There is more than one truth to tell in the awful story of Aleppo
Robert Fisk
Western politicians, “experts” and journalists are going to have to reboot their stories over the next few days now that Bashar al-Assad’s army has retaken control of eastern Aleppo. We’re going to find out if the 250,000 civilians “trapped” in the city were indeed that numerous. We’re going to hear far more about why they were not able to leave when the Syrian government and Russian air force staged their ferocious bombardment of the eastern part of the city.
And we’re going to learn a lot more about the “rebels” whom we in the West – the US, Britain and our head-chopping mates in the Gulf – have been supporting…..
…..But it’s time to tell the other truth: that many of the “rebels” whom we in the West have been supporting – and which our preposterous Prime Minister Theresa May indirectly blessed when she grovelled to the Gulf head-choppers last week – are among the cruellest and most ruthless of fighters in the Middle East. And while we have been tut-tutting at the frightfulness of Isis during the siege of Mosul (an event all too similar to Aleppo, although you wouldn’t think so from reading our narrative of the story), we have been willfully ignoring the behaviour of the rebels of Aleppo……….
……….Is this too harsh on my profession? Are we really “in league” with the rebels?
Certainly our political masters are – and for the same reason as the rebels kidnap their victims: money. Hence the disgrace of Brexit May and her buffoonerie of ministers who last week prostrated themselves to the Sunni autocrats who fund the jihadis of Syria in the hope of winning billions of pounds in post-Brexit arms sales to the Gulf.
In a few hours, the British parliament is to debate the plight of the doctors, nurses, wounded children and civilians of Aleppo and other areas of Syria. The grotesque behaviour of the UK Government has ensured that neither the Syrians nor the Russians will pay the slightest attention to our pitiful wails. That, too, must become part of the story…….
Joe90 and others regurgitating Jihadi and US propaganda – please read.
It’s bloody concerning how they did the pamphlet drop and have now herded up the people into one area, and the events that have followed over the last few days.
Such as Syrian government going into houses, executing people, and as a result of them being so trigger happy many women and children have died.
Now the army are grabbing any men that head into the ‘protected area’ where the rest of the ‘herd’ are, then giving them a gun and telling them they are now in the Syrian Army.
ALJazeera are now doing almost continuous live coverage of these events.
Al-Jazeera has been criticized over unfair coverage of the Syrian civil war. The channel’s reporting has been described as largely supportive of the rebels, while demonizing the Syrian government.
The Lebanese newspaper As-Safir cited outtakes of interviews showing that the channel’s staff coached Syrian eyewitnesses and fabricated reports of oppression by Syria’s government. It refers to leaked internal e-mails suggest that Al-Jazeera has become subordinated to the Qatari emir’s assertive foreign policy, which supports Syria’s rebels and advocates military intervention in the country.
In March 2012, Al-Jazeera correspondents Ali Hashim and two others resigned from their jobs because of objections over the reporting on the conflict. They reported that Al-Jazeera paid $50,000 for smuggling phones and satellite communication tools to Syria’s rebels. Hashim concluded, “The channel was taking a certain stance. It was meddling with each and every detail of reports on the Syrian revolution.”
Ahmad Ibrahim, who is in charge of the Al-Jazeera’s coverage on Syria, is the brother of a leading member of the rebels’ “Syrian National Council”. Al-Jazeera reportedly put pressure on its journalists to use the term “martyr” for slain Syrian rebels, but not pro-government forces. Ahmad Ibrahim, who is in charge of the Al-Jazeera’s coverage on Syria, is the brother of a leading member of the rebels’ “Syrian National Council”. Al-Jazeera reportedly put pressure on its journalists to use the term “martyr” for slain Syrian rebels, but not pro-government forces.
I don’t think is a reliable independent non aligned middle eastern news provider.
However there are some freelance independent non aligned journalists.
Eva Bartlett and Vanessa Beeley (both linked above by Paul) have been providing good info. One problem, (and Eva Bartlett touched on it in the vid link above) is that the non-mainstream left media has been going with the same narrative as the mainstream liberal media. That means their first hand accounts get no oxygen from the likes of ‘Democracy Now’ and other reasonably well regarded outlets. So less well regarded outlets are used.
Which then leads to the charge that they are right wing conspiracy nuts.
But you know, even just reading the Guardian with half a brain engaged would allow anyone to figure we’ve been fed a tsunami of bullshit. Mosul is the same situation as Aleppo, and yet the reporting could hardly be any more different. (Mosul seems to have dropped off the pages now – too difficult to square that circle I guess).
Look at the sources used by The Guardian and others. Always voices purporting to come from within non-government areas and always (it seems) filtered through Syrian Rights Observatory (a one man operation based in England), or footage and claims made by the ‘White Helmets’ (created by an ex-military Englishmen with historical links to Blackwater and other such orgs) being picked up on and reported on with no accompanying critical thought or analysis.
Never interviews with people who have sought the safe haven of government held areas. Never interviews with people who have been subjected to mortar attack in Western Aleppo. Never any video footage from there either.
And as Fisk points out, in the words of ‘our’ media terrorists ‘retake’ cities while cities ‘fall’ to the government.
And so it goes.
Thankfully, and at last, the tsunami of bullshit may be breaking. And thanks for the comments/postings Paul.
Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations’ Dr Zaidoun al-Zoabi told Morning Report the situation is “the worst ever”.
“These are the most terrifying times humanity’s seen, if there is anything called humanity.”
What is the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations?
This is part of that “tsunami of bullshit” you mention. A few differences between Mosul and Aleppo:
1. Mosul actually is occupied by Da’Esh, unlike Aleppo.
2. The rebels in Aleppo are part of an uprising against a brutal dictatorship, while the people occupying Mosul are part of an uprising against secularism, democracy, human rights and anything else that’s good about the modern world.
3. The forces attacking Mosul aren’t carrying out indiscriminate aerial bombing of civilian neighbourhoods, unlike the forces attacking Aleppo.
4. The forces attacking Mosul haven’t deliberately destroyed every hospital available to the people trapped there. This and 3 above are the main explanation for the different media coverage of the two battles.
5. The forces attacking Mosul aren’t rejecting out of hand cease-fire requests from the defenders, unlike those attacking Aleppo. (True, they might reject cease-fire requests if Da’esh were to make any, but no such requests will be made – another difference.)
And here’s the thing. This is the tactic of the Syrian government as voiced by Assad (make of that what you will). Promise safe passage for armed foreign terrorists out of populated areas. Then re-engage with the intention of driving them out of Syria.
You, Paul and Morrissey always declare me poorly-informed, as though I’d surely develop an enthusiasm for illiberal authoritarian nationalism if only I read up on it a bit more. It’s almost comical.
In the Syrian civil war, there is no ideological superiority to be had – it’s not objectively worse for western countries and the Gulf states to support the Syrian rebels than it is for Russia and Iran to support the Assad regime. The reign of terror that Assad is about to start in east Aleppo will be a terrible crime against humanity, but probably won’t be hugely different from the one that rebel groups would embark on if they’d won.
Those things don’t make Assad and Russia the villains of media reporting on this conflict. What makes them the villains is their campaign of aerial bombardment against the civilian population, emergency workers and hospitals of east Aleppo. No amount of energetic false-equivalence finger-pointing by illiberal authoritarians on this blog or elsewhere can alter that.
I regard the views of Patrick Cockburn and Robert Fisk way above the new writers on , RNZ, Fairfax and NZME.
For someone who was once a poltician, you appear hopelessly ill-informed.
Fisk and Cockburn are not ‘ trying to portray Assad as the noble liberator of his people.’ Clearly you have not read the articles, yet feel comfortable commenting on them.
Typical Tory. Willfully ignorant.
You need to do a lot more reading on the subject.
So here goes the usual mantra again, which we must repeat ad nauseam to avoid the usual hate mail and abuse that will today be cast at anyone veering away from the approved and deeply flawed version of the Syrian tragedy.
Yes, Bashar al-Assad has brutally destroyed vast tracts of his cities in his battle against those who wish to overthrow his regime. Yes, that regime has a multitude of sins to its name: torture, executions, secret prisons, the killing of civilians, and – if we include the Syrian militia thugs under nominal control of the regime – a frightening version of ethnic cleansing.
Yes, we should fear for the lives of the courageous doctors of eastern Aleppo and the people for whom they have been caring. Anyone who saw the footage of the young man taken out of the line of refugees fleeing Aleppo last week by the regime’s intelligence men should fear for all those who have not been permitted to cross the government lines. And let’s remember how the UN grimly reported it had been told of 82 civilians “massacred” in their homes in the last 24 hours.
But it’s time to tell the other truth: that many of the “rebels” whom we in the West have been supporting – and which our preposterous Prime Minister Theresa May indirectly blessed when she grovelled to the Gulf head-choppers last week – are among the cruellest and most ruthless of fighters in the Middle East. And while we have been tut-tutting at the frightfulness of Isis during the siege of Mosul (an event all too similar to Aleppo, although you wouldn’t think so from reading our narrative of the story), we have been willfully ignoring the behaviour of the rebels of Aleppo./blockquote>
Wayne, one of the things Frisk might be angry about is the British PM off selling arms to the Saudis.
Now if you have talked to any US or British vets you will know the one thing they hate above all the bureaucratic BS, is fighting guys who are using weapons made by them. I was a dinner a while a go with some Yanks, and they got quite upset talking about finding terrorist’s with brand new US equipment. Also some of the pome’s I’ve talked to have said the same thing, in one case worse, because the jihadist’s had some ammunition they could not get.
So from a purely military view point, it does seem some of the politicians are right tossers when it comes to making a buck selling arms. I’m not sure the British PM selling arms to the Saudi’s is going to endear her to her own troops.
Keep up the good work Paul and adam. The western propaganda is slowly being exposed but sadly the damage is done and the incorrect beliefs are now ingrained in so many westerners. We must all realize that in war truth is the first casualty, but the blind acceptance of either sides version is still prevalent( on both sides).
As with the Vietnam war when the truth finally comes out it certainly exposes the bullshit the west promulgates . Nothing has changed.
It should be noted that only 2 Arabian/Persian Gulf States use beheading as a form of execution – Saudi Arabia and (Assad’s & Iraq’s) ally Iran (although last used in 2001). Benin and Yemen are the only 2 other states that use beheading as a legal form of execution. As an aside Iran executes twice as many people a year than Saudi (although it has twice the population), About 45% are for drug offences (which is roughly the same proportion as in Saudi).
It’s interesting how we in the “West” now seem to resile at beheading over other forms of execution (as if the death penalty is acceptable in any other form) however France used beheading for execution up to 1981 (last execution in 1977), Sweden executed its second to last criminal – mass murderer Johan Filip Nordlund – by a manual cleaver in 1900, replacing it with a guillotine, which was then used for the first and only time in 1910 (death penalty abolished there in 1921). Beheading by guillotine survived in West Germany until 1949 and in East Germany until 1966 (also 40,000 Germans were legally executed under the Nazi regime, most of them by guillotine).
We may have got there before some of the rest of the world in finding beheading as an unacceptable form of execution but not by that much.
I don’t think he will receive a knighthood in New Zealand at all. He will get a well deserved award of the Order of New Zealand. He deserves it a great deal more that many of the hacks who have got it in the past.
The Queen on the other hand may make him the third New Zealand member of the Knights of the Garter.
It is the reason that David Lange, Mike Moore, Jim Bolger and Helen Clark got it.
I think, although I may be in a minority among those who contribute here, that he was at least the equal of any of that group.
On the other hand he is vastly more significant that Sonja Davies, Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan and Jonathon Hunt ever were. How they got into the top 20 living New Zealanders at any time is beyond me.
“Key can’t handle it when under pressure.
Far too used to a compliant media.
Cracks when really questioned.”.
You are living in a dream world Paul.
Just the way Helen Clark did before the first Leader’s debate in 2008.
Just as John Campbell did before his session with Key on the GCSB.
In both cases Key took them apart.
You, like them, forget what Key’s profession was before he went in for politics. People in the Forex dealers profession have no nerves. They simply don’t crack under pressure. They cannot do the job if they don’t have that characteristic.
@ amirite (2) .. Yep spot on there. And don’t forget the treason, selling NZ off bit by bit, interfering with our sovereignty by attempting to change the flag, then trying to really sell us down the river with the (now failed) TPPA.
Qualifications for a knighthood indeed. Seems most of the confidence tricksters get one eventually.
New Year honours coming up. The title Sir (John Key) should have some pathetic clout with his Hollywood mates, Wall St and the likes! They go for anything with a bit of fancy decoration to it, even if it does stink to high heaven through the shit sticking to it. It’s all about facade and that’s what Key has been the past 8 years, a facade, fabricated by Crosby/Textor, much to the detriment of NZ!
“Finally, Key made his way, waving, down the steps of Parliament, as he was greeted and applauded by every suck-up loser he’d ever seen or worked with in the capital. He hated most of them, but he shook their hands and hugged them anyway.
“You’ll fail,” he whispered in Bill English’s ear, before hopping into his crown car, and disappearing into the foggy wilderness of our memories.”
I know and it explains perfectly why National slumped to the high 40s, oh wait they didn’t because most of NZ saw it for what it was, a political hit job manufactured by Bradbury
Assault, I’d have thought. Certainly became an international embarrassment for Key. Bet he wishes he’d taken his wife’s advice and grown up a little, kept his hands to himself and behaved as a Prime Minister should.
So the waitress’s account of what key’s interaction with her was, is unbalanced and unreliable. How do you know that?
You are just too afraid to read it aren’t you.
It might be if left wing people actually did that. But since they don’t, you’re talking shit 🙂
(myself, I don’t avoid WO and KB because they’re right wing, I avoid them because they neoliberal, neo-fascist, dangerous bullies. Which is a different thing entirely).
Pukish Rogue has the name John Key stamped on his backside so has difficulties recognizing the former prime minister as a pervert. No wonder his two children have issues.
Not just stupid, but sexual harassment, physical harassment, abuse of his position of power, and bullying.
Some above were confusing ‘sexual abuse’ with ‘sexual harassment/physical assault’, but that doesn’t mean that what Key did was merely an error of judgement. It had real world impacts on the person he was harassing.
Martyn Bradbury has all the subtlety of a landmine. He doesn’t really do “hit jobs” and Machiavellian scheming really isn’t his MO. A waitress had been repeatedly harassed by the PM, and he reported it. It was hardly some vast conspiracy to destabilise the government by smearing John Key. Key smeared himself by acting like an ill-disciplined, testosterone-addled teenage boy. And those desperate to protect Key from the consequences of his own, frankly bizarre, actions, hauled her over the coals accordingly. Shame on the whole damn lot of them.
Just wanted to mention that all the kids know about johns creepy ponytail pulling, seriously it has and did create much talk between them, especially it created discussion among the parents of girls, such is the legacy he leaves behind for the children. Well at least it brought up the narrative of good and bad touching so I will give him that.
When i was a kid it was Piggy Muldoon, but what Key is now known for by kiwi children is far more sinister. JS
You’re decent enough to add the mad smiley face at the end of your comment @ 3.1 PR. Tipping that you’re just taking the piss with that comment. If not mate, sorry, but you’re fucked. Close to Jonestown. But nah you’re not there. You give it away with “Slur” John Key.
Mayor Phil Goff has granted me speaking rights at tomorrow’s Auckland Council Governing Body meeting.
(WHEN : Thursday 15 December 2016.
TIME: 9.30am
WHERE: Auckland Town Hall
Reception Lounge Level 2
(Open to the public – support welcome 🙂
My subject matter is as follows:
1) The unprecedented bribery and corruption verdict involving Auckland Council Controlled Organisation, Auckland Transport, announced on Friday 9 December 2016 (on ‘International Anti-Corruption Day’) has provided evidence which supports what I have been saying for some time.
Namely, that you cannot have transparency or accountability, without proper written records available for public scrutiny.
“Claims the relationship between Noone and Projenz was informal and verbal-only during the seven-year duration of the relationship – explaining the total lack of documentation – “defies common sense,” Justice Fitzgerald said.”
In my considered opinion, seven years of a ‘verbal-only’ /’informal’ relationship between this Auckland Transport senior manager and private contractor, also clearly ‘defies’ the statutory obligations arising from the Public Records Act 2005, s.17:
(1)Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
(2)Every public office must maintain in an accessible form, so as to be able to be used for subsequent reference, all public records that are in its control, until their disposal is authorised by or under this Act or required by or under another Act.
(3)Every local authority must maintain in an accessible form, so as to be able to be used for subsequent reference, all protected records that are in its control, until their disposal is authorised by or under this Act.
How on earth did this happen?
What was the ‘systems flaw’ that allowed this total lack of documentation to occur for SEVEN years?
Where was the auditing – internal and external – that failed to pick up this total lack of documentation for SEVEN years?
How widespread is this lack of documentation, regarding ‘relationships’ between those who award contracts, and those who receive contracts?
Not just at Auckland Transport, but across Auckland Council and all CCOs?
2) In my view, as an ‘Anti-Corruption Public Watchdog’, it is now more necessary than ever, to instruct the CEO of Auckland Council, and the Boards of all Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) to comply with the statutory requirements of the Public Records Act 2005, and make the following information about awarded contracts, available and easily accessible for public scrutiny, by publishing them on the front page of Auckland Council and all CCO websites under ‘Procurement – Awarded Contracts’:
a) The unique contract number.
b) The name of the consultant/contractor.
c) A brief description of the scope of the contract.
d) The contract start and finish dates.
e) The exact dollar value of each and every contract, including those subcontracted.
f) How the contract was awarded – by direct appointment or public tender.
2) FYI, here is the above-mentioned decision of Justice Sally Fitzgerald on 9 December 2016, in the Auckland High Court:
CRI-2015-044-001286 [2016] NZHC 2971 THE QUEEN v STEPHEN JAMES BORLASE MURRAY JOHN NOONE
In my view, in order to learn the lessons from this unprecedented bribery and corruption verdict, both this decision, in full, plus the full transcript of evidence, should be made available for public perusal on the websites of both Auckland Council and Auckland Transport.
3) For Auckland Council to comprehensively and thoroughly investigate the cost-effectiveness of the underpinning private procurement model for Council (and CCO) services, when significant international research has proven that contracting out is actually ‘bad business’, and twice as expensive as in-house service provision.
“Bad Business: Billions of Taxpayer Dollars Wasted on Hiring Contractors”
What this above-mentioned unprecedented bribery and corruption verdict has revealed, in my opinion, is not just that ‘contracting out’ is BAD business, but it can and has bred corruption.
Penny Bright
‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption Public Watchdog’
Don’t be such a killjoy SM – good luck Penny – you sock it to them about the bribery and corruption that is going on with the council and the rorters who get away with overseas trips etc – its hard enough to keep up with our rates up here in Auckland so we need more like you Penny – mores the pity that people like Stunned Mullet don’t get off their asses and try to do more for exposing corruption on the council.
The Public Records Act does not control making records available or publishing them. That’s the role of the LGOIMA as you have been repeatedly told, you mental midget.
If we review the Key years, the trends are unmistakable. Business interests have been given top priority, social and environmental issues have been increasingly relegated to the second or third rank. Public assets have been privatised and the public sector and public spending have been subject to constant cuts, the law has been changed when required to suit the interests of overseas corporations.
Workers’ rights have been reduced, employers have been given more power. Child poverty, and poverty more generally, has increased and life on benefits is tougher. The rich have enjoyed tax cuts. Homelessness has re-appeared in our midst and owning their own home is now beyond many young Kiwis; those already owning their own homes and property speculators in particular have made fortunes from soaring house prices.
It is John Key’s politics, not his personality, that have produced these intended outcomes. They have been produced not by a relaxed middle-of-the-roader but by a dedicated ideologue. They are the result of a particular kind of neo-liberal politics, of a consistent and deliberate push from our Prime Minister to turn New Zealand into a “trickle down” economy (and society), one that clearly differentiates between winners and losers, where the top priority is to ensure winners do even better and losers get by as best they can.
A few years ago, the then Premier of Queensland, Campbell Newman, was contemplating asset sales to raise cash. He sought advice from John Key as to how he could get away politically with what he knew would be an unpopular measure. Key’s advice, as reported in the New Zealand media? “Do it in small stages,” he said, “and people won’t notice”.
Here, in other words, was a political operator who knew exactly what he was doing. It is no accident that he was highly regarded by his right-wing colleagues in other countries, to the extent that he has for some time been chair of the International Democratic Union, the global association of right-wing political parties.
He had, after all, achieved what so many of them had struggled with – he had sold a neo-liberal agenda to voters who would normally have rejected it as extreme and contrary to their values.
The Opposition, and the Labour Party in particular, always underestimated John Key. What they saw was no more than a genial glad-hander and a seat-of-the-pants chancer – at best, a populist adept at winning the centre ground. It was only a matter of time, they thought, before he came unstuck.
What they missed was a sharp political intelligence and a clear ideological commitment. The result – they were always fighting the wrong battle.
No we do not. I think it would be educational if a true right wing political party took power a couple of years just to show you what it would really be like.
Partial sell down of assets, nope it’d be back to Rogernomics and sell everything off
Partial increase for benes, the first time in something like 40 years, nope it’d be slashing the benefits and there’d be a maximum amount of time on the benefit
WFF, nope nothing.
Interest free loans, nope the interest would come back and you wouldn’t be able to leave the country until they’re paid
You think the msm is bad now, well get ready for a crackdown on political websites criticising the government
Voluntary trade unionism, get ready for banning of trade unions
90 day fire at will, too soft it’ll be no reason needed at any time
You’ve got no idea of what would really happen if right wing (forget hard right) party really took charge, you sit there in your nice, safe, comfortable little corner of the world and think (hope) this is a hard right party
I like John Keys centrist government and, in hindsight, Helen Clarks centrist government.
The only enjoyment I would get out of a hard right government being sworn in is you finally experiencing a hard right government and what that actually entail.
I believe most people in NZ want either a centre left or centre right party, they (the majority of voters) do not want a hard right or hard left party.
“The only enjoyment I would get out of a hard right government being sworn in is you finally experiencing a hard right government and what that actually entail.”
He was a little worried that government entities like the Ministry of Social Development and Housing New Zealand were not doing enough to reduce numbers accessing expensive services…
“”it’s a bit hard to tell if they are trying hard enough. We don’t know a lot about what happens in some of these fairly big outfits so we are always arguing internally between myself and Treasury about whether we need to step in or not.”
English says the process of examining the big cost-drivers is called the responsibility model because it throws the responsibility back.
“The traditional view of the public service is when things get tight, Treasury and the Minister of Finance are responsible. We are saying ‘no it’s you, you’re the chief executive, you’re responsible’.””
Well, Bill as you ascend to the throne…kinda like a congratulatory gift, the inquest is being heard at the moment into the death of Wendy Shoebridge.
“Shoebridge, a 41-year-old mother, was found dead in Lower Hutt on April 3, 2011.
The day before, she opened a letter saying she was to be referred for prosecution over an alleged $22,000 benefit fraud.”
An investigator from WINZ was under unbearable pressure to send this letter…he didn’t want to, or at least he wanted to deliver it in person as he was concerned about her…she was slowly recovering from severe depression.
But no…his boss, obviously acting under instructions from Much Higher UP…ordered the letter sent.
” After her death, that amount fell to about $5500.”
And in an update tonight…http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/87469253/shakeup-at-msd-after-woman-died-and-manager-was-accused-of-abusing-staff
…we read that this manager
“was accused of firing a staple gun at staff she didn’t like, and calling one a “f…tard” in front of colleagues, an inquest has heard.
The inquest in Wellington into the death of Wendy Shoebridge heard allegations of a dysfunctional Ministry of Social Development office in which the prosecution of suspected benefit fraud was a major priority.
The manager has not had the chance to respond to the latest claims, and the inquest on Monday also heard suggestions the manager was herself under pressure. The hearing was told last week that a quota system for prosecuting beneficiaries was in operation in 2011, when Shoebridge died.”
Well, Bill…this is why you have that smirky, twisted little smile on your face. You might want to have a wee think before you see your promotion as an affirmation that there is widespread approval for your social investment model.
You see…this Coroner has the MSD in her sights, just as the Judge did in the Ashburton Shooting case…http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/87258487/msd-convicted-after-judge-says-staff-felt-unsafe-in-ashburton-office
…and although the court can’t actually fine a Ministry…there was harsh condemnation….
How many deaths, Bill???”
THIS is what “hard right” looks like PR…its here in NZ, and has been for the past seven years.
I could link to other posts where I and others have highlighted cases where Kiwis from “the middle” have been subjected to appallingly inhumane treatment by WINZ when applying for a benefit to support themselves and their families while undergoing cancer treatment.
You see PR…when ‘middle NZ’ fall upon hard times and have to go down to WINZ to access supports they are entitled to and encounter shit treatment like that….borne out of rabidly right directives from the government…it increases the numbers of those who have been dehumanised by the state, and those people in turn come to a fuller appreciation of the way the ‘system’ has alienated those who have had to interact with it for many years. This is called “sympathy”…a foreign emotion to the sociopaths who sit on the government benches.
Like it or not there IS a rising tide of compassion in “middle” New Zealand for those Bill the Lizard calls the “large liability”….simply because there have been a huge number of people across all strata who have been impacted directly or indirectly by these draconian policies.
No pithy, cryptic one-liners to demonstrate your superior knowledge and insight?
The government you claim has been benignly ‘centrist’ has instituted an offensive against the most vulnerable of New Zealanders, and unfortunately for this government the negative impacts have splattered way beyond those people Bill the Lizard targeted openly in 2010.
Now, if this translates in a reduction of support for National depends on whether opposition parties can drag their arses off the spike that seems to lock them into a ‘centre’ position.
I simply disagree with you because you’ve highlighted a couple of incidences over 7 years so really it doesn’t prove anything but I do appreciate the effort
…this Coroner has the MSD in her sights, just as the Judge did in the Ashburton Shooting case…
Be careful what you wish for. The judge was punishing MSD for not putting sufficient barriers between its staff and the nation’s social welfare beneficiaries. MSD management know what the judge is telling them:
“… it was estimated by MSD chief executive Brendan Boyle that the cost of outfitting its offices with bulletproof glass and guards could be up to $200 million.
MSD has already placed guards at offices and has been trialling a new layout at offices in Wellington and Levin.”
Back in 1979 while signing up for a job on a Student Work scheme I was sent to apply for an emergency benefit. The benefit department was just like a bank. Long counter with glass/perspex shields between client and staff.
Conversations were, by necessity, held fortissimo…so the poor sod recently discharged from Tokanui had to tell his story for all of us assembled to hear.
Ah, the good old days.
This was in Hamilton….don’t know if it was like this elsewhere.
Spot on PR, first sign of hard right or left countries, blogs like the standard don’t exist Paul however finds meaning in raging against the machine, no matter what that machine if he was in a hard left country he would be hard right
Like many here Paul, when you start with “You need to educate yourself” normally followed by a barrage of left wing links and videos I don’t go any further as I have seen what it has done to you
Trite slur from a closed mind. You would probably enjoy the documentary because you would get great satisfaction from cheering the Baddies while learning nothing.
You are absolutely correct Paul, J Key is the chairman of the International Democratic Union – a hard right think tank of international businessmen, bankers etc who gather in different places in the world and get up to no good. It does’t get much of a mention over here in sleepy ol’ New Zealand but is worth looking the IDU up to see what its all about. He played with us here and he did it very well indeed. Tinfoil hat wearers probably agree he was sent here to do a hatchet job on this country, I have no idea why he came here other than collecting handshakes, selfies, big noting and meeting world leaders. He has a job lined up somewhere after his holiday in Maui I have no doubt, IMF maybe but most certainly in the US.
Isn’t it a paradox, he flies out to a Hawaiian holiday as quick as he can bugger off – shouldn’t he still be here – isn’t the House sitting for another week – the ultimate indulgence and Mr Shearer is off to the “shittiest place on the planet” Paul Henry’s words – to try and stabilize South Sudan – how different can two men be. I didn’t know Paul Henry had been an on the ground reporter in South Sudan but he said South Sudan was the quote above on today’s morning show.
Well one has been leader of the country since 2008 and left with his party in the high 40s the other was knifed in the back by his own party (though wouldn’t Labour love to have shearers numbers)
Their careers may be quite different Pucky but Shearer’s previous job was one you had to have cajones of steel for plus a rough lifestyle in arid conditions and seriously dangerous situations – he may not have been cut out for political life and that’s not such a bad thing considering its rife with corruption, dirty politics and other unsavoury things, he is better off out of it. You cannot compare the positions of the two but I know which is more admiring of and its not the selfie obsessed ex PM.
He will be as far away from the UN as he can possibly be, away from the machinations that go on there. His job out there will be to help the people of South Sudan where his life will constantly be in danger – Key never had the bottle for anything like that – Pucky you never give up – Key was a selfish me me me person, he never gave a jot for this country and the fact that so many people thought the sun shone out of his ass is a terrible indictment of the morals and ethics of such a lot of people. How has it come about that there are still so many fogged up and their antennae all skewed and could not see through this sham of a man. It was staring all of us in the face so plainly – go back Pucky and watch John Campbell’s programme “Meet the Leaders” and see how much he bothered with his wife on the programme, it was shameful – JC saw it but then he has his antennae right in tune. The man is a shallow hollow man – get used to it.
Hes an intelligent, erudite and a complete troll. When he states how he thinks Labour will sweep to power, despite the abundance of polls and polling that suggest otherwise, he’s doing it because he knows he’ll get a reaction
Actually I come for the humour, for the education (yes I do listen to some people), to get a different viewpoint, to pass the working day, for all types of things
and what I’ve noticed is that most of the posters here probably have a lot more in common then there are differences
Bryan Gould was the most left wing contender for the leadership of UK Labour in the mid 1990’s. So I guess for him a centrist like John Key is a hardline neo-liberal (or “dedicated ideologue”). That also seems to be the default setting of most commenters on this site.
However, if that is how Labour is going to try and position National, they will fail. It hasn’t worked for 8 years and it won’t work for the next election.
But MMP will provide an opening. Winston is likely to hold the balance of power and will therefore decide the next government.
If National is quite close to 50% it might be hard for him to ignore the public legitimacy that confers, especially if Labour is below 30%. On the other hand if that is the case he can pretty much demand Labour give him the PM ship for the first two years as the price of power.
I wonder where Bryan stands in relation to Jeremy Corbyn. He must know him quite well since they spent more than 10 years in the Hose of Commons together. Does he think Jeremy is the answer, or not?
How about debating the issue rather than shooting the messenger.
‘It is John Key’s politics, not his personality, that have produced these intended outcomes. They have been produced not by a relaxed middle-of-the-roader but by a dedicated ideologue. ‘
The political attitudes of people tend to influence their opinions. None of us are immune to that.
Bryan’s writings over the years show he is a man of the left, so what I perceive as the centre, will be for him hard right, the product of a “dedicated ideologue”.
Nothing wrong in pointing that out.
Pat, I see no evidence that John Key was anything other than moderate right of centre. If Standardnista’s want to believe the something different, fine, but don’t expect it to go uncontested.
The policies of Key would have been far right of most National and Conservative parties of the 70s. Then he would have been seen as an extremist.
But, thanks to relentless propaganda from right wing think tanks and willing politicians like yourself, the Overton window has moved far to the right.
John Key was totally chameleon and “blokey” in his behaviour.
English and Bennett haven’t got any chance of keeping that up. If their honeymoon lasts until the New Year they will be lucky. After that it will all turn to custard.
I said Labour now “appear” far left, not Andrew. His job is to inform and engage those voters that flee at the mere suggestion of social policies as being on the verge of a communist dictatorship. Not easy, in this highly reactive, tribal, sensation seeking climate.
Special investigation: How Mt Eden’s private prison went from golden child to a misfit
A week, they say, is a long time in politics. A few months can be swift and brutal.
April, 2015, Corrections Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga stands in Parliament to face questions about the private prison operator, Serco.
“In the last prison performance table, might I just add, Serco’s Mt Eden Corrections Facility was the most exceptional prison,” he tells the House.
Serco Mt Eden: the golden child.
July, 2015, Lotu-Iiga is back on his feet in Parliament.
“I am appalled at the images that were shown in the last week that have come out of our corrections facilities,” he says, in reference to the YouTube footage of Mt Eden Fight Clubs.
Sam has always been a scape goat. Now he is standing down from his portfolio as well as not seeking re-election. Once again we hear the excuse of ‘family reasons’ for his decision, frequently used excuse of late.. ‘family reasons’
There should be an early election, all these Nat MP’s simply giving up, how many now.. seven or so of them about to quit, but hanging in there until next election, using the excuse of not wanting the tax payer to foot out for a by-election, while they continue to get a salary for a job they are no longer interested in.
Get some guts Bill and see if the people really want you and your party that is falling apart to lead NZ. This is NOT what many voted for, your government is wasting our tax payer money by paying salaries for quitters.
Early Election
Judith I’d say you will have some questions to address today.
Part of me has always felt a bit sorry for Sam. He, along with Alfred Ngaro, was an obviously uncomfortable “fiapalagi” prop to Keydashian’s widely and pridefully bugled election-time swings through South Auckland. The two of them by their presence purporting to verify a picture of Keydashian as the deserving beneficiary of Polynesian “fa’aaloalo ma talitonuina” (respect and trust).
A total crock of course but nothing like a spot of triennial smiling/anagram/sliming when someone has something you want. Going by what I’ve observed during long and close association with various mature and well-established members of Sam’s own aiga indeed, there was always lots of private tittering about that whole carry-on. For the rank bullshit of it. As bullshitty and insulting as Sam’s assertion on TV a couple of years ago that saving-up the 20% deposit on a $650,000 house is reasonably do-able by ordinary people.
I’ve seen no more heartfelt regard for Keydashian than for Tuilaepa. Tune in to Auckland’s Samoan talkback radio some time.
Judith hailed Serco’s entry into Mt Eden prison but Sam has got the chop. let’s wait and see where he pops up. National always reward those they use to make themselves look like “clearing out” with plumb, well paid jobs. Mike Sabin anyone?
A crap interview by Espiner he got his come up ins this morning from Winston
and the interview with Blinglish was even worse the day before rather weak to say the least it was a save our funding interview in other words we wont ask the hard questions he might cut our funding again even worse he might get rid us like they got rid of Campbell
Oh dear. Did he drop another cigarette onto his pin-striped, double breasted, booze sodden suit and set himself alight again?
He really needs someone with him at all times to keep him from harm.
I listened to that interview and its quite amazing stream of consciousness ramblings. As always he reverted to talking about the Wine Box affair, the highlight of his life, at least in his own failing memory.
Winston today was best summed up by a little item in the introduction to the book of “Yes Minister” episodes.
Talking about Sir Humphrey it says –
” …. before the advancing years, without in any way impairing his verbal fluency, disengaged the operation of his mind from the content of his speech.”
Sums the old fellow up beautifully doesn’t it? It will be a sad loss when he stumbles out of the House for the last time.
I’ve noticed in the last week or so that all these barbs being shot at Winston. It’s like something happened so that right-wing criticism about alcohol use suddenly became ok – it’s almost as if there is no around to take a hit on the return volley.
The last two times Winston has gone into coalition it has always been with the largest party, will you still say the same thing when Winston (most likely) goes with National?
Good call. Winston believes the tide is turning on this and has stated his position. Bill must be freaking out right now having forgotten what it’s like to be in the top job.
Good to see your bitter arse paining Alwyn. Your reason for taking breath having fucked off. Poor diddums……left all alone in Jonestown. Hurt hard troll !
Are you still around?
I thought you had gone back to your Kindergarten and left the adults to talk.
You still owe me an apology by the way. Remember?
Or is you memory like Winnies?
“Child Poverty Action Group: The Child Poverty Monitor results reveal no significant improvement for the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty, proving that any Government efforts to reduce the impact of poverty on children are insignificant.
That the numbers remain so persistently high demonstrates that poverty among New Zealand children is enduring and long-term. Policies have made little to no change for the better for many children.”
If we review the Key years, the trends are unmistakable. Business interests have been given top priority, social and environmental issues have been increasingly relegated to the second or third rank. Public assets have been privatised and the public sector and public spending have been subject to constant cuts, the law has been changed when required to suit the interests of overseas corporations.
Workers’ rights have been reduced, employers have been given more power. Child poverty, and poverty more generally, has increased and life on benefits is tougher. The rich have enjoyed tax cuts. Homelessness has re-appeared in our midst and owning their own home is now beyond many young Kiwis; those already owning their own homes and property speculators in particular have made fortunes from soaring house prices.
“The Child Poverty Monitor results reveal no significant improvement for the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty, proving that any Government efforts to reduce the impact of poverty on children are insignificant.”
Which can also be re-written as:
“while there have been improvements in the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty, even in light of a Global Financial Crisis, more need to to be done to make further significant improvements”
There you go, same content, drop the negativity, add context and make your point.
Also: “The Child Poverty Monitor results reveal no significant improvement for the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty”
I would have thought that a near 50% reduction in cases if SUDI, approx 40% drop in deaths from conditions with a social gradient, >50% reduction in deaths from assault, neglect or maltreatment, and an approx 20% reduction in hospitalisations due to assault, neglect or maltreatment would be classed as significant…
Child Poverty Action Group – I am free if you would like people to actually read and think more in depth about what you are saying, rather than just immediately switching off to the negativity. Hell, you may even get the Government to buy into your message.
I didn’t vote Internet Mana because I’m a strategic voter. Never voted Labour because there’s always been something to the left (apart from the first time I voted and then I voted an independent). I’d vote for Harre in a flash in the electorate vote, and could easily see her in either Labour or the Greens. She’d be a great asset as a left wing MP in any party, which is the point you seem to be deliberately trying to obscure.
Righties trying to make out they know what left wing voters want, lolz.
Well Robert I think I’m going to have to disagree with you on this one, people will see Liala and think KDC
However I maybe attempting a double bluff and secretly I’m scared of Laila coming back…so it might best if Laila if Laila goes for an electorate seat maybe even a really high profile seat so everyone knows Lailas with Labour 🙂
It wasn’t public money so I don’t know what you’re so upset about. Unlike National of course who aren’t shy about using public money to give sub 1% parties a leg up into parliament.
I’m not but I’m pointing out that even with the colossal amount of money and free publicity Laila Harre couldn’t get a seat especially given how highly you rate her
Laila didn’t stand for Mana. She was the leader of the Internet Party. Yes I understand there was an alliance, but giving Laila credit for increasing Mana’s vote is a very long stretch.
Where did say she had nothing to do with them? I was simply pointing out she can’t be given any credit for Mana’s increase in vote. In fact, given the influence of the IP, Hone did incredibly well to get any votes.
My friends have made the story of my life. In a thousand ways they have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges,
and enabled me to walk serene and happy in the shadow cast by my deprivation.
Helen Keller
Brownlee is a failure in Defence, the auditor general was not impressed with his department. Maybe his health is hindering his performance, probably more like a lack of skills and experience in that role is the problem.
“I was disappointed to note that the Defence Force did not adequately assess material changes in the fair value of its assets on a timely basis. Without enough assurance on this matter, both the Defence Force and my appointed auditor had to carry out substantial additional work, which led to significant delays. This is unacceptable. I stress that it is important for entities to prepare accounts in a timely manner and to an appropriate level of quality.”
Another area of interest is housing and the value of government owned housing especially in regards to their ongoing search for community buyers in order to create the much opposed sale of state owned assets…. outgoing government likes those house prices to be kept high, it makes their asset base appear more inflated.
Having trouble finding buyers? Why not offer some of the properties to first home buyers at a good rate, sure you won’t make the massive profit that you accounted for, but hey looks like you want to flick them off below value anyway, zero deposit rent to own, that would give many a bit more of a chance at living, after all they are just sitting empty, wasting away during a housing crisis excuse me building boom lolz
“The valuation of the Government’s investment in its social housing portfolio (primarily held by Housing New Zealand) is based on the highest and best use and on comparable market sales data for each individual property. In the year ended 30 June 2016, the value of the social housing stock increased by $3.2 billion, largely as a result of increases in the value of Auckland properties.
2.47
As part of the Social Housing Reform Programme, the Government announced that it is taking steps towards transferring ownership of some Housing New Zealand houses and tenancies to registered community housing providers. This has raised some specific accounting issues.
2.48
We identified this matter because of the judgement involved in determining the appropriate accounting treatment for social houses proposed to be transferred to community housing providers, either sold or redeveloped as part of the Government’s social housing reform programme.”
Jacinda Ardern is considering Mt Albert. She will humiliate in that seat the next token minority National puts up.
Perhaps National will dig up a gay, climate-change denying Ethiopian refugee as the face of their campaign in a desperate attempt to appear relevant and diverse.
It’s an impressive sustained rise by NZFirst there.
Would expect National to go even higher on the back of the dominant media coverage surrounding both the Kaikoura earthquakes and the leadership change.
There’s very, very little space for Labour or other Opposition figures in the media until February 2017.
Also very hard to see significant %% of voters switching away from National into 2017.
Wow, how impressive was the nose dive that Cunliffe took Labour on! I haven’t look at his term as leader of the opposition like that before.
Based on Shearer having Labour in the mid-30’s, and Cunliffe taking Labour to the low 20’s, I now completely agree with Andrew Little and a number of commentators here, Labour should ignore the center and move further left.
Sure, I used to be in the Coromandel electorate (1999 and 2002) when Jeanette Fitzsimons was the local MP. I thought she was a brilliant, straight up local MP and I was still in a FPP mind set so gave both of my votes to her.
2005 I opposed Labour’s interest free student loans (even though I had a huge student debt at that point), and didn’t like Don Brash’s racially divisive tactics, so I held my nose and voted Winston First.
2008 – 2014 I voted National. I was sick of politics by this stage, but John Key’s move to work with Helen Clark and Sue Bradford on the ‘anti-smacking’ legislation, plus his centrist policy platform and general pragmatism leading up to the election lead me to vote National, and I haven’t seen a viable alternative since (except maybe The Greens again at the last election).
I had been considering TOP at the next election until they ruled out pushing the Big Kahuna in their first term.
I keep coming back here as my interest in politics has increased since becoming a Dad, and I found I am nowhere near as far right as Whaleoil or Kiwiblog commenters.
EDIT: I do miss seeing comments from Lanthanide and CV recently, they generally seemed to be the most closely aligned with my own beliefs
There’s a weird spritzer-gulping species that does take a holiday from National and vote Green from time to time. Met quite a few. Influenced principally by their freeholding, maybe even cross-lease, in the well-leafed suburbs in which they reside. It’s a ‘pro-test’. Real hard out bastards. On the ramparts. “Patu Squad” and all that. Hehehehe.
Yes, there are a few like the above, CV, Lanthanide, Ad, and David Farrar who simply and blindly hate Labour. They skirt around Labour to the left and right but can’t explain why.
“They skirt around Labour to the left and right but can’t explain why.”
Why would anyone vote Labour? If you want a neo-liberal party you vote National, if you want a party with social and environmental conscience vote Greens. Labour sort of sits in between tinkering without thinking of consequences of their actions (see WFF, Interest Free student loans, Seabed and Foreshore etc.), at least National are open about what they are and The Greens stick to their principles.
Ha, well I don’t fit that mold North, try a ‘brown bottle’ beer drinking renter, living in Otahuhu which is pretty far from a ‘well-leafed suburb’!
In fact, you couldn’t have gotten it any more wrong!
Wonder why Key liked him so much.
His impartiality?
“And can I make one special thank you to the best pollster in New Zealand — and don’t charge us more for it — David Farrar, who got his numbers right!”
The biggest news that dwarfs all other news.
We need a thread to discuss what is going on in the Arctic.
Parts of the Arctic were an average of 11 degrees Celsius warmer than they were in the late 20th century as the region experienced “extreme record temperature anomalies”, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has said.
The report found the average annual air temperature over land areas was the “highest in the observational record” at 3.5C above 1900. Sea ice levels also fell to the lowest since satellite records began in 1979.
These are both likely to indicate the warmest Arctic weather for tens of thousands of years.
The Arctic has a considerable effect on the northern hemisphere’s weather with some experts saying the rapid warming of the region – more than twice the global average – could produce “catastrophic” extreme weather events
for much of the planet.
“For Arctic researchers, communicating the impacts of our discoveries has taken on an unprecedented urgency in the face of environmental change that – in many instances – is outpacing our ability to understand and explain the changes we are witnessing,” the report said.
Professor Peter Wadhams, the head of the Polar Ocean Physics Group at Cambridge University and author of the book, A Farewell to Ice, warned the loss of snow cover, which has hit a record low, and sea ice was speeding up global warming.
“I calculate that between them they are causing the effective heating of the planet to be 50 per cent higher than would be caused by the added greenhouse gases alone – entirely due to snow and ice retreat,” he told the Independent in an email.
Professor Wadhams suggested that Arctic sea ice was “well and truly set on a collapse”.
And this, he warned, could have a dramatic and sudden effect on global temperatures.
“The warm sea water melts the offshore permafrost, which releases methane trapped in the sediments below,” Professor Wadhams said.
“There is potential for a catastrophic methane pulse which cause immediate warming of up to 0.6C , according some calculations which we did in [the journal] Nature a couple of years back.
Problem is PR Labour is not the party of the rich and powerful. They can’t pay them off or find them a good little lurk somewhere among the pile of quangos and other such bodies.
Jilted MPs who don’t get looked after have a habit of turning on their former pollie masters. The political landscape is full of them.
Puhlease….the Nats and Labour are both past masters at lining up current and former MPs with diplomatic postings, appointments to boards and appointments to such nebulous rorts as the film and literature review office and ltes not talk about the bipartisan annual rort that is the speakers tour.
You are correct. Both parties fill diplomatic postings etc. with their own people. They would be crazy to do otherwise. I’m not talking about those sort of positions. Now what’s the name of that National Party trust? Ahhh, that’s right, its called the Waitemata Trust…
I suspect Foss is in a sulk now his ex squash partner is gone, and he now intends to work full time on his investment portfolio that he’s so damnably proud of.
Craig Foss to step down, another National Party MP resigns for ‘family reasons’ and does not want to stand down until next year to avoid a by election.
Told ya’s the National Party is falling apart, most of their MP’s hearts aren’t in the job, but they are happy to collect the salary until next year using the excuse of ‘avoiding the tax payer the cost of a by election”
FFS THE CITIZENS OF NZ DEMAND AN EARLY ELECTION!!
WHERE ON EARTH HAS OUR DEMOCRACY GONE ?
1. John Key – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
2. Hekia Parata – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
3. Craig Foss – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
4. Sam Lotu-liga – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
5. Chester Borrows – want;s to do something different, awaiting the courts in regards to a careless driving causing injury charge.
6. Jono Naylor – quits after one term in parliament
7. Lindsay Tisch – quits for family reasons
8. Murray McCully (standing down in his electorate MAY stay on the list instead)
9. English is the same (quitting his electorate for the list),
That’s quite a number of Nat MP’s. No wonder they don’t want an early election, they’ve much work to do.
As for the general public as suggested I’ve been asking around, many National supporters feel let down that English is PM.
Why is everyone leaving for ‘family reasons’ ? Is it because the National Party is a toxic environment at present? These events scream instability to me
What would be interesting is looking at the average length of tenure across the MPs of the 3 (4) major parties.
I’m thinking there would be little difference between Labour and National with third place going to NZ (with the Winnie outlier discounted) and the Green party being the most rejuvenated over the last ten years or so.
WTF? He taught the lesson. It was English who first tried to brand the National Party as more of a centrist, caring party between the hard-line Shipley and Brash periods.
Ho Ho Santa Claus I’ve bigger fish to fry than spending time conducting polls, I’ll just keep listening to the people, and seeing this is an amazing tourist town, there will be plenty of them to converse with. People tend to open up to me, not sure why, but one learns so much by listening.
Crikey you never know, might take a wander around some camping grounds with my note book in hand, ALL walks of life come here for summer.
Where the tourist are from kinda of depends on what day it is.. during the week this last month you will find most shopping in the supermarket have accents.
During the weekend it’s different, many NZer’s flock to Motueka and many more are coming, already the main road is congested, it’s that time of year when one ditches the car for the bike around town, it’s quicker and easier.
Nothing is more fun on a holiday than having a political person coming around the campground with a notebook interrupting family time. Especially when you start trotting out your “outgoing government” and “Alpha Andy” sayings.
I’ve this one comment that is a sure fire conversation starter, simple interesting, and all one has to do is listening after saying it.. goes like this..
“Gosh I was shocked last week when John Key resigned”
And it’s all the encouragement people need, everyone has an opinion on his resignation.
Seeing Hosking pop up is an absurd departure from those rules. People seem to be annoyed by different aspects of his character: his incessant pen-clicking, his vacuum cleaner fetish, his short attention span, his tendency to talk over female co-hosts, his unshakeable certainty on complex topics he seems to know little about, his smug, intolerant, I’m-alright-Jack approach to the world.
But for everyone, there’s something about the man that grates. I’ve yet to meet anyone who was an unqualified fan of the man (although I’ve never met Kate Hawkesby, who I assume must think he’s alright, and I’ve never met Hosking, which isn’t surprising as he’s never agreed to an interview with this organisation in my memory). For me, it’s all of the above. But I can (and do) avoid him. But now I can’t.
The saving grace is that Hosking’s role in the in-flight video is to sit in his flash car in a traffic jam, looking annoyed.
But in reality, Hosking’s part in the Air NZ video is of course, to show that the Great Mike can have a good old laugh at himself. And of course, as we’ve seen over and over again in his pompous Seven Sharp sermons, he can’t.
Many of Air NZ’s repeat customers have sat through Dagg’s one-note rap on multiple occasions with commendable restraint, never once ripping the screen from the seat in front.
Whether they can survive multiple views of the Hosk is less certain.
Air NZ safety ad – brown(ish?) really is the new black……but of course living and working in the Bay of Islands/Hokianga I already knew that, as to the real brown at least. Can’t withhold the lament that it’s a pity the racists/classists who skitter nervously by the Kaikohe District Court, nostrils clenched shut (metaphorical me), don’t appreciate that. Also…….can’t for the life of me imagine why anyone thought a cameo by scarecrowishly slight, grimacing, impatient, entitled, mutton-as-lamb, white dork Hosking…….that this works for the safety of any fucking thing. It’s Judge Judy in skinny jeans on meth’. Must have been some special ‘tatou tatou bro’ going on down in Aux when this got made.
An absolutely fantastic piece by Stephanie Rodgers has been published in Overland today. The subject is “Solidarity” and is essential reading for those on the left IMO.
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Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
Open access notablesImproving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society:To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
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There is more than one truth to tell in the awful story of Aleppo
Robert Fisk
Joe90 and others regurgitating Jihadi and US propaganda – please read.
Western media lies about Syria exposed (Canadian journalist Eva Bartlett)
Why Everything You Hear About Aleppo Is Wrong
It’s bloody concerning how they did the pamphlet drop and have now herded up the people into one area, and the events that have followed over the last few days.
Such as Syrian government going into houses, executing people, and as a result of them being so trigger happy many women and children have died.
Now the army are grabbing any men that head into the ‘protected area’ where the rest of the ‘herd’ are, then giving them a gun and telling them they are now in the Syrian Army.
ALJazeera are now doing almost continuous live coverage of these events.
Did you read Robert Fisk’s article?
Al Jazeera is not a reliable source on Syria.
Al Jazeera’s controversies and criticism
Al Jazeera reporter resigns over “biased” Syria coverage
Al Jazeera: From Media Power To Laughing Stock
Thanks for the info, that’s sad about AJs apparent dodgy agenda re Syria.
AJ is the only news channel i have on my tv so i do watch a bit of it, love the listening post.
I wonder where is a reliable independent non aligned middle eastern news provider?
And thanks so much for all the links you have provided on Syria, it’s much appreciated Paul. Cheers for that.
I don’t think is a reliable independent non aligned middle eastern news provider.
However there are some freelance independent non aligned journalists.
Patrick Cockburn.
The rebels of Aleppo will fight on, but Assad is taking their last power base in Syria
This is why everything you’ve read about the wars in Syria and Iraq could be wrong
Robert Fisk
There’s one key difference between the Second World War and the Syrian conflict – the rebels of Aleppo are no heroes
Eva Bartlett and Vanessa Beeley (both linked above by Paul) have been providing good info. One problem, (and Eva Bartlett touched on it in the vid link above) is that the non-mainstream left media has been going with the same narrative as the mainstream liberal media. That means their first hand accounts get no oxygen from the likes of ‘Democracy Now’ and other reasonably well regarded outlets. So less well regarded outlets are used.
Which then leads to the charge that they are right wing conspiracy nuts.
But you know, even just reading the Guardian with half a brain engaged would allow anyone to figure we’ve been fed a tsunami of bullshit. Mosul is the same situation as Aleppo, and yet the reporting could hardly be any more different. (Mosul seems to have dropped off the pages now – too difficult to square that circle I guess).
Look at the sources used by The Guardian and others. Always voices purporting to come from within non-government areas and always (it seems) filtered through Syrian Rights Observatory (a one man operation based in England), or footage and claims made by the ‘White Helmets’ (created by an ex-military Englishmen with historical links to Blackwater and other such orgs) being picked up on and reported on with no accompanying critical thought or analysis.
Never interviews with people who have sought the safe haven of government held areas. Never interviews with people who have been subjected to mortar attack in Western Aleppo. Never any video footage from there either.
And as Fisk points out, in the words of ‘our’ media terrorists ‘retake’ cities while cities ‘fall’ to the government.
And so it goes.
Thankfully, and at last, the tsunami of bullshit may be breaking. And thanks for the comments/postings Paul.
Thanks Bill as well for your info, and Paul I’ll look towards where both you fellas directed, really appreciate both of your comments and insight.
For example, let’s look at RNZ’s news today.
Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations’ Dr Zaidoun al-Zoabi told Morning Report the situation is “the worst ever”.
“These are the most terrifying times humanity’s seen, if there is anything called humanity.”
What is the Union of Syrian Medical Relief Organisations?
http://www.uossm.org/who_we_are
http://www.uossm.us/history
Mosul is the same situation as Aleppo…
This is part of that “tsunami of bullshit” you mention. A few differences between Mosul and Aleppo:
1. Mosul actually is occupied by Da’Esh, unlike Aleppo.
2. The rebels in Aleppo are part of an uprising against a brutal dictatorship, while the people occupying Mosul are part of an uprising against secularism, democracy, human rights and anything else that’s good about the modern world.
3. The forces attacking Mosul aren’t carrying out indiscriminate aerial bombing of civilian neighbourhoods, unlike the forces attacking Aleppo.
4. The forces attacking Mosul haven’t deliberately destroyed every hospital available to the people trapped there. This and 3 above are the main explanation for the different media coverage of the two battles.
5. The forces attacking Mosul aren’t rejecting out of hand cease-fire requests from the defenders, unlike those attacking Aleppo. (True, they might reject cease-fire requests if Da’esh were to make any, but no such requests will be made – another difference.)
You really do need to do some reading PM.
btw. Just on number 5.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/13/deal-reached-to-evacuate-rebels-and-civilians-from-aleppo
And here’s the thing. This is the tactic of the Syrian government as voiced by Assad (make of that what you will). Promise safe passage for armed foreign terrorists out of populated areas. Then re-engage with the intention of driving them out of Syria.
You, Paul and Morrissey always declare me poorly-informed, as though I’d surely develop an enthusiasm for illiberal authoritarian nationalism if only I read up on it a bit more. It’s almost comical.
In the Syrian civil war, there is no ideological superiority to be had – it’s not objectively worse for western countries and the Gulf states to support the Syrian rebels than it is for Russia and Iran to support the Assad regime. The reign of terror that Assad is about to start in east Aleppo will be a terrible crime against humanity, but probably won’t be hugely different from the one that rebel groups would embark on if they’d won.
Those things don’t make Assad and Russia the villains of media reporting on this conflict. What makes them the villains is their campaign of aerial bombardment against the civilian population, emergency workers and hospitals of east Aleppo. No amount of energetic false-equivalence finger-pointing by illiberal authoritarians on this blog or elsewhere can alter that.
RNZ news reporting on Syria at 12 May as well be renamed ‘The Voice of Saudi Arabia’ given its unremitting bias.
This stream of discussion shows just how disconnected from the mainstream some of the commenters on this site are.
How many people are you going to convince that the actions of the western coalition against ISIS are as bad as Assad’s forces?
I would suggest virtually no-one.
I would also note that Fisk does not help his case by his vitriol against the current British PM. It makes him look like an Assad puppet.
ISIS would be pretty quick to say that hospitals and schools are the targets of the western coalition if they could do so.
In contrast bombing hospitals seems to be the modus operandi of Assad and his Russian helpers.
In short, you are up against it trying to portray Assad as the noble liberator of his people.
I regard the views of Patrick Cockburn and Robert Fisk way above the new writers on , RNZ, Fairfax and NZME.
For someone who was once a poltician, you appear hopelessly ill-informed.
Fisk and Cockburn are not ‘ trying to portray Assad as the noble liberator of his people.’ Clearly you have not read the articles, yet feel comfortable commenting on them.
Typical Tory. Willfully ignorant.
You need to do a lot more reading on the subject.
Fisk and Cockburn are not ‘ trying to portray Assad as the noble liberator of his people.’
No, Paul, they aren’t, and wouldn’t. That’s the task you and other regime apologists have taken on, which is presumably why Wayne pointed it out.
Show me where I have done that.
Wayne, one of the things Frisk might be angry about is the British PM off selling arms to the Saudis.
Now if you have talked to any US or British vets you will know the one thing they hate above all the bureaucratic BS, is fighting guys who are using weapons made by them. I was a dinner a while a go with some Yanks, and they got quite upset talking about finding terrorist’s with brand new US equipment. Also some of the pome’s I’ve talked to have said the same thing, in one case worse, because the jihadist’s had some ammunition they could not get.
So from a purely military view point, it does seem some of the politicians are right tossers when it comes to making a buck selling arms. I’m not sure the British PM selling arms to the Saudi’s is going to endear her to her own troops.
Keep up the good work Paul and adam. The western propaganda is slowly being exposed but sadly the damage is done and the incorrect beliefs are now ingrained in so many westerners. We must all realize that in war truth is the first casualty, but the blind acceptance of either sides version is still prevalent( on both sides).
As with the Vietnam war when the truth finally comes out it certainly exposes the bullshit the west promulgates . Nothing has changed.
Thanks garibaldi
Many have forgotten the lies behind weapons of mass destruction.
It should be noted that only 2 Arabian/Persian Gulf States use beheading as a form of execution – Saudi Arabia and (Assad’s & Iraq’s) ally Iran (although last used in 2001). Benin and Yemen are the only 2 other states that use beheading as a legal form of execution. As an aside Iran executes twice as many people a year than Saudi (although it has twice the population), About 45% are for drug offences (which is roughly the same proportion as in Saudi).
It’s interesting how we in the “West” now seem to resile at beheading over other forms of execution (as if the death penalty is acceptable in any other form) however France used beheading for execution up to 1981 (last execution in 1977), Sweden executed its second to last criminal – mass murderer Johan Filip Nordlund – by a manual cleaver in 1900, replacing it with a guillotine, which was then used for the first and only time in 1910 (death penalty abolished there in 1921). Beheading by guillotine survived in West Germany until 1949 and in East Germany until 1966 (also 40,000 Germans were legally executed under the Nazi regime, most of them by guillotine).
We may have got there before some of the rest of the world in finding beheading as an unacceptable form of execution but not by that much.
I’m sure that Key will receive a knighthood for services to private businesses in enabling exploitation of migrant workers for cheap labour http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11766210
Arise, Slur John Key.
ñìçě1
From smiling assassin to SirJohn the welfare dissecting surgeon
Part of the ‘brighter future’ he promised.
That and tax dodging multi-nationals.
Tax dodging multinationals
Can immigrant workers join a union in NZ? Does anyone know please?
I assume so because I found this page…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNEMIG Union Network of Migrants
Union Network of Migrants is a network of migrant workers within FIRST Union. FIRST UNEMIG is migrant led, non-profit and non-sectarian.
UNEMIG aims to protect the rights and welfare of migrant workers in New Zealand.
http://firstunion.org.nz/unemig
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you for that much appreciated
I don’t think he will receive a knighthood in New Zealand at all. He will get a well deserved award of the Order of New Zealand. He deserves it a great deal more that many of the hacks who have got it in the past.
The Queen on the other hand may make him the third New Zealand member of the Knights of the Garter.
” He will get a well deserved award of the Order of New Zealand. ”
for what? doing his job?
i get that thats how many are handed out now – but explain why it would be well deserved
“for what? doing his job?”
It is the reason that David Lange, Mike Moore, Jim Bolger and Helen Clark got it.
I think, although I may be in a minority among those who contribute here, that he was at least the equal of any of that group.
On the other hand he is vastly more significant that Sonja Davies, Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan and Jonathon Hunt ever were. How they got into the top 20 living New Zealanders at any time is beyond me.
I believe, for all his faults, Lange would have run rings around Key.
Question time would have been fun, wouldn’t it?
It wouldn’t have mattered which one was the Prime Minister and which the Leader of the Opposition.
Geez imagine a leaders debate between Lange and Key, that’d be a ratings winner
Lange would probably win but he’d have to be on the top of his game
Key can’t handle it when under pressure.
Far too used to a compliant media.
Cracks when really questioned.
“Key can’t handle it when under pressure.
Far too used to a compliant media.
Cracks when really questioned.”.
You are living in a dream world Paul.
Just the way Helen Clark did before the first Leader’s debate in 2008.
Just as John Campbell did before his session with Key on the GCSB.
In both cases Key took them apart.
You, like them, forget what Key’s profession was before he went in for politics. People in the Forex dealers profession have no nerves. They simply don’t crack under pressure. They cannot do the job if they don’t have that characteristic.
he deserves nothing just like he hasn’t given nothing
He gave massive tax cuts to the rich and the corporations.
They’ll thank him for that.
He delivered what Wall St wanted so he is guaranteed of a gong.
@ amirite (2) .. Yep spot on there. And don’t forget the treason, selling NZ off bit by bit, interfering with our sovereignty by attempting to change the flag, then trying to really sell us down the river with the (now failed) TPPA.
Qualifications for a knighthood indeed. Seems most of the confidence tricksters get one eventually.
New Year honours coming up. The title Sir (John Key) should have some pathetic clout with his Hollywood mates, Wall St and the likes! They go for anything with a bit of fancy decoration to it, even if it does stink to high heaven through the shit sticking to it. It’s all about facade and that’s what Key has been the past 8 years, a facade, fabricated by Crosby/Textor, much to the detriment of NZ!
Recommended reading for Puckish Rogue:
“Finally, Key made his way, waving, down the steps of Parliament, as he was greeted and applauded by every suck-up loser he’d ever seen or worked with in the capital. He hated most of them, but he shook their hands and hugged them anyway.
“You’ll fail,” he whispered in Bill English’s ear, before hopping into his crown car, and disappearing into the foggy wilderness of our memories.”
The Civilian dismisses Key, elegantly.
Lalalalala I can’t hear you
In a decade or so we’ll look back at the time of Slur John Keys leadership as a highpoint in our democracy 🙂
Yes, a real high point when your leader abuses young women.
Even his sycophants could see that.
Today I’m embarrassed John Key is Prime Minister
I know and it explains perfectly why National slumped to the high 40s, oh wait they didn’t because most of NZ saw it for what it was, a political hit job manufactured by Bradbury
Sorry to see you support sexual abuse.
Just as long as the polls are high, eh?
Anything to support the Dear Leader.
Contemptible.
Why bother ranting about Key…in case you didn’t notice he’s resigned.
in case you hadn’t heard his replacement wants to continue the same agenda.
..and why wouldn’t he when the Nats are cruising in the high 40s.
First rule of politics heading into an election…if you are in power and have strong support avoid doing anything that might spook the horses.
odd…I thought the first rule of politics was there are no rules?
…..horses are looking pretty jittery , but don’t worry, bubbly Paula will calm them down.
I see Tracy Watkins talking up Bennett on stuff as NZ most famous westie? What a load of shit! maybe in her head but more like NZ most loathed westie.
must say i love reading that, it sure does not get old… Resigned, Key has resigned. Gives me a sense of great happiness and optimism.
“Sorry to see you support sexual abuse.”
What sexual abuse?
“Just as long as the polls are high, eh?”
Its certainly a better gauge of how the voting public then posting in an echo chamber
“Anything to support the Dear Leader.”
Helen Clark left the building awhile ago, also around the same time Labour had any chance of winning an election
“Contemptible.”
You really are a dreary and, worst of all, boring person
Pulling someone’s pony tail against their stated wishes is sexual abuse.
No it isn’t
Assault, I’d have thought. Certainly became an international embarrassment for Key. Bet he wishes he’d taken his wife’s advice and grown up a little, kept his hands to himself and behaved as a Prime Minister should.
Careful Robert, that didn’t sound over the top, in fact that sounded reasonable so you better watch yourself or you’ll be accused of being a Key lover
I would call it sexual harassment. Which is serious enough. It’s also physical assault, and abuse of positional/institutional power.
+1
there is bullying involved too.
yep.
Describe what Key did then to the waitress.
Sexual abuse? Wow. That escalated quickly.
Describe what Key did then to the waitress.
He pulled her pony tail, would a pat on the arm also be sexual abuse. mild assault at best and yes abuse of power but sexual abuse, get real
So you condone sexual harassment and physical assault if it doesn’t affect poll ratings?
+1
Sexual abuse?
It is hyperbole like this which explains a lot about why we are languishing at record low poll levels
Describe what Key did then to the waitress.
For Pukish Rogue, Enough is Enough, and Sam C the following is the link to the account by the waitress of key’s treatment of her.
When you’ve read it you will be able to do as Paul suggests, and describe what key did to her.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/22/exclusive-the-prime-minister-and-the-waitress/
You’re welcome.
Sorry Brigid but I don’t read The Daily Blog, its so unbalanced and unreliable you can’t take anything on there (except Chris Trotter) seriously
So the waitress’s account of what key’s interaction with her was, is unbalanced and unreliable. How do you know that?
You are just too afraid to read it aren’t you.
Sorry Brigid but I don’t read The Daily Blog, its so unbalanced and unreliable you can’t take anything on there (except Chris Trotter) seriously
Oh good, everyone can stop reading your comments now too.
Hi Weka
I thought I’d take a play out of the lefts playbook
“that commentator/website/newspaper is on the right therefore I won’t read it which means your argument is invalid”
Its a good one isn’t it 😉
It might be if left wing people actually did that. But since they don’t, you’re talking shit 🙂
(myself, I don’t avoid WO and KB because they’re right wing, I avoid them because they neoliberal, neo-fascist, dangerous bullies. Which is a different thing entirely).
Pukish Rogue has the name John Key stamped on his backside so has difficulties recognizing the former prime minister as a pervert. No wonder his two children have issues.
I think I have No Entry on my backside but that’s beside the point. What issues does John Keys kids have pray tell?
It’s not hyperbole.
it’s not but the term is wrong. It’s sexual harassment and physical assault.
+1 Weka.
OK,, I take your point.
So pr and others are happy to condone sexual harassment and physical assault as long as it doesn’t damage the polls.
Yep. Typical of Authoritarian Followers. They will always defend their leaders no matter how despicable their leaders actions are.
Draco, I find their actions and words repulsive and contemptible.
Good for you Paul if it makes you feel better
“So pr and others are happy to condone sexual harassment and physical assault as long as it doesn’t damage the polls.”
Pretty much.
“Sexual abuse?
It is hyperbole like this which explains a lot about why we are languishing at record low poll levels”
Very true E is E, clearly your judgement is NOT clouded by KDS.
“…a political hit job manufactured by Bradbury.”
Do you have evidence to support this statement or are you making shit up?
Of course he does not.
pr is a troll.
My understanding is that there is a lot of political gaming involved.
Regardless of that – JK pulled the ponytail. So in this case he was his own worse enemy. It would only be a political hit job if he HAD NOT pulled it.
Thus – no hit job, just gaming with the release of the info, which lets face it every political party would do.
However – the majority of people dont see it as the big sexual assault that some on here would like to make it out to be.
“some on here would like to make it out to be.”
what do you call a grown adult male, repeatedly, over several months, seeking out a young woman and pulling her hair?
A miss understanding of familiarity and stupid
Stupid for sure – sexual assault – nope.
Not just stupid, but sexual harassment, physical harassment, abuse of his position of power, and bullying.
Some above were confusing ‘sexual abuse’ with ‘sexual harassment/physical assault’, but that doesn’t mean that what Key did was merely an error of judgement. It had real world impacts on the person he was harassing.
Absolutely it is sexual harassment. A clearer example you couldn’t find in the form you sign as part of a work contract.
Although I seem to remember he tried to mitigate the intent by saying he’d pull a man’s ponytail too!
Anyway. The creep has gone, and that is something everyone should be celebrating.
It is instructive (and concerning) that this issue is even being discussed.
As if men can’t sexually harass men 😉
Martyn Bradbury has all the subtlety of a landmine. He doesn’t really do “hit jobs” and Machiavellian scheming really isn’t his MO. A waitress had been repeatedly harassed by the PM, and he reported it. It was hardly some vast conspiracy to destabilise the government by smearing John Key. Key smeared himself by acting like an ill-disciplined, testosterone-addled teenage boy. And those desperate to protect Key from the consequences of his own, frankly bizarre, actions, hauled her over the coals accordingly. Shame on the whole damn lot of them.
“Martyn Bradbury has all the subtlety of a landmine. ”
its how he got the name bomber in the first place wasnt it?
Just wanted to mention that all the kids know about johns creepy ponytail pulling, seriously it has and did create much talk between them, especially it created discussion among the parents of girls, such is the legacy he leaves behind for the children. Well at least it brought up the narrative of good and bad touching so I will give him that.
When i was a kid it was Piggy Muldoon, but what Key is now known for by kiwi children is far more sinister. JS
You’re decent enough to add the mad smiley face at the end of your comment @ 3.1 PR. Tipping that you’re just taking the piss with that comment. If not mate, sorry, but you’re fucked. Close to Jonestown. But nah you’re not there. You give it away with “Slur” John Key.
He put the smiley face because he copied ‘Slur’ off Robert Guyton. Don’t be too generous…
Mayor Phil Goff has granted me speaking rights at tomorrow’s Auckland Council Governing Body meeting.
(WHEN : Thursday 15 December 2016.
TIME: 9.30am
WHERE: Auckland Town Hall
Reception Lounge Level 2
(Open to the public – support welcome 🙂
My subject matter is as follows:
1) The unprecedented bribery and corruption verdict involving Auckland Council Controlled Organisation, Auckland Transport, announced on Friday 9 December 2016 (on ‘International Anti-Corruption Day’) has provided evidence which supports what I have been saying for some time.
Namely, that you cannot have transparency or accountability, without proper written records available for public scrutiny.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11763963
“Claims the relationship between Noone and Projenz was informal and verbal-only during the seven-year duration of the relationship – explaining the total lack of documentation – “defies common sense,” Justice Fitzgerald said.”
In my considered opinion, seven years of a ‘verbal-only’ /’informal’ relationship between this Auckland Transport senior manager and private contractor, also clearly ‘defies’ the statutory obligations arising from the Public Records Act 2005, s.17:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2005/0040/latest/DLM345729.html
17Requirement to create and maintain records
(1)Every public office and local authority must create and maintain full and accurate records of its affairs, in accordance with normal, prudent business practice, including the records of any matter that is contracted out to an independent contractor.
(2)Every public office must maintain in an accessible form, so as to be able to be used for subsequent reference, all public records that are in its control, until their disposal is authorised by or under this Act or required by or under another Act.
(3)Every local authority must maintain in an accessible form, so as to be able to be used for subsequent reference, all protected records that are in its control, until their disposal is authorised by or under this Act.
How on earth did this happen?
What was the ‘systems flaw’ that allowed this total lack of documentation to occur for SEVEN years?
Where was the auditing – internal and external – that failed to pick up this total lack of documentation for SEVEN years?
How widespread is this lack of documentation, regarding ‘relationships’ between those who award contracts, and those who receive contracts?
Not just at Auckland Transport, but across Auckland Council and all CCOs?
2) In my view, as an ‘Anti-Corruption Public Watchdog’, it is now more necessary than ever, to instruct the CEO of Auckland Council, and the Boards of all Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) to comply with the statutory requirements of the Public Records Act 2005, and make the following information about awarded contracts, available and easily accessible for public scrutiny, by publishing them on the front page of Auckland Council and all CCO websites under ‘Procurement – Awarded Contracts’:
a) The unique contract number.
b) The name of the consultant/contractor.
c) A brief description of the scope of the contract.
d) The contract start and finish dates.
e) The exact dollar value of each and every contract, including those subcontracted.
f) How the contract was awarded – by direct appointment or public tender.
2) FYI, here is the above-mentioned decision of Justice Sally Fitzgerald on 9 December 2016, in the Auckland High Court:
CRI-2015-044-001286 [2016] NZHC 2971 THE QUEEN v STEPHEN JAMES BORLASE MURRAY JOHN NOONE
http://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/judgments/high-court
(Linked directly to the decisions here:)
http://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/r-v-borlase-verdicts-and-summary-of-reasons/@@images/fileDecision
http://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/r-v-borlase-reasons/@@images/fileDecision
In my view, in order to learn the lessons from this unprecedented bribery and corruption verdict, both this decision, in full, plus the full transcript of evidence, should be made available for public perusal on the websites of both Auckland Council and Auckland Transport.
3) For Auckland Council to comprehensively and thoroughly investigate the cost-effectiveness of the underpinning private procurement model for Council (and CCO) services, when significant international research has proven that contracting out is actually ‘bad business’, and twice as expensive as in-house service provision.
http://www.pogo.org/our-work/reports/2011/co-gp-20110913.html?referrer=https://www.google.co.nz/
“Bad Business: Billions of Taxpayer Dollars Wasted on Hiring Contractors”
What this above-mentioned unprecedented bribery and corruption verdict has revealed, in my opinion, is not just that ‘contracting out’ is BAD business, but it can and has bred corruption.
Penny Bright
‘Anti-privatisation / anti-corruption Public Watchdog’
How many votes did you get in the election Penny ?
Don’t be such a killjoy SM – good luck Penny – you sock it to them about the bribery and corruption that is going on with the council and the rorters who get away with overseas trips etc – its hard enough to keep up with our rates up here in Auckland so we need more like you Penny – mores the pity that people like Stunned Mullet don’t get off their asses and try to do more for exposing corruption on the council.
The Public Records Act does not control making records available or publishing them. That’s the role of the LGOIMA as you have been repeatedly told, you mental midget.
Will there be refreshments to justify going
Bryan Gould nails it.
Bryan Gould: Labour Party never really knew what they were dealing with in John Key
Agreed:
The Opposition, and the Labour Party in particular, always underestimated John Key. What they saw was no more than a genial glad-hander and a seat-of-the-pants chancer – at best, a populist adept at winning the centre ground. It was only a matter of time, they thought, before he came unstuck.
What they missed was a sharp political intelligence and a clear ideological commitment. The result – they were always fighting the wrong battle.
Good we agree.
John Key was hard right, not the mushy centrist that is always propounded.
No we do not. I think it would be educational if a true right wing political party took power a couple of years just to show you what it would really be like.
Partial sell down of assets, nope it’d be back to Rogernomics and sell everything off
Partial increase for benes, the first time in something like 40 years, nope it’d be slashing the benefits and there’d be a maximum amount of time on the benefit
WFF, nope nothing.
Interest free loans, nope the interest would come back and you wouldn’t be able to leave the country until they’re paid
You think the msm is bad now, well get ready for a crackdown on political websites criticising the government
Voluntary trade unionism, get ready for banning of trade unions
90 day fire at will, too soft it’ll be no reason needed at any time
You’ve got no idea of what would really happen if right wing (forget hard right) party really took charge, you sit there in your nice, safe, comfortable little corner of the world and think (hope) this is a hard right party
And you would love it.
I like John Keys centrist government and, in hindsight, Helen Clarks centrist government.
The only enjoyment I would get out of a hard right government being sworn in is you finally experiencing a hard right government and what that actually entail.
I believe most people in NZ want either a centre left or centre right party, they (the majority of voters) do not want a hard right or hard left party.
They (we) want something near the middle
“The only enjoyment I would get out of a hard right government being sworn in is you finally experiencing a hard right government and what that actually entail.”
https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-12122016/#comment-1274147
But I’ll do a copy and paste….
Bill ‘the lizard’ English now has licence to continue his ‘social investment’ plan to rid the country of what he calls….
“”this big hard lump of long-term waste of human potential….large long-term liability.””
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10644993
He was a little worried that government entities like the Ministry of Social Development and Housing New Zealand were not doing enough to reduce numbers accessing expensive services…
“”it’s a bit hard to tell if they are trying hard enough. We don’t know a lot about what happens in some of these fairly big outfits so we are always arguing internally between myself and Treasury about whether we need to step in or not.”
English says the process of examining the big cost-drivers is called the responsibility model because it throws the responsibility back.
“The traditional view of the public service is when things get tight, Treasury and the Minister of Finance are responsible. We are saying ‘no it’s you, you’re the chief executive, you’re responsible’.””
Well, Bill as you ascend to the throne…kinda like a congratulatory gift, the inquest is being heard at the moment into the death of Wendy Shoebridge.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/87347930/Aggressive-prosecution-focus-at-MSD-preceded-womans-death-inquest-told
“Shoebridge, a 41-year-old mother, was found dead in Lower Hutt on April 3, 2011.
The day before, she opened a letter saying she was to be referred for prosecution over an alleged $22,000 benefit fraud.”
An investigator from WINZ was under unbearable pressure to send this letter…he didn’t want to, or at least he wanted to deliver it in person as he was concerned about her…she was slowly recovering from severe depression.
But no…his boss, obviously acting under instructions from Much Higher UP…ordered the letter sent.
” After her death, that amount fell to about $5500.”
And in an update tonight…http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/87469253/shakeup-at-msd-after-woman-died-and-manager-was-accused-of-abusing-staff
…we read that this manager
“was accused of firing a staple gun at staff she didn’t like, and calling one a “f…tard” in front of colleagues, an inquest has heard.
The inquest in Wellington into the death of Wendy Shoebridge heard allegations of a dysfunctional Ministry of Social Development office in which the prosecution of suspected benefit fraud was a major priority.
The manager has not had the chance to respond to the latest claims, and the inquest on Monday also heard suggestions the manager was herself under pressure. The hearing was told last week that a quota system for prosecuting beneficiaries was in operation in 2011, when Shoebridge died.”
Well, Bill…this is why you have that smirky, twisted little smile on your face. You might want to have a wee think before you see your promotion as an affirmation that there is widespread approval for your social investment model.
You see…this Coroner has the MSD in her sights, just as the Judge did in the Ashburton Shooting case…http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/87258487/msd-convicted-after-judge-says-staff-felt-unsafe-in-ashburton-office
…and although the court can’t actually fine a Ministry…there was harsh condemnation….
How many deaths, Bill???”
THIS is what “hard right” looks like PR…its here in NZ, and has been for the past seven years.
I could link to other posts where I and others have highlighted cases where Kiwis from “the middle” have been subjected to appallingly inhumane treatment by WINZ when applying for a benefit to support themselves and their families while undergoing cancer treatment.
You see PR…when ‘middle NZ’ fall upon hard times and have to go down to WINZ to access supports they are entitled to and encounter shit treatment like that….borne out of rabidly right directives from the government…it increases the numbers of those who have been dehumanised by the state, and those people in turn come to a fuller appreciation of the way the ‘system’ has alienated those who have had to interact with it for many years. This is called “sympathy”…a foreign emotion to the sociopaths who sit on the government benches.
Like it or not there IS a rising tide of compassion in “middle” New Zealand for those Bill the Lizard calls the “large liability”….simply because there have been a huge number of people across all strata who have been impacted directly or indirectly by these draconian policies.
I disagree with you but I respect and appreciate the effort you’ve put into this
Is that the best you’ve got PR?
No pithy, cryptic one-liners to demonstrate your superior knowledge and insight?
The government you claim has been benignly ‘centrist’ has instituted an offensive against the most vulnerable of New Zealanders, and unfortunately for this government the negative impacts have splattered way beyond those people Bill the Lizard targeted openly in 2010.
Now, if this translates in a reduction of support for National depends on whether opposition parties can drag their arses off the spike that seems to lock them into a ‘centre’ position.
I simply disagree with you because you’ve highlighted a couple of incidences over 7 years so really it doesn’t prove anything but I do appreciate the effort
…this Coroner has the MSD in her sights, just as the Judge did in the Ashburton Shooting case…
Be careful what you wish for. The judge was punishing MSD for not putting sufficient barriers between its staff and the nation’s social welfare beneficiaries. MSD management know what the judge is telling them:
“… it was estimated by MSD chief executive Brendan Boyle that the cost of outfitting its offices with bulletproof glass and guards could be up to $200 million.
MSD has already placed guards at offices and has been trialling a new layout at offices in Wellington and Levin.”
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1612/S00138/work-and-income-limit-access-through-forced-id-checks.htm
Back in 1979 while signing up for a job on a Student Work scheme I was sent to apply for an emergency benefit. The benefit department was just like a bank. Long counter with glass/perspex shields between client and staff.
Conversations were, by necessity, held fortissimo…so the poor sod recently discharged from Tokanui had to tell his story for all of us assembled to hear.
Ah, the good old days.
This was in Hamilton….don’t know if it was like this elsewhere.
Spot on PR, first sign of hard right or left countries, blogs like the standard don’t exist Paul however finds meaning in raging against the machine, no matter what that machine if he was in a hard left country he would be hard right
You need to educate yourself about your country’s history.
Here’s a start for you.
Like many here Paul, when you start with “You need to educate yourself” normally followed by a barrage of left wing links and videos I don’t go any further as I have seen what it has done to you
Trite slur from a closed mind. You would probably enjoy the documentary because you would get great satisfaction from cheering the Baddies while learning nothing.
You are absolutely correct Paul, J Key is the chairman of the International Democratic Union – a hard right think tank of international businessmen, bankers etc who gather in different places in the world and get up to no good. It does’t get much of a mention over here in sleepy ol’ New Zealand but is worth looking the IDU up to see what its all about. He played with us here and he did it very well indeed. Tinfoil hat wearers probably agree he was sent here to do a hatchet job on this country, I have no idea why he came here other than collecting handshakes, selfies, big noting and meeting world leaders. He has a job lined up somewhere after his holiday in Maui I have no doubt, IMF maybe but most certainly in the US.
Isn’t it a paradox, he flies out to a Hawaiian holiday as quick as he can bugger off – shouldn’t he still be here – isn’t the House sitting for another week – the ultimate indulgence and Mr Shearer is off to the “shittiest place on the planet” Paul Henry’s words – to try and stabilize South Sudan – how different can two men be. I didn’t know Paul Henry had been an on the ground reporter in South Sudan but he said South Sudan was the quote above on today’s morning show.
“how different can two men be”
Well one has been leader of the country since 2008 and left with his party in the high 40s the other was knifed in the back by his own party (though wouldn’t Labour love to have shearers numbers)
So yeah different I guess
Their careers may be quite different Pucky but Shearer’s previous job was one you had to have cajones of steel for plus a rough lifestyle in arid conditions and seriously dangerous situations – he may not have been cut out for political life and that’s not such a bad thing considering its rife with corruption, dirty politics and other unsavoury things, he is better off out of it. You cannot compare the positions of the two but I know which is more admiring of and its not the selfie obsessed ex PM.
“considering its rife with corruption, dirty politics and other unsavoury things”
You do know hes gone back to working with the UN
He will be as far away from the UN as he can possibly be, away from the machinations that go on there. His job out there will be to help the people of South Sudan where his life will constantly be in danger – Key never had the bottle for anything like that – Pucky you never give up – Key was a selfish me me me person, he never gave a jot for this country and the fact that so many people thought the sun shone out of his ass is a terrible indictment of the morals and ethics of such a lot of people. How has it come about that there are still so many fogged up and their antennae all skewed and could not see through this sham of a man. It was staring all of us in the face so plainly – go back Pucky and watch John Campbell’s programme “Meet the Leaders” and see how much he bothered with his wife on the programme, it was shameful – JC saw it but then he has his antennae right in tune. The man is a shallow hollow man – get used to it.
It’s part of pr’s job to sell the lie that Key and English are centrist.
I much more respect the opinion of Brian Gould.
Of course because not biased at all either
Gould is not a troll.
Hes an intelligent, erudite and a complete troll. When he states how he thinks Labour will sweep to power, despite the abundance of polls and polling that suggest otherwise, he’s doing it because he knows he’ll get a reaction
So yes he’s a troll
And you come to this site as a troll.
Actually I come for the humour, for the education (yes I do listen to some people), to get a different viewpoint, to pass the working day, for all types of things
and what I’ve noticed is that most of the posters here probably have a lot more in common then there are differences
What in God’s name is that last sentence supposed to mean, PR? If you are going to troll, please at least make your meaning clear.
bang on the money…..as Monbiot has said, we should know it by its name.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/15/neoliberalism-ideology-problem-george-monbiot
Bryan Gould was the most left wing contender for the leadership of UK Labour in the mid 1990’s. So I guess for him a centrist like John Key is a hardline neo-liberal (or “dedicated ideologue”). That also seems to be the default setting of most commenters on this site.
However, if that is how Labour is going to try and position National, they will fail. It hasn’t worked for 8 years and it won’t work for the next election.
But MMP will provide an opening. Winston is likely to hold the balance of power and will therefore decide the next government.
If National is quite close to 50% it might be hard for him to ignore the public legitimacy that confers, especially if Labour is below 30%. On the other hand if that is the case he can pretty much demand Labour give him the PM ship for the first two years as the price of power.
I wonder where Bryan stands in relation to Jeremy Corbyn. He must know him quite well since they spent more than 10 years in the Hose of Commons together. Does he think Jeremy is the answer, or not?
How about debating the issue rather than shooting the messenger.
‘It is John Key’s politics, not his personality, that have produced these intended outcomes. They have been produced not by a relaxed middle-of-the-roader but by a dedicated ideologue. ‘
Paul,
The political attitudes of people tend to influence their opinions. None of us are immune to that.
Bryan’s writings over the years show he is a man of the left, so what I perceive as the centre, will be for him hard right, the product of a “dedicated ideologue”.
Nothing wrong in pointing that out.
Pat, I see no evidence that John Key was anything other than moderate right of centre. If Standardnista’s want to believe the something different, fine, but don’t expect it to go uncontested.
The policies of Key would have been far right of most National and Conservative parties of the 70s. Then he would have been seen as an extremist.
But, thanks to relentless propaganda from right wing think tanks and willing politicians like yourself, the Overton window has moved far to the right.
And what you perceive as centre is also to the Right because you want to seem centrist despite being quite right-wing.
still pushing the moderate line hey Wayne…..that weight of contrary evidence must be getting quite heavy.
all depends who dictates the fulcrum? Key has shifted it so far to the right, of course Labour now APPEAR to be “far left” too easy.
No-one has suggested Andrew Little is far-left. That is not how Labour is generally described.
But there is no doubt that Bryan Gould was on the left of his party – he would readily admit that.
John Key was totally chameleon and “blokey” in his behaviour.
English and Bennett haven’t got any chance of keeping that up. If their honeymoon lasts until the New Year they will be lucky. After that it will all turn to custard.
Already wobbly.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-jack-tame-catches-nzs-evasive-new-deputy-pm-unprepared-questions-kiwi-kids-in-severe-poverty
I said Labour now “appear” far left, not Andrew. His job is to inform and engage those voters that flee at the mere suggestion of social policies as being on the verge of a communist dictatorship. Not easy, in this highly reactive, tribal, sensation seeking climate.
Your link was broken, here it is again
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11765941
Special investigation: How Mt Eden’s private prison went from golden child to a misfit
Special investigation: How Mt Eden’s private prison went from golden child to a misfit.
Sam has always been a scape goat. Now he is standing down from his portfolio as well as not seeking re-election. Once again we hear the excuse of ‘family reasons’ for his decision, frequently used excuse of late.. ‘family reasons’
There should be an early election, all these Nat MP’s simply giving up, how many now.. seven or so of them about to quit, but hanging in there until next election, using the excuse of not wanting the tax payer to foot out for a by-election, while they continue to get a salary for a job they are no longer interested in.
Get some guts Bill and see if the people really want you and your party that is falling apart to lead NZ. This is NOT what many voted for, your government is wasting our tax payer money by paying salaries for quitters.
Early Election
Judith I’d say you will have some questions to address today.
Part of me has always felt a bit sorry for Sam. He, along with Alfred Ngaro, was an obviously uncomfortable “fiapalagi” prop to Keydashian’s widely and pridefully bugled election-time swings through South Auckland. The two of them by their presence purporting to verify a picture of Keydashian as the deserving beneficiary of Polynesian “fa’aaloalo ma talitonuina” (respect and trust).
A total crock of course but nothing like a spot of triennial smiling/anagram/sliming when someone has something you want. Going by what I’ve observed during long and close association with various mature and well-established members of Sam’s own aiga indeed, there was always lots of private tittering about that whole carry-on. For the rank bullshit of it. As bullshitty and insulting as Sam’s assertion on TV a couple of years ago that saving-up the 20% deposit on a $650,000 house is reasonably do-able by ordinary people.
I’ve seen no more heartfelt regard for Keydashian than for Tuilaepa. Tune in to Auckland’s Samoan talkback radio some time.
spot on, cinny.
i, too, reckon corrections was a hospital pass.
ms collins needs to bear some responsibility as serco is her vision.
Judith hailed Serco’s entry into Mt Eden prison but Sam has got the chop. let’s wait and see where he pops up. National always reward those they use to make themselves look like “clearing out” with plumb, well paid jobs. Mike Sabin anyone?
Peters: I want to be first to re-enter Pike River.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201827628
A quite repulsive interview by that right wing hack Espiner.
Missing Kim Hill already.
A crap interview by Espiner he got his come up ins this morning from Winston
and the interview with Blinglish was even worse the day before rather weak to say the least it was a save our funding interview in other words we wont ask the hard questions he might cut our funding again even worse he might get rid us like they got rid of Campbell
Winston was really on fire! Support of the miners and criticism of the system long and loud.
“Winston was really on fire”.
Oh dear. Did he drop another cigarette onto his pin-striped, double breasted, booze sodden suit and set himself alight again?
He really needs someone with him at all times to keep him from harm.
I listened to that interview and its quite amazing stream of consciousness ramblings. As always he reverted to talking about the Wine Box affair, the highlight of his life, at least in his own failing memory.
Winston today was best summed up by a little item in the introduction to the book of “Yes Minister” episodes.
Talking about Sir Humphrey it says –
” …. before the advancing years, without in any way impairing his verbal fluency, disengaged the operation of his mind from the content of his speech.”
Sums the old fellow up beautifully doesn’t it? It will be a sad loss when he stumbles out of the House for the last time.
I’ve noticed in the last week or so that all these barbs being shot at Winston. It’s like something happened so that right-wing criticism about alcohol use suddenly became ok – it’s almost as if there is no around to take a hit on the return volley.
For: alwyn
Nice to hear a person like Winston say it the way it is, no wonder you are so upset Alwyn;-)))
The last two times Winston has gone into coalition it has always been with the largest party, will you still say the same thing when Winston (most likely) goes with National?
Not when Winston says he will not form a coalition with the party that seals Pike River Mine.
Good call. Winston believes the tide is turning on this and has stated his position. Bill must be freaking out right now having forgotten what it’s like to be in the top job.
For once I agree with you alwyn. Winston is showing tell tale signs of losing the plot.
Good to see your bitter arse paining Alwyn. Your reason for taking breath having fucked off. Poor diddums……left all alone in Jonestown. Hurt hard troll !
Are you still around?
I thought you had gone back to your Kindergarten and left the adults to talk.
You still owe me an apology by the way. Remember?
Or is you memory like Winnies?
You can keep on stroking for as long as you like Alwyn Troll. Not ultimately dependable as pain relief though. Jonestown is fucked. Own it!
“Child Poverty Action Group: The Child Poverty Monitor results reveal no significant improvement for the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty, proving that any Government efforts to reduce the impact of poverty on children are insignificant.
That the numbers remain so persistently high demonstrates that poverty among New Zealand children is enduring and long-term. Policies have made little to no change for the better for many children.”
Bryan Gould: Key was a concealed ideologue
“The Child Poverty Monitor results reveal no significant improvement for the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty, proving that any Government efforts to reduce the impact of poverty on children are insignificant.”
Which can also be re-written as:
“while there have been improvements in the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty, even in light of a Global Financial Crisis, more need to to be done to make further significant improvements”
There you go, same content, drop the negativity, add context and make your point.
Also: “The Child Poverty Monitor results reveal no significant improvement for the lives of children in New Zealand experiencing the effects of poverty”
I would have thought that a near 50% reduction in cases if SUDI, approx 40% drop in deaths from conditions with a social gradient, >50% reduction in deaths from assault, neglect or maltreatment, and an approx 20% reduction in hospitalisations due to assault, neglect or maltreatment would be classed as significant…
Child Poverty Action Group – I am free if you would like people to actually read and think more in depth about what you are saying, rather than just immediately switching off to the negativity. Hell, you may even get the Government to buy into your message.
Rex Tillertson for US Secretary of State.
Quite a choice there by President-Elect Trump.
More great news for National 🙂
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/exclusive-laila-harre-rejoins-labour-party-sets-her-sights-standing-in-election
“The veteran campaigner says she does regret her four months with the Internet Party because of the damage it did to her reputation.”
Naah Laila I’m sure everyones forgotten that, it’ll be fine so you really should run for a seat 🙂
funny u should say that, pr.
laila would damn near secure my vote for labour.
Same here.
so Greens or the communist party minus two, Labour plus two, yes that will make a massive difference.
🙂
Did you vote for the Internet party when she was their leader.
Or the Greens when she was there.
Or Alliance when she was there..
Or Labour, or New Labour….
Hell she will prob be with Act next if she thought there was a seat in it for her.
But yeah – to the voting public – she will always be the face of the internet party.
Which one of these is not like the other?
IP
Greens
ACT
Alliance
Labour
🙄
I didn’t vote Internet Mana because I’m a strategic voter. Never voted Labour because there’s always been something to the left (apart from the first time I voted and then I voted an independent). I’d vote for Harre in a flash in the electorate vote, and could easily see her in either Labour or the Greens. She’d be a great asset as a left wing MP in any party, which is the point you seem to be deliberately trying to obscure.
Righties trying to make out they know what left wing voters want, lolz.
Yep million dollar, aspirational mt Albert voters are just crying out for Lialliance representation
Liala’s loveable. Voters will love her.
Paula’s lo… hang on!!
Well Robert I think I’m going to have to disagree with you on this one, people will see Liala and think KDC
However I maybe attempting a double bluff and secretly I’m scared of Laila coming back…so it might best if Laila if Laila goes for an electorate seat maybe even a really high profile seat so everyone knows Lailas with Labour 🙂
To: Puckish Rogue
Fabricate much?
Only those who would never vote for Harre or Dotcom.
So about 99.9% of the voting public?
Sorry, I meant 98.58% 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_general_election,_2014
Yeah, but funnily enough – Harre does not need body guards to walk down the street…
When no one knows who you are you don’t really need protecting do you
You seem to know who she is – you were so eager to bring the topic up. Backpedalling much?
Yet more than the Maori Party. More than twice ACT, and 7 times United Future.
She also raised Mana’s vote by 0.34% while ACT lost 0.37% under Seymour. UF dropped a similar amount under Dunne.
Imagine what Laila Harre could do for ACT!
and yet no seats even after all that money was spent
It wasn’t public money so I don’t know what you’re so upset about. Unlike National of course who aren’t shy about using public money to give sub 1% parties a leg up into parliament.
I’m not but I’m pointing out that even with the colossal amount of money and free publicity Laila Harre couldn’t get a seat especially given how highly you rate her
When it comes to spending public money National still have a lot to learn from Labour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_New_Zealand_election_funding_controversy
No. The ones like you, so about 47% of society, which still leaves a majority
Laila has tanked every political group she has ever been associated with (and the list of her associations is quite long)
She is preferable compared to Penny Bright
Wrong, she lifted the Mana popular vote by a third. Not her fault Hone couldn’t win his seat.
Laila didn’t stand for Mana. She was the leader of the Internet Party. Yes I understand there was an alliance, but giving Laila credit for increasing Mana’s vote is a very long stretch.
Was she or was she not representing the Mana Party that had joined with the Internet Party to become Internet Mana?
Yes. Mana retained it’s own leader. The Internet Party flopped, and likely it’s influenced reduced the chances of Mana.
Good, glad we have cleared that up. She was coleader of the party you said she had nothing to do with.
Where did say she had nothing to do with them? I was simply pointing out she can’t be given any credit for Mana’s increase in vote. In fact, given the influence of the IP, Hone did incredibly well to get any votes.
Shes great, and will absolutely destroy any newbie nitwit put up against her.
I agree, she really should go for a really well known, highest profile seat she can, think of all the free publicity she’d receive 🙂
Good thing you don’t work in political strategy.
Couldn’t be worse then what Labour are doing 🙂
Labour, Labour, Labour!!!
Oi, Oi, Oi!
That’s it – PR comes from Kath and Kim.
The Third day of Christmas on Friendship:
Brownlee is a failure in Defence, the auditor general was not impressed with his department. Maybe his health is hindering his performance, probably more like a lack of skills and experience in that role is the problem.
“I was disappointed to note that the Defence Force did not adequately assess material changes in the fair value of its assets on a timely basis. Without enough assurance on this matter, both the Defence Force and my appointed auditor had to carry out substantial additional work, which led to significant delays. This is unacceptable. I stress that it is important for entities to prepare accounts in a timely manner and to an appropriate level of quality.”
http://www.oag.govt.nz/2016/central-government?utm_source=subs&utm_campaign=cg1-2016&utm_medium=subs
Another area of interest is housing and the value of government owned housing especially in regards to their ongoing search for community buyers in order to create the much opposed sale of state owned assets…. outgoing government likes those house prices to be kept high, it makes their asset base appear more inflated.
Having trouble finding buyers? Why not offer some of the properties to first home buyers at a good rate, sure you won’t make the massive profit that you accounted for, but hey looks like you want to flick them off below value anyway, zero deposit rent to own, that would give many a bit more of a chance at living, after all they are just sitting empty, wasting away during a housing crisis excuse me building boom lolz
“The valuation of the Government’s investment in its social housing portfolio (primarily held by Housing New Zealand) is based on the highest and best use and on comparable market sales data for each individual property. In the year ended 30 June 2016, the value of the social housing stock increased by $3.2 billion, largely as a result of increases in the value of Auckland properties.
2.47
As part of the Social Housing Reform Programme, the Government announced that it is taking steps towards transferring ownership of some Housing New Zealand houses and tenancies to registered community housing providers. This has raised some specific accounting issues.
2.48
We identified this matter because of the judgement involved in determining the appropriate accounting treatment for social houses proposed to be transferred to community housing providers, either sold or redeveloped as part of the Government’s social housing reform programme.”
http://www.oag.govt.nz/2016/central-government/part2.htm
Interesting reading
Jacinda Ardern is considering Mt Albert. She will humiliate in that seat the next token minority National puts up.
Perhaps National will dig up a gay, climate-change denying Ethiopian refugee as the face of their campaign in a desperate attempt to appear relevant and diverse.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/jacinda-ardern-confirms-bid-for-mt-albert-seat-2016121411
Well you can only flog a dead horse so many times before you learn the electorate don’t want you 🙂
PR.
Happy to condone sexual harassment and physical assault as long as it doesn’t damage the polls.
You seem a bit fixated on this, is it giving you funny feeling in your tummy?
You seem unwilling to answer the question.
Do you condone John Key’s sexual harassment and physical assault of the waitress?
Yes or no.
I simply don’t want to be part of your sordid fantasy, I have no issues with whatever turns you on but don’t include me in them
“Sorry to see you support sexual abuse.”
What sexual abuse?
Your words at 3.1.1.1.1.2
Look Paul to shut you you up and on behalf of the average kiwi, stupid yes, sexual assault, no mild assault over familiarity, yes
” On behalf of the average kiwi”
You speak on behalf of people as usual – how arrogant of you.
Don’t worry Paul his almighty exleader in law used the same kind of talk.
Very presumptuous of them.
he finds tales of pony tails slightly exciting
Your hero John Key certainly does.
Thus we have two, maybe start a pony club
Ok so trigger warning, here’s Curias polls for the last 3 years so if you have a delicate constitution (or vote Labour) you may not want to look at it
Surprisingly its not bad for the Greens, they’re quite steady
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2016/12/november_2016_polls.html
It’s an impressive sustained rise by NZFirst there.
Would expect National to go even higher on the back of the dominant media coverage surrounding both the Kaikoura earthquakes and the leadership change.
There’s very, very little space for Labour or other Opposition figures in the media until February 2017.
Also very hard to see significant %% of voters switching away from National into 2017.
I think that there will be a drop off but it’ll mostly be of benefit to NZFirst
Wow, how impressive was the nose dive that Cunliffe took Labour on! I haven’t look at his term as leader of the opposition like that before.
Based on Shearer having Labour in the mid-30’s, and Cunliffe taking Labour to the low 20’s, I now completely agree with Andrew Little and a number of commentators here, Labour should ignore the center and move further left.
I assume you vote National or Act.
Depends on the election, I am not a member of any political party so I have voted The Greens, Winston First and National over the past 6 elections.
But never Labour.
Can I ask why you range from Green to National?
Sure, I used to be in the Coromandel electorate (1999 and 2002) when Jeanette Fitzsimons was the local MP. I thought she was a brilliant, straight up local MP and I was still in a FPP mind set so gave both of my votes to her.
2005 I opposed Labour’s interest free student loans (even though I had a huge student debt at that point), and didn’t like Don Brash’s racially divisive tactics, so I held my nose and voted Winston First.
2008 – 2014 I voted National. I was sick of politics by this stage, but John Key’s move to work with Helen Clark and Sue Bradford on the ‘anti-smacking’ legislation, plus his centrist policy platform and general pragmatism leading up to the election lead me to vote National, and I haven’t seen a viable alternative since (except maybe The Greens again at the last election).
I had been considering TOP at the next election until they ruled out pushing the Big Kahuna in their first term.
I keep coming back here as my interest in politics has increased since becoming a Dad, and I found I am nowhere near as far right as Whaleoil or Kiwiblog commenters.
EDIT: I do miss seeing comments from Lanthanide and CV recently, they generally seemed to be the most closely aligned with my own beliefs
Yes I too appreciate CV’s input.
There’s a weird spritzer-gulping species that does take a holiday from National and vote Green from time to time. Met quite a few. Influenced principally by their freeholding, maybe even cross-lease, in the well-leafed suburbs in which they reside. It’s a ‘pro-test’. Real hard out bastards. On the ramparts. “Patu Squad” and all that. Hehehehe.
Yes, there are a few like the above, CV, Lanthanide, Ad, and David Farrar who simply and blindly hate Labour. They skirt around Labour to the left and right but can’t explain why.
Perhaps it is Labour Derangement Syndrome.
“Yes, there are a few like the above, CV, Lanthanide, Ad, and David Farrar who simply and blindly hate Labour”
You do realise CV was a Labour member?
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/11/25/leaving-jiangxi-tat-loo-marches-out-of-the-labour-party/
“They skirt around Labour to the left and right but can’t explain why.”
Why would anyone vote Labour? If you want a neo-liberal party you vote National, if you want a party with social and environmental conscience vote Greens. Labour sort of sits in between tinkering without thinking of consequences of their actions (see WFF, Interest Free student loans, Seabed and Foreshore etc.), at least National are open about what they are and The Greens stick to their principles.
Ha, well I don’t fit that mold North, try a ‘brown bottle’ beer drinking renter, living in Otahuhu which is pretty far from a ‘well-leafed suburb’!
In fact, you couldn’t have gotten it any more wrong!
Rogue polls obviously.
Labours internal polling has them far higher than any of the rigged public polls.
Curia is not public.
Damn straight, better ignore it 🙂
Wonder why Key liked him so much.
His impartiality?
“And can I make one special thank you to the best pollster in New Zealand — and don’t charge us more for it — David Farrar, who got his numbers right!”
So – whats that got to do with anything? Are you thinking that perhaps its different to all the public ones – secretly with National on 20%?
The biggest news that dwarfs all other news.
We need a thread to discuss what is going on in the Arctic.
Arctic temperatures have hit levels last seen a ridiculously long time ago
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/87562998/craig-foss-to-step-down-from-cabinet-as-calls-for-rejuvenation-claim-another-victim
See Labour this is how rejuvenation is supposed to work, get rid of the dead wood and all that
Problem is PR Labour is not the party of the rich and powerful. They can’t pay them off or find them a good little lurk somewhere among the pile of quangos and other such bodies.
Jilted MPs who don’t get looked after have a habit of turning on their former pollie masters. The political landscape is full of them.
Spot on.
National Party MPs get rewarded with the revolving door – very corrupt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolving_door_(politics)
Puhlease….the Nats and Labour are both past masters at lining up current and former MPs with diplomatic postings, appointments to boards and appointments to such nebulous rorts as the film and literature review office and ltes not talk about the bipartisan annual rort that is the speakers tour.
You are correct. Both parties fill diplomatic postings etc. with their own people. They would be crazy to do otherwise. I’m not talking about those sort of positions. Now what’s the name of that National Party trust? Ahhh, that’s right, its called the Waitemata Trust…
I suspect Foss is in a sulk now his ex squash partner is gone, and he now intends to work full time on his investment portfolio that he’s so damnably proud of.
English no doubt gave Maxwell a call asking for a press release to begin the process.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/87548876/lift-nz-super-age-to-67-by-2034-retirement-commissioner-tells-politicians
Craig Foss to step down, another National Party MP resigns for ‘family reasons’ and does not want to stand down until next year to avoid a by election.
Told ya’s the National Party is falling apart, most of their MP’s hearts aren’t in the job, but they are happy to collect the salary until next year using the excuse of ‘avoiding the tax payer the cost of a by election”
FFS THE CITIZENS OF NZ DEMAND AN EARLY ELECTION!!
WHERE ON EARTH HAS OUR DEMOCRACY GONE ?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11766805
Its called removing the deadwood and what do you mean the citizens demand?
The majority of voters (the ones that’ve returned National to power the last three elections) do not want an early election.
So PR, Key, Foss, Parata, Lotu-Iiga etc are dead wood. then.
Slur John Key will get the newest created award of greatest ever kiwi, the rest are surplus to requirements so yes
Was the ‘deadwood’
1. John Key – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
2. Hekia Parata – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
3. Craig Foss – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
4. Sam Lotu-liga – quitting politics for ‘family reasons’
5. Chester Borrows – want;s to do something different, awaiting the courts in regards to a careless driving causing injury charge.
6. Jono Naylor – quits after one term in parliament
7. Lindsay Tisch – quits for family reasons
8. Murray McCully (standing down in his electorate MAY stay on the list instead)
9. English is the same (quitting his electorate for the list),
That’s quite a number of Nat MP’s. No wonder they don’t want an early election, they’ve much work to do.
As for the general public as suggested I’ve been asking around, many National supporters feel let down that English is PM.
Why is everyone leaving for ‘family reasons’ ? Is it because the National Party is a toxic environment at present? These events scream instability to me
John Key is leaving before the shit hits the fan.
You forgot Mike Sabin. He also resigned.
Who is Mike Sabin?
From Kiwiblog:
What is interesting is to look at the makeup of both National’s and Labour’s caucuses in terms of who is standing again. Of those standing in 2017
•Only 12% of Nats entered before 2005 and 21% of Labour MPs
•38% of remaining Nats entered from 2005 to 2010 and 45% of remaining Labour MPs
•50% of National’s remaining caucus entered in 2011 or later compared to 34% for Labour
Somehow National will look the fresher party at the next election
and near on 12% of current national party mp’s are quitting, the majority of which cite ‘family reasons’
Will National look fresher or simply inexperienced with a lack lustre leadership?
Jeepers when you think about it looking at your stat’s PR people in the Nat party don’t seem to stick around, wonder why that is?
“As for the general public as suggested I’ve been asking around, many National supporters feel let down that English is PM.”
I’m sure you have and I’m sure you have better idea than I do of what the average National voter is thinking 🙂
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Simon Power back now Key has scuttled off.
They couldn’t stand each other apparently.
What would be interesting is looking at the average length of tenure across the MPs of the 3 (4) major parties.
I’m thinking there would be little difference between Labour and National with third place going to NZ (with the Winnie outlier discounted) and the Green party being the most rejuvenated over the last ten years or so.
What might be worrying is who will be selected to replace them ? Could be even more hard-right types will get into Parliament under National.
Naah Bill has learnt his lesson, it’ll be centre right foe a wee while now
WTF? He taught the lesson. It was English who first tried to brand the National Party as more of a centrist, caring party between the hard-line Shipley and Brash periods.
FFS THE CITIZENS OF NZ DEMAND AND EARLY ELECTION!!
“You speak on behalf of people as usual – how arrogant of you.”
– Paul
I agree with you James.
One up for you Paul on consistency 😀
If I knew how to add a smiley face, I would.
We agree on that issue – be true to your principles.
ikr shame on me for voicing the opinions of others, by crikey it’s shocking how one thinks of others, better sort that out asap lolololol
I know I’ll start a polling company, maybe that would be more acceptable
As long as you publish your methodology its all good
Ho Ho Santa Claus I’ve bigger fish to fry than spending time conducting polls, I’ll just keep listening to the people, and seeing this is an amazing tourist town, there will be plenty of them to converse with. People tend to open up to me, not sure why, but one learns so much by listening.
Crikey you never know, might take a wander around some camping grounds with my note book in hand, ALL walks of life come here for summer.
Where are most of the tourists from these days ?
Where the tourist are from kinda of depends on what day it is.. during the week this last month you will find most shopping in the supermarket have accents.
During the weekend it’s different, many NZer’s flock to Motueka and many more are coming, already the main road is congested, it’s that time of year when one ditches the car for the bike around town, it’s quicker and easier.
Next week it will really start
People often tell you what they think what you want to hear not what they really think, just some thing to be aware of 😀
Maybe that is why the polls were so wrong re Trump for that very reason.
Would be an interesting experiment to dress casually and ask around, then dress in business clothes and ask the same questions.
Nothing is more fun on a holiday than having a political person coming around the campground with a notebook interrupting family time. Especially when you start trotting out your “outgoing government” and “Alpha Andy” sayings.
Nah i wouldn’t go about it like that, not my way.
I’ve this one comment that is a sure fire conversation starter, simple interesting, and all one has to do is listening after saying it.. goes like this..
“Gosh I was shocked last week when John Key resigned”
And it’s all the encouragement people need, everyone has an opinion on his resignation.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1612/S00190/police-pay-out-for-hager-raid.htm
Another payout to the Hagar family – from the police. Good.
Excellent news. That was a shocking way to treat a young woman. The psychological effects could be long lasting.
Air NZ: why subject us to more Mike Hosking?
Air NZ: why subject us to more Mike Hosking?
Here we agree Paul ANZ safety videos are nauseating
Thanks Red.
Better add Air NZ to the boycott list.
thats fairly easy as there are plenty other companies flying in and out of NZ and all of them cheaper.
Air NZ safety ad – brown(ish?) really is the new black……but of course living and working in the Bay of Islands/Hokianga I already knew that, as to the real brown at least. Can’t withhold the lament that it’s a pity the racists/classists who skitter nervously by the Kaikohe District Court, nostrils clenched shut (metaphorical me), don’t appreciate that. Also…….can’t for the life of me imagine why anyone thought a cameo by scarecrowishly slight, grimacing, impatient, entitled, mutton-as-lamb, white dork Hosking…….that this works for the safety of any fucking thing. It’s Judge Judy in skinny jeans on meth’. Must have been some special ‘tatou tatou bro’ going on down in Aux when this got made.
An absolutely fantastic piece by Stephanie Rodgers has been published in Overland today. The subject is “Solidarity” and is essential reading for those on the left IMO.
https://overland.org.au/2016/12/this-is-what-solidarity-looks-like/
Thanks!
Great to see you in Overland Stephanie!
Damn but that’s good. And thanks to Stephanie for the perfect antidote to the hate identity politics meme. Solidarity politics!
Newsflash dummies. Build a fucking rail service!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/87578963/auckland-airport-projects-cleared-for-takeoff-as-traffic-causes-further-frustration