'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.'
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.
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.
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
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.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUh0EP-zCd4
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.
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.CREDIT:AP
"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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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')
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 , let alone the actual real resulting benefits.
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.
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.
……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….
CONVENTIONAL LINES
This is the major means of passenger transport in Japan.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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….
"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…
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.
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.
That is terrible design. The type looks awful at that size and its a text body font anyway. Even worse is the horrible contrast between the oblique shapes and the type.
Any what does the pink represent? There seems to have been no design brief, and even less design ability.
Like ACT itself a clumsy, poorly thought out wish mash of not fit for purpose ideas…
…on second thoughts that logo is a perfect description of the 0.4% party.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
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While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
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
At last: a Scandinavian politician with integrity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmPQY7cXOIg
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.
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/
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..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUh0EP-zCd4
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.
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
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.
"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.
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.
….and vastly more flexible.
Really?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111065215/kpiti-expressway-needs-25-million-worth-of-repairs-just-two-years-after-opening
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10395289
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/100847641/christchurch-the-pothole-capital-of-new-zealand
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.
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')
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 , let alone the actual real resulting benefits.
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.
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.
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.
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….
CONVENTIONAL LINES
This is the major means of passenger transport in Japan.
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.
How do we compare vis a vis population density jensy?
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.
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.
Interesting – I always assumed our trains are so slow due to the narrow gauge track.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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….
I thought of you clean when I heard the Napier-Wairoa announcement.
Toasted your efforts with a lovely hopped chilli home brew cider.
tRump's 'Murica.
https://twitter.com/ScottLinnen/status/1139980107731390464
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?
who would have predicted that.
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…
To be fair, Jeremy Hunt's personality and behaviour must make it very hard for journalists to remember to say "Hunt" when referring to him.
If he'd just stop being such a hunt it might happen less often.
It's in the feed section but needs to be highlighted:
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2019/06/ripped-away-from-their-parents.html
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.
Minister, Tracy Martin has announced an inquiry into the case. I have trust in her to ensure the inquiry is fair and the outcome reasonable.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/inquiry-announced-into-handling-attempted-uplift-baby-in-hawkes-bay-last-month-oranga-tamariki
They might know more about the whanau and their associates than they're allowed to say.
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.
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.
Or drink more milk? Force those fat deposits to the surface GWS!
And how does balsa get away with being a hardwood greysy?
If they're all scrunched up together, how come they're called apartments?
Drink buttermilk, That allows the fat to be suspended in water (blood) and carried away.
"Fuck the Government and Fuck Boris"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ClYy0MxsU0
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
Once upon a time, I had ski gear in just those colours!
That is terrible design. The type looks awful at that size and its a text body font anyway. Even worse is the horrible contrast between the oblique shapes and the type.
Any what does the pink represent? There seems to have been no design brief, and even less design ability.
Like ACT itself a clumsy, poorly thought out wish mash of not fit for purpose ideas…
…on second thoughts that logo is a perfect description of the 0.4% party.
Maybe it's a trend
Maybe Seymour got the idea after he went to…
https://www.peachesandcream.co.nz/catalog/view/theme/custom/image/2014/pc-logo-white.png
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/
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
She's horrible, but she's not the first, and she's not the worst.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU7osIl8IDI
She is irreplacable!
My thoughts and prayers to those affected by the plane collision over Hood Aerodrome, Masterton.
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.
She expressed shock that Trump spoke crudely about women, but apparently she was not shocked that her own husband had a kill list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr2UQvSaBm8
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/its-michelle-obamas-marie-antoinette.html
World Famous, except in NZ
[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.]
Just what the world needs.
https://twitter.com/TheRealOJ32/status/1139743663737622529
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.
The act
the goatfor 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 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.
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.
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZpR6x_-Y4w
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.
$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.
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
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/k6fvex8kr58
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
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
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
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
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/h4DFXUndvbw
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
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
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
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