Open mike 14/04/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 14th, 2019 - 139 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

139 comments on “Open mike 14/04/2019 ”

  1. reason 1

    I put this viedeo link up for Wild Katipo …. after she called a shitty poster a wolf

    The music starts about 6 mins 48 secs

    The Wolf and bear ….. 11 mins 55 secs

    I would describe the music as …. 2 minutes to midnight rock …… as the end depicts

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMMwBrlwmzI

    • Jenny - How to get there? 1.1

      A 1930s nazi style propaganda newsreel?

      What the….

      Do you really think this is good?

      Intellectually challenged skin heads and fascists love this stuff.

      Are you putting this stuff up as a parody or what?

      http://www.amateinitiative.com/new_wave_of_neo_nazis_take_inspiration_from_russia_and_assad_not_nazi_germany

      • Psycho Milt 1.1.1

        Intellectually challenged skin heads and fascists love this stuff.

        As do intellectually-challenged socialists. It’s called horseshoe theory.

        • Morrissey 1.1.1.1

          I see that one of the impeccably researched references in your horseshit link includes a farrago of abuse aimed at the Jewish intellectual Antony Loewenstein from one Tzvi Fleischer of the extreme right wing AIJAC.

          Keep it up Milt—a talkback hosting spot on NewstalkZB is the natural next step after all your hard work.

          • Psycho Milt 1.1.1.1.1

            If my assessment of the merits of a particular theory were based on how Morrissey feels about one or other of the people involved, perhaps I’d care about that.

            • Morrissey 1.1.1.1.1.1

              That’s no defence of your putting up a link to an extreme right wing group to support your horseshit talk.

              Not your best day so far, my friend.

              • Removing a duplicate comment

              • Wikipedia’s an extreme right-wing group, now?

                • Morrissey

                  No, of course not. But extreme right groups like AIPAC are often unwittingly swept up and quoted by otherwise level-headed and sensible commentators. As has happened, sadly, in comment 1.1.1 on this thread.

                  • Shadrach

                    Why don’t you actually attempt to refute the theory then, rather than shoot the messenger. For example it would be easy to write a lot of people on the left off as nutters, but that would be the easy option. Much better to actually consider and critique the respective arguments, don’t you think?

                    • reason

                      Shadrach …… who posts things like …. ‘ most muslims are fundamentalists and incompatible with our society ”

                      and …. ‘ Its radical Islam preachers who are to blame for the rise in attacks on Muslims’

                      And who tried the anti semite smear on Ilhan Omar ….

                      Your an idiot worth ignoring Shadrach …. or do you stand by your views ?????

                      https://twitter.com/MesutOzil1088/status/1110170205748187136

                    • Shadrach

                      ‘ most muslims are fundamentalists and incompatible with our society ”
                      and …. ‘ Its radical Islam preachers who are to blame for the rise in attacks on Muslims’

                      I have never stated I hold those beliefs. Ever. What I have said is that Islam, as practised in countries with Islamic governments, is incompatible with a modern liberal democracy, but then that is self evident (https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/iranian-who-removed-headscarf-sentenced-to-year-in-prison/ar-BBVVB6H?ocid=spartanntp).

                      Muslims, on the other hand, are welcome in my country and my neighbourhood, because most that come to NZ are actually trying to escape those tyranny’s.

                      Oh and it’s a bit rich you quoting a mega-rich footballer who probably knows nothing of the consequences of Islamic extremism. I’m sure his personal security apparatus keeps him well away from danger.

      • reason 1.1.2

        Jenny_how to be Asshat …. The woman who cried wolf ….. and claimed Asshat was to blame for our christchurch subhuman supremacist murder spree .

        To quote jenny_ how to be MadAss… ” ” The attack in Christchurch was conducted on the anniversary of the beginning of the popular revolt against Assad, by a gunman who self describes as a fascist””

        Talk about some sicko propaganda Jenny_how to be cracked ass … and she did not stop there.

        ” “Jo Cox was assassinated by a fascist gunman because she supported the Syrian people against the regime.”

        Jen Jenny ……..Watch this video that made joe90 start hating on me …. As my main complaint is it conflates the murderer and chemical weapons user ( with help from the usa & Britian ) …. Saddam with Gadaffi …..

        Gadaffi was no Saddam

        https://www.bitchute.com/video/hUaWa8L9YPXL/

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww5jScH4fXY&fbclid=IwAR2z2eBN3Yek_9_CO82lZA7oAMhDIz2w5tkrhdqyTgtYgZqDQXX-J_RQgfw

        • Jenny - How to get there? 1.1.2.1

          https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11-04-2019/#comment-1606325

          reason 1.4
          11 April 2019 at 12:15 pm

          ….Jenny like Wayne Mapp has some peculiar posting habits which makes me doubt their sincerity or remorse over innocent people being killed…. that they have had a hand in.

          But even Wayne would not touch this garbage …. ” Jo Cox was assassinated by a fascist gunman because she supported the Syrian people against the regime.”

          “The attack in Christchurch was conducted on the anniversary of the beginning of the popular revolt against Assad, by a gunman who self describes as a fascist.”

          “The normalisation and acceptance of fascism in Syria has emboldened and empowered fascists everywhere.” ……

          Reason tries to conflate me with Wayne Mapp as somehow being implicated in Operation Burnham and the killing of innocent Afghan villagers

          Jenny like Wayne Mapp has some peculiar posting habits which makes me doubt their sincerity or remorse over innocent people being killed…. that they have had a hand in.

          In no way can it be imagined that I had a hand in innocent people being killed, this is a smear, not a fact.

          ” Jo Cox was assassinated by a fascist gunman because she supported the Syrian people against the regime.”

          Jo Cox supported the Syrian people’s revolt against the Assad regime, this is a verifiable fact.

          That fascists world wide support Assad’s genocidal war against his own people, is a verifiable fact.

          That the attack in Christchurch was carried out on the internationally recognised anniversary of the start of the Syrian revolt against Assad, is a verifiable fact.

          That the killer of Jo Cox and Heather Heyer and the killer in Christchurch and Norway all self identified as “fascists” is a verifiable fact.

          “The normalisation and acceptance of fascism in Syria has emboldened and empowered fascists everywhere.”

          Possibly this last by me, could be termed a judgment call, but it is more than backed up by a mass of evidence that indicates this.

          http://www.amateinitiative.com/new_wave_of_neo_nazis_take_inspiration_from_russia_and_assad_not_nazi_germany

          New Wave of Neo-Nazis Take Inspiration from Russia and Assad, not Nazi Germany

          The recent wave of neo-Nazism, most prominently evident in North America, has adopted traditional Nazi symbolism such as swastikas and Nazi salutes like “blood and soil.” Yet this movement has less to do with Nazi Germany, and much more to do with current political players such as Russia, Bashar al-Assad, and even ISIS….

          The Facebook page of James Alex Fields, the white nationalist charged with the murder of Heather Hayer after he rammed a car into demonstrators in Charlottesville, is a dystopian microcosm of the kind of propaganda that populates the minds of these neo-Nazis. Among the plethora of images of swastikas, memes of Trump, and Pepe the Frog, Assad had a seemingly out of place presence on the white supremacist’s social media page. In one photo, Assad is depicted in full military uniform with the caption “UNDEFEATED.”

          Yet Fields is not alone in his admiration for Assad in the growing neo-Nazi movement. In a video posted on Buzzfeed reporter Brandon Wall’s Twitter feed, three other men who took part in the Charlottesville hate rally are shown proudly affirming their support for Assad. One of them wears a t-shirt with the slogan “Bashar’s Barrel Delivery Co”, and says “support the Syrian Arab army and [expletive] fight against the globalists”, while the man filming replies with “Assad did nothing wrong” and “barrel bombs, hell yeah!”

          Assad’s rise to popularity among America’s neo-Nazis perhaps began when David Duke tweeted in support of the Syrian president, describing him as an “amazing leader” and “a modern day hero standing up to demonic forces seeking to destroy his people and nation.” The series of tweets was accompanied by an image of Assad, in dark glasses and military apparel, similar to the one shared by Fields….

    • cleangreen 1.2

      reason regarding your post on 1

      “I put this video link up for Wild Katipo …. after she called a shitty poster a wolf”

      After watching the video this is my sentiments;

      I think It is wise to see both sides of every story no matter what uncomfortable it seems to be watching the movie clip.

      History is the founding evidence we need to plan a better way forward.

      “There are none for dumb than those who will see or hear.”

      Or maybe you may prefer; – “ignorance is bliss”

      Or; – “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.”

      For example, She decided not to read the critics’ reviews-ignorance is bliss.

      Although its truth may be dubious at best, this idea has been expressed since ancient times.

      The actual wording, however, comes from Thomas Gray’s poem, “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College” (1742): “Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.”

    • Incognito 1.3

      I note that you still cannot walk without questionable video clips as your crutches.

      If you have a point to make, make it, and do so without the blatant innuendo.

      Are you fishing for approval or support from other commenters for your crusade?

      This is similar comments in three OMs in a row and it is becoming repetitive and boring.

      • reason 1.3.1

        The thing with gummy bear posting … is to put across your / my arguement …. in response to the fish mongers and all their red herrings ….

        I like linking to people who put across my points of view better than myself …. and often with more information.

        Like this video on Assange …. As it was James and julian assange that got incognito talking to me.

        So we talk about Assange or james … or Wayne Mapp… aye incog ?
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjNVJMvw7oU

        • Incognito 1.3.1.1

          I like linking to people who put across my points of view better than myself …. and often with more information.

          I find that a feeble excuse for not making an effort to put forward your point in your own words. And talking of “red herrings”, since when are clips of Julian Assange or whatever relevant to your comments dedicated to having a go at other commenters here because they, in your opinion, are “blatantly reprehensible” and “fish mongers” [sic]? Julian Assange has got nothing to do with your behaviour here! Please don’t conflate the people you link to with the commenters that you feel outraged about.

          You’re continuing to act like a stalker with halitosis when you called Shadrach an idiot @ 1:14 pm and also had a go at Jenny @ 1:05 pm.

          Please address the issue at hand without resorting to personal attacks.

        • James 1.3.1.2

          You seem to have somewhat of an unhealthy obsession with me.

          You really aren’t my type.

          • Robert Guyton 1.3.1.2.1

            It’s really weird, James, how often you reference your supposed attractiveness to commenters here. Is there anybody here who you haven’t implied is obsessed with you/ stalking you??
            Just asking. ’cause I’ve noticed a pattern of behaviour from you…

            • In Vino 1.3.1.2.1.1

              Um, maybe Puckish Rogue, whose affections are aimed so exclusively elsewhere?

  2. francesca 2

    Seems like there’s been a massive Wikileaks dump

    https://nationandstate.com/2019/04/13/new-wikileaks-massive-file-dump/

    Wonder if Assange’s arrest will prompt a new torrent of leaks

    • cleangreen 2.1

      Well done Francesca with a large dossier of incidents.

      That will begin a torrent of others alright

      Today’s news on BBC;

      Is that claims from Julian Assange’s legal team is warning that they will fight the extradition to Sweden and US.

      “It will be a long protracted fight” they claimed.

      • Wayne 2.1.1

        IF the Kim Dotcom fight is anything to go by, yes. I don’t think the KDC legal fight will be over till about 2021 or 2022. Though if the Supreme Court says KDC can’t be extradited, it might be over by late this year. Still that would be 8 years since his arrest in Jan 2012.

        I guess more like five years for Assange in the UK. Their courts have more experience of extradition, so many of the precedents have been well established. It won’t take a decade.

        • Andre 2.1.1.1

          I guess more like five years for Assange in the UK

          To send him to the US or to Sweden? Looks to me (with precisely zero legal expertise) sending Assange to Sweden should be a lot more straightforward than to the US. There’s some thorny questions about whether what the US accuses him of is even a crime, and he’s got at least some argument around the political aspects of it.

          • McFlock 2.1.1.1.1

            The other thing is that it might count for something that they already went through the Swedish thing once – even if they have to start over, appeals opportunities will be limited because the higher courts probably won’t want to relitigate the same points again – the lower courts have their guidance on the matters of substance.

          • Macro 2.1.1.1.2

            Except under the UK – US extradition Treaty ratified by the US in 2006.

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK%E2%80%93US_extradition_treaty_of_2003

            Among other provisions Part 2 of the Act: Extradition to category 2 territories (non-European Arrest Warrant territories) removed the requirement on the USA to provide prima facie evidence in extraditions from the UK, requiring instead only reasonable suspicion.[5] This was necessary to redress the previous imbalance against the USA under the 1870 Act, as the UK did not have to provide the more onerous prima facie evidence to extradite from the USA. The requirement for the UK is to show probable cause. However, an independent legal review carried out by Sir Scott Baker found that “there is no significant difference between the probable cause test and the reasonable suspicion test. There is no practical difference between the information submitted to and from the United States.”[6]

            And:

            it allows the US to extradite UK citizens and others for offences committed against US law, even though the alleged offence may have been committed in the UK by a person living and working in the UK

            As I have noted elsewhere, the US could have applied for extradition when they charged Manning. This was well before he went to Sweden. The allegation that the rape charges are simply a means to get Assange out of the UK, and off to the US – as some commentators here seem to believe – is just nonsense.

  3. Andre 3

    Bernie just doesn’t get it.

    He’s earned over a million bucks from his book. He could use that to illustrate an argument for higher taxes on high earners and the wealthy by talking about all the different sectors of society supported by taxes had to come together to make that possible.

    But no, he just gets entitled and defensive about it.

    “If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too.”

    “I didn’t know that it was a crime to write a good book which turns out to be a bestseller,”

    https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/13/politics/bernie-sanders-millionaire-book-sales-tax-returns/index.html

    • Tuppence Shrewsbury 3.1

      What a surplus, a socialist achieves something for themselves and realises the errors of socialism and the benefits of free enterprise

      • KJT 3.1.1

        Funny..
        I note the “Free enterprisers” especially in the States, are the most expensive beneficiaries, of “socialist” tax dollars.
        And favourable Government regulation.

        Like the “business people” here who go on about “Pretty communists”, “useless people” and the like, as we, “socialists” bail out their failures, with our tax dollars.

        Taxes which they avoid.

      • cleangreen 3.1.2

        ‘The eminent ‘voice of free enterprise’

        But few really believe the “honesty” of ‘free enterprise’ as the word “free” does send a message of ‘no principals towards the society it wants to exploit’.

        • KJT 3.1.2.1

          When you have a business.
          An honest one, giving value for money, you realise how much you depend on regulation and state support, to keep you competitive, against the crooks and cowboys.

          Businesspeople who argue for a smaller State, are delusional. Or, they are the crooks and cowboys!

          • Tuppence Shrewsbury 3.1.2.1.1

            how many businesses have you had now? If you need regulations to keep yourself competitive, you are a lazy business owner. Regulations are only there to make sure people play fair, if they don’t the market and the regulators find them out.

            Socialists have never bailed out anyone. it’s normally business people getting there own tax dollars back.

            But it’s amusing that a socialist hero like bernie finally sees the error of his ways

            • KJT 3.1.2.1.1.1

              The business people getting bailed out, don’t pay taxes, you twit.

              Thanks for confirming my point, about regulations keeping the market fair.

              Which one are you TP? The crook or the cowboy. Or just a wannabee, successful who dreams that they world will one day see your brilliance, and make you rich, like so many right wingers?

              “The only problem with socialism is that it allows the deluded to survive to adulthood, to claim it doesn’t work”.

              The real laugh is that the f wits who don’t like socialism, would be the ones living in a cardboard box on the street, without our welfare state, under a “free market”, that paid them according to their capabilities.

              • Tuppence Shrewsbury

                I’m comfortable. I pay lots of tax. Too much given the attitudes of people who pay none and can’t manage businesses properly. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to pay it, jid rather pay less.

                Anyone who makes out that socialism is the saviour of society is so sadly deluded there is no point talking to them. They won’t believe anything not socjalist no matter how societies fail under its yoke

                • KJT

                  More socialist societies doing rather well, actually.

                  Just compare blue states with red states in the USA.

                  Where is your successful free market capitalist State again.

                  Somalia, Honduras, San Salvadore, Mexico, Haiti, Appalachia?

                • KJT

                  Done well out of our “socialist” welfare State, eh?

            • Psycho Milt 3.1.2.1.1.2

              Socialists have never bailed out anyone. it’s normally business people getting there own tax dollars back.

              Wtf? Leaving aside the use of accountants to ensure that the business owner appears to have little income and qualifies for all kinds of transfers aimed at people who genuinely do have little income, in the last two weeks we’ve had Simon Bridges telling us that small businesses in NZ are only viable because the taxpayer subsidises low wages via Working for Families, and trucking companies announcing that they can’t stay in business if they have to actually comply with safety regulations.

              • Wayne

                The notion that New Zealand is a uniquely low wage economy simply doesn’t stack up. Wages in NZ are about the same percentage of per capita GDP as Australia. Our per capita GDP is about 30% lower than Aus, and so are our wages and salaries.

                Another way of looking at it, is that the Gini index measuring inequality is about the same in both countries. That means average and mean wages will be roughly the same percentage of GDP per capita.

                New Zealand’s problem is that Australia is significantly more wealthy, and has been for many decades, especially once the mineral boom really took off in the 1970’s. The gap has closed a little in the last ten years, but not a huge amount.

                It is very hard to see how the gap will change much in the next ten years. If the gap closed to 20%, that would be a major gain for New Zealand.

                • And yet, Simon Bridges recognises the need for Working for Families (as did the previous Key/English National-led governments) and says there’s no way NZ businesses could cover that in the wages they offer. Perhaps Australia has a similar subsidy for employers, I don’t know.

                  Accommodation costs are probably the main reason that wages need to be subsidised via tax transfers in NZ, but it’s not the people who need two jobs and WfF to make ends meet who are causing those high accommodation costs, it’s the well-off like me who’ve bought multiple properties as a retirement fund, and successive governments that have encouraged runaway immigration in the interest of being able to show positive annual growth figures. For those WfF recipients, the news that their wages aren’t particularly low, it’s just that their accommodation costs are particular high, isn’t a particularly helpful piece of information.

                • KJT

                  You would say that, Wayne.

                  Wages are defined in terms of buying power.

                  In fact, workers share of the economy dropped sharply after your unfortunate experiment, and has never recovered.
                  The wage gap between us, and Australia would be even greater, 36%, if conservative Australian Governments hadn’t adopted aspects of your unfortunate experiment, more recently.

                  https://www.union.org.nz/economicbulletin202/

                  “New Zealand workers now receive among the lowest shares of the nation’s income in the OECD. In Denmark for example, with much stronger collective bargaining and unionisation supporting a high value economy, the share was similar to New Zealand’s in the late 1970s but has stayed there ever since. Yes, New Zealand does have a low wage economy”.

                  Despite all the evidence worldwide that trickle down and austerity doesn’t work, it still has all these supporters. Go figure.
                  Only Jim Bolger has the guts to admit you got it wrong.

                  The lower incomes to Labour, and the higher share to banking and capital depressing the communities wealth, is the reason for New Zealand’s stagnation, compared to Australia.

                  We had a boom in commodity sales and prices roughly equivalent to Australia over the same time period. The increase per capita was greater than theirs. So to attribute Australia’s higher wages to mineral booms, is self serving bullshit.

  4. Morrissey 4

    Britain’s version of “Sir” Bob Jones is getting caramelised on Twitter

    https://twitter.com/Lord_Sugar/status/1116413655254540290

  5. Morrissey 5

    Assange’s ‘Conspiracy’ to Expose War Crimes Has Already Been Punished
    by JOE EMERSBERGER, Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, April 12, 2019

    WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should never have been punished for working with a whistleblower to expose war crimes. Chelsea Manning, the whistleblower, has done more time in prison, under harsher conditions, than William Calley, a key perpetrator of the My Lai massacre. Remarkably, Manning is in jail again, failed by organizations that should unreservedly defend her, as the US tries to coerce her into helping inflict more punishment on Assange.

    As for Assange, he has already been arbitrarily detained for several years, according to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Its 2016 press release on the matter stated: “The expert panel called on the Swedish and British authorities to end Mr. Assange’s deprivation of liberty, respect his physical integrity and freedom of movement, and afford him the right to compensation.”

    Now Assange could be punished even more brutally if the UK extradites him to the US, where he is charged with a “conspiracy” to help Manning crack a password that “would have” allowed her to cover her tracks more effectively. In other words, the alleged help with password-cracking didn’t work, and is not what resulted in the information being disclosed. It has also not been shown that it was Assange who offered the help, according to Kevin Gosztola (Shadowproof, 4/11/19). The government’s lack of proof of its charges might explain why Manning is in jail again.

    The indictment goes even further, criminalizing the use of an electronic “drop box” and other tactics that investigate journalists routinely use in the computer age to work with a confidential source “for the purpose of publicly disclosing” information…..

    Read more….
    https://fair.org/home/assanges-conspiracy-to-expose-war-crimes-has-already-been-punished/

    • Adrian Thornton 5.1

      Hi Morrissey, to bad you wern’t around a couple of days ago, you would have seen TRP and several other Standard Oil reactionaries roll around in Assanges arrest like dogs in shit, it was quite a sad spectacle to watch, and not at all a good look for what ever remains of the reputation of The Standard…well in opinion anyway.

      Thanks for the FAIR link.

      Ecuadorian President’s Motives for Surrendering Assange: Vengeance & IMF Loan?

      “$4.2 billion IMF loan, submission to the US, and vengeance appear to have been President Moreno’s true motives for revoking Assange’s asylum in Ecuador’s London embassy, says Ecuador’s former foreign minister Guillaume Long”

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p0zUkTloGg

      • Andre 5.1.1

        The mozzie’s sockpuppet put in an appearance. An astonishingly low-key appearance, all things considered.

      • Morrissey 5.1.2

        Thanks, Adrian. In fact I did have a look at the site but I was just too overwhelmed by the horror of that scene—it was like something out of Stalin’s Russia—to be able to formulate any response.

        Your description of the behaviour of many of our Standardisti comrades is depressingly accurate. They’re not the only ones of course. As I type this I’m listening to Jim Mora talking, and sighing empathetically, on the radio. I wonder if the sight of Assange’s humiliation on Friday amused him as much as Assange’s suffering amused him in 2013….

        https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/an-unusually-inane-and-depraved-edition.html

        • cleangreen 5.1.2.1

          Morrissey; about Mora he is a pathetic troll for national.

          Especially when he says this;

          MORA: Is it a human right to get enough sun?

    • aj 5.2

      A very good point. USA War criminals who participate in the most disgusting crimes get kid gloves treatment, if they even get to the point of being prosecuted. Calley, sentenced to life, then Nixon changed Calley’s sentence to house arrest, and he served three years.
      My Lai was only the tip of the iceberg in Vietnam. The military and government simply didn’t want to know. Whistle blowers exposing criminal acts are hounded to the ends of the earth.

    • joe90 5.3

      He must be ruing his preference for tRump when he was pretty much off the hook.

      The Justice Department has all but concluded it will not bring charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for publishing classified documents because government lawyers said they could not do so without also prosecuting U.S. news organizations and journalists, according to U.S. officials.

      The officials stressed that a formal decision has not been made, and a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks remains impaneled, but they said there is little possibility of bringing a case against Assange, unless he is implicated in criminal activity other than releasing online top-secret military and diplomatic documents.

      http://archive.li/wHEI0

      • Morrissey 5.3.1

        Support for Trump? He should have supported Clinton, who called for his trial as a criminal for his exposing of U.S. crimes in Iraq?

        Of course he wanted Clinton to lose.

        That means he “supported Trump”?

        You do realize that the Mueller investigation has discredited the fantasies of the DNC and its hapless media parrots like Rachel Maddow forever? You’re allowed to stop quoting them if you want.

  6. Andre 6

    Y’know, commentary here has been remarkably muted over the mandarin messiah greenlighting Israel holding on to the Golan Heights.

    Could it be that those who would normally be frothing over outrages like this are reluctant to voice disapproval of their fake-bronzed beelzebub?

    https://www.salon.com/2019/04/13/afraid-of-its-role-in-the-globalized-world-donald-trump-perverted-the-us-role-as-economic-global-cop/

    • francesca 6.1

      You’ve led a sheltered life if you think breaches of international law started with Trump. They won’t end when he’s gone either.

      • Andre 6.1.1

        My comment wasn’t about the breach of international law per se, it was about the lack of reaction to it from the usual suspects here that one would expect to be very vocal.

        • Macro 6.1.1.1

          But don’t expect them to understand that Andre. They can’t even understand the depths that tRump has now brought his country too. The latest tweeting of a video that included footage of Ilhan Omar* speaking and graphic images of the 9/11 terror attacks has to be one of his most despicable acts ever.
          https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/12/ilhan-omar-democrats-trump-attacks-sanders-warren

          * For those unfamiliar with this amazing young woman; Omar, emigrated to the US from Somalia as a refugee and became one of the first Muslim women in Congress

          • Andre 6.1.1.1.1

            As a standalone act that attack on Omar would be despicable. But given the ball of toilet-bowl scrapings’ own history of trying to exploit 911 for his own self-gratification and benefit, the vileness is geometrically compounded.

            • Macro 6.1.1.1.1.1

              This past week or so has seen a steep decline. The vileness and posturing of that inhumane being in the WH is getting worse by the day – everyday now it seems he plunges to a new low. I cannot for the life of me see how any self respecting Republican law maker can continue to sit by and watch. The country is in an absolute shambles. We thought Key was bad enough here – tRump is a thousand times worse.

              • marty mars

                yep so true

              • Anne

                I don’t think I can take much more of it. This is what it must have been like for sane folk around the world when Hitler rose to power in the 1930s.

                What horrifies me: it was my father’s prediction 45 years ago that the next country to produce a ‘Hitler’ would be America. Yes I know, he was far from being the only one to do so.

                And yes, Macro. Key was almost a saint in comparison. 😯

          • joe90 6.1.1.1.2

            While tRump is busy using 9/11 to incite violence against a Muslim woman his regime is trying to illegally transfer nuclear technology to the country that produced most of the 9/11 hijackers

            https://twitter.com/nprpolitics/status/1097901883107229699

          • KJT 6.1.1.1.3

            Notable lack of support and even outright denigration of Omar, and Ocasio Cortez, from old line Democrats.

            Reminds me of the our Labour party, whenever someone making vaguely leftish statements, springs up.

            • Macro 6.1.1.1.3.1

              Notable lack of support and even outright denigration of Omar, and Ocasio Cortez, from old line Democrats.

              Such as??

              NB: Pelosi isn’t one of them.

              • KJT

                http://tinyurl.com/y5yj2yz3

                “With the exception of a handful of Omar’s progressive colleagues—including Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)—Democrats have largely been silent as the Minnesota congresswoman has faced vitriolic and racist smears from right-wing outlets, including the New York Post and Fox”

                • Macro

                  Senator Bernie Sanders called attacks on Omar “disgusting and dangerous” and said Omar would not “back down to Trump’s racism and hate, and neither will we”.

                  Senator Elizabeth Warren said: “The president is inciting violence against a sitting congresswoman – and an entire group of Americans based on their religion. It’s disgusting. It’s shameful. And any elected leader who refuses to condemn it shares responsibility for it.”

                  Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana who has surged in 2020 polls, wrote: “After 9/11 we all said we were changed. That we were stronger and more united. That’s what ‘never forget’ was about. Now, a president uses that dark day to incite his base against a member of Congress, as if for sport. As if we learned nothing that day about the workings of hate.”

                  Buttigieg added: “The threats against the life of [Omar] make clear what is at stake.”

                  Among other candidates, former Hud secretary Julián Castro said he stood with Omar and “others targeted by the president’s anti-Muslim rhetoric”. Former congressman Beto O’Rourke said: “We are stronger than this president’s hatred and Islamophobia. Do not let him drive us apart or make us afraid.”

                  The California senator Kamala Harris wrote: “For two years, this president has used the most powerful platform in the world to sow hate [and] division. Putting the safety of a sitting member of Congress at risk [and] vilifying a whole religion is beyond the pale. I’ll be blunt – we must defeat him.”

                  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/12/ilhan-omar-democrats-trump-attacks-sanders-warren
                  https://www.vox.com/2019/4/13/18309127/democrats-trump-ilhan-omar-tweet-9-11

              • Poission

                “NB: Pelosi isn’t one of them.”

                Got problems of her own,always be careful what you ask for.

                https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1117242926654947328

                • Macro

                  https://www.latimes.com/opinion/enterthefray/la-ol-trump-migrnats-sanctuary-cities-20190412-story.html

                  President Trump confirmed Friday that he is considering a new policy of “placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only,” as he wrote in a tweet. “The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy — so this should make them very happy!”

                  There are three main responses to that. The first is that the president is likely trolling to get a rise out of liberals and to elicit some fist pumps from his base, but it’s fundamentally impractical. How would the president move thousands of migrants from, say, El Paso, to San Francisco? And conservatives would be OK with that kind of spending? Plus, migrants don’t have to remain in the jurisdiction into which the government releases them.

                  The second is that if Trump truly believes the people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum are dangerous threats to American neighborhoods, to concentrate them in areas where his political opponents hold sway is an egregious abuse of power. No president should intentionally undermine the public safety of communities, especially for political reasons.

                  The third is: Bring ’em on.

                • joe90

                  Mobster – nice cities you have, pity if anything should happen to them.

                  Mayors – bring it.

                  https://twitter.com/LibbySchaaf/status/1117233768639549440

                  “Here’s a message to President Trump: Seattle is not afraid of immigrants and refugees. In fact, we have always welcomed people who have faced tremendous hardships around the world. Immigrants and refugees are part of Seattle’s heritage, and they will continue to make us the city of the future,” she wrote in a Washington Post op-ed Friday.

                  https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/438731-seattle-mayor-pens-op-ed-saying-his-city-isnt-afraid-of-immigrants-amid

                  • Poission

                    “in fact, we have always welcomed people who have faced tremendous hardships ”

                    Seattle looks like the kind of place to go to experience hardship.

                    https://www.seattle.gov/homelessness/the-roots-of-the-crisis

                    large indian homeless problem there ugly statistics.

                    • Macro

                      That criticism could be levelled at almost all American cities.
                      https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/bf02712505

                      Abstract
                      Economic indicators in the United States document the poor economic straits in which Native Americans find themselves. Historically, scholars have explained delayed economic development using Linear Stage, Structural-Change, Dependency and Neoclassical Counter Revolution Models. All of these, however, are unable to fully explain the Native American case. We discuss the deficiencies of these models and point out the effects of constantly changing United States policies on Native American economic well-being. We present data from a survey of tribal government respondents about preferred business arrangements on the reservation to support greater attention to cultural identity in economic development studies. A model that incorporates cultural and sovereignty variables is presented.

                      It does not negate the fact that these cities are open to accepting others who have been forced to flee from their homes and families.

                    • Poission

                      Alexis De Tocqueville IN Democracy in America suggested

                      “These are great evils; and it must be added that they appear to me to be irremediable. I believe that the Indian nations of North America are doomed to perish; and that whenever the Europeans shall be established on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, that race of men will be no more. *i The Indians had only the two alternatives of war or civilization; in other words, they must either have destroyed the Europeans or become their equals. ”

                      https://www.gutenberg.org/files/815/815-h/815-h.htm#link2HCH0045

                      [I leave this chapter wholly unchanged, for it has always appeared to me to be one of the most eloquent and touching parts of this book. But it has ceased to be prophetic; the destruction of the Indian race in the United States is already consummated. In 1870 there remained but 25,731 Indians in the whole territory of the Union, and of these by far the largest part exist in California, Michigan, Wisconsin, Dakota, and New Mexico and Nevada. In New England, Pennsylvania, and New York the race is extinct; and the predictions of M. de Tocqueville are fulfilled. —Translator’s Note.]

      • cleangreen 6.1.2

        francesca,

        Perfectly said as the ‘deep state’ is a global control system that keeps all governments under control no matter who they are run by.

    • Ad 6.2

      Go on Andre, warm your cockles up and do a post on changing U.S. State Department policy.

      Would do you good to stretch your legs.

  7. Morrissey 7

    The U.S. is a “global cop”?

    Aren’t the police supposed to uphold law and order? I know they don’t always do that, and in fact often do the opposite, as we saw in London on Friday morning (NZ time).

    But, seriously, the worst purveyor of violence in the world, the global guarantor and protector of terrorists and lawbreakers from Manila Tel Aviv is a “global cop”? Stop kiddin’ around.

  8. Herodotus 8

    Can anyone please explain to me the difference between administering a drug to end life and withholding a drug to cure/prolong someone’s life ?

    • greywarshark 8.1

      That’s why we need a law arout it so that confused people can work out one situation from another and see the difference.

    • Incognito 8.2

      The first one is relatively cheap, almost guaranteed to work, aimed at ending intolerable suffering, and not (yet) marketed by Big Pharma. The second one is usually ridiculously expensive, uncertain to be effective, may prolong, cause or aggravate suffering, and aggressively marketed by Big Pharma.

  9. Wonder what is going wrong at Jetstar ? At least 3 flights out of Auckland cancelled on Friday because of engineering difficulties. And today a flight ex Wellington cancelled because of crewing issues. On Friday the long queue of frustrated customers at the help desk remarkably well behaved considering that only one person with a screen was able to assist – sadly not enough seats available to accommodate the twice bumped off Wellington bound passengers.

    • cleangreen 9.1

      Patricia,
      Could be that the load of extra freight was late to be delivered before the scheduled departure?

    • Graeme 9.2

      Another possible explanation is they didn’t have enough passengers to make the flight profitable, so canceled it. “Low cost” carriers are great for that. Can add to that not enough passengers paying enough to make it economic, could be a lot of people but they all bought really cheap fares.

      Queenstown has been deathly quiet for the last few weeks and we hear through the trade that international tourists have stopped all around the country from mid / late March.

      And to add to deathstar’s woes, they’ve got an aircraft on the ground in Queenstown tonight and a canceled flight to Melbourne. Same thing happened earlier in the week too, but that one was definitely a breakdown, and they couldn’t work around the ATC staffing issue so lost 2 flights.

  10. Hi Cleangreen ; not sure about the freight question but there were certainly some angry passengers waiting 90 minutes for service at the help desk. Others were trying to get flights on Air NZ at amazingly high prices. I missed a special family event in Wellington yesterday because Jetstar couldn’t get me down there in time and now to find my booked return flight today cancelled means I may well have been trapped there.
    Won’t be using Jetstar again ; their help desk at the airport was well under resourced and the on line help desk of no help whatsoever.

    • greywarshark 10.1

      Yes that has put me right off Jetstar – I’ve seen their queues before, but 90 minutes and only one on desk. The stress too, what if they had to go to the toilet. Perhaps they keep a wide mouthed bottle behind the desk, a couple of towels?
      Oh Brave New World of choice and private enterprise unfettered by those silly rules and controls.

      I’ve forgotten – there was a recent limitation of flights by one of the airlines wasn’t there? Flights also held up recently because someone was sick in the control tower staffing. Are they running too lean on staff, slimming down till they can do everything by machine? Do I like this thought – no.

      • alwyn 10.1.1

        What they have really been doing is to listen to, and adopt, the dictates of the New Zealand Green Party.
        They have accepted the opinion that we must reduce the amount of flying that goes on. Since the Green MPs are far to important to cut back on their taxpayer funded travel it is the General Public who have to miss out.

        Consider yourself privileged that you can sacrifice your own interests so that James Shaw can have another junket to warmer climes.

  11. DOC predicting a mega mast of seeding in the Native Beech Forests in the South Island hence a need for a big 1080 drop, it would be interesting to see some accurate qualitative science on this ?

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12222071

    I am not privy to DOC scientific reports, and have not been in these Native Beech Forests for 40+ years but is the rodent problem really that bad ?

    • vto 12.1

      when there is a mast thing it is pretty difficult to drive along a beech forest highway without the ‘plip plip…. plip…. plip……….’ of rodents popping under your tyres …..

    • WeTheBleeple 12.2

      The only thing to stop rodents breeding like mad is limits on food supply. This is not only a mast year it is a mega-mast year. The food supply is huge and the populations will subsequently be huge. When they run out of mast to eat they’ll start on the wildlife.

      There should be more government intervention than there currently is. We need private help too. All hands on deck. Rodents and mustelids, trap em out of your neck of the woods if you can.

      • greywarshark 12.2.1

        How long does the mast season last – when does it reach its peak? What can we do? I guess you would need to be fit and I am very not.

          • greywarshark 12.2.1.1.1

            There is a lot of information on the above halo site but not much on the best way to go about it. It appears that if you put down some chew cards and check them out daily I suppose, then you will know the best place/s to put traps. The tunnel trap for $35 is the cheapest limited handling one. Have a look at the Schools info. They try to set out some details there.
            https://shop.predatorfreenz.org/

            • joe90 12.2.1.1.1.1

              I’ve made a huge dent in the local rat population using a variety of home made bait stations.
              Coincidentally, this morning our tui announced their winter arrival

              We back on to a reserve and there seems to a never ending parade of possums to be exterminated so I’ve bought a Timms possum trap and I’m thinking about upping the ante and buying one of these, too.

              • Andre

                Had a big explosion in rat and possum numbers?

                At my place the usual pattern for possums is 2 or 3, then none for 6 or 8 weeks, then another 2 or 3. But I’ve dealt to 9 in the past 3 weeks (all females too, really weird).

                Also had at least 7 rats ignore the bait stations outside and get up between the ground floor and upstairs. They’ll eat the bait I put there in desperation (and have probably died there too).

                • Macro

                  You’ll find out soon enough. When living on the farm had a similar solution to the rat problem – one obviously died in the wall. OMG! stunk for days!
                  The best solution was our little miniature long haired dashhound. One day I saw a rat sleeping in the sun in the doorway of the woodshed. Snuck back inside and brought the dog out – crept round so the rat wasn’t aware we were approaching – showed her the rat – 5 seconds later it was dead. Impressive! She was just as good on catching mice the cat brought in to play and let go. One day the cat had brought in a mouse and let it get away. The dog knew it was around – but it had disappeared into a sofa and wasn’t to be found. Next morning getting breakfast the dog was getting under my feet. “For goodness sake HoneyBear (that was her name) Go and find that mouse the cat brought in yesterday!” Next minute she was sniffing around the base of a standard lamp. I lifted the lamp off the floor and sure enuf there was the mouse. It was dead immediately after I lifted the lamp. It didn’t have a chance.

                • joe90

                  Whanganui has culverts for Africa, a legacy of child drownings in a city straddling a river, and they’re an extraordinarily good mass transport system for rodents. Consequently, if we don’t poison, we’re plagued by the fuckers.

                  And fronting a coastal reserve, the possums just keep on coming.

                  • Macro

                    Oh yeah! I Kayaked down the Whanganui River a few years back. At night we would sit around a campfire and you could see dozens of gleaming eyes in the bush. I’ve never seen so many. They were in impressive condition. Obviously well fed. Maybe we could ship them back home – they are dying out in Aussie. Apparently the vegetation over there – gum leaves – has this effect of controlling their fertility so they don’t bred as profusely as they do here. At least that is what I was told by a mate in Queensland who studies these sorts of things.
                    Koalas are asleep most of the day – high on gum leaves apparently.

        • WeTheBleeple 12.2.1.2

          That’s a good question. It’s also difficult to answer. Most seeds in temperate climates have protective coats and can last a considerable amount of time. Some species are viable after decades, so, as one might imagine, they’ll be ingested long before they decay.

          The ‘length of the mast season’ is approximately one Autumn (harvest season). Any gardener can observe actual harvests vary by species, microclimate, weather and zone for ‘productive’ trees. The same can be said of our natives. The length and extent of rodent and mustelid population booms will coincide with local availability and season of fruit set/drop. There will be a time lag where animal numbers peak after the food source peaks.

          Then, the food source plummets, and we have stupidly large numbers of hungry rodents which in turn boost mustelid populations.

          Ferrets, stoats and weasels might be just over the peak of a population boom as spring hits. They might effectively wipe native species out then.

          Notice your hay fever is a bit worse this year? Mega mast years start with mega doses of pollen.

  12. Rosemary McDonald 13

    It will be interesting to see the details…any detail…about this…

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12222200

    and this…https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/112025068/prime-minister-launches-accord-to-repair-broken-building-sector

    ” The Government is partnering with some of New Zealand’s largest construction companies in a bid to tackle the sector’s reputation after company collapses and poor-quality builds.

    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, along with Fletcher’s Construction chief executive Peter Reidy and other industry players, have unveiled a new plan to tackle the problems that have led to high-profile building company collapses, poor-quality builds and skills shortages.

    The plan would, according to Ardern, improve the construction sector’s culture and reputation, increase its workforce and deliver more houses.

    “The wellbeing of New Zealanders is intrinsically linked to safe, durable and affordable homes, buildings and infrastructure,” she saidat today’s launch.”

    Woefully lacking in any specifics, and peppered with the usual aspirational waffle.

    And nothing on Beehive.govt.nz either.

    We need a government run state housing building programme that excludes business.

    This ‘government partnering with industry’ narrative smacks of SSDD.

    Slightly more information on Natrad…https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/387037/government-announces-construction-industry-agreement

    ….but still no specifics. Yawn. Heard it all before.

    • Skunk Weed 13.1

      We did have good tradesmen here in NZ in the past until Dr Nick Smith dissolved the Apprenticeship Schemes and left the training to the Industry and the Free Market Duh ?

      • KJT 13.1.1

        Can certainly vouch for that.

        The extensive range of skills, training and experience i gained, from an indentured apprenticeship in the 70’s, has benefited me, and every employer since.

        Now. Apprentices come out of their time with a skill level equivalent to our first year.

        Modern apprenticeships have no incentive for an employer to give good training, or the apprentice to stay with the employer. With apprentices mostly used as cheap unskilled labour, rather than trainees.
        I’ve seen certificated people who have swept the floor for their entire apprenticeship. Not their fault, but, useless without several more years of training,
        Which is why we favour, the ones we have trained, ourselves.
        The rise of, unpaid, internship type training positions, means you have to have pretty flush parents, to complete an apprenticeship.

        The situation is so dire, that only a very few get apprenticeships.

        And. Before anyone says the kids aren’t motivated. All the time i was building i had kids ringing up weekly, begging for a chance. Still have many asking, for the way in, where I am now. I have to tell them it is very unlikely they will get time, let alone a job, as the tech puts through many more kids than can ever get employment.

        • Rosemary McDonald 13.1.1.1

          We stuffed up didn’t we???

          What happened to the thousands of tradespeople we were going to train up after the quakes??

          • KJT 13.1.1.1.1

            Imported thousands of South Africans and Filipino’s instead.

            So Fletchers could make a profit.

            At least the Filipino’s are nice people, though woefully unskilled in Kiwi housebuilding.

            Which is going to come back and bite us in a decade or so. Just like National’s other great achievement, Leaky homes!

            While dickheads call the Maori kids in Northland without any jobs, “Lazy”.

            • Rosemary McDonald 13.1.1.1.1.1

              And look!

              Detail..of sorts…. https://www.constructionaccord.nz/

              …and heading up the list of signatories is… Fletchers!

              And, and, Fletcher boss Reidy heads the Accord development group.

              What could possibly go wrong?

              Sorry Labour supporters…this smells bad.

              • KJT

                Yes.

                Don’t see why Fletchers, a semi monopoly, who have made a fortune off tax payer dollars, should be favoured above the myriad of functional and competent small builders, in New Zealand.

                Don’t they believe in capitalist competition?

        • Pat 13.1.1.2

          the problem is deeper than that…there is a dearth of capable tradesmen to pass on the skills even if the real apprenticeships were on offer….but worse still is the lack of ability further up the chain….the inability of those overseeing the entire industry lacks the required knowledge especially in the regulatory fields.

          30 plus years of dumbing down will take at least as long to remedy…if we can at all.

          • KJT 13.1.1.2.1

            Good retirement job for the older builders, who can’t build anymore.

            Some schools, including one I was involved with, are teaching hands on trades. Building houses, repairing cars etc.

            Like the metalwork, woodwork etc of old.

            May be the way forward.

            Note. Regulatory agencies are run by taxi drivers, motel owners, accounting graduates and retired policemen, these days. Knowing anything about the industry you are supposed to be regulating is a career stopper. Or so the qualified people in these agencies, tell me.

            No skill in Government to assess and let contracts.

            • Pat 13.1.1.2.1.1

              taxi drivers and motel owners is stretching it but the end result is not dissimilar…..the attached is a frightening read that should be compulsory for anyone involved in the future of the industry.

              https://canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nz/documents-by-key/20120813.4973/$file/ENG.SCA.0002.RED.pdf

              • Rosemary McDonald

                Oh my. Mr Scarry was not well pleased.

                “Treasury has long been completely staffed by laissez faire economic loons whose economic theories are detached from all reality, and don’t even work in theory. ”

                ““There were two queen bees in The Beehive – Treasury and the Ministry of Works and Development. One of them was going to be stung to death, and it wasn’t going to be Treasury.”

                52. The MOWD was tasked through legislation with providing independent economic advice to the Government, and with care of the state of the entire public infrastructure of NZ, including local body infrastructure. As a result, it was a rival to the laissez faire loons at Treasury, and their plans.

                53. Between 1984 and 1993, Treasury, aided and abetted by the likes of Douglas, Prebble, Palmer, Moore, Caygill, Richardson and Birch, visited the following devastation on the New Zealand construction industry: The MOWD was dismantled, with the ‘intellectual property’ flogged off to Malaysians,
                The input of the MOWD into maintaining high standards of practice was lost,
                The role of the MOWD in properly training vast numbers of engineers, technicians and especially draftsmen, a role that underpinned the private sector, was lost,
                The similar role that Government departments such as NZED, NZ Railways and the like played was lost,
                Highly competent design departments (which never designed a ‘leaky building’) at bodies like the Ministry of Education were destroyed,
                The often highly competent and very efficient Engineering and Architecture departments of territorial authorities were destroyed. This has severely eroded the ability of the territorial authorities to adequately perform their duties as Building Consent Authorities, and

                In an act of unabashed madness, Bill Birch destroyed the centuries old apprenticeship scheme, that had served this country, and especially the building industry, so well. ”

                Just because I feel it needs an airing.

                Thanks, Pat. That’ll be added to my “You asked for submissions then totally ignored them you stupid government you.” file.

              • KJT

                Not really a stretch.
                MNZ was lead by a taxi driver then a motel owner, or was it the other way around.

                As for the building industry regulators……..

            • WeTheBleeple 13.1.1.2.1.2

              I can walk into most any trade and find idiots posing as qualified these days. It wasn’t that long ago if I walked on a new job site there was plenty to learn and good people to teach it.

              Now, they need an engineer to work a spirit level… 😀

              Built a shed/greenhouse here using a clear hose and some sticks and string to survey the site. 16 m2 and $800 budget. Dead level, dead square, 20 years standing no issues yet.

              I wouldn’t let our clown builders make me a shed. I have no doubt it would cost multiples of my budget and last up to the first decent storm.

              I built a chicken coop out of bamboo that has been hit by a digger, and later was flattened by a stormfall tree. I replaced two lengths of bamboo, it’s still as functional as the day I made it.

              If weather gets to the point it’s outright dangerous in conventional builds, you’ll find me in a low to the ground shell shaped bamboo house watching all the timber and iron fly past.

    • Ad 13.2

      There will be a lot more failures of companies employing hundreds of people each in this year.

      There aren’t any specifics, but anything that brings the whole of the industry leadership together to focus on avoiding failure is better than what we have had before. They would have to get deep into procurement policy across key agencies to solve any of it.

      Kiwibuild together with HNZ and its subsidiaries should be able to go to the Commerce Commission and explain why it needs to manage the housing construction market i.e. deliberately decrease procurement competition.
      But that is too hard at least for this term.

      In the infrastructure and utilities market, we have seen Chorus running the fibre contracts and driving workers to work for near or less than minimum wage. Again a government contract – and clearly the government would prefer to get the job done rather than reopen the Chorus contract it has.

      The governments’ core public agencies such as Kiwirail, NZTA, and HNZ, corral a majority of the market – and with it the fate of massive companies employing tens of thousands of us. The other big players like Auckland Transport and Watercare, Wellington Water and the like drive most of the rest.

      It feels like a really big case of “we hear you”.

  13. One Two 14

    Brussels – The site has a secure certificate issue. Link works.

    http://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/14753/radiation-concerns-halt-brussels-5g-for-now

    In July, the government concluded an agreement with three telecom operators to relax the strict radiation standards in Brussels. But according to the Region, it is now impossible to estimate the radiation from the antennas required for the service.

    “I cannot welcome such technology if the radiation standards, which must protect the citizen, are not respected, 5G or not,” Environment minister Céline Fremault (CDH) told Bruzz.

    “The people of Brussels are not guinea pigs whose health I can sell at a profit. We cannot leave anything to doubt,” she added.

    A pilot project is not feasible with the current radiation standards, and Fremault told Bruzz that she does not intend to make an exception.

    The Brussels region has particularly strict radiation standards for telecom applications. The standard of 6 volts per metre has already led to problems in the past with providing fast mobile internet via 4G in the capital.

  14. One Two 15

    Swiss canton blocks 5G mobile rollout

    This week the canton of Vaud announced it would temporarily freeze permits to install new 5G transmitters. The resolution calls for a ban on 5G transmitter installation at least until the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has finished its study into the effects of the new technology.

    Other Swiss cantons are following the developments in Vaud. A similar parliamentary motion has been put forward in Geneva and the parliament of Valais will discuss the issue when it next sits.

  15. Sabine 17

    Capitalism is lot more important then Democracy says one of the white working class male with economic anxiety.

    https://twitter.com/LaurenWern/status/763236840560271360

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    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    8 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    8 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    8 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    9 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    10 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    12 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    24 hours ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    1 day ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    1 day ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    1 day ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
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