Open mike 16/06/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, June 16th, 2019 - 79 comments
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79 comments on “Open mike 16/06/2019 ”

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  1. CHCoff 1
    16 June 2019 at 8:35 am

    Anyone want some Brit fudge?

    'But a senior Boris Johnson backer yesterday admitted he may have to delay Brexit by a few weeks…'

    https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9300327/britain-not-leave-eu-this-year/

    'A well-connected school is often a golden ticket to a place at Oxbridge. Of the seven (including Gyimah) privately educated candidates McVey is the only one not to have gone to Oxford.'

    https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/boris-johnson-rory-stewart-eton-balliol-tory-leadership-contenders-oxford-social-mobility/

    'Theresa May backs Lorraine Kelly over 'complete cow' Esther Mcvey in TV fued'

    https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/theresa-backs-lorraine-kelly-over-16520677

  2. Morrissey 2
    16 June 2019 at 9:18 am

    At last: a Scandinavian politician with integrity

    • Adrian Thornton 2.1
      16 June 2019 at 1:56 pm

      Was just about to put this up myself….I see that The Guardian and The Washington Post have both finally changed their tune and realized that they have been on the wrong side of history on this one.

  3. Jenny - How to Get there? 3
    16 June 2019 at 9:31 am

    NZ Media: Toeing the pro war propaganda line

    We are at war with East Asia, we have always been at war with East Asia

    New Zealand media and the Ministry of Truth (Minitru)

    Yesterday TVNZ news reported the US version of the attack on a Japanese oil tanker in the Gulf of Hormuz, verbatim. TVNZ deliberately omitted the Japanese version of events.

    The US claimed that the Japanese ship was damaged with limpet mines attached to the ship and that this was proof that the attack was planned and carried out by the Iranians.

    The Japanese claimed that their ship had been hit by "flying objects". The Japanese report was deliberately left out of the TVNZ, coverage.

    This morning Stuff.co.nz decided to omit all coverage of this attack.

    You can scour the popular NZ online News site for news of this unfolding story, all you like, all mention of this contentious attack and the embarrassing counter claims are completely missing.

    George Orwell in his novel 1984 wrote of a fictitious news organisation, that kept what he called a 'memory hole'. Stories embarrassing to the establishment authorities were placed in this memory hole never to be recalled.

    Stuff.co.nz realising Orwell's nightmare

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/

    • Adrian Thornton 3.1
      16 June 2019 at 2:17 pm

      Yes will are living in a time when what should be our trusted media sources are now trying to tell us up is down and black is white…and unfortunately it seems to be getting worse all the time.

      After the hysterical news coverage and saber rattling that spilled out of pretty much all western press following the chemical attack in Douma, they seem very quiet when it is revealed that all is not as it seemed….no follow up stories on RNZ that I have heard either.

      New Evidence Suggests 2018 Chemical Attack in Douma, Syria Was Staged

      https://therealnews.com/stories/new-evidence-suggests-2018-syria-chemical-attack-in-douma-was-staged

      https://www.democracynow.org/2019/5/23/leaked_opcw_report_raises_new_questions

      Here is a little history of the US bullshitting itself into violence around the world…and still out news sources parrot their lies again and again..

    • Jenny - How to Get there? 3.2
      16 June 2019 at 5:59 pm

      Last night TVNZ News at 6 reported the attack on the Japanese oil tanker in the Gulf of Hormuz, which TVNZ reporters loyally followed the pro-war US narrative squarely putting the blame on the Iranians. TVNZ refused to report the Japanese version of the attack which contradicted the pro-war US narrative.

      Stuff.co.nz took a different path and censored this story and its embarassing contradictions completely.

      It is almost 6pm again.

      Will TVNZ give a more balanced report of this attack tonight?

      Or will TVNZ follow the Stuff.co.nz direction on this story with its embarrassing contradictions and bury it in the memory hole.

      • Jenny - How to Get there? 3.2.1
        16 June 2019 at 7:06 pm

        TVNZ News at 6 the two international news stories

        A hobby horse competition in Norway.

        And a religious service conducted in hardhats at the Notre Dame Cathedral in France.

        No correction or coverage of the shockingly biased one sided pro-war reporting of the attack on the Japanese oil tanker in the Gulf of Hormuz last night, that gave only the US side of the story and completely censored the Japanese crew version of the attack on their ship.

        If NZ is dragged into another US bloodbath, TVNZ shameful one sided pro-war propaganda will be partly responsible.

        New Zealanders should be rightly sickened at this example of lying by omission in the service of mass murder by TVNZ.

        Less creepily pro-war, The Sydney Morning Herald

        Japanese ship owner contradicts US account of how tanker was attacked

        By Simon Denyer August 24, 2003 — 10.00am

        Tokyo: The owner of a Japanese tanker attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday has offered a different account of the nature of the attack than that provided by the United States.

        Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo, said the Filipino crew of the Kokuka Courageous thought their vessel had been hit by flying objects rather than a mine.

        Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo, the Japanese company operating one of two oil tankers attacked near the Strait of Hormuz.

        Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo, the Japanese company operating one of two oil tankers attacked near the Strait of Hormuz.CREDIT:AP

        The incident in the Gulf of Oman has compounded the already simmering hostilities in what’s possibly the world’s most pivotal maritime corridor.

        "The crew are saying it was hit with a flying object. They say something came flying towards them, then there was an explosion, then there was a hole in the vessel," he told reporters. "Then some crew witnessed a second shot."

        https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/japanese-ship-owner-contradicts-us-account-of-how-tanker-was-attacked-20190615-p51xzz.html

        • Jenny - How to Get there? 3.2.1.1
          16 June 2019 at 8:47 pm

          Notice all the right wing supporters of 'free speech' for fascists, have nothing to say about mainstream media censorship, especially if it is in the service of inciting a war.

  4. cleangreen 4
    16 June 2019 at 9:50 am

    "Restoring Regional rail" 16th June 2019.

    Shane Jones said "It was a great day for HB/Gisborne" – thanks for your support to the many fighting for this day.

    Question now is; – when do we reopen the Gisborne line as Gisborne is the most isolated City of its size in NZ today without a rail service? Dear rail stakeholders.

    We have a picture of the first train that leaves Gisborne in June 1942 for Napier while 10 000 people wave them off, as the ‘Minister of rail’ (Robert Semple) says it was justified to spend over 6 million pounds to complete the rail service to Gisborne as it was an “isolated” region with few other transport choices.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113480664/kiwirail-to-celebrate-reopening-of-napier-to-wairoa-line

    KiwiRail celebrates re-opening of Napier to Wairoa line Andre Chumko and Bethany Reitsma16:03, Jun 14 2019

    Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones discusses what will happen to truck drivers as a result of the Napier-Wairoa rail line re-opening.

    Mervyn Smiley, an Eskdale resident of 25 years, has longed for the day when trains returned to the mothballed Napier to Wairoa line.

    On Friday, that dream became reality as a brass band and haka welcomed Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones to KiwiRail's depot in Ahuriri, near Napier Port.

    After a short series of speeches, the minister and various other politicians including Napier MP Stuart Nash, Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Meka Whaitiri and National's Lawrence Yule, joined the region's mayors in boarding the carriages of the first train to make the first full trip between Napier and Wairoa since 2012. Among the politicians present were Napier MP Stuart Nash and Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Meka Whaitiri. On the train,

    Jones held a press conference, where he described the day as a great one for Hawke's Bay. Jones said KiwiRail had had "so little for so long", and the $6.2 million investment so far was a big deal, especially in relation to moving trucks off the roads.It would also allow businesses to grow their logistics capacity, and boost exports.

    The train stationed at Ahuriri before departing for Wairoa. "If we're in for the KiwiRail journey, it's a long-term journey.

    It's about a nation building infrastructure at a time when there's a lot of uncertainty about weather." And the "fiscal love" would continue to flow post 2020's election, he said, forecasting "substantial amounts" being injected into KiwiRail. On whether there was a possibility of extending the line to Gisborne, Jones said any business case would be pushing on an open door.

    Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said it was a significant day. KiwiRail chief executive Greg Miller said with work on the line finished, its next focus was on establishing a log-hub in Wairoa so it could begin running trains as soon as August.

    "The amount of timber flowing from forests in the region is expected to quadruple in the next four years and to get all those logs to market will require all transport networks working efficiently together."

    He forecast up to six trains travelling the line per week, meaning about 5000 fewer truck journeys initially, and more than 15,000 as services increased.

    The Deco Bay Brass group performed for Shane Jones upon his arrival. Jones said local civic leaders – mayors, council chairs and MPs – who had lobbied him were to credit for the re-opening.

    "This will substantially reduce their roading bill if they can move more heavy freight onto rail." Transport advocacy groups NZ Transport 2050 and the Public Transport Users Association said in a statement the previous Government underfunded the line.

    Locals were waving at the train the whole trip, happy to see the line back in action. "The loss of 20 fulltime jobs in Wairoa was a big hit for a small community.

    With the railway re-opening today it opens up opportunities for wood processors to again re-establish in the town," Paul Miller, chair of NZ Transport 2050 said.

    Green Party MP Gareth Hughes said regional rail should be the backbone of the transport system for people and freight, and his party would like to see the line extended from Wairoa to Gisborne. Hukarere Girls' College students performed a waiata for ministers and MPs upon their arrival to Eskdale, north of Napier. The train then departed for Wairoa.

    • Wayne 4.1
      16 June 2019 at 10:46 am

      Gareth Hughes is wrong. Rail will never be the "backbone of the transport system for people." Even for freight, it will only be the case for bulk cargoes and containers.

      Now, I happen to believe that more needs to be done in rail. Electrification from Auckland to Wellington, reopening to Gisborne and Rotorua, decent passenger service to Hamilton, and of course Northport.

      But in New Zealand rail will always by a minority/specialist form of transport. Roads are invariably faster and vastly more flexible. Which is why they need substantial investment.

        • Psycho Milt 4.1.1.1
          16 June 2019 at 12:36 pm

          Unfortunately, yes really. It's way, way easier to put a road somewhere than a railway line, which is one reason we're still on narrow-gauge rail and it's mostly single-tracked. Rail infrastructure is expensive. A government with an eye to the long term and protection of the environment would bite the bullet and prioritise the more expensive option, but the three-year electoral cycle and voters' love of cars argue very strongly for taking the quick-and-cheap option instead.

          • OnceWasTim 4.1.1.1.1
            16 June 2019 at 5:07 pm

            Care to clarify? What do you think is the more expensive option – short to medium term? I'm assuming you think it is rail because of the 3rd dimension (the up and down bits).

            It really needn't be however if you consider corridor widths necessary for the roading option versus those necessary to carry freight (and passenger for that matter) over a more 'levelled out' narrower corridor,

            And I'm not sure why Indians and Chinese can construct/reconstruct railways over 100km or more in the space of 18 or so months, whereas lil 'ole Nu Zull struggles.

            (I'm thinking maybe things like Fulton and Hogan monopolies on tar seal/bitumen, traffic management – STMS – and a heap of other bullshit that's been allowed to prevail over the past several years. Oh, and not to mention lobbyists; owner drivers and their investments and whose livelihoods are dependent on it all continuing, and a few other bits and pieces. YES IT REALLY 'IS')

      • Andre 4.1.2
        16 June 2019 at 11:30 am

        Pretty close to my view, main change I'd make would be "usually" rather than "invariably". But a big change I think needs to happen is rebalancing how roads are funded so that users pay in proportion to the expense they cause.

        For out-of town roads highways, the engineering evidence seems very clear that trucks cause a much higher proportion of the damage and maintenance and even initial road building expense than they pay for, while cars and other light vehicles pay substantially more than their fair share.

        Rebalancing the road user charges and fuel excise tax systems so trucking pays a fair share, rather than getting a hidden subsidy, would be a good first step. Then rail might be slightly closer to being competitive for moving freight on an even footing.

        For most cities, it's sheer numbers of vehicles at peak times that cause big expenses. So some sort of demand or congestion charging only seems fair.

        Hell, both those steps would be worth doing just to watch the ensuing histrionics and special pleading that would ensue devil, let alone the actual real resulting benefits.

        • bwaghorn 4.1.2.1
          16 June 2019 at 12:43 pm

          If trucks were forced to pay the full price of the damage they do it would force up the price of every thing that is carried by trucks .

          The poor would suffer the most as usual.

          • Andre 4.1.2.1.1
            16 June 2019 at 1:43 pm

            Let the special pleading begin …

            A consequence like that isn't an argument against doing the right thing. But if the effects actually turn out to be big enough, then it is a good reason to include other adjustments at the same time, such as increases in benefit rates and/or minimum wage and/or tax rate and threshold adjustments at the bottom end of the scale.

            In the case of rebalancing how roads are paid for, chances are pretty good the reduction in tax on petrol and reduced road user charges for small diesel vehicles will help the poor more than increased transport costs will hurt them.

          • Psycho Milt 4.1.2.1.2
            16 June 2019 at 3:43 pm

            If we stopped subsidising road freight via petrol excise, general taxation, importing of cheap third-world labour and the off-loading of environmental costs onto future generations, many goods would be more expensive, yes. That's not a reason to continue doing those things.

      • Jenny - How to Get there? 4.1.3
        16 June 2019 at 1:09 pm

        Wayne 4.1

        16 June 2019 at 10:46 am

        ……in New Zealand rail will always by a minority/specialist form of transport. Roads are invariably faster and vastly more flexible. Which is why they need substantial investment.

        Not so Japan.

        4 Major Means Of Transportation In Japan

        BULLET TRAIN/SHINKANSEN

        The Bullet train/Shinkansen links the major cities on the island of Honshu and Kyushu as well as Hokadate located on northern island of Hokkaido….

        Shinkansen

        CONVENTIONAL LINES

        This is the major means of passenger transport in Japan.

        JR Train

        https://fastjapan.com/en/p125853

        The more motorways and fossil fuel lobby, God bless 'em, are doing their damnedness to ensure that doesn't happen here.

        Public transport not more roading is where the real investment needs to happen.

        • Gabby 4.1.3.1
          16 June 2019 at 1:15 pm

          How do we compare vis a vis population density jensy?

          • Psycho Milt 4.1.3.1.1
            16 June 2019 at 3:37 pm

            Yep. If NZ had 120 million people in it like Japan does, I expect we'd have an excellent railway network because the alternative would be all-gridlock, all the time. But we don't, so we don't.

            • Graeme 4.1.3.1.1.1
              16 June 2019 at 5:20 pm

              Certainly New Zealand is highly unlikely to ever see true high speed rail like Shinkansen, or commuter rail like major Japanese cities. But most of the Japanese rail network is rural 1067mm gauge lines very similar to New Zealand. Their loading gauge is slightly larger, but less than Kiwi Rail's aspirational standard.

              Passenger services running at 100 – 130 kmh are the norm and a situation like Whangarei – Auckland – Hamilton – Tauranga would have a regular and highly patronised service.

              It's ironic that those speeds, 100 -130 kmh, were common for our express passenger services in the steam days. I remember being a passenger in a car on SH1 around Rakaia when we were passed by the SI Limited going in the same direction like we were standing still.

        • Stuart Munro. 4.1.3.2
          16 June 2019 at 10:23 pm

          They're a great idea – though the KTX is more modern and was adopted by China as the standard for its network. The Wellington/Auckland run, if replaced, would greatly reduce the use of aircraft for domestic travel. Roomier, cheaper, and a better prospect for working in transit, the modernity is far beyond that imaginable to the paleoGnats, though the smarter Greens and younger Labour folk might get it.

      • Stuart Munro. 4.1.4
        16 June 2019 at 5:19 pm

        Unhappily, roads are much more carbon negative than rail. The heavy longhaul truck model was broken when frankly stupid governments like yours brought it in Wayne – much moreso as the push to contain carbon release moves from the systematic frauds perpetrated under National, to real albeit slow reform.

      • KJT 4.1.5
        16 June 2019 at 10:15 pm

        Surprising when an ex Government minister knows so little about how freight works in New Zealand.

        Trucking is both inefficient and expensive, compared with rail and shipping.

        Hidden by the huge subsidies motorists, rate payers and general tax payers are forced to give to trucking. And all they pay for it is some National party funding and employment for some ex MP's. An excellent investment. For trucking firms!

      • Exkiwiforces 4.1.6
        17 June 2019 at 7:59 pm

        The only way Rail would become the backbone of NZ Transport scene again, would be if NZ's Sea Lanes Of Communication were cut or degraded to a point that it reduces NZ's import of its POL products/ production where rationing has to introduce.

        But since NZ Rail at levels during before its sell off by all Governments, under Private ownership and after it was re-nationalise that it needs a level of state involvement and investment since the 1930's under the first NZ Labour Government.

        Its last major rail workshop that built wagons and Locomotives closed, this decision by the "No Mates Party" now causing delays for the new Inter- City train Auckland- Hamilton passenger train as KiwiRail no longer makes stuff aka bogies for the rebuilt passenger carriages. WTF!!!!

        The Way and Works Dept was ran into the ground under private ownership which has effected the speed on some lines the Canterbury Plains lines the Ka, Kb's and the old Vulcan Railcars were doing a 100kph plus and the current loco’s s etc are now restricted to 90kph or less WTF!!!.

        The loading gauge has been impacted as a result of running down of the Way and Works Dept, to a point the old Standard Railcars under private ownership are restricted on some Nth Island rail lines (Note: The Standard Railcars were Nth Island base only and the Vulcans Sth Island Base). Apart from the NIMT between Plamy and Frankston has seen any major realignment's, major rebuilds apart from the recent earthquake's in the Sth Island or Otaki rebuilds at still dated back when Rail and Stream were Kings. The last Rail Observer mention that KiwiRail was refuse funds to build a major Rail Hub at Rollie Sth of CHCH which has increase cost to producers in the Mid Canterbury Regional, but the Palmy one got the Ok and then we have the saga of the Gizzy line, Northland Rail lines and other mothball lines.

        Land was sold off by Government's in the mid 80's and under Private ownership without any thought to the future use for freight and passenger services. A good example of this the CHCH Station and the removal of the turnout towards the site of the old Station, land around the New Market Junction and that's before we even start talking the Britomart Station only being restricted to 4 roads or the Wellington Station issues as well.

        To those that the current Rail gauge of 3ft 6in restricts NZ Rail services is a bloody load of Bollocks. We only need to have a look at the Tilt Trains in Qld both Electric and Diesel power trains or the Train Systems in the Perth/ Lower to Mid WA.

        To those out there that want to understand the current issues facing NZ Rail and other aspects of NZ Rail from the pass and to the future? Grab the latest edition of the NZ Rail Observer and sign up to the NZ Rail Society.

        Sorry for the plug for the NZ Rail Society.

    • Peter Christchurh nz 4.2
      16 June 2019 at 1:53 pm

      Cleangreen: I absolutely upport a strong rail base for freight and commuters, but the Gisborne line has always been a problem.

      Major erosion issues have meant this line has frequently been closed for very long periods. It would always have been like that, and that line was never going to be essential to the rail system as a whole, being a dead end as such.

      Better to bite the bullet and keep it closed, and spend the money elsewhere in the rail system. Which I guess is what the current government has decided.

      • gsays 4.2.1
        16 June 2019 at 3:44 pm

        It's ironic you say that Peter, our local example of road/rail/slips has the road closed, the Manawatu Gorge, and across the river the trains keep on trucking.

        Apparently the difference between the terra firma of the Ruahines (rail) and the Tararuas is profound. Consequence is all the road freight grinds it's way up, over and down the Ruahines.

        For the sake of a couple of tunnels being widened we could have the trucks trained through the gorge, Woodville to Ashhurst or Palmy….

    • gsays 4.3
      16 June 2019 at 3:37 pm

      I thought of you clean when I heard the Napier-Wairoa announcement.

      Toasted your efforts with a lovely hopped chilli home brew cider.

    • Jenny - How to Get there? 5.1
      16 June 2019 at 10:53 am

      I wonder what the reaction would be, if the same criteria were included in a job ad. for any other kind of child care facility?

      Are you good with children?

      Then don't apply

      Papakura Childcare Centre is looking for someone who can, lunge, jump, run, twist, coerce, push, pull, infants and children.

    • Sabine 5.2
      16 June 2019 at 12:20 pm

      who would have predicted that.

  6. Dennis Frank 6
    16 June 2019 at 12:18 pm

    I was surprised to notice that Marama seems to have gotten belated traction in her campaign to liberate the C word – in the most unlikeliest of places. Britain, where the stuff upper lip is no longer merely quivering. It seems to have gone feral. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-hunt-c-word-victoria-derbyshire-tory-leadership-race-contest-a8958426.html

    "Jeremy Hunt has demanded broadcasters “grow up” and stop mistakenly referring to him by the C-word when trying to pronounce his surname."

    "On Tuesday, BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire followed a host of TV and radio personalities by accidentally referring to the foreign secretary as “Jeremy C***” live on-air. Addressing Conservative MP Steve Brine, Derbyshire said: “You say the man you are backing, Jeremy C***…”

    “I’m so sorry, Jeremy Hunt. I’ve never said that before in my life. It’s normally men who say that so I really, really want to apologise.”

    "Others who have made the gaffe include Sky News reporter Thomas Moore, BBC journalists Justin Webb and James Naughtie, as well as presenter Nicky Campbell just last week."

    Jeremy Hunt is the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. For the British media to vilify him thus seems a new behavioural low, which has become contagious. Not an appropriate way to treat a leading govt minister!

    Notice how he asks them to grow up, yet refers to their utterances as mistakes. Adults make mistakes too. Surely he knows they do! Really accidental?? Or juvenile? Perhaps it would be better for offenders to agree that the trend is Freudian slippage…

  7. Anne 7
    16 June 2019 at 12:19 pm

    It's in the feed section but needs to be highlighted:

    http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2019/06/ripped-away-from-their-parents.html

    This is the enormous virtue of Reid’s and Newsroom’s investigative journalism. It digs below the superficial stereotypes that allow so many of us to dismiss the anguish of “these people” as the inevitable outcome of their irresponsible lifestyles. That they are brown and say “yous”, instead of “you”, only makes it easier for middle-class Pakeha to ignore their pain. Oranga Tamariki, the Family Court, the DHBs and the Police have made it possible for those Kiwis who have made their peace with race-based social injustice to go about their lives without the slightest awareness of the tragedies unfolding, every night, in suburbs they will never visit.

    First of all the "State"- aided and abetted by successive governments – created the climate of poverty that exists among Maori communities in particular, and then they remove their babies on the pretext they are nor living in safe and secure environments.

    There will of course be valid reasons why some children have to be removed from their Whanau, but it is looks to me like the agencies involved have created a social apartheid system based on their prejudices and… not a little desire for power and control.

  8. Gabby 8
    16 June 2019 at 1:14 pm

    They might know more about the whanau and their associates than they're allowed to say.

    • Anne 8.1
      16 June 2019 at 4:11 pm

      True Gabby, but they might also be basing their judgement on past behaviour not taking into account that the circumstances of the mother and her whanau may have changed.

  9. greywarshark 9
    16 June 2019 at 1:15 pm

    Trivial comment.

    If my weight goes up because I'm fat, why does the fatty cream float on top of the milk? Perhaps i should eat more cream.

  10. adam 10
    16 June 2019 at 1:20 pm

    "Fuck the Government and Fuck Boris"



  11. Fireblade 11
    16 June 2019 at 2:09 pm

    The Act Party's new branding is blue, yellow and hot pink.

    I feel a migraine coming on.

    https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/actnz/sites/1002/meta_images/original/output-onlinepngtools.png?1560642422

  12. adam 12
    16 June 2019 at 2:41 pm

    If you think for one minute the old money establishment give a rats about you and yours, think again… In the following spot the similarity with dirty politics that Donkey pulled.

    https://theintercept.com/2019/06/09/brazil-archive-operation-car-wash/

  13. Andre 13
    16 June 2019 at 3:08 pm

    With Sarah Huckabooboo Slanders heading off to spend more time lying to her family, Samantha Bee has a couple of farewell remembrance messages.

    https://twitter.com/FullFrontalSamB/status/1139606843767107584

    https://twitter.com/FullFrontalSamB/status/1139639896438640641

      • Morrissey 13.2.1
        16 June 2019 at 4:35 pm

        She's horrible, but she's not the first, and she's not the worst.

        • Macro 13.2.1.1
          17 June 2019 at 7:03 am

          She is irreplacable!

          Satire from The Borowitz Report

          Replacement for Sarah Sanders Disqualified After Telling Truth on Job Application

          WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—A leading candidate to replace the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, was disqualified after telling the truth repeatedly on his job application, the White House has confirmed.

          According to the White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, the candidate got high marks in his job interview by demonstrating “utter disregard and contempt for press freedoms.”

          “We then had him do a practice press briefing in which he was relentlessly abusive, obnoxious, and insulting,” Mulvaney said. “We were all, like, ‘This is our guy.’ ”

          But after a thorough examination of the candidate’s job application, “a troubling series of truthhoods emerged,” Mulvaney said.

          “It turned out that he was telling the truth about his education and previous employment,” the chief of staff said. “It was a pattern of honesty that we found deeply disturbing.”

          Mulvaney said that the “inexcusably veracious” answers had eliminated the candidate from further consideration. “We all feel like we just dodged a bullet,” he said. “This whole episode just demonstrates how tough it is to replace Sarah Huckabee Sanders.”

  14. A 14
    16 June 2019 at 3:40 pm

    My thoughts and prayers to those affected by the plane collision over Hood Aerodrome, Masterton.

    • Macro 14.1
      16 June 2019 at 4:00 pm

      OMG! I did used to fly out of Hood way back. In fact did my first solo there and my PPL.

      I remember my first solo – not only because it was my first solo, but for a very similar reason. On your down wind leg apart from doing the normal pre landing checks on the aircraft you are also looking out for other aircraft . Naturally you are looking out for aircraft to the right and to the left and above and behind. On the approach as you descend you are watching airspeed height and timing your turn to line up with the runway. Well I landed safely and came to a stop turning to the left to clear the runway before heading back to the club house when I saw almost directly behind me a DC3 from James Aviation, used for top dressing, landing just behind me! It had come in on a direct approach low down – no standard circuit at 1000ft as one is supposed to do on an uncontrolled airfield like Hood. Gave me one hell of a fright!

      It's been a bad weekend for aircraft crashes. There was one earlier on up by Coromandel as well.

  15. Morrissey 15
    16 June 2019 at 4:31 pm

    She expressed shock that Trump spoke crudely about women, but apparently she was not shocked that her own husband had a kill list.

    https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/its-michelle-obamas-marie-antoinette.html

  16. Jenny - How to Get there? 16
    16 June 2019 at 5:09 pm

    World Famous, except in NZ

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    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    • Morrissey 17.1
      16 June 2019 at 8:05 pm

      Trump's got a Twitter page—though nearly all of it is written by the sinister fanatic Stephen Miller. Obama's got a Twitter page. Blair's got one. Bill Clinton's got one. So has Crooked Hillary.

      Compared to that horrific quintet, O.J. Simpson is a choirboy.

  18. Muttonbird 18
    16 June 2019 at 6:25 pm

    The act the goat for freedom party proposes a $185,000 parent's fund for each child to spend on whichever school they want for the length of the child's education.

    I'm trying to imagine the landscape were a policy like this enacted.

    One immediate outcome would be that each school would charge according to popularity. Supply and demand and all that.

    Therefore, as night follows day, there would be immediate elitism injected into the education system. Prices for "good" schools would skyrocket, wealthier parents able to top up thousands of dollars to get little Cinnamon in, and they'd then pay their teachers more, hoarding all the 'best' ones.

    Then of course low income communities would be left with all the 'poorer' teachers and facilities, unable to raise extra funds out of already disadvantaged communities.

    This is just one aspect of what is to me a completely bizarre education policy. It would lead to massive widening of inequality for generations to come.

    • I feel love 18.1
      17 June 2019 at 9:12 am

      I remember the criticism over the proposed CGT was it'll be too hard & unwieldy to manage, all the variables, to me this education policy seems insanely complicated, more money for ticket clippers I guess, which is apt from the rentier party.

      • Muttonbird 18.1.1
        17 June 2019 at 9:19 am

        Indeed. There'd be an entire new industry of advisors pop up to manage the new complexities of educating your kids.

        There are volumes and volumes of negatives in this bizarre, 19th century policy.

  19. Morrissey 19
    16 June 2019 at 8:02 pm

    Pompeo's "freedom loving nations" is as dishonest and ridiculous a phrase as "Democratic Republic of North Korea"

    The "freedom loving nations" that this poisonous slug refers to are: the rogue U.S. regime of Donald Trump, and its vile, violent vassals Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, and Israel.

  20. greywarshark 20
    16 June 2019 at 9:33 pm

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1906/S00182/the-crisis-the-housing-minister-created.htm

    A report yesterday of a woman, 86, moving because of a 73 percent rent hike illustrates the crisis created by Housing Minister Phil Twyford, Tenancies War spokesman Mike Butler said today….

    The main justification for Mr Twyford’s standards was to prevent the hospitalisation each year of 6000 children for housing-sensitive illnesses.

    As a one-bedroom flat, the flat under discussion would be unsuitable for children; this illustrates the short-sightedness of setting requirements for 588,700 properties for the supposed benefit of 6000, Mr Butler said.

    • Muttonbird 20.1
      16 June 2019 at 9:45 pm

      $150/week is under-rented. Insulation requirements were nothing to do with Labour, sadly, so Mr Butler can't 'blame' Twyford for that.

      And bringing up to healthy homes standard which I believe is mostly about a heating source in the main room doesn't require a $110/week rent hike.

      I think Mr Butler has used this story to push a pro-amateur landlord/property investor agenda.

      It's tiresome.

  21. Eco maori 21
    17 June 2019 at 12:37 pm

    This is reality our environmental the Papatuanuku weather stabilizer the Antarctica and Arctic Polar Ice caps all that billions of tons of Ice stabilizes our Papatuanuku weather. It's not hard to figure that out they are melting fast this is going to ramp up sea level rising and the EXTREME WEATHER events. The poor people from 3 world nations are going to hit hardest by Climate Change hence wealth nations have a duty to help them survive this big man made mess.

    The Arctic Ocean and Greenland ice sheet have seen record June ice loss

    Ice is melting in unprecedented waysas summer approaches in the Arctic.

    In recent days, observations have revealed a record-challenging melt event over the Greenland ice sheet while the extent of ice over the Arctic Ocean has never been this low in mid-June during the age of weather satellites.

    Greenland saw temperatures soar up to 40 degrees above normal Wednesday while open water exists in places north of Alaska where it seldom, if ever, has in recent times.

    It's "another series of extreme events consistent with the long-term trend of a warming, changing Arctic," said Zachary Labe, a climate researcher at the University of California-Irvine Ka kite ano link below.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/113516824/the-arctic-ocean-and-greenland-ice-sheet-have-seen-record-june-ice-loss

  22. Eco maori 22
    17 June 2019 at 2:40 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute.

    https://youtu.be/k6fvex8kr58

  23. Eco maori 23
    17 June 2019 at 6:28 pm

    Kia ora Newshub.

    shonky is to sly to get caught the way he forces his stare shows Eco Maori he is false he should step down to he is just chucking the ANZ CEO under the bus to save his ASS.

    I thank the government for legislating banks to negotiate with farmers before receivership is started. That is well needed farmers work there asss off only to have a down turn in the price of their produce next minute the receiver are banging their doors down. I know that happened to one big farming family it cost the banks many millions and who instigated their downfall well non other than shonky muppet.

    Thank to Our Government for increasing the marine Reservation in the North and South Island to protect our Maui and Hector dolphin KA PAI Yar Cool.

    That end of life bill is a bit tricky for Eco Maori it could leave the door open for deceitful people to manipulate the system for their own gain if people were not deceitful I would back it we Know that not the CASE.

    Ka kite ano

  24. Eco maori 24
    17 June 2019 at 6:51 pm

    Kia ora te ao Maori news.

    Peter Smith I say you are correct that the health system is treating prisoners as lower class people you are there seeing it .But bro you have to look after you health first for you mokopuna.

    It good that $138 million for rehabilitation of Drug addicts that PEE shit is ruining te tangata whenua O Aotearoa thanks very much I won't say anymore because I will start ranting against you know who.

    That's cool our Government giving $9.8 million to keep tamariki in schools they need a good education the extra funding will help give the tamariki that leave school with no education a interest in there future wellbeing.

    The forestry industry has not delivered the promises that they made to Nagti Porou the only people making good money from east coast forestry is the forestry company's I know of one farm spent $1 million for the harvest and only made $90.000 WTF there was heaps of good farming land planted in pines what a waste farming provides more work per hectare than forestry.

    Ka kite ano

  25. Eco maori 25
    18 June 2019 at 8:38 am

    Kia ora The Am Show.

    Chris Climate Change is affecting our weather I can see the effects all around te Papatuanuku.

    The Government farm finance bill is well over due we have to look after our farmers they are the backbone of Aotearoa.

    Don't focus on the numbers what the numbers tell the TRUTH of the story you have to focus on the numbers .

    Some Pepi and Tamariki need to be uplifted for their safety Very good that Our Iwis are working with Oranga tamariki to find solutions to the problems that they have.

    I don't think that the authorities should treat the people who are homeless like that making them move with know were to go putting them in worst circumstances than before they moved.

    There might be a bit of inconvenience for the fishermen with new marine protection Reserve for our endangered Maui and Hector dolphin. But in the future the Reserves will be a nursery the fish's they will multiply quite quickly and flow into other areas of Tangaroa any Marine Reservation is good for the preservation of Tangaroa mokopuna.

    I agree that our churches should open their doors to help the homeless people in South Auckland I bet that there will be old buildings not being used in Auckland to house the homeless people look at Rotorua council they found a solution to the homeless people in Rotorua if there's a will there's a way.

    Ka kite ano

  26. Eco maori 26
    18 June 2019 at 9:58 am

    Eco Maori thanks all the reporters who are not intimidated by big oil barons money thanks for all the skin you put on the line to get the TRUTH about our environmental issues out there that the Papatuanuku has at the minute.

    We must protect our world reporters with good legislation so the people who intimidated our reporters will think twice before doing bad stuff to our reporters governments of the world must protect our reporters its their duty.

    Environment reporters facing harassment and murder, study finds

    Tally of deaths makes it one of most dangerous fields for journalists after war reporting

    Thirteen journalists who were investigating damage to the environment have been killed in recent years and many more are suffering violence, harassment, intimidation and lawsuits, according to a study.

    The Committee to Protect Journalists(CPJ), which produced the tally, is investigating a further 16 deaths over the last decade. It says the number of murders may be as high as 29, making this field of journalism one of the most dangerous after war reporting

    Environmental issues involve some of the greatest abuses of power in the world and some of the greatest of concentrations of power in the world,” said Bruce Shapiro, the director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.

    “I’m hard put to think of a category of investigative reporters who are routinely dealing with more dangerous actors. Investigative reporting on the environment can be as dangerous a beat as reporting on narco smuggling.”

    The CPJ executive director, Joel Simon, added: “Reporting such stories for national and international media often involves travelling to remote communities and confronting powerful interests. This makes it inherently dangerous ka kite ano link below.

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jun/17/environment-reporters-facing-harassment-murder-study

  27. Eco maori 27
    18 June 2019 at 1:09 pm

    Some Eco Maori music for the minute.

    https://youtu.be/h4DFXUndvbw

  28. Eco maori 28
    18 June 2019 at 2:58 pm

    Te Ego is huge shonky that is when you make enemies they have long memories and as soon as they get the chance they bit you on the ASS .

    The smiling assassin strikes: John Key pushes out David Hisco as ANZ CEO

    ANZ CEO David Hisco felt entitled to claim around $50,000 worth of personal chauffeur and wine storage costs as business costs. So John Key pushed out his friend and NZ's most successful banker to protect ANZ's position and try to avoid a Royal Commission here. Bernard Hickey analyses Key's biggest hit yet

    David Hisco just joined a long list of loyal and often friendly colleagues of John Key who exited their jobs in often surprisingly quick and career-ending ways. It could be said Hisco's exit is Key's biggest yet.

    The Former Prime Minister and now ANZ New Zealand chairman became known in his corporate life before politics as the 'smiling assassin

    Hisco successfully managed the merger with barely a blip in customer service and market share. He also quietly presided over a reduction in ANZ's exposure to dangerous dairy loans, flicking on some of the weakest lenders to other banks. For example, ANZ let Allan Crafar move his more than $200 million of loans to Westpac before the poorly managed farming group collapsed under a welter of animal mistreatment allegations and effluent treatment fines. Westpac suffered heavy losses in the subsequent receivership and sale of Crafar Farms Ka kite ano link below.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/113576752/the-smiling-assassin-returns-for-his-biggest-hit

  29. Eco maori 29
    18 June 2019 at 6:26 pm

    Kia ora Newshub.

    I agree shonky scapegoats a junior staff we know that the buck stops with the boss not the boy.

    I think it's good that the restriction on foreign houses buyers is working let KIWIs back into the Aotearoa housing markets.

    Condolences to all the people affected by the earthquakes in China.

    Mark the UBER flying taxis engineer very cool the flying electric cars are the way of the future KIWIs ingenuity ka pai.

    Is sad how the police treated the African American people in America Mike.

    Ka kite ano

  30. Eco maori 30
    18 June 2019 at 6:48 pm

    Kia ora te ao Maori news.

    Condolences to the Whanau of Wanna Davies she was a good Wahine Maori leader.

    I'm am not commenting on Oranga tamariki to much .I think the good reforms will come soon.

    30 years ago the ruling class were still in denial mode what gives Eco Maori a sore face in now they are listening and can see that institutionalized racism is a reality for te tangata whenua O Aotearoa. NOW

    I think traditional ronga Maori healing needs to be revived bad to its rightful place in Maoridom it's sad that we losted some of the knowledge on traditional Maori healing.

    I say bottled water needs to be banned we need to stop doing dumb shit all the plastic waste and the carbon footprint of bottled water out weighs the positives of bottled water

    Ka kite ano

  31. Eco maori 31
    19 June 2019 at 8:29 am

    Kia ora The Am show .

    Big 6.8 Earthquake in Japan let's hope not to many people are harmed .

    That guy and his dog who got lost in a cave found their way out cool.

    The SHOW must go on in America.

    Mark the American polls tell a difference STORY .

    That form of accommodation is good for young people shared accommodation in a whare in Auckland rent $320 a week for one room and every else is shared.

    Very cool that our Government is investing $26 million into Artic research they Polar Ice caps are the Papatuanuku environment stabilization.

    trump is spending big time manipulating the Papatuanuku media I can hear it in your words duncan I have read stories about them moving federal funds to manipulate the reality of what trump has done he is creating a tsunami of broke America's it will take years for the Democrats to clean up trump's MESS. His tariff are harming the whole Papatuanuku everyone in the world will end up paying and worse off because of his tariffs.

    Nice Jersey I agree trump's personal ratings are low .

    Its very funny the story's about new technology device use causing bone growth in your neck the internet of things and the hard wear devices and social media is changing who rules the world the oil barons trumps masters are losing control fast time for the next generation to rule the Papatuanuku the next generation has to focus on a good future for all.

    Ka kite ano

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  • A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer coming
    RNZ reports –  It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • The climate battleground heats up
    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14
    The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitic
    To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Wayne Brown’s PT Plan
    Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Potaka's Private Universe.
    And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Our slow regional councils
    The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • The Gods Must Be Woke.
    Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • More road
    We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Seeing the Aurora Australis
    There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago

  • Welcome to the current welfare mess
    Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • A shovel-ready autopsy
    Oliver Hartwich writes –  Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Why we almost blacked out and how to fix it
    TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • What Is Instagram Trying To Sell Us?
    Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • Precious Little Excitement: Warner Brothers, Peter Jackson, and Gollum
    Back in February 2023, I made the cardinal mistake of getting my hopes up. Warner Brothers declared that fresh Middle-earth movies were in the works: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/02/24/it-never-rains-but-it-pours-warner-brothers-and-impending-tolkien-adaptations/ My assumption, based on which rights were available, and what had already been done, was that this was a stab at either the Angmar ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Do We Need a Population Census?
    ‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • No, the govt will not be cutting back on every budget – and the Defence vote is among those to be ...
    Buzz from the Beehive Reporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • The Treasury and productivity
    Late last week The Treasury released a new 40 page report on “The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections” (productivity forecasts and projections that is, rather than any possible fiscal implications – the latter will, I guess, be articulated in the Budget documents). In short, if (as it has) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • The Controller and Auditor-General’s role
    Peter Dunne writes –  I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • More harm than good
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos   Chris Trotter writes –  TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour
    And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction?   Gary Judd writes –  Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
    New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says.  “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019.  “It is my pleasure ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
    New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.  “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago

  • Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago

  • Further sanctions against Russia
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    11 hours ago

  • One year on from Loafers Lodge
    A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaboration
    New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says.    “This ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Penk travels to Peru for trade meetings
    Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Minister attends global education conferences
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA Chair
    Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
    New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online.   This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Panel announced for review into disability services
    Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Minister welcomes Police gang unit
    Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners.  “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Chief of Defence Force appointed
    Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
    Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
    Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
    The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
    New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
    Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Accelerating Social Investment
    A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says.  “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Getting Back on Track
    Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with  your Board and team, for hosting me.   I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
    Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith,   Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States,   Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us.   Ladies and gentlemen -    In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations.   ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
    The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
    The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
    Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston.  “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs less
    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Report provides insights into marine recovery
    New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ to send political delegation to the Pacific
    Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region.   The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu.    “New Zealand has deep and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Low gas production threatens energy security
    There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co.  Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Defence industry talent, commitment recognised
    Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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