I did the same thing with John Key. It was a political strategy. He was in town and there were people placed in the different places he was supposed to appear. Our little group drew the 'short straw'.
I was yelling at him so close, I was looking at the pancake makeup on his face. I didn't like him, and was strongly opposed to his government's actions but it still felt horrible. I decided I was never going to be involved in screaming in someone's face again.
My point is politics. The news crews weren't there and for myself, I was glad that there was no recording of me doing that, beyond whatever the numerous police, also stationed for hours waiting, chose to write.
Political action usually isn't pretty. The idea is opposition and attention. The fact that you are writing this means it was successful action. And the Labour Government were also forced to pay attention. It is pressure and the activists are maintaining it.
Political action takes a lot of time and energy. It is naive for a politico to personalise it.
You don't have to go to the USA to see the actions of those who think that the cleansing fire is an appropriate response to those who are seen as unpeople. Some in Tauranga are apparently far enough gone along that path already.
A fire broke out at Rainbow Youth and Gender Dynamix's Tauranga office at around 1am today.
Police were treating the fire as suspicious …
They {Rainbow Youth executive director Pooja Subramanian} were yet to receive any confirmation regarding the nature of the fire but said they had not been subject to hate crimes in Tauranga before.
So sad. Some of us have been scared that this was coming, yet the useful idiots gonna idiot. My kids school are having pride month, it's just a matter of fact, no drama, I love her & her friends attitude, they have no fear & no hate. It's a shame that fear & hate are learned. Let 'em be.
A New Plymouth drag performer says a torrent of abuse directed at a Rainbow Storytime event at the Puke Ariki Library in the city has left her dismayed.
Sunita Torrance and Daniel Lockett perform as Coco and Erika in a show which encourages inclusivity and kindness.
On a New Plymouth District Council Facebook post promoting the Puke Ariki and Waitara Library appearances, the pair were accused of indoctrinating children and recruiting for the Rainbow community.
…
Torrance said she was a friend to the Rainbow community, but people were making assumptions about who she was and what her motivation was.
"I mean we are not going around saying everyone has to be gay. I'm not gay, I'm actually a straight female and that's what people don't seem to realise."
She said the show, which included story readings, singing and dancing, was deliberately ambiguous and designed to be appropriate for a young audience.
I considered it to be about introducing children to the joy of reading. (Over time, children that love reading will be introduced to wide variety of perspectives and lifestyles through their reading material.)
This approach has replaced that intent with a values driven outcome.
My research the other evening missed that….thank you….I think. You'd think that that in the post- Saville era there would be more awareness of wolves in sheep's clothing.
I'm looking forward to some robust debate on this issue.
I suspect, however, there will be cries of "Hate!!!" and "Abuse!!!" and an unspoken assumption that our concerns (Hate!!!) should not be dignified with a response.
I guess the experience of dealing with petulant but loved children provides some women of a certain age a degree of imperviousness to emotional entreaty and random insults.
I know the years of practice in this regard has had value in some of the Standard's robust discussions.
Yeah, we should totally ban pantomime and a lot of kids' television too because all that cross-dressing is endangering children. Cancel Mrs Doubtfire! Oh, and clowns, because obviously that can be a bit confusing as well – obviously clowns are a gateway to drag.
Sigh.
'Yeah, we should totally conflate basic safeguarding principles with banning pantomimes. Let's include a lot of kids' television too because I need to generalise because I have no idea of context. Cross-dressing is empowering children. Treat them all like Mrs Doubtfire! Oh, and clowns, because obviously I have no limit to my far flung associations as well – obviously clowns are a gateway to drag which is a type of car racing.
You want a point as well? Sigh.'
Let's me be clear. I see no reason for Clown Story Hour either.
If it does become a possibility, good luck with your application.
A lot of us have been scared that this was coming; I Feel Love. Bullies always do prefer to pick on those less likely to fight back. This from twitter seems to encapsulate the dread that has been building this last year or so:
I'm not on TS much these days so got a bit rusty on the linking tools – I will cut and paste the comment thread too:
This scares me. I’m starting to feel that little bit more unsafe in NZ…
In NZ I feel safe walking down the road holding my husband hand. Overseas we never hold hands. If I start feeling unsafe to do that, then things need to change. I hope it never ever gets like that…
Time to fight discrimination. We can’t let things like building being burnt down happen anymore.
Shaneel, oh isn't that the person who wanted all health professionals, including Dr's to go to jail under the Conversion Therapy Bill if they didn't offer gender affirming care to gender dysphoric people?
"Bullies always pick on those who are less likley to fight back". Well that certainly wouldn't be Shaneel and the Trans lobby now would it.
A good way to express your condemnation (if it's not just "hopes and prayers"), is to chip in for a temporary drop-in center during the rebuild.
All money from this fundraiser will be donated to Rainbow Youth. Rainbow Youth does have a form of insurance that we are looking into and this page will be updated with the information regarding the coverage as soon as that information is available.
Apart from the fact they should be adequately insured, I won't contribute because I think their form of 'support' has the potential to harm young people.
You obviously think that we don't stand by our words, when it comes to this topic.
You, however, can follow your own advice without conflict.
Even Ōtautahi didn't have the Rhodesian Services Association holding ANZAC day ceremonies as the RSA! That's some next level assholery that I had forgotten about till looking at the NRT piece linked on the right (though not on mobile):
Homophobic harassment, followed by an apparent anti-gay hate crime. Something is very wrong in Tauranga, and it seems like the entire city is being infected by hate and bigotry (see also: their racist museum).
I was hoping that it was just a result of big talk leading up to the byelection, but it seems likely to have more to do with local school events (and scrutiny thereof) that I hadn't been following:
A group of students at Bethlehem College, a state-integrated Christian school, were taking part in the international Day of Silence against bullying when they were targeted by a number of opposing students from the same college.
The abuse allegedly included chants of “kill the gays”, and students attending the event said that their phones had been confiscated so that they could not record video footage.
Stuff understands that one of the students was injured by something thrown. The incident has been reported to police.
A parent of a student at Bethlehem College said that those taking part in the protest had received verbal death threats, “obscene heckling” and “sexual shaming” comments from other teenage students at the school.
“It is ironic that people protesting against bullying themselves become the victim of bullying,” said the parent…
The annual Day of Silence is a day of action in which students across Aotearoa vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, name-calling and harassment in schools.
The goal of the day is to “make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression” according to its website, which also cites research which showed students in the LGBTQIA+ community were three times as likely to experience bullying at school than other children.
Which was followed today (in the early morning, but less than 24 hours ago) by the Rainbow Youth center (alleged) arson. Then these background details were reported this afternoon that seem to bring the picture into better (if disturbing) focus:
A statement made in Bethlehem College's Statement of Belief, published on the school website, is also under scrutiny by the ministry following a complaint from Tauranga man Gordy Lockhart.
Point 13 in the document states: "Marriage is an institution created by God in which one man and one woman enter into an exclusive relationship intended for life, and that marriage is the only form of partnership approved by God for sexual relations."
Lockhart, who wrote to Associate Minister of Education Jan Tinetti, and Minister of Education Chris Hipkins, said the statement was discriminatory and illegal.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins told Stuff that a review into the statement was underway…
The Ministry of Education has confirmed that this statement was not included in the College’s Integration Agreement entered into with the Minister of Education in 1999. It has ordered the Principal, Board of Trustees and Deputy chair of the Christian Education Trust to remove point 13…
Queer rights activist Shaneel Lal (they, them) said that, in their view, the Summary of Beliefs relating to Gender, would, if imposed, be both discriminatory and against the law…
“Bethlehem College admits that gender-affirming care for trans people is contrary to their beliefs and will attempt to stop trans students from getting affirming care.”
Lal said that, in their view, stopping trans people from being trans with the intent to make them cisgender was conversion therapy, “which is prohibited and viewed as a crime under the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act, this is a crime.”
Lal said students and former students had come to them about receiving conversion therapy at Bethlehem College…
Another petition that Lal started over the weekend, lobbying the Ministry of Education to investigate practices at Bethlehem College, has already reached more than 6300 signatures.
The petition now stands at 6,665 signatures, my own among them. If they want Ministry of Education money, then they have to abide by governmental standards rather than trying to pull a fast one and unilaterally changing the wording afterwards.
If they want Ministry of Education money, then they have to abide by governmental standards ….
Simple solution would be to remove all government funding from all "Special Character" schools. All of them.
I suspect that would go down like a cup of cold sick.
Parents choose to send their kids to such schools. Perhaps these parents should be censured/prosecuted for willfully exposing their children to ideologies that fails to meet government standards?
Whatever those are. We have a Parliament that prays to Almighty God ffs ….
You can see how quickly your plan could get a tad complicated.
Being delivered a narrative with no idea how the situation developed.
Of course a Christian School that refers to Scripture in it's agreement with the Ministry will have intolerant views an same sex marriage.
Is that really a surprise?
And if it is the principle, then, as you point out, why not demonstrate at other Special Character schools with even more regressive values where they stlll limit entry on the basis of – clutch pearls – sex?
Getting a little bemused myself by those demanding unconditional inclusion demanding exclusion of those who have beliefs and lifestyles that differ from theirs. Can't we just get on?
And Peter and I are fine. Truly. Thank you. Neither of us have felt this fit in ages. Picking bananas, moving the sheep, tending the vege gardens, watching the kotare and piwakawaka getting fat on bugs and slugs. Listening to tui…no small thing up here…we now recognise three distinct calls. Taking our vitamins. All kinds of good.
My interpretation, as a very lapsed Catholic, is both the Fifth Schedule and Statement of Belief give a broad enough statement to cover the marriage issue.
Eddie Clark, and many others think differently.
What I believe should happen next is for the Ministry of Education to release an official statement, and for that position to be tested by some form of legal challenge, either in support or against.
Then everybody – the public, the special character schools, the students – all know what the legal ramifications are.
Religious belief is still a protected characteristic of the Human Rights Act (1993) whether we agree with those beliefs or not.
I think we need to give this issue the discussion it deserves, not instant approbation.
There's a certain air of shooting fish in barrels here:
Lal has started another petition over the weekend, lobbying the Ministry of Education to investigate practices at the Bay of Plenty school.
They started the petition on their Instagram and Twitter pages after students contacted them about experiences of “sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and other forms of discrimination at Bethlehem College”.
Brings to mind a certain gay rights activist (who I can't recall at present, since he is only referred to as a 'follower on Instagram' on most articles) asking a fundamentalist Christian league player about his thoughts on gay rights, and being surprised at the answer. Given that unless you share those beliefs, Hell is as real as… Heaven, the response makes no sense.
And if we are encouraging young people to follow individuals in all aspects of their life, rather than just their field of excellence, well, we need to address that.
Not sure the Rhodesian Services Association could be holding ANZAC day ceremonies as the Christchurch RSA when they haven't had a building in years. Perhaps you mean the group calling themselves "the Original RSA" who are a pack of nutters and if you will insist on judging a community by its fringe I will be more than happy to point out the extremist oddballs wherever you live as I keep lists.
Re the drag queen story telling. I was taken to pantos a lot as a child and there was always a "Dame" (man dressed as women). We knew it was a man dressed as a women and the humour was age appropriate (.e.g. the classic panto thing of getting the kids to yell out that the baddie was behind the Dame
Queer theory is it about breaking down societies norms about sex ( from Wiki " QT can be summorized as exploring the oppressive power of dominant norms, particularly, those relating to sexuality".)
Proponants of QT such as Gabrielle Rubin in her Charmed Circle talk about the need to normalize that which is outside the charmed circle (and she specifically names "intergenrational sex"). Judith Butler did the cause no favours by saying that she thought in some cases it was possible for childrent to consent to sex with adults. Both of these academics are dangerously close to endorsing paedophilia.
It is really important that adults who interact with children are scrupulous about keeping very tight boundaries around issues of sexuality. See link below as a recent, extreme example of those boundaries being errased.
This stage show was influenced by QT (the family sex show in the UK) and was advertised as suitable for children 5 years and up. It contained nudity and topics such as masturbation The show was fortunately cancelled because of public outcry.
Traditionally drag queens have featured in adult only shows and so I am very curious about why suddently there is a whole movement to have drag artists read to kids??? Why is this happening now? Why would we do that? The drag show I attended (all-be-it some years back certainly contained adult only themes).
There is a term known as trans generational blurring. What this refers to (and it has nothing to do with trangenderism), is when adults blur the lines between themselves and children. So adults present themselves or information to children when it isn't developmentally appropriate.
BTW some women argue that drag queens are the equivalent of black face, Ie. they are parodying female sexual stereotypes. I myself don't hold that view, but I can see why some women do.
Couldn't get the links to her papers on my phone , but this article that dessiminates her work can provide the names for you to pull up the original works:
Couldn't see anything in the link that talked about Butler's theories on children and consent, either.
ISTR ripping shit out of ACT's leader at the time Jamie Whyte for ruminating upon the ethics of incest when he was philosophising, but I don't think anyone accused him of supporting pedophilia.
Taking over the baton to captain this backlash against feminism was the high priestess of queer theory gibberish — Judith Butler — who, unsurprisingly, defended incest. Furthermore, she did this without making a single reference to the fact that most familial child sexual abuse is by a male relative to a female child. Rather she used queer theory to claim that by denying incest and legislating against it states were enforcing heterosexuality. In her triumph and magnum opus of flimflam — Gender Trouble — Butler postulated that ‘the incest taboo is the juridical law that is said both to prohibit incestuous desires and to construct certain gendered subjectivities through the mechanism of compulsory identification. But, what is to guarantee the universality or necessity of this law?'[efn_note]J. Butler, Gender Trouble (London, Routledge, 2000), p. 96.[/efn_note]
…
Despite these facts, Butler promoted ‘the legitimacy and legality of public zones of sexual exchange, intergenerational sex, adoption outside marriage, increased research and testing for AIDS and transgender politics’.[efn_note]J. Butler, ‘Competing Universalities’, im: J. Butler et al, Contingency, Hegemony, Universality: Contemporary Dialogues on the Left (Verso, 2000), p. 160, my emboldening.[/efn_note] This is an example of how queer theorists sandwich advocacy for paedophilia or incest in between legitimate arguments for advancing gay and lesbian rights. This is done in order to legitimise the arguments for child sexual abuse and make them harder to fight.
Butler’s thoughts on sexual consent should be read with her defence of incest in mind.
To quote Butler "the incest taboo is the juridical law that is said both to prohibit incestuous desires and to construct certain gendered subjectivities through the mechanism of compulsory identification. But, what is to guarantee the universality or necessity of this law?"
Anker put forth her opinion, and did not accuse Butler of supporting pedophilia..
" Judith Butler did the cause no favours by saying that she thought in some cases it was possible for childrent to consent to sex with adults. Both of these academics are dangerously close to endorsing paedophilia."
Consent discussions by Butler do assign a large degree of autonomy.
Other academics that build on Butler's work, do take that direction further. Allyn Walker comes to mind.
Wow it really is quite a specialised genre. And I'm guessing the infuriating vagueness is kind of built in because of the experiences. That's hard. Have learned a lot today. Thank you.
Queer Theory makes a virtue of vagueness. It's required, so that people lose the will to live when trying to unravel it.
Try reading Judith Butler, Allyn Walker, Grace Lavery, Laurie Penny who are all recognised Queer Theory academics and/or authors.
Then come back here to TS and write a simple post on the shifting fogs of Queer Theory for all of us who see no value in it. And can see the real world harm that follows adherence to abstract ideas.
@Molly Queer Theory makes a virtue of vagueness. It's required, so that people lose the will to live when trying to unravel it. And when one is close to that point…watch this…
Spares no blushes and pulls no punches, and as is typical for the Triggernometry lads… a totally honest conversation with someone who knows their stuff.
They are taking the idea of the performativity of gender to mean that we’re all free to choose our gender as we wish and that there is no natural sex. They see it as an attack on both the God-given character of male and female and the ostensibly natural social form in which they join each other—heterosexual marriage. But, sometimes, by “gender” they simply mean gender equality, which, for them, is destroying the family, which presumes that the family has a necessary hierarchy in which men hold power. They also understand “gender” as trans rights, gay rights, and as gay equality under the law. Gay marriage is particularly terrifying to them and seen as a threat to “the family,” and gay and lesbian adoption is understood to involve the molestation of children. They imagine that those of us who belong to this “gender movement,” as they put it, have no restrictions on what we will do, that we represent and promote unchecked sexual freedom, which leads to pedophilia. It is all very frightening, and it has been successful in threatening scholars and, in some cases, shutting down programs. There is also an active resistance against them, and I am now part of that.
A couple of pertinent points you Drag aficionados are missing:
1. Drag is not a sexual orientation.
2. Drag is not a gender identity.
Drag is a form of performance art that is predicated on a caricature of stereotyped womanhood, for the purpose of sexual innuendo jokes for the amusement of adults,
Hardly a role model for children regarding living an authentic life.
In reply to McFlook re what Butler thinks. Butler is sometimes indesciperable e.g she won the Guardian's competition for the worst paragraph some years back and even Butler scholars sometimes can't descipher what she means.
But even in the quote from Populuxe 1, Butler merely states what she thinks her opponants think of QT about paedophilia. She doesn't deny that she thinks children can give consent to relationships with adults….Hell if someone interpreted what I was saying in that way I would go out of my way to refute it……
Some of the key players in gender identity are linked to paedophilia, eg. Foucoult, John Money and even though she is a poor writer the quotes I posted above from Judith B are suspious to say the least.
Just thought it was funny your link didn't have anything remotely close to Butler saying "she thought in some cases it was possible for children to consent to sex with adults."
I don't particularly care. CBF bothering with tories, tankies and bigots here most days now.
Well it is always very shocking and sad to here of a young person who attempted suicide and I am very glad to here they survived. I hope they are doing o.k.
It is a clash between religious views and gender ideology views and these views are diametrically opposed.
BTW the latest research from Swedon (will post link of request) shows that even after trans people have gender affirming surgery their risk of suicide is high and indeed after such surgery their risk of psychiatric admissions was higher than pre surgery. It msut be a difficult path in life and I feel for anyone with gender dysphoria.
You might also think that the family bears some responsibility here.
If I (as a parent) have a kid who is clearly unhappy with the way that they are being treated at school – and it's a matter of school policy (which this is), and therefore not going to change ; then I would be removing my child and sending them to the local State school, PDQ.
Alternatively, if the family supported the school's policy and procedures (which they may well have done – the article is silent on this) – then I suspect that the teen is more likely to have been distressed with the family relationship, than with the school one.
If you don't like/agree with faith-based schools (whether Catholic, Protestant or Muslim), then don't go. There are secular alternatives freely available.
Proabably best to mention my name The Al1en and then I will know you want to address your comment to me. On this blog site everyone is free to comment on anyones comment, it is not exclusive in that way.
But I will do my best to remember that you don't want me to respond to what you say.
That's a terrible experience for that individual child, but there are not enough details to draw conclusions.
Given the strangely accepted and repetitive narrative associating transgender people with suicide, despite this being against suicide prevention guidelines, it is sad but not surprising to hear of such attempts.
We don't know if this distressed child had co-morbidities, and/or if they were receiving therapy for any self harm.
Given the inaccurate story that they are told about the proponderence of societal hate, and the constant use of suicide as a reason for unquestioning affirmation, is this incident a surprise?
If we tried to create an ideology that fed natural teenage insecurities and reduced their development of personal strength and resilience, gender ideology provides a good blueprint.
The US has around 1.9 job vacancy for every unemployed person.so there is a large contraction ability in the US labour market.
The feds target is the wealth destruction of overpriced assets,zombie companies (those that roll interest debt over without paying down debt by buying their own stock etc) Also the new age stocks that have value far above what they could achieve SPX is overpriced.
Previous governments have constantly told us they've fixed this problem, but it's been with us forever. IHC took a case to the Human Rights Review Tribunal, didn't it? What the heck's happened to that? Wrong outfit to be taking government on, anyway. Far too much invested in government contracts to have the 'temerity' to litigate against hand that feeds them. No wonder the problem's still around.
Absolutely no quibble with that at all. I was just confirming your first comment and agreeing that intellectual disability services fall well short of what is possible and desirable.
And much of this shortfall results not just from a lack of money, but a lack of vision.
One of the most annoying things is that government in its rhetoric says all disabled kids can participate fully in our current education system. There's no disagreement between what the disabled want and what government says is already happening. Everyone knows the reality is bullshit but nothing changes.
The quality of education and educational support actually available for special needs kids is appalling. It is an absolute lie that supports exist for all learners in state schools.
To which my response is – bullshit. The best places for kids with disabilities are usually outside of the state school system. If, as Chris pointed out above, you can afford or organise it.
As long as he's not discharging a firearm in public places, murdering someone, ram raiding or poking fun at Labour, he should be left alone. However, should he start doing the former, then we need to suspend the BOR ( as Jacinda did with Covid?) and get very tough on gangsters. We have tried the softly softly approach. It doesn't work.
removal technologies will be needed because emissions reductions alone will not get us to a safe target quickly enough
they are also needed as a potential emergency response to catastrophic tipping point events – especially a sudden release of billions of tons of methane now locked up in frozen methane hydrates that will be released as the Arctic Ocean warms
there are several promising technologies but progress is too slow at the moment and others (such as tree planting) that are useful but are not a panacea because they cannot be done at the scale required due to physical limits.
the best solution will look like a combination of things, none in itself a panacea, along with emissions reduction
Some of us will have concerns about how such technologies get used, who owns them, who profits from and whether they represent the greatest opportunity in the history of humanity for wealth extraction from the state and from ordinary people by corporations. And also , that the promise of these technologies will be a temptation for governments to not pursue emissions reduction stringently enough.
But we can't reject these technologies out of hand, because if Wadhams is right, we'll need something.
I sympathise, but don't believe it will happen. No will-power.
The conservative Right are still believing 'scientists' who questioned the truth of man-made global warming. They are comfortable in their mansions, and don't really see why they should be concerned. These people have power in controlling the media.
Combine them with the knucklehead Groundswell types who are emotionally triggered by trivia and who think all Greens are Loonies..
A lack of education and understanding among our majority (who prefer TV Cooking Contests) will paralyse such intellectual heroes who do their best to save us from the 6th great extinction,
Is there a site out there that has a good overview of progressive politics going ahead?
Conservatives are re-running George Osborne’s and the 1990s greatest hits and it doesn’t have to make sense.
In Britain progressive politics seem to be a way to allow money laundering with the guy in charge claiming a greater sense of decency.
In the 90s we were sold high unemployment as a way of providing low inflation. For the younger voters a low inflation environment is all they’ve known. Will the end of the inflation era simply see a lot more punching down and regression of rights? What is progressive politics in this situation?
Conservative politics are about protecting entrenched interests and that’s an easy sell. We’ll let you keep what you got, and maybe get a little more.
What is the sell of progressive politics in this environment? Where can I read about a progressive future amongst the American tech dystopias and the Russian and Chinese saber rattling and expanding influence? India and Brazil too, don’t seem likely to become world leaders in progressive values.
For now democratic economies are larger than non-democratic, but it’s not democracies that are growing more powerful.
Australia, or at least the parts of it on fire or under water, is belatedly requiring climate action. Though what a Labor majority will do without relying on the Greens or Teals is unclear.
In New Zealand I can only see Morgan Godfrey as a coherent new commentator. The unevolved dregs of the Rogernomics era get too much play.
It feels like Steven Joyce has a base ideology that is more solid than that of the government’s and their core vote.
Because having an ideology helps. Why are we doing what we’re doing? To buy a house, to buy a stake. We are so so far from keeping our grandparents lifestyles for our children. In the cities we need to protect our parks, our open spaces as we lose back gardens. Protect our public space from internet incursion. Keep a sense of NZ as the 6pm news joins the dinosaurs.
Where does the vibrancy come from? We can’t just rely on having a PM who is in a good spot in her life with her young family, there has to be something more to believe in and to be part of. It all seems a very patchy sail to hoist against these headwinds.
It’s a cultural thing. I guess we all want to be the goodies in the film of our life and world?
Thought I’d ask the intellectuals on here to see who were just bored and prolific RW trolls. If you’re commenting here you’ve probably got some impetus to do so.
Not a case of nominative determinism as such, more a lack of false advertising: if you’d understood beforehand you’d have saved time on your comment.
Overall I’m much more pessimistic looking ahead than I was. I’m not sure the things I used to believe in still help and I wondered, from a branch of politics latterly given to hope or a vision of what might be, if there’s something more in the philosophical pipeline than the parable of a couple of rats fighting over a urinal cake, differentiated by one wearing chinos.
Still, Penny Wong and Nanaia Mahuta meeting today had some of that symbolism. Two Pacific nations moving toward a post-colonial identity under the increased international prominence of their region. Don’t mention the cricket. Is there anything of similar future-looking symbolism available in our politics, given present and near present shock changes occurring?
Not mine.
Though I much prefer what Thatcher had to say about jungle canyon rope bridges. It was what belatedly led me, despite having watched a billion war movies and docos featuring Churchill, to find out years later that he’d been turfed out by the British people before the end of the war.
Don't have to agree with them, and they have a British framing to many things, but that team have been around for a long time, generally employ actual reporters, have a loyal and independently funded team, and are pretty distinct from the Murdoch, Sky, Fox, BBCnews, and the smaller regional efforts.
I don't see a close equivalent to The Standard in Australia.
I watch the odd Jonathan Pie, but he’s disaffected youff, given to viscious lamentation, but not searching for Camelots…
The Labour Party tends to be fairly useless unless there is a strong and energised core electorate critiquing them, as they become too close to the Nats and the swing voters go, well if you’re all the same anyway…
Just trying to figure out what a modern equivalent of the families who grew up with a portrait of Mickey Savage on the wall would be doing now. Ashley Bloomfield? A non-aligned savior?
Talkback interviews Auckland mayoral candidate Leo Molloy. He wants to sack the wokeisters. And those in roles only because of wokism. All new recruits will be 5% better all round. When challenged that the mayor doesn't have those powers, he countered by saying the mayor has a say in all staff appointments, and that the mayor sets the agenda for his council.
I think Molloy deep down understands he won't be doing much hiring and firing. But he does set the tone for his council if elected. And I'm sure nothing wokisters and culture vultures suggests will receive much of a hearing. That's what we need at present.
He also should understand just because he doesn't like wokism, doesn't mean he can divorce himself from it completely. Calling Chlöe Swarbrick detached from reality may go down well with Righties like me, but the media who is staffed with many Chloe clones may take a dimmer view. He would then have to watch his every step.
No, I'm a freedom warrior. I want to be free from politics, religion and culture.
However, we live in a regulated society, so I support the political parties that give me a modicum of freedom; that aren't so intrusive. That's the Right. I'm a Rightie.
I posted the Leo Molloy comment because it MAY be a indicator of where NZ is politically at the moment. If Molloy is elected ( unlikely), it'll mean Labour may as well call an early election now. That is looking more likely by the day, regardless.
What do you mean by wokeism? I wanna give all those wokeists a chance to prepare. Also I want to educate myself.
As for freedom, it’s a genuine question with there being all kinds of rights available to people. It’s also an incredibly misused expression internationally.
Wokisters (?), culture vultures and Chlöe clones are conscientious voters – some are even influencers. You're right to wonder whether Molloy understands this.
Welcome to Leo Land: the strange world of Leo Molloy [24 Oct 2021]
“The Guardian,” he [Molloy] says contemptuously, “wrote a story which said ‘he even has hair like Trump’. How the f… do I have hair like Trump? All my hair is my own, and it’s not even dyed orange. It’s au naturel, and it grows in about a week. The only thing I have in common with Trump is there is plenty of it, though he doesn’t have as much body as mine.”
Molloy once spent $8,000 installing a bust of Trump in the men’s urinals at a bar he owned in Queenstown.
Guys, I have said time and again, Scandinavian style justice will not work in NZ because we have a huge underclass that has a different mindset and culture compared with rest of NZ. Here's an example. This is third world stuff that happens on a regular basis.
Of course context is important. In your rush to point score you may have missed a few of those.
You may like to reflect on your fate should you run into them on the street. Maybe you are wearing the wrong colours. Maybe you disrespected their mana. Maybe you were in their way.
But I'm sure you will have things under control. You da man.
who read todays Wairapa Times Age. It had a full page editorial by one JOhn Macdonald, newstalk zb chch mornings, who let fly with a tirade and a diatribe about Trevor Mallard. It was a disgusting piece of crap and any syndicated editor in NZ who reprints this nastiness should be dammed ashamed of themselves. It likes all the loudmouth tories in NZ have a bully pulpit in the provincial rags to do down the "GUBMINT". time to start holding these shockers to account.
Mod note, please read: it’s not ok to dox commenters, nor expect them to dox themselves. If you think someone is using a sock puppet account or a new account to skirt a ban please talk to the mods.
We generally expect people to pick a name and stick to it. Sometimes people change their handle after being away for a period of time. Sometimes they forget their handle, or want to leave a commenting history behind, or have real life reasons to change. I consider trying to guess people’s former or alt handles to be a form of doxxing because you cannot know the back story. If you have a concern please talk to a mod by replying to one of their comments (this way we will see it).
Please stop accusing other people of trolling. It just leads to trolling and flaming. Make the political points, and if you don’t like someone’s behaviour consider talking to other commenters instead. Or describe the behaviour you think is a problem rather than just throwing out accusations. That way we will know what you mean.
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury and the Budget Policy Statement from the Minister of Finance tell us about the fiscal position and what to ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...
I don't knowHow to say what's got to be saidI don't know if it's black or whiteThere's others see it redI don't get the answers rightI'll leave that to youIs this love out of fashionOr is it the time of yearAre these words distraction?To the words you want to hearSongwriters: ...
Our economy has experienced its worst recession since 1991. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, December 20 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above and the daily Pick ‘n’ Mix below ...
Twas the Friday before Christmas and all through the week we’ve been collecting stories for our final roundup of the year. As we start to wind down for the year we hope you all have a safe and happy Christmas and new year. If you’re travelling please be safe on ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the year’s news with: on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. ...
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment:Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...
Photo by Mauricio Fanfa on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news with myself , plus regular guests and , ...
“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...
One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...
Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...
It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...
This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...
Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...
Similar to the cuts and the austerity drive imposed by Ruth Richardson in the 1990’s, an era which to all intents and purposes we’ve largely fiddled around the edges with fixing in the time since – over, to be fair, several administrations – whilst trying our best it seems to ...
String-Pulling in the Dark: For the democratic process to be meaningful it must also be public. WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE in New Zealand’s politicians and journalists steadily declining, restoring those virtues poses a daunting challenge. Just how daunting is made clear by comparing the way politicians and journalists treated New Zealanders ...
Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...
The Open Government Partnership is a multilateral organisation committed to advancing open government. Countries which join are supposed to co-create regular action plans with civil society, committing to making verifiable improvements in transparency, accountability, participation, or technology and innovation for the above. And they're held to account through an Independent ...
Today I tuned into something strange: a press conference that didn’t make my stomach churn or the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Which was strange, because it was about the torture of children. It was the announcement by Erica Stanford — on her own, unusually ...
This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Acting Secretary Erin Polaczuk is welcoming the announcement from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden that she is opening consultation on engineered stone and is calling on her to listen to the evidence and implement a total ban of the product. “We need ...
The Government has announced a 1.5% increase in the minimum wage from 1 April 2025, well below forecast inflation of 2.5%. Unions have reacted strongly and denounced it as a real terms cut. PSA and the CTU are opposing a new round of staff cuts at WorkSafe, which they say ...
The decision to unilaterally repudiate the contract for new Cook Strait ferries is beginning to look like one of the stupidest decisions a New Zealand government ever made. While cancelling the ferries and their associated port infrastructure may have made this year's books look good, it means higher costs later, ...
Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...
We're going backwardsIgnoring the realitiesGoing backwardsAre you counting all the casualties?We are not there yetWhere we need to beWe are still in debtTo our insanitiesSongwriter: Martin Gore Read more ...
Willis blamed Treasury for changing its productivity assumptions and Labour’s spending increases since Covid for the worsening Budget outlook. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, December 18 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast above ...
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...
The right have a stupid saying that is only occasionally true:When is democracy not democracy? When it hasn’t been voted on.While not true in regards to branches of government such as the judiciary, it’s a philosophy that probably should apply to recently-elected local government councillors. Nevertheless, this concept seemed to ...
Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...
Come and join myself and CTU Chief Economist for a pop-up ‘Hoon’ webinar on the Government’s Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) with paying subscribers to The Kākā for 30 minutes at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream to watch our chat. Don’t worry if ...
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
Te Pāti Māori has had to adopt a new way of debating, operating and even thinking in Parliament in response to the Government’s “onslaught” against te ao Māori, co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says.In an end-of-year interview with Newsroom, the Te Tai Hauauru MP reflected on how 2024 has differed from her ...
Opinion: The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science report was announced earlier this month, yet it didn’t get the flurry of media attention and political hand-wringing that typically accompanies these announcements. This might be because it presented good news, or you could argue, no news; the results paint a ...
NewsroomBy Dr Lisa Darragh, Dr Raewyn Eden and Dr David Pomeroy
At long last, The Spinoff shells out for a nut ranking. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today.It recently came to The Spinoff’s attention ...
I was one of hundreds of people who lost my government job this week. Here’s exactly how it played out. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a ...
Summer reissue: One anxiously attentive passenger pays attention to an in-flight safety video, and wonders ‘Why can’t I pick up my own phone?’ The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up ...
Summer reissue: Why do those Lange-Douglas years cast such a long shadow 40 years on? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. First published June ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 23 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...
The Government’s social housing agency has backed out of a billion-dollar infrastructure alliance that would have built about 6000 new homes in Auckland – less than 18 months after signing a five-year extension.Labour says the decision to rip up the contract and sell off existing state houses could lead to ...
ByKoroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) says impending bad weather for Port Vila is now the most significant post-quake hazard. A tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to move into Vanuatu waters, bringing heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings to people ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...
The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...
Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes.Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...
Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...
By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England Bunker.Image courtesy of Michael Leunig, CC BY-NC-SA Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the ...
A picture paints..well something. So Jacinda..apart from being a Marxist/Satanist/Job taker/Murderer sarc!!…is well liked by a LOT of NZers.
These protestor loons are random fuckwits. Albeit with quite a dangerous element. Anyway…Keep shining Jacinda : )
Christchurch gonna Christchurch.
golf clap
I did the same thing with John Key. It was a political strategy. He was in town and there were people placed in the different places he was supposed to appear. Our little group drew the 'short straw'.
I was yelling at him so close, I was looking at the pancake makeup on his face. I didn't like him, and was strongly opposed to his government's actions but it still felt horrible. I decided I was never going to be involved in screaming in someone's face again.
My point is politics. The news crews weren't there and for myself, I was glad that there was no recording of me doing that, beyond whatever the numerous police, also stationed for hours waiting, chose to write.
Political action usually isn't pretty. The idea is opposition and attention. The fact that you are writing this means it was successful action. And the Labour Government were also forced to pay attention. It is pressure and the activists are maintaining it.
Political action takes a lot of time and energy. It is naive for a politico to personalise it.
Who is next?
https://twitter.com/fields/status/1529155008972955651
Went to Twitter to read the 'full conversation', and there appears to be none.
What's the context?
Current US situation, I'd say.
There's a lot going on in America.
Did you post without any specific point in mind?
No, but this is a classic current example:
https://twitter.com/JoJoFromJerz/status/1537181659472490496
and this
https://twitter.com/rumorahasit/status/1537056031628460032
You don't have to go to the USA to see the actions of those who think that the cleansing fire is an appropriate response to those who are seen as unpeople. Some in Tauranga are apparently far enough gone along that path already.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/469221/rainbow-youth-tauranga-drop-in-centre-destroyed-in-suspicious-fire
Perhaps coincidentally, the by-election is this weekend.
So sad. Some of us have been scared that this was coming, yet the useful idiots gonna idiot. My kids school are having pride month, it's just a matter of fact, no drama, I love her & her friends attitude, they have no fear & no hate. It's a shame that fear & hate are learned. Let 'em be.
I had to go looking for info about this…
….because it is so important that kindergarten children learn about the adult entertainment industry. Origins are so important.
(Oh, and if that is what exploring one's 'feminine side' is about, heaven help us.)
This is the local story:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/06/new-plymouth-community-shocked-after-drag-queens-receive-torrent-of-abuse-over-library-appearance.html
Wait until they find out about Panto
What is the purpose of Story Hour?
I considered it to be about introducing children to the joy of reading. (Over time, children that love reading will be introduced to wide variety of perspectives and lifestyles through their reading material.)
This approach has replaced that intent with a values driven outcome.
On that alone, it should be scrutinised.
This is quite a good video about the conflict of well-intentioned but badly implemented inclusion projects on basic child safeguarding practices:
Drag Queen Story Time: Child Grooming In Plain Sight?
https://youtu.be/iuMic0cVw4Y
My research the other evening missed that….thank you….I think. You'd think that that in the post- Saville era there would be more awareness of wolves in sheep's clothing.
I'm looking forward to some robust debate on this issue.
I suspect, however, there will be cries of "Hate!!!" and "Abuse!!!" and an unspoken assumption that our concerns (Hate!!!) should not be dignified with a response.
I guess the experience of dealing with petulant but loved children provides some women of a certain age a degree of imperviousness to emotional entreaty and random insults.
I know the years of practice in this regard has had value in some of the Standard's robust discussions.
😏
Yeah, we should totally ban pantomime and a lot of kids' television too because all that cross-dressing is endangering children. Cancel Mrs Doubtfire! Oh, and clowns, because obviously that can be a bit confusing as well – obviously clowns are a gateway to drag.
Sigh.
@populuxe
'Yeah, we should totally conflate basic safeguarding principles with banning pantomimes. Let's include a lot of kids' television too because I need to generalise because I have no idea of context. Cross-dressing is empowering children. Treat them all like Mrs Doubtfire! Oh, and clowns, because obviously I have no limit to my far flung associations as well – obviously clowns are a gateway to drag which is a type of car racing.
You want a point as well? Sigh.'
Let's me be clear. I see no reason for Clown Story Hour either.
If it does become a possibility, good luck with your application.
A lot of us have been scared that this was coming; I Feel Love. Bullies always do prefer to pick on those less likely to fight back. This from twitter seems to encapsulate the dread that has been building this last year or so:
https://twitter.com/ThisIsCorey/status/1537209547881713664?s=20&t=ohx9ESbsTEgMQ4r9_ibCQw
I'm not on TS much these days so got a bit rusty on the linking tools – I will cut and paste the comment thread too:
100% Molly
Shaneel, oh isn't that the person who wanted all health professionals, including Dr's to go to jail under the Conversion Therapy Bill if they didn't offer gender affirming care to gender dysphoric people?
"Bullies always pick on those who are less likley to fight back". Well that certainly wouldn't be Shaneel and the Trans lobby now would it.
Anyone involved in this should be found prosecuted, if it was an intentional act.
Absolutely and utterly condemn this arson. I hope they find who carried it out and prosecute.
A good way to express your condemnation (if it's not just "hopes and prayers"), is to chip in for a temporary drop-in center during the rebuild.
https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/rainbow-youth-tauranga-drop-in-centre-burnt-down
Apart from the fact they should be adequately insured, I won't contribute because I think their form of 'support' has the potential to harm young people.
You obviously think that we don't stand by our words, when it comes to this topic.
You, however, can follow your own advice without conflict.
100% Molly
Tauranga. The Christchurch of the North.
Even Ōtautahi didn't have the Rhodesian Services Association holding ANZAC day ceremonies as the RSA! That's some next level assholery that I had forgotten about till looking at the NRT piece linked on the right (though not on mobile):
http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2022/06/something-is-wrong-in-tauranga.html
I was hoping that it was just a result of big talk leading up to the byelection, but it seems likely to have more to do with local school events (and scrutiny thereof) that I hadn't been following:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/300611407/school-launch-investigation-after-alleged-threats-made-to-students-supporting-lgbtqia-community
Which was followed today (in the early morning, but less than 24 hours ago) by the Rainbow Youth center (alleged) arson. Then these background details were reported this afternoon that seem to bring the picture into better (if disturbing) focus:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/300613838/school-told-trans-student-god-doesnt-make-mistakes–then-they-tried-to-kill-themselves
The petition now stands at 6,665 signatures, my own among them. If they want Ministry of Education money, then they have to abide by governmental standards rather than trying to pull a fast one and unilaterally changing the wording afterwards.
If they want Ministry of Education money, then they have to abide by governmental standards ….
Simple solution would be to remove all government funding from all "Special Character" schools. All of them.
I suspect that would go down like a cup of cold sick.
Parents choose to send their kids to such schools. Perhaps these parents should be censured/prosecuted for willfully exposing their children to ideologies that fails to meet government standards?
Whatever those are. We have a Parliament that prays to Almighty God ffs ….
You can see how quickly your plan could get a tad complicated.
Still bemusing the commenters with common sense I see Rosemary.
Trust you and Peter are both well.
@hs
Very droll.
The original Stuff article was low on details, until it morphed into a highly detailed resume for self-promoter, Shaneel Lal.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/300611407/school-launch-investigation-after-alleged-threats-made-to-students-supporting-lgbtqia-community
Being delivered a narrative with no idea how the situation developed.
Of course a Christian School that refers to Scripture in it's agreement with the Ministry will have intolerant views an same sex marriage.
Is that really a surprise?
And if it is the principle, then, as you point out, why not demonstrate at other Special Character schools with even more regressive values where they stlll limit entry on the basis of – clutch pearls – sex?
So what is really happening in Tauranga?
For the interested:
Last update on 14 June 2022: Detrans subreddit at: 33.6K members
Detrans subreddit now at: 34.2K members
(PS, Hope you have both avoided a second bout of Covid after your exposure to your MoH approved caregiver.)
Molly, the school has snuck in the thing about marriage after its agreement with the state.
https://twitter.com/Publicwrongs/status/1537276925046947840
and
https://twitter.com/Publicwrongs/status/1537277785017708544
@higherstandard
Getting a little bemused myself by those demanding unconditional inclusion demanding exclusion of those who have beliefs and lifestyles that differ from theirs. Can't we just get on?
And Peter and I are fine. Truly. Thank you. Neither of us have felt this fit in ages. Picking bananas, moving the sheep, tending the vege gardens, watching the kotare and piwakawaka getting fat on bugs and slugs. Listening to tui…no small thing up here…we now recognise three distinct calls. Taking our vitamins. All kinds of good.
@ sacha
I've looked at the Fifth Schedule of their Integration agreement with the Ministry of Education,
https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-releases/integration-agreements-for-state-integrated-schools/integration-agreements-for-state-integrated-schools-a-b/#Bethlehem
… and their annexed Statement of Belief.
My interpretation, as a very lapsed Catholic, is both the Fifth Schedule and Statement of Belief give a broad enough statement to cover the marriage issue.
Eddie Clark, and many others think differently.
What I believe should happen next is for the Ministry of Education to release an official statement, and for that position to be tested by some form of legal challenge, either in support or against.
Then everybody – the public, the special character schools, the students – all know what the legal ramifications are.
Religious belief is still a protected characteristic of the Human Rights Act (1993) whether we agree with those beliefs or not.
I think we need to give this issue the discussion it deserves, not instant approbation.
@Molly
There's a certain air of shooting fish in barrels here:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/bay-of-plenty/300611407/school-launch-investigation-after-alleged-threats-made-to-students-supporting-lgbtqia-community
Brings to mind a certain gay rights activist (who I can't recall at present, since he is only referred to as a 'follower on Instagram' on most articles) asking a fundamentalist Christian league player about his thoughts on gay rights, and being surprised at the answer. Given that unless you share those beliefs, Hell is as real as… Heaven, the response makes no sense.
And if we are encouraging young people to follow individuals in all aspects of their life, rather than just their field of excellence, well, we need to address that.
Not sure the Rhodesian Services Association could be holding ANZAC day ceremonies as the Christchurch RSA when they haven't had a building in years. Perhaps you mean the group calling themselves "the Original RSA" who are a pack of nutters and if you will insist on judging a community by its fringe I will be more than happy to point out the extremist oddballs wherever you live as I keep lists.
Oh, free for all and any interpretation.
You would've provided a point of discussion if you'd posted either of those tweets for discussion to start with.
However, even those without points made are ambiguous as regards your intent.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
And sometimes…
Re the drag queen story telling. I was taken to pantos a lot as a child and there was always a "Dame" (man dressed as women). We knew it was a man dressed as a women and the humour was age appropriate (.e.g. the classic panto thing of getting the kids to yell out that the baddie was behind the Dame
Queer theory is it about breaking down societies norms about sex ( from Wiki " QT can be summorized as exploring the oppressive power of dominant norms, particularly, those relating to sexuality".)
Proponants of QT such as Gabrielle Rubin in her Charmed Circle talk about the need to normalize that which is outside the charmed circle (and she specifically names "intergenrational sex"). Judith Butler did the cause no favours by saying that she thought in some cases it was possible for childrent to consent to sex with adults. Both of these academics are dangerously close to endorsing paedophilia.
It is really important that adults who interact with children are scrupulous about keeping very tight boundaries around issues of sexuality. See link below as a recent, extreme example of those boundaries being errased.
https://play.acast.com/s/the-family-sex-show-starts-here.
This stage show was influenced by QT (the family sex show in the UK) and was advertised as suitable for children 5 years and up. It contained nudity and topics such as masturbation The show was fortunately cancelled because of public outcry.
Traditionally drag queens have featured in adult only shows and so I am very curious about why suddently there is a whole movement to have drag artists read to kids??? Why is this happening now? Why would we do that? The drag show I attended (all-be-it some years back certainly contained adult only themes).
There is a term known as trans generational blurring. What this refers to (and it has nothing to do with trangenderism), is when adults blur the lines between themselves and children. So adults present themselves or information to children when it isn't developmentally appropriate.
BTW some women argue that drag queens are the equivalent of black face, Ie. they are parodying female sexual stereotypes. I myself don't hold that view, but I can see why some women do.
Really? Do you have a link for that?
Couldn't get the links to her papers on my phone , but this article that dessiminates her work can provide the names for you to pull up the original works:
https://uncommongroundmedia.com/the-trojan-unicorn-qt-and-paedophilia-part-iv-dr-em/
Ta. One anonymous motivated critic quoting brief passages from a book that we cannot link to is what it is.
Yes. Given up spoon-feeding long ago.
Never was inclined to do it for grown men who are not physically incapacitated.
Couldn't see anything in the link that talked about Butler's theories on children and consent, either.
ISTR ripping shit out of ACT's leader at the time Jamie Whyte for ruminating upon the ethics of incest when he was philosophising, but I don't think anyone accused him of supporting pedophilia.
Eg:
Nor am I inclined to spoon-feed fools who cannot make a sensible argument, let alone on this topic. Enjoy your evening.
Molly you beat me to it!
To quote Butler "the incest taboo is the juridical law that is said both to prohibit incestuous desires and to construct certain gendered subjectivities through the mechanism of compulsory identification. But, what is to guarantee the universality or necessity of this law?"
from Gender Trouble page 95.
@McFlock.
Anker put forth her opinion, and did not accuse Butler of supporting pedophilia..
" Judith Butler did the cause no favours by saying that she thought in some cases it was possible for childrent to consent to sex with adults. Both of these academics are dangerously close to endorsing paedophilia."
Consent discussions by Butler do assign a large degree of autonomy.
Other academics that build on Butler's work, do take that direction further. Allyn Walker comes to mind.
Wow it really is quite a specialised genre. And I'm guessing the infuriating vagueness is kind of built in because of the experiences. That's hard. Have learned a lot today. Thank you.
Queer Theory makes a virtue of vagueness. It's required, so that people lose the will to live when trying to unravel it.
Try reading Judith Butler, Allyn Walker, Grace Lavery, Laurie Penny who are all recognised Queer Theory academics and/or authors.
Then come back here to TS and write a simple post on the shifting fogs of Queer Theory for all of us who see no value in it. And can see the real world harm that follows adherence to abstract ideas.
@Molly Queer Theory makes a virtue of vagueness. It's required, so that people lose the will to live when trying to unravel it. And when one is close to that point…watch this…
Spares no blushes and pulls no punches, and as is typical for the Triggernometry lads… a totally honest conversation with someone who knows their stuff.
What Butler actually thinks:
A couple of pertinent points you Drag aficionados are missing:
1. Drag is not a sexual orientation.
2. Drag is not a gender identity.
Drag is a form of performance art that is predicated on a caricature of stereotyped womanhood, for the purpose of sexual innuendo jokes for the amusement of adults,
Hardly a role model for children regarding living an authentic life.
And, STILL no connection to reading.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/1999/dec/24/news
In reply to McFlook re what Butler thinks. Butler is sometimes indesciperable e.g she won the Guardian's competition for the worst paragraph some years back and even Butler scholars sometimes can't descipher what she means.
But even in the quote from Populuxe 1, Butler merely states what she thinks her opponants think of QT about paedophilia. She doesn't deny that she thinks children can give consent to relationships with adults….Hell if someone interpreted what I was saying in that way I would go out of my way to refute it……
Some of the key players in gender identity are linked to paedophilia, eg. Foucoult, John Money and even though she is a poor writer the quotes I posted above from Judith B are suspious to say the least.
Whatever.
Just thought it was funny your link didn't have anything remotely close to Butler saying "she thought in some cases it was possible for children to consent to sex with adults."
I don't particularly care. CBF bothering with tories, tankies and bigots here most days now.
missed the edit. Sorry, molly's link after you were asked for evidence to support your statement. Not "your link"
@McFlock
Since you have reading comprehension and listening deficits when it comes to many women on TS… here's a man's perspective:
https://youtu.be/fMSZdI2KVko
Next?
https://twitter.com/RightWingWatch/status/1534975705498402817
Well, I don't agree with him.
Nope absolutely don't agree with Pastor Mark Burns.
Next? You say
A transgender student at Bethlehem College who was not allowed to wear the uniform of their preferred gender, or be called by their preferred name and pronouns, and who was told by a member of staff, “God doesn’t make mistakes”, was so traumatised they tried to kill themselves.
Well it is always very shocking and sad to here of a young person who attempted suicide and I am very glad to here they survived. I hope they are doing o.k.
It is a clash between religious views and gender ideology views and these views are diametrically opposed.
BTW the latest research from Swedon (will post link of request) shows that even after trans people have gender affirming surgery their risk of suicide is high and indeed after such surgery their risk of psychiatric admissions was higher than pre surgery. It msut be a difficult path in life and I feel for anyone with gender dysphoria.
You might also think that the family bears some responsibility here.
If I (as a parent) have a kid who is clearly unhappy with the way that they are being treated at school – and it's a matter of school policy (which this is), and therefore not going to change ; then I would be removing my child and sending them to the local State school, PDQ.
Alternatively, if the family supported the school's policy and procedures (which they may well have done – the article is silent on this) – then I suspect that the teen is more likely to have been distressed with the family relationship, than with the school one.
If you don't like/agree with faith-based schools (whether Catholic, Protestant or Muslim), then don't go. There are secular alternatives freely available.
Post was @joe90. So to be clear, if I want a conversation, I'll reply directly.
Proabably best to mention my name The Al1en and then I will know you want to address your comment to me. On this blog site everyone is free to comment on anyones comment, it is not exclusive in that way.
But I will do my best to remember that you don't want me to respond to what you say.
Just spotted this: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/gender-dynamix-and-rainbow-youth-building-involved-in-suspicious-fire/M53HMA76Y47TDFX4SDVT3FCKFQ/
That's a terrible experience for that individual child, but there are not enough details to draw conclusions.
Given the strangely accepted and repetitive narrative associating transgender people with suicide, despite this being against suicide prevention guidelines, it is sad but not surprising to hear of such attempts.
We don't know if this distressed child had co-morbidities, and/or if they were receiving therapy for any self harm.
Given the inaccurate story that they are told about the proponderence of societal hate, and the constant use of suicide as a reason for unquestioning affirmation, is this incident a surprise?
If we tried to create an ideology that fed natural teenage insecurities and reduced their development of personal strength and resilience, gender ideology provides a good blueprint.
The US Federal Reserve just put up their rates by .75. Biggest rate rise since 1994.
Steadied their SX, but our RB will surely follow suit.
What chaos for anyone trying to get a home loan.
Any one trying to get a home loan should wait to late next year,as the property bubble deflates to its real (fundamental) value.
GDP just came in -0.2% .
Just getting started
Export manufacturing decrease is troublesome,as our Current account has blown out to record (absolute numbers).
Mortgage rates have a real risk of 10% this time next year,watch the contraction in the new economy products.
The European central bank had an emergency meeting last night to jawbone the Euro,watch the med economy's contract fast.
I was reflecting on 10% mort rates rates last night…and bail in.
Westpac just borrowed 750m at 5.25%,they need to up their stress test to 2 figures.
On the other side a contraction in property prices to pre covid levels would make regional economys more affordable,
US fed realtime data suggests a technical recession is already there.
https://twitter.com/biancoresearch/status/1537155247193346052?cxt=HHwWiMCymbOjidUqAAAA
An analysis with the headline,
"US labour market weakens a little – it is madness to be increasing interest rates in this environment"
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=49908
The US has around 1.9 job vacancy for every unemployed person.so there is a large contraction ability in the US labour market.
The feds target is the wealth destruction of overpriced assets,zombie companies (those that roll interest debt over without paying down debt by buying their own stock etc) Also the new age stocks that have value far above what they could achieve SPX is overpriced.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/300610315/unwanted-disabled-children-are-being-denied-full-education-advocates-say
Previous governments have constantly told us they've fixed this problem, but it's been with us forever. IHC took a case to the Human Rights Review Tribunal, didn't it? What the heck's happened to that? Wrong outfit to be taking government on, anyway. Far too much invested in government contracts to have the 'temerity' to litigate against hand that feeds them. No wonder the problem's still around.
Yup. Been here done all this. It is why we bypassed the govt system altogether.
Sure, but for those not lucky enough to be able to…
Absolutely no quibble with that at all. I was just confirming your first comment and agreeing that intellectual disability services fall well short of what is possible and desirable.
And much of this shortfall results not just from a lack of money, but a lack of vision.
But as you say, who is there to argue for them?
One of the most annoying things is that government in its rhetoric says all disabled kids can participate fully in our current education system. There's no disagreement between what the disabled want and what government says is already happening. Everyone knows the reality is bullshit but nothing changes.
Not just previous governments, Chris Hipkins used this argument to decline a proposed charter school for special needs kids.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/125672364/parents-devastated-as-government-rejects-state-school-for-children-with-special-needs
The quality of education and educational support actually available for special needs kids is appalling. It is an absolute lie that supports exist for all learners in state schools.
To which my response is – bullshit. The best places for kids with disabilities are usually outside of the state school system. If, as Chris pointed out above, you can afford or organise it.
My response to Hipkins that is … not to Belladonna.
Like this
Stuff.
For CraigH
As long as he's not discharging a firearm in public places, murdering someone, ram raiding or poking fun at Labour, he should be left alone. However, should he start doing the former, then we need to suspend the BOR ( as Jacinda did with Covid?) and get very tough on gangsters. We have tried the softly softly approach. It doesn't work.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/legal-and-constitutional-implications-new-zealand%E2%80%99s-fight-against-covid
A logo makes $s
Hog!
A discussion with Peter Wadhams on how to remove billions of tons of CO2 and methane from the atmosphere or the oceans (where it is then naturally replaced from the atmosphere). It's 6 months old but interesting nonetheless. Short take is:
Some of us will have concerns about how such technologies get used, who owns them, who profits from and whether they represent the greatest opportunity in the history of humanity for wealth extraction from the state and from ordinary people by corporations. And also , that the promise of these technologies will be a temptation for governments to not pursue emissions reduction stringently enough.
But we can't reject these technologies out of hand, because if Wadhams is right, we'll need something.
I sympathise, but don't believe it will happen. No will-power.
The conservative Right are still believing 'scientists' who questioned the truth of man-made global warming. They are comfortable in their mansions, and don't really see why they should be concerned. These people have power in controlling the media.
Combine them with the knucklehead Groundswell types who are emotionally triggered by trivia and who think all Greens are Loonies..
A lack of education and understanding among our majority (who prefer TV Cooking Contests) will paralyse such intellectual heroes who do their best to save us from the 6th great extinction,
Is there a site out there that has a good overview of progressive politics going ahead?
Conservatives are re-running George Osborne’s and the 1990s greatest hits and it doesn’t have to make sense.
In Britain progressive politics seem to be a way to allow money laundering with the guy in charge claiming a greater sense of decency.
In the 90s we were sold high unemployment as a way of providing low inflation. For the younger voters a low inflation environment is all they’ve known. Will the end of the inflation era simply see a lot more punching down and regression of rights? What is progressive politics in this situation?
Conservative politics are about protecting entrenched interests and that’s an easy sell. We’ll let you keep what you got, and maybe get a little more.
What is the sell of progressive politics in this environment? Where can I read about a progressive future amongst the American tech dystopias and the Russian and Chinese saber rattling and expanding influence? India and Brazil too, don’t seem likely to become world leaders in progressive values.
For now democratic economies are larger than non-democratic, but it’s not democracies that are growing more powerful.
Australia, or at least the parts of it on fire or under water, is belatedly requiring climate action. Though what a Labor majority will do without relying on the Greens or Teals is unclear.
In New Zealand I can only see Morgan Godfrey as a coherent new commentator. The unevolved dregs of the Rogernomics era get too much play.
It feels like Steven Joyce has a base ideology that is more solid than that of the government’s and their core vote.
Because having an ideology helps. Why are we doing what we’re doing? To buy a house, to buy a stake. We are so so far from keeping our grandparents lifestyles for our children. In the cities we need to protect our parks, our open spaces as we lose back gardens. Protect our public space from internet incursion. Keep a sense of NZ as the 6pm news joins the dinosaurs.
Where does the vibrancy come from? We can’t just rely on having a PM who is in a good spot in her life with her young family, there has to be something more to believe in and to be part of. It all seems a very patchy sail to hoist against these headwinds.
It’s a cultural thing. I guess we all want to be the goodies in the film of our life and world?
Maybe google "site good overview progressive politics" and see what comes up?
Thought I’d ask the intellectuals on here to see who were just bored and prolific RW trolls. If you’re commenting here you’ve probably got some impetus to do so.
Fuck me. Your moniker precedes you.
Not a case of nominative determinism as such, more a lack of false advertising: if you’d understood beforehand you’d have saved time on your comment.
Overall I’m much more pessimistic looking ahead than I was. I’m not sure the things I used to believe in still help and I wondered, from a branch of politics latterly given to hope or a vision of what might be, if there’s something more in the philosophical pipeline than the parable of a couple of rats fighting over a urinal cake, differentiated by one wearing chinos.
Still, Penny Wong and Nanaia Mahuta meeting today had some of that symbolism. Two Pacific nations moving toward a post-colonial identity under the increased international prominence of their region. Don’t mention the cricket. Is there anything of similar future-looking symbolism available in our politics, given present and near present shock changes occurring?
"a couple of rats fighting over a urinal cake"
So good!
Not mine.
Though I much prefer what Thatcher had to say about jungle canyon rope bridges. It was what belatedly led me, despite having watched a billion war movies and docos featuring Churchill, to find out years later that he’d been turfed out by the British people before the end of the war.
The most reliable one is still The Guardian.
Don't have to agree with them, and they have a British framing to many things, but that team have been around for a long time, generally employ actual reporters, have a loyal and independently funded team, and are pretty distinct from the Murdoch, Sky, Fox, BBCnews, and the smaller regional efforts.
I don't see a close equivalent to The Standard in Australia.
Oh dear, is that it?
I watch the odd Jonathan Pie, but he’s disaffected youff, given to viscious lamentation, but not searching for Camelots…
The Labour Party tends to be fairly useless unless there is a strong and energised core electorate critiquing them, as they become too close to the Nats and the swing voters go, well if you’re all the same anyway…
Just trying to figure out what a modern equivalent of the families who grew up with a portrait of Mickey Savage on the wall would be doing now. Ashley Bloomfield? A non-aligned savior?
Talkback interviews Auckland mayoral candidate Leo Molloy. He wants to sack the wokeisters. And those in roles only because of wokism. All new recruits will be 5% better all round. When challenged that the mayor doesn't have those powers, he countered by saying the mayor has a say in all staff appointments, and that the mayor sets the agenda for his council.
I think Molloy deep down understands he won't be doing much hiring and firing. But he does set the tone for his council if elected. And I'm sure nothing wokisters and culture vultures suggests will receive much of a hearing. That's what we need at present.
He also should understand just because he doesn't like wokism, doesn't mean he can divorce himself from it completely. Calling Chlöe Swarbrick detached from reality may go down well with Righties like me, but the media who is staffed with many Chloe clones may take a dimmer view. He would then have to watch his every step.
AT -1:10:40
https://omny.fm/shows/today-mornings/full-show-16-6-2022?in_playlist=today-mornings!duncan-garner-today-catch-up
The guy is another braying old fool, and will attract support accordingly.
Declared candidates:
So when you say right wing you mean you’re a signed on culture warrior? Here to beat antifa etc? Or just quote those who are?
You have the wrong address. Look elsewhere.
I mean genuinely asking. So you aren’t a culture warrior? Or don’t identify that way?
No, I'm a freedom warrior. I want to be free from politics, religion and culture.
However, we live in a regulated society, so I support the political parties that give me a modicum of freedom; that aren't so intrusive. That's the Right. I'm a Rightie.
I posted the Leo Molloy comment because it MAY be a indicator of where NZ is politically at the moment. If Molloy is elected ( unlikely), it'll mean Labour may as well call an early election now. That is looking more likely by the day, regardless.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/460930/who-wants-to-be-auckland-s-mayor
Quote: From Molloy.
''When it comes to Collins, he is far more effusive, saying he would consider offering him the deputy mayoralty if he was to win the main job.
"I think he should have been given the opportunity to run on the Labour ticket and it's a disgrace that they chose to ignore the southside of town."
Do you get compensated for posting here at all?
And do you feel wokeism is a general problem in Auckland?
How would you define wokeism in an NZ context?
Did you feel taking vaccination against Covid was an issue for freedom warriors?
Do you feel that housing being unaffordable to rent or buy is an issue for freedom warriors?
Do you have any opinions about Oliver Driver’s acting career?
How many churches are there in heaven?
Blade wants to ban; ban ban ban.
Oh dear!
But..but.. I thought you were sincere…silly me.
''I mean genuinely asking. So you aren’t a culture warrior? Or don’t identify that way?''
Do you think Robbo Hood was spinning faster than a top today?
Is the brain drain about to become headlines?
Can Chris curb violence?
How come Poto got the chop and not Mahuta?
Can the second quarter stabilise our economy or are we heading for a recession?
Is Roberts keyboard jammed? Do we care?
How come I haven't be threatened with getting banned lately?
No-sense…I wouldn't have a clue.
When sewers overflow, the environment suffers.
I was being sincere.
What do you mean by wokeism? I wanna give all those wokeists a chance to prepare. Also I want to educate myself.
As for freedom, it’s a genuine question with there being all kinds of rights available to people. It’s also an incredibly misused expression internationally.
speed dating 🙂
Swirl & churn.
"I wouldn't have a clue"
Noted.
Lol NS, love it. It's only 'identity politics' when the 'woke' do it.
Molloy is a fuck nugget attempting to appeal to act voting fuck nuggets and dissafected nat fuck nuggets.
Blaming media "wokeisters" in advance for his failure is amusing as it is predictable.
Don't hold back. Let that dislike and angst out.
Saves me from getting up to whatever it is you do on here all day
lol
It's tiresome, isn't it!
Points though, to the value of the site and the effectiveness and clear-sightedness of the TS-supportive commenters here.
Little wonder then, that we have attracted attention of this "*calibre"
*(.17 HMR).
Do on here all day?
Molloy does not like workers either. He was not a stranger to the Employment Tribunal in the days when I worked there.
That's not even half of it.
Wokisters (?), culture vultures and Chlöe clones are conscientious voters – some are even influencers. You're right to wonder whether Molloy understands this.
Taking his lead from Mallard? If it walks like a duck…
Collins and the other Auckland mayoral candidates better watch out!
I thought it was Crusher Collins, not Crusher Johnston
" He wants to sack…"
There ya go.
In a nutshell.
Ban, ban, ban.
He wants a sack. 🙂
First time in 20 years Oz electricity regulator (AEMO) has simply stopped the market.
Generators told to not exceed $300 per MwH stopped producing as they couldn't 'profit' at that limit.
Normally AEMO provides the diff but at 20% it knew the market had FAILED and now has the visibility to be able to bring generation on when required.
Sound familiar except we get the blackouts as nobody steps in.
History rhymes.
https://twitter.com/BBCRosAtkins/status/1536581509225791489
Guys, I have said time and again, Scandinavian style justice will not work in NZ because we have a huge underclass that has a different mindset and culture compared with rest of NZ. Here's an example. This is third world stuff that happens on a regular basis.
Warning: Some may find the violence confronting.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/06/auckland-s-tamaki-college-addresses-very-disturbing-video-of-assault-believed-to-involve-members-of-its-community.html
Yeah, cos white first-worlders would never do anything like that.
/
White people fighting …no, I don't believe it!!!
Of course context is important. In your rush to point score you may have missed a few of those.
You may like to reflect on your fate should you run into them on the street. Maybe you are wearing the wrong colours. Maybe you disrespected their mana. Maybe you were in their way.
But I'm sure you will have things under control. You da man.
You're seem to be a frightened little rabbit, sport. Do tell the group about it…
Why should I be frightened. I've had dental surgery and got some real teeth. A good nights sleep and I'm roaring to go.
Do tell the group what? That another Lefty has bit the dust
You da man.
'Anyone around here got an empty chair?'
No, but I have a racist dog whistle
who read todays Wairapa Times Age. It had a full page editorial by one JOhn Macdonald, newstalk zb chch mornings, who let fly with a tirade and a diatribe about Trevor Mallard. It was a disgusting piece of crap and any syndicated editor in NZ who reprints this nastiness should be dammed ashamed of themselves. It likes all the loudmouth tories in NZ have a bully pulpit in the provincial rags to do down the "GUBMINT". time to start holding these shockers to account.
The Mallard story isn't over yet.
Talkback back is picking up an incident at Seaview tunnel? Came in halfway through so I'm not sure of my facts.
Mod note, please read: it’s not ok to dox commenters, nor expect them to dox themselves. If you think someone is using a sock puppet account or a new account to skirt a ban please talk to the mods.
We generally expect people to pick a name and stick to it. Sometimes people change their handle after being away for a period of time. Sometimes they forget their handle, or want to leave a commenting history behind, or have real life reasons to change. I consider trying to guess people’s former or alt handles to be a form of doxxing because you cannot know the back story. If you have a concern please talk to a mod by replying to one of their comments (this way we will see it).
Please stop accusing other people of trolling. It just leads to trolling and flaming. Make the political points, and if you don’t like someone’s behaviour consider talking to other commenters instead. Or describe the behaviour you think is a problem rather than just throwing out accusations. That way we will know what you mean.
Or, just grow up.