Either he is a true capitalist and will sell his soul for a profit (Which he appears to have done) or the wisdom of F.Gump is held to be true again !!! đ
To be fair I don’t think hes trying to supplement his income so I don’t think hes guilty of scalping but definately guilty of something even worse, a dumb arse
Prepare for a deluge of outraged skeptics arguing passionately and furiously that leading players in the climate change debate have paid someone $US100k to develop teaching materials specifically designed towards, in their own words, “dissuading teachers from teaching science”
Reckoned if I typed ‘climategate’ into the search bar I’d get a list of regular rightish commenters with dozens if not hundreds of hits.
Also reckon they’ll have fuck all to say about this.
And that Bob Carter joker who has often said that he isn’t funded for his research by lobby gropups or what have you, and that scientists are under enormous pressure to ‘conform’ in order to get funding? Now saying that the monthly cheques he’s been getting from the heartland institute don’t influence him any way, that disclosing them would be quaint, and that no scientists would ever let funding issues influence their work.
They get to believe humans are at the center of the universe, and the people pulling their strings own the oil and car companies, as layed out by the doners to the Heartland Institute, they make TONS of money…
& âWe will also pursue additional support from the Charles G. Koch Foundation. They returned as a Heartland donor in 2011 with a contribution of $200,000. We expect to push up their level of support in 2012 and gain access to their network of philanthropists, if our focus continues to align with their interests. Other contributions will be pursued for this work, especially from corporations whose interests are threatened by climate policies.â
ââŠIn the years of conscious, self-inflicted decline at home, âlossesâ continued to mount elsewhere.
In the past decade for the first time in 500 years –
– South America has taken successful steps to free itself from western domination â another serious loss.
The region has moved towards integration â and has begun to address some of the terrible internal problems of societies ruled by mostly Europeanized elites –
– tiny islands of extreme wealth in a sea of misery.
They have also rid themselves of all U.S. military bases and of IMF controls.
A newly formed organization, CELAC, includes all countries of the hemisphere apart from the U.S. and Canada.
If it actually functions â that would be another step in American decline –
– in this case in what has always been regarded as âthe backyard.â..â
Tho I didnt put this on open mike thru the Standards censorship this where it now resides……
It was by far funnier on the “sell sell sell” post…:-)
[lprent: It wasn’t censored, it was moved because it was a classic example of diversion trolling being off topic to anything in the post. You have just wasted my time again having to respond. It is not particularly wise to do that because I tend to take action to reduce the dumbarse problem wasting my time. Read the policy. ]
Hi Lprent, will Mallard get the same educational ban from Parliament for his repeated stupidity ??
Just asking.
[lprent: Ask Lockjaw. He runs the house, I don’t. In much the same way that Lockjaw doesn’t run this site, I do. But your question was rather imprecise. You probably should direct it to the leader of the Labour parliamentary party – David Shearer.
This is rather obvious. Why are you bothering me with the question (and wasting my time)? ]
Television New Zealand has dumped the Labour leader’s weekly appearance on its Breakfast show, telling David Shearer it’s not about him “as a person”.
[…]
In a letter back to Labour, TVNZ said the Prime Minister was a newsmaker in his own right and the state broadcaster was merely doing what it always had.
The leader of the Opposition had only featured weekly during election years.
“This is not an issue about the person, merely a decision about the position, and we have been consistent with that through Labour and National administrations.
“The Breakfast team has already shown its willingness to invite Mr Shearer on to the programme when he is a legitimate newsmaker and is setting the agenda on a story.”
So Key’s distractions from the significant political issues by chasing photo ops, is not about the person, and is about Key “setting the agenda”?
It’s pretty obvious that TVNZ think Shearer is boring, and they don’t want him on their station unless they absolutely have to have him there, whereas they consider Key to be prime ‘talent’ that will draw viewers regardless of what he’s talking about.
It’s pretty obvious TVNZ only take an interest in Opposition leaders in election year because they can’t rule out the possibility they might win and therefore take charge of the purse strings. In the meantime it’s a case of sucking up to JK for all their worth because he’s got his hands on the money bags.
Experience has taught me to take the most cynical line at all times because it is invariably the right one. đ
Good question….. How about I write to my MP and ask what they would do. Of course their answer might be different from the legal requirement because it’s different when Labour do it.
If I embraced socialism I would have asked you to pay for me to go and I would have made you pay more than the cost of me going to cover the transaction cost of extracting the money from you.
Then if I discovered you could afford that I would have made you pay for my transport costs to and from the event as well; plus a transaction cost to extract that money from you.
Actually if I had embraced socialism I would pass a law to make sure other people couldn’t do this then do it myself – And I’d claim it was OK when I did it…..
A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral.
Leo Tolstoy.
The Auckland council has a $300m hole it its budget from the IT systems blow out…
“Making matters worse for ratepayers, the council has only budgeted $150 million for the $450 million cost over the next eight years. This has left a $300 million shortfall that will have to be borrowed or paid for from rates at a time of economic hardship”
Ask Rodney Hide, he & his transition agency set the budget for this and if i am not mistaken public opinion at the time suggested their budget (150m) was way under.
Blame RH not the current Auckland Council.
IT was partially and poorly amalgamated until the money ran out then left for the akl ratepayer and the new council to sort out by Hide and co.
That’s probably why Ford threw his watercare CIO into the top job at Supercity as most other CIO’s would’ve run a mile as it was time bomb as the folk who were rolled off one by one as the money ran out had not finished the task at hand.
The real elephant is having a unified ratings system across the entire region hooked up to a single billing engine…don’t hold your breath just keep your wallet open ratepayers.
Another shonky effort to open up land, carve out the water and divert attention away from grabbing more public assets brought to you by the NACT who’ve moved onto chch.
Eyecandy? Isn’t it great we have a deaf MP, who needs to read lips to follow debates but can’t because its the view of many she should just sit there and look pretty, and damnit, pay for her own eyeglasses (I presume she does already).
But there is a very low tech solution to the problem, if the speaker had the capitalist gene that is.
Simple place a camera above and behind the speaker, then have all members talk directly to the speakers chair (using the new MS movement recognition box), it will wind MPs up so much that they’d all put their hands in their pockets to have the already taking of members spoken word to text redirected to her. And would that be so bad, I mean why can’t we get the Maori translation on parliament TV also.
errr…. how do we know those in the photos / videos wearing camo gear and handling guns were the four defendants in the dock?
How come there has been all this persecution / prosecution of activists whilst it has been impossible to get the Police, the SFO or the Finance Markets Authority to lift a finger and charge John Banks or Don Brash as former fellow Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, who equally signed Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009, which contained untrue statements?
So â how come only ONE Director â Peter Huljich â was ever charged?
How about ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ‘WHITE COLLAR’ CRIME?
Penny Bright [email deleted]
[lprent: moved to OpenMike. Tacking a sentence on the top doesn’t obviate that the bulk of the comment was well out of content wasn’t anything to do with the post you dropped it in. ]
[lprent: moved to OpenMike. Tacking a sentence on the top doesn’t obviate that the bulk of the comment was well out of content wasn’t anything to do with the post you dropped it in. ]
I don’t share your view at all on this point.
It is to do with the criminalising of dissent whilst effectively doing nothing about the corrupt ‘gang’ of ‘white collar’ criminals who run New Zealand?
Interesting that it is exactly the same prosecutor in both the Urewera and Occupy Auckland court cases – Ross Burns.
Ever heard of ‘State capture’?
The form of grand corruption which, in my considered opinion as an anti-corruption campaigner, is ENDEMIC in NZ?
‘State capture’ is where vested interests get their way at the ‘policy’ level – before legislation is passed which serves their interests.
That’s where the NZ Business Round Table focussed.
On ‘policy’.
Take any issue and check out the ‘Regulatory Impact Reports /Statement’ and see with whom policy analysts and the like are ‘consulting’……
Penny Bright
Named Respondent
Auckland Council v The Occupiers of Aotea Square
CIV-2011-404-8284
Interesting how TODAY the ACT Party are announcing their new âLeaderâ?
Whom exactly the National Party âBâ Team âLeaderâ is going to âleadâ is a fair question â is it not?
Is Catherine Isaac going to be the new ACT Party Leader?
If so â does Catherine Isaac support ACT stated policy of âONE LAW FOR ALLâ?
(We know that current ACT MP for Epsom John Banks obviously doesnât).
Former ACT Leader Rodney Hide does.
PROOF that the former (deposed) Leader of the ACT Party, Rodney Hide, supports âONE LAW FOR ALLâ and agrees that one law for all should equally apply to ACT MP for Epsom, John Banks, and former ACT Party Leader Don Brash, who as fellow former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management equally signed registered prospectuses that contained untrue statements:
Rodney Hide was a guest with Willie Jackson on Radio Live, Friday 20 January 2012, from 1 â 3pm.
I rang and asked the following questions:
âRodney, you were the former Leader of the ACT Party.
Do you believe in âone law for allâ?â
Rodney Hideâs reply â âYesâ.
âDo you believe that one law for all should equally apply to ACT MP for Epsom, John Banks, and former ACT Party Leader Don Brash, who as fellow former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management equally signed registered prospectuses that contained untrue statements?â
Rodney Hideâs reply â âYesâ.
(This was on approximately the 85th minute of the show â about 15mm from the end using the âposition sliderâ).
[lprent: When there are a lot of e-mail addresses on this site I get an increase in bots coming to harvest them for the spam bots. Since there are a lot of them and they almost all come from overseas they impact on my overseas traffic. We get some expensive excess charging on overseas traffic ($3+GST per GB) so I take every opportunity to reduce it because in the worst periods it has nearly doubled our server costs.
I find that the best way to prevent it being a problem is to not have any identifiable e-mail addresses on the site in recent posts and comments. Then they try, go away, and don’t come back for a while.
You can put e-mail addresses in human readable form like “waterpressure at gmail”, or even better just point then to the e-mail address page on your site. Even fixing the URL you use so people can click on it (.nzz ?). Just don’t use something that encourages the vermin to come here. ]
This is the type of government services that the government is bringing about with it’s incessant cuts.
Beverley Wakem says the public watchdog has a bulging backlog of cases because it lacks investigators, with underpaid staff leaving and in some cases literally being worked to death.
You’ll also note that that’s an article about the Ombudsman – the public service that’s there to hold the government to account.
Sometime this year, we taxpayers may again receive another ‘Economic Stimulus’ payment. This is indeed a very exciting program for Australians, and I’ll explain it by using a Q & A format:
Q. What is an ‘Economic Stimulus’ payment ?
A. It is money that the government will send to taxpayers.
Q. Where will the government get this money ?
A. From taxpayers.
Q. So the government is giving me back my own money ?
A. Only a smidgen of it.
Q. What is the purpose of this payment ?
A. The plan is for you to use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.
Q. But isn’t that stimulating the economy of China ?
A. Shut up.
Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the NZ. Economy by spending your stimulus cheque wisely:
If you spend the stimulus money at The Warehouse, the money will go to China or Sri Lanka …
If you spend it on petrol, your money will go to the Arabs.
If you purchase a computer, it will go to India , Taiwan , Malaysia or China ..
If you purchase fruit and vegetables, it will go to Mexico , Philippines and Australia .
If you buy an efficient car, it will go to Japan or Korea
If you purchase useless stuff, it will go to Taiwan ..
If you pay your credit cards off, or buy stock, it will go to management bonuses and they will hide it offshore.
Instead, keep the money in NZ by:
1) Spending it at garage sales..
2) Going to the footy.
3) Spending it on prostitutes or
4) Beer or
5) Tattoos.
(These are the only NZ BUSINESSES STILL OPERATING HERE)
Conclusion:
Go to a footy game with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a garage-sale and drink beer all day!
Milford/Hollyford/Dart Tunnel: submissions to DOC closes next Monday. DOC have said they intend to grant the concessions for this tunnel, which will be a private road for select tourism operators only. It’s planned to cross two National Parks. This is another contemporary but private ‘think big’, profit-for-the-rich-boys project, with very little benefit to kiwis, and major negative impact to the National parks esp on the Fiordland side. It would also enable the argument to be put for a road to the West Coast, and then the top road from the Coast to Golden Bay.
I think numbers will really count in the submission process, so if you feel this is important, even a brief submission will be important. The deadline has been extended a month to Feb 20th.
Oh joy! Another “new” think tank consisting of overpaid CEO’s. I can’t wait for them to recommend ways of increasing their own wealth. This bit from Fran OâSullivan has to take the cake:
The published “strategies” to engage with major countries like China and India are also woefully silent on strategic “what ifs” and risk analysis.
And when the Government is having to face down a woefully misinformed public over the realities of bilateral free trade and investment deals – as with the Crafar farms – business has stood on the sidelines.
Australian CEOs also seem less wary when it comes to engaging with journalists (they are used to operating in a robust environment which at times verges on feral). But in this country they are less forward.
She thinks a think tank can better strategize on how to sell off our assets. Yeah! What if National ignores the law and tries to manipulate the public with claims of racism, Fran? What if the court rule against the governments decision… are they also woefully misinformed and xenophobic?
Speaking of engaging, I notice that she didn’t once respond to The Standards excellent post concerning the matter. What a coward!
….a panel of leading international environmental scientists declared in London on Friday. The solution, they said, may not lie with governments at all.
“We are disillusioned. The current political system is broken,” said Bob Watson, the UK government’s chief environmental science advisor, who chaired the meeting.
The panel, all winners of the prestigious Blue Planet prize, often seen as the Nobel prize for environmental science, were meeting to prepare a statement for the Earth Summit 2012, to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June â 20 years after the original Earth Summit in that city.
The world has wasted the intervening years, the group said. Ecosystems are disappearing ever faster, the world is still warming, and two 1992 treaties, on climate change and species loss, have failed to achieve their aims. Governments, the group said, were largely to blame.
Sounds good! Government’s and other factions are becoming ever more controlling of social media networks, which are also becoming more commercialized. Something that can bypass all of that would be great! Having information readily available not dependent on commercial and other manipulatory interests would be helpful.
It’d be fun to write. Probably less fun to deal with the assorted egos of those Who’d be attracted to such a project. But I fail to see why they haven’t just have a look though sourceforge and the like…
That got me interested and thinking. You still need an initial access point into the net though as far as I can tell.
I was thinking though just like we played Doom locally, as to the best of my knowledge still can, by putting in each others phone number, I wonder if it would be possible to set up local mesh networks in NZ that could take advantage of free local calling. The ISP/host type cost would simply be the cost of a second local phone line running 24/7.
Before the days of broadband I ran a second phone-line 24/7 just for internet.
There’s clearly more people here who understand this technology better than me but if this was possible I could see that you could set up local peoples networks for instance completely bypassing the normal internet.
Here’s one place that seems to have saved plenty by using this technology:
Is there a way to make sure that this is not just another talk shop, for “assorted egos” in love with their own cleverness?
But instead become an international organising centre?
Could a true Global Commons be able to act on the real world to influence events and bring about change?
Could it be able to reach into the mainstream media?
Would it be able to reach across borders even in war time?
Could it connect people of good will on both sides of seemingly intractable disputes from disparate cultures and languages?
Could it be a resource informed by the most advanced study and scientific advice on what needs to be done to save our world and society from complete global economic and environmental collapse?
Could it be a safe haven for whistle blowers and insiders appalled at what is happening to their world?
Could it mobilise millions and even billions to take actions to save our planet?
Can it be made immune from governmental shut down or censorship, on behalf of entrenched vested interest?
Could it combine the best of Wikipedia, Wikileaks, and the Arab Spring on a global scale?
Could it be a global force for change?
Lynn, What I am asking, is this a worthwhile project, or not?
drop in finance costs of about $266 million by 2016.
But the trade-off is the loss of an estimated $200 million in dividends by 2016 and the loss of $360 million in forecast foregone profits in the same year.
By selling the assets we save $266mil on interest but lose $360mil on profits from owning the assets -> Net position NZ is poorer by $100mil over 4 years unless I’m misreading that.
Aside from this official admission of the ridiculousness of this asset sale in the first place, this:
The Government campaigned at the last election on selling a stake in the SOEs and Finance Minister Bill English today defended not making today’s figures available before the election to inform the debate.
That was because the Government had not made decisions “which would then trigger Treasury incorporating events in the forecast”.
“Since the pre-election fiscal update the government has confirmed its plans to proceed with cabinet decisions and initial work has now been completed.”
Wait what?
Back in November the Ombudsman said the decision has already been made -> is already Government policy -> cannot disclose advice that affects the potential decision.
But now English says they hadn’t made the decision until after the election so this Treasury advice they had before the election was kept secret.
This means either:
1: the Ombudsman has been misled for political gain at the election
2: the Ombudsman decision was not correct
3: the Ombudsman participated in misleading the public for political gain in favor of the Government.
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As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their âfutureâ amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected â and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers â as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP â critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori âstrenuouslyâ objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to âtheirâ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – âAn SEP,â he said, âis something that we canât see, or donât see, or our brain doesnât let us see, because we think that itâs somebody elseâs problem. Thatâs what SEP means. Somebody Elseâs Problem. The brain just edits it out, itâs like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper â released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today ….  Buzz from the Beehive There we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Petersâ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard âboilerplateâ Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of âbenignâ becoming âmalignâ and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review â The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didnât make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalemâs statement â âImplementation of âCass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – ITâS A COMMONPLACEÂ of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: âWeâll govern for all New Zealanders.â On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
 Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-rightâs plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
A senior, highly respected Kingâs Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga MÄori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealandâs growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesnât know or care about the frontline cuts sheâs making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. Â ...
Todayâs Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and itâs only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. âThis is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. âThe government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicineâ, said Ayesha Verrall âThis is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoonâs interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour childrenâs spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te PÄti MÄori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veteransâ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veteransâ affairs spokesperson Greg OâConnor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxonâs management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonightâs court decision to overturn the summons of the Childrenâs Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about MÄori without evidence, says Te PÄti MÄori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. âThe judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last yearâs severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labourâs environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our countryâs most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Governmentâs Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a âget out of jail freeâ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te PÄti MÄori Justice Spokesperson, TÄkuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, MÄori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealandâs good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National governmentâs lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. Â âThe immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Governmentâs school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealandâs next Ambassador to the United States of America.  âOur relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,â Mr Peters says.  âNew Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. âNew Zealand was built on gold, itâs in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is âan Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhereâ and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. âThis is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASAâs Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. âOur Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECDâs latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its membersâ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli.  ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Councilâs Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today.  "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Councilâs Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today.  Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. âThese reforms are long overdue. New Zealandâs insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. âThree years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. âBeing able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canadaâs refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ânext moveâ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Childrenâs Commissioner. âThe Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.    âThe coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. âOur Governmentâs thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening â  Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealandâs foreign policy, weâd like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âCreating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northlandâs marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. âThis is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the countryâs total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. âThe beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ć-RÄkau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mĆ Ć-RÄkau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ć-RÄkau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Governmentâs plan to supercharge New Zealandâs EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four â and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Governmentâs plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. âI have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People â Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Governmentâs plan to restore law and order. âSpeaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealandâs human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). âNew Zealandâs goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. âIâm putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure âone stop shopâ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. âThe NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
WhÄnau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. âGiving these whÄnau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Governmentâs goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave OâSullivan (OBE). âOur sympathies are with the OâSullivan family with the sad news of Dave OâSullivanâs recent passing,â Mr Peters says. âHis contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmacâs largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff.  âAccess to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwisâ lives. Weâve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,â says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. âWe know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,â Dr Reti says. âEvery day, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. Theyâre busy restoring Australiaâs native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? âAsher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, letâs embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last yearâs election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party.When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a âgritty, wrenching and highly confrontingâ series. By ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iranâs leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courierâs front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as âsensationalisedâ and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use âother avenues to gain its independenceâ should the PNG government âcontinue ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was âa bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister thatâs ever been out there.âSome think thatâs ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoaâs 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old whoâs studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: PÄkehÄ/MÄori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered âbondsâ as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as âthe long goodbyeâ. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
Lili Tokaduadua was only 15 when she left her family in Fiji to pursue her netball dream in New Zealand. Sheâd been playing the sport for 10 years and was offered a netball scholarship at Aucklandâs Howick College. Now, in her first year out of high school, the 19-year-old defender ...
The beloved local grocers lost a legal challenge to stop a new cycleway outside their store. Joel MacManus reports. In the annals of New Zealand legal history, there are a few brave people who have dared to stand up to the powers that be, no matter how bleak the odds ...
How what we produce and what we eat connects us to the world beyond our shores, visualised. Walking around a supermarket or vege shop, it might be obvious that everything on the shelves came from somewhere. But you might ...
Thirty years on from Rwandaâs genocide, is guilt over the atrocities is blinding the world to the true nature of its current leadership? The post The repressive underside of Rwanda’s regime appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: Last week, important recommendations for our criminal justice system were made by the international community. Every five years, each member of the United Nations has its human rights practices reviewed. This rolling event â the Universal Periodic Review â is the culmination of a government reporting on its human ...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza â H5N1, or bird flu â has been flying around the world since the late 1990s. New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands are so far free of it, but now it’s been discovered in mainland Antarctica and scientists say it’s only a matter of time ...
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The following interview with auto electrician and former caver Stu Berendt, 68, of Charleston on the West Coast, came about because he was part of the caving team that found the rare and amazing fossil remains of the giant Haast eagle, the subject of one of the year’s best books, ...
A $1.8b funding boost for Pharmac still won’t enable it to buy more drugs, raising questions about the Government’s approach to the agency The post Can Pharmac do more with the same pot of money? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Professor Jemma Geoghegan, of the University of Otago, Otakou Whakaihu Waka, co-leads a Te Niwha project aimed at understanding how and where avian influenza could affect Aotearoa New Zealand, as the highly infectious H5N1 virus spreads globally. The virus has now spread to all continents except Oceania and was recently ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Stokan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County If you live in one of the most economically deprived neighborhoods in your city, you might think the government is directing a smaller share of public funds to your community. ...
Wansolwara The news mediaâs crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacificâs Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled âA moment of frictionâ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Taylor, Assistant Professor, Bond University Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures At the crux of the critical response to Luca Guadagninoâs new movie Challengers is one word: âsexyâ. The film charts a love triangle between three up-and-coming tennis players: Tashi (Zendaya), ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Stewart, Professor of Public Policy, ADFA Canberra, UNSW Sydney For years, First Nations people have been telling governments they want to be listened to. In particular, they want more ownership of the programs and services that are supposed to help them. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Why do trees have bark? Julien, age 6, Melbourne. This is a great question, Julien. We are so familiar with bark on trees, that most of us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Nasser, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament in the knee. It runs from the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) and helps stabilise ...
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 I covered the May 2 United Kingdom local government elections for The Poll Bludger. The Blackpool South parliamentary byelection was also held, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna Grant-Smith, Professor of Management, University of the Sunshine Coast The federal government has announced a âCommonwealth Prac Paymentâ to support selected groups of students doing mandatory work placements. Those who are studying to be a teacher, nurse, midwife or social ...
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6426246/Mallard-sells-festival-tickets-online-at-profit
Perception is everything I guess
Yeah a politician acting like a politician, they all need shooting
Stupid, Mallard. Why did you need to do that? rather than, say, giving them away?
Either he is a true capitalist and will sell his soul for a profit (Which he appears to have done) or the wisdom of F.Gump is held to be true again !!! đ
FFS, I am agreeing with you Chris – a very stupid act by Trev.
To be fair I don’t think hes trying to supplement his income so I don’t think hes guilty of scalping but definately guilty of something even worse, a dumb arse
Man oh man.
Prepare for a deluge of outraged skeptics arguing passionately and furiously that leading players in the climate change debate have paid someone $US100k to develop teaching materials specifically designed towards, in their own words, “dissuading teachers from teaching science”
http://bit.ly/xwkcHZ
Reckoned if I typed ‘climategate’ into the search bar I’d get a list of regular rightish commenters with dozens if not hundreds of hits.
Also reckon they’ll have fuck all to say about this.
And that Bob Carter joker who has often said that he isn’t funded for his research by lobby gropups or what have you, and that scientists are under enormous pressure to ‘conform’ in order to get funding? Now saying that the monthly cheques he’s been getting from the heartland institute don’t influence him any way, that disclosing them would be quaint, and that no scientists would ever let funding issues influence their work.
http://www.readfearn.com/2012/02/bob-carter-responds-to-heartland-leak/
Hahahaha.
Sort of wonder what motivates these deniers. What do they get out of their positions? Money? Fame?
They get to believe humans are at the center of the universe, and the people pulling their strings own the oil and car companies, as layed out by the doners to the Heartland Institute, they make TONS of money…
On Heartland Institute leak.. #deniergate
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/15/leak-exposes-heartland-institute-climate
& âWe will also pursue additional support from the Charles G. Koch Foundation. They returned as a Heartland donor in 2011 with a contribution of $200,000. We expect to push up their level of support in 2012 and gain access to their network of philanthropists, if our focus continues to align with their interests. Other contributions will be pursued for this work, especially from corporations whose interests are threatened by climate policies.â
http://www.desmogblog.com/heartland-institute-exposed-internal-documents-unmask-heart-climate-denial-machine
&
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2012/feb/15/leaked-heartland-institute-documents-climate-scepticism
$ a pdf of Heartland Institutes 2012 budget, including scientists on the payroll
http://t.co/kFZPMhks
http://whoar.co.nz/2012/noam-chomsky-the-imperial-way-american-decline-in-perspective-part-2/
ââŠIn the years of conscious, self-inflicted decline at home, âlossesâ continued to mount elsewhere.
In the past decade for the first time in 500 years –
– South America has taken successful steps to free itself from western domination â another serious loss.
The region has moved towards integration â and has begun to address some of the terrible internal problems of societies ruled by mostly Europeanized elites –
– tiny islands of extreme wealth in a sea of misery.
They have also rid themselves of all U.S. military bases and of IMF controls.
A newly formed organization, CELAC, includes all countries of the hemisphere apart from the U.S. and Canada.
If it actually functions â that would be another step in American decline –
– in this case in what has always been regarded as âthe backyard.â..â
(cont..)
[email look alike deleted].
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6426246/Mallard-sells-festival-tickets-online-at-profit
Mallard seems to have “sell sell sell” sorted!
đ
[lprent: off topic – moved to OpenMike. Don’t waste my time. ]
Tho I didnt put this on open mike thru the Standards censorship this where it now resides……
It was by far funnier on the “sell sell sell” post…:-)
[lprent: It wasn’t censored, it was moved because it was a classic example of diversion trolling being off topic to anything in the post. You have just wasted my time again having to respond. It is not particularly wise to do that because I tend to take action to reduce the dumbarse problem wasting my time. Read the policy. ]
No one held a gun to your head lprent…maybe you need a happy pill in your morning coffee…
[lprent: Two week educational ban for repeated stupidity. ]
Hi Lprent, will Mallard get the same educational ban from Parliament for his repeated stupidity ??
Just asking.
[lprent: Ask Lockjaw. He runs the house, I don’t. In much the same way that Lockjaw doesn’t run this site, I do. But your question was rather imprecise. You probably should direct it to the leader of the Labour parliamentary party – David Shearer.
This is rather obvious. Why are you bothering me with the question (and wasting my time)? ]
So TVNZ puts commercial logic over political balance?
And what’s the it’s not about him “as a person”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6427529/TVNZ-show-dumps-Labour-leader
So Key’s distractions from the significant political issues by chasing photo ops, is not about the person, and is about Key “setting the agenda”?
It’s pretty obvious that TVNZ think Shearer is boring, and they don’t want him on their station unless they absolutely have to have him there, whereas they consider Key to be prime ‘talent’ that will draw viewers regardless of what he’s talking about.
It’s pretty obvious TVNZ only take an interest in Opposition leaders in election year because they can’t rule out the possibility they might win and therefore take charge of the purse strings. In the meantime it’s a case of sucking up to JK for all their worth because he’s got his hands on the money bags.
Experience has taught me to take the most cynical line at all times because it is invariably the right one. đ
Oh dear, they’ve failed to take into account people like me. I switch channels the second I see “beloved Leader” appear or hear his voice! đ
Hi guys, I have some tickets to Homegrown – Anyone want to pay me 73% over the face value?
[deleted]
[lprent: no emails please. It causes email scraping bots to look at the site. Which reminds me. Time to deal with penny brights habits ]
nah thanks burt I am already sorted but I am interested to know if you will be paying tax on your profit?
David C
Good question….. How about I write to my MP and ask what they would do. Of course their answer might be different from the legal requirement because it’s different when Labour do it.
In breaking news, Burt embraces socialism; decries workings of the free market. Later: Spinning noise heard in Rand crypt, details at ten.
If I embraced socialism I would have asked you to pay for me to go and I would have made you pay more than the cost of me going to cover the transaction cost of extracting the money from you.
Then if I discovered you could afford that I would have made you pay for my transport costs to and from the event as well; plus a transaction cost to extract that money from you.
burt, that’s capitalism and you’ve already embraced that.
Actually if I had embraced socialism I would pass a law to make sure other people couldn’t do this then do it myself – And I’d claim it was OK when I did it…..
ââŠBeing a vegan can come with considerable criticism and questions.
Some are well-founded, but others ⊠not so much.
Letâs debunk some of the more prevalent myths about being a veganâŠâ
http://whoar.co.nz/2012/infographic-veganism-myths-debunked/
[email look alike deleted].
A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral.
Leo Tolstoy.
Maybe it’s not the right day to be talking about people who “sell, sell, sell” đ
[lprent: Despite the attempt to make it relevant to the post, it is still off topic. Moved to OpenMike. ]
http://www.interest.co.nz/bonds/57929/inaugural-local-govt-funding-agency-debt-auction-attracts-bids-worth-nz132-bln-equivalen
So they had $300 worth of debt to be sold! – OK
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10729158
The Auckland council has a $300m hole it its budget from the IT systems blow out…
“Making matters worse for ratepayers, the council has only budgeted $150 million for the $450 million cost over the next eight years. This has left a $300 million shortfall that will have to be borrowed or paid for from rates at a time of economic hardship”
Anyone know if this is related?
Anyoner know if this is related?
Ask Rodney Hide, he & his transition agency set the budget for this and if i am not mistaken public opinion at the time suggested their budget (150m) was way under.
Blame RH not the current Auckland Council.
IT was partially and poorly amalgamated until the money ran out then left for the akl ratepayer and the new council to sort out by Hide and co.
That’s probably why Ford threw his watercare CIO into the top job at Supercity as most other CIO’s would’ve run a mile as it was time bomb as the folk who were rolled off one by one as the money ran out had not finished the task at hand.
The real elephant is having a unified ratings system across the entire region hooked up to a single billing engine…don’t hold your breath just keep your wallet open ratepayers.
Another shonky effort to open up land, carve out the water and divert attention away from grabbing more public assets brought to you by the NACT who’ve moved onto chch.
It’s been awhile:
Bridgenorth castle or why two planes cannot collapse three steel framed high rises.
I’ll trump that with http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/CrystalPalace.htm
Eyecandy? Isn’t it great we have a deaf MP, who needs to read lips to follow debates but can’t because its the view of many she should just sit there and look pretty, and damnit, pay for her own eyeglasses (I presume she does already).
But there is a very low tech solution to the problem, if the speaker had the capitalist gene that is.
Simple place a camera above and behind the speaker, then have all members talk directly to the speakers chair (using the new MS movement recognition box), it will wind MPs up so much that they’d all put their hands in their pockets to have the already taking of members spoken word to text redirected to her. And would that be so bad, I mean why can’t we get the Maori translation on parliament TV also.
errr…. how do we know those in the photos / videos wearing camo gear and handling guns were the four defendants in the dock?
How come there has been all this persecution / prosecution of activists whilst it has been impossible to get the Police, the SFO or the Finance Markets Authority to lift a finger and charge John Banks or Don Brash as former fellow Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd, who equally signed Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009, which contained untrue statements?
So â how come only ONE Director â Peter Huljich â was ever charged?
How about ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ‘WHITE COLLAR’ CRIME?
Penny Bright
[email deleted]
[lprent: moved to OpenMike. Tacking a sentence on the top doesn’t obviate that the bulk of the comment was well out of content wasn’t anything to do with the post you dropped it in. ]
[lprent: moved to OpenMike. Tacking a sentence on the top doesn’t obviate that the bulk of the comment was well out of content wasn’t anything to do with the post you dropped it in. ]
I don’t share your view at all on this point.
It is to do with the criminalising of dissent whilst effectively doing nothing about the corrupt ‘gang’ of ‘white collar’ criminals who run New Zealand?
Interesting that it is exactly the same prosecutor in both the Urewera and Occupy Auckland court cases – Ross Burns.
Ever heard of ‘State capture’?
The form of grand corruption which, in my considered opinion as an anti-corruption campaigner, is ENDEMIC in NZ?
‘State capture’ is where vested interests get their way at the ‘policy’ level – before legislation is passed which serves their interests.
That’s where the NZ Business Round Table focussed.
On ‘policy’.
Take any issue and check out the ‘Regulatory Impact Reports /Statement’ and see with whom policy analysts and the like are ‘consulting’……
Penny Bright
Named Respondent
Auckland Council v The Occupiers of Aotea Square
CIV-2011-404-8284
FYI
Interesting how TODAY the ACT Party are announcing their new âLeaderâ?
Whom exactly the National Party âBâ Team âLeaderâ is going to âleadâ is a fair question â is it not?
Is Catherine Isaac going to be the new ACT Party Leader?
If so â does Catherine Isaac support ACT stated policy of âONE LAW FOR ALLâ?
(We know that current ACT MP for Epsom John Banks obviously doesnât).
Former ACT Leader Rodney Hide does.
PROOF that the former (deposed) Leader of the ACT Party, Rodney Hide, supports âONE LAW FOR ALLâ and agrees that one law for all should equally apply to ACT MP for Epsom, John Banks, and former ACT Party Leader Don Brash, who as fellow former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management equally signed registered prospectuses that contained untrue statements:
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Rodney-Hide-and-Willie-Jackson/tabid/506/articleID/25533/Default.aspx
Rodney Hide was a guest with Willie Jackson on Radio Live, Friday 20 January 2012, from 1 â 3pm.
I rang and asked the following questions:
âRodney, you were the former Leader of the ACT Party.
Do you believe in âone law for allâ?â
Rodney Hideâs reply â âYesâ.
âDo you believe that one law for all should equally apply to ACT MP for Epsom, John Banks, and former ACT Party Leader Don Brash, who as fellow former Directors of Huljich Wealth Management equally signed registered prospectuses that contained untrue statements?â
Rodney Hideâs reply â âYesâ.
(This was on approximately the 85th minute of the show â about 15mm from the end using the âposition sliderâ).
Penny Bright
[email deleted]
What’s the problem with the email address?
Just asking – nicely?
Cheers!
Penny Bright
[lprent: When there are a lot of e-mail addresses on this site I get an increase in bots coming to harvest them for the spam bots. Since there are a lot of them and they almost all come from overseas they impact on my overseas traffic. We get some expensive excess charging on overseas traffic ($3+GST per GB) so I take every opportunity to reduce it because in the worst periods it has nearly doubled our server costs.
I find that the best way to prevent it being a problem is to not have any identifiable e-mail addresses on the site in recent posts and comments. Then they try, go away, and don’t come back for a while.
You can put e-mail addresses in human readable form like “waterpressure at gmail”, or even better just point then to the e-mail address page on your site. Even fixing the URL you use so people can click on it (.nzz ?). Just don’t use something that encourages the vermin to come here. ]
Ok!
Thanks.
Penny Bright
The new leader of the ACT party is…..John Banks!
Who would have guessed that?
Goodness I am slow! I thought he already was!
It’s not you that was slow, V32, it’s taken three months to find another ACT member to countersign Banksie’s nomination form!
Vicky32, are you Vicky who checked essays..? If you are her, you will know what I mean.
If you are, there’s a private message for you on a ”belief” portal, thanks.
Vicky is just my name here, but I have got notification of a message! I am trying to find it now… đ Thanks!
How do you define “new”?
Well there has not been an ACT leader since Don Brash walked away.
John Boscawen continues as Deputy Leader, indefinitely.
This is the type of government services that the government is bringing about with it’s incessant cuts.
You’ll also note that that’s an article about the Ombudsman – the public service that’s there to hold the government to account.
Labour Aus Stimulus by:
Gillard and Swan.
Sometime this year, we taxpayers may again receive another ‘Economic Stimulus’ payment. This is indeed a very exciting program for Australians, and I’ll explain it by using a Q & A format:
Q. What is an ‘Economic Stimulus’ payment ?
A. It is money that the government will send to taxpayers.
Q. Where will the government get this money ?
A. From taxpayers.
Q. So the government is giving me back my own money ?
A. Only a smidgen of it.
Q. What is the purpose of this payment ?
A. The plan is for you to use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.
Q. But isn’t that stimulating the economy of China ?
A. Shut up.
Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the NZ. Economy by spending your stimulus cheque wisely:
If you spend the stimulus money at The Warehouse, the money will go to China or Sri Lanka …
If you spend it on petrol, your money will go to the Arabs.
If you purchase a computer, it will go to India , Taiwan , Malaysia or China ..
If you purchase fruit and vegetables, it will go to Mexico , Philippines and Australia .
If you buy an efficient car, it will go to Japan or Korea
If you purchase useless stuff, it will go to Taiwan ..
If you pay your credit cards off, or buy stock, it will go to management bonuses and they will hide it offshore.
Instead, keep the money in NZ by:
1) Spending it at garage sales..
2) Going to the footy.
3) Spending it on prostitutes or
4) Beer or
5) Tattoos.
(These are the only NZ BUSINESSES STILL OPERATING HERE)
Conclusion:
Go to a footy game with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a garage-sale and drink beer all day!
+1
đ
+2
Don’t the prostitutes all kick back to the Triads or the Mob? I suppose the latter is still ok for our balance of payments.
John Key’s internet fantasy
This looks set to be yet another National failure…
Milford/Hollyford/Dart Tunnel: submissions to DOC closes next Monday. DOC have said they intend to grant the concessions for this tunnel, which will be a private road for select tourism operators only. It’s planned to cross two National Parks. This is another contemporary but private ‘think big’, profit-for-the-rich-boys project, with very little benefit to kiwis, and major negative impact to the National parks esp on the Fiordland side. It would also enable the argument to be put for a road to the West Coast, and then the top road from the Coast to Golden Bay.
I think numbers will really count in the submission process, so if you feel this is important, even a brief submission will be important. The deadline has been extended a month to Feb 20th.
http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/consultations/current/notified-concession-applications/dart-passage-tunnel-milford-dart-ltd/
More detail/background –
Guidelines on making submissions http://www.fiordland.org.nz/Files/Submission-guide-on-Dart-Passage-Tunne.pdf
http://www.fiordland.org.nz/ABOUT-FIORDLAND/Submissions.asp
More Global Warming hits Britain…………..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2101649/UK-weather-Blizzards-head-Britain-swaps-Siberian-winds-Arctic-gales.html
Sell sell sell? Sounds like Trevor and some homegrown tickets? Speaking of which…. Trevor do you have anymore?
[lprent: off topic – moved ]
Oh joy! Another “new” think tank consisting of overpaid CEO’s. I can’t wait for them to recommend ways of increasing their own wealth. This bit from Fran OâSullivan has to take the cake:
She thinks a think tank can better strategize on how to sell off our assets. Yeah! What if National ignores the law and tries to manipulate the public with claims of racism, Fran? What if the court rule against the governments decision… are they also woefully misinformed and xenophobic?
Speaking of engaging, I notice that she didn’t once respond to The Standards excellent post concerning the matter. What a coward!
Wow!
A call to arms for all coders
Coders Your planet needs you
Something for you Lynn?
What do you think?
Don’t make me send you a white feather. (just joking)
Seriously Lynn what are your thoughts, is this worth a post?
Before you say anything consider this:
Earth Summit is doomed to fail, say leading ecologists.
Sounds good! Government’s and other factions are becoming ever more controlling of social media networks, which are also becoming more commercialized. Something that can bypass all of that would be great! Having information readily available not dependent on commercial and other manipulatory interests would be helpful.
It’d be fun to write. Probably less fun to deal with the assorted egos of those Who’d be attracted to such a project. But I fail to see why they haven’t just have a look though sourceforge and the like…
From Scientific American: “Internet Freedom Fighters Build a Shadow Web“
That got me interested and thinking. You still need an initial access point into the net though as far as I can tell.
I was thinking though just like we played Doom locally, as to the best of my knowledge still can, by putting in each others phone number, I wonder if it would be possible to set up local mesh networks in NZ that could take advantage of free local calling. The ISP/host type cost would simply be the cost of a second local phone line running 24/7.
Before the days of broadband I ran a second phone-line 24/7 just for internet.
There’s clearly more people here who understand this technology better than me but if this was possible I could see that you could set up local peoples networks for instance completely bypassing the normal internet.
Here’s one place that seems to have saved plenty by using this technology:
http://www.govtech.com/wireless/99362464.html
Is there a way to make sure that this is not just another talk shop, for “assorted egos” in love with their own cleverness?
But instead become an international organising centre?
Could a true Global Commons be able to act on the real world to influence events and bring about change?
Could it be able to reach into the mainstream media?
Would it be able to reach across borders even in war time?
Could it connect people of good will on both sides of seemingly intractable disputes from disparate cultures and languages?
Could it be a resource informed by the most advanced study and scientific advice on what needs to be done to save our world and society from complete global economic and environmental collapse?
Could it be a safe haven for whistle blowers and insiders appalled at what is happening to their world?
Could it mobilise millions and even billions to take actions to save our planet?
Can it be made immune from governmental shut down or censorship, on behalf of entrenched vested interest?
Could it combine the best of Wikipedia, Wikileaks, and the Arab Spring on a global scale?
Could it be a global force for change?
Lynn, What I am asking, is this a worthwhile project, or not?
What would it take? Is it feasible? From tiny acorns….
Today we have this http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6429541/Govt-says-asset-sales-will-cut-debt
First & worthy of discussion itself
By selling the assets we save $266mil on interest but lose $360mil on profits from owning the assets -> Net position NZ is poorer by $100mil over 4 years unless I’m misreading that.
Aside from this official admission of the ridiculousness of this asset sale in the first place, this:
Wait what?
Back in November the Ombudsman said the decision has already been made -> is already Government policy -> cannot disclose advice that affects the potential decision.
But now English says they hadn’t made the decision until after the election so this Treasury advice they had before the election was kept secret.
This means either:
1: the Ombudsman has been misled for political gain at the election
2: the Ombudsman decision was not correct
3: the Ombudsman participated in misleading the public for political gain in favor of the Government.