AUT School of Hospitality and Tourism Professor David Williamson told Morning Report the sector had been reliant on cheap migrant labour for too long, and unions, fair pay and collective agreements needed to re-introduced.
"The employment relations framework that was altered so dramatically after 1984 through the 1990s has left the sector vulnerable to low pay and poor conditions and that needs to be turned around," he said.
"These employees who are working in this industry are our neighbours, our friends, our children, our family, and they are just not getting the pay and conditions that you would want."
There's an assumption that one group of people by virtue of business ownership can expect a stable supply of other people for them to employ at wage rates that make that business profitable.
There is no reciprocal assumption – that non-owners can expect a stable of supply of jobs that pay enough for them to live in moderate comfort. Such an assumption would contradict the first assumption, so it's not made.
[When you quote you have to use some kind of formatting, preferably block-quote, to make clear which text is the quote. You also have to make clear when you have left out parts, i.e., when you are selectively quoting. You know all this and Mods don’t want to waste their precious time on lazy unthinking commenters and check & correct after them all the time. This is your warning – Incognito]
In one of the videos posted on the social network around midnight outside Bakhmut you can see the constant strikes of rockets illuminating the night sky and a woman’s voice saying, “My mother is there! Fuck fucking goddamn it.
A man named Nikolai says, “Everything’s on fire. They hit power lines.
When the woman speaks again, apparently wanting to borrow the phone to call her mother, the man cuts in. “Your mom is fucked up. This is stupid [that’s getting hit]”He says, referring to the northern part of Bakmut.
The original Standard piece noted that the press release did not say precisely what was suggested (break up duopoly).
And today, there's a piece from Micky Savage criticising Luxon, the first of which is for something he did not actually say (going straight to green).
There is a clear warning in the Daily Blog article. It notes that there is a tendency to read everything to be pro-Labour and anti Luxon/Nats/Act and fuss over the smallest of details. And ignore all the elephants in the room.
I'm in North Shore and have been in hospital a few times since covid. So feeling a bit uncomfortable about the article in the media today noting their ED using leaking tarps due to overflow pressures. I'm hearing a lot about restructure of DHBs but no evidence of improving service. And I don't think I'm alone in that sentiment.
The Daily Blog says the consequence will be that there is a high chance that there will be a change of Govt (though said in a much shorter and abrupt way). I'm not sure I can disagree with that sentimentt.
Those so called Left want a revolution. They are still living in that era……
Who knows. We all might be soon living in that era.
With our oceans choked with plastic, and we can't put a ban even on Coca-Cola.
With climate change threatening human extinction over part of the planet's surface, and we can't even ban intensive dairying conversions and importing and mining coal.
With World War III in the planning stages. and we can't stop millions of people facing being bombed and shot killed and maimed.
If we can't stop any of these things under the current system.
To stop us killing ourselves and the planet. Might need a revolution.
The Arab Spring was the very, very worst of the Obama-CIA follies that brought momentary hope to millions only to turn into a permanently repressed nightmare for women, gays, Christians, people with degrees, people who wanted to vote, and people who thought the United States would support its idealistic rhetorical flourishes with resolute might.
President Biden’s current tour of Saudi Arabia’s leadership is its perfect and permanent apostasy.
The Arab Spring was the very, very worst of the Obama-CIA follies….
You can't be serious.
The Arab Spring was a CIA plot? Surely one of the most stupid conspiracy theories of all time. You might as well have written that the French revolution was a CIA plot.
You completely ignore the fact that regimes you are talking about, that the Arab people were revolting against, were Western backed. The CIA wasn't trying to topple them, just the opposite. Egypt is the second biggest recipient of US military aid after Israel. And this US military aid was and is being used to suppress and oppress the Arab people.
I asked you a serious question in good faith. And your answer is a slur on the Arab people that the more than 25 million people that rose up against the Dictator Ben Ali and Mubarak and Assad were all CIA dupes?
It was a folly because no one in the US intelligence community appeared to either anticipate or know what to do when the uprising occurred, and when they did Obama rushed in with the Cairo speech that just wrote a whole massive cheque that his ass couldn't cash, and then the great majority of them failed and Obama and the intelligence agencies looked even worse. The result was a spectacular mess that Obama never got out of and the Middle east hasn't yet recovered from.
Irony award of the day for use of the word slur then using Sky News as your source.
The degeneration of the Daily Blog into a place where the supposedly 'real' left end up repeating right wing talking points must be hugely amusing to the actual right/far right. I understand why it delights you so much.
AB, I am far from being delighted!! Pleased and relieved more apt a description.
I do feel that Bryce Edwards "takes a position" then finds passages from others to "Prove his case"
That is fine as long as he quotes correctly. He did not and was called out.
If The Standard is to blame lol, why not Media Watch and Colin Peacock who brought it public notice????
The petty comments on The Blog was one of the reasons I left their site.
There is far more indepth argument here with supporting items, and the calibre of commentary is far superior imo.
Colin Peacock was commenting on a judgement that went against Bryce Edwards.
I was pleased the quotes and use of them was under the microscope, as Bryce has "sailed close to the wind' on previous occasions. Pleased is not delighted.
.
Yeah … because anything outside the Upper-Middle Woke echo-chamber of moral panics, purity spirals, & "good" vs "evil" identity groups = "right wing talking points". Spare me such empty-headed banality. You really have no idea about fundamental Left principles, do you ?
The degeneration of the Daily Blog into a place where the supposedly 'real' left end up…..
Yes it is one thing that can be said in favour of the Daily Blog, it provides an outlet for those on the extreme Left like Malcolm Evans and John Minto who have trouble getting published anywhere else.
“Auckland restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat are extending service at their Fort Lane restaurant Cassia to seven days and hiring 15 more staff to give their team better hours and more flexibility.”
But the survey of 1,000 British adults, carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday, found Mr Sunak was by far the most well known of the candidates. Some 60% said they knew a great deal or a fair amount about him, and 56% correctly identified him as the former chancellor.
Mr Hunt was the second most well known on 40%, followed by Ms Truss on 33% and Mr Zahawi on 28%.
Ms Mordaunt was known by 20% of people and Mr Tugendhat by 15%, while Ms Badenoch and Ms Braverman were on just 14%.
However, 12% of people told Ipsos that they knew either a great deal or a fair amount about Stewart Lewis, a fake candidate created by the pollster.
Some 6% even said they knew “a great deal” about the non-existent Mr Lewis, more than the 5% who said the same thing about Ms Braverman, the Attorney General, and the same proportion as for Ms Badenoch and Mr Tugendhat
Australasia is treated as a single market…and while the current focus is on Australian floods (the previous occasion of threat here was post ChCh quakes) the underlying driver is the risk of losses which will only increase. As has been noted in the comments to the article those losses are also increasing in their major markets so rationalisation can be expected, or best case scenario a repricing of risk which will have to be carried by all end users….read 'inflationary'.
A bit difficult to track down the quote in the midst of a regularly updated live blog – but I think this is the relevant quote from Little – from the above link:
Q: Unvaccinated health workers. Is there a place for them?
We keep a lot of things under review and we're reviewing the mandate for health care workers.
This is the thing that you do.
I know a lot of people are concerned about unvaccinated health care workers being in the health system.
A lot of people say I don't want to be treated by a healthcare worker who's not vaccinated.
Is there a good clinical basis to maintain the mandate? That's the question that has to be answered. We will rely on expert advice to do that.
If there is any consideration to re-employ unvaccinated nurses it would be backroom jobs where they don't come into contact with patients or indeed vaccinated health staff.
That's fine. Let em do the paper work and answer the telephone.
…..re-employ unvaccinated nurses it would be backroom jobs….
Or. They could be put to work providing hands-on care to Covid infected patients.
Or betterer. Put them to work providing hands-on care to the fucking filth unvaccinated Covid infected patients. Saving the nice, clean, triple jabbed nurses for the nice, clean triple jabbed Covid infected patients.
If I was seriously ill in hospital, either with Covid or anything else for that matter, I wouldn't give a shit as whether my care giver was vaccinated or not. I would just be grateful that they were trying to keep me alive.
If you are an ICU nurse who PPE's and is vaccinated and has just had COVID, thankyou for your service.
Other people I wouldn't want around me: a urinary tract exam from a doctor who didn't wash their hands, a dentist not cleared for Hepatitis, or an ambulance driver who wouldn't wear a seatbelt.
Or indeed blood/tissue products from former UK/French/ROI residents 1980-1996, IV drug users, carriers of hepatitis/EB/CFS viruses, anyone requiring HIV/hepatitis tests, recent STI patients, current sex workers, men who've recently had sex with men or woman they've had sex with…the list goes on.
So when they are wheeling you in to the ED bleeding to death after a car accident, and they say to you, are you ok if an unvaccinated doctor stops the bleeding as we are so short staffed, you will say to them in a weak dying voice "No keep that doctor away from me I don't want Covid. Leave me to die outside"
Your health insurer wouldn’t have time to whisk you off if it was a real emergency. You would be at the ED. You have really swallowed the fear porn of Covid. I actually had Covid a couple of weeks ago and like many others it wasn't even the worse cold or flu I've had. I'm still upright.
Are we so lucky to have Andrew Little as the minister of Health and this ONE nurse in Manila that the minister bases his support for his actions on. Then as a “union man” he craps on the nurses union.
Why is it that so many on the left accept this without voicing any comment or is this the best we can hope for and have to accept. Whist Rome burns ….
I now wonder how much better our health systems would be if someone in Dunedin didn’t go out for a bike ride??
Pity bluster is favoured over compentance.
A little digging can uncover interesting remnants of what was. As exhALANt wrote in his latest blog post (see sidebar):
Tony Ryall once proclaimed at a Health Conference this blogger attended (as part of the job with RNZCGP) “Primary care is not our priority at this time”. The Minister who took over, Jonathan Coleman? He was equally dismissive of concerns across the wider Health Sector then…
Based on this OIA about Canterbury DHB nurses, average RN salary increased every year from 2011 through 2020. That includes 7 years of a National government, during which time nurses salaries increased by an average of 2.3% p.a.. David Clark (Minister from 2017 through mid 2020) managed to secure sufficient extra health money to increase average nurses salaries by 4.7% p.a. from 2018 through 2020.
I don't have the figures since Andrew Little became minister, however his outburst yesterday was either a calculated attack or a political blunder. Either way, it wasn't a good look.
The union was all for the settlement, until they decided back pay had to be settled first. Nurses would have salaries 10 to 12 thousand more a year, which would have helped with the recruiting process as Andrew Little pointed out.
They shot that delay across his bow in December, and are now moaning that nurses will go to Australia. Well Dahhh!!! He is right, they have not helped Nurses.
Interesting, but that's not how Ian Powell sees it:
"And he is getting stuck into the NZ Nurses Organisation, accusing the union of reneging on a deal on pay equity. Simply not true. The “deal” was agreed to by two negotiating teams, but still required ratification. Following membership feedback, NZNO identified two obstacles to ratification which required resolution. That is not reneging; it is the part of the process called ratification. As a former union leader, Little knows this well."
2. Then in May "in a low blow, in May, Little derogatorily referred to the “nominal leaders” of primary care for allegedly failing to see what a different and better health system looks like. It was clear from the context of his attack that he was referring to representatives of general practices."
3. He's also had a crack at rural health services and Pharmac.
I understand the Minister is under pressure, but he's doing himself no favours. Powell concludes with this:
"Little’s poor performance has made him a ministerial liability. A big factor behind this is his failure to recognise the importance of relationships in public health systems."
and
"This has led him to undermine workforce trust and confidence in the Government’s leadership of the health system. Further, he has achieved this in little over 18 months. I don’t recall any health minister reaching this milestone."
Where is any comment from you to question Littles behaviour and actions ?? It appears you can see everything Wrong with parties other than Labour BUT are blinded by this governments performances and unable to make comment.
Not great use of language by Little. "in an interview with Stuff, Andrew Little labelled the union ‘unprincipled’ and the impediment to a pay deal." Just like the Kiwi in Manila telling Little "2 yr is not an issue" how would she know what nurses around the world are thinking" and for him to use that as a reason for his Do Little action. That interview was a train wreck – And sitting in Wellington – Where is he – And you support him without any reservations, as do many here. Imagine the commentary if Nats were in power and Little was the Health minister acting as he is.
Mother was a life member of Labour. I have always voted Labour and worked hard for them.
I now have no ideological home politically. I try to go by my values. I fear for NZ as I think our parliamentarians aren't up to it. That's not a criticism, I think it is a hard job (although sometimes I do criticize them).
One of the most important things for me is the Health system. The only people who really matter in that system are the well trained professionals who look after you if you get sick. We are all dependent on them.
I don't rely on Jacinda. I don't have anything against her and also acknowledge her strengths. I was grateful to her and Labour for the initial Covid response. The reality is I went into isolatin before the country did. Currenlty living a rather isolated life to protect me and my loved ones and the health professionals from Covid.
I try to take as much responisitiblity for myself and my life. This has always been the case. I now are just grateful when politicians don’t makethings worse. Or spend public money on consultants whose contribution won’t matter.
Labour have lost me. They are ideologically driven and its not an ideology I support. This doesn’t mean I support Luxon (personaly I think he is out of his depth and woeful).
I probably won’t vote next election. But if that is the case, it will be a deliberate and well thought through decision.
Andrew Little is not there to make friends. He is there to change entrenched attitudes biases and methods, which have not delivered to a large percentage of the public. Feathers are going to be ruffled as some were very comfortable in their Silos. Some were paid by both the private and the public system.
Whenever the left shift the dial, personal attacks start. No one has suggested there should not be change, just they don’t like the messenger.
Umpty managers board members and other duplications creaming money out of the "system" Yes feathers will be ruffled and fur fly. The intention is to increase services at the frontline. Perhaps Andrew is tired That would be understandable.
Yes I am sure Little is tired. What a big job to have. I do have a little empathy for him. But the front line is the health system. I hope he does ruffle feathers of the bureacrats but he seemed to be picking a fight with the union, i.e. the front line services union. Unforgivable from so many angles.
I don't think Little knows too much about health at all.
The health system doesn't deliver for people in small towns e.g Wairoa has no cardiologist. People can't even get a regular GP in many towns.
They can stand on their heads, re structure, bring in a band, put on a party, so whatever, but until the solve the staffing and medication crisis, it will do swa
It was not the Union who rejected the settlement but was the membership dismayed at the deal. Backpay was promised then reneged on. In my role as a senior nurse the offer was a fraction of that offered to other roles. All this has done is compress the salary scales to the point where most senior staff would make more giving up their roles and become plain RN,s. I had been advanced more on the last pay round in a lump sum against future pay equity than I was offered. We were looking at having to pay it back.
Every time this minister opens his mouth he alienates the very people who vote for his party, he needs to go, replace him with someone who can demonstrate empathy.
Nice DEFLECTION, what about …. On the issue nice to see that you cannot find anything to counter to support Littles performances. And for his attach on a union, nice to have friends like that in a Labour party. But I gather you totally support him.
How about addressing the issue?? Unless you don't really have the conviction.
This maybe news to you BUT Labour is currently the government and Little IS the minister.
Thanks for saying all of this Herodotus, and psych nurse.
Fancy a labour minister, ex labour boss, trashing a union. Accusing them of talking with a forked tongue. Does he not realize how many kiwis lives are dependent on our health work force? What will this do for staff morale? That and refusing to call it a crisis (actually I think it is a catastrophe).
Little doesn't show any signs of appreciating what a health system is. Its nurses, Drs and allied health workers. We are despearately short of them Andrew. Many of them are working their guts out to save lives right now. Your stupid bloody health reforms are irrelevant.
Remember when Key use to say its not a housing crisis and most of us on this site would be tearing our hair out about his denial (acutally the situation with housing back in Key's day looks a lot better that our current housing catastrophe……
Tony Ryall and Johanathan Coleman were likely incompetent shits, but they are long gone. Littles in charge of the ship now. Labour have had five years. David Clark was told back in 2017 that there was a serious work force shortage before the pandemic.
"Why is it that so many on the left accept this without voicing any comment or is this the best we can hope for and have to accept"
I figure this is what we could call the neo-liberal left. The left that couldn't raise a murmur when lots of poorly paid people (mainly women) were mandated out of jobs.
The term Brahmin class better describes what a lot of 'lefties' behave like.
gsays I think it is tribal labour who will support Labour no matter what and sorry if this comes across as judgmental many of them have lost their ability to critique anymore.
To be fair, that awning is more a triage and Covid testing space – before admitting patients to either the 'with Covid' or 'without Covid' streams. Decision made that it was better to do this step in the 'open' with ventilation, rather than within the closed (and crowded) ED itself.
However, have just had a friend admitted (and now discharged) from ICU with Covid at North Shore (luckily they were able to get on top of the symptoms quickly) – who commented on just how rushed and stressed all of the medical staff were. No complaints about the treatment – but she could see how much pressure the staff were under – and how long their shifts were. The doctor seeing her dealt with 3 emergency calls while checking her symptoms and prescribing for her.
Well a relative of mine went there with a fracture and said that the tent was for Covid triage which is not a rare practice at all. And that the privately owned ShoreCare A&E across the road where they went for the initial consultation in order to be seen more rapidly (cost $105 after ACC subsidy was deducted) used a tent in exactly the same way. Looks like the thrusting, innovative titans of the private sector aren't doing any better than public hospitals – other than through the natural advantages that come from reducing the demand on their services by charging money.
This is of course just an n=1 anecdote. But I ain't holding my breath on the assumption that the Herald is not engaged in distortion of the facts for political purposes. Essentially the house organ of the National Party, that rag is why we don't even need the Murdoch media in this country in order to sabotage democracy.
"The photos come after a survey – conducted by the New Zealand Women in Medicine (NZWIM) Charitable Trust, including responses from more than 900 New Zealand doctors – warned a "catastrophic collapse" of the healthcare workforce loomed.
"Ward full, extreme staff shortages, ED full and seeing little babies as young as seven weeks old waiting (more than) >2 hours outside in tents for a bed in the department, or to be seen and an attempt at an exam made in the tent," one junior doctor working in paediatrics said in the survey. The hospital where this doctor worked was not specified."
If it's in crisis, then Wellington did not show that.
Nor does my local hospital, though a friend tells me that the waits are long.
I am objecting to blanket criticisms of 'shambles', 'crisis' or whatever else. They are overused, becoming meaningless political buzz words. Today I read that "all'' whatever the feck it was was a disaster. It was obvious that ''all" did not apply. It was hyperbole. Sorry, I can't remember the actual situation, but that in itself points to the problem with doomsaying, crying wolf, inflated criticism.
If someone comes along and says that I had a problem with such an hospital, I'd accept that. If someone can honestly give an overview of an hospital system stretched beyond breaking point. I'd look at that.
I have personally reached my breaking point as a teacher, but it wasn't the NZ education system. Covid is hard, and winter is hard. There will always be discontent.
There is, and has been, far too much exaggeration that is political, serving narrow interests, and ultimately harmful as its effect is to lessen trust, hope and social cohesion either deliberately or as a corollary.
I am now a sceptic. I've had covid, cancers and crises de foi. I have been well served in two different hospital systems.
I went walking today as I have for years with a highly qualified medical professional, recently forcibly retired from a hospital board as a member by recent changes, who does not talk of crises. Problems, yes always, but I have not heard of crises- and believe me I would have from him.
I socialise with nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists, long term sufferers from all sorts of complaints, but I don't hear crises. Again problems, but not crises.
I have a niece who is an authority on aspects of public health- difficulties, problems, social attitudes and behaviours- all of that, but not heard of crises.
No, it's not one reporter's experience. His experience just points out the arrant stupidity of blanket, unbalanced, unsubstantiated criticism, and the use of hyperbolic and harmful language.
It's harmful because it limits the truth of the matter, the extent of the matter, the causes of the matter, and only serves narrow, sectional, shallow political purposes.
There are many,many more examples like this Mac 1.
I noticed that the person who murdered the woman in Grey Lynn has been sent to the Mason Clinic. Only a week or two ago and innocent woman was stabbed in Chch by a man discharged from the psych unit. Sadly expect more of this.
You may be like the Nurses Union who don't want to refer to it as a crisis because they just want the minister to get on and fix it. Gordon Campbell has an interesting article posted by Sacha on Daily Review.
Call it what you like, but the health syster is exceptionally stressed and they are understaffed. Nowadays i hope like hell I don't get sick
"Nowadays i hope like hell I don't get sick." And if you did, I'd wish you the same timely, expert and appropriate treatment I got with four cancer diagnoses and a hernia for good measure.
What I said above about trust and hope and social cohesion applies with us both. I keep hoping and trusting and believing in how our society should progress.
What adjectives would you use to describe the problems? Ones that come to my mind are systemic, chronic, under-resourcing, under-staffing, entrenched. Most of which come down to senior management and governance.
To describe out health system as just having 'problems' is equally "harmful because it limits the truth of the matter, the extent of the matter, the causes of the matter, and only serves narrow, sectional, shallow political purposes."
Ironically a measure you may be able to relate to, I have been to my GP in regards to an inguinal hernia. He referred me to our local hospital for an appointment. They said 'No'. I went back to him on Friday as things have worsened and he point blank told me, 'you won't get in.' His advice was going privately.
At the core of the problems is this market driven, neo-liberal approach to running hospitals. I had hopes when the reform was announced then discovered Ardern's pick for heading up the changes is from Ernst Young. Says it all really.
Wishing Sean Plunkett all the very best for his recovery. He lost his brother to suicide last week. So an unbelievably difficult time.
When I visited Wellington ED just over a month ago, staff were calm and professional. It was remarkable given the numbers of sick people arriving by ambulaances and the beds stacked in corridors.
When I visited Wellington ED just over a month ago, staff were calm and professional. It was remarkable given the numbers of sick people arriving by ambulaances and the beds stacked in corridors.
Which is why I harp on about those who are not following the rules and who publicly demand that all Covid regulations be rescinded Anker.
I was in hospital earlier this year for major surgery. The professionalism of the doctors, nurses and the surgeon blew me away. I constantly think of them and wonder how they are coping with the enormous strain they are currently experiencing.
Anyone calling for the removal of all Covid restrictions (and I refer particularly to the Freedom crowd) are showing a lack of respect and consideration for the health workers in question.
With a country of around only 3 to 4 million tax-payers, there is never going to be enough money in the cookie jar to service entities like the health sector to our satisfaction. So, its up to each of us to be prepared to do whatever is required to alleviate the worst of the pandemic affects on those staffing the health services.
Getting vaccinated, wearing masks and keeping our distance is the very least we can do.
You might have heard Thomas Coughlan grinding his teeth as he had to concede that PM Ardern had a successful overseas trip. How it must have hurt. Anyway it is an interesting summary.
The United States trip was successful on branding terms. Ardern's Harvard Commencement Speech will be remembered in the same vein as David Lange's appearance before the Oxford Union. Lange's wit and the place of that debate in how New Zealanders remember the battle over New Zealand's nuclear free policy will likely mean it looms larger in the historical memory, but to be fair to Ardern, the Harvard Commencement Speech is a greater honour. Distinguished speakers debate at the Oxford Union most nights – Harvard Commencement speeches are very rare.
They called her stardust. On Tuesday I had a coffee in town and sprinkled a sachet of sugar around the lovely design of a fern in the crema on top.
I called it stardust and saluted our Prime Minister. In a world of Putins, Johnsons, Trumps and that whole throng of narcissist, deluded and sociopathic crazies, we are indeed blessed.
Yes, covid and politics has made the world difficult, so thank you Jacinda Ardern and her fully supportive team, who instead of being assisted through the pandemic and the world scene, have been put down harried and generally denigrated.
For some this has reached the stage that any comment is leapt on quoted out of context and added to name calling and calls for dismissals.
Those same folk want change… but not that change.. go figure.
Angry Andy meme is again fashionable. Previously Nanaia Mahuta was the target.
The search for holes in the government's armour continues by the Nats and Act, to the point of even bad mouthing the country while overseas is sad.
Denying reputable evidence over and over. Flat out saying the opposite. Chipping away.
So some of us support, as we see the propaganda repeated endlessly and echoed in MSM.
The kickback from those making money, and/or sitting in positions of power, due to the inefficiencies, duplication and partial privatisations that the DHB model enabled, is enormous. It has only just started.
You will hear more and more the mealy mouthed.. “We admit change is needed, but not this change”.
The "Salaried medical specialists" that use their position in State hospitals to prop up lucrative private businesses, the "Consultants", the "Private contractors" are just a few examples of those who have a vested interest in the continuation of the current shemozzle.
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The IMF’s twice-yearly World Economic Outlook and Fiscal Monitor publications have come out in the last couple of days. If there is gloom in the GDP numbers (eg this chart for the advanced countries, and we don’t score a lot better on the comparable one for the 2019 to ...
For a while, it looked like the government had unfucked the ETS, at least insofar as unit settings were concerned. They had to be forced into it by a court case, but at least it got done, and when National came to power, it learned the lesson (and then fucked ...
The argument over US officials’ misuse of secure but non-governmental messaging platform Signal falls into two camps. Either it is a gross error that undermines national security, or it is a bit of a blunder ...
Cost of living ~1/3 of Kiwis needed help with food as cost of living pressures continue to increase - turning to friends, family, food banks or Work and Income in the past year, to find food. 40% of Kiwis also said they felt schemes offered little or no benefit, according ...
Hi,Perhaps in 2025 it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the CEO and owner of Voyager Internet — the major sponsor of the New Zealand Media Awards — has taken to sharing a variety of Anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish conspiracy theories to his 1.2 million followers.This included sharing a post from ...
In the sprint to deepen Australia-India defence cooperation, navy links have shot ahead of ties between the two countries’ air forces and armies. That’s largely a good thing: maritime security is at the heart of ...
'Cause you and me, were meant to be,Walking free, in harmony,One fine day, we'll fly away,Don't you know that Rome wasn't built in a day?Songwriters: Paul David Godfrey / Ross Godfrey / Skye Edwards.I was half expecting to see photos this morning of National Party supporters with wads of cotton ...
The PSA says a settlement with Health New Zealand over the agency’s proposed restructure of its Data and Digital and Pacific Health teams has saved around 200 roles from being cut. A third of New Zealanders have needed help accessing food in the past year, according to Consumer NZ, and ...
John Campbell’s Under His Command, a five-part TVNZ+ investigation series starting today, rips the veil off Destiny Church, exposing the rot festering under Brian Tamaki’s self-proclaimed apostolic throne. This isn’t just a church; it’s a fiefdom, built on fear, manipulation, and a trail of scandals that make your stomach churn. ...
Some argue we still have time, since quantum computing capable of breaking today’s encryption is a decade or more away. But breakthrough capabilities, especially in domains tied to strategic advantage, rarely follow predictable timelines. Just ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Pearl Marvell(Photo credit: Pearl Marvell. Image credit: Samantha Harrington. Dollar bill vector image: by pch.vector on Freepik) Igrew up knowing that when you had extra money, you put it under a bed, stashed it in a book or a clock, or, ...
The political petrified piece of wood, Winston Peters, who refuses to retire gracefully, has had an eventful couple of weeks peddling transphobia, pushing bigoted policies, undertaking his unrelenting war on wokeness and slinging vile accusations like calling Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick a “groomer”.At 80, the hypocritical NZ First leader’s latest ...
It's raining in Cockermouth and we're following our host up the stairs. We’re telling her it’s a lovely building and she’s explaining that it used to be a pub and a nightclub and a backpackers, but no more.There were floods in 2009 and 2015 along the main street, huge floods, ...
A recurring aspect of the Trump tariff coverage is that it normalises – or even sanctifies – a status quo that in many respects has been a disaster for working class families. No doubt, Donald Trump is an uncertainty machine that is tanking the stock market and the growth prospects ...
The National Party’s Minister of Police, Corrections, and Ethnic Communities (irony alert) has stumbled into yet another racist quagmire, proving that when it comes to bigotry, the right wing’s playbook is as predictable as it is vile. This time, Mitchell’s office reposted an Instagram reel falsely claiming that Te Pāti ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
In a world crying out for empathy, J.K. Rowling has once again proven she’s more interested in stoking division than building bridges. The once-beloved author of Harry Potter has cemented her place as this week’s Arsehole of the Week, a title earned through her relentless, tone-deaf crusade against transgender rights. ...
Health security is often seen as a peripheral security domain, and as a problem that is difficult to address. These perceptions weaken our capacity to respond to borderless threats. With the wind back of Covid-19 ...
Would our political parties pass muster under the Fair Trading Act?WHAT IF OUR POLITICAL PARTIES were subject to the Fair Trading Act? What if they, like the nation’s businesses, were prohibited from misleading their consumers – i.e. the voters – about the nature, characteristics, suitability, or quantity of the products ...
Rod EmmersonThank you to my subscribers and readers - you make it all possible. Tui.Subscribe nowSix updates today from around the world and locally here in Aoteaora New Zealand -1. RFK Jnr’s Autism CrusadeAmerica plans to create a registry of people with autism in the United States. RFK Jr’s department ...
We see it often enough. A democracy deals with an authoritarian state, and those who oppose concessions cite the lesson of Munich 1938: make none to dictators; take a firm stand. And so we hear ...
370 perioperative nurses working at Auckland City Hospital, Starship Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre will strike for two hours on 1 May – the same day senior doctors are striking. This is part of nationwide events to mark May Day on 1 May, including rallies outside public hospitals, organised by ...
Character protections for Auckland’s villas have stymied past development. Now moves afoot to strip character protection from a bunch of inner-city villas. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories shortest from our political economy on Wednesday, April 23:Special Character Areas designed to protect villas are stopping 20,000 sites near Auckland’s ...
Artificial intelligence is poised to significantly transform the Indo-Pacific maritime security landscape. It offers unprecedented situational awareness, decision-making speed and operational flexibility. But without clear rules, shared norms and mechanisms for risk reduction, AI could ...
For what is a man, what has he got?If not himself, then he has naughtTo say the things he truly feelsAnd not the words of one who kneelsThe record showsI took the blowsAnd did it my wayLyrics: Paul Anka.Morena folks, before we discuss Winston’s latest salvo in NZ First’s War ...
Britain once risked a reputation as the weak link in the trilateral AUKUS partnership. But now the appointment of an empowered senior official to drive the project forward and a new burst of British parliamentary ...
Australia’s ability to produce basic metals, including copper, lead, zinc, nickel and construction steel, is in jeopardy, with ageing plants struggling against Chinese competition. The multinational commodities company Trafigura has put its Australian operations under ...
There have been recent PPP debacles, both in New Zealand (think Transmission Gully) and globally, with numerous examples across both Australia and Britain of failed projects and extensive litigation by government agencies seeking redress for the failures.Rob Campbell is one of New Zealand’s sharpest critics of PPPs noting that; "There ...
On Twitter on Saturday I indicated that there had been a mistake in my post from last Thursday in which I attempted to step through the Reserve Bank Funding Agreement issues. Making mistakes (there are two) is annoying and I don’t fully understand how I did it (probably too much ...
Indonesia’s armed forces still have a lot of work to do in making proper use of drones. Two major challenges are pilot training and achieving interoperability between the services. Another is overcoming a predilection for ...
The StrategistBy Sandy Juda Pratama, Curie Maharani and Gautama Adi Kusuma
As a living breathing human being, you’ve likely seen the heart-wrenching images from Gaza...homes reduced to rubble, children burnt to cinders, families displaced, and a death toll that’s beyond comprehension. What is going on in Gaza is most definitely a genocide, the suffering is real, and it’s easy to feel ...
Donald Trump, who has called the Chair of the Federal Reserve “a major loser”. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories shortest from our political economy on Tuesday, April 22:US markets slump after Donald Trump threatens the Fed’s independence. China warns its trading partners not to side with the US. Trump says some ...
Last night, the news came through that Pope Francis had passed away at 7:35 am in Rome on Monday, the 21st of April, following a reported stroke and heart failure. Pope Francis. Photo: AP.Despite his obvious ill health, it still came as a shock, following so soon after the Easter ...
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review found the NIC to be highly capable and performing well. So, it is not a surprise that most of the 67 recommendations are incremental adjustments and small but nevertheless important ...
This is a re-post from The Climate BrinkThe world has made real progress toward tacking climate change in recent years, with spending on clean energy technologies skyrocketing from hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars globally over the past decade, and global CO2 emissions plateauing.This has contributed to a reassessment of ...
Hi,I’ve been having a peaceful month of what I’d call “existential dread”, even more aware than usual that — at some point — this all ends.It was very specifically triggered by watching Pantheon, an animated sci-fi show that I’m filing away with all-time greats like Six Feet Under, Watchmen and ...
Once the formalities of honouring the late Pope wrap up in two to three weeks time, the conclave of Cardinals will go into seclusion. Some 253 of the current College of Cardinals can take part in the debate over choosing the next Pope, but only 138 of them are below ...
The National Party government is doubling down on a grim, regressive vision for the future: more prisons, more prisoners, and a society fractured by policies that punish rather than heal. This isn’t just a misstep; it’s a deliberate lurch toward a dystopian future where incarceration is the answer to every ...
The audacity of Don Brash never ceases to amaze. The former National Party and Hobson’s Pledge mouthpiece has now sunk his claws into NZME, the media giant behind the New Zealand Herald and half of our commercial radio stations. Don Brash has snapped up shares in NZME, aligning himself with ...
A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 13, 2025 thru Sat, April 19, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
“What I’d say to you is…” our Prime Minister might typically begin a sentence, when he’s about to obfuscate and attempt to derail the question you really, really want him to answer properly (even once would be okay, Christopher). Questions such as “Why is a literal election promise over ...
Ruth IrwinExponential Economic growth is the driver of Ecological degradation. It is driven by CO2 greenhouse gas emissions through fossil fuel extraction and burning for the plethora of polluting industries. Extreme weather disasters and Climate change will continue to get worse because governments subscribe to the current global economic system, ...
A man on telly tries to tell me what is realBut it's alright, I like the way that feelsAnd everybody singsWe are evolving from night to morningAnd I wanna believe in somethingWriter: Adam Duritz.The world is changing rapidly, over the last year or so, it has been out with the ...
MFB Co-Founder Cecilia Robinson runs Tend HealthcareSummary:Kieran McAnulty calls out National on healthcare lies and says Health Minister Simeon Brown is “dishonest and disingenuous”(video below)McAnulty says negotiation with doctors is standard practice, but this level of disrespect is not, especially when we need and want our valued doctors.National’s $20bn ...
Chris Luxon’s tenure as New Zealand’s Prime Minister has been a masterclass in incompetence, marked by coalition chaos, economic lethargy, verbal gaffes, and a moral compass that seems to point wherever political expediency lies. The former Air New Zealand CEO (how could we forget?) was sold as a steady hand, ...
Has anybody else noticed Cameron Slater still obsessing over Jacinda Ardern? The disgraced Whale Oil blogger seems to have made it his life’s mission to shadow the former Prime Minister of New Zealand like some unhinged stalker lurking in the digital bushes.The man’s obsession with Ardern isn't just unhealthy...it’s downright ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is climate change a net benefit for society? Human-caused climate change has been a net detriment to society as measured by loss of ...
When the National Party hastily announced its “Local Water Done Well” policy, they touted it as the great saviour of New Zealand’s crumbling water infrastructure. But as time goes by it's looking more and more like a planning and fiscal lame duck...and one that’s going to cost ratepayers far more ...
Donald Trump, the orange-hued oligarch, is back at it again, wielding tariffs like a mob boss swinging a lead pipe. His latest economic edict; slapping hefty tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada, has the stench of a protectionist shakedown, cooked up in the fevered minds of his sycophantic ...
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...
One pill makes you largerAnd one pill makes you smallAnd the ones that mother gives youDon't do anything at allGo ask AliceWhen she's ten feet tallSongwriter: Grace Wing Slick.Morena, all, and a happy Bicycle Day to you.Today is an unofficial celebration of the dawning of the psychedelic era, commemorating the ...
It’s only been a few months since the Hollywood fires tore through Los Angeles, leaving a trail of devastation, numerous deaths, over 10,000 homes reduced to rubble, and a once glorious film industry on its knees. The Palisades and Eaton fires, fueled by climate-driven dry winds, didn’t just burn houses; ...
Four eighty-year-old books which are still vitally relevant today. Between 1942 and 1945, four refugees from Vienna each published a ground-breaking – seminal – book.* They left their country after Austria was taken over by fascists in 1934 and by Nazi Germany in 1938. Previously they had lived in ‘Red ...
Good Friday, 18th April, 2025: I can at last unveil the Secret Non-Fiction Project. The first complete Latin-to-English translation of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s twelve-book Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem (Disputations Against Divinatory Astrology). Amounting to some 174,000 words, total. Some context is probably in order. Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) ...
National MP Hamish Campbell's pathetic attempt to downplay his deep ties to and involvement in the Two by Twos...a secretive religious sect under FBI and NZ Police investigation for child sexual abuse...isn’t just a misstep; it’s a calculated lie that insults the intelligence of every Kiwi voter.Campbell’s claim of being ...
New Zealand First’s Shane Jones has long styled himself as the “Prince of the Provinces,” a champion of regional development and economic growth. But beneath the bluster lies a troubling pattern of behaviour that reeks of cronyism and corruption, undermining the very democracy he claims to serve. Recent revelations and ...
Give me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundGive me one reason to stay hereAnd I'll turn right back aroundSaid I don't want to leave you lonelyYou got to make me change my mindSongwriters: Tracy Chapman.Morena, and Happy Easter, whether that means to you. Hot cross buns, ...
New Zealand’s housing crisis is a sad indictment on the failures of right wing neoliberalism, and the National Party, under Chris Luxon’s shaky leadership, is trying to simply ignore it. The numbers don’t lie: Census data from 2023 revealed 112,496 Kiwis were severely housing deprived...couch-surfing, car-sleeping, or roughing it on ...
Te Pāti Māori are appalled by Cabinet's decision to agree to 15 recommendations to the Early Childhood Education (ECE) sector following the regulatory review by the Ministry of Regulation. We emphasise the need to prioritise tamariki Māori in Early Childhood Education, conducted by education experts- not economists. “Our mokopuna deserve ...
The Government must support Northland hapū who have resorted to rakes and buckets to try to control a devastating invasive seaweed that threatens the local economy and environment. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill that would ensure the biological definition of a woman and man are defined in law. “This is not about being anti-anyone or anti-anything. This is about ensuring we as a country focus on the facts of biology and protect the ...
After stonewalling requests for information on boot camps, the Government has now offered up a blog post right before Easter weekend rather than provide clarity on the pilot. ...
More people could be harmed if Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey does not guarantee to protect patients and workers as the Police withdraw from supporting mental health call outs. ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific presenter The doors of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican have now been closed and the coffin sealed, ahead of preparations for tonight’s funeral of Pope Francis. The Vatican says a quarter of a million people have paid respects to Pope Francis in the last ...
By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific presenter The doors of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican have now been closed and the coffin sealed, ahead of preparations for tonight’s funeral of Pope Francis. The Vatican says a quarter of a million people have paid respects to Pope Francis in the last ...
Once or twice a week, Dr Margaret Henley rolls up the door on a windowless storage locker in central Auckland, pulls her plastic chair up to a picnic table and sifts through the history of netball in New Zealand.She works alongside netball archivist and statistician Todd Miller, together trawling through ...
Corin DannThe time is 7:36am on Wednesday, April 23, and you’re listening to Morning Report, New Zealand’s voice of the educated left on good incomes. I’m joined now by acting Prime Minister Winston Peters. Good morning Mr Peters.Winston PetersIt was, until I saw you. I much prefer your brother.Corin DannLiam ...
When Professor David Krofcheck got an email congratulating him on winning the Oscar of the science world, he dismissed it as a hoax.“I thought it was a scam, I thought it was a phishing email,” recalls Krofcheck, nuclear physicist at Auckland University.“Yeah right, I’ve won the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was.I’ve been re-watching Girls lately, the HBO classic that perfectly captures millennial women in the most painful way. I highly recommend it especially if you haven’t watched it before. Every character on the show is deeply flawed and frustrating in their own ...
With the double-header long weekend comes a welcome chance to escape streaming slop, writes Alex Casey. Over Easter I texted my husband Joe a sentence that perhaps nobody in human history has ever texted: “hurry up geostorm is starting”. No punctuation, no capitalisation, not because I was trying to ...
April 27 is Moehanga Day, the anniversary of the day in 1806 when Ngāpuhi warrior Moehanga became the first Māori to visit England. This is his story. The wooden ship sailed down the River Thames, past smoke stacks and brick factories, until it reached a wharf in industrial south London. ...
Heidi Thomson on how her husband’s illness and Daniel Kalderimis’s book Zest have enhanced her understanding of George Eliot’s great novel.Sometimes a book finds you at just the right time. In early December my husband John had a stroke. At the time we were both reading George Eliot’s Middlemarch, ...
The musician, actor and star of upcoming documentary Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua – Two Worlds takes us through his life in television. Musician Marlon Williams has been on our My Life in TV wish list ever since he revealed during his My Boy tour that he wrote ‘Thinking ...
When she walked dripping into the lounge, hair wet from the shower, she took one look at Hamish and dropped her towel.He was holding her phone.—How long has it been going on for?His blue eyes blazed. She wanted to pluck them out and blow on them gently, cool them off. ...
A citizens’ assembly of 100 Porirua locals has provided the city council with more than a dozen recommendations about how to tackle climate change and make sure the region is resilient to worsening extreme weather events.Ranging from expanding access to renewable energy and incentivising the planting of native trees through ...
Comment: Democracy globally is in crisis. Around the world we are seeing the rise of nationalism and declining trust in democratic institutions. Politicians, even in Aotearoa, undermine the authority of core institutions like the media and the courts, which are critical for a functioning democracy. To live well together, in ...
Journalist Rod Oram, who died last year, would have been delighted to see the commitment to addressing climate change shown by the 23-year-old winner of a prize established in his memory.Mika Hervel, a student at Victoria University of Wellington, is today named winner of the Rod Oram Memorial Essay Prize, ...
COMMENTARY:By Nour Odeh There was faint hope that efforts to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza would succeed. That hope is now all but gone, offering 2.1 million tormented and starved Palestinians dismal prospects for the days and weeks ahead. Last Saturday, the Israeli Prime Minister once again affirmed ...
An ocean conservation non-profit has condemned the United States President’s latest executive order aimed at boosting the deep sea mining industry. President Donald Trump issued the “Unleashing America’s offshore critical minerals and resources” order on Thursday, directing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to allow deep sea mining. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In this election, voters are more distrustful than ever of politicians, and the political heroes of 2022 have fallen from grace, swept from favour by independent players. A Roy Morgan survey has found, for ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor The former head of BenarNews’ Pacific bureau says a United States court ruling this week ordering the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to release congressionally approved funding to Radio Free Asia and its subsidiaries “makes us very happy”. However, Stefan Armbruster, who has ...
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 25, 2025. Labor takes large leads in YouGov and Morgan polls as surge continuesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne With just eight days until the May 3 federal election, and with in-person early voting well under way, Labor has taken a ...
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 Butter by Asako Yuzuki (Fourth Estate, $35) Fictionalised true crime for foodies. 2 Sunrise on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Taneshka Kruger, UP ISMC: Project Manager and Coordinator, University of Pretoria Healthcare in Africa faces a perfect storm: high rates of infectious diseases like malaria and HIV, a rise in non-communicable diseases, and dwindling foreign aid. In 2021, nearly half of ...
Australia and New Zealand join forces once more to bring you the best films and TV shows to watch this weekend. This Anzac Day, our free-to-air TV channels will screen a variety of commemorative coverage. At 11am, TVNZ1 has live coverage of the Anzac Day National Commemorative Service in Wellington. ...
Our laws are leaving many veterans who served after 1974 out in the cold. I know, because I’m one of them.This Sunday Essay was made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.First published in 2024.As I write this story, I am in constant pain. My hands ...
An MP fighting for anti-trafficking legislation says it is hard for prosecutors to take cases to court - but he is hopeful his bill will turn the tide. ...
NONFICTION1 No Words for This by Ali Mau (HarperCollins, $39.99)2 Everyday Comfort Food by Vanya Insull (Allen & Unwin, $39.99)3 Three Wee Bookshops at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw (Allen & Unwin, $39.99)
This Anzac Day marks 110 years since the Gallipoli landings by soldiers in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps - the ANZACS. It signalled the beginning of a campaign that was to take the lives of so many of our young men - and would devastate the ...
The violent deportation of migrants is not new, and New Zealand forces had a hand in such a regime after World War II, writes historian Scott Hamilton. The world is watching the new Trump government wage a war against migrants it deems illegal. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.This Sunday Essay was made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
A new poem by Aperahama Hurihanganui, about the name of Aperahama and Abby Hauraki’s three-year-old son, Te Hono ki Īhipa (which translates to ‘The Connection to Egypt’). Te Hono ki Īhipa what’s in a name? te hono – the connection to your tīpuna, valiant soldiers of the 28th Māori Battalion ...
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Pacific Media Watch The Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network today condemned the Fiji government’s failure to stand up for international law and justice over the Israeli war on Gaza in their weekly Black Thursday protest. “For the past 18 months, we have made repeated requests to our government to do ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Michelle Grattan and Amanda Dunn discuss the fourth week of the 2025 election campaign. While the death of Pope Francis interrupted campaigning for a while, the leaders had another debate on Tuesday night and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Whatever the result on May 3, even people within the Liberals think they have run a very poor national campaign. Not just poor, but odd. Nothing makes the point more strongly than this week’s ...
Onya Prof Williamson. Speaking the Truth. I thankyou for speaking for those….who either cant…or are fearful. Cheers !
agreed. Pscyling left and Patricia
There's an assumption that one group of people by virtue of business ownership can expect a stable supply of other people for them to employ at wage rates that make that business profitable.
There is no reciprocal assumption – that non-owners can expect a stable of supply of jobs that pay enough for them to live in moderate comfort. Such an assumption would contradict the first assumption, so it's not made.
It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic
While this idiotic diplomatic fools pantomime is playing on the world stage. Back in the real world.
Bakhmut bombed after Ukraine attacked the Russian air defense | Ukraine
9 hours ago
6 Views
5 Min Read
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https://news.worabia.com/bakhmut-bombed-after-ukraine-attacked-the-russian-air-defense-ukraine/112011/
[When you quote you have to use some kind of formatting, preferably block-quote, to make clear which text is the quote. You also have to make clear when you have left out parts, i.e., when you are selectively quoting. You know all this and Mods don’t want to waste their precious time on lazy unthinking commenters and check & correct after them all the time. This is your warning – Incognito]
Mod note
The Standard
World famous in NZ
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/07/13/mediawatch-sigh-this-is-what-the-painfully-serious-left-thinks-is-a-victory/
[Spray and walk away. You’re now on notice for trolling – Incognito]
Those so called Left want a revolution. They are still living in that era.
I notice they attack the messenger, and defend Bryce Edwards. That says it all.
Bryce has been called out, he is on notice now. Strangled screams won't change that.
The original Standard piece noted that the press release did not say precisely what was suggested (break up duopoly).
And today, there's a piece from Micky Savage criticising Luxon, the first of which is for something he did not actually say (going straight to green).
There is a clear warning in the Daily Blog article. It notes that there is a tendency to read everything to be pro-Labour and anti Luxon/Nats/Act and fuss over the smallest of details. And ignore all the elephants in the room.
I'm in North Shore and have been in hospital a few times since covid. So feeling a bit uncomfortable about the article in the media today noting their ED using leaking tarps due to overflow pressures. I'm hearing a lot about restructure of DHBs but no evidence of improving service. And I don't think I'm alone in that sentiment.
The Daily Blog says the consequence will be that there is a high chance that there will be a change of Govt (though said in a much shorter and abrupt way). I'm not sure I can disagree with that sentimentt.
The Health reforms started on the first of July, so far it involves some rebranding only, your DHB will be functioning exactly as before.
Who knows. We all might be soon living in that era.
With our oceans choked with plastic, and we can't put a ban even on Coca-Cola.
With climate change threatening human extinction over part of the planet's surface, and we can't even ban intensive dairying conversions and importing and mining coal.
With World War III in the planning stages. and we can't stop millions of people facing being bombed and shot killed and maimed.
If we can't stop any of these things under the current system.
To stop us killing ourselves and the planet. Might need a revolution.
There's a revolution right now in Sri Lanka.
There was nearly a revolution in the USA starting Jan 6th.
Solomon Islands nearly had a revolution.
Fiji has had three in thirty years.
And of course there's one underway in the eastern half of Ukraine.
To non-revolutionaries these things are called coups.
Serious question Ad.
What would you consider the Arab Spring to be?
Coup?
Revolution?
Something else?
The Arab Spring was the very, very worst of the Obama-CIA follies that brought momentary hope to millions only to turn into a permanently repressed nightmare for women, gays, Christians, people with degrees, people who wanted to vote, and people who thought the United States would support its idealistic rhetorical flourishes with resolute might.
President Biden’s current tour of Saudi Arabia’s leadership is its perfect and permanent apostasy.
You can't be serious.
The Arab Spring was a CIA plot? Surely one of the most stupid conspiracy theories of all time. You might as well have written that the French revolution was a CIA plot.
You completely ignore the fact that regimes you are talking about, that the Arab people were revolting against, were Western backed. The CIA wasn't trying to topple them, just the opposite. Egypt is the second biggest recipient of US military aid after Israel. And this US military aid was and is being used to suppress and oppress the Arab people.
I asked you a serious question in good faith. And your answer is a slur on the Arab people that the more than 25 million people that rose up against the Dictator Ben Ali and Mubarak and Assad were all CIA dupes?
It was a folly because no one in the US intelligence community appeared to either anticipate or know what to do when the uprising occurred, and when they did Obama rushed in with the Cairo speech that just wrote a whole massive cheque that his ass couldn't cash, and then the great majority of them failed and Obama and the intelligence agencies looked even worse. The result was a spectacular mess that Obama never got out of and the Middle east hasn't yet recovered from.
Irony award of the day for use of the word slur then using Sky News as your source.
"You can't believe the mainstream media", Said every conspiracy theorist ever.
So where, or what news outlet, or none, do you get your news from Ad?
Or do you do your own research?
The degeneration of the Daily Blog into a place where the supposedly 'real' left end up repeating right wing talking points must be hugely amusing to the actual right/far right. I understand why it delights you so much.
AB, I am far from being delighted!! Pleased and relieved more apt a description.
I do feel that Bryce Edwards "takes a position" then finds passages from others to "Prove his case"
That is fine as long as he quotes correctly. He did not and was called out.
If The Standard is to blame lol, why not Media Watch and Colin Peacock who brought it public notice????
The petty comments on The Blog was one of the reasons I left their site.
There is far more indepth argument here with supporting items, and the calibre of commentary is far superior imo.
Colin Peacock was commenting on a judgement that went against Bryce Edwards.
I was pleased the quotes and use of them was under the microscope, as Bryce has "sailed close to the wind' on previous occasions. Pleased is not delighted.
Patricia – it was Pataua4life I was replying to, not you. TDB just depresses me these days and I rarely go there, other things to do.
.
Yeah … because anything outside the Upper-Middle Woke echo-chamber of moral panics, purity spirals, & "good" vs "evil" identity groups = "right wing talking points". Spare me such empty-headed banality. You really have no idea about fundamental Left principles, do you ?
Yes it is one thing that can be said in favour of the Daily Blog, it provides an outlet for those on the extreme Left like Malcolm Evans and John Minto who have trouble getting published anywhere else.
The comments below the article are pretty accurate.
Mod note
Attention NZ Business!!
When you get your business model right, and look after your staff, you can actually grow the business. Who knew??
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-drink/129264329/top-auckland-restaurant-cassia-to-open-seven-days-to-help-staff
“Auckland restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat are extending service at their Fort Lane restaurant Cassia to seven days and hiring 15 more staff to give their team better hours and more flexibility.”
The discerning public.
/
But the survey of 1,000 British adults, carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday, found Mr Sunak was by far the most well known of the candidates. Some 60% said they knew a great deal or a fair amount about him, and 56% correctly identified him as the former chancellor.
Mr Hunt was the second most well known on 40%, followed by Ms Truss on 33% and Mr Zahawi on 28%.
Ms Mordaunt was known by 20% of people and Mr Tugendhat by 15%, while Ms Badenoch and Ms Braverman were on just 14%.
However, 12% of people told Ipsos that they knew either a great deal or a fair amount about Stewart Lewis, a fake candidate created by the pollster.
Some 6% even said they knew “a great deal” about the non-existent Mr Lewis, more than the 5% who said the same thing about Ms Braverman, the Attorney General, and the same proportion as for Ms Badenoch and Mr Tugendhat
https://archive.ph/J28mc
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jeremy-hunt-liz-truss-suella-braverman-keir-starmer-penny-mordaunt-b1012160.html
Reinsurers threatening to quit NZ again.
https://www.interest.co.nz/insurance/116735/tower-ceo-blair-turnbull-says-reinsurers-are-questioning-their-down-under-exposure
This is a major concern. A. No insurance/ or B Costly insurance.
It is indeed….insurance is an integral part of financial systems.
Replying to Pat @6. (Reply function doesn’t work on my iPad.)
The article is more about the insurers being worried about the floods in Aussie, than here.
Australasia is treated as a single market…and while the current focus is on Australian floods (the previous occasion of threat here was post ChCh quakes) the underlying driver is the risk of losses which will only increase. As has been noted in the comments to the article those losses are also increasing in their major markets so rationalisation can be expected, or best case scenario a repricing of risk which will have to be carried by all end users….read 'inflationary'.
NZ has long been identified as a marginal market.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300631534/live-how-is-the-health-system-coping-amid-covid19-flu-and-staff-shortages
so the vaccine mandate is under review for health care workers
A bit difficult to track down the quote in the midst of a regularly updated live blog – but I think this is the relevant quote from Little – from the above link:
having unvaxxd health workforce personnel back at work is not a no no. It’s under review
If there is any consideration to re-employ unvaccinated nurses it would be backroom jobs where they don't come into contact with patients or indeed vaccinated health staff.
That's fine. Let em do the paper work and answer the telephone.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/07/mark-richardson-furious-at-unvaccinated-nurses-who-want-to-return-to-work-amid-health-care-crisis.html
About 2/3rds in – following the nutty 'Nurse for Freedom'. Mark Richardson is on the money. He winds up by saying:
“For God’s sake. Get the jab.”
…..re-employ unvaccinated nurses it would be backroom jobs….
Or. They could be put to work providing hands-on care to Covid infected patients.
Or betterer. Put them to work providing hands-on care to the fucking filth unvaccinated Covid infected patients. Saving the nice, clean, triple jabbed nurses for the nice, clean triple jabbed Covid infected patients.
You know…I think we could make this work!!!
Or they could become vaccinated like the rest of us and show that they are medically qualified to serve all of us.
If I was seriously ill in hospital, either with Covid or anything else for that matter, I wouldn't give a shit as whether my care giver was vaccinated or not. I would just be grateful that they were trying to keep me alive.
Until they breathed.
ffs Ad, they'd be wearing masks or PPE, they may have just had covid or you may already have covid. Or the guy in the next door bed may have covid.
Talking to an ICU nurse recently who is vaxxed and just had covid.
If you are an ICU nurse who PPE's and is vaccinated and has just had COVID, thankyou for your service.
Other people I wouldn't want around me: a urinary tract exam from a doctor who didn't wash their hands, a dentist not cleared for Hepatitis, or an ambulance driver who wouldn't wear a seatbelt.
Or indeed blood/tissue products from former UK/French/ROI residents 1980-1996, IV drug users, carriers of hepatitis/EB/CFS viruses, anyone requiring HIV/hepatitis tests, recent STI patients, current sex workers, men who've recently had sex with men or woman they've had sex with…the list goes on.
So when they are wheeling you in to the ED bleeding to death after a car accident, and they say to you, are you ok if an unvaccinated doctor stops the bleeding as we are so short staffed, you will say to them in a weak dying voice "No keep that doctor away from me I don't want Covid. Leave me to die outside"
Yeah, I can really imagine that happening.
Given the choice I certainly would and of course so would my health insurer who would whisk me off to a competent hospital.
As would the ED staff employer.
Your health insurer wouldn’t have time to whisk you off if it was a real emergency. You would be at the ED. You have really swallowed the fear porn of Covid. I actually had Covid a couple of weeks ago and like many others it wasn't even the worse cold or flu I've had. I'm still upright.
Are we so lucky to have Andrew Little as the minister of Health and this ONE nurse in Manila that the minister bases his support for his actions on. Then as a “union man” he craps on the nurses union.
Why is it that so many on the left accept this without voicing any comment or is this the best we can hope for and have to accept. Whist Rome burns ….
I now wonder how much better our health systems would be if someone in Dunedin didn’t go out for a bike ride??
Pity bluster is favoured over compentance.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/andrew-little-explains-why-he-s-refusing-to-say-health-system-in-crisis-in-tense-am-interview.html
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/andrew-little-slammed-for-just-not-helpful-comments-accusing-nz-nurses-organisation-of-sitting-in-wellington.html
Herodotus, did you ever fault the National Minister of Health Tony Ryall?
He did not have a Pandemic to deal with, and a pay rise for Nurses lol.
A little digging can uncover interesting remnants of what was. As exhALANt wrote in his latest blog post (see sidebar):
https://exhalantblog.wordpress.com/2022/07/12/tour-of-duty-ardern-out-on-the-world-stage-and-gets-things-done-luxon-goes-off-the-rails-again/
Based on this OIA about Canterbury DHB nurses, average RN salary increased every year from 2011 through 2020. That includes 7 years of a National government, during which time nurses salaries increased by an average of 2.3% p.a.. David Clark (Minister from 2017 through mid 2020) managed to secure sufficient extra health money to increase average nurses salaries by 4.7% p.a. from 2018 through 2020.
https://www.cdhb.health.nz/about-us/document-library/cdhb-10465-registered-nurse-average-salary/
I don't have the figures since Andrew Little became minister, however his outburst yesterday was either a calculated attack or a political blunder. Either way, it wasn't a good look.
The union was all for the settlement, until they decided back pay had to be settled first. Nurses would have salaries 10 to 12 thousand more a year, which would have helped with the recruiting process as Andrew Little pointed out.
They shot that delay across his bow in December, and are now moaning that nurses will go to Australia. Well Dahhh!!! He is right, they have not helped Nurses.
Interesting, but that's not how Ian Powell sees it:
"And he is getting stuck into the NZ Nurses Organisation, accusing the union of reneging on a deal on pay equity. Simply not true. The “deal” was agreed to by two negotiating teams, but still required ratification. Following membership feedback, NZNO identified two obstacles to ratification which required resolution. That is not reneging; it is the part of the process called ratification. As a former union leader, Little knows this well."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/129153136/the-return-of-angry-andy-the-health-minister-who-is-denying-the-obvious
Powell also points out the following:
1. The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM; the College) had to correct what it described as 'misleading comments' attributable to Little in June.
2. Then in May "in a low blow, in May, Little derogatorily referred to the “nominal leaders” of primary care for allegedly failing to see what a different and better health system looks like. It was clear from the context of his attack that he was referring to representatives of general practices."
3. He's also had a crack at rural health services and Pharmac.
I understand the Minister is under pressure, but he's doing himself no favours. Powell concludes with this:
"Little’s poor performance has made him a ministerial liability. A big factor behind this is his failure to recognise the importance of relationships in public health systems."
and
"This has led him to undermine workforce trust and confidence in the Government’s leadership of the health system. Further, he has achieved this in little over 18 months. I don’t recall any health minister reaching this milestone."
Ouch.
One man's opinion does not make truth.
Where is any comment from you to question Littles behaviour and actions ?? It appears you can see everything Wrong with parties other than Labour BUT are blinded by this governments performances and unable to make comment.
Not great use of language by Little. "in an interview with Stuff, Andrew Little labelled the union ‘unprincipled’ and the impediment to a pay deal." Just like the Kiwi in Manila telling Little "2 yr is not an issue" how would she know what nurses around the world are thinking" and for him to use that as a reason for his Do Little action. That interview was a train wreck – And sitting in Wellington – Where is he – And you support him without any reservations, as do many here. Imagine the commentary if Nats were in power and Little was the Health minister acting as he is.
I
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/129273745/nurses-organisation-asks-health-minister-to-focus-on-health-crisis-instead-of-putdowns
He's not just 'one man'. He is a former executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. Is he wrong? Is the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine wrong? Are commentators here that are in the profession wrong?
David J. No all the people you talk about are correct.
Little and Labour are so ideologically driven, they fail to see the real issues.
BTW I am a labour party member. But not for too much longer
Tell me Anker where is your ideological home?
Who will you support if not Jacinda Ardern?
Mother was a life member of Labour. I have always voted Labour and worked hard for them.
I now have no ideological home politically. I try to go by my values. I fear for NZ as I think our parliamentarians aren't up to it. That's not a criticism, I think it is a hard job (although sometimes I do criticize them).
One of the most important things for me is the Health system. The only people who really matter in that system are the well trained professionals who look after you if you get sick. We are all dependent on them.
I don't rely on Jacinda. I don't have anything against her and also acknowledge her strengths. I was grateful to her and Labour for the initial Covid response. The reality is I went into isolatin before the country did. Currenlty living a rather isolated life to protect me and my loved ones and the health professionals from Covid.
I try to take as much responisitiblity for myself and my life. This has always been the case. I now are just grateful when politicians don’t makethings worse. Or spend public money on consultants whose contribution won’t matter.
Labour have lost me. They are ideologically driven and its not an ideology I support. This doesn’t mean I support Luxon (personaly I think he is out of his depth and woeful).
I probably won’t vote next election. But if that is the case, it will be a deliberate and well thought through decision.
No not wrong, just looking through their own window.
Andrew Little is not there to make friends. He is there to change entrenched attitudes biases and methods, which have not delivered to a large percentage of the public. Feathers are going to be ruffled as some were very comfortable in their Silos. Some were paid by both the private and the public system.
Whenever the left shift the dial, personal attacks start. No one has suggested there should not be change, just they don’t like the messenger.
Umpty managers board members and other duplications creaming money out of the "system" Yes feathers will be ruffled and fur fly. The intention is to increase services at the frontline. Perhaps Andrew is tired That would be understandable.
Yes I am sure Little is tired. What a big job to have. I do have a little empathy for him. But the front line is the health system. I hope he does ruffle feathers of the bureacrats but he seemed to be picking a fight with the union, i.e. the front line services union. Unforgivable from so many angles.
I don't think Little knows too much about health at all.
The health system doesn't deliver for people in small towns e.g Wairoa has no cardiologist. People can't even get a regular GP in many towns.
They can stand on their heads, re structure, bring in a band, put on a party, so whatever, but until the solve the staffing and medication crisis, it will do swa
It was not the Union who rejected the settlement but was the membership dismayed at the deal. Backpay was promised then reneged on. In my role as a senior nurse the offer was a fraction of that offered to other roles. All this has done is compress the salary scales to the point where most senior staff would make more giving up their roles and become plain RN,s. I had been advanced more on the last pay round in a lump sum against future pay equity than I was offered. We were looking at having to pay it back.
Every time this minister opens his mouth he alienates the very people who vote for his party, he needs to go, replace him with someone who can demonstrate empathy.
That situation is not right or good Who were you actually negotiating with. Ministry boffins?
Nice DEFLECTION, what about …. On the issue nice to see that you cannot find anything to counter to support Littles performances. And for his attach on a union, nice to have friends like that in a Labour party. But I gather you totally support him.
How about addressing the issue?? Unless you don't really have the conviction.
This maybe news to you BUT Labour is currently the government and Little IS the minister.
Herodotus,
It isn't about me. See my comment above.
Thanks for saying all of this Herodotus, and psych nurse.
Fancy a labour minister, ex labour boss, trashing a union. Accusing them of talking with a forked tongue. Does he not realize how many kiwis lives are dependent on our health work force? What will this do for staff morale? That and refusing to call it a crisis (actually I think it is a catastrophe).
Little doesn't show any signs of appreciating what a health system is. Its nurses, Drs and allied health workers. We are despearately short of them Andrew. Many of them are working their guts out to save lives right now. Your stupid bloody health reforms are irrelevant.
Remember when Key use to say its not a housing crisis and most of us on this site would be tearing our hair out about his denial (acutally the situation with housing back in Key's day looks a lot better that our current housing catastrophe……
Tony Ryall and Johanathan Coleman were likely incompetent shits, but they are long gone. Littles in charge of the ship now. Labour have had five years. David Clark was told back in 2017 that there was a serious work force shortage before the pandemic.
Little should be sacked or resign
"Why is it that so many on the left accept this without voicing any comment or is this the best we can hope for and have to accept"
I figure this is what we could call the neo-liberal left. The left that couldn't raise a murmur when lots of poorly paid people (mainly women) were mandated out of jobs.
The term Brahmin class better describes what a lot of 'lefties' behave like.
gsays I think it is tribal labour who will support Labour no matter what and sorry if this comes across as judgmental many of them have lost their ability to critique anymore.
Our health system is in crisis…..
"Strange to have gone from talking about a stressed health system to being in it in a couple of hours," he said.
"Wellington Hospital A & E actually as calm and efficient as I've ever seen it. I'll update later but nothing too serious."
RNZ reporter on an actual experience of the NZ health system after Sean Plunket suffers a minor heart attack.
https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-lifestyle/star-entertainment/broadcaster-sean-plunket-hospital-after-heart-attack
North Shore Hospital doesn't seem to be coping as well as Wellington hospital.
Patients waiting under leaking tent outside North Shore emergency department – NZ Herald
To be fair, that awning is more a triage and Covid testing space – before admitting patients to either the 'with Covid' or 'without Covid' streams. Decision made that it was better to do this step in the 'open' with ventilation, rather than within the closed (and crowded) ED itself.
However, have just had a friend admitted (and now discharged) from ICU with Covid at North Shore (luckily they were able to get on top of the symptoms quickly) – who commented on just how rushed and stressed all of the medical staff were. No complaints about the treatment – but she could see how much pressure the staff were under – and how long their shifts were. The doctor seeing her dealt with 3 emergency calls while checking her symptoms and prescribing for her.
Well a relative of mine went there with a fracture and said that the tent was for Covid triage which is not a rare practice at all. And that the privately owned ShoreCare A&E across the road where they went for the initial consultation in order to be seen more rapidly (cost $105 after ACC subsidy was deducted) used a tent in exactly the same way. Looks like the thrusting, innovative titans of the private sector aren't doing any better than public hospitals – other than through the natural advantages that come from reducing the demand on their services by charging money.
This is of course just an n=1 anecdote. But I ain't holding my breath on the assumption that the Herald is not engaged in distortion of the facts for political purposes. Essentially the house organ of the National Party, that rag is why we don't even need the Murdoch media in this country in order to sabotage democracy.
Meanwhile, from Jimmy's source:
"The photos come after a survey – conducted by the New Zealand Women in Medicine (NZWIM) Charitable Trust, including responses from more than 900 New Zealand doctors – warned a "catastrophic collapse" of the healthcare workforce loomed.
"Ward full, extreme staff shortages, ED full and seeing little babies as young as seven weeks old waiting (more than) >2 hours outside in tents for a bed in the department, or to be seen and an attempt at an exam made in the tent," one junior doctor working in paediatrics said in the survey. The hospital where this doctor worked was not specified."
This was meant for AB.
"RNZ reporter on an actual experience … "
Who is the RNZ reporter you appear to be quoting?
Himself.
It must be at least 10 years since he worked for RNZ.
He got cancelled.
I am curious as to the purpose of yr comment.
Is it to deny our health system is in crisis because of one reporter's "actual" experience?
Running defence for a minister who has clearly pissed off a large portion of his workforce?
Based on one persons experience and extrapolating it out is like declaring the pandemic over coz I didn't get Covid.
If it's in crisis, then Wellington did not show that.
Nor does my local hospital, though a friend tells me that the waits are long.
I am objecting to blanket criticisms of 'shambles', 'crisis' or whatever else. They are overused, becoming meaningless political buzz words. Today I read that "all'' whatever the feck it was was a disaster. It was obvious that ''all" did not apply. It was hyperbole. Sorry, I can't remember the actual situation, but that in itself points to the problem with doomsaying, crying wolf, inflated criticism.
If someone comes along and says that I had a problem with such an hospital, I'd accept that. If someone can honestly give an overview of an hospital system stretched beyond breaking point. I'd look at that.
I have personally reached my breaking point as a teacher, but it wasn't the NZ education system. Covid is hard, and winter is hard. There will always be discontent.
There is, and has been, far too much exaggeration that is political, serving narrow interests, and ultimately harmful as its effect is to lessen trust, hope and social cohesion either deliberately or as a corollary.
I am now a sceptic. I've had covid, cancers and crises de foi. I have been well served in two different hospital systems.
I went walking today as I have for years with a highly qualified medical professional, recently forcibly retired from a hospital board as a member by recent changes, who does not talk of crises. Problems, yes always, but I have not heard of crises- and believe me I would have from him.
I socialise with nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists, long term sufferers from all sorts of complaints, but I don't hear crises. Again problems, but not crises.
I have a niece who is an authority on aspects of public health- difficulties, problems, social attitudes and behaviours- all of that, but not heard of crises.
No, it's not one reporter's experience. His experience just points out the arrant stupidity of blanket, unbalanced, unsubstantiated criticism, and the use of hyperbolic and harmful language.
It's harmful because it limits the truth of the matter, the extent of the matter, the causes of the matter, and only serves narrow, sectional, shallow political purposes.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300636068/waikato-hospital-cancels-100-surgeries-in-june-no-catch-up-in-sight—health-leader
There are many,many more examples like this Mac 1.
I noticed that the person who murdered the woman in Grey Lynn has been sent to the Mason Clinic. Only a week or two ago and innocent woman was stabbed in Chch by a man discharged from the psych unit. Sadly expect more of this.
You may be like the Nurses Union who don't want to refer to it as a crisis because they just want the minister to get on and fix it. Gordon Campbell has an interesting article posted by Sacha on Daily Review.
Call it what you like, but the health syster is exceptionally stressed and they are understaffed. Nowadays i hope like hell I don't get sick
"Nowadays i hope like hell I don't get sick." And if you did, I'd wish you the same timely, expert and appropriate treatment I got with four cancer diagnoses and a hernia for good measure.
What I said above about trust and hope and social cohesion applies with us both. I keep hoping and trusting and believing in how our society should progress.
Thanks Mac1. Well expressed.
Ok, you don't like the wording.
What adjectives would you use to describe the problems? Ones that come to my mind are systemic, chronic, under-resourcing, under-staffing, entrenched. Most of which come down to senior management and governance.
To describe out health system as just having 'problems' is equally "harmful because it limits the truth of the matter, the extent of the matter, the causes of the matter, and only serves narrow, sectional, shallow political purposes."
Ironically a measure you may be able to relate to, I have been to my GP in regards to an inguinal hernia. He referred me to our local hospital for an appointment. They said 'No'. I went back to him on Friday as things have worsened and he point blank told me, 'you won't get in.' His advice was going privately.
At the core of the problems is this market driven, neo-liberal approach to running hospitals. I had hopes when the reform was announced then discovered Ardern's pick for heading up the changes is from Ernst Young. Says it all really.
Andrew Little says everything is fine. Just a tough winter. 900 doctors say it's a crisis.
Of course the one person is right and the 900 doctors do not know what they are talking about.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/andrew-little-govt-responding-to-chronic-staffing-shortage-in-healthcare/GQT4WMCA6YGV3ZEODNNR3NZQL4/
Wishing Sean Plunkett all the very best for his recovery. He lost his brother to suicide last week. So an unbelievably difficult time.
When I visited Wellington ED just over a month ago, staff were calm and professional. It was remarkable given the numbers of sick people arriving by ambulaances and the beds stacked in corridors.
I'm sorry to hear that. I can but wish himself all the best.
Which is why I harp on about those who are not following the rules and who publicly demand that all Covid regulations be rescinded Anker.
I was in hospital earlier this year for major surgery. The professionalism of the doctors, nurses and the surgeon blew me away. I constantly think of them and wonder how they are coping with the enormous strain they are currently experiencing.
Anyone calling for the removal of all Covid restrictions (and I refer particularly to the Freedom crowd) are showing a lack of respect and consideration for the health workers in question.
With a country of around only 3 to 4 million tax-payers, there is never going to be enough money in the cookie jar to service entities like the health sector to our satisfaction. So, its up to each of us to be prepared to do whatever is required to alleviate the worst of the pandemic affects on those staffing the health services.
Getting vaccinated, wearing masks and keeping our distance is the very least we can do.
You might have heard Thomas Coughlan grinding his teeth as he had to concede that PM Ardern had a successful overseas trip. How it must have hurt. Anyway it is an interesting summary.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/thomas-coughlan-jacinda-ardern-finally-gets-lucky-break-on-overseas-trips/QKBCNI3Z7YCWB5MOCRHWMDG2G4/
In case it is behind the wall.
That reference to a 'lucky break' reminds me of the golfer who mused that the more he practised the luckier he got!
Jacinda is just so lucky. No way does she work hard to get her lucky breaks. Ha!
Remember when in her early PM days they denigrated her fluffy lack of substance.
Long may she reign!
They called her stardust. On Tuesday I had a coffee in town and sprinkled a sachet of sugar around the lovely design of a fern in the crema on top.
I called it stardust and saluted our Prime Minister. In a world of Putins, Johnsons, Trumps and that whole throng of narcissist, deluded and sociopathic crazies, we are indeed blessed.
Yes, covid and politics has made the world difficult, so thank you Jacinda Ardern and her fully supportive team, who instead of being assisted through the pandemic and the world scene, have been put down harried and generally denigrated.
For some this has reached the stage that any comment is leapt on quoted out of context and added to name calling and calls for dismissals.
Those same folk want change… but not that change.. go figure.
Angry Andy meme is again fashionable. Previously Nanaia Mahuta was the target.
The search for holes in the government's armour continues by the Nats and Act, to the point of even bad mouthing the country while overseas is sad.
Denying reputable evidence over and over. Flat out saying the opposite. Chipping away.
So some of us support, as we see the propaganda repeated endlessly and echoed in MSM.
I understand Little's frustration.
The kickback from those making money, and/or sitting in positions of power, due to the inefficiencies, duplication and partial privatisations that the DHB model enabled, is enormous. It has only just started.
You will hear more and more the mealy mouthed.. “We admit change is needed, but not this change”.
The "Salaried medical specialists" that use their position in State hospitals to prop up lucrative private businesses, the "Consultants", the "Private contractors" are just a few examples of those who have a vested interest in the continuation of the current shemozzle.
Careful KJT, you will be lumped in with me
Hopelessly Left lol. Such good company.
Shows how much the Overton window has shifted,, that I, a definite capitalist businessman, is "extreme left". LOL.
Quoting a well known philosopher. "Heaven holds no attraction for me. The company would be so boring".