but as the sole support if a family, both they and the children suffer from any redundancy. There simply isn’t the same number of single parent families headed by males, so when a male loses a job there is likely to be another potential income earning adult in the household.
BTW I know that redundancy is dreadful for anybody, but it seems Chris limits his sympathy to only one group. His workers seem to consist of only adult males, nobody young, nobody female. Perhaps he’d like to reflect on the groups that returned Obama to power.
The problem about New Zealand RB is NZ’ers are cowards when it comes to protesting and standing up against the elites and the government, as a result our occupy movement only contained a few determined students and lecturers. Remember it was the left that opposed the Springbok tour, while the right such as John Key stood silent and only saw rugby balls in their eyes. Why is society so scared to come out on the streets, like in Spain, Greece or even the US?
My guess is because New Zealand is conditioned to shut up and do what it is told, blindly follow and ignore social injustice. Most New Zealanders ignore politics and party away, ignoring the beggar on the street. But when they fall on hard times only then do they realize the truth, that most of the country have forgotten what compassion, empathy or community really is. National’s religion is selfishness, as is the religion of their supporters.
KC – You are spot on…
You can see the mentality here by those who think that blogging means anything, or makes a genuine differnce..
What the internet does, is allows people into a false sense of contribution and involvement, when in fact the “elite” will be more than happy with people sitting on their arses typing shit which is not making a difference!
Hell, just take a look at what the Greeks et al are getting from their real life protests, SFA other than another good hiding and some tear gas, rubber bullets and riot police!
Yeah, typing words is really making the world of difference here!
Maybe Chris might like to consider writing from the perspective of Christine Trotter.
FOR FRAKS SAKE
Shall I attempt a rewrite to satisfy the Labour Party/Liberal Left’s minimum PC quotient requirement for fully inclusive language?
Now that we’ve hit the minimum PC quotient for fully inclusive language, can we get on with the FRAKING POINT that Trotter was trying to make – that being made redundant with no alternatives hurts and causes despair to the person it happens to.
No wonder Labour/the Left is nowhere and going fast.
By the way. In his Sickness Bene Bashing speech did Shearer specify that the bene in question was male, female, transgendered? Because it’s very important that you don’t bash people in an inequitable way.
Thanks for that public broadcast from “Waitakere Man”.Â
And thanks for confirming my point.
Meh.
    Â
I just don’t see why you’d be outraged that people are pointing out the hypocrisy of complaining about social maltreatment in our society while reinforcing other forms of social maltreatment.Â
I think I made it pretty damn clear why I was “outraged” McFlock: but feel free to continue supporting the languaging police against social maltreatment .
I suppose Labour doesn’t want the Waitakere Man vote anyways.
Or the Waikato Man vote or the Taranaki Man vote or the Wairarapa Man vote or the Marlborough Man vote or the McKenzie Man vote or the Taupo Man vote, or the Otago Man Vote or the Southland Man vote or the Hawkes Bay Man vote or the King Country Man vote.
Oh look! Labour hardly holds any seats in each of those areas, what a co-incidence!
Oh, well then. Shearer should probably amend the RMA so putting cowshit in our rivers isn’t a problem.
Or are you suggesting that the only way to get any vote is to pretend other portions of the country don’t exist? I see Robert Moulden is of voting age. Maybe you want Shearer to buy some spray paint?
I agree with your anger at the counterproductive nature of mindless stereotypes. I’ve squealed about them before myself. The point is that a politically constructed derogatory term that simply uses a place name and a gender is the highest level of stupid. It will capture individuals who might ally themselves with a supportive point of view and instead isolates them. Doesn’t matter if the term is Urban Gays, Northland Maori, Taranaki Man, The Disabled or Housewives. It’s lazy and stupid. It could be argued that those isolated types should then just magically find the bridge to freedom themselves, detaching their identity from their past, but it takes time – longer than a three year term. It could be argued that no one can be allied with an ideology that can only end in the death or oppression of the ally. If that person defers to good faith, they can then see that a person can support the good in another’s ideas, without disabling their own self-preservation. This is the trouble created by politicians simulating enemies to push against, just so there is a point to illuminate or something to say. There is a faster, more direct, plain english way. For example:
âTo appreciate fully the inhumanity of [unemployment] you have to see the hurt and despair in the eyes of a person suddenly told they’re redundant without provision made for suitable alternative employment . . . Someone, somewhere has decided they’re unwanted, unneeded, and is to be thrown on the industrial scrap heap. â
The scope for understanding within the article is then widened considerably – especially for the author. It brings all people together for a shared the message, also tending to details of difference. In our current time of crisis, sharing the known effects of defunct beliefs is important. Yes, sections of society have it tougher than others. The article could deal with each in turn, or defer those who have a direct understanding; once again showing how not having a livelihood can effect anyone and illustrating beliefs that contribute to covert hurdles.
The recent marriage amendmnet bill was an excellent example of this approach. It was about equality under law for all people to marry. It did not force those who did not want to marry some people to go against their wishes. By not forcing other people to do anything differently than they already did, it did not further divide an already divided people into smaller groups. By not forcing other people, did it suppress the voice of a minority? Not at all.
Talking about things, at a higher political level, that collectively effect all people does not actively silence minority voices or make social prejudice go away. If a party or political faction wavering at 30% in the polls thinks dividing 30% by anything is going to help them win, they better think again.
Well said, CV!
Because of course it’s simply impossible to construct that paragraph using the all-inclusive word person. đ
For the fourth straight day, Israeli airstrikes are pounding Gaza.
Yesterday, Gaza’s main resistance factions, including the Big Two of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, offered a truce if Israel “stops its aggression”.
The Israeli answer has been â more airstrikes.
And there are indications that Tel Aviv is seriously calculating a major military offensive against the Palestinian enclave.
Yesterday, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting of Israel’s foreign ambassadors in what was widely seen as a mission to claim international sympathy for an onslaught against Gaza.
Israel’s leading daily newspaper said Washington had already green-lighted such an Israeli operation.
It remains to be seen how much is politicking and bluff by Netanyahu and his inner cabinet, and how much is a real escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the Zionist regime in Tel Aviv.
Kia Ora Gaza’s website, kiaoragaza.net, has been carrying multiple daily reports on these potentially serious developments. Here’s a link to their latest story, courtesy of the Palestinian news agency Ma’an:
http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/israel-airstrikes-pound-gaza/
Don’t complain about Israel, they’ve now initiated artillery direct attacks on Assad positions in Syria, so they’re the good guys, right?