Yes! Maybe time to go fill up the car today. Good move by Labour reducing the petrol tax. We all know they hate reducing any tax, but it was really needed. I just hope that in a few weeks time the price hasn't risen more than the temporary 25c reduction.
Public transport move unexpected but also a great move. Hopefully encourage more to use.
Last year the Government unveiled its proposals and invited the public to have its say, including creating a new criminal offence with harsher penalties and protections for more minority groups.
Faafoi had planned to introduce the laws to Parliament early this year but told Newshub this had been delayed. He said much care needed to be taken because "we also don't want to inflame the very issue that we are trying to fix here".
Foon said he had written to all the ministers involved, with mixed responses and only some replying. "If I, as a Commissioner tasked with following up these matters, cannot get a response, what hope is there for our concerned communities?"
There's always hope. They ought to keep hoping for the best. For the govt it's just a matter of being engaged with higher priorities. Foon knows the squeaky wheel gets the grease so he squeaks loudly. Trouble is he's drowned out by louder squawks.
There's an immense design problem with legislative change. It consists of an elephant in the room that law reformers don't want to look at: the lack of prosecutions under the current law. The media has amply reported that hate speech is already illegal – what part of this don't these people understand??
You can't reasonably expect govt & public service lawyers to fix a problem that doesn't exist. Complainants ought to get real. Launch their own prosecutions against hate speech using the law designed for that purpose. This ain't rocket science. And really, why can't Foon figure it out? I would have thought he's the ideal person to be leading any prosecution on behalf of targeted ethnicities.
Robert Habeck is a novelist, philosopher, and the German equivalent of our minister of finance:
After the Greens agreed to form a traffic light coalition government with the centre-left Social Democrats and liberal Free Democrats, new Chancellor Olaf Scholz named Habeck as Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and Vice Chancellor in December 2021, making him one of the most powerful politicians in Europe.
And he's part of the hinge between Germany and Russia now.
In an interview reflecting the moral pressure Germany is under to do more, the country’s Green economics minister, Robert Habeck, admitted Europe in the past had fed Ukraine false promises, but said Germany could not afford “the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs” that a full energy embargo would require. He said Germany at best could be freed of Russian coal by the autumn, of its oil by the end of the year, but could set no date for ending German reliance on gas.
The impasse is leaving senior allies of Zelenskiy feeling frustrated, and appealing to the UK and the US to use the G7 to try to persuade the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to sign up to a western timetable to end dependence on Russian energy.
The frustration with the German position is such that Zelenskiy is willing to turn to one of Scholz’s predecessors, Gerhard Schröder, to act as a mediator with Putin. The former chancellor has accepted the role, possibly to salvage something from the ruins of his reputation, and reportedly had talks with Putin last week.
However another dictator is poised to rescue the west:
In a game of geopolitical chess with Russia, Biden is already working to find alternative oil supplies. For now he is trying to fill the shortfall through drawing on the US reserves, oil from Venezuela, the world largest oil producer, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
White House officials were in Caracas for the first such talks in 20 years. Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro government has signalled its willingness to cooperate with the White House by releasing two political prisoners in a goodwill gesture. Venezuela’s oil output could rise by at least 400,000 bpd, the country’s petroleum chamber said on Friday.
All hail the saviour! Biden ought to invite Maduro to the White House & host him with a military parade of goose-steppers. Dictators love that stuff!
Benefits rates also increase as the second part of the increases announced last year come into force – I think my supported living allowance goes up $23 per week on 1 April
Yes, the 23 NZD that is the last payment to finally pay the increase that the WEAG demanded in 2019.
All benefit rates will increase by $20 a week from 1 July this year. A second increase will occur on 1 April next year that will see main benefits lifted in line with a key WEAG recommendation. Families and whānau with children will also receive a further $15 per adult per week.20/05/2021
again, this too is nice, but a few years late and now several tens of dollars short. And considering that it will be tacked on the main benefit, fringe benefits will be reduced accordingly to make up for the windfall and chances are benefits are still no better off, in fact my be worse of.
But an effort has been made, and i really hope that this will be enough for a while to make your life a bit easier.
Providing direct benefit to over 1,000,000 regular users
Starting in Arpil for three month. It is nice, but again, its neither here nor there, just a wee little temporary relieve. By then the 25cnts discount on the tax on gasoline will be nill and voided.
– 1 April NZSuper increases $52 per fortnight for a single person
– 1 April NZSuper increases $80 per fortnight for a couple
needed as rent increases will be announced on April 2
– 1 April Working for Families increases $20 per week
nothing for families on the benefit?
1 April Minimum Wage lifts to $21.20
needed as rent increases will be announced on April 2
all of these 'increases' are nice, but too little very much too late, an in fact will do nothing much to change anything, same as te min wage increase last year did not do much, nor the one the year before. Why?
Because there is no way any government can increase the Min Wage / Benefits / Super enough to make inflation go away, in fact it feeds into inflation, and people still are a few hundred dollar short for food and essentials after paying rent.
What is missing on your list are the important things.
rent control
proper tax reform, revisiting of tax brackets.
affordable housing for people who are on a fixed to low income
affordable food
affordable long term public transport so as to build a proper alternative to private transport.
But, another layer of sugar was applied to the stale cake of 'Non reform' and some like a good sugar rush, never mind the headache afterwards.
The point is that without meaningful reform you can increase the benefits every other month and htey would still not hold up. Case in point hte first 25 NZD i ncrease came curtesy of National, and that too did fuck all.
Public transport is not used because it is too expensive and always was. I am a public transport user as i never owned a car in NZ. I used to live close to work and walk as that was cheaper then running a car and spending x amount of hours in traffic.
The half price announcement is good, but made bad by not starting immediately and then only for three month. That is just pretending to do something, that's not even a band aid.
The budget……lol. Mind there is another poll to come for sure, and that too will reflect the compassionated and considerate movements of this government, it will move compassionately and considerably down. 27.8% is the low of Cunliffe, Little would have been even lower, so lets wait and see. Shall we?
Can you please list the houses build, vs houses sold and houses demolished. Please, that would be nice if you could actually provide proof for that point.
Re Housing, the biggest need currently is getting our population into affordable and suitable housing; and social housing needs continue to grow. THe scale of need is such that I believe we need to go back to something like the State Advances Corporation system – issuing loans at say 0.5% above government stock rates, requiring payments of a percentage of earnings which remains fixed for say 20 years, for up to 90% of the cost of a dwelling. Someone is currently paying the $6 billion that banks made last year – perhaps some of that can be reduced by removing difficult clients from seeking bank loans . . .
The delay is probably to allow systems to change fares and test changes,
Technology sometimes slows change.
(Was watching a documentary of London Underground where they had a (temporary) mechanical scheduing system instlled just after the second world war. It was the most reliable part of the whole, even in the early 2000's)
I have been advocating for free public transport for ever. I love public transport as i positively hate driving and owning a car. Eww. Literally. Trams, busses, shuttles, le chemin de fer, trains, and bicycles, are my mode of transportation of choice. Cars are something that i rent when i can't have the other stuff.
This is the first time they even contemplate it. So i guess i am applauding 'baby steps', while shaking my head at the temprorarinessness of it all.
Public transport fees need to be looked at, honestly and with affordability in mind, and we are not doing that. And if changing the software is in the too hard basket, the Government could include a tax rebate for those that use it to go to work and ship their kids to school. At the end of the year via the tax return. Maybe that is easier. After all, to some extend it is a business expense for workers and families.
Edit: And doing it right now does not seem a concentrated push to make public transport more attractive and affordable but just a wee things to shut up noises about high cost of living and being perceived at doing something. Polls and such demand actions, not foresight and anticipation of stuff happening, but polls that trend the wrong way.
"I have been advocating for free public transport for ever. "
Me, too. I am cynical about this scheme, because it seems an easy move with little cost, and limited benefit.
I also believe that public transport in Auckland needs to be improved in terms of getting better service and security, particularly in the outer regions. My family did use public transport to get into Auckland for tertiary study (pre Covid) and the cost was high, and the reliability and service mediocre.
I'm guessing they are still working on the 2022 budget and will need time to adjust things for a longer term change. In the meantime, we have three months to see what the uptake of PT is, and to lobby for making it permanent. This is how change through parliament can work well.
Greater Auckland use their influence to argue against free public transport, never once considering how much relief it will possibly give to some of the financially distressed households in Auckland.
As we attempt (unsuccessfully) to raise lower incomes, we need to also design strong policies and strategies to reduce essential costs: housing, transport, food and utilities.
I attended a few transport public lectures back in the day, with Matt L as a guest speaker. He was consistently dismissive of the topic when it was brought up.
Given that I come from a perspective that many Auckland households are struggling financially, I never heard that addressed either in person or on their blog posts, which are really well structured in terms of identifying points, which they then dismantle or discuss. However, that also often limits discussion to just those points.
Today's post seems fairly neutral, but public transport has declined – as you would expect – since the pandemic, and public transport is always championed on GA.
There are considerable improvements that could be made in terms of service and security though, especially in the farther reaches of Auckland. So, although I would support free public transport, it must be accompanied with addressing regional inequity in terms of access and quality of service.
I posted the search link because I understand I read their posts through a particular lens, and others may see it differently.
Increases (above and beyond the normal inflation adjustment) to all benefits from 1 April 2022 were announced in the 2021 budget.
While increases to the MW are inflationary, they still result on those on the MW being better off … unless rent increases (constrained by a limit to one increase a year). Landlords increase rents based on the wider market, and or knowledge of the tenants income.
Not uncommon around the world. The legacy of rivers being used for transport and ports. New Orleans is a classic example, and man's wrestling to control the Mississippi catchment is a fascinating story.
Just saw a photo of Bernard-Henri Lévy on the front lines of Odesa. We live in interesting times when 73 year old French philosophers go into bat for the defense of freedom!
Marina Ovsyannikova ran on to the set of the Channel One transmission shouting: ‘Stop the war. No to war’
An employee on Russia’s state Channel One television has interrupted the channel’s main news programme with an extraordinary protest against Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at Channel One, burst on to the set of the live broadcast of the nightly news on Monday evening, shouting: “Stop the war. No to war.”
She also held a sign saying: “Don’t believe the propaganda. They’re lying to you here.” It was signed in English: “Russians against the war”.
The news anchor continued to read from her teleprompter speaking louder in an attempt to drown out Ovsyannikova, but her protest could be seen and heard for several seconds before the channel switched to a record segment.
Resilience tech can be viable with a simple design:
Since Energy Vault established its successful prototype in Switzerland in 2020, the company has pivoted from the tower model design, which could reach up to 200 meters in height, to 20-story modular buildings it calls "Energy Vault Resiliency Centers."
Bricks will move up and down inside the building on trolleys, controlled by an artificial intelligence system that identifies optimal times for charging or discharging energy, depending on supply and demand.
The centers will vary in footprint, possibly covering between 1.5 and 20 acres depending on the storage capacity, he adds. But they are likely to be installed in places where space isn't an issue, such as near existing wind or solar plants.
In February, Energy Vault listed on the New York stock exchange, raising approximately $235 million. It recently announced that actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio had joined the company's strategic advisory board.
This year, Energy Vault will start building resiliency centers for DG fuels, which wants a continuous supply of renewable energy to create green hydrogen fuel for the aviation industry. It has also signed deals worth up to $880 million with companies including Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, metal smelting company Korea Zinc, and mining giant BHP. With this backing, Piconi is confident Energy Vault can help to accelerate the energy transition.
So far, customers have signed up to projects that equate to 2.5 gigawatt hours of energy storage — a significant addition to the 17 gigawatt hours of battery storage that Wood Mackenzie estimates is currently in operation in the US.
Interesting. I liked the UK one using old mine shafts, but can see how that would be limited. Might still be useful though.
But a large open cast pit might be the go for a bigger one – difficult to complain about sightlines if it's at or just below ground level. And give it a roof with solar panels for generation as well as storage.
A Supreme Court spokesperson said that senior judges had refused Assange’s bid to challenge the decision as his case did not raise “an arguable point of law”.
The ruling appears to exhaust Assange’s legal avenues in the UK to avoid extradition, however he could still seek to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Western media and opinion makers detailing censorship in Russia, should perhaps devote 10% of their column inches and screen time to accurately reporting and analysing this situation.
And last night TVNZ repeated the lie that a Russian tank had crushed a civilian car in Kiev, as if it was breaking news
They first aired that , our own TVNZ, on the 26th , 2 days into the invasion when no tanks were anywhere near the inner streets of Kiev , but the footage had been circulated on social media, and TVNZ picked it up from whatever scumbag news aggregate they subscribe to.
That is actually a bonus for Assange – If they had agreed to hear it they would eventually have declined the application while another year or so went by of him being imprisoned . This way he will hopefully have a chance in a fairer Court.
The survivor who was shot 9 times and is completing his walk from Dunedin to Christchurch today got good coverage on TV1 Breakfast TV show. He was exceptionally dignified.
Will you lead the charge against the odious Trump man Peter Thiel please, or perhaps James Cameron ,Graeme Hart, or Richard Chandler who made his fortune at the expense of the Russian people?
The 2.5 million refugees (and climbing) need some place to live! So thoughtful of the benefactors of their counties aggressor to prearrange accommodation for them. 🙂
One would have thought that after investing so much of yourself into the debunked Trump/Putin conspiracy theory, only to be humiliated right out in public for that unquestioning support, that you might be even just a tiny little more circumspect going forward…but nope, I guess that critical thinking, historical context or any type of nuance at all just isn't your bag…but to be fair, again you are far from being alone in your unquestioning enthusiasm to march in step yet again.
I know that you seem to believe the Trump/Putin conspiracy has been debunked. But outside your small coterie of Putin dupes there has been a shift away from treating Putin like a modern liberal, and a return to seeing him as a recrudescent Stalinist.
Steele, who you were at pains to rubbish, has proven to have been a rather reliable source, and is much in demand for his expertise. Here he is addressing the Oxford Union.
"I know that you seem to believe the Trump/Putin conspiracy has been debunked"…..yeah I know that some of you have committed yourselves so fully into, and therefore internalized so deeply into yourselves that cult of stuff and nonsense, that you could never turn back….well not without some sort of professional help anyway.
@Molly, "while trying to understand how we got to this point."…I agree completely, unfortunately our friends Munro, Macro, Frank etc have shown no interest in the history, murky origins and devious Geo-Political machinations that underlay this tragic war….though to be fair they only reflect most of the worlds media own lack of interest, and as they only ever regurgitate what they are told too, and have been doing so for years, why should anyone expect anything else from this lot? monkey see, monkey do I guess.
I don't believe I have witnessed even one of them have an original thought cross from one side of their cranium to the other in matters of geo politics in the entire time I have been on The Standard.
The matter in dispute between the Putin dupes and I, is the acceptability of repeating propaganda uncritically. The most aggressive Putin trolls on this site, routinely attack any occurrence the western press dare to report, as well as the ones that maintain the highest standards themselves, like Reuters. This process is designed to create a false equivalence – if all media lie, propaganda is suddenly on an equal footing with fact based journalism.
Understanding how we got to this point is not complex – with the collapse of the Soviet Union, western powers assumed the cold war was over – and it was, briefly, under Gorbachev. Once the old party cadres regained power however, they immediately turned isolationist, and the cold war resumed – while the West naively extended trade and friendship to the Stalinist Putin.
You will never see anything verifiable or explicatory from the wretched refuse of Putin's NZ propaganda team – their game is a spoiling game – dividing and confusing responses to allow Putin to get away with his atrocities. They have no friends in eastern Europe to use as touchstones for the veracity of the fake news sites they prefer, and though long on insults, they make unsupported and indeed unsupportable assertions about every fact that crops up. They have nothing that will increase our understanding of the causes or possible end points of the conflict – They are noise, not signal.
Or, make your own contact with expat Russian journalists – a surprising number have been obliged to flee, and they will give Putin’s propagandists short shrift.
The report concludes that the investigation "did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities".[4][5][6]Investigators had an incomplete picture of what happened due in part to some communications that were encrypted, deleted, or not saved, as well as testimony that was false, incomplete, or declined.[7][8][9] However, the report states that Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was illegal and occurred "in sweeping and systematic fashion"[10][11][12] but was welcomed by the Trump campaign as it expected to benefit from such efforts.[13][14][15] It also identifies links between Trump campaign officials and individuals with ties to the Russian government,[16] about which several persons connected to the campaign made false statements and obstructed investigations.[4] Mueller later stated that his investigation's conclusion on Russian interference "deserves the attention of every American".[17]
my bold
It's all well and good to focus purely on the first statement in that summary – as did Trump, his Repugnant supporters, Faux news, and of course the Russian propogandists, but there was ample circumstantial evidence to show that there was significant interference by Russian "influencers" in Facebook and other social media to attack, and upset, the democratic process and a fair vote, not just for the wealthy, but for all.
As of October 2019, around 15,000 Facebook pages with a majority US audience were being run out of Kosovo and Macedonia, known bad actors during the 2016 election.
Collectively, those troll-farm pages—which the report treats as a single page for comparison purposes—reached 140 million US users monthly and 360 million global users weekly. Walmart’s page reached the second-largest US audience at 100 million.
The troll farm pages also combined to form:
the largest Christian American page on Facebook, 20 times larger than the next largest—reaching 75 million US users monthly, 95% of whom had never followed any of the pages.
the largest African-American page on Facebook, three times larger than the next largest—reaching 30 million US users monthly, 85% of whom had never followed any of the pages.
the second-largest Native American page on Facebook, reaching 400,000 users monthly, 90% of whom had never followed any of the pages.
the fifth-largest women’s page on Facebook, reaching 60 million US users monthly, 90% of whom had never followed any of the pages.
Troll farms primarily affect the US but also target the UK, Australia, India, and Central and South American countries.
Facebook has conducted multiple studies confirming that content more likely to receive user engagement (likes, comments, and shares) is more likely of a type known to be bad. Still, the company has continued to rank content in user’s newsfeeds according to what will receive the highest engagement.
Days after buying over-the-counter medicine from a pharmacy in Beijing, university student Yu was stunned to find her prized green health code — the essential rating needed to enter the city’s shops, offices and public transport — was gone.
In a scene being repeated across the Chinese capital, a pop-up window now warned the app could no longer ascertain her coronavirus risk status.
[…]
Yu was one of thousands who showed up to Beijing workplaces or shopping malls this week only to find they were barred entry due to their health code status, as already-strict virus controls were ramped up ahead of the Winter Olympics.
Overnight, the city had quietly rolled out a new rule requiring everyone who had bought medication for anything that might be a Covid symptom — including fever, cough and throat dryness — to take a virus test before their health app status could be restored to green.
It seems even well educated people with good, well paying jobs just don’t fucking get it.
My SO's filthy that after all the planning and effort that went into systems to avoid incidents and maintain continuity, a halfwit knowingly exposed to a positive case on the job during the weekend turned up to work yesterday and swanned around un-masked.
A big loss for National. I would suggest Jacinda thinks about doing likewise, if she wants to set herself up overseas before the possibility of WW3 starting.
Well some say that the speechifying at Harvard is the PM going to Job interviews. WW3 started the day, WW2 ended it was called the Cold War. Which we have now started in earnest and with actual bullets and as always the little people do the dying, and the rich suits do the grand standing.
Mind, if we survive this war will we finally build a monument to the unknown Mother and child.
(Mother – adult human female having given birth to a child)
Great article in the Herald today about 3 waters by Shane Jones. Sorry behind a paywall.
At last the mainstream media are allowing a sensible rebuttal to the co-governance issue this government have tried to deceptively sneak in. I suspect the co-governance debacle will quietly disappear.
Recent publicity hinted at something unusual going on at the guy's school. The principal, said to be on leave, was a would be National election candidate. That he was beaten by Matt King might say something.
The logo for the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (PM&C) “Women’s Network” has been taken down, after it was mocked on social media for its phallic appearance.
Rather than draw focus to the purpose of the Network – which, according to a description, ”promotes gender equality and supports members to succeed in their personal professional lives” – the logo ignited controversy when it was shared to Twitter on Sunday.
Many at first assumed the logo was a fake because of its overt resemblance to male genitalia, while others were furious that it detracted from the actual purpose of the Network.
I'm pleased there was some sort of explanation of what the objection was. Graphic design and logos are something I've been involved in.
I briefly glimpsed the article, saw there was controversy and looked at the graphic without reading any of the text and seeing the words 'phallic' and 'male genitalia.' My first thought was about symbolic breasts and that depicting women through that was the issue.
What would please me would be hearing that a woman was responsible for the design and it was approved by a team with female leadership.
Green Party co-leaders say they reported MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere to health authorities after they discovered she had breached pandemic restrictions.
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Kerekere said she had travelled from her home in Tairāwhiti to Wellington by plane despite being a household contact of a Covid-infected person. She had been at Parliament yesterday.
Today she resigned from her Covid-19 Response portfolio, and would not hold the Health portfolio nor sit on the Health Select Committee until further notice.
Deliberately withholding life saving medical attention from someone who needs it is a crime.
It looks likely that the person who died at the Peka Peka farm anti-mandate camp, was infected with Covid-19. The death is being investigated by the coroner. Whether this person's covid infection was the cause of their death has yet to be determined.
….A spokesman for the Office of the Chief Coroner said the death was an active case with Coroner Brigitte Windley and police were investigating.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
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On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
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Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
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Yes! Maybe time to go fill up the car today. Good move by Labour reducing the petrol tax. We all know they hate reducing any tax, but it was really needed. I just hope that in a few weeks time the price hasn't risen more than the temporary 25c reduction.
Public transport move unexpected but also a great move. Hopefully encourage more to use.
Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon calls out Government: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/hate-speech-laws-race-relations-commissioner-meng-foon-calls-out-government-over-delays-three-years-after-march-15-attacks/NJCG5HWNUFDBEYELB45LQXHH6Y/
There's always hope. They ought to keep hoping for the best. For the govt it's just a matter of being engaged with higher priorities. Foon knows the squeaky wheel gets the grease so he squeaks loudly. Trouble is he's drowned out by louder squawks.
There's an immense design problem with legislative change. It consists of an elephant in the room that law reformers don't want to look at: the lack of prosecutions under the current law. The media has amply reported that hate speech is already illegal – what part of this don't these people understand??
You can't reasonably expect govt & public service lawyers to fix a problem that doesn't exist. Complainants ought to get real. Launch their own prosecutions against hate speech using the law designed for that purpose. This ain't rocket science. And really, why can't Foon figure it out? I would have thought he's the ideal person to be leading any prosecution on behalf of targeted ethnicities.
Robert Habeck is a novelist, philosopher, and the German equivalent of our minister of finance:
And he's part of the hinge between Germany and Russia now.
However another dictator is poised to rescue the west:
All hail the saviour! Biden ought to invite Maduro to the White House & host him with a military parade of goose-steppers. Dictators love that stuff!
What sort of stuff do unelected Presidents like Guaido,appointed President of Venezuela by the U.S….like?
cloak & dagger stuff… useful idiot theory says you can always find one suitable on either the left or right side of the fence…
@ D.Frank..Here is a speech that I can only assume was written especially for you….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luuXoqtSPuk
So you never get tired of wallowing in a mire of false assumptions? Why? 🙄
Important to note the scale and impact of all the government's $$ increases to New Zealanders from yesterday:
– Half price public transport.
Providing direct benefit to over 1,000,000 regular users
– 1 April NZSuper increases $52 per fortnight for a single person
– 1 April NZSuper increases $80 per fortnight for a couple
That assists 800,000 Kiwis
– 1 April Working for Families increases $20 per week
That assists a further 365,000 families with children
– 1 April Minimum Wage lifts to $21.20
That assists a further 300,000 people
Easily 2.5 million New Zealanders getting greater government funding in 16 days time.
Benefits rates also increase as the second part of the increases announced last year come into force – I think my supported living allowance goes up $23 per week on 1 April
Yes, the 23 NZD that is the last payment to finally pay the increase that the WEAG demanded in 2019.
https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/information-releases/cabinet-papers/2021/welfare-overhaul-work-programme-update/appendix-three.html
again, this too is nice, but a few years late and now several tens of dollars short. And considering that it will be tacked on the main benefit, fringe benefits will be reduced accordingly to make up for the windfall and chances are benefits are still no better off, in fact my be worse of.
But an effort has been made, and i really hope that this will be enough for a while to make your life a bit easier.
– Half price public transport.
Providing direct benefit to over 1,000,000 regular users
Starting in Arpil for three month. It is nice, but again, its neither here nor there, just a wee little temporary relieve. By then the 25cnts discount on the tax on gasoline will be nill and voided.
– 1 April NZSuper increases $52 per fortnight for a single person
– 1 April NZSuper increases $80 per fortnight for a couple
needed as rent increases will be announced on April 2
– 1 April Working for Families increases $20 per week
nothing for families on the benefit?
1 April Minimum Wage lifts to $21.20
needed as rent increases will be announced on April 2
all of these 'increases' are nice, but too little very much too late, an in fact will do nothing much to change anything, same as te min wage increase last year did not do much, nor the one the year before. Why?
Because there is no way any government can increase the Min Wage / Benefits / Super enough to make inflation go away, in fact it feeds into inflation, and people still are a few hundred dollar short for food and essentials after paying rent.
What is missing on your list are the important things.
But, another layer of sugar was applied to the stale cake of 'Non reform' and some like a good sugar rush, never mind the headache afterwards.
No other NZ government in 50 years has increased benefits on this scale.
Rent controls as a maximum rent rarely work.
No other government in 50 years has built more affordable housing. Not enough and the waiting lines are worse, but the building is happening.
Public transport use is currently only a substantial share of trips per day in 2 NZ cities: Wellington and Auckland.
I'll wait for budget to comment on tax bracket changes.
That is not the point of my comment Ad.
The point is that without meaningful reform you can increase the benefits every other month and htey would still not hold up. Case in point hte first 25 NZD i ncrease came curtesy of National, and that too did fuck all.
Public transport is not used because it is too expensive and always was. I am a public transport user as i never owned a car in NZ. I used to live close to work and walk as that was cheaper then running a car and spending x amount of hours in traffic.
The half price announcement is good, but made bad by not starting immediately and then only for three month. That is just pretending to do something, that's not even a band aid.
The budget……lol. Mind there is another poll to come for sure, and that too will reflect the compassionated and considerate movements of this government, it will move compassionately and considerably down. 27.8% is the low of Cunliffe, Little would have been even lower, so lets wait and see. Shall we?
Can you please list the houses build, vs houses sold and houses demolished. Please, that would be nice if you could actually provide proof for that point.
Re Housing, the biggest need currently is getting our population into affordable and suitable housing; and social housing needs continue to grow. THe scale of need is such that I believe we need to go back to something like the State Advances Corporation system – issuing loans at say 0.5% above government stock rates, requiring payments of a percentage of earnings which remains fixed for say 20 years, for up to 90% of the cost of a dwelling. Someone is currently paying the $6 billion that banks made last year – perhaps some of that can be reduced by removing difficult clients from seeking bank loans . . .
Might be a small thing to you, for others it is significant.
https://twitter.com/A_G_Hawkins/status/1503225624441208837
Indeed it is, and that is why i would have preferred that today the prices are already at half price and without a three month expiry date.
The delay is probably to allow systems to change fares and test changes,
Technology sometimes slows change.
(Was watching a documentary of London Underground where they had a (temporary) mechanical scheduing system instlled just after the second world war. It was the most reliable part of the whole, even in the early 2000's)
I have been advocating for free public transport for ever. I love public transport as i positively hate driving and owning a car. Eww. Literally. Trams, busses, shuttles, le chemin de fer, trains, and bicycles, are my mode of transportation of choice. Cars are something that i rent when i can't have the other stuff.
This is the first time they even contemplate it. So i guess i am applauding 'baby steps', while shaking my head at the temprorarinessness of it all.
Public transport fees need to be looked at, honestly and with affordability in mind, and we are not doing that. And if changing the software is in the too hard basket, the Government could include a tax rebate for those that use it to go to work and ship their kids to school. At the end of the year via the tax return. Maybe that is easier. After all, to some extend it is a business expense for workers and families.
Edit: And doing it right now does not seem a concentrated push to make public transport more attractive and affordable but just a wee things to shut up noises about high cost of living and being perceived at doing something. Polls and such demand actions, not foresight and anticipation of stuff happening, but polls that trend the wrong way.
"I have been advocating for free public transport for ever. "
Me, too. I am cynical about this scheme, because it seems an easy move with little cost, and limited benefit.
I also believe that public transport in Auckland needs to be improved in terms of getting better service and security, particularly in the outer regions. My family did use public transport to get into Auckland for tertiary study (pre Covid) and the cost was high, and the reliability and service mediocre.
I'm guessing they are still working on the 2022 budget and will need time to adjust things for a longer term change. In the meantime, we have three months to see what the uptake of PT is, and to lobby for making it permanent. This is how change through parliament can work well.
Greater Auckland use their influence to argue against free public transport, never once considering how much relief it will possibly give to some of the financially distressed households in Auckland.
https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?s=free+public+transport
As we attempt (unsuccessfully) to raise lower incomes, we need to also design strong policies and strategies to reduce essential costs: housing, transport, food and utilities.
have you got a tl'dr precis of their objection to free PT?
I attended a few transport public lectures back in the day, with Matt L as a guest speaker. He was consistently dismissive of the topic when it was brought up.
Given that I come from a perspective that many Auckland households are struggling financially, I never heard that addressed either in person or on their blog posts, which are really well structured in terms of identifying points, which they then dismantle or discuss. However, that also often limits discussion to just those points.
Today's post seems fairly neutral, but public transport has declined – as you would expect – since the pandemic, and public transport is always championed on GA.
There are considerable improvements that could be made in terms of service and security though, especially in the farther reaches of Auckland. So, although I would support free public transport, it must be accompanied with addressing regional inequity in terms of access and quality of service.
I posted the search link because I understand I read their posts through a particular lens, and others may see it differently.
sent you an email.
Increases (above and beyond the normal inflation adjustment) to all benefits from 1 April 2022 were announced in the 2021 budget.
While increases to the MW are inflationary, they still result on those on the MW being better off … unless rent increases (constrained by a limit to one increase a year). Landlords increase rents based on the wider market, and or knowledge of the tenants income.
The lucky country.
https://twitter.com/QReconstruction/status/1501294218559512580?cxt=HHwWiICziefI1dUpAAAA
Build your third largest city at the base of a major river catchment …
Not uncommon around the world. The legacy of rivers being used for transport and ports. New Orleans is a classic example, and man's wrestling to control the Mississippi catchment is a fascinating story.
Bloody scary!
Just saw a photo of Bernard-Henri Lévy on the front lines of Odesa. We live in interesting times when 73 year old French philosophers go into bat for the defense of freedom!
And an equally brave person acting in Russia
oops! see Joe beat me to it
Resilience tech can be viable with a simple design:
More.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/gravity-energy-storage-will-show-its-potential-in-2021
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_battery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_energy_storage_power_plants
Interesting. I liked the UK one using old mine shafts, but can see how that would be limited. Might still be useful though.
But a large open cast pit might be the go for a bigger one – difficult to complain about sightlines if it's at or just below ground level. And give it a roof with solar panels for generation as well as storage.
Julian Assange refused permission to appeal against US extradition by UK’s top court
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/julian-assange-us-extradition-appeal-b2035579.html#comments-area
Western media and opinion makers detailing censorship in Russia, should perhaps devote 10% of their column inches and screen time to accurately reporting and analysing this situation.
Yes it's disgusting…UK govt immoral out in the open..did RNZ even cover this today?
Can't find it, if they did.
No Adrian
And last night TVNZ repeated the lie that a Russian tank had crushed a civilian car in Kiev, as if it was breaking news
They first aired that , our own TVNZ, on the 26th , 2 days into the invasion when no tanks were anywhere near the inner streets of Kiev , but the footage had been circulated on social media, and TVNZ picked it up from whatever scumbag news aggregate they subscribe to.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/02/26/russian-tank-runs-over-ukrainian-civilian-car-driver-survives/
The story has long been exposed , by France 24, but the NZ public continues to be subjected to propaganda.
https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/truth-or-fake/20220303-chimeras-and-the-war-in-ukraine
In case the previous link doesnt work this one is much better, text rather than tedious video
https://observers.france24.com/en/europe/20220301-video-debunked-russian-tank-crush-civilian-car-kyiv
France 24 is a Rupert Murdoch channel ie fox news France.
Yep wasnt detailed but they did report it
That is actually a bonus for Assange – If they had agreed to hear it they would eventually have declined the application while another year or so went by of him being imprisoned . This way he will hopefully have a chance in a fairer Court.
I hope you are proven right.
Courageous.
https://twitter.com/maxseddon/status/1503445657805373446
https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1503453014643949576
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/remembering-march-15-three-years
But tax cuts hog the limelight
The survivor who was shot 9 times and is completing his walk from Dunedin to Christchurch today got good coverage on TV1 Breakfast TV show. He was exceptionally dignified.
Respect!
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/03/14/mosque-attack-survivor-on-final-leg-of-360km-peace-walk/
Hoping this catches on…
https://twitter.com/AliceFromQueens/status/1503475138997719044?s=20&t=EGdKlJ-Gu7EKRjRNyfZTkA
Looks like it is.
https://twitter.com/AlexandruC4/status/1503142677503692803
google translate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL8waIBAE_c
Excellent. Oligarchs and billionaires should not exist. Slay the dragons. Give the wealth back to the people.
Will you lead the charge against the odious Trump man Peter Thiel please, or perhaps James Cameron ,Graeme Hart, or Richard Chandler who made his fortune at the expense of the Russian people?
Oh pardon me , his thefts are to be celebrated
Will do, as soon as I can mobilise my 27 followers on twitter. In the meantime, I will continue to sledge the Government like it’s a piñata
Can't wait for our unhoused people to do the same to empty rich listers houses here in NZ. Liberate all the ghost houses for the homeless.
right on Sabine!
I'm with you,We have morality on our side
Better make sure no-one that has had a facist thought, or dressed as Hitler joins in, because,….
… they don't care about the cause, they just want the world to burn so they can rise out of the ashes.
Oh dear
No sense of irony?
You get that
nope, not with fascism and especially not on the 15 March.
I would have no problem with that
The 2.5 million refugees (and climbing) need some place to live! So thoughtful of the benefactors of their counties aggressor to prearrange accommodation for them. 🙂
One would have thought that after investing so much of yourself into the debunked Trump/Putin conspiracy theory, only to be humiliated right out in public for that unquestioning support, that you might be even just a tiny little more circumspect going forward…but nope, I guess that critical thinking, historical context or any type of nuance at all just isn't your bag…but to be fair, again you are far from being alone in your unquestioning enthusiasm to march in step yet again.
I know that you seem to believe the Trump/Putin conspiracy has been debunked. But outside your small coterie of Putin dupes there has been a shift away from treating Putin like a modern liberal, and a return to seeing him as a recrudescent Stalinist.
Steele, who you were at pains to rubbish, has proven to have been a rather reliable source, and is much in demand for his expertise. Here he is addressing the Oxford Union.
"I know that you seem to believe the Trump/Putin conspiracy has been debunked"…..yeah I know that some of you have committed yourselves so fully into, and therefore internalized so deeply into yourselves that cult of stuff and nonsense, that you could never turn back….well not without some sort of professional help anyway.
Fact free diatribe as usual Adrian.
Some nutritious fact for you: Russian Misinformation Is "A Military Assault” on the West | Amanpour and Company – YouTube
Just so you know the role you are playing in the dissemination of Putin's disinformatzia.
We can agree that the war is terrible, and needs to end – while trying to understand how we got to this point.
@Molly, "while trying to understand how we got to this point."…I agree completely, unfortunately our friends Munro, Macro, Frank etc have shown no interest in the history, murky origins and devious Geo-Political machinations that underlay this tragic war….though to be fair they only reflect most of the worlds media own lack of interest, and as they only ever regurgitate what they are told too, and have been doing so for years, why should anyone expect anything else from this lot? monkey see, monkey do I guess.
I don't believe I have witnessed even one of them have an original thought cross from one side of their cranium to the other in matters of geo politics in the entire time I have been on The Standard.
Big-nosed monkeys regurgitate MSM narrative…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqN5f7cu8hQ
It's fascinating how you dress up your credulity as superior knowledge.
Though of course my sources are actual people, not the msm – so you have only proven your ignorance yet again.
The matter in dispute between the Putin dupes and I, is the acceptability of repeating propaganda uncritically. The most aggressive Putin trolls on this site, routinely attack any occurrence the western press dare to report, as well as the ones that maintain the highest standards themselves, like Reuters. This process is designed to create a false equivalence – if all media lie, propaganda is suddenly on an equal footing with fact based journalism.
Understanding how we got to this point is not complex – with the collapse of the Soviet Union, western powers assumed the cold war was over – and it was, briefly, under Gorbachev. Once the old party cadres regained power however, they immediately turned isolationist, and the cold war resumed – while the West naively extended trade and friendship to the Stalinist Putin.
You will never see anything verifiable or explicatory from the wretched refuse of Putin's NZ propaganda team – their game is a spoiling game – dividing and confusing responses to allow Putin to get away with his atrocities. They have no friends in eastern Europe to use as touchstones for the veracity of the fake news sites they prefer, and though long on insults, they make unsupported and indeed unsupportable assertions about every fact that crops up. They have nothing that will increase our understanding of the causes or possible end points of the conflict – They are noise, not signal.
If you're interested in the causes of the war, this interview is at least informed: Professor David Marples: Putin’s true motives for invading Ukraine | RNZ
Or, make your own contact with expat Russian journalists – a surprising number have been obliged to flee, and they will give Putin’s propagandists short shrift.
Sometimes Adrian one needs to look at oneself in the mirror. Have you ever read the Mueller Report? This is a fair summary of its findings:
my bold
It's all well and good to focus purely on the first statement in that summary – as did Trump, his Repugnant supporters, Faux news, and of course the Russian propogandists, but there was ample circumstantial evidence to show that there was significant interference by Russian "influencers" in Facebook and other social media to attack, and upset, the democratic process and a fair vote, not just for the wealthy, but for all.
And a more recent independent investigation by MIT found Troll farms reached 140 million Americans a month on Facebook before the 2020 election
This would give the butmuhfreedumb mob something to complain about.
https://twitter.com/lauriechenwords/status/1502920100193914881
Life in a real totalitarian state.
Days after buying over-the-counter medicine from a pharmacy in Beijing, university student Yu was stunned to find her prized green health code — the essential rating needed to enter the city’s shops, offices and public transport — was gone.
In a scene being repeated across the Chinese capital, a pop-up window now warned the app could no longer ascertain her coronavirus risk status.
[…]
Yu was one of thousands who showed up to Beijing workplaces or shopping malls this week only to find they were barred entry due to their health code status, as already-strict virus controls were ramped up ahead of the Winter Olympics.
Overnight, the city had quietly rolled out a new rule requiring everyone who had bought medication for anything that might be a Covid symptom — including fever, cough and throat dryness — to take a virus test before their health app status could be restored to green.
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/01/30/not-easy-being-green-chinas-health-codes-define-covid-era-life/
Whatever it takes to stop this getting away on them.
https://twitter.com/yaling_jiang/status/1503034729209032706
we should have that here.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/463342/green-party-mp-elizabeth-kerekere-breaks-self-isolation-rules
It seems even well educated people with good, well paying jobs just don’t fucking get it.
My SO's filthy that after all the planning and effort that went into systems to avoid incidents and maintain continuity, a halfwit knowingly exposed to a positive case on the job during the weekend turned up to work yesterday and swanned around un-masked.
Exasperated is not the word.
Yep,lots of wilful negligence.
Say what!!
https://thespinoff.co.nz/live-updates/15-03-2022/simon-bridges-to-quit-politics-and-leave-parliament-in-the-coming-weeks
A big loss for National. I would suggest Jacinda thinks about doing likewise, if she wants to set herself up overseas before the possibility of WW3 starting.
Well some say that the speechifying at Harvard is the PM going to Job interviews. WW3 started the day, WW2 ended it was called the Cold War. Which we have now started in earnest and with actual bullets and as always the little people do the dying, and the rich suits do the grand standing.
Mind, if we survive this war will we finally build a monument to the unknown Mother and child.
(Mother – adult human female having given birth to a child)
Expressed so well Sabine – my respect
Great article in the Herald today about 3 waters by Shane Jones. Sorry behind a paywall.
At last the mainstream media are allowing a sensible rebuttal to the co-governance issue this government have tried to deceptively sneak in. I suspect the co-governance debacle will quietly disappear.
I wondered who the man in the high vis vest was, throwing stuff at police in Wellington. A number of feeds and photographers got the action shots.
Turns out he's from the Far North where there seem to be quite a few with weird ideas. A teacher no less.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/abundant-life-school-staff-spotted-at-parliament-protest/UULLUZDA75Q2UGU4IJ32VL2JWY/
Recent publicity hinted at something unusual going on at the guy's school. The principal, said to be on leave, was a would be National election candidate. That he was beaten by Matt King might say something.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/abundant-life-school-seniors-in-limbo-after-closure-of-senior-school/EQV4SIBUEO2QBQOBHHB6U4ZSKI/
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/nationals-five-enter-final-battle-for-northland-electorate/GZ3HGSQT74WFUHAE4PXQV5RZSY/
Surely they got the date wrong, and this article belongs to April 1st:
https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/controversial-womens-network-logo-taken-down-after-twitter-backlash/news-story/fd5e2d01baa384d2d5b4e20fe86fe0e1
Apologies. Tried saving to smaller size, but was unsuccessful.
I'm not going to say anything more about size, as I would likely incriminate myself…
Better now, after I've resized it? Size matters
Thanks, Incognito.
(I deleted a couple of comments before posting, along the lines you mention )
A dirty mind is a joy forever.
They even chose the same colour as the euphemistic emoji 🍆
Save the image, select it and pick your size
http://www.simpleimageresizer.com/
Thanks.
I'm pleased there was some sort of explanation of what the objection was. Graphic design and logos are something I've been involved in.
I briefly glimpsed the article, saw there was controversy and looked at the graphic without reading any of the text and seeing the words 'phallic' and 'male genitalia.' My first thought was about symbolic breasts and that depicting women through that was the issue.
What would please me would be hearing that a woman was responsible for the design and it was approved by a team with female leadership.
There is an explanation of sorts, due to the design proforma (which I found later).
https://twitter.com/samanthamaiden/status/1503466149639786496
Greens deal to one of their own. If only Labour would do the same with Trev.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-green-mp-elizabeth-kerekere-quits-portfolio-after-covid-19-breach/EYDHYPP46GW2JWVQZTFLW
Yes Jacinda is no Helen Clark or John key when it comes to disciplining party members who are out of line. We all remember David Clark over lockdown.
I'm sure Robert Guyton will be along to defend this Green party member shortly.
Green Party MP Elizabeth Kerekere breaks self-isolation rules (msn.com)
That link didn't work – somehow got truncated… https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-green-mp-elizabeth-kerekere-quits-portfolio-after-covid-19-breach/EYDHYPP46GW2JWVQZTFLWASF3Y/
Remembering one of the worst massacres in NZ history. 15 March, 2019, 51 precious Kiwis were cruelly murdered by a sick and twisted white supremacist.
https://twitter.com/sammyhill78/status/1503459735215173632?s=20&t=EGdKlJ-Gu7EKRjRNyfZTkA
https://twitter.com/AyaUmari/status/1503495950261981186?s=20&t=EGdKlJ-Gu7EKRjRNyfZTkA
https://twitter.com/TamathaPaul/status/1503465566623141888?s=20&t=EGdKlJ-Gu7EKRjRNyfZTkA
Wonderful news! Now… how to get them out of Ukraine safely:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/463338/visas-for-ukrainian-new-zealanders-families-as-government-increases-aid
Even during the Vietnam war I can't recall a protest like this.
The sheer courage, not only has Marina Ovsyannikova sacrificed her job and career, she is also facing a possible 15 year jail term
This war can only end in one way. A humiliating defeat for Putin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMkzNFa6jyU&ab_channel=SatyenK.Bordoloi
Deliberately withholding life saving medical attention from someone who needs it is a crime.
It looks likely that the person who died at the Peka Peka farm anti-mandate camp, was infected with Covid-19. The death is being investigated by the coroner. Whether this person's covid infection was the cause of their death has yet to be determined.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cg-j0X09Ag&ab_channel=JanisJoplinVEVO