It is a well-known truism that those who cannot learn from the lameness of history are doomed to be uncool forever.
39. William Fox, 1856, 1861-1862, 1869-1872, 1873
Confiscated nearly three million acres of Māori land then blamed them for starting the wars, which is a real dick move. Fox cemented his place as the lamest leader in New Zealand history by going on to become a strident campaigner for prohibition.
38. Walter Nash, 1957-1960
A boring old paper-pusher who droned on and on until he was finally shuffled out of office at age 78. His favourite colour was beige, and his biggest thrill was having an occasional gin with his orange juice. The Nash government's 'Black Budget' taxed the shit out of petrol, cigarettes, and beer, which the public was understandably Not Happy About.
The reason for the Black Budget was a big drop off in NZ’s overseas income in that year, due to big dips in the price of wool and meat. Which meant NZ government had an unexpected large deficit. Which meant more taxes from somewhere to cover overseas payments.
Better taxes go up than services go down… The electorate of beer-swilling, chimney-smoking voters didn’t agree, so out Labour went.
I sent a submission in when the govt called for public input into democratic reform some years ago, advocating that the spare room be used for participatory democracy & consensus-building. Looks like Palmer has spotted that opportunity:
He would also run extended public hearings and inquiries inside the Legislative Council Chamber (the empty upper house debating chamber). That would allow combined committees to tackle major issues and legislation and attract more public attention… the problem is the Westminster system is based on adversarial politics, we have to get away from that.
I contributed to his constitutional reform process – maybe a decade back? I bought both his books about it brand new. I'm real tight on that propensity due to already owning around ten thousand. I contributed as a critic, so wasn't surprised that they didn't give me any credit in the second book. Labour, you know, credibility eternally rare.
Not that they performed poorly, him and his sidekick. I carefully acknowledged each of the significant improvements they got right, including my framing of why it was a good idea each time. One could call that an exhibition of leftist solidarity perhaps.
However they also made a bunch of fatal errors. In conceptualising, and also in design. Actual flaws of logic plus various false assumptions. 7/10. Maybe 7.5.
Immaterial since the number of retards in Aotearoa remains stubbornly high, so Palmer's chances of success in his reform project shimmer like a veil of possibilities over our land…
Sir Geoffrey Palmer: I wouldn’t describe it as a contract; I woulddescribe it as a compact. A contract suggests it’s an arrangement between private parties; this is a public thing, and it’s much more than a legal arrangement. It is all about good faith, it’s all about a constitutional position, much of which is not found in the law.
A constitutional position that is not found in law can be found in ethos. This is the Deep Green view of life. Ethos is a strand in social binding that makes community.
In my theory of neo-pythagorean metaphysics, ethos kicks in as a functional element of human groups. Using elemental analysis (to identify key elements) it becomes countable. This technique categorises systems on the basis of key elements within, essential components without which a group cannot operate ecosystemically.
So you different unique factors in situations analysable similarly, using the generic theory. You count them to see how many there are. I recycle ancient greek terms to do that (monad, dyad, triad, tetrad, pentad, hexad, heptad for the first seven categories). The requisite conceptualising to integrate qualia with quanta in the theory comes from seeing labels as identifiers providing a unique quality to each number. The theorist must then ground this abstract system via ecosystemic relations, which requires holism to be expanded into theory.
I've spent the past 40 years doing that legwork, but Deep Green politics must make the social function of ethos more intelligible for the purpose of developing collective resilience. That it provides political activism incorporating communal synchrony of values and aspirations. That it facilitates collaboration. That it teaches conflict resolution via consensus decision-making.
Palmer in his academic silo are doing their best, no doubt, within the confines of their neolib belief system – but it's better to look deeper into motivations. Oh, the other dimension that it's essential to integrate into a deep green view of life is spirituality.
I find it hugely enthusing to read Geoffrey Palmer's thinking on democracy, particularly his suggestions of ways to lessen workload of ministers. The latter must be obvious to any who have seen the strained faces in times of calamities during recent years.
I agree too, that the loss of social cohesion due to the necessity of the life-saving covid-caused restrictions has been a real factor in our lives.
From mainstream comms platform relied on by politicians, businesses, and news outlets around the world to Nazi-infested ponzi scheme with the integrity of a crypto scam.
Heck of a job, Elmo.
/
On Thursday, Twitter said it had expanded its creator monetization fund to share more ad revenue with “creators.” Who is a Twitter creator these days? Well, some of the most politically divisive figures are making the most change in Musk’s new world order.
[…]
So who were these exclusive, eligible accounts? Twitter paid out more than $20,000 to Andrew Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist who has been indicted on charges of rape and human trafficking alongside his brother in Romania.
But wait, there’s more. Ian Miles Cheong, a right-wing spin doctor who increasingly has the ear of the great overlord Musk, reported he received $16,259 on Twitter for tweets focused on subjects like fat-shaming people in TikTok videos and promoting former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social takes. Benny Johnson, a failed journalist, plagiarist, and far-right rabble-rouser, made close to $10,000. Ashley St. Clair, a Babylon Bee writer, and former mouthpiece for Turning Point USA, saw just over $7,000 hit her bank account through the Stripe direct payment app. The right-wing junk account @EndWokeness also received a payout north of $10,000.
It makes you wonder why Labour has been so keen to adhere to their neolib culture, eh? They'd likely say `if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'.
Don't hold your breath waiting for the media to go there. Users don't doubt their paradigm that easily! However we could get a rerun of Max Headroom, the suave news presenter with a glitchy verbal style, out of AI quite soon. Would be good. Imagine satirising rightists & leftists in the same episode…
It's a short step from calling him Lux, as Bennett does, to wondering where do pentecostals go when they rapture to watch the world suffer bowls of judgment being poured out upon the earth. Is it planet X?
Lux is a global brand developed by Unilever
Lux pioneered celebrity endorsements for its soap.
Luxon (surely not chosen for his name) worked for Unilever in Canada before taking his cleanliness even closer to God, by being a bald eagle with Air NZ.
. … Lux is marketed primarily in South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
So a party … No it’s a leader release it’s manifesto then what the party stood for under the last leader doesn’t matter, example in point climate change ?? We now have by his actions someone who doesn’t believe all he believes in is vote to win and screw the consequences. How hollow leadership we have had under labour. How the labour follows can look in the mirror ?? Disgraceful all of you
”This election was the first chance for him to fully set his own agenda for a better future.”you deserve less than National in 2002.
Labour's 1972 election campaign slogan "It's time" can't be beaten for brevity.
"In it for you" is arguably better, albeit wordier than "Let's do this" and "Let's keep moving", but I prefer UK Labour's failed "For the many, not the few".
If only NAct could run on an honest slogan – "For the few, not the many".
In 2009 after winning the election National "reorganised" ACC; thereby shoving over 100 highly specialised OTs out of employment in NZ. My son-in-law was one of them, and the only work for him was in Australia, who were actively recruiting people with his expertise in after-care for people with brain injury at the time. So we waved goodbye to our loved ones. They have been there ever since, and are about to become Australian citizens. He is now managing 3 after care facilities in the Perth area.
At least labour are being honest with half the slogan. They’ve certainly landed NZ “in it” for years to come. Rather they left me out of it with the second part of the slogan … not in my name.
Jack – it has been obvious since your very first comment that you are not here to promote the left. Please tell me something to make me believe that you even understand the socialist perspective. Or just stop commenting in such a boring manner.
In 6 months time we'll be saying, we told ya so. If this NACT government comes in, there won't be the sinking lid approach while things degrade (Key's strategy). NACT will be a government of big change and public sector cuts, because of the ideological pull of ACT.
Look to Britain under the Tories and Oz under LNP – Luxon's been having nice long chats with members of those governments.
There will be degradation of public education, with funding shifted to for-profit academies and charter schools, de facto privatisation of medicine, for-profit prisons and bootcamps, privatisation of MSD services, as in CentreLink, privitisation or dismantling of ACC, gig-economy jobs with zero hours.
NACT are creaming their knickers thinking of all the kickbacks they'll get putting those contracts in place.
[Please correct the mistake in your email address in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]
Janet Wilson and Andrea Vance are today’s poison pen hags! Congratulations.
Janet calls Jacinda and Michael Wood insincere in their apology for the Dawn Raids. Then she confuses Muldoon and National’s state sponsored racist campaign against a particular minority with a state department continuing to make some after hours visits against no particular demographic.
Showing her evil that held her close to Judith Collins.
Funnily enough ‘Crusher’ was long touted for being tough, but goodness forbid a Labour minister may have shouted.
Vance manages to put herself first in her column on Chippy, leaving us to wonder if she is a bigger egomaniac than the pollies. And without any complaint being filed she blames Chippy for not putting Allan in the stocks. Then, the long bow and ego working well, she considers this an example of betraying Labour’s principles somehow. Quite spectacular bullshit, which she obviously enjoyed smelling.
His unflinching pragmatism was evident in the last few weeks when he – the leader of a party founded for workers’ rights – sided with his Cabinet Minister Kiritapu Allan over allegations she treated staff badly.
While Vance’s piece is certainly a polemic against Labour – I doubt that Ardern, et al were deliberately hypocritical. However, I think it does indicate a tendency towards political theatre, rather than hard policy work.
Which has come up again, and again, in the policy and legislation of the current government.
No- as they are not, and they should be stopped. It’s also quite a mystery as to why Immigration is in MBIE in any case…
But there is a difference between rogue miscommunication which should have been stopped and the racism in the first place.
Yes- I bloody well agree with Carmel.
It’s this poison tongue of a Nats coms operative whose party embody that racism ( watch them in Patu pull in to their function and ‘consider’ their protestors), that hasn’t apologised and that questions the sincerity of those who have.
All hands to the nasty levers. Make NZ nasty again.
Political theatre is important. Symbolism is important. The Prime Minister admitting what the state did to you and your family was wrong is important.
What are you talking about with your bland and vapid statement that it was done instead of ‘hard policy work’ which has come up again and again?
Compared to the opposition whose key justice conference policy was I don’t know I’ll tell you when you’ve all voted for us and I’ll have a guess. On something that has been conclusively shown to be a failure across the board?
Well, it very clearly wasn't supported by the required detailed policy work in the Immigration department. Take a bow: Kris Faafoi (the Minister who wanted to retire); and Michael Wood (the Minister who doesn't seem to be across detail either in his private life or, as we see now, in his job),
Political symbolism which is *not* supported by policy, ministerial direction and/or legislation – is just 'theatre' and leaves the government wide open to charges of hypocrisy.
Saying, effectively, 'the other guys are worse' doesn't do much to inspire confidence in (or willingness to vote for), the current government.
Equally just repeating your argument doesn’t make it any truer.
I would stake the integrity of both Jacinda Ardern and Michael Wood against yours any day.
That they are not perfect people or politicians are true. But also they are not on The Standard for whatever reason joining the National party poison pen club in calling an apology insincere, in the rather cowardly manner of attacking ‘political theatre’ in general.
It is for the victims and recipients of the apology to deem the their satisfaction.
So if you have a fight with your partner making assumptions- you must buy them something or any apology is insincere? It would fit the vanity of the moniker.
Their lack of compassion is evident. Kiri is not allowed to be upset by the destruction of her area, nor is she meant to be hurt by being in a failed relationship. She is supposed to be endlessly patient in the face of half complaints, whispers to the media and digs by the National Party DP. She is apologising for any hurt caused. Still the vicious tongues want Chippy to dismiss Kiri, as according to these founts of "information" she is not "being fair to workers". Their nastiness is clearly displayed.
Property was seen differently by politicians, [Bernard] Hickey said.
As if to make the point, the prime minister ruled out a Capital Gains Tax last Wednesday.
That won't dissuade people from putting their money into houses in future – possibly boosting the size of the mortgages people are prepared to take on, even at the risk of higher repayments making them even more unaffordable.
And on and on it goes. Everybody is banking on house prices increasing and capital gains to stay untaxed. Too bad for renters, first-home buyers and the next generation of Kiwis whose parents are not firmly established on the property ladder. Some folks suggest a death tax could be a solution – après moi le deluge aka over my dead body.
There is already an cgt on rentals in the brightline, add that to no tax offsetting on mortgage payments unless it's a new build, I've had anicdata of atleast one scumlord selling 10 homes due to the healthy homes rules , I reckon labours going ok on housing,
Of course 7 homes wants to change all the rules so he and his grubby mates can can prosper, they're the baddies in this show.
I agree bwaghorn. There have been more homes built of all types in Rotorua, since the last burst in 1973… 50 years ago. Our shops are open, our people are working, unlike2008 and 9.
The more new houses built – the greater the downward pressure on house prices – pulling them back into the affordable range for 'ordinary' families (we can debate 'til the cows come home on what's 'ordinary').
Increased housing availability (i.e. more houses, total) also puts downward pressure on rents – for those for whom home ownership isn't a reality (or doesn't make sense, right now).
The most important thing the government (any government) in NZ can do is pull every lever available to increase the numbers of houses being built. The drivers of poverty (both actual and comparative) all come back to housing costs….
Lovely in a purely theoretical way, but the sad thing is that current prices limit home ownership to only a small portion of society.
You seem to perfectly understand the predicament of this privileged portion.
I am a single home owner (mortgage paid off) but I have nothing but contempt for those who believe that they have done well in a 'fair' system by owning multiple properties.
Our system is not fair. It is an anti-social practice to buy properties, rent them out to poor people, then use faith in a 'fair' system to raise rents on the poor tenants, and profit-gouge them despite their obvious desperation.
Strange that the status quo is seen as fair by landlords, who all seem to be gifted with Nelsonian eyes.
Could you possibly envisage a system where rent increases were related to no more than the increase in the tenants' income?
After all, bosses’ negotiators always deny workers increases in pay by arguing that times are hard and the firm can't afford it.. And it would be – gasp – inflationary!
Yet landlords never seem to see rent increases as inflationary.
No such easy way out for poor tenants that I am aware of.
Sorry Belladonna, but the nice balance that your post portrays does not seem to stretch very far past the realm of the wealthy.
Just read your post while up for a bit InVino.
I would ad AirB&B and empty houses also work against rental the market. Commercial tax rates and rules about insurance for empty homes may help Plus a fee for each week over 6 in a year if the house is habitable. If houses are being used totally for commercial use, different tax rules should apply. imo.
The built for rent market has begun by the Govt and partners. That is a great help, as they are let at lesser rates and pressure the market downward.
When Key got rid of the gift tax, he misleadingly justified it by saying 'it collects very little tax' – ignoring the fact that its purpose was to prevent the wealthy from avoiding other taxes, not to collect tax itself.
National did this in Key’s first term – indicating what a priority it was for wealth worshippers like him.
If we are concerned about wealth why are we not concerned about it when it transfers by will or a trust to others?
Many lefties/socialists are against intergenerational wealth transfer.
That is why I suggested death duties.
I see no link between a totting up and payment of death duties at the death of a person and gift duty?
If the govt needed a belts and braces approach they could tighten up on gifts during the life of the person. I know there used to be a provision for gifting but it was explicit ie advice to IRD.
My idea is for death duties to be paid but if there is a provision for gifting still round then duties on this too. I think it used to be $27,000 pa.
If the sale and purchase agreement became binding:
on or after 27 March 2021, the bright-line period is 5 years to the extent the property has a qualifying new build on it and 10 years for all other properties
between 29 March 2018 and 26 March 2021, the bright-line period is 5 years
between 1 October 2015 and 28 March 2018, the bright-line period is 2 years.
Which Nat MP would like to become the Minister of Pothole Repairs? They can pour $500M into holes and as soon as a hole opens it will be ‘fixed’ in no time. Potty as it may sound, I think this will go a long way to getting NZ back on track and there’s no smoke & mirrors here at all. I suggest a 24-hour Pothole Hotline staffed by fully-trained bilingual staff and the first pothole reporter receives a free petrol voucher.
Thought my ears were deceiving me when I heard Lux (on pothole patrol with SB) respond to an awkward question by saying National is focussed on how to "fund tax."
Thought I'd check out Prime News a second time, on Sky channel 514, and there it was:
What I'm focussed on is that the National party is very clear about how we will fund tax. – Luxon (@5:47 pm on Prime News)
No link (sorry) – will keep looking. What might Lux mean? Anyone? Makes you think?
You're onto it. Freudian slip?? An oblique reference to the sovereign power of govts to customise the financial system in their domain.
An in-crowd phrase we can only guess at? Keep in mind the basis of quantitative easing: creation of money via design of credit system. Inventive finagling.
Nobody in National clever enough to do financial alchemy but can't rule out instructions from further up the global hierarchy. But hey, you never know, he may explain himself at some point in the campaign. A journalist may ponder his lingo & quiz him at a press conference. You could try asking Brian Easton (@ Pundit).
Can I call you that? Do you mind? Well, it its the arse end of your name which of course fits well with your policies, what few of them you seen fit to release. Are you waiting till the arse end of the campaign to flood us with more ill thought out garbage masquerading as policy? I refer particularly to your latest piece of stupid, juvenile, bone-headed and utterly useless idea for a Ministry of Potholes. I know who you want to be in charge of that. We all know who you want to run that outfit – Slimeon Brown. He's your current expert on everything and nothing, right?
Just thought I might put a bit of perspective on this travesty of discombobulation. Sorry, big words! Translation – here's my view on this idiocy.
1. This is already being looked after by the Transport Ministry.
2. Labour has spent 65% more than your lot did.
3. Separating out pot holes is childish, petulant, short-sighted and desperate.
4. National spent 9 years ignoring road maintenance.
5. National prioritised their mates in the trucking industry, which has been hammering our roads into oblivion ever since.
6. National let rail fall into decline, to the point where it is almost too expensive to now fix it.
If this is the best of your policies, then you need to know that running the country is not all about holes in the road. We could probably find you a corner shop to manage. It's not an airline, but, how well did you really do with that one? This policy on road holes is utterly ironic – this means that . . . . oh, never mind, it's not worth educating you.
You may well be a Labour voter but maybe you should admit the the Opposition are right on roading.
The Ministry of Transport is not in charge of filling potholes in roads.
211,000 potholes were reported under Labour 25% of those were in 2022 alone. Parker is a joke for trying to offload responsibility to National 6 years ago.
Pot holes are the actual road degrading. For domestic and freight traffic alike, hitting them is a real expense, and you need to show actual empathy for that cost. NZTA is on record about how weak their system now is.
Labour spend most of it transport money on City Rail Link, Eastern Busway, passenger subsidies, and finishing the big National expressways. Labour would not be vulnerable on transport if it hadn't spent its capex on flashy projects.
Labour did not reverse the National regulations on oversized trucks.
Labour spent dumptrucks on rail but its ferries failed, its Auckland system failed, its Te Huia regional passenger service failed, and its South Island system is shrinking very fast.
Go right ahead vote Labour, but do it with your eyes open about the failing motorway system they alone have delivered.
Not Labour alone, Ad – the failing motorway that needs constant repair just North of Hamilton was not started under Labour. Don't exaggerate -it diminishes credibility.
There is a big failing in the contracting out system.
I suppose it could be said the oppo is right about roading, but they are wrong about the reasons and very wrong about the solution. Anyway, in their plan it's not 500 mill in new money, they will be robbing Peter to pay Paul. Your responses –
1. Details: The MOT is the umbrella and LTSA is under their purview.
2. Look at who's been in power since 1950 – Natz 48 years, Labour 28 years
3. Right on! Natz and their long haul truckie mates. As to a weak system – well, how much do you trust civil servants? Half of them could be Nat supporters and consequently drag the chain on projects. I've heard it said.
4. Not vanity projects – needed expansion to services. If they'd only listened to Robbie all those years ago . . . .
5. Yep, and there we have it. Can imagine the knock down drag 'em out fight Labour would have had rolling back an established set up like that? Trucks are so established now as the default transport option. There would have been ramifications and repercussions of almost unmanageable proportions.
6. They did, and it was still not enough, and it would still never be enough because a certain government sold the railways, who then bought cheap and nasty rolling stock, closed the railway workshops and downgraded the support services.
Not sure who you'll be voting for but when I step back and take a long look at the 2 options available I sure know who's gonna do the mahi for the good of us all.
And finally, the apology that Kiri Allen should have made in the first place, smoothed over with the thick icing of Hipkins trying not to lose another Minister:
"Kiri is a talented Minister who makes a huge contribution to our government. It's important we have a diversity of views, voices and experiences around the Cabinet table and Kiri's recent experiences only adds to that," he said.
"In our discussions, Kiri did acknowledge that in her passion for her work she sets high standards and high expectations of herself and her staff, but staff and officials must be treated with respect, and there is clear guidance for MPs around that.
"Kiri agrees with me on that."
Hipkins also pointed to Allan's recent health struggles.
"When you add the fact Kiri has battled and overcome cancer in that time plus some personal challenges it's understandable that she was feeling under pressure," he said.
"Regardless, I've made my expectations to Ministers around their conduct crystal clear and Kiri has agreed to focus on the way she interacts with those around her and make improvements where necessary.
"When she returns to work Kiri will receive extra coaching to support her to create the positive working environment both of us are committed to."
It would be great to see, finally, public servants treated with respect and assholes who are also ministers stop being assholes in the first place and enable public servants to get on with the job without massive media coverage, mental health leave, and the Prime Minister having to repeatedly step in.
This saga was different in that a PS did go public.
Usually they just have to put up with it and cover up so that their staff do not get disenchanted and stop working the 60 hour weeks that some do, to get stuff up the line and then to the Minister.
If a public servant (other than a CEO) is named by a Minister, the Minister should be fired. Public servants have the right not to be doxxed by the political order – even if they are married to them.
For me, as a long term public servant, it was significant enough that they made a comment unnamed, bearing in mind this is not done. Not sure I would have done this but I accept that things must have been pretty bad and in danger of being slotted into the usual 'blame the PS' for this to happen.
The moral of the story is that people need to be considerate towards each other in the work-place. Natural justice must be applied to the situation when a transgression occurs. I see no evidence that the govt does this routinely.
Therefore there is systemic dysfunction in how the govt of the day & the public service interact. That is untenable. Both Labour & National have been delinquent in creating this over the long-term and both are responsible for the ongoing harm done to participants. As long as they maintain their lack of transparency folks won't have confidence that they are getting it right.
Ultimately the whistleblower law is available to victims but only if the offending ascends to trigger the threshold. Until then the coercion is effective in keeping the victim silent. Maintaining this status quo is unethical. Naughty, even.
I agree with Ad that Hipkins did okay trying to clean up the mess. If he's on the ball he'll tell voters that Labour will rectify the procedural problem. Unlikely.
As someone who helps people survive public servants, I want more Minsters keeping these people in line, so they are not fucking with peoples lives. Not this free hand to make shit up, as they seem to do on a weekly basis.
Also the amount of undermining of this government from public servants has gone right into the realms of utter fucking bullshit.
We don;t have a public service, we have ideological hacks working in government departments pushing unelected agendas.
Also the amount of undermining of this government from public servants has gone right into the realms of utter fucking bullshit.
We don;t have a public service, we have ideological hacks working in government departments pushing unelected agendas.
But do you have any proof or are these just reckons?
Proof is fine but reckons are just that 'reckons'. Many people don't realise how the process of Govt works with Govt Depts working to their Minister. Some people get confused when a Govt Dept has an authority under legislation and in most of these cases the Minister cannot/should not intervene. Some legislation does have an ability for the Minister to direct but most avoid getting into this situation as it is not a good look for a Minister.
After your beige splaining, I was struck by the fact your not that clear on what your asking for. So let me try to see if this fits the bill.
To the second part – ideological ministries. One obvious example is treasury. If you can't see that, then sorry for you. Another recent example is MSD, and the implementation of a new disability ministry. Lets leave aside the perfectly meaningless newspeak they have run with, and just run with the fact it's a ideological shit fest.
Examples of the public service are off the hook, the shitfuckry around the first Minister of Housing. The under mining of the last two ministers of Broadcasting. The Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, if you think that everyone has been playing ball on that one, I have some NFT's I like to sell you.
That will do, the list could go on, but as I live in the real world, not the ruff and thumble world of the wellington bubble – I'll stop.
Treasury for instance has to investigate and have knowledge about financial systems etc befor they can prepare papers for Ministers.
Govt depts in their work have to prepare papers to Ministers covering all options. Ministers make the final decision. Do you want only a single option put forward. That is dangerous stuff.
You don't give details about the MSD, (let alone links) . It may be about legislation that MSD has to operate. For a Minister to direct, even to suggest, that a piece of legislation not be applied is dangerous stuff too.
Muldoon found this out to his cost. Most minister's have learned from this not to intervne into the operation of legislation governing the operation of the departments.
Based on the current polling, no. 11 is almost certainly going to get into Parliament.
Going to be significant confusion in the House with Luxon (Nat), Luxton (ACT) and [if Jo Luxton gets back in on the list – probably not going to hold Rangitata – nothing to do with her, but it's a true blue rural seat and only went Labour in 2020], Luxton (Labour)
Funny how conspiracy cranks like Jnr eventually get to the Jews.
/
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dished out wild COVID-19 conspiracy theories this week during a press event at an Upper East Side restaurant, claiming the bug was a genetically engineered bioweapon that may have been “ethnically targeted” to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people.
[…]
“COVID-19. There is an argument that it is ethnically targeted. COVID-19 attacks certain races disproportionately,” Kennedy said. “COVID-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.”
“We don’t know whether it was deliberately targeted or not but there are papers out there that show the racial or ethnic differential and impact,” Kennedy hedged.
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The Treaty Principles Bill has been defeated in Parliament with 112 votes in opposition and 11 in favour, but the debate about Te Tiriti and Māori rights looks set to stay high on the political agenda. Supermarket giant Woolworths has confirmed a new operating model that Workers First say will ...
1. What did Seymour say after his obnoxious bill was buried 112 to 11?a. Watch this spaceb. Mea culpac. I am not a crookd. Youse are all such dumbasses2. Which lasted longest?a. Liz Trussb. Trump’s Tariffsc. The Lettuced. Too soon to say but the smart money’s on the vegetable 3. ...
And this is what I'm gonna doI'm gonna put a call to you'Cause I feel good tonightAnd everything's gonna beRight-right-rightI'm gonna have a good time tonightRock and roll music gonna play all nightCome on, baby, it won't take longOnly take a minute just to sing my songSongwriters: Kirk Pengilly / ...
The Indonesian military has a new role in cybersecurity but, worryingly, no clear doctrine on what to do with it nor safeguards against human rights abuses. Assignment of cyber responsibility to the military is part ...
The StrategistBy Gatra Priyandita and Christian Guntur Lebang
Another Friday, another roundup. Autumn is starting to set in, certainly getting darker earlier but we hope you enjoy some of the stories we found interesting this week. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday we ran a guest post from the wonderful Darren Davis about what’s happening ...
Long stories shortest:The White House confirms Donald Trump’s total tariffs now on China are 145%, not 125%. US stocks slump again. Gold hits a record high. PM Christopher Luxon joins a push for a new rules-based trading system based around CPTPP and EU, rather than US-led WTO. Winston Peters ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s shock and (partial) backflip; and,Health Coalition Aotearoa Chair ...
USAID cuts and tariffs will harm the United States’ reputation in the Pacific more than they will harm the region itself. The resilient region will adjust to the economic challenges and other partners will fill ...
National's racist and divisive Treaty Principles Bill was just voted down by the House, 112 to 11. Good fucking riddance. The bill was not a good-faith effort at legislating, or at starting a "constitutional conversation". Instead it was a bad faith attempt to stoke division and incite racial hatred - ...
Democracy watch Indonesia’s parliament passed revisions to the country’s military law, which pro-democracy and human rights groups view as a threat to the country’s democracy. One of the revisions seeks to expand the number of ...
The StrategistBy Linus Cohen, Astrid Young and Alice Wai
Australia should follow international examples and develop a civilian cyber reserve as part of a whole-of-society approach to national defence. By setting up such a reserve, the federal government can overcome a shortage of expertise ...
A ballot for three Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill (Cameron Brewer) Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Restrictions on Issue of Off-Licences and Low and No Alcohol Products) Amendment Bill (Mike Butterick) Crown ...
Te Whatu Ora is proposing to slash jobs from a department that brings in millions of dollars a year and ensures safety in hospitals, rest homes and other community health providers. The Treaty Principles Bill is back in Parliament this evening and is expected to be voted down by all parties, ...
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has repeatedly asserted the country’s commitment to a non-aligned foreign policy. But can Indonesia still credibly claim neutrality while tacitly engaging with Russia? Holding an unprecedented bilateral naval drills with Moscow ...
The NZCTU have launched a new policy programme and are calling on political parties to adopt bold policies in the lead up to the next election. The Government is scrapping the 30-day rule that automatically signs an employee up to the collective agreement when they sign on to a new ...
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te must have been on his toes. The island’s trade and defence policy has snapped into a new direction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. The government was almost ...
Auckland’s ongoing rail pain will intensify again from this weekend as Kiwirail shut down the network for two weeks as part of their push to get the network ready for the City Rail Link. KiwiRail will progress upgrade and renewal projects across Auckland’s rail network over the Easter holiday period ...
This is a re-post from The Electrotech Revolution by Daan Walter Last week, UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch took the stage to advocate for slowing the rollout of renewables, arguing that they ultimately lead to higher costs: “Huge amounts are being spent on switching round how we distribute electricity ...
That there, that's not meI go where I pleaseI walk through wallsI float down the LiffeyI'm not hereThis isn't happeningI'm not hereI'm not hereSongwriters: Philip James Selway / Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood / Edward John O'Brien / Thomas Edward Yorke / Colin Charles Greenwood.I had mixed views when the first ...
(A note to subscribers:I’m going to keep these daily curated news updates shorter in future to ensure an earlier and more regular delivery.Expect this format and delivery around 7 am Monday to Friday from now on. My apologies for not delivering yesterday. There was too much news… This ...
As Donald Trump zigs and zags on tariffs and trashes America’s reputation as a safe and stable place to invest, China has a big gun that it could bring to this tariff knife fight. Behind Japan, China has the world’s second largest holdings of American debt. As a huge US ...
Civilian exploration may be the official mission of a Chinese deep-sea research ship that sailed clockwise around Australia over the past week and is now loitering west of the continent. But maybe it’s also attending ...
South Korea’s internal political instability leaves it vulnerable to rising security threats including North Korea’s military alliance with Russia, China’s growing regional influence and the United States’ unpredictability under President Donald Trump. South Korea needs ...
Here are 5 updates that you may be interested in today:Speed kills and costs - so why does National want more of it?James (Jim) Grenon Board Takeover Gets Shaky - As Canadian Calls An Australian Shareholder a “Flake” Billionaire Bust-ups -The World’s Richest Men Are UncomfortableOver 3,500 Australian doctors on ...
Australia is in a race against time. Cyber adversaries are exploiting vulnerabilities faster than we can identify and patch them. Both national security and economic considerations demand policy action. According to IBM’s Data Breach Report, ...
The ever brilliant Kate Nicholls has kindly agreed to allow me to re-publish her substack offering some under-examined backdrop to Trump’s tariff madness. The essay is not meant to be a full scholarly article but instead an insight into the thinking (if that is the correct word) behind the current ...
In the Pacific, the rush among partner countries to be seen as the first to assist after disasters has become heated as part of ongoing geopolitical contest. As partners compete for strategic influence in the ...
The StrategistBy Miranda Booth, Henrietta McNeill and Genevieve Quirk
We’ve seen this morning the latest step up in the Trump-initiated trade war, with the additional 50 per cent tariffs imposed on imports from China. If the tariff madness persists – but in fact even if were wound back in some places (eg some of the particularly absurd tariffs on ...
Weak as I am, no tears for youWeak as I am, no tears for youDeep as I am, I'm no one's foolWeak as I amSongwriters: Deborah Ann Dyer / Richard Keith Lewis / Martin Ivor Kent / Robert Arnold FranceMorena. This morning, I couldn’t settle on a single topic. Too ...
Australian policy makers are vastly underestimating how climate change will disrupt national security and regional stability across the Indo-Pacific. A new ASPI report assesses the ways climate impacts could threaten Indonesia’s economic and security interests ...
So here we are in London again because we’re now at the do-it-while-you-still-can stage of life. More warm wide-armed hugs, more long talks and long walks and drinks in lovely old pubs with our lovely daughter.And meanwhile the world is once more in one of its assume-the-brace-position stages.We turned on ...
Hi,Back in September of 2023, I got pitched an interview:David -Thanks for the quick response to the DM! Means the world. Re-stating some of the DM below for your team’s reference -I run a business called Animal Capital - we are a venture capital fund advised by Noah Beck, Paris ...
I didn’t want to write about this – but, alas, the 2020s have forced my hand. I am going to talk about the Trump Tariffs… and in the process probably irritate nearly everyone. You see, alone on the Internet, I am one of those people who think we need a ...
Maybe people are only just beginning to notice the close alignment of Russia and China. It’s discussed as a sudden new phenomenon in world affairs, but in fact it’s not new at all. The two ...
The High Court has just ruled that the government has been violating one of the oldest Treaty settlements, the Sealord deal: The High Court has found the Crown has breached one of New Zealand's oldest Treaty Settlements by appropriating Māori fishing quota without compensation. It relates to the 1992 ...
Darwin’s proposed Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct is set to be the heart of a new integrated infrastructure network in the Northern Territory, larger and better than what currently exists in northern Australia. However, the ...
Local body elections are in October, and so like a lot of people, I received the usual pre-election enrolment confirmation from the Orange Man in the post. And I was horrified to see that it included the following: Why horrified? After all, surely using email, rather ...
Australia needs to deliver its commitment under the Seoul Declaration to create an Australian AI safety, or security, institute. Australia is the only signatory to the declaration that has yet to meet its commitments. Given ...
Ko kōpū ka rere i te paeMe ko Hine RuhiTīaho mai tō arohaMe ko Hine RuhiDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da da da da daDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da ...
Army, Navy and AirForce personnel in ceremonial dress: an ongoing staffing exodus means we may get more ships, drones and planes but not have enough ‘boots on the ground’ to use them. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:PM Christopher Luxon says the Government can ...
If you’re a qualified individual looking to join the Australian Army, prepare for a world of frustration over the next 12 to 18 months. While thorough vetting is essential, the inefficiency of the Australian Defence ...
I’ve inserted a tidbit and rumours section1. Colonoscopy wait times increase, procedures drop under NationalWait times for urgent, non-urgent and surveillance colonoscopies all progressively worsened last year. Health NZ data shows the total number of publicly-funded colonoscopies dropped by more than 7 percent.Health NZ chief medical officer Helen Stokes-Lampard blamed ...
Three billion dollars has been wiped off the value of New Zealand’s share market as the rout of global financial markets caught up with the local market. A Sāmoan national has been sentenced for migrant exploitation and corruption following a five-year investigation that highlights the serious consequences of immigration fraud ...
This is a guest post by Darren Davis. It originally appeared on his excellent blog, Adventures in Transitland, which we encourage you to check out. It is shared by kind permission. Rail Network Investment Plan quietly dropped While much media attention focused on the 31st March 2025 announcement that the replacement Cook ...
Amendments to Indonesia’s military law risk undermining civilian supremacy and the country’s defence capabilities. Passed by the House of Representatives on 20 March, the main changes include raising the retirement age and allowing military officers ...
The StrategistBy Alfin Febrian Basundoro and Jascha Ramba Santoso
So New Zealand is about to spend $12 billion on our defence forces over the next four years – with $9 million of it being new money that is not being spent on pressing needs here at home. Somehow this lavish spend-up on Defence is “affordable,” says PM Christopher Luxon, ...
Donald Trump’s philosophy about the United States’ place in the world is historically selfish and will impoverish his country’s spirit. While he claimed last week to be ‘liberating’ Americans from the exploiters and freeloaders who’ve ...
China’s crackdown on cyber-scam centres on the Thailand-Myanmar border may cause a shift away from Mandarin, towards English-speaking victims. Scammers also used the 28 March earthquake to scam international victims. Australia, with its proven capabilities ...
At the 2005 election campaign, the National Party colluded with a weirdo cult, the Exclusive Brethren, to run a secret hate campaign against the Greens. It was the first really big example of the rich using dark money to interfere in our democracy. And unfortunately, it seems that they're trying ...
Many of you will know that in collaboration with the University of Queensland we created and ran the massive open online course (MOOC) "Denial101x - Making sense of climate science denial" on the edX platform. Within nine years - between April 2015 and February 2024 - we offered 15 runs ...
How will the US assault on trade affect geopolitical relations within Asia? Will nations turn to China and seek protection by trading with each other? The happy snaps a week ago of the trade ministers ...
I mentioned this on Friday - but thought it deserved some emphasis.Auckland Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan has responded to Countering Hate Speech Aotearoa, saying police have cleared Brian Tamaki of all incitement charges relating to the Te Atatu library rainbow event assault.Hassan writes:..There is currently insufficient evidence to ...
With the report of the recent intelligence review by Heather Smith and Richard Maude finally released, critics could look on and wonder: why all the fuss? After all, while the list of recommendations is substantial, ...
Well, I don't know if I'm readyTo be the man I have to beI'll take a breath, I'll take her by my sideWe stand in awe, we've created lifeWith arms wide open under the sunlightWelcome to this place, I'll show you everythingSongwriters: Scott A. Stapp / Mark T. Tremonti.Today is ...
Staff at Kāinga Ora are expecting details of another round of job cuts, with the Green Party claiming more than 500 jobs are set to go. The New Zealand Defence Force has made it easier for people to apply for a job in a bid to get more boots on ...
Australia’s agriculture sector and food system have prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values. But the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no ...
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, US stock values fell by the most ever in value terms (US$6.6 trillion). Photo: Getty ImagesLong story shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:Donald Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the globalised economy, but this time the Fed isn’t cutting interest rates to rescue ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 30, 2025 thru Sat, April 5, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
This is a longer read.Summary:Trump’s tariffs are reckless, disastrous and hurt the poorest countries deeply. It will stoke inflation, and may cause another recession. Funds/investments around the world have tanked.Trump’s actions emulate the anti-economic logic of another right wing libertarian politician - Liz Truss. She had her political career cut ...
We are all suckers for hope.He’s just being provocative, people will say, he wouldn’t really go that far. They wouldn’t really go that far.Germany in the 1920s and 30s was one of the world’s most educated, culturally sophisticated, and scientifically advanced societies.It had a strong democratic constitution with extensive civil ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Mars warming? Mars’ climate varies due to completely different reasons than Earth’s, and available data indicates no temperature trends comparable to Earth’s ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophia Staite, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Social media is ablaze with reports of kids going wild at screenings of A Minecraft Movie. Some cinemas are cracking down. There are reports of cinemas calling ...
The Treaty Principles Bill has been brutally defeated in Parliament. We have highlights from key speeches, and explain why its demise is so unusual. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University Few issues in Australian sport generate as much media noise or emotional fan reactions as player movement, especially in our major winter codes the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isabelle Ng, PhD candidate, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University A couple of whip coral goby (_Bryaninops yongei_).randi_ang/Shutterstock Swim along the edge of a coral reef and you’ll often see schools of sleek, torpedo-shaped fishes gliding through the currents, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Kemp, Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Languages are windows into the worlds of the people who speak them – reflecting what they value and experience daily. So perhaps it’s no surprise different languages highlight different ...
A new poem by Daniel Frears. Pale Straw this season’s colour is pale straw a revelatory colour for an oh so special season it might mess with your head, or mine you can rub my belly like I was a dog. all actions are allowed in this .. phase. if ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House, $32) “A truly helpful treatise on seeing ...
Tara Ward watches the return of The Handmaid’s Tale and discovers the dystopia of the future now feels all too real. If you like your television so bleak that you need to curl into a ball and rock back and forward afterwards, then clear the floor because I have great ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national YouGov poll, conducted April 4–10 from a sample of 1,505, gave Labor a 52.5–47.5 lead, a 1.5-point gain for Labor ...
Submissions close today on proposed reforms that would mark the most significant shakeup of fisheries in decades. Here’s what you need to know.On February 12, oceans and fisheries minister Shane Jones held up a wagging finger and a shiny, plastic-comb-bound document as Wellington’s downtown seagulls squawked overhead. Among a ...
This bill sought to fundamentally alter the meaning of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by selectively and incorrectly interpreting the reo Māori text, says E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh. ...
Luxon has an opportunity to emerge as a stabiliser without the diplomatic risk of poking the bear in the White House. Last month, pundits from across the political spectrum were begging Christopher Luxon to add a modicum of clarity to the way he communicates after a disastrous interview with Mike ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Mitchell, Professor of Nursing and Health Services Research, University of Newcastle Annie Spratt/Unsplash Hospital-acquired infections are infections patients didn’t have when they were admitted to hospital. The most common include wound infections after surgery, urinary tract infections and pneumonia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Hanna, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Christina Hanna, CC BY-SA Once floodwaters subside, talk of planned retreat inevitably rises. Within Aotearoa New Zealand, several communities from north to south – including Kumeū, Kawatiri Westport and parts ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arian Wallach, Future Fellow in Ecology, Queensland University of Technology michael garner/Shutterstock In 1938, zoologist Ellis Le Geyt Troughton mourned that Australia’s “gentle and specialized creatures” were “unable to cope with changed conditions and introduced enemies”. The role of these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Peetz, Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow at the Centre for Future Work, and Professor Emeritus, Griffith Business School, Griffith University doublelee/Shutterstock Can the government actually make a difference to the wages Australians earn? A lot of attention always falls on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Egliston, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney Last week, Nintendo announced the June 5 release of its long anticipated Switch 2. But the biggest talking point wasn’t the console’s launch titles or features. At ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Woodman, TR Ashworth Professor in Sociology, The University of Melbourne Securing the welfare of future generations seems like solid grounds for judging policies and politicians, especially during an election campaign. Political legacies are on the line because the stakes are so ...
With protests in the gallery, a projectile thrown and an MP ejected, the second reading of the controversial bill ended in a resounding defeat, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.Disruption, then defeat In a parliamentary sketch optimistically ...
Legal experts and Māori advocates say the fight to protect Te Tiriti is only just beginning - as the controversial Treaty Principles Bill is officially killed in Parliament. ...
All power to this woman-Marketa Vondrousova-great underdog performance and excellent acceptance interview.
A bit of light political entertainment for a sunday: https://www.vice.com/en/article/7xvz5a/a-definitive-ranking-of-nz-prime-ministers-from-lamest-to-coolest
fun and somewhat informative. Thanks Denis.
The reason for the Black Budget was a big drop off in NZ’s overseas income in that year, due to big dips in the price of wool and meat. Which meant NZ government had an unexpected large deficit. Which meant more taxes from somewhere to cover overseas payments.
Better taxes go up than services go down… The electorate of beer-swilling, chimney-smoking voters didn’t agree, so out Labour went.
[comment with quotes but no links deleted]
Cool, sorry…
I sent a submission in when the govt called for public input into democratic reform some years ago, advocating that the spare room be used for participatory democracy & consensus-building. Looks like Palmer has spotted that opportunity:
On of his other suggestions is likely to irritate the anti-consultancy brigade:
@DF
What would do without thinkers like Sir Geoffrey?
And he knows his stuff, speaks from experience.
I contributed to his constitutional reform process – maybe a decade back? I bought both his books about it brand new. I'm real tight on that propensity due to already owning around ten thousand. I contributed as a critic, so wasn't surprised that they didn't give me any credit in the second book. Labour, you know, credibility eternally rare.
Not that they performed poorly, him and his sidekick. I carefully acknowledged each of the significant improvements they got right, including my framing of why it was a good idea each time. One could call that an exhibition of leftist solidarity perhaps.
However they also made a bunch of fatal errors. In conceptualising, and also in design. Actual flaws of logic plus various false assumptions. 7/10. Maybe 7.5.
Immaterial since the number of retards in Aotearoa remains stubbornly high, so Palmer's chances of success in his reform project shimmer like a veil of possibilities over our land…
Further to that…
A constitutional position that is not found in law can be found in ethos. This is the Deep Green view of life. Ethos is a strand in social binding that makes community.
In my theory of neo-pythagorean metaphysics, ethos kicks in as a functional element of human groups. Using elemental analysis (to identify key elements) it becomes countable. This technique categorises systems on the basis of key elements within, essential components without which a group cannot operate ecosystemically.
So you different unique factors in situations analysable similarly, using the generic theory. You count them to see how many there are. I recycle ancient greek terms to do that (monad, dyad, triad, tetrad, pentad, hexad, heptad for the first seven categories). The requisite conceptualising to integrate qualia with quanta in the theory comes from seeing labels as identifiers providing a unique quality to each number. The theorist must then ground this abstract system via ecosystemic relations, which requires holism to be expanded into theory.
I've spent the past 40 years doing that legwork, but Deep Green politics must make the social function of ethos more intelligible for the purpose of developing collective resilience. That it provides political activism incorporating communal synchrony of values and aspirations. That it facilitates collaboration. That it teaches conflict resolution via consensus decision-making.
Palmer in his academic silo are doing their best, no doubt, within the confines of their neolib belief system – but it's better to look deeper into motivations. Oh, the other dimension that it's essential to integrate into a deep green view of life is spirituality.
I find it hugely enthusing to read Geoffrey Palmer's thinking on democracy, particularly his suggestions of ways to lessen workload of ministers. The latter must be obvious to any who have seen the strained faces in times of calamities during recent years.
I agree too, that the loss of social cohesion due to the necessity of the life-saving covid-caused restrictions has been a real factor in our lives.
Thank you Sir Geoffrey.
From mainstream comms platform relied on by politicians, businesses, and news outlets around the world to Nazi-infested ponzi scheme with the integrity of a crypto scam.
Heck of a job, Elmo.
/
On Thursday, Twitter said it had expanded its creator monetization fund to share more ad revenue with “creators.” Who is a Twitter creator these days? Well, some of the most politically divisive figures are making the most change in Musk’s new world order.
[…]
So who were these exclusive, eligible accounts? Twitter paid out more than $20,000 to Andrew Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist who has been indicted on charges of rape and human trafficking alongside his brother in Romania.
But wait, there’s more. Ian Miles Cheong, a right-wing spin doctor who increasingly has the ear of the great overlord Musk, reported he received $16,259 on Twitter for tweets focused on subjects like fat-shaming people in TikTok videos and promoting former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social takes. Benny Johnson, a failed journalist, plagiarist, and far-right rabble-rouser, made close to $10,000. Ashley St. Clair, a Babylon Bee writer, and former mouthpiece for Turning Point USA, saw just over $7,000 hit her bank account through the Stripe direct payment app. The right-wing junk account @EndWokeness also received a payout north of $10,000.
https://gizmodo.com/right-wing-users-cash-in-on-twitter-affiliate-cash-1850640588
It makes you wonder why Labour has been so keen to adhere to their neolib culture, eh? They'd likely say `if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'.
Don't hold your breath waiting for the media to go there. Users don't doubt their paradigm that easily! However we could get a rerun of Max Headroom, the suave news presenter with a glitchy verbal style, out of AI quite soon. Would be good. Imagine satirising rightists & leftists in the same episode…
I find that it fails to convince, when politicians (or, in this case, ex-politicians) feel moved to tell us that X has the attributes of a leader.
If X (in this case, Luxon), is not demonstrating this himself – then all the telling in the world isn't going to change public opinion.
Herald (paywalled)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/paula-bennett-nationals-christopher-luxon-has-the-attributes-of-a-leader/R6W2YNB67JGU3AXVSZ4RTFIMOQ/
Archived copy
https://archive.ph/KQAKe
Nothing more than a paid (?) political advertisement!
And utterly unconvincing, coming from Paula Bennett!
And the Herald has gone to great lengths to convince us that they're not politically biased. Yeah right.
Since forever.
Complains about attacking people not ideas, then proceeds to attack people.
I was tempted to write a school report reply. (Regarding Act Paula Bennet and Luxon's name calling)
"Christopher could choose his friends more wisely and work on his social and emotional skills.'' 5/10
Wonderful paywall means I can't read Pullya Benefits poisonous waffle.
Click on the archived link in comment 8…
burn!
It's a short step from calling him Lux, as Bennett does, to wondering where do pentecostals go when they rapture to watch the world suffer bowls of judgment being poured out upon the earth. Is it planet X?
Luxon (surely not chosen for his name) worked for Unilever in Canada before taking his cleanliness even closer to God, by being a bald eagle with Air NZ.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Is+Lux+soap+a+unilver+product
So the Lux thing is a part of the campaign for the migrant worker vote?
Do we vote for a party or a leader ??
So a party … No it’s a leader release it’s manifesto then what the party stood for under the last leader doesn’t matter, example in point climate change ?? We now have by his actions someone who doesn’t believe all he believes in is vote to win and screw the consequences.
How hollow leadership we have had under labour. How the labour follows can look in the mirror ?? Disgraceful all of you
”This election was the first chance for him to fully set his own agenda for a better future.”you deserve less than National in 2002.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/07/16/chris-hipkins-reveals-labours-2023-election-slogan/
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-in-it-for-you-chris-hipkins-launches-slogan-for-labour-2023-campaign/33PUJBSVTJEZFIR5MBXUIR5DA4/
Yep, while National is busy releasing policy today … Labour is busy releasing slogans.
Jack, Labour has only released 1 slogan. Got it ?
Labour score card
slogans 1
policy 0
Is that the best you can up with, pathetic.
National’s score card:
1 slogan (since 21 May 2023; Get NZ Back To ACT)
5 talking points
3.5 non-costed policy outlines
23 flip-flops
11 U-turns
53 repeals
As National are the opposition, then their slogan would have to truthfully be:
"In it for us"
Labour's 1972 election campaign slogan "It's time" can't be beaten for brevity.
"In it for you" is arguably better, albeit wordier than "Let's do this" and "Let's keep moving", but I prefer UK Labour's failed "For the many, not the few".
If only NAct could run on an honest slogan – "For the few, not the many".
2005 – "Tax. Cut." – with just a dash of Iwi/Kiwi
2008 – "Choose a brighter future [for all?]"
2011 – "Building a brighter future [for all?]"
2014 – "Working for [all?] New Zealand" and “Keep the team that's working”
2017 – "Delivering for [all?] New Zealanders"
2020 – "Strong team. More Jobs. Better Economy" [the 1st team being Muller & Kaye]
Not to forget the 2008 slogan
"Stop waving goodbye to your loved ones"
I'll never forget that one.
In 2009 after winning the election National "reorganised" ACC; thereby shoving over 100 highly specialised OTs out of employment in NZ. My son-in-law was one of them, and the only work for him was in Australia, who were actively recruiting people with his expertise in after-care for people with brain injury at the time. So we waved goodbye to our loved ones. They have been there ever since, and are about to become Australian citizens. He is now managing 3 after care facilities in the Perth area.
At least labour are being honest with half the slogan. They’ve certainly landed NZ “in it” for years to come. Rather they left me out of it with the second part of the slogan … not in my name.
Jack – it has been obvious since your very first comment that you are not here to promote the left. Please tell me something to make me believe that you even understand the socialist perspective. Or just stop commenting in such a boring manner.
In 6 months time we'll be saying, we told ya so. If this NACT government comes in, there won't be the sinking lid approach while things degrade (Key's strategy). NACT will be a government of big change and public sector cuts, because of the ideological pull of ACT.
Look to Britain under the Tories and Oz under LNP – Luxon's been having nice long chats with members of those governments.
There will be degradation of public education, with funding shifted to for-profit academies and charter schools, de facto privatisation of medicine, for-profit prisons and bootcamps, privatisation of MSD services, as in CentreLink, privitisation or dismantling of ACC, gig-economy jobs with zero hours.
NACT are creaming their knickers thinking of all the kickbacks they'll get putting those contracts in place.
[Please correct the mistake in your email address in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]
Mod note
The country deserves better than a NACT government.
But you do a return to collecting a mortgage interest deduction against rent income and selling a rental without any CGT/brightline test.
Janet Wilson and Andrea Vance are today’s poison pen hags! Congratulations.
Janet calls Jacinda and Michael Wood insincere in their apology for the Dawn Raids. Then she confuses Muldoon and National’s state sponsored racist campaign against a particular minority with a state department continuing to make some after hours visits against no particular demographic.
Showing her evil that held her close to Judith Collins.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/132535756/the-shameuponshame-sorrynotsorry-saga-of-labours-dawn-raids-apology
Funnily enough ‘Crusher’ was long touted for being tough, but goodness forbid a Labour minister may have shouted.
Vance manages to put herself first in her column on Chippy, leaving us to wonder if she is a bigger egomaniac than the pollies. And without any complaint being filed she blames Chippy for not putting Allan in the stocks. Then, the long bow and ego working well, she considers this an example of betraying Labour’s principles somehow. Quite spectacular bullshit, which she obviously enjoyed smelling.
His unflinching pragmatism was evident in the last few weeks when he – the leader of a party founded for workers’ rights – sided with his Cabinet Minister Kiritapu Allan over allegations she treated staff badly.
https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/politics/350036677/pm-determined-win-all-costs-price-labours-soul
Does this mean that you think that 'out of hours visits' (aren't euphemisms, wonderful) are acceptable?
Carmel Sepuloni certainly doesn't appear to think that they are – under any description.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/07/11/sepuloni-unaware-dawn-raids-would-continue-after-2021-apology/
While Vance’s piece is certainly a polemic against Labour – I doubt that Ardern, et al were deliberately hypocritical. However, I think it does indicate a tendency towards political theatre, rather than hard policy work.
Which has come up again, and again, in the policy and legislation of the current government.
No- as they are not, and they should be stopped. It’s also quite a mystery as to why Immigration is in MBIE in any case…
But there is a difference between rogue miscommunication which should have been stopped and the racism in the first place.
Yes- I bloody well agree with Carmel.
It’s this poison tongue of a Nats coms operative whose party embody that racism ( watch them in Patu pull in to their function and ‘consider’ their protestors), that hasn’t apologised and that questions the sincerity of those who have.
All hands to the nasty levers. Make NZ nasty again.
Political theatre is important. Symbolism is important. The Prime Minister admitting what the state did to you and your family was wrong is important.
What are you talking about with your bland and vapid statement that it was done instead of ‘hard policy work’ which has come up again and again?
Compared to the opposition whose key justice conference policy was I don’t know I’ll tell you when you’ve all voted for us and I’ll have a guess. On something that has been conclusively shown to be a failure across the board?
Well, it very clearly wasn't supported by the required detailed policy work in the Immigration department. Take a bow: Kris Faafoi (the Minister who wanted to retire); and Michael Wood (the Minister who doesn't seem to be across detail either in his private life or, as we see now, in his job),
Political symbolism which is *not* supported by policy, ministerial direction and/or legislation – is just 'theatre' and leaves the government wide open to charges of hypocrisy.
Saying, effectively, 'the other guys are worse' doesn't do much to inspire confidence in (or willingness to vote for), the current government.
Equally just repeating your argument doesn’t make it any truer.
I would stake the integrity of both Jacinda Ardern and Michael Wood against yours any day.
That they are not perfect people or politicians are true. But also they are not on The Standard for whatever reason joining the National party poison pen club in calling an apology insincere, in the rather cowardly manner of attacking ‘political theatre’ in general.
It is for the victims and recipients of the apology to deem the their satisfaction.
So if you have a fight with your partner making assumptions- you must buy them something or any apology is insincere? It would fit the vanity of the moniker.
Their lack of compassion is evident. Kiri is not allowed to be upset by the destruction of her area, nor is she meant to be hurt by being in a failed relationship. She is supposed to be endlessly patient in the face of half complaints, whispers to the media and digs by the National Party DP. She is apologising for any hurt caused. Still the vicious tongues want Chippy to dismiss Kiri, as according to these founts of "information" she is not "being fair to workers". Their nastiness is clearly displayed.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018898507/could-a-mortgage-bomb-blow-up-borrowers
And on and on it goes. Everybody is banking on house prices increasing and capital gains to stay untaxed. Too bad for renters, first-home buyers and the next generation of Kiwis whose parents are not firmly established on the property ladder. Some folks suggest a death tax could be a solution – après moi le deluge aka over my dead body.
There is already an cgt on rentals in the brightline, add that to no tax offsetting on mortgage payments unless it's a new build, I've had anicdata of atleast one scumlord selling 10 homes due to the healthy homes rules , I reckon labours going ok on housing,
Of course 7 homes wants to change all the rules so he and his grubby mates can can prosper, they're the baddies in this show.
I agree bwaghorn. There have been more homes built of all types in Rotorua, since the last burst in 1973… 50 years ago. Our shops are open, our people are working, unlike2008 and 9.
The more new houses built – the greater the downward pressure on house prices – pulling them back into the affordable range for 'ordinary' families (we can debate 'til the cows come home on what's 'ordinary').
Increased housing availability (i.e. more houses, total) also puts downward pressure on rents – for those for whom home ownership isn't a reality (or doesn't make sense, right now).
The most important thing the government (any government) in NZ can do is pull every lever available to increase the numbers of houses being built. The drivers of poverty (both actual and comparative) all come back to housing costs….
Lovely in a purely theoretical way, but the sad thing is that current prices limit home ownership to only a small portion of society.
You seem to perfectly understand the predicament of this privileged portion.
I am a single home owner (mortgage paid off) but I have nothing but contempt for those who believe that they have done well in a 'fair' system by owning multiple properties.
Our system is not fair. It is an anti-social practice to buy properties, rent them out to poor people, then use faith in a 'fair' system to raise rents on the poor tenants, and profit-gouge them despite their obvious desperation.
Strange that the status quo is seen as fair by landlords, who all seem to be gifted with Nelsonian eyes.
Could you possibly envisage a system where rent increases were related to no more than the increase in the tenants' income?
After all, bosses’ negotiators always deny workers increases in pay by arguing that times are hard and the firm can't afford it.. And it would be – gasp – inflationary!
Yet landlords never seem to see rent increases as inflationary.
No such easy way out for poor tenants that I am aware of.
Sorry Belladonna, but the nice balance that your post portrays does not seem to stretch very far past the realm of the wealthy.
Just read your post while up for a bit InVino.
I would ad AirB&B and empty houses also work against rental the market. Commercial tax rates and rules about insurance for empty homes may help Plus a fee for each week over 6 in a year if the house is habitable. If houses are being used totally for commercial use, different tax rules should apply. imo.
The built for rent market has begun by the Govt and partners. That is a great help, as they are let at lesser rates and pressure the market downward.
until there is a crash.
Why are you concerned – phrase is used to indicate indifference to events that will happen after one’s death……
Do you believe in the intergenerational transfer of wealth?
I don’t.
You do, because you oppose any gift duty tax on the transfer “any or all estate” wealth to the children before the parental death.
Genuine estate tax regimes have a gift duty component for a reason.
Exactly.
When Key got rid of the gift tax, he misleadingly justified it by saying 'it collects very little tax' – ignoring the fact that its purpose was to prevent the wealthy from avoiding other taxes, not to collect tax itself.
National did this in Key’s first term – indicating what a priority it was for wealth worshippers like him.
You've missed my point I think.
If we are concerned about wealth why are we not concerned about it when it transfers by will or a trust to others?
Many lefties/socialists are against intergenerational wealth transfer.
That is why I suggested death duties.
I see no link between a totting up and payment of death duties at the death of a person and gift duty?
If the govt needed a belts and braces approach they could tighten up on gifts during the life of the person. I know there used to be a provision for gifting but it was explicit ie advice to IRD.
My idea is for death duties to be paid but if there is a provision for gifting still round then duties on this too. I think it used to be $27,000 pa.
They are taxed if you sell a rental within 5 years.
You want to get ahead in this country you need to invest in property and has been the case for the last 35 years.
Can't see what the complaint is honestly.
https://www.ird.govt.nz/property/buying-and-selling-residential-property/when-you-buy-and-sell
Which Nat MP would like to become the Minister of Pothole Repairs? They can pour $500M into holes and as soon as a hole opens it will be ‘fixed’ in no time. Potty as it may sound, I think this will go a long way to getting NZ back on track and there’s no smoke & mirrors here at all. I suggest a 24-hour Pothole Hotline staffed by fully-trained bilingual staff and the first pothole reporter receives a free petrol voucher.
Potholes…aka blackholes. And two hole filling "likely lads" standing, hands in pockets. Just missing a shovel each..under their arm pits.
A joke really…
Actually…when searched ..there is more than one photo of the two nerks…hands in pockets.
Barking at potholes now,
Its very smart politics, and Parker or whoever is minister of transport now simply doesn't have the time left to turn it around.
Nothing to do with the rain?
I don't think people will be fooled. They have seen the slips, they know the problems. Plus many potholes are Local Council schedule of works.
Heh! Look up the location on Google maps and use street view and check the date.
Pothole problems? Anyone for shovels? Time to get Eric Olthwaite on the job.
A three-minute YouTube video from "The Testing of Eric Olthwaite".
Thought my ears were deceiving me when I heard Lux (on pothole patrol with SB) respond to an awkward question by saying National is focussed on how to "fund tax."
Thought I'd check out Prime News a second time, on Sky channel 514, and there it was:
No link (sorry) – will keep looking. What might Lux mean? Anyone? Makes you think?
You're onto it. Freudian slip?? An oblique reference to the sovereign power of govts to customise the financial system in their domain.
An in-crowd phrase we can only guess at? Keep in mind the basis of quantitative easing: creation of money via design of credit system. Inventive finagling.
Nobody in National clever enough to do financial alchemy but can't rule out instructions from further up the global hierarchy. But hey, you never know, he may explain himself at some point in the campaign. A journalist may ponder his lingo & quiz him at a press conference. You could try asking Brian Easton (@ Pundit).
Dear Topher,
Can I call you that? Do you mind? Well, it its the arse end of your name which of course fits well with your policies, what few of them you seen fit to release. Are you waiting till the arse end of the campaign to flood us with more ill thought out garbage masquerading as policy? I refer particularly to your latest piece of stupid, juvenile, bone-headed and utterly useless idea for a Ministry of Potholes. I know who you want to be in charge of that. We all know who you want to run that outfit – Slimeon Brown. He's your current expert on everything and nothing, right?
Just thought I might put a bit of perspective on this travesty of discombobulation. Sorry, big words! Translation – here's my view on this idiocy.
1. This is already being looked after by the Transport Ministry.
2. Labour has spent 65% more than your lot did.
3. Separating out pot holes is childish, petulant, short-sighted and desperate.
4. National spent 9 years ignoring road maintenance.
5. National prioritised their mates in the trucking industry, which has been hammering our roads into oblivion ever since.
6. National let rail fall into decline, to the point where it is almost too expensive to now fix it.
If this is the best of your policies, then you need to know that running the country is not all about holes in the road. We could probably find you a corner shop to manage. It's not an airline, but, how well did you really do with that one? This policy on road holes is utterly ironic – this means that . . . . oh, never mind, it's not worth educating you.
Signed
A Labour Voter from Auckland
You may well be a Labour voter but maybe you should admit the the Opposition are right on roading.
Go right ahead vote Labour, but do it with your eyes open about the failing motorway system they alone have delivered.
The question is
Are we spending less on road maintenance than before or not?
Spending less of higher budget transport budget on maintenance is not evidence of this.
Are there problems because of a greater cost of road maintenance or greater need because of heavier trucks?
They do a report and do not answer any of these issues.
https://www.lgnz.co.nz/news-and-media/2023-media-releases/funding-for-roads-at-lowest-levels-in-a-decade/
Not Labour alone, Ad – the failing motorway that needs constant repair just North of Hamilton was not started under Labour. Don't exaggerate -it diminishes credibility.
There is a big failing in the contracting out system.
I suppose it could be said the oppo is right about roading, but they are wrong about the reasons and very wrong about the solution. Anyway, in their plan it's not 500 mill in new money, they will be robbing Peter to pay Paul. Your responses –
1. Details: The MOT is the umbrella and LTSA is under their purview.
2. Look at who's been in power since 1950 – Natz 48 years, Labour 28 years
3. Right on! Natz and their long haul truckie mates. As to a weak system – well, how much do you trust civil servants? Half of them could be Nat supporters and consequently drag the chain on projects. I've heard it said.
4. Not vanity projects – needed expansion to services. If they'd only listened to Robbie all those years ago . . . .
5. Yep, and there we have it. Can imagine the knock down drag 'em out fight Labour would have had rolling back an established set up like that? Trucks are so established now as the default transport option. There would have been ramifications and repercussions of almost unmanageable proportions.
6. They did, and it was still not enough, and it would still never be enough because a certain government sold the railways, who then bought cheap and nasty rolling stock, closed the railway workshops and downgraded the support services.
Not sure who you'll be voting for but when I step back and take a long look at the 2 options available I sure know who's gonna do the mahi for the good of us all.
Minister of potholes (the mop) is veering very close to monty python territory…
Will they get their own named SUV's to belt around in…?
'yay..!..here comes mop..!'
And finally, the apology that Kiri Allen should have made in the first place, smoothed over with the thick icing of Hipkins trying not to lose another Minister:
"Kiri is a talented Minister who makes a huge contribution to our government. It's important we have a diversity of views, voices and experiences around the Cabinet table and Kiri's recent experiences only adds to that," he said.
"In our discussions, Kiri did acknowledge that in her passion for her work she sets high standards and high expectations of herself and her staff, but staff and officials must be treated with respect, and there is clear guidance for MPs around that.
"Kiri agrees with me on that."
Hipkins also pointed to Allan's recent health struggles.
"When you add the fact Kiri has battled and overcome cancer in that time plus some personal challenges it's understandable that she was feeling under pressure," he said.
"Regardless, I've made my expectations to Ministers around their conduct crystal clear and Kiri has agreed to focus on the way she interacts with those around her and make improvements where necessary.
"When she returns to work Kiri will receive extra coaching to support her to create the positive working environment both of us are committed to."
https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/07/14/kiri-allan-to-return-to-work-resume-full-duties-pm-announces/
It would be great to see, finally, public servants treated with respect and assholes who are also ministers stop being assholes in the first place and enable public servants to get on with the job without massive media coverage, mental health leave, and the Prime Minister having to repeatedly step in.
Got it in one Ad.
This saga was different in that a PS did go public.
Usually they just have to put up with it and cover up so that their staff do not get disenchanted and stop working the 60 hour weeks that some do, to get stuff up the line and then to the Minister.
A named public servant?
If a public servant (other than a CEO) is named by a Minister, the Minister should be fired. Public servants have the right not to be doxxed by the political order – even if they are married to them.
For me, as a long term public servant, it was significant enough that they made a comment unnamed, bearing in mind this is not done. Not sure I would have done this but I accept that things must have been pretty bad and in danger of being slotted into the usual 'blame the PS' for this to happen.
The moral of the story is that people need to be considerate towards each other in the work-place. Natural justice must be applied to the situation when a transgression occurs. I see no evidence that the govt does this routinely.
Therefore there is systemic dysfunction in how the govt of the day & the public service interact. That is untenable. Both Labour & National have been delinquent in creating this over the long-term and both are responsible for the ongoing harm done to participants. As long as they maintain their lack of transparency folks won't have confidence that they are getting it right.
Ultimately the whistleblower law is available to victims but only if the offending ascends to trigger the threshold. Until then the coercion is effective in keeping the victim silent. Maintaining this status quo is unethical. Naughty, even.
I agree with Ad that Hipkins did okay trying to clean up the mess. If he's on the ball he'll tell voters that Labour will rectify the procedural problem. Unlikely.
Totally disagree.
As someone who helps people survive public servants, I want more Minsters keeping these people in line, so they are not fucking with peoples lives. Not this free hand to make shit up, as they seem to do on a weekly basis.
Also the amount of undermining of this government from public servants has gone right into the realms of utter fucking bullshit.
We don;t have a public service, we have ideological hacks working in government departments pushing unelected agendas.
Yes you say this about the
But do you have any proof or are these just reckons?
Proof is fine but reckons are just that 'reckons'. Many people don't realise how the process of Govt works with Govt Depts working to their Minister. Some people get confused when a Govt Dept has an authority under legislation and in most of these cases the Minister cannot/should not intervene. Some legislation does have an ability for the Minister to direct but most avoid getting into this situation as it is not a good look for a Minister.
Some examples would be good.
After your beige splaining, I was struck by the fact your not that clear on what your asking for. So let me try to see if this fits the bill.
To the second part – ideological ministries. One obvious example is treasury. If you can't see that, then sorry for you. Another recent example is MSD, and the implementation of a new disability ministry. Lets leave aside the perfectly meaningless newspeak they have run with, and just run with the fact it's a ideological shit fest.
Examples of the public service are off the hook, the shitfuckry around the first Minister of Housing. The under mining of the last two ministers of Broadcasting. The Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, if you think that everyone has been playing ball on that one, I have some NFT's I like to sell you.
That will do, the list could go on, but as I live in the real world, not the ruff and thumble world of the wellington bubble – I'll stop.
Ok so no valid examples just strong words.
Treasury for instance has to investigate and have knowledge about financial systems etc befor they can prepare papers for Ministers.
Govt depts in their work have to prepare papers to Ministers covering all options. Ministers make the final decision. Do you want only a single option put forward. That is dangerous stuff.
You don't give details about the MSD, (let alone links) . It may be about legislation that MSD has to operate. For a Minister to direct, even to suggest, that a piece of legislation not be applied is dangerous stuff too.
Muldoon found this out to his cost. Most minister's have learned from this not to intervne into the operation of legislation governing the operation of the departments.
WOW you did live in a bubble.
As promised
https://opensea.io/
https://twitter.com/realshearwater/status/1680456688124719104
They could have borrowed – for the many not the few – if they had gone ahead with a wealth tax.
But continuing with the let's do this, let's keep moving approach would just remind people how much the price of items in the salad had gone up.
Hopefully the ewe people will be successfully herded to the polling booth.
Both seem to be in it for billionaires.
I would have quite liked’ Let’s Spread The Wealth’ That, I could respond to.
I really don't think that Hipkins will be keen on any slogan with the word "spread" in it!
Words with pleasant connotations are preferable to words with even neutral ones..
I never thought of that in connection with the old song " – 'Neath the Spreading Chestnut Tree.'
I like it.
"Get out there and spread your wealth!"
ACT have just released their party list (I know, I can hear the peanut calls from here).
But, at no. 11 is Cameron Luxton.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/132554781/act-releases-candidate-list-mp-james-mcdowall-to-retire
Based on the current polling, no. 11 is almost certainly going to get into Parliament.
Going to be significant confusion in the House with Luxon (Nat), Luxton (ACT) and [if Jo Luxton gets back in on the list – probably not going to hold Rangitata – nothing to do with her, but it's a true blue rural seat and only went Labour in 2020], Luxton (Labour)
Funny how conspiracy cranks like Jnr eventually get to the Jews.
/
Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dished out wild COVID-19 conspiracy theories this week during a press event at an Upper East Side restaurant, claiming the bug was a genetically engineered bioweapon that may have been “ethnically targeted” to spare Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people.
[…]
“COVID-19. There is an argument that it is ethnically targeted. COVID-19 attacks certain races disproportionately,” Kennedy said. “COVID-19 is targeted to attack Caucasians and black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.”
“We don’t know whether it was deliberately targeted or not but there are papers out there that show the racial or ethnic differential and impact,” Kennedy hedged.
https://nypost.com/2023/07/15/rfk-jr-says-covid-was-ethnically-targeted-to-spare-jews/amp/
Look on the bright side, at least he can get through a sentence without a teleprompter. US politics is just a bloody mess.
From a political marketing perspective it ain't silly. Just think how many folks would get spooked by a jewish-chinese axis in geopolitics.