The retired New Zealand cricketing superstar Martin Crowe recently
staged a fiery protest against New Zealand cricket authorities
following their dumping of the NZ captain Ross Taylor…
Good on him, more boys club members with no clue on how to run a professional code. mcullam is a bad choice to replace Taylor and WTF was wrong with Taylor anyway?
We haven’t come a long way since Turner had beefs with these old boys over playing county and representing NZ we’ve just produced enough decent players to mask the real issues. Bad management and no consistent academy structure for bringing talent through combined with bias at rep level to mates and boys club members over talent.
Its an all too familiar tale in NZ sporting codes.
What is it with the US, and individuals shooting people/children in educational establishments – this time an elementary school? Land of the free? Champion of democracy?
Ha! WYSIWYG link button working again.
And the blockquote button? Nope. Not working at all.
That’s right. The more freedom there is to carry a gun the safer they will be. And we need to remember, of course, that guns don’t kill people, people do. /sarc
One of England’s leading philosophers, one TONY PARSONS, has written thoughtfully and philosophically on the issue….
‘The problem is not the gun laws of American but the limitless cruelty of the human race.’ https://twitter.com/TonyParsonsUK/status/279647164337106944
Thus he has proved, irrefutably and elegantly, that it is not guns that kill children in kindergartens, it is people of limitless cruelty.
Agree about the limitless cruelty thing, just also think there are two issues to deal with 1. how to stop having a society with cruel people 2. how to limit the weapons in a community when limitlessly cruel people are among us. It’s not either/or – and one before the other. They need to be addressed in tandem.
That’s all he wrote, Rosy. In other words, instead of writing something sensitive and thoughtful, which would have required a degree of sensitivity and thoughtfulness, Parsons simply chose to recycle a ridiculous cliché. He had to write SOMETHING of course; as a handsomely remunerated “pundit” he is expected to deliver an opinion, no matter how ill-informed, on a range of topics.
Well, to be fair to Parsons, he was good for two years in the mid seventies, but that was more to do with speed, punk and his genius missus. The Boy Looked at Johnny is still a great read; no heroes any more.
1.) “Well, to be fair to Parsons, he was good for two years in the mid seventies,”
Let me hazard a guess, Te Reo—you love old issues of the NME as much as you love Private Eye. You appear to be a scholar as well as a gentleman.
2.) “but that was more to do with speed, punk and his genius missus.”
She wrote some interesting pop music comments in the 1970s, but her subsequent career has demonstrated that horrible woman is no genius. She’s a nasty piece of work, as well as being cast-iron ignorant.
Spent last weekend clearing out my old stuff from the oldie’s attic; lots of NME’s, PE’s, posters of Bowie etc. The NME really was superb from 77-83, Burchill, Parsons, Nick Kent, Paul Morley, Ian Penman through to Steven Wells and X Moore. Linking pop music to politics and philosophy was a liberation for me.
I still rate Burchill, (listening to her talking to DJ Steve Wright in ’93 as I write). There is little I agree with her about these days, but our mis-named mate The Contrarian really should look her up, as she’s been genuinely contrarian for 35 years:
1: Who manufactures the guns and weapons
2: Who sells the guns and weapons
3: Who ensures that the guns and weapons are in continual use domestically/internationally
4: Who controls the legislations/contracts of those who manufacture the guns and weapons
5: Who cares if innocent people domestically/globally are dying through use of the guns and weapons, as long as *business remains good and retains control*
6: Who pulls the trigger on the gun or weapon, or issues the order for the weapons to be used
etc…
The anwer to any of the above does NOT include the word, gun or weapon
Well Karol, the idea is to instill the most fear, commit the attrocities which cover illicit the maximum emotive reaction . We have recently seen *attacks* on movie goers, then quickly followed by the sikh religious attacks, now followed by another attack on a school.
Fear, shock, horror, fear, emotive responses all geared at ramping towards a pre conceived outcome.
Lets see where the shit trail leads this time and which…
The suspected shooter, 24, was armed with four weapons and wearing a bullet-proof vest, WABC reported.
Yes, here we have the continuation of the repeated lone wolf meme again….
There were unconfirmed reports of a second shooter.
Here we have the standard confusion being created around a *second shooter*, which like the Cinema, Temple shootings will be quickly discarded..
Those who say that the guns are the problem, are simplistically wrong! The people commiting these *attrocities* are the problem, whoever they are, and the reasons behind it, complex, deliberate, and opaque!
I’d like to know who thought it was a good idea to interview a child who was at the school, on the day of the shooting, and broadcast that all over the world. That lack of care and restraint is a big part of the picture too. It’s so much more sensational to broadcast the words of a child who was there, never mind that the child is traumatised or that listening to a traumatised child should not be news.
I’d like to know who thought it was a good idea to interview a child who was at the school, on the day of the shooting, and broadcast that all over the world.
Hi Weka,
Very observant line of questioning again from you.
Further questions to ask are…Was this *girl* actually at the school, and is the *girl* being quoted, someone who has been brought in specifically to be *interviewed* for the *news*.
Was the *interview* even at, or near the location where the *news* was assumed to be reported from!
*sigh* I don’t know Muzza – does the school exist? Did the shooting happen? Is it all a big plan to bring about gun control so the population will have no defence against the government?
But as for questioning of one of the school children. Was parental consent required for that? – it’s an appalling example of ‘rolling’ news coverage.
*sigh* I don’t know Muzza – does the school exist? Did the shooting happen? Is it all a big plan to bring about gun control so the population will have no defence against the government?
The American Administration, or more accurately those behind it, will be just as happy to see the people killing eachother. Don’t forget the rulers do not give a toss about the masses, they have consistantly proven this decade in decade out, and the repeated attempts of remove the 2nd amendment, and attack the gun laws etc, is IMO, just for show. They don’t care for human life these people, and so for mine, there is little I would consider to be *out of the question*, so far as what else is in play!
But as for questioning of one of the school children. Was parental consent required for that? – it’s an appalling example of ‘rolling’ news coverage.
Rolling news coverage – stages, props, actors, manipulation, controlling of narratives, telling stories and *creating history*.
The narrow channels of the supply of *news*, has made it ever more possible to *create news*, even any given event happened or not. Now I am not saying that this is/is not a real event, only that the hollywood, news media with its hstorical links to military and so on, can manufacture anything they want, and report it to the world within minutes.
Total control of *the news*, to take control of the emotional states, and state of helplessness of the masses. The desired nessages are continually reinforced through movies, tv, video games music videos etc!
Yet again the conspiracy meme. While you may get some vicarious thrill at imagining some shadowy conspiracy behind the US Administration ‘controlling the narrative’. The more obvious (and either boring or unbelievable for you) explanation is that the nature of the media coverage is simply the profit motive.
More hits, readers, viewers, hence more advertising revenue and profit – is the ultimate goal. With multiple internet and TV stations all providing non-stop 24-hr coverage, the way to get the ‘customers’ is to dramatise the story, make it more thrilling, horrible, contentious….
You may be right in saying that some of the many competing media outlets may ‘stage manage’ to make their ‘news’ more ‘interesting’ but don’t doubt for one second that these were real people killed by a lone madman.
Despite all the media saturation and dramatisation… the horror and shock is evident in the stark gut wrenching reality that 20 children …. 28 people…. have been killed in an awful way.
Like the tragedy of 9-11, this is a defining event that will have a profound effect on the mood, thoughts and subsequent actions of all Americans.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE POVERTY – government employees not doing their jobs properly, or even taking the time to ensure people are receiving their full and correct entitlement.
government employees not doing their jobs properly, or even taking the time to ensure people are receiving their full and correct entitlement.
More likely it’s government employees being either under-resourced to do their jobs properly or being prevented from doing them properly by interference and mismanagment direct from the political level.
My younger brother who has a life-long disability (and while he can paint roofs, you would not wish what he has on your worst enemy) says he can always tells when National is in power because WINZ or it’s equivalent of the day, go from being merely depressing to deal with … to utterly miserly, malicous and mind-fucking.
I also have a permanent disability, and notice a big difference in WINZ between left and right governments. That’s why it fucks me off when people say there is no difference between Labour and NACT. There is, a very real difference. Depressing vs utterly miserly, malicious and mind-fucking is a good way to describe it, and anyone who thinks that isn’t a significant difference has too easy a life.
3)Her child support should have dropped to the minimum $12 a week from the time she lost her job.
Writing or phoning the IRD and referring to an income reduction under s.40 should get it cut back.
WINZ should know this and as the IRD arrange to have all sorts of other things notified to them why are they not writing to someone who goes onto a benefit asking them if they need to apply for a payment reduction.
I tried to post on stuff but my password was not accepted so my comment is probably erased.
When it comes to down sizing a bedroom Bernadette will lose her TAS and she will be no better off. I assume she gets most if not all of tempoary additional support (TAS) for the rent.
Unless there is an increase in the accommodation supplement (AS) or affordable housing is made available the daily struggle on an empty stomach is not going to change. As well jobs are required, but I think that housing cost is easier to fix as the government could increase the AS or only review the TAS every 26 weeks and not the current 13 weeks and possibly increase TAS as well.
I have not read up on if people will lose $42 per week when on the invalid benefit (IB) if they are eligible for part time work testing as changes are to be made for those on IB next July.
People on IB are already stressed out enough due to chronic health conditions, (sometimes a few/ several) and reducing the IB for those who may be able to work part time on a good day is planet Key mentality.
I strongly object to restructuring a health benefit on the ground that a person is eligible for a benefit which is REQUIRED because of incapacity when it comes to employment and that the incapacity for employment is unknown on any given day.
I’d like to see confirmation of that IB policy, and the actual rules. Nevertheless Jenny Shipley cut medical benefits by $20/wk in 1990, so we know that NACT don’t give a shit, and are stupid beyond belief as well (what happens to ill people when they don’t have enough to live on? That’s right, they become even more dependent on the state).
Thank you for asking for clarification re IB changes as I saw an error I have made. Yesterday on Open Mike 4.
“Under the Bill, an invalid beneficary who is reclassified as a ‘job – seeker’ will face a cut in income from $256 to $213 a week – effectively a benefit cut of $213 a week.”
What is reclassified and how is this determined I am left asking myself?
Current Work Capacity Medical Certificate for Invalid Benefit asks:
Do the conditions listed previously limit the person’s capacity to work for 30 hours or more per week?
Do the conditions listed previously limit the person’s capacity to work regularly in open employment for 15 hours or more a week?
Is the person’s incapacity for work expected to last for at least 2 years?
Is the person’s life expectancy less than 2 years?
Is the person receive active treatment or under the care of specialist for any of the conditions listed previously? (their error receive)
When is the person likely to be capable of:
Work planning
Limited training (less than 15 hours per week)
Part-time work (at least 15 hours per week)
Full-time work (30 hours or more per week)
Are there any more treatments or interventions that could assist the person into work?
Unable to work from
When should the person’s capacity for work next be assessed?
Basically a person has to be unable to work for 15 hours a week for the next 2 years to currently qualify for the IB. I do not know if this is going to be reclassified or how as then you get the situation I described in 3.4 paragraph 5&6. As well sickness benefit is going to be absorbed as job seeker, IB will be supported living and a parenting one.
Full-time work is at least 30 hours a week.
How can a person who is forced to come off the IB then be expected to be available to work 30 hours a week as a job seeker when they can only work 16 hours a week?
Thanks for that. btw, I know SBs who are being refused IB. I think mostly WINZ is using the 30hr category now. Anyone capable of working 15 hrs will be on SB.
The only thing I’ve found so far is this –
Under the new system three benefits will replace all of the main benefit payments by 2013. Benefit rates will remain at current levels and continue to be increased annually for inflation.
Jobseeker Support includes:
Unemployment Benefit
Sickness Benefit
DPB Sole Parents – with youngest child 14 years and older
Widow – with youngest child 14 years and older
DPB Women Alone
Sole Parent Support includes:
DPB Sole Parents with children younger than 14 years
Widows with children younger than 14 years
Taking that at face value, I think what they will be doing is trying to shift some people off IB and onto SB, just using new names. That explains the drop in rate. Still looking for the new criteria.
“Thanks for that. btw, I know SBs who are being refused IB”
I’m one All the letters and medical certificates went in and some faceless tame doctor, who I have never seen said No I was able to work. And that was that, they said I could ask for a review, but as I told them at the time, whats the point, as you have already made up your minds.
I went back to the specialists and they say there’s nothing they can do as the risks of surgery are so bad that they won’t even try. But WiNZ don’t give a toss. I have probably been underpaid by 40 odd buck’s a week, and that’s really hard on the finances, with a toddler and a teen. Oh well the next installment is clothes for the Teen that’ll be fun.
I am waiting for Bennet to put a stop to your GP being able to do IB medical certificate assessment and go back to the gravy train designated doctors who will lick her boots.
By this time next year I dread to think how high unemployment, hospital admissions and crime will be.
Good on the woman for going public, although that probably speaks more to desperation than anything else.
SNGs for anything other than food will create more debt 🙁 If she has a sudden unexpected bill she should pay that, and then get WINZ to pay for her food for that week (thus avoiding more debt). There is a limit on the SNGs per year though.
Reducing the debt repayment to $5/wk is a not brainer and should have been done as a matter of course.
She’s probably not getting her full disability allowance either.
Probably not as WINZ staff have been getting worse over the years. It’s as if Bennet has put out a missive allowing the staff to be as difficult and non informing of entitlement’s as they want to be.
Also why was she made to stand down for 3 weeks or so?? She recieved NO redunduncy payment, so WINZ HAD to make sure she was really suffering before they will do anything.
Kate Middleton prank call: Royal hoax nurse’s anger at hospital in suicide note
14 Dec 2012
In one emotional letter Jacintha Saldanha criticises senior colleagues at the King Edward VII hospital over her treatment after she was duped by two Aussie DJs….
This is a terrible tragedy for Jacintha and her family. The Aussie DJ’s prank was despicable. But they were following the infotainment logic of our MSM.
Why is no one questioning the celebrity-focused role of the MSM at large? Why do they create a feeding frenzy around a royal pregnancy? Our MSM gave it more front page, prime-time coverage than the TPP talks that were happening in Auckland at the same time. The TPP is far more crucial to the future of NZers.
The charade that makes up the *news*, and the actors who play the parts is becoming too transparent these days, forget about the microscope its in front of the face. *News* is to be considered almost completely staged manipulation, with actors playing/presenting or editing/writing the scripts, and the truth is unlikely to ever see the light of day, even if the *news* event, ever happened or not.
Ther hysteria which surrounds the trash media and propagates as *news*, can be considered as simply this.
“The Aussie DJ’s prank was despicable.”
No it was not “despicable”, it was simply a prank, and a light-hearted, good-humoured one. Nobody—absolutely nobody—could have predicted what later happened.
Clearly not light-hearted and good-humoured for the person on the receiving end. The people who broadcast this stuff without permission don’t/didn’t have any understanding of the trauma and humiliation some victims of their ‘pranks’ might feel. Mr/Ms Everyday person might not be as extrovert as they are, nor be able to brush of a perceived humiliation that easily.
Really? No one could predict a prank would go wrong? It’s only the plot of every second sitcom episode of all time.
And it’s “light-hearted” and “good-humoured” to attempt to access a person’s medical records by deception?
Sure, if you don’t understand the latter, and have no empathy for the people being pranked and how they might feel like they’ve betrayed a sacred trust, sure, I suppose it’s just an innocent little joke.
The DJs work on a station which previously hooked a 14-year-old up to a polygraph to ask her about her sex life. When she revealed having been raped – and the immediate follow-up question from the DJ was “okay, but is that the only sexual experience you’ve had?” I suppose that was just a bit of light-hearted fun which no one could’ve predicted would go wrong either.
Prank-calling a hospital where a royal family member has checked in for an almost certainly bogus reason is entirely acceptable. You can go all North Korean if you want, but the rest of the (sane) world sees these publicly funded parasites as fair game.
The other prank you mention WAS despicable, and I share your contempt for the perpetrators. Your deliberate twisting of my argument to suggest I would approve of that is unworthy of you.
Exactly! The frenzied attack upon these two DJ’s is dreadful and right out of proportion (for all that we rightly sympathise with the nurse). Others must also be held to account.
I think the hospital also has some culpability.
It seems odd that they did not have a filtering process in place that all calls about celebrities went through to ensure appropriate confidentiality.
“I think the hospital also has some culpability.”
Wrong. The person responsible for Jacintha Soldana’s suicide was Jacintha Soldana. Any blaming of the radio DJs or the hospital is mere recycling of the hysteria whipped up by the steaming hypocrites in the Murdoch empire.
Morrisey would the suicide have happened IF there was no prank call, if the media had not published it and if the Nurse had a filtering mechanism on the calls.
Jacinta was responsible for her actions BUT there is a chain of culpability.
“Jacinta was responsible for her actions BUT there is a chain of culpability.”
Then all these people must also be prosecuted: the cafetaria worker who did not smile at her, the bus driver who was gruff and taciturn instead of being sunny and positive, the BBC news readers who read out grim economic and political news each day, the hospital patient who grumbled about something the day before….
There is one person culpable for this death, and it’s not either of the light-hearted pranksters.
Gee Morrisey
You don’t understand anything about some people’s desire to maintain high standards in their work and to do an excellent job which they take pride in and are esteemed for, and also needing to receive a good salary for that high standard of work.
You ought to put yourself forward to your electorate to stand in the next election. You sound very suitable because of your narrow focus and lack of understanding of society to fit you to be a politician.
Sorry about that. But I see your brain is working just fine again. I think you’ll find that my meaning will become clear after repeated reading, followed by deep thought, perhaps with a panel discussion to follow.
My apologies to the family for mis-spelling her name.
Now, explain how that equates with a lack of empathy. And after you’ve done explaining that, explain why you’ve taken your lead in this from the tender-hearted, empathetic folk who work for the Murdoch papers and Sky TV.
Yeah i agree with you on that, a hospital such as this with regular ‘important people’ as patients would surely have had protocols on what could and couldn’t be said about patients over the phone,
“The Royals” themselves with all the trials and tribulations that they have been through with the media can hardly cry about their privacy being breached as you would think that there would have been in place a system whereby any enquiries were transferred to a royal media minder,
The facets of a prank phone call having many real consequences is a big learning curve to everyone involved and a lesson on how tragic a prank can be.
I do hope that the bereavement counselling offered to the family of Jacintha is not connected with the hospital as their notes could be accessed by the hospital. The hospital cannot be trusted as they have been caught out not knowing that they were critcised in one of the three letters which Jacintha wrote.
When it comes to culture I also hope that the counsellor can identify with cultural practice pertaining to Jacintha’s reaction as it would differ from my European/Polish identity.
LOOKALIKE
Can YOU spot the difference between these violent men?
Professional musician Jimmy Mason was convicted of assaulting a child after an incident on the Bridge of Remembrance in central Christchurch in 2007. The 49-year-old Christchurch man admitted to flicking his son’s ear to “reprimand” him for “riding dangerously near a busy street”.
The case became a cause célèbre for the Kiddy-Whackers Association fronted by Bob McCoskrie, and the S.S. Trust fronted by Garth “Mac the Knife” McVicar. To these kinds of people, assaulting a child on the street means a man is not a thug, but an exemplar of family values, and the very model of the “good parent”.
If you do NOT belong to one of these psychotic organizations, and retain some measure of moral and ethical normality, you probably thought that, after his disgraceful display of self-pity and defiance following his conviction for assault, Jimmy Mason would slither away into deserved obscurity.
However, the emergence of his doppelganger in England has brought back all the horrifying memories….
This forum is a bear pit containing a large sub-group of haters and wreckers exhibiting psychopathic traits. Their prefered means of attack is to latch on to the victim using the most vile language possible, then, having done as much damage as they can (to the enormous satisfaction of a blood-thirsty crowd observing the sport) they sanctimoneously pretend they are people of peace and reason who selflessly spend their lives protecting the weak and innocent. I have an extremely bad taste in my mouth. I will now leave the arena and attempt a ritual purification to rid myself of the stench. Good luck gentle-folk in your search for a fairer, kinder world….
Other than “fatty” and Brett Dale, who are probably one and the same person, is Grant Hay the most bewildered person to post on this forum in the past year? I’d like to know if there has been a more confused contribution from anyone.
Thoughts and wishes to the people of Connecticut, what
can one say about this tragic event. As someone who has
family in CT, including younger relatives, this is an awful day.
Here’s hoping there is not a day like this again in CT or
anywhere.
Of one thing we can be sure: Brett Dale will not say anything intelligent or insightful about this tragedy.
“Here’s hoping there is not a day like this again in CT or anywhere.”
Far worse than this is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan every day. You have been loud in your support of it. And your blood-soaked cheerleading for the carnage in Gaza last month makes your words of solicitude nothing but the most callous hypocrisy.
As someone whos got family in the area, including younger relatives, I think I have just as much as right to comment as anyone else. This is a tragic event.
Again my sympathy goes out to the victims and the families and the children who
survived and who will now be terrified, here’s hoping again, they get the help they need.
I will become sympathetic to the Gazans when they stop firing rockets into Israel. But, when they stop firing rockets, then the Israelis will stop trying to stop the rockets, which means peace will return. and then I won’t need to be sympathetic.
Hey, maybe that means its in the Gazans own hands. That is IF they want peace of course. Or maybe what they want is what they always say they want and that is to push the Israelis into the sea. But that would be mean, wouldn’t it. It can’t be right.
Yep, because in a conflict between an economically-repressed, militarily-occupied people and powerful military occupiers supported by the United States, it’s definitely the people whose land got invaded who need to prove they’re interested in peace. 🙄
Calling All Sports-Loving Prank Callers
It’s time to step up and do your duty
Let’s proceed on the assumption that prank calls DO actually lead to the receiver committing suicide. If that is true, then every sports lover in the country needs to do THIS as often as he/she can, until the inevitable happy result comes about …
Another gun tragedy in the USA. The biggest since the last one according to the media. More will follow, followed by the wails and sadness of all ad infinitum. Without any meaningful legislation likely to limit gun ownership and easy use. The latest is that some people want to take guns to their workplace. Handy for a Post employee pushed to the limit. And a sign of the deterioration of civil life and attitudes in ‘the greatest little country on the planet’ with the best democracy and political system and military and private weapons that money can buy.
In China there have been a number of knife killings at schools.
Can anybody direct me to a study of this type of crime, the drivers and the perpetrators. Why children? In this USA one the guy wanted to kill his mother but took out bunches of unconnected children too. Were they her class?
We are probably lucky that China and Russia have tried to get UN to allow bigger state controls over the internet. That meant that USA would be against it, though they are anxious themselves to box and contain it. And NZ wouldn’t agree either because we are the USA’s dingy dinghy bouncing behind in their wake. So we’re OK for the present but wait for the next attack on the freedom of the internet that go beyond a reasonable minor level.
<b>DEAKER-WATCH No. 4 “Anders” Deaker stands up for Christian civilization
No action by Sky over Deaker’s SBW comment</b> 7:24 AM Monday Mar 12, 2012
Sky TV says it will take no action against broadcaster Murray Deaker after he reportedly said All Black star and boxer Sonny Bill Williams made him “uncomfortable” because “he is a Muslim in a so-called Christian country”.
Deaker reportedly made the slur about Williams, who converted to Islam in 2009, on the Deaker on Sports show on February 29.
Sky Television spokeswoman Kirsty Way said today that the remark was made during a live discussion and its meaning was taken out of context when read in isolation.
No action would be taken by Sky TV against Deaker.
A copy of the tape could be released only with Deaker’s approval because he had editorial control of the show, Ms Way said.
Deaker could not be reached for comment last night. Williams’ manager Khoder Nasser did not wish comment further when contacted yesterday evening. He earlier said he was disgusted by what Deaker said.
“As you get older, they say you get wiser. You are closer to the grave, which gives you a sense of realism, you become humbled and more accepting of other human beings. But the older this man gets, the more bigoted he becomes.”
Hundreds of comments have been posted on Twitter condemning Deaker’s remarks. “If Sky won’t cancel Deaker’s show…”
What are you on Morrissey? I hope that you have something lined up to occupy you for Christmas as it would be discouraging to see your pseudo every second or third comment.
Morrisey
Carrots – so good for one. Healthy, good for your eyes etc. And watch Brett Dale DFT. Save your time for your other good comments. I like your reporting of some of the discourses on the media.
Earlier this morning, I launched into an intemperate tirade against our good friend “fatty”, calling him “ignorant” and “arrogant”. Of course, I turned out to have mis-identified him; his comments are in fact well thought out, and clearly well informed.
Was reading a book last evening and it reflected upon Leadership and Management.
In New Zealand in a political view I considered the countries Leaders.
Like it or not Key and Norman have Leadership qualities, whereas it would appear that Shearer has Management.
The view considered was that Leaders are naturals whereas Managers can be taught, but perhaps are not, nor ever can be, Leaders.
Key is not a Manager ie a details man
Norman is a Leader, maybe with some Management – not sure, as he is an enigma.
But Shearer lacks the vital empathy to be a Leader – but he has Management skills learned overseas
Cunliffe has neither – cannot see a Labour Leader though, Shearer is the best bet as a good Manager.
Not sure what your criteria are for deciding who is which, especially the claim that Cunliffe has neither managerial nor leadership qualities. From what I have seen and heard he is very competent and energetic, and I have seen that has a very good relationship with his electorate.
Fortran
The support and admiration that Cunliffe has earned among the majority of rank and file might suggest sifnificant LEADERSHIP qualities?
The success Cunliffe has had taking a National seat and growing his majority in five elections might suggest significant LEADERSHIP and MANAGEMENT qualities?
Cunliffe’s impeccable run in ministerial positions, Health, Immigration and Telecommunications/ITmight might suggest significant LEADERSHIP and exceptional MANAGEMENT qualities?
Cunliffe’s sticking with his core LABOUR values and turning the other cheek while some people do their “tall poppy” act on him is the mark or a great leader.
Fortran, your comment on Cunliffe is wrong. He will prove that he is streets ahead of Key, when he becomes PM.
I was shocked to hear on the news that a spokesperson for a church saw nothing wrong about having a paedophile in a group at a school as part of some project/ outreach the church was doing. He said that the school did not have any rules about this so he thought it was perfectly okay. WTF.
He sounded like a youngish man, just my impression, and it underlines that young men need to be aware and thoughtful about people’s problems in society. Someone on the radio recently said that some paedophiles automatically fall in to grooming mode when around youngsters. They will present themselves as friends to the child who appears vulnerable, feeling lonely or bored even, and its a big boost to a child to have someone who takes an interest. And the devious background thinking would be unknown.
I think you’re right, my friend. The fraught tempers are probably caused by a combination of hot weather and the presence of a cynical provocateur like Brett Dale.
Tonight I read a report in a leading European paper, on Greece and the absolutely shocking situation there, where a society is split into those still struggling to manage and those falling down through the former social net. It is SHOCKING reading.
Now crime is rampant, social division is the rule, there is even talk of civil war.
The foreign banks get blamed, and some of them carry some blame, but I fear it goes beyond that now. There is racism, nazism, unrest and worse taking place there, and I fear it will spread across many other countries in Southern Europe.
Now does this not ring a bell? Have you heard of crime, tension, poverty and so forth?
Do the ones still living in middle class comfort not get it? Do you want to taste the full blow perhaps? I fear you have another thing coming very soon!
NZ is on the verge of explosion too, once we have the next welfare “reforms” being pushed through. Force poor, sick and disabled, mums not able to get a job, to look for work that does not exist. John Key, you are asking for another Queen Street Riot, I am afraid!
Lis Ku, De Montfort University Since the onset of the pandemic, everyone from newspaper columnists to Twitter users has advanced the now idea that extroverts and introverts are handling the crisis differently. Many claim that introverts adapt to social distancing and isolation better than extroverts, with some even suggesting that ...
A friend of mine pointed me in the direction of this blog post by New Zealand’s “Plan B” group. While initially this group opposed the government’s use of lockdowns to manage covid19 outbreaks in this country, they seem to have since moved on to opposing the rollout of vaccines against ...
Twenty years after it invaded, the US is finally leaving Afghanistan. What's surprising is that it took them so long - its been clear for over a decade that their presence there was pointless and just pissing people off. But imperial pride leads to exactly this sort of stupidity. Their ...
The government has announced that it will ban the export of livestock by sea. Huzzah! A vile, cruel and unconscionable trade will be ended! But there's a catch: the ban won't kick in until 2023, giving farmers two ful years to continue to profit from extreme animal cruelty. But why ...
Today is unexpectedly a Member's Day - the Business Committee granted it early in the year, to make up for time list to government business. First up is a two-hour debate on the budget policy statement, with questions to Ministers, replacing the general debate. Then its the second reading of ...
. . Two stories which appeared almost side-by-side on RNZ’s website. Parent, Miranda Cross, was quoted as saying; “I think the expectations are that we can at least send our kids to school where they will receive an education.” An American parent would probably demand; “I think the expectations are ...
Time for reviewing something a bit different. Move over Tolkien adaptations, hello Japanese splatter movie. Specifically, a certain 2009 movie called Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. I watched this one a few days ago with some acquaintances, never having seen it before, and not being familiar with the manga ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD An above-average Atlantic hurricane season is likely in 2021, the Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane forecasting team says in its latest seasonal forecast issued April 8. Led by Dr. Phil Klotzbach, with coauthors Dr. Michael Bell and Jhordanne Jones, the CSU ...
How seriously does the Māori Party take issues of corruption and the untoward influence of big money in politics? Not very, based on how it’s handling a political finance scandal in which three large donations were kept hidden from the public. The party is currently making excuses, and largely failing ...
The annual inventory report [PDF] of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing a significant increase in emissions: (Note that this is UNFCCC accounting, not the weird fudged figures the Climate Change Commission is using). Emissions increased by almost 2 million tons in 2019, from 80.6 MT ...
The melody from the classic movie Wizard of Oz echoes as Jacinta Ruru explains what inspired her to attend university, and her ambition to help create a more just society in Aotearoa. Jacinta, who affiliates to Raukawa and Ngāti Ranginui, specialises in the research areas of indigenous peoples and the law. ...
Stuff reports that National is refusing to back the Climate Change Commission's recommendations, which is apparently a Bad Thing: The National Party says it can’t support the Climate Change Commission’s draft plan to cut New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions unless changes are made. If National maintains this position when ...
Driven, accountable, unafraid to test limits and connected to the communities she serves are traits that come to mind when thinking about Dr Anne-Marie Jackson. (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu o Whangaroa, Ngāti Wai) She specialises in Māori physical education and health research disciplines while incorporating tikanga Māori and Te ...
This is my first post for a while. I have been a bit overwhelmed by other work in the last several weeks, with teaching and other commitments, and the blog has sadly suffered. But I’m still here. This morning, while sitting in a car in the permanent traffic jam through ...
Predatory Morality: Is geopolitical consultant, Paul Buchanan, right? Does the rest of the world truly monitor New Zealand’s miniscule contribution to the international arms trade so closely? Are foreign chancelleries truly so insensitive to their own governments’ complicity in the world’s horrors that they expect all other sovereign states to ...
Anna Källén, Stockholm University and Daniel Strand, Uppsala University A middle-aged white man raises his sword to the skies and roars to the gods. The results of his genetic ancestry test have just arrived in his suburban mailbox. His eyes fill with tears as he learns that he is “0.012% ...
March 2021 The housing crisis right now in New Zealand is one of our biggest contributors to income and wealth inequality. “With the explosive increase in sales and prices, those with houses have their income and/or wealth rapidly increasing, and those who are not on the property ladder are falling ...
Samoans went to the polls on Friday, and delivered a stinging blow to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi one-party state. Pre-election Malielegaoi's Human Rights Protection Party had controlled 44 of 49 seats in Parliament, while using restrictive standing orders to prevent there from even being a recognised opposition in ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael BakerIn this blog we briefly consider a new Report from a European think tank that aims to identify an optimal COVID-19 response strategy. It considers mortality data, GDP impacts, and mobility data and suggests that COVID-19 elimination appears to be superior ...
Something I missed on Friday: the Māori Party has been referred to police over failure to disclose donations over $30,000. Looking at the updated return of large donations, this is about $320,000 donated to them by three donors - John Tamihere, the National Urban Māori Authority, and Aotearoa Te Kahu ...
Stormy Seas: Will Jacinda Ardern's Labour Government stand behind the revolutionary proposals contained in He Puapua – the 20-year plan devised by a government appointed working group to realise the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Aotearoa/New Zealand?“GETTING AHEAD of the story” is one of the most ...
We have not been fans of the Climate Change Commission’s draft report. New Zealand has an Emissions Trading Scheme with a binding cap, and a declining path for net emissions in the covered sector. Measures taken within the covered sector cannot reduce net emissions. NZU not purchased by one sector get ...
For several decades under Labour and National-led governments New Zealand has claimed to have an independent (and sometimes autonomous) foreign policy. This foreign policy independence is said to be gained by having a “principled but pragmatic” approach to international relations: principled when possible, pragmatic when necessary. More recently NZ foreign ...
This video produced in Seattle looks at the gender identity curriculum used in schools in the US. A thin veneer of pseudoscience is being used to indoctrinate children with an ideology based on scientific and medical inaccuracies. ...
For once, I have written my submission on a bill with enough time to spare to both enocurage any of you who wants to make a submission to do so as well, and to give you time to spot the typos in mine.Louisa Wall's Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate ...
A friend found a concerning FB post (see below – this is a public post & so I have not redacted the name) & – as you do – immediately queried it with Southern Cross Life & Health Insurance as well as sending the screenshot to me¹. We both read ...
Judith Collins’ National Party leadership is under more scrutiny, with increased talk in the media of her being replaced by brand new MP Christopher Luxon. For many commentators it’s just a question of “when” rather than “if” Collins is replaced. While others ponder whether Luxon really has what it takes ...
‘Tis the season for unearthing the rarest gems in Tolkien adaptation – which, considering that the fandom has been dominated by Peter Jackson for nigh on two decades, is a positively heart-warming development. It is why I have devoted so much blog space to the obscure and weirdly wonderful ...
Whatever the damage, especially to the British economy, Brexit has done us a service by illustrating the complexity of trade.Brexit is the only example we have of two closely integrated sophisticated economies severing trading ties. The European Union and Britain still do not have tariffs or import quotas between them ...
The Palmerston North City Council has voted for Māori wards: Palmerston North Māori will be guaranteed one or two seats on the city council from 2022, and this time, there is nothing opponents can do about it. The council decided by an 11-5 vote at its monthly meeting this ...
Kids are striking for the climate today, demanding a decent, liveable future. Meanwhile, the National Party, the reliable servant of the farm lobby and other polluting businesses, is calling for action to be delayed: National has written to Climate Change Minister James Shaw calling for him to extend the ...
Today tens of thousands of schoolkids have walked out of school to strike for a future free from climate change. And tens of thousands of older New Zealanders have joined them. Their demands are clear: eliminate fossil fuels, implement 100% renewable energy with a just transition, and support our Pacific ...
The Gods That Failed.We studied the dialecticRead the whole of ‘Capital’So we could follow youSo we could follow youHow we shoutedHow we scrawledPainted slogans on city wallsOn prison wallsProof we had followed youBut, we still didn’t find what we’re looking forAnd we still haven’t found what we’re looking forWhen they ...
Conventional Wisdom? The Republican Right is convinced that to “go woke” is to “go broke”. It simply does not believe sufficient Americans feel strongly enough about social justice to make any kind of boycott remotely effective. Clearly, the Boards of Directors of more and more American corporations disagree. RECENT MOVES by ...
On November 25, 2020 Skeptical Science Inc. became a registered nonprofit organization and on March 17, 2021 our application to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) status was approved. In this blog post, we’ll explain why we went down this path and what will come next. Since its ...
Blowing Hot And Cold: Mike Hosking’s bosses should, perhaps, ask themselves what message Newstalk-ZB (and NZME) is sending to the people of New Zealand if Mike Hosking, their self-appointed “People’s Prosecutor”, is accorded bragging rights for “cancelling” the democratically-elected Prime Minister of New Zealand. Especially when said Prime Minister’s only ...
Ali Boyle, University of CambridgeIf you ask people to list the most intelligent animals, they’ll name a few usual suspects. Chimpanzees, dolphins and elephants are often mentioned, as are crows, dogs and occasionally pigs. Horses don’t usually get a look in. So it might come as a surprise that ...
Selwyn Manning and I dedicated this week’s video podcast to the potential emergence of rival blocs within the transitional process involved in the move from a unipolar to a multipolar international system currently underway. However one characterises the phenomenon–autocracies versus democracies, East versus West, colonial versus post-colonial–the global order is ...
With the rediscovery of the lost Soviet Lord of the Rings, the time has come for the important things in life. Specifically, compiling the Tom Bombadil scenes from the three known screen adaptations that feature him: This is a collection of scenes from:– Sagan om Ringen (1971: ...
Back in February the Climate Change Commission recommended a ban on new coal-fired boilers, and a phase out of existing ones by 2037. And today, the government has said they will implement that policy, and backed it up with funding to help transition some of our large pollution sources: ...
A ballot for three members bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Income Tax (Adjustment of Taxable Income Ranges) Amendment Bill (Simon Bridges) Regulatory Standards Bill (David Seymour) Human Rights (Disability Assist Dogs Non-Discrimination) Amendment Bill (Ricardo Menéndez March) The first two ...
Back in 2014, the police raided and searched journalist Nicky Hager's home over his book Dirty Politics, seizing his journalistic work in an effort to identify his sources to please their political masters in the National party. The raid - and much of the police's related investigative work - was ...
By Professor Tony Blakely, Dr Tim Wilson, Luke Thorburn and Professor Nathan Grills, University of MelbourneA new web tool, COVID-19 Pandemic Trade-offs, allows people to weigh the costs and benefits of different policy responses as Australia rolls out vaccines and considers opening borders.See here for an associated explanatory ...
This evening I was engaging in polite conversation (well, I was polite, anyway) on an RNZ Facebook post about – you guessed it! – the covid19 vaccination program. One of those present offered up a link to a blog post by Joseph Mercola to support a claim he was making ...
by Jordan Levi (Contributed) I don’t remember when I first came across the concept of gender identity, but it was definitely before Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner) came out as transgender because I’m sure that would’ve confused me way more if it was my first acquaintance with the phenomenon. The ...
The fact that the much vaunted “most advanced, richest Nation on the planet, ever”, that being America, ran into a brick wall in its responses to the problems across the world of late is because, at its heart, of the economic system that we’ve all been largely forced to ...
The EPA has commenced the 2021 “denewing” of new organisms. Their New Organisms team explain what this means, and ask you to put forward your proposals. The places we inhabit are shared with thousands of different kinds of organisms. They’re in the trees, flying in the sky, in our yoghurt, ...
As we roll out the COVID-19 vaccine across NZ there will inevitably be people who experience adverse events after getting their jab. Here are some super important things to keep in mind about adverse events following immunisation. Terminology – words matter Any event that is undesirable and follows administration of ...
Nature Climate Change celebrates 10 years of obfuscation The Nature Publishing Group is distinguished not only by what we're told (most of us must take somebody's word for it) are exceptionally high quality research publications but also by what some might term an outlier, extremist policy on locked-down content. In many ...
How can we stop the Ministry of Health censoring and sanitising vital mental health statistics to make themselves (and Ministers) look good? Legislate for annual reporting: Green Party mental health spokeswoman Chlöe Swarbrick says the Ministry of Health should be legally required to produce a wide range of mental ...
Here’s a few short interesting developments or discussions I’ve seen recently. Loosely bundled together in a theme of “values.” Irregular labour Is the private sector the best provider and facilitator of “gig work”? That’s challenged in a New Yorker profile of Wingham Rowan, an English social entrepreneur. For many years ...
In 1997 the Law Commission reviewed the OIA. In the process, they identified a problem: decisions to transfer a request could not be investigated by the Ombudsman under the Act. They also identified a workaround: transfer decisions by agencies subject to the Ombudsmen Act could be investigated under that Act, ...
Today is a Member's Day, though with no particularly controversial bills up, it is likely to be a pretty boring one. First up is Maureen Pugh's Adverse Weather-affected Timber Recovery on Conservation Lands Bill, an attempt to sidestep the Forests (West Coast Accord) Act 2000 and allow the effective mining ...
The area of mental health has been a key strength for Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Government over the last few years. They campaigned strongly in 2017 on fixing up the dysfunctional system, and initially they made some vital strides forward in reforming the sector. An in-depth inquiry was instigated ...
By Jamie Stewart, Federated Mountain ClubsFederated Mountain Clubs (FMC), founded in 1931, represents 96 clubs, 22,000 members and 300,000 people that regularly recreate in the New Zealand backcountry. This article first appeared in the June 2020 issue of Backcountry magazine and is reproduced with permission. (Read the original article). ...
Stuff had an appalling story on Sunday about the Ministry of Health's attempts to hide unflattering mental health statistics and sanitise a regular report. The report came out last week, and showed a massive increase in the use of "seclusion", a practice which has been condemned by the UN Committee ...
Another unpleasant surprise at Tiwai Point: in addition to the declared stockpiles of toxic waste, they may have tens of thousands of tons secretly buried in the early 1990's to avoid the RMA: Investigators are looking into claims highly toxic waste has been buried in unmapped sites at Tiwai ...
This morning the government is deciding on the start-date for a trans-Tasman travel bubble. Note the way that that's phrased: the existence of such a bubble is taken as a given, and the only question is how to implement it. Obviously, we're going to have to re-open the borders eventually, ...
Qualified To Give - And Take - Advice: Most Labour MPs are self-conscious members of the meritocracy, meaning they have succeeded where the vast majority of their fellow citizens have failed. The primary political obligation, understood by all members of the First Labour Government, was to listen to the people. ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD A critical global shipping node – Egypt’s Suez Canal – was reopened on Monday, March 29, six days after being shut down when the 400-meter-long container ship Ever Given became lodged in the canal. A statement by the Suez ...
Red, red whines.That’s all you’ll hear.Not like those glory daysWhen we would cheer. Red, red whines.If it were up to us,We'd make a proper jobOf transforming the world. We would beMore than kind.Offer so much more than spin.Makes us sadWhen we findThere’s so much you won’t begin. Red, red whines.Now ...
Worlds Apart: According to the report of the British Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities: “family structure and social class had a bigger impact than race on how people’s lives turned out”. These are not the sort of findings that New Zealand fighters against "White Supremacy" and "Colonisation" are eager ...
Caitlin Clark, Colorado State UniversityWhether baked as chips into a cookie, melted into a sweet warm drink or molded into the shape of a smiling bunny, chocolate is one of the world’s most universally consumed foods. Even the biggest chocolate lovers, though, might not recognize what this ancient food ...
The Green Party supports the open letter released today by a cross-sector coalition calling for the Government to treat all drug use as a health issue, to repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. ...
Small businesses are not only the heart of our economy – they’re also the heart of our communities. They provide important goods and services, as well as great employment opportunities. They know and love their locals. And after a tough year, they need our support! ...
Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono MP, supports the demand from Pasifika communities fighting for climate action as their homelands are more at risk in the Pacific region. ...
The Green Party supports the six demands for climate action put forward by School Strike for Climate NZ, who are striking across the country today. ...
The Ministry of Justice Māori victimisation report, released today, reinforces what we already know about the impact of systemic racism in Aotearoa and that urgent action is needed. ...
Ricardo Menéndez March’s Members Bill to ensure that disabled New Zealanders do not face discrimination for having a disability assist dog was today pulled from the biscuit tin to be debated in Parliament. ...
More than one million people will be better off from today, thanks to our Government’s changes to the minimum wage, main benefits and superannuation. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to do more for New Zealanders who continue to miss out, as main benefits are set to rise by less than $8 a week tomorrow, Thursday 1 April (at the start of the financial year). ...
Sunday 28th March 70 Rongomaiwahine descendants welcomed members of the Green Party’s Māori Caucus, Te Mātāwaka, Dr Elizabeth Kerekere and Teanau Tuiono, to discuss concerns about RocketLab’s operations on the Mahia Peninsula. ...
A stocktake undertaken by France and New Zealand shows significant global progress under the Christchurch Call towards its goal to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The findings of the report released today reinforce the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, with countries, companies and civil society working together to ...
Racing Minister Grant Robertson has announced he is appointing Elizabeth Dawson (Liz) as the Chair of the interim TAB NZ Board. Liz Dawson is an existing Board Director of the interim TAB NZ Board and Chair of the TAB NZ Board Selection Panel and will continue in her role as ...
The Government has announced that the export of livestock by sea will cease following a transition period of up to two years, said Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “At the heart of our decision is upholding New Zealand’s reputation for high standards of animal welfare. We must stay ahead of the ...
For the first time, all 18 prisons in New Zealand will be invited to participate in an inter-prison kapa haka competition, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. The 2021 Hōkai Rangi Whakataetae Kapa Haka will see groups prepare and perform kapa haka for experienced judges who visit each prison and ...
The Government has introduced the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill, designed to boost New Zealand's ability to respond to a wider range of terrorist activities. The Bill strengthens New Zealand’s counter-terrorism legislation and ensures that the right legislative tools are available to intervene early and prevent harm. “This is the Government’s first ...
Coal boiler replacements at a further ten schools, saving an estimated 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Fossil fuel boiler replacements at Southern Institute of Technology and Taranaki DHB, saving nearly 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next ten years Projects to achieve a total ...
Attorney-General David Parker today announced the appointment of Cassie Nicholson as Chief Parliamentary Counsel for a term of five years. The Chief Parliamentary Counsel is the principal advisor and Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO). She is responsible for ensuring PCO, which drafts most of New Zealand’s legislation, provides ...
Every part of Government will need to take urgent action to bring down emissions, the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw said today in response to the recent rise in New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions. The latest annual inventory of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions shows that both gross and net ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says Aotearoa New Zealand has become the first country in the world to introduce a law that requires the financial sector to disclose the impacts of climate change on their business and explain how they will manage climate-related risks and opportunities. The Financial ...
Exceptional employment practices in the primary industries have been celebrated at the Good Employer Awards, held this evening at Parliament. “Tonight’s awards provided the opportunity to celebrate and thank those employers in the food and fibres sector who have gone beyond business-as-usual in creating productive, safe, supportive, and healthy work ...
Applications are now invited from all councils for a slice of government funding aimed at improving tourism infrastructure, especially in areas under pressure given the size of their rating bases. Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has already signalled that five South Island regions will be given priority to reflect that jobs ...
The Construction Skills Action Plan has delivered early on its overall target of supporting an additional 4,000 people into construction-related education and employment, says Minister for Building and Construction Poto Williams. Since the Plan was launched in 2018, more than 9,300 people have taken up education or employment opportunities in ...
An innovative new Youth Justice residence designed in partnership with Māori will provide prevention, healing, and rehabilitation services for both young people and their whānau, Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Whakatakapokai is located in South Auckland and will provide care and support for up to 15 rangatahi remanded or ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today expressed New Zealand’s sorrow at the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. “Our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen at this profoundly sad time. On behalf of the New Zealand people and the Government, I would like to express ...
We, the Home Affairs, Interior, Security and Immigration Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (the ‘Five Countries’) met via video conference on 7/8 April 2021, just over a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Guided by our shared ...
Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni has today announced the opening of the first round of Ngā Puninga Toi ā-Ahurea me ngā Kaupapa Cultural Installations and Events. “Creating jobs and helping the arts sector rebuild and recover continues to be a key part of the Government’s COVID-19 response,” Carmel ...
Interim legislation that is already proving to keep people safer from drugs will be made permanent, Health Minister Andrew Little says. Research by Victoria University, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, shows that the Government’s decision in December to make it legal for drug-checking services to operate at festivals ...
Public consultation launched on ways to improve behaviour and reduce damage Tighter rules proposed for either camping vehicles or camping locations Increased penalties proposed, such as $1,000 fines or vehicle confiscation Rental companies may be required to collect fines from campers who hire vehicles Public feedback is sought on proposals ...
The Government is continuing to support Air New Zealand while aviation markets stabilise and the world moves towards more normal border operations. The Crown loan facility made available to Air New Zealand in March 2020 has been extended to a debt facility of up to $1.5 billion (an additional $600 ...
Christchurch’s Richmond suburb will soon have a new community hub, following the gifting of a red-zoned property by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to the Richmond Community Gardens Trust. The Minister for Land Information, Damien O’Connor said that LINZ, on behalf of the Crown, will gift a Vogel Street house ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says the reopening of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ (MPP) Languages Funding in 2021 will make sure there is a future for Pacific languages. “Language is the key to the wellbeing for Pacific people. It affirms our identity as Pasifika and ...
It is a pleasure to be here tonight. Thank you Cameron for the introduction and thank you for ERANZ for also hosting this event. Last week in fact, we had one of the largest gatherings in our sector, Downstream 2021. I have heard from my officials that the discussion on ...
Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods has today announced the 16 projects that will together get $3.9 million through the 2021 round of Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund, further strengthening the Government’s commitment to Māori knowledge in science and innovation. “We received 78 proposals - the highest ...
The Government is delivering on a key election commitment to tackle climate change, by banning new low and medium temperature coal-fired boilers and partnering with the private sector to help it transition away from fossil fuels. This is the first major announcement to follow the release of the Climate Commission’s ...
Six projects, collectively valued at over $70 million are delivering new schools, classrooms and refurbished buildings across Central Otago and are helping to ease the pressure of growing rolls in the area, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. The National Education Growth Plan is making sure that sufficient capacity in the ...
Two more schools are now complete as part of the Christchurch Schools Rebuild Programme, with work about to get under way on another, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. Te Ara Koropiko – West Spreydon School will welcome students to their new buildings for the start of Term 2. The newly ...
The Government is acting to ensure decisions on responding to the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic are informed by the best available scientific evidence and strategic public health advice. “New Zealand has worked towards an elimination strategy which has been successful in keeping our people safe and our economy ...
Six Māori scholars have been awarded Ngārimu VC and the 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial scholarships for 2021, Associate Education Minister and Ngārimu Board Chair, Kelvin Davis announced today. The prestigious Manakura Award was also presented for the first time since 2018. “These awards are a tribute to the heroes of the 28th ...
New Zealand’s aerospace industry is getting a boost through the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), to grow the capability of the sector and potentially lead to joint space missions, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods has announced. 12 New Zealand organisations have been chosen to work with world-leading experts at ...
The Government is backing more initiatives to boost New Zealand’s food and fibre sector workforce, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “The Government and the food and fibres sector have been working hard to fill critical workforce needs. We've committed to getting 10,000 more Kiwis into the sector over the ...
Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni has welcomed the first reading of the Social Security (Subsequent Child Policy Removal) Amendment Bill in the House this evening. “Tonight’s first reading is another step on the way to removing excessive sanctions and obligations for people receiving a Main Benefit,” says ...
The Government has taken a significant step towards delivering on its commitment to improve the legislation around mental health as recommended by He Ara Oranga – the report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction, Health Minister Andrew Little says. The Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment ...
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has welcomed the Local Government (Rating of Whenua Māori) Amendment Bill passing its third reading today. “After nearly 100 years of a system that was not fit for Māori and did not reflect the partnership we have come to expect between Māori and the Crown, ...
New Zealand’s successful management of COVID means quarantine-free travel between New Zealand and Australia will start on Monday 19 April, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed the conditions for starting to open up quarantine free travel with Australia have ...
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little welcomed ngā uri o Ngāti Hinerangi to Parliament today to witness the third reading of their Treaty settlement legislation, the Ngāti Hinerangi Claims Settlement Bill. “I want to acknowledge ngā uri o Ngāti Hinerangi and the Crown negotiations teams for working tirelessly ...
Minister of Police Poto Williams has announced the members of the Ministers Arms Advisory Group, established to ensure balanced advice to Government on firearms that is independent of Police. “The Ministers Arms Advisory Group is an important part of delivering on the Government’s commitment to ensure we maintain the balance ...
Kiri Allan, Minister of Conservation and Emergency Management will undertake a leave of absence while she undergoes medical treatment for cervical cancer, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “I consider Kiri not just a colleague, but a friend. This news has been devastating. But I also know that Kiri is ...
Excellent progress has been made at the new prison development at Waikeria, which will boost mental health services and improve rehabilitation opportunities for people in prison, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says. Kelvin Davis was onsite at the new build to meet with staff and see the construction first-hand, following a ...
To reduce the trauma of road crashes caused by drug impaired drivers, an Independent Expert Panel on Drug Driving has proposed criminal limits and blood infringement thresholds for 25 impairing drugs, Minister of Police Poto Williams and Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. The Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill ...
Temporary COVID-19 immigration powers will be extended to May 2023, providing continued flexibility to support migrants, manage the border, and help industries facing labour shortages, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announced today. “Over the past year, we have had to make rapid decisions to vary visa conditions, extend expiry dates, and ...
Bills get killed a lot at Parliament. But when a bill comes back for a second go - zombie style - the coup de grâce is trickier. Today's Order Paper at Parliament includes a debate that looked like that. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna M. Kotarba-Morley, Lecturer, Archaeology, Flinders University An almost 3,400-year-old industrial, royal metropolis, “the Dazzling Aten”, has been found on the west bank of the Nile near the modern day city of Luxor. Announced last week by the famed Egyptian archaeologist Dr ...
It might have the same name, but Popstars is nothing like the original show. And that’s a problem, writes Sam Brooks.The first episode of Popstars, way back in 1999, got through the auditions stage in one segment, literally 10 minutes of television. The rebooted version of Popstars, which aims to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Quinn, Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University This week, US health authorities recommended pausing the rollout of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine while investigations into exceptionally rare blood clots take place. Six women suffered ...
The Māori Party is demanding the police minister stop racism within the force, after the police watchdog found a wāhine Māori had her photo unlawfully taken. ...
The programmes were the same. But the ads weren’t. Toby Manhire watches them all.The 1999 reality TV phenomenon Popstars was defrosted from its cryogenic slumber on Monday night. Not only had this epoch-defining show straddled millennia, it now straddled channels, appearing on both TVNZ 1 and TVNZ 2 at the ...
Māori Party co-leaders are directing all questions about donations to the party executive, but say they have sought assurances everything is above board. ...
Amnesty International is calling on the New Zealand Government to oppose the Government of Japan’s decision to release more than one million tonnes of radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. We join a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sujeet Kumar, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University India is witnessing a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases after months of declining numbers had given the country hope it had made it through the worst ...
A new white paper commissioned by UP Education and Yoobee Colleges looks at how Aotearoa can better support and sustain its creative industries. 2020 may have been a year of unprecedented challenges, but for Aotearoa’s creative industries, it was also one in which incredible pressure produced outstanding results. With our government’s ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the border security guard who had not been tested since last November lied to his employer First Security about the tests he was supposed to have had. ...
The Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate Visual Recording) Amendment Bill is still open for public submissions, and the Justice Committee is interested in hearing from everyone, especially young people. Alongside making a ...
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SPORTS NEWS
Martin Crowe’s fiery protest
The retired New Zealand cricketing superstar Martin Crowe recently
staged a fiery protest against New Zealand cricket authorities
following their dumping of the NZ captain Ross Taylor…
http://www.thewitness.org/archive/mayjune2003/img/BurningMonk.jpg
Good on him, more boys club members with no clue on how to run a professional code. mcullam is a bad choice to replace Taylor and WTF was wrong with Taylor anyway?
We haven’t come a long way since Turner had beefs with these old boys over playing county and representing NZ we’ve just produced enough decent players to mask the real issues. Bad management and no consistent academy structure for bringing talent through combined with bias at rep level to mates and boys club members over talent.
Its an all too familiar tale in NZ sporting codes.
Splendid letter from Crowe in this morning’s Herald. Good for him!!
What is it with the US, and individuals shooting people/children in educational establishments – this time an elementary school? Land of the free? Champion of democracy?
Ha! WYSIWYG link button working again.
And the blockquote button? Nope. Not working at all.
The important thing to remember is its not the NRA’s fault, it’s the parents. If the toddlers had been armed they could have defended themselves.
That’s right. The more freedom there is to carry a gun the safer they will be. And we need to remember, of course, that guns don’t kill people, people do. /sarc
One of England’s leading philosophers, one TONY PARSONS, has written thoughtfully and philosophically on the issue….
‘The problem is not the gun laws of American but the limitless cruelty of the human race.’ https://twitter.com/TonyParsonsUK/status/279647164337106944
Thus he has proved, irrefutably and elegantly, that it is not guns that kill children in kindergartens, it is people of limitless cruelty.
Agree about the limitless cruelty thing, just also think there are two issues to deal with 1. how to stop having a society with cruel people 2. how to limit the weapons in a community when limitlessly cruel people are among us. It’s not either/or – and one before the other. They need to be addressed in tandem.
Rosy, I was pointing out the stupidity of Tony Parsons. He’s one of the shallowest and glibbest people in England.
Ah – sorry – the page you linked to doesn’t work, so I didn’t note the tone – can you summarise what he said?
That’s all he wrote, Rosy. In other words, instead of writing something sensitive and thoughtful, which would have required a degree of sensitivity and thoughtfulness, Parsons simply chose to recycle a ridiculous cliché. He had to write SOMETHING of course; as a handsomely remunerated “pundit” he is expected to deliver an opinion, no matter how ill-informed, on a range of topics.
Well, to be fair to Parsons, he was good for two years in the mid seventies, but that was more to do with speed, punk and his genius missus. The Boy Looked at Johnny is still a great read; no heroes any more.
1.) “Well, to be fair to Parsons, he was good for two years in the mid seventies,”
Let me hazard a guess, Te Reo—you love old issues of the NME as much as you love Private Eye. You appear to be a scholar as well as a gentleman.
2.) “but that was more to do with speed, punk and his genius missus.”
She wrote some interesting pop music comments in the 1970s, but her subsequent career has demonstrated that horrible woman is no genius. She’s a nasty piece of work, as well as being cast-iron ignorant.
Spent last weekend clearing out my old stuff from the oldie’s attic; lots of NME’s, PE’s, posters of Bowie etc. The NME really was superb from 77-83, Burchill, Parsons, Nick Kent, Paul Morley, Ian Penman through to Steven Wells and X Moore. Linking pop music to politics and philosophy was a liberation for me.
I still rate Burchill, (listening to her talking to DJ Steve Wright in ’93 as I write). There is little I agree with her about these days, but our mis-named mate The Contrarian really should look her up, as she’s been genuinely contrarian for 35 years:
“Bob Dylan broke his neck; close, but no cigar.”
Did you read that magazine (short-lived but very readable) she put out with Toby Young in the 1990s?
Modern Review? I think the ex liberated the few copies I had!
Yes, that’s it. I have a couple of copies in my basement, somewhere.
Guns in America ARE causes for much limitless cruelty of the human race! (Including high death rate among police persons).
Hi Dr T..
1: Who manufactures the guns and weapons
2: Who sells the guns and weapons
3: Who ensures that the guns and weapons are in continual use domestically/internationally
4: Who controls the legislations/contracts of those who manufacture the guns and weapons
5: Who cares if innocent people domestically/globally are dying through use of the guns and weapons, as long as *business remains good and retains control*
6: Who pulls the trigger on the gun or weapon, or issues the order for the weapons to be used
etc…
The anwer to any of the above does NOT include the word, gun or weapon
Well Karol, the idea is to instill the most fear, commit the attrocities which cover illicit the maximum emotive reaction . We have recently seen *attacks* on movie goers, then quickly followed by the sikh religious attacks, now followed by another attack on a school.
Fear, shock, horror, fear, emotive responses all geared at ramping towards a pre conceived outcome.
Lets see where the shit trail leads this time and which…
Yes, here we have the continuation of the repeated lone wolf meme again….
Here we have the standard confusion being created around a *second shooter*, which like the Cinema, Temple shootings will be quickly discarded..
Those who say that the guns are the problem, are simplistically wrong! The people commiting these *attrocities* are the problem, whoever they are, and the reasons behind it, complex, deliberate, and opaque!
Edit: Nice post above Morrissey
I’d like to know who thought it was a good idea to interview a child who was at the school, on the day of the shooting, and broadcast that all over the world. That lack of care and restraint is a big part of the picture too. It’s so much more sensational to broadcast the words of a child who was there, never mind that the child is traumatised or that listening to a traumatised child should not be news.
Hi Weka,
Very observant line of questioning again from you.
Further questions to ask are…Was this *girl* actually at the school, and is the *girl* being quoted, someone who has been brought in specifically to be *interviewed* for the *news*.
Was the *interview* even at, or near the location where the *news* was assumed to be reported from!
*sigh* I don’t know Muzza – does the school exist? Did the shooting happen? Is it all a big plan to bring about gun control so the population will have no defence against the government?
But as for questioning of one of the school children. Was parental consent required for that? – it’s an appalling example of ‘rolling’ news coverage.
The American Administration, or more accurately those behind it, will be just as happy to see the people killing eachother. Don’t forget the rulers do not give a toss about the masses, they have consistantly proven this decade in decade out, and the repeated attempts of remove the 2nd amendment, and attack the gun laws etc, is IMO, just for show. They don’t care for human life these people, and so for mine, there is little I would consider to be *out of the question*, so far as what else is in play!
Rolling news coverage – stages, props, actors, manipulation, controlling of narratives, telling stories and *creating history*.
The narrow channels of the supply of *news*, has made it ever more possible to *create news*, even any given event happened or not. Now I am not saying that this is/is not a real event, only that the hollywood, news media with its hstorical links to military and so on, can manufacture anything they want, and report it to the world within minutes.
Total control of *the news*, to take control of the emotional states, and state of helplessness of the masses. The desired nessages are continually reinforced through movies, tv, video games music videos etc!
Yet again the conspiracy meme. While you may get some vicarious thrill at imagining some shadowy conspiracy behind the US Administration ‘controlling the narrative’. The more obvious (and either boring or unbelievable for you) explanation is that the nature of the media coverage is simply the profit motive.
More hits, readers, viewers, hence more advertising revenue and profit – is the ultimate goal. With multiple internet and TV stations all providing non-stop 24-hr coverage, the way to get the ‘customers’ is to dramatise the story, make it more thrilling, horrible, contentious….
You may be right in saying that some of the many competing media outlets may ‘stage manage’ to make their ‘news’ more ‘interesting’ but don’t doubt for one second that these were real people killed by a lone madman.
Despite all the media saturation and dramatisation… the horror and shock is evident in the stark gut wrenching reality that 20 children …. 28 people…. have been killed in an awful way.
Like the tragedy of 9-11, this is a defining event that will have a profound effect on the mood, thoughts and subsequent actions of all Americans.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE POVERTY – government employees not doing their jobs properly, or even taking the time to ensure people are receiving their full and correct entitlement.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8083554/Christmas-on-the-breadline
1) I suspect the TAS amount is wrong
2) the amount deducted for repayments can be reduced at the case managers discretion. Why is she paying $15 then? Clearly she can’t afford it.
3) the amount of child support needs to be reviewed. Clearly this is an unaffordable level for her.
4) has she been advised that she can apply for special needs grants such as food, clothing, etc etc??
government employees not doing their jobs properly, or even taking the time to ensure people are receiving their full and correct entitlement.
More likely it’s government employees being either under-resourced to do their jobs properly or being prevented from doing them properly by interference and mismanagment direct from the political level.
My younger brother who has a life-long disability (and while he can paint roofs, you would not wish what he has on your worst enemy) says he can always tells when National is in power because WINZ or it’s equivalent of the day, go from being merely depressing to deal with … to utterly miserly, malicous and mind-fucking.
I also have a permanent disability, and notice a big difference in WINZ between left and right governments. That’s why it fucks me off when people say there is no difference between Labour and NACT. There is, a very real difference. Depressing vs utterly miserly, malicious and mind-fucking is a good way to describe it, and anyone who thinks that isn’t a significant difference has too easy a life.
No, that is not why we have poverty. We have poverty because capitalism demands it.
3)Her child support should have dropped to the minimum $12 a week from the time she lost her job.
Writing or phoning the IRD and referring to an income reduction under s.40 should get it cut back.
WINZ should know this and as the IRD arrange to have all sorts of other things notified to them why are they not writing to someone who goes onto a benefit asking them if they need to apply for a payment reduction.
I tried to post on stuff but my password was not accepted so my comment is probably erased.
When it comes to down sizing a bedroom Bernadette will lose her TAS and she will be no better off. I assume she gets most if not all of tempoary additional support (TAS) for the rent.
Unless there is an increase in the accommodation supplement (AS) or affordable housing is made available the daily struggle on an empty stomach is not going to change. As well jobs are required, but I think that housing cost is easier to fix as the government could increase the AS or only review the TAS every 26 weeks and not the current 13 weeks and possibly increase TAS as well.
I have not read up on if people will lose $42 per week when on the invalid benefit (IB) if they are eligible for part time work testing as changes are to be made for those on IB next July.
People on IB are already stressed out enough due to chronic health conditions, (sometimes a few/ several) and reducing the IB for those who may be able to work part time on a good day is planet Key mentality.
I strongly object to restructuring a health benefit on the ground that a person is eligible for a benefit which is REQUIRED because of incapacity when it comes to employment and that the incapacity for employment is unknown on any given day.
I’d like to see confirmation of that IB policy, and the actual rules. Nevertheless Jenny Shipley cut medical benefits by $20/wk in 1990, so we know that NACT don’t give a shit, and are stupid beyond belief as well (what happens to ill people when they don’t have enough to live on? That’s right, they become even more dependent on the state).
Thank you for asking for clarification re IB changes as I saw an error I have made. Yesterday on Open Mike 4.
“Under the Bill, an invalid beneficary who is reclassified as a ‘job – seeker’ will face a cut in income from $256 to $213 a week – effectively a benefit cut of $213 a week.”
What is reclassified and how is this determined I am left asking myself?
Current Work Capacity Medical Certificate for Invalid Benefit asks:
Do the conditions listed previously limit the person’s capacity to work for 30 hours or more per week?
Do the conditions listed previously limit the person’s capacity to work regularly in open employment for 15 hours or more a week?
Is the person’s incapacity for work expected to last for at least 2 years?
Is the person’s life expectancy less than 2 years?
Is the person receive active treatment or under the care of specialist for any of the conditions listed previously? (their error receive)
When is the person likely to be capable of:
Work planning
Limited training (less than 15 hours per week)
Part-time work (at least 15 hours per week)
Full-time work (30 hours or more per week)
Are there any more treatments or interventions that could assist the person into work?
Unable to work from
When should the person’s capacity for work next be assessed?
Basically a person has to be unable to work for 15 hours a week for the next 2 years to currently qualify for the IB. I do not know if this is going to be reclassified or how as then you get the situation I described in 3.4 paragraph 5&6. As well sickness benefit is going to be absorbed as job seeker, IB will be supported living and a parenting one.
Full-time work is at least 30 hours a week.
How can a person who is forced to come off the IB then be expected to be available to work 30 hours a week as a job seeker when they can only work 16 hours a week?
Correction paragraph 2 – effectively a benefit cut of $42 (even though it is $43).
Thanks for that. btw, I know SBs who are being refused IB. I think mostly WINZ is using the 30hr category now. Anyone capable of working 15 hrs will be on SB.
The only thing I’ve found so far is this –
http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/newsroom/media-releases/2011/welfare-reform.html
Taking that at face value, I think what they will be doing is trying to shift some people off IB and onto SB, just using new names. That explains the drop in rate. Still looking for the new criteria.
Just like the ACC swindle (pushed from ACC to invalids).
“Thanks for that. btw, I know SBs who are being refused IB”
I’m one All the letters and medical certificates went in and some faceless tame doctor, who I have never seen said No I was able to work. And that was that, they said I could ask for a review, but as I told them at the time, whats the point, as you have already made up your minds.
I went back to the specialists and they say there’s nothing they can do as the risks of surgery are so bad that they won’t even try. But WiNZ don’t give a toss. I have probably been underpaid by 40 odd buck’s a week, and that’s really hard on the finances, with a toddler and a teen. Oh well the next installment is clothes for the Teen that’ll be fun.
I am waiting for Bennet to put a stop to your GP being able to do IB medical certificate assessment and go back to the gravy train designated doctors who will lick her boots.
By this time next year I dread to think how high unemployment, hospital admissions and crime will be.
and homelessness.
Good on the woman for going public, although that probably speaks more to desperation than anything else.
SNGs for anything other than food will create more debt 🙁 If she has a sudden unexpected bill she should pay that, and then get WINZ to pay for her food for that week (thus avoiding more debt). There is a limit on the SNGs per year though.
Reducing the debt repayment to $5/wk is a not brainer and should have been done as a matter of course.
She’s probably not getting her full disability allowance either.
Probably not as WINZ staff have been getting worse over the years. It’s as if Bennet has put out a missive allowing the staff to be as difficult and non informing of entitlement’s as they want to be.
Also why was she made to stand down for 3 weeks or so?? She recieved NO redunduncy payment, so WINZ HAD to make sure she was really suffering before they will do anything.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kate-middleton-prank-call-royal-1488880
Kate Middleton prank call: Royal hoax nurse’s anger at hospital in suicide note
14 Dec 2012
In one emotional letter Jacintha Saldanha criticises senior colleagues at the King Edward VII hospital over her treatment after she was duped by two Aussie DJs….
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kate-middleton-prank-call-royal-1488880
This is a terrible tragedy for Jacintha and her family. The Aussie DJ’s prank was despicable. But they were following the infotainment logic of our MSM.
Why is no one questioning the celebrity-focused role of the MSM at large? Why do they create a feeding frenzy around a royal pregnancy? Our MSM gave it more front page, prime-time coverage than the TPP talks that were happening in Auckland at the same time. The TPP is far more crucial to the future of NZers.
Hi Karol,
The charade that makes up the *news*, and the actors who play the parts is becoming too transparent these days, forget about the microscope its in front of the face. *News* is to be considered almost completely staged manipulation, with actors playing/presenting or editing/writing the scripts, and the truth is unlikely to ever see the light of day, even if the *news* event, ever happened or not.
Ther hysteria which surrounds the trash media and propagates as *news*, can be considered as simply this.
Mass manipulation of the public – a global psyop!
“The Aussie DJ’s prank was despicable.”
No it was not “despicable”, it was simply a prank, and a light-hearted, good-humoured one. Nobody—absolutely nobody—could have predicted what later happened.
Clearly not light-hearted and good-humoured for the person on the receiving end. The people who broadcast this stuff without permission don’t/didn’t have any understanding of the trauma and humiliation some victims of their ‘pranks’ might feel. Mr/Ms Everyday person might not be as extrovert as they are, nor be able to brush of a perceived humiliation that easily.
Really? No one could predict a prank would go wrong? It’s only the plot of every second sitcom episode of all time.
And it’s “light-hearted” and “good-humoured” to attempt to access a person’s medical records by deception?
Sure, if you don’t understand the latter, and have no empathy for the people being pranked and how they might feel like they’ve betrayed a sacred trust, sure, I suppose it’s just an innocent little joke.
The DJs work on a station which previously hooked a 14-year-old up to a polygraph to ask her about her sex life. When she revealed having been raped – and the immediate follow-up question from the DJ was “okay, but is that the only sexual experience you’ve had?” I suppose that was just a bit of light-hearted fun which no one could’ve predicted would go wrong either.
Prank-calling a hospital where a royal family member has checked in for an almost certainly bogus reason is entirely acceptable. You can go all North Korean if you want, but the rest of the (sane) world sees these publicly funded parasites as fair game.
The other prank you mention WAS despicable, and I share your contempt for the perpetrators. Your deliberate twisting of my argument to suggest I would approve of that is unworthy of you.
has checked in for an almost certainly bogus reason
No please, do go on, this should be fascinating.
jaysus.
Exactly! The frenzied attack upon these two DJ’s is dreadful and right out of proportion (for all that we rightly sympathise with the nurse). Others must also be held to account.
I think the hospital also has some culpability.
It seems odd that they did not have a filtering process in place that all calls about celebrities went through to ensure appropriate confidentiality.
“I think the hospital also has some culpability.”
Wrong. The person responsible for Jacintha Soldana’s suicide was Jacintha Soldana. Any blaming of the radio DJs or the hospital is mere recycling of the hysteria whipped up by the steaming hypocrites in the Murdoch empire.
Morrisey would the suicide have happened IF there was no prank call, if the media had not published it and if the Nurse had a filtering mechanism on the calls.
Jacinta was responsible for her actions BUT there is a chain of culpability.
“Jacinta was responsible for her actions BUT there is a chain of culpability.”
Then all these people must also be prosecuted: the cafetaria worker who did not smile at her, the bus driver who was gruff and taciturn instead of being sunny and positive, the BBC news readers who read out grim economic and political news each day, the hospital patient who grumbled about something the day before….
There is one person culpable for this death, and it’s not either of the light-hearted pranksters.
Gee Morrisey
You don’t understand anything about some people’s desire to maintain high standards in their work and to do an excellent job which they take pride in and are esteemed for, and also needing to receive a good salary for that high standard of work.
You ought to put yourself forward to your electorate to stand in the next election. You sound very suitable because of your narrow focus and lack of understanding of society to fit you to be a politician.
Then all these people must also be prosecuted:
DUH.
Poor old baffled Dv had this to contribute to the discourse….
“DUH.”
Perhaps a good lie-down would get that brain working again. Certainly something needs to be done, and pronto.
Yes Morrissey, it is your very carefull analysis of cause and effect that has confused me.
Sorry about that. But I see your brain is working just fine again. I think you’ll find that my meaning will become clear after repeated reading, followed by deep thought, perhaps with a panel discussion to follow.
Morrissey’s level of empathy for Jacintha Saldanha is aptly demonstrated by his refusal to take the time to spell her name properly.
My apologies to the family for mis-spelling her name.
Now, explain how that equates with a lack of empathy. And after you’ve done explaining that, explain why you’ve taken your lead in this from the tender-hearted, empathetic folk who work for the Murdoch papers and Sky TV.
[citation needed]
Yeah i agree with you on that, a hospital such as this with regular ‘important people’ as patients would surely have had protocols on what could and couldn’t be said about patients over the phone,
“The Royals” themselves with all the trials and tribulations that they have been through with the media can hardly cry about their privacy being breached as you would think that there would have been in place a system whereby any enquiries were transferred to a royal media minder,
Cheap pricks got what they paid for…
The facets of a prank phone call having many real consequences is a big learning curve to everyone involved and a lesson on how tragic a prank can be.
I do hope that the bereavement counselling offered to the family of Jacintha is not connected with the hospital as their notes could be accessed by the hospital. The hospital cannot be trusted as they have been caught out not knowing that they were critcised in one of the three letters which Jacintha wrote.
When it comes to culture I also hope that the counsellor can identify with cultural practice pertaining to Jacintha’s reaction as it would differ from my European/Polish identity.
LOOKALIKE
Can YOU spot the difference between these violent men?
Professional musician Jimmy Mason was convicted of assaulting a child after an incident on the Bridge of Remembrance in central Christchurch in 2007. The 49-year-old Christchurch man admitted to flicking his son’s ear to “reprimand” him for “riding dangerously near a busy street”.
The case became a cause célèbre for the Kiddy-Whackers Association fronted by Bob McCoskrie, and the S.S. Trust fronted by Garth “Mac the Knife” McVicar. To these kinds of people, assaulting a child on the street means a man is not a thug, but an exemplar of family values, and the very model of the “good parent”.
If you do NOT belong to one of these psychotic organizations, and retain some measure of moral and ethical normality, you probably thought that, after his disgraceful display of self-pity and defiance following his conviction for assault, Jimmy Mason would slither away into deserved obscurity.
However, the emergence of his doppelganger in England has brought back all the horrifying memories….
Consider this picture of James Mason….
http://media.apnonline.com.au/img/media/images/2010/11/03/mason_460x23046423.feature-image_t300.jpg
And now look at the bloke in this article….
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/keep-jlc-off-cbb-justin-lee-1489893
Creepy… or what?
This forum is a bear pit containing a large sub-group of haters and wreckers exhibiting psychopathic traits. Their prefered means of attack is to latch on to the victim using the most vile language possible, then, having done as much damage as they can (to the enormous satisfaction of a blood-thirsty crowd observing the sport) they sanctimoneously pretend they are people of peace and reason who selflessly spend their lives protecting the weak and innocent. I have an extremely bad taste in my mouth. I will now leave the arena and attempt a ritual purification to rid myself of the stench. Good luck gentle-folk in your search for a fairer, kinder world….
Without the slightest hint of self-awareness.
The lack of self-awareness makes it hilarious, though, you have to admit.
Other than “fatty” and Brett Dale, who are probably one and the same person, is Grant Hay the most bewildered person to post on this forum in the past year? I’d like to know if there has been a more confused contribution from anyone.
Grant Hay 5.1
Citation? The whole forum is a bear pit? Bears have feelings too you know.
Thoughts and wishes to the people of Connecticut, what
can one say about this tragic event. As someone who has
family in CT, including younger relatives, this is an awful day.
Here’s hoping there is not a day like this again in CT or
anywhere.
“…what can one say about this tragic event.”
Of one thing we can be sure: Brett Dale will not say anything intelligent or insightful about this tragedy.
“Here’s hoping there is not a day like this again in CT or anywhere.”
Far worse than this is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan every day. You have been loud in your support of it. And your blood-soaked cheerleading for the carnage in Gaza last month makes your words of solicitude nothing but the most callous hypocrisy.
Morrissey:
As someone whos got family in the area, including younger relatives, I think I have just as much as right to comment as anyone else. This is a tragic event.
Then condemn the far greater massacres being perpetrated in the middle east, instead of applauding them, you hypocrite.
Dont see the connection, at the moment my concern is how upset my
younger relatives are in CT, maybe you should stick to prank calling murray deaker.
“Dont see the connection…”
You don’t? Then you are either dimmer or even more depraved than I thought you were.
Again my sympathy goes out to the victims and the families and the children who
survived and who will now be terrified, here’s hoping again, they get the help they need.
Is that sympathy expressed for the victims, the families, and the survivors of the massacre in Gaza? If not, your words are insincere and worthless.
Again. dont see the connection, shouting out Gaza or Iraqi everytime an unrelated tragic event happens in the USA,is cliche.
Again, this is a tragic event and my thoughts and wishes goes out to people in CT.
Its a shame people have a a problem with people giving sympathy to Americans.
“Its a shame people have a a problem with people giving sympathy to Americans.”
I have no problem with people giving sympathy to Americans. I have a great problem with people who applaud mass murder expressing selective sympathy.
It’s like if someone were to loudly, publicly, speak out in support of the PERPETRATOR of a knife-murder, then pretend that he is a VICTIMS advocate.
I will become sympathetic to the Gazans when they stop firing rockets into Israel. But, when they stop firing rockets, then the Israelis will stop trying to stop the rockets, which means peace will return. and then I won’t need to be sympathetic.
Hey, maybe that means its in the Gazans own hands. That is IF they want peace of course. Or maybe what they want is what they always say they want and that is to push the Israelis into the sea. But that would be mean, wouldn’t it. It can’t be right.
Yep, because in a conflict between an economically-repressed, militarily-occupied people and powerful military occupiers supported by the United States, it’s definitely the people whose land got invaded who need to prove they’re interested in peace. 🙄
El Stupido blithered moronically: “But that would be mean, wouldn’t it. It can’t be right.”
You are an ignoramus.
Fracking ‘could create 7000 jobs’
All while not poisoning and killing flora/forna/human beings…what a sales pitch!
A genuine win-win-win for all.
I shouldn’t need the use the /sarc tag, but just in case!
Ghost jobs.
Calling All Sports-Loving Prank Callers
It’s time to step up and do your duty
Let’s proceed on the assumption that prank calls DO actually lead to the receiver committing suicide. If that is true, then every sports lover in the country needs to do THIS as often as he/she can, until the inevitable happy result comes about …
Another gun tragedy in the USA. The biggest since the last one according to the media. More will follow, followed by the wails and sadness of all ad infinitum. Without any meaningful legislation likely to limit gun ownership and easy use. The latest is that some people want to take guns to their workplace. Handy for a Post employee pushed to the limit. And a sign of the deterioration of civil life and attitudes in ‘the greatest little country on the planet’ with the best democracy and political system and military and private weapons that money can buy.
In China there have been a number of knife killings at schools.
Can anybody direct me to a study of this type of crime, the drivers and the perpetrators. Why children? In this USA one the guy wanted to kill his mother but took out bunches of unconnected children too. Were they her class?
I’ll have a post up about this shortly.
We are probably lucky that China and Russia have tried to get UN to allow bigger state controls over the internet. That meant that USA would be against it, though they are anxious themselves to box and contain it. And NZ wouldn’t agree either because we are the USA’s dingy dinghy bouncing behind in their wake. So we’re OK for the present but wait for the next attack on the freedom of the internet that go beyond a reasonable minor level.
<b>DEAKER-WATCH No. 4
“Anders” Deaker stands up for Christian civilization
No action by Sky over Deaker’s SBW comment</b>
7:24 AM Monday Mar 12, 2012
Sky TV says it will take no action against broadcaster Murray Deaker after he reportedly said All Black star and boxer Sonny Bill Williams made him “uncomfortable” because “he is a Muslim in a so-called Christian country”.
Deaker reportedly made the slur about Williams, who converted to Islam in 2009, on the Deaker on Sports show on February 29.
Sky Television spokeswoman Kirsty Way said today that the remark was made during a live discussion and its meaning was taken out of context when read in isolation.
No action would be taken by Sky TV against Deaker.
A copy of the tape could be released only with Deaker’s approval because he had editorial control of the show, Ms Way said.
Deaker could not be reached for comment last night. Williams’ manager Khoder Nasser did not wish comment further when contacted yesterday evening. He earlier said he was disgusted by what Deaker said.
“As you get older, they say you get wiser. You are closer to the grave, which gives you a sense of realism, you become humbled and more accepting of other human beings. But the older this man gets, the more bigoted he becomes.”
Hundreds of comments have been posted on Twitter condemning Deaker’s remarks. “If Sky won’t cancel Deaker’s show…”
Read more, then <b>prank-call him</b>….
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10791405
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
DEAKER-WATCH is a series dedicated to highlighting the contributions of Murray Deaker to New Zealand public life.
DEAKER-WATCH No.1… http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-13032012/#comment-446445
DEAKER-WATCH No. 2…http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-14032012/#comment-447110
DEAKER-WATCH No. 3…http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-15032012/#comment-447518
DEAKER-WATCH No. 4…
Why on earth would sky cancel the rantmeister bigot and all the publicity he generates.
Its not there’s competition is there.
The best reason to cancel his show must be his ratings. Nobody watches it.
What are you on Morrissey? I hope that you have something lined up to occupy you for Christmas as it would be discouraging to see your pseudo every second or third comment.
Okay, Viper, I’m hip with that “Less is more” philosophy. I’ll tone it down from now on.
Meanwhile, enjoy this amusing vegetable…
http://lovecarrots.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/ronnie_hoggan_carrot.jpg
Morrisey
Carrots – so good for one. Healthy, good for your eyes etc. And watch Brett Dale DFT. Save your time for your other good comments. I like your reporting of some of the discourses on the media.
Public Apology to “fatty”
Earlier this morning, I launched into an intemperate tirade against our good friend “fatty”, calling him “ignorant” and “arrogant”. Of course, I turned out to have mis-identified him; his comments are in fact well thought out, and clearly well informed.
I therefore retract all the comments I made against “fatty” and beg his forgiveness….
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42723000/jpg/_42723661_slavery_pa203b.jpg
That’s a very weird photo to put with an apology.
Was reading a book last evening and it reflected upon Leadership and Management.
In New Zealand in a political view I considered the countries Leaders.
Like it or not Key and Norman have Leadership qualities, whereas it would appear that Shearer has Management.
The view considered was that Leaders are naturals whereas Managers can be taught, but perhaps are not, nor ever can be, Leaders.
Key is not a Manager ie a details man
Norman is a Leader, maybe with some Management – not sure, as he is an enigma.
But Shearer lacks the vital empathy to be a Leader – but he has Management skills learned overseas
Cunliffe has neither – cannot see a Labour Leader though, Shearer is the best bet as a good Manager.
Not sure what your criteria are for deciding who is which, especially the claim that Cunliffe has neither managerial nor leadership qualities. From what I have seen and heard he is very competent and energetic, and I have seen that has a very good relationship with his electorate.
Fortran
The support and admiration that Cunliffe has earned among the majority of rank and file might suggest sifnificant LEADERSHIP qualities?
The success Cunliffe has had taking a National seat and growing his majority in five elections might suggest significant LEADERSHIP and MANAGEMENT qualities?
Cunliffe’s impeccable run in ministerial positions, Health, Immigration and Telecommunications/ITmight might suggest significant LEADERSHIP and exceptional MANAGEMENT qualities?
Cunliffe’s sticking with his core LABOUR values and turning the other cheek while some people do their “tall poppy” act on him is the mark or a great leader.
Fortran, your comment on Cunliffe is wrong. He will prove that he is streets ahead of Key, when he becomes PM.
I was shocked to hear on the news that a spokesperson for a church saw nothing wrong about having a paedophile in a group at a school as part of some project/ outreach the church was doing. He said that the school did not have any rules about this so he thought it was perfectly okay. WTF.
He sounded like a youngish man, just my impression, and it underlines that young men need to be aware and thoughtful about people’s problems in society. Someone on the radio recently said that some paedophiles automatically fall in to grooming mode when around youngsters. They will present themselves as friends to the child who appears vulnerable, feeling lonely or bored even, and its a big boost to a child to have someone who takes an interest. And the devious background thinking would be unknown.
Is it just me, or is ts more fractious than normal today?
I think you’re right, my friend. The fraught tempers are probably caused by a combination of hot weather and the presence of a cynical provocateur like Brett Dale.
Tonight I read a report in a leading European paper, on Greece and the absolutely shocking situation there, where a society is split into those still struggling to manage and those falling down through the former social net. It is SHOCKING reading.
Now crime is rampant, social division is the rule, there is even talk of civil war.
The foreign banks get blamed, and some of them carry some blame, but I fear it goes beyond that now. There is racism, nazism, unrest and worse taking place there, and I fear it will spread across many other countries in Southern Europe.
Now does this not ring a bell? Have you heard of crime, tension, poverty and so forth?
Do the ones still living in middle class comfort not get it? Do you want to taste the full blow perhaps? I fear you have another thing coming very soon!
NZ is on the verge of explosion too, once we have the next welfare “reforms” being pushed through. Force poor, sick and disabled, mums not able to get a job, to look for work that does not exist. John Key, you are asking for another Queen Street Riot, I am afraid!