Open mike 16/02/2024

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 16th, 2024 - 35 comments
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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35 comments on “Open mike 16/02/2024 ”

  1. Subliminal 1

    The wheels of justice turn slowly but the ICJ ruling is starting to be felt. NZ, Aus and Canada are now begging Israel not to increase military operations in Rafah. They stop short of cease fire but do cite the ICJ ruling as an unequivocal set of criteria that Israel is obliged to meet. This may be too little to have any positive effects on the lives of displaced Palestinians except for the implied condemnation, and hence abandonment of the trio of "friends" should Israel continue down the road of depraved lunacy

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/509276/new-zealand-australia-and-canada-pms-urge-israel-not-to-move-into-rafah

  2. Robert Guyton 2

    Jones is sorry he acquiesced, but now he's making up for his foolishness.

    "“You and I, as Kiwis, have allowed voices, forces, and ideologies to conquer what is a legitimate part of the New Zealand economy, i.e. digging things up, i.e. extracting natural resources from the earth and from the bed of the sea.”

    ““I personally am horrified by the notion that offshore mining can turn on the court’s view of tikanga Maori,” he said.

    Continue reading at https://www.politik.co.nz/dig-this/ | Politik”

    • Francesca 2.1

      He says that "sovereignty lies in Parliament " while out the other side of his mouth he wants to surrender it to foreign interests and their secret lobbyists.

      He's a windbag with an inflated view of his powers of oratory, and democracy is fast going down the sink hole.

  3. Anne 3

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018926326

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/509316/emails-reveal-concerns-within-waka-kotahi-about-name-change

    The upset staffer had emailed Rosie in November that she was ''deeply saddened by government's decision".

    "You and most of the staff have embraced this initiative to bring the language into everyone's daily life, and I love it!

    "I am insulted that the names gifted to us by Iwi now have no relevance, and I think it's a slap in the face for them, too."

    NZTA chief, Nicol Rosie had circulated this to her senior leadership, saying the email summarised how many of its people would feel. Since when, not only has the Maori name been dropped, but the :

    commitment to continue building our cultural competency and our partnership with Maori…

    has also disappeared despite Rosie's assurances to the contrary.

    There have been no written directives (as yet) received by the State Service Commissioner which leads me to believe its being done via the backdoor using verbal bullying tactics. It also demonstrates this government's intention to devalue and indeed remove Maori participation in governmental and civic affairs.

    • Ad 3.1

      When you look below the surface and into the actual delivery, NZTA still have a very strong commitment to Maori outcomes.

      You only need to look at their procurement weightings in the Non Priced Attribute sections of all the major projects.

      A typical example would be the controversial Mount Messenger project. After extensive negotiations with local iwi, what will occur is 3,600 hectares of native bush trapped for all predators in perpetuity. For comparison Abel Tasman National Park is 22,000 hectares.

      Yes of course there are tradeoffs with big roading projects and always will be, but when you get into the heart of outcomes, when you negotiate well and hard the payoffs for all are huge.

      • Anne 3.1.1

        I know you are in the infrastructure business so I accept your word Ad, but it doesn't take away the ability for the Simeon Browns of this land to create the perception that Maori participation in any government enterprise is to be frowned upon and treated with utmost suspicion.

        It may have nothing to do with the reality, but it sure keeps the red neck vote happy and rising in numbers – see latest polls.

  4. Francesca 4

    So what to do?

    In our area Pakeha joined with local iwi to fight for protection of Waikoropupu springs

    A lot more of this may be the way forward .

    Act locally and forge connections with other regions.

    Whats more , seems like a large number of civil servants will lose their jobs.Stand by for a lot more leaking?

    The right wing will always have more financial resources , but the left , if they can overcome their purity differences will always have more heart.

    • Robert Guyton 4.1

      I'm planning to visit Waikoropupū in early March and hope to meet Kevin 🙂

      In the field I'm involved in down here in Southland, the Nat voters are expressing serious reservations about what's happening. Don't be taken in by the gloating groundswellers and their selfish acted mates; good sense must prevail 🙂

      • francesca 4.1.1

        Good on you Robert

        You won't be disappointed

        Will you hook up with the local Green branch?

        • Robert Guyton 4.1.1.1

          I'll try. Keen on a visit to Takaka also; plant buying, sub-tropicals.

          • francesca 4.1.1.1.1

            Out east, towards Pohara there's a limestone reef.

            They can grow edible bananas, cherimoyas,papaya, avocado's, all manner of stuff on that north facing steep slope

          • Cricklewood 4.1.1.1.2

            If you are after subtropicals I really do recommend checking out and supporting Twin falls in the Far North… good people lovely plants.

            https://www.twinfallsnursery.co.nz/

            • Robert Guyton 4.1.1.1.2.1

              Thanks, Cricklewood – yes, they are great and yes, I have talked with them; I'm growing some things from there in my tunnel house 🙂

              • Cricklewood

                Excellent I like to spread the word when I find a good little nursery…

                • Robert Guyton

                  That's a valuable service, Cricklewood 🙂

                  I love to find a good little nursery, wherever they might be. There's one in Nightcaps; perennials of all sorts, sturdy, healthy. Got a Korean Angelica from there and a red-flowering false-indigo – happiness!

    • weka 4.2

      So what to do?

      In our area Pakeha joined with local iwi to fight for protection of Waikoropupu springs

      A lot more of this may be the way forward .

      Act locally and forge connections with other regions.

      Whats more , seems like a large number of civil servants will lose their jobs.Stand by for a lot more leaking?

      The right wing will always have more financial resources , but the left , if they can overcome their purity differences will always have more heart.

      Love this, thank-you Francesca.

      We might also see some people of conscience who have lost their jobs and who skills that help with movement building, lobbying, activism.

      • Francesca 4.2.1

        That's it ! People who have the ability to organise

        Steve Abel talks about in his younger days when he and a group of others wanted to protest effectively, but didn't have a clue, Nicky Hager came to the rescue and tutored them.

  5. Ad 5

    If this bipartisan approach to the Ukraine+Border+(other aid packages) gets through Congress, Trump has not a single policy issue to stand on.

    https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/02/15/congress/houses-alternate-ukraine-plan-00141644

    March in the US congress is going to be interesting.

    Might just coincide with Trump facing his first criminal trial, which starts March 25. That will certainly tilt the few Congress Republican waverers needed to get it through there.

    • Sanctuary 5.1

      By all accounts the GOP House decision to torpedo the senate border deal on the orders of Trump has backfired on them spectacularly. It was just too transparently partisan and cynical, and Trump has managed to turn a huge issue with American voters that the Republicans were planning to go hard on into a negative issue for them.

  6. weka 6

    please supply a link.

  7. Robert Guyton 7

    Lan Pham's maiden speech – genius!

    https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/

  8. SPC 8

    Extends lead is the misleading headline

    Labour are 29%, Greens 12% and TPM 5% (up from 41.5 to 46% since the election)

    National are 38% and ACT 7% (down near 2%)

    NACT behind 45-46% – so when NZF go and they never survive being in a coalition government, not 1999, not 2008, not 2020 and not 2026 …

    This is like the post 2017 election period where English, then Bridges maintained poll pressure until 2020.

    They did their best to maintain their pro government hype

    National leader Christopher Luxon was ahead as preferred prime minister at 27 per cent, no change from the previous month. Labour leader Chris Hipkins was down three points to 23 per cent.

    A commentary released with the poll noted the national mood seems to be shifting in favour of the new Government.

    The right track/wrong track metric showed 43 per cent of people thought the country was on the right track, compared with 41 per cent of people who thought the country was on the wrong track. It is the first time the poll has recorded a net positive “right track” performance since June 2022.

    The right track wrong track margin is lower than that for N/ACT/NZF at the election.

    Another key indicator remained negative for the Government. Twenty-five per cent of people rated the economy as “excellent or good”, compared to 73 per cent who rated it as “not so good” or “poor”.

    And pumping uphill to the landlord class won't change that.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-extends-lead-in-latest-poll-chris-hipkins-falls/FEFRB553ZZC37PSDUO7HQQB7EA/

  9. aj 9

    More cracks.

    Key Liberal MP rips his government's policy on Gaza war in private call with constituent

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rob-oliphant-gaza-israel-joly-hamas-unrwa-1.7115468

    [please correct your user name in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]

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