Open mike 16/06/2022
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6:00 am, June 16th, 2022 - 143 comments
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- Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...34 mins ago - The non-woke $3 Lunch.
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...1 hour ago - Labour’s chickens come home to roost
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...5 hours ago - Calvin Reviews Lord of The Rings5 hours ago
- Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...15 hours ago - The wrong direction
Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...19 hours ago - National hates democracyIts a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...19 hours ago
- No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...21 hours ago - Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...22 hours ago
- Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...22 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
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- Green Party grapples with persistent scandalsJacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...24 hours ago
- A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of TechnologyGary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...24 hours ago
- 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the SolomonsCleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...1 day ago
- Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s IncompetenceWith hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...1 day ago
- Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...1 day ago
- A few PT announcements
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...1 day ago - Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandalsParliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...1 day ago
- At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problemOn February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...2 days ago
- Nothing to sneer at
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...2 days ago - Still on their bullshitWhen in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...2 days ago
- DrawnA ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...2 days ago
- A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per yearSimeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...2 days ago
- Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECDBuzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...2 days ago
- Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to ChinaChris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...2 days ago
- A balanced and an unbalanced articleDavid Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...2 days ago
- Deeply unserious countryEvery bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...2 days ago
- Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law studentsThe tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied… Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...2 days ago
- https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...2 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
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A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...2 days ago - Get Your Webworm Merch!
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After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading ...3 days ago - Preposterous priorities – politicians preferred pastryNewsroom writer Aaron Smale, in an article triggered by the High Court’s ruling on whether a sitting MP must respond to a summons to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal, reports on issues underpinning the tribunal’s urgent inquiry into the Government’s intention to remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki ...3 days ago
- Climate Change: Forcing accountability in the UKIn 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...3 days ago
- Other councils are keen to be next to strike a water deal with govtBuzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report: District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...3 days ago
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- Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen”Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...3 days ago
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- On the LTP 2024 FeedbackA few weeks ago Auckland Council released the results of consultation on the Long Term Plan (LTP) that occurred in March. With almost 28,000 submissions, it received the most feedback of any LTP in Auckland. It covered a wide range of topics soliciting feedback on different areas of council funded ...3 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Monday, May 6
TL;DR: Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...3 days ago - Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s geopolitical friendly fire has its limitsThe gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...3 days ago
- I could be a Florist.
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...3 days ago - The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 12 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...3 days ago - Willis on defenceThe price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...3 days ago
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Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...4 days ago - Early evening, April 30
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...4 days ago - Do Newsroom’s staff think they’re culturally superior to the rest of us? Are they arguing that A...Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...5 days ago
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- Bernard’s dawn chorus for Saturday, May 4 and pick ‘n’ mix for the weekendA new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...5 days ago
- The Dark Side and the Rebel Alliance.
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...5 days ago - Imaginary mandate, imaginary leadership
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.ShareVerity, Ilfracombe ...5 days ago - Winston Peters delivers a speech about NZ’s relationship with China but media focus on Bob Carr’...Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...6 days ago
- The Post-Covid Economy
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...6 days ago - An awkward coincidence!The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...6 days ago
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- 27,000That's the number of submissions received on National's corrupt Muldoonist fast-track legislation. Except its higher than that, because the number doesn't include form submissions, such as the 15,000 people who supported Forest & Bird's submission, or the 14,000 who supported Greenpeace. And so many people want to appear in person ...6 days ago
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- New Treasury paper on the productivity slowdown supports the downgrading of forecastsThe Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...6 days ago
- Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Friday, May 3
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 9:26 am on Friday, May 3:Climate 'Ministerial override must go' - Hearings begin over fast-track bill RNZ Kate GreenPopulation: Labour hire firm struggling to find staff as Australia lures away workers. HireStaff ...6 days ago - Weekly Roundup 3-May-2024Here we are in May already! And here are a few of the stories that caught our eye this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, Matt highlighted that it’s been a decade since Auckland’s rail system was electrified. On Wednesday, Matt looked at AT’s rollout of new ways ...6 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to May 36 days ago
- Pamphlets at Ten Paces.
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...6 days ago - A land without pier
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2024Open access notables Generative AI tools can enhance climate literacy but must be checked for biases and inaccuracies, Atkins et al., Communications Earth & Environment: In the face of climate change, climate literacy is becoming increasingly important. With wide access to generative AI tools, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we explore the potential ...7 days ago
- Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...7 days ago - Ruckus over AUKUS – Labour demands Peters step down as Foreign Minister, but he still had the job ...Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...7 days ago
- Secrecy undermines participationThe Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...7 days ago
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- A win for Wellington – Greens welcome more housing
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...19 hours ago - Release: Backtrack on school lunches a win for Kiwi kids
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...21 hours ago - Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford UnionHon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...1 day ago
- Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscationsGreen Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...2 days ago
- TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...2 days ago - Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgradeThe Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...2 days ago
- Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be releasedMinisters must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...3 days ago
- Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal payNational has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...7 days ago
- Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under NationalThe Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...7 days ago
- Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cutsWith Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...7 days ago
- Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert MartinThe Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...1 week ago
- Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live exportLabour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...1 week ago
- Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fireToday’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...1 week ago
- New unemployment figures paint bleak pictureThe Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...1 week ago
- Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment risesUnemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...1 week ago
- Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New ZealandersWeekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreementThe New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...1 week ago
- Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle downThe Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...1 week ago
- Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicineThe National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...1 week ago
- Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACTThis afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...1 week ago
- Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial DayLabour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...1 week ago
- Gaza: Aotearoa Must Support Independent Investigation into Mass GravesTe Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Working together on consistent support for veterans this Anzac DayOur two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Penny drops – but what about Seymour and Peters?Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...2 weeks ago
- Another ‘Stolen Generation’ enabled by court ruling on Waitangi Tribunal summonsTonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Budget blunder shows Nicola Willis could cut recovery fundingIt appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...2 weeks ago
- Further environmental mismanagement on the cardsThe Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...2 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...3 weeks ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...3 weeks ago
- Accelerating Social Investment
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...2 hours ago - Getting Back on TrackCheck against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...2 hours ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than everYour Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...15 hours ago
- Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...19 hours ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...21 hours ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...21 hours ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...22 hours ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...23 hours ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...24 hours ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...1 day ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...2 days ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...2 days ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...2 days ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...2 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...2 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...2 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...2 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...3 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...3 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...3 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...3 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...4 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...5 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...6 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...6 days ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...7 days ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...7 days ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...7 days ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...7 days ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...7 days ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...1 week ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into forceKiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...1 week ago
- Mining resurgence a welcome signThere are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...1 week ago
- Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first readingThe return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...1 week ago
- Government to boost public EV charging networkEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...1 week ago
- Photos are everywhere. What makes a good one?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University T.J. Thomson We upload some 3 billion images online each day. We make most of these photos on smartphones and use these devices to document everything from gym progress ...13 mins ago - 'Darkest before the dawn': Nicola Willis rules out austerity Budget
"Every dollar counts and our Budget will reflect that reality," the Finance Minister has told an audience.. ...20 mins ago - AI companions can relieve loneliness – but here are 4 red flags to watch for in your chatbot ‘fr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Weijers, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Co-editor International Journal of Wellbeing, University of Waikato Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images It’s been seven years since the launch of Replika, an artificially intelligent chatbot designed to be a friend to human users. Despite ...59 mins ago
- Paris in spring, Bali in winter. How ‘bucket lists’ help cancer patients handle life and deathSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Williams Veazey, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney DavideAngelini/Shutterstock In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go ...59 mins ago
- Heat is coming for our crops. We have to make them readySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Singh, Professor of Agri-Food Biotechnology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne., The University of Melbourne Tanja Esser/Shutterstock Australia’s vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already ...59 mins ago
- Why Trust Is A Must
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...1 hour ago - Protest March Against Fast-track Bill Announced For AucklandGreenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...2 hours ago
- Watch live: Finance Minister Nicola Willis makes pre-Budget speechFinance Ministers have used past pre-Budget speeches to reveal where savings have been found and what rules have been set. ...2 hours ago
- A busy week at school for David Seymour
The school lunches programme has been retained – and will be extended to some preschoolers. So how is it going to cost $107 million less? To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The minister with many hats David Seymour wears a number of hats, but this week ...2 hours ago - 'Completely stupid' – ex-Tuvalu PM on Shane Jones' oil and gas commentsEnele Sopoaga - who still serves as an MP in Tuvalu - says the climate crisis is the "main enemy". ...3 hours ago
- School lunch revamp: 'The biggest waiting list since 2018'Up to 10,000 more hungry children under five will become eligible for free lunches under the government's revised lunches in schools programme. ...3 hours ago
- Book of the Week: Ashleigh Young on an extinction event
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...3 hours ago - A ‘sponge city’ may be your home in 2050Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...3 hours ago
- Tikanga is the first law of AotearoaA senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.” – Ani Mikaere ...4 hours ago
- ‘Your agency is taken away’: When endometriosis treatment changes without your consentIn 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...5 hours ago
- Green shoots prunedComment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...5 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 9 MayThe post Daily crossword, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- How the Greens could be contendersOpinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- The ‘war on drugs’ is really a ‘war on people who use drugs’ – and it doesn’t workOpinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...5 hours ago
- David Seymour – not the associate education minister you expectedAnalysis: David Seymour’s school lunches programme goes further than Labour’s The post David Seymour – not the associate education minister you expected appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Wayne Brown’s port deal seeks to end five years of dramaSeeking a mandated shift for Port of Auckland before he was mayor, Wayne Brown has tried demanding huge returns and leasing operations The post Wayne Brown’s port deal seeks to end five years of drama appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- DoC set to cut permanent jobs on Chatham IslandsIn the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...5 hours ago
- Levels of litigation rising with economic hardshipOne of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...5 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,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, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- China challenges must be managed if opportunities are to be sustainedOpinion: A continuation of the previous Labour government’s ‘China-plus’ diversification strategy The post China challenges must be managed if opportunities are to be sustained appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- IRD chases decades-old student debt for woman who never went to universityWhen Clara Owen first received a debt notice from Inland Revenue in 2018 she wondered if it was a scam The post IRD chases decades-old student debt for woman who never went to university appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Gas is good until 2050 and beyond, under Albanese gas strategySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...8 hours ago
- Wellington zoning changes backed by minister, but not all are happy with decisionsThe capital will get more housing including six-storey buildings and minimum front and side yard requirements in high-density residential zones. ...11 hours ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Paterson on prospects for passage of the government’s deport...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...13 hours ago
- NZCTU Launch Project To Set Out Alternative Vision For AotearoaA long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...15 hours ago
- Yes, Australia’s big supermarkets have been price gouging. But fixing the problem won’t be easySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...15 hours ago
- The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...15 hours ago
- Senate report on lobbying passes the buck on improving transparency or legislationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...15 hours ago
- Ngāti Toa rallies against Fast Track Approvals BillIwi would not allow the government to degrade its whenua, moana or awa for the purpose of urban development, ministers were told. ...16 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Labour MP apologises over 'offensive' Hamas tweet to SeymourDuncan Webb had queried if the ACT leader did not like hummus because it is too close to Hamas. ...16 hours ago
- Australia’s Eurovision entry this year is the first to sing in First Nations language: meet Electr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...17 hours ago
- Labour claims win as govt commits to new free school lunches modelThe Labour Party is claiming a win for its campaign that the government commit to keeping and funding free school lunches. ...18 hours ago
- A definitive list of woke and non-woke foodsIn announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...18 hours ago
- Future of the planet more important than the Greens survival, former co-leader James Shaw saysFormer Green Party co-leader James Shaw calls out tribalism and hyper-partisanship - including in his own party. ...19 hours ago
- Fourth urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal, this time on Māori wardsThe Tribunal is conducting another urgent inquiry into plans to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards. ...19 hours ago
- NCSC Briefs IPAC Representatives On Response To Malicious Cyber ActivityThe Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...19 hours ago
- How is China being taught at Australian universities? And why does this matter? Here’s what our re...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...19 hours ago
- Saving the Mary River turtle: how the people of Tiaro rallied behind an iconic speciesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...19 hours ago
- Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...19 hours ago
- Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or othe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...19 hours ago
- ‘Reckless’ kina devaluation spells disaster for PNG, says NomanePNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...19 hours ago
- Modernising Census – Stats NZFrom today, members of the public can have their say on what Aotearoa New Zealand’s census could look like in the future. ...19 hours ago
- ‘I do love a good funnysad novel’: Jane Arthur on her favourite booksWelcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books. The book I wish I’d written I have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...20 hours ago
- RMA Minister rejects Wellington council's bid to remove heritage protections from buildingsCouncil did not provide sufficient evidence to support its reasons for removing the 10 buildings from the Heritage schedule, Chris Bishop says. ...20 hours ago
- War for Wellington: Minister approves sweeping upzoning, rejects heritage changesThe final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...20 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards Analysis – Following the political moneyAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...21 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Year 7 students and above to shift to alternative modelA new interim delivery model will kick in next year to allow time for a full redesign of the scheme before any more money is dedicated. ...21 hours ago
- Rafah ‘last place of safety’ in Gaza, UN aid boss warnsRNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...21 hours ago
- Foreign Affairs minister to lead Pacific delegationThe Foreign Affairs minister is heading on a five-stop Pacific tour, which he says will strengthen New Zealand's engagement in the region. ...21 hours ago
- Why we’re fighting to save Te Huia, the Hamilton-Auckland trainWith funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...22 hours ago
- Greens Call On Government To Keep Same-day Election Enrolment And VotingOn Radio New Zealand this morning, the Justice Minister stated the Government was considering ending election day enrolments. ...22 hours ago
- Many people are feeling ecological grief. How can we help those whose work puts them at risk?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...22 hours ago
- Revitalizing Toronto’s downtown core after COVID-19 greatly benefits the city and the regionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown. (Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...22 hours ago
- Government quiet on costs, building plan for Waikato prison expansionThe extra beds would take longer than the four-years covered in this week's budget announcement to deliver, the Corrections Minister told RNZ. ...22 hours ago
- Chief Electoral Officer Needs To Fall On His SwordResponding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...23 hours ago
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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
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.