Shock horror.
A union leader on RNZ this morning.
But fear not faithful neoliberalism, he was there to face an inquisition to explain why the union is going on strike.
At 6.45 we can look forward to the banks and business getting at 15 minutes advertorial courtesy of Giles Beckworth.
The mainstream media is biased.
It would appear that the far right groups are back in Syria, with the help of Turkey. Gotta love how the only group promoting democracy are going to get it in the neck.
Enough money to have a helipad in Herne Bay so he can play golf at exclusive golf clubs with his mates.
Not enough money, it would appear, to pay for staff to attend meetings at Briscoe and Rebel Sport.
Despite him saying it doesn’t happen and checking with his regional managers who confirmed – ed still prefers to take the word of a single anonymous person with no evidence offered.
Ed, you haven’t got that right. My son worked for Briscoes for 7 years, said Rod was a great person, who held his managers to high standards of staff relations, and personally helped staff in sticky situations. ie, my son’s dealings with IRD after making an error with his tax while working in Real Estate. At that time people were driven to suicide by IRD, Rod arranged a repayment schedule. He visits branches often, hence the helicopter.
@ Patricia That is good to know. I think part of NZ issues on employment is that there is too much cheerleading to extract every last dollar from the quickest easiest ways (aka staff wages and higher prices of goods and services often with ‘confusalating’ pricing or promotion so people can’t tell), but not every manager or owner wants to do it. NZ employers have become a race to the bottom to compete with the worst of the worst practices from local and overseas companies operating here.
Time to u turn and actually unite employers and workers which is probably going back to employment practises before neoliberalism… currently productivity is static and increasingly inequality is showing what NZ government is doing now is not making NZ a better place for people to live in.
I personally don’t think a capital gains tax or a rise in income taxes will solve anything because countries that have both taxes have the same problems as NZ and actually more such as UK and USA. They are now showing all the division that that creates.
What is needed is a totally new way to think about employment and income and residency and non residency and paying for public services, than what has been thought of before. Globalism has radically changed all the equations on how to collect tax and who gets welfare and how to get welfare without paying tax. UBI, Tobin tax or what have you should be looked at as a way to make tax fairer and make people who use NZ for business pay what they should and not actually be legally allowed to drain NZ resources while putting more strain on public services.
On Q&A Richard “Mad Dog” Prebble reckoned since he rode a tram up Dominion Rd when he was a boy trams/trains are not the answer for Auckland transport. Sue Bradford couldn’t help a chuckle.
Of course he forgot to mention they ran along the middle of the road… were rundown claptraps… the poles continuously came off the overhead rails… and every time they stopped to let people on and off the traffic had to stop too. We kids loved them because it was bit like going on a rough joy-ride but they were slow and cumbersome.
In contrast the “light rail’ transport service (not trams) will be fast and run alongside the roads (not in the middle) and will not seriously impede traffic or pedestrian flows. Calling them trams is a deliberate attempt to create a negative image with an archaic system that existed many decades ago.
A man who rip, shit and bust through our banking, infrastructure and essential services is still being asked his opinion on what is best for NZ? Good God (to quote Israel Falou)
Nice to see no one is concerned that a pre election promise can now be altered/broken…
Construction firms will be exempt from applying the existing labour market test to bring in up to 1,500 foreign tradespeople at any one time if employers promise to take on a local apprentice for every migrant under a new ‘KiwiBuild Visa’ proposed by Labour.
To now “we expect, hopefully” http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/04/construction-minister-jenny-salesa-confident-kiwibuild-targets-will-be-met.html
Just as well not many follow politics in NZ and this program is not heavily watched. Crap like this goes unnoticed. Or for some they are the 3 monkeys hear, see, speak no evil.
The new government has committed to and is delivering more social housing unlike the previous who tried to sell off social housing – are you “concern trolling” TC?
No. Not trolling. The insufficient offerings of this Government (and Labour in particularly) has always been a genuine concern for me. But obviously I hold them to a higher expectation than those willing to accept better bullshit.
What I accept is progress to reverse 9 years of bullshit – the winter fuel allowance is already going to do more to benefit me than 9 long years of Nationals “beneficiary hunting season”.
You state I am willing to accept better bullshit – I disagree with your argument – Do you feel a need to insult me because of that?
You will also have noted that it is less than the amount pensioners would have received if National had been re-elected. Even then the much reduced amount this year will not be paid until after the worst of the winter is over.
But hey, they are your lot so everything is just peachy.
If the measure of what you call progress is merely if this Government is offering more than the last in regard to housing and the winter energy payment, then yes, this Government is.
However, as National have lowered the bar so low, better outcomes in comparison is an easy achievement. Thus, you’re setting the bar far too low. Giving this Government an easy pass.
The reality is, we have so many major problems in this country, the downward spiral is compounding daily. Thus, the insufficient offerings of this Government isn’t enough to counter that. As I highlighted to ankerawshark re Kiwibuild and social housing.
It’s akin to trying to put out a bush fire with a garden hose.
Therefore, instead of progress, you can expect things to become worse.
Not a better level of bullshit, The Chairman” better outcomes……………..I await to see how Kiwibuild, social housing and homeless is going in two and a half years.
Anyone who has ever undertaken a building project knows that there are delays, cost adjustments, altering plans etc. That is normal………….and on a large scale it is going to be even more the case. I am looking for outcomes and I wouldn’t expect to see them in the first 6 -8 mths. There is good evidence they are getting off their arses though.
As National have lowered the bar so low, better outcomes in comparison is an easy achievement. Unfortunately, the nation needs far better than that.
Kiwibuild is insufficient. Evident by the fact buyers will be required to enter into a ballot to purchases one. Therefore, coupled with growing demand, one can’t expect that to help free up rental capacity when it can’t even cater to current or future housing demand.
The waiting list for social housing is quickly approaching 10,000 and the Government is struggling to commit to building more than 2000 annually. Thus, also vastly insufficient.
Things are going to get worse, not better with this insufficient approach this Government is taking.
I may not be fully informed on this, if thats what you mean by living in a dream. However there is conflicting information about the figures.
I want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people……………….I doubt anyone, living in a dream or not, would say this is an easy problem to fix………………….I believe the Coalition is working on it and I think action and results will speak louder than words……………..
BTW “living in a dream” could be seen as a little bit of a put down, but I am choosing not to take it that way.
“I want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people……………….I doubt anyone, living in a dream or not, would say this is an easy problem to fix………………….I believe the Coalition is working on it and I think action and results will speak louder than words……………..”
I also want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people.
It is a big task and the Government has a plan of action. However, as I highlighted to you above (re Kiwibuild and social housing) the Government’s plan of action is insufficient to secure that aim (a significant improvement in housing).
One would be dreaming to think otherwise. Hence, my initial opening line in my last post to you. Hope that wasn’t too brash.
The chairman..no all good. I tend to be idealistic and hope for the best. I read the standard to become better informed. I did think their kiwi build aspirations were very ambitious.
I really hope and expect them to improve housing in NZ. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t achieve a “cure”………
It is clear that Labour has embellished some of its promises to get the votes. Something Ad, from memory, used to advocate as you have to do what you have to do to get power, then make some changes.
IF this were John Key or Judith Collins saying this stuff, how would we react? Isn’t that the true measure?
Fair point about the true measure. Twyford’s numbers seem to disagree with his claim. But we’ve yet to establish a pattern of complete inability and unwillingness to address problems, as we had with the nats.
It’s funny that the link reporting Twyford’s apparent gaff repeats a gaff of the same flavour:
But figures released by Mr Twyford’s office show just 36 percent of the 1500 places are available now, and most of those are in transitional housing.
Only 306 of the 1071 new state housing places are ready, and 236 of the 416 transitional housing places.
236 transitional housing places is less than 306 state housing places, so not “most” either. 43% not 36% of the 542 available places though, lol
If it may take a year or two to achieve, was labour, NZF Greens clear about that when they campaigned? Did they give us timelines and what if they dont deliver in a year or two?
Already we have heard excuses, blaming last govt, which we railed against Nats for doing…
For my money there is a pattern. There was the first 100 days and then… lag
And an idiot would make this comment “The stand-alone KiwiBuild homes in Auckland will be priced at $500,000-$600,000 with apartments and terraced houses under $500,000. ”
See now how the price ranges have moved UP !!!… and that the references to appartments and terraced houses has been removed. Now we have 1 bedroom being $500k http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/govt-hikes-cost-of-one-bedroom-kiwibuild-homes.html
“One bedroom will go for $500,000, two bedrooms $600,000 and three bedrooms $650,000 – that’s $50,000 more than Labour promised in the election.”
So what Labour campaigned on was NOT clear, or was it and they were less than truthful ??
20% deposit = $100,000
If you are a low earner you qualify for kiwistart or whatever it is called but the lower your income the lower your deposit. A low earner’s kiwisaver is not large.
They are going in the wrong direction. They should be looking at what they have now like the state houses and seeing what they can do there to get people into them. Apparently some are empty, need Reno, decontamination or what have you. Fix the fuckers up for the first thing! Then look at adding tiny housing or what have you on the site or making them into bigger flats.
After that they should be looking at using non profit corporations and employ people themselves to create the housing using firms like Habitat for Humanity. These firms build with unskilled labour and do it cheaply. It is complete lies that normal people can’t build housing, most of them will do a better job under registered supervision that the what’s going on at building sites at present with massive profiteering and waste.
State houses were not built by builders but often by returned service men. Programs like ‘The block’ show how ordinary aspiring home owners with help can very quickly create quality housing.
The reason we are all hearing we need all these ‘skilled’ workers which apparently we don’t have in NZ (apart from seemed to work cheaply and quickly in the previous examples) is to do immigration routs and force housing prices upwards which helps construction and finance firms make more profits.
I only had a quick read of your link but no it is not clear what the timelines for measuring progress are. A 10 year goal to achieve the whole thing but no breakdown of the measures along the way. I don’t expect them to have built them all by now. I do expect a timeline showing the stages of reaching that target. Robertson’s slavish devotion to a Cullenesque budget don’t fill me with confidence about many things either.
We saw what happened in late 2008/2009 when the “oh no it was worse than we thought” mantra came out. Labour has already backed down, with their biggest back down being tying their own hand son tax pre election day.
Part of my comment was regarding what building coys will have to do to enable overseas workers to obtain a working visa. That they will have “…if employers promise to take on a local apprentice for every migrant under a new” Now it has become “we expect, hopefully” Minister Salesa totally contradicted what was given pre election.
Is that a moving target now, that builders and developers will NOT have to take on apprentices and still be able to access labour offshore ?
I thought it was a good idea to start our companies understanding they have an obligation to train workers too, not just taxpayers subsidising them by paying for it all at polytechs etc.
Too many bosses are looking to University and Polytech to produce perfectly fitting/working cogs for their machines. instead of taking on some burden of training.
Plenty of examples where you use unskilled labour of which we have plenty sitting idle in NZ and what is actually going on in the building sites.
Fletcher’s losing so much money is typical of construction nowadays which is completely out of control. it’s subcontractor after subcontractor all taking a cut and as much profit as possible at the top, which often means using not only unskilled labour, but also labour that is exploited or illegal.
The recent Malaysian stoppers had been working happily illegally for years and at better rates than most tax paying sub constructer tradies!
Who are cheerleading the most for these ‘skilled’ people, immigration lawyers and businesses that want keep wages down and constructions costs booming.
Didn’t Labour say all along that they would be treating the construction sector differently to help deliver more homes like they’ve promised? No surprise here, surely.
Apparently the workers are ghost workers who don’t actually take up housing in the crisis… they don’t take up transport or even ever need medical support in our hospitals. They don’t start having families while they are here…
This story about workers not getting paid for meetings etc is going to get huge. My daughter worked for a hairdresser for 4 years. They insisted they started work an hour earlier to setup the day (unpaid of course) It will also be interesting how this affects unpaid internships, which I have always felt was another way of getting workers without paying for them.
Mind you those on a salary tend to work odd hours. A teacher for instance might have a 9 hour day or more if you add in weekends and marking etc.
But if paid by the hour workers should get paid for the time worked or get overtime or time and a half for the extra times.
I was TA at Uni and we had staff meetings I’d always billed for. I was asked to TA a different class the next year and I billed the staff meetings as usual. Then it was brought up in a meeting that there were ‘inconsistencies’ in the billing, namely, nobody else was being paid for the meetings in that department. There were ladies there who’d taught those labs for many years and my not folding made them very uncomfortable they were a bit scared to say boo on the matter. These meetings were not on the same days as the labs either. They were a separate thing so they had to travel both ways and attend on their own dime. I insisted we all got paid.
I didn’t get asked back the next year, though I’m sure the other TA’s appreciated my visit.
With housing and rental prices increasingly unaffordable for many, has the Government looked at adjusting the number of work visas issued each year? I’m sure Jacinda Ardern mentioned this in the Election Debates. Bill English childishly responded that there then wouldn’t be enough builders.
In the early 1990’s around 20,000 new non-citizens a year was seen as quite high. Now the target is about 45,000 per year.
Michael Reddell has noted that this is a major driver of housing demand. Would reducing the number to, say 20,000-30,000 per year be something the Government will consider?
“From 1991 to 2013, non-New Zealand citizen immigration accounted for around 71 per cent of the change in the number of households (or dwellings required). For the last two intercensal periods the contributions of non-New Zealand citizen net immigration were as follows:
•2001 to 2006 70 per cent
•2006 to 2013 106 per cent”
Trying to build more houses to meet this ever growing demand doesn’t appear to be working.
How about only allow in highly paid workers over $100k+… we might actually get some homes built that don’t leak or rail tracks that don’t shear off and derail trains or some houses that aren’t condemned before people move in… No more free family residency or all the other ways that people are coming to NZ taking up housing/super and health care in particular and putting a huge burden on the increasingly fewer NZ workers many of whom have student loans as well and don’t qualify for some sort of government top up.
And why they are about it, do what OZ used to do and make any business have to show $50k+ profit every year for 5 years AND employ 2 OZ citizens at decent wages to even be considered.
Weirdly in NZ you seem to be able to be terrible at business and make pitiful profits or even losses, bring more migrant workers in on low wages, and you are welcomed with open arms.
We need to seriously raise the bar! Make it 10 years for the profits and a maximum time they have to spend in NZ to continue to achieve permanent residency. Citizenship should only be granted to people born here. At present people can spend as little as 11 days and be a NZ citizen or get residency after 5 years and then never work another day in NZ or pay any taxes but still get super and free health and education for themselves and their future kids.
All the government has to do is plug the hole for immigration and lots of positive things will start of happen for Kiwi’s who are being discriminated against for jobs…
The NZ government doesn’t do practical long term planning any more. They can’t. They are irrelevant. The country is largely ‘governed’ by big business interests and this is why the government doesn’t ( cannot) make plans for the public good, rather for NZ Inc. The coalition government is stuck, wading through the same corporate quagmire.
Well, I must return this library book and I can’t find another theatre, realise it will die like lead dropped in the sea.
Adam Hochschild ‘s book, ‘The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin’, published in 1994, from a trip in 1991. It was easy to escape from Stalin’s purges:move, the KGB didn’t do detective. ‘However people rarely tried; despite the mass arrests, almost everybody believed, ‘ it won’t happen to me”. People deny bad news because it implies worse news: If I’m about to be arrested, that would mean the whole system has gone mad.’
We can talk freely about our challenges ‘hence we do not feel the intense fear produced by the NKVD’s knock on the door. That very lack of urgency is our form of denial, as foolhardy as the denials of fellow travelers. For the knock , from these things, will come.’
Talk is taken to be solution near but no, the reverse. It can’t be more than 15 years before the gurgling sound from the bath-water of super-humanity emptying will fill our ears. It is too late bar the long odds gamble of H.s.s’s consciousness.
This is the type of behavior that’s not on in the human rights commission. No wonder ECO MAORI can not get any action on my complaint the whole state sector under the last government has a culture of cover there M8s Asses – – – – – – –
Ka kite ano
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Did you know there once was a time when it was illegal to be a gypsy (aka Romani) in Britain?That was between 1530, when the Egyptians Act was passed, and 1856, when it was repealed.Amongst other things, the act forbade the entry of 'Egyptians' into England, ordered those already there ...
Some days I sit and think, “what will I write…?” What do you say when you get to 1000 posts? Maybe you just start where you are, diverge to where this all began, then offer a collection of reader’s favourite posts, and a few of your own? (And throw in ...
Counter-Puncher: The “activists” and “radicals” (his own words) from the Indian community who took such strong exception to Shane Jones’ remarks about Immigration NZ’s treatment of arranged marriages, may end up bitterly regretting their intervention. Jones is not the sort of person who turns the other cheek to his critics.SHANE ...
In the spirit of Remember, remember the fifth of November, let's keep this in mind FOREVER.
Oh dear. Extraordinary interview on PM with Andrew Bridgen and @EvanHD just now. Bridgen was defending Jacob Rees Mogg’s Grenfell comments. Evan asked him if JRM had meant to say he would have left ...
Collision Course? In conditions of ideological white-out, the international bankers’ “Woop-Woop! Pull Up!” warning may have come too late to save global capitalism.WHAT DOES IT MEAN when international bankers are more willing to embrace radical solutions than our politicians and their electors? At both the International Monetary Fund and the ...
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a conundrum. It is a disease that was described hundreds of years ago and the bacteria that causes it (Bordetella pertussis) isolated in 1906. We have had vaccines for about 80 years but this disease is defiant in the face of human immunity. I wanted to ...
The Zero Carbon Bill has just passed its third reading, uanimously. In the end, National supported it - but we all know they'll turn around and gut it the moment they regain power. Meanwhile, I guess ACT's David Seymour didn't even bother to show up. I am on record as ...
Dr Lindsay Robertson, Dr Jerram Bateman, Professor Janet HoekMembers of the public health community hold divergent views on how access to vaping products or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products should be arranged. Some believe ENDS should be as widely available as smoked tobacco and argue for liberal ...
When the Police were trying to cover up for the National Party over Dirty Politics, they went all-in with their abuses of power. They illegally search Nicky Hager's house, violating his journalistic privilege and invading his privacy. They unlawfully acquired Hager's bank records. They did the same to left-wing blogger ...
Last month, in response to a wave of protests by Extinction Rebellion, the British government purported to ban their protests from the whole of London. It was a significant interference with the freedoms of expression and assembly, and another sign of the country's decline into tyranny. But now, a court ...
Last year, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security reported on significant problems with the intelligence warrant system. While they were unwilling to declare any warrant "irregular" (meaning unlawful) due to the recent law change, they were also not willing to give the system a clean bill of health. Now, they've ...
The National Party has come out in support of encouraging greater vaccination uptake. But it sure isn’t the way I’d do it. National’s suggested docking the benefits of those on benefit whose kids aren’t keeping up with their vaccinations. Some in National have suggested extending that to payments under Working ...
Feeding The Flames: It is simply not enough to demand an end to “corruption”, or “inequality”, or the overbearing influence of the authorities in Beijing. These are just “lowest common denominator” demands: the sort of slogans that pull people onto the streets. They are not a plan.WHERE’S THE PLAN? Across ...
The labour market statistics have been released, and unemployment has risen to 4.2%. There are 115,000 unemployed - 11,000 fewer than when Labour took office. In that time the minimum wage has gone up by $2 an hour, which shows that the right's fears about increases causing unemployment are simply ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has called for submissions on Andrew Little's tyrannicalTerrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill. Normally I encourage participation in the democratic process. I am not doing so in this case. Instead, I encourage all of you to boycott this submissions process, and to post ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzIf tiny concentrations of carbon dioxide can hold enough heat ...
Aviation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and within it, one of the fastest sources is elite travel: billionaires flitting around the world in their private jets, spewing excessive pollution into the atmosphere just so they can avoid mixing with us dirty peasants. But in ...
That's what we face if we don't stop climate change, according to a warning from 11,000 scientists:The world’s people face “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless there are major transformations to global society, according to a stark warning from more than 11,000 scientists. “We declare clearly and unequivocally ...
by Phil Duncan Here’s just a few of the kind of threats issued day in and day out against gender-critical women – feminists, marxists, etc – overwhelmingly by MEN (albeit men identifying as women). “Kill all Terfs”. “Shoot a Terf today”. “All terfs deserve to be shot in the head”. ...
This is the third of the synopses of parts of the opening chapter of John Smith’s Imperialism in the 21st Century (New York, Monthly Review Press, 2016). The synopsis and commentary below is written by Phil Duncan. Unlike the humble cup of coffee and t-shirt that we looked at in ...
Tom MooreTraditionally a food source and cutting tool, freshwater mussels/kākahi are now widely valued as water filters that help clean our waterbodies and maintain ecosystem health throughout Aotearoa. The improvement they provide in water quality can make it easier for other animals to live in streams and rivers, as ...
And to think he gave all the potential goodwill away with that moronic, cult-like statement (repeated ad nauseam by many National hardliners) that Key is quite simply “the greatest PM we ever had”…Installation complete: this was nothing ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is back in the House today for its second reading. While this isn't the final stage, its still effectively D-Day for the bill. Because today, at around 5pm, is when we're going to find out if it has a majority, whether National will support it or ...
The chairman of the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy (UNISCS) working group, Wayne Brown, has hit back at critics of his group’s recommendations to relocate the Ports of Auckland cargo operations to Whangarei’s deepwater port of Northport. The working group's recommendation to close Auckland waterfront to all but cruise ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First backs the public to decide on the End of Life Choice Bill via a referendum at the 2020 General Election. The Bill, with New Zealand First’s referendum provision incorporated, passed its final reading in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Justice New Zealand First is proud that a key Coalition Agreement commitment which will provide for a more transparent and effective criminal justice system has been realised. Legislation to establish the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body focused on identifying and responding to possible miscarriages of ...
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...
Darroch Ball, New Zealand First List MP A Member’s bill has been proposed that would provide income tax exemptions for all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel while on operational deployment overseas. The Income Tax (Exemption for Salary or Wages of NZDF Members on Active Deployment) Amendment Bill proposed by New Zealand First ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have brought common sense to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill, which passed its final reading in Parliament today. Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says months of hard work went into negotiating a balanced ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
We began the week by commemorating the New Zealand Wars and celebrating a major increase in the number of teachers. Then, we were busy supporting offenders into work and getting our rail back on track after years of underinvestment. And that's just the start! ...
In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters met with Korea Racing Authority Chairperson Nak Soon Kim in Seoul today to discuss closer cooperation between the New Zealand and Korean horse racing industries. As part of the visit to the Seoul Racecourse, Mr Peters witnessed ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10 million to establish Otago as the centre of New Zealand’s creative digital industry over the next ten years, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The initiative will bring us closer to the vision of ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)’s skills and employment programme will help young Otago people into long-term forestry careers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Ara Mahi will invest $63,000 in the 2020 school year to support eight 17 and 18 ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will support local plans to revitalise and stimulate economic development opportunities in Otago, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The four Regional Economic Development Ministers have approved an in-principle investment of $19.9 million towards the region’s ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is pleased to have received the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the Coalition Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, which shows significant progress in the fight against the disease. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, says the report’s findings ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing to support economic growth opportunities for Otago’s engineering and manufacturing sectors, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Export Minister David Parker announced today. Almost $20 million ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, discussed in Seoul today opportunities to work more closely in the Pacific and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Mr Peters and Minister Kang confirmed New Zealand and the ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development The three marae in the historic Parihaka Pa complex in Taranaki have been upgraded to high speed broadband with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Connecting the ...
Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins today introduced into Parliament a Bill that will make it easier for the public service to tackle the biggest challenges facing Governments. The Bill represents the most significant change in the public service in 30 years. The State Sector Act 1988 will be repealed ...
The families of more than 416,000 students will be better off next year as their schools have signed up to the Government’s donations scheme, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. The scheme will see almost $62.5 million in additional Government funding go to schools nationwide next year. “I’m really pleased ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced further support as the Government of Samoa responds to a serious measles outbreak. “New Zealand will deploy a further 18 vaccination nurses, bringing the total to 30 working in Samoa over the next four weeks,” Mr Peters said. “A New Zealand Medical Assistance ...
Fa’atalofa atu, malo e lelei, Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you to the Child Poverty Action Group for asking me to be here today to provide an update on some of the things that have been happening across my the social development portfolio. Can I firstly acknowledge the vast ...
***Please check against delivery*** Good morning everyone. It is a pleasure to be with you this morning to open this year’s New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Conference and AGM. Firstly, thank you Dr Alan Jackson, NZTR Chair for your introduction. And let us acknowledge also: The NZTR Board; Dean McKenzie, Chair ...
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer and more secure, Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) Kris Faafoi has announced today. Both renters and landlords will benefit from the suite of practical changes to the Residential ...
A marine conservation milestone - the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve - is being celebrated today at a community event in Tairāwhiti/East Coast attended by the Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “The creation of this marine reserve in November 1999 was a game ...
The Government is asking the food industry to step up work to tackle obesity including reducing sugar, fat and salt in their products, better information for consumers, and tighter restrictions on advertising to children. Health Minister David Clark and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor have responded to a ...
ew, modern emergency department and outpatient facilities at Queenstown’s Lakes District Hospital mean better emergency care for the growing tourist mecca’s visitors and locals, says Health Minister David Clark. Today Dr Clark officially opened the hospital’s redeveloped Emergency Department and Outpatient facilities. The new facilities include: • An extended Emergency Department ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter says today’s release of sexual and reproductive health data reinforces the significance of the Government’s commitment to providing free or very low-cost contraception. The Ministry of Health today published statistics from the Ministry of Health’s 2014/15 Health Survey. “It is important people can make ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced that at the request of the Samoan Government, New Zealand will be providing further support to Samoa as it faces a worsening measles outbreak. “In response to a request from the people of Samoa, New Zealand is providing 3000 measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) ...
“The new Disability Action Plan 2019–2023 moves us towards the inclusive and accessible New Zealand that this government has committed to,” Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni announced today. “The Action Plan was designed by disabled people, their family and supporters, the disability sector and government agencies. It will ensure ...
Third Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting 14 November 2019 Joint Statement 1. Defence Ministers Ron Mark and Dr Ng Eng Hen today conducted their third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore. 2. Building on the Enhanced Partnership signed between both countries in May this year, this annual meeting ...
A Bill to improve the court system’s response to sexual violence has passed its first reading in Parliament today. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Sexual Violence Legislation Bill will reduce the trauma sexual violence complainants experience in court, while maintaining defendants’ fundamental rights and making sure the trial process ...
Streamlined payment practices are a step closer for Kiwi businesses with the formal launch of New Zealand’s e-Invoicing framework. Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says the government has now established the structure to enable automated and direct data exchange between the accounting systems of buyers and sellers. “The move to ...
Another 51 quarantine officers and four new biosecurity detector dog teams will help protect New Zealand from invasive pests and diseases this summer, says Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. “The Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity system and support our valuable primary sector “New Zealand’s flora, fauna ...
A new report has found New Zealand’s space sector contributed $1.69 billion to the economy in the last financial year and employs 12,000 people, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. The report by Deloitte was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and shows New Zealand ...
Judge Coral Shaw has been appointed as the new Chair of the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. "Judge Shaw, who is currently one of the inquiry commissioners, is extremely well qualified for the ...
The Government has confirmed its third major mental health facility upgrade since the Budget, this time at Palmerston North Hospital. The Prime Minister and Health Minister today visited MidCentral DHB to announce that $30 million has been allocated to upgrade its acute mental health facility. It follows earlier announcements in ...
The roll out of the National Bowel Screening Programme has reached the halfway mark, with 10 out of 20 District Health Boards now part of the programme. MidCentral DHB, which covers Palmerston North, Manawatu and surrounding districts, this week became the latest to DHB to offer free bowel screening to ...
The Government welcomes PHARMAC’s decision to fund a vaccine to protect young people from meningococcal disease from 1 December this year. “Meningococcal disease is a serious threat which people at higher risk should be protected from,” says Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter. “The combined pharmaceutical budget was increased by ...
Groups involved with innovative fisheries research projects are encouraged to apply for government support in the latest funding round from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures programme. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the SFF Futures funding is designed to be flexible enough to support small or large projects across a ...
The Government has fixed an issue affecting how Immigration New Zealand has processed visa applications for culturally arranged marriages, which will now see a consistent process applied which ensures people with legitimate arranged marriages can visit New Zealand while also preventing any rorting of the system. Earlier this year Immigration ...
The Royal Commission into the Attacks on Christchurch Mosques will report back on 30 April 2020 to give it more time to hear submissions and consider information, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Royal Commission was originally scheduled to report back to Government by 10 December 2019. “There has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington DC today to attend a ministerial meeting focused on defeating ISIS, and to continue pursuing New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Mr Peters will participate in a meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers from key countries contributing to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. ...
The recently crowned Bird of the Year, the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin, is getting a much needed helping hand alongside more than 168 other community conservation projects announced Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage today. 168 community conservation projects throughout New Zealand are benefiting from $8 million in government grants, including $500,000 ...
Controls on assault rifles and semi-automatic firearms are to be broadened to include some types of pistols, under changes to a bill currently making its way through Parliament. Police Minister Stuart Nash has tabled a Supplementary Order Paper to the Arms Legislation Bill, which is currently before a Select Committee ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark will travel to Singapore today to conduct a counterpart visit and to co-chair the third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting with his counterpart, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. “Singapore is one of our most important defence partners in the region, and our ...
Nelson’s Salisbury School is to be rebuilt, creating a modern and suitable learning environment for students at the residential special school, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The school for girls aged 8-15, in Richmond, was earmarked for closure by National until the process ...
The panel undertaking a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act has identified the main issues to be addressed and options for reform and is calling for feedback to inform its final report. In July the Government announced the comprehensive review of the resource management system, including the RMA - ...
An important safety valve has been added to New Zealand’s criminal justice system with the third reading of the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill today. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “We’ve seen how our justice system can very occasionally get things spectacularly wrong, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters welcomes the tabling of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) 2019 Annual Report in Parliament today. He says the 2019 Annual Report marks the point when New Zealand’s racing industry’s decline was arrested and a turnaround started. RITA’s 2019 Annual Report recorded an industry net profit ...
The New Zealand Government is today sending 21 firefighters to help fight the ongoing catastrophic Australian bushfires. “The fires in Australia are in some of the toughest, most challenging conditions ever,” says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “As of yesterday morning, there were 100 active bushfire-related incidents across Queensland and ...
More frontline support for schools through a new education agency, as part of a redesigned Ministry of Education More support for principals and school boards including through a new centre of leadership and local leadership advisor roles New independent disputes panels for parents and students Management of school property ...
The Government’s reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system is a watershed moment in education and an opportunity to create meaningful change for ākonga Māori and their whānau, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said today. “Last year through Kōrero Mātauranga | Education Conversation, Māori teachers, parents, ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi ...
Infrastructure Minister is welcoming the first of many updated project pipelines from the newly established New Zealand Infrastructure Commission today. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has released an expanded pipeline of major capital projects – another crucial step towards delivering better infrastructure outcomes. “The first iteration of the ...
Tougher gun laws designed to improve public safety through firearms prohibition orders are proposed in a new document released for public input. Police Minister Stuart Nash says firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) would give new powers to Police to ensure high-risk individuals come nowhere near firearms. “We have already prohibited the ...
Andy Coupe has been confirmed as TVNZ’s new Board Chair. “Mr Coupe has strong commercial and capital markets experience and TVNZ has benefited from his technical knowledge of business and finance, as well as his extensive governance experience,” the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Kris Faafoi said. Andy ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today officially opened a separated pathway, following the completion of the Kaiwharawhara Stream bridge, which will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along Hutt Road. The $6.8m Hutt Road project provides a separated path for cycling and pedestrians, the replacement of informal parking ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of career diplomat Si’alei van Toor as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “I’m pleased to appoint Ms van Toor to this position. She brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously served as Senior Trade Adviser to the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, National Security College, Australian National University This past weekend, The New York Times’ China correspondents, Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy, published an expose of over 400 internal Chinese government documents relating to Beijing’s mass detentions of Uighurs, Kazakhs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Stanley, Associate professor/Principal Research Fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne It’s hard to comprehend why someone would deliberately light a bushfire. Yet this behaviour regularly occurs in Australia and other countries. We would go a long way to preventing ...
There are 540,000 dwellings in Auckland and 580,000 households. The result is misery no matter how you try to square things through tenancy regulation. ...
The PM says she's set a very clear expectation that the clearing of firing ranges in Afghanistan will be sped up, but says it's not possible to conclude NZ is responsible for civilian deaths. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Former prime minister Paul Keating has launched a scathing attack on the Australian media for its coverage of China, denouncing “the nominally pious belchings of ‘do-gooder’ journalists” who live on leaks from security agencies. Keating ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University A parasite is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species. Three main classes of parasites can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Lilburn, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Melbourne You’re driving down an unfamiliar street on a clear spring evening. You’ve been invited to a friend of a friend’s party, at a house you’ve never been to before. Tracking the street numbers, you ...
Crimestoppers New Zealand launched its updated website www.crimestoppers-nz.org today. As well as catering for traditional anonymous reports the site now supports mobile users and allows files and images to be attached. The changes support people of all ...
Prince Andrew has spoken for the first time in public about his friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. What did he say to create such a media storm, and how did he get into this mess in the first place? First thing’s first: who is Prince Andrew? Prince Andrew, Duke ...
Sam Brooks interviews the three guest curators of the New Zealand Festival of Arts: Bret McKenzie, Laurie Anderson and Lemi Ponifasio.An Oscar-winning Conchord, the world’s most beloved multimedia artist, and a world-renowned director and choreographer with an attitude. Three weeks, three unique visions of what a festival can and should ...
Plans are being put in place to increase methyl bromide monitoring following a theoretical modelling report about how the log fumigant disperses into the environment after use. ...
It’s the most beautiful time of the year! Comedian Sera Devcich joins Emily Writes to share the joy and investigate the top 10 toys your ungrateful kids will want this Christmas.It’s November which means it’s officially time for your kids to start bugging you day in and day out about ...
Proposed changes to tenancy rights are trickle down, not transformational, change says the Manawatu Tenants’ Union (MTU). There are however improvements for renters, and these efforts must be commended according to the MTU. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Stokes, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Deakin University “To be dead,” wrote the 20th century French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, “is to be a prey for the living.” Even Sartre, though, would have struggled to imagine casting James Dean in a movie 64 ...
The Good Citizen podcast focuses on the way good design – and good people – can change cities for the better. In this episode, Jeremy Hansen talks to architect Richard Goldie about his bold idea for a partially submerged stadium on Auckland’s waterfront, a project that’s now a finalist in ...
Former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer QC has published two books with Andrew Butler calling for a written, codified constitution that sets out ‘in an accessible form and a single document the fundamental rules and principles under which New Zealand is to be governed’. A road trip and consultation attracted ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Housing Luke Malpass and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government hikes claims thresholds for bad landlords, increases ...
People with intellectual disabilities and their families are struggling to access support more than ever before, as the disability sector faces a now $574 million annual funding shortfall, says IHC. ...
The Labour-led coalition may have to generate a second wave of Jacindamania if it is to win another term in the Beehive. Re-election is not an impossible dream, despite the failure of Labour to deliver what many of those who voted for it in 2017 expected. Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes ...
A corporate undertaker talks top tips for making sure you get paid, reining in rogue liquidators, and having a heart for those who’ve lost money.PwC’s John Fisk has handled high profile company failures from Pike River to Lombard Finance and the Ross Asset Management Ponzi scheme. He also chairs the ...
Armed police represent a serious cause for concern, especially for the most vulnerable, writes the chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation.The Mental Health Foundation has publicly condemned the police trial of special armed response teams patrolling three districts around New Zealand. We’re extremely worried these trials will result in ...
International crime rings are increasingly targeting New Zealanders’ bank accounts to launder proceeds from scams and fraud. Bronwyn Groot, Fraud Education Manager at the Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC) is highlighting the rising incidence ...
A just-released report shows that the food industry wants to stay in a business-as-usual mode with a few minor tweaks around the edges. In response, the New Zealand Government appeared comfortable with that approach, and provided no Government plans for comprehensive ...
New Zealand consumers will be left in the dark about foods grown in Australia that have been created using gene editing techniques. On the 13 November the Australian Senator Rice put up a motion to disallow, or overturn, the recently passed Gene Technology ...
As Aotearoa plans for festive season celebrations, The Salvation Army is preparing to make its house a home to hundreds of men, women and children who have nowhere else to stay. ...
Landlords say they feel under siege with the government planning to make it tougher for them to boot out troublesome tenants; and skilled immigrants waiting for a residents visa say its unfair officials are fast tracking applications for those on salaries over $105,000. ...
Standing with the farmers, New Conservative is committed to pushing back against the lunacy of the ETS and Carbon Zero commitments by this government. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tomas Trescak, Senior Lecturer in Intelligent Systems, Western Sydney University Just a few years ago, virtual reality (VR) was being showered with very real money. The industry raised an estimated US$900 million in venture capital in 2016, but by 2018 that figure ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowena Maguire, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology Over the past two weeks, bushfires have raged across New South Wales and Queensland. While the narrative appears focused on potential causes and political point-scoring, what’s lost ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Davis, Chair of Women’s Health, Monash University At menopause, a woman’s ovaries lose their reproductive function. Eggs are no longer released and the production of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone falls. It’s the lowered levels of oestrogen after menopause that gives ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Bolleter, Deputy Director, Australian Urban Design Research Centre, University of Western Australia Around the world, the vast majority of people are flocking to cities not to dwell in their centres but to live in the new suburbs expanding their outer limits. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Natalya Saldanha, Academic, RMIT University Like any eight-year-old, Ryan Kaji loves to play with toys. But when Ryan plays, millions watch. Since the age of four he’s been the star of his own YouTube channel. All up his videos have gained ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kieran Wong, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Indigenous voices are finally being acknowledged as important voices in Australian galleries and museums. Since 2014, I have worked as an advisor to Western Australia’s New Museum, a A$450 million project and one of ...
Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics. ...
The Superdiversity Institute for Law, Policy and Business is releasing its latest report today on Culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse parties in the Courts: A Chinese case study . The Report’s author, Mai Chen, Chair of the Superdiversity ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Doubts emerge about Auckland port move, NZDF leaves death-causing material behind in Afghanistan, and laws around renting to be shaken up.Over the last week, the ramifications of moving most of the operations of Auckland’s port north to Whangarei have been ...
An ambitious new partnership between Sky Sports and more than 50 sports promises more free sport for Kiwis. Suzanne McFadden looks at how it will change the way we see female athletes ...
Catriona MacLennan helped conduct a survey of the top NZ companies to establish the ethnicity of their directors. The results were not surprising, but also far from encouraging. ...
Episode 1 in a series on the trials of injured animals as they’re rescued, rehabilitated and released back into the wild follows the rescue of a yellow-eyed penguin. ...
New Zealand Defence Force's failed to clean up properly after itself in Afghanistan - with the result that seven children have been killed and another 10 civilians injured. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Chinese embassy has lashed out at two Liberal members of parliament, Andrew Hastie and James Paterson, saying they would need to “repent and redress their mistakes” before they would be welcome in China. The ...
Tim Costley National’s new candidate in Otaki Local party members have selected Tim Costley as National’s candidate in Ōtaki for the 2020 General Election. Mr Costley is replacing retiring MP Nathan Guy, who is standing down after five terms. ...
“Compelling research out of the UK reaffirms vaping’s life-saving role. Here’s hoping our Government’s pending legislation reflects vaping’s increasingly documented health benefits for smokers,” say Ben Pryor, co-owner of the largest Kiwi-owned ...
Government has announced a raft of changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. The Minister has said he does not want to be seen to unduly punishing landlords. These changes do more than punish landlords however. They will punish anyone living next ...
Democracy under Fire on Firearms Law Reform - COLFO SUNDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2019 The Government supposedly wants to “hear from all New Zealanders” about firearms law reform – unless you happen to be a licenced firearms owner. ...
From Monday 18 November New Zealand women are working for free until the end of the year because of the gender pay imbalance between men and women. ...
Award-winning investigative team Stuff Circuit is releasing its most hard-hitting documentary yet, exposing a secret the NZ Defence Force doesn’t want Kiwis to know. ...
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Shock horror.
A union leader on RNZ this morning.
But fear not faithful neoliberalism, he was there to face an inquisition to explain why the union is going on strike.
At 6.45 we can look forward to the banks and business getting at 15 minutes advertorial courtesy of Giles Beckworth.
The mainstream media is biased.
At least we can breathe with relief that one major retailer isn’t still gypping their staff, I guess: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/357206/briscoes-rejects-claims-over-unpaid-meetings
Ed 100%.
We fully we support democracy in NZ, unlike apparently as James does not seem too.
It would appear that the far right groups are back in Syria, with the help of Turkey. Gotta love how the only group promoting democracy are going to get it in the neck.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/12269/turkey-syria-afrin-sharia
Rod Duke.
Enough money to have a helipad in Herne Bay so he can play golf at exclusive golf clubs with his mates.
Not enough money, it would appear, to pay for staff to attend meetings at Briscoe and Rebel Sport.
As Draco says, we can’t afford the rich.
Despite him saying it doesn’t happen and checking with his regional managers who confirmed – ed still prefers to take the word of a single anonymous person with no evidence offered.
How do right wing facts get made again?
In fairness they rarely come from a single source – it takes quite a few righties to form a coherent sentence.
The employment court has ordered Smith City to pay for the meetings.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/357206/briscoes-rejects-claims-over-unpaid-meetings
Rod Duke is Briscoes, not Smith City.
oops
I misread the news item. Thankx Oab
Congratulations. You are that true rarity among commenters on Blogs.
You admit it when you make a slip.
How unpatronising and self aware of you alwyn
Yes. I am handsome, intelligent, witty and a pensioner.
Well one right out of four isn’t too bad.
dv;
Pity the right wing commentators don’t “admit their mistakes too”
They often are shown up but ignore their wrongs.
Good for you to admit a very small mistake here.
More power to you.
We will follow if it rubs off on the Right wing now……………….
I think you will find I have corrected my self and apologised on here a number of times.
Actually James I have found that about you at times
Ed, you haven’t got that right. My son worked for Briscoes for 7 years, said Rod was a great person, who held his managers to high standards of staff relations, and personally helped staff in sticky situations. ie, my son’s dealings with IRD after making an error with his tax while working in Real Estate. At that time people were driven to suicide by IRD, Rod arranged a repayment schedule. He visits branches often, hence the helicopter.
@ Patricia That is good to know. I think part of NZ issues on employment is that there is too much cheerleading to extract every last dollar from the quickest easiest ways (aka staff wages and higher prices of goods and services often with ‘confusalating’ pricing or promotion so people can’t tell), but not every manager or owner wants to do it. NZ employers have become a race to the bottom to compete with the worst of the worst practices from local and overseas companies operating here.
Time to u turn and actually unite employers and workers which is probably going back to employment practises before neoliberalism… currently productivity is static and increasingly inequality is showing what NZ government is doing now is not making NZ a better place for people to live in.
I personally don’t think a capital gains tax or a rise in income taxes will solve anything because countries that have both taxes have the same problems as NZ and actually more such as UK and USA. They are now showing all the division that that creates.
What is needed is a totally new way to think about employment and income and residency and non residency and paying for public services, than what has been thought of before. Globalism has radically changed all the equations on how to collect tax and who gets welfare and how to get welfare without paying tax. UBI, Tobin tax or what have you should be looked at as a way to make tax fairer and make people who use NZ for business pay what they should and not actually be legally allowed to drain NZ resources while putting more strain on public services.
Thats really nice to hear.
of course some will continue to hate him because he has money.
Envy is a horrible.
Has anyone in NZ ever done any research on the number of truly double-generation long-term unemployed? And how many of them are third-generation?
On Q&A Richard “Mad Dog” Prebble reckoned since he rode a tram up Dominion Rd when he was a boy trams/trains are not the answer for Auckland transport. Sue Bradford couldn’t help a chuckle.
Of course he forgot to mention they ran along the middle of the road… were rundown claptraps… the poles continuously came off the overhead rails… and every time they stopped to let people on and off the traffic had to stop too. We kids loved them because it was bit like going on a rough joy-ride but they were slow and cumbersome.
In contrast the “light rail’ transport service (not trams) will be fast and run alongside the roads (not in the middle) and will not seriously impede traffic or pedestrian flows. Calling them trams is a deliberate attempt to create a negative image with an archaic system that existed many decades ago.
A man who rip, shit and bust through our banking, infrastructure and essential services is still being asked his opinion on what is best for NZ? Good God (to quote Israel Falou)
Yes its not just a case of scrapping the bottom of the barrel either, more that opinions are being sought from the wrong barrel…..mostly.
Nice to see no one is concerned that a pre election promise can now be altered/broken…
Construction firms will be exempt from applying the existing labour market test to bring in up to 1,500 foreign tradespeople at any one time if employers promise to take on a local apprentice for every migrant under a new ‘KiwiBuild Visa’ proposed by Labour.
To now “we expect, hopefully”
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/04/construction-minister-jenny-salesa-confident-kiwibuild-targets-will-be-met.html
Just as well not many follow politics in NZ and this program is not heavily watched. Crap like this goes unnoticed. Or for some they are the 3 monkeys hear, see, speak no evil.
It seems the pressure to deliver is becoming too much it’s compelling the Government to mislead.
“Most of them are available now but we’re going to continue through the winter to meet that target of 1500,” said Mr Twyford.
But figures released by Mr Twyford’s office show just 36 percent of the 1500 places are available now.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows/2018/05/a-third-of-new-social-housing-ready-despite-govt-claims-most-were-available.html
Still seems a lot better than “there is no housing crisis” – last National Governments bullshit.
It seems National have lowered the bar so low that instead of demanding more, some are appeased by a better level of bullshit.
The new government has committed to and is delivering more social housing unlike the previous who tried to sell off social housing – are you “concern trolling” TC?
Have they are and are they on track to deliver more homes than nats promised or had in train?
@Barfly
No. Not trolling. The insufficient offerings of this Government (and Labour in particularly) has always been a genuine concern for me. But obviously I hold them to a higher expectation than those willing to accept better bullshit.
What I accept is progress to reverse 9 years of bullshit – the winter fuel allowance is already going to do more to benefit me than 9 long years of Nationals “beneficiary hunting season”.
You state I am willing to accept better bullshit – I disagree with your argument – Do you feel a need to insult me because of that?
The Government made a big fanfare over a housing announcement, I highlighted it was largely bullshit.
Then you came along and instead of condemning their bullshit, you praised it for being better than the National’s bullshit.
Showing you are one of those who accept (without complaint) better bullshit.
Now you are trying to ride your high horse and accuse me of insulting you for highlighting this. Get real.
The winter fuel allowance is another insufficient offering. For some, it won’t even cover one power bill.
What you call bullshit I call progress.
“The winter fuel allowance is another insufficient offering. For some, it won’t even cover one power bill.”
It’s more benefit to me than anything National did in 9 years.
You say get real I say get over yourself precious.
You will also have noted that it is less than the amount pensioners would have received if National had been re-elected. Even then the much reduced amount this year will not be paid until after the worst of the winter is over.
But hey, they are your lot so everything is just peachy.
If the measure of what you call progress is merely if this Government is offering more than the last in regard to housing and the winter energy payment, then yes, this Government is.
However, as National have lowered the bar so low, better outcomes in comparison is an easy achievement. Thus, you’re setting the bar far too low. Giving this Government an easy pass.
The reality is, we have so many major problems in this country, the downward spiral is compounding daily. Thus, the insufficient offerings of this Government isn’t enough to counter that. As I highlighted to ankerawshark re Kiwibuild and social housing.
It’s akin to trying to put out a bush fire with a garden hose.
Therefore, instead of progress, you can expect things to become worse.
+1
Not a better level of bullshit, The Chairman” better outcomes……………..I await to see how Kiwibuild, social housing and homeless is going in two and a half years.
Anyone who has ever undertaken a building project knows that there are delays, cost adjustments, altering plans etc. That is normal………….and on a large scale it is going to be even more the case. I am looking for outcomes and I wouldn’t expect to see them in the first 6 -8 mths. There is good evidence they are getting off their arses though.
Sounds like you are living in a dream.
Here’s a taste of reality for you to ponder.
As National have lowered the bar so low, better outcomes in comparison is an easy achievement. Unfortunately, the nation needs far better than that.
Kiwibuild is insufficient. Evident by the fact buyers will be required to enter into a ballot to purchases one. Therefore, coupled with growing demand, one can’t expect that to help free up rental capacity when it can’t even cater to current or future housing demand.
The waiting list for social housing is quickly approaching 10,000 and the Government is struggling to commit to building more than 2000 annually. Thus, also vastly insufficient.
Things are going to get worse, not better with this insufficient approach this Government is taking.
I may not be fully informed on this, if thats what you mean by living in a dream. However there is conflicting information about the figures.
I want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people……………….I doubt anyone, living in a dream or not, would say this is an easy problem to fix………………….I believe the Coalition is working on it and I think action and results will speak louder than words……………..
BTW “living in a dream” could be seen as a little bit of a put down, but I am choosing not to take it that way.
“I want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people……………….I doubt anyone, living in a dream or not, would say this is an easy problem to fix………………….I believe the Coalition is working on it and I think action and results will speak louder than words……………..”
I also want to see a significant improvement in housing in NZ for a range of people.
It is a big task and the Government has a plan of action. However, as I highlighted to you above (re Kiwibuild and social housing) the Government’s plan of action is insufficient to secure that aim (a significant improvement in housing).
One would be dreaming to think otherwise. Hence, my initial opening line in my last post to you. Hope that wasn’t too brash.
The chairman..no all good. I tend to be idealistic and hope for the best. I read the standard to become better informed. I did think their kiwi build aspirations were very ambitious.
I really hope and expect them to improve housing in NZ. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t achieve a “cure”………
I agree with The Chairman
It is clear that Labour has embellished some of its promises to get the votes. Something Ad, from memory, used to advocate as you have to do what you have to do to get power, then make some changes.
IF this were John Key or Judith Collins saying this stuff, how would we react? Isn’t that the true measure?
“IF this were John Key or Judith Collins saying this stuff, how would we react? Isn’t that the true measure?”
Indeed, Tracey.
Some are happy to give this Government an easy pass, which doesn’t encourage them to up their game, leaving us shortchanged.
If we want more out of this Government, we are going to have to hold their feet to the fire.
Fair point about the true measure. Twyford’s numbers seem to disagree with his claim. But we’ve yet to establish a pattern of complete inability and unwillingness to address problems, as we had with the nats.
It’s funny that the link reporting Twyford’s apparent gaff repeats a gaff of the same flavour:
236 transitional housing places is less than 306 state housing places, so not “most” either. 43% not 36% of the 542 available places though, lol
chuckling
Yes Herodotus,
Well the media is absent over many issues that don’t fit their ideology.
So here they are happy with more and more imported workers over looking after Kiwis.
It is a target, and may take a year or two to achieve, where is the lie exactly?
Impatience and dissing current efforts don’t help.
patricia b
+1
If it may take a year or two to achieve, was labour, NZF Greens clear about that when they campaigned? Did they give us timelines and what if they dont deliver in a year or two?
Already we have heard excuses, blaming last govt, which we railed against Nats for doing…
For my money there is a pattern. There was the first 100 days and then… lag
Yes they were.
And only idiots would expect any government to be able to go straight to their projected top build rate without some sort of capacity build up first.
And an idiot would make this comment “The stand-alone KiwiBuild homes in Auckland will be priced at $500,000-$600,000 with apartments and terraced houses under $500,000. ”
See now how the price ranges have moved UP !!!… and that the references to appartments and terraced houses has been removed. Now we have 1 bedroom being $500k
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/govt-hikes-cost-of-one-bedroom-kiwibuild-homes.html
“One bedroom will go for $500,000, two bedrooms $600,000 and three bedrooms $650,000 – that’s $50,000 more than Labour promised in the election.”
So what Labour campaigned on was NOT clear, or was it and they were less than truthful ??
Yup
20% deposit = $100,000
If you are a low earner you qualify for kiwistart or whatever it is called but the lower your income the lower your deposit. A low earner’s kiwisaver is not large.
They are going in the wrong direction. They should be looking at what they have now like the state houses and seeing what they can do there to get people into them. Apparently some are empty, need Reno, decontamination or what have you. Fix the fuckers up for the first thing! Then look at adding tiny housing or what have you on the site or making them into bigger flats.
After that they should be looking at using non profit corporations and employ people themselves to create the housing using firms like Habitat for Humanity. These firms build with unskilled labour and do it cheaply. It is complete lies that normal people can’t build housing, most of them will do a better job under registered supervision that the what’s going on at building sites at present with massive profiteering and waste.
State houses were not built by builders but often by returned service men. Programs like ‘The block’ show how ordinary aspiring home owners with help can very quickly create quality housing.
The reason we are all hearing we need all these ‘skilled’ workers which apparently we don’t have in NZ (apart from seemed to work cheaply and quickly in the previous examples) is to do immigration routs and force housing prices upwards which helps construction and finance firms make more profits.
“Yes they were”
I only had a quick read of your link but no it is not clear what the timelines for measuring progress are. A 10 year goal to achieve the whole thing but no breakdown of the measures along the way. I don’t expect them to have built them all by now. I do expect a timeline showing the stages of reaching that target. Robertson’s slavish devotion to a Cullenesque budget don’t fill me with confidence about many things either.
We saw what happened in late 2008/2009 when the “oh no it was worse than we thought” mantra came out. Labour has already backed down, with their biggest back down being tying their own hand son tax pre election day.
Idiots are everywhere Draco.
Part of my comment was regarding what building coys will have to do to enable overseas workers to obtain a working visa. That they will have “…if employers promise to take on a local apprentice for every migrant under a new” Now it has become “we expect, hopefully” Minister Salesa totally contradicted what was given pre election.
Is that a moving target now, that builders and developers will NOT have to take on apprentices and still be able to access labour offshore ?
I thought it was a good idea to start our companies understanding they have an obligation to train workers too, not just taxpayers subsidising them by paying for it all at polytechs etc.
Too many bosses are looking to University and Polytech to produce perfectly fitting/working cogs for their machines. instead of taking on some burden of training.
Plenty of examples where you use unskilled labour of which we have plenty sitting idle in NZ and what is actually going on in the building sites.
Fletcher’s losing so much money is typical of construction nowadays which is completely out of control. it’s subcontractor after subcontractor all taking a cut and as much profit as possible at the top, which often means using not only unskilled labour, but also labour that is exploited or illegal.
The recent Malaysian stoppers had been working happily illegally for years and at better rates than most tax paying sub constructer tradies!
Who are cheerleading the most for these ‘skilled’ people, immigration lawyers and businesses that want keep wages down and constructions costs booming.
Hmm Labour misspoke? Surely you jest?
Didn’t Labour say all along that they would be treating the construction sector differently to help deliver more homes like they’ve promised? No surprise here, surely.
A bit disingenuous then because that is the sector where there has been a lot of immigration.
Where will the 1500 workers live, for example? In the houses being built?
Apparently the workers are ghost workers who don’t actually take up housing in the crisis… they don’t take up transport or even ever need medical support in our hospitals. They don’t start having families while they are here…
This story about workers not getting paid for meetings etc is going to get huge. My daughter worked for a hairdresser for 4 years. They insisted they started work an hour earlier to setup the day (unpaid of course) It will also be interesting how this affects unpaid internships, which I have always felt was another way of getting workers without paying for them.
“This story about workers not getting paid for meetings etc is going to get huge”
As it should – if they are there working – they should be paid.
Unpaid work should be illegal no matter what. Calling it an ‘internship’ shouldn’t change that.
Mind you those on a salary tend to work odd hours. A teacher for instance might have a 9 hour day or more if you add in weekends and marking etc.
But if paid by the hour workers should get paid for the time worked or get overtime or time and a half for the extra times.
I was TA at Uni and we had staff meetings I’d always billed for. I was asked to TA a different class the next year and I billed the staff meetings as usual. Then it was brought up in a meeting that there were ‘inconsistencies’ in the billing, namely, nobody else was being paid for the meetings in that department. There were ladies there who’d taught those labs for many years and my not folding made them very uncomfortable they were a bit scared to say boo on the matter. These meetings were not on the same days as the labs either. They were a separate thing so they had to travel both ways and attend on their own dime. I insisted we all got paid.
I didn’t get asked back the next year, though I’m sure the other TA’s appreciated my visit.
I’d rather fight for my right to party.
Gaza Body Count-Journalists
Journalists killed and wounded by IDF during the Great Return March, as of May 13, 2018…
http://normanfinkelstein.com/2018/05/13/gaza-body-count-journalists/
Iain Lees-Galloway,
With housing and rental prices increasingly unaffordable for many, has the Government looked at adjusting the number of work visas issued each year? I’m sure Jacinda Ardern mentioned this in the Election Debates. Bill English childishly responded that there then wouldn’t be enough builders.
In the early 1990’s around 20,000 new non-citizens a year was seen as quite high. Now the target is about 45,000 per year.
Michael Reddell has noted that this is a major driver of housing demand. Would reducing the number to, say 20,000-30,000 per year be something the Government will consider?
“From 1991 to 2013, non-New Zealand citizen immigration accounted for around 71 per cent of the change in the number of households (or dwellings required). For the last two intercensal periods the contributions of non-New Zealand citizen net immigration were as follows:
•2001 to 2006 70 per cent
•2006 to 2013 106 per cent”
Trying to build more houses to meet this ever growing demand doesn’t appear to be working.
How about only allow in highly paid workers over $100k+… we might actually get some homes built that don’t leak or rail tracks that don’t shear off and derail trains or some houses that aren’t condemned before people move in… No more free family residency or all the other ways that people are coming to NZ taking up housing/super and health care in particular and putting a huge burden on the increasingly fewer NZ workers many of whom have student loans as well and don’t qualify for some sort of government top up.
And why they are about it, do what OZ used to do and make any business have to show $50k+ profit every year for 5 years AND employ 2 OZ citizens at decent wages to even be considered.
Weirdly in NZ you seem to be able to be terrible at business and make pitiful profits or even losses, bring more migrant workers in on low wages, and you are welcomed with open arms.
We need to seriously raise the bar! Make it 10 years for the profits and a maximum time they have to spend in NZ to continue to achieve permanent residency. Citizenship should only be granted to people born here. At present people can spend as little as 11 days and be a NZ citizen or get residency after 5 years and then never work another day in NZ or pay any taxes but still get super and free health and education for themselves and their future kids.
All the government has to do is plug the hole for immigration and lots of positive things will start of happen for Kiwi’s who are being discriminated against for jobs…
Two Wellington hotels seeking autistic staff
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=109394
Sometimes you just don’t want to read the news and find out what the dinosaurs farting fossil fuels have decided…
KiwiRail’s ‘kiss of death” for electrification of main trunk line
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=109378
Ministerial interjection?….Prime Ministerial even?
The NZ government doesn’t do practical long term planning any more. They can’t. They are irrelevant. The country is largely ‘governed’ by big business interests and this is why the government doesn’t ( cannot) make plans for the public good, rather for NZ Inc. The coalition government is stuck, wading through the same corporate quagmire.
Well, I must return this library book and I can’t find another theatre, realise it will die like lead dropped in the sea.
Adam Hochschild ‘s book, ‘The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin’, published in 1994, from a trip in 1991. It was easy to escape from Stalin’s purges:move, the KGB didn’t do detective. ‘However people rarely tried; despite the mass arrests, almost everybody believed, ‘ it won’t happen to me”. People deny bad news because it implies worse news: If I’m about to be arrested, that would mean the whole system has gone mad.’
We can talk freely about our challenges ‘hence we do not feel the intense fear produced by the NKVD’s knock on the door. That very lack of urgency is our form of denial, as foolhardy as the denials of fellow travelers. For the knock , from these things, will come.’
Talk is taken to be solution near but no, the reverse. It can’t be more than 15 years before the gurgling sound from the bath-water of super-humanity emptying will fill our ears. It is too late bar the long odds gamble of H.s.s’s consciousness.
komfort.
Good evening Newshub every thing the previous Government was wrong here a link
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/103928695/former-earthquake-recovery-minister-incensed-by-reserve-bank-governors-rebuild-comments brownlee is just a – – – – – Ka kite ano PS my work schedule is all over the place at the minute look at this link
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/stuff-circuit/103932438/hopeful-christian-dies-what-now-for-gloriavale
This is the type of behavior that’s not on in the human rights commission. No wonder ECO MAORI can not get any action on my complaint the whole state sector under the last government has a culture of cover there M8s Asses – – – – – – –
Ka kite ano