Many thanks to all the Lady’s in the USA for exposing these neo liberal bigots who treat Lady’s like a object baby makers possession ECT they use racial tactics to gain Mana. These fossils need to be purged from power. Before Artifical Intelligents gives these fossils to much power. Now is the time to change OUR worlds views on humanity and mother earth to achieve a prosperous positive future for all OUR Mokos.. New Zealand is turning into the winds of change to a more humane society under the leadership of Jacinda there will be a lot of oberstical for her to tackle I no she will achieve her goals with the support of all the good intelligence humane Kiwi people of NEW ZEALAND.
Ka pai
Ditto E M.
Turning NZ into a more humane society though will take a bit of time.
30 plus years of bullshit means that there are many that have grown up knowing nothing else , and a number who’ve benefited from the same bullshit (neo-liberalism).
JILL HARTH: He groped me. He absolutely groped me. And he just slipped his hand there, touching my private parts.
TEMPLE TAGGART: He turned to me and embraced me and gave me a kiss on the lips. And I remember being shocked and—because I would have just thought to shake somebody’s hand. But that was his first response with me.
JESSICA LEEDS: It was a real shock when all of the sudden his hands were all over me. But it’s when he started putting his hand up my skirt, and that was it. That was it.
KRISTIN ANDERSON: The person on my right, who, unbeknownst to me at that time, was Donald Trump, put their hand up my skirt. He did touch my vagina through my underwear.
LISA BOYNE: As the women walked across the table, Donald Trump would look up under their skirt and, you know, comment on whether they had underwear or didn’t have underwear. I didn’t want to have to walk across the table. I wanted to get out of there.
KARENA VIRGINIA: Then his hand touched the right inside of my breast. I felt intimidated, and I felt powerless.
MINDY McGILLIVRAY: Melania was standing right next to him when he touched my butt.
JESSICA DRAKE: When we entered the room, he grabbed each of us tightly in a hug and kissed each one of us without asking permission. After that, I received another call from either Donald or a male calling on his behalf, offering me $10,000. His actions are a huge testament to his character, that of uncontrollable misogyny, entitlement and being a sexual assault apologist. https://www.democracynow.org/2017/12/12/meet_the_miss_usa_contestant_accusing
“GROPERS” is presented by GroperWatch®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
No.1 George Herbert Walker Bush; No. 2 Bill O’Reilly; No. 3 Al Franken; No. 4 Robin Brooke; No. 5 Lester Beck; No. 6 Arnold Schwarzenegger; No. 7 Joe Biden; No. 8 Rolf Harris; No. 9 Harold Bloom; No. 10 Sir Jimmy Savile; No. 11 Dr Morgan Fahey; No.12 Prince Harry; No. 13 Bill Clinton; No.14 Judge Roy Moore; No. 15 Matt Lauer; No. 16 Richard Branson; No. 17 Warren Moon
“Doctors and nurses should not have to do this” but neither should people be blocked from the right to have a skilled person do the job for them if they are worried they might botch the process and such a skilled person is willing.
I note from the voting on the first reading of a current bill that a large proportion of Labour MPs voted against the matter even being discussed …. that is to be regretted IMO.
sactimonious crap! Obviously there will be doctors and nurses with compassion for those in pain for which medication is a poor relief.
are you a vegetarian to denigrate those who work in freezing works? or the soldiers who keep you safe in times of oppression?
Of course not, and I enjoy nicely cooked vegetables to predominate the dish when I eat out. One place I go to lavishly put three slices of roast meat and I now ask for just two and more veges 🙂
jcuknz
This is such a hard subject to keep people on a sane and thoughtful and compassionate line about. I suggest you don’t try analogies or comparisons or parallels with anything as it just gets people straying off thinking about the subject and coming up with silly comments.
When anything serious is to be discussed I have found it is imperative to not introduce anything extra that could derail the discourse.
I read the nurses and dr survey which stated they would choose it for themselves when I did a Paper on Euthanasia last year. I read lots so mixing up tge studies but will try to find tge one with them choosing it for themselves.
Nurses are my big concern cos they see tge pain, the families and have to deal with being asked by patients to help tgem die. Im my view a Law is only a small part we need to make sure resources go into assisting nurses deal with all of the above.
I think there should be training and support for the medical and legal people who feel they can do this caring work, and be on a list of those who can be contacted as trained in the specialty. It is special dealing with dying people and even more so when there is some choice involved.
I wouldn’t want to have to ask around if I decided to go in my own time.
And always there is a backdrop of the unthinking conservatives and the rigid religious and the monetarised types who worry that someone, somewhere might organise wills and assets to get priority for themselves while others miss out (which already happens so it isn’t an unreal fancy.)
“The pause occurs when, despite acknowledging that death is perhaps the right option for one’s patient based on very good moral reasons, a doctor hesitates—under the joint prompting of a commitment to a version of the sanctity of life principle, and a sense of care or the individual human being who is the patient.
That commitment may be particularly strong in the case of a new-born child who will, almost certainly, never recover to the point
where it can respond to those around it or develop its human potential.
But, even in such an extreme case, at the moment of recommending that no further intensive efforts be made to
keep the child alive, one might experience the pause.
This springs, we could say, from our being drawn into the nexus of human relationships that surround life, death and mortal illness—a context in which doctors are always entwined.
Such decisions make us delve deeply into our character as moral agents…”
Euthanasia should be kept out of all hospitals and health centres of all descriptions. This is not a job for doctors and nurses. Never should it be a burden for them, they have enough stress on their plates as it is. Hospitals will be tainted by the association of euthanasia and it will be a another worry for people who enter these places if they are ill. So called safe guards will be in place but over time the law will be widened for other areas of health. You’d better believe it – we have so little love for one another these days as it is, it will become oh so easy to widen the law. It is a hideous concept – smacks of Hitler’s cleansing of people he thought warranted it.
I just cannot believe that it could eventually become the law – what a ghastly old world it is becoming.
I’m generally in favour of cautious euthanasia law, but I also have concerns about safeguards and I don’t trust our legislation process to design really good laws here.
Having euthanasia generally happening outside of hospitals (e.g. at home or in certain hospices) makes sense, but it would also limit health care for some people.
I agree with you Kate, and lets look at the next generation – yes the one that does not see anything wrong by stomping on someones head or stoning a kitten to death.
The human race is already on a path of brutalization, why hurry the process? Many “assume” that everybody will treat this issue under a humanitarian point of view.
I doubt that the motivation of legalizing euthanasia is driven by ulterior motives but pursuing this leaves only one option – utter naivety.
I agree, everything today is based on its monetary worth – if it can’t pay its way then its of no use to our so called society. First it will be terminally ill, then it will be elderly who have outlived their usefulness, then it will be the young who are incapacitated by physical or mental illness who are getting in the way of the grind of making money.
Just who is fooling who in this scheme of allowing terminally ill people to think they can play God, or whoever you believe in – and get their selfish way and end it as they think fit. Doesn’t it occur to them they are passing the buck onto another human being to do the deed for them. If they are so hellbent on finishing it then go and do it in their own good time and take the responsibility of it themselves. Leave our precious doctors and nurses to live the good life without being state sanctioned executioners.
Well, well, looking more and more like the T4 Program as time rolls on. Looking forward to the next step, let’s get rid of the unproductive people, the disabled, jews, wogs, blacks, gays, this euthanasia thing is working out so well. It’s a slippery slope, but hey we’re enlightened right, right, RIGHT!!!
p.s.
Just in case you need a reference to the T4 – program.
No, we don’t need a link to the T4 programme because any time there’s a mention of euthanasia some religious loon or generally-confused type will flag it as being in some way relevant to the discussion – which it isn’t.
So mobile vans, going around and door to door to perform euthanasia. Do you really think that the Nazis jumped right into the mass killing thing – no wait they got their incrementally.
One big step in that was by getting people to accept that euthanasia was normal and OK. Go read some of the propaganda they produced at the beginning of the program. Odd thing is – you sound surprisingly like them in your attack dog mode.
Abortion, choice – Let’s stop it being criminal or mental health.
Hospitals, the boards should be given more training, and allocations of funds. Removal of the massive build up middle management paper pushers which have infested the public service. A implementation of a system of effectiveness to get over the crisis in health from too many efficiency drives.
Drug funding, is as complex as is the whole drug approval. I’d like to see more patient advocate/voices in the whole drug funding, approval and application process. Happy with generics. Happy for us to be supplied from India. Would like to see more production in NZ.
A simple response tracey – Much more than that involved. If I was being a conservative anarchist. I say the only thing we need a state for is Health – a collective approach to health is necessary, as it is sensible.
And sorry, but the state killing people, falls into the category of totalitarianism – no matter how much you want to spin it.
That’s arguable, given that countries with rule of law can also have the death penalty.
Let’s skip past that, though: you’re right, the state killing people is a bad idea. If anyone proposes it, feel free to raise the alarm. So far, no-one’s proposed it.
As I said your proposition, and the same attack dog politics you use is repeating what happened in the mid 1930’s. Sorry you can’t see the patterns. Oh and by the way, the communist voting areas were the people who the nazi regime watched closely when they passed a surprising similar law. (yeah I read it) When they didn’t revolt the leadership breathed a sigh of relief.
Tell you what, the disabled in this country are going to oppose this bill. Because we know our history.
Are you saying that Seymour has National Socialist and Eugenic designs on NZ? I am no fan of his but have yet to see any such tendancies.
One of my issues is some medical professionals are already finding ways to assist death. Is it better to leave this in the dark and pretend it isnt happening or find a way to regulate it?
Look I’ve had one grandparent and one uncle die within the last two years. On both occasions, anti-anxiety drugs in large doses were administered and family were in the room. I did not see any suffering in my uncle’s case. And my mother and Aunt both said their was no suffering in my grandmother’s case.
The doctor did not kill/murder the patient. The family member died of natural causes. And they did not suffer.
We are opening a door to a slippery slope. So NO we should not regulate how we murder people – at any time. We should view life as precious. What the difference once we accept killing old people – to accepting the infirm, then a few years later the deaf and dumb because, you know they don’t have great lives and we are relieving their suffering as well. Maybe the mentally unhinged, it will save on cost and they not really here anyway. It’s happened before, and it’s why I keep bringing up T4.
So contrary to Psycho Milt and his assumption that people are rational and nice, I think people in power are nasty and vicious so handing them a loaded gun is utter stupidity.
You advocate for the abolishment of our Armed Forces, yes?
Have you read this Bill? I am beginning to wonder. By all means oppose it but you seem to be opposing a notion of end of life rather than what is actually being proposed.
So see. Not really caring if someone who does not want a baby opts for abortion, I could maybe have to start having a think about it (from a detached distance) if people who do want a baby start to opt for an abortion ‘just because’ it’s not the right ‘type’ of baby.
Well no. Because that entails killing infants, not aborting pregnancies.
But yes, I’m thinking in cases of aborting just because the foetus is female – or has, by genetic testing or whatever, a predicted higher chance of developing or being x, y or z.
But when I say “I could maybe have to start having a think about it (…) if”, I really do mean from a detached and purely intellectual level.
When it comes right down to it, I don’t believe the state should play a role. But I say that in relation to also not believing that nuclear family units are sane or sustainable. So whatever decisions may be made, I’d say they should be made at an individual/communal level on whatever basis, or by whatever measure all of the people within that community have agreed upon.
In short, the way this world is arranged is fucked up, and so the situation we have to try to make decisions from within are (how to say) ‘less than optimal’.
The very first line in your linked article says this service is for people “…whose doctors have refused to participate in assisted suicide.” So, no, doctors and nurses should not have to do this and aren’t being made to, which prompts me to ask “What’s your point?”
I was wondering that too. I assume that for the NZ legislation no-one will be forced to provide euthanasia either (someone can correct me if I am wrong). Just like surgeons who have ethical objections aren’t forced to perform abortions.
Psycho Milt – here is a point to ponder. If someone wants to die, they can.
Just don’t get someone else to have to carry the burden for the rest of their lives to be a murderer.
Perhaps best to ask soldiers – they have a lot of experience. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-13687796
Some Doctors and some Nurses already do assist patient deaths so the notion that this is a fresh burden is erroneous.
See my post above about not just passing a law but ensuring resources are put into supporting those enacting that Law.
Soldiers sign up to be “murderers” although they do not meet that definition and are specifically ruled out of the Crimes Act so yoyr use of that word is a straw man.
The psychological results of killing someone are real unless that someone is a psychopath. Many soldiers actually “follow orders” due to being otherwise prosecuted themselves. We are talking about people whose emotional well being is influenced by an act of the ultimate violation of natural law. If a person is “hardened”, murder of the vulnerable will have no ethical or moral consequence to their mind. And no rule of the crimes act will negate this.
Tracey, I do not deny that some people feel that they need to end their lives and I understand that in some instances doctors and/or nurses help with “chasing” the process when pain is becoming uncontrollable.
However, if a person is able to express his/her wishes to die due to incurable illness and pain, and equipment is provided for that person to end their lives themselves – who am I to judge. What I do vehemently oppose is, that another party is being asked to take on the task and have to live with the consequential burden.
I am certainly not in favor to have euthanasia practiced on a patient that is non responsive, in a coma, brain damaged – that individual would at this point not be able to decide. Their family might want to share time with them, look after them etc. If there is no one or any or their relatives won’t look after them it should not be just a case of getting the bed freed up.
And of cause there is always the possibility that any possessions are deemed a free for all if only…
There are far more cons than pro’s on this issue.
Instead of supporting an existing Green Party Bill, reports indicate Labour will introduce its own legislation. Raising questions on whether or not they will allow herbal or botanical cannabis to be used for medicinal use.
Surprisingly, the Greens have been silent on the matter.
The Greens are failing to utilise their position to speak out, thus take lead, build and apply public pressure.
Not one press release on the matter on their website.
Yes, a member’s Bill put up by a Green Party member.
While it may be a step in the right direction, if it fails to allow for people to grow their own it’s going to fall far short of expectations and what many medicinal users require.
And as indications suggest it will fall short, this is the time to speak up and apply public pressure to help ensure it doesn’t. Yet, the Greens seem to be MIA (by their silence) on an issue one would expect they would be leading the charge, hence the complaint.
While it may be a step in the right direction, if it fails to allow for people to grow their own it’s going to fall far short of expectations and what many medicinal users require.
Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Have to see the bill first. I suspect that all three parties are discussing it and are probably keeping quiet until they’ve come to some decisions.
And as indications suggest it will fall short, this is the time to speak up and apply public pressure to help ensure it doesn’t.
Then organise a petition.
Also note that the Greens do have an agreement for a referendum on recreational use of marijuana. If that goes through, as I suspect it will, then there’s going to have to be laws regarding growing your own.
An interesting point on that is that NZ is the only place in the world where it’s legal for anyone to own a still.
My hope is that, when they legalise it for medical use, they also put in several million per year to develop and produce the drugs. Northland would have a major economic boost.
There is really nothing to say until Labour release their bill. The Greens bill is still there so the issue is not going anywhere and Parliament will be forced to address it.
It’s like this TC. If the Greens pushed this issue the Natz would persecute them for being a bunch of ne’er do well dopeheads ,just like they always have.
In the eyes of NZ’s immature media the Greens would thus become a one issue party to be scorned relentlessly (nothing new in that though, it would just be rigorously renewed infantilism, which is personified in Hosking et al).
Methinks it would be wise for the Greens to stick to the two objectives…sustainable future and social justice.
“It’s like this TC. If the Greens pushed this issue the Natz would persecute them for being a bunch of ne’er do well dopeheads ,just like they always have.”
They may try, yet public opinion is vastly against them (the Nats) on this one. Therefore, it is unlikely to be successful.
“In the eyes of NZ’s immature media the Greens would thus become a one issue party to be scorned relentlessly…”
Which is why they also need to be more vocal in their other core policy areas, ie sustainable future and social justice.
“Which is why they also need to be more vocal in their other core policy areas, ie sustainable future and social justice.”
And merely legalising medical cannabis, without allowing consented persons to grow and process their own plant material, is not going to be sustainable or just.
I read recently that people re-cycling our rubbish wanted clean rubbish and soiled rubbish merely went to the tip. I wonder if anybody had researched the cost to the planet of folk washing-cleaning rubbish before it is put out for re-cycling compared to just being sent to the tip?
My current bete noir is the take-away which gives me food in a nice [I assume recycled] brown cardboard box which gets soiled by the food and dressing so conflicts with the need for clean rubbish.
I had hoped that the recycling process would burn or otherwise get rid of the ‘soil’ similar to re-cycled aluminium where one skims off the slag before pouring into a mould … something I did in past years.
Unfortunately many US Americans really don’t get it do they? Exceptionalism at its worst.
You should try renouncing USA citizenship and see the shit and threats people have to go through.
Of the rich man’s vanity parties we have seen to date, only Bob Jones’ “New Zullon” party has been a success. And its objectives were just to kill Muldoon so a far-right infiltrated Labour Party could take power in 1984. It was never intended as a long-term prospect in those far-off FPP days.
Overall, this is a pretty good result for our democracy.
Morgan is staying on as leader in the meantime, but won’t front the Party at the next election.
In his resignation letter, former deputy leader Geoff Simmons said now was a crucial time for the party.
“Over the next 6-9 months it will develop a group of potential leaders to lead them into the next election.
“Much like the All Blacks, any political team benefits from strong competition for any role. Stepping back from my co-Deputy Leader role will encourage new leaders to emerge, which will be good for the party.”
Simmons said he did not currently have the necessary energy to continue in the role as deputy leader, but said if he felt he had regained energy when the time came to pick a new leader, he would throw his hat in the ring.
Ok, my estimation for Simmons just dropped a notch. They really have a culture of a political party being something you create like a business rather than being something that needs to be built from the ground up. I hope they fall over, I want less of this kind of authoritarian, top down stuff in parliament, not more.
Meanwhile, Waitaki candidate Kevin Neill said under current leadership, it was “untenable to have an open, transparent discussion on not only how to create policies, but whether to change them”.
It is understood Morgan called a party meeting during the weekend, in order to take stock of the situation, but a number of people were excluded, including Neill and Hammond-Doube.
Neill said he could not cope with the “dictator-style leadership”, and said he believed nothing would change after Morgan stepped down as leader – he would still take a lead in making decisions.
There was a place for a party like TOP in New Zealand politics, but a different leadership system was essential, he said.
“I want less of this kind of authoritarian, top down stuff ”
Yep that certainly, plus any mention of the All Blacks has to set off the “whoop whoop, shallow, self-interested bollocks about to follow” sirens.
If Gareth was genuinely interested in public policy he would have joined the political party he finds most congenial and tried to influence policy formation. That fact that he’s too immodest to do such a thing shows we’re all better off if he stays out of politics for good.
On the Kids Can charity – have to say I’m against private charities being used to do government work. Modern charities are too glossy and glamorise poverty and take donations from ordinary people and taxpayers but spend it on marketing and staff to promote themselves and increase the donations.
There is a place for private charities but increasingly they are being used by corporates and so forth for their own lobbying and agendas. Disney has a charity that they expected their employees to donate to lobby for TPPA for example. The Clinton Foundation where other countries are expected to give taxpayer money and used the donations to politically to influence.
The rise of corporates like countdown and ASB collecting money for charity and then it looks like they are the ones being generous – NOT the ordinary people paying in the money. They they give a big cheque and everyone things they are responsible community businesses. In the old days ASB for example made donations with their own money. Not just being collection agencies.
I see two main problems here … firstly folk object to taxes and secondly the waste by governments/charities as they feed themselves rather than helping those in need.
The simple answer is not to donate but to give to those who you know personally will benefit.
Which will, of course, maintain high poverty levels.
Far better for the government to eliminate poverty altogether but I’m sure that the capitalists will complain about that – as they did back in the 1980s and 90s and their delusional idea that high benefits stopped people from going to work.
Since there are no jobs, or very few, for the unskilled it means poverty is likely to remain with us for the forseable future I am afraid.
Welfare probably does cause those who have not learnt the work ethic to avoid work but this is a problem with the system that encourages folk to want the moon with TV shows and such like but doesn’t provide the jobs to make it possible.
Plus of course there is the tendency of couples to have more children than they can provide for.
For years I have thought that world wide socialism with security for all in their old age would reduce the need for couples to have children, lots of them, to look after them in their old age. Education brings reduced childbearing as the educated realise the huge cost of having a child impacts seriously on their standard of living, particularly when there are few jobs paying well, or anything more than subsistence these days.
Since there are no jobs, or very few, for the unskilled it means poverty is likely to remain with us for the forseable future I am afraid.
And so the government should make upskilling freely available to them.
And, to be honest, I don’t think it’s lack of skills that’s keeping many in poverty. Poverty is a direct result of capitalism. As Adam Smith said, you need 500 poor people to have one rich person.
Without poor people who can be forced to work for the rich then there wouldn’t be any rich because they’d only have the fruits of their own labours rather than the fruits of everyone else’s labour.
Which is, of course, why National always attack beneficiaries and makes them worse off.
Welfare probably does cause those who have not learnt the work ethic to avoid work but this is a problem with the system that encourages folk to want the moon with TV shows and such like but doesn’t provide the jobs to make it possible.
Funny how Super, which is higher than other benefits, hasnt led to all retired ceasing work.
You having children and no work ethic generalisation is largely mythical. Do you also tar all company directors with the brush of those who commit fraud?
Do you have disdain for those businesses claiming holidays as deductions when tgere is no business component, or meals out? Or do cash jobs?
I have to say I’m impressed the government is cracking down on all this stuff. Natz gave Kids Can over a million but their private charity approach threw more and more kids into poverty.
Thanks savenz that was interesting. and timely as these charities are often just another way of government monetising and privatising their work and services in their expected role in our so-called modern state.
You are coming up with great info and ideas. Merry Christmas and take a break over Christmas just being positive and self-oriented for a while so as to recharge for 2018?
I cut way back on my charity donations for much the same reason; too little of the money was reaching those who needed it.
It’s all a bit too reminiscent of the much maligned trickle down theory isn’t it; the flood of donations reduced to a trickle by the time it reaches its intended destination.
DH
I think it is worse than the trickle down aspect. It is the polity withering through deliberate inaction from the government, from the respect for all society to a deliberately underfunded class with deliberately withheld jobls (by allocating them to poor immigrants) that then is largely left to the whims of those wanting to start a business in the not-for-profit charity sector with little tax to pay.
The strugglers then become a human herd for these sharp-eyed petty bourgeoisie to profit from.
Another example of the corporate press, and controlling the message. Anyone who thinks we have a free press at this point in history, is deeply deluded.
Uhhh, maybe because that particular peace prize is utterly inconsequential? It seems Corbyn himself didn’t even think it significant enough to ever mention it.
Umm… Jeremy Corbyn does not strike me as the sort of character to go running around saying “look at me”. The absence of the news in the MSM is without a shadow of doubt the corporate-owned media doing its thing for themselves.
The west and it’s lies. Your comfortable life is predicated on the torture, death and exploitation of the third world. Funny how no one talks about that much…
We’ve been doing it here @adam over the past decade. Shoddy PTE’s and temporary work visas, offshore fishing boats, cash-for-work schemes, et al.
It’s been an industry that, thank your God, is now coming under scrutiny (sort of).
Of course the enablers will go unpunished, whilst the exploited will usually have lost almost everything – except perhaps their dignity.
We the west needs its people to exploit. At least here we did not gun down people from the PTE’s and temporary work visas, offshore fishing boats, cash-for-work schemes, et al.
I agree, and no we didn’t, but in at least a few cases, we completely fleeced them of their ability to support themselves. (so much more seemly than just putting a gun to their head). We should feel oh so proud of ourselves we exploited them in such a civilised manner
Agreed CG and not fast enough.
The bad news is that neo-liberalism is so insidious it’s cultural, political, economic and to many – religious. It trumps most religions from Catholicism (as we see with Bullshit Bill) to Sikhism (as we see by some fellow Sikhs prepared to rip off others. (Not looking at you Kanwaljit – not much anyway)
+100
Pretty much the result of past and present empires and their proxies.
I think there’s something playing on Aljzaeera atm giving an historical perspective
( Maybe AJ )
NZ Government must now use Rail freight as it will greatly reduce our use and dependence on fossil fuels that cause climate change, and will save our cost of paying for “carbon credits” also.
Hard to believe super serum and floorman would get this one wrong.
/
A forged document accusing the top Democrat in the Senate of sexual harassment copied language verbatim from a real sexual-harassment complaint filed against Rep. John Conyers.
On Tuesday afternoon, right-wing social media personalities Charles Johnson and Mike Cernovich boasted of obtaining a document that would put a senator out of a job.
“Michael Cernovich & I are going to end the career of a U.S. Senator,” Johnson posted on Facebook on Monday.
The senator was Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York, Axios first reported.
The seven clowns
1 Gissmuppet he started all this and is a bigot and thinks he can hide from eco
2 Dopey he think he is the best hunter and likes to leave dead opposum on the road and burning out tyres.
3 Nobby he’s one of my neo liberal neighbour he thinks he can impose his ideals on the rest of the neighbourhood eco made him feel inadequate about one of his hobbies.
4 sneezy he talks with a lisp and thinks he’s a leader loves the camera I taught him sign language at the caltex
5 Shonky he worships money an one will find him sniffing around an deal to steal money
6 bullysheit well you can’t believe a word he says and he’s a alcoholic
7 dilldo he is a bigot and love to see our valuerable people on the streets and loves to see the poor people starving.
All these clowns have one thing in common they will do anything to see ECO lose his Mana and they are all bigots.
I no you are bribing the man with two names???? Who stole my Mana when Mama died PS I have a witness who won’t lie under oath to confirm this fact so he is racist bigot he name me the white honky bastard. I will be able to cut to threads all the contracted liars you have one way or another credit. bility or conflict of interest that WHALE was playing up today but ECO will get it to heal soon. Ana to kai
“Subject: Auckland Transport CAS-642483-D1P0N4 – Transdev and CE Information
Dear Ms Bright
We acknowledge receipt of your open letter to Mr Shane Ellison dated 11 December 2017, requesting the following information:
1) How much have PRIVATE transport provider Transdev received in PUBLIC subsidies from Auckland Transport, on an annual basis since Transdev were awarded the AT rail contract to run Auckland urban passenger trains.
2) How much have PRIVATE transport provider Transdev received in PUBLIC subsidies from New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) on an annual basis since Transdev were awarded the AT rail contract to run Auckland urban passenger trains.
3) How much money have you, Shane Ellison, as new CEO of AT, the delegated authority to spend on awarding contracts.
4) A copy of Auckland Transport’s ‘corruption risk assessment’ – (or the like) regarding your appointment as CEO of Auckland Transport (AT), given that you have just left the employment of Transdev (Australia), and Transdev have the AT contract to run Auckland urban passenger trains.
We are processing your request according to the provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). Under the Act, a response must be provided within 20 working days of receipt of a request, however, due to the Christmas holiday period set by the Office of the Ombudsman, a response will be provided to you by 30 January 2018. This is the maximum response time and we will endeavour to respond to you sooner.
….”
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
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Many thanks to all the Lady’s in the USA for exposing these neo liberal bigots who treat Lady’s like a object baby makers possession ECT they use racial tactics to gain Mana. These fossils need to be purged from power. Before Artifical Intelligents gives these fossils to much power. Now is the time to change OUR worlds views on humanity and mother earth to achieve a prosperous positive future for all OUR Mokos.. New Zealand is turning into the winds of change to a more humane society under the leadership of Jacinda there will be a lot of oberstical for her to tackle I no she will achieve her goals with the support of all the good intelligence humane Kiwi people of NEW ZEALAND.
Ka pai
+100 E M
Ditto E M.
Turning NZ into a more humane society though will take a bit of time.
30 plus years of bullshit means that there are many that have grown up knowing nothing else , and a number who’ve benefited from the same bullshit (neo-liberalism).
Nice one EM.
GROPERS
No. 18: Donald John Trump
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11959328
“GROPERS” is presented by GroperWatch®, a division of Daisycutter Sports Inc.
No.1 George Herbert Walker Bush; No. 2 Bill O’Reilly; No. 3 Al Franken; No. 4 Robin Brooke; No. 5 Lester Beck; No. 6 Arnold Schwarzenegger; No. 7 Joe Biden; No. 8 Rolf Harris; No. 9 Harold Bloom; No. 10 Sir Jimmy Savile; No. 11 Dr Morgan Fahey; No.12 Prince Harry; No. 13 Bill Clinton; No.14 Judge Roy Moore; No. 15 Matt Lauer; No. 16 Richard Branson; No. 17 Warren Moon
Doctors and nurses should not have to do this. In fact nobody should be ALLOWED to do this….
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/320496
There is something deeply disturbing about this
“Doctors and nurses should not have to do this” but neither should people be blocked from the right to have a skilled person do the job for them if they are worried they might botch the process and such a skilled person is willing.
I note from the voting on the first reading of a current bill that a large proportion of Labour MPs voted against the matter even being discussed …. that is to be regretted IMO.
Who are these “skilled” persons who will “do the job”? Abbatoir workers? Soldiers? Professional executioners like we had in this country until 1957?
sactimonious crap! Obviously there will be doctors and nurses with compassion for those in pain for which medication is a poor relief.
are you a vegetarian to denigrate those who work in freezing works? or the soldiers who keep you safe in times of oppression?
Would there be something wrong in being a vegetarian, in your opinion?
Of course not, and I enjoy nicely cooked vegetables to predominate the dish when I eat out. One place I go to lavishly put three slices of roast meat and I now ask for just two and more veges 🙂
jcuknz
This is such a hard subject to keep people on a sane and thoughtful and compassionate line about. I suggest you don’t try analogies or comparisons or parallels with anything as it just gets people straying off thinking about the subject and coming up with silly comments.
When anything serious is to be discussed I have found it is imperative to not introduce anything extra that could derail the discourse.
Did you know that in recent Uni of Auckland survey of drs and nurses almost 80% would choose euthenasia for themselves.
Lets stop putting our beliefs onto the medical profession and let them speak freely for themselves.
Edit to above
80% was the public.
The GP survey came out about 50% with numbers already assisting patients to die
“Did you know that in recent Uni of Auckland survey of drs and nurses almost 80% would choose euthenasia for themselves.”
Interesting..but is there a link to this research…in full?
Editted above
I read the nurses and dr survey which stated they would choose it for themselves when I did a Paper on Euthanasia last year. I read lots so mixing up tge studies but will try to find tge one with them choosing it for themselves.
Nurses are my big concern cos they see tge pain, the families and have to deal with being asked by patients to help tgem die. Im my view a Law is only a small part we need to make sure resources go into assisting nurses deal with all of the above.
tracey
Yes good point.
I think there should be training and support for the medical and legal people who feel they can do this caring work, and be on a list of those who can be contacted as trained in the specialty. It is special dealing with dying people and even more so when there is some choice involved.
I wouldn’t want to have to ask around if I decided to go in my own time.
And always there is a backdrop of the unthinking conservatives and the rigid religious and the monetarised types who worry that someone, somewhere might organise wills and assets to get priority for themselves while others miss out (which already happens so it isn’t an unreal fancy.)
This deep and extraordinarily sensitive report from Grant Gillett should be mandatory reading.
https://www.asms.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/NZMA-euthanasia-Gillett-report-Final.pdf
“The pause occurs when, despite acknowledging that death is perhaps the right option for one’s patient based on very good moral reasons, a doctor hesitates—under the joint prompting of a commitment to a version of the sanctity of life principle, and a sense of care or the individual human being who is the patient.
That commitment may be particularly strong in the case of a new-born child who will, almost certainly, never recover to the point
where it can respond to those around it or develop its human potential.
But, even in such an extreme case, at the moment of recommending that no further intensive efforts be made to
keep the child alive, one might experience the pause.
This springs, we could say, from our being drawn into the nexus of human relationships that surround life, death and mortal illness—a context in which doctors are always entwined.
Such decisions make us delve deeply into our character as moral agents…”
This presupposes that doctors are not already making such decisions… who to resussitate, who to recommend for medication, surgery etc…
Euthanasia should be kept out of all hospitals and health centres of all descriptions. This is not a job for doctors and nurses. Never should it be a burden for them, they have enough stress on their plates as it is. Hospitals will be tainted by the association of euthanasia and it will be a another worry for people who enter these places if they are ill. So called safe guards will be in place but over time the law will be widened for other areas of health. You’d better believe it – we have so little love for one another these days as it is, it will become oh so easy to widen the law. It is a hideous concept – smacks of Hitler’s cleansing of people he thought warranted it.
I just cannot believe that it could eventually become the law – what a ghastly old world it is becoming.
I’m generally in favour of cautious euthanasia law, but I also have concerns about safeguards and I don’t trust our legislation process to design really good laws here.
Having euthanasia generally happening outside of hospitals (e.g. at home or in certain hospices) makes sense, but it would also limit health care for some people.
We need to ask doctors and nurses rather than put our views in them.
I agree with you Kate, and lets look at the next generation – yes the one that does not see anything wrong by stomping on someones head or stoning a kitten to death.
The human race is already on a path of brutalization, why hurry the process? Many “assume” that everybody will treat this issue under a humanitarian point of view.
I doubt that the motivation of legalizing euthanasia is driven by ulterior motives but pursuing this leaves only one option – utter naivety.
“yes the one that does not see anything wrong by stomping on someones head or stoning a kitten to death. ”
That describes every generation not just the next one.
Lets stay current Tracey. I do not remember that even 10-20 years ago such cruelties were common or indeed treated with a somewhat blase attitude.
I agree, everything today is based on its monetary worth – if it can’t pay its way then its of no use to our so called society. First it will be terminally ill, then it will be elderly who have outlived their usefulness, then it will be the young who are incapacitated by physical or mental illness who are getting in the way of the grind of making money.
Just who is fooling who in this scheme of allowing terminally ill people to think they can play God, or whoever you believe in – and get their selfish way and end it as they think fit. Doesn’t it occur to them they are passing the buck onto another human being to do the deed for them. If they are so hellbent on finishing it then go and do it in their own good time and take the responsibility of it themselves. Leave our precious doctors and nurses to live the good life without being state sanctioned executioners.
Well, well, looking more and more like the T4 Program as time rolls on. Looking forward to the next step, let’s get rid of the unproductive people, the disabled, jews, wogs, blacks, gays, this euthanasia thing is working out so well. It’s a slippery slope, but hey we’re enlightened right, right, RIGHT!!!
p.s.
Just in case you need a reference to the T4 – program.
https://www.britannica.com/event/T4-Program
No, we don’t need a link to the T4 programme because any time there’s a mention of euthanasia some religious loon or generally-confused type will flag it as being in some way relevant to the discussion – which it isn’t.
So mobile vans, going around and door to door to perform euthanasia. Do you really think that the Nazis jumped right into the mass killing thing – no wait they got their incrementally.
One big step in that was by getting people to accept that euthanasia was normal and OK. Go read some of the propaganda they produced at the beginning of the program. Odd thing is – you sound surprisingly like them in your attack dog mode.
The tone of annoyance is because commenters claiming this thing totally unlike the Nazis is just like the Nazis really gets on my wick.
So the whole creating a strawman, then the personal attack was something else altogether then?
And sorry, but the state killing people, falls into the category of totalitarianism – no matter how much you want to spin it.
Do you have a view on abortion? On how Hospitals allocate resources, how waiting lists are weighted? How decisions on drug funding are made?
Abortion, choice – Let’s stop it being criminal or mental health.
Hospitals, the boards should be given more training, and allocations of funds. Removal of the massive build up middle management paper pushers which have infested the public service. A implementation of a system of effectiveness to get over the crisis in health from too many efficiency drives.
Drug funding, is as complex as is the whole drug approval. I’d like to see more patient advocate/voices in the whole drug funding, approval and application process. Happy with generics. Happy for us to be supplied from India. Would like to see more production in NZ.
A simple response tracey – Much more than that involved. If I was being a conservative anarchist. I say the only thing we need a state for is Health – a collective approach to health is necessary, as it is sensible.
Thanks adam. Appreciate you answering.
And sorry, but the state killing people, falls into the category of totalitarianism – no matter how much you want to spin it.
That’s arguable, given that countries with rule of law can also have the death penalty.
Let’s skip past that, though: you’re right, the state killing people is a bad idea. If anyone proposes it, feel free to raise the alarm. So far, no-one’s proposed it.
Rules out having Armed Forces too.
Indeed it does.
As I said your proposition, and the same attack dog politics you use is repeating what happened in the mid 1930’s. Sorry you can’t see the patterns. Oh and by the way, the communist voting areas were the people who the nazi regime watched closely when they passed a surprising similar law. (yeah I read it) When they didn’t revolt the leadership breathed a sigh of relief.
Tell you what, the disabled in this country are going to oppose this bill. Because we know our history.
Are you saying that Seymour has National Socialist and Eugenic designs on NZ? I am no fan of his but have yet to see any such tendancies.
One of my issues is some medical professionals are already finding ways to assist death. Is it better to leave this in the dark and pretend it isnt happening or find a way to regulate it?
Look I’ve had one grandparent and one uncle die within the last two years. On both occasions, anti-anxiety drugs in large doses were administered and family were in the room. I did not see any suffering in my uncle’s case. And my mother and Aunt both said their was no suffering in my grandmother’s case.
The doctor did not kill/murder the patient. The family member died of natural causes. And they did not suffer.
We are opening a door to a slippery slope. So NO we should not regulate how we murder people – at any time. We should view life as precious. What the difference once we accept killing old people – to accepting the infirm, then a few years later the deaf and dumb because, you know they don’t have great lives and we are relieving their suffering as well. Maybe the mentally unhinged, it will save on cost and they not really here anyway. It’s happened before, and it’s why I keep bringing up T4.
So contrary to Psycho Milt and his assumption that people are rational and nice, I think people in power are nasty and vicious so handing them a loaded gun is utter stupidity.
Good job that what’s being proposed is voluntary euthanasia and not the involuntary type then, eh?
You know no history – it’s frightening.
You advocate for the abolishment of our Armed Forces, yes?
Have you read this Bill? I am beginning to wonder. By all means oppose it but you seem to be opposing a notion of end of life rather than what is actually being proposed.
I oppose the door being opened.
So see. Not really caring if someone who does not want a baby opts for abortion, I could maybe have to start having a think about it (from a detached distance) if people who do want a baby start to opt for an abortion ‘just because’ it’s not the right ‘type’ of baby.
Can of worms and all that.
Do you mean Female infanticide and Disabled infanticide?
Well no. Because that entails killing infants, not aborting pregnancies.
But yes, I’m thinking in cases of aborting just because the foetus is female – or has, by genetic testing or whatever, a predicted higher chance of developing or being x, y or z.
But when I say “I could maybe have to start having a think about it (…) if”, I really do mean from a detached and purely intellectual level.
When it comes right down to it, I don’t believe the state should play a role. But I say that in relation to also not believing that nuclear family units are sane or sustainable. So whatever decisions may be made, I’d say they should be made at an individual/communal level on whatever basis, or by whatever measure all of the people within that community have agreed upon.
In short, the way this world is arranged is fucked up, and so the situation we have to try to make decisions from within are (how to say) ‘less than optimal’.
Doctors and nurses should not have to do this.
The very first line in your linked article says this service is for people “…whose doctors have refused to participate in assisted suicide.” So, no, doctors and nurses should not have to do this and aren’t being made to, which prompts me to ask “What’s your point?”
I was wondering that too. I assume that for the NZ legislation no-one will be forced to provide euthanasia either (someone can correct me if I am wrong). Just like surgeons who have ethical objections aren’t forced to perform abortions.
Nurses can also refuse to assist in abortions on moral grounds.
This is problematic in areas with low medical support.
Which article?
The one he links to in comment 3 that I was replying to: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/320496
Psycho Milt – here is a point to ponder. If someone wants to die, they can.
Just don’t get someone else to have to carry the burden for the rest of their lives to be a murderer.
Perhaps best to ask soldiers – they have a lot of experience.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-13687796
“If someone wants to die they can”
The point is many cannot.
Some Doctors and some Nurses already do assist patient deaths so the notion that this is a fresh burden is erroneous.
See my post above about not just passing a law but ensuring resources are put into supporting those enacting that Law.
Soldiers sign up to be “murderers” although they do not meet that definition and are specifically ruled out of the Crimes Act so yoyr use of that word is a straw man.
The psychological results of killing someone are real unless that someone is a psychopath. Many soldiers actually “follow orders” due to being otherwise prosecuted themselves. We are talking about people whose emotional well being is influenced by an act of the ultimate violation of natural law. If a person is “hardened”, murder of the vulnerable will have no ethical or moral consequence to their mind. And no rule of the crimes act will negate this.
Tracey, I do not deny that some people feel that they need to end their lives and I understand that in some instances doctors and/or nurses help with “chasing” the process when pain is becoming uncontrollable.
However, if a person is able to express his/her wishes to die due to incurable illness and pain, and equipment is provided for that person to end their lives themselves – who am I to judge. What I do vehemently oppose is, that another party is being asked to take on the task and have to live with the consequential burden.
I am certainly not in favor to have euthanasia practiced on a patient that is non responsive, in a coma, brain damaged – that individual would at this point not be able to decide. Their family might want to share time with them, look after them etc. If there is no one or any or their relatives won’t look after them it should not be just a case of getting the bed freed up.
And of cause there is always the possibility that any possessions are deemed a free for all if only…
There are far more cons than pro’s on this issue.
Instead of supporting an existing Green Party Bill, reports indicate Labour will introduce its own legislation. Raising questions on whether or not they will allow herbal or botanical cannabis to be used for medicinal use.
Surprisingly, the Greens have been silent on the matter.
The Greens are failing to utilise their position to speak out, thus take lead, build and apply public pressure.
Not one press release on the matter on their website.
What are the differences in the Bills?
The Greens Bill can be found here: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_74308/misuse-of-drugs-medicinal-cannabis-and-other-matters
As far as I’m aware, Labour’s Bill is still being formulated.
However, here’s a news report on the matter: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/12/medical-cannabis-legislation-to-get-rolling-next-week.html
Why are you constantly attacking the Greens?
Because they are constantly failing to speak up on a number of issues.
Just because they only secured 6% doesn’t mean they can now throw in the towel and give up the fight.
Although the Greens have their own policy in regards to cannabis use all that was agreed upon in the C&S was a referendum on personal use.
Labour promised medical use to be legalised and it looks like they’re doing that.
The Greens are in favour of that as a step in the right direction.
Oh, and that bill you refer to wasn’t a Green Party bill at all but a members bill.
On this, you have nothing to complain about.
Members Bills put in by Green MPs are Green Party Bills. They don’t allow MPs to put forward stuff that is not policy.
Yes, a member’s Bill put up by a Green Party member.
While it may be a step in the right direction, if it fails to allow for people to grow their own it’s going to fall far short of expectations and what many medicinal users require.
And as indications suggest it will fall short, this is the time to speak up and apply public pressure to help ensure it doesn’t. Yet, the Greens seem to be MIA (by their silence) on an issue one would expect they would be leading the charge, hence the complaint.
Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Have to see the bill first. I suspect that all three parties are discussing it and are probably keeping quiet until they’ve come to some decisions.
Then organise a petition.
Also note that the Greens do have an agreement for a referendum on recreational use of marijuana. If that goes through, as I suspect it will, then there’s going to have to be laws regarding growing your own.
An interesting point on that is that NZ is the only place in the world where it’s legal for anyone to own a still.
My hope is that, when they legalise it for medical use, they also put in several million per year to develop and produce the drugs. Northland would have a major economic boost.
There is really nothing to say until Labour release their bill. The Greens bill is still there so the issue is not going anywhere and Parliament will be forced to address it.
I disagree. The time to start applying pressure is now, before they fully formulate and release their Bill.
It’s like this TC. If the Greens pushed this issue the Natz would persecute them for being a bunch of ne’er do well dopeheads ,just like they always have.
In the eyes of NZ’s immature media the Greens would thus become a one issue party to be scorned relentlessly (nothing new in that though, it would just be rigorously renewed infantilism, which is personified in Hosking et al).
Methinks it would be wise for the Greens to stick to the two objectives…sustainable future and social justice.
“It’s like this TC. If the Greens pushed this issue the Natz would persecute them for being a bunch of ne’er do well dopeheads ,just like they always have.”
They may try, yet public opinion is vastly against them (the Nats) on this one. Therefore, it is unlikely to be successful.
“In the eyes of NZ’s immature media the Greens would thus become a one issue party to be scorned relentlessly…”
Which is why they also need to be more vocal in their other core policy areas, ie sustainable future and social justice.
“Which is why they also need to be more vocal in their other core policy areas, ie sustainable future and social justice.”
And merely legalising medical cannabis, without allowing consented persons to grow and process their own plant material, is not going to be sustainable or just.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11924430
Its just going to allow the unscrupulous to exploit the suffering of others when there is a much cheaper and accessible alternative.
We are a nation of home gardeners. Why not allow us to grow our own plants… the variety specific to our needs… and process it ourselves?
Folk are doing it anyway.
because the concern-o-bot got shit for concentrating too much on Labour.
I read recently that people re-cycling our rubbish wanted clean rubbish and soiled rubbish merely went to the tip. I wonder if anybody had researched the cost to the planet of folk washing-cleaning rubbish before it is put out for re-cycling compared to just being sent to the tip?
My current bete noir is the take-away which gives me food in a nice [I assume recycled] brown cardboard box which gets soiled by the food and dressing so conflicts with the need for clean rubbish.
I had hoped that the recycling process would burn or otherwise get rid of the ‘soil’ similar to re-cycled aluminium where one skims off the slag before pouring into a mould … something I did in past years.
Who is more contemptible here: Narcissus or his groveling interviewer?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgAiQISIqoU
Unfortunately many US Americans really don’t get it do they? Exceptionalism at its worst.
You should try renouncing USA citizenship and see the shit and threats people have to go through.
TOP gone to pot. With their leadership gone I think its all over for the Opportunities Party.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/99839970/gareth-morgan-wont-lead-top-into-2020-election
Maybe he will do what Alan Gibbs did and appoint a puppet or two?
Plenty about….if only judith was more compliant eh.
Maui, 100% there.
Gareth Morgan is – (off his “top”)
Maybe Gareth is going to concentrate on his cat crusade ?
Of the rich man’s vanity parties we have seen to date, only Bob Jones’ “New Zullon” party has been a success. And its objectives were just to kill Muldoon so a far-right infiltrated Labour Party could take power in 1984. It was never intended as a long-term prospect in those far-off FPP days.
Overall, this is a pretty good result for our democracy.
Part of the coup d’état that took over in 1984.
And we still live in that totalitarian neoliberal state 33 years later.
Morgan is staying on as leader in the meantime, but won’t front the Party at the next election.
In his resignation letter, former deputy leader Geoff Simmons said now was a crucial time for the party.
“Over the next 6-9 months it will develop a group of potential leaders to lead them into the next election.
“Much like the All Blacks, any political team benefits from strong competition for any role. Stepping back from my co-Deputy Leader role will encourage new leaders to emerge, which will be good for the party.”
Simmons said he did not currently have the necessary energy to continue in the role as deputy leader, but said if he felt he had regained energy when the time came to pick a new leader, he would throw his hat in the ring.
Ok, my estimation for Simmons just dropped a notch. They really have a culture of a political party being something you create like a business rather than being something that needs to be built from the ground up. I hope they fall over, I want less of this kind of authoritarian, top down stuff in parliament, not more.
Meanwhile, Waitaki candidate Kevin Neill said under current leadership, it was “untenable to have an open, transparent discussion on not only how to create policies, but whether to change them”.
It is understood Morgan called a party meeting during the weekend, in order to take stock of the situation, but a number of people were excluded, including Neill and Hammond-Doube.
Neill said he could not cope with the “dictator-style leadership”, and said he believed nothing would change after Morgan stepped down as leader – he would still take a lead in making decisions.
There was a place for a party like TOP in New Zealand politics, but a different leadership system was essential, he said.
etc.
I wonder that some of them do not move to another party that seems to share many of their goals on
Fairer tax system
Welfare
Environment
😉
No energy after such a short time?
“I want less of this kind of authoritarian, top down stuff ”
Yep that certainly, plus any mention of the All Blacks has to set off the “whoop whoop, shallow, self-interested bollocks about to follow” sirens.
If Gareth was genuinely interested in public policy he would have joined the political party he finds most congenial and tried to influence policy formation. That fact that he’s too immodest to do such a thing shows we’re all better off if he stays out of politics for good.
Yeah. Pretty sure no All Black gives up after 6 months
On the Kids Can charity – have to say I’m against private charities being used to do government work. Modern charities are too glossy and glamorise poverty and take donations from ordinary people and taxpayers but spend it on marketing and staff to promote themselves and increase the donations.
There is a place for private charities but increasingly they are being used by corporates and so forth for their own lobbying and agendas. Disney has a charity that they expected their employees to donate to lobby for TPPA for example. The Clinton Foundation where other countries are expected to give taxpayer money and used the donations to politically to influence.
The rise of corporates like countdown and ASB collecting money for charity and then it looks like they are the ones being generous – NOT the ordinary people paying in the money. They they give a big cheque and everyone things they are responsible community businesses. In the old days ASB for example made donations with their own money. Not just being collection agencies.
Corporates controlling charities lose the whole point of the charity. The Red Cross Raised Half a Billion Dollars for Haiti and Built Six Homes.
https://www.propublica.org/article/how-the-red-cross-raised-half-a-billion-dollars-for-haiti-and-built-6-homes
I see two main problems here … firstly folk object to taxes and secondly the waste by governments/charities as they feed themselves rather than helping those in need.
The simple answer is not to donate but to give to those who you know personally will benefit.
Which will, of course, maintain high poverty levels.
Far better for the government to eliminate poverty altogether but I’m sure that the capitalists will complain about that – as they did back in the 1980s and 90s and their delusional idea that high benefits stopped people from going to work.
Since there are no jobs, or very few, for the unskilled it means poverty is likely to remain with us for the forseable future I am afraid.
Welfare probably does cause those who have not learnt the work ethic to avoid work but this is a problem with the system that encourages folk to want the moon with TV shows and such like but doesn’t provide the jobs to make it possible.
Plus of course there is the tendency of couples to have more children than they can provide for.
For years I have thought that world wide socialism with security for all in their old age would reduce the need for couples to have children, lots of them, to look after them in their old age. Education brings reduced childbearing as the educated realise the huge cost of having a child impacts seriously on their standard of living, particularly when there are few jobs paying well, or anything more than subsistence these days.
And so the government should make upskilling freely available to them.
And, to be honest, I don’t think it’s lack of skills that’s keeping many in poverty. Poverty is a direct result of capitalism. As Adam Smith said, you need 500 poor people to have one rich person.
Without poor people who can be forced to work for the rich then there wouldn’t be any rich because they’d only have the fruits of their own labours rather than the fruits of everyone else’s labour.
Which is, of course, why National always attack beneficiaries and makes them worse off.
All indications are that that is a result of our education system instilling the wrong motivations in people.
No there isn’t.
Basically, you’re pulling out all the old BS that National uses to denigrate and attack good people.
Funny how Super, which is higher than other benefits, hasnt led to all retired ceasing work.
You having children and no work ethic generalisation is largely mythical. Do you also tar all company directors with the brush of those who commit fraud?
Do you have disdain for those businesses claiming holidays as deductions when tgere is no business component, or meals out? Or do cash jobs?
Not sure how true but some commentator on daily blog says Kids Can has 4 million in cash reserves but going wah wah about losing 350k.
Spend the 4 million on the kids don’t keep it in the bank, Kids Can! No wonder there are so many kids in poverty if their money is kept in the bank.
I Guess corporate dimwits in the media like Garner can’t be bothered doing basic research before opening his mouth.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/12/13/are-we-really-sad-kidscan-is-getting-dumped-really/
I have to say I’m impressed the government is cracking down on all this stuff. Natz gave Kids Can over a million but their private charity approach threw more and more kids into poverty.
I read that it was 5 million and think they are just bellyacking.
Thanks savenz that was interesting. and timely as these charities are often just another way of government monetising and privatising their work and services in their expected role in our so-called modern state.
You are coming up with great info and ideas. Merry Christmas and take a break over Christmas just being positive and self-oriented for a while so as to recharge for 2018?
Merry Christmas to you too, greywarshark and to all off us sharing ideas to try to make things better and fairer.
The most positive news is that all who voted and achieved the change of government. At last a new start and new hope for 2018!
I cut way back on my charity donations for much the same reason; too little of the money was reaching those who needed it.
It’s all a bit too reminiscent of the much maligned trickle down theory isn’t it; the flood of donations reduced to a trickle by the time it reaches its intended destination.
DH
I think it is worse than the trickle down aspect. It is the polity withering through deliberate inaction from the government, from the respect for all society to a deliberately underfunded class with deliberately withheld jobls (by allocating them to poor immigrants) that then is largely left to the whims of those wanting to start a business in the not-for-profit charity sector with little tax to pay.
The strugglers then become a human herd for these sharp-eyed petty bourgeoisie to profit from.
https://www.rt.com/uk/412667-corbyn-chomsky-peace-prize-geneva/
And as Wake Up NZ says, no mention in our news either – disgraceful!!
Another example of the corporate press, and controlling the message. Anyone who thinks we have a free press at this point in history, is deeply deluded.
Uhhh, maybe because that particular peace prize is utterly inconsequential? It seems Corbyn himself didn’t even think it significant enough to ever mention it.
https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/7xwxg9/what-the-silence-over-jeremy-corbyns-peace-prize-tells-us-about-new-left-wing-media
And yet…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4331920/PM-Theresa-unveils-new-shorter-hair-style.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3135251/theresa-may-sits-for-vogue-cover-shoot-taken-by-photography-legend-annie-leibovitz/
Umm… Jeremy Corbyn does not strike me as the sort of character to go running around saying “look at me”. The absence of the news in the MSM is without a shadow of doubt the corporate-owned media doing its thing for themselves.
The west and it’s lies. Your comfortable life is predicated on the torture, death and exploitation of the third world. Funny how no one talks about that much…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoB10ddVC0Y&ab_channel=TeleSUREnglish
We’ve been doing it here @adam over the past decade. Shoddy PTE’s and temporary work visas, offshore fishing boats, cash-for-work schemes, et al.
It’s been an industry that, thank your God, is now coming under scrutiny (sort of).
Of course the enablers will go unpunished, whilst the exploited will usually have lost almost everything – except perhaps their dignity.
We the west needs its people to exploit. At least here we did not gun down people from the PTE’s and temporary work visas, offshore fishing boats, cash-for-work schemes, et al.
I agree, and no we didn’t, but in at least a few cases, we completely fleeced them of their ability to support themselves. (so much more seemly than just putting a gun to their head). We should feel oh so proud of ourselves we exploited them in such a civilised manner
You watched the video right? Whole villages just lost their livelihoods, hundreds if not thousands of people.
You’re right though, economic thuggery can have a veneer of civility, but we should call it what it is – fleecing.
I will when I can adam – not on current access though during business hours. However I’ve been following her since her RT days.
Labour is coming for exploiters and need to be aggressive also.
Why should we accept to live well off others pain and suffering?
If so, we are nothing more than wild animals.
“Do to others, as you would have them do unto you”,
As we were taught from the scriptures.
Agreed CG and not fast enough.
The bad news is that neo-liberalism is so insidious it’s cultural, political, economic and to many – religious. It trumps most religions from Catholicism (as we see with Bullshit Bill) to Sikhism (as we see by some fellow Sikhs prepared to rip off others. (Not looking at you Kanwaljit – not much anyway)
Lets not forget the humanitarian crises in yemen and oman as a result of sponsored conflicts.
Please put up some links tc, I will watch or read any that you do post.
But you are right, we should not forget.
+100
Pretty much the result of past and present empires and their proxies.
I think there’s something playing on Aljzaeera atm giving an historical perspective
( Maybe AJ )
NZ Government must now use Rail freight as it will greatly reduce our use and dependence on fossil fuels that cause climate change, and will save our cost of paying for “carbon credits” also.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/arctic-climate-change-report-sea-temperature-rise-melting-ice-caps-polar-environment-global-warming-a8106161.html
1. Environment
Arctic climate ‘report card’ reveals ‘rapid and dramatic changes’ to the polar environment
Yes theres some hard to watch clips of polar bears starving to death as they cant find food anymore
Hard to believe super serum and floorman would get this one wrong.
/
A forged document accusing the top Democrat in the Senate of sexual harassment copied language verbatim from a real sexual-harassment complaint filed against Rep. John Conyers.
On Tuesday afternoon, right-wing social media personalities Charles Johnson and Mike Cernovich boasted of obtaining a document that would put a senator out of a job.
“Michael Cernovich & I are going to end the career of a U.S. Senator,” Johnson posted on Facebook on Monday.
The senator was Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York, Axios first reported.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/mike-cernovich-chuck-johnson-alt-right-hyped-anti-schumer-forgery-that-plagiarized-conyers-complaint
The seven clowns
1 Gissmuppet he started all this and is a bigot and thinks he can hide from eco
2 Dopey he think he is the best hunter and likes to leave dead opposum on the road and burning out tyres.
3 Nobby he’s one of my neo liberal neighbour he thinks he can impose his ideals on the rest of the neighbourhood eco made him feel inadequate about one of his hobbies.
4 sneezy he talks with a lisp and thinks he’s a leader loves the camera I taught him sign language at the caltex
5 Shonky he worships money an one will find him sniffing around an deal to steal money
6 bullysheit well you can’t believe a word he says and he’s a alcoholic
7 dilldo he is a bigot and love to see our valuerable people on the streets and loves to see the poor people starving.
All these clowns have one thing in common they will do anything to see ECO lose his Mana and they are all bigots.
I no you are bribing the man with two names???? Who stole my Mana when Mama died PS I have a witness who won’t lie under oath to confirm this fact so he is racist bigot he name me the white honky bastard. I will be able to cut to threads all the contracted liars you have one way or another credit. bility or conflict of interest that WHALE was playing up today but ECO will get it to heal soon. Ana to kai
Any mainstream media asking these questions?
“Subject: Auckland Transport CAS-642483-D1P0N4 – Transdev and CE Information
Dear Ms Bright
We acknowledge receipt of your open letter to Mr Shane Ellison dated 11 December 2017, requesting the following information:
1) How much have PRIVATE transport provider Transdev received in PUBLIC subsidies from Auckland Transport, on an annual basis since Transdev were awarded the AT rail contract to run Auckland urban passenger trains.
2) How much have PRIVATE transport provider Transdev received in PUBLIC subsidies from New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) on an annual basis since Transdev were awarded the AT rail contract to run Auckland urban passenger trains.
3) How much money have you, Shane Ellison, as new CEO of AT, the delegated authority to spend on awarding contracts.
4) A copy of Auckland Transport’s ‘corruption risk assessment’ – (or the like) regarding your appointment as CEO of Auckland Transport (AT), given that you have just left the employment of Transdev (Australia), and Transdev have the AT contract to run Auckland urban passenger trains.
We are processing your request according to the provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). Under the Act, a response must be provided within 20 working days of receipt of a request, however, due to the Christmas holiday period set by the Office of the Ombudsman, a response will be provided to you by 30 January 2018. This is the maximum response time and we will endeavour to respond to you sooner.
….”
Penny Bright
‘Anti-Corruption whistle-blower’.