Regarding climate change adaptation, one of the ways we can all contribute individually and as a country, is to reemphasise the importance of repair and goods that can last enough to be repaired. Organisations like this are a fantastic source of knowledge, skills and community:
In a world of fast fashion, cheap appliances and quick-to-outdate electronics, a group of repairers is urging people to think twice before tossing things into the landfill.
Repair cafes are an international phenomenon that began in the Netherlands in 2009, and were first set up in New Zealand in 2016. The current edition has ramped up since the pandemic, supported by Doughnut Economics Advocates New Zealand.
Charging nothing but with a koha encouraged, the volunteer repairers do their best to fix all sorts, saving people money, and a trip to the dump.
The next airline industry solution to air travel pollution. (after offsets)
Making Air Travel More Sustainable Is Actually Way Easier Than We Think
Tony Ho Tran – 2h ago
…..One estimate from The Guardian found that taking a long-haul flight generates more carbon emissions than a single person would create in an entire year.
……we can drastically cut carbon emissions in airplanes by replacing conventional jet fuel with biofuels….
What if, instead of unworkable scams, we tax air lines for the full cost of their carbon emissions making air travel so expensive that we have to forgo air travel and take the train instead.
Two significant elements to that pledge not to travel internationally.
Did you previously (i.e. pre-pandemic) regularly take either business or holiday trips overseas?
Do you have any reason now (during and/or post-pandemic) to travel internationally? (e.g. family or friends overseas; business requirements to travel; bucket list of things that you want to do with your life, etc.).
Because, it's really easy to notionally 'give up' something that you actually have no intention of doing.
Not regularly. But yes, I have had reason, and still do occasionally have reason to travel internationally.
So it is a hardship for me to give it up.
But putting the question of international travel to the side for a moment, I do have a much more pressing need to travel nationally, and it is a sacrifice for me to forego air travel. (which I enjoy for its convenience and comfort).
How about you, do you travel within New Zealand?
When there are other options for national travel, do you choose to fly?
Rarely travel by air in NZ – and usually, only for work (when they would rather pay my airfare, than pay for me to travel for a day (or most of a day), and then do the work. i.e. my boss would prefer not to pay for 3 days, out of town, only one of which is productive; and rather chooses to pay for 1 day of productive work and 2 airfares.
However, I don't travel by inter-city bus or train either – I pretty much drive.
Reasons: more than one person travelling; Covid contagion concerns (that may be emotional, rather than logical); poor PT links at the 'other' end of the travel (so I'd have to hire a car anyway); limited holiday time, which I'd rather spend doing things or seeing people, than stuck on a bus.
Really the country's PT transport only works for travel to and from the CBD in large cities; or for people who have unlimited time, and very limited budget.
I don't know if that's a 'fixable' problem. Yes, we can all quote overseas cities where PT works (I've lived in some of them, and never felt the need to own a car). Unfortunately, those cities are outweighed – even in their own countries – but the village and rural areas – where you need a car (unless you want to be trapped at the mercy of a very limited bus link).
A great deal of air travel is discretionary – Zoom, though imperfect, ought to be the first choice over flying in in person.
Air freight, the hidden reason for subsidizing Air New Zealand (a lot of exports use it) could be developed using unmanned lighter than air drones. The Zeppelin trip to Oz would use far less carbon, and still be well within the freshness lifetime of meat or seafood.
Our neglected shipping industry would have been good about now too. Although Maersk's entry is better than nothing, they don't seem to be about to generate disruptive change that will favour the environment.
Physics would prove that a airship, because it takes longer with a lighter payload would use almost the same amount of fuel per tonne carried as an aircraft. The old work/energy conundrum, and then add in a good stiff headwind. There are bugger all easy answers in the real world and there are good reasons why they have never been more than a novelty.
15,000 demonstrators detained for taking part in the recent protests in Iran against the regime, are being held in police detention.
In shocking move, the Iranian government has overwhelmingly voted they all be executed.
…….Women have led the protests, setting their headscarves on fire and cutting their hair in solidarity, and were later joined by men and teenage boys. Hundreds of people protesting Amin's death were killed by police, and thousands were arrested in the past eight weeks.
There have been previous mass protests in Iran, but none of the size—and the length—of the current one. Back in 2009, millions took to the streets after a disputed presidential election.
Solidarity for the protesters is also growing, with Reuters reporting that Iran's water polo players refused to sing the national anthem at a competition in Thailand on Tuesday and prominent actor Taraneh Alidoosti expressed her support for the protests by posting a photo of herself with her hair uncovered by the mandatory headscarf.
It will be a test of wills whether the regime will be able to carry out this dreadful death sentence, or the whether the protests will grow be an even larger challenge to the regime, causing the regime's enforcers to lose their nerve to carry out this mass execution.
That story claims that the Parliament called for them to be executed. In para 3 it says "the country's parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of the death penalty for protesters.".
However a little further on it greatly mutes the claim when it says "to treat those, …. in a way that would serve as a good lesson in the shortest possible time," the letter read. Lawmakers added that such a punishment – the methods of which were not specified……"
Where does the story give any evidence that they were calling for all 15,000 to be executed?
There are currently 15,000 people convicted of protesting being held in prisons in Iran.
The logistics of installing the needed apparatus and related procedures to execute that many people on this scale will take some time. Decisions will have to be made over burying or releasing the bodies to their relatives.
More likely, these executions will be carried out piecemeal.
A start has been made.
…….27 year old Kurdish Rapper Saman Yasin has been sentenced to death for joining the anti-hijab protests. The first among the detainees.
Thank you. This story is a bit later than the other one you linked to which was about the letter and does confirm the death sentences explicitly.
Bastards aren't they? Still they have form for this. In 1988, under orders from Khomeini there were an estimated 30,000 people murdered in a couple of months.
Your point is well taken. The vast majority of Iran's parliament signed a letter demanding the death penalty for protesters. No formal legislation was enacted.
As the majority of MPs support the death penalty for the protesters in their custody it would be a foregone conclusion if it had been.
Instead Iranian lawmakers informally called on the judiciary and machinery of state to impose and carry out this death sentence on protesters.
There is a historic parallel. The Holocaust was never formally ordered in German parliament either. But needless to say it was carried out anyway.
There is a certain logic to this, as Bob Dylan wrote "The executioners hand is always well hidden".
No one wants to be formally recorded as having voted for genocide. And so the chain of command is always kept murky. Going down the ranks, the prison guards who actually have to carry out these executions can point out that they were following the orders from above. But try and follow that order back up the chain of command and it becomes very hard to find anyone who actually gave the order.
P.S. The closest historians have ever been able to come in identifying who actually ordered the Holocaust, was the secret Nazi leaders Wansee conference of 1942.
But in 1942 the Holocaust was already in full swing especially in the East. Wansee delegates mostly discussed how to more efficiently conduct this mass murder.
…..On November 13, an unidentifiedprotester received the death penalty in the first instance of that sentence coming in the trials against people who were arrested for demonstrating….
……Iran Human Rights warned that "at least 20 protesters are currently facing charges punishable by death per official reports"….
In my opinion, it won't be long before the public form groups of vigilantes.
Labour has received much odium over law and order issues. And rightly so. But what's National going to do? Will the crims care? Or will they see things as just one set muppets being replaced with another set of muppets?
It's a hard road finding a hanging judge nowdays, Jimmy. By the time the judge has strummed a few verses of Kumbaya on his guitar, read a cultural report, listened to submissions from excuse mongers in favour of the criminal and cleared the court of screaming gesticulating relatives, he's forced to let the criminal go because of time already served.
More to the point, by the time the case actually gets to court (18 months or so down the track – if then) – the bus has left on any effective punishment or rehabilitation for the offenders. Delayed justice is denied justice.
Also effective penalties for lawyers and associated professionals (e.g. writers of cultural reports) who are not ready for the court case (or not even present), when it finally rolls around.
Do we really need to waste court time (and High court, at that) on an appeal from a convicted murderer because (for legitimate H&S reasons) he's not allowed to wear a necklace with an attached crucifix in jail?
With this kind of rubbish clogging up the court system, it's no wonder that serious cases take ridiculous lengths of time.
Those are good ideas. Having watched the court system from the public gallery, I couldn't help noticing it seems like an old boys network between criminals, legal council and the judge. Everything moves in slow motion, and the day I was in court, I noticed the judge and some offenders seemed to have been the best of mates. Repeat offenders I would guess. Yep , time for a judicial ''hurry up.''
You are a piece of crap – Have you every worked in a place that has experienced such an event ?? You remind me of a physiologist who turned up a week or 2 later the bank that was robbed in the 1990's I was at twice in 2 weeks to tell everyone that such events whilst being traumatic down played the 2 robberies. They were given their marching orders by the manager for the total inappropriateness of their comments.
What of those who have experienced and faced now with the aftermath – They got arrested, tell that to the workers and others who were there !! You sound like Hipkins removed and just parroting talking points – NO REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE or UNDERSTANDING. There is a major cost/toll being paid that is unseen and not valued.
Talk of the devil. I thought I'd listen to Today FM. I haven't listened to them since they sacked Peter Williams(?). The topic being covered was the above heist I posted on. There was talk on vigilantism, bravery, crime in general, should you intervene during a robbery, the alarming rate of officers quitting the force etc? ( Today FM 1.42 PM)
Mark Mitchell rang in. His talk:
1- Political support for the police.
2- Changes in Police hierarchy.
3- Having other agencies do their share regarding criminal processing. And not having everything dumped on the police.
4- A look at the justice system.
5- No quick fixes.
6- Return of Three Strikes.
I have no problem with vigilante action. When the police don't act as a criminal deterrent, why shouldn't the innocent fight back as they did in the above case?
Maybe that's because Mitchell believes the current "Police hierarchy" doesn't provide the right kind of 'support' for front line police, but "Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Darfur" we're not, and never will be.
I have no problem with vigilante action.
To repeat my question (@5.2), would you be pleased if vigilante action doesn't become (more) common in Aotearoa New Zealand. Or would you be pleased if vigilantism does became more common?
Bear in mind that the only countries in which a vigilante’s actions are not illegal are those in which the Rule of Law has fundamentally broken down. Are we getting there, and, if so, why?
Vigilante groups in the Nordic countries
Abstract
One of the main defining characteristics of a state is that it successfully claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within its territory. Recently, a number of organised groups in the Nordic countries have declared that the state is no longer fulfilling its part of the social contract of providing security to the citizens against crime and threats from foreigners (and Muslims in particular), and in particular their alleged sexual harassment of local women. As a consequence, these vigilante groups challenge the state’s monopoly of violence. “If the State does not defend us, we will do it ourselves – with all necessary means”, the Danish group “Daneværn” puts it. A similar movement, “Soldiers of Odin”, has popped up in Finland, with offshoots in Norway. In Sweden, the neo-Nazi Swedish Resistance Movement is also patrolling to provide safety in the streets, as they claim. The core activists are well-known faces from far-right and anti-Islam movements but some of the groups also attract people with no such ties. This paper will discuss why and how these vigilante groups from the far right have emerged and had a boost recently, and how they are clashing with another form of vigilante group from the extreme left. Militant anti-racists such as Anti-Fascist Action see it as their mission that there will be “No Nazis in our streets!”. They do not obey the state’s monopoly on violence either.
We live in peaceful times, in a comparatively peaceful country, and yetthe temptation of vengeance and violence is ever-present. Imho, Kiwis need (more?) vigilantes like we need a hole in the head – or a ‘good’ ol’ tarring and feathering.
Foreign investment should benefit Aotearoa New Zealand
Only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents should be able to buy land.
International businesses with significant local operations should pay fair tax and meet the same corporate responsibility and sustainability standards as local businesses.
Foreign investment controls should be tightened to encourage productive investment and discourage speculative investment or simply buying up New Zealand assets to export profits.
We hear of (usually after a serious event) that former NZ servicemen or police have been involved as independents (or even as contractors/advisers) in trouble spots around the world. Some have gone in, made a fortune (National's Mark Mitchell as an example) and settled back into life here.
Do any of these individuals go with the approval of our governments, or is it on their own initiatives. And further, do they pose a threat to our own independent foreign policy if and when they need bailing out.
Auckland Action Against Poverty have a petition directed to the Prime Minister and Minister for Child Poverty Reduction Jacinda Ardern, and Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni:
Take seven steps toward a fairer future for all of us
People in Aotearoa want to see a fairer future where everyone has the resources they need to build the lives they want for themselves and their families. We’re calling on you to take these seven steps to unlock people and whānau from the constraints of poverty:
1. Increase core benefit levels to the standard of liveable incomes
2. Raise the minimum wage to the living wage
3. Increase the Disability Allowance
4. Overhaul relationship rules
5. Remove sanctions
6. Wipe debt owed to the Ministry of Social Development
7. Improve supplementary assistance and urgent grants
Covid cases rise topping 4000 highest daily rate since August.Population reduction program continues with excess mortality rising to 15% (similar to Australia at 14%)
It was very quiet around COVID recently, so I checked on the FT Covid tracker over the weekend. Surprised no real actions have been taken and we even allow cruise ship with significant COVID cases to unload and roam the cities without any precautions (same as Australia). What we do for a couple of dollars from the tourists using the cable car…
We were so keen to save all those lives and now we just "let it rip".
There is an alarming lack of masking in the south, people just seem to think it's over. We might be done with Covid but it's not done with us. Was it 52 deaths last week? and quite a number under 70.
I think the MoH should be running a campaign to encourage more masking in crowded areas. We don't need mandates – just raise awareness a bit.
Mask's don't hurt you. Check out any Asian city webcam, eg
Media has been spared a war with the Governor of Arizona.
Kari Lake resented having to read the news about Trump's election defeat. She said she would war on media if she was elected. Media have been reporting that peace has been preserved.
The defeated candidate's resume says – decades working in media, failed political career. Since Fox has abandoned Trump her options are Truth Social and being sponsored by Thiel to do podcasts on Rumble.
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Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
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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 ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
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. ...
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 ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
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. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Regarding climate change adaptation, one of the ways we can all contribute individually and as a country, is to reemphasise the importance of repair and goods that can last enough to be repaired. Organisations like this are a fantastic source of knowledge, skills and community:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/478745/repair-cafe-volunteer-says-bring-in-your-stuff-and-give-it-a-second-life
What do people think about this?
We grow crops to make air travel sustainable.
The next airline industry solution to air travel pollution. (after offsets)
What if, instead of unworkable scams, we tax air lines for the full cost of their carbon emissions making air travel so expensive that we have to forgo air travel and take the train instead.
What train would you take to get to OZ or Singapore, or the US / Europe for that matter? The underwater train?
Following Greta Thunberg's example. I have sworn off flying. I will not be going to OZ or Singapore, or the US / Europe anytime soon.
For travel between cities I will be boarding an intercity road bus rather than an Airbus A320
Howsabout you Sabine, bus or plane to Wellington?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMvsrsBd25o&t=3s
Two significant elements to that pledge not to travel internationally.
Did you previously (i.e. pre-pandemic) regularly take either business or holiday trips overseas?
Do you have any reason now (during and/or post-pandemic) to travel internationally? (e.g. family or friends overseas; business requirements to travel; bucket list of things that you want to do with your life, etc.).
Because, it's really easy to notionally 'give up' something that you actually have no intention of doing.
Not regularly. But yes, I have had reason, and still do occasionally have reason to travel internationally.
So it is a hardship for me to give it up.
But putting the question of international travel to the side for a moment, I do have a much more pressing need to travel nationally, and it is a sacrifice for me to forego air travel. (which I enjoy for its convenience and comfort).
How about you, do you travel within New Zealand?
When there are other options for national travel, do you choose to fly?
Not travelling much at all, anywhere, ATM.
Rarely travel by air in NZ – and usually, only for work (when they would rather pay my airfare, than pay for me to travel for a day (or most of a day), and then do the work. i.e. my boss would prefer not to pay for 3 days, out of town, only one of which is productive; and rather chooses to pay for 1 day of productive work and 2 airfares.
However, I don't travel by inter-city bus or train either – I pretty much drive.
Reasons: more than one person travelling; Covid contagion concerns (that may be emotional, rather than logical); poor PT links at the 'other' end of the travel (so I'd have to hire a car anyway); limited holiday time, which I'd rather spend doing things or seeing people, than stuck on a bus.
I get it. This country's public transport network is sub-optimal.
The saying goes:
'A rich country is not where poor people have a car, but where both rich and poor ride the subway'
(Read; bus, train, PT generally)
Unfortunately, in this country if you don't have a drivers license or access to a car you are pretty much a second class citizen.
Really the country's PT transport only works for travel to and from the CBD in large cities; or for people who have unlimited time, and very limited budget.
I don't know if that's a 'fixable' problem. Yes, we can all quote overseas cities where PT works (I've lived in some of them, and never felt the need to own a car). Unfortunately, those cities are outweighed – even in their own countries – but the village and rural areas – where you need a car (unless you want to be trapped at the mercy of a very limited bus link).
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35491464
A great deal of air travel is discretionary – Zoom, though imperfect, ought to be the first choice over flying in in person.
Air freight, the hidden reason for subsidizing Air New Zealand (a lot of exports use it) could be developed using unmanned lighter than air drones. The Zeppelin trip to Oz would use far less carbon, and still be well within the freshness lifetime of meat or seafood.
Our neglected shipping industry would have been good about now too. Although Maersk's entry is better than nothing, they don't seem to be about to generate disruptive change that will favour the environment.
Physics would prove that a airship, because it takes longer with a lighter payload would use almost the same amount of fuel per tonne carried as an aircraft. The old work/energy conundrum, and then add in a good stiff headwind. There are bugger all easy answers in the real world and there are good reasons why they have never been more than a novelty.
15,000 demonstrators detained for taking part in the recent protests in Iran against the regime, are being held in police detention.
In shocking move, the Iranian government has overwhelmingly voted they all be executed.
It will be a test of wills whether the regime will be able to carry out this dreadful death sentence, or the whether the protests will grow be an even larger challenge to the regime, causing the regime's enforcers to lose their nerve to carry out this mass execution.
He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata.
Kia Kaha.
That story claims that the Parliament called for them to be executed. In para 3 it says "the country's parliament overwhelmingly voted in favor of the death penalty for protesters.".
However a little further on it greatly mutes the claim when it says "to treat those, …. in a way that would serve as a good lesson in the shortest possible time," the letter read. Lawmakers added that such a punishment – the methods of which were not specified……"
Where does the story give any evidence that they were calling for all 15,000 to be executed?
The Iranian parliament has voted for the death penalty for people convicted of protesting against the regime.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/iran-votes-to-execute-protesters-says-rebels-need-hard-lesson/ar-AA13SNuc
There are currently 15,000 people convicted of protesting being held in prisons in Iran.
The logistics of installing the needed apparatus and related procedures to execute that many people on this scale will take some time. Decisions will have to be made over burying or releasing the bodies to their relatives.
More likely, these executions will be carried out piecemeal.
A start has been made.
Thank you. This story is a bit later than the other one you linked to which was about the letter and does confirm the death sentences explicitly.
Bastards aren't they? Still they have form for this. In 1988, under orders from Khomeini there were an estimated 30,000 people murdered in a couple of months.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_executions_of_Iranian_political_prisoners#Estimates_of_the_number_of_fatalities
Thank you.
Your point is well taken. The vast majority of Iran's parliament signed a letter demanding the death penalty for protesters. No formal legislation was enacted.
As the majority of MPs support the death penalty for the protesters in their custody it would be a foregone conclusion if it had been.
Instead Iranian lawmakers informally called on the judiciary and machinery of state to impose and carry out this death sentence on protesters.
There is a historic parallel. The Holocaust was never formally ordered in German parliament either. But needless to say it was carried out anyway.
There is a certain logic to this, as Bob Dylan wrote "The executioners hand is always well hidden".
No one wants to be formally recorded as having voted for genocide. And so the chain of command is always kept murky. Going down the ranks, the prison guards who actually have to carry out these executions can point out that they were following the orders from above. But try and follow that order back up the chain of command and it becomes very hard to find anyone who actually gave the order.
P.S. The closest historians have ever been able to come in identifying who actually ordered the Holocaust, was the secret Nazi leaders Wansee conference of 1942.
But in 1942 the Holocaust was already in full swing especially in the East. Wansee delegates mostly discussed how to more efficiently conduct this mass murder.
Despite this terrible order, and the first of these death sentences against detainees about to be be carried out, the protests have intensified.
Aotearoa 2022.
A salute to brave people.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300739233/four-teenagers-one-adult-charged-after-jewellery-store-heist-in-central-auckland
In my opinion, it won't be long before the public form groups of vigilantes.
Labour has received much odium over law and order issues. And rightly so. But what's National going to do? Will the crims care? Or will they see things as just one set muppets being replaced with another set of muppets?
Your as thick as the am show tv host .
Labour isn't doing anything blah blah blah.
They got arrested dummy.
''They got arrested”
Well, no shit Sherlock. Case closed. Lets all move on. Everything is kapai.
Arrests within 24 hours? Even CSI don't get results that quickly.
They got arrested. Good. Now lets get a decent judge that doesn't release them so they can do the same again next week.
It's a hard road finding a hanging judge nowdays, Jimmy. By the time the judge has strummed a few verses of Kumbaya on his guitar, read a cultural report, listened to submissions from excuse mongers in favour of the criminal and cleared the court of screaming gesticulating relatives, he's forced to let the criminal go because of time already served.
More to the point, by the time the case actually gets to court (18 months or so down the track – if then) – the bus has left on any effective punishment or rehabilitation for the offenders. Delayed justice is denied justice.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/29-07-2022/justice-system-backlog-at-acute-pinch-point
I didn't realise things were that bad. National needs to get creative on this issue. 24 hour court sittings?
Good idea….night courts.
Also effective penalties for lawyers and associated professionals (e.g. writers of cultural reports) who are not ready for the court case (or not even present), when it finally rolls around.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/130406594/judges-frustration-boils-over-delay-in-sentencing-of-taranaki-meth-dealer
And, sanctions for 'waste of time cases' frequently brought by litigious criminals, who literally have nothing better to do with their lives.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/high-profile-murderer-prison-escapee-phillip-smith-takes-corrections-to-court-in-bid-to-wear-necklace-behind-bars/JKHXRCJPFSX6A2SGCICIY66VQ4/
Do we really need to waste court time (and High court, at that) on an appeal from a convicted murderer because (for legitimate H&S reasons) he's not allowed to wear a necklace with an attached crucifix in jail?
With this kind of rubbish clogging up the court system, it's no wonder that serious cases take ridiculous lengths of time.
Those are good ideas. Having watched the court system from the public gallery, I couldn't help noticing it seems like an old boys network between criminals, legal council and the judge. Everything moves in slow motion, and the day I was in court, I noticed the judge and some offenders seemed to have been the best of mates. Repeat offenders I would guess. Yep , time for a judicial ''hurry up.''
You are a piece of crap – Have you every worked in a place that has experienced such an event ?? You remind me of a physiologist who turned up a week or 2 later the bank that was robbed in the 1990's I was at twice in 2 weeks to tell everyone that such events whilst being traumatic down played the 2 robberies. They were given their marching orders by the manager for the total inappropriateness of their comments.
What of those who have experienced and faced now with the aftermath – They got arrested, tell that to the workers and others who were there !! You sound like Hipkins removed and just parroting talking points – NO REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE or UNDERSTANDING. There is a major cost/toll being paid that is unseen and not valued.
In your opinion
I will be pleased if your opinion doesn’t come to pass. How about you?
Talk of the devil. I thought I'd listen to Today FM. I haven't listened to them since they sacked Peter Williams(?). The topic being covered was the above heist I posted on. There was talk on vigilantism, bravery, crime in general, should you intervene during a robbery, the alarming rate of officers quitting the force etc? ( Today FM 1.42 PM)
Mark Mitchell rang in. His talk:
1- Political support for the police.
2- Changes in Police hierarchy.
3- Having other agencies do their share regarding criminal processing. And not having everything dumped on the police.
4- A look at the justice system.
5- No quick fixes.
6- Return of Three Strikes.
I have no problem with vigilante action. When the police don't act as a criminal deterrent, why shouldn't the innocent fight back as they did in the above case?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/471379/400-percent-increase-in-ram-raids-few-prosecutions-police-data
Maybe that's because Mitchell believes the current "Police hierarchy" doesn't provide the right kind of 'support' for front line police, but "Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Darfur" we're not, and never will be.
To repeat my question (@5.2), would you be pleased if vigilante action doesn't become (more) common in Aotearoa New Zealand. Or would you be pleased if vigilantism does became more common?
Bear in mind that the only countries in which a vigilante’s actions are not illegal are those in which the Rule of Law has fundamentally broken down. Are we getting there, and, if so, why?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigilantism
We live in peaceful times, in a comparatively peaceful country, and yet the temptation of vengeance and violence is ever-present. Imho, Kiwis need (more?) vigilantes like we need a hole in the head – or a ‘good’ ol’ tarring and feathering.
https://www.visionofhumanity.org/maps/#/
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/130412293/12000-hectares-approved-for-sale-to-overseas-investors-for-forestry
I've never been a single issue voter but will be this election.
Any party that wants to stop the ridiculous situation of a foreign oil company among other polluters buying our land to plant treed has vote.
Even if it has to be act.
ACT would obstruct the progress of free trade like that?
No idea what acts opinion on this is ,but labour thus far are all talk,
The Greens:
https://www.greens.org.nz/trade_and_foreign_investment_policy
Ex military and perfed policemen.
We hear of (usually after a serious event) that former NZ servicemen or police have been involved as independents (or even as contractors/advisers) in trouble spots around the world. Some have gone in, made a fortune (National's Mark Mitchell as an example) and settled back into life here.
Do any of these individuals go with the approval of our governments, or is it on their own initiatives. And further, do they pose a threat to our own independent foreign policy if and when they need bailing out.
Auckland Action Against Poverty have a petition directed to the Prime Minister and Minister for Child Poverty Reduction Jacinda Ardern, and Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni:
https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/take-seven-steps-toward-a-fairer-future-for-all-of-us-1
Please sign to put pressure on the Government to take more action to address poverty and inequality.
Covid cases rise topping 4000 highest daily rate since August.Population reduction program continues with excess mortality rising to 15% (similar to Australia at 14%)
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/478769/daily-covid-19-cases-top-4000-for-first-time-since-august
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/excess-mortality-p-scores-average-baseline?country=NZL~AUS
Covid minister mumbling as usual,although 77 m of the covid contingency fund has been sent to Mahuta for training for 3 waters governance.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018866028/government-says-no-plans-at-this-stage-for-annual-covid-19-booster-for-most-people
It was very quiet around COVID recently, so I checked on the FT Covid tracker over the weekend. Surprised no real actions have been taken and we even allow cruise ship with significant COVID cases to unload and roam the cities without any precautions (same as Australia). What we do for a couple of dollars from the tourists using the cable car…
We were so keen to save all those lives and now we just "let it rip".
"let it rip".
Of course. The world has moved on and the PM has moved with it. The adulation has moved to a new topic and she is following.
Covid Bad luck seems to follow her first McMurdo,then Cambodia.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/11/cambodian-prime-minister-hun-sen-tests-positive-for-covid-19-after-meeting-handshake-with-jacinda-ardern.html
There is an alarming lack of masking in the south, people just seem to think it's over. We might be done with Covid but it's not done with us. Was it 52 deaths last week? and quite a number under 70.
I think the MoH should be running a campaign to encourage more masking in crowded areas. We don't need mandates – just raise awareness a bit.
Mask's don't hurt you. Check out any Asian city webcam, eg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQA5RcIZlAM
Meanwhile in Australia ATAGI are not recommending another booster until early 2023.
Canada:
cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-public-masks-update-1.6649916
Except it is now with 2 Omicron specific boosters.(from December)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-15/pfizer-omicron-covid-booster-available-australia/101654846
Media has been spared a war with the Governor of Arizona.
Kari Lake resented having to read the news about Trump's election defeat. She said she would war on media if she was elected. Media have been reporting that peace has been preserved.
The defeated candidate's resume says – decades working in media, failed political career. Since Fox has abandoned Trump her options are Truth Social and being sponsored by Thiel to do podcasts on Rumble.