First images from Nasa’s James Webb space telescope reveal ancient galaxies
First images from Nasa’s James Webb space telescope reveal ancient galaxies
The first full-colour image from Nasa’s James Webb space telescope shows the galaxy cluster ….
Photograph: EyePress News/REX/Shutterstock
Nasa has released an image of far-flung galaxies as they were 13bn years ago, the first glimpse from the most powerful telescope ever launched into space, which promises to reshape our understanding of the dawn of the universe.
The most annoying thing about Christchurch spending what will inevitably turn out to be a billion dollars (fixed price contract my arse) stadium is as night follows day they'll come whining to the government for a bailout, and because the settler class of Canterbury are the most exceptionalist and entitled bunch of complainers and snowflakes in the entire nation as taxpayers we'll all end paying for the cost blow out.
Another astonishing observation is how enthusiastic local business groups always are for billion dollar convention centres and stadiums, yet how the same business groups are always vehemently opposed to spending money on things like critical infrastructure, public transport and community services.
It is almost like entitled rich people who have a big voice in business demanding the rest of us subsidise their recreational choices.
It is almost like entitled rich people who have a big voice in business demanding the rest of us subsidise their recreational choices.
And they are the same people who sneer at and criticise the government for not spending enough on housing, health and education – not enough nurses, not enough doctors, nor enough teachers… and so on.
A billion dollars would go a long way to build more houses, more hospitals, more schools and train more staff to operate them.
I wonder; What if government instead of subsidising private transport and carbon emissions by building more and more motorways put that money into public transport instead?
Would central government support for Efeso Collins plan for free public transport become more viable?
Could the whole of the public transport fleet. (buses and trains), be converted to electric?
Once a project is underway it has to be completed.
According to a poll published a day or two ago, Efeso Collins is now the front runner for the Auckland mayoralty. That would suggest that his plan to make public transport free for everybody is being well received.
He would be a 'breath of fresh air' for Auckland, but be rest assured his opponents will be working overtime as we speak… dreaming up scandals and misdeeds he never committed. Will the MSM correct the record? Some might but most won't.
Efeso is 'Goff lite' and would be a disaster for Auckland. The city needs someone independent who can stand up to central government without party allegiances and endorsements coming first.
[I don’t want you continue to wage an astroturfing campaign against one of the mayoral candidates in Auckland and/or astroturfing in general. Join your other aliases in the sin bin until one month after the Local Elections; only one of your many usernames will be allowed back then here – Incognito]
"Would central government support for Efeso Collins plan for free public transport become more viable?"
Unlikely. Free PT in Auckland would cost the city around $210m each year, which would mean significant rates rises. Not only that, the policy won't reduce greenhouse gas emissions because transport is inside the ETS.
Hi David I went to the embedded link in your comment, I could not find anywhere where it said, that Free PT would cost ratepayers $210 million each year.
But I did find this;
"…..fare revenue was worth more than $150 million a year, and an earlier Auckland Transport assessment was that extra demand would cost $60m to meet."
I am guessing here, that to try and make your case against Free PT, you have deliberately conflated the two figures together. (In some circles this would be called 'creative accounting').
Fare revenue has no relation at all to the cost of running the system. It may cost more, it may cost less.
I might also remind you that with Free PT the $160 million in fare revenue would stay in PT commuters' pockets, instead of filling the pockets of Auckland's totally privately owned bus companies, this $160 therefore represents a loss to PT commuters and the city. A loss which would be returned with Free PT.
Even if we took your conflated combined figure of $210 million, for Free PT at face value.
If public transport was run as a single payer public service, instead of a profit making private enterprise, that figure could be considerably less. Getting rid of all the fare enforcement and collection infrastructure and bureaucracy, would be another cost saving to the commuting public, not having to fish around for cards or cash, would also make PT more convenient to use.
That's a shame, because I was digging around on Te internet I found this.
What is significant about this report is that not only would free public transport, be good for commuters wallets, and good for the climate, it would save lives. Every human life saved is precious beyond cost. But if we were looking at lives saved on a purely economic basis. Rounding up the figures, every road death costs the economy almost $4 million and every major injury costs us almost three quarter million dollars.
This report points out, that PT funding, is a major determinant of PT usage, articulated by the government in the GPS. ie greater PT use requires govt. buy in.
The role public transport can play in Safer Journeys
….PT is generally considered a safe form of transport. For example, in New Zealand, passengers in cars and vans are seven times more likely than bus passengers to be killed or injured in a crash (for the same time spent travelling), indicating that bus travel is comparatively a very safe mode of travel for passengers….
…… Safer Journeys does not actively try to improve safety by increasing PT’s modal share on the basis that it is safer. Instead it leaves PT funding, which is a major determinant of PT usage, to be determined by other urban transport considerations articulated by the government in the GPS.
10.3.1 Social costs
The MoT publishes social costs of crashes and crash injuries each year. These are disaggregated for urban and rural areas.
The relevant urban figures for 2014 are (MoT 2015c):
Hi David, if you are still reading this.
I am sorry you could not expound on your claim that PT, "won't reduce greenhouse gas emissions"
But you might be interested in this.
It seems that greater PT usage also saves lives. To your argument that Free PT is too expensive, (I admit that I haven't done the cost/loss balance).
But it seems to me, that the economic cost of all these tragic deaths and terrible injuries needs to be added to the balance sheet as well.
From the report:
PT is generally considered a safe form of transport. For example, in New Zealand, passengers in cars and vans are seven times more likely than bus passengers to be killed or injured in a crash (for the same time spent travelling),
….public transport as a safe and affordable alternative to car travel. We recognise, however, that safety is only one factor in optimising the mix of private and PT; cost, convenience and environmental impact must also be considered.
When you put the social and economic cost of all the preventable grief, injury and death together, with the cost of traffic congestion, caused by private car use, Efeso Collins case for Free Public Transport starts to make a lot of good social and economic sense.
It can’t come soon enough.
All those concerned about social justice and the environment, need to get behind Efeso Callin’s bid for Mayor of Auckland
On the other hand democratic process was followed through polling and submissions, it carried across socioeconomic groups, and people are really sick and tired of being stuck in limbo for a decade with only a cleared plot of land to show for it. Closure was needed.
Yes, we have seen exactly that with Eden Park. Despite being owned by a private Trust Board, it has a gargantuan appetite for public funds – and the political clout to extract them.
EP is also very subject to capture by (wealthy) local residents – including Helen Clark – who don't want their lives disrupted by actually using the venue as a venue. Which makes it difficult to make money….
We've just seen the pearl clutching over school balls (I don't know why EP would be a good venue – but apparently it is) – resulting in the Trust Board (who seem to know which side their bread is buttered) cancelling the events.
Perhaps the council should zone it for intensive housing – it's bang in the middle of the desirable zone – and see how the pearl clutchers like that solution.
That so called "charity" concert was a less than honest attempt to get around the then rules on concerts and the whole thing collapsed when people found out that there was not even a working prototype for the incubators. Eden Park has always said that if they get "just this last demand for more whatever", or " just this ratepayer or taxpayer handout" they will not come back for more. That has been proven false half a dozen times. I would certainly re-zone everything around it for higher density, give the locals the benefit of the increase in land values and enable new developments with better noise attenuation. I live 800m away from the Park. Never been to a game – tried in 1981 but the cops would not let us in. Viva Mark Jones!
The trust was set up by an Act of Parliament, up to 9 trustees are appointed by the Crown (5), Auckland Cricket Association (2) and Auckland Rugby Union (2), and it is a charitable trust with the purposes of maintaining a venue/ground for cricket, rugby and any other events for the benefit of the Auckland region, so it's not what I think of as a private trust.
Sanctuary, Yep…well remember the battle in Dunedin. And very notable the RUGBY not interested in funding !
Despite their Special Pleading. incl one Richie Richie Richie ..Mcaw . (John Keys special mate )
Everyone touting a fixed price for the build contract manages to neglect talking about the bills that truly gets your ratepayers really bleeding:
fully funded depreciation of over 5% a year on $600m
direct subsidising the operation including: free parking, catering, security, utility bills, rates, utility upgrades, tech upgrades, salaries for staff to attract and run events
indirect subsidising the operation: wear and tear on surrounding civic assets like roads, public transport subsidy for each event, city marketing, accelerated utility upgrades
Pour the next several years of rate increases into the foundations one wheelbarrow at a time.
Note the Auditor General just came out saying it will be $5.5b for Auckland's City Rail Link, and we've still got 3 years of world events and inflation before it even opens. It works out about $1.5m for every metre of track And that's before you get to the OPEX.
While many have hailed the decision to build the multi-use area as a long-awaited economic win for the region, others have warned against gold-plating the central city at the expense of struggling suburban households and other pressing council work.
I'm pretty sure the Christchurch stadium will be under water in a lot less than 2000 years. More like 100 years given the every increasing CO2 levels. It'll make a nice open air swimming pool 😉
In a manner of speaking. Tourism rules the world. As civ collapses there will still be people rich enough and stupid enough to want to visit and take photos.
Based on what? I mean aside from your general loathing of humanity. Rome didn't "fall", it declined. Political structures rearranged themselves. The Eastern Empire lingered on another thousand years. People continued to do things and enjoy things.
Please explain how spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a stadium trumps spending that money on climate transition when we know that climate is going to decline civilisation if we don't act now (and bearing in mind, we're not acting enough yet).
and yes, people will keep enjoying things, but we're already finding that people don't like expensive food and petrol so much and we're not even deep into the crisis yet.
“For 30 years, the New Brighton community rallied for another pier to be built. The Pier and Foreshore Society had campaigned to save the original pier, and the group continued lobbying for a new pier. When NZ$2m had been raised, this was matched by funding from Christchurch City Council and a new pier was designed using reinforced concrete. The new pier was built in exactly the same location, and was officially opened on 1 November 1997. It spans 300 metres (980 ft), which makes it the longest ocean pier in Australasia.[1] The New Brighton Pier is held as the icon of New Brighton and later the icon of Christchurch after the 22 February 2011 earthquake that significantly damaged Christchurch's Cathedral. The pier is one of Christchurch's tourist attractions. Currently the New Brighton Pier is the venue of a number of events, such as regular skate on the Pier events and the annual Guy Fawkes fireworks display held on 5 November every year. The pier sustained some damage in the various earthquakes, which was exacerbated in the 2016 Christchurch earthquake. Repairs started in February 2017, took 16 months, and cost NZ$8.5m. New Brighton pier reopened again in May 2018.[4]
That’s easy enough! In the Text Editor that you use there are 2 icons at the top of the menu, a little T and a little W. They refer to Paste as plain text (Ctrl+Shift+V) and Paste from Word (Ctrl+V), respectively.
Hmm Ive been to Libraries in NZ and as a Library user, I always think they are a great Community Hub……however in winter quite sad the poor buggers that go there…just to be warm. Or sleep even. (poor Librarians have to be diplomatic)
And I spose a Pier Development is where you could go for a long walk.?
Anyway that is some ChCh money to Brighton. Sure would be great with some additional Councillor Input/Drive from there.
The reason the Dunedin stadium was a mere debacle instead of a catastrophe is that it was able to secure a number of events post-quake Christchurch could not host.
It occurs to me that if Kyiv wanted to poke the borax at the Kremlin, they could issue Ukrainian passports to Russian citizens who want them, stamped with 'born in Ukraine'.
Who knows? Applying for one of these passports might be a light hearted way for Russian citizens to express their opposition to Putin's war.
From about 1860 to 1865 cities like Atlanta, Georgia, were not part of the USA. Instead they were part of the Confederacy. Kyiv's independence from Russia seems to have lasted a big longer, but may soon be coming to an end.
Incidentally, hubris is activity which angers the gods, and attracts nemesis, However, on this occasion, if nemesis was aiming at Russia it seems to have missed the target and landed on Ukraine instead, given the destruction it's caused.
"a light hearted way for Russian citizens to express their opposition to Putin's war"
Unfortunately there isn't any light-hearted way to express your opposition in Russia. Any protest at all seems to get very harsh treatment. Even referring to it as a "war" is punished. It is not a "war" or an "invasion". It is a "special military operation". Journalists who call it a war could be jailed for 15 years, as that is publishing false news about the military in Putin's Russia.
Just like this pointless question. I’m 63, sometime between the date that I was born and the year when my father and mother were born, some nation used atomic weapons on two cities, shortly after my parents started attending primary school. How old would my parents be today?
Now what does that have to do with the great depression.
/sarc
Or could you tell me when atomic weapons were used on military? If you can’t then you’re a moron.
/sarc
If you want to ask sheep shagging questions – then at least don’t simply flop your dick out. Actually make some kind of point that adds to the debate rather than making you look like a simple minded fuckwit.
I really like that. What I like is the author or authors are honest about what they want to do. None of this waffle about just transition and so on. They are very specific about the steps they would take and the sort of World they want to see.
Of course it is a complete totalitarian Hellscape which would lead to a civil war but it is at least detailed.
All of this makes it worth asking: What would it look like if we treated the climate crisis like an actual emergency? What would it take to keep global heating to no more than 1.5 degrees? The single most important intervention is the one that so far no government has been willing to touch: cap fossil fuel use and scale it down, on a binding annual schedule, until the industry is mostly dismantled by the middle of the century. That’s it. This is the only fail-safe way to stop climate breakdown.
Jason Hickel is well known for his research in environmental economics and global inequality. That you find his expert opinions on more and equitable climate action unpalatable is unsurprising.
I do agree that the Current Affairs piece is well worth a read.
Hickel is talking about a world in which the fossil fuels industry is "dismantled by the middle of the century". That's 28 years away. I guess it's technically possible, but I doubt the policy prescription required will be either politically or socially acceptable.
The problem being that while the specific steps are imo about right the results are a dysfunctional world….consider the impact of the removal of Ukraine grain and (food) oils from the world markets and you have a taste of the problems….it isnt the wealthy countries most impacted but the developing food reliant economies…we have a world population and productive output barely supported by current energy production, the bulk of which is fossil in origin…reduce that energy and the system collapses (if it isnt already)….its too glib to say remove unnecessary fossil energy use (i.e. private motor vehicles etc) when the maintenance of the system largely relies upon that to function.
We wasted the time to transition that we may have had.
At the same time, we need to scale down less-necessary parts of the economy in order to reduce excess energy demand: SUVs, private jets, commercial air travel, industrial beef, fast fashion, advertising, planned obsolescence, the military industrial complex and so on. We need to focus the economy on what is required for human well-being and ecological stability, rather than on corporate profits and elite consumption.
We either do this in time, or we lose the chance and face extinction.
There's no "complete totalitarian Hellscape" in any of this, compared to what WILL happen if we don't take active steps now!
Same Barfly and Ad, but family have not been so lucky. Two have been told their excess white cell count is part of long covid which has gone on for months now.
Grant's work in Australia is struggling to get and keep staff. That may change now the covid assistance has gone.
Almost no-one comes into our office, so I find it a good place to isolate . I get lonely and bored, but so far the Sword of Damocles continues to hang on in there for us.
Had a mate stay Wednesday night. He was on an apology tour for the fabrication/coating outfit he works for, placating primary/food industry clients affected by covid related productivity problems.
Waiting for the excreta to hit the air circulating device in Queenstown over the School Holidays.
Most / all tourist business are having severe staffing issues, firstly getting staff who are willing to work in customer racing roles, and then keeping them healthy and able to work.
Things were pretty tough in town last week, and the ZQN mountains closed their rental departments saying they were out of gear, but heard it was more staffing related. Best snow they’ve had for a very long time too.
Next two weeks could get interesting. Really glad we're watching from the sidelines (home) until it settles down.
Yep. Had a constant trickle of cases since Omicron arrived – 1-2 off work at a time (workforce of around 100). Since end of June we're around 10-15 at a time (including me) – both Covid/Flu (workplace provides free flu jabs on demand) and household contacts. Some can work from home (assuming they're well enough) – but others have to take the leave – and it's almost impossible to replace them – not only can't hire people, but specialized work – you can't just walk in off the street – there's a significant learning/training curve, and trying to do that puts added pressure on the people who are there.
We're communicating the reasons for delay with our customers – who are understanding – but it doesn't do much for the bottom line (if you're not invoicing the work, you're not getting paid)
Case infections are almost certainly originating outside the workplace (so far) – i.e. the people coming down with Covid/Flu aren't directly connected inside the workplace, and most have a prior household contact with the virus/es.
Hoping that this will quickly work it's way through the staff and give a decent level of immunity. But not optimistic, with the protection against Covid re-infection window now down to a month.
So far, just one serious case (and we have some high risk people – over 70 and with associated health conditions) – not serious enough for hospital, but not bouncing back quickly – she has a history of bronchial conditions, and seems to get hammered by secondary infections.
The Health systems globally are under pressure,with continued problems with Covid,(removing spare capacity) and a large backlog of selective surgery etc, becoming problematic for acute emergency.
It's an uphill battle trying to explain to some people that the situation re-our health services is not confined to NZ. It's everywhere, and many countries are in a far worse state than NZ. I read somewhere in recent days that Australia's hospitals are also stretched to the limit. I would link to it, but can't recall where I saw it.
There is a moral dilemma here. If we were to lure health workers from other countries then we would be denying those countries the workers they desperately need themselves.
And unvaccinated staff are not the answer. If they can show such poor judgement over vaccines and masks, then who can trust them to make sound judgements over other health issues.
I read somewhere in recent days that Australia's hospitals are also stretched to the limit.
Its been on ABC,Hospitals in Queensland (similar pop to NZ ) have slightly more patients for covid,influenza etc.Similar conditions with colder weather (record cold spells in QA) similar economic conditions,staffing shortages,cold housing,all playing out on the same songsheet.
New Zealand has been ranked second-worst place in the world to move by immigrants, according to a survey.
…
In a resulting ranking of 52 countries – those for whom there was a large enough sample size – Aotearoa New Zealand ranked in the doldrums, at 51. It was beaten to the bottom by Kuwait.
…
The country’s poor showing was attributed to lower wages and high cost of living. New Zealand was the worst-performing country in the survey’s personal finance measure: 49% of respondents said their disposable household income was not enough to lead a comfortable life, compared with 28% globally. For general cost of living, 75% rated the country negatively, compared with 35% globally.
You’re pretty damning of human rights and the state of democracy in Australia which is at number 9.
And it was a reply to Anne’s comment about the difficulty of attracting immigrants (Not citizens, at least not yet) to fill our health worker shortage.
“The cost of living is too high here in comparison to the salaries,” one survey respondent from Botswana said. An expat from India was concerned about the “growing divide between the rich and poor”.
This cannot be reasonably refuted, we do have objectively low wages and a higher cost of living compared to our international analogues. Are these conditions just ‘the price of democracy’? Not sure it really works out well for expats, immigrants or citizens in general, personally.
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Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5cjAkWqz4Y
The most annoying thing about Christchurch spending what will inevitably turn out to be a billion dollars (fixed price contract my arse) stadium is as night follows day they'll come whining to the government for a bailout, and because the settler class of Canterbury are the most exceptionalist and entitled bunch of complainers and snowflakes in the entire nation as taxpayers we'll all end paying for the cost blow out.
Another astonishing observation is how enthusiastic local business groups always are for billion dollar convention centres and stadiums, yet how the same business groups are always vehemently opposed to spending money on things like critical infrastructure, public transport and community services.
It is almost like entitled rich people who have a big voice in business demanding the rest of us subsidise their recreational choices.
And they are the same people who sneer at and criticise the government for not spending enough on housing, health and education – not enough nurses, not enough doctors, nor enough teachers… and so on.
A billion dollars would go a long way to build more houses, more hospitals, more schools and train more staff to operate them.
The Tron has been bypassed.
Hurrah!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/129283124/hamilton-section-of-waikato-expressway-open-to-traffic
I wonder; What if government instead of subsidising private transport and carbon emissions by building more and more motorways put that money into public transport instead?
Would central government support for Efeso Collins plan for free public transport become more viable?
Could the whole of the public transport fleet. (buses and trains), be converted to electric?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/129234357/southern-hemispheres-first-converted-electric-doubledecker-begins-auckland-trial
No urgency now. Not!
The Hamilton expressway was the brainchild of a National government.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waikato_Expressway
Once a project is underway it has to be completed.
According to a poll published a day or two ago, Efeso Collins is now the front runner for the Auckland mayoralty. That would suggest that his plan to make public transport free for everybody is being well received.
He would be a 'breath of fresh air' for Auckland, but be rest assured his opponents will be working overtime as we speak… dreaming up scandals and misdeeds he never committed. Will the MSM correct the record? Some might but most won't.
As long as Leo Molloy doesn't get in.
Efeso is 'Goff lite' and would be a disaster for Auckland. The city needs someone independent who can stand up to central government without party allegiances and endorsements coming first.
[I don’t want you continue to wage an astroturfing campaign against one of the mayoral candidates in Auckland and/or astroturfing in general. Join your other aliases in the sin bin until one month after the Local Elections; only one of your many usernames will be allowed back then here – Incognito]
Mod note
"Would central government support for Efeso Collins plan for free public transport become more viable?"
Unlikely. Free PT in Auckland would cost the city around $210m each year, which would mean significant rates rises. Not only that, the policy won't reduce greenhouse gas emissions because transport is inside the ETS.
You prefer billions to pay for extra roads, instead?
And. Less car use will reduce Greenhouse gases, in reality. Not the monetary fantasy that is the ETS.
Hi David I went to the embedded link in your comment, I could not find anywhere where it said, that Free PT would cost ratepayers $210 million each year.
But I did find this;
"…..fare revenue was worth more than $150 million a year, and an earlier Auckland Transport assessment was that extra demand would cost $60m to meet."
I am guessing here, that to try and make your case against Free PT, you have deliberately conflated the two figures together. (In some circles this would be called 'creative accounting').
Fare revenue has no relation at all to the cost of running the system. It may cost more, it may cost less.
I might also remind you that with Free PT the $160 million in fare revenue would stay in PT commuters' pockets, instead of filling the pockets of Auckland's totally privately owned bus companies, this $160 therefore represents a loss to PT commuters and the city. A loss which would be returned with Free PT.
Even if we took your conflated combined figure of $210 million, for Free PT at face value.
If public transport was run as a single payer public service, instead of a profit making private enterprise, that figure could be considerably less. Getting rid of all the fare enforcement and collection infrastructure and bureaucracy, would be another cost saving to the commuting public, not having to fish around for cards or cash, would also make PT more convenient to use.
Hi David, I don't get this last one. Could you expound on it a bit?
No, he can’t and he won’t because he’s been banned for astroturfing on this site. I loathe dishonest commenters.
That's a shame, because I was digging around on Te internet I found this.
What is significant about this report is that not only would free public transport, be good for commuters wallets, and good for the climate, it would save lives. Every human life saved is precious beyond cost. But if we were looking at lives saved on a purely economic basis. Rounding up the figures, every road death costs the economy almost $4 million and every major injury costs us almost three quarter million dollars.
This report points out, that PT funding, is a major determinant of PT usage, articulated by the government in the GPS. ie greater PT use requires govt. buy in.
Hi David, if you are still reading this.
I am sorry you could not expound on your claim that PT, "won't reduce greenhouse gas emissions"
But you might be interested in this.
It seems that greater PT usage also saves lives. To your argument that Free PT is too expensive, (I admit that I haven't done the cost/loss balance).
But it seems to me, that the economic cost of all these tragic deaths and terrible injuries needs to be added to the balance sheet as well.
From the report:
P.S And dare I mention the cost of traffic congestion?
When you put the social and economic cost of all the preventable grief, injury and death together, with the cost of traffic congestion, caused by private car use, Efeso Collins case for Free Public Transport starts to make a lot of good social and economic sense.
It can’t come soon enough.
All those concerned about social justice and the environment, need to get behind Efeso Callin’s bid for Mayor of Auckland
On the other hand democratic process was followed through polling and submissions, it carried across socioeconomic groups, and people are really sick and tired of being stuck in limbo for a decade with only a cleared plot of land to show for it. Closure was needed.
Citation?
Young, men more likely to want to pour millions into progressing Christchurch stadium | Stuff.co.nz
Yes, we have seen exactly that with Eden Park. Despite being owned by a private Trust Board, it has a gargantuan appetite for public funds – and the political clout to extract them.
EP is also very subject to capture by (wealthy) local residents – including Helen Clark – who don't want their lives disrupted by actually using the venue as a venue. Which makes it difficult to make money….
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123290359/eden-park-concerts-helen-clark-opposes-home-invasion-of-noise
https://m.facebook.com/CheckpointRNZ/posts/helen-clark-says-shes-opposed-to-a-charity-concert-at-eden-park-just-400m-from-h/2129311180644640/
We've just seen the pearl clutching over school balls (I don't know why EP would be a good venue – but apparently it is) – resulting in the Trust Board (who seem to know which side their bread is buttered) cancelling the events.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/aucklands-eden-park-no-longer-hosting-school-balls-following-disruptive-behaviour/FQ7AAPZAX5DV5R2PJV6SNZV3V4/
Perhaps the council should zone it for intensive housing – it's bang in the middle of the desirable zone – and see how the pearl clutchers like that solution.
That so called "charity" concert was a less than honest attempt to get around the then rules on concerts and the whole thing collapsed when people found out that there was not even a working prototype for the incubators. Eden Park has always said that if they get "just this last demand for more whatever", or " just this ratepayer or taxpayer handout" they will not come back for more. That has been proven false half a dozen times. I would certainly re-zone everything around it for higher density, give the locals the benefit of the increase in land values and enable new developments with better noise attenuation. I live 800m away from the Park. Never been to a game – tried in 1981 but the cops would not let us in. Viva Mark Jones!
Marx Jones – sorry fumble fingers.
The trust was set up by an Act of Parliament, up to 9 trustees are appointed by the Crown (5), Auckland Cricket Association (2) and Auckland Rugby Union (2), and it is a charitable trust with the purposes of maintaining a venue/ground for cricket, rugby and any other events for the benefit of the Auckland region, so it's not what I think of as a private trust.
The Crown reps were put on the Trust after one of the more expansive Government handouts.
That was required to host the Rugby World Cup – without it, we didn't get the tournament.
I agree with yr $1B.
In the fullness of time and lots of corporate language, advisors and experts will get well paid and bear no responsibility.
Its because rich people pay the bills so expect some action
Am I a rich person?? I want the stadium built and so does 70% of this city.
The earthquake hit just as I hit 18 I've never not had to go to another city to watch a concert or major game.
Young people want a stadium bad and we're going to be the ones paying for it. Read the room
Delaying would make it cost more.
Just get on with it.
Chch is a city of nearly half a million and growing rapidly if ya want young people to stay in the city you're going to have to have things like this
It's been 11 years of utter horrible bollocks and the city has been through enough let people have some fun
The left makes out only rich people want to go see an all blacks game or a concert.
Sanctuary, Yep…well remember the battle in Dunedin. And very notable the RUGBY not interested in funding !
Despite their Special Pleading. incl one Richie Richie Richie ..Mcaw . (John Keys special mate )
ChCh ratepayers…I feel sorry for you.
It's not the CAPEX that gets you, it's the OPEX.
Everyone touting a fixed price for the build contract manages to neglect talking about the bills that truly gets your ratepayers really bleeding:
Pour the next several years of rate increases into the foundations one wheelbarrow at a time.
Note the Auditor General just came out saying it will be $5.5b for Auckland's City Rail Link, and we've still got 3 years of world events and inflation before it even opens. It works out about $1.5m for every metre of track And that's before you get to the OPEX.
Gee, Bread and Circuses comes to mind ! Just go look at under privileged ChCh . Brighton etc….
I spose they can always go watch the rugby…..
That would be Brighton that got the 4 million dollar public library and pier development would it?
Pier vs warm, dry, affordable housing… 🤔
And RUGBY/event Stadium even moreso !
Building stadiums at this point in history is like the fall of the Roman Empire. So much denial, covid, climate, ecology….
The Romans still have their stadium don't they?
They also had bread to accompany the circuses.
heh.
I'm pretty sure the Christchurch stadium will be under water in a lot less than 2000 years. More like 100 years given the every increasing CO2 levels. It'll make a nice open air swimming pool 😉
niche hobby, looking at infrastructure and seeing its repurpose as tshtf.
In a manner of speaking. Tourism rules the world. As civ collapses there will still be people rich enough and stupid enough to want to visit and take photos.
Based on what? I mean aside from your general loathing of humanity. Rome didn't "fall", it declined. Political structures rearranged themselves. The Eastern Empire lingered on another thousand years. People continued to do things and enjoy things.
Please explain how spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a stadium trumps spending that money on climate transition when we know that climate is going to decline civilisation if we don't act now (and bearing in mind, we're not acting enough yet).
I don't loathe humanity, I loathe stupidity.
and yes, people will keep enjoying things, but we're already finding that people don't like expensive food and petrol so much and we're not even deep into the crisis yet.
Community focus planned for New Brighton housing development – ChristchurchNZ.com
what does affordable housing mean for them?
“For 30 years, the New Brighton community rallied for another pier to be built. The Pier and Foreshore Society had campaigned to save the original pier, and the group continued lobbying for a new pier. When NZ$2m had been raised, this was matched by funding from Christchurch City Council and a new pier was designed using reinforced concrete. The new pier was built in exactly the same location, and was officially opened on 1 November 1997. It spans 300 metres (980 ft), which makes it the longest ocean pier in Australasia.[1] The New Brighton Pier is held as the icon of New Brighton and later the icon of Christchurch after the 22 February 2011 earthquake that significantly damaged Christchurch's Cathedral. The pier is one of Christchurch's tourist attractions. Currently the New Brighton Pier is the venue of a number of events, such as regular skate on the Pier events and the annual Guy Fawkes fireworks display held on 5 November every year. The pier sustained some damage in the various earthquakes, which was exacerbated in the 2016 Christchurch earthquake. Repairs started in February 2017, took 16 months, and cost NZ$8.5m. New Brighton pier reopened again in May 2018.[4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Brighton_Pier,_Christchurch
[Any comment with 10 or more links will automatically be held up in the Pre-Mod queue, so please limit the number of links in your comments.
I’d suggest that you paste Wiki quotes as plain text to avoid triggering the trap – Incognito]
Mod note
K..would post wiki quotes as plain text if i knew how.
That’s easy enough! In the Text Editor that you use there are 2 icons at the top of the menu, a little T and a little W. They refer to Paste as plain text (Ctrl+Shift+V) and Paste from Word (Ctrl+V), respectively.
Thank you
I told you it was easy enough 🙂
Brighton Pier was a community led project, extensively fundraised for by the local community.
Oh right, Pat. There is that then.. Strike some of the Feelgood for ChCh council !
Hmm Ive been to Libraries in NZ and as a Library user, I always think they are a great Community Hub……however in winter quite sad the poor buggers that go there…just to be warm. Or sleep even. (poor Librarians have to be diplomatic)
And I spose a Pier Development is where you could go for a long walk.?
Anyway that is some ChCh money to Brighton. Sure would be great with some additional Councillor Input/Drive from there.
It will hit Dunedin ratepayers hard.
The reason the Dunedin stadium was a mere debacle instead of a catastrophe is that it was able to secure a number of events post-quake Christchurch could not host.
There will be no more of those.
Yep. Also gotta wonder…if a serious (more serious?) pandemic hits. An empty stadium?
Examples of hubris in a Sentence
Russia has released passports made for the Citizens of Ukraine.
Obviously printed before Russia’s invasion and takeover of Ukraine ran into the sand.
People born in Ukraine have been entered as born in Russia.
https://twitter.com/sumlenny/status/1542849072394108934?t=kMPfT8-1t7aOekU3L6BICw&s=19&fbclid=IwAR0yu2Iczra9XuEZbZbC36PI4KXshQ8tHxs_IJPym70XilsKrgS1rW0R01E
It occurs to me that if Kyiv wanted to poke the borax at the Kremlin, they could issue Ukrainian passports to Russian citizens who want them, stamped with 'born in Ukraine'.
Who knows? Applying for one of these passports might be a light hearted way for Russian citizens to express their opposition to Putin's war.
From about 1860 to 1865 cities like Atlanta, Georgia, were not part of the USA. Instead they were part of the Confederacy. Kyiv's independence from Russia seems to have lasted a big longer, but may soon be coming to an end.
Incidentally, hubris is activity which angers the gods, and attracts nemesis, However, on this occasion, if nemesis was aiming at Russia it seems to have missed the target and landed on Ukraine instead, given the destruction it's caused.
"a light hearted way for Russian citizens to express their opposition to Putin's war"
Unfortunately there isn't any light-hearted way to express your opposition in Russia. Any protest at all seems to get very harsh treatment. Even referring to it as a "war" is punished. It is not a "war" or an "invasion". It is a "special military operation". Journalists who call it a war could be jailed for 15 years, as that is publishing false news about the military in Putin's Russia.
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/05/1084729579/russian-law-bans-journalists-from-calling-ukraine-conflict-a-war-or-an-invasion
This is 'huger'!
US President Donald Trump has said he recognises Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president.
The announcement came minutes after the 35-year-old declared himself acting leader in Caracas on Wednesday.
Juan Guaidó: US backs opposition leader as Venezuela president – BBC News
Hey Jenny which is the only nation to use nuclear bombs on civilians-is it Russia,China or U.S.A?
77 years ago Blazer for the USA on that
China Mao's great leap 45million dead
Stalin 20 million plus dead
/shrug
A rhetorical question that needs no answer from me. We all know what the answer is.
You might as well ask me which nation gassed 6 million Jews.
For the one-eyed, the USA is the only evil imperialist power in the world' crowd, a more topical question.
Which nation has threatened to use nuclear bombs in the current war?
P.S. I don't expect an answer.
Kind of a pointless question.
Just like this pointless question. I’m 63, sometime between the date that I was born and the year when my father and mother were born, some nation used atomic weapons on two cities, shortly after my parents started attending primary school. How old would my parents be today?
Now what does that have to do with the great depression.
/sarc
Or could you tell me when atomic weapons were used on military? If you can’t then you’re a moron.
/sarc
If you want to ask sheep shagging questions – then at least don’t simply flop your dick out. Actually make some kind of point that adds to the debate rather than making you look like a simple minded fuckwit.
Quite relevant to Jenny's relentless demonisation of Russia imo.
She appears to have a very black and white view of…the world.
But all the cool kids are demonising Russia.
And lots want to be cool donjaknow
Just like this one.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/14/social-media-posts-chart-life-and-death-of-girl-in-russian-strike
Cannot understand how you can make a comment like that above, and possibly think that Russia is not committing war crimes on a daily basis.
They lobbed precision munitions into a city 400km from the front lines to kill civilians as they were going about their mid-morning business.
It's what the Russian military does when things don't go it's way on the battlefield.
Circassians, Chechens, Afghans, Syrians, and now, Ukrainians.
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/11/what-would-it-look-like-if-we-treated-climate-change-as-an-actual-emergency?fbclid=IwAR3Gcci4OYuAvs_695IembRvXxIqPrA6Q4jizQ54H1QT1ME0doGjCfzkEHA
I really like that. What I like is the author or authors are honest about what they want to do. None of this waffle about just transition and so on. They are very specific about the steps they would take and the sort of World they want to see.
Of course it is a complete totalitarian Hellscape which would lead to a civil war but it is at least detailed.
Jason Hickel, Current Affairs, 2021. My bold.
"A totalitarian Hellscape".
Did you read their policy proposals?
Jason Hickel is well known for his research in environmental economics and global inequality. That you find his expert opinions on more and equitable climate action unpalatable is unsurprising.
I do agree that the Current Affairs piece is well worth a read.
Hickel is talking about a world in which the fossil fuels industry is "dismantled by the middle of the century". That's 28 years away. I guess it's technically possible, but I doubt the policy prescription required will be either politically or socially acceptable.
The problem being that while the specific steps are imo about right the results are a dysfunctional world….consider the impact of the removal of Ukraine grain and (food) oils from the world markets and you have a taste of the problems….it isnt the wealthy countries most impacted but the developing food reliant economies…we have a world population and productive output barely supported by current energy production, the bulk of which is fossil in origin…reduce that energy and the system collapses (if it isnt already)….its too glib to say remove unnecessary fossil energy use (i.e. private motor vehicles etc) when the maintenance of the system largely relies upon that to function.
We wasted the time to transition that we may have had.
Anyone else's workplace getting smashed with COVID and 'Flu over the last month?
Truly mashing us.
Avoiding it so far in the club I live at.
Same Barfly and Ad, but family have not been so lucky. Two have been told their excess white cell count is part of long covid which has gone on for months now.
Grant's work in Australia is struggling to get and keep staff. That may change now the covid assistance has gone.
Almost no-one comes into our office, so I find it a good place to isolate . I get lonely and bored, but so far the Sword of Damocles continues to hang on in there for us.
Had a mate stay Wednesday night. He was on an apology tour for the fabrication/coating outfit he works for, placating primary/food industry clients affected by covid related productivity problems.
Waiting for the excreta to hit the air circulating device in Queenstown over the School Holidays.
Most / all tourist business are having severe staffing issues, firstly getting staff who are willing to work in customer racing roles, and then keeping them healthy and able to work.
Things were pretty tough in town last week, and the ZQN mountains closed their rental departments saying they were out of gear, but heard it was more staffing related. Best snow they’ve had for a very long time too.
Next two weeks could get interesting. Really glad we're watching from the sidelines (home) until it settles down.
Yep. Had a constant trickle of cases since Omicron arrived – 1-2 off work at a time (workforce of around 100). Since end of June we're around 10-15 at a time (including me) – both Covid/Flu (workplace provides free flu jabs on demand) and household contacts. Some can work from home (assuming they're well enough) – but others have to take the leave – and it's almost impossible to replace them – not only can't hire people, but specialized work – you can't just walk in off the street – there's a significant learning/training curve, and trying to do that puts added pressure on the people who are there.
We're communicating the reasons for delay with our customers – who are understanding – but it doesn't do much for the bottom line (if you're not invoicing the work, you're not getting paid)
Case infections are almost certainly originating outside the workplace (so far) – i.e. the people coming down with Covid/Flu aren't directly connected inside the workplace, and most have a prior household contact with the virus/es.
Hoping that this will quickly work it's way through the staff and give a decent level of immunity. But not optimistic, with the protection against Covid re-infection window now down to a month.
So far, just one serious case (and we have some high risk people – over 70 and with associated health conditions) – not serious enough for hospital, but not bouncing back quickly – she has a history of bronchial conditions, and seems to get hammered by secondary infections.
Doe anyone in this forum know whether the use of images for any purpose has been officially presented to the public? The article says that
"A business case has been developed and approved,"
Is biometric information not protected in NZ?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/470882/internal-affairs-lawfully-allowed-to-use-facial-recognition-system-waka-kotahi
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/470985/week-in-politics-andrew-little-s-bad-week
this is a very scary read about what Drs are saying re the state of the health system
The Health systems globally are under pressure,with continued problems with Covid,(removing spare capacity) and a large backlog of selective surgery etc, becoming problematic for acute emergency.
https://twitter.com/picardonhealth/status/1547565514578280450
With increased expenditure the outcomes are not necessary improvements of increased life expectancy or increased quality of life as people age.
https://twitter.com/andy23tran/status/1547244767733506050
The increasing challenge with technology (and its complexity) is paradoxical in the Health sector as is increased investment.
https://www.technologyreview.com/2013/09/05/252307/the-costly-paradox-of-health-care-technology/
It's an uphill battle trying to explain to some people that the situation re-our health services is not confined to NZ. It's everywhere, and many countries are in a far worse state than NZ. I read somewhere in recent days that Australia's hospitals are also stretched to the limit. I would link to it, but can't recall where I saw it.
There is a moral dilemma here. If we were to lure health workers from other countries then we would be denying those countries the workers they desperately need themselves.
And unvaccinated staff are not the answer. If they can show such poor judgement over vaccines and masks, then who can trust them to make sound judgements over other health issues.
Of course it's Labour's fault.
https://twitter.com/Kit_Yates_Maths/status/1547863954193494017
Its been on ABC,Hospitals in Queensland (similar pop to NZ ) have slightly more patients for covid,influenza etc.Similar conditions with colder weather (record cold spells in QA) similar economic conditions,staffing shortages,cold housing,all playing out on the same songsheet.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-15/covid-patients-fill-regional-queensland-hospital-beds/101242460
You could replace "Queensland" with "New Zealand" and it would be just as accurate an assessment.
Try luring anyone when this is how you're ranked:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/14/100-pure-rip-off-new-zealand-voted-second-worst-place-to-move-to
Expats. Not citizens. The opposite, in fact. Many of the most comfortable countries for expats are anything but comfortable … for their own people.
The United Arab Emirates made the top 10. Blasphemy and homosexuality are illegal, and the maximum penalty is death.
If human rights don't matter, the survey is fine. Otherwise, it's a sick joke. Cheap maids are more important than democracy?
You’re pretty damning of human rights and the state of democracy in Australia which is at number 9.
And it was a reply to Anne’s comment about the difficulty of attracting immigrants (Not citizens, at least not yet) to fill our health worker shortage.
This cannot be reasonably refuted, we do have objectively low wages and a higher cost of living compared to our international analogues. Are these conditions just ‘the price of democracy’? Not sure it really works out well for expats, immigrants or citizens in general, personally.
wtf is that photo, lol.