An achievement, but how impressive remains to be seen. Tory leadership contenders will pounce on the deal like vultures, and their sharp beaks will tear off any shred that is a breach of UK sovereignty, and wave them at the public & media. Will the vassal state theory be validated? A cost/benefit analysis in caucus will just be the start, and the fate of May’s government will then be determined in the court of public opinion.
Sad though our political systems do not seem to protect the integrity of those systems as it seems clear in Brexit rules were broken, ethics questionable and nobody seems to be in jail over it. Just an enquiry and slap on the wrist is not exactly keeping the democratic process safe.
We have donations scandals in NZ on tape, and yep, no criminal prosecution or any one interested in preserving the integrity of democracy either, in the face of all that free money.
Then we have the women who put needles in the strawberries who faces years in prison in OZ, 8 years even for that Fonterra milk hoax who did not even do it.
Just an example of how lightly we treat political crimes against other crimes that can effect the entire country or industry.
I’m for a revote of the Brexit referendum, not enough people voted and there was electoral tampering. Then see if same result when the people of Britain go in to vote on it, with their eyes open.
You get your chance to vote so should use it wisely. I didn’t like the last US election. Maybe we should have a re-vote on that and if I still lose, then another vote after that.
Elections are different to a total and dysfunctional divorce based on phony pretences. And a huge number of Brits did not vote because among other things, the remain brigade told everyone they had it in the bag!
Also if there is election tampering then not sure of the process but I don’t think the result is considered valid????
Wight discusses Western imperialism and how ideologies of neoliberalism and domination have been inculcated to Western leaders in elite institutions of education.
And if you thought that was good, I highly recommend you watch the whole show.
As one commentator expresses it, this is an “amazing stream of awareness and consciousness here that exactly depicts the current socio-political and economic realities.”
There is nothing left about supporting despots like Putin.
[Drawing a line under this. I’m way over having to scroll past idiots, who in lieu of having nothing to say and nothing to share, slap their dicks on the table as though that should be seen as a contribution of some sort.
You are one of a number who disagree with the arguments of viewpoints of Ed (or those he links to)? Then either offer a reasoned argument to support your perspective, or a thought out critique of why those people (and so their views) might be best considered as suspect.
But as for the vacuous sloganeering, name calling and personalised attacks – take it to your facebook account or your twitter account or wherever that might be elsewhere. But stop subjecting readers of this collective and diverse space to it, day after day and (it seems) always as a predictable reaction to other commentators whose views you don’t share.
‘The Standard’ is for discussion and debate, not schoolyard or sandpit nonsense. Sort your crap out.] – B.
I have offered reasoned argument to Ed pretty damned often actually.
Lacking the skills to support his views, he carries on regardless.
The point is, they’re not his views – they’re copied and pasted from elsewhere, which is part of the reason he can’t defend them – he doesn’t understand them.
I get it – you’re down with supporting despotic regimes. I’m not.
I object.
I won’t sit silently while Ed shills for this murderous dictator.
Your crude crap about dick measuring is utterly false – when Ed posts about anything else I leave him alone.
[Evidently you’re an idiot Stuart. Instead of taking the intelligent route, which would have been taking note and desisting from your crap in future, you’ve doubled down by broadening out your attack to include me. It’s an odd self martyrdom kind of thing to have done. But hey…
You claim I’m “down with supporting despotic regimes”? Okay. You either provide a damned unequivocal link to be backing that one up. Or offer up a straightforward apology and retraction. You won’t be able to provide a link. And so, failing a retraction and an apology (and not some half arsed nonsense either), your summer break from ‘ts’ will be starting presently] – B.
You’ve made multiple posts trying to cast doubt on the British case against Russia with respect to the Skripals. One quoted Craig Murray “of a type developed by liars” for example. No evidence has come to light suggesting any other chemical agent however, the British claim seems to have been factual.
You made another post about the suspects visiting Salisbury cathedral, suggesting that their motives were altogether innocent, which seems to have been in error, as Bellingcat’s Russian colleagues The Insider were able to show.
It would be fair to say that these statements of yours support Russia and the campaign of disinformation and propaganda that they have maintained since their embarrassment over MH17.
I assert that Russia under Putin is a despotic regime – let’s go with Montesquieu’s definition: one in which rule is accomplished by fear. The murder of Politikovskaya was politically motivated and intended not merely silence her, but also like-minded journalists. A number of Russian journalists have been obliged to flee Russia in the years immediately after that.
The murder of Nemtsov probably related to the position he was taking on the invasion of the Ukraine. An awful lot of people inconvenient to Putin are murdered – and inconvenient news organs like the Moscow Times have been shut down under his rule.
Putin’s elections are invariably accomplished with large scale ballot tampering. My friends, collating reports from over twenty journalists right across Russia were able to demonstrate widespread fraud in his first election. Similar reports, if less comprehensive, are available on subsequent elections.
These actions are those of a despotic regime even without the lengthy record of atrocities relating to the Chechen campaign. I have yet to see a word in print from you that qualifies your support of them, to balance your pro-Russian speculations and echoing of Russian propaganda in respect of the Skripal affair.
Ed’s reposting of their propaganda and disinformatzia is not a public service, on the contrary, it is in service of a despotic regime, and undesirable.
[Questioning an official narrative doesn’t imply support of anyone or anything. I can’t see any link in your comment to me voicing support of despotism Stuart. And I can’t see any apology in that there shopping list you’ve flung up either. So I won’t see any comments from you until after Feb 3rd] – B.
As John Wight says,” Ignorance is increasingly a choice in our world.”
That’s an interesting way to put it and he’s right.
As a hunter/gatherer a person couldn’t afford to be ignorant. They may not have known what we know today but they had to know everything that the group knew and to extend that knowledge.
Today people get to choose to be ignorant and not to believe the truth and that’s causing all sorts of problems. Climate change denial, voting for schmucks because they’re blue, defending unethical behaviour because its legal etcetera.
A national leader wants us to believe he sanctioned one nation because in their view they were leaders, invaded and destroyed another becuase evil existed they, but didn’t send a assassination squad to kill a man who just wanted to get married. Russia, Saudi, it’s all half glass full and whose pouring. Russia spent generations securing Crimea, blood, treasure, and only lost it for a few decades, what about any number of U.S. bases… etc.
I stand on my record of arguing for freedom of expression here at TS; even when it’s annoying or steps over the line. It’s way better to SAY stupid things and get feedback on it, than to actually DO stupid things and find out too late what the awful cost was.
Even as a moderate left winger I’m happy with most of Ed’s contributions; he flirts with the edges of reasonable sometimes but for the most part I put that down to youthful enthusiasm.
What does irk me is seeing the personal vendettas that are clearly going on here; hell I’ve been on the wrong end of a few of them myself over the years. A small group gangs up on someone and reflexively shits on anything they say with no attempt at counter argument or informed debate. Tempers will flare from time to time, but unceasing repetition going turns this into an ugly form of bullying.
Most of the time it just runs it’s course, but this one has been going on too long and everyone involved needs to read Bill’s very pointed moderation note above. Otherwise I can guarantee some well deserved ‘holidays’ will soon be taken.
Can I ask a favour? I am looking for background stuff on the US opioid crisis. I keep hearing that the likes of Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, are behid a huge a epidemic of addiction in the USA and I just want some reputable background information…
Qoute: Investigators discovered that a single pharmacy in Mount Gay-Shamrock, population 1,779, received more than 16.5 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills between 2006 and 2016. In nearby Williamson, population 2,900, distributors sent almost 21 million opioids to two pharmacies during that same period.
“How many other communities across the country have received millions more opioids than their communities could reasonably sustain?” Harper asked.
Democrats and Republicans on the committee faulted the distributors for missing what they said were signs that too many opioids were going into the state. Quote end.
it has been obvious for a while now that certain, especially poor areas, where literally flooded with pain killers replacing proper medical care. This has been ongoing for a while. Once these people are addicted they are addicted. Does not matter how you get on the juice, it matters if you can find a way to get of it.
and just because you take away the prescription drugs does not meant you take away the addiction, so people now find other stuff to fix the need
According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 72,000 people in the US are predicted to have died from drug overdoses in 2017 — nearly 200 a day. That’s up from 2016, which was already a record year in which roughly 64,000 people in the US died from overdoses. At least two-thirds of drug overdose deaths in 2016 and 2017 were linked to opioids.
reminds me of the seventies where one could not open a news paper or watch a news cast without reading / hearing of people falling of high roofs or being found dead in public toilets.
Its a friggin mess, and just say no ain’t gonna cut. Heck they killed Roseanne on the “Connors’ show with an overdose, after she got addicted to pain killers after knee surgeries.
Great news Cinny (4) … after all these years of being lied to, the cover ups etc, the bereaved families, friends and colleagues of the Pike River 29, will hopefully begin to have some closure early next year.
Well done Andrew Little for demonstrating some humanity and respect, which since the tragedy has been sadly lacking.
The darkening clouds gather, startled and skitterish.
“Donald Trump ramped up his spat with Emmanuel Macron, the French president, with a denigrating tweet in which he said Parisians had started to learn German during the second world war before the US saved them from occupation.”
If the Referendum on cannabis goes ahead there would have to be advance information on how decriminalisation would work.
Dr Eric Crampton is Head of Research with The New Zealand Initiative. He suggests modelling such new laws be modelled on existing Alcohol regulations. Sounds good.
“Want to make sure councils are able to set rules appropriate to their areas and implement smoking-ban areas around parks? Local alcohol policies do that for alcohol; councils can set up liquor-ban areas.
So “experts like Graeme Edgeler suggest the only sensible question to ask voters would be whether they prefer the current Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, or whether they prefer to allow the sale and supply of cannabis as provided for in draft legislation.”
Is it really sensible to ask voters to choose between a law and a proposed law? To a lawyer, it may seem so. Anyone else could point out that only a handful are likely to have read each piece of legalese. So the percentage of the electorate able to make an informed choice would be in the region of 0.0000024%.
The recent conference agreed the referendum ought to ask these two questions:
1. Should adults be allowed to grow and possess cannabis for personal use?
2. Should adults be allowed to purchase cannabis & cannabis products from licensed premises?
I agree with the conference decision. Both questions are simple & concise. Voters are unlikely to have difficulty comprehending them. Sharing with friends is implicit in the first question, so maybe no need to specify that.
“So “experts like Graeme Edgeler suggest the only sensible question to ask voters would be whether they prefer the current Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, or whether they prefer to allow the sale and supply of cannabis as provided for in draft legislation.””
If that is really his suggestion then he is an idiot. because its actually TWO separate questions conjoined and those who dont like either option are abused!
Most referendum that have been put to the public so far have suffered from this fault. (do you want more emphasis on the victims of crime AND harsher penalties comes to mind!)
A REFERENDUM QUESTION MUST ONLY HAVE A SINGLE PREMISE !
A REFERENDUM QUESTION MUST ONLY HAVE A SINGLE PREMISE !
A REFERENDUM QUESTION MUST ONLY HAVE A SINGLE PREMISE !
but yes there may well be several referendum run concurrently to allow for better understanding of the peoples choice
Anyone who supports whistleblowers still has an opportunity to send in a submission to the review. Rare for me to be impressed by the quality of work done by our public service, but I give them 10/10 for their articulation of the issues identified by the process thus far: http://ssc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Targeted-Consultation-Summary-May-2018.pdf
I suspect the Jami-Lee Ross saga points to a loophole that the review & consultation process haven’t noticed. A parliamentarian acting in the public interest, exposing wrongdoing in their own party, deserves a support mechanism. The status quo seems to enable their party to victimise an MP who blows the whistle on corruption. That’s so obviously wrong that I’m likely to make a submission citing the apparent loophole. I’d like feedback from readers on this – would particularly appreciate opinions on how real the loophole actually is…
Every entity and agency and department has their own policy.
It’s not that little stoush public servants point to.
It’s the MoT massive fraud in which people who spoke up were hunted down and thrown out, and not even the CE believed them.
The net outcome of all of them is simple: you will never work in Wellington again.
Climate change will decrease fertility enough to lower the human population. Apparently.
Derived from 80 years of birth and weather data out of the United States, the study confirmed a higher number of babies being born in August and September (nine months after the depths of winter), while fewer babies were conceived in summer due to higher temperatures.
Fewer kids mean fewer emissions, which means slower climate change. FIFY.
Win/win ???
Do you have any idea at all of what we are facing? I suspect not.
A loophole where MPs do not need to disclose investment properties owned in superannuation schemes – and claim up to $78,000 in taxpayer-funded subsidies each year – is “stinging taxpayers in the pocket”, according to a Government lobby group.
A Herald investigation of property records for all 121 members of Parliament has discovered that six National MPs use their private superannuation schemes to own property that does not need to be disclosed – unlike assets held in trusts. This is because of an exception in the rules of the Register of Pecuniary Interests.
Can the rest of us also get $78000 per year subsidies to pay off our mortgages?
Your link goes to a 2013 article, am I missing something recent that makes it relevant? Surely there are sufficient things to be outraged about the current opposition rather than dragging up articles from 5 years ago.
True enough, may well be still happening as the spot light conveniently gets turned off by the MSM and the rorting bludgers in the article will probably have found another way of doing it anyway.
Whilst I don’t like rorting and fiddling and pushing the legal boundaries, there is a reason why MPs should be paid well, and that they be accommodated for the special nature of their job which requires most to live in two places with huge travel and time commitments.
That is, they are on a three year contract, renewable at the whim of others.
But it’s the afterwards also that matters. I think of my local MP who had five years in the job, was not re-elected and never was able to get a job in his home town, being blacklisted by small town employers. He fell back onto being a small farmer, selling produce at his house gate. On the night he lost his seat someone burnt down his hay barn.
He was a most generous man, and loaned to a constituent the necessary extra funds for this solo mother with two kids to purchase a modest home with the scheme introduced by Labour in 72-75 by Minister of Housing Roger Douglas.
I met him again a month ago, a hale and hearty 90 year old, up with the play and with a passion for politics still. A truly Christian Sally gentleman, who suffered for his political beliefs and activism after being an MP.
Whilst I don’t like rorting and fiddling and pushing the legal boundaries, there is a reason why MPs should be paid well, and that they be accommodated for the special nature of their job which requires most to live in two places with huge travel and time commitments.
I’m pretty sure that paying people extra to prevent corruption doesn’t actually prevent any corruption. Those who are corrupt will still do it.
Having to live in two places at once requires that the government make available housing in Wellington. The best way to do this is a government owned housing complex with no money paid out for rent to MP for housing. This would be cheaper and get rid of the rort.
I think of my local MP who had five years in the job, was not re-elected and never was able to get a job in his home town, being blacklisted by small town employers.
And hows that different from the rest of the precariat?
He fell back onto being a small farmer, selling produce at his house gate.
Ah, he was actually well off and could support himself anyway.
Bin double entry accounting in Govt. organisation, to lead a creative capitalist renaissance of the collective value systems of NZ society & citizenry.
Donald Trump’s deputy national security adviser is reportedly set to be fired following a dispute with the first lady, Melania Trump.
The US first lady took the extraordinary step of publicly pushing for the move against Mira Ricardel, the top aide to the national security adviser, John Bolton, on Tuesday.
[…]
Ricardel, who was hired in April by Bolton after he assumed the role of Trump’s national security adviser, reportedly clashed with members of the first lady’s staff over seating on a plane during Melania Trump’s recent trip to Africa.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have announced a new efficiency record for LEDs based on perovskite semiconductors, reportedly rivaling that of the best organic LEDs (OLEDs).
The team stated that compared to OLEDs, which are widely used in high-end consumer electronics, the perovskite-based LEDs can be made at much lower costs, and can be tuned to emit light across the visible and near-infrared spectra with high color purity.
The researchers have engineered the perovskite layer in the LEDs to show close to 100% internal luminescence efficiency, opening up future applications in display, lighting and communications, as well as next-generation solar cells.
Get that … close to 100% efficiency!!! This puts mono-crystalline silicon PV’s into buggy whip territory. OK so it’s lab stuff and probably a decade away from a product …. but this is how real change will happen.
That article is referring to the quantum efficiencyof one small part of the photosynthesis process. Overall, the efficiency of turning sunlight into useful chemical energy via photosynthesis is in the low single digits percentage. Real-life commercial PV panels convert incoming sunlight to useful electrical energy with an efficiency of 10% to 20%.
Uhh, that near 100% efficiency is for a perovskite LED turning electrical energy into light. Not quite the same thing as a PV panel turning incoming light into electrical energy. No reversibility going on in those processes.
Some existing commercial LEDs are already very efficient. It was the development of a very efficient blue LED that paved the way for white LEDs (as well as a Nobel for the inventors). At the top end of efficiency, there have been lab demonstrations of white LEDs putting out over 300 lumens/watt (if there were no inefficiencies other than the phosphorescent conversion of some of the blue light to yellow light, the luminous efficacy would be around 370 lumens/watt). But the led bulbs for sale at Bunnings and supermarkets are sadly still only around 80 to 100 lumens per watt, which is still way batter than fluorescent bulbs at 35ish or incandescents at 12ish.
Quote pulled from the link provided by PR:
“A 17-year-old is put in the dock for her choice of underwear, and she was open to meeting someone was the implication, she was asking for it,” Coppinger said.
“Women in this country are getting a little bit weary at the routine victim blaming going on in Irish courts and the failure of lawmakers in this House to do anything about it.”
Recently fake tan and even contraception had been used to discredit women who had the bravery to go to court.
As she held up the pair of underwear in the “incongruous setting” of the Dail, Coppinger asked: “How do you think a rape victim or a woman feels at the incongruous setting of her underwear being shown in the courts, and when is this Dail going to take serious action on the issue of sexual violence?”
She only held the underwear up for a brief moment, and the camera quickly pulled back from her as she did so. The use of props is against the rules of the Dail.”
‘A barrister in the Cork trial told the jury to look at the way the complainant was dressed. That the complainant was “open to meeting someone” because she was “wearing a thong with a lace front”.’
‘Recently fake tan and even contraception had been used to discredit women who had the bravery to go to court’
‘US Vice President Mike Pence has asked to be seated next to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at a dinner on Wednesday evening at the East Asia Summit in Singapore.’
What’s that about?
My first reaction is to say: watch your back, Jacinda. Or am I being unfair?
1+5 my guess. But really i would like to know where “Mother” is gonna sit, considering that he does not want to ‘meet’ women alone without his wife nearby.
My conspiracy theory is that he is going to try to convince her of the error of her ways …. unmarried mother, etc, etc. Whereas she has a long list of subjects such as tariffs, trade etc. LOL. Could be an interesting conversation!
I wonder if he knows that Jacinda is an former Mormon whose uncle is one of the only two NZers who has ever made it to being one of the General Authorities of the worldwide Church of Latter Day Saints?
Aaaah – Pence is actually a born again Catholic … and yes, according to Wikipedia (yes, Adam, Wikipedia) he does follow the Billy Graham Rule.
PS – if anyone wants to know, the PM has gone on this trip without baby or partner. Peters is joining her in Singapore or PNG, from his Paris trip, and Parker is already with her.
Pence is the guy who wants to be caliph at the place of the caliph.
and the caliph needs to go on a tour in Missisipi to help a women win a seat and i think after the last two weeks he just needs to hear a ‘ lock her/him/it/something up” chant to feel all presidential again. I hear all that winning has him packing a sad.
That’s major prestige for Jacinda and New Zealand you ninnys, at an Asian pacific regional meeting. What is this, National Party msm lite?
For our place in the world, what would be most suitable & impactful for NZs image would be if Jacinda could be involved in regular global meet ups with Ivanka Trump and we have a relationship that way – that would give a very popular & memorable image over time in much of the world i would guess, two leading and talented young female ambassadors of their countries on the world stage.
Yes, we like what New Zealand represents, what business links to that can we foster in our own society.
you should buy Ochos, and all other of the NZ artisan made chocolates. There are some really nice products out there and the variety of different chocolates is quite impressive. That does not stop you from also buying Whittakers 🙂 Just don’t ever buy chocolate melts, and cadbury, and Nestle produced chocolates. A lot of that stuff is compound chocolates (vegetable fat vs cocoa butter), contains very little actual chocolate but a lot of sugar.
Don’t worry my wife checks the ingredients list on all chocolate (especially the cooking stuff) we buy but (imho)the best chocolate is Makana chocolate in Blenheim 🙂
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Although I had the fortune of being a graduate student of some of the foremost US nuclear strategists of the day (1970s) and later rubbed shoulders with Air Force and Naval officers who were entrusted with parts of the US nuclear arsenal, I seldom get to write or speak about ...
News that Zhenhua Data, an arm of China Zhenhua Electronics Group, a subsidiary of the military-connected China Electronic Information Industry Group (CETC), maintains a list of 800 New Zealanders on a “Overseas Key Information Database” that contains personal information on more than 2.4 million foreign individuals, has caused some consternation ...
Marie BecdelievreJanuary 2020. The number of news article mentioning coronavirus exploded and anxious voices whispered about a global pandemic.Whisper? To me, it was only a whisper. I tend to learn about the world through non-fiction books, conferences, and academic research rather than news and social media, so ...
Barbados is planning to remove the queen as head of state and become a republic in time for the 55th anniversary of its independence in 2021: Barbados has announced its intention to remove the Queen as its head of state and become a republic by November 2021. [...] Reading ...
At the 2017 election, the New Zealand Labour Party promised a Fees Free Policy for tertiary students. Basically, it would make the first year of university education free in 2018, with a second year in 2021, and a third in 2024. It also promised to restore Post-Graduate access to the ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzWhat is the impact of temperature increases in the tropics? ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons It felt like 100 degrees in my in-laws’ Grass Valley, California, kitchen, but at least the lights were on and for the moment we were safely “distanced” from the Jones Fire. We’d just finished dessert, after pizza and a movie ...
Nigel French, Massey UniversityGenome sequencing — the mapping of the genetic sequences of an organism — has helped track the spread of COVID-19 cases in Auckland, but it also plays an important role in the control of other infectious diseases in New Zealand. One example is Mycoplasma bovis, a ...
A key part of our electoral funding regime is a requirement for some transparency around donations, on the basis that if we can find out who has bought our politicians (typically after we have voted for them) then everything is alright. There are a lot of problems with that regime ...
On “In Defense of Looting” Matt Taibibi takes an entertaining look at this generation of woke activists and how they compare with Abbie Hoffman the iconic anti-Vietnam war counter-culture figure of the 1960s On Thursday, August 27th, the same day Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination, National Public Radio ...
When Parliament introduced the Emissions Trading Scheme, it was worried that carbon prices might get too high. So it introduced a "fixed price option", allowing polluters to pay the government $25 in the place of surrendering credits. The result was predictable: after we were thrown out of international carbon markets ...
The government will finally be requiring large New Zealand companies to disclose their climate change risks: New Zealand finance companies will be made to report on climate change risk, Climate Change Minister James Shaw has announced. The policy will force around 200 large financial organisations in New Zealand to ...
By Claire Grant, Genomics Aotearoa Communications ManagerCommunity consultation is becoming an increasingly important aspect of research programmes in New Zealand, and with that comes the art of relationship building. Engagement between scientists and user-groups is certainly nothing new. But as stakeholder involvement becomes more of a requirement for science, ...
Rebels In A Wrong Cause: The truly frightening thing about Jami-Lee Ross’s and Billy Te Kahika’s success in persuading thousands of New Zealanders that Covid-19 is just another trick, just another way of stealing away their power, is realising just how many of them once marched at the Left’s side. ...
In a couple of months, the 53rd Parliament will meet in Wellington, and approximately 120 MPs will be sworn in, many of them for the first time.They will all have political goals, some aligning with their party platforms, some not, some complex, and some simple, but they will gain one ...
Media Statement For Immediate Release 10th September 2020 The income and wealth inequality lobby group, “Closing the Gap” thinks the Labour proposal a great start says Peter Malcolm, a spokesperson for the group. But they need to be aware of what many of the rich do and of what do ...
ACT is pushing a "no-nonsense climate change plan". What does it involve? Repealing the Zero Carbon Act and Emissions Trading Scheme, reversing the fossil-fuel exploration ban, and allowing mining on conservation land. In other words, repealing any policy which might actually reduce emissions. Which is the very definition of nonsensical. ...
This blog post is a follow up to my recap of Al Gore's Climate Reality Leadership Training I recently participated in. One of the exercises we were asked to complete was to write about our respective "Climate Story". This is a slightly updated version to the one I had submitted during ...
New Zealand’s media and online politics often reflect the values of liberal and progressive agendas. According to Liam Hehir, the current proposals to lower the voting age to 16 years – which the media overwhelming supports – is indicative of a wider mismatch with society, which is not good for ...
My wife and I, through a combination of good luck and good management, have managed to retire in comfortable circumstances. We celebrate our good fortune by making relatively small but regular donations to a range of good causes – to rescue services like the rescue helicopters, St John’s Ambulance and ...
Jacques Raubenheimer, University of SydneyIf we don’t analyse statistics for a living, it’s easy to be taken in by misinformation about COVID-19 statistics on social media, especially if we don’t have the right context. For instance, we may cherry pick statistics supporting our viewpoint and ignore statistics showing we ...
Over the weekend, Labour released its welfare policy: an increase in benefit abatement thresholds. And that's it. Faced with clear evidence of ongoing hardship among beneficiaries and a call from its on Welfare Expert Advisory Group to raise core benefits by between 12 percent and 47 percent, Labour's response is ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (Bogota; 09/11/2020) The murder of Javier Ordoñez in the neighbourhood of Villa Luz in Bogotá, Colombia at the hands of two policemen brings to the fore the issue of police violence and its function in society. First of all we should be clear that we are ...
Story of the Week... La Niña Update... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Humans exploiting and destroying nature on unprecedented scale – reportAnimal populations have plunged an average of 68% ...
Gabrielle Po-Ching In November 1918, the cargo and passenger ship Talune travelled to Apia, Samoa from Auckland, carrying a number of passengers who had pneumonic influenza. From these passengers stemmed the biggest pandemic Samoa had ever seen. With around 8,500 deaths, over 20% of the country’s population at the ...
Prof Nick Wilson*, Prof Michael Baker In this blog the arguments for and against shifting all COVID-19 related isolation/quarantine facilities to a single air force base at Ōhakea are considered. The main advantage would be a reduction in the risk of border control failures, which can potentially involve outbreaks ...
So the Greens co-leader James Shaw recently made a mistake. In his role as Associate Finance Minister approving funding for “shovel-ready” projects, he fought hard for a private “Green school” to get funding to expand their buildings and, therefore, their student capacity. There are many problems with what he did: ...
Over the last three years there have been growing calls for the government to provide dental services under the health system – universal free dental care. This is because at the moment there’s an anomaly in which teeth are regarded as different from the rest of the body which means ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 6, 2020 through Sat, Sep 12, 2020Editor's ChoiceWith California ablaze, Newsom blasts Trump administration for failing to fight climate change Trinity River Conservation Camp crew members drown ...
Dear Sir, As we head into the run up to the upcoming election I feel it is my duty to draw your attention to the lack of fun we are currently forced to ensure by the Adern regime. In their efforts to keep the nation’s essential workers, health compromised people, ...
It finally happened: about 13 years after first watching Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” (AIT) in 2007 when it became available in Germany, I recently completed the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training! Participating in this particular training had been on my to-do list for quite some time but it ...
Windows 95 is famous for requiring the shutting down the system by clicking ‘start, like stopping your car by turning the ignition key on. Why are so many interfaces so user-unfriendly? The Covid app to register your entering premises can be so clumsy. Sometimes I have signed in, sat down ...
Is the 2020 election result really the foregone conclusion that the polls and commentators are suggesting? Josh Van Veen suggests otherwise, pointing to some of the shortcomings of opinion polling, which could ready some politicians to say “bugger the pollsters” on election night. In November 1993, opinion polls foretold ...
Back in 2019, six select committees of the UK Parliament established a Citizen's Assembly to investigate how to respond to climate change. The Assembly's deliberations were forced online by the pandemic, but it has finally reported back, and overwhelmingly supports strong action: Taxes that increase as people fly further ...
I am feeling a bit impish today and so for no particular reason I thought I would share this thought, which I first posted over on twitter: “Hurricanes, wildfires, floods, heatwaves, street protests, armed vigilante militias, a lethal pandemic and a corrupt authoritarian using the federal government for partisan and ...
Wayne Mapp (Photo: Tsmith.nz via Wikimedia) A former Minister of Defence says the government was too slow to involve the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) in New Zealand’s response to Covid-19. But Wayne Mapp, a National MP from 1996-2011 who served as Minister of Defence for three ...
Transport is our second biggest polluter after agriculture, making up 17% of our national emissions. Cars and trucks emit 15 million tons of CO2 every year. So, if we're serious about tackling climate change, we need to eliminate this entirely. Public transport and better urban design will be a key ...
Five things we’ve learnt 1. We know where the virus ultimately came from We know that the virus originally came from bats, and most probably a species of horseshoe bat in South East Asia. However, the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2, which allows the virus to attach to cells and infect ...
Tonight was the first Leaders’ Debate, broadcast live on TVNZ 1. It was the first time New Zealanders have seen Jacinda Ardern side-by-side Opposition Leader Judith Collins this campaign. ...
Last updated 30 July 2020. The whole world is battling with COVID-19, and no country is immune. In New Zealand, our focus is getting the latest resurgence under control and making sure we put in place immediate financial supports to cushion the economic blow.As before, the best economic response is ...
Led by Jacinda Ardern, our strong, stable government has delivered results and put people first every step of the way. In health, housing, education and more, we've got a strong track record of delivering for New Zealanders. Now, we’re continuing to put people first with our decisive response to COVID-19. ...
Labour has a strong track record of making progress on the big issues facing our country. Now, as we recover and rebuild from COVID-19, we’re rolling out our plan to grow our economy, support businesses and communities, and keep New Zealand moving. If you’re still undecided ahead of this year’s ...
The Green Party is calling for Waka Kotahi the NZ Transport Agency to convert a lane over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to bus-only and make buses free to use across the bridge until all lanes are back in operation. ...
The Green Party has released its Thriving Oceans Plan, which would dramatically increase marine protected areas and ban bottom trawling on seamounts. ...
It was another busy week out on the campaign trail, with Labour focused on jobs, training, and supporting Kiwi workers. As we continue to roll out our five-point plan for recovery, we’re investing in our people, businesses, communities and vital services, so we can keep our economy moving as we ...
Our regions are a vital part of our economic recovery plan. They’re home to innovative and creative businesses, and the backbone of our export economy - which is why Labour will continue to support our regions to grow as together, we rebuild better. ...
National’s ‘alternative budget’ that includes huge cuts to the government’s operating allowance would risk gutting critical public services, and put health, education and nature at dire risk. ...
Data released this week shows that, while New Zealand is not immune to the economic impacts of the global pandemic, our strong health response has meant we’ve been able to get our economy going faster than many other countries. ...
This year’s election is on 17 October - and it’s coming up fast! With one month to go until Election Day, we’ve come up with 17 ways you, your friends and family can get involved in our campaign and help Labour keep New Zealand moving. ...
PREFU has given a good insight into what was required to ensure New Zealanders were largely supported to continue work and remain healthy during COVID-19, but it is clear we need additional revenue raising measures ongoing, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
The Green Party is disappointed with the Labour Party’s decision to reverse their three free years education policy and back down on their commitment to postgraduate student allowances. ...
In the first two years of our term in Government, we gave teachers record pay rises as a way of recognising the lack of adequate adjustments over the previous decade and the significant role they play in the lives of children and young people. We also increased the number of ...
Labour has a proud history of supporting working New Zealanders, whether through the implementation of the 40hr work week or the introduction of the Working for Families package. ...
The Green Party welcome Labour’s commitment to extend the living wage to Government contractors, but will push for Fair Pay Agreements across industries in the next Government so more New Zealanders can earn a dignified income. ...
The Green Party is urging the Government to act on its commitment to te reo Māori, by making it a core subject up to year 10, and including te reo courses in the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships scheme. ...
We're officially back to the campaign for the 2020 General Election. The campaign may look a little different this year, but our candidates are still getting out and about in their communities and spreading the word about how another term of Labour will keep New Zealand moving in the right ...
You might have heard a bit of discussion about Government debt lately, as experts weigh in on the COVID-19 economic recovery. If you’re wondering why it’s such a contested topic, or even if you’re unsure of what Government debt actually is, then read on - we’ve got you covered! ...
The Green Party has released its Farming for the Future Plan, including a $297m fund to support farmers and growers to transition to climate-friendly practices. ...
We believe every New Zealander deserves the chance to make an informed decision on Election Day. We’ve answered some of the most common questions on our 2020 tax policy, including how much money will be raised from our new top tax rate, and how this will be used to control ...
The Green Party says Labour’s energy policy is a step in the right direction, but the Greens would go further and faster to meaningfully tackle the climate crisis. ...
All this tax talk leaving you a bit dazed and confused? Read below to find out more about our progressive tax system and what Labour's policy means for you. ...
We’re committed to managing the Government’s books responsibly and keeping debt under control while supporting our people and our economy through the 1-in-100 year shock caused by COVID-19. ...
The Labour Party has moved towards more progressive income tax, but is not addressing the growing wealth gap and inequality in Aotearoa. Labour’s new revenue policy also doesn’t help pay for the necessary response to the COVID-19 crisis, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
As New Zealanders we are proud of who we are, what we stand for, and the way we weave together different worlds and cultures to create our unique national identity. ...
It is appalling and negligent that landlords are being encouraged to keep their properties cold and damp until after the election, as advised by the NZ Property Investors Federation, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
The expanded scheme will cover: People who have COVID-19 like symptoms and meet the Ministry of Health’s criteria, and need to self-isolate while awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test. People who are directed to self-isolate by a Medical Officer of Health or their delegate or on advice of their ...
The Government is putting in place a range of immigration policy changes to help fill labour shortages in key industries while ensuring New Zealanders, who have lost jobs due to COVID-19, have the chance to find new employment. “Two key sectors we are moving to help are horticulture and wine ...
The Government has established class exceptions for border entry for a limited number of veterinarians, deep sea fishing crew, as well as agricultural and horticultural machinery operators. “Tight border restrictions remain the backbone of the Government’s border strategy to protect New Zealand against COVID-19 and ensure New Zealand citizens and ...
The Crown will not appeal the Court of Appeal decision in the Dodds v Southern Response case, Grant Robertson announced today. “Southern Response will be paying the damages awarded by the Court to Mr and Mrs Dodds shortly. The Crown was already meeting their legal costs for this appeal. “The ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $30 million in a diverse range of projects that will create immediate and long-term jobs and lift economic and social outcomes for Northland and its people. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones made the announcement today in ...
The Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in COVID-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX Facility, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “The COVAX Facility is a key part of our COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy to obtain safe and effective vaccines. It allows us to invest in a high-quality, ...
The Government will provide up to $1.69 million through the One Billion Trees programme to Māori landowners to make their whenua more productive through the planting of forests, both native and exotic, and improve economic and environmental outcomes, Forestry Minister Shane Jones has announced. “Around 1.5 million ha of land ...
People planning to head outdoors now have a resource that lets them know how accessible an area is for people with varying levels of mobility, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. The Halberg Foundation, Sensibel, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) have launched Accessibel, a new tool which helps ...
One of the most significant battle sites of the 1860s Land Wars will receive $2.96 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to improve the site and help tell the New Zealand story to visitors, Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. Nanaia Mahuta ...
The journey towards recognising Māori as an official language and taonga has been captured as a web series and launched today during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, announced Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “Te reo Māori is a living language, and understanding its significance, and pathways to ...
Today’s better-than-forecast GDP figures show the expected impact of the decision to act quickly to protect New Zealanders from the global COVID-19 pandemic. GDP fell 12.2% in the June quarter from March, reflecting decisions to close New Zealand’s borders and enter Alert Level 4. “This result was better than the ...
The Government is investing $39.7 Million over four years to support the educational needs of Pacific learners and families in the regions hardest hit by COVID-19, with Auckland getting an immediate boost, Associate Minister of Education Jenny Salesa says. “Like all New Zealanders Pacific families want learners to do well ...
New Zealand’s goal of 100,000 kiwi by 2030 is being helped by an extra $19.7 million in funding to accelerate iwi and community efforts to protect kiwi, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced. “$19.7 million of Jobs for Nature funding is being invested in kiwi conservation activities including increased predator ...
Ensuring New Zealanders can get the best deal on their electricity takes a step in the right direction today with the South Island launch of the EnergyMate pilot run by the Electricity Retailers’ Association, says Minister of Energy and Resources, Dr Megan Woods. EnergyMate is an industry-led programme providing coaching ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter announced today that the Government has reached its target of 50 percent on women on state sector board and committees – setting a new record level of women on state sector boards. “This Government is committed to having more women in leadership roles - ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford released today the final Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2021 which outlines the planned $48 billion investment in services and infrastructure over the next decade. “The final GPS supports our Government’s five-point plan for economic recovery by confirming our record investments in transport infrastructure ...
Three ambitious and cutting-edge research programmes that will lift New Zealand’s advanced energy technology research capability over seven years, have been supported by Government today, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. The projects will each receive a share of $40.7 million investment from the Strategic Science Investment Fund. ...
The critical area for forensic examination known as Pit Bottom in Stone has been reached in what is a major milestone for the Pike River re-entry project, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little announced. “The infrastructure located in Pit Bottom in Stone is of very significant interest in ...
The Government is working on how New Zealand’s retirement income policies and settings can best support Kiwis in light of the COVID-19 economic recovery, with the help of the Retirement Commissioner’s latest review, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said. “The Retirement Commissioner’s three-yearly review into New Zealand’s retirement ...
A new digital hub and development centre in Murupara will be instrumental in growing the region’s productivity, said Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau at the official opening of two community initiatives today. “I’m pleased to be here celebrating a significant milestone for two projects set to make a ...
PREFU shows economy doing better than forecast Unemployment to peak at 7.8%, down from 9.8% forecast in the Budget Year-to-June accounts show tax revenue, debt and OBEGAL better than forecast Global forecast downgraded as COVID-19 second waves and uncertainty grows Balanced plan to support critical public services, manage debt and ...
The Kāpiti Coast town of Ōtaki will receive $1.4 million in Government funding for two projects providing scores of jobs for locals while improving community facilities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Māoriland Charitable Trust will receive a $900,000 Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) grant to upgrade the ...
The Provincial Growth Fund will provide $11.88 million to fund fencing and waterway projects nationwide that will improve the environment and create jobs in their communities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. “These projects will create more than 100 jobs nationwide with work starting within the next couple ...
As part of the COVID-19 recovery, the Government has strengthened its procurement rules to ensure its annual $42 billion spend creates more jobs, uses more sustainable construction practices and results in better outcomes for Māori and Pasifika, Government Ministers announced today. Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford says the $42 ...
The Government is supporting a major upgrade of Timaru’s iconic Theatre Royal and the construction of a new connected Heritage Facility museum and exhibition space with $11.6 million from the Government’s Infrastructure Fund, Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We heard the call from the community and the council. The Theatre Royal ...
Chrissy Montague (formerly Armstrong), barrister of Auckland has been appointed as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Wellington, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Montague commenced practice in Auckland in 1987 and went into general practice dealing with Wills, Estates, Trusts, Conveyancing, Relationship Property ...
A Proposal to provide for the development and operation of commercial film and video production facilities in areas of Christchurch has been given the go ahead. Hon Poto Williams, Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, has approved the Proposal, which was prepared and submitted by Regenerate Christchurch. Minister Williams ...
As part of the Government’s focus on building closer partnerships with Māori and enhancing the quality of, and access to, Māori medium education, a payment of $8 million will be made to Te Wānanga o Raukawa in partial recognition of its Waitangi Tribunal claim (WAI 2698), Associate Education Minister Kelvin ...
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage has announced a $19 million investment over four years in an important forest restoration project involving a partnership between the Department of Conservation, iwi/hapū, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Regional Councils, community conservation groups and organisations such as Forest and Bird across the ...
New Zealand will be the first country in the world to require the financial sector to report on climate risks, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. The changes build on the huge progress this Government has made to tackle the climate crisis. “Today is another step on ...
Economic activity across the Auckland region and the country bounced back to levels experienced under Alert Level 1 following Auckland’s move out of Alert Level 3, analysis in the Treasury’s latest Weekly Economic Update shows. The analysis of economic data since Auckland’s move out of Level 3 shows: Auckland card ...
Takiri mai te ata, ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea, tihei mauriora! Tātou katoa ngā iwi o Aotearoa, tēnā koutou! Tēnā tātou e whakanuia ana i te wiki nei, te wiki o te reo Māori Greeting to you all from Otepoti, Dunedin. This week is the Māori Language week and ...
More mental health and addiction services are available for young New Zealanders in Rotorua and Taupō, Wairarapa, South Canterbury, Dunedin and Southland from next month, Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter say. “The Government is serious about making sure New Zealanders struggling with mental health ...
The Manuherekia catchment in Central Otago is the third exemplar catchment to be targeted as part of the Government’s plan to clean up waterways by supporting community-led programmes. Environment Minister David Parker said the Manuherekia catchment is vitally important to the people of Central Otago. “The Manuherekia rises in the ...
The Government has agreed on a preferred design for the new Dunedin Hospital featuring two separate buildings, and has provided funding for the next stages of work. Minister of Health Chris Hipkins says Cabinet has approved in principle the detailed business case for the new hospital, giving people in ...
New Zealanders across the country are set to mark history as part of the Māori Language Week commemorations led by Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori this year. Māori Development Minister, Nanaia Mahuta says the initiative will mark history for all the right reasons including making te reo Māori ...
More than 1000 teachers, support staff and school leaders have graduated from a programme designed to grow their capability to use te reo Māori in their teaching practice, as part of the Government’s plan to integrate te reo Māori into education, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Being trialled ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, says the Toloa Tertiary Scholarships which aims to encourage more Pacific student numbers participating and pursuing STEM-related studies in 2021, are now open. “These tertiary scholarships are administrated by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP), and are part of MPP’s overall Toloa ...
Four Bay of Plenty timber businesses will receive investments totalling nearly $22 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to boost the local economy and create jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Rotorua-based sawmill Red Stag Wood Solutions will receive a $15 million loan to develop an engineered ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that New Zealand is exploring the viability of working with partners to conduct a search for the black box on the Gulf Livestock 1. “We know how much it would mean to the families of those on the ship to understand more about ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frédérik Saltré, Research Fellow in Ecology & Associate Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 23, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Politics nerds rejoice with both a poll and a debate, a remarkable story of a high finance world crashing down, and travel agent industry up against it.The top-line figure is clear – Labour still has a massive poll lead over ...
In an astounding statement by the leader of Act David Seymour, the author of the dangerous End of Life Choice Bill has said that the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand need to uphold the ninth commandment “Thou shalt not bare false witness against ...
Helen Howard speaking at Hawke's Bay The Climate Roadshow, which started in Cape Reinga in the North and Bluff in the South, arrived in Napier on Tuesday 22 September as part of its journey to the capital. The Roadshow is being organised by Extinction ...
We continue our week-long series on an extraordinary collection of essays as Amanda Jane Robinson interviews author Ghazaleh Golbakhsh The first time I met Ghazaleh Golbakhsh she was visiting my Year 12 media studies class. As a high-achieving alumna — her thesis film had just won the Outstanding Film Award ...
I teach Media Studies, and every time I talk about social media with students, influencers are subject to a barrage of insults and mockery by the generation who are most familiar with them. People love to hate on influencers. They are seen as narcissistic, entitled, vain, materialistic, spoiled micro-celebrities. But ...
One distressing knee injury after another would be enough to crush most young athletes, but not Ainsleyana Puleiata. The rising netball and sevens star tells Suzanne McFadden how she twice overcame the mental and physical torment - and now the black dress beckons. Twelve minutes. It’s a timeframe Ainsleyana Puleiata ...
Dr Tanisha Jowsey asks: what does it mean to have a 'good death' and, if the end of life bill passes, who will be willing to help? May you live to be a hundred — and decide the rest for yourself. ~ Irish Proverb The end of life referendum concerns an ...
Six months after New Zealand first went into lockdown and a spate of arson attacks on cell towers began, we now have a better idea than ever before of how misinformation works and how it threatens us, Marc Daalder reports The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked widespread concern around the spread ...
Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of healthcare at the edges of life, writes Colin Gavaghan of Yes for Compassion. You’ve probably seen the adverts. Parents are taking their offspring to buy their first car. But the salespeople, instead of bigging up their products, are emphasising all of the ways in which ...
A legal challenge to the University of Otago’s diversity policy for medical student intake doesn’t deserve to succeed, write Maria Hook, Jane Calderwood Norton and Andrew GeddisThis week the Christchurch High Court is hearing a legal challenge to Otago University’s medical school ‘Mirror on Society’ policy, and associated admission ...
The SpinoffBy Maria Hook, Jane Calderwood Norton and Andrew Geddis
The sinking of a cattle-carrying ship earlier this month - with the loss of most of the 43 crew members and all of the 5800 pregnant cows on board - has once against highlighted the problems with the live export of animals. But banning the trade is far from easy. On ...
In this week's round-up of online election advertising we take a look at the messages political parties are spending money promoting Labour went on the attack this week online, running several ads on Google calling National's tax promise reckless, irresponsible and desperate in contrast to its "stable and prudent" path. The ...
Jennifer Lees-Marshment looks closely at likeability data, finding Jacinda Ardern and David Seymour have played the political management dance to perfection - other leaders not so much Earlier this year I asked whether Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern could dance her way to a second term. If Vote Compass data is anything ...
There were no knockout blows in the first leaders' debate of the 2020 election, and while Judith Collins may have just had the better of Jacinda Ardern, Labour's continuing strength in the polls gives the Prime Minister some breathing space, Sam Sachdeva writes “I want to pull out because it ...
The first leaders debate was expected to fire some life into a so far ho hum campaign. But, as Mark Jennings writes the Jacinda, Judith and John show fell flat. TVNZ’s atrium felt like a deserted shopping mall, a dark, gloomy, almost soulless place. Off to one side, the leaders ...
By RNZ News The campaign for New Caledonia’s referendum on independence from France is already officially three days old with the critical vote in less than two weeks. Six political formations are registered to campaign for the plebiscite on October 4 when 180,640 voters will be asked whether they want ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Crosby, Professor, Monash University Over the past 16 months journalists have been scouring through more than 2,000 Suspicious Activity Reports originally sent by banks to the United States Treasury, before being leaked to Buzzfeed and then passed along to the International ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Malcolm Turnbull has launched a swingeing attack on Scott Morrison’s gas-led recovery, labelling his threat to build a gas-fired power station “crazy stuff”, and his idea of gas producing a cheap energy boom “a fantasy”. ...
By The Conversation Prime Minister and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National Party leader Judith Collins met tonight for the first televised debate of the 2020 election campaign. With the results of the latest 1 News-Colmar Brunton poll released only an hour earlier, there was much at stake. While down ...
The National and Labour leaders have clashed in the first televised debate tonight. While Ardern shied away from a "bloodsport" mentality, Collins would have been happy to go for another hour. ...
The first leaders' debate lacked stand-out moments, but covered a wide range of topics plaguing the country as New Zealand feels the pain of the Covid recession. Laura Walters reports. Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins have gone head-to-head on inequality, infrastructure, jobs, environment and the Covid-19 border response in the first ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Associate Professor for the School of People, Environment and Planning, Massey University Prime Minister and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National Party leader Judith Collins have met for the first televised debate of the 2020 election campaign. With the results ...
Analysis - Riding high on the back of a stellar public poll, ACT leader David Seymour was the standout performer at the finance debate in Queenstown tonight. ...
Who came out on top in tonight’s leaders’ debate? Here are our debate watchers’ verdicts. A bit knackeredGiven that most of the country, most of the Covid-battered world, is basically just knackered, is it any surprise that tonight’s opening debate felt a bit knackered, tooWhether it was in an attempt to ...
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National leader Judith Collins are facing off in their first televised election debate at 7pm, with a new poll out at 6pm. Follow live updates here. ...
The first leader debate begins at 7pm on TVNZ 1. Ready your pencils.Judith Collins, Jacinda Ardern and John Campbell all want you to have a good time during tonight’s first leader debate for election 2020. And so do we.That’s why we (well, Toby Morris mostly) have conjured up a bingo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Harry Al-Wassiti, Bioengineer and Research Fellow, Monash University On Sunday, the Australian government announced it would put A$6 million towards the research and development of three local COVID-19 vaccine candidates, via the Medical Research Future Fund. The three candidates to share this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Larkins, Professor Emeritus and Former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Melbourne Australian university research funding is made up of discretionary income that comes from various sources, including international student fees. This is additional to the funding, including government grants, specifically received ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Larkins, Professor Emeritus and Former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Melbourne Australian university research funding is made up of discretionary income that comes from various sources, including international student fees. This is additional to the funding, including government grants, specifically received ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University Plot twists in the TikTok saga continue to emerge daily, with a proposed deal to secure the future of the video sharing platform in the United States now in doubt. Under the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Raymond, Lecturer, Australian National University Thousands of Thai students turned out over the weekend to protest in Bangkok — the latest gathering in a long-simmering movement against the power structures that hold sway in Thailand. The three core demands of students ...
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods has spoken about the government's decision not to appeal a landmark court case against Southern Response. ...
Dunedin general election candidates will take part in a My Votes Count forum event on 29 September organised by the Dunedin and Districts Disabled Persons Assembly (DPA) alongside Disability Information Service, People First, Blind Citizens New ...
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods has spoken about the government's decision not to appeal a landmark court case against Southern Response. ...
Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods is speaking to media after the government revealed it has decided not to appeal a landmark court case. ...
What happened to the bridge, when will it be fixed, are we ever getting another harbour crossing – and how long will it take to get home tonight?Few of us remember a time before the bridge. Its eight glorious lanes run from St Mary’s Bay across the Waitematā harbour to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Axel Bruns, Professor, Creative Industries, Queensland University of Technology Google’s role in delivering audiences to news outlets has been under scrutiny of late. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s initiative to redirect advertising revenue from Google and Facebook to news publishers has ...
Discriminatory laws that place unreasonable hurdles to increased Māori participation in local government need to be urgently reformed, says Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese. In a Nelson City Council meeting held on Tuesday, 22 September, Council resolved ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vivienne Skinner, Industry/Professional Fellow, School of the Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney Australia’s six-month moratorium on evictions is due to end soon. Somestates have extended the moratorium, but when it ends that’s likely to force even more Australians into housing ...
On Thursday night the arts, culture and heritage spokespeople from Labour, National and the Greens will have a conversation on arts policy, facilitated by Miriama Kamo. We’ve got all their policies here, so you know who stands for what.Earlier this year, Ben Thomas wrote for The Spinoff about why politicians ...
Responding to reports that Cr Catherine Chu failed to attend over half of Christchurch City Council briefings since October , the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union says the revelation is proof elected local councillors must refuse their salaries while they ...
From next week, the scheme will cover people who have symptoms of the coronavirus and need to self-isolate while waiting for the results of a test. ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk The Tabernacle Bible Church of Indonesia’s congregation from the Intan Jaya regency in Papua has fled into the forests in fear after the killing of a pastor at the weekend, allegedly by the military, reports CNN Indonesia. The church (GKII) says it believes Rev Yeremia Zanambani ...
When we first checked the Beehive website for press statements this morning, we found just one announcement – from the Deputy PM – had been posted since September 19. His news was that the Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in Covid-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX ...
The government’s decision today to slightly loosen border entry restrictions to allow in certain specialised staff crucial to the agriculture and fishing industries is excellent news, Federated Farmers says. "Feds has been strongly advocating ...
We recently built our own members platform so that readers can donate to and support our journalism in a more direct way. If you’re a Spinoff Member, here’s how it affects you. At the end of last year, our team was fortunate to receive a grant that allowed us to ...
Keep New Zealand Beautiful are excited to announce that three New Zealand students have won awards at the 2020 Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) International competition. These three students were all winners from the national New Zealand ...
The government has announced more border exemptions and visa changes to help get specialised workers in the country and fill labour shortages in key sectors. ...
The National Party leader tells Duncan Greive what conviction means to her, and why she thinks she gets a different treatment to Jacinda Ardern.The first time I saw Judith Collins at close quarters, she was moving through what was inelegantly billed as the “National stakeholder party” held at parliament last ...
Being in the midst of a global pandemic does funny things to you, finds Michelle Langstone as she gives in to an overwhelming urge to return to the Auckland amusement park of her youth. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia working, but my husband and I had an overwhelming urge ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blair Williams, Associate Lecturer, School of Political Science and International Relations, Australian National University The grand final of Plate of Origin will air on on Channel Seven tonight. Like other blockbuster cooking shows (think MasterChef, My Kitchen Rules), Plate of Origin is ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union has released a list of questions that should be asked at tonight’s TVNZ leaders' debate – and at tonight’s separate finance debate in Queenstown. Questions for Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins: Is tax theft ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Barrett, Senior Lecturer in Taxation, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The conservative tax policies proposed by Labour and National ahead of next month’s election are hard to distinguish in substance, with each party offering no more than a ...
Judith Collins says she'll be pointing out a "lack of follow-through" by the Labour leader while for Jacinda Ardern it is less about "sparring" than "directly communicating". ...
National wants to boost the capacity of managed isolation facilities by allowing private accommodation providers to join the government-controlled network and charge what they like. ...
National wants to boost the capacity of managed isolation facilities by allowing private accommodation providers to join the government-controlled network and charge what they like. ...
Covid-19 will not be going away any time soon and the National Party says we should team up with the private sector to let more workers and tourists in safely National have announced that, if elected, they will ramp up the private provision of quarantine to allow workers and long-term tourists ...
A joint statement by the national leaders of most New Zealand church denominations We urge the people of Aotearoa New Zealand to vote very cautiously in the two Referendums, because both decisions carry the risk of inflicting serious long-term damage on our ...
A celebration of 35 years working with whānau in the Heretaunga community was celebrated with a short history lesson, waiata and the cutting of the cake this morning. Iwi chair Ngahiwi Tomoana provided the history of the kaupapa Māori organisation which ...
Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says 2019/20 was a good year for the co-op, with profit up, debt down and a strong milk price. The result, a profit of $659m, may have brought a cheer from the co-op’s farmer-suppliers and Hurrell deserves a cheer, too, for succeeding in turning around the ...
Three weeks ago, the NZ Parliament enacted new Water Laws. The WHO says 1.1 levels Nitrogen for rivers is OK. We are already at 0.6. The new Law (The Greens) wants 0.1 Nitrogen, this is impossible and absolutely ridiculous! ...
Too much news? Welcome to the only round-up you need.The election was supposed to be over by now. We were all supposed to be free but instead we’re back talking about fiscal holes and house prices. Bit of housekeeping: there’ll be no more yes, no, huh? in this column as ...
In a time of growing ideological conformity within the New Zealand media, a backlash from the public has seen media outlets seeking to proclaim themselves as the arbiters of truth. The New Zealand media industry, once renowned for impartial journalism, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Wynn, Lead Economist, CSIRO Futures, CSIRO Over the next few years, science and technology will have a vital role in supporting Australia’s economy as it strives to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. At Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, we’ve identified opportunities ...
Open Mike 14/11/2018 
Is the private health system impacting negatively on the public health system? Health commentator Ian Powell evaluates a recent NZ Herald article by Natalie Akoorie (“Public v private healthcare: Moonlighting, skimming, duplication – should NZ do better”), and looks at how the dual system works, and concludes that the answer ...1 hour ago
We live in strange and unusual times. It’s been a century since we’ve endured a global pandemic like this, more than half a century since we’ve had economic woes like this. So maybe we got an opening election debate for the times - because that was a strange and unusual ...8 hours ago
Tonight, The Civilian will be live-blogging the first of too many debates between Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and National Party leader Judith Collins, and also the last fifteen minutes of the news. Be sure to tune in from 6:45pm for regular updates, which can be accessed by refreshing this page ...14 hours ago
Social Distancing Be Damned - It's Jacinda! Shortly after ascending to Labour’s leadership, Jacinda described herself as a “pragmatic idealist”. It was an inspired oxymoron – packing into just two words the essence of the social-democrat’s dilemma. It was good to know that she knew what lay ahead of her. ...18 hours ago
Back in 2017, the UK announced that it would ban the sale of new fossil fuel vehicles by 2040. Its a basic climate change measure, aimed at reducing emissions by shifting the vehicle fleet to cleaner technologies. Now, in the wake of the pandemic, they're planning to bring it forward ...18 hours ago
There are a fair few misconceptions about conditions within New Zealand’s Quarantine Hotels. Madeline Grant’s misplaced accusations being one prominent example, though she is not alone. Today, I thought I’d share the inside word, so to speak. A friend of mine has recently returned to New Zealand from overseas, and ...20 hours ago
Last week, major newspapers carried a full-page ad as part of the campaign for a "No" vote to the referendum question about supporting the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill. The ad was authorised by the SAM NZ Coalition, which takes its name from a controversial American anti-cannabis group and includes ...21 hours ago
by Ani O’Brien In the absence of a better word with which to refer to the rabid activists who claim progressivism while demanding adherence to an increasingly prescriptive set of political beliefs, I call them “woke”. With its roots in Black American slang, the term originally denoted a person or ...1 day ago
Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health reported a case of Covid-19 in Auckland that is not related to the current Auckland cluster. Before we start to panic, here’s how I think the case happened and how we can strengthen our current border controls. The new Covid-19 case is someone ...2 days ago
After stamping the Coronavirus out via strict lockdown between March and May, New Zealand went through a good three months without any community cases. Then a local outbreak in Auckland rather buggered things up last month. Auckland’s been in level 3 and level 2.5 for the past six weeks. ...2 days ago
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... The tipping points at the heart of the climate crisis Many parts of the Earth’s climate system have been destabilised by ...2 days ago
In the absence of national public opinion polls, we have had to make do in recent weeks with other guides to voter intentions. Those guides, such as the Auckland Central poll, the incidence of google enquiries and the responses to Vote Compass questions, have suggested, not unexpectedly, that Labour is ...2 days ago
Crusher Collins - National Party leaderWe all know that the National Party is desperate to gain some traction during this election campaign and have been throwing pretty much everything at the Labour Party in order to try and undermine Jacinda Ardern and what the Coalition Government has achieved. But unfortunately ...2 days ago
Much of the commentariat’s reporting of the most recent GDP figure was misleading and unhelpful. The prize for the stupidest remark about the GDP figure for second quarter 2020 (2020Q2) released on Thursday (17 Sept) goes to Judith Collins, whose response to Grant Robertson’s comments indicated she did not ...3 days ago
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh goloing@gmail.com (19/09/2020) Che Guevara said that a true revolutionary is motivated by love i.e. love of the oppressed, the poor, the children dying from preventable illnesses. This phrase of his is true but has been used by reformists and their more hippy wing have taken advantage ...3 days ago
With the National Party this week announcing a new policy of tax cuts to spice up the election campagin. MyThinks went along to the launch and afterwards we spoke to the party’s finance spokesperson Paul “Golden Touch” Goldsmith. MT: Thanks for speaking to us Mr Goldsmith. PG: No. Thank you. ...4 days ago
Always to islanders danger Is what comes over the seas ‘Landfall in Unknown Seas’ (Allen Curnow)Six economic issues external to New Zealand, which will greatly impact upon us. 1. The Diminishing Global Dominance of the US. Since 1941 America has dominated the world economically and politically. Probably it could ...5 days ago
Tax Justice UK, September 2020 Serious tax reform is on the political agenda for the first time in decades due to the coronavirus crisis. As this debate hots up it is important to understand what people think about public spending, wealth and tax. Tax Justice UK, along with Survation and ...5 days ago
Although I had the fortune of being a graduate student of some of the foremost US nuclear strategists of the day (1970s) and later rubbed shoulders with Air Force and Naval officers who were entrusted with parts of the US nuclear arsenal, I seldom get to write or speak about ...6 days ago
At the 2017 election, the New Zealand Labour Party promised a Fees Free Policy for tertiary students. Basically, it would make the first year of university education free in 2018, with a second year in 2021, and a third in 2024. It also promised to restore Post-Graduate access to the ...7 days ago
So the Greens co-leader James Shaw recently made a mistake. In his role as Associate Finance Minister approving funding for “shovel-ready” projects, he fought hard for a private “Green school” to get funding to expand their buildings and, therefore, their student capacity. There are many problems with what he did: ...1 week ago-1f82146fa0d95608c5d921931b8dd46e7f0c9b1b/537110292.jpg?format=1500w)
Windows 95 is famous for requiring the shutting down the system by clicking ‘start, like stopping your car by turning the ignition key on. Why are so many interfaces so user-unfriendly? The Covid app to register your entering premises can be so clumsy. Sometimes I have signed in, sat down ...2 weeks ago
Tonight was the first Leaders’ Debate, broadcast live on TVNZ 1. It was the first time New Zealanders have seen Jacinda Ardern side-by-side Opposition Leader Judith Collins this campaign. ...11 hours ago
The Green Party is calling for Waka Kotahi the NZ Transport Agency to convert a lane over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to bus-only and make buses free to use across the bridge until all lanes are back in operation. ...2 days ago
The expanded scheme will cover: People who have COVID-19 like symptoms and meet the Ministry of Health’s criteria, and need to self-isolate while awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test. People who are directed to self-isolate by a Medical Officer of Health or their delegate or on advice of their ...20 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frédérik Saltré, Research Fellow in Ecology & Associate Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University CC BY-ND Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer ...16 mins ago
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 23, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m ...25 mins ago
Power Play - Judith Collins needed to perform in the first major televised election campaign, and she did, writes Political Editor Jane Patterson. ...2 hours ago
In an astounding statement by the leader of Act David Seymour, the author of the dangerous End of Life Choice Bill has said that the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand need to uphold the ninth commandment “Thou shalt not bare false witness against ...2 hours ago
A new seasonal employment visa could allow 11,000 temporary workers to stay in NZ and help fruit and wine harvests. ...3 hours ago
Why are drug smugglers, gang members and fraudsters in a database tied to the Chinese government? ...3 hours ago
We continue our week-long series on an extraordinary collection of essays as Amanda Jane Robinson interviews author Ghazaleh Golbakhsh The first time I met Ghazaleh Golbakhsh she was visiting my Year 12 media studies class. As a high-achieving alumna — her thesis film had just won the Outstanding Film Award ...3 hours ago
I teach Media Studies, and every time I talk about social media with students, influencers are subject to a barrage of insults and mockery by the generation who are most familiar with them. People love to hate on influencers. They are seen as narcissistic, entitled, vain, materialistic, spoiled micro-celebrities. But ...3 hours ago
One distressing knee injury after another would be enough to crush most young athletes, but not Ainsleyana Puleiata. The rising netball and sevens star tells Suzanne McFadden how she twice overcame the mental and physical torment - and now the black dress beckons. Twelve minutes. It’s a timeframe Ainsleyana Puleiata ...3 hours ago
Dr Tanisha Jowsey asks: what does it mean to have a 'good death' and, if the end of life bill passes, who will be willing to help? May you live to be a hundred — and decide the rest for yourself. ~ Irish Proverb The end of life referendum concerns an ...3 hours ago
Six months after New Zealand first went into lockdown and a spate of arson attacks on cell towers began, we now have a better idea than ever before of how misinformation works and how it threatens us, Marc Daalder reports The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked widespread concern around the spread ...3 hours ago
With less than a month to go the big policy debate of last election has vanished from the headlines and manifestos of both major parties. ...3 hours ago
The race in the swingy Whanganui electorate looks a lot like 2017, with the same two candidates squaring off over housing. ...3 hours ago
The sinking of a cattle-carrying ship earlier this month - with the loss of most of the 43 crew members and all of the 5800 pregnant cows on board - has once against highlighted the problems with the live export of animals. But banning the trade is far from easy. On ...3 hours ago
In this week's round-up of online election advertising we take a look at the messages political parties are spending money promoting Labour went on the attack this week online, running several ads on Google calling National's tax promise reckless, irresponsible and desperate in contrast to its "stable and prudent" path. The ...4 hours ago
Jennifer Lees-Marshment looks closely at likeability data, finding Jacinda Ardern and David Seymour have played the political management dance to perfection - other leaders not so much Earlier this year I asked whether Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern could dance her way to a second term. If Vote Compass data is anything ...4 hours ago
There were no knockout blows in the first leaders' debate of the 2020 election, and while Judith Collins may have just had the better of Jacinda Ardern, Labour's continuing strength in the polls gives the Prime Minister some breathing space, Sam Sachdeva writes “I want to pull out because it ...4 hours ago
The first leaders debate was expected to fire some life into a so far ho hum campaign. But, as Mark Jennings writes the Jacinda, Judith and John show fell flat. TVNZ’s atrium felt like a deserted shopping mall, a dark, gloomy, almost soulless place. Off to one side, the leaders ...4 hours ago
The first leaders' debate lacked stand-out moments, but covered a wide range of topics plaguing the country as New Zealand feels the pain of the Covid recession. Laura Walters reports. Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins have gone head-to-head on inequality, infrastructure, jobs, environment and the Covid-19 border response in the first ...10 hours ago
When we first checked the Beehive website for press statements this morning, we found just one announcement – from the Deputy PM – had been posted since September 19. His news was that the Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in Covid-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX ...18 hours ago
Covid-19 will not be going away any time soon and the National Party says we should team up with the private sector to let more workers and tourists in safely National have announced that, if elected, they will ramp up the private provision of quarantine to allow workers and long-term tourists ...21 hours ago
Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says 2019/20 was a good year for the co-op, with profit up, debt down and a strong milk price. The result, a profit of $659m, may have brought a cheer from the co-op’s farmer-suppliers and Hurrell deserves a cheer, too, for succeeding in turning around the ...23 hours ago
Looks like Prime Minister may has got her Brexit deal.
She’s called an emergency Cabinet meeting to get it signed off.
That would be an impressive achievement for her, and will truly box her caucus opponents.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/13/cabinet-members-called-in-to-sign-off-mays-brexit-deal
An achievement, but how impressive remains to be seen. Tory leadership contenders will pounce on the deal like vultures, and their sharp beaks will tear off any shred that is a breach of UK sovereignty, and wave them at the public & media. Will the vassal state theory be validated? A cost/benefit analysis in caucus will just be the start, and the fate of May’s government will then be determined in the court of public opinion.
Notably she is briefing each of her Cabinet individually.
Corbyn won’t have an easy time of it.
She won’t get it through parliament.
An unholy alliance of hard-Brexiters, the DUP, tory-Remainers, the SNP and most of the Labour Party will vote it down.
Jo Johnson is sticking it to May at a Remain /People’s Vote event right now. This is a disaster for May who will be gone before Xmas.
Historians will not believe sheer ignorance of Brexit supporters
Future chroniclers will in fact have to distinguish between three kinds of ignorance
“And then there’s pig ignorance – the genuine hallmarked, unadulterated, slack-jawed, open-mouthed, village idiot variety”
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-historians-will-not-believe-sheer-ignorance-of-brexit-supporters-1.3695347
Sad though our political systems do not seem to protect the integrity of those systems as it seems clear in Brexit rules were broken, ethics questionable and nobody seems to be in jail over it. Just an enquiry and slap on the wrist is not exactly keeping the democratic process safe.
We have donations scandals in NZ on tape, and yep, no criminal prosecution or any one interested in preserving the integrity of democracy either, in the face of all that free money.
Then we have the women who put needles in the strawberries who faces years in prison in OZ, 8 years even for that Fonterra milk hoax who did not even do it.
Just an example of how lightly we treat political crimes against other crimes that can effect the entire country or industry.
If Cameron and May’s Brexit leadership leads to the gradual breakup of the EU, I suspect New Zealand will miss it when it’s gone.
I’m for a revote of the Brexit referendum, not enough people voted and there was electoral tampering. Then see if same result when the people of Britain go in to vote on it, with their eyes open.
Too bad.
You get your chance to vote so should use it wisely. I didn’t like the last US election. Maybe we should have a re-vote on that and if I still lose, then another vote after that.
Elections are different to a total and dysfunctional divorce based on phony pretences. And a huge number of Brits did not vote because among other things, the remain brigade told everyone they had it in the bag!
Also if there is election tampering then not sure of the process but I don’t think the result is considered valid????
You get another shot at that in a couple of years kevvy.
That “vote” was marked by massive disenfranchisement, voter suppression, voting machine “malfunctions” and gerrymandering.
Are you pretending Trump and his gang were installed after a fair and transparent process?
And no, I do not endorse the desperate Clintonista fantasy that “the Russians” put him in; it was all Republican Party dirty tricks.
AKA “the Epsom voter”.
John Wight on Western Imperialism.
Wight discusses Western imperialism and how ideologies of neoliberalism and domination have been inculcated to Western leaders in elite institutions of education.
And if you thought that was good, I highly recommend you watch the whole show.
As one commentator expresses it, this is an “amazing stream of awareness and consciousness here that exactly depicts the current socio-political and economic realities.”
Open your minds.
Oh the irony.
[On the assumption that’s to be read as yet another snide dig at another commentator, see below] – B.
You would never listen to John Wight.
Stick to Mike Hosking and Duncan Garner.
They operate at your level.
As John Wight says,” Ignorance is increasingly a choice in our world.”
Keep it up Lord HawHaw – you wretched sell out.
There is nothing left about supporting despots like Putin.
[Drawing a line under this. I’m way over having to scroll past idiots, who in lieu of having nothing to say and nothing to share, slap their dicks on the table as though that should be seen as a contribution of some sort.
You are one of a number who disagree with the arguments of viewpoints of Ed (or those he links to)? Then either offer a reasoned argument to support your perspective, or a thought out critique of why those people (and so their views) might be best considered as suspect.
But as for the vacuous sloganeering, name calling and personalised attacks – take it to your facebook account or your twitter account or wherever that might be elsewhere. But stop subjecting readers of this collective and diverse space to it, day after day and (it seems) always as a predictable reaction to other commentators whose views you don’t share.
‘The Standard’ is for discussion and debate, not schoolyard or sandpit nonsense. Sort your crap out.] – B.
I have offered reasoned argument to Ed pretty damned often actually.
Lacking the skills to support his views, he carries on regardless.
The point is, they’re not his views – they’re copied and pasted from elsewhere, which is part of the reason he can’t defend them – he doesn’t understand them.
I get it – you’re down with supporting despotic regimes. I’m not.
I object.
I won’t sit silently while Ed shills for this murderous dictator.
Your crude crap about dick measuring is utterly false – when Ed posts about anything else I leave him alone.
[Evidently you’re an idiot Stuart. Instead of taking the intelligent route, which would have been taking note and desisting from your crap in future, you’ve doubled down by broadening out your attack to include me. It’s an odd self martyrdom kind of thing to have done. But hey…
You claim I’m “down with supporting despotic regimes”? Okay. You either provide a damned unequivocal link to be backing that one up. Or offer up a straightforward apology and retraction. You won’t be able to provide a link. And so, failing a retraction and an apology (and not some half arsed nonsense either), your summer break from ‘ts’ will be starting presently] – B.
Bill we all know you’re a denialist.
You’ve made multiple posts trying to cast doubt on the British case against Russia with respect to the Skripals. One quoted Craig Murray “of a type developed by liars” for example. No evidence has come to light suggesting any other chemical agent however, the British claim seems to have been factual.
You made another post about the suspects visiting Salisbury cathedral, suggesting that their motives were altogether innocent, which seems to have been in error, as Bellingcat’s Russian colleagues The Insider were able to show.
It would be fair to say that these statements of yours support Russia and the campaign of disinformation and propaganda that they have maintained since their embarrassment over MH17.
I assert that Russia under Putin is a despotic regime – let’s go with Montesquieu’s definition: one in which rule is accomplished by fear. The murder of Politikovskaya was politically motivated and intended not merely silence her, but also like-minded journalists. A number of Russian journalists have been obliged to flee Russia in the years immediately after that.
The murder of Nemtsov probably related to the position he was taking on the invasion of the Ukraine. An awful lot of people inconvenient to Putin are murdered – and inconvenient news organs like the Moscow Times have been shut down under his rule.
Putin’s elections are invariably accomplished with large scale ballot tampering. My friends, collating reports from over twenty journalists right across Russia were able to demonstrate widespread fraud in his first election. Similar reports, if less comprehensive, are available on subsequent elections.
These actions are those of a despotic regime even without the lengthy record of atrocities relating to the Chechen campaign. I have yet to see a word in print from you that qualifies your support of them, to balance your pro-Russian speculations and echoing of Russian propaganda in respect of the Skripal affair.
Ed’s reposting of their propaganda and disinformatzia is not a public service, on the contrary, it is in service of a despotic regime, and undesirable.
[Questioning an official narrative doesn’t imply support of anyone or anything. I can’t see any link in your comment to me voicing support of despotism Stuart. And I can’t see any apology in that there shopping list you’ve flung up either. So I won’t see any comments from you until after Feb 3rd] – B.
Bellingcat
The Insider
My friends
Quite the hyporcrite aren’t you, Stu…
That’s an interesting way to put it and he’s right.
As a hunter/gatherer a person couldn’t afford to be ignorant. They may not have known what we know today but they had to know everything that the group knew and to extend that knowledge.
Today people get to choose to be ignorant and not to believe the truth and that’s causing all sorts of problems. Climate change denial, voting for schmucks because they’re blue, defending unethical behaviour because its legal etcetera.
A national leader wants us to believe he sanctioned one nation because in their view they were leaders, invaded and destroyed another becuase evil existed they, but didn’t send a assassination squad to kill a man who just wanted to get married. Russia, Saudi, it’s all half glass full and whose pouring. Russia spent generations securing Crimea, blood, treasure, and only lost it for a few decades, what about any number of U.S. bases… etc.
For those interested here is a link to one of the UK left wing best writers and thinkers.
https://twitter.com/johnwight1?lang=en
He is also a brilliant speaker.
He is a brilliant speaker. Thanks Ed
Good on you Ed. Please keep up your good work. You are one of the precious few real lefties on this site.
I stand on my record of arguing for freedom of expression here at TS; even when it’s annoying or steps over the line. It’s way better to SAY stupid things and get feedback on it, than to actually DO stupid things and find out too late what the awful cost was.
Even as a moderate left winger I’m happy with most of Ed’s contributions; he flirts with the edges of reasonable sometimes but for the most part I put that down to youthful enthusiasm.
What does irk me is seeing the personal vendettas that are clearly going on here; hell I’ve been on the wrong end of a few of them myself over the years. A small group gangs up on someone and reflexively shits on anything they say with no attempt at counter argument or informed debate. Tempers will flare from time to time, but unceasing repetition going turns this into an ugly form of bullying.
Most of the time it just runs it’s course, but this one has been going on too long and everyone involved needs to read Bill’s very pointed moderation note above. Otherwise I can guarantee some well deserved ‘holidays’ will soon be taken.
Cheers for your comment garibaldi (2.1.2.1.1.1) and to those of Ed as well.
Thank you Garibaldi.
Yes, keep posting Ed. I value your input and am appalled at the attacks on you.
Thanks Ed well worth watching didnt know about Renegade Inc till now John Wright straight shooter damn good stuff .
Worth following on Twitter.
John Wight wrote a brilliant article on Remembrance Day.
Can I ask a favour? I am looking for background stuff on the US opioid crisis. I keep hearing that the likes of Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, are behid a huge a epidemic of addiction in the USA and I just want some reputable background information…
I’d try the agencies that are left to clean up the mess. They won’t pull their punches so there’ll be a bias, but it’s better than cover ups.
I theorise the nasty right wing middle class are mostly just high. And when they clean up, oh, the shame.
Sanctuary,
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/drugs-opioid-oxycontin-drug-addiction-patent-new-drug-richard-sackler-a8529711.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/health/purdue-opioids-oxycontin.html
https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/oxycontin-time-bomb/
https://centerfordiscovery.com/blog/netflix-documentary-heroine-highlights-opioid-documentary/
company sponsored over prescription of certain medication that in the end proved very addictive to certain people.
take West Virginia
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/drug-distributors-missed-suspicious-opioid-sales-to-west-virginia-lawmakers-say
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=over+prescription+of+opiods+in+west+virginia&oq=over+prescription+of+opiods+in+west+virginia&aqs=chrome..69i57.9151j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
trying to turn the tide with legislation
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/justice-oks-legislation-to-reduce-opioid-prescribing-in-wv/article_e9331e45-90e7-50c4-b9d8-5c3e2f83d2ee.html
document on how to turn the tide, large read
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdhhr.wv.gov%2Fbph%2FDocuments%2FODCP%2520Reports%25202017%2FProposed%2520Opioid%2520Response%2520Plan%2520for%2520the%2520State%2520of%2520West%2520Virginia%25201%252010%252018.pdf
company says, surly not us
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/08/drug-crisis-distributor-apologizes-large-opioid-shipments/589760002/
Qoute: Investigators discovered that a single pharmacy in Mount Gay-Shamrock, population 1,779, received more than 16.5 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills between 2006 and 2016. In nearby Williamson, population 2,900, distributors sent almost 21 million opioids to two pharmacies during that same period.
“How many other communities across the country have received millions more opioids than their communities could reasonably sustain?” Harper asked.
Democrats and Republicans on the committee faulted the distributors for missing what they said were signs that too many opioids were going into the state. Quote end.
it has been obvious for a while now that certain, especially poor areas, where literally flooded with pain killers replacing proper medical care. This has been ongoing for a while. Once these people are addicted they are addicted. Does not matter how you get on the juice, it matters if you can find a way to get of it.
and just because you take away the prescription drugs does not meant you take away the addiction, so people now find other stuff to fix the need
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/22/west-virginia-saw-drop-in-opioid-painkillers-prescribed-deaths-rose.html
however if you are really in need of pain medication you are now out of luck in many cases
https://www.timeswv.com/news/chronic-pain-patients-say-opioid-crackdown-is-hurting-them/article_0418958e-54a0-11e7-907f-533b65b2b713.html
The story repeats across the country.
Overdoses killed up to 200 people a day in 2017 according to Study.
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/8/16/17698204/opioid-epidemic-overdose-deaths-2017
According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 72,000 people in the US are predicted to have died from drug overdoses in 2017 — nearly 200 a day. That’s up from 2016, which was already a record year in which roughly 64,000 people in the US died from overdoses. At least two-thirds of drug overdose deaths in 2016 and 2017 were linked to opioids.
reminds me of the seventies where one could not open a news paper or watch a news cast without reading / hearing of people falling of high roofs or being found dead in public toilets.
Its a friggin mess, and just say no ain’t gonna cut. Heck they killed Roseanne on the “Connors’ show with an overdose, after she got addicted to pain killers after knee surgeries.
Look at veterans care, it’s federally run for ex service folk.
Some have been trying to get a switch off opiods onto the growing THC/CBD based medications. Being federal that’s illegal so can’t be done.
They’ve been collating some stats on their opioid addictions and side effects so check them out. Sorry can’t recall what they were called.
Hi sanctuary, you may have seen this or may not be what you are after.
After watching Oxyana a couple of years ago, I can’t stop thinking about it.
Grim viewing.
Red state white people are overdosing in record numbers.
That is all.
THEY ARE GOING IN TO PIKE
Thrilled for the families, so much respect goes out to them for never giving up. May they find answers and closure in due course.
Kudos Andrew Little.
According to police, whose forensic team will be going in… manslaughter charges could be a possibility.
this indeed is good news.
I do hope this brings much needed relieve to their pain, and that hopefully they may lay their loved ones to rest.
Wonderful news
Hopefully Winnie’s going in first show JK how it’s done.
Great news Cinny (4) … after all these years of being lied to, the cover ups etc, the bereaved families, friends and colleagues of the Pike River 29, will hopefully begin to have some closure early next year.
Well done Andrew Little for demonstrating some humanity and respect, which since the tragedy has been sadly lacking.
The darkening clouds gather, startled and skitterish.
“Donald Trump ramped up his spat with Emmanuel Macron, the French president, with a denigrating tweet in which he said Parisians had started to learn German during the second world war before the US saved them from occupation.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/13/trump-macron-eu-army-german-second-world-war
If the Referendum on cannabis goes ahead there would have to be advance information on how decriminalisation would work.
Dr Eric Crampton is Head of Research with The New Zealand Initiative. He suggests modelling such new laws be modelled on existing Alcohol regulations. Sounds good.
“Want to make sure councils are able to set rules appropriate to their areas and implement smoking-ban areas around parks? Local alcohol policies do that for alcohol; councils can set up liquor-ban areas.
A lot of the problems any regulated cannabis regime would need to solve have already been dealt with in our existing alcohol regulations. The rules may not be perfect, but they are the ones with which we are familiar….”
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/11/13/318388/crampton-a-framework-for-legalisation
So “experts like Graeme Edgeler suggest the only sensible question to ask voters would be whether they prefer the current Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, or whether they prefer to allow the sale and supply of cannabis as provided for in draft legislation.”
Is it really sensible to ask voters to choose between a law and a proposed law? To a lawyer, it may seem so. Anyone else could point out that only a handful are likely to have read each piece of legalese. So the percentage of the electorate able to make an informed choice would be in the region of 0.0000024%.
The recent conference agreed the referendum ought to ask these two questions:
1. Should adults be allowed to grow and possess cannabis for personal use?
2. Should adults be allowed to purchase cannabis & cannabis products from licensed premises?
It was organised by the Cannabis Referendum Coalition, a network of individuals and organisations campaigning for cannabis law reform, website here: http://makeitlegal.nz/?fbclid=IwAR3RkPfB7DzQVBNcr4uQU17ptF1PDWyYIZnzpPHtfP9SlFLiDcxtHbAdjfA
I agree with the conference decision. Both questions are simple & concise. Voters are unlikely to have difficulty comprehending them. Sharing with friends is implicit in the first question, so maybe no need to specify that.
“So “experts like Graeme Edgeler suggest the only sensible question to ask voters would be whether they prefer the current Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, or whether they prefer to allow the sale and supply of cannabis as provided for in draft legislation.””
If that is really his suggestion then he is an idiot. because its actually TWO separate questions conjoined and those who dont like either option are abused!
Most referendum that have been put to the public so far have suffered from this fault. (do you want more emphasis on the victims of crime AND harsher penalties comes to mind!)
A REFERENDUM QUESTION MUST ONLY HAVE A SINGLE PREMISE !
A REFERENDUM QUESTION MUST ONLY HAVE A SINGLE PREMISE !
A REFERENDUM QUESTION MUST ONLY HAVE A SINGLE PREMISE !
but yes there may well be several referendum run concurrently to allow for better understanding of the peoples choice
Anyone who supports whistleblowers still has an opportunity to send in a submission to the review. Rare for me to be impressed by the quality of work done by our public service, but I give them 10/10 for their articulation of the issues identified by the process thus far: http://ssc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Targeted-Consultation-Summary-May-2018.pdf
I suspect the Jami-Lee Ross saga points to a loophole that the review & consultation process haven’t noticed. A parliamentarian acting in the public interest, exposing wrongdoing in their own party, deserves a support mechanism. The status quo seems to enable their party to victimise an MP who blows the whistle on corruption. That’s so obviously wrong that I’m likely to make a submission citing the apparent loophole. I’d like feedback from readers on this – would particularly appreciate opinions on how real the loophole actually is…
Every entity and agency and department has their own policy.
It’s not that little stoush public servants point to.
It’s the MoT massive fraud in which people who spoke up were hunted down and thrown out, and not even the CE believed them.
The net outcome of all of them is simple: you will never work in Wellington again.
Climate change will decrease fertility enough to lower the human population. Apparently.
Derived from 80 years of birth and weather data out of the United States, the study confirmed a higher number of babies being born in August and September (nine months after the depths of winter), while fewer babies were conceived in summer due to higher temperatures.
https://www.dw.com/en/climate-change-reduces-male-fertility-could-help-drive-extinction/a-46276058
Winter just can’t come quick enough.
Less kids means less emissions means slower climate change
Win/win
Fewer kids mean fewer emissions, which means slower climate change. FIFY.
Win/win ???
Do you have any idea at all of what we are facing? I suspect not.
+ 1. Yes exactly. He doesn’t.
MPs’ property loophole ‘stings taxpayers’
Can the rest of us also get $78000 per year subsidies to pay off our mortgages?
Or is that only for ‘special’ people?
Your link goes to a 2013 article, am I missing something recent that makes it relevant? Surely there are sufficient things to be outraged about the current opposition rather than dragging up articles from 5 years ago.
😳
Been awhile that I’ve forgotten to check the date.
Still, I haven’t heard that this rort has been ended.
True enough, may well be still happening as the spot light conveniently gets turned off by the MSM and the rorting bludgers in the article will probably have found another way of doing it anyway.
Whilst I don’t like rorting and fiddling and pushing the legal boundaries, there is a reason why MPs should be paid well, and that they be accommodated for the special nature of their job which requires most to live in two places with huge travel and time commitments.
That is, they are on a three year contract, renewable at the whim of others.
But it’s the afterwards also that matters. I think of my local MP who had five years in the job, was not re-elected and never was able to get a job in his home town, being blacklisted by small town employers. He fell back onto being a small farmer, selling produce at his house gate. On the night he lost his seat someone burnt down his hay barn.
He was a most generous man, and loaned to a constituent the necessary extra funds for this solo mother with two kids to purchase a modest home with the scheme introduced by Labour in 72-75 by Minister of Housing Roger Douglas.
I met him again a month ago, a hale and hearty 90 year old, up with the play and with a passion for politics still. A truly Christian Sally gentleman, who suffered for his political beliefs and activism after being an MP.
I’m pretty sure that paying people extra to prevent corruption doesn’t actually prevent any corruption. Those who are corrupt will still do it.
Having to live in two places at once requires that the government make available housing in Wellington. The best way to do this is a government owned housing complex with no money paid out for rent to MP for housing. This would be cheaper and get rid of the rort.
And hows that different from the rest of the precariat?
Ah, he was actually well off and could support himself anyway.
Most MP’s are professional bludgers IMHO ?
Wouldn’t get a job in the real world ?
Hopefully Winnie’s going in first show JK & the Natzi’s how it’s done ?
Bin double entry accounting in Govt. organisation, to lead a creative capitalist renaissance of the collective value systems of NZ society & citizenry.
NZ1st!
Imelda Marcos, come on down!
Donald Trump’s deputy national security adviser is reportedly set to be fired following a dispute with the first lady, Melania Trump.
The US first lady took the extraordinary step of publicly pushing for the move against Mira Ricardel, the top aide to the national security adviser, John Bolton, on Tuesday.
[…]
Ricardel, who was hired in April by Bolton after he assumed the role of Trump’s national security adviser, reportedly clashed with members of the first lady’s staff over seating on a plane during Melania Trump’s recent trip to Africa.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/nov/13/melania-trump-mira-ricardel-aide-to-be-fired-white-house-latest
Meanwhile in Australia this news will surprise many who haven’t been watching closely:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-14/woodside-ceo-peter-coleman-argues-for-carbon-price/10494026
This is how real change will happen. (And yes I’m sure you can find the self-interest in this, but that’s how things work in the world.)
Eyeroll from Turnbull.
Real change is doing something (as opposed to talking about doing something)
such as the new LNG powered Russian aframax tankers.
http://sovcomflot.ru/en/press_office/press_releases/item99167.html
Game changer:
https://www.perovskite-info.com/cambridge-team-sets-new-efficiency-record-perovskite-leds
Get that … close to 100% efficiency!!! This puts mono-crystalline silicon PV’s into buggy whip territory. OK so it’s lab stuff and probably a decade away from a product …. but this is how real change will happen.
Gee close to 100% efficiency that is well about as efficient as a plant.
http://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/PBD-quantum-secrets.html
That article is referring to the quantum efficiencyof one small part of the photosynthesis process. Overall, the efficiency of turning sunlight into useful chemical energy via photosynthesis is in the low single digits percentage. Real-life commercial PV panels convert incoming sunlight to useful electrical energy with an efficiency of 10% to 20%.
Uhh, that near 100% efficiency is for a perovskite LED turning electrical energy into light. Not quite the same thing as a PV panel turning incoming light into electrical energy. No reversibility going on in those processes.
Some existing commercial LEDs are already very efficient. It was the development of a very efficient blue LED that paved the way for white LEDs (as well as a Nobel for the inventors). At the top end of efficiency, there have been lab demonstrations of white LEDs putting out over 300 lumens/watt (if there were no inefficiencies other than the phosphorescent conversion of some of the blue light to yellow light, the luminous efficacy would be around 370 lumens/watt). But the led bulbs for sale at Bunnings and supermarkets are sadly still only around 80 to 100 lumens per watt, which is still way batter than fluorescent bulbs at 35ish or incandescents at 12ish.
https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2018/06/advanced-physicsprize2014.pdf
Yeah the article makes that clear, but it’s an impressive step all the same. It demonstrates what is possible
Damn…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/108586673/irish-politician-uses-womens-thong-in-parliament-sex-assault-protest
sometimes you need to show the evidence.
Quote pulled from the link provided by PR:
“A 17-year-old is put in the dock for her choice of underwear, and she was open to meeting someone was the implication, she was asking for it,” Coppinger said.
“Women in this country are getting a little bit weary at the routine victim blaming going on in Irish courts and the failure of lawmakers in this House to do anything about it.”
Recently fake tan and even contraception had been used to discredit women who had the bravery to go to court.
As she held up the pair of underwear in the “incongruous setting” of the Dail, Coppinger asked: “How do you think a rape victim or a woman feels at the incongruous setting of her underwear being shown in the courts, and when is this Dail going to take serious action on the issue of sexual violence?”
She only held the underwear up for a brief moment, and the camera quickly pulled back from her as she did so. The use of props is against the rules of the Dail.”
Wow PR, just wow.
‘A barrister in the Cork trial told the jury to look at the way the complainant was dressed. That the complainant was “open to meeting someone” because she was “wearing a thong with a lace front”.’
‘Recently fake tan and even contraception had been used to discredit women who had the bravery to go to court’
That’s so messed up.
Yup
‘US Vice President Mike Pence has asked to be seated next to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at a dinner on Wednesday evening at the East Asia Summit in Singapore.’
What’s that about?
My first reaction is to say: watch your back, Jacinda. Or am I being unfair?
where will his wife be seated?
poor Jacinda.
1. He’s a racist who only wants to sit next to european looking people.
2. Photo’s with Jacinda would be excellent publicity for Pence and co.
3. He’s a dirty old man.
4. He genuinely thinks she’s awesome.
5. Something else
1+5 my guess. But really i would like to know where “Mother” is gonna sit, considering that he does not want to ‘meet’ women alone without his wife nearby.
But maybe sitting next to is OK?
In that case it sounds like a very trusting relationship sarc.
Thought of another option lmao
6. Red is also his favourite colour.
Billy Graham rule.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Graham_rule
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!
My conspiracy theory is that he is going to try to convince her of the error of her ways …. unmarried mother, etc, etc. Whereas she has a long list of subjects such as tariffs, trade etc. LOL. Could be an interesting conversation!
I wonder if he knows that Jacinda is an former Mormon whose uncle is one of the only two NZers who has ever made it to being one of the General Authorities of the worldwide Church of Latter Day Saints?
Aaaah – Pence is actually a born again Catholic … and yes, according to Wikipedia (yes, Adam, Wikipedia) he does follow the Billy Graham Rule.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Pence#Personal_life
PS – if anyone wants to know, the PM has gone on this trip without baby or partner. Peters is joining her in Singapore or PNG, from his Paris trip, and Parker is already with her.
Random thought of the day: it seems the rule forbids dining alone with female family members as well as unrelated females not one’s spouse. Hmmm …
His wife apparently sat between him and Jacinda.
bwhahahahahahahahahahah
7.) Pence wants to know – if he’s allowed to build a bunker in Wanaka
and how much NZ citizenship costs
Pence considers her an enemy and is keeping his friends and enemies close.
Saying ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’. imo
Pence is the guy who wants to be caliph at the place of the caliph.
and the caliph needs to go on a tour in Missisipi to help a women win a seat and i think after the last two weeks he just needs to hear a ‘ lock her/him/it/something up” chant to feel all presidential again. I hear all that winning has him packing a sad.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iznogoud
That’s major prestige for Jacinda and New Zealand you ninnys, at an Asian pacific regional meeting. What is this, National Party msm lite?
For our place in the world, what would be most suitable & impactful for NZs image would be if Jacinda could be involved in regular global meet ups with Ivanka Trump and we have a relationship that way – that would give a very popular & memorable image over time in much of the world i would guess, two leading and talented young female ambassadors of their countries on the world stage.
Yes, we like what New Zealand represents, what business links to that can we foster in our own society.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/108568669/chocs-to-drop-after-record-crowdfunding-campaign-for-kiwi-chocolate-company-ocho
Well done Ocho, I normally buy Whittakers but I’m sure I could be convinced to try Ochos 🙂
you should buy Ochos, and all other of the NZ artisan made chocolates. There are some really nice products out there and the variety of different chocolates is quite impressive. That does not stop you from also buying Whittakers 🙂 Just don’t ever buy chocolate melts, and cadbury, and Nestle produced chocolates. A lot of that stuff is compound chocolates (vegetable fat vs cocoa butter), contains very little actual chocolate but a lot of sugar.
personally i am loving this story.
Don’t worry my wife checks the ingredients list on all chocolate (especially the cooking stuff) we buy but (imho)the best chocolate is Makana chocolate in Blenheim 🙂
Breaking News…
CIA says Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi’s murder.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/cia-concludes-saudi-crown-prince-ordered-khashoggi-murder-report-181117004639742.html
Should be on today’s Open Mike
I knew it!