It seems that you largely come onto this site principally to gloat. It is not such a good look.
There are a few of us basically from the centre-right who come on to the site to debate. A fair few of those who are obviously on the left engage in the debate, that is actually respond to to the points. Most (though not all) don't go full feral. Otherwise The Standard would be just a left echo chamber.
Why? Leader of another party does something stupid and may have been involved in posting of photo on a blog of ill repute. This is nowhere close to bring down the Government territory.
Yes, but I would say he wasn't upholding the ethical standards required of the role before he was elected, so this is largely on NZF voters. I agree it is a dilemma for Ardern though.
True. Imagine if people could be blocked from becoming Ministers for not exhibiting good enough character beforehand to be trusted to uphold the Cabinet Manual. Would save some anguish and arseholery.
Jacinda Ardern is sensible enough to allow the SFO to do their job.
She also has no role in scrutinising the behaviour of an MP outside Parliament, when there is no actual proof that he took the photo in question. His statement was probably a Royal "We" meaning A NZ First member.
Our Prime Minister has real problems to deal with, this is similar to other storms in tea cups.
Having announced the election date in 7 months, and therefore 4 months of practical government before the campaign proper starts, isn't the basic answer "that's a matter for the electorate to decide" ?
Of course – but as we all know there are two main purposes of this manufactured scandal: drive NZF under 5% and tarnish Ardern (albeit at one remove).
That said, the whole donations regime IS scandalous and National is donkey deep in it as Simon's phone call to Jamie shows. Perhaps Labour could front-foot it by a clear policy to end anonymity in donations, require that donations come only from named individuals not corporations, trusts, unions etc., and cap annual donations at something affordable by someone on the median wage.
I understand where you’re coming from Rosemary. Many of us who are activists on the left have had to grapple with disappointment at how NZ First has been a handbrake on the rate of transformation our Labour-led coalition has been able to achieve. Deceased rodents have been swallowed, to be sure. What needs to happen now, is a mobilisation for progression. We musn’t sucuumb to negativity and bitterness and become enemies of ourselves. I have a background in the health and disability sector. I may even have met you sometime and somewhere. We’re allies. We must mobilise this year to increase the majority for Labour, so we can improve the material well-being of those whom this dysfunctional economy has left behind. I urge anyone here, if you’re involved in political membership or campaigning, get involved. Start now. We need numbers. We need hands, feet, arms, legs, voices, moving whatever muscles we have, from whatever positions we may be in, to ensure this next term we, the left are in power and have the room and majority to be truly transformative.
Of course it isn’t. But neither is it just “another leader of another party”. This is the deputy PM, the leader of Labours coalition partner in government. Worse than that perhaps, the timing of all of this is making Bridges decision to cut NZF loose look righteous.
I reckon Simon knew this was about to hit the media else would have announced not working with NZF about a month before election. How did he know? The mind boggles.
“ “Labour may struggle to mobilise their fanbase come the next election; people are beginning to suspect this government is more interested in style over substance. And the gloss has definitely come off Ardern.”
that “year of delivery” may be a term jacinda wished she never muttered.
Meatstock is a music festival for non-vegetarian audiences where the sauces are hot but the music is not.
Bands playing there this year include the Poor Cribs, the Mutton Chops, the Lampton Quay Minces, Supersized, and the Burger Boys with their hit, "Do You Want Fries With That?"
Opposition Leader Simon Bridges will be drumming for the Crusty Piemen which is why James is going. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the band and that they were on fire. Nothing like live music, said the live musician….. Also glad the music was on fire and not the sauces (too much) or the BBQs.
Music brings us together like little else. One of my little conundrums is figuring out how such great music as country can be is loved and played by rednecks. Really confronts the stereotypical approach to politics and beliefs.
Don't imagine you are going to wind any of us up by mentioning 'Meatstock'. It might give you a trembly little thrill and a snigger to imagine you are – but it's a fail, mate. Last night I ate fish I had caught, killed (iki), and prepared myself. A few days earlier I barbecued lamb chops on a charcoal grill (the only way) getting some good smokey flavours by adding green rosemary sprigs to the coals. Most of us on the left are very well-rounded, tough and smart – completely unlike the idea of us you seem to have in your head.
Given the hysterical responses from some on the left when mentioning meat previously would indicate that some views of the left are reasonable to hold.
It's a bit like redheads or an Irishman being told stereotypically that they're prone to flying off the handle; then people use the way that the redheads and the Irish react, by getting riled, to this characterisation as proof!
Tell me often enough that I am ruining the planet by eating meat and I might start reacting to this form of over-simplification.
Maybe Facebook isn’t the demon we think it is. Certainly there are major differences between us and the UK when it comes to media consumption, but this article from the Guardian makes a good read.
The past footage of Bloomberg now appearing is very interesting for someone outside the US – he looks like a billionaire Republican who as mayor of New York was viciously racist and authoritarian. Also there's some laughable footage where he is spouting the meritocratic myth/lie that the way to get ahead is to be the first to arrive at work, the last to leave and don't take a lunch break – in a way spookily anticipating the systems of control and surveillance that have subsequently emerged in workplaces like Amazon warehouses.
With Biden seemingly tanking, it seems that Bloomberg's purpose is to get enough delegates to ensure Sanders doesn't get a majority. That results in a brokered Democratic convention where a 'centrist' could be given the nomination, even though Sanders has a plurality. Popcorn time if they try that – and tragically, yet another gift to Trump.
Still I guess it will be an super interesting battle if it ends up being Sanders/Bloomberg running directly against each other, you couldn't ask for a more clearer cut ideological battle to be waged out in the open..if Sanders can take on Bloomberg's billions, the establishment DNC and 99% of liberal media and still take the nomination, then we know he has a very real chance of defeating Trump.
Just to put these numbers in perspective, let us not forget that Trump is a man who the Democrats love to lampoon as a low-functioning moron, a grossly incompetent administrator, a corrupt crook and a sexual predator.
And there is probably not much in that assessment that I disagree with.
And yet after years of his supposed ineptitude and their supposed ingeniousness, they have not managed to advance a single person who is odds-on to beat him.
This is as great an embarrassment to the inner-city celebrity intelligentsia that has displaced the Democratic working-class heartland as any true soul could possibly imagine.
Yes I like that take too, it is so similar to the position the Republicans ( in their own twisted universe that is) found themselves during the last Rep nomination cycle that is is almost bizarre
As James and Friends sprinkle nonsense about the demise of Jacinda Ardern the more stupid and useless their words and predictions look. James has every support of every low mouth journo and rag ever produced here or abroad.
However, Prime Minister Ardern is in fact the most illustrious and sure – footed person in the world's political arena.
James knows that. His mentors know that. New Zealanders know that. James is delivering lies. As is Simon Bridges.
In the meantime, in the past 3.5 yrs, the mess that goes by the name "United Kingdom" has produced nothing like the Delivery of the NZ Coalition. Weight for Weight our Coalition is a five decades ahead of a crippled UK.
Let's not compare ourselves to the UK an pat ourselves on the back…
Maybe instead look at our homelessness, prison population, child poverty, affordable housing etc Judge the govt on the progress they are making on those stats.
James and his ilk are imho jealous of Jacinda’s popularity. Simple as that. And so they try to denigrate her at every opportunity. What nasty mean-minded people they are. At least Wayne from the right tries to show some balance with his comments and doesn’t come over as bitter and twisted.
Yes, they have increased the minimum wage and increased some welfare and family tax credit increases. These things are easy. Literally just the stroke of a pen.
But not so well on things that require actual delivery. Such as houses, operations, child poverty, promises on light rail, etc. These require Ministers to constantly monitor progress, and ensure that targets and objectives are actually met. Labour has a serious problem around the competency of delivery. Way too many people across the political spectrum don't think they can.
It explains why the centre-right vote has held up. If the government was solidly delivering and looking competent, they would be doing much better. Labour was doing so in 2002 and National was in 2011, both dates being the same point in the electoral cycle. The fact that this election looks to be competitive in quite an indictment. In 1975 a few months out from the election, the then Labour government looked incompetent. Which is why Rob Muldoon won.
Competency was the issue in 1975. Is it also going to be the case in 2020?
I have had enough experience of government to know what you are asserting is not true.
Changing a tax rate is something done one a piece of legislation that can be passed in a couple of hours. Same as simply banning something.
But building houses according to a schedule is a management challenge. Requires buying land, letting contracts (and the whole tendering process that goes with this). Then the contracts have to be monitored, people kept to task. all has to be done with high managerial competence.
The minister doesn't negotiate and purchase for each plot of land any more than a minister individually analyses the economic impacts and revenue projections on a proposed tax change.
If you were handling your portfolios to that level of detail, you:
You are deliberately misinterpreting what I have said. Obviously Ministers don't actually let contracts, etc. But they are responsible for the systems, the monitoring of progress, trouble shooting (such as getting in experts to assist the Ministry) and keeping people to task.
All very different to changing a tax or benefit rate.
Wayne at least she fucking admitted their is a housing problem not like old smile and rave key . You should be ashamed you were part of a do nothing government
You'll never get Wayne to admit or concede anything.
"I have had enough experience of government to know what you are asserting is not true"
He does all that 'I know best' stuff in a very modest and considered sort of way – probably why the media still see him as some fair and balanced sort of sage, enabling him to keep milking it as a rent-a-voice for a bit longer.
But he's not alone by any means. Aside from Mrs Wayne, he's got his own enterage of hero worshippers. Sorry to say many of them misrepresent themselves as being members of the 4th Estate. Others are fellow talking heads that sit there dripping with fashion, jewelery and wisdom telling us all what we’re supposed to know if we want to be aspirational and in with the in-crowd.
Personally I think they’re hideous specimens.
(Shit! did I say that out loud?)
By the way, I realise I might be sailing close to the wind, in as much as I realise I could be accused of attacking the messenger rather than the message. But when it's constant, it kind of goes to the legitimacy of the message.
I was kind of hoping Wayne might be bestowed with some other sort of honour – such as a knighthood. There'd be a better chance of his slinking into obscurity, honour and marbles intact; Mrs Wayne being allowed her pride (not sure if she's particularly "fat and cuddly" or good on the Elna); and the 4th Estate being forced to look for another talking head (going forward)
Nothing like a trade wind blowing, flittering and fluttering to give an exilarating feeling..
I'll step back @Cogs, and just watch (like I think I promised myself I would do as a NY resolution). I appreciate your job is hard enough having to deal with it all.
Most off the things you cite have actually got worse in the last 2 years. That is not the fault of National. The current government has to own responsibility for those things.
That's momentum. It's difficult to turn 9 years of neglect around in two years. The John Key and Bill English governments have to own responsibility for that.
Why not? Families are charged way more stuffed into dive private tenancies.
If motels are being used in the short to medium term as more than emergency housing then it's right to have them contribute what state house tenants contribute until such time they can be found a community to live in.
Slum landords need to be dealt with no doubt… but thats a poor example for the state to follow…
Perhaps you are eight and there should some cintribuition but shurly it should be considerably less than what you would pay in a state house… maybe 10 percent?
The surge in motel use began under a National government. When it started people were receiving benefit advances to pay for them which meant for many debts into the tens of thousands. Then, still under National, around 2014, a new category of grant was introduced especially for emergency housing. No government has addressed the issue of a significant number of people still repaying big debts back, $30k, $40k, $50k – John Campbell on Checkpoint reported one at $80k. About a year ago the Social Security Appeal Authority remitted one which was $10k. This government has said they will not go back and remit these hideous debts for those who were caught up in that complete mess. The irony is that the meet the criteria to receive the recoverable advance the person must be in dire financial straits, so by meeting that test they end up with a debt for $50k.
They have formed an entire measurement framework around budget outcomes, so that there is total transparency about what effect public investment is having under each budget line.
And of course they've continued that in December 11 2019, outlining the broad areas that they will focus on in the upcoming May budget.
This government is shying away from nothing. Sure, criticize them for not delivering fast enough, by they are following a clearly forecast course and a framework within which to hold them to account.
It was part of the trade off (along with extended brightline test) for the non inclusion of cgt.
The fly in the ointment is the constraint enacted by the RBNZ for bank lending to investors (borrowing limits) the rbnz will have to increase the investor equity requirement to constrain investor growth (and housing inflation).
What things are you referring to that the current government is responsible for which have worsened homelessness, the prison population, child poverty and affordable housing?
She, like other National Party bloggers, complains Labour and the Greens aren't doing enough in condemnation of NZF for photos of Lester Grey with reporters appearing on Whale Oil 2.0.
In her article she links to a piece she wrote in 2013 on the GCSB illegal spying scandal. The very first image, and before one word appears, is one of the beleaguered Hugh Wolfensohn BEING DOOR-STEPPED presumably by Vance and her photographer.
You worked at British tabloid News of the World for seven years. Did you enjoy that job?
I loved it. It was so much fun….I spent a large part of my life on stakeouts. I lived in my car. You spend up to 16 hours on a job, just waiting. You take turns with the photographer going to get the papers, a bacon roll, coffee and cigarettes.
I guess what's really happening is that journalists do not like it one bit when the tables are turned, even for a moment…do they really believe they are beyond reproach?
PS. Here’s the long history of the News of the World which was shut down for hacking the phone of a dead teenager. It’s also the paper at which Vance claims she had so much fun and presumably leaned all she knows.
Well Wayne given some of these projects are very large and require exhaustive planning and execution, it is understandable they are not all up and running right now.
With a housing deficit that National refused to accept, it obviously is taking a while to get up to speed with building more homes. What did National achieve in their last 9 years other than leave a huge problem for our current government.
Likewise the run down hospitals and schools and environmental vandalism mess that National left in their wake (with farmers allowed to have cows wading in rivers and streams).
The government readily acknowledges there is more to be done. National just adopted a nothing to see here, move on, let’s have a tax cut and raise GST.
This is a recycling of Bill English's failed election campaign promises. Tax cuts for the rich will serve to motivate Labour's base more than ever, I suspect.
How to tackle decades of infrastructure deficit in Auckland made particularly acute in recent times after huge and unmanaged immigration increases?
Growth at 4% built on importing bodies isn't a sensible plan.
How to tackle housing affordability, dropping home ownership rates and the class separation and community health this inevitably affects.
Labour has not been able to turn the ship around yet it's true. Part of that is inexperience, but most of it is having a right wing coalition partner, a hostile Public Service and a middle class addicted to free house price gains and reluctant to give that up for the good of all.
And Bridges said today that they will pretty much reverse all the changes the government has made to the rental housing and they will allow foreigners back into the housing market.
The Nats have no problem with 'delivery' because they seldom attempt anything worthwhile or difficult. They can quite reliably deliver windfall cash into the pockets of their supporters – that's their whole purpose.
Downing Street has hired an adviser who compared women's sport to the paralympics as part of Dominic Cummings’ hiring drive for “misfits and weirdos”.
In one tweet, seen by The Times, Andrew Sabisky, a writer and researcher who calls himself as a “super-forecaster” said: "I am always straight up in saying that women’s sport is more comparable to the Paralympics than it is to men’s.”
According to the paper, the researcher also deleted tweets mocking people for “wetting themselves” over female Labour politicians including Yvette Cooper, Angela Rayner and Rebecca Long Bailey, all of whom he dismissed as “dim”.
Wow. I had these all over my succulents in Spring. I noticed quickly that something was attacking them and upon inspection at night the plants were crawling with these things. The damage was like nothing I'd see before.
I tried looking online to see if there was a known issue but nothing until now.
I eradicated them with Pyrethrum over several nights.
If it really was brown marmorated stink bugs, then MPI really really want to know about it. If there's any still around or they come back, get in touch with MPI.
Offering free money to National voters smacks of Bribery. To do it when there is an ongoing holocaust rampaging through ordinary men and women of Aotearoa is scandalous beyond pity.
Sir William English gave huge offers to the very Wealthy and much lesser amounts to the lowly Nationals. Unfortunately, Bill scummed himself. in front of his entire family.
There you go national plans to stop mimimum wage increase that will just create more of a mess in Aotearoa.
She is someone who caused you to grab a box of tissues.????????.
I think the amount of people with autism is much higher than that especially when there were stats of high percentage of adult people with reading levels of a 12 year old.????.
I would ride a electric bike it would be cool and great for the environment low carbon transport.
I seen some of his statements on Maori TV not good at all.
Maori tangata need to talk to New Zealanders f health help line it's a pain in the you know what when the person you are talking to don't understand what you're problem is and what you want.
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Buzz from the Beehive There has been plenty to keep the relevant Ministers busy in flood-stricken Auckland over the past day or two. But New Zealand, last time we looked, extends north of Auckland into Northland and south of the Bombay Hills all the way to the bottom of the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters When early settlers came to the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers before the California Gold Rush, Indigenous people warned them that the Sacramento Valley could become an inland sea when great winter rains came. The storytellers described water filling the ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Wayne Brown managed a smile when meeting with Remuera residents, but he was grumpy about having to deal with “media drongos”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: In my pick of the news links found in my rounds since 4am for paying subscribers below the paywall:Wayne Brown moans about the media and ...
Dr Bryce Edwards writes – Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Hipkins’ aim this year will be to present a ‘low target’ for those seeking to attack Labour’s policies and spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Anyone dealing with Government departments and councils who wants some sort of big or long-term decision out of officials or politicians this year should brace for ...
Last night’s opinion polls answered the big question of whether a switch of prime minister would really be a gamechanger for election year. The 1News and Newshub polls released at 6pm gave the same response: the shift from Jacinda Ardern to Chris Hipkins has changed everything, and Labour is back ...
Over the last few years, it’s seemed like city after city around the world has become subject to extreme flooding events that have been made worse by impacts from climate change. We’ve highlighted many of them in our Weekly Roundup series. Sadly, over the last few days it’s been Auckland’s ...
And so the first month of the year draws to a close. It rained in Auckland on 21 out of the 31 days in January. Feels like summer never really happened this year. It’s actually hard to believe there were 10 days that it didn’t rain. Was it any better where ...
A ‘small target’ strategy is not going to cut it anymore if National want to win the upcoming election. The game has changed and the game plan needs to change as well. Jacinda Ardern’s abrupt departure from the 9th floor has the potential to derail what looked to be an ...
When Grant Robertson talks about how the economy might change post-covid, one of the things he talks about is what he calls an unsung but interesting white paper on science. “It’s really important,” he says. The Minister in charge of the White Paper — Te Ara Paerangi, Future Pathways ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The clean up has begun but more rain is on the way. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: Auckland’s floods over the last three days are turning into a macroeconomic event, with losses from Aotearoa’s biggest-ever climate event estimated at around $500 million and Auckland’s schools all closed for a week until ...
The news media were at one ceremony by the looks of things. The Governor-General, the Prime Minister and his deputy were at another. The news media were at a swearing-in ceremony. The country’s leaders were at an appointment ceremony. The New Zealand Gazette record of what transpired says: Appointment of ...
I n some alternative universe, Auckland mayor Efeso Collins readily grasped the scale of Friday’s deluge, and quickly made the emergency declaration that enabled central government to immediately throw its resources behind the rescue and remediation effort. As Friday evening became night, Mayor Collins seemed to be everywhere: talking with ...
They called it an “atmospheric river”, the weather bombardment which hit NZ’s northern region at the weekend. It exacted a terrible toll on metropolitan Auckland and the rest of the region. Few living there may have noted a statement from electricity generator Mercury Energy labelled “WET, WET, WET!” This was ...
I know, that is a pretty corny title but given the circumstances here in the Auckland region, I just had to say it. The more oblique reference embedded in the title is to the leadership failures exhibited by Mayor Wayne Brown and his so-called leadership team when confronted by the ...
How much confidence should the public have in authorities managing natural disasters? Not much, judging by the farcical way in which the civil defence emergence in Auckland has played out. The way authorities dealt with Auckland’s extreme weather on Friday illustrated how hit-and-miss our civil defence emergency system is. In ...
TLDR: Here’s the key news links and useful longer reads I’ve spotted since 4 am this morning, including:calls for a more ‘spongey’ urban infrastructure after Auckland’s floods;demands for an inquiry into Auckland Council’s communications failure;the latest on Chris Hipkins’ plans for Three Waters; inside the PR trainwreck that is Wayne ...
TLDR: Here’s the key news links and useful longer reads I’ve spotted since 4 am this morning, including:calls for a more ‘spongey’ urban infrastructure after Auckland’s floods;demands for an inquiry into Auckland Council’s communications failure;the latest on Chris Hipkins’ plans for Three Waters; inside the PR trainwreck that is Wayne ...
Mayor Wayne Brown, under fire for his communication failures, quietly visited the scene of the fatal Remuera slip on Sunday, with his staff taking photos for social media updates. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: The cleanup and the post-mortem have begun, even though the rain just keeps falling in Auckland after ...
We’ve just announced a massive infrastructure investment to kick-start new housing developments across New Zealand. Through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, we’re making sure that critical infrastructure - like pipes, roads and wastewater connections - is in place, so thousands more homes can be built. ...
The Green Party is joining more than 20 community organisations to call for an immediate rent freeze in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, after reports of landlords intending to hike rents after flooding. ...
When Chris Hipkins took on the job of Prime Minister, he said bread and butter issues like the cost of living would be the Government’s top priority – and this week, we’ve set out extra support for families and businesses. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to provide direct support to low-income households and to stop subsidising fossil fuels during a climate crisis. ...
The tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...
Over $10 million infrastructure funding to unlock housing in Whangārei The purchase of a 3.279 hectare site in Kerikeri to enable 56 new homes Northland becomes eligible for $100 million scheme for affordable rentals Multiple Northland communities will benefit from multiple Government housing investments, delivering thousands of new homes for ...
A memorial event at a key battle site in the New Zealand land wars is an important event to mark the progress in relations between Māori and the Crown as we head towards Waitangi Day, Minister for Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis said. The Battle of Ohaeawai in June 1845 saw ...
More Police officers are being deployed to the frontline with the graduation of 54 new constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today. The graduation ceremony for Recruit Wing 362 at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua was the first official event for Stuart Nash since his reappointment as Police ...
The Government is unlocking an additional $700,000 in support for regions that have been badly hit by the recent flooding and storm damage in the upper North Island. “We’re supporting the response and recovery of Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, Northland, and Bay of Plenty regions, through activating Enhanced Taskforce Green to ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has welcomed the announcement that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, will visit New Zealand this month. “Princess Anne is travelling to Aotearoa at the request of the NZ Army’s Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, of which she is Colonel in Chief, to ...
A new Government and industry strategy launched today has its sights on growing the value of New Zealand’s horticultural production to $12 billion by 2035, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our food and fibre exports are vital to New Zealand’s economic security. We’re focussed on long-term strategies that build on ...
25 cents per litre petrol excise duty cut extended to 30 June 2023 – reducing an average 60 litre tank of petrol by $17.25 Road User Charge discount will be re-introduced and continue through until 30 June Half price public transport fares extended to the end of June 2023 saving ...
The strong economy has attracted more people into the workforce, with a record number of New Zealanders in paid work and wages rising to help with cost of living pressures. “The Government’s economic plan is delivering on more better-paid jobs, growing wages and creating more opportunities for more New Zealanders,” ...
The Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Cabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive ...
The new Cabinet will be focused on core bread and butter issues like the cost of living, education, health, housing and keeping communities and businesses safe, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. “We need a greater focus on what’s in front of New Zealanders right now. The new Cabinet line ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. “The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,” Chris Hipkins ...
The Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “We moved quickly to make available this funding to support Aucklanders while the full extent of the damage is being assessed,” Kieran McAnulty ...
As the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. “I’d urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...
Ka papā te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wāhi rua mai ana rā runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te māreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira Nā reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mōwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pōuri ...
Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the Tairāwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...
The 2023 General Election will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “Announcing the election date early in the year provides New Zealanders with certainty and has become the practice of this Government and the previous one, and I believe is best practice,” Jacinda ...
Jacinda Ardern has announced she will step down as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. Her resignation will take effect on the appointment of a new Prime Minister. A caucus vote to elect a new Party Leader will occur in 3 days’ time on Sunday the 22nd of ...
The Government is maintaining its strong trade focus in 2023 with Trade and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visiting Europe this week to discuss the role of agricultural trade in climate change and food security, WTO reform and New Zealand agricultural innovation. Damien O’Connor will travel tomorrow to Switzerland to attend the ...
The Government has extended its medium-scale classification of Cyclone Hale to the Wairarapa after assessing storm damage to the eastern coastline of the region. “We’re making up to $80,000 available to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to help farmers and growers recover from the significant damage in the region,” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Enshrining a constitutional Voice to parliament will bring better practical outcomes and give the best chance for Closing the Gap, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will say in a major address on the referendum on Sunday. ...
By Jamie Tahana, RNZ News Te Ao Māori journalist at Waitangi, and Russell Palmer, digital political journalist Iwi leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand have accused opposition parties National and ACT of “fanning the flames of racism”, urging the prime minister to be brave and not walk away from partnership on Three ...
By Phoebe Gwangilo in Port Moresby Higher Education Minister Don Polye has condemned a decision by the administration of the University of Papua New Guinea to treat a PNG-born and bred grade 12 school leaver as an “international” student. Roselyn Alog, 19, whose parents are Filipinos, was born and raised ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s former Elections Supervisor Mohammed Saneem is under investigation by the country’s anti-corruption agency for alleged abuse of office and has been stopped from fleeing the country. The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) said Saneem was alleged to have “on numerous occasions . . . unlawfully authorised payments of ...
Labour's position has alternated over the past few days: first Prime Minister Chris Hipkins would speak, then he wouldn't, and then he would again. ...
Te Pāti Māori Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer are announcing a transformative defence and foreign affairs policy which asserts the Mana Māori Motuhake and Tino Rangatiratanga of tangata whenua in Aotearoa at their Party’s ...
The Prime Minister will no longer speak at Waitangi commemorations after the organising trust moved the political leaders to a panel away from the main event The Waitangi National Trust wrote to political parties last month saying they didn’t want political leaders to speak at the pōwhiri held on the eve ...
The Prime Minister once again has a speaking slot at the pōwhiri in Waitangi after earlier on Saturday saying he would respect the wishes of the trust organisers by not doing so The Waitangi National Trust has given the green light for Chris Hipkins and other political leaders to speak ...
It’s been exactly a decade since Seven Sharp first appeared on our screens. Remember the first episode? We’ve unearthed the tapes. On this day in 2013, a bombshell was thrown into the New Zealand television landscape. “Time for us to make way, because you’re here to see what everyone’s talking ...
MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris has fronted endless media requests and live crosses this week. Is he getting it right? Lewis Ferris is trying to find his weather map. “This week’s been so insane” he mutters as he closes multiple tabs on the three screens across his Wellington desk. He’s ...
After four years, executive director Max Tweedie has stepped down from Auckland Pride. He tells Sam Brooks about shepherding the festival through a tumultuous few years, and where he’s going from here.This year’s Auckland Pride Festival is set to be the biggest one yet. Over the course of more ...
A flailing mayor was only the public face of a multifaceted flooding communications failure. Duncan Greive examines the mess, and asks what can be done to improve it.It’s a chilling timeline. Stuff’s Kelly Dennett catalogued, beat-by-beat, the 12 hours in which Auckland was pummelled by a catastrophic deluge, interspersing ...
The Dunedin branch of the Green Party has selected Francisco Hernandez as its candidate for the Dunedin electorate in this year’s general election. Francisco Hernandez was the Otago University Students Association President in 2013. He has held a number ...
Waitangi organisers are trying to push political leaders to the side at Sunday's pōwhiri, but Labour's deputy leader says it's not for them to decide who speaks. Te Tai Tokerau MP and Labour’s deputy leader, Kelvin Davis, says the Prime Minister will speak at Sunday’s pōwhiri at Waitangi, in defiance of local ...
A very short story for Waitangi weekend The pā is a lonely place nowadays. Gorse has marched on it like the British troops of old, consuming the hills and leaving the marae looking a bald patch on the head of the earth mother herself. Even the roads have worn thin, ...
Every weekday, The Detail makes sense of the big news stories. This week, we spoke to an aid worker who had made the trip to the war zone in Ukraine, looked at why Carmel Sepuloni was picked to be the new deputy prime minister, visited the flood-torn streets of Titirangi in West ...
Schools play an integral but often unrecognised and unacknowledged role in helping communities respond to and recover from disastersOpinion: Schools in Auckland and other flood-affected areas are about to re-open after a delayed start to the new school year. Students will return to school having experienced wide-ranging impacts. While some ...
This is The Detail's Long Read - one in-depth story read by us every weekend. This week, it's The School Away From School written by Bill Morris and published in NZ Geographic's January/February 2023 issue. You can find the entire article, with photos from Lottie Hedley, on the NZ Geographic website. One hundred years since its ...
COMMENTARY:By Kayt Davies in Perth I wasn’t good at French in my final year of high school. My classmates had five years of language studies behind them. I had three. As a result of my woeful grip on the language, I wrote a terribly bad essay in my final ...
RNZ Pacific Journalist Victor Mambor, who is the chief editor of the West Papuan newspaper and websiteJubi, has received the Oktovianus Pogau Award from the Indonesian-based Pantau Foundation for courage in journalism. The foundation’s Andreas Harsono said Mambor’s decision to return to his father’s homeland and defend the rights ...
RNZ News Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick is brushing off concerns a temporary rent freeze in flood-hit Auckland would just see landlords hike rents even more when the controls were lifted — arguing they should stay permanently. More than 20 organisations have signed a letter urging Minister for Auckland Michael ...
Iwi leaders have accused National and ACT of "fanning the flames of racism", urging the prime minister to be brave and not walk away from partnership on three waters. ...
About this time last week it had become apparent that Auckland was in for a bit more than just a wet Friday. While the state of emergency remains in place for another seven days, it appears the worst should now be behind us. Last night, Niwa shared a fascinating thread ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra ShutterstockIndigenous Australians are respectfully advised that the following includes the names and images of some people who are now deceased. The Reserve Bank of Australia ...
The government has confirmed the money will be spent in Northland, including unlocking greenfields land and transport upgrades like a new bridge in Kamo. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabrielle Appleby, Professor, UNSW Law School, UNSW Sydney Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that sometime between August and November this year, the Australian people will go to a referendum for the first time since 1999. We’ll be asked whether we support ...
Viewers across the United States were today shown a slice of New Zealand, with a reporter for Good Morning America broadcasting live from Rotorua. Robin Roberts, a co-anchor for the popular morning TV show, has been touring the country this week. During her visit to Rotorua’s Te Puia centre, she ...
They can be environmentally unsound and are a symbol used to shame millennials, but everyone still loves an avo. I love avocados, always have, always will. The buttery golden-green flesh from a perfectly ripe avocado is a culinary blessing. Today I’d love to simply wax poetic about twisting open a ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (Penguin Press, $50) The beautiful ...
A new poem by Robin Peace. To the kahikatea I see from my bed Thinking inside the square, the ellipse, the round of what life is, I only see the trees. Not only as if that were the only thing I see, but only as if the tree matters more. ...
A week ago, Elton John’s first Auckland show was called off at the last minute. What was it like getting there, being there, and trying to return home afterwards?Elton John has long been a blessing for our ears, but in recent years his Auckland shows have been cursed. His ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Auckland’s Wayne Brown, as his response to last week’s flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
For Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, sorry seems to be the hardest word to say The mayoral chains must have been heavy this week for Auckland’s Wayne Brown, as his response to last week’s flood garnered its own veritable torrent of scandals and media scrutiny. Almost exactly one week on from ...
Ours Not Mines is cautiously excited about reporting that the Government is drafting legislation to ban new mines on conservation land. The anti-mining group's spokesperson, Morgan Donoghue says: "The Government has been promising us some action for ...
People who enjoy the outdoors for recreation, fishing and hunting will lose rights under the Natural and Built Environments Bill. Fish & Game New Zealand chief executive Corina Jordan says the proposed replacement for the Resource Management ...
Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has conceded he “dropped the ball” during last Friday’s major flooding event. The state of emergency in the super city has today been extended for a further seven days, though Brown said he expects it will be lifted early. After a week of defensiveness over his ...
As the reality TV juggernaut returns for a new season, Tara Ward steps into the minds of the show’s relationship experts to assess the compatibility of this year’s brides and grooms. Married at First Sight: Australia returns on Monday night, and by season ten, you’d think the show’s relationship experts ...
Auckland’s state of emergency is expected to be extended for another seven days, according to the Herald. It was due to expire overnight after being declared a week ago, the day of the worst flooding in the super city. While weather conditions have improved, the city is continuing to experience ...
Proposed pay equity claim settlements for school librarians and science technicians have been reached between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa, Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted and NZEI Te Riu Roa president, Mark Potter, announced ...
Members of NZEI Te Riu Roa negotiating on behalf of school librarians, library assistants and science technicians are excited to announce that proposed pay equity settlements are ready to be voted on by their colleagues. They include pay increases of up to ...
The Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) is calling for Michael Wood, the Minister of Transport, and now Auckland, to cancel the light rail project immediately. Auckland Light Rail was never going to happen, as our group has repeatedly said dozens of ...
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has been asked to intervene following confirmation today that the Government plans to implement a ban on all extractive sector activities on the conservation estate. Wayne Scott, CEO of the Aggregate and Quarry Association, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The heated (and often confused) debate about “co-governance” in Aotearoa New Zealand inevitably leads back to its source, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. But, as its long-contested meanings demonstrate, very little ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Hunter, Lecturer in Art and Performance, Deakin University Jodie Hutchinson/Red StitchReview: Wittenoom, directed by Susie Dee, Red Stitch Deep in the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia, the town of Wittenoom lies empty, desolate … and contaminated. Wittenoom ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Oliver Bown, Postdoctoral fellow, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The past few years have seen an explosion in applications of artificial intelligence to creative fields. A new generation of image and text generators is delivering impressiveresults. Now AI has also found ...
New Zealand’s egg shortage is hitting cruise ships too – forcing the crew of one vessel to hatch a poaching plan. This story was first published on Stuff. On the hunt for eggs, a crew from a luxury cruise ship got cracking and hatched a cunning plan. Earlier this week, Stuff ...
Now demolished, the First Church of Christ Scientist was a masterclass of architectural imagination. Kate Linzey visits the site on which it once stood, to learn more. The object is delicate and small. Small enough to sit in the palm of my hand and weighing less than 300 grams. It ...
When your food parcel arrives before the emergency alert, you know something’s not working properly.This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. I’ve spent the last week desperately and at times fruitlessly attempting to drain and then sweep my whānau home of knee-deep water, pull up ...
Drongo-gate continues for another day with the Herald reporting that Auckland’s mayor has been caught out using the slang term for a second time. It comes this time from a former minor mayoral candidate, Mike Kampkes, who said he received a message from Brown in response to a media release ...
How does Aotearoa stop relying so heavily on agriculture to prop up our economy? Online tax and accounting service Hnry just raised $35m to grow its software on-demand service across the globe. Bernard Hickey talks with AirTree partner Jackie Vullinghs about how venture capitalists are funding Aotearoa’s fastest growing, least-polluting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Guastella, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney Shutterstock With childcare and schools starting the new year, parents might be anxiously wondering how their child will adapt in a new ...
I am delighted to announce the appointment of John Price ONZM as the new Director Civil Defence Emergency Management and Deputy Chief Executive Emergency Management for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). John has been a member of the ...
Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki are calling on the new Prime Minister and new Minister of Conservation Willow Jean Prime to immediately implement the 2017 promise to ban new mining activity on conservation lands. “ The mining industry group Straterra ...
How does Aotearoa stop relying so heavily on agriculture to prop up our economy? Online tax and accounting service Hnry just raised $35m to grow its software on-demand service across the globe. In the latest episode of When the Facts Change, Bernard Hickey talks with AirTree partner Jackie Vullinghs about how ...
There’s a fear that highlighting menopause will undermine women, especially at work. But what have centuries of secrecy achieved for us? Are you sick of hearing about menopause? Kim Hill is. The living legend of Aotearoa broadcasting told actor Robyn Malcolm (also a legend) on her Saturday Morning show on RNZ ...
Dunedin city council has reached an agreement to save Foulden Maar from commercial mining. The maar is the site of a crater lake from 23 million years ago with the diatomite of the lake preserving fossils and a climate record covering 100,000 years from that period. It is fantastic news for Otago University ...
Some are speculating whether the Auckland Mayor's leadership is circling the drain. James Elliott hopes they're right. There’s never been a week quite like it. It was the week when the rains came. All of them. Even the rain from Spain that was supposed to fall mainly on the plain, came. ...
The Bus and Coach Association supports the Government’s decision to continue half-price fares on public transport services. The fare reduction was set to expire on 31 March 2023, but will now continue to 30 June 2023. “Half-price fares have cost ten-times ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Hipkins’ bread and butter reshufflePolitical scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins continues to be the new broom in Government, re-setting his Government away from its problem areas in his Cabinet reshuffle yesterday, and trying to convince voters that Labour is focused ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Chris Hipkins hires a lobbyist to run the BeehiveNew Zealand Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, speaking when Minister of Education, at NZEI Te Riu Roa strike rally on the steps of the New Zealand Parliament, 15th August 2018. Image; Wiki Commons. New Zealand is ...
New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. Items of interest and importance todayCO-GOVERNANCE, WAITANGI, THREE WATERS Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Blowing Off The Froth: Why Chris Hipkins Must Ditch ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brian Tweed, Senior lecturer, Massey University Shutterstock/Renata Apanaviciene As we approach another Waitangi Day, we should be thinking again about what Te Tiriti o Waitangi means. As the late Moana Jackson commented, the meaning of Te Tiriti will be ...
Even prime ministers get caught in bad weather. It’s a week on from the devastating flooding that hit Auckland and Northland and Chris Hipkins has been forced to drive north for the start of Waitangi weekend commemorations after his plan was turned away from Kerikeri airport (twice). Today will see ...
Less than a year ago, co-governance had a future, at least as potentially accepted terminology. Now some iwi leaders want the label removed and replaced, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
“The decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to not replace the late Queen with Charles on the Aussie $5 note should indicate to our Reserve Bank that it’s time to change the NZ $20 note” said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Wolf, Associate Professor, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University Somchat Parkaythong/Shutterstock Black holes are bizarre things, even by the standards of astronomers. Their mass is so great, it bends space around them so tightly that nothing can escape, even ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Environmental Physics, University of Canterbury Getty Images The ozone layer is on track to heal within four decades, according to a recent UN report, but this progress could be undone by an upsurge in rocket ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney At the New South Wales election on March 25 a 12-year-old Coalition government will be seeking re-election. Hoping to return as premier is Liberal leader Dominic Perrottet – a political conservative ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Trauer, Associate Professor, Monash University Anastelfy/Shutterstock The XBB.1.5 subvariant, known informally as “Kraken”, is the latest in a menagerie of Omicron subvariants to dominate the headlines, following increasing detection in the United States and United Kingdom. But there ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Combe, Doctoral student, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock As the economist Herman Daly pithily said, the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment – not the reverse. Nature makes our lives possible through what scientists call ecosystem ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Jefferson, Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock Grit. Don’t quit. That’s the mantra many parents may have in mind when they, like me, spend what feels like years ferrying children to a seemingly endless variety of sports and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW Sydney Sam Shere/Wikimedia Commons A few weeks ago, Gautam Adani was indisputably India’s richest man. Now his fortune is slipping away as the stocks of his many companies crash, thanks to the ...
https://i.stuff.co.nz/environment/119089844/polluters-making-windfall-gains-from-scheme-to-reduce-emissions
More proof the ets is a failure.
Beijing has released evidence that Xi JinPing was on the corona virus case much earlier than anyone suspected.
Now why, oh why does that remind me of Winston Smith's task to 'update' history in 1984?
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/15/world/asia/coronavirus-china-live-updates.html
Or am I just being too cynical?
I wonder what wonderful things Winstons fan base of twitter bots will say about him today ?
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/02/swarm-of-apparent-twitter-bots-claim-admiration-of-winston-peters-after-difficult-week.html
[I have asked you a few times to back up your accusations and allegations. Alwyn tried to save your butt but you ignored my other requests: https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-14-02-2020/#comment-1684990 and https://thestandard.org.nz/daily-review-13-02-2020/#comment-1684709. You simply continue with your shit stirring here without adding anything to the debate. Give us a break and take three weeks off – Incognito]
James,
It seems that you largely come onto this site principally to gloat. It is not such a good look.
There are a few of us basically from the centre-right who come on to the site to debate. A fair few of those who are obviously on the left engage in the debate, that is actually respond to to the points. Most (though not all) don't go full feral. Otherwise The Standard would be just a left echo chamber.
But do you want to actually debate?
Thank you, Wayne.
James only comes here to mass debate
See my Moderation note @ 8:28 AM.
Jacindas continues to say nothing about Winston and it’s going to cause damage.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/119518952/prime-minister-silent-on-winston-peters-covert-photo-controversy
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/119531489/snooping-on-journalists-is-an-attempt-to-silence-and-shut-them-down
and of course this opens up for nice adverts like this one:
https://www.facebook.com/183355881680015/posts/3451669638181940/?vh=e
Why? Leader of another party does something stupid and may have been involved in posting of photo on a blog of ill repute. This is nowhere close to bring down the Government territory.
I guess since he is Deputy PM and a minister you could male the case he isn't upholding the ethical standards required of the role…
Then you are left with does the PM act or let it slide, thats where some political risk sits but as you say not enough to bring down the govt….
Yes, but I would say he wasn't upholding the ethical standards required of the role before he was elected, so this is largely on NZF voters. I agree it is a dilemma for Ardern though.
True. Imagine if people could be blocked from becoming Ministers for not exhibiting good enough character beforehand to be trusted to uphold the Cabinet Manual. Would save some anguish and arseholery.
Cough. John Key.
Jacinda Ardern is sensible enough to allow the SFO to do their job.
She also has no role in scrutinising the behaviour of an MP outside Parliament, when there is no actual proof that he took the photo in question. His statement was probably a Royal "We" meaning A NZ First member.
Our Prime Minister has real problems to deal with, this is similar to other storms in tea cups.
Having announced the election date in 7 months, and therefore 4 months of practical government before the campaign proper starts, isn't the basic answer "that's a matter for the electorate to decide" ?
Of course – but as we all know there are two main purposes of this manufactured scandal: drive NZF under 5% and tarnish Ardern (albeit at one remove).
That said, the whole donations regime IS scandalous and National is donkey deep in it as Simon's phone call to Jamie shows. Perhaps Labour could front-foot it by a clear policy to end anonymity in donations, require that donations come only from named individuals not corporations, trusts, unions etc., and cap annual donations at something affordable by someone on the median wage.
One wonders if Certain Folks are now contemplating the wisdom of having sold what might have passed for their soul in signing the Pact with Winston.
Has it been Worth It In the Long Run?
Some of us have seen little other than SSDD.
And the Pretty Pony Tax of course.
Hark!
Is that the sound of the Wheels Falling Off?
"Hark! Is that the sound of the Wheels Falling Off?" – hope not; sounds painful.
I understand where you’re coming from Rosemary. Many of us who are activists on the left have had to grapple with disappointment at how NZ First has been a handbrake on the rate of transformation our Labour-led coalition has been able to achieve. Deceased rodents have been swallowed, to be sure. What needs to happen now, is a mobilisation for progression. We musn’t sucuumb to negativity and bitterness and become enemies of ourselves. I have a background in the health and disability sector. I may even have met you sometime and somewhere. We’re allies. We must mobilise this year to increase the majority for Labour, so we can improve the material well-being of those whom this dysfunctional economy has left behind. I urge anyone here, if you’re involved in political membership or campaigning, get involved. Start now. We need numbers. We need hands, feet, arms, legs, voices, moving whatever muscles we have, from whatever positions we may be in, to ensure this next term we, the left are in power and have the room and majority to be truly transformative.
Of course it isn’t. But neither is it just “another leader of another party”. This is the deputy PM, the leader of Labours coalition partner in government. Worse than that perhaps, the timing of all of this is making Bridges decision to cut NZF loose look righteous.
Almost as if he'd been given the heads-up…
I reckon Simon knew this was about to hit the media else would have announced not working with NZF about a month before election. How did he know? The mind boggles.
One final link before heading off to Meatstock for the day
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/15/jacinda-ardern-new-zealand-election-vote-disillusioned
“ “Labour may struggle to mobilise their fanbase come the next election; people are beginning to suspect this government is more interested in style over substance. And the gloss has definitely come off Ardern.”
that “year of delivery” may be a term jacinda wished she never muttered.
Wasn't that an incompetent spin doctor, not her?
Excuse me James but what is meatstock.
just curious.
I also wondered what it was and here is what I found – a music and BBQ festival in Auckland this weekend at the ASB showgrounds …
https://meatstock.nztix.co.nz/Default.aspx?Event=109192
Meatstock is a music festival for non-vegetarian audiences where the sauces are hot but the music is not.
Bands playing there this year include the Poor Cribs, the Mutton Chops, the Lampton Quay Minces, Supersized, and the Burger Boys with their hit, "Do You Want Fries With That?"
Opposition Leader Simon Bridges will be drumming for the Crusty Piemen which is why James is going. 🙂
I wonder if producers of plant-based 'meat' products are welcome to exhibit there…
Yip one was on tv saying they were going
You get what you ask for! I had no idea what Meatstock was, so I made it all up…….. and found out I was right. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.
https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2017/meatstock/auckland/epsom
Yep. Some here. Tried it. Not bad,not great
Katchafire played last night and were excellent
Glad you enjoyed the band and that they were on fire. Nothing like live music, said the live musician….. Also glad the music was on fire and not the sauces (too much) or the BBQs.
Music brings us together like little else. One of my little conundrums is figuring out how such great music as country can be is loved and played by rednecks. Really confronts the stereotypical approach to politics and beliefs.
I suggest you set your sights more towards alt country, mac1. Go check out Drive-by Truckers latest, The Unraveling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkD4xSqNVII
Thanks for that, riffer. 🙂
You're in my thoughts and prayers!
"jacinda" / james; "jacinda" / james – who to believe? Have fun at Meatstock, james.
Bill Gates (not to mention Peter Jackson) being that well known investor in ‘Impossible Foods‘.
C'mon james, it's not too late to ‘get with the programme‘
Don't imagine you are going to wind any of us up by mentioning 'Meatstock'. It might give you a trembly little thrill and a snigger to imagine you are – but it's a fail, mate. Last night I ate fish I had caught, killed (iki), and prepared myself. A few days earlier I barbecued lamb chops on a charcoal grill (the only way) getting some good smokey flavours by adding green rosemary sprigs to the coals. Most of us on the left are very well-rounded, tough and smart – completely unlike the idea of us you seem to have in your head.
Given the hysterical responses from some on the left when mentioning meat previously would indicate that some views of the left are reasonable to hold.
You surely don’t know what you’re talking about James if you think ‘the left’ are universally outraged by meat eating
I dunno, it seems meateaters get riled whenever vegetarianism is brought up.
It's a bit like redheads or an Irishman being told stereotypically that they're prone to flying off the handle; then people use the way that the redheads and the Irish react, by getting riled, to this characterisation as proof!
Tell me often enough that I am ruining the planet by eating meat and I might start reacting to this form of over-simplification.
Thanks for your concern, James, but not to worry – from your linked article:
True dat.
Ardern doesn't have a winning card, just a joker.
Maybe Facebook isn’t the demon we think it is. Certainly there are major differences between us and the UK when it comes to media consumption, but this article from the Guardian makes a good read.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/15/reports-of-social-media-influence-on-voters-are-greatly-exaggerated?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
It will be very interesting (though probably not at all surprising) to see who gets unmasked during this Dem election cycle…
Elites Turn to Bloomberg and Remove Their Masks
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/panicked-over-sanders-elites-turn-to-bloomberg/
The past footage of Bloomberg now appearing is very interesting for someone outside the US – he looks like a billionaire Republican who as mayor of New York was viciously racist and authoritarian. Also there's some laughable footage where he is spouting the meritocratic myth/lie that the way to get ahead is to be the first to arrive at work, the last to leave and don't take a lunch break – in a way spookily anticipating the systems of control and surveillance that have subsequently emerged in workplaces like Amazon warehouses.
With Biden seemingly tanking, it seems that Bloomberg's purpose is to get enough delegates to ensure Sanders doesn't get a majority. That results in a brokered Democratic convention where a 'centrist' could be given the nomination, even though Sanders has a plurality. Popcorn time if they try that – and tragically, yet another gift to Trump.
"viciously racist and authoritarian"
That describes the Democrat Party very well.
Well Bloomberg was actually a Republican – who endorsed Dubya twice.
For a few giggles – watch Bloomberg telling you not to use the bathroom
Here is another good piece from FAIR on the Bloomberg bullshit spewing forth from most liberal media…
"Pundits Look to Bloomberg as Their Anti-Sanders Savior"
https://fair.org/home/pundits-look-to-bloomberg-as-their-anti-sanders-savior/
Still I guess it will be an super interesting battle if it ends up being Sanders/Bloomberg running directly against each other, you couldn't ask for a more clearer cut ideological battle to be waged out in the open..if Sanders can take on Bloomberg's billions, the establishment DNC and 99% of liberal media and still take the nomination, then we know he has a very real chance of defeating Trump.
Joe Hildebrand
I'd not endorse all of this particular column, but this para in particular stands out as indisputably true.
Yes I like that take too, it is so similar to the position the Republicans ( in their own twisted universe that is) found themselves during the last Rep nomination cycle that is is almost bizarre
Yup !
Your dream ticket, Adrian! Mikey and Hillz!
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/15/michael-bloomberg-hillary-clinton-vp-115407
The Misery Struggle of National
As James and Friends sprinkle nonsense about the demise of Jacinda Ardern the more stupid and useless their words and predictions look. James has every support of every low mouth journo and rag ever produced here or abroad.
However, Prime Minister Ardern is in fact the most illustrious and sure – footed person in the world's political arena.
James knows that. His mentors know that. New Zealanders know that. James is delivering lies. As is Simon Bridges.
In the meantime, in the past 3.5 yrs, the mess that goes by the name "United Kingdom" has produced nothing like the Delivery of the NZ Coalition. Weight for Weight our Coalition is a five decades ahead of a crippled UK.
Let's not compare ourselves to the UK an pat ourselves on the back…
Maybe instead look at our homelessness, prison population, child poverty, affordable housing etc Judge the govt on the progress they are making on those stats.
or perhaps "look at our homelessness, prison population, child poverty, affordable housing etc"…. Judge the previous govt on that.
Nz did that's why we had a change of govt…
It's up to the new Govt to follow through on its promises and like it or not that's what they'll be judged on…
James and his ilk are imho jealous of Jacinda’s popularity. Simple as that. And so they try to denigrate her at every opportunity. What nasty mean-minded people they are. At least Wayne from the right tries to show some balance with his comments and doesn’t come over as bitter and twisted.
Yeah that must be it. If fact she’s so popular she’s heading (on the latest poll) do be our first single term PM for a long time
And the reason I comment on her is that I think she is doing a terrible job as pm. Over promising and under delivering on a grand scale.
You should be happy because what she promised and under-delivered you didn't want anyway!
Some items yes – others no.
James, here's where you detail what items 'yes' and what items 'no'. Briefly if you like. Something, anything!
If you want to be taken seriously, that is.
Hmm, what has the government actually delivered?
Yes, they have increased the minimum wage and increased some welfare and family tax credit increases. These things are easy. Literally just the stroke of a pen.
But not so well on things that require actual delivery. Such as houses, operations, child poverty, promises on light rail, etc. These require Ministers to constantly monitor progress, and ensure that targets and objectives are actually met. Labour has a serious problem around the competency of delivery. Way too many people across the political spectrum don't think they can.
It explains why the centre-right vote has held up. If the government was solidly delivering and looking competent, they would be doing much better. Labour was doing so in 2002 and National was in 2011, both dates being the same point in the electoral cycle. The fact that this election looks to be competitive in quite an indictment. In 1975 a few months out from the election, the then Labour government looked incompetent. Which is why Rob Muldoon won.
Competency was the issue in 1975. Is it also going to be the case in 2020?
No MMP in 1975 so issues of competency could be directed at the one party government.
I agree this government could be one term. The next government will be a Labour Green government which will get things done.
That's where the race is.
So MMP hides a lack of competency in the Govt?
It explains the increased difficulty in gaining the consensus required to get major reform implemented.
Testosterone poisoning in one coalition partner, yes.
All government is done with the stroke of a pen. Twyford didn't promise to build all the damned houses himself.
A thousand more state houses every year.
The trees that the nats scoffed at are well on schedule.
First year tertiary education now free.
Single-use plastic bags nixed.
Migration compact ratified.
Saw that govt needed a chief technology person (hopefully reducing odds of another novopay).
Healthy homes rquirements.
Railway lines reopening.
Abortion being decriminalised and laws made more sensible.
McFlock,
I have had enough experience of government to know what you are asserting is not true.
Changing a tax rate is something done one a piece of legislation that can be passed in a couple of hours. Same as simply banning something.
But building houses according to a schedule is a management challenge. Requires buying land, letting contracts (and the whole tendering process that goes with this). Then the contracts have to be monitored, people kept to task. all has to be done with high managerial competence.
This has not been obviously always present.
The minister doesn't negotiate and purchase for each plot of land any more than a minister individually analyses the economic impacts and revenue projections on a proposed tax change.
If you were handling your portfolios to that level of detail, you:
You are deliberately misinterpreting what I have said. Obviously Ministers don't actually let contracts, etc. But they are responsible for the systems, the monitoring of progress, trouble shooting (such as getting in experts to assist the Ministry) and keeping people to task.
All very different to changing a tax or benefit rate.
So what do they do if the projections from the change in rate don't match reality?
Wayne at least she fucking admitted their is a housing problem not like old smile and rave key . You should be ashamed you were part of a do nothing government
You'll never get Wayne to admit or concede anything.
"I have had enough experience of government to know what you are asserting is not true"
He does all that 'I know best' stuff in a very modest and considered sort of way – probably why the media still see him as some fair and balanced sort of sage, enabling him to keep milking it as a rent-a-voice for a bit longer.
By the way – it's Dr. to you
That's what makes him a dangerous mofo.
/agree
But he's not alone by any means. Aside from Mrs Wayne, he's got his own enterage of hero worshippers. Sorry to say many of them misrepresent themselves as being members of the 4th Estate. Others are fellow talking heads that sit there dripping with fashion, jewelery and wisdom telling us all what we’re supposed to know if we want to be aspirational and in with the in-crowd.
Personally I think they’re hideous specimens.
(Shit! did I say that out loud?)
By the way, I realise I might be sailing close to the wind, in as much as I realise I could be accused of attacking the messenger rather than the message. But when it's constant, it kind of goes to the legitimacy of the message.
I was kind of hoping Wayne might be bestowed with some other sort of honour – such as a knighthood. There'd be a better chance of his slinking into obscurity, honour and marbles intact; Mrs Wayne being allowed her pride (not sure if she's particularly "fat and cuddly" or good on the Elna); and the 4th Estate being forced to look for another talking head (going forward)
Yes, you’re close to the wind.
Nothing like a trade wind blowing, flittering and fluttering to give an exilarating feeling..
I'll step back @Cogs, and just watch (like I think I promised myself I would do as a NY resolution). I appreciate your job is hard enough having to deal with it all.
Best of the British old bean
Mayor Pete.. amazing human being…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-CjvxD6GQk
Yes Cricklewood
The Wealthy Nationals have done nothing that you commend.
They developed the homeless, prison population, child poverty, affordable housing etc
Judge this govt on the great progress they are making while the Wealthy play tennis and ping pong.
While you are at it, have a look at the Disgusting Cost of Housing you guys have thrown at the Common man.
Observer,
Most off the things you cite have actually got worse in the last 2 years. That is not the fault of National. The current government has to own responsibility for those things.
That's momentum. It's difficult to turn 9 years of neglect around in two years. The John Key and Bill English governments have to own responsibility for that.
Very true but I would argue that charging families stuffed into dive motels is not a step in the right direction.
Why not? Families are charged way more stuffed into dive private tenancies.
If motels are being used in the short to medium term as more than emergency housing then it's right to have them contribute what state house tenants contribute until such time they can be found a community to live in.
Slum landords need to be dealt with no doubt… but thats a poor example for the state to follow…
Perhaps you are eight and there should some cintribuition but shurly it should be considerably less than what you would pay in a state house… maybe 10 percent?
Paying $55 weekly for a motel room that is costing MSD $1500 is a real bargain. Not to mention free power / fresh towels and linen daily.
The surge in motel use began under a National government. When it started people were receiving benefit advances to pay for them which meant for many debts into the tens of thousands. Then, still under National, around 2014, a new category of grant was introduced especially for emergency housing. No government has addressed the issue of a significant number of people still repaying big debts back, $30k, $40k, $50k – John Campbell on Checkpoint reported one at $80k. About a year ago the Social Security Appeal Authority remitted one which was $10k. This government has said they will not go back and remit these hideous debts for those who were caught up in that complete mess. The irony is that the meet the criteria to receive the recoverable advance the person must be in dire financial straits, so by meeting that test they end up with a debt for $50k.
Thankfully this government is.
They have formed an entire measurement framework around budget outcomes, so that there is total transparency about what effect public investment is having under each budget line.
And of course they've continued that in December 11 2019, outlining the broad areas that they will focus on in the upcoming May budget.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1912/S00093/priorities-for-2020-wellbeing-budget-outlined.htm
This government is shying away from nothing. Sure, criticize them for not delivering fast enough, by they are following a clearly forecast course and a framework within which to hold them to account.
Geez Wayne,
Bridges announcement just cost them 5 points.
On TVNZ1's Q+A, he told host Jack Tame he would reverse Labour's changes to ring-fencing losses, which no longer lets landlords offset residential property deductions against other income.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/simon-bridges-pledges-changes-housing-and-renting-rules
Wow, reversing ring fencing. Is that part of the 'Bold Moves' strategy along with tax cuts for the rich?
Hard to see what part of the electorate Bridges is targeting, lol.
It was part of the trade off (along with extended brightline test) for the non inclusion of cgt.
The fly in the ointment is the constraint enacted by the RBNZ for bank lending to investors (borrowing limits) the rbnz will have to increase the investor equity requirement to constrain investor growth (and housing inflation).
What things are you referring to that the current government is responsible for which have worsened homelessness, the prison population, child poverty and affordable housing?
Interesting one from former News of the World reporter Andrea Vance.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/119531489/snooping-on-journalists-is-an-attempt-to-silence-and-shut-them-down
She, like other National Party bloggers, complains Labour and the Greens aren't doing enough in condemnation of NZF for photos of Lester Grey with reporters appearing on Whale Oil 2.0.
In her article she links to a piece she wrote in 2013 on the GCSB illegal spying scandal. The very first image, and before one word appears, is one of the beleaguered Hugh Wolfensohn BEING DOOR-STEPPED presumably by Vance and her photographer.
How's that for intimidation?
Then I found a 12 questions story on Vance done by the Horrid in 2017. Question 2:
I guess what's really happening is that journalists do not like it one bit when the tables are turned, even for a moment…do they really believe they are beyond reproach?
PS. Here’s the long history of the News of the World which was shut down for hacking the phone of a dead teenager. It’s also the paper at which Vance claims she had so much fun and presumably leaned all she knows.
Well Wayne given some of these projects are very large and require exhaustive planning and execution, it is understandable they are not all up and running right now.
With a housing deficit that National refused to accept, it obviously is taking a while to get up to speed with building more homes. What did National achieve in their last 9 years other than leave a huge problem for our current government.
Likewise the run down hospitals and schools and environmental vandalism mess that National left in their wake (with farmers allowed to have cows wading in rivers and streams).
The government readily acknowledges there is more to be done. National just adopted a nothing to see here, move on, let’s have a tax cut and raise GST.
Oh and apparently Natz are promising more of running down services and infrastructure if they are reelected. (translation – more tax cuts!!)
This is a recycling of Bill English's failed election campaign promises. Tax cuts for the rich will serve to motivate Labour's base more than ever, I suspect.
Indeed.
How to tackle decades of infrastructure deficit in Auckland made particularly acute in recent times after huge and unmanaged immigration increases?
Growth at 4% built on importing bodies isn't a sensible plan.
How to tackle housing affordability, dropping home ownership rates and the class separation and community health this inevitably affects.
Labour has not been able to turn the ship around yet it's true. Part of that is inexperience, but most of it is having a right wing coalition partner, a hostile Public Service and a middle class addicted to free house price gains and reluctant to give that up for the good of all.
Surprise, Surprise. Nats to promise their usual tax cuts for the coming election. that's it folks, same old, same old.
good good. The longer they remain mediocre and unimaginative, the better.
And Bridges said today that they will pretty much reverse all the changes the government has made to the rental housing and they will allow foreigners back into the housing market.
The Nats have no problem with 'delivery' because they seldom attempt anything worthwhile or difficult. They can quite reliably deliver windfall cash into the pockets of their supporters – that's their whole purpose.
On ya Phil 😀
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12308954
Was good eh? The only snag is that Hosking isn’t going anywhere unfortunately. In Sydney or LA he’d be just another deadbeat nobody.
And in Queenstown there's plenty of people who would take him for a ride and spend his money for him
Fighting for their right to exploit:
Landlord organisations mount challenge to new rental rules
I hope the Coalition don’t “do a CGT” on this one too.
Only the best people.
Downing Street has hired an adviser who compared women's sport to the paralympics as part of Dominic Cummings’ hiring drive for “misfits and weirdos”.
In one tweet, seen by The Times, Andrew Sabisky, a writer and researcher who calls himself as a “super-forecaster” said: "I am always straight up in saying that women’s sport is more comparable to the Paralympics than it is to men’s.”
According to the paper, the researcher also deleted tweets mocking people for “wetting themselves” over female Labour politicians including Yvette Cooper, Angela Rayner and Rebecca Long Bailey, all of whom he dismissed as “dim”.
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/dominic-cummings-weirdos-hiring-downing-street-1742024
Wow. I had these all over my succulents in Spring. I noticed quickly that something was attacking them and upon inspection at night the plants were crawling with these things. The damage was like nothing I'd see before.
I tried looking online to see if there was a known issue but nothing until now.
I eradicated them with Pyrethrum over several nights.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/02/new-zealand-scientists-working-to-stop-spread-of-brown-marmorated-stink-bugs.html
If it really was brown marmorated stink bugs, then MPI really really want to know about it. If there's any still around or they come back, get in touch with MPI.
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/protection-and-response/responding/alerts/brown-marmorated-stink-bug
Ok, Thanks. Could have been a Brown Shield Bug or Brown Soldier Bug.
https://tomsaunders.co.nz/bmsb-vs-nz-stink-bugs/
Have a read far more likely it was a native version.
We do have something that looks similar but smaller. I think you are OK
Bribery by any other name
Offering free money to National voters smacks of Bribery. To do it when there is an ongoing holocaust rampaging through ordinary men and women of Aotearoa is scandalous beyond pity.
Sir William English gave huge offers to the very Wealthy and much lesser amounts to the lowly Nationals. Unfortunately, Bill scummed himself. in front of his entire family.
Kia Ora The Am Show.
There you go national plans to stop mimimum wage increase that will just create more of a mess in Aotearoa.
She is someone who caused you to grab a box of tissues.????????.
I think the amount of people with autism is much higher than that especially when there were stats of high percentage of adult people with reading levels of a 12 year old.????.
I would ride a electric bike it would be cool and great for the environment low carbon transport.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Newshub.
I say that New Zealand handled the Covid virus people quite good actually. Some people don't know how to be thankful.
PEE is very dangerous crap.
The Tongan Comedy film will show some more of Aotearoa humour I will be keen to watch it.
The Coalition Government did not make this mess it was your government———-.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I seen some of his statements on Maori TV not good at all.
Maori tangata need to talk to New Zealanders f health help line it's a pain in the you know what when the person you are talking to don't understand what you're problem is and what you want.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora The Breakfast Show.
There you go PEE equates to more violence.
Racist people using Racism to grab power. New Zealand is in denial that most people are discriminatory.
Trade training is the best education most people can get it will be their backstop in life.
Billy T James was using his Comedy projecting what people's Attitude to Maori was in his time I know I had that attitude heaped on me and it still is.
Ka kite Ano
Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute.
Kia Ora Newshub.
I don't think that the Government new tenants law will cause negative effects for the tenants.
That's good for the tamariki free school lunches in schools.
That stop and frisk was a stupid racist law in New York.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Kai in Kura is cool.
That's is cool a Maori Carving on the state highway in Te Tairawhiti.
Australians and New Zealand indigenous cultures have a lot in common.
That's a good idea E Sports fund rising for Heart foundation .
Ka kite Ano