@ Tory. I don’t think ‘liberal policies’ are the problem, France are targeted because of their airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.
“They attacks came despite France – one of the founding members of the US-led coalition carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State positions in Iraq and Syria – being on a high state of alert for possible terrorist attacks in the run-up to a global climate conference later this month.”
Those defensive advantages, however, have now evaporated. “We can’t close our eyes to it,” Trevidic said. “We are now in the eye of the hurricane. The worst is yet to come.”
+100 “France are targeted because of their airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.”
…and what about Sarkozy, Cameron , NATO and Libya?…a once economically thriving Libya with a very good standard of living for all Libyans is now a disaster area…with floods of refugees leaving the country
“The failed state of Libya has become easy prey for ISIS. The terrorist organization has announced that it is planning to use Libya as a gateway to Europe…
The whole of Libya is in danger of being overrun by ISIS”
…”As a failed state, Libya has become easy prey for ISIS, which so far only controlled territory in Syria and Iraq. Libyan military sources say that the terrorist organization also has a huge training camp of up to 4,000 jihadists near Sabratha, just 45 kilometers from the border with Tunisia, and less than 70 kilometers west of Tripoli, the Libyan capital. The fact that ISIS has managed to secure coastal territory in Sabratha in the west, in Sirte along Libya’s central coast, and in Derna in the east, indicates that the whole of Libya is in danger of being overrun by ISIS.
( now why did NATO bomb Libya again?….and why was Sarkozy so keen to support this bombing?…and get rid of Gaddafi?)
@ Tory (4) – you state the following – “So the liberal policies that have seen mass immigration into Europe have resulted in direct related terrorism.”
WHAT??
So what you are saying is that desperate migrants, escaping a war zone, have been crossing border after border with their families, including young children and babies in Europe, loaded with weapons of mass destruction tucked away in their paltry possessions?
ONE Syrian passport found in close proximity of a dead suicide bomber in Paris this weekend is not enough evidence to support your statement!
It seems as more information is emerging, this was an inside job, with the Da’esh stamp all over it!
What many commentators here in NZ do not understand is the increasing level of distrust and anger that residents of Western European countries are feeling. This is highlighted in articles such as this, http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/editorial-on-anti-refugee-sentiment-in-germany-a-1062442.html
While the liberal left sit here in the safe comfort of their quarter acre section and bungalows, calling for open boarders in Europe, residents in countries such as Switzerland, Germany and Denmark are seeing massive influxes of refugees that are bringing huge social problems and anxiety not seen for decades.
The outcome of what we are seeing will be similar to the crusades where east verses west will result in bloody conflict for decades. There is no answer as both sides are diametrically opposed to each other’s values so get used to it. The only bright light through all of this is the increase in arms manufacturing and the war machine will keep us all out of recession.
A Belgian citizen and a French citizen have been implicated in the murders. How many refugees were trying to get into Europe when the staff at Charlie Hebdo were murdered?
No, what we have here is a racist, who will twist any event to his racist narrative. MI5 have made it plain: racists like Tory are part of the problem.
These Belgian and French citizens were Belgian and French in citizenship only. It’s similar to when UK media reports about “Britons” fighting for Da’esh – mostly they’re referring to Pakistanis who were raised in the UK but are about as British as chipotle. Allowing mass immigration into Europe by people who consider themselves Muslims first, whatever their ethnicity is second, and citizens of whatever country they end up in a very poor third, can be seen in hindsight to have been a recipe for trouble. Much as it pains me to agree with the fascist commenter above, the current doubling-down on mass immigration by Muslims is suicidally stupid.
…looking for a better life, and being harrassed and discriminated against by people like Tory while doing so, which fosters more bigotry. It’s the bigotry and personal character of the Tories of this world that is the problem: religion is a convenient excuse.
You are wrong, it is true that the Europeans will close the boarders as you need to understand that this conflict between the east and west, between different religions and cultures, is 100’s of years old.
NZ had the Moa roaming whilst the Islamist stood at the walls of Vienna, having made it further into central Europe with every attack. There was no ambivalence there, they wanted to conquer Europe. Full Stop. This desire has not abated.
This is not to say that today’s asylum seekers are not also victims of radical behavior.
However, what is happening now is the precursor of a defense mechanism that works every time and everywhere. To presume that Kiwis “would be above this” is plainly not true. I know that we all belief that we are better educated, intellectually on a better approach but alas – if you and your family is being threatened, you will defend. I am certain of that.
As for the citizen of Brussels and France, it would be interesting to know, whether they were originally immigrants from Africa or Middle East or descendant? Because every asylum seeker and immigrant is taking up citizen ship to gain access to the welfare system – this you need to understand.
By the way, it was just confirmed that ISIS has taken responsibility for the attack.
That may very well be so: it wouldn’t be the first time. That said, your comment doesn’t address the point I made at all: bigots and wingnuts on both sides are the problem.
I doubt any of us will ever be able to. What we do know is that in times of relative prosperity dialog prospers. The question is in whose interest it is not to have this taking place.
On the contrary: democracy, human rights and the rule of law – modern progressive values – are the only things that have ever succeeded in reigning in the atavistic instincts of the Right.
Enlightenment certainly will do that but look around the globe and tell me, how much democracy has been established with all the war that is going on? How many times will the Amnesty International or UN reports be ignored as human rights become less important than the political bonds. In relation to NZ Australia, ref the current Christmas Island issues.. As for the rule of law, every country has their own laws but this does not mean justice is being done.
So I wish that the atrocities, injustices and inequalities would go away but it is not in the interest of the money moguls. The first world is only the first world because there is a second and third…
I think this could be the E.U.’s defining hour. It will make or break under the refugee crisis, which will test the patience of its member states to the limits and possibly beyond. Will they be able to hold it together as a bloc or will internal rifts tear it to bits?
I think the E.U. might be in the early stages of coming apart. Its member nations need to accept their colonial past and the horrors that they inflicted on their former colonies, especially those in the Middle East and north Africa. Unless and until they do, the atrocities of the last few years caused by I.S.I.S. and Boko Haram in Africa, will continue.
I think you need to come to grips with History. Most of the Euro countries were once Monarchies and 2 WW have done away with them. France had their own gruesome revolution taking care of the “guilty” of colonization via the guillotine.
Under TPP is you are worried about ‘opening borders’ – what do you think massive immigration and buying up of land here in NZ is going to do? It is not the ‘liberals’ that are advocating immigration here in NZ it is the Torys, while also advocating sending NZ military over to Iraq to be ‘part of the club’. Saudi Arabia, Russia and many others are keen to ‘invest’ here and our government can’t wait to welcome anybody in here, no questions asked (just bring your cheque book). The joke is that Saudi Arabia is probably funding a lot of the terrorist operations and our government is giving them 11 million in sheep bribes and are a ‘friend’ of the US. Inspite of most of the 9/11 terrorists being from Saudi. Guess those Charter schools have a lot of answer for in the US. Saddam was against the Muslims and ISIL never existed before the US invaded.
Meanwhile here in NZ, SIS is busy with Dotcom and Hager smearing Phil Goff, and probably targeting environmental groups like Greenpeace and the Unions who might want a ‘living’ wage. Now that is a Crime, certainly many in Wellington seem to think so by suing the council.
Having mass surveillance does not work – if anything it makes security forces complacent, being used politically and not going back to basics. Likewise you should be encouraging public discourses from any suspected terrorists instead of sending them underground where they are harder to watch.
On this sad day, I think we all need some good news.
Pip Keane, former producer of Campbell Live, is rejoining John Campbell at RNZ; along with Catherine Walbridge, producer of Nine to Noon for four years and more recently a producer for The Nation.
Though on Media RNZ this morning the new program won’t start until January 18th. There is hope yet with such a great team. But will Key find a way to cut the funding or fire some key people?
That is GREAT NEWS!! I can’t wait for his programme to start!! My mother will be listening to John and watching the captioned “The Chase” quiz show at the same time – Ladies do multi-task so well – the knitting might even come out too! – Boy, how TV3 has sunk like a stone since John left! Who watches that channel now?
I know it’s of much lessor importance at the moment but looks like the local body elections are off and running. There are a steady flow of articles in the MSM dissing non right wingers.
In weekend Stuff-Dompost Duncan Garner has written an opinion about how Wellington has not been well served by its current mayor.
Trouble is Duncan G appears to live in Auckland not Wellington- so just why is he doing this? Why does he suddenly have this huge negative opinion about someone he would rarely encounter and no doubt does not pay rates for?
DG could also have added but didn’t “and this legal scrap has eminated from a group whose directorate includes someone from Westpac bank and other similar large organisations” not yer local corner dairy then. Plus
“A group prepared to waste other ratepayers money on legal fees which will doubtless top anything that will ever paid over on the living wage”
But I do feel that there is a certain lack of shall we say equality of opportuniy here. The council resolution could perhaps have gone on to say “and no other employee of the contractor can be charged to the contract at a rate exceeding say 10 times the living wage rate” and then they would have to argue both legs in court.
Trotsky or not – it would have been interesting watching the justification lines:
“increase to living wage may cost ratepayers more”
“but there are large savings on executive salaries ”
“that doesn’t count ratepayers need to pay the executive wage.”
I ask myself just how popular would be a move to cap local body, CCO, CEO and government salaries at say $350k right across NZ. I’m guessing it would be about 80% yes!
You have apparently come up with an interesting complaint.
Should we have a rule precluding anyone who does not live in an area from commenting about the things that go on there?
May we take it that when Kelvin Davis, who I believe to be a resident of New Zealand, comments on Australia and Christmas Island the only appropriate comment we should make is –
“You don’t live there so STFU!”
Knowing a pawn is a piece on the board manipulated by an invisible hand, misled by loyalty to it’s ruler in no way reduces the pawns threat.
Opposing Pawns are the immediate enemy, you don’t hug them and expect them to hug you back. They are the enemy of the day, and must be addressed.
Those that see the game, place the blame with the 1 percent, but even they still only see the game as being on the board, focusing only on the pieces presented to them.
In reality all pieces on the board are pawns.
The trick is to stop looking down at the chess board, the enemy is a little higher up.
They seek to control the board, to finally become safe and untouchable, as gods.
In Chess if both sides don’t move and stay on their squares there is no conflict to be exploited, the hidden hand is powerless and any move it makes becomes visible to all.
Anyone who seeks to impose their will on others does the work of the hidden hand.
Anyone who transgresses against another does the work of the hidden hand.
Those that render themselves defenseless and make themselves victims do the work of the hidden hand.
They want the board, a one world government, I say no, stand your ground, defend your square, retain sovereignty, Fuck the TTP and Fuck John Key and Fuck liberal traitors.
In other news Kelvin Davis denounced the management and staff at Paremoremo Prison.
“All the employees there should be dismissed. Serco are completely incompetent and none of their staff should be retained. They should be prosecuted for failing to protect the saintly persona of a man from my electorate.
It is a total disgrace and the people running the prison should be prosecuted”.
When it was pointed out to him that the prison was run by the Corrections Department he immediately complained that he had been misquoted and that everything at the prison was being run superbly and the prisoner must be a rat-bag trying to frame the prison officers.
Me? Make it up?
How could you possibly think such a thing? I am truly hurt that you could even consider such a possibility.
Am I not to be allowed a little bit of creative writing?
It is only a tiny little bit exaggerated, surely?
Alwyn…..give us the link which confirms what you say Davis said. It would be extraordinary were he to truly understand that Paremoremo is run by Serco. You can assist here.
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Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
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. ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
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. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party.When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events.When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Lili Tokaduadua was only 15 when she left her family in Fiji to pursue her netball dream in New Zealand. She’d been playing the sport for 10 years and was offered a netball scholarship at Auckland’s Howick College. Now, in her first year out of high school, the 19-year-old defender ...
The beloved local grocers lost a legal challenge to stop a new cycleway outside their store. Joel MacManus reports. In the annals of New Zealand legal history, there are a few brave people who have dared to stand up to the powers that be, no matter how bleak the odds ...
How what we produce and what we eat connects us to the world beyond our shores, visualised. Walking around a supermarket or vege shop, it might be obvious that everything on the shelves came from somewhere. But you might ...
Professor Jemma Geoghegan, of the University of Otago, Otakou Whakaihu Waka, co-leads a Te Niwha project aimed at understanding how and where avian influenza could affect Aotearoa New Zealand, as the highly infectious H5N1 virus spreads globally. The virus has now spread to all continents except Oceania and was recently ...
Thirty years on from Rwanda’s genocide, is guilt over the atrocities is blinding the world to the true nature of its current leadership? The post The repressive underside of Rwanda’s regime appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: Last week, important recommendations for our criminal justice system were made by the international community. Every five years, each member of the United Nations has its human rights practices reviewed. This rolling event – the Universal Periodic Review – is the culmination of a government reporting on its human ...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza – H5N1, or bird flu – has been flying around the world since the late 1990s. New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands are so far free of it, but now it’s been discovered in mainland Antarctica and scientists say it’s only a matter of time ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 7 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The following interview with auto electrician and former caver Stu Berendt, 68, of Charleston on the West Coast, came about because he was part of the caving team that found the rare and amazing fossil remains of the giant Haast eagle, the subject of one of the year’s best books, ...
A $1.8b funding boost for Pharmac still won’t enable it to buy more drugs, raising questions about the Government’s approach to the agency The post Can Pharmac do more with the same pot of money? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Stokan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County If you live in one of the most economically deprived neighborhoods in your city, you might think the government is directing a smaller share of public funds to your community. ...
Wansolwara The news media’s crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Taylor, Assistant Professor, Bond University Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures At the crux of the critical response to Luca Guadagnino’s new movie Challengers is one word: “sexy”. The film charts a love triangle between three up-and-coming tennis players: Tashi (Zendaya), ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Stewart, Professor of Public Policy, ADFA Canberra, UNSW Sydney For years, First Nations people have been telling governments they want to be listened to. In particular, they want more ownership of the programs and services that are supposed to help them. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Why do trees have bark? Julien, age 6, Melbourne. This is a great question, Julien. We are so familiar with bark on trees, that most of us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Nasser, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament in the knee. It runs from the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) and helps stabilise ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne I covered the May 2 United Kingdom local government elections for The Poll Bludger. The Blackpool South parliamentary byelection was also held, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna Grant-Smith, Professor of Management, University of the Sunshine Coast The federal government has announced a “Commonwealth Prac Payment” to support selected groups of students doing mandatory work placements. Those who are studying to be a teacher, nurse, midwife or social ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love a dark comedy: Bodkin (Netflix, May 9)An English podcaster, an Irish podcaster and American podcaster walk into a pub and…make a TV show? ...
By Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Pacific regionalism academic has called out New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS and says the security deal “raises serious questions for the Pacific region”. Auckland University of Technology academic Dr Marco de Jong ...
How worried should we be about the cloud? This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. I currently have a few thousand unread emails languishing in my inbox, mostly old marketing newsletters and piles of unread science journal press releases. I have a similar number ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nuurrianti Jalli, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies College of Arts and Sciences Department of Languages, Literature, and Communication Studies, Northern State University Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Southeast Asian governments not only have to deal with the virus but also with the false ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Murakami Wood, Professor of Critical Surveillance and Securities Studies, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa The skyline of Riyadh, the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia.(Shutterstock) There is a long history of planned city building by both governments ...
Deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those killed in Paris and indeed our thoughts are with all of France.
This reads like a plot from ‘Day of the Jackal’ by Frederick Forsythe.
DeGaulle reputedly survived ~50 assassination attempts when he
took France out of NATO and Algeria, all thwarted by the French services.
Hollande is not DeGaulle – but the common factor is large defence establishments facing defeat in colonial wars.
Frederick Forsythe could not publish all he knew at the time ..
Can we expect rights and freedom to be lost in the state retaliation to this attack?
+1. Exactly.
Note that yet again mass surveillance has failed in its stated purpose.
+100
So the liberal policies that have seen mass immigration into Europe have resulted in direct related terrorism.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/14/paris-attacks-european-leaders-link-terror-threats-to-immigration
Rightly or wrongly and in the words of Maximus Decimus Meridus ‘ On my command unleash hell’.
@ Tory. I don’t think ‘liberal policies’ are the problem, France are targeted because of their airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.
“They attacks came despite France – one of the founding members of the US-led coalition carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State positions in Iraq and Syria – being on a high state of alert for possible terrorist attacks in the run-up to a global climate conference later this month.”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/14/syrian-greece-refugee-paris-attacks-killers
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/14/french-intelligence-under-scrutiny-paris-attacks
“A further reason for the lack of violence in France was the success of its political class in distancing the country from the US-led war on terror and its almost universal opposition to the war in Iraq.
Those defensive advantages, however, have now evaporated. “We can’t close our eyes to it,” Trevidic said. “We are now in the eye of the hurricane. The worst is yet to come.”
+100 “France are targeted because of their airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.”
…and what about Sarkozy, Cameron , NATO and Libya?…a once economically thriving Libya with a very good standard of living for all Libyans is now a disaster area…with floods of refugees leaving the country
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/1983/france-libya-attack
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nigel-farage/11548171/Nigel-Farage-David-Cameron-directly-caused-Libyan-migrant-crisis.html
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/02/libya-intervention-nato-imperialism/
“The failed state of Libya has become easy prey for ISIS. The terrorist organization has announced that it is planning to use Libya as a gateway to Europe…
The whole of Libya is in danger of being overrun by ISIS”
‘ISIS Sets Sights on the Mediterranean’
by Peter Martino
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/5301/islamic-state-libya
…”As a failed state, Libya has become easy prey for ISIS, which so far only controlled territory in Syria and Iraq. Libyan military sources say that the terrorist organization also has a huge training camp of up to 4,000 jihadists near Sabratha, just 45 kilometers from the border with Tunisia, and less than 70 kilometers west of Tripoli, the Libyan capital. The fact that ISIS has managed to secure coastal territory in Sabratha in the west, in Sirte along Libya’s central coast, and in Derna in the east, indicates that the whole of Libya is in danger of being overrun by ISIS.
( now why did NATO bomb Libya again?….and why was Sarkozy so keen to support this bombing?…and get rid of Gaddafi?)
worth remembering that France and Hollande have been major funders of the fighting in Syria, financing groups attacking Assad’s government.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/dec/07/france-funding-syrian-rebels?CMP=twt_gu
@ Tory (4) – you state the following – “So the liberal policies that have seen mass immigration into Europe have resulted in direct related terrorism.”
WHAT??
So what you are saying is that desperate migrants, escaping a war zone, have been crossing border after border with their families, including young children and babies in Europe, loaded with weapons of mass destruction tucked away in their paltry possessions?
ONE Syrian passport found in close proximity of a dead suicide bomber in Paris this weekend is not enough evidence to support your statement!
It seems as more information is emerging, this was an inside job, with the Da’esh stamp all over it!
What many commentators here in NZ do not understand is the increasing level of distrust and anger that residents of Western European countries are feeling. This is highlighted in articles such as this,
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/editorial-on-anti-refugee-sentiment-in-germany-a-1062442.html
While the liberal left sit here in the safe comfort of their quarter acre section and bungalows, calling for open boarders in Europe, residents in countries such as Switzerland, Germany and Denmark are seeing massive influxes of refugees that are bringing huge social problems and anxiety not seen for decades.
The outcome of what we are seeing will be similar to the crusades where east verses west will result in bloody conflict for decades. There is no answer as both sides are diametrically opposed to each other’s values so get used to it. The only bright light through all of this is the increase in arms manufacturing and the war machine will keep us all out of recession.
God you’re full of shit.
A Belgian citizen and a French citizen have been implicated in the murders. How many refugees were trying to get into Europe when the staff at Charlie Hebdo were murdered?
No, what we have here is a racist, who will twist any event to his racist narrative. MI5 have made it plain: racists like Tory are part of the problem.
Yup tory gets a new angle to fan the fire from. Expect more.
These Belgian and French citizens were Belgian and French in citizenship only. It’s similar to when UK media reports about “Britons” fighting for Da’esh – mostly they’re referring to Pakistanis who were raised in the UK but are about as British as chipotle. Allowing mass immigration into Europe by people who consider themselves Muslims first, whatever their ethnicity is second, and citizens of whatever country they end up in a very poor third, can be seen in hindsight to have been a recipe for trouble. Much as it pains me to agree with the fascist commenter above, the current doubling-down on mass immigration by Muslims is suicidally stupid.
Prejudicial nonsense – the same sort of prejudicial nonsense that blames “cultural norms” for sexual assault by Afghani cops.
Refugees, for the most part, are fleeing people like Tory.
+ 1 Exactly!
True but irrelevant. The refugees are mostly fleeing people like Tory, and it constitutes mass immigration by Muslims.
…looking for a better life, and being harrassed and discriminated against by people like Tory while doing so, which fosters more bigotry. It’s the bigotry and personal character of the Tories of this world that is the problem: religion is a convenient excuse.
You are wrong, it is true that the Europeans will close the boarders as you need to understand that this conflict between the east and west, between different religions and cultures, is 100’s of years old.
NZ had the Moa roaming whilst the Islamist stood at the walls of Vienna, having made it further into central Europe with every attack. There was no ambivalence there, they wanted to conquer Europe. Full Stop. This desire has not abated.
This is not to say that today’s asylum seekers are not also victims of radical behavior.
However, what is happening now is the precursor of a defense mechanism that works every time and everywhere. To presume that Kiwis “would be above this” is plainly not true. I know that we all belief that we are better educated, intellectually on a better approach but alas – if you and your family is being threatened, you will defend. I am certain of that.
As for the citizen of Brussels and France, it would be interesting to know, whether they were originally immigrants from Africa or Middle East or descendant? Because every asylum seeker and immigrant is taking up citizen ship to gain access to the welfare system – this you need to understand.
By the way, it was just confirmed that ISIS has taken responsibility for the attack.
You are wrong…
That may very well be so: it wouldn’t be the first time. That said, your comment doesn’t address the point I made at all: bigots and wingnuts on both sides are the problem.
I doubt any of us will ever be able to. What we do know is that in times of relative prosperity dialog prospers. The question is in whose interest it is not to have this taking place.
I doubt any of us will ever be able to.
On the contrary: democracy, human rights and the rule of law – modern progressive values – are the only things that have ever succeeded in reigning in the atavistic instincts of the Right.
Enlightenment certainly will do that but look around the globe and tell me, how much democracy has been established with all the war that is going on? How many times will the Amnesty International or UN reports be ignored as human rights become less important than the political bonds. In relation to NZ Australia, ref the current Christmas Island issues.. As for the rule of law, every country has their own laws but this does not mean justice is being done.
So I wish that the atrocities, injustices and inequalities would go away but it is not in the interest of the money moguls. The first world is only the first world because there is a second and third…
The rule of law is not a matter of having laws, it is a matter of who is required to obey them.
The Kurds in Northern Iraq established democracy during wartime. Likewise in Syria.
If the money moguls have any sense of history they know that peace is more profitable than war.
I think this could be the E.U.’s defining hour. It will make or break under the refugee crisis, which will test the patience of its member states to the limits and possibly beyond. Will they be able to hold it together as a bloc or will internal rifts tear it to bits?
I think the E.U. might be in the early stages of coming apart. Its member nations need to accept their colonial past and the horrors that they inflicted on their former colonies, especially those in the Middle East and north Africa. Unless and until they do, the atrocities of the last few years caused by I.S.I.S. and Boko Haram in Africa, will continue.
I think you need to come to grips with History. Most of the Euro countries were once Monarchies and 2 WW have done away with them. France had their own gruesome revolution taking care of the “guilty” of colonization via the guillotine.
Under TPP is you are worried about ‘opening borders’ – what do you think massive immigration and buying up of land here in NZ is going to do? It is not the ‘liberals’ that are advocating immigration here in NZ it is the Torys, while also advocating sending NZ military over to Iraq to be ‘part of the club’. Saudi Arabia, Russia and many others are keen to ‘invest’ here and our government can’t wait to welcome anybody in here, no questions asked (just bring your cheque book). The joke is that Saudi Arabia is probably funding a lot of the terrorist operations and our government is giving them 11 million in sheep bribes and are a ‘friend’ of the US. Inspite of most of the 9/11 terrorists being from Saudi. Guess those Charter schools have a lot of answer for in the US. Saddam was against the Muslims and ISIL never existed before the US invaded.
Meanwhile here in NZ, SIS is busy with Dotcom and Hager smearing Phil Goff, and probably targeting environmental groups like Greenpeace and the Unions who might want a ‘living’ wage. Now that is a Crime, certainly many in Wellington seem to think so by suing the council.
Having mass surveillance does not work – if anything it makes security forces complacent, being used politically and not going back to basics. Likewise you should be encouraging public discourses from any suspected terrorists instead of sending them underground where they are harder to watch.
+100 savenz
On this sad day, I think we all need some good news.
Pip Keane, former producer of Campbell Live, is rejoining John Campbell at RNZ; along with Catherine Walbridge, producer of Nine to Noon for four years and more recently a producer for The Nation.
A formidable team.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/289592/keane-joins-checkpoint-with-john-campbell
Though on Media RNZ this morning the new program won’t start until January 18th. There is hope yet with such a great team. But will Key find a way to cut the funding or fire some key people?
That is GREAT NEWS!! I can’t wait for his programme to start!! My mother will be listening to John and watching the captioned “The Chase” quiz show at the same time – Ladies do multi-task so well – the knitting might even come out too! – Boy, how TV3 has sunk like a stone since John left! Who watches that channel now?
So, we have the Paris attacks, and the whole world is reporting it.
But months ago we had the Garissa University attack which killed as many people and barely a word was said.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32169080?SThisFB
And nary a word has been said about an attack in Lebanon hours before the Paris attacks.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34805466
The media clearly have a pro-western bias.
I know it’s of much lessor importance at the moment but looks like the local body elections are off and running. There are a steady flow of articles in the MSM dissing non right wingers.
In weekend Stuff-Dompost Duncan Garner has written an opinion about how Wellington has not been well served by its current mayor.
Trouble is Duncan G appears to live in Auckland not Wellington- so just why is he doing this? Why does he suddenly have this huge negative opinion about someone he would rarely encounter and no doubt does not pay rates for?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/74003038/duncan-garner-on-yer-bike-celia-the-city-needs-a-bolder-better-mayor
“Now her council is embroiled in an unnecessary and expensive legal scrap over a ridiculous decision to pay a living wage to council contractors.”
Question….Is Duncan Garner being paid the minimum wage or living wage when he writes propaganda like this?
DG could also have added but didn’t “and this legal scrap has eminated from a group whose directorate includes someone from Westpac bank and other similar large organisations” not yer local corner dairy then. Plus
“A group prepared to waste other ratepayers money on legal fees which will doubtless top anything that will ever paid over on the living wage”
But I do feel that there is a certain lack of shall we say equality of opportuniy here. The council resolution could perhaps have gone on to say “and no other employee of the contractor can be charged to the contract at a rate exceeding say 10 times the living wage rate” and then they would have to argue both legs in court.
” “and no other employee of the contractor can be charged to the contract at a rate exceeding say 10 times the living wage rate””
But that would have made the Council dirty little Trotskyites…:-)
Why is there so much opposition to paying all workers a living hourly rate?
(That’s a rhetorical question by the way….before the protagonists on the right leap in to answer. Are they paid by the word by any chance?)
Trotsky or not – it would have been interesting watching the justification lines:
“increase to living wage may cost ratepayers more”
“but there are large savings on executive salaries ”
“that doesn’t count ratepayers need to pay the executive wage.”
I ask myself just how popular would be a move to cap local body, CCO, CEO and government salaries at say $350k right across NZ. I’m guessing it would be about 80% yes!
You have apparently come up with an interesting complaint.
Should we have a rule precluding anyone who does not live in an area from commenting about the things that go on there?
May we take it that when Kelvin Davis, who I believe to be a resident of New Zealand, comments on Australia and Christmas Island the only appropriate comment we should make is –
“You don’t live there so STFU!”
I play chess, game of kings you know.
Knowing a pawn is a piece on the board manipulated by an invisible hand, misled by loyalty to it’s ruler in no way reduces the pawns threat.
Opposing Pawns are the immediate enemy, you don’t hug them and expect them to hug you back. They are the enemy of the day, and must be addressed.
Those that see the game, place the blame with the 1 percent, but even they still only see the game as being on the board, focusing only on the pieces presented to them.
In reality all pieces on the board are pawns.
The trick is to stop looking down at the chess board, the enemy is a little higher up.
They seek to control the board, to finally become safe and untouchable, as gods.
In Chess if both sides don’t move and stay on their squares there is no conflict to be exploited, the hidden hand is powerless and any move it makes becomes visible to all.
Anyone who seeks to impose their will on others does the work of the hidden hand.
Anyone who transgresses against another does the work of the hidden hand.
Those that render themselves defenseless and make themselves victims do the work of the hidden hand.
They want the board, a one world government, I say no, stand your ground, defend your square, retain sovereignty, Fuck the TTP and Fuck John Key and Fuck liberal traitors.
In other news Kelvin Davis denounced the management and staff at Paremoremo Prison.
“All the employees there should be dismissed. Serco are completely incompetent and none of their staff should be retained. They should be prosecuted for failing to protect the saintly persona of a man from my electorate.
It is a total disgrace and the people running the prison should be prosecuted”.
When it was pointed out to him that the prison was run by the Corrections Department he immediately complained that he had been misquoted and that everything at the prison was being run superbly and the prisoner must be a rat-bag trying to frame the prison officers.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/74047341/stabbing-in-auckland-prison-at-paremoremo
Hmmm, a false quote and an inconsequential link. It’s almost like you’re making it up, Alwyn.
Me? Make it up?
How could you possibly think such a thing? I am truly hurt that you could even consider such a possibility.
Am I not to be allowed a little bit of creative writing?
It is only a tiny little bit exaggerated, surely?
Alwyn…..give us the link which confirms what you say Davis said. It would be extraordinary were he to truly understand that Paremoremo is run by Serco. You can assist here.