The Herald is reporting that Nikki Kaye is quitting at the election. It’s not very surprising, her tenure as Deputy Leader has been a total disaster, I don’t know why the commentators go so easy on her really.
The Woodhouse camp (if there is one) is now spinning that he wanted to fess up about the Boag leaks on the Wednesday but Kaye and Adams told him to stay quiet; they were going to deal with it. No wonder Collins could only shift him sideways. How long before Adams re-resigns?
The Herald also reports that the party was trying to dissuade Kaye from making a rash decision. Not, you’d have to think for Kaye’s benefit, but rather because the party can see a swathe of urban, fairly liberal voters leaving with her.
Even before this shift fight Kaye’s grip on Auckland Central was probably slipping. It seems more likely now to go back to Labour.
I thought the PM’s response to the National Party’s leadership travails yesterday was spot on. “I’m just focussed on getting NZ through the pandemic and don’t have time for politics” etc.
It neatly reminded everyone that, at this time of crisis, the Nats are only concerned with themselves. And it clearly got Collins all riled up. We all know she hates being ignored more than anything else. She accused the PM of being ‘woke’ (whatever that meant, presumably she just thinks it’s an easy way to denigrate someone) and ‘warned’ Ardern not to ignore her. And issued the good old ‘I’ll debate you anywhere, anytime challenge’ that Opposition Leaders love. Gonna be great fun if this is how easy it is to get Collins all worked up.
She accused the PM of being ‘woke’ (whatever that meant
She may have googled it, eh?
By the late 2010s, woke had been adopted as a more generic slang term broadly associated with left-wing politics, socially liberal causes, feminism, LGBT activism, and cultural issues (with the terms woke culture and woke politics also being used). It has been the subject of memes, ironic usage and criticism. Its widespread use since 2014 is a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.
I've been anticipating the emergence of woke 2.0 (brown lives matter), 3.0 (yellow lives matter) and 4.0 (red lives matter) for a while – but it seems that those other US ethnicities remain reluctant to awaken.
The leadership will be up with the play what with everyone parachuting . Collins sometimes has problems getting to the airport though. She purposefully goes in the opposite direction and tells us she was going to the airport.
And Gerry? He actually gets to the airport, ploughs through places he shouldn't be, bullshits his way through it and months later a report comes out showing his story was bullshit.
"The election of Collins as National’s leader renders Labour’s broad-brush strategy politically untenable."
But hey, bland is good, right? Well, Labour will try to cling to that notion but the battle for mainstreamers is more likely to be won by messaging that suits the crisis. Chris is right but the lag until Labour strategists realise that is the thing to watch for.
All of Collins’ cruel humour will be unleashed on Labour’s lesser vessels. Social media will be flooded with painfully funny memes and attack videos.
Yeah but Labour's preference for selecting mediocre candidates deserves an appropriate response – as long as the critique is fair and accurate, voters will credit National.
If the Prime Minister can parry Collins’ attacks by making the voters laugh at her, then the Opposition’s strategy will fail. Rather than become angry or defensive in the face of Collins’ jibes, Jacinda needs to make fun of the thinking behind her criticisms.
Damn right! JA can ace JC via this method. But it presumes JC will use flawed rightist framing. Framing to win centrists (as she should) makes her a hard target to hit.
If Jacinda is able to embarrass her opponent severely, then there is every chance Collins will reveal her dark side. That would be “Game Over”.
Correct. JC is vulnerable to any trigger that activates her dark side. Force her to adopt a partisan stance. Centrists will shift away from her.
The second way to counter Collins’ attack-lines is for Labour to give Jacinda a comprehensive and popular recovery package to defend.
We've already been waiting months for that. If Labour have actually done the intellectual work, they may be saving it for a timely campaign release.
Confronted with a whole host of critical policy choices (most particularly on the future shape and direction of the New Zealand economy) Labour has proved itself woefully indecisive. In almost every circumstance, the party simply defaults to the orthodox Treasury line.
Yeah. Allowing that perception to embed in the public mind is a mistake. Labour folk just point the polls and say `no problem'. Until the lead evaporates…
"Yeah but Labour's preference for selecting mediocre candidates deserves an appropriate response – as long as the critique is fair and accurate, voters will credit National." – more fun (and much easier) to snipe opine than lead, eh Dennis? Remind you of anyone?
Bizzniss as usual:
" I have complete faith in my officials "
"He noted that Brown was initially assigned the case as the RSE labour inspector for the Hawkes Bay region, but that he was re-assigned after a copy of the tape recording was presented to MBIE" ……. and anyway, it's not as if he called them "Scum" on social media.
Bizzniss as usual.
" I have complete faith in my officials "
"He noted that Brown was initially assigned the case as the RSE labour inspector for the Hawkes Bay region, but that he was re-assigned after a copy of the tape recording was presented to MBIE" ……. and anyway, it's not as if he called them "Scum" on social media.
There's history there @ Rosemary and elsewhere! And people remain in their positions.
I freely admit I have quaint old ideas though like:
public servants acting ethically; not having (or maintaining) conflicts if interests; respecting people's privacy; not thinking it OK to get people like T&C to spy on people carrying out their legitimate business; not trying to create their own little police forces; treating their worker-bees with respect and without bullying; actually doing the frikken job they're supposed to be doing; not leaking private information in order to advance their own agendas; etc.
It doesn't seem that much to ask considering those responsible are well-remunerated, but you know – call me old-fashioned possum
When in government yet keeping close to business it is hard to decide whose interests you are serving, and it is possible to jump in and out of government, a bit like hopskotch.
This Solomons Island thing is born of desperation surely. Around 600 Solomon Island workers are recruited each year work in horticulture and viticulture industries in regions across the country.
Roselyn Givi and Janet Meimana are among 75 Solomon Island women recruited to pick blueberries in the Bay this year. Janet hails from Isobel Island in the outer provinces of the Solomon’s archipelago.
After 2014’s Cyclone Ita washed away their family’s crops, Janet’s RSE earnings became vital for feeding her family and rebuilding her family’s home.
“We send money back home to help our families because on the island they are short of food, she says.
We no doubt count employing PI people for seasonal labour as aid to the Islands. I believe that has been so in the past. Where there has been tornadoes, tsunamis etc we should be providing long term aid such as special raised beds for growing important food crops and imported good compost and help to create more of their own compost.
Also each family that would like to come to NZ and pick should be on a list, grouped within larger extended families, and then each area would be sure to have someone earning that could help that area. Some would come regularly, and some would be rotated. At present it sounds like the old closed-union style where people could never get to get employment because of family preferences.
Treat people fairly, with input from them, not like colonials striding around being the big manager over a subject workforce.
"Treat people fairly, with input from them, not like colonials striding around being the big manager over a subject workforce"
Exactery!
My problem is that this sort of thing is not limited to the incident reported on by Newsroom. The people involved in this example have form. (All three). And it's all come about by bad policy and advice in the first place.
While the assault needs to be proven, the conflicts of interest and all the other crap are obvious.
It's possible (hopefully) more people will come forward now that many are starting to realise there's nothing to lose (they've already lost almost everything)
Here's a good explainer on the difference between "herd immunity" that is achieved by vaccination prior to an infectiousness disease coming into a population, and how many people get infected when a completely new infectious disease gets introduced into a population that has never had it before and nobody is immune.
tl;dr For something like SARS-CoV-2 where on average one infection passes it on to two others (R0 = 2), if more than half the population (more than 1 – 1/R0) are immune due to vaccination (or prior exposure), then the outbreak dies out naturally very quickly because the very few infectious people out loose don’t encounter enough susceptible people to sustain an increasing chain of transmission. So a vulnerable person has a very low chance of ever encountering an infectious person and getting infected.
Whereas with a new infectious disease causing an epidemic, at the moment the "herd immunity" proportion of people achieve immunity, there are still many people wandering around in an infectious state. So anyone that is not immune has a much higher probability of encountering someone infectious and getting infected. So the epidemic won't die out until a much higher proportion of people get infected – up around 90% or more even for something with relatively low infectiousness like SARS-CoV-2.
One little thing, they ignore the little detail that during this pandemic those people get a mild illness may not have immunity from getting it again and spreading it again.
Remove the space before “pdf” and copy the link if you want to follow it. For me the pdf was being automatically loaded in a pdf reader inside the comment, which was too small to read.
While all seem to be strangely obsessed with commenting from the sidelines as the Shit Ship National sinks beneath the waves, the Child Poverty Action Group releases a report calling for the Nationalisation of Early Childhood Education….free market principals are just not producing the positive outcomes for 'consumers'.
"Private for-profit providers are less likely to provide quality services across a range of indicators, including staff qualifications, workloads and retention, teacher-to-child ratios, and cultural responsiveness," they say.
"Despite New Zealand being internationally lauded for its high rates of ECE participation, attending a poor quality ECE service is potentially worse than not attending ECE at all.
"Rather than propping up the existing system – whereby ECE is treated as an investment opportunity, not a public good – the Government should be looking to nationalise ECE provision in its response to Covid-19."
Surprisingly (to me) is that one of the recommendations is that the minimum per child area be increased….
Despite ample evidence of the importance of layout and space of ECE environments for children’s learning,48NZ falls behind international recommendations of best practice. Research suggests that indoor requirements should be between 3.25 and 5 metres squared per child, and outdoor space between 7 and 25 metres squared per child.50At present, NZ regulations specify that licensed centres must have a minimum of2.5 metres squared per child indoors, and 5 metres squared per child outdoors.49Regulations were changed in 2008 to reduce the space-per-child requirements, which some have attributed to commercial pressure on the MoE.
I had heard rumours that some ECE centres were cramming them in like battery hens…but to think this is actually legal, and that those minimum space requirement were lowered in 2008…was this prior to the election that Labour lost?
In the meantime Natrad has been running articles featuring ECE owners bemoaning the fact that attendance (and profits?) have fallen markedly post Lockdown.
About 40,000 children – 20 percent of under-fives – have not returned to early learning after lockdown, the Early Childhood Council says.
With fewer enrolments, centres get less income and some have too few children to be sustainable.
Darius Singh of Chrysalis Early Learning Centres in Auckland and Tauranga said up to 5 percent of children might normally be away during winter because of sickness, but about 30 percent were now not coming in.
This may not be a bad thing. Old fashioned that I am, I do believe that parents and grandparents (and other close whanau) are the best people to care for babies and toddlers and prepare them for the battleground that is School. And they don't need to do this alone…https://www.greatpotentials.org.nz/home-based-pre-school-education
Old fashioned that I am, I do believe that parents and grandparents (and other close whanau) are the best people to care for babies and toddlers and prepare them for the battleground that is School.
Parents and grand-parents are probably the worst for preparing kids for anything as they, mostly, subconsciously teach what they learned at that age. Unless they've consciously gone out and learned and internalised what the research tells us then they're just going to teach the same bad habits to the children that they learned as children.
ECE is the better option but not privatised as they cut corners so as to boost profits especially as competition heats up.
I have no objection to foreign students coming in, BUT
1. residents and citizens who want back in have priority and essential skilled workers have priority to managed isolation/quarantine.
2. we have housing (returning Kiwis) and work availability limitations so cannot take the numbers of students on the terms we did before.
For mine we have first obligation to masters students and doctorate students here in 2019, then second to year 3 students of 2019. We would have to ban them from working here (they would have to borrow in their home country for study and living costs). This would reduce takers down to the level we could house in student hostels (quarantine in this accommodation in 2021 pre student year start).
it's probably high time we thought about the whole idea of citizenship/residency and what it means – especially now that it's become yet another commodity to be traded,
You can have an immigrant that commits his/her entire life to a new economy/society, contributes in every way we'd expect of the next man/woman – often not being able to vote after being resident knocking a decade.
Meanwhile, you can have a true blue Koiwoi, whose chosen a life overseas. And now that the shit has hit the fan – naturally enough, they want to come "HOME". That Koiwoi might be the likes of someone that often posts on here with all His eternal wisdon from across the ditch (an economic refugee – the likes of a Dutton would render illigitimate); or the likes of a Thiel who will be flying in on whichever selection of passports He considers best to suit His purpose.
The combinations and permutations are endless,
But wha wha wha, I only ever meant to go overseas to earn a better crust so I could come back to NuZull to invest my wealth in my "Home".
All those in the first week should be confined to their room – keeping the first week intake and the second week intake separate is important.
I would however go further
1. Week 2 day 8, day 9, day 10, day 11 day 12 day 13 and day 14 would be allowed out of their rooms at different times.
2. Staff would required to maintain social distancing while off duty (because of the risk of being infected and spreading in the community). And pay them extra (and also future paid leave – post 2 week self isolation, a month off). It's money well spent.
Hoskings loses defamation case from Tamahere, had to publicly apologise on Air and pay an undisclosed sum to Tamahere, for which he donated directly to the Maori Party.
The money was paid by Hoskings employer.
Couldn't provide link as the the remainder of the story was behind a paywall, sorry.
Surely Horeskin wouldn't let someone pay rather than taking responsibility for his actions, surely. Will he get someone to apologise on his behalf as well?
More than 20 countries will see their populations halve by the end of the century, with the world population peaking in 2064 before facing decline.
Even more interestingly is that we are heading into a demographic inversion, an era when there are more older people than younger. This is totally unmapped territory for the human race, we've never been here before and none of our economic models are calibrated for it.
As fertility falls and life expectancy increases worldwide, the number of children under five is forecast to decline by more than 40 per cent, from 681 million in 2017 to 401 million in 2100, the study found.
At the other end of the spectrum, 2.37 billion people — more than a quarter of the global population — will be over 65 years old by then.
Those over 80 will balloon from about 140 million today to 866 million. Sharp declines in the number and proportion of the working-age population will also pose huge challenges in many countries.
It's not clear that either capitalism or socialism (or any of the 'isms) are going to work in this new world, at least not in their current formulations.
and with no awareness of the risk of super bugs (antibiotics into Chinese pigs still) on the ability of hospitals to provide old people with new knees hips etc.
Global warming impact on old age health … nothing …
Sure contracpetion and education reduce the amount of children women have, but egg storage and looser rules about surrogacy may mitigate that.
Frankly it's not the "being old" that matters it's being too frail and needing care.Keeping older people in work, even if only part week , does a lot to mitigate these demographics.
We should even now be actively trying to keep people producing, their health and education is a sunk cost so get all the benefits we can from them.
japan has been going through this for 20 yrs. aging and static,or shrinking population, leads to lower consumer consumption. a sustainable economy and environment is being forced on them.
"I partially admire Muller. It takes real courage to so openly admit defeat and walk. Mind you, it's an astonishing lack of awareness of your own inabilities to not be able to see that you are not up for it in the first place, if it only takes 50-odd days to fall on your sword.
Me:
I admire Muller. It takes real courage to put yourself out there and stand for Parliament. And to stand as leader of a political party. It takes some sort of courage to so openly admit defeat and walk.
I admire Mike Hosking. It's an astonishing awareness of your own abilities and lack of them which sees you not put yourself out there and stand for Parliament. Or stand to be leader of a political party. Being able to see that you are not up for it takes some awareness.
I just wish he'd shut the fuck up about those who have the courage to try to do something constructive about what they believe in.
Hosking could fall onto swords for 50 odd days or be pushed onto 50 of them he'd still come up without the awareness that the least of the MPs in their contribution to our society is of exponentially more value to us than him and his sad offerings.
OMG, so Trumpiun, "I spoke to all members, gosh it was a long night" All about her. Who gives a Monkey's f**k Judith if you had a long night, it's the job you wanted, you don't think the PM hasn't had a few late nights in the last few years. Oh and by the way Judith, your already dog whistling to the Far-Right, (Woke, nothing wrong with being white, etc) tells the world your obvious allegiances. The doubling down on Nasty National is well on track.
Henry Cooke failing to point out that national is a policy free zone too or even worse that if in power they do stuff that they have never even mentioned. Also portrays Jacinda's refusal to comment on the Nact drama's as "being above the election".
There's plenty of sharp analysis they could do but this isn't it.
Looks like solid analysis to me. While I understand JA's strategy around 'we're the safe and competent govt who will be reelected', telling the electorate she's not really thinking about the election is kind of alarming.
That National have been light on policy doesn't mean it's ok for any party to be incl Labour. Cooke is saying Collins will refocus Nat back on policy and that Labour will have to do this too. These seems right to me. I assume Labour intend to release policy as we get closer to the election, and also that they've had a lot on their plate so it makes sense that there would be delays. But a policy light election would not serve NZ at this time.
I wonder if after the last election Labour will hang off until after National releases policy in an area. Then they can attack and release their own. Much as nat did last time.
But since what we get from the Nats in power rarely resembles any policy they may release pre election do we gain anything from it
I still feel – without examing sources – that refusing to discuss Nats drama’s has been twisted out of shape.
it will certainly be interesting to see how different parties campaign this year, given the disruption from the pandemic.
I'm glad our election is well ahead of the US one, but I expect Collins to use whatever Trumpian politics she can to increase Nat's vote. It's not going to be pretty.
The whole campaign will be fought on economic issues. If you think some busy ski fields indicates the economy is not suffering, let me introduce you to the unemployment rate (which doesn't take into account the mass layoffs coming when wage subsidy scheme ends).
The election will be about who is best to lead the economic recovery.
Its not even the recovery yet, as we have not hit the bottom of the recession/depression.
Can Labour get onto this right away and recruit reliable and fit people and pay them decently with pocket money on the job, and main income covering family costs (so doesn't get scooped up by predatory drug sellers).They should have good warm accommodation, good meals, good transport to and from, and guaranteed good income support between jobs and break time off with families if they have to travel away to fill jobs? Give the good, reliable ones special standing so that they will be available next season.
Could unions widen their interest in the working and non-working lower income members of society and also try to facilitate people into work by providing an employment agency, under their umbrella which would help workers organise themselves to fill vacancies, and have regular work along with transport and accommodation, and keep themselves working throughout the year. The state is supposed to be helping with this, but the news about WINZ treatment does not sound like good service for those needing employment.
Labour could facilitate this by helping with training, and ensuring reasonable conditions, and decent financial support between jobs. The emphasis these days seems to be on computer skills being highly regarded, yet in reality the employers appreciate people who are fit, capable, stick to the task and do it competently and reliably. Why can't a workforce doing physical work earn gold stars and be highly regarded for matching the above criteria?
Yesterday on Ryan Bridge's radio show Judith Collins had a mini-meltdown because Jacinda Ardern apparently hadn't acknowledged, to her satisfaction, Collins' climbing over of bodies and rise to power.
Ryan Bridge must not have believed how easily he was able to excite Judith, much like the way a dog owner rattles the lead to say it's 'walkies'.
Anyway, today JA paid tribute to Kaye. I hope it was deliberately pointed, along with being a nice thing to do.
Very nice pencil drawing of PM Jacinda and fellow Covid-19 slayer Chief Executive, Ministry of Health Ashley Bloomfield – for up on a wall in pride of place as was Michael Savage!
MJS white New Zealand and sinophobia attitudes, when viewed in today’s environment could tarnish the gravitas that he is viewed by some. Hint he doesn’t endear himself to all ethnicities.
Perhaps it may make some to view those historic figures and their achievements in context of their time, place and social forms.
Jeez it must be great to be perfect and never be accused of copping someone's sensibilities. That will be a big value for tech speak – you will speak normally into a box and it will filter out your words to something that cannot offend anybody. Save lots of hazzle, that's hassle and razzle dazzle mixed; ie the sort of world that we try to survive in today. It's a jungle out here.
Pretty much. National will open up the borders so that their funders can make higher profits while not caring about the damage that they will do to the people.
But, then, that's what National always does in one way or another.
I haven't heard them changing from open them up as fast as possible while ignoring how bad things are getting for those places that they want to open up to.
I thought it was usual practice at this site that when one makes a claim such as….
Pretty much. National will open up the borders so that their funders can make higher profits while not caring about the damage that they will do to the people.
that they provide a link supporting that assertion. A quick search on google suggests that the assertion by the commenters is incorrect.
As you know, National changes their stand on the border situation more often than a puber changes undies. For the latest updates, visit NP website, Twitter, or FB accounts.
Enough is enough yes the Victorian govt is Labour but not NZ Labour. NZ Labour are only responsible for their policies and decisions in NZ. But you know this don't you
Biggest lol today a comment on the National Party's FB feed. "Its official. More MP's have abandoned National than returnees have absconded from isolation
I don't think it's fair the ongoing attacks of Clarke rumours and I think we should keep away from that sort of thing. If there are real reasons (facts) to announce, go for it, and announce it, I'll be just as interested as anyone, otherwise it's just gossip.
Did today's The Panel cause any sort of trauma? I thought it was rather gorgeous despite all the "Ha ha ha's" and really deep thought. I'll lay awake tonight thinking about it.
I persevered listening to it all while you were probably taking down every word to use against the participants in future (just because I don't have a life).
Just be careful ya don't denigrate MY Queen of the media (Kim Hill) or you'll have me to answer to – in this space going forward
He let Lisa sidetrack him into talking about the failures of the Christchurch rebuild which was a lovely example of how political baggage can weigh you down.
It was standard Brownlee and the way hes dealt with interviews for years….it hasnt held his career back to date so theres no reason to expect it will suddenly begin to now.
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This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
The 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. ...
With 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. ...
The 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. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’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. ...
The 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. ...
Unemployment 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 ...
The 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 ...
The 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 ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te 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 ...
Our 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. ...
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. ...
Tonight’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 ...
It 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. ...
The 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. ...
Labour 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. ...
The 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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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 ...
Cuts 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. ...
The 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. ...
New 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. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Foreign 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 ...
The 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 ...
Thank 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 ...
The 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. ...
The 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 ...
Structured 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 ...
Trade 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’ ...
The 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 ...
The 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 ...
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 ...
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. ...
From 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 ...
People 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 ...
Kiwi 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. ...
There 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 ...
The 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 ...
Energy 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 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
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The Herald is reporting that Nikki Kaye is quitting at the election. It’s not very surprising, her tenure as Deputy Leader has been a total disaster, I don’t know why the commentators go so easy on her really.
The Woodhouse camp (if there is one) is now spinning that he wanted to fess up about the Boag leaks on the Wednesday but Kaye and Adams told him to stay quiet; they were going to deal with it. No wonder Collins could only shift him sideways. How long before Adams re-resigns?
The Herald also reports that the party was trying to dissuade Kaye from making a rash decision. Not, you’d have to think for Kaye’s benefit, but rather because the party can see a swathe of urban, fairly liberal voters leaving with her.
Even before this shift fight Kaye’s grip on Auckland Central was probably slipping. It seems more likely now to go back to Labour.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_cid=1&gallery_id=222072
Do do do another one bites the dust
Wrong link… This is the one to your story https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12348376
Oops sorry. That will be a case of stray fingers on the iPad.
For once people in the National caucas are taking responsibility and exiting.
So Boag was still full throttle after she was being caught out.
Edit please remove second paragraph @ 1.3
I waned the second paragraph in 1.3 to be removed due to leaving out the word issue.
So Boag issue was still…
I thought the PM’s response to the National Party’s leadership travails yesterday was spot on. “I’m just focussed on getting NZ through the pandemic and don’t have time for politics” etc.
It neatly reminded everyone that, at this time of crisis, the Nats are only concerned with themselves. And it clearly got Collins all riled up. We all know she hates being ignored more than anything else. She accused the PM of being ‘woke’ (whatever that meant, presumably she just thinks it’s an easy way to denigrate someone) and ‘warned’ Ardern not to ignore her. And issued the good old ‘I’ll debate you anywhere, anytime challenge’ that Opposition Leaders love. Gonna be great fun if this is how easy it is to get Collins all worked up.
She accused the PM of being ‘woke’ (whatever that meant
She may have googled it, eh?
I've been anticipating the emergence of woke 2.0 (brown lives matter), 3.0 (yellow lives matter) and 4.0 (red lives matter) for a while – but it seems that those other US ethnicities remain reluctant to awaken.
The leadership will be up with the play what with everyone parachuting . Collins sometimes has problems getting to the airport though. She purposefully goes in the opposite direction and tells us she was going to the airport.
And Gerry? He actually gets to the airport, ploughs through places he shouldn't be, bullshits his way through it and months later a report comes out showing his story was bullshit.
Chris Trotter: "Judith Collins scares me." http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-judith-collins-led-national-party.html
But hey, bland is good, right? Well, Labour will try to cling to that notion but the battle for mainstreamers is more likely to be won by messaging that suits the crisis. Chris is right but the lag until Labour strategists realise that is the thing to watch for.
Yeah but Labour's preference for selecting mediocre candidates deserves an appropriate response – as long as the critique is fair and accurate, voters will credit National.
Damn right! JA can ace JC via this method. But it presumes JC will use flawed rightist framing. Framing to win centrists (as she should) makes her a hard target to hit.
Correct. JC is vulnerable to any trigger that activates her dark side. Force her to adopt a partisan stance. Centrists will shift away from her.
We've already been waiting months for that. If Labour have actually done the intellectual work, they may be saving it for a timely campaign release.
Yeah. Allowing that perception to embed in the public mind is a mistake. Labour folk just point the polls and say `no problem'. Until the lead evaporates…
I really like the bit where he says:
" With the right rejecting her as too left, and the left dismissing her as too right, she has fallen repeatedly between the two STOOLS."
Even if the Right stool is a hell of a lot more smelly these days
"Yeah but Labour's preference for selecting mediocre candidates deserves an appropriate response – as long as the critique is fair and accurate, voters will credit National." – more fun (and much easier) to
snipeopine than lead, eh Dennis? Remind you of anyone?Hungry and scared in Hawkes Bay
Hungry and scared in Hawkes Bay
newsroom.co.nz/hungry-and-scared-in-hawkes-bay
Bizzniss as usual:
" I have complete faith in my officials "
"He noted that Brown was initially assigned the case as the RSE labour inspector for the Hawkes Bay region, but that he was re-assigned after a copy of the tape recording was presented to MBIE" ……. and anyway, it's not as if he called them "Scum" on social media.
Bizzniss as usual.
" I have complete faith in my officials "
"He noted that Brown was initially assigned the case as the RSE labour inspector for the Hawkes Bay region, but that he was re-assigned after a copy of the tape recording was presented to MBIE" ……. and anyway, it's not as if he called them "Scum" on social media.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/hungry-and-scared-in-hawkes-bay
Anthony Rarere…what a true gent. Who speaks to people like that?
There's history here…https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/voices/audio/2018629607/rse-recruiters-threatened-in-solomon-islands
There's history there @ Rosemary and elsewhere! And people remain in their positions.
I freely admit I have quaint old ideas though like:
public servants acting ethically; not having (or maintaining) conflicts if interests; respecting people's privacy; not thinking it OK to get people like T&C to spy on people carrying out their legitimate business; not trying to create their own little police forces; treating their worker-bees with respect and without bullying; actually doing the frikken job they're supposed to be doing; not leaking private information in order to advance their own agendas; etc.
It doesn't seem that much to ask considering those responsible are well-remunerated, but you know – call me old-fashioned possum
When in government yet keeping close to business it is hard to decide whose interests you are serving, and it is possible to jump in and out of government, a bit like hopskotch.
This Solomons Island thing is born of desperation surely.
Around 600 Solomon Island workers are recruited each year work in horticulture and viticulture industries in regions across the country.
Roselyn Givi and Janet Meimana are among 75 Solomon Island women recruited to pick blueberries in the Bay this year.
Janet hails from Isobel Island in the outer provinces of the Solomon’s archipelago.
After 2014’s Cyclone Ita washed away their family’s crops, Janet’s RSE earnings became vital for feeding her family and rebuilding her family’s home.
“We send money back home to help our families because on the island they are short of food, she says.
We no doubt count employing PI people for seasonal labour as aid to the Islands. I believe that has been so in the past. Where there has been tornadoes, tsunamis etc we should be providing long term aid such as special raised beds for growing important food crops and imported good compost and help to create more of their own compost.
Also each family that would like to come to NZ and pick should be on a list, grouped within larger extended families, and then each area would be sure to have someone earning that could help that area. Some would come regularly, and some would be rotated. At present it sounds like the old closed-union style where people could never get to get employment because of family preferences.
Treat people fairly, with input from them, not like colonials striding around being the big manager over a subject workforce.
"Treat people fairly, with input from them, not like colonials striding around being the big manager over a subject workforce"
Exactery!
My problem is that this sort of thing is not limited to the incident reported on by Newsroom. The people involved in this example have form. (All three). And it's all come about by bad policy and advice in the first place.
Episode 2:
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/alleged-assault-of-hawkes-bay-seasonal-worker
While the assault needs to be proven, the conflicts of interest and all the other crap are obvious.
It's possible (hopefully) more people will come forward now that many are starting to realise there's nothing to lose (they've already lost almost everything)
"I have complete faith in my officials"
Twiddleford and Lazy Galloway will be all over this, OR it's anoprashnilmadda.
That's capitalism. The kinder, nicer face of serfdom.
Here's a good explainer on the difference between "herd immunity" that is achieved by vaccination prior to an infectiousness disease coming into a population, and how many people get infected when a completely new infectious disease gets introduced into a population that has never had it before and nobody is immune.
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/health/medical/herd-immunity-a-misunderstanding/ar-BB16Mnkm?li=BBqdg4K&ocid=mailsignout
tl;dr For something like SARS-CoV-2 where on average one infection passes it on to two others (R0 = 2), if more than half the population (more than 1 – 1/R0) are immune due to vaccination (or prior exposure), then the outbreak dies out naturally very quickly because the very few infectious people out loose don’t encounter enough susceptible people to sustain an increasing chain of transmission. So a vulnerable person has a very low chance of ever encountering an infectious person and getting infected.
Whereas with a new infectious disease causing an epidemic, at the moment the "herd immunity" proportion of people achieve immunity, there are still many people wandering around in an infectious state. So anyone that is not immune has a much higher probability of encountering someone infectious and getting infected. So the epidemic won't die out until a much higher proportion of people get infected – up around 90% or more even for something with relatively low infectiousness like SARS-CoV-2.
One little thing, they ignore the little detail that during this pandemic those people get a mild illness may not have immunity from getting it again and spreading it again.
Throw evolutionary epidemiology into the mix and we really are still largely in the dark over SARS-CoV-2 .
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(20)30847-2. pdf
Remove the space before “pdf” and copy the link if you want to follow it. For me the pdf was being automatically loaded in a pdf reader inside the comment, which was too small to read.
While all seem to be strangely obsessed with commenting from the sidelines as the Shit Ship National sinks beneath the waves, the Child Poverty Action Group releases a report calling for the Nationalisation of Early Childhood Education….free market principals are just not producing the positive outcomes for 'consumers'.
https://www.cpag.org.nz/news/
"Private for-profit providers are less likely to provide quality services across a range of indicators, including staff qualifications, workloads and retention, teacher-to-child ratios, and cultural responsiveness," they say.
"Despite New Zealand being internationally lauded for its high rates of ECE participation, attending a poor quality ECE service is potentially worse than not attending ECE at all.
"Rather than propping up the existing system – whereby ECE is treated as an investment opportunity, not a public good – the Government should be looking to nationalise ECE provision in its response to Covid-19."
Surprisingly (to me) is that one of the recommendations is that the minimum per child area be increased….
Despite ample evidence of the importance of layout and space of ECE environments for children’s learning,48NZ falls behind international recommendations of best practice. Research suggests that indoor requirements should be between 3.25 and 5 metres squared per child, and outdoor space between 7 and 25 metres squared per child.50At present, NZ regulations specify that licensed centres must have a minimum of2.5 metres squared per child indoors, and 5 metres squared per child outdoors.49Regulations were changed in 2008 to reduce the space-per-child requirements, which some have attributed to commercial pressure on the MoE.
I had heard rumours that some ECE centres were cramming them in like battery hens…but to think this is actually legal, and that those minimum space requirement were lowered in 2008…was this prior to the election that Labour lost?
In the meantime Natrad has been running articles featuring ECE owners bemoaning the fact that attendance (and profits?) have fallen markedly post Lockdown.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/421187/early-childhood-centres-face-closures-as-enrolments-dwindle-after-lockdown
About 40,000 children – 20 percent of under-fives – have not returned to early learning after lockdown, the Early Childhood Council says.
With fewer enrolments, centres get less income and some have too few children to be sustainable.
Darius Singh of Chrysalis Early Learning Centres in Auckland and Tauranga said up to 5 percent of children might normally be away during winter because of sickness, but about 30 percent were now not coming in.
This may not be a bad thing. Old fashioned that I am, I do believe that parents and grandparents (and other close whanau) are the best people to care for babies and toddlers and prepare them for the battleground that is School. And they don't need to do this alone…https://www.greatpotentials.org.nz/home-based-pre-school-education
Rosemary
Parents and grand-parents are probably the worst for preparing kids for anything as they, mostly, subconsciously teach what they learned at that age. Unless they've consciously gone out and learned and internalised what the research tells us then they're just going to teach the same bad habits to the children that they learned as children.
ECE is the better option but not privatised as they cut corners so as to boost profits especially as competition heats up.
Just starting to compile an election cycle playlist.
First up a dedication to Amy Adams:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xMaE6toi4mk
There's an idea! A separate thread where we could post musical political playlists.
Here's one for Jacinda given the shit she's faced and is about to face:
Shane Reti making an idiot of himself already RNZ saying we should be managing our returning people in isolation /quarantine like Australia .
Really then he goes on to say we should be bringing in overseas students.
Really from which country .
Then an epidemiologist came on afterwards an said it wasn't a good idea.
How many times have we has National saying we need to open the borders and Australia were doing a better job.
I have no objection to foreign students coming in, BUT
1. residents and citizens who want back in have priority and essential skilled workers have priority to managed isolation/quarantine.
2. we have housing (returning Kiwis) and work availability limitations so cannot take the numbers of students on the terms we did before.
For mine we have first obligation to masters students and doctorate students here in 2019, then second to year 3 students of 2019. We would have to ban them from working here (they would have to borrow in their home country for study and living costs). This would reduce takers down to the level we could house in student hostels (quarantine in this accommodation in 2021 pre student year start).
Generally agree BUT!
it's probably high time we thought about the whole idea of citizenship/residency and what it means – especially now that it's become yet another commodity to be traded,
You can have an immigrant that commits his/her entire life to a new economy/society, contributes in every way we'd expect of the next man/woman – often not being able to vote after being resident knocking a decade.
Meanwhile, you can have a true blue Koiwoi, whose chosen a life overseas. And now that the shit has hit the fan – naturally enough, they want to come "HOME". That Koiwoi might be the likes of someone that often posts on here with all His eternal wisdon from across the ditch (an economic refugee – the likes of a Dutton would render illigitimate); or the likes of a Thiel who will be flying in on whichever selection of passports He considers best to suit His purpose.
The combinations and permutations are endless,
But wha wha wha, I only ever meant to go overseas to earn a better crust so I could come back to NuZull to invest my wealth in my "Home".
Reti is an idiot
He speakith with fork tounge.
I also favour an aspect of the Oz regime
All those in the first week should be confined to their room – keeping the first week intake and the second week intake separate is important.
I would however go further
1. Week 2 day 8, day 9, day 10, day 11 day 12 day 13 and day 14 would be allowed out of their rooms at different times.
2. Staff would required to maintain social distancing while off duty (because of the risk of being infected and spreading in the community). And pay them extra (and also future paid leave – post 2 week self isolation, a month off). It's money well spent.
Looks like jetpack had a timeout on the site whilst doing an update this morning.
Probably Russian hackers
Hoskings loses defamation case from Tamahere, had to publicly apologise on Air and pay an undisclosed sum to Tamahere, for which he donated directly to the Maori Party.
The money was paid by Hoskings employer.
Couldn't provide link as the the remainder of the story was behind a paywall, sorry.
But good news for Justice.
Surely Horeskin wouldn't let someone pay rather than taking responsibility for his actions, surely. Will he get someone to apologise on his behalf as well?
An interesting update on some common assumptions:
Even more interestingly is that we are heading into a demographic inversion, an era when there are more older people than younger. This is totally unmapped territory for the human race, we've never been here before and none of our economic models are calibrated for it.
It's not clear that either capitalism or socialism (or any of the 'isms) are going to work in this new world, at least not in their current formulations.
All pre pandemic thinking (old people at risk) …
and with no awareness of the risk of super bugs (antibiotics into Chinese pigs still) on the ability of hospitals to provide old people with new knees hips etc.
Global warming impact on old age health … nothing …
Sure contracpetion and education reduce the amount of children women have, but egg storage and looser rules about surrogacy may mitigate that.
Yes, RedLogix – that's super-interesting and not surprising (to me). What's forming ahead for us humans? It can't be described (imo). Exciting times.
Frankly it's not the "being old" that matters it's being too frail and needing care.Keeping older people in work, even if only part week , does a lot to mitigate these demographics.
We should even now be actively trying to keep people producing, their health and education is a sunk cost so get all the benefits we can from them.
Maybe not work as such but volunteering.
Most community groups are screaming for help.
If not front line tasks then possibly support roles or back office duties: bookkeeping, marketing, promotional work.
all that work and no pay.
how are the dear olds to keep themselves in housing with a running heater and three sandwiches a day?
Oh that is something else, right for that they can stay a few hours in a line at the local Winz office.
Back office work should be paid work.
Why not paid work. Most of them are not gaga yet. Just hanging out on the standard making typo's
japan has been going through this for 20 yrs. aging and static,or shrinking population, leads to lower consumer consumption. a sustainable economy and environment is being forced on them.
That was projected back in 1972 in Limits to Growth.
Hosking:
"I partially admire Muller. It takes real courage to so openly admit defeat and walk. Mind you, it's an astonishing lack of awareness of your own inabilities to not be able to see that you are not up for it in the first place, if it only takes 50-odd days to fall on your sword.
Me:
I admire Muller. It takes real courage to put yourself out there and stand for Parliament. And to stand as leader of a political party. It takes some sort of courage to so openly admit defeat and walk.
I admire Mike Hosking. It's an astonishing awareness of your own abilities and lack of them which sees you not put yourself out there and stand for Parliament. Or stand to be leader of a political party. Being able to see that you are not up for it takes some awareness.
I just wish he'd shut the fuck up about those who have the courage to try to do something constructive about what they believe in.
Hosking could fall onto swords for 50 odd days or be pushed onto 50 of them he'd still come up without the awareness that the least of the MPs in their contribution to our society is of exponentially more value to us than him and his sad offerings.
Somewhere, there's a Reichstag on fire …
https://twitter.com/sparrowmedia/status/1283436911307218948
https://twitter.com/JasonLeopold/status/1281008771095879681
a completely bizarre news conference….world has gone mad.
https://youtu.be/RxsZvL69lcU
OMG, so Trumpiun, "I spoke to all members, gosh it was a long night" All about her. Who gives a Monkey's f**k Judith if you had a long night, it's the job you wanted, you don't think the PM hasn't had a few late nights in the last few years. Oh and by the way Judith, your already dog whistling to the Far-Right, (Woke, nothing wrong with being white, etc) tells the world your obvious allegiances. The doubling down on Nasty National is well on track.
No idiot MPs behind her pulling stupid faces. Is that deliberate or because nobody wants to be seen supporting her?
I've never seen a group of people look more like hostages than that first Press Conference. lol
Stuff meant to be above this sort of clickbait.
Henry Cooke failing to point out that national is a policy free zone too or even worse that if in power they do stuff that they have never even mentioned. Also portrays Jacinda's refusal to comment on the Nact drama's as "being above the election".
There's plenty of sharp analysis they could do but this isn't it.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300057912/jacinda-ardern-looks-to-stay-above-electoral-politics–and-judith-collins
Looks like solid analysis to me. While I understand JA's strategy around 'we're the safe and competent govt who will be reelected', telling the electorate she's not really thinking about the election is kind of alarming.
That National have been light on policy doesn't mean it's ok for any party to be incl Labour. Cooke is saying Collins will refocus Nat back on policy and that Labour will have to do this too. These seems right to me. I assume Labour intend to release policy as we get closer to the election, and also that they've had a lot on their plate so it makes sense that there would be delays. But a policy light election would not serve NZ at this time.
I wonder if after the last election Labour will hang off until after National releases policy in an area. Then they can attack and release their own. Much as nat did last time.
But since what we get from the Nats in power rarely resembles any policy they may release pre election do we gain anything from it
I still feel – without examing sources – that refusing to discuss Nats drama’s has been twisted out of shape.
it will certainly be interesting to see how different parties campaign this year, given the disruption from the pandemic.
I'm glad our election is well ahead of the US one, but I expect Collins to use whatever Trumpian politics she can to increase Nat's vote. It's not going to be pretty.
Look at the disruption to tourist hotspots when an avalanche of locals invade the slopes.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/back-your-backyard/122139232/southern-skifields-underestimate-huge-school-holiday-crowds-seeking-snow
Opposition parties that campaign on economic issues will struggle,
The whole campaign will be fought on economic issues. If you think some busy ski fields indicates the economy is not suffering, let me introduce you to the unemployment rate (which doesn't take into account the mass layoffs coming when wage subsidy scheme ends).
The election will be about who is best to lead the economic recovery.
Its not even the recovery yet, as we have not hit the bottom of the recession/depression.
The disarray in National is a godsend for the new New Zealand new Sustainable new Party led by Vernon Tava.
Come in Vern… Don't fade away into obscurity… Lots of soft right wing voters to suck up. If you want to get over 5%, this is your time! 😆
I thought Sustainable Party had all had a big bust up and splintered?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/421331/harvesters-fear-for-industry-as-temporary-workers-visa-expiration-looms
Can Labour get onto this right away and recruit reliable and fit people and pay them decently with pocket money on the job, and main income covering family costs (so doesn't get scooped up by predatory drug sellers).They should have good warm accommodation, good meals, good transport to and from, and guaranteed good income support between jobs and break time off with families if they have to travel away to fill jobs? Give the good, reliable ones special standing so that they will be available next season.
Could unions widen their interest in the working and non-working lower income members of society and also try to facilitate people into work by providing an employment agency, under their umbrella which would help workers organise themselves to fill vacancies, and have regular work along with transport and accommodation, and keep themselves working throughout the year. The state is supposed to be helping with this, but the news about WINZ treatment does not sound like good service for those needing employment.
Labour could facilitate this by helping with training, and ensuring reasonable conditions, and decent financial support between jobs. The emphasis these days seems to be on computer skills being highly regarded, yet in reality the employers appreciate people who are fit, capable, stick to the task and do it competently and reliably. Why can't a workforce doing physical work earn gold stars and be highly regarded for matching the above criteria?
and some people still believe the NZ Police are not corrupt:
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/122151285/fresh-probe-launched-into-top-cop-simon-felthams-speeding
And how does it take 'several months' to even 'investigate' whether or not he was speeding? That in itself is a corruption of process.
If the Police are losing respect, they have only themselves to blame.
Yesterday on Ryan Bridge's radio show Judith Collins had a mini-meltdown because Jacinda Ardern apparently hadn't acknowledged, to her satisfaction, Collins' climbing over of bodies and rise to power.
Ryan Bridge must not have believed how easily he was able to excite Judith, much like the way a dog owner rattles the lead to say it's 'walkies'.
Anyway, today JA paid tribute to Kaye. I hope it was deliberately pointed, along with being a nice thing to do.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12348495
https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=2694860513
Very nice pencil drawing of PM Jacinda and fellow Covid-19 slayer Chief Executive, Ministry of Health Ashley Bloomfield – for up on a wall in pride of place as was Michael Savage!
MJS white New Zealand and sinophobia attitudes, when viewed in today’s environment could tarnish the gravitas that he is viewed by some. Hint he doesn’t endear himself to all ethnicities.
Perhaps it may make some to view those historic figures and their achievements in context of their time, place and social forms.
Jeez it must be great to be perfect and never be accused of copping someone's sensibilities. That will be a big value for tech speak – you will speak normally into a box and it will filter out your words to something that cannot offend anybody. Save lots of hazzle, that's hassle and razzle dazzle mixed; ie the sort of world that we try to survive in today. It's a jungle out here.
This would be New Zealand by November under a National-led government.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12348584
Pretty much. National will open up the borders so that their funders can make higher profits while not caring about the damage that they will do to the people.
But, then, that's what National always does in one way or another.
What is the current opposition position on the borders ?
Dog In a Manger position I believe is the yoga term.
I see you're still adding real value to this site with your comments Gabby.
Shake it off, you'll be fine.
I haven't heard them changing from open them up as fast as possible while ignoring how bad things are getting for those places that they want to open up to.
Where were they saying that have you got a link ?
May not be what you’re after – best I could do with a quick Google.
"NZ should open borders to countries with Covid – Muller"
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/nz-should-open-borders-countries-covid-muller
Have you tried the revamped National website? It’s a treasure trove of what National wants this Government to do or not do pronto.
I thought it was usual practice at this site that when one makes a claim such as….
Pretty much. National will open up the borders so that their funders can make higher profits while not caring about the damage that they will do to the people.
that they provide a link supporting that assertion. A quick search on google suggests that the assertion by the commenters is incorrect.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12348318
As you know, National changes their stand on the border situation more often than a puber changes undies. For the latest updates, visit NP website, Twitter, or FB accounts.
Congratulations you have equalled gabby in the unctuous twattery stakes.
Perhaps with a little more effort you'll reach Morrissey's heights.
I’ll do just about anything to avoid you from being expelled from TS because of your own smart-arsery, but I won’t do that.
Isn't the Victorian government Labor?
And?
Enough is enough yes the Victorian govt is Labour but not NZ Labour. NZ Labour are only responsible for their policies and decisions in NZ. But you know this don't you
Esn't Victoria in a Strollya?
Biggest lol today a comment on the National Party's FB feed. "Its official. More MP's have abandoned National than returnees have absconded from isolation
Lol
So been out in Wellington and just heard the real reason Todd Muller resigned. OMG
Out of respect for both parties and their families I won't repeat the names here.
But did Judith blackmail them ? That is the question
You're such a tease.
Ok If I must. Todd has being going to AA regularly and he doesn't drink 🙂
I don't think it's fair the ongoing attacks of Clarke rumours and I think we should keep away from that sort of thing. If there are real reasons (facts) to announce, go for it, and announce it, I'll be just as interested as anyone, otherwise it's just gossip.
Wallace tackling the big issues today. Tickling. Fucksake.
Just by the way @ Mozza:
Did today's The Panel cause any sort of trauma? I thought it was rather gorgeous despite all the "Ha ha ha's" and really deep thought. I'll lay awake tonight thinking about it.
I persevered listening to it all while you were probably taking down every word to use against the participants in future (just because I don't have a life).
Just be careful ya don't denigrate MY Queen of the media (Kim Hill) or you'll have me to answer to – in this space going forward
Gerry Brownlee was brilliant in his RNZ interview this afternoon. (He asked at one stage if it was an interrogation.)
He was brilliant because he was doing an impression of an arrogant arsehole. He carried it off wonderfully.
He let Lisa sidetrack him into talking about the failures of the Christchurch rebuild which was a lovely example of how political baggage can weigh you down.
Was just listening, lucky she wasn't standing at the top of stairs, his defensive bullying won't make him many media friends. except Hoskings, maybe.
It was standard Brownlee and the way hes dealt with interviews for years….it hasnt held his career back to date so theres no reason to expect it will suddenly begin to now.
He appeals to a certain cohort
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilam_(New_Zealand_electorate)