Well, he’s baaaaccckkk! And, while there’s many of his policies I don’t like, here’s hoping he focuses the electorate on some important issues, as with these slams against the government in yesterday’s speech.
They roared at his jokes and clapped and cheered when he slammed the Government, piercing the air with a pointed finger. His speech concentrated on “financial scandal after financial scandal, bailout after bailout”.
“The Government is pouring billions of dollars of good money – taxpayers’ money – into failing businesses like South Canterbury Finance and AMI Insurance. It should nationalise AMI and send the people who supposedly ran the company to a tent camp in a Canterbury pine plantation for the winter.”
The Government’s true colours were shown last week when Finance Minister Bill English boasted about the low wages in this country being an attraction for overseas investors, he said.
“The only people this Government looks after are those on the top of the pile – they are creaming it … [while] taxpayer dollars get siphoned off in billions to save failing businesses.
“This Government gives huge tax cuts to the rich and increases taxes on food and the necessaries of life for families. The days of pensioners eating pet food will be over the day we walk back through the doors of Parliament.”
Thanks Carol. Have never voted NZF but like the Ashburton reported speech Peters says so well what many believe about our abusive government. Any chance of co-opting him into say Labour? At least let Winston be a consultant for Labour?
I agree Carol. These important issues need to be continually raised in public forums and reported in the press. Winston Peters seems to get the coverage and certainly spreads the message very effectively!
I agree Carol. These important issues need to be continually raised in public forums and reported in the press. Winston Peters seems to get the coverage and certainly spreads the message very effectively!
Wonder why Key is so anti Peters.
Is it Winston’s competing grin?
Is it Winston’s neat suit and ties?
Is it Winston’s devastating refusal to sell assets like Wellington Airport which caused Shipley so much strife?
Is it Winston’s ability to win audience with humour and succinctness?
Or is it because Key has gambled on Winston’s non return where he could hold the balance of power? Key would be hammered if that happened, especially by National supporters.
Watch for the Crosby Textor shennanigans.
Wonder why Key is so anti Peters
Could it be that Peters does the smile and wave with sincerity. while shonky uses it to hide the fact that he’s stoopid, and Peters is going to wipe the floor with him, and English too. The other good thing is he gets the Air time as well. So at least the message will get out that the NACTS are incompetent. And peters is the one to stir the pot!
No real guessing really. Politics, as always, is one part Perception; one part a Numbers-Game; and the last part the Art of the Possible.
Let’s take the ingredient of the Numbers Game. Making certain assumptions, based on current political upheavals, and the November election results could look something like this:
National
Assuming the same result as in 2008: 45% – 54 seats
ACT
Still under 5%, but Hide loses Epsom after his shenanigans: 3.6% – nil seats
CENTRE-RIGHT TOTAL: 54
Maori Party
Badly burnt in their coalition with National and with not much to show for it, Turia and Sharples decide to coalesce with Labour: 4 electorate seats
Hone Harawira
Fulfills pledge to support Labour: 1 seat
Labour
Minimum votes: 34% – 41 seats
Greens
7% – 9 seats
NZ First
Assumption that they cross the 5% threshold: 6 seats
CENTRE LEFT TOTAL: 61 seats
Peter Dunne
1 seat
coalition: who knows?!
The centre-left result, at 61 seats, is a minimum. My money is on the Greens holding their percentage of the Party Vote, and Labour increasing their share by several percentage points.
A resulting Labour-Green-Maori Party-Harawira-NZ First coalition looks to be bloody unwieldy – but it may work if the Leaders of each party understand the alternative. Voters tend to be very unforgiving on small parties if they buck the system too much. A snap election caused by a small party throwing it’s weight around to gain added advantage may result in that Party going the way of The Alliance, NZ First in 2008, and most likely ACT, this year.
Haunting National at the polls will be:
* Public perception that it is doing nothing to promote job creation and get the economy moving,
* Public perception that the government seems to be shovelling money at private enterprise, whilst social and community services are paired back. Why does Warners Bros, South China Airlines, various finance companies, and Mediaworks all receive taxpayer-funded assistance – whilst Early Childhood Education is cut back?
* Inflation getting worse, or remaining stubbornly high – especially power prices,
* National’s promises to partially-privatise power companies. Once the public realises that this will most likely mean higher electricity prices – watch support for National drop away,
* Increasing use of executive power to ram through legislation under “Urgency”; increasing surveillance powers for government agencies; whilst reducing the public’s ability to access services such as Legal Aid. This is where Perception comes into play, and National is increasingly seen as “Big Brotherish”.
* Increasing numbers migrating to Australia. Key promised action on this issue, and English’s comments that a 30% wage gap is somehow an “advantage” may be a nasty-flavoured pill for many to follow. Whilst many of the “grumpy vote” may not be prepared to vote Green or Labour, this is NZ First’s core constituency.
So this year’s election is by no means a foregone conclusion. I suspect that National’s back-room strategists are fully aware of their vulnerabilities and may be pulling out a few “stops” to shore up their support.
As for Labour – no one can damage their chances except Labour itself.
Well said. With a positive scenario like that there is still hope. But National scorned is a savage beast willing to pull out the dirty tricks but via others of course to act as their proxies. They will try hard to let down Winston’s tyres.
Good work there Frank!
One additional possibility; If National’s polling begins to wane during this years’ campaign, and drops to 40% or below, let’s not be surprised if Key does a “flip flop” on the asset sales programme…
But don’t forget ol’ photo op hisself ol’ shonkey, I noticed it turned up in the Stone bros garage yesterday and today the Giz won, so now what it stands up on tuesday or whenever parliament decides to sit again and say it helped?, And don’t forget the Photo op’s it will have when it meets the queen (I pity her) for 2 hours the only relief the Queen will have is when Bronny is there for the last hour or so. Now we hear that it is going to sidestep the royalty visit rules and have William and kate here for the RWC yes I know it’s a private visit nudge nudge wink wink say no more.
I reckon that on November 27th, any promise of Key’s that he’s not going to have anything do with Peters will go the same way as “north of $50”, “we won’t raise GST” and “we won’t borrow to pay for tax cuts for the rich”.
So let’s see. We sell food to the UK, OZ, etc, and they buy at whole food prices. They have economies that are deeper and wider than ours, so they have as nations strong buying power. Now the consumer of food in NZ has to pay the world food price too, and NZ does not have the same buying power. Then on top of that the UK, OZ, etc buyer does not pay GST on food. So I figure anyone against GST off food is essentially locking themselves into paying more, but worse, locking them and their fellow citizens into a second class system where food costs more, where poverty is assured, where the is no way for the majority to compete for the best food that NZ can grow and make. Stop a second. Re-read that. The people of NZ pay a premium for food that prices themselves out of the market so the country can export the best to the world and make profits for the many foreign holders of NZ debt. Yes, NZ is stupid. Stupid to have GST on food, stupid to vote for a system that takes ALL THE CREAM off and sell it to the world and give most in NZ little of the benefits of their countries bounty. Meat that is pumped with bleach, glued together even, etc. No wonder we don’t have a food culture, no wonder we don’t have the chefs whose palates grow from a young age on the best food, a love of food! what love of food the humble gristle ridden pie is not a culinary good news story. We harm our economy, our tourism, our potential, our wages, to sell all the cream off, we are in a spiral where the less is more, where we get poor, get lousier food, in order to get richer! But wait its not working, child poverty is a national scandal, youth suicide, skilled migration overseas, people can’t live here, NZ’s vote for parties whose policies don’t want them to live here. How stupid is that?
Hiya Standard, having a few issues with the new post window. Not letting me type, txt going downwards and removing spacing when posted. Refresh and edit fixes this but it is a hassle.
Yes, I’ve had this happen on two ocassions now too. Was wondering if it was just me, but evidently not. So seems there’s some sort of intermitant bug with the editor, Lynn. What happens is that the font starts rapidly cycling, and typing different letters seems to be interpreted as new lines, so you end up with something that looks like this:
on
n
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happ
his
ad t
I’ve h
s,
Ye
It’s almost acting as if a function key has been held down while typing. Refreshing seems to fix it though.
…would be interesting to know if it is browser specific …
Just saying, because on some forum sites, when people are talking about technical issues, they include the platform, software version et cetera they are using.
Ouch! That is javascript code running on your side
One of the fixes that I have to apply after I get the servers back out of overload again is an updated version of tinymce. The version that this is using is so 2008.
If that doesn’t cure the problem then I have nicedit next.
Todd. you be ok with us reproducing your ‘week that was’ posts here on The Standard? They’re really good. We’ll include links to your blog throughout. Basically, we get good content covering a lot of stuff we haven’t got around to and your blog gets drawn to the attention of our 20,000+ pageviews per day.
captcha: smiles
btw, I’m getting trouble if I try to comment in internet explorer but firefox is fine. apparently, the new text box allows comments from iphones/pads but not android as well
I think this and the server failures people are getting occasionally are the result of the server being at maximum thanks to the new Facebook ‘like’ feature (btw, remember to press ‘like’ on posts you like!). Lynn has it all under control, will just be a few days to sort.
excuse my ignorance, does the new like button post a link on FB? Do you have to be logged in to FB to use it? , because many people, myself included, log out of FB to avoid automatic ‘signing in’ as we wander around the net.
a little anonymity is important, no? It is Standard Policy after all
Can we get a like button that is only for The Standard, especially one for individual comments. It might be a simple yet tidy method to show support for ideas as we head towards the date of doom, i mean the election.
it makes a little clip of the post appear on your feed. Of course, lots of people press like on the standard’s like buttons. pressing it doesn’t identify you as an particular pseudonymous commenter -all it tells your fb friends is that your saw something on the standard that you liked and they should look too.
The main thing that needs to be fixed with this as far as I can see is that it needs to put the front page thumbnail as the image, and to look at what makes it occasionally use the meta info rather than either the except or first paragraph.
Just for fun a week or so ago I logged out so I could have a fanciful little argument with my alter ego on the Standard. Unfortunately my Millhouse umm logo followed me even as I wrote as another anonymous other person. Foiled.
I did send an e-mail to my sister once signed off on my e-mail address modified and purporting to be a message from John Key. Thus “john.key@xtra.co.nz”. Fooled her too with great consternation and later hilarity.
Sorry about the delay – been in Rotorua visiting my parents.
If you are not logged into facebook, it does a popup page for doing the login. That may fail if you have some anti-popup code running. However when that happens you won’t see the like button changing to a ‘disabled’ state.
Yep. Back from rottenrua, so tomorrow is dedicated to finishing the server updates, then doing applying delayed bug fixes (too close to limits to apply previously) and a hunt of more bugs. Oh and the washing – must NOT forget the washing! And a couple of campaigning code tweaks for Labour.
Whilst watching the Copyright Act speech by Gareth Hughes in the House this week i was involved in a bit of a Facebook discussion with a friend who had never watched Parliament in action, and he was stunned, not just at the behaviour in general but at the lack of actual bodies in the House. Our dialogue ended with the passage below and i wanted to share it because it cuts straight to the bone.
…and instead of slowing down the amount of legislation being rushed through, that would logically allow for real debate and process, they simply meet the bare minimum requirements for the House. The actual quality of time in the House then suffers accordingly. It is like a Shop-display bathroom…All the appearance of a working toilet with none of the benefits of the actual function
Yes, it is very noticeable, from all parties, they have one “token” Mp in the house, except for question time.
As for Hone Harawira and Chris Carter, they should have salary deducted as they just don’t show up at all.
I believe that when legislation is under “urgency” the filibuster becomes irrelevant. There is limited debating time. Could be wrong, but that might have accounted for a minimum number of visible MPs.
think about it this way. Would we be getting good bang for our buck from MPs sitting in the House waiting hours for a turn to speak, if they get one at all?
or does it make more sense to a skeleton crew (I think a party has to have a third of its MPs present to vote with full numbers and lone mps can give a proxy vote to another party) in the House doing the speeches – which, frankly, rarely change the legislation or how people vote and are ignored by the media and public except when they make dicks of themselves – while the rest of the MPs get on with all their other work?
Sam – Logie97 wrote ‘I hope our Minister of … is keeping an eye on this and his ministry is keeping him better informed than they apparently did over the BMWs?’I hope that someone with power to sanction is checking on these two pollies Carter and Harawira if they are not turning up for their stint in parliament. They should not be pocketing their pay and extras without participating in the in-house parliamentary work. If that were so the money would be like us paying for all of their campaign expenses.
Sure they may be doing things for their constituents – do they have a set area? If they are in the debating chamber they can be seen, hopefully awake. How do we know we are getting our money’s worth? Are they preparing Bills, doing research, who keeps tabs. Is their weekly schedule of business published by the Parliamentary Services or similar? You give the impression that you know, so what is the situation?
The two MPs you identify are both electorate MPs so, if I read your question right, yes they have set areas.
They would appear to be answerable as to their whereabouts – to parliamentary services and their electorates.
As for justifying what they do, be mindful of the saying… Mrs Jones spends all day looking out her kitchen window. I know because I have watched her.
OK, Hooton is a paid-up member of the bullshit brigade, but he does have an ear to the ground in Epsom, lives there and even if he’s talking rubbish, he’s talking rubbish on behalf of disgruntled Nats.
I reckon Key should pick Melissa Lee for Epsom … it’s the only way Rodney Hide can be saved!
Hooten has written his analysis of the Epson/Hide/National scenario gobsmacked and is I think the only one I think to have done so. Who’d ‘ave thought!
And again Winston pops up as a player in that scenario. Wonder what the “strategist” that supposedly is John Key, is thinking, or rather his advisers who will explain top him which way to jump. What a sub-plot with implications for the Left leaning parties.
Heh, awesome. Usually all we get in the media is ye olde “just-so-story” claims from evolutionary psychologists, which invariably hides the non-bullshit… I kinda need to look at the paper in question though, since The Economist (TE) only gives the very basics on it. There’s also Dunn’s work, discussed in TE which uses a similar tree building method to that used by some phylogenetics programs, and provides further evidence against Chomsky et al’s hypothesis about language modules. Which having done far too much evolutionary biology, I’ve always viewed as a bit dodgy in light of how neural networks can generate complex rule sets via inputs with very little prior priming.
I see the Nact’s are slowly getting control of the MSM
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In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
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 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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Well, he’s baaaaccckkk! And, while there’s many of his policies I don’t like, here’s hoping he focuses the electorate on some important issues, as with these slams against the government in yesterday’s speech.
And who is this?
Thanks Carol. Have never voted NZF but like the Ashburton reported speech Peters says so well what many believe about our abusive government. Any chance of co-opting him into say Labour? At least let Winston be a consultant for Labour?
No, elect him to the “vacant” Labour leadership, Goff is a wasted space.
I agree Carol. These important issues need to be continually raised in public forums and reported in the press. Winston Peters seems to get the coverage and certainly spreads the message very effectively!
I agree Carol. These important issues need to be continually raised in public forums and reported in the press. Winston Peters seems to get the coverage and certainly spreads the message very effectively!
Finally, an Opposition Leader!
At last, an opposition!
Why does it take Winnie to say the things Labour should be saying.
I doubt Key would have anything to do with someone like that!!!
NO!
Wonder why Key is so anti Peters.
Is it Winston’s competing grin?
Is it Winston’s neat suit and ties?
Is it Winston’s devastating refusal to sell assets like Wellington Airport which caused Shipley so much strife?
Is it Winston’s ability to win audience with humour and succinctness?
Or is it because Key has gambled on Winston’s non return where he could hold the balance of power? Key would be hammered if that happened, especially by National supporters.
Watch for the Crosby Textor shennanigans.
Wonder why Key is so anti Peters
Could it be that Peters does the smile and wave with sincerity. while shonky uses it to hide the fact that he’s stoopid, and Peters is going to wipe the floor with him, and English too. The other good thing is he gets the Air time as well. So at least the message will get out that the NACTS are incompetent. And peters is the one to stir the pot!
Go Winnie
ianmac
I think it’s that Winnie is a very sharp dresser, is comfortable in his own skin and can think on his feet which Key clearly cannot.
“Wonder why Key is so anti Peters.”
No real guessing really. Politics, as always, is one part Perception; one part a Numbers-Game; and the last part the Art of the Possible.
Let’s take the ingredient of the Numbers Game. Making certain assumptions, based on current political upheavals, and the November election results could look something like this:
National
Assuming the same result as in 2008: 45% – 54 seats
ACT
Still under 5%, but Hide loses Epsom after his shenanigans: 3.6% – nil seats
CENTRE-RIGHT TOTAL: 54
Maori Party
Badly burnt in their coalition with National and with not much to show for it, Turia and Sharples decide to coalesce with Labour: 4 electorate seats
Hone Harawira
Fulfills pledge to support Labour: 1 seat
Labour
Minimum votes: 34% – 41 seats
Greens
7% – 9 seats
NZ First
Assumption that they cross the 5% threshold: 6 seats
CENTRE LEFT TOTAL: 61 seats
Peter Dunne
1 seat
coalition: who knows?!
The centre-left result, at 61 seats, is a minimum. My money is on the Greens holding their percentage of the Party Vote, and Labour increasing their share by several percentage points.
A resulting Labour-Green-Maori Party-Harawira-NZ First coalition looks to be bloody unwieldy – but it may work if the Leaders of each party understand the alternative. Voters tend to be very unforgiving on small parties if they buck the system too much. A snap election caused by a small party throwing it’s weight around to gain added advantage may result in that Party going the way of The Alliance, NZ First in 2008, and most likely ACT, this year.
Haunting National at the polls will be:
* Public perception that it is doing nothing to promote job creation and get the economy moving,
* Public perception that the government seems to be shovelling money at private enterprise, whilst social and community services are paired back. Why does Warners Bros, South China Airlines, various finance companies, and Mediaworks all receive taxpayer-funded assistance – whilst Early Childhood Education is cut back?
* Inflation getting worse, or remaining stubbornly high – especially power prices,
* National’s promises to partially-privatise power companies. Once the public realises that this will most likely mean higher electricity prices – watch support for National drop away,
* Increasing use of executive power to ram through legislation under “Urgency”; increasing surveillance powers for government agencies; whilst reducing the public’s ability to access services such as Legal Aid. This is where Perception comes into play, and National is increasingly seen as “Big Brotherish”.
* Increasing numbers migrating to Australia. Key promised action on this issue, and English’s comments that a 30% wage gap is somehow an “advantage” may be a nasty-flavoured pill for many to follow. Whilst many of the “grumpy vote” may not be prepared to vote Green or Labour, this is NZ First’s core constituency.
So this year’s election is by no means a foregone conclusion. I suspect that National’s back-room strategists are fully aware of their vulnerabilities and may be pulling out a few “stops” to shore up their support.
As for Labour – no one can damage their chances except Labour itself.
And of which they seem to be doing an admiral job.
The one in Gilbert and Sullivan.
Unfortunately, yes, Draco…
Well said. With a positive scenario like that there is still hope. But National scorned is a savage beast willing to pull out the dirty tricks but via others of course to act as their proxies. They will try hard to let down Winston’s tyres.
Good work there Frank!
Thanks, Ianmac…
One additional possibility; If National’s polling begins to wane during this years’ campaign, and drops to 40% or below, let’s not be surprised if Key does a “flip flop” on the asset sales programme…
But don’t forget ol’ photo op hisself ol’ shonkey, I noticed it turned up in the Stone bros garage yesterday and today the Giz won, so now what it stands up on tuesday or whenever parliament decides to sit again and say it helped?, And don’t forget the Photo op’s it will have when it meets the queen (I pity her) for 2 hours the only relief the Queen will have is when Bronny is there for the last hour or so. Now we hear that it is going to sidestep the royalty visit rules and have William and kate here for the RWC yes I know it’s a private visit nudge nudge wink wink say no more.
Say No mowah!!!!
I reckon that on November 27th, any promise of Key’s that he’s not going to have anything do with Peters will go the same way as “north of $50”, “we won’t raise GST” and “we won’t borrow to pay for tax cuts for the rich”.
So let’s see. We sell food to the UK, OZ, etc, and they buy at whole food prices. They have economies that are deeper and wider than ours, so they have as nations strong buying power. Now the consumer of food in NZ has to pay the world food price too, and NZ does not have the same buying power. Then on top of that the UK, OZ, etc buyer does not pay GST on food. So I figure anyone against GST off food is essentially locking themselves into paying more, but worse, locking them and their fellow citizens into a second class system where food costs more, where poverty is assured, where the is no way for the majority to compete for the best food that NZ can grow and make. Stop a second. Re-read that. The people of NZ pay a premium for food that prices themselves out of the market so the country can export the best to the world and make profits for the many foreign holders of NZ debt. Yes, NZ is stupid. Stupid to have GST on food, stupid to vote for a system that takes ALL THE CREAM off and sell it to the world and give most in NZ little of the benefits of their countries bounty. Meat that is pumped with bleach, glued together even, etc. No wonder we don’t have a food culture, no wonder we don’t have the chefs whose palates grow from a young age on the best food, a love of food! what love of food the humble gristle ridden pie is not a culinary good news story. We harm our economy, our tourism, our potential, our wages, to sell all the cream off, we are in a spiral where the less is more, where we get poor, get lousier food, in order to get richer! But wait its not working, child poverty is a national scandal, youth suicide, skilled migration overseas, people can’t live here, NZ’s vote for parties whose policies don’t want them to live here. How stupid is that?
The week that was
http://thejackalman.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-that-was_15.html
Hiya Standard, having a few issues with the new post window. Not letting me type, txt going downwards and removing spacing when posted. Refresh and edit fixes this but it is a hassle.
Yes, I’ve had this happen on two ocassions now too. Was wondering if it was just me, but evidently not. So seems there’s some sort of intermitant bug with the editor, Lynn. What happens is that the font starts rapidly cycling, and typing different letters seems to be interpreted as new lines, so you end up with something that looks like this:
on
n
e
happ
his
ad t
I’ve h
s,
Ye
It’s almost acting as if a function key has been held down while typing. Refreshing seems to fix it though.
…would be interesting to know if it is browser specific …
Just saying, because on some forum sites, when people are talking about technical issues, they include the platform, software version et cetera they are using.
Ouch! That is javascript code running on your side
One of the fixes that I have to apply after I get the servers back out of overload again is an updated version of tinymce. The version that this is using is so 2008.
If that doesn’t cure the problem then I have nicedit next.
But I need to update the servers first.
Todd. you be ok with us reproducing your ‘week that was’ posts here on The Standard? They’re really good. We’ll include links to your blog throughout. Basically, we get good content covering a lot of stuff we haven’t got around to and your blog gets drawn to the attention of our 20,000+ pageviews per day.
captcha: smiles
btw, I’m getting trouble if I try to comment in internet explorer but firefox is fine. apparently, the new text box allows comments from iphones/pads but not android as well
I think this and the server failures people are getting occasionally are the result of the server being at maximum thanks to the new Facebook ‘like’ feature (btw, remember to press ‘like’ on posts you like!). Lynn has it all under control, will just be a few days to sort.
excuse my ignorance, does the new like button post a link on FB? Do you have to be logged in to FB to use it? , because many people, myself included, log out of FB to avoid automatic ‘signing in’ as we wander around the net.
a little anonymity is important, no? It is Standard Policy after all
Can we get a like button that is only for The Standard, especially one for individual comments. It might be a simple yet tidy method to show support for ideas as we head towards the date of doom, i mean the election.
it makes a little clip of the post appear on your feed. Of course, lots of people press like on the standard’s like buttons. pressing it doesn’t identify you as an particular pseudonymous commenter -all it tells your fb friends is that your saw something on the standard that you liked and they should look too.
The main thing that needs to be fixed with this as far as I can see is that it needs to put the front page thumbnail as the image, and to look at what makes it occasionally use the meta info rather than either the except or first paragraph.
Just for fun a week or so ago I logged out so I could have a fanciful little argument with my alter ego on the Standard. Unfortunately my Millhouse umm logo followed me even as I wrote as another anonymous other person. Foiled.
I did send an e-mail to my sister once signed off on my e-mail address modified and purporting to be a message from John Key. Thus “john.key@xtra.co.nz”. Fooled her too with great consternation and later hilarity.
Yep. Change your e-mail address…
Sorry about the delay – been in Rotorua visiting my parents.
If you are not logged into facebook, it does a popup page for doing the login. That may fail if you have some anti-popup code running. However when that happens you won’t see the like button changing to a ‘disabled’ state.
Thanks Eddie. Reproduction is all good. The Standard is welcome to use any content and just one link would be fine.
Firefox 4, Mac OS X 10.6.4
Yep. Back from rottenrua, so tomorrow is dedicated to finishing the server updates, then doing applying delayed bug fixes (too close to limits to apply previously) and a hunt of more bugs. Oh and the washing – must NOT forget the washing! And a couple of campaigning code tweaks for Labour.
Has Wellington’s mayor been taking lessons from Andrew Williams ?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4895773/Mayor-loses-her-rag-with-deputy
Whilst watching the Copyright Act speech by Gareth Hughes in the House this week i was involved in a bit of a Facebook discussion with a friend who had never watched Parliament in action, and he was stunned, not just at the behaviour in general but at the lack of actual bodies in the House. Our dialogue ended with the passage below and i wanted to share it because it cuts straight to the bone.
…and instead of slowing down the amount of legislation being rushed through, that would logically allow for real debate and process, they simply meet the bare minimum requirements for the House. The actual quality of time in the House then suffers accordingly. It is like a Shop-display bathroom…All the appearance of a working toilet with none of the benefits of the actual function
So true freedom. Democracy under serious threat? Sure is.
Yes, it is very noticeable, from all parties, they have one “token” Mp in the house, except for question time.
As for Hone Harawira and Chris Carter, they should have salary deducted as they just don’t show up at all.
I believe that when legislation is under “urgency” the filibuster becomes irrelevant. There is limited debating time. Could be wrong, but that might have accounted for a minimum number of visible MPs.
think about it this way. Would we be getting good bang for our buck from MPs sitting in the House waiting hours for a turn to speak, if they get one at all?
or does it make more sense to a skeleton crew (I think a party has to have a third of its MPs present to vote with full numbers and lone mps can give a proxy vote to another party) in the House doing the speeches – which, frankly, rarely change the legislation or how people vote and are ignored by the media and public except when they make dicks of themselves – while the rest of the MPs get on with all their other work?
I hope our Minister of Tourism is keeping an eye on this and his ministry is keeping him better informed than they apparently did over the BMWs?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10719628
“New York link in bid for control of Tourism Holdings”
Could this take-overhappen with the sale of State owned Assets?
Sam – Logie97 wrote ‘I hope our Minister of … is keeping an eye on this and his ministry is keeping him better informed than they apparently did over the BMWs?’I hope that someone with power to sanction is checking on these two pollies Carter and Harawira if they are not turning up for their stint in parliament. They should not be pocketing their pay and extras without participating in the in-house parliamentary work. If that were so the money would be like us paying for all of their campaign expenses.
… surely your understanding and judgement of the work of an MP is not based on his/her being seen sitting in the debating chamber.
Sure they may be doing things for their constituents – do they have a set area? If they are in the debating chamber they can be seen, hopefully awake. How do we know we are getting our money’s worth? Are they preparing Bills, doing research, who keeps tabs. Is their weekly schedule of business published by the Parliamentary Services or similar? You give the impression that you know, so what is the situation?
The two MPs you identify are both electorate MPs so, if I read your question right, yes they have set areas.
They would appear to be answerable as to their whereabouts – to parliamentary services and their electorates.
As for justifying what they do, be mindful of the saying…
Mrs Jones spends all day looking out her kitchen window. I know because I have watched her.
It’s all getting messy in Epsom … super size my popcorn!
http://m.nbr.co.nz/article/matthew-hooton-nats-reject-act-deal-epsom-mh-p-90831
OK, Hooton is a paid-up member of the bullshit brigade, but he does have an ear to the ground in Epsom, lives there and even if he’s talking rubbish, he’s talking rubbish on behalf of disgruntled Nats.
I reckon Key should pick Melissa Lee for Epsom … it’s the only way Rodney Hide can be saved!
Hooten has written his analysis of the Epson/Hide/National scenario gobsmacked and is I think the only one I think to have done so. Who’d ‘ave thought!
And again Winston pops up as a player in that scenario. Wonder what the “strategist” that supposedly is John Key, is thinking, or rather his advisers who will explain top him which way to jump. What a sub-plot with implications for the Left leaning parties.
Life is not all that bad for Tony Haywood ex CEO for BP.
/science-gasm
http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/4891397/Kiwis-mother-of-language-discovery-creates-stir
Heh, awesome. Usually all we get in the media is ye olde “just-so-story” claims from evolutionary psychologists, which invariably hides the non-bullshit… I kinda need to look at the paper in question though, since The Economist (TE) only gives the very basics on it. There’s also Dunn’s work, discussed in TE which uses a similar tree building method to that used by some phylogenetics programs, and provides further evidence against Chomsky et al’s hypothesis about language modules. Which having done far too much evolutionary biology, I’ve always viewed as a bit dodgy in light of how neural networks can generate complex rule sets via inputs with very little prior priming.
I see the Nact’s are slowly getting control of the MSM
(1) Richard Griffin to chair Radio NZ board. “From 1993 to 1998 he served the New Zealand Government as Chief Press Secretary and Senior Media Advisor to Prime Minister Jim Bolger and the New Zealand Cabinet.” (thanks No Right Turn)
(2) Media works anyone! (something stinks there)
(3)
Made over $2000 worth of food (all short order cooking) for the cafe I work at today.
On minimum wage, I take home around 90 dollars for today’s work.
Cannot help feeling exploited after the amount of work and stress I experienced today.
Ugghhhhhhhhhhhh.
Now what you have to understand is that your cafe’s landlord’s bankers probably made more than that today for doing…nothing.
Estimated amount of the end price dedicated to repaying interest is about 50% (I posted the link a few months back).
How much of that $2000 is profit for the owner?
If you feel you deserve more, open your own cafe and look at where that $2000 would go!
Just had another quake, I’d say a bit over 5-ish.
5.3, 10km north east of Diamond Harbour, so in Lyttleton basically.
My lot are all OK again this time. Hope all in Chch are well.
Media was slow to report, so I tried that new fangled Twitter thing for the first time. Hmmm. For events like this I can see the attraction.
Taranaki has highest cancer rate in the World
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/4873151/Region-hot-bed-of-skin-cancer
The Taranaki rate is 70.3 per 100,000 people. The next-worst, the Waitemata District Health Board region has a rate of 50.2 while the overall New Zealand rate is 51.8.