Open mike 14/04/2024
Written By:
- Date published:
6:00 am, April 14th, 2024 - 90 comments
Categories: open mike -
Tags:
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 …
90 comments on “Open mike 14/04/2024 ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
Recent Comments
- Thinking About the Property Rights in Resource Decisions As Well As Transaction Costs.
The Fast-Track Approvals Bill enables cabinet ministers to circumvent key environmental planning and protection processes for infrastructure projects. Its difficulties have been well canvassed. This column suggests a different way of thinking about the proposal. I am going to explore the Bill from the perspective of its proponents with their ...9 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: Can Shane Jones be trusted in making Fast-track decisions?
New Zealand First Cabinet Minister Shane Jones has become the best advertisement against the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill. In selling the radical new resource consenting processes, in which ministers can green light any mine, dam, or other major development, Jones seems to be shooting the proposal in the foot. ...11 hours ago - Seymour appeals to PPTA to call off meetings on charter schools – but does he seriously believe he...
Buzz from the Beehive Associate Education Minister David Seymour is urging the PostPrimary Teachers Association to put learning ahead of ideology. He wants the union leaders to call off their teachers meetings around the country where they hope to muster the strength to undo the government’s plans to establish several ...12 hours ago - Police don’t fight crime
What are police for? "Fighting crime" is the obvious answer. If there's a burglary, they should show up and investigate. Ditto if there's a murder or sexual assault. Speeding or drunk or dangerous driving is a crime, so obviously they should respond to that. And obviously, they should respond to ...12 hours ago - Two central banks
Michael Reddell writes – I got curious yesterday about how the Australia/New Zealand real exchange rate had changed over the last decade, and so dug out the data on the changes in the two countries’ CPIs. Over the 10 years from March 2014 to March 2024, New Zealand’s ...14 hours ago - TVNZ hīkoi documentary needs a sequel
Graham Adams writes that 20 years after the land march, judges are quietly awarding a swathe of coastal rights to iwi. Early this month, an hour-long documentary was released by TVNZ to mark the 20th anniversary of the land-rights march to oppose Helen Clark’s Foreshore and Seabed Act. The account ...14 hours ago - The missing Green MPDavid Farrar writes – The Herald reports: Suspended Green MP Darleen Tana has passed an unpleasant milestone: she has now been absent for as many parliamentary sitting days as she has been present for this year. Tana is on full pay while she is suspended, and will benefit from a ...14 hours ago
- The contest for the future heart and soul of the Labour PartyPeter Dunne writes – It is no coincidence that two Labour should-have-been MPs are making the most noise about public sector cuts. As assistant general secretary of the Public Service Association, Fleur Fitzsimons has been at the forefront of revealing where the next round of state sector job ...15 hours ago
- Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the GovtBryce Edwards writes – It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a ...15 hours ago
- Gordon Campbell on the psychological horror film Possession
This is one of the (extra) weekly columns on music or movies. Plenty of solid analyses of Possession exist online and most of them – inevitably – contain spoilers. This column is more in the way of a first-timer’s aid to getting your initial bearings. You don’t need to have ...16 hours ago - Portrait of a Man.
I am painting in oil, a portrait of a manWho has taken all the heart aches,And all the pain he can stand.I am using all the colors of blue,I have here on my stand.I am painting in oil, a portrait of a man.This has been an interesting week for me. ...19 hours ago - The Hoon around the week to May 17Helen Clark joins the Hoon as a special guest talking whether Aotearoa should join Aukus II, and her views on the fast track legislation and how Luxon and the new Government are performing. File Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts ...19 hours ago
- Weekly Roundup 17-May-2024
We’re at the end of another week. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked if the Herald’s poor journalism will cost lives On Tuesday Matt covered Wayne Brown’s proposal for public transport in the Long ...19 hours ago - Rishi’s relaunch
With an election due in less than nine months, Britain’s embattled PM, Rishi Sunak, gave a useful speech earlier this week. He made a substantial case for his government, perhaps as compelling as is possible in the current environment. Quite an achievement. His overall theme was security, first pulling ...1 day ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #20 2024
Open access notables Publicly expressed climate scepticism is greatest in regions with high CO2 emissions, Pearson et al., Climatic Change: We analysed a recently released corpus of climate-related tweets to examine the macro-level factors associated with public declarations of climate change scepticism. Analyses of over 2 million geo-located tweets in the U.S. showed that climate ...1 day ago - The thrilling possibilities of charter schools
You can be all negative about these charter schools if you want, but I’m here to accentuate the positive. You can get all worked up, if you want to, by the contradiction of Luxon saying We’re going to make sure that every school in the country is teaching exactly the same ...1 day ago - This Unreasonable Government.
Losing The Room: One can only speculate about what has persuaded the Coalition Government that it will pay no electoral price for unreasonably pushing ahead with policies that are so clearly against the national interest. They seem quite oblivious to the risk that by doing so they will convince an increasing ...1 day ago - Supreme Court weighs in on name suppression
Name suppression decisions can be tough sometimes. No matter your views on free speech, you have to be hard-hearted not to be torn by the tug of the competing arguments. I think you can feel the Supreme Court wrestling with that in M v The King. The case for ...1 day ago - Is This A “Merchants” Government?The Merchants of Menace: The Coalition Government has convinced itself that the “Brahmins’” emollient functions have become much too irksome and expensive. Those who see themselves as the best hope of rebuilding New Zealand’s ailing capitalist system, appear to have convinced themselves that a little bit of blunt trauma is what their mollycoddled ...1 day ago
- This is what corruption looks likeWhen National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants: On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...1 day ago
- Take that, Vladimir – and be warned: we have plenty more sanctions (at least, we hope so) in our ...Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point. Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...1 day ago
- More Harm Than Good.How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...1 day ago
- The Ombudsman fails againIn 2020, the Operation Burnham inquiry reported back, finding that NZDF had lied to Ministers and the New Zealand public about its actions in Afghanistan. The inquiry saw a large number of documents declassified and released, which raised another problem: whether they had also lied to the Ombudsman in his ...1 day ago
- No Time To Think: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.“Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...2 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the GovtIt’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...2 days ago
- Picking Sides.2 days ago
- Universities offer course in self-serving cowardiceHenry Ergas writes – When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...2 days ago
- The teacher trainee challengeDavid Farrar writes – Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...2 days ago
- Words and (in)actionsNew Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision Michael Reddell writes – When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...2 days ago
- What do you hope for/fear from the budget?
Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...2 days ago - Gordon Campbell on ACT’s charter schools experimentIf there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...2 days ago
- Drought fuels wildfire concerns as Canada braces for another intense summerThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gaye Taylor As widespread drought raises expectations for a repeat of last year’s ferocious wildfire season, response teams across Canada are grappling with the rapidly changing face of fire in a warming climate. No longer quenched by winter, nor quelled by the ...2 days ago
- Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Thursday, May 16
Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...2 days ago - Controversial proposal could threaten coalitionThe University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...2 days ago
- Of Rings of Power Annatar, Dramatic Irony, and Disguises
As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...2 days ago - The future of Nick's Kōrero.
This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...2 days ago - The PM promises tax relief in the Budget – but will it be enough to satisfy the Taxpayers’ Union...Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...2 days ago
- Fucking uselessYesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...3 days ago
- Setting things straight.
Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading ...3 days ago - Far too light a sentenceDavid Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...3 days ago
- Unwinding Labour’s AgendaMuriel Newman writes – Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...3 days ago
- Sequel to “Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour”Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...3 days ago
- The Govt’s Fast-Track is being demolished by submissions to ParliamentBryce Edwards writes – The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...3 days ago
- A generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day3 days ago
- NZUP RORS back to lifeThe government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...3 days ago
- School Is Out.
School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...3 days ago - How Are You Doing?
Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...3 days ago - The Rings of Power: Season Two Teaser Trailer
I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...3 days ago - At a glance – What ended the Little ice Age?On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...3 days ago
- Talking Reo with the PM
“The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...3 days ago - Waitangi Tribunal’s authority in Chhour case is upheld – but bill’s introduction to Parliament...Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...3 days ago
- Australia jails another whistleblowerIn 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...3 days ago
- Some “scrutiny”!Back in February I blogged about another secret OIA "consultation" by the Ministry of Justice. This one was on Aotearoa's commitment in its Open Government Partnership Action Plan to "strengthen scrutiny of Official Information Act exemption clauses in legislation" (AKA secrecy clauses). Their consultation paper on the issue focused on ...4 days ago
- TVNZ is loss-making, serves no public service due to bias, and should be liquidatedRob MacCulloch writes – According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...4 days ago
- The conflicted Covid ChairDavid Farrar writes – Kata MacNamara reports: Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...4 days ago
- Attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good ideaChris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...4 days ago
- A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer comingRNZ reports – It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...4 days ago
- The climate battleground heats up
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...4 days ago - Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...4 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-SemiticTo be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...4 days ago
- Climate change is making hurricanes more destructiveThis is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...4 days ago
- Wayne Brown’s PT PlanYesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...4 days ago
- Potaka's Private Universe.
And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...4 days ago - Our slow regional councilsThe Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...4 days ago
- Ministers are not above the law after allBack in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...4 days ago
- NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...Buzz from the Beehive Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...4 days ago
- Change in Catalonia?or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...4 days ago
- Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a voteDavid Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...5 days ago
- Perhaps house prices don’t always go upDon Brash writes – There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...5 days ago
- Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?Mike Grimshaw writes – At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...5 days ago
- Time for some perspectiveLindsay Mitchell writes – A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...5 days ago
- Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...5 days ago
- The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...5 days ago - Webworm Popup Photos!
Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...5 days ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...5 days ago
- Release: 4,500 jobs lost – and counting
More than 4,500 jobs are set to go as the National Government continues its deep cuts to services to pay for irresponsible and ill-timed tax cuts. ...19 hours ago - No-cause evictions leave no hope for renters
The Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...1 day ago - Release: National winding back mental health workThe Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...2 days ago
- Government ignorant of evidence in neglect of tamarikiToday’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...4 days ago
- Gang policy setting communities up for failureThe Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...4 days ago
- Statement from police spokesperson Ginny Andersen“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...4 days ago
- Charter schools not a serious solutionWe need serious investment and solutions into our education system, not a vanity project from David Seymour. ...4 days ago
- Release: Ideological charter schools won’t increase achievementThe Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...4 days ago
- Release: Visas needed for Palestinians with family in New ZealandThe Government must show some compassion and create a special visa to allow Palestinians with family in New Zealand to be reunited with them here. ...4 days ago
- Release: Govt’s stubbornness will harm Māori childrenGovernment has remained stubborn and is ramming its Bill into the House today, which the Waitangi Tribunal has said will hurt vulnerable children. ...4 days ago
- ‘Lucky dip’ process too casual for hearing critical submissions on Fast Track approvals billTe Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...5 days ago
- New Zealand First Member’s Bill to protect women’s spaces
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...1 week ago - Release: Support for climate adaptation inquiryLabour supports a Notice of Motion in the House today to move the Finance and Expenditure Committee to conduct an inquiry on climate adaptation. ...1 week ago
- Greens welcome cross-party approach to climate adaptationThe Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...1 week ago
- Release: Sexual violence prevention among hundreds of job cuts at ACCThe National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...1 week ago
- Government shows allergy to evidence in benefits crackdownThe Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...1 week ago
- Minister of Finance reheats austerity politicsThis morning’s pre-Budget speech from the Minister of Finance offered no “meaningful” news on the Government’s trickle-down economics based plans. ...1 week ago
- A win for Wellington – Greens welcome more housingThe Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...1 week ago
- Release: Backtrack on school lunches a win for Kiwi kidsDavid Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...1 week ago
- Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford UnionHon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...1 week ago
- Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscationsGreen Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...1 week ago
- TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgradeThe Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be releasedMinisters must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal payNational has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under NationalThe Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cutsWith Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert MartinThe Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live exportLabour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...2 weeks ago
- Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fireToday’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...2 weeks ago
- New unemployment figures paint bleak pictureThe Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment risesUnemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New ZealandersWeekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreementThe New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...3 weeks ago
- Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle downThe Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicineThe National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...3 weeks ago
- Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACTThis afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial DayLabour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...3 weeks ago
- DJ Fred Again – Assurance report received
"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...11 hours ago - District Court Judges appointedAttorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...15 hours ago
- Unions should put learning ahead of ideologyAssociate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...16 hours ago
- Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMACommerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...16 hours ago
- Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguardSurf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...18 hours ago
- New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationshipNew Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...1 day ago
- New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New CaledoniaNew Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...1 day ago
- New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of StatePrime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...2 days ago
- Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card fundingTransport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...2 days ago
- Further sanctions against RussiaForeign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...2 days ago
- One year on from Loafers LodgeA year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...2 days ago
- Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business ChamberKa nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...3 days ago
- New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaborationNew Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...3 days ago
- Penk travels to Peru for trade meetingsMinister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...3 days ago
- Minister attends global education conferencesMinister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...3 days ago
- Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA ChairMinister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...3 days ago
- Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call FoundationNew Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...4 days ago
- Panel announced for review into disability servicesDistinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...4 days ago
- Minister welcomes Police gang unitToday’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...4 days ago
- New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoricForeign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...4 days ago
- New Chief of Defence Force appointedAir Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...4 days ago
- Government puts children first by repealing 7AALegislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, ItalyDefence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...4 days ago
- Charter schools to lift educational outcomesThe upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...4 days ago
- COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...4 days ago
- The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlookForeign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...4 days ago
- NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely togetherHealth, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...4 days ago
- Driving ahead with Roads of Regional SignificanceThe coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...5 days ago
- New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands governmentA high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...5 days ago
- New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolutionNew Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...7 days ago
- Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure SymposiumIntroduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...1 week ago
- $571 million for Defence pay and projectsDefence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...1 week ago
- Climate change – mitigating the risks and costsNew Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...1 week ago
- Getting new job seekers on the pathway to workJobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...1 week ago
- Accelerating Social InvestmentA new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...1 week ago
- Getting Back on TrackCheck against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...1 week ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than everYour Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...1 week ago
- Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...1 week ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...1 week ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...1 week ago
- Tourists trapped by New Caledonia unrest feel ‘abandoned’ by NZ
By Lauren Crimp , RNZ News reporter New Zealanders stuck among riots and civil unrest in New Caledonia’s capital say they feel abandoned by their own country, having received little help from the government. Nouméa descended into chaos on Monday, with clashes between indigenous Kanak pro-independence protesters and French security ...56 mins ago - Kanaky in flames: Five takeaways from the New Caledonia independence riotsANALYSIS: By David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a revered Kanak visionary, was inspirational to indigenous Pacific political activists across Oceania, just like Tongan anthropologist and writer Epeli Hao’ofa was to cultural advocates. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1989 by an opponent within the independence movement during ...4 hours ago
- When body positivity becomes problematic
Forget thin is in, apparently now bigger is better … or is it? After over a decade of body positivity, girls, teens and women are even more confused about what body positivity actually is. The movement began with women confronting unrealistic expectations of how their bodies should look. But sub-strands ...5 hours ago - Short story: Ruin, by Ockham winner Emma HislopGrace always sat at the bar at the back of The Cambridge, where she could watch who came in. A huge mirror ran the length of the pub, so you could sometimes watch people without them knowing. The mirror made the place seem a lot bigger than it really was. ...5 hours ago
- The Secret Diary of .. Sheriff Mark MitchellMONDAY Sheriff Mark Mitchell rose at dawn. He had a long day’s ride ahead of him. He was headed for Waikeria. Waikeria! Even the name itself stirred his blood, and set root in his imagination. There was nothing and no one in Waikeria. But he would bend it to his ...5 hours ago
- The Boy in the Water: A forensic examination, at lastThe first phase of the inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones finished this week, turning up plenty of revelations and few answers. But through all the confusion, heartbreak and antipathy on display, the simple fact at the heart of this case remains: if little Lachie’s body had ...5 hours ago
- How Many Public Sector Roles Are Going, And From Where?
Public servants' jobs are on the chopping block as the sector scrambles to meet the Finance Minister's cost-cutting targets. ...7 hours ago - Can you control your image? Gina Rinehart, King Charles and ‘moral portraits’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ...8 hours ago
- Government plans for Māori wards breach The Treaty of Waitangi -Tribunal
Government plans to require local councils hold a referendum on whether to have Māori wards breaches the Treaty of Waitangi, a Waitangi Tribunal report has found. ...8 hours ago - Threatened species have declined 2% a year since 2000. Nature positive? Far from it.Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan C Evans, Senior Lecturer, Public Sector Management, School of Business, UNSW Sydney Martin Tobias Aakesson/Shutterstock Our government has great aspirations. It has committed to end extinctions and expand our protected areas to cover 30% of every Australian ecosystem by 2030. ...9 hours ago
- Rugby league in Perth and Papua New Guinea? Here’s what could be next for the NRLSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This year the National Rugby League (NRL) opened its season in Las Vegas. It was an audacious move by the league’s ambitious head honcho Peter V’Landys to showcase the game in ...10 hours ago
- The budget has earmarked $8.6 million for live music. Is it enough to save the flailing industry?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University Leading music organisations have praised the federal budget for its investment in the live music sector. The budget includes A$8.6 million for a program called Revive Live: to provide essential support to ...11 hours ago
- The Week in Politics: Charter schools, special police units and a tricky problem for the governmentThe Week in Politics: ACT brings back a signature policy, while NZ First mulls how to fulfil a promise. ...11 hours ago
- There’s $110 million for Indigenous education in the budget. But where’s the evidence it will wo...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marnee Shay, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, The University of Queensland The 2024 federal budget contains A$110 million for Indigenous education. This includes funding for various different organisations to represent and help Indigenous people as well as scholarships in a bid to ...12 hours ago
- New Caledonia’s Nouméa airport closed until Tuesday, says Air New ZealandAir New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa’s Tontouta International airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday. The airline earlier told RNZ it would update customers as soon as it could. Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report government officials had been working on an “hourly basis” ...12 hours ago
- Cameras reveal wombat burrows can be safe havens after fire and waterholes after rainSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Linley, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Grant Linley Australia’s unprecedented Black Summer bushfires in 2019–20 created ideal conditions for misinformation to spread, from the insidious to the absurd. It was within this context that a bizarre story ...12 hours ago
- ChatGPT is now better than ever at faking human emotion and behaviourSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcel Scharth, Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Sydney OpenAI executive Mira Murati launching GPT-4o. OpenAI Earlier this week OpenAI launched GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”), a new version of the artificial intelligence (AI) system powering the popular ChatGPT chatbot. GPT-4o is promoted ...13 hours ago
- Menopause can bring increased cholesterol levels and other heart risks. Here’s why and what to do ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treasure McGuire, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Mater Health SEQ in conjoint appointment as Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Bond University and as Associate Professor (Clinical), The University of Queensland Speedkingz/Shutterstock Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a ...13 hours ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Xiāng’ by Hannah Patterson
A new poem by Hannah Patterson. Xiāng There’s a pear tree in our backyard And Xiāng tells me She can’t eat them anymore Not after some things that have happened in her life. She tells me, in Mandarin The word for pear sounds the same as the word for disassociation ...13 hours ago - Cycle lanes are good for business, actually‘Cycling Works’ aims to show business support for citywide cycle infrastructure. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, supermarket giant Foodstuffs lost its attempt to block the construction of a cycle lane outside Thorndon New World in Wellington. The Spinoff’s Wellington editor ...13 hours ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending May 17The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (Penguin, $40) Taking out the top spot in Auckland this ...13 hours ago
- Nuclear subs are coming to Australia. Now the Coalition wants reactors, too. We’re not ready for i...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University For decades, Australia has exported uranium – but not used it, other than in the Lucas Heights research reactor. But change is coming. We now face a rapidly deepening commitment to ...13 hours ago
- After 180 years, new clues are revealing just how general anaesthesia works in the brainSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam D Hines, Research fellow, Queensland University of Technology Sergey Mironov/Shutterstock Over 350 million surgeries are performed globally each year. For most of us, it’s likely at some point in our lives we’ll have to undergo a procedure that needs general ...14 hours ago
- 'I can do much better': Green MP Julie Anne Genter promises to improve conduct"In future I should walk away," Green MP Julie Anne Genter says after complaints over an exchange in Parliament and from two members of the public. ...14 hours ago
- Call to protect asylum seekers who may arrive in New Zealand by boatA group of more than 40 refugees, charities and advocates want better protections for asylum seekers arriving by boat. ...14 hours ago
- Homo Pentecostus: on queer intimacies, religion, ancestry and the human need for connectionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Graffam, PhD Candidate in Theatre, Monash University Gianna Rizzo/Malthouse Music pumps; lights pulsate; two sweaty bodies sway together, touching, breathing in each other’s scent. A male body framed by downlight restlessly shifts between stances and gestures. He undresses. The intensity ...15 hours ago
- Want to be buried on your own land, at sea or in a forest? A guide to unconventional send-offsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra van der Laan, Professor of Accounting, University of Sydney Mtaya/Shutterstock At some point, you or someone else will need to make a decision about your “send-off”. Most Australians die in an institution, such as a hospital or aged care facility. ...15 hours ago
- Vanuatu, MSG chief reaffirms support for FLNKS, blames France over unrestAsia Pacific Report Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai — who is also Chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group — has reaffirmed MSG’s support of the pro-independence umbrella group Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) stance opposing the French government’s constitutional bill “unfreezing” the New Caledonia Electoral Roll. It is ...15 hours ago
- Blazing a trail: the Leonard family legacy in Māori televisionProducer Susan Leonard remembers her father Ernie, a pioneer of Māori television, and how his legacy lives on in Pathfinders. My father was a fabulous man. His name was Ernie Leonard and he started in TV in the 1970s when it was still glamorous – when TVNZ made behind the ...15 hours ago
- Home detention for New Caledonia’s unrest ringleaders, Tiktok bannedBy Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The suspected ringleaders of the unrest in New Caledonia have been placed in home detention and the social network TikTok has been banned as French security forces struggle to restore law and order. The French ...16 hours ago
- Review finds big increase in multi-year government spends, use not always justifiedMulti-year appropriations - which give the government authority to spend money without reapplying annually - are loosening Parliament's control of the public purse, auditor-general says. ...16 hours ago
- $63.6m for Surf Life Saving and Coastguard in Budget 2024"New Zealand has a tragically high drowning toll," Transport Minister Simeon Brown said at the announcement. ...16 hours ago
- Dr. Eric Chuah Standing For Mayor Of TaurangaDr. Eric Chuah who stood for a centrist NZ political party in the October 2023 NZ Elections for Maungakiekie Auckland will stand as a candidate for Tauranga City Council Ward of Matua-=Otumoetai and Mayor of Tauranga. ...17 hours ago
- How to enjoy a comedy festival in your own loungeIf you can’t get to the comedy fest, let us bring the comedy fest to you. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is in full swing at the moment, with a veritable smorgasboard of comedy treats ...17 hours ago
- Poll Shows Three Quarters Of Wellingtonians Oppose Airport SaleA new poll commissioned by Unions Wellington shows an overwhelming majority of Wellingtonians oppose the Council’s plan to sell the 34% public stake in Wellington Airport. ...17 hours ago
- $63.6m boost for Surf Life Saving and Coastguard in Budget 2024"New Zealand has a tragically high drowning toll," Transport Minister Simeon Brown said at the announcement. ...17 hours ago
- Nearly 1300 homes on hold amid government reviewNewly released documents show building has been paused on 690 KiwiBuild homes and 593 market homes. ...18 hours ago
- At the heart of the budget is the sad truth the economy is weak. That’s one reason inflation will ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aruna Sathanapally, Chief Executive, Grattan Institute, Grattan Institute A central focus of this week’s budget is the treasury’s forecast for inflation. By this time next year, inflation is projected to be back within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target range. Inflation has ...18 hours ago
- Denser housing can be greener too – here’s how NZ can build better for biodiversitySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yolanda van Heezik, Professor of Ecology, University of Otago Getty Images Cities across Aotearoa New Zealand are trying to solve a housing crisis, with increasing residential density a key solution. But not everyone is happy about the resulting loss of natural ...18 hours ago
- Clean energy slump – why Australia’s renewables revolution is behind schedule, and how to fix itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Reeve, Deputy Program Director, Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute WDG Photo/Shutterstock For years, the electricity sector has been the poster child for emissions cuts in Australia. The sector achieved a stunning 26% drop in emissions over the past 15 ...18 hours ago
- It’s OK to ask a loved one if they’re feeling suicidalIt’s often the last thing people want to do, but asking someone if they’re having suicidal thoughts is a critical first step to helping them. Content warning: this story discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. For a list of resources that can help if you or someone you know is feeling ...18 hours ago
- Watch live: Transport Minister makes pre-Budget announcementSimeon Brown and Matt Doocey are set to reveal another bit of next week's budget. ...18 hours ago
- We mapped a lost branch of the Nile River – which may be the key to a longstanding mystery of the ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy J. Ralph, Associate Professor, Macquarie University The pyramids at Giza, like dozens of others, are located several kilometres west of the current path of the Nile. Alex Cimbal / Shutterstock The largest field of pyramids in Egypt – consisting of 31 ...18 hours ago
- If I’m diagnosed with one cancer, am I likely to get another?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute ABO PHOTOGRAPHY/Shutterstock Receiving a cancer diagnosis is life-changing and can cause a range of concerns about ongoing health. Fear of cancer returning is one ...19 hours ago
- All options being considered to help New Zealanders in New Caledonia – Winston PetersGovernment looking at all options for helping New Zealanders who want to leave New Caledonia as death toll rises. ...20 hours ago
- Rebuke issued in stoush over volume of on-bus announcements for blind passengersAnd how a union boss ruined a regional councillor's morning. ...20 hours ago
- Nearly 1300 Kāinga Ora homes on hold amid government reviewNewly released documents show building has been paused on 690 KiwiBuild homes and 593 market homes. ...20 hours ago
- What’s happening in New Caledonia and Vanuatu, and why it matters to NZWinston Peters has been on tour around the Pacific while two unrelated crises unfolded, explains Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Two separate ...20 hours ago
- Charter schools might increase government costs, deliver marginal benefits – Cabinet papersCharter schools will likely get higher per-student funding than most state schools, and evidence of their efficacy is mixed. ...20 hours ago
- Charter schools might increase government costs, deliver only marginal benefits, Cabinet papers showCharter schools will likely get higher per-student funding than most state schools, and evidence of their efficacy is mixed. ...20 hours ago
- Fake bacon, ranked from worst to bestThis is the Mount Everest of artificial meatcraft. Ah, bacon. Pig’s gold. Toast’s consolation. Dawn’s savoury embrace. If meat was a currency, bacon would be the Benjamin Franklin. Or if you’re feeling patriotic, the Lord Rutherford. When it comes to fake bacon, the obvious question is: why bother? In the ...22 hours ago
- Milking it: The man behind New Zealand’s weirdest legal casesFrom illegal milk to sprinkler bans and airplane ticket scams, Tyrone Barugh is on a one-man mission through New Zealand’s most obscure legal loopholes. I’m deep undercover, investigating Wellington’s criminal underworld. Inside this store, I’ve been told there is a million-dollar trade in illicit substances. A man dressed in black ...22 hours ago
- Raw Politics: Crime and (perceptions of) conflictIt’s been a recess week at Parliament, which might indicate slim pickings for conversation topics for the Raw Politics team. But things are never dull in politics, especially with a new Government keen to follow through on its law and order promises, and a NZ First minister who wants to ...22 hours ago
- Desperately seeking political maturity on electricity supplyOpinion: Party politics are no substitute for moving toward an electricity resilience policy that will survive elections The post Desperately seeking political maturity on electricity supply appeared first on Newsroom. ...22 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 17 MayThe post Daily crossword, Friday 17 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...22 hours ago
- Dear minister, military families need your helpDear Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Defence, and Hon Christopher Penk, Associate Minister of Defence I have written to you, to attempt to give you an insight into the incredible hardship of being an NZDF family. Whilst I cannot speak on behalf of serving personnel, I can speak from my ...22 hours ago
- Wayne Brown, a man with a planAnalysis: What a difference a year makes. In mid 2023, Wayne Brown the Auckland Mayor was a politician diminished by a calamitous response to the region’s Anniversary Weekend storm emergency and later forced against his preference into a half sale only of the city’s airport shares. His demeanour among his ...22 hours ago
- Ohakea base upgrades delayed amid defence estate concernsWork to replace ‘not fit-for-purpose’ living quarters at one critical air base faces further delays The post Ohakea base upgrades delayed amid defence estate concerns appeared first on Newsroom. ...22 hours ago
- Iwi pledges to use only te reo Māori to communicate with GovtThe move comes after the government departments began to prioritise their English names and the finance minister questioned agencies funding te reo lessons for staff The post Iwi pledges to use only te reo Māori to communicate with Govt appeared first on Newsroom. ...22 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 17 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 17 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...22 hours ago
- A bold call from experts on drug legalisationNew Zealand’s drug legislation hasn’t been overhauled in nearly 50 years, in spite of a recommendation from the Law Commission in 2011 to do so. Our Misuse of Drugs Act was passed in 1975 and is based on a United Nations framework set in 1961. Now a new organisation, Harm ...22 hours ago
- This week’s bestselling books – May 17NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99) A free copy of this amazing story of a woman who operated behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France was up for grabs this past fortnight. Readers were asked to share a story of wartime bravery, ...22 hours ago
- Commerce Commission slaps wrists over possible bandwidth collusionSpectrum rights are highly contested – the Commerce Commission has had to deal with two bandwidth cases this year The post Commerce Commission slaps wrists over possible bandwidth collusion appeared first on Newsroom. ...22 hours ago
- Open letter challenges Zionist advert missing Gaza ‘injustices’ in HeraldAsia Pacific Report An open letter to The New Zealand Herald has challenged a full page Zionist advertisement this week for failing to acknowledge the “terrible injustices” suffered by the Palestinian people in Israel’s seven-month genocidal war on Gaza. In the latest of several international reports that have condemned genocide ...1 day ago
- Grattan on Friday: Peter Dutton’s alternative – lower migration, more homes, and a populist swip...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When he was opposition leader, Bill Shorten faced Coalition criticism for attacking “the top end of town”, a phrase he used in his 2019 budget reply. Now Peter Dutton is finding the line “billions of ...1 day ago
- NZ families worried as loved ones shelter from violent unrest in New CaledoniaBy Adam Burns, RNZ News reporter Worried New Caledonian expats in Aotearoa admit they are “terrified” for friends and family amid ongoing violence and civil unrest in the French Pacific territory. The death toll remained at four tonight, and hundreds have been injured after electoral changes sparked widespread rioting by ...1 day ago
- ‘Deadly spiral’ – state of emergency in Kanaky New Caledonia and the Paris vote that sparked r...French President Emmanuel Macron has declared a state of emergency in New Caledonia after several days of civil unrest in the capital. Four people are dead due to the unrest and violence in the capital, Nouméa. France TV reports that a 22-year-old gendarme who had been seriously wounded has become ...1 day ago
- Operation Burnham: Defence Force failed to share info crucial to investigationPeter Boshier says the information gap undermined his initial investigation, and meant the NZDF avoided being accountable. ...1 day ago
- It’s time to give Labor’s first term a scorecard – have we actually seen any transformative vi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland This week’s budget was Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ third and – for practical purposes – final for the current parliamentary term. Even if the 2025 election is delayed long enough to give ...1 day ago
- Rally Condemns Zionism And The State Of Israel For Ongoing GenocideThey held a noisy but peaceful demonstration against the ongoing genocide being carried out by the State of Israel, condemning the Israeli ambassador who was hosting an invitation-only event to celebrate the establishment of the State of Israel. ...1 day ago
- Winston Peters expresses concern over New Caledonia unrestThe Minister of Foreign Affairs says the escalating situation is of serious concern across the Pacific region. ...1 day ago
- PrEP was earmarked $26m in the budget. What is it? Will it stop me getting HIV?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Senior lecturer, public health ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week’s federal budget. Some $26m of this is for “PrEP” for people without access to ...1 day ago
- Children's Minister wants to work with Māori – despite working to scrap Treaty obligatio...Karen Chhour wants Oranga Tamiriki to establish more partnerships with Māori, despite introducing a bill to Parliament removing their obligation to do so. ...1 day ago
- What is PrEP for HIV? Will it stop me getting infected?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Senior lecturer, public health ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week’s federal budget. Some $26m of this is for “PrEP” for people without access to ...1 day ago
- Why is New Caledonia on fire? According to local women, the deadly riots are about more than voting ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole George, Associate Professor in Peace and Conflict Studies, The University of Queensland New Caledonia’s capital city, Noumea, has endured widespread violent rioting over the past 48 hours. This crisis intensified rapidly, taking local authorities by surprise. Peaceful protests had been ...1 day ago
Iran attacking Israel… start of WW3?
This really is scary. WTF is wrong with people???
Preceded on April the 1st, when Israel bombed the Iranian embassy in Damascus.
why did Israel bomb the Iranian embassy?
To provoke this response?
They killed a couple of senior Iranian military personal. Its a bit unclear to me what discussions they were having in Syria however though this might have been the motivation. It may also have been a provocation due to US politics turning rhetorically on Israel at the time.
the bombing was more to kill the military personal rather than being an attack on the embassy?
Don't think Israel has explained their thinking to that degree. They said it was to kill these military personal and that they were known to be in the embassy.
ok, that makes sense though.
I mean, still stupid, but at least coherent.
Stupid??! You may not realise the sanctity that embassies have always been blessed with. In international law (rather than the "rules based order") embassies are regarded as that countries territory. Historically, even during conflicts and war. Israel knows this and trashes yet another norm of international relations and we think its a bit stupid?? Straight after this, Ecuador invaded Mexico's embassy in Quito causing Mexico to break off diplomatic relations.
Israel is now bent on breaking every international norm with the full and absolute support of Joe Biden.
https://electronicintifada.net/content/israel-and-us-deliberately-gutting-international-law-gaza/45696
Iran has shown extreme restraint.
I didn't say 'a bit stupid'. Don't put words in my mouth.
It is not a norm of international behaviour to
1.supply arms to non state groups (Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi in Yemen and Shia militias in Iraq) to attack another nation state of the UN
2.it is not normal for a nation state to form a military unit (Quds) for the specific purpose of war with another nation state and network with non state fronts armed to assist.
Have to ask SPC, were you living under a rock for the 20th Century? Both the U.S.S.R and the USA regularly suppled arms to non state groups. It came back and bit the USA on the ass that one. On, if I got the date right – Sep 11 2001.
Going back in time, the carving up of Africa was a great time for many western nations to play that game.
And lets not forget THE GREAT GAME.
As for states forming extra military units, and networking with other actors – I suggest reading a history of the British in India or the expansion of Russia East.
It's all quite normal I'm afraid.
How many cases, pre Iran, of a nation arming "fronts" to war on another nation?
During the Cold War, groups within nations were armed to create favoured governments in those nations (overthrow existing governments in those nations).
Iran is engaged in an international crime, even the existence of a group in Iran for the purpose of ending another nation is an international crime.
The "sanctity" in International law you talk about applies only to how the Syrian Government treats the Iranian Embassy in Syria, not what the Israeli Government might do.
Two Quds generals were in Damascus located at the consulate by the embassy.
Quds mission is to conquer Israel, liberate Jerusalem.
I forget where I heard it/who said it but something along the lines of 'The world war after the next will be fought with sticks and stones'.
Once again I give thanks for being born in this country.
This phrase is in reference to a global scale nuclear war of course. Unfortunately its a fact that, if the US launched a full scale nuclear attack on Russia and the Russian's didn't respond the resulting climate change (nuclear winter) would be devastating for both the US and the rest of the surviving world.
Einstein said that.
End of the Reign of the Mullahs?
Guardian reporting a statement has been delivered to the u.n…
..stating that this is retaliation for the embassy attack by Israel ..
And that as long as Israel doesn't escalate..that the matter is 'concluded'..
It'll take hours for the drones to arrive.Can't help think this is a diversionary tactic, as the damage will be pretty well zero (unless the Iron Dome is not what it's cracked up to be)
Possibly its an attack structured to demonstrate to Israeli's the gravity of what their government did on 1st April, rather than to escalate. We should hope so anyway but I expect there will also be rockets fired to coincide with the drones arriving.
Unfortunately the attack on the 1st of April showed a clear desire to escalate the conflict by the Israeli government.
Is it out of the realms of possibility that the IDF let a few drones through? Few civilians killled, excuse to retaliate against Iran who then fire back which pulls USA into a wider war in the middle east?
It is unlikely. The attack is grounds for retaliation, whether it was successful or not.
Probably not, from a military perspective it’s not a good idea to “allow” your enemy to succeed in an attack. Once an attack like this starts, the military will do what it needs to do to stop the attack. I believe the US is shooting the down anyway.
Someone would have to give an order to let the (some) drone through. In between that person and the guys who shoot the drones will be a strict chain of command, and allowing some drones through would not be a legal order.
Iran is showing that they have teeth, but I doubt that they would want a direct confrontation with Israel, besides the US would get involved.
I could be wrong, but hopefully this is saber rattling.
If the Russian tactics against Ukraine are any guide these missile attacks are designed to be a staggered launch to all arrive at once and overwhelm the defenses. Suicide drones, cruise missiles and MRBMs (Medium Range Ballistic Missiles) are will be launched sequentially. At least some of the cruise missiles and drones will contain anti-radar warheads to target active AD radar, clearing the way for subsequent waves.
If this is indeed what iran is doing – rather than sending a wave of drones to satisfy honour or whatever and then leaving the ball in Israel's – court then I would pop down and fill up the car because the energy/price inflation spike caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine will look like the good times in six months.
Iran has said that 'this is what they are doing'..
There are enough psychos in the Knesset, and butchers in the IDF, to not care as long as US Imperialism has their hideous backs and keeps the guns’n’money flow happening.
The goal for these zionists is to raze Gaza, eliminate as many Palestinians as possible and then coin it from fossil fuel reserves sitting under and offshore near Gaza.
It is up to the rest of us to never forget this slaughter, BDS hard, and ban Israeli businesses from our lives and shut down their filthy embassy.
Odd that hammass played into their hands with their psychopathic cowardly behaviour isn't it.
Hmm.. Thats an interesting take that would put you in the minority. Most people would place the perpetrators of genocide as the psychopathic cowards
Which would be hammass, whose avowed intention
is to destroy Israel and kill Jews.[lprent: Presuming you mean hammas == Hamas. If you want to troll do it elsewhere. Adding this troll wankery variant to the blacklist.
Furthermore, if you want to make an assertion of fact, then link to it. In this case that would require a link to their current principles as at 2017 or a speech by a current leader.
I’d suggest you don’t do this again. ]
I still think Putin got Iran to instigate the Palestinian attack to divert attention from Ukraine. On the face of it, the Palestinian attack looks like idiocy until you look at it while thinking about who is allied to who.
The problem is that Hammas doesn't give a fig about the lives of Palestinians either – Hammas are quite happy to kill off their countrymen/women/children by proxy with unreasonable demands in persuing a ceasefire.
If the goal of the "Zionists" were to raze Gaza and kill as many Palestinians as possible, forcibly removing Israeli settlers, leaving it to self-rule and enduring continual rocket attacks while watching Gaza's population double was a very odd way of going about it. In fact, it's almost like an Israeli intent to raze Gaza and kill as many Palestinians as possible is just some bullshit story you're telling yourself.
The government of Israeli is full of far right fuckwits. Who have openly stated they want the Palestinians gone. Convicted terrorist Itamar Ben-Gvir and the rest of his gaggle of murders have been on record to say “time to return home to Gush Katif”. You do the drawing of conclusions on that one.
And whilst the bombing of civilians continues in Gaza, these far right fuckwits have enabled the stripping of land, and wholesale murder on the west bank.
So what the "plan" again, who knows. What I do know, and what is happening with the help of the west, is murder and theft on a grand scale.
New Zealanders, of all people, should understand that minor parties in a coalition aren't running the government. But sure, far-right fuckwits have a minor role in the Israeli govt. Now consider that far-right fuckwits are the entirety of the Gazan govt. And if you have to redirect attention to what's happening on the West Bank, which has a completely different govt, you're admitting there's no basis for the claims about Gaza.
What the… dude look up the make of the government – minor parties make up the bulk of the Thirty-seventh government of Israel. They are nothing like the make up of the government here and the role minor parties play. Your statement is just out right wrong.
Go learn about the politics of Israel before you respond in future – because you're looking like an ignorant tool who just spews forth propaganda.
On that note, the West Bank is and will always be part of the same issue. To try and separate it off as you have, is disingenuous.
Perhaps, before describing me as "an ignorant tool who just spews forth propaganda," you could consider that a greater number of minor parties involved in a coalition government only further dilutes the power of those individual parties, rather than increasing it?
As for the West Bank, it cost Hamas a lot of money, time, effort, torture and murders to establish themselves as a government of Gaza completely independent of the Palestinian Authority. At least give them some credit for it.
Iran has launched a wave of ballistic missiles towards Israel. A significant rise in tension for the entire Middle East?
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-middle-east-68737710?src_origin=BBCS_BBC
To take our minds of the Middle East.
Some proof that a UBI does work.
https://academicminute.org/2014/06/jane-costello-duke-university-sharing-the-wealth/
“The numbers carry a clear message: we can choose to pay less now or pay more later. Our tax dollars can support poor families while their children are growing and developing. Or we can pay for their lack of education, obesity, alcohol abuse, and crime down the road in our healthcare and criminal justice systems.
The statistics speak for themselves.”
Is the next Labour government going to be brave enough?
The British Medical Journal on the Cass Report.
https://www.bmj.com/content/385/bmj.q837
"At the heart of Hilary Cass’s review of gender identity services in the NHS is a concern for the welfare of “children and young people” (doi:10.1136/bmj.q820).1 Her stated ambition is to ensure that those experiencing gender dysphoria receive a high standard of care. This will be disputed, of course, by people and lobbying groups angered by her recommendations, but it is a theme running through the review. Cass, a past president of the UK’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, seeks to provide better care for children and adolescents on one of the defining issues of our age. Her conclusion is alarming for anybody who genuinely cares for child welfare: gender medicine is “built on shaky foundations” (doi:10.1136/bmj.q814).2"
On the brink of WWIII so, READ THE CASS REPORT!!!!!
Yes this place is a little bit weird sometimes.
We have to do something in the mean time, may as well be well-read rather than ignorant.
We aren't on the brink of war Robert, but our country is conducting on children the same experiments described in the Cass report, and with the same appalling lack of evidence for any benefit for the recipients. It's a lot more significant to us than whatever the latest lunacy is going on in the Middle East.
The issue being puberty blockers were for temporary use to delay (birth sex growth) puberty.
The use in partnership with later supply of hormones of the other birth sex in support of "gender difference" would have physiological consequences (Swedish study).
The do no harm aspect of health care intervention of one school and the Big Pharma (drugs) aspect in conflict to manage peoples "minds" for their well-being.
In the DSM world – there are fashions. Criminal psychology and gay men in prison and lesbian women in mental health care, then post this time came the DSM 1980.
1.After the female gender is equal and we can do anything cause of feminists, came acceptance of "gender identity" different to birth sex (the two are not in fact related).
2.In the acceptance of private homosexuality but no public consorting there came an expansion of the transvestite sex worker world (a job men identifying as women, affirmation as women from hetero sexual men, that gay men could also do) and "amateurs" – partners in dresses and the developing gay club world.
3.A new category of mental health, affirmation – to both those who wanted aversion therapy for their homosexuality and those that wanted help accepting it. And this also applied to gender identity different to birth sex. Thus assistance to sex workers as well as the issue of younger people with body dysmorphia (body not idealised male and female form – and hormone/drug use in gyms – eating disorders etc/breast enhancements – plastic surgery) and gender dysphoria.
4.Social media and body dysmorphia (mental health support) and access to narratives about gender dysphoria and affirmation care. And growing rates of neurodiversity (autism etc) and helicopter parenting.
Public acceptance of identity choices, as per sexuality and gender and supportive health care treatments.
What health care is provided – to whom and when.
Women have problems with endometriosis (often requires surgery to discover it and manage) and post natal well-being.
Puberty blockers were introduced to manage early onset of puberty, to ensure a delay so that the child could be helped via other means when they still went through it before their peers.
Ending it in all cases, except research, ignores that.
Afaik the ban on PBs is for off label use with gender dysphoric children and won’t affect prescribing for early puberty. But agree it is worth marking that distinction clear in this debate. It raises some issues about off label prescribing and low medical literacy in the general population about puberty.
The final paragraph has a different take/tone than what your excerpt would indicate..
After noting the paucity of research on this
It urges "advocates and activists' not to campaign 'using substandard evidence'..
And calls for this report to be the stimulus for more quality research/evidence..
The above comment is addressed to visub…way back in the thread..
Iran hit the Nevatim airbase in Israel with HYPERSONIC SONIC MISSILES (mach5-10)
IF TRUE…. This is a big f$&&ing deal
Unipolar world here we come
https://x.com/realscottritter/status/1779304880139559275?s=46&t=Mb3vWtlQ9iVITzFN3xvWAQ
Meant to say multi-polar not unipolar
opps
If wannabe kid fucker Scotty Groomer says so….
Criticism coming from a grown up that calls himself Joe90 (A fictional nine-year-old schoolboy spy)
Hmmmm….
You might have issues yourself …
Just saying
ohh… and many decent well known political commentators still talk to Scott Ritter to this day.
I mean he wasn’t ever set up by the CIA for speaking out against the military industrial complex was he.
Still Joe90…. You know best
Idiot.
Nope, no projection there…
Care to name these decent well known political commentators
Of course, Scotty Groomer was set up… twice….
Better I suspect, than a blow-in….
/
Well Joe90, we all know 9 year olds can get hot under the collar (so to speak) and go off topic… maybe too much honey in that trap creates impulsive behaviour. Concentrate dear boy
Back to the real issue (if true this is a big deal)
according to some sources
Iran officially joins hypersonic club
The Kheibar Shekan hypersonic missile is the weapon which was used to strike Israel's premier Ramon airbase in the Negev just a few hours ago. Until now, Iranian claims of its capabilities have been impossible to verify, however we can now say the Islamic Republic has clearly joined the very small list of nations with such advanced weapons.
Kheibar Shekan is a 3rd generation medium-range ballistic missile of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. the weapon's name means 'Fortress Breaker', 'Kheibar' being the Jewish fortress that was conquered by the Muslims in the beginning of Islam, during the battle of Khaybar.
The Kheibar shekan is the world's longest-range solid-fuel tactical ballistic missile, able to deliver a 500kg warhead to targets 1450km away. It can operate from a variety of Iranian launch platforms, and has interchangeable warheads.
In the terminal phase, the HGV (Hypersonic Glide Vehicle) warhead separates from the main missile body and is able to accelerate and manuever in order to bypass ABM systems. Once separated, the warhead accelerates to mach 7-10. It uses both a thrust vectoring motor as well as actuating fins to maneuver. The distinctive triconic shape of the warhead provides stability whilst maneuvering at hypersonic speeds in the lower atmosphere.
The interwebs are awash with mis/disinfo, outright lies, and dim-wit wishcasting but sure, according to some sources….
/
Sources, huh…
//
Shayan Sardarizadeh
@Shayan86
Iran's state TV has been continuously running this video tonight as evidence of its missiles making impact on the ground and hitting targets in Israel. But it's old footage of farm fire in Texas and completely unrelated to tonight's attack.
https://twitter.com/Shayan86/status/1779312359195984093
@Shayan86
Correction: The video is even older than that, and it's from Chile, not Texas. Accordong to @cazamosfakenews, the clip shows fire "in Achupallas (Viña del Mar) in Chile and has been circulating on social networks since February".
https://twitter.com/Shayan86/status/1779327757714960865
They fired missiles at the base.
Not the same thing as hit, had any impact, caused any significant damage etc.
1) The attack included ballistic missiles that achieve hypersonic speeds, nothing that new there. Here is some real information about it.
2) Scott Ritter is a russian propagandist
3) "multipolar" is code for a world ruled by fascists and/or brutal authoritarians
Anyone else notice the new green to go and fast load up of comments?
One example of what I see as Western hypocrisy.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350245033/live-explosions-heard-after-iran-launches-attack-israel-drones-shot-down
Canadian president Justin Trudeau says his country stands with Israel. " Canada unequivocally condemns Iran’s airborne attacks against Israel," Trudeau said. "We stand with Israel. After supporting Hamas’ brutal October 7 attack, the Iranian regime’s latest actions will further destabilise the region and make lasting peace more difficult.". AP
I've done a quick check and I can't any reaction from Trudeau to Israel's attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.
So he condemns Iran's response but not the fatal attack that prompted it. BAU for most Western countries regarding Israel, the only player I can see in the Middle East committed to apartheid and genocide.
The dead Quds generals were part of a military unit whose mission is to conquer Israel militarily – not diplomats.
MMMmmm not quite a true statement.
Quds serve as an intelligence gathering force, and one who engages in unconventional warfare. We have in our military, units which preform these duties as well.
Please tell me your statement is not part of the spin that has come with their name translated into English "Jerusalem Force".
I'm of the school of thought that the Quds helped us defeat the head choppers in Syria and Iraq. Which personally was a very good thing.
And just as a side note – if the British and the Yanks had staged a coup here in 1954, I'd be pissed about it to this day too.
I never said they were diplomats. I'm fully aware that it was military people Israel was after. My point you're not responding to is the hypocrisy that says nothing about an Israeli attack on an Iranian embassy, regardless of who they wanted to eliminate, but condemns the response.
Iran obliged Israel with the response they wanted – a flashy whizz-bang military action with little or no damage of consequence, Western sympathies, more promises of arms and with another war to fight, Netanyahu stays out of gaol.
A classic – a nation isolated over dahiya in Gaza – gets to point out Iran is opposed to its existence, is arming Houthi to attack world shipping and is supplying weapons to Russia to attack Ukraine.
And looking deeper, note Iran is arming Hezbollah and Shia militias in Iraq to make them more powerful than the armies of Lebanon and Iraq and thus undermine the sovereignty of the two nation states – to make them bases for Iran’s war on Israel.
It’s aid to the secular Baath regime in Syria predicated on being allowed to organise bases for Shia militias to partner with Quds.
Generally Quds military are regarded as fair game because they are of a unit formed for war on a member state of the UN.
You claim Israel is the only state committed to genocide and fail to note the purpose of Quds is to end the existence of a Jewish state. One cannot conclude that a nation that agreed to the 1947 partition plan and Oslo Accords is the same – though one suspect BN (Likud and coalition partners) is opposed to that two state outcome and observe that dahiya doctrine does not work.
The attack on the embassy compound – including consulate was condemned by the UNSG. In international law the site is regarded as part of a nations territory.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/un-chief-criticizes-strike-on-iranian-consulate-warns-against-further-escalation/
However this
https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/iran-urges-un-to-condemn-israel-to-prevent-retaliation-after-embassy-attack-17739908
Currently only one country is committing genocide and having to answer a case brought to the International Court of Justice over its actions.
Who concluded it is committing genocide?
No one did, it's at the court to answer the case of genocide.
Because there is prima facie evidence, to proceed to trial or judgment on the case of genocide.
Which does mean people can call it a case of genocide, at this point with at least 40 thousand dead. I say the case has a good chance to prove that the IDF, and the government of Israel have been committing genocide.
The Israeli judge agreed on two points – incitement (comments by those in government) and enabling delivery of aid to civilians.
40,000 with the missing.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/9/israel-hamas-war-in-maps-and-charts-live-tracker
Death numbers in war do not determine genocide – bombing of civilian areas has occurred in Syria and Ukraine.
By numbers, Syria has been and Ukraine is being depopulated.
Tell that to the dead.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/20/world/middleeast/gaza-rafah-strike-children.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/4/22/israels-war-on-gaza-live-baby-born-after-mother-killed-in-strike-stable
The collateral damage and/or 'removal' of 'human shields' by the IDF, in pursuit of eradication, will grow support for (fanatical) Hamas ideology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas#Political_and_religious_positions
A foretaste of the resource and security-driven conflicts to come, as tempers flare and patience wears thin on overshoot spaceship Earth.
40000 dead according to hammass, who lie as soon as breathe.[lprent: It appears that you are simply lying with this false assertion of fact.
I don’t know of any death estimates from ‘hammas’ nor from Hamas.
The estimates you are probably referring to are by the Gazan Ministry of Health which at present are over 33k deaths. The methods used and the political position of the Ministry are detailed here in a easy to understand article that appears to be especially designed for stupid trolls like you.
I believe that the other 7k deaths comes from guesstimates from US intelligence sources (not ‘hammas’) about unreported bodies in collapsed buildings. No one actually knows because the numbers are bound to be quite inaccurate under the current fog of war conditions and that the Israelis appear to be targeting medical and aid workers. However what is clear is that the MoH figures are low.
The Israelis appear to have similar problems estimating the number of Hamas deaths despite holding the ground on which and above which most of those should have happened. Their estimates vary wildly. Similarly they haven’t ventured any estimates of the massacres that they have inflicted even in the areas where they now control and where they could dig them out from the blast effects. Also they seem to count an inordinate number of non-militant civilians as being hard-core Hamas militants based on non-military reports. It would appear in my opinion that the IDF routinely lies about the effectiveness of their intelligence and targeting. Hardly an ethical or moral position for a army to take.
If you are too stupid a troll to understand the difference between fiction, fact, opinion, or inherent inaccuracies, then simply don’t bother commenting here. I’ll happily keep pointing out just how stupid you appear. ]
Who runs the Gazan ministry of health?
The Palestinian Authority (PA) pays for it and is the direct employer of all HA staff in Gaza apart from a few Hamas political appointees. This isn’t exactly hard to find out. Most of the funding for the salaries, plant and consumables comes via the PA including from donors.
Hamas as a local authority, militia and political party may influence some people in the Gazan branches of the PA Ministry of Health. But so do many other organisation such organisations as the World Health Organisation, the Israeli Ministry of Health (diseases being no respecter of borders), the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) who have maintained a blockade of Gaza for decades and recently a ready supply of injured Gazan children, and the aid organisations who try to maintain a level of health in the area.
The Israeli government has limited influence apart from its instincts to kill and maim civilians using the IDF. Most of its influence has come from its untrustworthy habits of violating agreements to pay the taxes that it collects on behalf of the PA which are used to partially for the Gazan health system.
As the occupying force of Gaza, the Israeli government is responsible for the well being of the population under their occupation. They are most notable for doing the opposite and using dumb bombs to level civilian buildings and the civilians within.
I know this from doing a minimal level of reading and research.
Just as I know that you are a lazy foolish troll who makes little to no effort to ever do any research. Your comments over time on this site display all of the intelligence of parrot – blindly repeating the propaganda of whoever made up the latest round of misinformation designed for dumbarse parrots.
If you want links to all of this, then I suggest you provide your sources of information first, so I can inspect them for veracity and answer them with more accurate ones. In other words show some minimal effort.
So has any head of the Gaza Health Ministry since 2007 not been a member of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya?
Grey Area @10
Have to admit that was my reaction to the latest development too. Israel attacks an Iranian embassy with missiles – or something along those lines – and then loses it when Iran responds in kind.
Ya know, if someone came along and punched me in the eye, I would probably try to punch them back. I sure would respond. 🙄
Bloody Hell. Mass killing in Sydney – thank goodness he did not have an automatic rifle.
Hobart, gun laws etc.
Port Arthur not Hobart.
Also we have similar laws this government want to repeal.
Exactly – repealing those laws is a dumb idea indeed.
Shocking DG wants cheaper housing, more home ownership etc.
ML is known for two things hounding Clare Curran for wanting better funded and organised state media (boo) and standing alongside Chris Penk and Simeon Brown (to make him look more significant) in photos.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350244337/damien-grant-housing-market-so-tightly-regulated-weve-created-landed-gentry
Libertarians (DG) are wannabe feudal lords in liberal clothing – using the tools of capitalism and power to oppress workers & pillage resources, and using the language of freedom to act illegally & spread lies.
They are the religious fanatics of capitalism
One of the scariest things about today..is wondering what would have happened had Trump been in the white house…
https://youtu.be/Jji3mPSWoew?si=66sm8JPETuyC2R4y
It's a great day today