Joe Biden does not say that Palestinians have a rigtht to defend themselves,
When this latest round of tit for tat, but unequal slaughter ends, what kind of peace will it be?,
A peace where Palestinians in Gaza will have no right to defend their elected officials from assassinations?
A peace where Palestinians on the West Bank, and even in Israel, will have no right to defend themselves from eviction from their homes by far right Israelis fueled by racist ideology that the land and houses of Palestinians is theirs to take?
What kind of peace will it be where the US continues to say Israel has a right to self defence, and backs them with $billions in aid and the latest in modern weapons, while even humanitarian aid is withheld from the Palestinians?
And when this fake peace ends, and another round of unequal slaughter breaks out, will the world's leaders stand by with mealy mouthed comments. about Israel haveing the right to defend itself?
And when this fake peace ends, and another round of unequal slaughter breaks out, will the world's leaders stand by with mealy mouthed comments. about Israel having the right to defend itself?
Yes, Jenny, most of them will do exactly that—including, sadly, our own Jacinda Ardern, who evidently approves of her Foreign Minister's ridiculous "both sides" comment the other day.
Mahuta's statement is nuanced – it hints that the initial provocation comes from Israel. It's about as far as she can go, skirting round the truth to avoid a tidal wave of bogus accusations of antisemitism. The destruction of Corbynism by this method will have focused a lot of minds and had a chilling effect on what can be said.
…. skirting round the truth to avoid a tidal wave of bogus accusations of antisemitism.
That's exactly what she's been forced to do—no doubt by some "adviser." But journalists and politicians, even in the most heavily indoctrinated society on earth, the United States, regularly stand up to and counter the bullying and smears of the Israel lobby. Michael Brooks did not accept any nonsense when he went on Israeli television to confront someone who traduced Jeremy Corbyn and Representative Ilhan Omar….
Didn’t know that Michael Brooks was Foreign Minister at the time but you learn something unexpected every day. I fully agree with you that Nanaia Mahuta should go on Israeli TV and denounce Israel’s actions if only to silence her critics for 5 seconds. FFS!!
I never suggested that Michael Brooks was the Foreign Minister at the time. That position was, of course, taken by the grotesque Mike Pompeo.
And why should Nanaia Mahuta not go on Israeli TV and speak the truth? Is there a law against it? What consequences would we suffer, other than the horrible spectacle of Dame Lesley Max and Dr David Cumin raging in public?
Aaarggghhhh! Your attitude towards and understanding of international politics and diplomacy are somewhat lacking and immature, to say the least. Whose Truth should she be speaking, anyway? What power can and should she be wielding and what would or should she achieve on behalf of the people of Aotearoa-New Zealand and of other peoples? Crikey, I’m starting to sound like Gosman 🙁
In any case, to draw a parallel between Nanaia Mahuta and a dead person who went on TV two years ago to speak in his own personal capacity, and on his own show may I add, is stretching your intellectual honesty beyond breaking point.
There are stark, indisputable facts about the ongoing brutality being inflicted on the people of Palestine. Nanaia Mahuta is perfectly capable of speaking that truth forthrightly. The fact that she does not is because she is fearful of doing so. Are you trying to suggest that a paid Israeli Defense Force spokesperson is speaking a "truth" when he/she contradicts the testimony of doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and journalists in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem?
What power can and should she be wielding and what would or should she achieve on behalf of the people of Aotearoa-New Zealand and of other peoples?
If she and this country are so impotent, then she should have remained silent.
The NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs made a statement and you cannot read between the lines.
Nanaia Mahuta is “perfectly capable of speaking [the] truth forthrightly”.
Indeed, at a personal level, but as the Minister it is different what one [she] can and cannot say and how. You stubbornly refuse to acknowledge this because it doesn’t suit your narrative.
The same applies to spokespersons in general; they don’t speak in their personal capacity but in their professional one. That said, I’d think that many will and do believe the ‘truths’ they communicate on behalf of their bosses.
If she and this country are so impotent, then she should have remained silent.
Please stop with this all-or-nothing nonsense, this B&W ‘reasoning’. Lift your game, please.
PS I see that you’re receptive to constructive criticism, which I’ve never doubted all those times I ‘pleaded’ with you to lift your game here. We can all learn from each other here when we make a conscious effort 🙂
Isn't the Foreign Minister obliged to represent the position agreed by cabinet in their utterances? So Mahuta could choose the words she used, but not the message.
I am not about to download and read the entire cabinet manual, but this online statement of principles seem fairly clear (for legalese):
Ministers should keep their colleagues informed about matters of public interest, importance, or controversy. Where there is uncertainty about the type of consideration needed, Ministers should seek advice from the Prime Minister or the Secretary of the Cabinet…
In particular, {these} Ministers are required to consult… the Minister of Foreign Affairs on all proposals relating to international treaties
Condemning Israel, and announcing that Aotearoa stood fully behind Palestine would likely be an important, controversial matter of public interest. It would likely violate international treaties too – though I don't know which ones.
“We call on Israel to cease demolitions and evictions and for both sides to halt steps which undermine prospects for a two state solution.”
Nanaia Mahuta
Is Nanaia Mahuta statement, "fantasy"?
David Shearer said it's also a "fantasy" the two-state solution promoted by many world leaders is even close to becoming a reality, with Israel deploying "disproportionate" force.
Regarding the 'Two State Solution, the Minister is reading from a script. A script identical to that of the US State department.
I don't know that I know better than our Minister of Foreign Affairs.
But what I do know, is that the two state solution is a dead duck in the water.
Israel is an apartheid state.
Would you have suggested splitting up South Africa as a way of ending apartheid, with blacks in one part and whites in another?
Israel is an apartheid settler state, citizens of Israel and its dominions, Gaza and the West Bank even within metropolitan Israel itself, under apartheid like laws, are discriminated based on their ethnicity and religion.
Until there are equal rights for all people throughout Israel and its dominions,, there will be no end to the conflict.
The general view in the Middle East is that the relentless proliferation of settlements throughout the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 has made the very concept of creating a viable Palestinian state, let alone one with East Jerusalem as its capital, unrealistic if not impossible.
My wife is a well qualified nurse, MaN, post grad papers etc, and gets paid well, it’s hard to pin down weekly because of shift allowances etc. I say this as a declaration of interest.
Now there is a story in the Herald today of a nurse claiming that a friend in Australia is getting in a week what she gets in a fortnight. This is difficult to reconcile when a cursory glance at a Health Times table in Australia illustrates nurse salaries in all bands. This claim is pretty hard to believe even if the local nurse is on starting wages and the one in Oz is a Director of Nursing, about as high as one can get as a nurse.
The only possible explanation is if the Australian job is in a remote mining operation where there is a statuary requirement for a full medically staffed facility where few wish to work. There does seem to be a little bit of selective reporting involved here. Don’t get me wrong, nursing is difficult and demanding and underpaid and as I write this my wife is sleeping after a 13 hour night shift where she may well have had to do and experience things that even the most hardened ( and/or overpaid ) of people would blanche from.
Hi Adrian that's good to hear and it is a very admirable profession – I find the nurses great when I have hospital care.
And good to put the facts in place – seekers after truth wish to know it, not be misinformed by 'someone says'; exaggerated opinion which we tend to when chatting when captured on the page as fact doesn't do the job.
Yes. Its often an easy process to see weekly wages in Australia because their industry awards cover so many employers. These are mimimums and people do get more but it gives an idea of actual wage levels.
The major centres wage rates are still less than 'outback' rates – for good reasons. Theres always people who 'chase' the money as their priority, but you can do that in NZ as well with agency work etc
'The average remote area nurse salary in Australia is $117,500 per year or $60.26 per hour. Entry level positions start at $101,900 per year while most experienced workers make up to $158,898 per year.
What are the goals of political parties in Parliament re the trans-Tasman wage gap(s)?
In 2008 the National party campaigned on closing that gap – are they still keen to be seen to be doing something about it? Is it a priority for any political party; ACT maybe?
Don Brash's letter resigning from the National Party.
12 May 2011
Rt Hon John Key
Prime Minister
Parliament Buildings
Wellington
Dear John
It was with a very heavy heart that I felt obliged to resign my membership of the National Party and to seek the leadership of the ACT Party.
I reached my decision after watching with mounting dismay the performance of your Government.
Why are you widening, not closing, the trans-Tasman wage gap?
In Opposition, we both expressed grave concern about the widening wage gap between New Zealand and Australia.
You gave an excellent speech just before the 2008 election committing any government which you led to bridging that gap.
After the election, you agreed to set up a Taskforce to advise how best to achieve that goal by 2025. You appointed me as chairman of that Taskforce.
Yet to date, you’ve dismissed virtually every recommendation the Taskforce has made. I’ve asked several times if we could meet and discuss our two reports. Each time you’ve declined to meet me.
From time to time, you’ve reaffirmed your commitment to the goal. But there’s not the slightest sign that you’re taking it seriously.
Now you’ve abolished the Taskforce. And of course, the gap continues to grow.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/2018795524/growing-future-farmers
This was a super project. The farmers seem to have initiated it and it should be funded well and run forever, the farmers properly reimbursed as they say their own productivity goes down by 50% while they are demonstrating and supervising these young people. The teenagers, go straight from school, and those on the course seem to love it.
WTF Google is preventing access to the Bowalley Road blog with a red screen saying Deceptive address and a warning from Google Safe Browsing.
Firefox blocked this page because it may trick you into doing something dangerous like installing software or revealing personal information like passwords or credit cards.
Maybe it's just Firefox? Chrome went through to Trotter's site fine when I clicked on the article link (in feeds box to the right of screen – under the recent comments list).
This on He Puapua report from TDB about PM Ardern's supposed statement that the government did not release it because the public would 'not understand' it. Cries of outrage have followed. But DX5 has looked up Hansard to see what was actually said – something different!
RobbieWgtn: ‘The PM said that they didn’t release it publicly because “NZrs wouldn’t understand it”. Which unbridled arrogance will see National/Act lead the next Government.’
I’ve seen ACT and Peter Williams running this line, but did she really say that? I heard her state that the release could be “misconstrued as Government policy”, not that people would fail to understand the report.
From Hansard:
David Seymour: Is the Prime Minister confident the Government’s been acting in an open and transparent manner in relation to the He Puapua report, and, if so, why did the Ombudsman have to become involved in an Official Information Act request to release it?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: To answer the latter half of the question, the reason that Te Puni Kōkiri made the argument about not releasing the report was because of a concern that it would be misconstrued as Government policy. I rest my case.
David Seymour: Is the Prime Minister saying that her Government cannot release reports taxpayers pay for because the people who pay for it might not properly understand it?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Absolutely not.
[…]
David Seymour: Is it the Government’s position that New Zealand deserves a debate or that the release of its documents should be supressed because poor little taxpayers might misconstrue it?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member is completely mischaracterising my statement—[Interruption]
SPEAKER: Order!
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Of course our reports that are considered by Cabinet are proactively released, it is part of how we behave as a Government. This report had not been considered by Cabinet. There was no ability, therefore, for us to put formally our positions on the report, thus the argument that was in the absence of that it could be misconstrued as Government policy. And, I have to say, the member has proven that assertion to be completely correct.
So what about this issue then, there is a massive shortfall in the funding, or is this now the norm to fund by appeals to provide for adequate hospital capabilities ?
Every successive govt should be increasing funding just to keep pace with inflation and pop growth. And that is not even addressing the impact of COVID.
Is that extra 3.5 billion before or after making up for the shortfall of National? Because if it is after then the Government in the last four years after making up for national shortfall invested 1.2 billion and i guess that we are then still short a billion here or there.
But let me put it this way, there is a 8 month old here where i live and she has now been for 8 month on a waiting list to get her cleft palate operated, and it can't be done cause not enough beds. Maybe the government has some more funding for such things in the kitty. But then these are just kids. right?
I don't ask them to fix, i ask them to fund the beds for the only childrens hospital in the country. We are currently fundraising for ICU beds for our children.
"The money – which is a part of the government's $12 billion infrastructure spend – is earmarked for a bed expansion project in the hospital's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit"
Though I find it hard to get too exercised about parliamentary debates – the thing that matters to me is what is written into law (and where funding is allocated). TDB is a bit diminished these days too, though I do still like some of the guest posts (McCarten's descriptions of life at the sharp edge of labour disputes have been grimly gripping reading recently).
I haven't been on TDB for some time. I got exercised about Bradbury choosing n drawing of a man aiming a gun as the image for his item venting his spleen on the Auckland religious group who chose to ignore the Covid19 restrictions at the start, causing a huge search for contacts and a lockdown to sort it out. I was annoyed about that but got ropable about TDB virtually inciting violence. After Christchurch you would think he would be more restrained, but no. I decided he was a dweeb, a unique nutcase with not enough redeeming features. I think I complained but no go. I think he likes the image of being a crusading stallion crashing through barriers instead of jumping over them.
[Repeating your lies and nonsense from TDB here on TS won’t get you far. In fact, you were called out on TDB; do you think you’ll get an easier ride here? The commenters here are generally much better behaved than on TDB but the TS Moderators are real pieces of work, much worse than Bomber 😉
You seem to not be able to understand the difference between cause, effect, and consequence. In fact, it looks like you don’t understand NZ politics at all, which is probably why you provided that link as your crutch. Stop hobbling along and learn to walk.
I’ve looked up your history here and it seems you’ve been trolling here before. If you keep it up, I will ban you permanently from this site. This is your warning – Incognito]
FWIW, I thought Trotter’s piece was quite bad; I nearly didn’t make it past his second paragraph, which was an absolute howler. For somebody who writes professionally for a living, it was particularly badly done and with mistakes. There are better ways to spend 5 minutes on a Saturday night than reading Trotter while dinner is in the oven.
I see the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the main Lutheran denomination has elected Rev Megan Roher as its first openly trans Bishop, based in San FranciscoThe Reverend Megan Rohrer, who uses they/them pronouns, was elected bishop in in ELC’s Sierra Pacific synod
Why is Biden's administration funding the USAn domestic terrorist group; The Proud Boys? That is one hell of a mistake, if it is indeed unintentional (though I am more imagining sympathizers within the bureaucracy turning a blind eye on glaring questions about the applications, rather than some diabolical plot from on high):
In the loan documentation, which was obtained by the news non-profit ProPublica, after a Freedom of Information Act battle with the Small Business Administration, {chairman of the far-right Proud Boys group} Tarrio is described as an independent contractor, working in the “Security Systems Services” industry, but the document names no associated business entity… in the course of an abortive 2020 congressional run, Tarrio described himself as the proprietor of “several companies that were involved in the surveillance and security industry”.
However, Tarrio was not found to be a licensed security officer in a search of Florida state records.
Another company, “Warboys LLC”, was voluntarily dissolved on 7 April. Records show Tarrio as the registered agent for that company, and Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean as officers.
Biggs, also of Florida, and Nordean, of Washington state, are jointly facing federal conspiracy charges relating to their alleged participation in the riot at the Capitol…
PPP loans were first issued under the Cares Act in 2020, under the Trump administration, as a stimulus measure to an economy battered by the Covid-19 pandemic. The program was revived in January 2021 under the Biden administration, and businesses were able to apply for loans up to 31 March. Tarrio’s loan was issued as part of the second round of PPP funding.
One criterion for eligibility was that recipients not be a “business concern or entity primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities”. PPP loans are forgiven where it can be shown that at least 60% of money was spent on payroll costs. Independent contractors can use the loans to replace claimed lost earnings, and apply for forgiveness in order to keep the money.
He filled in a lot of forms; McFlock! Some of which appear to have been approved after the cutoff date of March 31st (only just noticed that on re-reading):
Tarrio, based in Miami, Florida, was approved for an initial loan of $7,750 on 30 March, and a succeeding loan for the same amount on 16 April…
the street address on the loan application is associated with both Tarrio and one of the LLCs for which he is named as an officer in Florida state records.
Those records show Tarrio as an officer in a number of inactive LLCs, including “SPIE Security LLC”, “Fund The West LLC” and “Proud Boys LLC”.
The best explanation I can think of is that the loan managers ("the Small Business Administration"?) were so flooded with applications that they didn't bother doing even basic checking of the applicants – and didn't get around to even that for a couple of weeks after the application period finished. We're not corrupt, just incompetent; is hardly the best excuse though. How many red flags do you need?
edit: Nope, the Grauniad strikes again! That should be; May the 31st, for cutoff date.
If we're talking relief funds, any people actually looking at the forms should only be seeing if the filled in stuff matches the criteria to meet funding. The emphasis is on speed of payment.
If someone's lied on the form or misused the funds, that gets picked up in an audit process weeks or months later. Sure, the media exposure probably helps Tarrio's form get put to the top of the audit list, but giving him money in the first place could actually be the sign of a well-working system.
But then, as you say, Florida. If it's a local or state program, corruption would be a given. Not so much for Federal.
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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 ...
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 ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
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 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
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Joe Biden says 'Israel has right to defend itself' as US throws its support behind Jewish State
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/12/israel-gaza-strip-conflict-hamas-rocket-attack-palestinian-biden/
Joe Biden does not say that Palestinians have a rigtht to defend themselves,
When this latest round of tit for tat, but unequal slaughter ends, what kind of peace will it be?,
A peace where Palestinians in Gaza will have no right to defend their elected officials from assassinations?
A peace where Palestinians on the West Bank, and even in Israel, will have no right to defend themselves from eviction from their homes by far right Israelis fueled by racist ideology that the land and houses of Palestinians is theirs to take?
What kind of peace will it be where the US continues to say Israel has a right to self defence, and backs them with $billions in aid and the latest in modern weapons, while even humanitarian aid is withheld from the Palestinians?
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47095082
And when this fake peace ends, and another round of unequal slaughter breaks out, will the world's leaders stand by with mealy mouthed comments. about Israel haveing the right to defend itself?
And when this fake peace ends, and another round of unequal slaughter breaks out, will the world's leaders stand by with mealy mouthed comments. about Israel having the right to defend itself?
Yes, Jenny, most of them will do exactly that—including, sadly, our own Jacinda Ardern, who evidently approves of her Foreign Minister's ridiculous "both sides" comment the other day.
https://twitter.com/NanaiaMahuta/status/1391992222921347073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1391992222921347073%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tvnz.co.nz%2Fone-news%2Fworld%2Fnanaia-mahuta-calls-israel-cease-demolitions-and-evictions-violence-escalates-palestinians
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2021/may/13/steve-bell-escalating-israel-gaza-conflict-cartoon
Mahuta's statement is nuanced – it hints that the initial provocation comes from Israel. It's about as far as she can go, skirting round the truth to avoid a tidal wave of bogus accusations of antisemitism. The destruction of Corbynism by this method will have focused a lot of minds and had a chilling effect on what can be said.
Yes we must never forget what happened to Corbyn and the white-anting of the UK Labour Party.
…. skirting round the truth to avoid a tidal wave of bogus accusations of antisemitism.
That's exactly what she's been forced to do—no doubt by some "adviser." But journalists and politicians, even in the most heavily indoctrinated society on earth, the United States, regularly stand up to and counter the bullying and smears of the Israel lobby. Michael Brooks did not accept any nonsense when he went on Israeli television to confront someone who traduced Jeremy Corbyn and Representative Ilhan Omar….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-60lcAWJlg
Didn’t know that Michael Brooks was Foreign Minister at the time but you learn something unexpected every day. I fully agree with you that Nanaia Mahuta should go on Israeli TV and denounce Israel’s actions if only to silence her critics for 5 seconds. FFS!!
I never suggested that Michael Brooks was the Foreign Minister at the time. That position was, of course, taken by the grotesque Mike Pompeo.
And why should Nanaia Mahuta not go on Israeli TV and speak the truth? Is there a law against it? What consequences would we suffer, other than the horrible spectacle of Dame Lesley Max and Dr David Cumin raging in public?
Aaarggghhhh! Your attitude towards and understanding of international politics and diplomacy are somewhat lacking and immature, to say the least. Whose Truth should she be speaking, anyway? What power can and should she be wielding and what would or should she achieve on behalf of the people of Aotearoa-New Zealand and of other peoples? Crikey, I’m starting to sound like Gosman 🙁
In any case, to draw a parallel between Nanaia Mahuta and a dead person who went on TV two years ago to speak in his own personal capacity, and on his own show may I add, is stretching your intellectual honesty beyond breaking point.
Whose Truth should she be speaking, anyway?
There are stark, indisputable facts about the ongoing brutality being inflicted on the people of Palestine. Nanaia Mahuta is perfectly capable of speaking that truth forthrightly. The fact that she does not is because she is fearful of doing so. Are you trying to suggest that a paid Israeli Defense Force spokesperson is speaking a "truth" when he/she contradicts the testimony of doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and journalists in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem?
What power can and should she be wielding and what would or should she achieve on behalf of the people of Aotearoa-New Zealand and of other peoples?
If she and this country are so impotent, then she should have remained silent.
The NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs made a statement and you cannot read between the lines.
Nanaia Mahuta is “perfectly capable of speaking [the] truth forthrightly”.
Indeed, at a personal level, but as the Minister it is different what one [she] can and cannot say and how. You stubbornly refuse to acknowledge this because it doesn’t suit your narrative.
The same applies to spokespersons in general; they don’t speak in their personal capacity but in their professional one. That said, I’d think that many will and do believe the ‘truths’ they communicate on behalf of their bosses.
Please stop with this all-or-nothing nonsense, this B&W ‘reasoning’. Lift your game, please.
PS I see that you’re receptive to constructive criticism, which I’ve never doubted all those times I ‘pleaded’ with you to lift your game here. We can all learn from each other here when we make a conscious effort 🙂
Isn't the Foreign Minister obliged to represent the position agreed by cabinet in their utterances? So Mahuta could choose the words she used, but not the message.
I am not about to download and read the entire cabinet manual, but this online statement of principles seem fairly clear (for legalese):
https://dpmc.govt.nz/our-business-units/cabinet-office/supporting-work-cabinet/cabinet-manual/5-cabinet-decision-making-3
Condemning Israel, and announcing that Aotearoa stood fully behind Palestine would likely be an important, controversial matter of public interest. It would likely violate international treaties too – though I don't know which ones.
Yes, Nanaia Mahuta, as the NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs, is limited at what she can say (and do). It is not a job for everyone, I’d imagine.
The Israelis went further than just evictions and demolitions… which is constant theme.
This is what I think was the ultimate provocation
Jerusalem: Teargas and stun grenades inside Al-Aqsa mosque
https://news.sky.com/video/jerusalem-teargas-and-stun-grenades-inside-al-aqsa-mosque-12302587
“We call on Israel to cease demolitions and evictions and for both sides to halt steps which undermine prospects for a two state solution.”
Nanaia Mahuta
Is Nanaia Mahuta statement, "fantasy"?
Should we expect better of our Foreign Affairs Minister?
Such as? Feel free to show us that you know and can do better than the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Government as a whole.
Regarding the 'Two State Solution, the Minister is reading from a script. A script identical to that of the US State department.
I don't know that I know better than our Minister of Foreign Affairs.
But what I do know, is that the two state solution is a dead duck in the water.
Israel is an apartheid state.
Would you have suggested splitting up South Africa as a way of ending apartheid, with blacks in one part and whites in another?
Israel is an apartheid settler state, citizens of Israel and its dominions, Gaza and the West Bank even within metropolitan Israel itself, under apartheid like laws, are discriminated based on their ethnicity and religion.
Until there are equal rights for all people throughout Israel and its dominions,, there will be no end to the conflict.
The Two-State-Solution is Dead, One-State is the Answer | HuffPost
The general view in the Middle East is that the relentless proliferation of settlements throughout the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 has made the very concept of creating a viable Palestinian state, let alone one with East Jerusalem as its capital, unrealistic if not impossible.
The Middle East seems far from the middle of our consciousness. Hasan Abi is a very direct and informed speaker with immediacy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_tDpJmbx4I
This is how Palestinians are being oppressed. Hasan Abi
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJr7vlpUbTY
Syria's Kurds How will Turkey's 'safe zone' plan affect the Kurds?
My wife is a well qualified nurse, MaN, post grad papers etc, and gets paid well, it’s hard to pin down weekly because of shift allowances etc. I say this as a declaration of interest.
Now there is a story in the Herald today of a nurse claiming that a friend in Australia is getting in a week what she gets in a fortnight. This is difficult to reconcile when a cursory glance at a Health Times table in Australia illustrates nurse salaries in all bands. This claim is pretty hard to believe even if the local nurse is on starting wages and the one in Oz is a Director of Nursing, about as high as one can get as a nurse.
The only possible explanation is if the Australian job is in a remote mining operation where there is a statuary requirement for a full medically staffed facility where few wish to work. There does seem to be a little bit of selective reporting involved here. Don’t get me wrong, nursing is difficult and demanding and underpaid and as I write this my wife is sleeping after a 13 hour night shift where she may well have had to do and experience things that even the most hardened ( and/or overpaid ) of people would blanche from.
Hi Adrian that's good to hear and it is a very admirable profession – I find the nurses great when I have hospital care.
And good to put the facts in place – seekers after truth wish to know it, not be misinformed by 'someone says'; exaggerated opinion which we tend to when chatting when captured on the page as fact doesn't do the job.
Yes. Its often an easy process to see weekly wages in Australia because their industry awards cover so many employers. These are mimimums and people do get more but it gives an idea of actual wage levels.
The major centres wage rates are still less than 'outback' rates – for good reasons. Theres always people who 'chase' the money as their priority, but you can do that in NZ as well with agency work etc
'The average remote area nurse salary in Australia is $117,500 per year or $60.26 per hour. Entry level positions start at $101,900 per year while most experienced workers make up to $158,898 per year.
https://au.talent.com/salary?job=remote+area+nurse
I think that Australians pay a number of different taxes to those in NZ though.
Different taxes ?
They have GST , income tax ( different rates). Theres swings and roundabouts but dont know which different ones will make it change much
I thought they had a few state taxes as well, and perhaps some accident insurance or something.
What are the goals of political parties in Parliament re the trans-Tasman wage gap(s)?
In 2008 the National party campaigned on closing that gap – are they still keen to be seen to be doing something about it? Is it a priority for any political party; ACT maybe?
Don Brash's letter resigning from the National Party.
Even John Key knew that implementing these would plunge literally thousands of people into complete and utter hardship.
An effective election campaign strategy tho, along with tackling the housing crisis.
Good news on farming on Radionz this morning.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/2018795524/growing-future-farmers
This was a super project. The farmers seem to have initiated it and it should be funded well and run forever, the farmers properly reimbursed as they say their own productivity goes down by 50% while they are demonstrating and supervising these young people. The teenagers, go straight from school, and those on the course seem to love it.
Also a farmer talking about his stress and mental health to encourage other farmers having troubles.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/2018795519/going-out-giving-back-and-getting-help
Wool use – good to see sheep getting their turn in the sun.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/2018795520/a-breath-of-fresh-air
WTF Google is preventing access to the Bowalley Road blog with a red screen saying Deceptive address and a warning from Google Safe Browsing.
What's that about?
Its not a https secure website address. Give it a miss anyway as hes just concern trolling the palestinians
Thanks but I will decide whose opinions and info I will sample.
Maybe it's just Firefox? Chrome went through to Trotter's site fine when I clicked on the article link (in feeds box to the right of screen – under the recent comments list).
It came on again in a short while thanks.
This on He Puapua report from TDB about PM Ardern's supposed statement that the government did not release it because the public would 'not understand' it. Cries of outrage have followed. But DX5 has looked up Hansard to see what was actually said – something different!
DX5 May 14, 2021 at 1:03 pm
RobbieWgtn: ‘The PM said that they didn’t release it publicly because “NZrs wouldn’t understand it”. Which unbridled arrogance will see National/Act lead the next Government.’
I’ve seen ACT and Peter Williams running this line, but did she really say that? I heard her state that the release could be “misconstrued as Government policy”, not that people would fail to understand the report.
From Hansard:
David Seymour: Is the Prime Minister confident the Government’s been acting in an open and transparent manner in relation to the He Puapua report, and, if so, why did the Ombudsman have to become involved in an Official Information Act request to release it?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: To answer the latter half of the question, the reason that Te Puni Kōkiri made the argument about not releasing the report was because of a concern that it would be misconstrued as Government policy. I rest my case.
David Seymour: Is the Prime Minister saying that her Government cannot release reports taxpayers pay for because the people who pay for it might not properly understand it?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Absolutely not.
[…]
David Seymour: Is it the Government’s position that New Zealand deserves a debate or that the release of its documents should be supressed because poor little taxpayers might misconstrue it?
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member is completely mischaracterising my statement—[Interruption]
SPEAKER: Order!
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Of course our reports that are considered by Cabinet are proactively released, it is part of how we behave as a Government. This report had not been considered by Cabinet. There was no ability, therefore, for us to put formally our positions on the report, thus the argument that was in the absence of that it could be misconstrued as Government policy. And, I have to say, the member has proven that assertion to be completely correct.
Ardern vs. Seymour: talk about a mismatch of intellect.
I've seen criticism of Ardern that she spends too much time with pre-schoolers!
thanks sooo much for adding to the conservation, I will bring the chat to your very low level.
Perhaps our PM is unable to move up the grades and talk to a primary school boy just yet 😉about a very serious topic. Hospitals having to go out cap in hand due to lack of funding.
perhaps we should just devolve and talk about nice warm stuff as the ability to talk about adult topics like adults is fast going as respected contributors are leaving.
https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/05/11-year-old-cooper-sinclair-left-confused-by-jacinda-ardern-s-response-to-letter-urging-more-funding-for-starship-hospital.amp.html
Herodotus, hospitals are getting more funding than what they were under National and there was nothing confusing about that letter either.
So what about this issue then, there is a massive shortfall in the funding, or is this now the norm to fund by appeals to provide for adequate hospital capabilities ?
Every successive govt should be increasing funding just to keep pace with inflation and pop growth. And that is not even addressing the impact of COVID.
The National govt underfunded health by $2.3 billion dollars.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1706/S00102/2-3-billion-shortfall-in-health.htm?from-mobile=bottom-link-01
The Labour led govt has been doing a catch up.
The Government has so far invested an extra $3.5 billion
https://www.labour.org.nz/news-our_record_on_health
Is that extra 3.5 billion before or after making up for the shortfall of National? Because if it is after then the Government in the last four years after making up for national shortfall invested 1.2 billion and i guess that we are then still short a billion here or there.
But let me put it this way, there is a 8 month old here where i live and she has now been for 8 month on a waiting list to get her cleft palate operated, and it can't be done cause not enough beds. Maybe the government has some more funding for such things in the kitty. But then these are just kids. right?
Labour never said they could fix the mess they inherited from National all at once or over night Sabine.
I don't ask them to fix, i ask them to fund the beds for the only childrens hospital in the country. We are currently fundraising for ICU beds for our children.
but i guess we all have priorities.
Priorities like a global pandemic Sabine?
"The money – which is a part of the government's $12 billion infrastructure spend – is earmarked for a bed expansion project in the hospital's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit"
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/408579/starship-s-25-million-funding-boost-urgently-needed#:~:text=Starship%20says%20a%20%2425%20million,needed%20for%20the%20children's%20hospital.&text=The%20money%20%2D%20which%20is%20a,hospital's%20Paediatric%20Intensive%20Care%20Unit.
No doubt there is more funding for Health in the 2021 budget.
Yay for primary sources Greyws!
Though I find it hard to get too exercised about parliamentary debates – the thing that matters to me is what is written into law (and where funding is allocated). TDB is a bit diminished these days too, though I do still like some of the guest posts (McCarten's descriptions of life at the sharp edge of labour disputes have been grimly gripping reading recently).
I haven't been on TDB for some time. I got exercised about Bradbury choosing n drawing of a man aiming a gun as the image for his item venting his spleen on the Auckland religious group who chose to ignore the Covid19 restrictions at the start, causing a huge search for contacts and a lockdown to sort it out. I was annoyed about that but got ropable about TDB virtually inciting violence. After Christchurch you would think he would be more restrained, but no. I decided he was a dweeb, a unique nutcase with not enough redeeming features. I think I complained but no go. I think he likes the image of being a crusading stallion crashing through barriers instead of jumping over them.
Please also include my response which wason the dailyblog site.
"Jacinda is being disingenuous & the Govt has already committed to implementing it as govt policy.
https://www.act.org.nz/he_puapua_needs_some_sunlight "
[Repeating your lies and nonsense from TDB here on TS won’t get you far. In fact, you were called out on TDB; do you think you’ll get an easier ride here? The commenters here are generally much better behaved than on TDB but the TS Moderators are real pieces of work, much worse than Bomber 😉
You seem to not be able to understand the difference between cause, effect, and consequence. In fact, it looks like you don’t understand NZ politics at all, which is probably why you provided that link as your crutch. Stop hobbling along and learn to walk.
I’ve looked up your history here and it seems you’ve been trolling here before. If you keep it up, I will ban you permanently from this site. This is your warning – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 5:26 pm.
FWIW, I thought Trotter’s piece was quite bad; I nearly didn’t make it past his second paragraph, which was an absolute howler. For somebody who writes
professionallyfor a living, it was particularly badly done and with mistakes. There are better ways to spend 5 minutes on a Saturday night than reading Trotter while dinner is in the oven.I see the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the main Lutheran denomination has elected Rev Megan Roher as its first openly trans Bishop, based in San FranciscoThe Reverend Megan Rohrer, who uses they/them pronouns, was elected bishop in in ELC’s Sierra Pacific synod
Why is Biden's administration funding the USAn domestic terrorist group; The Proud Boys? That is one hell of a mistake, if it is indeed unintentional (though I am more imagining sympathizers within the bureaucracy turning a blind eye on glaring questions about the applications, rather than some diabolical plot from on high):
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/14/proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-received-ppp-loans
Dude filled in a form.
Hopefully, the dude got too creative and it's just another ticking clock in legal troubles for the insurrectionists.
He filled in a lot of forms; McFlock! Some of which appear to have been approved after the cutoff date of March 31st (only just noticed that on re-reading):
The best explanation I can think of is that the loan managers ("the Small Business Administration"?) were so flooded with applications that they didn't bother doing even basic checking of the applicants – and didn't get around to even that for a couple of weeks after the application period finished. We're not corrupt, just incompetent; is hardly the best excuse though. How many red flags do you need?
edit: Nope, the Grauniad strikes again! That should be; May the 31st, for cutoff date.
https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program
If we're talking relief funds, any people actually looking at the forms should only be seeing if the filled in stuff matches the criteria to meet funding. The emphasis is on speed of payment.
If someone's lied on the form or misused the funds, that gets picked up in an audit process weeks or months later. Sure, the media exposure probably helps Tarrio's form get put to the top of the audit list, but giving him money in the first place could actually be the sign of a well-working system.
But then, as you say, Florida. If it's a local or state program, corruption would be a given. Not so much for Federal.