Stephen Hoadley, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts, examines the US election.
Until Trump’s digressions, US presidents had made the following contributions to ‘making America great’:
He follows with a paragraph summarising the greatness effect of each of nine presidents, some rather unconvincing! Then the current situation:
Biden is 10 percentage points ahead of Trump in an average of polls. He has been endorsed by Obama, Sanders, Powell, 80 top former security officials, several new Political Action Committees (PACs), and by the majority of persons of colour.
Andre is the best here for advice on the constitutional method for determining that a US president is unfit for office, but yes, the VP would move up if it happens.
I posted here a week or two back a report which said Biden will decide on a running mate by the end of July, from memory (vague, sorry), but the short list of black female candidates was down to three in that report.
No decision yet on Biden's running mate. ISTR they were planning to make the announcement around 1st August.
The 25th Amendment spells out what happens if a President becomes unable to carry out their duties. Yes, in that case the Vice-President becomes President.
It provides for handing over temporarily, as has been used a number of times when the president has had a medical procedure done.
It provides for when a president becomes permenently incapacitated, but not dead, such as by suffering a stroke.
It provides for when a president is clearly bonkers and completely mentally unfit for the position, which should have been used at any time in the last 3 and a half years but hasn't because all the Repug officeholders that would need to act to make it happen are so cravenly spineless they make jellyfish look like Winston Churchill.
If your question is about what happens if the nominee for President becomes incapacitated before the election, that depends on timing.
If it happens before the nominating convention, then it basically becomes a free-for-all at the convention. If the presumptive nominee (right now, Biden for the Dems and that Repugnant stygian homunculus) is in a fit state to express their opinion on who should be their replacement to their pledged delegates, that may be a decisive factor.
Post convention when they are the actual nominee, it's still not completely clear and is nominally up to the party to decide what to do, but the strongest likelihood is that the veep nominee would become the presidential nominee and choose a new veep nominee. Same as would happen for an elected president and veep.
Looks like Act has found a way to grow their support by pulling in all the fringe groups they can with promises to support them. What other fringe groups besides the anti 1080 and anti gun control groups will they try and court next? National's dirty politics people must be rubbing their hands with glee they can target these groups with disinformation to get them to vote for Act and bolster Nationals puppet party.
The anti 1080 and anti gun control people are being played hard but they are to focused on getting what they want to realize it trapped in their own little disinformation group bubbles.
Having to lead that mess would take a severe toll on anyones health. He's certainly gone to bits as it's gone on and I was starting to be concerned for the guy.
So was I. Very pleased to see he had the internal strength to walk away from the swill. I don't think he realised how morally corrupt that little band of Neanderthal are. You lie down with dogs you get up with fleas. All the best to him and his family. Picking the next one to enter the bear pit will be Amy Adams. If so good luck to her. All I can say.
You are presumably joking Kiwijoker. Woodhouse is, I'd suggest, one of the main reasons Muller has resigned. The Heron inquiry will no doubt show that he had been corresponding with Boag WITHOUT telling Muller. The National Party caucus is deeply divided and Woodhouse was/is a strong Bridges supporter.
This is a surprise, clearly the mess he inherited from Key and Bridges was worse than he imagined. If you actually care about doing the right thing, being in a position of responsibility to fix it is highly stressful.
“The role has taken a heavy toll on me personally, and on my family, and this has become untenable from a health perspective.”
I think also he may have realised his public speaking and communication skills were not up to being PM.
I'd give the guy points for self-awareness and the courage to leave with dignity.
"It has become clear to me that I am not the best person to be Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party at this critical time for New Zealand," he said. "It is more important than ever that the New Zealand National Party has a leader who is comfortable in the role. The role has taken a heavy toll on me personally, and on my family, and this has become untenable from a health perspective."
If I was a gNat, I'd have voted for him too in the absence of an alternative. But can you tell me why you're surprised? I was wondering when rather than if ,
Perhaps Wayne will be along soon to defend and educate us, while the various rent-a-voices elsewhere will give us all some in-depth analysis
Looks like you intended that as a reply to RL – but it is a surprise since bad poll ratings haven't sufficiently emerged as likely trigger. Farrar still has his early June poll on kiwiblog – if he did polling early July it may have been so dire for National that he decided not to post it onsite, but if notified to Muller that could have catalysed the resignation.
The sense I get is that Muller was never ensconced in control. I hope Nat factionalism will emerge into the media now. Will they succeed in keeping that stuff covert? Depends on caucus perception of common interests…
Yep, I did Dennis. Not sure how that happened – possibly phat fingers on a cold early morning keyboard. Those polls those polls though eh? Sometimes about as useful as measuring the voices of a taxi drivers, people in one's own community, and various bubbles one hops hops between, and then putting it all in a David Mac blender
By the way, I’m wondering how many of the Christian right have popped along to their local lately to listen to their minister’s words of wisdom. It might not be a bad idea if they did. Wotcha rekons?
Given that christian ministers aren't big on delivering political advice to parishioners, I reckon their folks will have to be traditional: find an omen to interpret… 😇
Ha ha ha yes the billboards…."Better team, more jobs" They seem to be creating many job opportunities e.g. leader of the opposition positions, Southland/Clutha candidates, not to mention the stream of National MPs leaving
Huh? DP is sinking the party and he calls for the Grand-Master of DP to come back who’s not even an MP!? Garner should have a lie down and a cuppa and he may, just may, come up with a moderately useful uttering for once.
Sure give the guy points for self awareness etc……………but actually no self awareness when he launched the coup that he was the very worst person for the job……………….just remembering the Simon Wilson article where he concluded Muller seemed convinced of his own exceptionlism
Ain't that the truth. Simon's probably still yearning for a polished concrete floor somewhere in Burma Road, a little more corduroy in his wardrobe, reflecting on lysergic JollyGreenGiants in pill form allowing him his his historical interpretations, and trusting in his bloody good journalism (by comparison with the rest) to move him forward (in this space).
Ben Thomas on radio :"Congratulations to him." WHAT?
For what? Covering up and lying last week? Getting out before an official report comes out that he knows will be most unfavourable and that much closer to the election?
Lprent, the only reason the comment appeared on this thread was because I posted it and it did not appear for ages so I assumed you wanted it in Open Mike (although it was still valid for that other thread as well).
Fair enough. I didn't release it, so I have no idea what you got caught by on the comment (could look up the history – but bearing in mind the short time between comments, it was probably just caching).
I was scanning through the comments at the backend and saw an identical comment in two different posts on the same backend page of comments. Went back up the page and left the note on the last one as a warning.
Don't take it personally, it is one of my standing reflexive triggers for a warning. I do it to everyone to prevent anyone wanting to use it as a tactic. hell, I still even have the SQL around to detect persistent astroturfing between posts.
Muller for the last week just looked as if he did not want to be there and I don’t think he has had a decent nights sleep in ages. I almost felt sorry for him but kicked myself and reminded myself that actually thinking you are the Leader people need should be the the primary disqualifying factor.
I believe the health reason.
In the last week I have suggested that Bridges would be the Nat leader by the Election to much hilarity from my mates, well, my one mate anyway.
That's part of the problem with National – they actually believe that government is a pretend job.
John Key wilted after he became PM. It was obvious from the get go that the job was far harder than he ever believed it would be and it took its toll on him.
“The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it. On those criteria Zaphod Beeblebrox is one of the most successful Presidents the Galaxy has ever had — he has already spent two of his ten presidential years in prison for fraud.”
Will Woodhouse be able to continue in his Health role? Does he have universal liking and credibility or will he be another casualty? Hope he gets demoted or maybe he will just resign?
It angers me when some smart-arse comes along after a scare of some sort which involved precautions and limits, and because professionals did not have the right crystal ball exactly aligned they receive sneers and cat-calls.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/11/second-wave-covid-swedish-approach-will-have-right-along/
The Telegraph writer here Christopher Snowdon, takes a sneering look at the concerned professionals in the UK who called for sharp action with warnings of possible disastrous outcomes (which have occurred in USA and Brazil we note). The fact is that Sweden did not duck and take cover and hasn't been bowled over because they were watching the borders and quick to isolate sick people.
But New Zealand is small and not a big market, so why would those financing false news be interested in our elections?
Admittedly powerful foreign organisations probably don’t really care whether it is Jacinda Ardern or Todd Muller who is prime minister, but they may want to use New Zealand as a pawn in other political discussions.
This piece is so odd that it almost comes across as a deliberate distraction.
The second to last paragraph will lead to predictable behaviour and the tips towards the end are pretty lightweight.
Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger says the National Party needs to choose a new leader who is bold enough to talk publicly about tax increases and New Zealand's post-Covid economic future. “Bolger said no political parties were saying what the political implications were for the government’s major spending during the Covid-19 pandemic “to keep the economy half afloat”.
“We have to address the tax issues, now we’ve done the spending issue … we’re talking massive sums of money and nobody in any political party – even the commentators are not – saying ‘well, how do we address this now?'”
He said the government had done a good job in ensuring that New Zealand did not have a Covid-19 problem of the scale that other countries have, “but we do have a problem in the scale of debt that we’ve loaded on ourselves”.
He said tax and rate increases were the stark reality of what New Zealand had to do, and the discussion it must have, but much bolder leadership was needed as a result of Covid-19.
“We had bold leadership to manage the virus – full marks – now we have to have bold leadership to manage the aftermath and that requires a real look at how we go about taxing and spending because at the moment they’re just totally out of kilter with reality.
“And I just hope there are leaders out there, in all parties, that’ll step up to that.”
Jim Bolger has channeled Corbyn and Sanders several times recently and continues his Road To Damascus moment in this interview. I know he gets served – and deservedly so – for his part in the promoting Chicago School economics but I'll give the guy a break because he's following his conscience and and the doing the right thing now.
Only trouble is there isn't single Nat you can name that would have the balls (or mana) to change the conversation. Same, more the pity, with Labour, but should they get to govern alone (far from a given) perhaps Robertson et al will grow some. But I suspect the political reality is that heavier and more progressive tax plans will only get a nod from the people when the worlds already past gone.
You've been had. Calling for Austerity (cutting the deficit with tax hikes) way too soon after a recession is precisely a Chicago school type prescription.
With unemployment at elevated levels this would likely be as destructive as when Boldgers government did it during the mid 90s.
If you want to understand the Chicago school connection then look up the concept called Ricardian equivalence. Then consider if it seems reasonable to claim your presently limiting spending in anticipation of tax hikes (and the converse), or due to the state of the economy.
I'm pretty sure Bolger is calling for a wealth tax. I would support that. And the Tobin Tax. If you believe 'debt must be repaid' then it has to come from taxing unproductive currency flows and the very wealthy.
Clearly Bolgers first concern is the level of government debt. I don't believe he got as far as specifying what kind of tax to collect. Your projecting and another punter would project their own preferred tax onto his statements.
There are plenty of other ways to reduce the govt debt level of course. For a start you could stop issuing new debt (and just allow the OCR fall to zero). Or have the RBNZ buy and write off as much as desired. Not that this is an actual present policy concern.
Ardern has kept her second-term policy reform powder as dry as possible, knowing that a low-target strategy the surest way to re-election in this MMP landscape. But now that plausible deniability is gone. Todd Muller's spectacular resignation and the prospect of a National voting sagging into the low 30 percent range means there is a very real prospect of a Labour alone or Labour-Green Government from September 20.
Now there is nowhere to hide. If you're likely to win, the public would like to know what you're going to do with that victory and unprecedented power in nearly a quarter of a century of always-in-coalition government.
He's right. The time to declare Labour's aspirations is nigh. There will be wiggle room for a while, but Jacinda ought not wait too long. Next poll will provide a basis for being ambitious. In a careful, moderate way…
Doesn't matter if she says nothing at all – National have lost the election; Labour need only bide their time. The win will come, no matter what she says or doesn't say.
Couple of minor tweaks now that I can see a loaded performance on php7.4. It appears that they have increased the per process performance at a power and noise chewing higher levels of short term CPU performance. Not useful for this usage. I was wondering about the higher core usage.
Increased the process pool. Dropped the priority of php processes so the database gets more attention, increased the number of handles that can open, increased the number of requests before closing processes, increased the available processes and the time before each would fail, increased the memory cache quite a lot, etc, etc.
That reduced the process load at the CPU by a magnitude. Should effectively run quieter and deliver the same user performance. Effectively I have prioritized the database and web server over the raw code performance.
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Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
Here's a good pic of Trump's finger-pointing for a caption competition: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/will-the-us-election-be-a-geopolitical-turning-point
Stephen Hoadley, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts, examines the US election.
He follows with a paragraph summarising the greatness effect of each of nine presidents, some rather unconvincing! Then the current situation:
Cheers for posting Dennis, that's some good fodder for when I'm trolling the MAGA crowd 🙂
Any word yet on who Biden's running mate is please?
Do you know please, if a President became unfit for office would the Vice President become President?
Andre is the best here for advice on the constitutional method for determining that a US president is unfit for office, but yes, the VP would move up if it happens.
I posted here a week or two back a report which said Biden will decide on a running mate by the end of July, from memory (vague, sorry), but the short list of black female candidates was down to three in that report.
Thanks Dennis, much appreciated. Will ask Andre next time I see him on.
No decision yet on Biden's running mate. ISTR they were planning to make the announcement around 1st August.
The 25th Amendment spells out what happens if a President becomes unable to carry out their duties. Yes, in that case the Vice-President becomes President.
It provides for handing over temporarily, as has been used a number of times when the president has had a medical procedure done.
It provides for when a president becomes permenently incapacitated, but not dead, such as by suffering a stroke.
It provides for when a president is clearly bonkers and completely mentally unfit for the position, which should have been used at any time in the last 3 and a half years but hasn't because all the Repug officeholders that would need to act to make it happen are so cravenly spineless they make jellyfish look like Winston Churchill.
If your question is about what happens if the nominee for President becomes incapacitated before the election, that depends on timing.
If it happens before the nominating convention, then it basically becomes a free-for-all at the convention. If the presumptive nominee (right now, Biden for the Dems and that Repugnant stygian homunculus) is in a fit state to express their opinion on who should be their replacement to their pledged delegates, that may be a decisive factor.
Post convention when they are the actual nominee, it's still not completely clear and is nominally up to the party to decide what to do, but the strongest likelihood is that the veep nominee would become the presidential nominee and choose a new veep nominee. Same as would happen for an elected president and veep.
Thanks Andre for explaining, you're awesome 🙂 I really appreciate your insight on the USA elections.
Maybe there is still hope for the USA after all, depending on Biden's running mate, who may have to take over at some stage.
Looks like Act has found a way to grow their support by pulling in all the fringe groups they can with promises to support them. What other fringe groups besides the anti 1080 and anti gun control groups will they try and court next? National's dirty politics people must be rubbing their hands with glee they can target these groups with disinformation to get them to vote for Act and bolster Nationals puppet party.
The anti 1080 and anti gun control people are being played hard but they are to focused on getting what they want to realize it trapped in their own little disinformation group bubbles.
Muller has resigned.
Snap !!! Dang, are they trying to do an Andrew and Jacinda, because it ain't gonna work.
They are imploding. Crikey!
Edit…. Crusher is visiting Motueka tomorrow…. hmmmm
Please not Collins to much history with her.
Phew!
Who's next in line?
Muller just resigned
'Health reasons' said a headline. The party is terminal he meant.
Not health heat
Having to lead that mess would take a severe toll on anyones health. He's certainly gone to bits as it's gone on and I was starting to be concerned for the guy.
So was I. Very pleased to see he had the internal strength to walk away from the swill. I don't think he realised how morally corrupt that little band of Neanderthal are. You lie down with dogs you get up with fleas. All the best to him and his family. Picking the next one to enter the bear pit will be Amy Adams. If so good luck to her. All I can say.
You lie down with rats you get eaten by your bed mates.
Woodhouse would have to have the required, values, integrity and moral compass to be their leader.
Just about chocked on my cuppa! Lmao !!! Moral compass… rofl !!!
But, but…
Didn't we just buy him a new one?
See if Woodhouse is back benched.
You are presumably joking Kiwijoker. Woodhouse is, I'd suggest, one of the main reasons Muller has resigned. The Heron inquiry will no doubt show that he had been corresponding with Boag WITHOUT telling Muller. The National Party caucus is deeply divided and Woodhouse was/is a strong Bridges supporter.
Woodlouse? Sort of boring into the timbre of the Gnats!
Exactly.
Its a worry . I would never have voted muller but he atleast seemed to have some decency.
He's economical with the truth, which is hardly a decent quality.
He got cornered by woodhouse last week . I reckon hes been knifed.
The health reasons could be the stabbing sensations between his shoulder blades.
he's in National, lying is part of the job. But I don't think he is sociopathic, which was an improvement.
Same here.
This is a surprise, clearly the mess he inherited from Key and Bridges was worse than he imagined. If you actually care about doing the right thing, being in a position of responsibility to fix it is highly stressful.
I think also he may have realised his public speaking and communication skills were not up to being PM.
I'd give the guy points for self-awareness and the courage to leave with dignity.
Ta. I forgot the linky …
In this instance I’m willing to take the ‘health reasons’ excuse at face value. That plus what may well be discouraging internal polling …
“I'd give the guy points for self-awareness and the courage to leave with dignity”
Me too. Nats seem in deep shit now. They need an uncompromised leader to succeed but there's no obvious contenders who fit that description!
If I was a gNat, I'd have voted for him too in the absence of an alternative. But can you tell me why you're surprised? I was wondering when rather than if ,
Perhaps Wayne will be along soon to defend and educate us, while the various rent-a-voices elsewhere will give us all some in-depth analysis
Looks like you intended that as a reply to RL – but it is a surprise since bad poll ratings haven't sufficiently emerged as likely trigger. Farrar still has his early June poll on kiwiblog – if he did polling early July it may have been so dire for National that he decided not to post it onsite, but if notified to Muller that could have catalysed the resignation.
The sense I get is that Muller was never ensconced in control. I hope Nat factionalism will emerge into the media now. Will they succeed in keeping that stuff covert? Depends on caucus perception of common interests…
Yep, I did Dennis. Not sure how that happened – possibly phat fingers on a cold early morning keyboard. Those polls those polls though eh? Sometimes about as useful as measuring the voices of a taxi drivers, people in one's own community, and various bubbles one hops hops between, and then putting it all in a David Mac blender
By the way, I’m wondering how many of the Christian right have popped along to their local lately to listen to their minister’s words of wisdom. It might not be a bad idea if they did. Wotcha rekons?
I consulted google, feeling the need to call upon a higher power. Revelation was prompt:
Given that christian ministers aren't big on delivering political advice to parishioners, I reckon their folks will have to be traditional: find an omen to interpret… 😇
Health reasons or family reasons is just an excuse if he continues to stand for election as an MP.
One doesn't put their hand up to be leader without understanding the weight of the role.
Oh snap….. $$$$$$ billboards etc to replace.
Ha ha ha yes the billboards…."Better team, more jobs" They seem to be creating many job opportunities e.g. leader of the opposition positions, Southland/Clutha candidates, not to mention the stream of National MPs leaving
Muller might be a late scratching, not sure if he will vacate or be asked to go.
Yeah right… he's been in fine fettle the past few weeks bagging Labour for everything health related.
On News Hub Garner made these comments after 8 am.
What is John Key doing they could bring him back?
And
Cut and run.
Muller gets points from me on knowing that his family comes first and not a garden full of weeds which just keeps growing.
Huh? DP is sinking the party and he calls for the Grand-Master of DP to come back who’s not even an MP!? Garner should have a lie down and a cuppa and he may, just may, come up with a moderately useful uttering for once.
The gift which keeps giving and giving and giving…
Sure give the guy points for self awareness etc……………but actually no self awareness when he launched the coup that he was the very worst person for the job……………….just remembering the Simon Wilson article where he concluded Muller seemed convinced of his own exceptionlism
Simon Wilson’s opinion doesn’t make it true.
Ain't that the truth. Simon's probably still yearning for a polished concrete floor somewhere in Burma Road, a little more corduroy in his wardrobe, reflecting on lysergic JollyGreenGiants in pill form allowing him his his historical interpretations, and trusting in his bloody good journalism (by comparison with the rest) to move him forward (in this space).
but actually no self awareness when he launched the coup that he was the very worst person for the job
Not really. If Muller is remembered for nothing else but rolling the moral vacuum called Simon Bridges, he will have done OK in my book.
Oh will the National Party just get their shit together and stop fighting amongst themselves, I've got work to do.
Not looking good there, they've burnt through the leaders they can sort of agree on.
Probably because there's more to come out on the dirty politics and lying to media.
As for Hooton, that went well mate, didn't it?
Sorry about the mistaken address a moment ago – in my excitement I typed the message in the wrong place.
Have another go!
Woodlouse next!!!
Must be internal polling Hooton ,Woodhouse,in his interview he was up for the hard yards.
Who's up next Crusher Collins.
Ben Thomas on radio :"Congratulations to him." WHAT?
For what? Covering up and lying last week? Getting out before an official report comes out that he knows will be most unfavourable and that much closer to the election?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0WxgSXdEE
Actually the perfect song for doing CPR to.
That bass line
Mama, just killed a man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irLsjBDPe5c
Hmm can't help but think Crushers master plan has just come to fruition
Will Cameron Slater be the National Party strategist?
It took Collins 18 years, a few scandals, a demotion or two, and count up the leaders.
Did Collins ever make deputy?
Bring back Bridges!
Todd's gone by lunchtime, shame really but whos next up for a turn in the barrel, Nikki?
Lunchtime… pretty much before breakfast….
See that the bouffanted one formerly from Ohariu-Belmont has recommended crusher. He was always a dark horse that romantic devil
Muller's resignation is good news for ACT. On track for well over 5% of the vote now.
[lprent: Please don’t astroturf that same comment everywhere. ]
It's ok they'll be in opposition until the nats sort there shit and then they'll be back to .5% and one puppet
I said it approx 6 weeks ago Seymour needs to be the National Party leader.
I could see Seymour was accumulating seats as well. I predicted 3-4.
How many at 5%?
Seymour has it so sweet as he does not have a caucus to leak information.
All ACT Leaders of late have been one-man shows. None of them could lead a herd of feral cats starved of power. It would be Seymour’s death sentence.
Quick.
Seymour for National leadership.
And, its only fair – National did put Don Brash in as Leader of Act.
Utu or Karma?
after Douglas. Prebble and Hyde
Lprent, the only reason the comment appeared on this thread was because I posted it and it did not appear for ages so I assumed you wanted it in Open Mike (although it was still valid for that other thread as well).
Fair enough. I didn't release it, so I have no idea what you got caught by on the comment (could look up the history – but bearing in mind the short time between comments, it was probably just caching).
I was scanning through the comments at the backend and saw an identical comment in two different posts on the same backend page of comments. Went back up the page and left the note on the last one as a warning.
Don't take it personally, it is one of my standing reflexive triggers for a warning. I do it to everyone to prevent anyone wanting to use it as a tactic. hell, I still even have the SQL around to detect persistent astroturfing between posts.
He was on troll-watch in Pre-Moderation.
Figured it’d be something like that.
Yes act has only ever got anywhere due to the generosity of National
Not true. ACT was most successful just after it split from Labour.
True Draco!
Rodney Hide initially won Epsom in spite of National trying to stop him doing so.
Muller for the last week just looked as if he did not want to be there and I don’t think he has had a decent nights sleep in ages. I almost felt sorry for him but kicked myself and reminded myself that actually thinking you are the Leader people need should be the the primary disqualifying factor.
I believe the health reason.
In the last week I have suggested that Bridges would be the Nat leader by the Election to much hilarity from my mates, well, my one mate anyway.
He expected it to be easy like his other pretend jobs. Poor good ol boy.
That's part of the problem with National – they actually believe that government is a pretend job.
John Key wilted after he became PM. It was obvious from the get go that the job was far harder than he ever believed it would be and it took its toll on him.
Key, the David Brent of politics, "I'm an entertainer first, a boss second".
Douglass Adams.
Will Woodhouse be able to continue in his Health role? Does he have universal liking and credibility or will he be another casualty? Hope he gets demoted or maybe he will just resign?
Mike Herron's hot on his tail.
And Hooton? Does he go too?
He goes but never really leaves.
"You can check out, but never leave"
Now we know why Muller did not front up for Q&A on Sunday.
He was brought down by reporters and interviewers doing their job.
Some of the bores who constantly parrot "media wah wah all useless wah wah" might like to reflect on that for a while. But probably won't.
Heron will need to extend the terms of the inquiry.
A leader cannot keep making comments or answering questions when they do not know the full answer.
What a pity it's only 84 of them and it seems only one New Zealander. But it's a start.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/sir-stephen-tindall-among-group-rich-people-wanting-higher-taxes-aid-covid-19-recovery
https://mobile.twitter.com/cjsbishop/status/1282764090109091840 someone is a bit upset.
It angers me when some smart-arse comes along after a scare of some sort which involved precautions and limits, and because professionals did not have the right crystal ball exactly aligned they receive sneers and cat-calls.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/11/second-wave-covid-swedish-approach-will-have-right-along/
The Telegraph writer here Christopher Snowdon, takes a sneering look at the concerned professionals in the UK who called for sharp action with warnings of possible disastrous outcomes (which have occurred in USA and Brazil we note). The fact is that Sweden did not duck and take cover and hasn't been bowled over because they were watching the borders and quick to isolate sick people.
This is the Timeline for Sweden:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic_in_Sweden
I think the UK was not as organised and the results show. The Guardian states that Sweden had 25 deaths and 2016 Coronavirus cases at 23 March 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/swedish-pm-warned-russian-roulette-covid-19-strategy-herd-immunity
Other charts shows UK with known 1035 cases on 22 March – https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/united-kingdom?country=~GBR
and UK deaths at 20 March 170-210 depending on how the figures were gathered – https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52103808
I think it shows bad form to pot the professionals for doing their job of informing possibilities in a seriously concerned fashion.
This piece is so odd that it almost comes across as a deliberate distraction.
The second to last paragraph will lead to predictable behaviour and the tips towards the end are pretty lightweight.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300055591/general-elections-are-nearing-which-means-it-is-fake-news-season
Fun thread.
https://twitter.com/Zeddary/status/1155486497451184128
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1155486497451184128.html
NZPP rules out the Vision Party.
NZPP new membership has grown from averaging 100 a day to 200 a day.
Seems to be a grassroots movement growing here.
Could end up being a wildcard to look out for.
Why would anybody call themselves the NZ Piss Poor Party?
😂
Yesterday I said on here that the "secret" hotel location for Aus deportees would inevitably be discovered and named.
It took 24 hours.
Wonder who tipped off the Hibbledribble.
Now for something completely different.
This is actually a real workout to which I can relate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF2VNaiIyG8&pp=wgIECgIIAQ%3D%3D
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018754854/jim-bolger-on-the-resignation-of-todd-muller
Jim Bolger has channeled Corbyn and Sanders several times recently and continues his Road To Damascus moment in this interview. I know he gets served – and deservedly so – for his part in the promoting Chicago School economics but I'll give the guy a break because he's following his conscience and and the doing the right thing now.
Only trouble is there isn't single Nat you can name that would have the balls (or mana) to change the conversation. Same, more the pity, with Labour, but should they get to govern alone (far from a given) perhaps Robertson et al will grow some. But I suspect the political reality is that heavier and more progressive tax plans will only get a nod from the people when the worlds already past gone.
You've been had. Calling for Austerity (cutting the deficit with tax hikes) way too soon after a recession is precisely a Chicago school type prescription.
With unemployment at elevated levels this would likely be as destructive as when Boldgers government did it during the mid 90s.
If you want to understand the Chicago school connection then look up the concept called Ricardian equivalence. Then consider if it seems reasonable to claim your presently limiting spending in anticipation of tax hikes (and the converse), or due to the state of the economy.
I'm pretty sure Bolger is calling for a wealth tax. I would support that. And the Tobin Tax. If you believe 'debt must be repaid' then it has to come from taxing unproductive currency flows and the very wealthy.
Clearly Bolgers first concern is the level of government debt. I don't believe he got as far as specifying what kind of tax to collect. Your projecting and another punter would project their own preferred tax onto his statements.
There are plenty of other ways to reduce the govt debt level of course. For a start you could stop issuing new debt (and just allow the OCR fall to zero). Or have the RBNZ buy and write off as much as desired. Not that this is an actual present policy concern.
Bernard Hickey goes fishing for a transformational PM: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/politics/is-the-pm-a-transformer-or-just-a-manager
He's right. The time to declare Labour's aspirations is nigh. There will be wiggle room for a while, but Jacinda ought not wait too long. Next poll will provide a basis for being ambitious. In a careful, moderate way…
Doesn't matter if she says nothing at all – National have lost the election; Labour need only bide their time. The win will come, no matter what she says or doesn't say.
Lightbulbs and showerheads.
insufficient time for that sort of campaign
Isn't Aucklands entire water shortage due to the wrong kinds of lightbulb and showerhead?
They definitely need brighter lights in Auckland.
He's wrong. He just wants Labour to put up a nice big target for Mercky Mitch to snipe at.
Have you caught up with these pople yet – Regenerative Farming.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018754714/regenerative-agriculture-road-show
Tomorrow they are at Rotherham near Culverden Then Ashburton.
Dates:
https://www.linnburnstation.co.nz/events/?fbclid=IwAR0P3ZColurvYICENgeL_n1dnF64Y7Ftrqznf6Oqe40hI6QxaHl8RcW83Ss
Server is starting to get a bit warmer than usual.
It must be election season.
Can you fry an egg yet?
72C peak on the core. 63C on the radiator. So nope. Makes a effective space heater though in a well insulated apartment.
Couple of minor tweaks now that I can see a loaded performance on php7.4. It appears that they have increased the per process performance at a power and noise chewing higher levels of short term CPU performance. Not useful for this usage. I was wondering about the higher core usage.
Increased the process pool. Dropped the priority of php processes so the database gets more attention, increased the number of handles that can open, increased the number of requests before closing processes, increased the available processes and the time before each would fail, increased the memory cache quite a lot, etc, etc.
That reduced the process load at the CPU by a magnitude. Should effectively run quieter and deliver the same user performance. Effectively I have prioritized the database and web server over the raw code performance.
It is now handling the peaks a lot faster.