Open mike 14/05/2023
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Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...6 days ago
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The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...3 weeks ago
- Child Protection Investigation Unit established
A new Child Protection Investigation Unit is being established to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in care, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “The report released by the Royal Commission into abuse in state care shows us all the risk of not acting immediately when there are serious ...3 days ago - Speech at United States Business Summit 2024
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Ka mihi ki te mana whenua ko Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Kia ora and good morning everyone. Thank you Fran and Simon for inviting me here today, and importantly your leadership of this forum over several years now. I want to acknowledge David Gehrenbeck, Deputy ...3 days ago
- Record number of submissions received on granny flat proposal
Nearly 2,000 submissions have been received on the Government’s proposals aimed at making it easier to build a granny flat of up to 60 square metres without a resource or building consent, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “This is the highest number ...3 days ago
- District Court Judge appointed
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Rebecca Guthrie as a District Court Judge. Judge Guthrie was admitted to the bar in 1997 following her graduation from the University of Canterbury in 1996 (LLB, BA). She commenced her legal career in Hastings in 1997 before moving to London in ...3 days ago
- Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050
The latest Predator Free 2050 Board appointments will help to strengthen biodiversity efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. Mr Potaka today announced two appointments to the Board of Directors of Predator Free 2050 Limited, a key player in the wider Predator Free 2050 Programme. “The Predator ...3 days ago
- New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...3 days ago
- Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...3 days ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
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- Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...3 days ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
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- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...3 days ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
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- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...4 days ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...4 days ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...4 days ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...4 days ago
- Fighting for Kiwis in Trade
Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...4 days ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...4 days ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...4 days ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...4 days ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...5 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...5 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...5 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...5 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...5 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...5 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...5 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...5 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...5 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...5 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...6 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...6 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...6 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...6 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...6 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...6 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...7 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...7 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...7 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...7 days ago
- COP29: Carbon credit trading scheme criticised as ‘get out of jail free card’
By Kate Green , RNZ News reporter A new carbon credit trading deal reached in the final hours of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, has been criticised as a free pass for countries to slack off on efforts to reduce emissions at home. The deal, sealed at the annual UN climate ...2 hours ago - View from The Hill: Albanese government crumples on misinformation bill and gambling advertising
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra “Big Tech” is celebrating one victory over the Albanese government, but is set to lose on another front. Ahead of the final parliamentary sitting week for 2024, the government has not just withdrawn its ...5 hours ago
- ‘I was so scared’: Abused as children, incacerated as adults
Former inmates are speaking out to demand better mental health care for those currently imprisoned. ...5 hours ago - ‘I was so scared’: Abused as children, incarcerated as adults
Former inmates are speaking out to demand better mental health care for those currently imprisoned. ...5 hours ago
- Remaining members of ‘Bali nine’ set for repatriation, with conditions
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is still discussing the details for the remaining five of the “Bali nine” to be repatriated to Australia, Special Minister of Sate Don Farrell has said. The planned repatriation follows the representations ...6 hours ago
- COP 29: Carbon credit trading scheme criticised as ‘get out of jail free card’
The deal reached in the final hours of COP29 has been criticised as a free pass for countries to slack off on efforts to reduce emissions at home. ...7 hours ago
- COP 29: Carbon credit trading scheme critisised as ‘get out of jail free card’
The deal reached in the final hours of COP29 has been criticised as a free pass for countries to slack off on efforts to reduce emissions at home. ...7 hours ago
- Protest photographer John Miller records Hīkoi mō te Tiriti with his historic lens
RNZ News For almost six decades photographer John Miller (Ngāpuhi) has been a protest photographer in Aotearoa New Zealand. From his first photographs of an anti-Vietnam War protest on Auckland’s Albert Street as a high school student in 1967, to Hīkoi mō te Tiriti last week, Miller has focused much ...8 hours ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Peel, Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne The petroleum-laden dust has settled on this year’s United Nations climate summit, COP29, held over the past fortnight in Baku, Azerbaijan. Climate scientists, leaders, lobbyists and delegates are heading for home. ...9 hours ago
- All Blacks end of year tour: What we learned
Analysis - There's plenty to talk about including TJ Perenara's statement during the haka, Jamie Wall writes. ...14 hours ago
- ‘To love is to move towards freedom’: Parliament’s newest MP makes their maiden st...
Green MP Benjamin Doyle has joined the 54th Parliament a year into its term. Their maiden statement emphasised the need for radical love. ...18 hours ago
- Live: Minister absent on crucial day as climate talks near collapse
Small island and vulnerable nations walked out of climate finance negotiations on Saturday afternoon in Baku, Azerbaijan, protesting a process they say excluded their participation and views.The COP29 talks are now on the edge of collapse on the crucial issue of a new global finance goal, as the summit has ...20 hours ago - Hīkoi hats: Why are so many people wearing red berets?
For the march to Parliament, many young wahine donned a red beret. It's a pōtae steeped in history and symbolism. ...21 hours ago
- An Ode to .. Erica Stanford
Mean Girl HighSchool swot Jan Tinetti hurries to classAs the bell rings.Slouching against the lockers,Mean Girl Erica lies in waitWith her surly gang of Teen Delinquents.Erica whispers somethingAnd leers horribly at Jan at she scurries past.Jan’s lip trembles,And a hot tear rolls down her face.The Meanies all cackle with gleeAnd ...22 hours ago
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Over nine days, rangatahi and veterans of past hīkoi walked shoulder-to-shoulder to take their message to Parliament. Ella Stewart and Cole Eastham-Farrelly were there. ...1 day ago - Concern Regarding Inconsistent Designation Of Terrorist Organizations
While it is important to maintain strong alliances, it is equally crucial to uphold our Kiwi values of fairness and justice. New Zealand has always prided itself on its commitment to equality and human rights. ...1 day ago
- New Zealand Government’s Racially Divisive Treaty Principles Bill Passes First Reading
By voting for the bill and allowing it to proceed to the select committee, the coalition parties are enabling ACT—an extremely unpopular party that received just 8.6 percent in the 2023 election—to dominate political discourse, posturing as the party of ...1 day ago
- Fiji’s Immigration Minister steps down temporarily over ‘unauthorised’ passports for cult memb...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pio Tikoduadua has ordered an inquiry into the “possible unauthorised issuance of passports” by immigration staff and “offered to step aside temporarily from role”. In a statement on Thursday night, Tikoduadua said the passports in question were issued to the children of ...2 days ago
- A 4.45 billion-year-old crystal from Mars reveals the planet had water from the beginning
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Cavosie, Senior lecturer, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University JPL-Caltech/NASA Water is ubiquitous on Earth – about 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by the stuff. Water is in the air, on the surface and inside rocks. ...2 days ago
- COP29 summit runs overtime as finance talks falter over ‘insult’
“Is it a joke?”That’s what Bolivian diplomat Diego Balanza said on Wednesday in Baku, Azerbaijan, when asked by a reporter about the possibility of the new global climate finance goal (the NCQG) landing at just US$200 billion a year. Developing countries have been pushing for a number in the trillions, ...2 days ago
- The Weekend: What would you march for?
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. When I was a junior writer at The Spinoff, Simon Wilson joined the team as Auckland editor. He’d been the editor of Metro for many years and was easily the most experienced journalist in the room. So if we both happened to ...2 days ago - Celebrating families who give the ultimate gift
Amy Ng-Thomson’s first time walking up One Tree Hill/Maungakiekie was six months after a lung transplant.“It was a beautiful March day, and I always do it in March now… seeing the blue skies, the views, feeling the breeze, I get the sense that she’s with me every time I go ...2 days ago
- Short story: Freefall, by Owen Marshall
Gordon was meant to be with him on that hike. It wasn’t high mountain stuff, but it was rugged, and it’s always sensible to have a companion when that far into the back country. They’d planned to do it in two days and knew each other’s capabilities. But Gordon got ...2 days ago
- ‘You bring your whole life to watching TV’: Critic Diana Wichtel on a life in review
The veteran reviewer takes us through her life in television, including the allure of property shows, the crushing end of Campbell Live, and the review that got the most hate mail. Having reviewed television for The Listener for over three decades, award-winning critic Diana Wichtel has chronicled the medium through ...2 days ago
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Of all the stereotypes about poets, perhaps the most enduring cliche is that poets can’t drive. But what evidence do we have to back that up? A non-driving poet attempts to find out the truth. Bob Dylan said it. Jo Shapcott said it. Wendy Cope said it. Martin Amis said it, ...2 days ago
- How to read a poem: selections from Slender Volumes by Richard von Sturmer
The latest in a semi-regular series that breaks down a poem to analyse what it’s really trying to tell us. I’ve been interested in Richard von Sturmer’s work since I saw him perform at Wellington’s LitCrawl years ago. He was compelling, using his whole body to thump out a poem, ...2 days ago
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Shane Jones says the offshore oil and gas ban is "the worst political decision" he has ever been involved with. ...2 days ago
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A series of frantic text messages from Andrew Bayly to government staffers amid scrutiny over his actions at a winery have been revealed. ...2 days ago
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The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.
There are a few messed up cache pages at present due to some cache option flipping. They should clean themselves out over the next hour.
There is going to be an interesting item tonight on "Sunday" about the Gore Council and Ben Bell.
Sounds like quite a terrible work culture there. And some of the behaviour of the CEO sounds down-right creepy. Apparently the CEO tracked down the former CFO in London and made him an uninvited visit, which was very stressful for the former CEO.
To me, it is sounding like an old boys club who resent a young mayor and are trying to get rid of him.
Disgraceful behaviour. If the other councillors and CEO aren't happy then they should do the right thing and resign.
I wonder where he thinks he's going to work after he gets voted out at the next election.
Do you mean Bell? I don't know if he will get voted out if the doco shows there has been a bullying culture in the council that Bell has been a victim of.
People tend to take the side of the victim, and may stick with him.
For someone to get elected to a council at that age suggests he has something going for him as a politician. I remember Nick Smith (a personal friend back then) getting elected to Rangiora Council while still at High School. I remember that caused a bit of a stir back then.
I realise he is on the other side of the fence to you. But, history shows he went a long way as a politician.
"… there has been a bullying culture in the council that Bell has been a victim of."
If it proves to be correct then it would have started the moment the vote count was complete. The old boomers would have gaslighted him, set him up to take the blame for misdemeanors they were responsible for committing and made other false claims against him.
The young mayor is on record saying he doesn't know what he is supposed to have done wrong. That suggests to me he's the victim not the perpetrator.
I've seen that scenario play out more once over the years and the tactics never change.
I would have liked Weka to clarify her assertion 'I wonder where he thinks he's going to work after he gets voted out at the next election.' I trust she wasn't referring to Ben Bell.
I though what Bell had going for him was his mum, apparently recently high up in Gore Council's city executive.
Parry and Hicks certainly come across as odious pieces of work.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/gore-allegations-pre-date-new-mayor
For sure. Also IMO….bullying scumbags. And, when there are bullying problems in a Company…Council, or whatever…its nearly always, Top Down. I.E. bullying "management"..leads to a complete toxic culture. And the "managers" remain, embedded….while good employees leave……
And invariably the bullies, replete with MBA, lawyer up and use the obscenely generous employment agreements they've wrangled themselves to make it nigh on impossible to remove them without substantial cost to rate payers.
Given what is being spent on PGs now, it might be a cheap option to remove the CEO even given the cost of that.
Indeed. Back in 2006, Parry indefinitely locked out union workers pushing for a new collective agreement. The union (PSA) threatened to blacklist the council, which is the only time the PSA has done that in the past 30 years. This was due to anti-union and anti-employees behaviour, that was exceptionally bad, even after the 9 years of the Employment Contracts Act.
Blacklisting was basically advising all PSA members to not seek jobs there, and to advise all other union affiliates (here and overseas) of the issues with the employer.
An exceptional step, and indicative of the very poor workplace relations at that time.
My uninformed, casual observer 2cents says, if there is an issue with an elected official and the likes of a senior employee, then the one with 'the will of the people' stands on firmer ground.
I smell a rat. I think there should probably be some forensic accounting done on the Gore District Council's Accounts for the past 10-20 years ???
Minutes before Ukrainian duo Tvorchi performed in the Eurovision final Russia's Black Sea fleet launched a cruise missle attack against their home town Ternopil, in Ukraine's far-west.
Not exactly subtle, was it, and also did nothing to support any supposedly high-minded reason for the invasion (even if that was still possible).
It was a puzzle to me how a youngster got elected to mayor of such a conservative area in the first place. People must have REALLY been p…..d off with the existing council hierarchy.
Very interesting Q @ A this morning, with Andrew Hoggard, Cambridge University professor Jonnie Penn talking about AI, and Helen Robinson, CEO Auckland City Missioner. Helen Robinson very on point and if labour doesn't address her concerns in this week's budget, they are dead in this election.
Can't link yet.
Andrew Hoggard stated that he doesn't know the difference between different parties ag policies!!!
Fucker should have been sacked from the feds for that,
Yup, a free speech absolutist.
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Twitter announced late Friday that it’s blocking some content in Turkey ahead of Sunday’s presidential election in the country. The social media company did not explain which tweets would be blocked, nor who made the request, but current president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously blocked Twitter across all of Turkey.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattnovak/2023/05/13/twitter-blocks-content-in-turkey-one-day-before-national-election/?
I think you will find it relates to complaints from Turkish people about the flood of Russian propaganda they're seeing.
Of course. And the twitter file peeps will be all over it, too.
/
In response to legal process and to ensure Twitter remains available to the people of Turkey, we have taken action to restrict access to some content in Turkey today.
https://twitter.com/GlobalAffairs/status/1657219168863756288
We have informed the account holders of this action in line with our policy. This content will remain available in the rest of the world.
https://twitter.com/GlobalAffairs/status/1657219170243674112
Elon Musk, who is stepping down from his role as Twitter's CEO, has been accused of silencing critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of the country's presidential election on Sunday.
Twitter's Global Government Affairs unit announced that the platform will "restrict" access to some content in Turkey on Friday, without specifying the names of the accounts or the type of content it will restrict.
https://www.dailysabah.com/business/tech/turkey-signs-deal-with-spacex-to-launch-turksat-6a-satellite
and here's the link
https://www.newsweek.com/turkey-election-elon-musk-accused-censoring-erdogan-critics-twitter-1800134
Really?
https://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/democracy-and-society/turkeys-divided-public-between-the-west-and-russia-5886/
https://pomed.org/publication/why-turkish-citizens-blame-the-united-states-for-ukraine-war/
Burn the witch !
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Don’t troll my Posts, thanks.
I'll bet that your pet lamb loved you though Phillip.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Don’t troll my Posts, thanks.
If China pulls off any minor diplomatic success from its recent big diplomatic engagements around Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Germany – as well as Saudi Arabia and Iran – watch out UN and USA.
It needs a post by itself, but imagine if China really did broker a set of talks between Russia nd Ukraine. That's a tilt in who has the power to make peace.
What awaits is a multipolar world like we used to have before 1989.
It is an interesting line of thought.
But a lot hinges on exactly what kind of deal Xi Xinping could broker. It's apparent Ukraine is not in the mood to compromise, nor does it look like they should for the moment. The critical moment that can be foreseen coming down the track is what happens if Ukraine manages to cut off Crimea? That is when Putin is most likely to realise that some sort of operational pause is highly desirable.
But Zelensky is not going to settle for a frozen conflict regardless of how the borders are shaped. The big issues are going to be; the return of stolen children and deported citizens, accountability for the unending list of now fulsomely documented war crimes, reparations for the mass destruction and loss of life – and finally it is now a given that Ukraine will have to become a member of NATO in order to ensure any sort of security guarantee. All as a minimum.
It is not clear how Beijing could deliver any of this.
Some hopeful news from Ukraine
Yeah, I have always thought Bakhmut was a good place to start for a number of reasons. Firstly, because the Russians are not set up so well defensively there due to being on attack. Secondly, it would be a huge political statement, given that Russia has banged its head against the Bakhmut wall for months now without success.
But, I think it is still in the shaping phase. So, too early to draw any conclusions.