And tied up with Clearview is all kinds of far right low life including an NZ citizen by the name of Peter Thiel and the compay, Palantir, that he founded.
This sort of behaviour by some of the cops seems to go on and on. They act like they can do exactly what they want and the rules are what they decide. All the stuff around Nicky Hager and the other journalists, the roast busters, illegal traffic stops in wellington, under policing of some poor behaviour by people associated with RW blogging – the lists go on and on. Opposing liquor licences where there may be personal issues in play. Police Groups with guns being used multiple times with the need being some what blurry.
It must be demoralising for police staff who don't subscribe to any of this and frankly some of it has cost the taxpayer a fortune. Nobody ever seems to be reprimanded, fired or held responsible in any way. I think we need a royal commission into the police because nothing ever changes.
Now we have a new commissioner whose career path looks very much like he has been groomed for top jobs for about the last decade – so mainly under RW governments. Has he done anything about this suveillance or is he just going to approve it in retrospect?
Polls smolls…..ask about and reasonable people get what national are doing and it apalls them. Their lack of humanity by politicking through this will hurt them in September IMO.
Yes Francesca Out of step with the NZ population. That is why I would like to see "comments" allowed again on their articles. I would subscibe to receive the paper daily if they did !
"It’s a fair assumption to suggest that at the time of entering Parliament, an MP’s political views and beliefs are set and are the motivation to enter politics in the first place."
"Accordingly, to understand Ardern’s political ideology it is important to revisit 2008, when she entered Parliament as a Labour list-MP. Earlier in 2008 Ardern was elected president of the International Union of Socialist Youth. In early 2009, just two months after becoming an MP, Ardern presided over the union's World Council annual meeting in her capacity as president."
"Official records of that meeting give us insights into Ardern’s political ideology. For example, the meeting documents state the aim of the union is to “defend and spread our core socialist principles”. The 2009 union meeting is relevant not just because Ardern was president, but because the official resolutions outlined “progressive answers to the financial crisis” – aka the global financial crisis or GFC."
"Given Ardern and her comrades had “progressive answers to the financial crisis”, those answers might now be used to guide us through the turmoil and hardship of post-Covid-19. By the way, I have used "comrade" because it is how union members referred to themselves throughout the 2009 meeting."
"I do not use "comrade" disparagingly here, as indeed Ardern herself used the term 15 times in just seven minutes at this public event."
Comrade Ardern and her other comrades stated: “Redistribution will lead to more financial stability and justice. As IUSY we struggle for redistribution between the north and the south and for redistribution between the poor and the rich, because we believe in equality and justice.” On the same trajectory, Ardern and her comrades said: “Human beings are born with unequal resources available. We as young socialists believe in a social democratic system which secures a redistribution of resources.”
Which all raises the question; did she have a subsequent conversion to neoliberalism & kept quiet about it? Or is she a socialist wolf wearing neoliberal sheeps clothing? She may even explain that one can be both simultaneously, kinda like walking and chewing gum. We'll never know. Aotearoa lacks journos clever enough to ask her those questions.
Steve has vital questions of his own: "I wonder then what is the exact point whereby "inequality" becomes acceptable? For example, is a 20 per cent gap of "inequality" acceptable? Or does it need to be closer, like 10 per cent? Or do we all need to have the exact same amount of income and wealth?"
Waste of time. In the history of socialism, no socialist has ever spelt out a recipe for how it is meant to work. That's why Corbyn & Sanders felt obliged to fake it. Vapid vacuous innuendo, sadly, failed to turn them into winners. Credit Jacinda for not making the same stupid mistake. Well, not so obviously, perhaps…
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread? 😎 Well, correct me if I'm wrong. I suspect Savage et al promoted a scheme based on pragmatism more than design-based plan, but I agree state houses do seem sufficiently similar to imply a blueprint. As regards design of an alternative economy, history seems rather moot on that point.
A columnist somewhere the other day commended Grant Robertson for not yielding to to the Keynesian recipe. I'm tempted to feel that Aotearoa would benefit from his yielding somewhat, but let's see how the budget copes with circumstance first.
"A columnist somewhere the other day commended Grant Robertson for not yielding to to the Keynesian recipe. I'm tempted to feel that Aotearoa would benefit from his yielding somewhat, but let's see how the budget copes with circumstance first."
you appear somewhat confused…you do understand what Keynes advocated?
If you havnt read any of his theories (though ‘authoritatively’ reference them) then i suggest you do and you will quickly realise what nonsense your post was.
No point. Nobody in the media has claimed that the budget was Keynesian, as far as I know. So you have yet to demonstrate relevance.
I cited the columnist as an indicator of the non-Keynesian nature of Grant's design. Take up your grouch with the columnist, if you disagree. I'm agnostic on whether it is or not…
within the constraints of a decades long winding back of state capacity it would be difficult to imagine a more Keynesian response…the gov is not increasing taxes (nor reducing state demand) but rather stepping in to replace the lost demand from the private sector and it is doing so by expanding the fiscal envelope (borrowing) and providing employment….if that is not recognised by any of the columnists you peruse then you need to read better informed columnists.
Not saying you're wrong on that point, but I just took a look at Michael Reddell's budget analysis to see if he called it Keynesian. He didn't. He did have this interesting observation:
"For some reason, not known to me, the government is going to put lots more money in the NZSF over the next few years – beyond what the statutory formula provides for – as if having a flutter on the world markets, at your risk and mine, was an important part of a recovery programme."
So Grant the gambler. Does that fit the neoliberal model or the socialist model?
Well. You already know what I think about people "gambling in stock markets" privatising super provision, expecting it to magically build capability to supply resources to people in future, rather than investing in our own future capability and resilience.
I’ll put my capitalist hat on here. Government should be investing in infrastructure, services and people, not private corporations.
Note that Robertson s money into trade training, retraining and apprenticeships instead of continuing with "free" B com degrees for well off kids, is something I totally agree with.
Along with a lot of their other initiatives.
For your question. I think it is debatable. Thatcher apologists, claimed her sell offs of State infrastructure meant everyone, through their shares, still owned it. Similar to some here. Conveniently ignoring that so many who pay the higher prices of privatisation could never afford, shares.
You might want to check out the the published socialist histories of the UK Attlee government, postwar Denmark, postwar Netherlands, postwar Finland, Ireland's welfare system, as well as the crap ones like Cuba, Tanzania, and Nicaragua.
If $50b of state borrowing and dumptrucks of infrastructure and health investment, and utterly massive business tax breaks and wage subsidies isn't Keynsean, then you need a new version of Keynes.
"I do not use 'comrade' disparagingly here, as indeed Ardern herself used the term 15 times in just seven minutes at this public event"
The lecturer, Steve Elers, "doth protest too much, methinks."
Gertrude in 'Hamlet' said this about an actor who was overacting in an insincere way to incriminate Hamlet's uncle.
The lecturer wrote. "It's a fair assumption to suggest that at the time of entering Parliament, an MP's political views and beliefs are set and are the motivation to enter politics in the first place."
In the immortal words of Ardern and Robertson in response to leading questions from the Opposition, "Mr Speaker, I reject the premises of that question."
I note the weasel words in the opening quotation- 'assumption' and 'suggest'.
Who would believe that statement made this way? "At the time of entering Parliament, an MP's political views and beliefs are set and are the motivation to enter politics in the first place"?
In my lifetime I have changed my views about abortion, the infallibility of the Pope, homosexuality, cannabis, war, and the need to provide potatoes with every dinner.
To say that all views of all MPs are fixed, and further to argue that if an MP seems to acting differently that they are being deceitful about their true beliefs and motivations is stupid and a self-serving belief that attempts to self explain what is in itself a fixed belief- "That socialism is bad, all comrade socialists are bad, comrade Ardern is doing things that I don't approve of because she is doing things that I do approve but I don't like her doing them because at heart she is a comrade socialist and all comrade socialists are bad and I don't like socialism."
This is not the kind of thinking I like to read from someone who is a lecturer in communications.
Well, there's this thing called rhetoric. I suppose he was doing that. I never studied classics but the orators would pitch a stance, apparently, then back it up with reasoning. Ad nauseum, sometimes.
I agree that folks tend to amend views through life, but it is true that beliefs formed in formative years are enduring. Some politicians have a world-view seeming to be set in concrete, eh? They only get traction if supporters locked into the same world-view are numerous enough. Those flexible enough to take on board the world-view of others tend to do better at politics (the art of compromise).
"Vapid vacuous innuendo" just about sums it up – wonder if Elers ever put his 'thoughts' about John Key's 'motivations' on paper, or are only socialist motives 'suspect'?
As for Elers' 'concern' about the correct setting of an (un)acceptable ‘inequality threshold‘, that's an absolutely transparent attempt to delay significant redistribution of wealth. Yes yes, of course we all agree redistribution is urgently needed, but 'how much', and by what mechanism'? – let the hand wringing commence.
I don't share his stance re socialist motives – I see them as well-intentioned, altruistic idealists mostly. I remain puzzled about why they continue to refuse to learn from their experience of politics. Talk to them, they ain't obviously stupid. Corbyn & Sanders don't seem stupid to me. As people. It's the adherence to a failed belief system that makes them seem stupid to most voters.
I reckon they could have sold neosocialism as a tweaked evolutionary development of mid-20th century socialism. Just eliminate the bads and point out that the goods are timeless. Simple! You'd think any politico could figure out such an evident political strategy.
As regards specifying the inequality threshold, I advocated doing so by societal consensus onsite here a couple of years ago. I advocated it to Metiria Turei when she appealed to Green Party members for ideas on how to get the job done a couple of years prior to that. I presume she failed to adopt it due to preferring to have a political career by faking consensus rather than actually doing it.
Many people are selfish – what percentage of wealthy NZers (please don’t ask me to define ‘wealthy‘), and those with ambitions/expectations of being wealthy, would support a political party advocating a greater redistribution of wealth (hard-earned and otherwise) than we currently have? 30%, 20%, 10%…?
As a "well-intentioned, altruistic idealist" (thank-you), I don't know how to sell a 'wealth redistribution product' to the selfish, and it's no good asking selfish people for advice. Consider Lisa Owen's introduction to the post-budget edition of Checkpoint; "What's in it for you?"
Presumptions come easy to some – just an observation. Still, no-one’s perfect.
I didn’t know who the author was of that piece in Stuff but I can’t be bothered with his pseudo-academic musings. I’ve read enough from and about him in the last few weeks. Did you know that (Sir) Bob Jones labelled him as Man of the Year? I wonder when and where he’s going to stand for office. Enough said.
Elers only says one thing, and he says it every week. You should read his previous droppings, it's hard to know whether or not they are satire. Not great satire, mind – a proper parody of the frothing Cindyphobes would be much better written.
He never revisits his previous columns, which is not surprising. He got everything wrong about Ardern's leadership, but like a true obsessive, he does not let reality intrude on his world.
”Working humans are so much more than “resources”. This is one of the central lessons of the current crisis. Caring for the sick; delivering food, medication and other essentials; clearing away our waste; stocking the shelves and running the registers in our grocery stores – the people who have kept life going through the Covid-19 pandemic are living proof that work cannot be reduced to a mere commodity. Human health and the care of the most vulnerable cannot be governed by market forces alone. If we leave these things solely to the market, we run the risk of exacerbating inequalities to the point of forfeiting the very lives of the least advantaged.”
Freightways need a damn good kick up the arse. I have close family working as full time contract couriers and the whole business model in this country is suffering from the 'sin of cheapness'.
Thousands of drivers have been working around the clock to deliver the skyrocketing volumes of residential freight over the past few weeks.
But despite parcel numbers and hours being higher than ever, their pay has taken a significant hit.
One courier driver – who works for NZ Couriers – told RNZ she was arriving at her depot at 4.15am to start loading up and was not finishing until 6pm most days.
She used to deliver about 300 packages per day, but that had jumped to 600. She said she had been working such long hours she'd had to ask her partner to help so they could run two vehicles to keep up.
Her pay has dropped from an average of $6600 per month to $4800 last month – before tax.
Residential deliveries, which are taking up the vast bulk of their work at the moment, pay between 20c and $1 each.
I can fully testify to this, somedays they're working from 4am to 8pm handling an unprecedented surge in volume. Yes it is dangerous and almost certainly illegal, but at the same time they still get regularly abused by customers who think their precious delivery was an hour or two late.
Nonetheless Freightways have chosen to rort their own workers as a reward for this extraordinary effort:
Most couriers are independent contractors – meaning they should have control over their business, hours and working conditions.
But that was often not the reality of their working situation. During lockdown, NZ Couriers has told drivers to take the government's wage subsidy, which is only available for employees.
Their contract for May states: "For the 12 weeks that the government subsidy applies, $117 per day of contractor remuneration is assumed to have been received, and the company will contribute the balance up to 90 percent of run's listed minimum earnings or tickets redeemed, whichever is greater."
So on one hand they're treating the drivers as contractors which lets them get away with them working dangerously long hours, on the other they're treating them as employees and deducting any wage subsidy they received covering the quiet period at the beginning of the lockdown.
Turning all of the drivers into employees is not necessarily the desired solution, the 'wagies' who do work in the business are treated even worse than the contractors, probably deliberately so.
The couriers need a a less restrictive contract which would allow them to deliver for other companies. Uber has copped a lot of flack, and rightly so at times, but at least they let their drivers work for other rideshare companies. There is no reason why the likes of Fastways and CrestClean cannot do the same.
That's not a bad suggestion. The problem at the moment is the sham nature of their contracts, where they really are neither employees nor contractors and have the protections of neither.
The fact that are not self-employed was highlighted a few years back when a family member was working for one of them.
His run area was pretty poor and he worked hard with the customers to build up the run til it was nicely profitable. When it cam up for renewal the owner gave that run to a mate of the owners and put him on another shitty run-down run.
The companies don't want the capital and maintenance of the vehicles on their books; and probably for good reason. Drivers do tend to be a lot better at looking after them when the expenses come out of their pockets.
Also drivers tend to be a lot more proactive about looking after customers and building the business when it directly goes onto their bottom line. Many enjoy the modest freedom it brings, not having to account for every damned minute of their day to some petty manager is a small, but real pleasure.
Plus the ability to manage tax directly can work for them as well.
So there are good reasons for them to be contractors; but of course the downside is they are locked into one client which is where all the problem arise.
In this view a traditional union model might not be the best fit; but something like a 'Drivers Association' that provided a collection of services to assist owner drivers to negotiate and obtain good legal advice would be a step in the right direction.
Last week I was sent a pic of a van load of School packs, that were paid at 20 cents each. That worked out to be less than the cost of the fuel alone.
I remember having a chat with a taxi driver along the same lines. He was just about sold on it by the time he dropped me off at union HQ from the airport!
The Spanish security firm UC Global who were ostensibly protecting the Ecuadorean embassy but in ;spying comprehensively on Assange&his family,,friends, defense team and visitors and turning everything over to the CIA was recruited by Sheldon Adelson,Trumps;s second biggest donor for his 2016 campaign (10 mill).He also owns the Sands Hotel and Casino; (where Frank Sinatra and the Ratpack used to carouse)and is one of the most rabid advocates for Israel
“In February 2012, Adelson told Forbes magazine that he is “against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections. But as long as it’s doable Im going to do it. Because I know that guys like George_Soros have been doing it for years, if not decades. And they stay below the radar by creating a network of corporations to funnel their money. I have my own philosophy and I’m not ashamed of it”
"Morales was charged by a Spanish High Court in October 2019 with violating the privacy of Assange and abusing the publishers attorney-client privileges, as well as money laundering and bribery. The documents revealed in court, which were primarily backups from company computers, exposed the disturbing reality of his activities on the dark side.”
This is a rather sickening look in to the way the world works, money ,power, and influence
Thanks. It's almost as if there was/is a state-coordinated conspiracy against a journalist responsible for publicising information that embarrassed politicians and officials.
Are senior members of the caucus ready to sacrifice their colleagues low on the list? Then they can let Simon lead them to disaster. Following the election do the leadership purge.
The caucus don't need to see the polling results. It means they can concentrate on something that's a really big deal to them. Even writing this I can the likes of Chris Bishop going on about it.
The thing that is the most important in the world? Transparency.
Monday's caucus, imagine it. The Member for Northcote peeping up from the back,"Paula, you know how you told us we must use the word transparency at least 29 times everyday because transparency is important, are we going to be able to see the poll figures?"
Bridges interview was another train wreck I thought. When asked specifically what the National plan would be he instinctly went to his base. I paraphrase, "We'd help businesses go and and buy new tractors"
Yes – it will give Shane Jones plenty of cover for funding water storage schemes. It's unavoidable in the current environment – as anything that looks like economic development/job creation will get a big tick. It'll most likely be bad for fresh water quality.
This is because I'm not trying to paint a roof in Auckland this year (unlike last winter when it pissed down). How much do think I could get paid to come back over and do another one?
The trick is to use one of the new HVLP airless sprayers to put it on fast. Start at around 12:30pm once the roof is dry and be done by 2pm at the latest. If the temp is over 10 degC you can get away with it. Just.
NZ has plenty of water, we're just bad at managing it sustainably and future-proofing supply (also a sustainability issue).
For instance, putting in localised water storage for gardens, alongside teaching people how to garden with low and/or variable rainfall, would mitigate the problem of people now not being able to water their gardens.
There is no clear definition of a “weak positive” COVID-19 test result, apparently, or at least not one that has been communicated clearly to us, the public of NZ. Similar confusion about “elimination”, “eradication”, and other terms that are highly confusing to laypeople (e.g. containment, mitigation, suppression, etc.).
On another topic entirely ( for one of our super gardeners here). I can't get dried chick peas in bulk that I cook and freeze. I'm assuming a supply disruption. Looking up the plant it seems to be something that grows on marginal soils and like other peas & beans fixes nitrogen etc. Does anyone know if it is grown commercially here? Likewise lentils? And if we need to go for import substitution how long will I need to wait before it grows?
Most chickpeas for sale in NZ will be imported. There are some growers, but it's small scale.
Don't know about lentils, but I assume the same.
It's why the whole go vegan to prevent climate change is a fail. Large parts of vegan diets have to be imported.
We can change this, there are lots of crops we could be growing here but aren't. This is why I keep banging on about relocalising food supply. It's better for the climate, and food security (and it generally tastes better).
Sun Valley lentils are NZ grown, don't know about their chickpeas. (Also NZ grown are their pearl barley & split peas – just looking at a pack of their soup mix that I need to use up.)
recent discussions on line about how the wheat used to make bread for the North Island comes from Australia, rather than using the wheat in the South Island (something about the right kind of wheat for bread not being able to be grown in the NI). Freight costs apparently.
It was hard to buy organic oats at one point because all the farmers were selling to the Canadian market.
This shit is why I hate globalisation. It's fucking stupid. The reasons that these situations work is because no-one is accounting for ecological damage including climate change.
But yeah, it's a good idea to draw up a list of what we could be growing here. I'd put legumes high up the list.
The other part of the problem is that most food in NZ is grown for export, and if we look at the land being use for industrial dairy, it's going to be hard to convert that to other kinds of farming unless milk prices collapse because there is so much debt on the land and because the industry is basically a rort designed to keep extracting for maximum $.
I've gotten old – make more mistakes than I used plus I'm often drunk. What the hell is her excuse for butchering the English language. Do journalists need to have a cognitive deficit to qualify for the job?
Comments are funny, can't believe he's left the Tweet up. He gets support from people who call Adern our "tranny PM" (??), Covid Hoaxers & Pro Lifer conspiracists. Katie Hopkins, ffs. Oh yeah, apparently we're a communist country now.
I heard Trump wanting unity in appproaches. Given how he sees the world it was a sick joke. A life of "I don't need you, fuck off" suddenly changing to "I'm drowning please save me."
"It is perhaps laudable that many of the victors of capitalism’s spoils want to contribute to the common project of fighting the pandemic. But we should not forget that so many of the factors that have rendered the coronavirus particularly deadly in the United States — income inequality, the lack of a social safety net, the precarious standing of newly-essential gig workers, the obsession with freedom from government tyranny and the lack of a coherent civic identity — are direct products of the way we valorize self-making."
The journey from Tokyo to Hong Kong normally takes me about five hours. It’s now been 19 hours since I left Narita airport and I’m still not home, as I await my COVID-19 test result. This is what international travel is like during the coronavirus pandemic. (Thread) pic.twitter.com/mjO0N3PUil
Well, while the rest of us were in lockdown and supposed to be writing the film script or learning French or whatever else we promised ourselves if we only had the time, a 6 year old figured out the bossanova:
New Zealanders have to start taking Internet security serious.
I think the way the money has been distributed for our virus hit economy stimulis has been quite wise as the money will flow through the economy and back to our governments tax take.
Michelle do you want some tissue.
I think that labour will still need the Green party to rule.
Wow that's awesome more putea invested in Maori arts and crafts.
I think that's a logical way to help deal with the droughts. Change the laws so anyone can have tanks to catch wai that falls from Tawhirimate.
Extreme climate change in the past won't be as extreme as we have now being influenced by the billions of tons of carbon we have spewing into our atmosphere warming our planet.
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Peter S. Ross, University of British ColumbiaThe Arctic has long proven to be a barometer of the health of our planet. This remote part of the world faces unprecedented environmental assaults, as climate change and industrial chemicals threaten a way of life for Inuit and other Indigenous and northern ...
Susan St John makes the case for taxing a deemed rate of return on excessive real estate holdings (after a family home exemption), to redirect scarce housing resources to where they are needed most. Read the full article here ...
I’m less than convinced by arguments that platforms like Twitter should be subject to common carrier regulation preventing them from being able to decide who to keep on as clients of their free services, and who they would not like to serve. It’s much easier to create competition for the ...
The hypocritical actions of political leaders throughout the global Covid pandemic have damaged public faith in institutions and governance. Liam Hehir chronicles the way in which contemporary politicians have let down the public, and explains how real leadership means walking the talk. During the Blitz, when German bombs were ...
Over the years, we've published many rebuttals, blog posts and graphics which came about due to direct interactions with the scientists actually carrying out the underlying research or being knowledgable about a topic in general. We'll highlight some of these interactions in this blog post. We'll start with two memorable ...
Yesterday we had the unseemly sight of a landleech threatening to keep his houses empty in response to better tenancy laws. Meanwhile in Catalonia they have a solution for that: nationalisation: Barcelona is deploying a new weapon in its quest to increase the city’s available rental housing: the power ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters, PhD The 2020 global wildfire season brought extreme fire activity to the western U.S., Australia, the Arctic, and Brazil, making it the fifth most expensive year for wildfire losses on record. The year began with an unprecedented fire event ...
NOTE: This is an excerpt from a digital story – read the full story here.Tess TuxfordKo te Kauri Ko Au, Ko te Au ko Kauri I am the kauri, the kauri is me Te Roroa proverb In Waipoua Forest, at the top of the North Island, New ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Coming attraction: IPCC's upcoming major climate assessmentLook for more emphasis on 'solutions,' efforts by cities, climate equity ... and outlook for emissions cuts in ...
Ringing A Clear Historical Bell: The extraordinary images captured in and around the US Capitol Building on 6 January 2021 mirror some of the worst images of America's past.THERE IS A SCENE in the 1982 movie Missing which has remained with me for nearly 40 years. Directed by the Greek-French ...
To impact or not to impeach? I understand why some of those who are justifiably aghast at Trump’s behaviour over recent days might still counsel against impeaching him for a second time. To impeach him, they argue, would run the risk of making him a martyr in the eyes of ...
The Capitol Building, Washington DC, Wednesday, 6 January 2021. Oh come, my little one, come.The day is almost done.Be at my side, behold the sightOf evening on the land.The life, my love, is hardAnd heavy is my heart.How should I live if you should leaveAnd we should be apart?Come, let me ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 3, 2021 through Sat, Jan 9, 2021Editor's ChoiceAfter the Insurrection: Accountability, Reform, and the Science of Democracy The poisonous lies and enablers of sedition--including Senator Hawley, pictured ...
This article, guest authored by Prof. Angela Gallego-Sala & Dr. Julie Loisel, was originally published on the Carbon Brief website on Dec 21, 2020. It is reposted below in its entirety. Click here to access the original article and comments. Peatlands Peatlands are ecosystems unlike any other. Perpetually saturated, their ...
The assault on the US Capitol and constitutional crisis that it has caused was telegraphed, predictable and yet unexpected and confusing. There are several subplots involved: whether the occupation of the Michigan State House in May was a trial run for the attacks on Congress; whether people involved in the ...
On Christmas Eve, child number 1 spotted a crack in a window. It’s a double-glazed window, and inspection showed that the small, horizontal crack was in the outermost pane. It was perpendicular to the frame, about three-quarters of the way up one side. The origins are a mystery. It MIGHT ...
Anne-Marie Broudehoux, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)Will the COVID-19 pandemic prompt a shift to healthier cities that focus on wellness rather than functional and economic concerns? This is a hypothesis that seems to be supported by several researchers around the world. In many ways, containment and physical distancing ...
Does the US need to strike a grand bargain with like-minded countries to pool their efforts? What does this tell us about today’s global politics? Perhaps the most remarkable editorial of last year was the cover leader of the London Economist on 19 November 2020. Shortly after Joe Biden was ...
Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato and Valmaine Toki, University of WaikatoAotearoa New Zealand likes to think it punches above its weight internationally, but there is one area where we are conspicuously falling behind — the number of sites recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Globally, there are 1,121 ...
An event organised by the Auckland PhilippinesSolidarity group Have a three-course lunch at Nanam Eatery with us! Help support the organic farming of our Lumad communities through the Mindanao Community School Agricultural Foundation. Each ticket is $50. Food will be served on shared plates. To purchase, please email phsolidarity@gmail.com or ...
"Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here." Prisons are places of unceasing emotional and physical violence, unrelieved despair and unforgivable human waste.IT WAS NATIONAL’S Bill English who accurately described New Zealand’s prisons as “fiscal and moral failures”. On the same subject, Labour’s Dr Martyn Findlay memorably suggested that no prison ...
This is a re-post from Inside Climate News by Ilana Cohen. Inside Climate News is a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here. Whether or not people accept the science on Covid-19 and climate change, both global crises will have lasting impacts on health and ...
. . American Burlesque As I write this (Wednesday evening, 6 January), the US Presidential election is all but resolved, confirming Joe Biden as the next President of the (Dis-)United State of America. Trump’s turbulent political career has lasted just four years – one of the few single-term US presidents ...
The session started off so well. Annalax – suitably chastised – spent a pleasant morning with his new girlfriend (he would say paramour, of course, but for our purposes, girlfriend is easier*). He told her about Waking World Drow, and their worship of Her Ladyship. And he started ...
In a recent column I wrote for local newspapers, I ventured to suggest that Donald Trump – in addition to being a liar and a cheat, and sexist and racist – was a fascist in the making and would probably try, if he were to lose the election, to defy ...
When I was preparing for my School C English exam I knew I needed some quotes to splash through my essays. But remembering lines was never my strong point, so I tended to look for the low-hanging fruit. We’d studied Shakespeare’s King Lear that year and perhaps the lowest hanging ...
When I went to bed last night, I was expecting today to be eventful. A lot of pouting in Congress as last-ditch Trumpers staged bad-faith "objections" to a democratic election, maybe some rioting on the streets of Washington DC from angry Trump supporters. But I wasn't expecting anything like an ...
Melted ice of the past answers question today? Kate Ashley and a large crew of coauthors wind back the clock to look at Antarctic sea ice behavior in times gone by, in Mid-Holocene Antarctic sea-ice increase driven by marine ice sheet retreat. For armchair scientists following the Antarctic sea ice situation, something jumps out in ...
Christina SzalinskiWhen Martha Field became pregnant in 2005, a singular fear weighed on her mind. Not long before, as a Cornell University graduate student researching how genes and nutrients interact to cause disease, she had seen images of unborn mouse pups smaller than her pinkie nail, some with ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
As we welcome in the new year, our focus is on continuing to keep New Zealanders safe and moving forward with our economic recovery. There’s a lot to get on with, but before we say a final goodbye to 2020, here’s a quick look back at some of the milestones ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Ruapekapeka represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to reflect on the role these conflicts have had in creating our modern nation, says Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan. “The Battle at Te Ruapekapeka Pā, which took ...
Babies born with tongue-tie will be assessed and treated consistently under new guidelines released by the Ministry of Health, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Around 5% to 10% of babies are born with a tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, in New Zealand each year. At least half can ...
The prisoner disorder event at Waikeria Prison is over, with all remaining prisoners now safely and securely detained, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says. The majority of those involved in the event are members of the Mongols and Comancheros. Five of the men are deportees from Australia, with three subject to ...
Travellers from the United Kingdom or the United States bound for New Zealand will be required to get a negative test result for COVID-19 before departing, and work is underway to extend the requirement to other long haul flights to New Zealand, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. “The new PCR test requirement, foreshadowed last ...
ANALYSIS:By Jennifer S. Hunt, Australian National University Every four years on January 20, the US exercises a key tenant of democratic government: the peaceful transfer of power. This year, the scene looks a bit different. If the last US presidential inauguration in 2017 debuted the phrase “alternative facts”, the ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby In spite of Papua New Guinea’s mandatory mask-wearing requirement under the National Pandemic Act 2020, many public servants attending a dedication service in Port Moresby have failed to wear one. They were issued masks before entering the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex but took ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Moro, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, Bond University How do scabs form? — Talila, aged 8 Great question, Talila! Our skin has many different jobs. One is to act as a barrier, protecting us from harmful things in the ...
US President Donald Trump is pardoning former White House adviser Steve Bannon, who is accused of fraud in a case involving funds for the border wall. ...
Joel Little with Lorde, Dera Meelan with Church & AP, Josh Fountain with Maala and Randa and Benee – producers make good songs great. Now a new fund from NZ on Air is putting the focus on them.Six months ago it looked like the music industry was on the brink ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denise Buiten, Senior Lecturer in Social Justice and Sociology, University of Notre Dame Australia On average, one child is killed by a parent almost every fortnight in Australia. Last week, three children — Claire, 7, Anna, 5, and Matthew, 3 — were ...
This commendable and realistic decision again underlines that it is the police, not government, who are largely responsible for the reduction in cannabis prosecutions over the past 15 years, writes Russell Brown.The news that New Zealand police have discontinued the annual Helicopter Recovery Operation, which has, each summer for more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ilan Noy, Professor and Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington We will not be able to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us until the world’s population is mostly immune through vaccination ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s US inauguration live blog: inauguration news, analysis and reaction, updated throughout Wednesday and Thursday, NZ time. Reach me at catherine@thespinoff.co.nz.4.00pm: What will Trump be doing tomorrow?It’s pretty well known by now that outgoing president Donald Trump intends to throw out the rulebook when it comes to ...
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is calling out Mayor Phil Goff for his undignified comment that the claim made by Councillor Greg Sayers asking why Auckland Council is funding yoga classes is “bullshit.” Yesterday, Councillor Greg Sayers penned ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne At 4am Thursday AEDT, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as president and vice president of the United States, replacing Donald Trump and Mike Pence. What follows is ...
*This article was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission. New Zealanders flocked to beaches and lakes this summer, but it wasn't enough to fill the gap left by international tourists in other regions. The tourism industry is struggling to fill a $6 billion hole left by international tourists ...
Summer reissue: Chef Monique Fiso joins us for a chat about Hiakai – her acclaimed Wellington restaurant, and the title of her stunning new book.First published November 3, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn ...
A new trough was brought to our attention this morning, although ethnicity will limit the numbers of eligible applicants. If you are non-Maori, it looks like you shouldn’t bother getting into the queue – but who knows?We learned of the trough from the Scoop website, where the Kapiti ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Britta Denise Hardesty, Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing costs economies up to US$50 billion globally each year, and makes up to one-fifth of the global catch. It’s a huge problem not only for the ...
Police stopping major cannabis eradication operations has given the green light to drug dealers and gangs to expand operations, make more profit, and continue to wreak havoc on the most vulnerable in our society, says Sensible Sentencing Trust. ...
Varieties of merino wool footwear are emerging faster than Netflix series about British aristocracy. Michael Andrew takes a look at the rise of the shoe that almost everyone – including his 95-year-old grandma – is wearing.Some might say it all started with Allbirds. After all, to the average consumer, it ...
A new report from New Zealand’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) highlights the realities and challenges disabled people faced during the COVID-19 emergency. The report, Making Disability Rights Real in a Pandemic, Te Whakatinana i ngā Tika ...
The Maritime Union is questioning the reasons provided for ongoing delays at the Ports of Auckland. Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says there is a need for an honest conversation about what has gone wrong at the ...
As New Zealand faces a dire shortage of veterinarians, a petition has been launched urging the Government to reclassify veterinarians as critical workers so we can Get Vets into NZ. “New Zealand desperately needs veterinarians from overseas to counter ...
New Zealand is fast developing a reputation as a South Pacific vandal, says Greenpeace, as the government continues to fight against increased ocean protection. At the upcoming meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), ...
The Department of Internal Affairs and Netsafe are urging parents and caregivers to be mindful of the online content their tamariki may be consuming in the lead up to the inauguration of president-elect of the United States of America Joe Biden ...
Care is at the centre of Auckland Zoo’s mandate, and it’s clear to see when you witness the staff doing their day-to-day jobs up close. Leonie Hayden went behind the scenes to talk to two people who would do anything for the animals they look after. “We were having this ...
The Game Animal Council (GAC) is applying its expertise in the use of firearms for hunting to work alongside Police, other agencies and stakeholder groups to improve the compliance provisions for hunters and other firearms users. The GAC has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Verica Rupar, Professor, Auckland University of Technology “The lie outlasts the liar,” writes historian Timothy Snyder, referring to outgoing president Donald Trump and his contribution to the “post-truth” era in the US. Indeed, the mass rejection of reason that erupted in a ...
The internet ain’t what it used to be, thanks to privacy issues, data leaks, censorship and hate speech. But a group of New Zealanders are working on a way to give power back to the people. A flood of headlines over the last week made it clear: the internet has become ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Brooks, Scientia Professor of Evolutionary Ecology; Academic Lead of UNSW’s Grand Challenges Program, UNSW The views of women and men can differ on important gendered issues such as abortion, gender equity and government spending priorities. Surprisingly, however, average differences in sex ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer S. Hunt, Lecturer in National Security, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Every four years on January 20, the US exercises a key tenant of democratic government: the peaceful transfer of power. This year, the scene looks a bit ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle In Australia and around the world, research is showing changes in body weight, cooking, eating and drinking patterns associated with COVID lockdowns. Some changes have been positive, such as people cooking ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hao Tan, Associate professor, University of Newcastle Australian coal exports to China plummeted last year. While this is due in part to recent trade tensions between Australia and China, our research suggests coal plant closures are a bigger threat to Australia’s export ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asha Bowen, Head, Skin Health, Telethon Kids Institute A year ago, in late January 2020, Australia reported its first cases of COVID-19. Since then, we have seen almost 29,000 confirmed cases and 909 deaths. As cases climbed in Australian cities in 2020, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Davis, Emeritus Professor of Finance, University of Melbourne Political pressure forced the federal government in 2017 – when Scott Morrison was treasurer – to call the royal commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services sector. Commissioner Kenneth Hayne ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Ellis, Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Newcastle, University of Newcastle The Rise and Fall of Saint George is a story about place, belonging and community that taps into universal tensions of identity and faith in multicultural societies. Playing for ...
An in-depth analysis of media coverage of the euthanasia and cannabis referendums has found that while both sides of the euthanasia referendum were given reasonably fair and balanced coverage, the YES position in the cannabis debate received a heavily ...
*This article was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission Auckland has no plans to hand over the ownership of it assets under the government's planned water reforms, with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff saying his top priority is to ensure it stacks up for the city. Despite ...
Auckland Transport is putting nine new electric buses on the roads today, as it dramatically accelerates its plans to get rid of all its diesel buses – in a funding challenge to the council. Public transport operators are being told to not buy any more diesel buses or risk losing their council ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden as they find out exactly what we’re voting on in the cannabis referendum, and discover how legalising weed is a women’s issue.First published August 4, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is ...
A principal analyst for the Climate Change Commission says more needs to be done to reduce agricultural emissions or the country will miss its methane targets. ...
New Zealand needs to be bold in making developers enhance the environment - not just limit its degradation, writes Stephen Knight-Lenihan All human activity should help restore the natural world. This is a concept that may resonate following the upheavals of 2020 and one which is beginning to appear in law. Imagine ...
Derek Challis, son of the legendary author Robin Hyde, died last Thursday. Michelle Leggott pays tribute He opens a suitcase and there they are, the precious manuscript notebooks written by his poet mother Iris Wilkinson aka Robin Hyde. We are in Dunedin for a Hyde conference. Yes, says Derek Arden ...
Former New Zealand gymnast Katya Nosova is now a champion bodybuilder, who was prepared to spend Christmas alone in quarantine to compete in the 'Olympics' of her sport. Katya Nosova was willing to do everything she could to pose on the world stage in her third Ms Olympia. Despite a ...
Concerts and some sports look likely to be on the move in Auckland after a big win for Eden Park – and politicians and officials may now want to win the public some control over the independent stadium. The advent of big concerts at Eden Park will, in all likelihood, mean ...
Despite promises of improvement, questions remain about colonoscopy services in Otago and Southland.David Williams reports The apology, when it came, was fulsome. “On behalf of the Southern DHB, I offer a sincere apology for lapses and inadequacies in colonoscopy services over the past several years,” district health board chair ...
The issues political editor Justin Giovannetti will be keeping an eye on in 2021 (that have nothing to do with Covid-19).New Zealand will be busy in 2021. The border will remain closed to nearly all travellers and Covid-19 will continue to lead the news, but the country has a packed ...
A former case manager says that his experience working with beneficiaries suggests claims of a ‘complete shift’ in the service’s approach are laughable.A former Work and Income case manager who now works with beneficiaries engaging with the service has spoken out on a “toxic” culture which he says denies beneficiaries ...
ACC Minister Carmel Sepuloni must confirm whether the Government supports ACC’s apparent policy to make payouts for illegal overstayers , says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “Since when was it ACC policy to ...
By RNZ News An independent panel says Chinese officials could have applied public health measures more forcefully in January to curb the initial covid-19 outbreak, and criticised the World Health Organisation (WHO) for not declaring an international emergency until 30 January. The experts reviewing the global handling of the pandemic, ...
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk Fiji’s NGO Coalition on Human Rights has called for stronger accountability and commitment to human rights at home in response to the country taking the world stage as the head of a UN body. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR) elected Fiji’s ambassador Nazhat Shameem as ...
Danyl McLauchlan reviews Stuart Ritchie’s Science Fictions, which outlines the staggering systemic flaws in the funding and publication of scientific papers. Back in August of 2006 a number of New Zealand scientists were caught up in a media controversy about whether Māori had a genetic predisposition towards violent crime. It kicked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago America is currently experiencing its worst political and constitutional crisis since the civil war when the very survival of Abraham Lincoln’s government “of, by and for the people” was at stake. On ...
Manaaki Rangatahi report that young people experiencing homelessness are being further traumatized within the emergency accommodation where they have sought safety. Often these environments are unsafe, and unsuitable for young people to live in, and rangatahi ...
Can you figure out which of the above is the real Jacinda Ardern? Probably! But one day, that might not be true.There are many reasons to believe the internet shouldn’t exist. Social media empires exerting, intentionally or not, their control over sovereign governments. Baby Shark. Your aunt on Facebook.It pains ...
The Point of Order Ministers on a Mission Monitor has flickered only fleetingly for much of the month. More than once, the minister to trigger it has been David Parker, who set it off again yesterday with an announcement that shows how he has been spending our money. He welcomed ...
Ban Bomb Day event at the New Brighton Pier, 9am, on January 22nd, 2021 January 22nd, 2021, marks the first day the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) Enters into Force and becomes international law. Aotearoa NZ is one of the ...
Why are New Zealand’s 2 Minute Noodles called 3 Minute Noodles in the UK? It’s a puzzle that has taken hold of Dylan Reeve and refuses to let go.I’m a child of the 80s and 90s. I watched a lot of TV and was a big fan of aggressively marketed ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonatan A Lassa, Senior Lecturer, Humanitarian Emergency and Disaster Management, College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University News of storms battering parts of Queensland and the threat posed by Cyclone Kimi reminded me of a recent experience I’d had. ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that the use of force to effect the arrest of a wanted offender in Auckland was justified and proportionate to the risk he posed. A man, who was well known to Police, was wanted by Police for an aggravated ...
A distinctly colonial institution, banking has long ignored te ao Māori. Teaho Pihama believes investment in tikanga Māori at Kiwibank can have significant, positive outcomes for Māori.In early 90s Tāmaki Makaurau, when Teahooterangi (Teaho) Pihama was growing up riding his bike around the streets of Kingsland until the streetlights came ...
Donald Trump’s awful presidency expires at midday on Wednesday [US time] when Air Force One will have deposited him in Florida. He retreats to his Mar-a-Lago resort and Joseph R Biden Junior takes command of the White House. Trump’s has been an unpleasant presidency, brought about largely by his own ...
The New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA) has elected its National President for 2021. The election took place last Friday at an NZUSA Special General Meeting (SGM) in Wellington. Andrew Lessells, 22, was elected to serve as the National ...
Think twice before you accept that surprise school reunion invite, writes Chris Schulz.It started with a Facebook notification. A school reunion was being organised. It sounded fun, with a fancy dress party set to be held in the city where I grew up, Whanganui. I hadn’t seen some of my ...
Unlike the US, there is very little NZ precedent for politicians to issue discretionary pardons – creating a challenge for those like Prof Sean Davison who might have a humanitarian claim to mercy. ...
Schools have told the Education Review Office that some children lost 10 weeks of learning in last year's lockdowns, but the overall impact of the pandemic is still unclear. In a report based on surveys of thousand of students, teachers and principals during and after last year's national and Auckland ...
The government seems to still be in holiday mode when in the past two weeks alone we have had six homicides, countless firearms incidents, and police needing to arm themselves against gangs almost every second day," says Sensible Sentencing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Crawford, Associate Professor in Construction and Environmental Assessment, University of Melbourne Over the past few years, Australians have embraced online food delivery services such as UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog. But home-delivered food comes with a climate cost, and single-use packaging is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland When the coronavirus pandemic hit Australia in March 2020, the Morrison government took bold and imaginative action. The most notable examples were its income support programs – JobKeeper, paying a A$750 weekly ...
Ocean Ute, which arrived at Port Taranaki yesterday, is the second live export ship to arrive in New Zealand this year. Taranaki Animal Rights Group has two demonstrations planned for today. A protest at midday and a vigil at 6.30pm tonight . The number ...
The Department of Corrections is well within its rights to refuse Jared Savage’s “Gangland” book from being read by inmates and it is outrageous that resources and time are now potentially going to be wasted in court about it, says Sensible ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Cowling, Associate Professor – Information & Communication Technology (ICT), CQUniversity Australia We’ve probably all been there. We buy some new smart gadget and when we plug it in for the first time it requires an update to work. So we end ...
FYI: RNZ National this morning:
8:10 Kashmir Hill: Police use of facial recognition software Clearview AI
( This week RNZ exposed an unapproved police trial of controversial facial recognition software Clearview AI. )
And tied up with Clearview is all kinds of far right low life including an NZ citizen by the name of Peter Thiel and the compay, Palantir, that he founded.
https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5e7d028bc5b6cb08a92a5c48
This sort of behaviour by some of the cops seems to go on and on. They act like they can do exactly what they want and the rules are what they decide. All the stuff around Nicky Hager and the other journalists, the roast busters, illegal traffic stops in wellington, under policing of some poor behaviour by people associated with RW blogging – the lists go on and on. Opposing liquor licences where there may be personal issues in play. Police Groups with guns being used multiple times with the need being some what blurry.
It must be demoralising for police staff who don't subscribe to any of this and frankly some of it has cost the taxpayer a fortune. Nobody ever seems to be reprimanded, fired or held responsible in any way. I think we need a royal commission into the police because nothing ever changes.
Now we have a new commissioner whose career path looks very much like he has been groomed for top jobs for about the last decade – so mainly under RW governments. Has he done anything about this suveillance or is he just going to approve it in retrospect?
Usual caveats about polls, but these numbers are remarkable:
Scroll down to the last questions. On the lockdown, the National Party speak for about 6% of the public.
Polls smolls…..ask about and reasonable people get what national are doing and it apalls them. Their lack of humanity by politicking through this will hurt them in September IMO.
The 80% approval of going to level 2 "about right" was interesting with the caveat "despite stories in media saying lift lockdown ages ago".
Seems like our media has political agendas that are totally out of step with the NZ population
Must be upsetting to them that their best efforts have fallen flat
Yes Francesca Out of step with the NZ population. That is why I would like to see "comments" allowed again on their articles. I would subscibe to receive the paper daily if they did !
Pretty obvious messaging strategy at play here from the right
"It’s a fair assumption to suggest that at the time of entering Parliament, an MP’s political views and beliefs are set and are the motivation to enter politics in the first place."
True, so Steve Elers, senior lecturer at Massey University’s School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, examines socialist Jacinda: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/300012145/its-important-to-understand-what-drives-the-prime-minister
"Accordingly, to understand Ardern’s political ideology it is important to revisit 2008, when she entered Parliament as a Labour list-MP. Earlier in 2008 Ardern was elected president of the International Union of Socialist Youth. In early 2009, just two months after becoming an MP, Ardern presided over the union's World Council annual meeting in her capacity as president."
"Official records of that meeting give us insights into Ardern’s political ideology. For example, the meeting documents state the aim of the union is to “defend and spread our core socialist principles”. The 2009 union meeting is relevant not just because Ardern was president, but because the official resolutions outlined “progressive answers to the financial crisis” – aka the global financial crisis or GFC."
"Given Ardern and her comrades had “progressive answers to the financial crisis”, those answers might now be used to guide us through the turmoil and hardship of post-Covid-19. By the way, I have used "comrade" because it is how union members referred to themselves throughout the 2009 meeting."
"I do not use "comrade" disparagingly here, as indeed Ardern herself used the term 15 times in just seven minutes at this public event."
Comrade Ardern and her other comrades stated: “Redistribution will lead to more financial stability and justice. As IUSY we struggle for redistribution between the north and the south and for redistribution between the poor and the rich, because we believe in equality and justice.” On the same trajectory, Ardern and her comrades said: “Human beings are born with unequal resources available. We as young socialists believe in a social democratic system which secures a redistribution of resources.”
Which all raises the question; did she have a subsequent conversion to neoliberalism & kept quiet about it? Or is she a socialist wolf wearing neoliberal sheeps clothing? She may even explain that one can be both simultaneously, kinda like walking and chewing gum. We'll never know. Aotearoa lacks journos clever enough to ask her those questions.
Steve has vital questions of his own: "I wonder then what is the exact point whereby "inequality" becomes acceptable? For example, is a 20 per cent gap of "inequality" acceptable? Or does it need to be closer, like 10 per cent? Or do we all need to have the exact same amount of income and wealth?"
Waste of time. In the history of socialism, no socialist has ever spelt out a recipe for how it is meant to work. That's why Corbyn & Sanders felt obliged to fake it. Vapid vacuous innuendo, sadly, failed to turn them into winners. Credit Jacinda for not making the same stupid mistake. Well, not so obviously, perhaps…
A bold statement in the country of Michael Joseph Savage.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread? 😎 Well, correct me if I'm wrong. I suspect Savage et al promoted a scheme based on pragmatism more than design-based plan, but I agree state houses do seem sufficiently similar to imply a blueprint. As regards design of an alternative economy, history seems rather moot on that point.
A columnist somewhere the other day commended Grant Robertson for not yielding to to the Keynesian recipe. I'm tempted to feel that Aotearoa would benefit from his yielding somewhat, but let's see how the budget copes with circumstance first.
"A columnist somewhere the other day commended Grant Robertson for not yielding to to the Keynesian recipe. I'm tempted to feel that Aotearoa would benefit from his yielding somewhat, but let's see how the budget copes with circumstance first."
you appear somewhat confused…you do understand what Keynes advocated?
I've read plenty of interpretations by others in the media & in books, but never wanted to read him personally. Feel free to quote him if relevant…
If you havnt read any of his theories (though ‘authoritatively’ reference them) then i suggest you do and you will quickly realise what nonsense your post was.
No point. Nobody in the media has claimed that the budget was Keynesian, as far as I know. So you have yet to demonstrate relevance.
I cited the columnist as an indicator of the non-Keynesian nature of Grant's design. Take up your grouch with the columnist, if you disagree. I'm agnostic on whether it is or not…
within the constraints of a decades long winding back of state capacity it would be difficult to imagine a more Keynesian response…the gov is not increasing taxes (nor reducing state demand) but rather stepping in to replace the lost demand from the private sector and it is doing so by expanding the fiscal envelope (borrowing) and providing employment….if that is not recognised by any of the columnists you peruse then you need to read better informed columnists.
Yes, that reasoning does seem valid. Perhaps Keynes means different things to different people? I'll go see if I can find a view from Bernard Hickey.
Why not simply read Keynes.
He explains it clearly.
FFS.
What Robertson, and the previous two Governments have done. Even National, to an extent, is classic Keynes.
Paraphrasing a bit. Run Government surpluses in good times, so as to have room to run the, "necessary" deficits in the bad ones.
It is the ideas behind the whole concept of “keeping Government debt, low”.
Not saying you're wrong on that point, but I just took a look at Michael Reddell's budget analysis to see if he called it Keynesian. He didn't. He did have this interesting observation:
"For some reason, not known to me, the government is going to put lots more money in the NZSF over the next few years – beyond what the statutory formula provides for – as if having a flutter on the world markets, at your risk and mine, was an important part of a recovery programme."
So Grant the gambler. Does that fit the neoliberal model or the socialist model?
Well. You already know what I think about people "gambling in stock markets" privatising super provision, expecting it to magically build capability to supply resources to people in future, rather than investing in our own future capability and resilience.
I’ll put my capitalist hat on here. Government should be investing in infrastructure, services and people, not private corporations.
Note that Robertson s money into trade training, retraining and apprenticeships instead of continuing with "free" B com degrees for well off kids, is something I totally agree with.
Along with a lot of their other initiatives.
For your question. I think it is debatable. Thatcher apologists, claimed her sell offs of State infrastructure meant everyone, through their shares, still owned it. Similar to some here. Conveniently ignoring that so many who pay the higher prices of privatisation could never afford, shares.
The "Free BCom" scheme included all NZQF qualifications including trade training for two years i.e. double the free first year of the BCom.
You might want to check out the the published socialist histories of the UK Attlee government, postwar Denmark, postwar Netherlands, postwar Finland, Ireland's welfare system, as well as the crap ones like Cuba, Tanzania, and Nicaragua.
If $50b of state borrowing and dumptrucks of infrastructure and health investment, and utterly massive business tax breaks and wage subsidies isn't Keynsean, then you need a new version of Keynes.
"Socialists" have frequently spelt out how it is meant to work.
In fact we have the example of our first Labour Government, that it does work.
And, right now, all the "capitalists" that dodged taxes and wanted to avoid paying wages, with their hands out to the "Socialists" to bail them out.
Obviously they are convinced that "Socialism" , works!
They just want someone else to pay for it, for them.
All the complaints, especially from National, has been about not enough “Socialism” for them!
Worked fine here for decades.
Soured after a while but it was still what we needed.
"I do not use 'comrade' disparagingly here, as indeed Ardern herself used the term 15 times in just seven minutes at this public event"
The lecturer, Steve Elers, "doth protest too much, methinks."
Gertrude in 'Hamlet' said this about an actor who was overacting in an insincere way to incriminate Hamlet's uncle.
The lecturer wrote. "It's a fair assumption to suggest that at the time of entering Parliament, an MP's political views and beliefs are set and are the motivation to enter politics in the first place."
In the immortal words of Ardern and Robertson in response to leading questions from the Opposition, "Mr Speaker, I reject the premises of that question."
I note the weasel words in the opening quotation- 'assumption' and 'suggest'.
Who would believe that statement made this way? "At the time of entering Parliament, an MP's political views and beliefs are set and are the motivation to enter politics in the first place"?
In my lifetime I have changed my views about abortion, the infallibility of the Pope, homosexuality, cannabis, war, and the need to provide potatoes with every dinner.
To say that all views of all MPs are fixed, and further to argue that if an MP seems to acting differently that they are being deceitful about their true beliefs and motivations is stupid and a self-serving belief that attempts to self explain what is in itself a fixed belief- "That socialism is bad, all comrade socialists are bad, comrade Ardern is doing things that I don't approve of because she is doing things that I do approve but I don't like her doing them because at heart she is a comrade socialist and all comrade socialists are bad and I don't like socialism."
This is not the kind of thinking I like to read from someone who is a lecturer in communications.
I'll stop now, methinks……….
Well, there's this thing called rhetoric. I suppose he was doing that. I never studied classics but the orators would pitch a stance, apparently, then back it up with reasoning. Ad nauseum, sometimes.
I agree that folks tend to amend views through life, but it is true that beliefs formed in formative years are enduring. Some politicians have a world-view seeming to be set in concrete, eh? They only get traction if supporters locked into the same world-view are numerous enough. Those flexible enough to take on board the world-view of others tend to do better at politics (the art of compromise).
Some of us learn how to amend our "beliefs" as we gain more evidence, experience and knowledge.
Others…….
And. Those who compromise too much, end up achieving, little.
"and the need to provide potatoes with every dinner."
That's a step too far. Next you'll be giving up sardines on toast.
Gave that up very early. My Irish forebears would've said "famine food." Too fishy, too oily- like some opposition politicians……..
Still trying, and failing, to get the family away from the idea every meal must include a big chunk of carbs.
"Vapid vacuous innuendo" just about sums it up – wonder if Elers ever put his 'thoughts' about John Key's 'motivations' on paper, or are only socialist motives 'suspect'?
As for Elers' 'concern' about the correct setting of an (un)acceptable ‘inequality threshold‘, that's an absolutely transparent attempt to delay significant redistribution of wealth. Yes yes, of course we all agree redistribution is urgently needed, but 'how much', and by what mechanism'? – let the hand wringing commence.
I don't share his stance re socialist motives – I see them as well-intentioned, altruistic idealists mostly. I remain puzzled about why they continue to refuse to learn from their experience of politics. Talk to them, they ain't obviously stupid. Corbyn & Sanders don't seem stupid to me. As people. It's the adherence to a failed belief system that makes them seem stupid to most voters.
I reckon they could have sold neosocialism as a tweaked evolutionary development of mid-20th century socialism. Just eliminate the bads and point out that the goods are timeless. Simple! You'd think any politico could figure out such an evident political strategy.
As regards specifying the inequality threshold, I advocated doing so by societal consensus onsite here a couple of years ago. I advocated it to Metiria Turei when she appealed to Green Party members for ideas on how to get the job done a couple of years prior to that. I presume she failed to adopt it due to preferring to have a political career by faking consensus rather than actually doing it.
Many people are selfish – what percentage of wealthy NZers (please don’t ask me to define ‘wealthy‘), and those with ambitions/expectations of being wealthy, would support a political party advocating a greater redistribution of wealth (hard-earned and otherwise) than we currently have? 30%, 20%, 10%…?
As a "well-intentioned, altruistic idealist" (thank-you), I don't know how to sell a 'wealth redistribution product' to the selfish, and it's no good asking selfish people for advice. Consider Lisa Owen's introduction to the post-budget edition of Checkpoint; "What's in it for you?"
Presumptions come easy to some – just an observation. Still, no-one’s perfect.
Meow.
I didn’t know who the author was of that piece in Stuff but I can’t be bothered with his pseudo-academic musings. I’ve read enough from and about him in the last few weeks. Did you know that (Sir) Bob Jones labelled him as Man of the Year? I wonder when and where he’s going to stand for office. Enough said.
Elers only says one thing, and he says it every week. You should read his previous droppings, it's hard to know whether or not they are satire. Not great satire, mind – a proper parody of the frothing Cindyphobes would be much better written.
He never revisits his previous columns, which is not surprising. He got everything wrong about Ardern's leadership, but like a true obsessive, he does not let reality intrude on his world.
Heh! I reluctantly link to one of his previous pieces in Stuff, which drew a ‘clarification’ (at the bottom).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/121206976/prime-minister-needs-to-be-held-to-account-over-coronavirus-claims
This alleged ‘censorship’ generated a lot of commentary, particularly on right-leaning Social Media as well from the OP himself: https://www.magic.co.nz/home/news/2020/04/the-prime-minister-s-office-is-exerting-influence-on-media-and-e.html
How disingenuous is neocon Steve being here, neocon Den?
Lol- and she spent a year in Tony Blair's office or some such.
Desperate.
I know not everyone likes The Guardian, this made a lot of sense.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/15/humans-resources-coronavirus-democratise-work-health-lives-market?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Opening paragraph.
”Working humans are so much more than “resources”. This is one of the central lessons of the current crisis. Caring for the sick; delivering food, medication and other essentials; clearing away our waste; stocking the shelves and running the registers in our grocery stores – the people who have kept life going through the Covid-19 pandemic are living proof that work cannot be reduced to a mere commodity. Human health and the care of the most vulnerable cannot be governed by market forces alone. If we leave these things solely to the market, we run the risk of exacerbating inequalities to the point of forfeiting the very lives of the least advantaged.”
Yep. I'm not sure that the worst of the neolibs care, but it has brought it into stark relief.
Freightways need a damn good kick up the arse. I have close family working as full time contract couriers and the whole business model in this country is suffering from the 'sin of cheapness'.
I can fully testify to this, somedays they're working from 4am to 8pm handling an unprecedented surge in volume. Yes it is dangerous and almost certainly illegal, but at the same time they still get regularly abused by customers who think their precious delivery was an hour or two late.
Nonetheless Freightways have chosen to rort their own workers as a reward for this extraordinary effort:
So on one hand they're treating the drivers as contractors which lets them get away with them working dangerously long hours, on the other they're treating them as employees and deducting any wage subsidy they received covering the quiet period at the beginning of the lockdown.
Turning all of the drivers into employees is not necessarily the desired solution, the 'wagies' who do work in the business are treated even worse than the contractors, probably deliberately so.
The couriers need a a less restrictive contract which would allow them to deliver for other companies. Uber has copped a lot of flack, and rightly so at times, but at least they let their drivers work for other rideshare companies. There is no reason why the likes of Fastways and CrestClean cannot do the same.
That's not a bad suggestion. The problem at the moment is the sham nature of their contracts, where they really are neither employees nor contractors and have the protections of neither.
The fact that are not self-employed was highlighted a few years back when a family member was working for one of them.
His run area was pretty poor and he worked hard with the customers to build up the run til it was nicely profitable. When it cam up for renewal the owner gave that run to a mate of the owners and put him on another shitty run-down run.
Self-employed – not likely.
It seems to me the courier drivers need a union! If they already have one, it needs to flex its muscles!
The case for compulsory unionism?
The companies don't want the capital and maintenance of the vehicles on their books; and probably for good reason. Drivers do tend to be a lot better at looking after them when the expenses come out of their pockets.
Also drivers tend to be a lot more proactive about looking after customers and building the business when it directly goes onto their bottom line. Many enjoy the modest freedom it brings, not having to account for every damned minute of their day to some petty manager is a small, but real pleasure.
Plus the ability to manage tax directly can work for them as well.
So there are good reasons for them to be contractors; but of course the downside is they are locked into one client which is where all the problem arise.
In this view a traditional union model might not be the best fit; but something like a 'Drivers Association' that provided a collection of services to assist owner drivers to negotiate and obtain good legal advice would be a step in the right direction.
Last week I was sent a pic of a van load of School packs, that were paid at 20 cents each. That worked out to be less than the cost of the fuel alone.
I remember having a chat with a taxi driver along the same lines. He was just about sold on it by the time he dropped me off at union HQ from the airport!
The Spanish security firm UC Global who were ostensibly protecting the Ecuadorean embassy but in ;spying comprehensively on Assange&his family,,friends, defense team and visitors and turning everything over to the CIA was recruited by Sheldon Adelson,Trumps;s second biggest donor for his 2016 campaign (10 mill).He also owns the Sands Hotel and Casino; (where Frank Sinatra and the Ratpack used to carouse)and is one of the most rabid advocates for Israel
“In February 2012, Adelson told Forbes magazine that he is “against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections. But as long as it’s doable Im going to do it. Because I know that guys like George_Soros have been doing it for years, if not decades. And they stay below the radar by creating a network of corporations to funnel their money. I have my own philosophy and I’m not ashamed of it”
"Morales was charged by a Spanish High Court in October 2019 with violating the privacy of Assange and abusing the publishers attorney-client privileges, as well as money laundering and bribery. The documents revealed in court, which were primarily backups from company computers, exposed the disturbing reality of his activities on the dark side.”
This is a rather sickening look in to the way the world works, money ,power, and influence
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/05/14/american-sheldon-adelsons-us-spy-julian-assange/#more-24388
Thanks. It's almost as if there was/is a state-coordinated conspiracy against a journalist responsible for publicising information that embarrassed politicians and officials.
On NewShub, Matthew Hooten calling for Simon’s resignation if polling is below 35%.
Which is why he’ll never let caucus know how bad it is.
Are senior members of the caucus ready to sacrifice their colleagues low on the list? Then they can let Simon lead them to disaster. Following the election do the leadership purge.
The caucus don't need to see the polling results. It means they can concentrate on something that's a really big deal to them. Even writing this I can the likes of Chris Bishop going on about it.
The thing that is the most important in the world? Transparency.
Monday's caucus, imagine it. The Member for Northcote peeping up from the back,"Paula, you know how you told us we must use the word transparency at least 29 times everyday because transparency is important, are we going to be able to see the poll figures?"
Bridges interview was another train wreck I thought. When asked specifically what the National plan would be he instinctly went to his base. I paraphrase, "We'd help businesses go and and buy new tractors"
Drought.
A washy post-tropical phase in a week's time. That's it.
http://www.metvuw.com/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain®ion=nz&noofdays=10
But not a single southerly front from subantarctic southern ocean all through to June at least.
Nearly half of New Zealand 's population is now in water restrictions.
This is cutting hard, and very deep.
Yes – it will give Shane Jones plenty of cover for funding water storage schemes. It's unavoidable in the current environment – as anything that looks like economic development/job creation will get a big tick. It'll most likely be bad for fresh water quality.
This is because I'm not trying to paint a roof in Auckland this year (unlike last winter when it pissed down). How much do think I could get paid to come back over and do another one?
Trust me the dew is too heavy for roof painting.
I tried it in April once and the corrugated dips just didn't set in time for overnight, and just ran away into the gutter in the morning.
Lesson learned here.
The trick is to use one of the new HVLP airless sprayers to put it on fast. Start at around 12:30pm once the roof is dry and be done by 2pm at the latest. If the temp is over 10 degC you can get away with it. Just.
NZ has plenty of water, we're just bad at managing it sustainably and future-proofing supply (also a sustainability issue).
For instance, putting in localised water storage for gardens, alongside teaching people how to garden with low and/or variable rainfall, would mitigate the problem of people now not being able to water their gardens.
There is no clear definition of a “weak positive” COVID-19 test result, apparently, or at least not one that has been communicated clearly to us, the public of NZ. Similar confusion about “elimination”, “eradication”, and other terms that are highly confusing to laypeople (e.g. containment, mitigation, suppression, etc.).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/121533536/coronavirus-what-it-means-to-get-a-weak-positive-covid19-test-result
On another topic entirely ( for one of our super gardeners here). I can't get dried chick peas in bulk that I cook and freeze. I'm assuming a supply disruption. Looking up the plant it seems to be something that grows on marginal soils and like other peas & beans fixes nitrogen etc. Does anyone know if it is grown commercially here? Likewise lentils? And if we need to go for import substitution how long will I need to wait before it grows?
Puy lentils were being grown in Canterbury
https://www.agronomysociety.org.nz/files/SP7_21._Lentil_production_in_Canterbury.pdf
Also chick peas
https://www.agronomysociety.org.nz/files/SP7_23._Chickpeas.pdf
Most chickpeas for sale in NZ will be imported. There are some growers, but it's small scale.
Don't know about lentils, but I assume the same.
It's why the whole go vegan to prevent climate change is a fail. Large parts of vegan diets have to be imported.
We can change this, there are lots of crops we could be growing here but aren't. This is why I keep banging on about relocalising food supply. It's better for the climate, and food security (and it generally tastes better).
Sun Valley lentils are NZ grown, don't know about their chickpeas. (Also NZ grown are their pearl barley & split peas – just looking at a pack of their soup mix that I need to use up.)
Thank you all. Lots of good info. So I can now ponder digging up my back yard or visiting Canterbury….
Sometimes I wonder if we should publish a list of the stuff we import and then try to work out if we can economically produce the same volume here?
recent discussions on line about how the wheat used to make bread for the North Island comes from Australia, rather than using the wheat in the South Island (something about the right kind of wheat for bread not being able to be grown in the NI). Freight costs apparently.
It was hard to buy organic oats at one point because all the farmers were selling to the Canadian market.
This shit is why I hate globalisation. It's fucking stupid. The reasons that these situations work is because no-one is accounting for ecological damage including climate change.
But yeah, it's a good idea to draw up a list of what we could be growing here. I'd put legumes high up the list.
The other part of the problem is that most food in NZ is grown for export, and if we look at the land being use for industrial dairy, it's going to be hard to convert that to other kinds of farming unless milk prices collapse because there is so much debt on the land and because the industry is basically a rort designed to keep extracting for maximum $.
Also hunting is great for local meat and keeping pests down – also the suffering is minimal compared to farmed animals
The deer are out there in nature doing their Rousseauian best and then one day a quick death puts meat on your table
Get a license, grab a rifle, head into the hills and get into it!
Simeon seems rather pleased with his nazi mention.
"PM’s staff can locked you in your home"
I've gotten old – make more mistakes than I used plus I'm often drunk. What the hell is her excuse for butchering the English language. Do journalists need to have a cognitive deficit to qualify for the job?
Nope. But clearly if you want to appear to be a meaningless dimwit incapable of understanding an issue, then it clearly helps to build the impression.
It's hawsers for corsets, Barfly
Most spam is misspelled.
Comments are funny, can't believe he's left the Tweet up. He gets support from people who call Adern our "tranny PM" (??), Covid Hoaxers & Pro Lifer conspiracists. Katie Hopkins, ffs. Oh yeah, apparently we're a communist country now.
I heard Trump wanting unity in appproaches. Given how he sees the world it was a sick joke. A life of "I don't need you, fuck off" suddenly changing to "I'm drowning please save me."
"It is perhaps laudable that many of the victors of capitalism’s spoils want to contribute to the common project of fighting the pandemic. But we should not forget that so many of the factors that have rendered the coronavirus particularly deadly in the United States — income inequality, the lack of a social safety net, the precarious standing of newly-essential gig workers, the obsession with freedom from government tyranny and the lack of a coherent civic identity — are direct products of the way we valorize self-making."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/billionaires-are-playing-savior-now-but-they-broke-the-economy-to-begin-with/2020/05/15/6014e04e-9544-11ea-91d7-cf4423d47683_story.html
Thread.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1261131205841350656.html
Well, while the rest of us were in lockdown and supposed to be writing the film script or learning French or whatever else we promised ourselves if we only had the time, a 6 year old figured out the bossanova:
http://metvuw.com/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain®ion=swp&noofdays=10
wait, what?
Kia Ora Newshub.
That's is going to make the election interesting.
That's is cool people still working from home Ka pai.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Good to see more money being invested in our mokopuna teachers the better you treat the seedling the stronger they will grow.
It is cool that more whare are being built in Te Tairawhiti there has been a shortage of affordable whare there for a while now.
I think that our return service people should be given the royal treatment when they retired.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
New Zealanders have to start taking Internet security serious.
I think the way the money has been distributed for our virus hit economy stimulis has been quite wise as the money will flow through the economy and back to our governments tax take.
Michelle do you want some tissue.
I think that labour will still need the Green party to rule.
Wow that's awesome more putea invested in Maori arts and crafts.
I think that's a logical way to help deal with the droughts. Change the laws so anyone can have tanks to catch wai that falls from Tawhirimate.
Extreme climate change in the past won't be as extreme as we have now being influenced by the billions of tons of carbon we have spewing into our atmosphere warming our planet.
Ka kite Ano
Kia Ora Newshub.
The new public holiday could be environment day.
I say domestic tourist will keep our tourist attractions running till we get some international tourist back.
That shows burning fossil fuels is bad for our health as well as our environment.
Ka kite Ano.
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
I'm glad that crap is getting stamped out of our society
Good to see the tangata at Te puia smiling.
Correct if we don't obey the virus rules our Kaumatua could suffer.
Cool funding for broadband at Marae.
Ka kite Ano