Convince the attendees at this conference of our deep determination to stop their mines, their coal and oil fracking, their deep sea oil drilling. Convince them, that despite the assurances, that they have received from industry and government leaders;
That – “IT IS NOT A DONE DEAL”
Become part of a large powerful and effective protest that gives this rich corporate scum, some pause for thought.
Join with others to peacefully swamp their conference with your numbers. Force the issue of climate change and pollution on to their money grubbing agenda. Make the self centred rich and powerful delegates attending this conference, in their bubble of luxury and privilege, confront the real world consequences of their actions. Make sure that whatever they do, the one thing they can’t do, is, ignore you, and all your brothers and sisters.
The holding of this conference in the heart of the North Island, almost perfectly triangulated between those opposed to fracking in the West, to those opposed to deep sea mining in the East, to those opposed to mining in the North. And midway between two of the biggest population centres in the country, is very auspicious, potentially allowing us to rally the very biggest numbers possible
[lprent: removed the first version of this as it looked like a near dup. ]
If Collins is seeking a culture change at ACC, is she not “dissing” Nick Smith. We know that he is history, but if he feels that his reputation is being further smeared, one can assume that the knives will be out and any skeletons in cupboards may be revealed … watch this space.
“We need to reverse this culture of disentitlement that’s taken hold since 2009 and with those key players – [former ACC minister] Nick Smith, John Judge and Ralph Stewart – gone we’ve got the environment to do that.”
Mr Hague said there were serious questions Mrs Collins needed to answer about her role in the Bronwyn Pullar affair.
But Labour’s ACC spokesman, Andrew Little, said Mrs Collins should be the next to go as Mr Stewart’s resignation confirmed the depth of the crisis.
“It is an absolute disgrace, and it is entirely the responsibility of that Government”, he told the House, and accused Mrs Collins and Dr Smith as her predecessor of driving ACC “into the ground”.
Mr Little said ACC now needed a minister who was focused on the needs of ACC claimants rather than on the Government’s “tawdry, nasty, filthy little strategy of trying to fleece people and get people to lose their entitlements”.
[…]
Dr Smith told Newstalk ZB opposition and media views on Ms Pullar had been contradictory – while two months ago people were saying she was a villain, she was now being portrayed as a hero.
“And either of those things are true. Bronwyn is a sad case of a very capable person who’s had an accident and actually well illustrates the dilemma for many New Zealanders involved in ACC as to what is the appropriate time of rehabilitation,” he said.
So Nick Smith is actually implying there should be a cut off point for ACC support, regardless of whether there is a continuing need for rehabilitation? Smith then is actually continuing to support the nasty policy of disentitlement?
And the public attitude to Pullar has changed as more information has been made public. What’s contradictory about that?
What astounded me was the headline – or more accurately headlie:
“Labour: Stop filthy fleecing ACC claimants”
and the actual quote:
Mr Little said ACC now needed a minister who was focused on the needs of ACC claimants rather than on the Government’s “tawdry, nasty, filthy little strategy of trying to fleece people and get people to lose their entitlements”.
It seems there is a new definition of headline – it should now mean exactly the opposite of what is being said in the article….
Stop filthy fleecing ACC clinicians is the headline I want to see. These gravy train clinicians are paid very well. I would like to see a detailed list on what they charge.
I was listening to ZB on the way to work this morning. Hosking interviewed both an expert and Collins with regards to ACC. He had a real open up to competition agenda in regards to his questioning. Both were adamant that ACC is a world best workers compensation system and both cited research that said as much. (I was surprised to a degree that Judith Collins seems to accept that there is nothing to again from competition) Yet still Hosking was banging on about competition being the way forward in summing up. The guys either got a commercial interest or he’s an idiot.
I remember last time it opened up my workplace went with a private outfit, a colleague working in and around flower beds was stung in the eye by a bee with obvious negative effects. The work place insurer tried to say it wasn’t work related so it was ACC’s responsibility while ACC quite rightly said that it was a workplace injury and not their problem. The poor guy was in limbo with medical care and in the end the employer put chasing the insurance in the too hard basket and just paid out of their own pocket.
Be dammed if we should go back to that….
Hey gareth, if people really to find out what it is like dealing with insurers come down to Christchurch – you have an entire city full of people with direct and applicable experience. In this situation, why would people want to even go near private insurers when they are more expensive and absolute c#@*s to deal with.
And yep Hosking always fills his interviews with his own personal small-brain ideologies.
Nick Smith gave a speech during the snap debate over ACC yesterday. He looked to be a broken sad man. I suppose its a Reap what ye sow. Will the policy change under Collins or will it be the same with new clothing?
Collins did front for Campbell Live last night and her smile became very very strained. Had she not been on TV I think her Devil Eyes would have shrivelled Campbell.
Chris Nelderini takes on the oil Polyannas and wins convincingly.
The future of oil prices
“In reality, despite the technological achievements that have enabled production from these difficult resources, the world is losing the race against the depletion of mature conventional oil fields. And the pace of that depletion is accelerating: it’s now an estimated 5 to 6 percent per year for OPEC, and 8 to 9 percent for non-OPEC. Unconventional oil cannot compensate for a drag of that magnitude for very long.
Further, even if the U.S. were to follow the path to so-called energy independence, it would likely cut the lifespan of our remaining oil in half, leaving us to struggle for decades afterward with greatly diminished domestic production at the very time when global oil exports are declining fastest and becoming intolerably expensive.
We also know that the shift to unconventional oil has moved up the floor of oil prices to around $85 a barrel, which I estimated to be the marginal average cost of profitable production worldwide. A report from Bernstein Research, covered in May by the ever-capable Kate Mackenzie for the Financial Times, suggested that the real floor was even higher at around $92 a barrel in 2011, on its way to $100 a barrel this year. This fits with the stated objective of OPEC members to defend a $100 price target.
But there is also a ceiling around $125 a barrel for the global Brent benchmark (roughly equivalent to $105 for the U.S. benchmark, West Texas Intermediate). This is why world oil prices have been bouncing around the “narrow ledge” between that floor and ceiling since the beginning of 2011, as shown in the following chart.”
Leaked documents show New Zealand has agreed to let foreign investors sue the Government in overseas courts. The draft text of the TransPacific Partnership shows Australia has refused to sign up to that part of the deal.
Good on Kelsey for keeping on this case. Would this deal have an impact on any attempt to reverse NAct’s up-coming asset sales legislation?
It contained a section on investor-state disputes allowing investors to claim damages against Governments in special tribunals if their investments are impaired by Government action.
Firstly, this government does not have the authority to enter into such an arrangement with these sorts of provisions as it affects the value of our vote. It goes to the heart of our democracy and more than a skinny arse one-seat majority is required for such changes under our constitutional arrangements. Key is acting ultra vires on this.
Secondly, if investors want to get compensation in the event that the NZ govt changes the rules and that negatively affects the value of their investment, then the NZ govt must, in the exact same manner, get the ability to claim monetary value from the investors when the NZ govt changes the rules and that positively affects the value of their investment.
And actually, thirdly, does that mean that domestic investors also get the right to sue the government in the event that the rules are changed and that affects the value of their investment? Or does it only apply to foreign investors?
For fucks sake;;;;
1. Destroy the value of our vote.
2. Allow investors to sue the government but not the government to sue investors.
3. These benefits only apply to foreigners.
The hapless kiwi – bottom of the heap eating scraps and doing all the cleaning up. Fuck them.
The prevention by big drug companies of the Canadian manufacture of generic drugs (what price Pharmac?); the enforcement of toxic chemical use once the teeth had been removed from Canadian law; and in a related comment the trashing of the Ecuadorian environment by Chevron after overturning the rulings of the Ecuadorian courts.
Wasn’t there a problem with the trade agreement Canada-USA to do with Canada trying to conserve oil or coal to ensure future supply and a US company wanted to access and took them to Court?
“We actually want to attract foreign investment into New Zealand to exploit some of the natural resources New Zealand has because we want this country to grow faster. We want better jobs and we want to ensure our grandchildren can make a future for ourselves.”
Which a) contradicts his stated stance on not agreeing to deals that inhibit the NZ government and b) isn’t needed anyway. If the government really wanted to develop NZs economy then they would be developing those resources themselves and not turning NZers into serfs for foreign owners through FDI.
“We actually want to attract foreign investment into New Zealand to exploit some of the natural resources New Zealand has because we want this country to grow faster. We want better jobs and we want to ensure our grandchildren can make a future for ourselves”
— Tim, use of the words “exploit”, and “grow faster”, are a give away….PS – How will the TPPA provide “better jobs” Tim…
Jane Kelsey has seen a draft of the TPP agreement, in which NZ has signed up to investors being able to sue the government if they consider that their investments are impaired by government action. Australia has objected to this one. According to Kelsey “the draft text should ”worry the heck out of Labour” if it was serious about introducing taxes on capital gains or speculative financial flows.”
This came up on Morning Report as well, which I cannot link because I am not sure how, with Russel Norman challenging it, and Tim Groser replying. Groser attempted to reassure by saying that it would not interfere with health measures, for example, which reminded me of the old chicken ads in which they assured the viewer that “our chickens are not given hormones” with no mention of antibiotics. A big concern, one would think, along with those listed by Kelsey, would be unionisation and workers’ rights, which could well be seen to “impair” some corporates’ investment.
The gross ones statements were quite revealing:
“The New Zealand Government will not sign any agreement that stops us now or any Government in the future from regulating in public health and other legitimate policy purposes.” [my emphasis]
Interesting notion that – legitimate and illegitimate policy …..but then that’s what the TPPA is all about – allowing international courts, rather than sovereign governments to decide what is or isn’t legitimate.
And then the Freudian slip:
“We actually want to attract foreign investment into New Zealand to exploit some of the natural resources New Zealand has..” [my emphasis]
Exploitation – ugly concept, but pretty typical thinking from the Nats
I/S over on NRT has a good write-up of this as well and points out that it’s all been done in secret. This secrecy, IMO, makes the whole process undemocratic and thus illegitimate. You can’t possibly have democracy through secret discussions.
The amount of money spent by Key – after effectively cutting a full-time teacher from every NZ school – so he could have tea with the Queen, scones with the Camerons, and sacher torte with Angela would be enough to fund a Euro Masterchef Trifle for every school kid in Tamaki Makarau on Waitangi Day .
Hah ….. and recommendation for any new member to National caucus
and especially if John Key and Judith Collins are around –
for survival, must remember to bring along sanitiser, eg
I had an idea. It wouldn’t be that hard to find a really good journalist and pay them through a donation system to go looking for the bigger/more important stories?
But, really, does anyone take him seriously any more…. especially on the Local Government Bill’s restriction of local councils to its “core” functions?
If we had a half decent MSM Banks would be gone right now after kim dotcom and Hulich the bloke is a serial liar who has been caught and yet he’s still there.
I’m still waiting for the video the police have on him .. according to sources here in earlier posts … and it’s hard for me to understand how he has no charges laid against him .. isn’t there a police investigation going on re the campaign donations ? What’s taking so long ??
If we progressively raise the age to make it more affordable long term won’t we further disadvantage people who work in demanding labour type roles? I haven’t researched this but surely people carrying out manual labour roles have a shorter work life/ overall life expectancy? As they become unable to work in such roles will they just end up on the unemployment or sickness benefits and once they do make the age for super they will draw it for less time than say someone who is in a more privileged position with top notch healthcare and liable to have a much longer working life and expectancy.
As an alternative would we be better off if we said you can’t receive super and work full time? In my relatively short working life I have had @30 direct workmates of those 6 have received super while working.And/or we start means testing it, I can’t see why we pay super to people with large amounts of cash in the bank who earn enough interest to take care of themselves in relative comfort. We could have some kind of sliding system much like the way Working for Families works. In that the greater your income stream the lower the super payment.
We could set the bar pretty high and still save a packet. I realise their will be people who try to scam the system but surely such holes could be closed through good legislation.
While I’m at we could also trim the top 10% off working for families without serious effect and put that money towards it.
Would we not be better to just set taxation rates so as to make Universal Superannuation affordable at any given time,
This is a rich country at present the spend on the pension is 8% while comparable country’s spend is at 11% and if after every collapse of confidence and loss of capital as the system self destructs under the weight of its own bullshit we were to move the age of entitlement out by a further 2 years then my estimation is that by 2050 the age of entitlement will have become 80 and rising,
I tend to agree with your view about those who continue to work while collecting a ‘retirement’ income and have less of a problem with changing this aspect of the entitlement rather than simply addressing the structural faults in the monetarist system we at present slave under by making the entitlement even more un-attainable…
As an alternative would we be better off if we said you can’t receive super and work full time? In my relatively short working life I have had @30 direct workmates of those 6 have received super while working.And/or we start means testing it, I can’t see why we pay super to people with large amounts of cash in the bank who earn enough interest to take care of themselves in relative comfort. We could have some kind of sliding system much like the way Working for Families works. In that the greater your income stream the lower the super payment.
That (unless I am remembering wrongly) was as it used to be! I don’t remember exactly when, but why it changed is beyond me to understand.
Having heard/seen nothing in the media (or here) re Cunliffe’s speech on Monday at Kensington Swann, I found it in full on the Tumeke website this morning – and have now found a link to it through Google on the Labour Party website:
From a quick read, another excellent speech from Cunliffe focusing on the lessons to be learnt from the Great Depression and their application to the current situation, put in simple terms and taking into account the audience it was being delivered to.
Wow, a politician actually analyzing things and saying it the way it is. And no sugar coating.
Brave speech.
Cunliffe wants to regulate financial markets, he wants us to keep and build our assets, he wants to provide work for everyone, and he wants the state to be smart and to invest in education and research.
He is even talking about a Tobin tax.
He definately does not want to leave our future to the market and he makes a pretty compelling case against doing so.
He made all the right noises but the underlying message is just more of the same. More capitalism, more production, more exports – which is not a path to wealth or sustainability.
Thanks National, Maori party, and,Hone for building a whole new industry,(albeit an illegal one),with the rack raising and revenue gathering of the tobacco taxes,
A small piece in the Herald yesterday, (sorry I’m hopeless at linking back to them), and another last week highlight the recent conviction of both a Motueka man and a Northland man for producing a couple of million bucks of tobacco products, the Motueka man being the grower and the Northland man being the ‘manufacturer’,
Thats just the first convictions after the stupid ‘we are saving your life’ tobacco tax rises and will be the tip of the ice berg of the new burgeoning tobacco black-market brought to you by National/Maori/Mana, which the Treasury in its budget advice to the Minister while laughing up its sleeve describing such revenue gathering from tobacco as an excellent means of taxation as all the participants in the product being taxed are ‘addicted’ and so the tax take is guaranteed,
The cost to the Health budget of 350 million dollars a year has now been far out-stripped by the actual tax collected off of the addicted which has now become an obscene 1.7 billion dollars a year which appears to not only be funding Turia’s personal little slush fund, “Whanauora’ but also appears to be funding to the tune of over a billion bucks a year other parts of the general Government spend,
Amusingly Tariana and Hone ‘walking the walk, and, ‘saving the lives of their people’ by continually calling for the ‘addicted’ to suffer further tax rises are doing far more damage to those individuals in the lower economic decile (who’s votes keep those two’s bums in the leather seats of the Parliament), to the health of ‘their people’ as they sacrifice dietary requirements for the addiction being out-rageously over-taxed…
Amusingly Tariana and Hone ‘walking the walk, and, ‘saving the lives of their people’ by continually calling for the ‘addicted’ to suffer further tax rises are doing far more damage to those individuals in the lower economic decile (who’s votes keep those two’s bums in the leather seats of the Parliament), to the health of ‘their people’ as they sacrifice dietary requirements for the addiction being out-rageously over-taxed…
“I guess she’s been under a little bit of pressure and her memory has been a little faulty under those circumstances,” Green MP Kevin Hague says.
A police statement has raised fresh doubts about Collins’ claims, showing yes ACC did go to the police straight away on the Tuesday, but the extortion complaint against Ms Boag and Ms Pullar wasn’t lodged until three days later meaning there was time for her to discuss it with the ACC bosses, as alleged by the Opposition. The statement said:
How many Christchurch families living in broken houses (waiting for EQC and the insurers to extract heads from arses) can we fit into one famous Parnell residence?
I suggest a respite exchange programme where the Chch families are evacuated to the Key house. The Key family move into a home of one of the evacuated families – for a month. After the month that family returns and the Keys move into another house of a family recently sent to Auckland for R & R.
Apparently there’s a property in Dipton that is not being used that people can stay in.
And what about all those state houses we own. I mean the ones Ministers of the Crown live in. They also could be used to house Ch-ch families for R & R.
The ministers, being in public service for the good of all New Zealanders, would only be too happy to surrender their accommodation.
However, the Ministers would be not be given a housing allowance to find new accommodation as austerity measures are in place because we “do not want to become like Greece” and because of the “mess we inherited from nine years of Labour”.
But not to worry, Ministers will be encouraged to use the tax breaks they received as high income earners to pay for their new accommodation.
They could also, when required to be in Wellington, could “double-bunk” in shipping containers or, better still, move into the English household (after all we pay for it).
the trouble with national is that they all watch the godfather, and the sopranos, annd boardwalk empire and kweewee is so far gone that he thinks he is al pacino, bruce willis and whats his name all wrapped up in one.
steve joyce just looks like woody woodpecker on ibogaine.
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Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 9 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 3Politics: New Zealand Government cabinet meeting usually held early afternoon with post-cabinet news conference possible at 4 pm, although they have not been ...
Trump being Trump, it won’t come as a shock to find that he regards a strong US currency (bolstered by high tariffs on everything made by foreigners) as a sign of America’s virility, and its ability to kick sand in the face of the world. Reality is a tad more ...
A listing of 24 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 26, 2025 thru Sat, February 1, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
What seems to be the common theme in the US, NZ, Argentina and places like Italy under their respective rightwing governments is what I think of as “the politics of cruelty.” Hate-mongering, callous indifference in social policy-making, corporate toadying, political bullying, intimidation and punching down on the most vulnerable with ...
If you are confused, check with the sunCarry a compass to help you alongYour feet are going to be on the groundYour head is there to move you aroundSo, stand in the place where you liveSongwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.Hot in the CityYesterday, ...
Shane Jones announced today he would be contracting out his thinking to a smarter younger person.Reclining on his chaise longue with a mouth full of oysters and Kina he told reporters:Clearly I have become a has-been, a palimpsest, an epigone, a bloviating fossil. I find myself saying such things as: ...
Warning: This post contains references to sexual assaultOn Saturday, I spent far too long editing a video on Tim Jago, the ACT Party President and criminal, who has given up his fight for name suppression after 2 years. He voluntarily gave up just in time for what will be a ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is global warming ...
Our low-investment, low-wage, migration-led and housing-market-driven political economy has delivered poorer productivity growth than the rest of the OECD, and our performance since Covid has been particularly poor. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty this ...
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.As far as major government announcements go, a Three Ministers Event is Big. It can signify a major policy development or something has gone Very Well, or an absolute Clusterf**k. When Three Ministers assemble ...
One of those blasts from the past. Peter Dunne – originally neoliberal Labour, then leader of various parties that sought to work with both big parties (generally National) – has taken to calling ...
Completed reads for January: I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson The Black Spider, by Jeremias Gotthelf The Spider and the Fly (poem), by Mary Howitt A Noiseless Patient Spider (poem), by Walt Whitman August Heat, by W.F. Harvey Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White The Shrinking Man, by Richard Matheson ...
Do its Property Right Provisions Make Sense?Last week I pointed out that it is uninformed to argue that the New Zealand’s apparently poor economic performance can be traced only to poor regulations. Even were there evidence they had some impact, there are other factors. Of course, we should seek to ...
Richard Wagstaff It was incredibly jarring to hear the hubris from the Prime Minister during his recent state of the nation address. I had just spent close to a week working though the stories and thoughts shared with us by nearly 2000 working people as part of our annual Mood ...
Odd fact about the Broadcasting Standards Authority: for the last few years, they’ve only been upholding about 5% of complaints. Why? I think there’s a range of reasons. Generally responsible broadcasters. Dumb complaints. Complaints brought under the wrong standard. Greater adherence to broadcasters’ rights to freedom of expression in the ...
And I said, "Mama, mama, mama, why am I so alone"'Cause I can't go outside, I'm scared I might not make it homeWell I'm alive, I'm alive, but I'm sinking inIf there's anyone at home at your place, darlingWhy don't you invite me in?Don't try to feed me'Cause I've been ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ star is on the rise, having just added the Energy, Local Government and Revenue portfolios to his responsibilities - but there is nothing ambitious about the Government’s new climate targets. Photo: SuppliedLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate ...
It may have been a short week but there’s been no shortage of things that caught our attention. Here is some of the most interesting. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt took a look at public transport ridership in 2024 On Thursday Connor asked some questions ...
The East Is Red: Journalists and commentators are referring to the sudden and disruptive arrival of DeepSeek as a second “Sputnik moment”. (Sputnik being the name given by the godless communists of the Soviet Union to the world’s first artificial satellite which, to the consternation and dismay of the Americans, ...
Hi,Back on inauguration day we launched a ridiculous RFK Jr. “brain worms” tee on the Webworm store, and I told you I’d be throwing my profits over to Mutual Aid LA and Rainbow Youth New Zealand. Just to show I am not full of shit, here are the receipts. I ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump over Gaza and Ukraine.Health expert and author David Galler ...
In an uncompromising paper Treasury has basically told the Government that its plan for a third medical school at Waikato University is a waste of money. Furthermore, the country cannot afford it. That advice was released this week by the Treasury under the Official Information Act. And it comes as ...
Back in November, He Pou a Rangi provided the government with formal advice on the domestic contribution to our next Paris target. Not what the target should be, but what we could realistically achieve, by domestic action alone, without resorting to offshore mitigation. Their answer was startling: depending on exactly ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guest David Patman and ...
I don't like to spend all my time complaining about our government, so let me complain about the media first.Senior journalistic Herald person Thomas Coughlan reported that Treasury replied yeah nah, wrong bro to Luxon's claim that our benighted little country has been in recession for three years.His excitement rose ...
Back in 2022, when the government was consulting internally about proactive release of cabinet papers, the SIS opposed it. The basis of their opposition was the "mosaic effect" - people being able to piece together individual pieces of innocuous public information in a way which supposedly harms "national security" (effectively: ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s move to increase speed limits substantially on dozens of stretches of rural and often undivided highways will result in more serious harm. ...
In her first announcement as Economic Growth Minister, Nicola Willis chose to loosen restrictions for digital nomads from other countries, rather than focus on everyday Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to stand firm and work with allies to progress climate action as Donald Trump signals his intent to pull out of the Paris Climate Accords once again. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
A new monthly podiatry clinic has been launched today in Wairoa and will bring a much-needed service closer to home for the Wairoa community, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Health New Zealand has been successful in securing a podiatrist until the end of June this year to meet the needs of ...
The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today. “I referred the matter of Judge Aitken’s alleged conduct during an incident ...
Students who need extra help with maths are set to benefit from a targeted acceleration programme that will give them more confidence in the classroom, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Last year, significant numbers of students did not meet the foundational literacy and numeracy level required to gain NCEA. To ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced three new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ...
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. The Government has achieved its target to reduce the number of households in emergency housing motels by 75 per cent five years early, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The number of households ...
The opening of Palmerston North’s biggest social housing development will have a significant impact for whānau in need of safe, warm, dry housing, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. The minister visited the development today at North Street where a total of 50 two, three, and four-bedroom homes plus a ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the new membership of the Public Advisory Committee on Disarmament and Arms Control (PACDAC), who will serve for a three-year term. “The Committee brings together wide-ranging expertise relevant to disarmament. We have made six new appointments to the Committee and reappointed two existing members ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora, good morning, talofa, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, da jia hao, namaste, sat sri akal, assalamu alaikum. It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025. Can I start by acknowledging: Simon Bridges – CEO of the Auckland ...
The Government has unveiled a bold new initiative to position New Zealand as a premier destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) that will create higher paying jobs and grow the economy. “Invest New Zealand will streamline the investment process and provide tailored support to foreign investors, to increase capital investment ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced the largest reset of the New Zealand science system in more than 30 years with reforms which will boost the economy and benefit the sector. “The reforms will maximise the value of the $1.2 billion in government funding that goes into ...
Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead for all Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. In the Prime Minister’s State of the Nation Speech in Auckland today, Christopher Luxon laid out the path to the prosperity that will affect all aspects of New Zealanders’ lives. ...
The latest set of accounts show the Government has successfully checked the runaway growth of public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In the previous government’s final five months in office, public spending was almost 10 per cent higher than for the same period the previous year. “That is completely ...
The Government’s welfare reforms are delivering results with the number of people moving off benefits into work increasing year-on-year for six straight months. “There are positive signs that our welfare reset and the return consequences for job seekers who don't fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find a job ...
Jon Kroll and Aimee McCammon have been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “I am delighted to appoint these two new board members who will bring a wealth of industry, governance, and commercial experience to the Film Commission. “Jon Kroll has been an ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hailed a drop in the domestic component of inflation, saying it increases the prospect of mortgage rate reductions and a lower cost of living for Kiwi households. Stats NZ reported today that inflation was 2.2 per cent in the year to December, the second consecutive ...
Two new appointed members and one reappointed member of the Employment Relations Authority have been announced by Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden today. “I’m pleased to announce the new appointed members Helen van Druten and Matthew Piper to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) and welcome them to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Housing and Economic Security, Grattan Institute Marlinde/Shutterstock Most Australians can look forward to a comfortable retirement. More than three in four retirees own their own home, most report feeling comfortable financially, and few suffer financial stress. But ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The weekend byelection in the outer suburban seat of Werribee saw the widely-anticipated slap-in-the-face to Victorian Labor, which is absolutely on the nose. The question is: to what degree were electors venting against federal Labor ...
Mediawatch -Trump's alarmed the world with trade tariffs, turning off aid and proposing to take over Gaza. But New Zealand's had diplomatic drama in the news too - with the media in the middle of it. ...
By Rachel Helyer Donaldson, RNZ News journalist New Zealand should be robust in its response to the “unacceptable” situation in Gaza but it must also back its allies against threats by the US President, says an international relations academic. Otago University professor of international relations Robert Patman said the rest ...
A Christchurch man who lost 55 relatives in three Israeli airstrikes on Gaza says his remaining family will never leave, despite a US proposal to remove them. ...
Asia Pacific Report A national Palestine advocacy group has hit back at critics of its “genocide hotline” campaign against soldiers involved in Israel’s war against Gaza, saying New Zealand should be actively following international law. The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) dismissed a “predictable lineup of apologists for Israel” for ...
ACT Party leader David Seymour said he wrote to police about the treatment of Philip Polkinghorne because it's an electorate MP's job to pass on the concerns of their constituents. ...
MEDIAWATCH:By Colin Peacock, RNZ Mediawatch presenter By the time US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on China and Canada last Monday which could kickstart a trade war, New Zealand’s diplomats in Washington, DC, had already been deployed on another diplomatic drama. Republican Senator Ted Cruz had said on social ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says New Zealand is asking for too much oversight over its deal with China, which is expected to be penned in Beijing next week. Brown told RNZ Pacific the Cook Islands-New Zealand relationship was reciprocal. “They certainly did ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Byelections occurred on Saturday in the Victorian state seats of Prahran and Werribee. The Liberals gained Prahran from the Greens by a ...
A long time ago, Brian Turner wrote a poem in which, among the mountains, as he slept on a river flat … My speechless ancestors played like mice among my dreamsand he woke to the river running over my bed of stone. I have come to know that where a ...
Pacific Media Watch President Donald Trump has frozen billions of dollars around the world in aid projects, including more than $268 million allocated by Congress to support independent media and the free flow of information. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has denounced this decision, which has plunged NGOs, media outlets, and ...
Otago University professor of international relations Robert Patman says New Zealand should provide a robust response to Donald Trump's Gaza plan, and also "should stop tip-toeing" around Trump. ...
The new minister of transport has opened the door for public consultation on at least some of the speed limit changes the government said would be automatic. ...
Officially, they’re called ‘memecoins,’ but Kōura Wealth founder Rupert Carlyon says the crypto world has another name for them: ‘shitcoins’.In digital finance, that phrase is used for tokens that have no true value – in essence, a money-grab.A few days before his inauguration, US President Donald Trump launched his own ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. Guy Williams has made a whole show off the joke that he is a “volunteer” journalist. So getting publicly owned by David Seymour while trying to act as a journalist is a good and timely reminder not to underestimate the nuance and ...
Many of Sāmoa’s beloved dishes are the result of cultural collaboration, writes Madeleine Chapman. All photos by Jin FelletIf you ever find yourself at a barbecue in a Sāmoan home, there’s 99% chance that sapasui (chop suey) will be on the table. For the past century, sapasui has ...
The funnyman takes us through his life in television, including Jono and Ben mayhem, live Telethon flubs, and funnelling all those experiences into his new comedy Vince. There’s an inciting incident in Three’s new comedy Vince where morning television presenter Vince Walters (Jono Pryor) is visiting sick kids in hospital ...
People often claim they just want Waitangi Day to be a celebration. At Waitangi, away from the headlined political acrimony and the marae ātea, celebrating is what most people are doing. The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous ...
Is there anything more fashionable than a Māori get together? One of the best things about Northland is that nobody cares what they look like — probably because they’re all naturally more stylish than the rest of us, famously. Māori from the Far North, especially. In 27 degree heat, wearing ...
I’ve been in love with him since last July, but it’s only now in this tepid hotel room that I find myself wondering why. The first thing he does when we arrive is smoke a cone in the bathroom – he emerges, hacking up a lung, fists thrust into his ...
MONDAY“Name,” barked a representative of the lower orders.I regarded him with a look of stern disapproval, and told him from up high, “May I remind you that I have name suppression. I shall also thank you to ask with more respect as befits a former president of the Act Party, ...
Books of Mana: 180 Māori-Authored Books of Significance, edited by Jacinta Ruru, Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira has just been released by Otago University Press. In this essay, Books are Taonga, Jeanette Wikaira explores her personal relationship to books and their value.For me, books are taonga. The knowledge ...
Get to know Tara, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Tara’s human for their support! Dog name: Tara Age: Two Breed: Mostly Border Collie and a little bit Catahoula Leopard dog If dog ...
Health NZ's CEO has resigned, but frontline healthworkers are sceptical that installing new leadership will make any difference to a system grappling with problems. ...
Health NZ's CEO has resigned, but frontline healthworkers are sceptical that installing new leadership will make any difference to a system grappling with problems. ...
Gail Duncan, Chairperson of the St Peter’s on Willis Social Justice Group, one of the organisations invited to submit on the Bill, says the Government’s actions are unprecedented. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amani Kasherwa, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland In late January, a rebel group that has long caused mayhem in the sprawling African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo took control of Goma, a major city of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University An ad falsely depicting independent candidate Alex Dyson as a Greens member.ABC News/Supplied The highly pertinent case of a little-known independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Wannon has exposed a gaping ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland Nik/Unsplash You might have heard that eating too many eggs will cause high cholesterol levels, leading to poor health. Researchers have examined the science behind this myth again, and ...
Everything you missed from the third day of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard four hours of oral submission. Read our recaps of day one of the hearings here, and day two here. Parliament was quiet on Friday for the third day of hearings on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University Tijana Simic/Shutterstock The news last week that three people in Sydney were hospitalised with botulism after receiving botox injections has raised questions about the regulation of the cosmetic injectables industry. The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens Blotevogel, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader for Remediation Technologies, CSIRO Mino Surkala, Shutterstock Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University Netflix Netflix’s new limited series, Apple Cider Vinegar, tells the story of the elaborate cancer con orchestrated by Australian blogger Annabelle (Belle) Gibson. The first episode opens with Gibson’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dee Ninis, Earthquake Scientist, Monash University Greece’s government has just declared a state of emergency on the island of Santorini, as earthquakes shake the island multiple times a day and sometimes only minutes apart. The “earthquake swarm” is also affecting other ...
All roads lead to Rotorua in August.
Stop the thieves! Stop the polluters! Stop climate change! Stop the poisoners of the land the sea and the air!
Stop the conference of the wealthy environmental vandals being held in Rotorua.
http://www.cvent.com/events/ausimm-nz-branch-2012-conference/event-summary-9bf04bf7cef44d439214fc6296f62776.aspx
Convince the attendees at this conference of our deep determination to stop their mines, their coal and oil fracking, their deep sea oil drilling. Convince them, that despite the assurances, that they have received from industry and government leaders;
That – “IT IS NOT A DONE DEAL”
Become part of a large powerful and effective protest that gives this rich corporate scum, some pause for thought.
Join with others to peacefully swamp their conference with your numbers. Force the issue of climate change and pollution on to their money grubbing agenda. Make the self centred rich and powerful delegates attending this conference, in their bubble of luxury and privilege, confront the real world consequences of their actions. Make sure that whatever they do, the one thing they can’t do, is, ignore you, and all your brothers and sisters.
The holding of this conference in the heart of the North Island, almost perfectly triangulated between those opposed to fracking in the West, to those opposed to deep sea mining in the East, to those opposed to mining in the North. And midway between two of the biggest population centres in the country, is very auspicious, potentially allowing us to rally the very biggest numbers possible
[lprent: removed the first version of this as it looked like a near dup. ]
If Collins is seeking a culture change at ACC, is she not “dissing” Nick Smith. We know that he is history, but if he feels that his reputation is being further smeared, one can assume that the knives will be out and any skeletons in cupboards may be revealed … watch this space.
Nick Smith, today with a weak attempt to continue to undermine Pullar, meanwhile Hague raises an important question and Little tells it like it is:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10812920
So Nick Smith is actually implying there should be a cut off point for ACC support, regardless of whether there is a continuing need for rehabilitation? Smith then is actually continuing to support the nasty policy of disentitlement?
And the public attitude to Pullar has changed as more information has been made public. What’s contradictory about that?
What astounded me was the headline – or more accurately headlie:
“Labour: Stop filthy fleecing ACC claimants”
and the actual quote:
Mr Little said ACC now needed a minister who was focused on the needs of ACC claimants rather than on the Government’s “tawdry, nasty, filthy little strategy of trying to fleece people and get people to lose their entitlements”.
It seems there is a new definition of headline – it should now mean exactly the opposite of what is being said in the article….
Hmmm. Well, at best it could be seen as ambiguous. ie using headline logic it could mean Labour; stop filthy fleecing of ACC claimants
But its not a good headline because of how it can mislead.
…and now its been changed on the on-line version.
Little has a nasty way of letting his mouth move before thinking. I would expect better.
I suppose Gerry Brownlee is your shining light?
CL crushless collins
lol
Stop filthy fleecing ACC clinicians is the headline I want to see. These gravy train clinicians are paid very well. I would like to see a detailed list on what they charge.
I was listening to ZB on the way to work this morning. Hosking interviewed both an expert and Collins with regards to ACC. He had a real open up to competition agenda in regards to his questioning. Both were adamant that ACC is a world best workers compensation system and both cited research that said as much. (I was surprised to a degree that Judith Collins seems to accept that there is nothing to again from competition) Yet still Hosking was banging on about competition being the way forward in summing up. The guys either got a commercial interest or he’s an idiot.
I remember last time it opened up my workplace went with a private outfit, a colleague working in and around flower beds was stung in the eye by a bee with obvious negative effects. The work place insurer tried to say it wasn’t work related so it was ACC’s responsibility while ACC quite rightly said that it was a workplace injury and not their problem. The poor guy was in limbo with medical care and in the end the employer put chasing the insurance in the too hard basket and just paid out of their own pocket.
Be dammed if we should go back to that….
Hey gareth, if people really to find out what it is like dealing with insurers come down to Christchurch – you have an entire city full of people with direct and applicable experience. In this situation, why would people want to even go near private insurers when they are more expensive and absolute c#@*s to deal with.
And yep Hosking always fills his interviews with his own personal small-brain ideologies.
Just after 9 am this morning on RNZ a chap from EQC was on. Insurance and EQC problems were discussed.
Euuww, poor guy! What a terrible farce he went through…
Nick Smith gave a speech during the snap debate over ACC yesterday. He looked to be a broken sad man. I suppose its a Reap what ye sow. Will the policy change under Collins or will it be the same with new clothing?
Collins did front for Campbell Live last night and her smile became very very strained. Had she not been on TV I think her Devil Eyes would have shrivelled Campbell.
Chris Nelderini takes on the oil Polyannas and wins convincingly.
The future of oil prices
“In reality, despite the technological achievements that have enabled production from these difficult resources, the world is losing the race against the depletion of mature conventional oil fields. And the pace of that depletion is accelerating: it’s now an estimated 5 to 6 percent per year for OPEC, and 8 to 9 percent for non-OPEC. Unconventional oil cannot compensate for a drag of that magnitude for very long.
Further, even if the U.S. were to follow the path to so-called energy independence, it would likely cut the lifespan of our remaining oil in half, leaving us to struggle for decades afterward with greatly diminished domestic production at the very time when global oil exports are declining fastest and becoming intolerably expensive.
We also know that the shift to unconventional oil has moved up the floor of oil prices to around $85 a barrel, which I estimated to be the marginal average cost of profitable production worldwide. A report from Bernstein Research, covered in May by the ever-capable Kate Mackenzie for the Financial Times, suggested that the real floor was even higher at around $92 a barrel in 2011, on its way to $100 a barrel this year. This fits with the stated objective of OPEC members to defend a $100 price target.
But there is also a ceiling around $125 a barrel for the global Brent benchmark (roughly equivalent to $105 for the U.S. benchmark, West Texas Intermediate). This is why world oil prices have been bouncing around the “narrow ledge” between that floor and ceiling since the beginning of 2011, as shown in the following chart.”
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/energy-futurist/the-future-of-oil-prices/508
Whoops it’s Chris Nelder. @Nelderini is his twitter name.
Coming to you next from this useless lot in government:
more of NZ’s sovereignty to be for sale
Leaked draft of trade deal exposes risks – professor
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10812873
Holy shit, we should be rioting..
Good on Kelsey for keeping on this case. Would this deal have an impact on any attempt to reverse NAct’s up-coming asset sales legislation?
I think a point of it is to ensure that a signatory can’t do an Argentina – just renationalise an asset and not compensate at all.
There’s probably a few United Nations human rights and weapons conventions I would want the US to sign up to first before agreeing to that.
I agree we should be rioting. Couple things..
Firstly, this government does not have the authority to enter into such an arrangement with these sorts of provisions as it affects the value of our vote. It goes to the heart of our democracy and more than a skinny arse one-seat majority is required for such changes under our constitutional arrangements. Key is acting ultra vires on this.
Secondly, if investors want to get compensation in the event that the NZ govt changes the rules and that negatively affects the value of their investment, then the NZ govt must, in the exact same manner, get the ability to claim monetary value from the investors when the NZ govt changes the rules and that positively affects the value of their investment.
How can either of these points be wrong?
And actually, thirdly, does that mean that domestic investors also get the right to sue the government in the event that the rules are changed and that affects the value of their investment? Or does it only apply to foreign investors?
For fucks sake;;;;
1. Destroy the value of our vote.
2. Allow investors to sue the government but not the government to sue investors.
3. These benefits only apply to foreigners.
The hapless kiwi – bottom of the heap eating scraps and doing all the cleaning up. Fuck them.
What fucking planet are these muppets on?
The Canadian experience is salutory.
http://richardschmitt.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/do-you-think-that-globalcorporations.html
The prevention by big drug companies of the Canadian manufacture of generic drugs (what price Pharmac?); the enforcement of toxic chemical use once the teeth had been removed from Canadian law; and in a related comment the trashing of the Ecuadorian environment by Chevron after overturning the rulings of the Ecuadorian courts.
Wasn’t there a problem with the trade agreement Canada-USA to do with Canada trying to conserve oil or coal to ensure future supply and a US company wanted to access and took them to Court?
Which a) contradicts his stated stance on not agreeing to deals that inhibit the NZ government and b) isn’t needed anyway. If the government really wanted to develop NZs economy then they would be developing those resources themselves and not turning NZers into serfs for foreign owners through FDI.
“We actually want to attract foreign investment into New Zealand to exploit some of the natural resources New Zealand has because we want this country to grow faster. We want better jobs and we want to ensure our grandchildren can make a future for ourselves”
— Tim, use of the words “exploit”, and “grow faster”, are a give away….PS – How will the TPPA provide “better jobs” Tim…
Transparent stuff indeed!
Jane Kelsey has seen a draft of the TPP agreement, in which NZ has signed up to investors being able to sue the government if they consider that their investments are impaired by government action. Australia has objected to this one. According to Kelsey “the draft text should ”worry the heck out of Labour” if it was serious about introducing taxes on capital gains or speculative financial flows.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10812873
This came up on Morning Report as well, which I cannot link because I am not sure how, with Russel Norman challenging it, and Tim Groser replying. Groser attempted to reassure by saying that it would not interfere with health measures, for example, which reminded me of the old chicken ads in which they assured the viewer that “our chickens are not given hormones” with no mention of antibiotics. A big concern, one would think, along with those listed by Kelsey, would be unionisation and workers’ rights, which could well be seen to “impair” some corporates’ investment.
The RNZ links are here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/20120614
There are about 3 separate audio-files on the issue.
“This came up on Morning Report as well …”
Like these ones?
New Zealand cedes rights to foreign investors in trade talks
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2521857/new-zealand-cedes-rights-to-foreign-investors-in-trade-talks.asx
NZ to give foreign investors right to sue govt in trade talks
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2521863/nz-to-give-foreign-investors-right-to-sue-govt-in-trade-talks.asx
And keep an eye for more at, for eg, http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport
Thanks Carol and Jim. I confess to being technologically challenged.
The gross ones statements were quite revealing:
“The New Zealand Government will not sign any agreement that stops us now or any Government in the future from regulating in public health and other legitimate policy purposes.” [my emphasis]
Interesting notion that – legitimate and illegitimate policy …..but then that’s what the TPPA is all about – allowing international courts, rather than sovereign governments to decide what is or isn’t legitimate.
And then the Freudian slip:
“We actually want to attract foreign investment into New Zealand to exploit some of the natural resources New Zealand has..” [my emphasis]
Exploitation – ugly concept, but pretty typical thinking from the Nats
Global Trade Watch’s analysis of this leaked TPP document.
I/S over on NRT has a good write-up of this as well and points out that it’s all been done in secret. This secrecy, IMO, makes the whole process undemocratic and thus illegitimate. You can’t possibly have democracy through secret discussions.
Dear Standard,
The amount of money spent by Key – after effectively cutting a full-time teacher from every NZ school – so he could have tea with the Queen, scones with the Camerons, and sacher torte with Angela would be enough to fund a Euro Masterchef Trifle for every school kid in Tamaki Makarau on Waitangi Day .
Sorry, Chef ..
R with all that food he could become a Contestant on New Zealands Biggest Looser
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10812753
Good to hear our Aussie mates have taste and standard re Paul Henry
‘In the Toilet’
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/7100358/Henrys-shows-ratings-in-the-toilet
Just one quick word of suggestion to the Aussies:
Flush!
nooooo he’ll end uu back here on some primetime spot
please do well in aussie paul and never return to these shores
Can Henry no longer think up anything despicable enough to say? Or is he running scared?
A National caucus meeting
http://www.despair.com/meetings.html
Hah ….. and recommendation for any new member to National caucus
and especially if John Key and Judith Collins are around –
for survival, must remember to bring along sanitiser, eg
http://surviveall.co.nz/images/handsanitiser.jpg
What’s happened to john banks?
I had an idea. It wouldn’t be that hard to find a really good journalist and pay them through a donation system to go looking for the bigger/more important stories?
John Banks is doing his best to stay relevant, on superannuation and the Local Government bill, and ACC.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10812620
http://www.voxy.co.nz/politics/local-govt-bill-will-reverse-labours-failed-experiment/5/126134
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbpol/868585009-Greens-pushing-for-ACC-chairman-to-be-sacked
But, really, does anyone take him seriously any more…. especially on the Local Government Bill’s restriction of local councils to its “core” functions?
Dead man talking!
If we had a half decent MSM Banks would be gone right now after kim dotcom and Hulich the bloke is a serial liar who has been caught and yet he’s still there.
I’m still waiting for the video the police have on him .. according to sources here in earlier posts … and it’s hard for me to understand how he has no charges laid against him .. isn’t there a police investigation going on re the campaign donations ? What’s taking so long ??
The Police might be waiting for him to finish a private cup of tea with the boss.
A question around super,
If we progressively raise the age to make it more affordable long term won’t we further disadvantage people who work in demanding labour type roles? I haven’t researched this but surely people carrying out manual labour roles have a shorter work life/ overall life expectancy? As they become unable to work in such roles will they just end up on the unemployment or sickness benefits and once they do make the age for super they will draw it for less time than say someone who is in a more privileged position with top notch healthcare and liable to have a much longer working life and expectancy.
As an alternative would we be better off if we said you can’t receive super and work full time? In my relatively short working life I have had @30 direct workmates of those 6 have received super while working.And/or we start means testing it, I can’t see why we pay super to people with large amounts of cash in the bank who earn enough interest to take care of themselves in relative comfort. We could have some kind of sliding system much like the way Working for Families works. In that the greater your income stream the lower the super payment.
We could set the bar pretty high and still save a packet. I realise their will be people who try to scam the system but surely such holes could be closed through good legislation.
While I’m at we could also trim the top 10% off working for families without serious effect and put that money towards it.
Doable? Better? Fairer?
Would we not be better to just set taxation rates so as to make Universal Superannuation affordable at any given time,
This is a rich country at present the spend on the pension is 8% while comparable country’s spend is at 11% and if after every collapse of confidence and loss of capital as the system self destructs under the weight of its own bullshit we were to move the age of entitlement out by a further 2 years then my estimation is that by 2050 the age of entitlement will have become 80 and rising,
I tend to agree with your view about those who continue to work while collecting a ‘retirement’ income and have less of a problem with changing this aspect of the entitlement rather than simply addressing the structural faults in the monetarist system we at present slave under by making the entitlement even more un-attainable…
That (unless I am remembering wrongly) was as it used to be! I don’t remember exactly when, but why it changed is beyond me to understand.
God save New Zealand from this Government…..please.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/tpp-fears-realized-in-leak.html
But DON’T save the Government, please, please . . .
Having heard/seen nothing in the media (or here) re Cunliffe’s speech on Monday at Kensington Swann, I found it in full on the Tumeke website this morning – and have now found a link to it through Google on the Labour Party website:
http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=david%20cunliffe%20speech&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CGgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.labour.org.nz%2Fnews%2Fspeech-learning-the-lessons-of-history&ei=SiLZT5z7KMqciQeK37WEAw&usg=AFQjCNE_HFZSUjJYozB7sfOUPw41lJBG0w
From a quick read, another excellent speech from Cunliffe focusing on the lessons to be learnt from the Great Depression and their application to the current situation, put in simple terms and taking into account the audience it was being delivered to.
That’s a good speech and I particularly like the way Cunliffe called Key and cronies corrupt and in cahoots with business.
And cunliffes answer to our woes is… Plant trees, and lots of them.
I too thought it odd it has received no AirPlay on red alert or here. Sharers iron grip asserting its control?
outsider you obviously can’t see the wood for the trees.
Wow, a politician actually analyzing things and saying it the way it is. And no sugar coating.
Brave speech.
Cunliffe wants to regulate financial markets, he wants us to keep and build our assets, he wants to provide work for everyone, and he wants the state to be smart and to invest in education and research.
He is even talking about a Tobin tax.
He definately does not want to leave our future to the market and he makes a pretty compelling case against doing so.
No wonder the right wing hate him so much.
He made all the right noises but the underlying message is just more of the same. More capitalism, more production, more exports – which is not a path to wealth or sustainability.
Thanks National, Maori party, and,Hone for building a whole new industry,(albeit an illegal one),with the rack raising and revenue gathering of the tobacco taxes,
A small piece in the Herald yesterday, (sorry I’m hopeless at linking back to them), and another last week highlight the recent conviction of both a Motueka man and a Northland man for producing a couple of million bucks of tobacco products, the Motueka man being the grower and the Northland man being the ‘manufacturer’,
Thats just the first convictions after the stupid ‘we are saving your life’ tobacco tax rises and will be the tip of the ice berg of the new burgeoning tobacco black-market brought to you by National/Maori/Mana, which the Treasury in its budget advice to the Minister while laughing up its sleeve describing such revenue gathering from tobacco as an excellent means of taxation as all the participants in the product being taxed are ‘addicted’ and so the tax take is guaranteed,
The cost to the Health budget of 350 million dollars a year has now been far out-stripped by the actual tax collected off of the addicted which has now become an obscene 1.7 billion dollars a year which appears to not only be funding Turia’s personal little slush fund, “Whanauora’ but also appears to be funding to the tune of over a billion bucks a year other parts of the general Government spend,
Amusingly Tariana and Hone ‘walking the walk, and, ‘saving the lives of their people’ by continually calling for the ‘addicted’ to suffer further tax rises are doing far more damage to those individuals in the lower economic decile (who’s votes keep those two’s bums in the leather seats of the Parliament), to the health of ‘their people’ as they sacrifice dietary requirements for the addiction being out-rageously over-taxed…
Seconded! 🙂
Natural Standards (video)
DTB
I seem to have a strange desire to go out and buy a Toyota after looking at the video.
Whoopsie…. that politician got amnesia! Not a good look, Judith!
Are you referring to the lie reported on TV3 News ?? She did tell some whoppas to Andrew Little in the House this afternoon it would seem …..
Yes, TV3 tonight.
First the amnesia, then the dodgy replies when her memory miraculously returned in the House today.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Collins-memory-back-over-ACC-police-calls/tabid/1607/articleID/257798/Default.aspx
Collins crushed by her own lies.
can’t get anything right even when trying to crush 1 car she got that wrong.
Off to the back benchs.
Latest opinion poll from Roy Morgan:
http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2012/4792/
Basically no change, Nats up but partners down, Greens and Labour same, all margin of error stuff.
The commentary from Gary Morgan is hilariously bad … totally missing the last 2 weeks of news!
How many Christchurch families living in broken houses (waiting for EQC and the insurers to extract heads from arses) can we fit into one famous Parnell residence?
I suggest a respite exchange programme where the Chch families are evacuated to the Key house. The Key family move into a home of one of the evacuated families – for a month. After the month that family returns and the Keys move into another house of a family recently sent to Auckland for R & R.
Apparently there’s a property in Dipton that is not being used that people can stay in.
And what about all those state houses we own. I mean the ones Ministers of the Crown live in. They also could be used to house Ch-ch families for R & R.
The ministers, being in public service for the good of all New Zealanders, would only be too happy to surrender their accommodation.
However, the Ministers would be not be given a housing allowance to find new accommodation as austerity measures are in place because we “do not want to become like Greece” and because of the “mess we inherited from nine years of Labour”.
But not to worry, Ministers will be encouraged to use the tax breaks they received as high income earners to pay for their new accommodation.
They could also, when required to be in Wellington, could “double-bunk” in shipping containers or, better still, move into the English household (after all we pay for it).
the trouble with national is that they all watch the godfather, and the sopranos, annd boardwalk empire and kweewee is so far gone that he thinks he is al pacino, bruce willis and whats his name all wrapped up in one.
steve joyce just looks like woody woodpecker on ibogaine.
Ideal class size – pass it on