Leadership is vital, of this there can be little doubt.
Most of the greatest things worth doing by human beings cannot by achieved by individuals working alone, it requires teamwork, sometimes dozens or hundred or even millions of people working together. And teamwork requires leadership. Whether it is building a house or laying a road or crossing an ocean, or fighting a war. In human affairs Leadership is vital. Though for us humans, we are leaders, or led, not in the sense of sheep being led by a shepherd. All forms of human leadership, (no matter how they are organised), require at some level the consent of the led. i.e. That leadership has to be seen as legitimate. This goes no matter whether that leader is a king or a dictator or an elected head. People will even put up with bad leaders if they think they hold power legitimately. However, once legitimacy is lost, no leadership can persist, no matter what methods are used to shore it up. Once legitimacy disappears no amount of bureaucratic maneuvering or even massive violent oppression can preserve it, such tactics only delay the inevitable.
To David Shearer the Labour Party parliamentary caucus, your attendants and supporters, I would advise;
Don’t bother fighting a rearguard action to preserve minority selection for the leadership of the party, that battle is already lost. You may win the battle, but you will lose the war.
Don’t resist this change, instead accept gracefully the greatest possible democratic selection of leader. Your organisation will be the greater for it.
As I started to type this, Morning Report had been reading out a lengthy statement from Te Puni Kokiri that felt like it was going on forever.
The Minister didn’t front up to answer questions invoking the excuse the matter was an operational matter, the Ministry didn’t front up and sent a long blah blah blah statement.
I did not turn on RadioNZ to listen to Simon Mercep reading out long, mind numbing government propoganda. I hope this is a one-off and not to be repeated.
I agree. RNZ continue not to hold to task ministers and organisations that refuse to front for ‘difficult’ interviews. Compare with the way Campbell Live has put Hekia Parata and other government ministers under the blowtorch for failing to agrre to being interviewed.
Jim, maybe the solution is to email RNZ and express the viewpoint?
New Zealand clergy face being interviewed by Australian police as part of a Royal Commission investigating how institutions – including churches – allegedly covered up claims of child sex abuse, a victims right advocate says.
With this in mind Lauda Finem have been scanning our trans Tasman neighbours media for any sign that they would pick up on the story, but no not a peep, sure a couple of stories about the Australian situation but nothing on how New Zealand might have been impacted and or how the New Zealand church hierarchy may have been complicit in allowing pedophile priests to set up in New Zealand. We know for a fact that this was the case in the St John of God scandal, with the convicted brothers having been transferred between the two countries.
So what about the New Zealand National Party controlled Government, where do they stand on all of this, if you were relying on the New Zealand media for an answer you would still be waiting. Australia’s channel Nine, however, was all over the story
Be interesting to see where this all ends up, as the Catholic Church is simply a child abuse ring pretending to be a religious entity, I think that much is clear by now, as the history certainly back that up!
The real powers of the globe are the ones who sit behind these fronts, but make full use of its “services”, and also have the ability to “disappear” these inconvenient situations quite quickly.
Just what might a possible “Royal Commission” unearth I wonder…..More of the same, followed by a cover up, or perhaps straight to the cover up, or perhaps it all just magics itself away!
There are differences between child abuse rings and organisations that protect individual sex offenders. Best not to confuse or conflate the two.
And the difference would be what, as it relates to the historical actions of the CC, as it relates to covering and protecting itself, and thus hiding what it truly represents!
Best for people not to miss the glaringly obvious!
While I understand your sentiment, to address the question literally,
Rioting would destroy the nieghbourhoods where oppressed people live, weaking whatever community links they already share with an unsafe environment. Rioting elevates brutality, the exact opposite required for the support of oppressed people.
No one in the current bunch of centre right/left care if the poor riot. Other than venting suppressed anger, nothing constructive from a rioters point of view, would come of it. The poor, the kind that have tasted hopelesness, don’t vote centre left/right. All it would do is give politicians an excuse to further demonise the poorer fringes. After the riot, politicians on both sides would use it manipulate people with either fear or pride.
Rioting takes energy, lots of negetive energy, the kind that only comes from wholesale nothing-to-lose situations. NZ isn’t quite there yet. It requires built up dense populations with an already high violent tendency meeting a trigger that transgresses a widely accepted subcultural value. Civil forces often seek out and use these triggers to help them control populations through “controlled burns”. Rioting isn’t something anyone can ask people to do, it’s the emotional response of the collective mind.
Strategically speaking, it would be better use of resources for communities to unofficially break away from the mainstream culture – as far as they can – and look after themselves in any constructive way they can, rather than devolve into rioting, self abuse and risk being controlled through violence. Frequent organised or impromptu protests of any size, acts of civil disobedience, basic sabotage, community agreements and support groups – these things vent and pre-empt anger before it becomes destructive, are achieveable, return positive morale results and train communities to out-think their adversaries.
touche’ I was definitely having an emotional response. but, sort of my point, those affect are powerless and marginalised and the big fat middle and getting diabetes, don’t give a crap….okay so no riot, a protest, a march, a Hikoi,. I’m thinking the recent-ish anti mining protests coromandel Great Barrier (don’t muck up holiday spot) but we can’t get off our arse for state sponsored child starvation .
“Twaddle, rubbish, and gossip is what people want, not action.. . . The secret of life is to chatter freely about all one wishes to do and how one is always being prevented—and then do nothing” Soren Kierkegaard
now, Kierkegaard, there’s another odd chappie I related to in my search; ohh, the labelling, the guilt, the shame, nah, just kidding 😉
ol’ Soren was on to it.
The policy of National Ministers to refuse to be interviewed in the media with any opposition spokespeople (except in a short election period) is very arrogant . So much for openness and transparency. It is such a pity that the media goes along with it. Wouldn’t it be great to hear/see a debate between the National minister of Housing and Annette King, for example.
From this today: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=10847352
Household incomes have increased by a third in the last four years. Did I miss a pay rise or 2. Not sure if anyone knows the source or reference of this gem from English Increase of a 1/3rd ???
The recovery is HERE folks and real.
“Our problem is one of success.” from English
herodotus
That is a good link. Lots of laughs. It almost sounds like the tongue in cheek one from yesterday about Shearer standing down for Pagani, the female one I think.
English says that house prices have gone up only 1.3% in nominal terms, is this after they are adjusted for inflation? Perhaps the salaries that have gone up by a third in the last four years are the parliamentary salaries. Probably they the only ones he bothers to be informed about. Or perhaps there is a sort of double book-keeping where all figures quoted are taken from the average upwards and the true universal figures are in tiny script at the end of the report so it’s easy to black out when an OIA is made. The losers at the bottom are a drag on society to NACTs. Unfortunately they have shaped society to funnel opportunity towards them, and removed the work opportunities for those now struggling and either under-employed on low wages or unemployed and losing hope.
We had businesses that used to keep the country humming, but the reasonable tariff protection that was enough to keep them trading and profitable was abandoned in return for dairy and meat entry into our trading partners. We traded away the industrial revolution to go back to the agricultural economy and we haven’t been all that good at filling the gap with the hi-tech ones that were to be our saviours. Now we can’t even bother trying for the green and new innovative market.
Got off the original subject of housing but it all flows from the same ineptitude. Pollies offer themselves up as clever, wise, experienced. When they aren’t can we sue. Under the Trade Protection Act. We’ve been done.
John Key showed his true colours in the house yesterday:
Thank goodness David Parker’s watching Fox News ‘cos he might learn something, as opposed to that lefty stuff he seems to be embroiled in normally.
Seriously Mr Key, even in your homeland the U.S.A, a country with a far more right-wing political environment than ours, Fox News is waaay out on the far right and an object of derision that even the republican party are beginning to distance themselves from.
“Is saying that Key is from the USA an attempt to stir up NZ’s own “birther” movement.”
No, it refers to the fact that he prefers to reside in Hawaii (to which, privately, he is known to refer as “home”), and prefers to spend his money in the U.S. saying that their economy really needs it.
“And hard right extremist…really?”
According to his endorsement of Fox News as a media outlet from which one “might learn something”, yes.
How else can you possibly reconcile his statement?
Here’s how it works – Key’s “off the cuff” jokes at public appearances are usually prepared. But … when responding to a question, and hearing something for the first time, there are only a few seconds thinking time. So, he’s unprepared. The true character comes out.
Key heard “Fox News” and the brain went “Good”. Then he blurted.
He would never say that in a prepared speech. But he does in the House, under questioning. (On a previous occasion he commended Alan Sanford, the guy who got done for fraud in the West Indies).
Of course, a quick-witted Labour MP heard “Fox News” and immediately leapt up to say “In the light of that answer, does he agree with Karl Rove … etc” and totally nailed Key. Yay!
Nah, just kidding. They did the only thing they know – some more shouting.
And so it was, that the New Zealand PM’s crazy endorsement of a far-right broadcaster effectively “never happened”, never got noticed, because Key got away with it, because the opposition let him. As usual. (Except on the blogs, but nobody reads those, eh?).
(Fast forward to the election campaign … PM says Nelson Mandela’s a wanker, David Shearer looks blankly at him, tries to remember what he was told to say, and then asks his next prepared question).
… when responding to a question, and hearing something for the first time, there are only a few seconds thinking time. So, he’s unprepared. The true character comes out.
Yes, and remember his reaction to the unfortunate fellow who tried to climb over the debating chamber balcony? It gave him a fright so what did he do? Took it out on Phil Goff sitting opposite and made the throat-cutting gesture as if it was Goff’s fault. That was one of the best “true character” incidents of them all.
Serious question, KK. Do you actually understand what the US birther movement is about? Because implying anyone’s trying to set up the equivalent in NZ is kinda, um, seriously funny when you do.
He might kicked into touch soon.Selwyn Manning on Bombers show said that people in the inner circle of the National Party are not happy with the happy chappy.Maybe he should be job hunting.
Starring roll in a remake of Laurel and Hardymaybe.
Despite a ceasefire being brockered by Egypt: Israel strikes
The bombardment of Gaza continues. Strikes appear to be concentrated in the north. Multiple observers on the ground report near-continuous strikes, apparently a combination of air strikes and naval fire.
Haaretz puts the number of rockets fired from Gaza today at 83. The IDF says 25 rockets have been intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
It seems this will go on for sometime. I wonder how Egypt respond apart from withdrawing it’s ambassador.
The IDF has just claimed that this cyber-bullying justifies the next 5 bombings of Palestinian orphanages: “Al-Qassam Brigades’ teasing is out of control and can no longer be tolerated, we have no option but to bomb their children” …World leaders NATO and the UN say they condemn excessive teasing. Murray McCully rings the Israeli Ambassador and asks if all Jews are as funny as Larry David.
Gavin Ellis on radionz before noon was scathing of the criticisms of Shearer by The Standard bloggers particularly because many are anonymous, mentioned Eddie and Irish Bill.
Some editorials in published media are anonymous aren’t they? Surely the effort to express ideas referring to facts and with a reasonable scenario of future effects if someone remains as leader, shouldn’t mean that member of the public must be named. We do try to keep extreme opinions down to a few occasional curses. Being known can make life difficult when mixing with opposing family and at work etc when one is not a journalist and then it’s part of the job. And in some places they kill investigating journalists don’t they?
Yep! In some places people are routinely killed for speaking out against the establishment. With David Farrar publicly calling for funding to be cut for RIANZ because of what Home Brew Crew said about John Key, is it any wonder that people want to retain anonymity when such a vindictive response is openly published, and agreed upon by lots of right wingers? ‘We don’t like what you say so tell us who you are so we can fuck you up’ doesn’t really cut the mustard as a valid argument if you ask me.
We’re all a bunch of big meanies . . . KKK according to Fran . . . hackers and terrorists according to Clare Curran. Watch out for increasing invective against “cyber bullies” and “Anonymous” and “blogs” followed by cross-party laws forbidding this or that or saying what you want. Step by step. The battle is on to quell the internet and reduce its status from that of the town square to little more than the inside of a shopping mall.
Not the inside of a shopping mall. More like looking in a tea cup to see the future in the tea leaves, which are likely to reveal one’s own preferences.
‘The Standard’ being equated to ‘Pravda’ and the ‘Chinese Peoples Daily’?!
Ideas thoughts and opinions to be given no weight…apparently the individuals behind the thought, opinion or idea is what matters?
Crazy stuff.
And to cap it off, Richard Long’s piece where he opines that DS ‘should be given a chance’ should have received more coverage because…because..erm…oh, that’s right…because it was written by Richard Long!
Meanwhile, the opinions of Brian Edwards, Chris Trotter, Vernon Small et al, ain’t worth jackshit because…erm, well….just because they aint. Apparently..
So all in all, I’d say “Well done!” to ‘Standard’ posters for getting the feel of people out there. Ellis essentially complained that there were 200+ comments on Eddies post because… well I don’t know why…must be something to do with it all all being anti-democratic. Or something.
Unfortunately, interest-rate swaps have done serious harm to many farmers. The sale of swaps in New Zealand mirrors a scandal in Britain where banks have reportedly put aside £630 million (NZ$1223m) to compensate clients wrongly sold interest-rate swaps.
Have they put aside taxpayer bailout funds, or just printed it off.
There, a parliamentary committee on banking standards was formed to consider the issue and the Financial Services Authority stepped in to help customers get redress.
Anything like this in NZ, perhaps Maggie Barry can chair it, she is/was on the finance & expenditure select committe, is obviously immensely knowledgeable, so why not!?
Here, Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills has said farmers who suffered from using swaps have only themselves to blame. “At the end of the day I’m a great believer in buyer beware and personal responsibility,” he told interest.co.nz.
Good to know that Bruce is in the pocket then, innit!
Wonder if Auckalnd Council can get back some of the $167m it lost this year on the same swaps…./sarc
Tasers not only take liberty away (normal police physical detainment with a bit of ruff and tumble and cuffs), but also remove freedom and happiness.
Tasers remove the right to choose to come along peacefully.
Tasers are kidnap, they remove even the freedom to control ones own body.
Police should not be replacing routine physical detainment with tasers, this is a escalation in violence.
Tasers are useful, they are purposed to lower physical harm to police officers, quite rightly, but only use in the most extreme cases, where a gun would have been used, or very great harm is likely to Police themselves.
But worse, Tasers can be used by criminals in crime to effect criminality much easier than before, removing the chance of victims to retaliate.
No doubt they will post on eating arsenic is quite good for you as long as you don’t eat too much. You will probably know it is too much children when you fall down dead. We Conservatives have wisdom you know.
Well, there is a post about the royal commission of inquiry into sexual abuse, and the covering up of sexual abuse, within the Roman Catholic church in Australia.
the post explains how this just goes to show how Christ like the priesthood, (and the holy mother church), really is.
?Afraid to much information might fry their brains and damage them emotionaly?
For f’sake M8, knowledge is power u idiot(s).
Don’t look directly at the sun ever … it burns your retinas morons.
Look at it sideways and very briefly only once and sit in a dark room afterwards.
If ya missed it ya missed it, get a pinhole thingy next time.
The update is a moment of fucking zen. She didn;t get to kill the buddha tho, buddha done fried her eyes some. More with the making of the tea, godchild.
But hey right. I’d be delighted to be surprised, but doubt that I would be, about what she would advise about teaching children the ‘dangers’ of sex and drugs.
Lies to children, about staring at the fucking sun, are a teaching thing. You update shit, as child grows, or they update it themselves.
Science, ffs.
All science is taught on the ‘lies to children’ approach.
Reminds me of the time when I was a child, my father would warn me in no uncertain terms not to look at the light emitted by someone doing electric welding, I cannot remember what he said in his warning (apart from ‘dont look at the light’ in a raised voice), but I do know that I always avoid looking directly at someone welding to this day.
Just announced that 90 workers have been sacked from NZ rail. .If we are to believe the polls this means they will go up,for the Nat’s . Pigs might fly!
[lprent: added charts. The GCR isn’t good. Labour bounced back most of the last drop – but all of the potential coalition parties went down as well. The overall trend is done for left coalition. ]
Fortunately I suspect that Bill English has unexpectedly given us a boost. He is starting to sound like Muldoon when he blames that statisticians for reality being different from what he envisaged.
David Shearer’s Column
2012 November 14
by Kapiti Independent Reporters
Labour has the tools to deal with unemployment
By David Shearer for the Kāpiti Independent
On a recent visit to the West Coast, I caught up with some of the Spring Creek miners who’ve just lost their jobs.
One miner who should be celebrating the arrival of his new-born son told me that he’s now worried about paying the bills, may lose his house and is considering moving his family away from Greymouth so he can find work.
Another guy I spoke to moved back here from Australia so he could train as a miner. But 10 weeks into his apprenticeship, he had the rug pulled out from under him and he’s now out of a job.
I’m hearing stories like this right across the country and last week, we were hit with the shocking new statistic that unemployment has now reached 7.3%. That’s the worst rate in 13 years, since National was last in Government.
There are now 175,000 people unemployed. The situation is particularly dire for young Kiwis with one in four aged between 15 and 19 out of work. Māori and Pasifika families are being hit hard too with the unemployment rate topping 15%.
The government says it’s a ‘blip’. It is simply throwing its hands in the air and saying ‘there’s nothing we can do’.
Well I think there’s plenty we can do. Labour has some concrete ideas, including paying employers the equivalent of the dole if they’re prepared to take on apprentices. We’d require companies that win major government contracts to take on one apprentice for every $1 million of taxpayers’ money they receive.
We would also give businesses tax breaks for research and development, so they can find new markets for their innovative ideas and create high-value jobs. We’d support the manufacturing and exporting sector by giving the Reserve Bank a wider mandate to tackle the high and volatile dollar.
National’s path takes us towards fewer jobs, lower wages and more of our people heading to Australia.
Labour’s path is about creating a new, clever economy – one where the Government backs businesses and workers.
November 14, 2012
Hi David
I know you understand a lot of what I’m about to write, and the above comment is just you saying what you like to think (or hope) people want to hear.
I am A-political – if thinking you are all useless and just mouth pieces for ‘the system’ is neutral?
But I also understand you are a good and fair representation of ‘the masses’, as George Carlin says ” Garbage in garbage out”, politicians are just a reflection of selfish humans. We vote for whomever offers us the best for our immediate future.
Having energy and climate change @ # 24 on your parties list of priorities is a clear give away that you are not focused on reality.
As you know the world past peak oil back in 2005 – 6 as confirmed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k22q5KZibtI&feature=plcp (Dr Fatih Birol on National Radio) of which NZ is a paid up member, and someone you might have heard of or had personal dealings with, specifically Helen Clark, who said on 18-4-2006 at a parliamentary press conference “We’re probably not to far short of peak production, if not already there … and that concentrates the mind ….” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxIp5h0Xtuc . but as we have seen it didn’t concentrate anyone’s mind did it.
Peak oil means peak growth, as we have witnessed globally since 2007-8, that heralds peak employment, from now on each time the global economy starts to pick up, it will hit the available energy ceiling, and that is why we are stuck with escalating unemployment.
As an aside you must also understand that a growth based saving scheme like Kiwi Saver has a very limited future, if it is not already dead in the water?
Talking up the chance of apprenticeships and growing employment is denial of these facts. But like I said, I know you are just giving the prolies want they want to hear.
In the past 100 – 200 years we have dug up and injected back into the atmosphere several periods worth of ‘global warming’ gasses, it has only been the slowly (but speeding up) melting ice that has protected us from total climate devastation (think Sandy) . I guess as we are so far past the point of no return, it will not change what is set in motion anyway, so we might as well mine baby mine, and lets forget Kyoto 2, which National are totally happy with.
I might think you are listening if you take over the portfolios of energy and climate change, to give them the priority they deserve. or at least move Moana up your list.
Maybe you could start telling the truth, that will defiantly set a precedent, but as I found out back in 2005 you don’t get any votes 😉 Maybe you could start talking about the power of communities, how when the chips are down it is your neighbours you will eventually have to rely on.
My website is full of letters from previous ministers of energy, from Pete Hodgson to Gerry Brownlee all of who are saying peak oil (according to the IEA), will not happen until 2035 – 37, if Labour are still in this mind set then heaven help us.
I am happy to send you several documentaries on DVD that back up what I am saying.
Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a rise in support for Prime Minister John Key’s National Party to 45.5% (up 2% since October 8-21, 2012). Support for Key’s Coalition partners shows the Maori Party 2% (down 1.5%), ACT NZ 0.5% (unchanged) and United Future 0.5% (up 0.5%).
Support for Labour is 32.5% (up 3.5%); Greens are 10.5% (down 2.5%), New Zealand First 5% (down 2.5 %), Mana Party 1% (up 0.5%), Conservative Party of NZ 1.5% (down 0.5) and Others 1% (up 0.5%).
If a National Election were held today this NZ Roy Morgan Poll says it would be too close to call.
So is the rise in Labour support due to the magnificent leadership of David Shearer or the leftward lurch of the Labour party as advocated here many a time to win back support that had drifted to the Watermelon Greens or the xenophobic Winston Firsts
How can the Nova pay system cost the taxpayer 30 million dollars?
There’s no well in hell it costs 30 million to develop a pay roll system, what the fuck is it with government and IT.
Who’s getting a kick back?
So at $5k / school, that’s a little over twice your estimate. Then there’s the fact that a lot of the problems aren’t to do with site-by-site implementation, but rather it’s multi-user/multisite issues. Scaling, in other words.
At a surface level, it looks to me like the contractor thought they could just OTS one of their existing products and make a killing, but didn’t realise the effect of issues around things like complex leave calculations for teachers, or the HR organisation of the education sector is more complex.
And the state of the public service at the moment means that for issues to be identified and solved an IT-savvy liaison needs to have enough time to follow the development process properly, be around long enough to fully understand what was agreed, and have a vested interest in exposing the problem rather than just leaving it under the rug until they get moved on.
In our business we use ACE Payroll which is so simple to use (Everything in big font and simple English), costs around $200 per year for ongoing support, and even if each school purchased it and paid their own teachers it would be a whole lot cheaper.
Sometimes I think IT folk just like adding zeros on when invoicing for IT work.
Well you have to ask, it’s a pay roll system, why the need to build one from scratch and what was so wrong with the previous system that it needed to be scrapped and a new one created?
Why couldn’t an existing system be adapted this has a bit of an INCIS stink to it.
comparison to Pravda; now that is interesting. 🙂
maybe people may start to focus less on their hair etc and more on global socio-political events before the mandatory haircut.
Anyone want a stack smashing lesson? 👿
It’s quite easy …. overwrite the stack pointer (a register) with a value …. preferably a lower one.
This happens when regexp gets alot more data than it was expecting …. say 10K worth , that’s how you smash pearl people.
Can someone please explain why I hear the claim that neoliberalism was discredited with the global financial crisis, and that John Key & Co are the only ones still with the neoliberal ideology.
Have other countries really moved away from neoliberalism? I know that there has been austerity…maybe a bit more regulation, but isn’t this just the same old shite?
Or is the argument that the GFC discredited neoliberism rather than changed it? I can only really see a stronger version of neoliberalism today, compared to 2007.
There is a slow ground shift in academic and policy discourse, but the economists and politicians who have power are still buying into the orthodoxy. Unfortunately, true change is not likely to happen until this particular generation passes on. In the final analysis, the wealthy are simply looking for ideological, theoretical and political vehicles with which to protect their elite privilege.
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Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
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 ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
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 ...
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. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
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 ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
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. ...
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Leadership is vital, of this there can be little doubt.
Most of the greatest things worth doing by human beings cannot by achieved by individuals working alone, it requires teamwork, sometimes dozens or hundred or even millions of people working together. And teamwork requires leadership. Whether it is building a house or laying a road or crossing an ocean, or fighting a war. In human affairs Leadership is vital. Though for us humans, we are leaders, or led, not in the sense of sheep being led by a shepherd. All forms of human leadership, (no matter how they are organised), require at some level the consent of the led. i.e. That leadership has to be seen as legitimate. This goes no matter whether that leader is a king or a dictator or an elected head. People will even put up with bad leaders if they think they hold power legitimately. However, once legitimacy is lost, no leadership can persist, no matter what methods are used to shore it up. Once legitimacy disappears no amount of bureaucratic maneuvering or even massive violent oppression can preserve it, such tactics only delay the inevitable.
To David Shearer the Labour Party parliamentary caucus, your attendants and supporters, I would advise;
Don’t bother fighting a rearguard action to preserve minority selection for the leadership of the party, that battle is already lost. You may win the battle, but you will lose the war.
Don’t resist this change, instead accept gracefully the greatest possible democratic selection of leader. Your organisation will be the greater for it.
As I started to type this, Morning Report had been reading out a lengthy statement from Te Puni Kokiri that felt like it was going on forever.
The Minister didn’t front up to answer questions invoking the excuse the matter was an operational matter, the Ministry didn’t front up and sent a long blah blah blah statement.
I did not turn on RadioNZ to listen to Simon Mercep reading out long, mind numbing government propoganda. I hope this is a one-off and not to be repeated.
I agree. RNZ continue not to hold to task ministers and organisations that refuse to front for ‘difficult’ interviews. Compare with the way Campbell Live has put Hekia Parata and other government ministers under the blowtorch for failing to agrre to being interviewed.
Jim, maybe the solution is to email RNZ and express the viewpoint?
Australian police may interview NZ clergy
And in Lauda Finem’s take on it…
Paula Bennett: NZ govt sees no need for sex abuse inquiry
Be interesting to see where this all ends up, as the Catholic Church is simply a child abuse ring pretending to be a religious entity, I think that much is clear by now, as the history certainly back that up!
The real powers of the globe are the ones who sit behind these fronts, but make full use of its “services”, and also have the ability to “disappear” these inconvenient situations quite quickly.
Just what might a possible “Royal Commission” unearth I wonder…..More of the same, followed by a cover up, or perhaps straight to the cover up, or perhaps it all just magics itself away!
“as the Catholic Church is simply a child abuse ring pretending to be a religious entity”
There are differences between child abuse rings and organisations that protect individual sex offenders. Best not to confuse or conflate the two.
And the difference would be what, as it relates to the historical actions of the CC, as it relates to covering and protecting itself, and thus hiding what it truly represents!
Best for people not to miss the glaringly obvious!
Given recent events, you could also say that about the NZ Education system…….
Very true!
FUCKEN PAULA BENNETT AND NATIONAL STARVING CHILDREN TO PUNISH BENEFICIARIES; WHY AREN’T WE RIOTING IN THE STREET?
While I understand your sentiment, to address the question literally,
Rioting would destroy the nieghbourhoods where oppressed people live, weaking whatever community links they already share with an unsafe environment. Rioting elevates brutality, the exact opposite required for the support of oppressed people.
No one in the current bunch of centre right/left care if the poor riot. Other than venting suppressed anger, nothing constructive from a rioters point of view, would come of it. The poor, the kind that have tasted hopelesness, don’t vote centre left/right. All it would do is give politicians an excuse to further demonise the poorer fringes. After the riot, politicians on both sides would use it manipulate people with either fear or pride.
Rioting takes energy, lots of negetive energy, the kind that only comes from wholesale nothing-to-lose situations. NZ isn’t quite there yet. It requires built up dense populations with an already high violent tendency meeting a trigger that transgresses a widely accepted subcultural value. Civil forces often seek out and use these triggers to help them control populations through “controlled burns”. Rioting isn’t something anyone can ask people to do, it’s the emotional response of the collective mind.
Strategically speaking, it would be better use of resources for communities to unofficially break away from the mainstream culture – as far as they can – and look after themselves in any constructive way they can, rather than devolve into rioting, self abuse and risk being controlled through violence. Frequent organised or impromptu protests of any size, acts of civil disobedience, basic sabotage, community agreements and support groups – these things vent and pre-empt anger before it becomes destructive, are achieveable, return positive morale results and train communities to out-think their adversaries.
touche’ I was definitely having an emotional response. but, sort of my point, those affect are powerless and marginalised and the big fat middle and getting diabetes, don’t give a crap….okay so no riot, a protest, a march, a Hikoi,. I’m thinking the recent-ish anti mining protests coromandel Great Barrier (don’t muck up holiday spot) but we can’t get off our arse for state sponsored child starvation .
“Twaddle, rubbish, and gossip is what people want, not action.. . . The secret of life is to chatter freely about all one wishes to do and how one is always being prevented—and then do nothing” Soren Kierkegaard
now, Kierkegaard, there’s another odd chappie I related to in my search; ohh, the labelling, the guilt, the shame, nah, just kidding 😉
ol’ Soren was on to it.
Good stuff Uturn +1
The policy of National Ministers to refuse to be interviewed in the media with any opposition spokespeople (except in a short election period) is very arrogant . So much for openness and transparency. It is such a pity that the media goes along with it. Wouldn’t it be great to hear/see a debate between the National minister of Housing and Annette King, for example.
From this today:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/news/article.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=10847352
Household incomes have increased by a third in the last four years. Did I miss a pay rise or 2. Not sure if anyone knows the source or reference of this gem from English Increase of a 1/3rd ???
The recovery is HERE folks and real.
“Our problem is one of success.” from English
herodotus
That is a good link. Lots of laughs. It almost sounds like the tongue in cheek one from yesterday about Shearer standing down for Pagani, the female one I think.
English says that house prices have gone up only 1.3% in nominal terms, is this after they are adjusted for inflation? Perhaps the salaries that have gone up by a third in the last four years are the parliamentary salaries. Probably they the only ones he bothers to be informed about. Or perhaps there is a sort of double book-keeping where all figures quoted are taken from the average upwards and the true universal figures are in tiny script at the end of the report so it’s easy to black out when an OIA is made. The losers at the bottom are a drag on society to NACTs. Unfortunately they have shaped society to funnel opportunity towards them, and removed the work opportunities for those now struggling and either under-employed on low wages or unemployed and losing hope.
We had businesses that used to keep the country humming, but the reasonable tariff protection that was enough to keep them trading and profitable was abandoned in return for dairy and meat entry into our trading partners. We traded away the industrial revolution to go back to the agricultural economy and we haven’t been all that good at filling the gap with the hi-tech ones that were to be our saviours. Now we can’t even bother trying for the green and new innovative market.
Got off the original subject of housing but it all flows from the same ineptitude. Pollies offer themselves up as clever, wise, experienced. When they aren’t can we sue. Under the Trade Protection Act. We’ve been done.
Feed the meme: public servants are lazy
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/7953034/Public-servants-take-more-sick-days
Thats not fair. They are cheats as well.
John Key showed his true colours in the house yesterday:
Seriously Mr Key, even in your homeland the U.S.A, a country with a far more right-wing political environment than ours, Fox News is waaay out on the far right and an object of derision that even the republican party are beginning to distance themselves from.
John Key, out of touch, hard-right extremist.
Is saying that Key is from the USA an attempt to stir up NZ’s own “birther” movement.
And hard right extremist…really?
Key wasn’t born in the USA, but his Bankster mindset and his Bankster loyalty to other Banksters is.
“Is saying that Key is from the USA an attempt to stir up NZ’s own “birther” movement.”
No, it refers to the fact that he prefers to reside in Hawaii (to which, privately, he is known to refer as “home”), and prefers to spend his money in the U.S. saying that their economy really needs it.
“And hard right extremist…really?”
According to his endorsement of Fox News as a media outlet from which one “might learn something”, yes.
How else can you possibly reconcile his statement?
Yes, Felix, that happens a lot.
Here’s how it works – Key’s “off the cuff” jokes at public appearances are usually prepared. But … when responding to a question, and hearing something for the first time, there are only a few seconds thinking time. So, he’s unprepared. The true character comes out.
Key heard “Fox News” and the brain went “Good”. Then he blurted.
He would never say that in a prepared speech. But he does in the House, under questioning. (On a previous occasion he commended Alan Sanford, the guy who got done for fraud in the West Indies).
Of course, a quick-witted Labour MP heard “Fox News” and immediately leapt up to say “In the light of that answer, does he agree with Karl Rove … etc” and totally nailed Key. Yay!
Nah, just kidding. They did the only thing they know – some more shouting.
And so it was, that the New Zealand PM’s crazy endorsement of a far-right broadcaster effectively “never happened”, never got noticed, because Key got away with it, because the opposition let him. As usual. (Except on the blogs, but nobody reads those, eh?).
(Fast forward to the election campaign … PM says Nelson Mandela’s a wanker, David Shearer looks blankly at him, tries to remember what he was told to say, and then asks his next prepared question).
Yes, and remember his reaction to the unfortunate fellow who tried to climb over the debating chamber balcony? It gave him a fright so what did he do? Took it out on Phil Goff sitting opposite and made the throat-cutting gesture as if it was Goff’s fault. That was one of the best “true character” incidents of them all.
I got the name wrong – Allen Stanford. Question 4:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00149.htm
The PM thinks he’s a great guy. He’s in jail.
NZ’s own “birther” movement.
Serious question, KK. Do you actually understand what the US birther movement is about? Because implying anyone’s trying to set up the equivalent in NZ is kinda, um, seriously funny when you do.
He might kicked into touch soon.Selwyn Manning on Bombers show said that people in the inner circle of the National Party are not happy with the happy chappy.Maybe he should be job hunting.
Starring roll in a remake of Laurel and Hardymaybe.
Despite a ceasefire being brockered by Egypt:
Israel strikes
It seems this will go on for sometime. I wonder how Egypt respond apart from withdrawing it’s ambassador.
I’ve been listening to the news about it on the BBC WS all day. Scary stuff!
The IDF has just claimed that this cyber-bullying justifies the next 5 bombings of Palestinian orphanages: “Al-Qassam Brigades’ teasing is out of control and can no longer be tolerated, we have no option but to bomb their children” …World leaders NATO and the UN say they condemn excessive teasing. Murray McCully rings the Israeli Ambassador and asks if all Jews are as funny as Larry David.
National to fund electric cars?
Of course this is just more National party propaganda with the government actually doing nothing in the way of protection our environment…
Gavin Ellis on radionz before noon was scathing of the criticisms of Shearer by The Standard bloggers particularly because many are anonymous, mentioned Eddie and Irish Bill.
Some editorials in published media are anonymous aren’t they? Surely the effort to express ideas referring to facts and with a reasonable scenario of future effects if someone remains as leader, shouldn’t mean that member of the public must be named. We do try to keep extreme opinions down to a few occasional curses. Being known can make life difficult when mixing with opposing family and at work etc when one is not a journalist and then it’s part of the job. And in some places they kill investigating journalists don’t they?
Yep! In some places people are routinely killed for speaking out against the establishment. With David Farrar publicly calling for funding to be cut for RIANZ because of what Home Brew Crew said about John Key, is it any wonder that people want to retain anonymity when such a vindictive response is openly published, and agreed upon by lots of right wingers? ‘We don’t like what you say so tell us who you are so we can fuck you up’ doesn’t really cut the mustard as a valid argument if you ask me.
.
We’re all a bunch of big meanies . . . KKK according to Fran . . . hackers and terrorists according to Clare Curran. Watch out for increasing invective against “cyber bullies” and “Anonymous” and “blogs” followed by cross-party laws forbidding this or that or saying what you want. Step by step. The battle is on to quell the internet and reduce its status from that of the town square to little more than the inside of a shopping mall.
Not the inside of a shopping mall. More like looking in a tea cup to see the future in the tea leaves, which are likely to reveal one’s own preferences.
“Gavin Ellis”. Sounds fake to me.
Just listened to the 9 – noon segment.
‘The Standard’ being equated to ‘Pravda’ and the ‘Chinese Peoples Daily’?!
Ideas thoughts and opinions to be given no weight…apparently the individuals behind the thought, opinion or idea is what matters?
Crazy stuff.
And to cap it off, Richard Long’s piece where he opines that DS ‘should be given a chance’ should have received more coverage because…because..erm…oh, that’s right…because it was written by Richard Long!
Meanwhile, the opinions of Brian Edwards, Chris Trotter, Vernon Small et al, ain’t worth jackshit because…erm, well….just because they aint. Apparently..
So all in all, I’d say “Well done!” to ‘Standard’ posters for getting the feel of people out there. Ellis essentially complained that there were 200+ comments on Eddies post because… well I don’t know why…must be something to do with it all all being anti-democratic. Or something.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/7945141/Trust-a-bank-like-a-fox-in-a-henhouse
Have they put aside taxpayer bailout funds, or just printed it off.
Anything like this in NZ, perhaps Maggie Barry can chair it, she is/was on the finance & expenditure select committe, is obviously immensely knowledgeable, so why not!?
Good to know that Bruce is in the pocket then, innit!
Wonder if Auckalnd Council can get back some of the $167m it lost this year on the same swaps…./sarc
Tasers not only take liberty away (normal police physical detainment with a bit of ruff and tumble and cuffs), but also remove freedom and happiness.
Tasers remove the right to choose to come along peacefully.
Tasers are kidnap, they remove even the freedom to control ones own body.
Police should not be replacing routine physical detainment with tasers, this is a escalation in violence.
Tasers are useful, they are purposed to lower physical harm to police officers, quite rightly, but only use in the most extreme cases, where a gun would have been used, or very great harm is likely to Police themselves.
But worse, Tasers can be used by criminals in crime to effect criminality much easier than before, removing the chance of victims to retaliate.
Best NZ Conservative post eva:
http://nzconservative.blogspot.co.nz/2012/11/solar-eclipse.html
Jesus, sounds like it could have been written by Ralph Wiggun
“These berries taste…burning”
The Simpsons is a liberal plot.
No doubt they will post on eating arsenic is quite good for you as long as you don’t eat too much. You will probably know it is too much children when you fall down dead. We Conservatives have wisdom you know.
Well, there is a post about the royal commission of inquiry into sexual abuse, and the covering up of sexual abuse, within the Roman Catholic church in Australia.
the post explains how this just goes to show how Christ like the priesthood, (and the holy mother church), really is.
not kidding.
would that be Ralph “Wiggum” 🙂
?Afraid to much information might fry their brains and damage them emotionaly?
For f’sake M8, knowledge is power u idiot(s).
Don’t look directly at the sun ever … it burns your retinas morons.
Look at it sideways and very briefly only once and sit in a dark room afterwards.
If ya missed it ya missed it, get a pinhole thingy next time.
IKR.
The update is a moment of fucking zen. She didn;t get to kill the buddha tho, buddha done fried her eyes some. More with the making of the tea, godchild.
But hey right. I’d be delighted to be surprised, but doubt that I would be, about what she would advise about teaching children the ‘dangers’ of sex and drugs.
Lies to children, about staring at the fucking sun, are a teaching thing. You update shit, as child grows, or they update it themselves.
Science, ffs.
All science is taught on the ‘lies to children’ approach.
Reminds me of the time when I was a child, my father would warn me in no uncertain terms not to look at the light emitted by someone doing electric welding, I cannot remember what he said in his warning (apart from ‘dont look at the light’ in a raised voice), but I do know that I always avoid looking directly at someone welding to this day.
Your dad was correct – if you look at someone welding with unprotected eyes you will suffer what is known as ‘arc eye’.
I’ve heard it described as a similar feeling to someone getting a hand full of sand and rubbing it into your eyes.
Mild doses will heal but still not good for you.
I see the Tories have managed to permanently fuck the train workshop down in Dunedin, by selling a bit of it off and closing the rest down.
Very difficult for NZ to make its own rolling stock any more, even if a Labour Govt wanted to, because the capability has been destroyed.
Smart old Tory strategy.
Yeah.
Tossers.
Just announced that 90 workers have been sacked from NZ rail. .If we are to believe the polls this means they will go up,for the Nat’s . Pigs might fly!
That would be normal Tory fuckwittedness – don’t make anything of value because it’s cheaper to import it.
Not to mention the fact that this is nothing less than an erosion of KR’s in-house heavy enginerring capcity.
30 years ago we had Otahuhu, Hutt, Addington, Hillside and Eastown.
How we just have Hutt — and even then they are going to probably take that apart…
The Nats know better than to sell rail all at once — its going to be bit by bit.
Oh wow, Labour back up to 32.5% in Roy Morgan.
I guess the posts saying that 29% wasn’t a blip, it was the beginning of the end, and so on, were all a bit Chicken Little.
Not to say Labour doesn’t have issues it needs to sort out, but still…
Of more interest is that Nat have gained 2% two polls running, which might be a bit worrying if it continues for the next one.
Of more interest is that Nat have gained 2% two polls running, which might be a bit worrying if it continues for the next one.
Yeah, National/MP/ACT/UF/Con up 0.5% and Lab/Green/NZF/Mana down 1%.
The trend continues…fortunately there’s an opportunity this weekend
Morgan poll.
[lprent: added charts. The GCR isn’t good. Labour bounced back most of the last drop – but all of the potential coalition parties went down as well. The overall trend is done for left coalition. ]
Look at the GCR. That is the problem.
Fortunately I suspect that Bill English has unexpectedly given us a boost. He is starting to sound like Muldoon when he blames that statisticians for reality being different from what he envisaged.
Can I do this?
[lprent: I’ll let it through. ]
David Shearer’s Column
2012 November 14
by Kapiti Independent Reporters
Labour has the tools to deal with unemployment
By David Shearer for the Kāpiti Independent
On a recent visit to the West Coast, I caught up with some of the Spring Creek miners who’ve just lost their jobs.
One miner who should be celebrating the arrival of his new-born son told me that he’s now worried about paying the bills, may lose his house and is considering moving his family away from Greymouth so he can find work.
Another guy I spoke to moved back here from Australia so he could train as a miner. But 10 weeks into his apprenticeship, he had the rug pulled out from under him and he’s now out of a job.
I’m hearing stories like this right across the country and last week, we were hit with the shocking new statistic that unemployment has now reached 7.3%. That’s the worst rate in 13 years, since National was last in Government.
There are now 175,000 people unemployed. The situation is particularly dire for young Kiwis with one in four aged between 15 and 19 out of work. Māori and Pasifika families are being hit hard too with the unemployment rate topping 15%.
The government says it’s a ‘blip’. It is simply throwing its hands in the air and saying ‘there’s nothing we can do’.
Well I think there’s plenty we can do. Labour has some concrete ideas, including paying employers the equivalent of the dole if they’re prepared to take on apprentices. We’d require companies that win major government contracts to take on one apprentice for every $1 million of taxpayers’ money they receive.
We would also give businesses tax breaks for research and development, so they can find new markets for their innovative ideas and create high-value jobs. We’d support the manufacturing and exporting sector by giving the Reserve Bank a wider mandate to tackle the high and volatile dollar.
National’s path takes us towards fewer jobs, lower wages and more of our people heading to Australia.
Labour’s path is about creating a new, clever economy – one where the Government backs businesses and workers.
November 14, 2012
Hi David
I know you understand a lot of what I’m about to write, and the above comment is just you saying what you like to think (or hope) people want to hear.
I am A-political – if thinking you are all useless and just mouth pieces for ‘the system’ is neutral?
But I also understand you are a good and fair representation of ‘the masses’, as George Carlin says ” Garbage in garbage out”, politicians are just a reflection of selfish humans. We vote for whomever offers us the best for our immediate future.
Having energy and climate change @ # 24 on your parties list of priorities is a clear give away that you are not focused on reality.
As you know the world past peak oil back in 2005 – 6 as confirmed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k22q5KZibtI&feature=plcp (Dr Fatih Birol on National Radio) of which NZ is a paid up member, and someone you might have heard of or had personal dealings with, specifically Helen Clark, who said on 18-4-2006 at a parliamentary press conference “We’re probably not to far short of peak production, if not already there … and that concentrates the mind ….” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxIp5h0Xtuc . but as we have seen it didn’t concentrate anyone’s mind did it.
Peak oil means peak growth, as we have witnessed globally since 2007-8, that heralds peak employment, from now on each time the global economy starts to pick up, it will hit the available energy ceiling, and that is why we are stuck with escalating unemployment.
As an aside you must also understand that a growth based saving scheme like Kiwi Saver has a very limited future, if it is not already dead in the water?
Talking up the chance of apprenticeships and growing employment is denial of these facts. But like I said, I know you are just giving the prolies want they want to hear.
In the past 100 – 200 years we have dug up and injected back into the atmosphere several periods worth of ‘global warming’ gasses, it has only been the slowly (but speeding up) melting ice that has protected us from total climate devastation (think Sandy) . I guess as we are so far past the point of no return, it will not change what is set in motion anyway, so we might as well mine baby mine, and lets forget Kyoto 2, which National are totally happy with.
I might think you are listening if you take over the portfolios of energy and climate change, to give them the priority they deserve. or at least move Moana up your list.
Maybe you could start telling the truth, that will defiantly set a precedent, but as I found out back in 2005 you don’t get any votes 😉 Maybe you could start talking about the power of communities, how when the chips are down it is your neighbours you will eventually have to rely on.
My website is full of letters from previous ministers of energy, from Pete Hodgson to Gerry Brownlee all of who are saying peak oil (according to the IEA), will not happen until 2035 – 37, if Labour are still in this mind set then heaven help us.
I am happy to send you several documentaries on DVD that back up what I am saying.
Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a rise in support for Prime Minister John Key’s National Party to 45.5% (up 2% since October 8-21, 2012). Support for Key’s Coalition partners shows the Maori Party 2% (down 1.5%), ACT NZ 0.5% (unchanged) and United Future 0.5% (up 0.5%).
Support for Labour is 32.5% (up 3.5%); Greens are 10.5% (down 2.5%), New Zealand First 5% (down 2.5 %), Mana Party 1% (up 0.5%), Conservative Party of NZ 1.5% (down 0.5) and Others 1% (up 0.5%).
If a National Election were held today this NZ Roy Morgan Poll says it would be too close to call.
So is the rise in Labour support due to the magnificent leadership of David Shearer or the leftward lurch of the Labour party as advocated here many a time to win back support that had drifted to the Watermelon Greens or the xenophobic Winston Firsts
How can the Nova pay system cost the taxpayer 30 million dollars?
There’s no well in hell it costs 30 million to develop a pay roll system, what the fuck is it with government and IT.
Who’s getting a kick back?
It’s to cover all the implementation penalties M8!
It doesn’t seem inconsistent pricing for a large scale system. We’re not talking about setting up an MSAccess db for a one-site shop.
How much do you think it should have cost?
An off the self system could have been implemented incrementally for $5000 per school.
And that would be expensive from memory.
How many schools where there 10,000 + – ?
Probably wrote NovaPay in Pearl …. Freakin Morons M8’s!
I wonder if they need a regexp expert …. $150/hour M8! 😀
Supporting Open Source my ass M8!.
The Gnats’ thought they could do it on the cheap M8!
Heh 🙂
2.5K schools.
So at $5k / school, that’s a little over twice your estimate. Then there’s the fact that a lot of the problems aren’t to do with site-by-site implementation, but rather it’s multi-user/multisite issues. Scaling, in other words.
At a surface level, it looks to me like the contractor thought they could just OTS one of their existing products and make a killing, but didn’t realise the effect of issues around things like complex leave calculations for teachers, or the HR organisation of the education sector is more complex.
And the state of the public service at the moment means that for issues to be identified and solved an IT-savvy liaison needs to have enough time to follow the development process properly, be around long enough to fully understand what was agreed, and have a vested interest in exposing the problem rather than just leaving it under the rug until they get moved on.
Indeed, well said M8!
I dunno why it would cost $5K a school?
In our business we use ACE Payroll which is so simple to use (Everything in big font and simple English), costs around $200 per year for ongoing support, and even if each school purchased it and paid their own teachers it would be a whole lot cheaper.
Sometimes I think IT folk just like adding zeros on when invoicing for IT work.
(No offence lp)
Well you have to ask, it’s a pay roll system, why the need to build one from scratch and what was so wrong with the previous system that it needed to be scrapped and a new one created?
Why couldn’t an existing system be adapted this has a bit of an INCIS stink to it.
So the Gnats’ can follow through on their threats against the Teachers Union of course M8!
comparison to Pravda; now that is interesting. 🙂
maybe people may start to focus less on their hair etc and more on global socio-political events before the mandatory haircut.
I prefer a warm head thanks 🙂
Anyone want a stack smashing lesson? 👿
It’s quite easy …. overwrite the stack pointer (a register) with a value …. preferably a lower one.
This happens when regexp gets alot more data than it was expecting …. say 10K worth , that’s how you smash pearl people.
What ….. no takers …… so much for the Standard hosting a bunch of hackers M8!
Can someone please explain why I hear the claim that neoliberalism was discredited with the global financial crisis, and that John Key & Co are the only ones still with the neoliberal ideology.
Have other countries really moved away from neoliberalism? I know that there has been austerity…maybe a bit more regulation, but isn’t this just the same old shite?
Or is the argument that the GFC discredited neoliberism rather than changed it? I can only really see a stronger version of neoliberalism today, compared to 2007.
There is a slow ground shift in academic and policy discourse, but the economists and politicians who have power are still buying into the orthodoxy. Unfortunately, true change is not likely to happen until this particular generation passes on. In the final analysis, the wealthy are simply looking for ideological, theoretical and political vehicles with which to protect their elite privilege.