and the Herald….http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?
c_id=1&objectid=11856284
———————————–
“One of the first things the panel agreed on was that there should be a clear target for the country to move towards.
“We want the NZ public to take this seriously – we wanted to set a clear percentage goal on suicide prevention. So we decided to reduce suicide by 20 per cent over the next 10 years,” he said.
But the draft proposal has removed that target and is extremely vague in its aspirations, King says.
In a letter to Ministry of Health director of mental health Dr John Crawshaw, King resigned from the panel saying he is growing “increasingly concerned” about the plan.
“The plan has buried all new ideas in such impenetrable language they are beyond recognition and unlikely to ever see the light of day.
“It is a strategy that is so broad in its effort to please everyone it will eventually collapse under the weight of public expectation. This will please no one except you and the politicians you serve,” King wrote.
“It would be funny if people weren’t dying,” he added.
King says the draft plan ignores recommendations from the panel, continues to fund “failed experiments”, is an almost word-for-word repeat of the last strategy – and will further isolate vulnerable Kiwis.”
———————————————–
They use these high profile individuals to give credibility to these Expert Advisory Panels, Technical Advisory Groups and the like. More often than not it is a pantomime of discussion and consultation, and any Plan or Strategy produced has largely been writ by some petty minded bureaucrat without much if any reference to the work of the panel.
Its usually predetermined….and often as KIng points out…a copy and paste of previous documents.
Its about time someone called them out on this….these Advisory Groups are more often than not shams…its fraudulent, and borders on corrupt.
Respect to Mike King for not only refusing to take any further part in this but, for going public. If they are going to use his fame to validate their little performances, then its only right he uses his fame to expose their crap.
I could not believe it when Mike King on the AM Show this morning said that there were 570 accepted suicides in the past year but there were another 500 plus that were not in the official stats. People who were found at he bottom of cliffs, people who had any alcohol or drugs in their systems and had left a note/letter. obvious car crash deaths – all were not entered in the official stats. How can that be – if that is not fudging the statistics I don’t know what it is. Surely that is a kind of fraud.
Every day this Government shows utter contempt for their citizens – its getting worse by the minute. No wonder people are suffering from depression in untold numbers.
More often than not it is a pantomime of discussion and consultation, and any Plan or Strategy produced has largely been writ by some petty minded bureaucrat without much if any reference to the work of the panel.
By the sounds of things they’re not referencing back to the academic research available either.
Its about time someone called them out on this….these Advisory Groups are more often than not shams…its fraudulent, and borders on corrupt.
If there’s not change then it doesn’t border on corrupt but is corrupt. They’re there to prevent change rather than bring it about. A show of Doing Something while doing nothing.
When the Gummint decided not to take the ‘paid family carers’ to the Supreme Court back in 2012 the Miserly announced a Technical Advisory Group of ‘stakeholders’ had been set up to gather information and work on a plan. Upon closer scrutiny, every single member of that TAG had some kind of financial relationship with the Ministry or wider government. Every single bloody one of them.
We never saw a report from the group…and they were sworn to secrecy regarding discussions during their meetings.
I spent far too much time over the next few years periodically looking into various Advisory Groups, their members, terms of references, periodic reports (if any), draft plans/strategies and ultimate policy/law changes.
TBH…what I learned was just about enough to make one lose the will to live.
This shit totally undermines our government, our democratic system.
There is often a legislative requirement for ministries and department to ‘consult’…almost inevitably results in a pantomime.
Upon closer scrutiny, every single member of that TAG had some kind of financial relationship with the Ministry or wider government. Every single bloody one of them.
We never saw a report from the group…and they were sworn to secrecy regarding discussions during their meetings.
Which tells us that it was corruption from the get go and that every single person involved in it should be in jail.
This shit totally undermines our government, our democratic system.
And it’s been going on for a long time and needs addressing with some decent rules and laws against corruption.
And nothing ever fucking changes.
And that’s because the people are letting the corrupt arseholes at the top get away with it.
This shit needs to be reported and the people need to demand the changes needed.
“…and that every single person involved in it should be in jail.”
And every single one of them will protest that they were representative of some aspect of the disability/carer community…and hey…they had a job, a place on the committee/board of the advocacy group/NGO and they do know what they’re talking about. And besides, the system is set up that ONLY official DPOs (Disabled People’s Organisations) have an automatic seat at the table. Of course…the fact that these DPO’s and Carer organisations receive gummint $$$ adds to their credibility and impartiality.
There has just been a rewrite of the NZ Disability Strategy and two rounds of public workshops were held around the regions. Organised by the Office for Disability Issues. Partner and I went…’cos boy oh boy do we have issues regarding supports for those with very high and complex care needs. The person who took the lead at our table works for a provider and is also deeply involved in an official DPO. My partner…obviously the highest care needs person at the table (who unlike many in this category is capable of speaking for himself)… was effectively shut down and our extremely valid concerns never made to the whiteboard up the front. The same thing happened with others in our informal network at other regional meetings.
The Draft Strategy was aspirational garbage and not a patch on the original that had clearly defined Objectives. Partner refused to attend second meeting upon reading the crap in the draft. However, I did pop into the venue and have a wee chat with the top nob from the ODI. I told her that my partner would not be participating this time and why. Usual platitudes. I told her the Draft was rubbish, and failed to address any of the most significant issues…even the ones that the UN gave the Gummint a stern ticking off over. Ho hum. I suggested, as a parting shot, that when the participants were all assembled she asked for a show of hands of those paid for or associated with a government funded organisation.
Looked like I’d asked her to to swallow a rotting dead rat.
Now there is a “Systems Transformation” process underway involving selected ‘members of the disability community’. “This is sooo important we want to get it right!!!”
Yep…you guessed it…including the person who excluded my disabled partner’s concerns at the first meeting.
And bugger me if the same names don’t pop up over and over again on all manner of different advisory groups (and the honours lists)…and they wonder why we are still fighting the same battles we were a decade or so ago.
Bill English’s neoliberal dream.
A country where students should hungry.
“Tertiary institutions are being forced to feed many of their students, with a new survey finding that one in six students at one Auckland institute are going without food regularly because they can’t afford it.
Unitec, the country’s biggest campus-based polytechnic with 9100 fulltime-equivalent students, is asking its staff to donate food and linen to help students struggling to pay rising rents and other living costs.
A survey answered by almost 2000 of its students has found that 17 per cent agree that they “regularly go without food or other necessities because I can’t afford them”.”
In my first semester I had to borrow $1000 on my Student Loan to pay the bills. Did the dame for the second semester but the only reason I could do that was because my second semester was in a different year. Would have needed the money for the third semester as well but wouldn’t have had access to it as it’s only available once per year.
Instead a student deal from Kiwibank of a $2000 overdraft got me through. In my third year I won a $7000 scholarship which managed to pay off the overdraft and get me through this last semester – especially now that I’ve moved. If I hadn’t of moved I still wouldn’t have been able to pay off the overdraft and even before I moved I was on a good deal for Auckland.
Education is no longer about what’s good for the country but what makes a profit and the effect is to prevent people from learning the skills that a developing country needs and putting the people who do do the learning into deep hock – so deep in fact that they can’t really get out.
Bill English’s neoliberal dream.
A country where there is no plan for mental health.
“Mike King says a target of cutting suicides by 20 per cent in 10 years is “absolutely realistic”, as he berates the Government for its failure to include a measurable goal in its new draft suicide prevention strategy.
The comedian and television presenter stepped down from his post on New Zealand’s suicide-prevention panel today, claiming the Government’s recently released draft plan to prevent suicide is “deeply flawed” and self-serving.
The panel was established to help shape a strategy to reduce suicide over the next 10 years. Its Draft Suicide Prevention Plan was released to the public last month.
But key measures – including a 20 per cent reduction in suicides over 10 years – have been removed from the plan.
Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman did not answer a question from the Herald about why the target had been removed.”
Call me naïve (in the true sense not the Ngaro sense) – but I have been wondering about this scenario:
If I buy a house by raising a mortgage, then put a tenant in whose rent pays the mortgage (or a portion of it) why does the tenant then not legally ‘own’ that portion of the house they paid for? And why do they not get a commensurate share of any subsequent capital gain if it is sold?
I appreciate the logistical/administrative complexity of doing this – it’s more the principle of the thing.
i.e. why should I be able simply to cash-cow another human being like this?
Happy to be put straight by wiser heads on here.
I guess its that in most cases the rent received does not cover the mortgage, forget not also the insurance and rates and maintenance that you as the owner must pay. So the capital gain/loss is the risk portion that you have for holding the asset and so if there is a capital gain in the end then that is your compensation for risk.
Your example could work, where the rent is a portion of capital purchased, but you would have to increase rents substantially to cover costs. And then where is the incentive to purchase a property to lend?
So in effect rents are being “subsidised” by the prospects of future capital gains for the landlords.
I think in NZ we forget that house prices can and will fall and can fall quickly under the right conditions. It just has not happened for a long time so we are cognitively unaware of this possibility. Which leads to the inevitable “house prices never fall, its a safe investment” mentality which purports to push house prices up yet again. one day they will however come tumbling down.
I guess its that in most cases the rent received does not cover the mortgage, forget not also the insurance and rates and maintenance that you as the owner must pay.
At some point the rent will cover the mortgage, the insurance and the landlords living expenses.
So, why should the landlord get income from doing nothing?
It just has not happened for a long time so we are cognitively unaware of this possibility.
And that seems to be because the government has been working to ensure that they don’t and thus creating a huge bubble.
You are paying for the ‘use’ of something that does not belong to you.
Using your idea – the renter would also need to be responsible for maintenance, rent, insurance, and a share of the losses should the house value go down.
If you want what the model you mention – there is nothing stopping you from doing a ‘shared ownership’ model with friends.
“You are paying for the ‘use’ of something that does not belong to you.”
Not quite – you are actually paying someone else for the use of something that does not belong to them either. (Because they owe a mortgage on it). All they are really doing is passing the renter’s money on to the bank.
That was the point I think.
“If you want what the model you mention – there is nothing stopping you from doing a ‘shared ownership’ model with friends.”
It’s not what I want that I’m asking about and what I want is of no interest anyway. It’s why a right exists to cash cow other human beings in this way.
Not quite – you are actually paying someone else for the use of something that does not belong to them either. (Because they owe a mortgage on it).
It might look like that, but it’s deceiving. When you buy a house and take out a mortgage to pay for it, you own the house. It’s your house. Also, in a related but separate transaction, you’ve used your house as collateral on a loan.
You can rent out the house and use the rent received to pay back the loan you took out, but it remains your house and, more importantly, your loan, with all the risks and obligations that entails. That’s the whole point of renting: you aren’t responsible for the house and aren’t a debtor to the bank. If a renter wanted a share of ownership of the house and of any capital gain, they’d have to also take on a share of responsibility for the house and a share of the obligations arising from the debt – I wouldn’t fancy trying to negotiate that with a prospective landlord.
“james
8 March 2008 at 7:16 am
i want know from national if there going to bring back the employment contracts act keys statement proves to me there is a hidden agenda in national they just dont learn i heard this week english supports assets sales that party never learns.
if keys tried to get this reporter fired this is very very serious that is what dictators do john keys is same as vladamire putine.”
As they saying go James your living in Roberts head rent free, which is fine by DTB as he would not have you paying rent Alan however not so as you have no right to occupy Roberts head without paying rent
Bingo. Same james who has now strayed to the right somewhat? If so we’ve only got about 16 weeks to convince james to flee from the dark side back to his old home over here. It can be done. Every vote counts.Some old General once muttered some thing like “I shall return”; and return he did.
Also v similar to Turnbull’s budget. A Labour budget.
Although curiously Shorten is up on him by 6% despite the biggest tax-and-spend budget in decades.
Ad I thought Wilson article was great. He calls out English on his lies claiming credit for ensuring the care workers got their pay increase and he has clocked what their strategy is for this years election i.e. present themselves as the caring party who are doing great things for people.
The thing a bout Paula B showing a slide of a pair of blue shoes costing $950.00 is disgusting………………..I think this needs to be highlighted to show the greed and selfishnish of this party. Perhaps one of the clever Standard Writers could post the slide of the shoes on this site with a suitable caption…………..I can think of many myself.
Simon Wilson’s been trying hard to become Labour ever since Burma Road.
He never quite made it then so he probably has some expertise and experience “in this space”
Oops I did it again.
I must not comment on social media
I must not comment on social media
I must not comment on social media
I must not comment on social media
I must go and have a flat white on Ponsonby Road
A latte and smashed avocado on toast should calm you down and help get rid of inconvenient socialist thoughts. Watch the Lamborghinis cruise by and admire the success of capitalism!
(?) (sarc)
HI tim, I had always found Simon anti Labour and a little pro Tory. Just my take on it.
I liked his article, because I think any swing voters reading it would be exposed to the lies Nats are telling e.g taking credit for the increase in care workers wages. Wilson doesn’t mince words there.
I do. It fits his usual pattern of behaviour of boasting, risk taking, and boundary pushing. While these are amusing in a child, they are outright dangerous in his position.
In my view Trump is simply a uncontrolled dickhead in the wrong position. Fortunately, while he has strained the controls and limits on executive power, to date the other branches of government outside of the executive appear to be holding.
The real question for NZ is why we should get anywhere near this kind of stupidity of the American public.
The best thing about a Trump presidency is that I think it will eventually cause some serious clawing back of the power of the executive. You only have to look at the aftermath of the similar Andrew Jackson stupidity in the 19th century to see what kinds of factors are likely to come into play.
The way NZ operates, there really is only the executive council. Everything else is advisory.
The only reason that I think that it kind of works is because the country is so small, and while kiwis are not interested in politics, they tend to get irritated when the government stands on their friends and family and proceed to directly bend the ears of the idiots who think that they have the power.
I was thinking about that this morning. Trump can work because he can screw over a ton of people but there are plenty more waiting in the wings. In NZ there are only so many people and only so many degrees of separation between people … when someone gets hammered then there are people watching who stay silent at the time but are waiting for the wheel to turn to get their retribution.
Yeah. It is the bigger state provides more room. But conversely a bigger state also develops much stronger structural defenses as well.
Our court system isn’t bad as a defense on unbridled power. But it really doesn’t have the constitutional clout that the circuit courts have in the US.
And the evidence shows that it doesn’t. All those state assets were sold off against the wishes of the people and none of the political parties are keen to bring them back despite the fact that doing so would probably be quite popular.
We have a government which does what it thinks is best rather than what the people think is best and the result is ever increasing poverty and unsustainability.
NZ has attempted to mitigate the power of its elected dictatorship by switching to MMP but National has still managed to do plenty of underhanded shit by their campaign of PR, deception and intimidation.
I am thankful for our legal protections but they are not enough, we also need a strong independent MSM, better education in civics, compulsory voting in general elections, and more engagement with all sectors of society.
Since rogernomics our institutions have been captured by the 1% and redesigned to erode regulations, democracy, and accountability to the 99%
What does he admit to Marty? Giving Russia a heads up on a potential bomb plot? Can you cut and paste a source for what Trump admitted or, if it’s from the Washington Post article, cut and paste the direct quote please?
I’ve read the article. It was a tiresome exercise – like unraveling a tangled ball of string that you’re never going to use. Anyway, I repeated the exercise in an effort to identify any admission you might be referring to and came up blank.
I’m not even sure what the bullshit is that I’m meant to believe 🙂
Allegedly some info about ISIS planning to use laptops to bring down passenger airliners was shared with Russia. That’s bad, how?
Oh. And if that’s bad, then when why isn’t it bad that The Washington Post apparently has all the details of the supposed ISIS plot?
If Trump told the Russians stuff he shouldn’t have told them, then who told the Washington Post the stuff that they now know and that the Russians ought not to know? Did Trump lay a call into the Washington Post too?
It’s all headless chicken arm waving bullshit designed to get idiots in a lather about a President liberal media don’t like and spraying spittle of consternation over “Evil Russia” into the bargain.
I wouldn’t call it ‘fake news’ maui. It’s just another episode in the fairly popular, long running and badly written soap that US liberal msm are producing in lieu of informative news pieces. It’s called propaganda 😉
I’d presume that this is to do with the ban on laptops on aircraft from the Middle East that has been in place for quite a while (March?). The US initiated it. The ban was followed by the UK. The EU are due to discuss the intelligence and come to a decision.
It was clearly based on some kind of intelligence which I’d guess from the lack of squawking from the middle east, was shared there.
Perhaps you should read about it?
But in MY well-informed opinion, Trump is a just an dumb idiot, Russia’s intelligence community has been hacking systems for decades (just as the US and China and everyone else does). The difference is that Russia now has a long history of deliberately targeting the infrastructure of elections of other states and using a veneer of plausible deniability for the credulous fools who’d prefer not to look at it.
How or in what way is sharing info about a laptop ban bad?
If (as claimed) it’s more to do with the source of that info and all about how sensitive that source is and how crucial it is to keep that source ‘under wraps’, then how is it that the Washington Post is privy to all of it?
Is the Washington Post privy to all the information that Trump shared with Russia?
Because that seems to have been a leap you made. From what I can see, the laptop ban was the result of intelligence about a specific threat. Even if WaPo has all the details about the ISIS plot (doubtful), that doesn’t mean that they have all the details about how the plot was discovered. And that seems to be the bit that was classified.
From the article – The Washington Post is withholding most plot details, including the name of the city, at the urging of officials who warned that revealing them would jeopardise important intelligence capabilities.
And just before that (and in spite of all the arm waving nonsense)
He (Trump) did not reveal the specific intelligence gathering method, but described how the Islamic State was pursuing elements of a specific plot and how much harm such an attack could cause under varying circumstances.
Most alarmingly, officials said, Trump revealed the city in the Islamic State’s territory where the US intelligence partner detected the threat.
GIVING RUSSIA THE LOCATION THE MOST PROBLEMATIC
The Washington Post is withholding most plot details, including the name of the city, at the urging of officials who warned that revealing them would jeopardise important intelligence capabilities.
Ok, so the Wapo sources also broke classification (although at least they have a public interest justification).
But there’s also this:
The officials declined to identify the ally, but said it is one that has previously voiced frustration with Washington’s inability to safeguard sensitive information related to Iraq and Syria.
So no, they did not give WaPo all the facts. And the problem is that Russia could well have been in a position to identify the ally and even source simply from the city, while it’s less likey for WaPo to be able to do that.
Unnamed officials who were not at the meeting didn’t share everything they didn’t know with the Washington Post while claiming that that if the alleged intelligence partner got wind of the very stuff they were telling the Washington Post about, then the intelligence relationship would be threatened and not only that, but ‘evil Russia’ might even be able to take steps to prevent that same source that’s located in a specific city from spying on Russia.
It’s like wee Johnny standing in front of teacher with cylon eyes and a dog turd in his hand breathlessly going on about how he’d been told that James hadn’t washed his hands after peeing before eating his school lunch and that he’d heard his mum say that James was known for spreading diseases.
The only intelligent reaction is a variation on the theme of “fuck off”.
I’m devastated by the incisiveness of that comment McFlock –
devastated I tells ye.
You sure you don’t want to throw a nyah, nyah, nyah-nyah, nyah on the end for good measure?
Go on! 😉
Then I’ll pass you a bicky from the plate of elevensies (even though it’s 4 O’Clock) and we can both pretend you haven’t slipped from that pin head you were dancing on and wound up with it piercing your arse.
Yeah, I got really bored when you got all cartesian to defend trump.
See, the thing is that the unnamed officials could either spill the beans that trump decided to give the russians shit that was specifically supposed to be secret, or they could either give Wapo enough information to verify the story and bring it to light. And apparently they leaked less to Wapo than trump leaked to the russians. Yes, this is highly irregular, but so is trump’s relationship with the russians. Desperate times, and all that.
You want to compare it to school kids? Fair enough. Johnny tells teacher that he heard from someone that james had a stash of drugs on the school grounds, and that he checked it and took one packet to give to teacher so teacher could verify it wasn’t bullshit.
I was criticising a newspaper’s supposed news piece because it was a pile of steaming crap. That’s not defending Trump.
The unnamed officials (both ex and current) – and none of them were actually at the meeting – didn’t have any beans to spill according to the only named and therefor challengeable source in the entire piece. Everything they allege is, at best, based on claims of hear-say, or completely unsubstantiated.
There was an obvious enough opportunity to build a story that would feed into the meme that Trump’s an undesirable clown who’s in the pocket of an evil Russia.
Now I like a good story. But when it come to news I want verifiable facts, or failing that, really quite convincing circumstantial evidence that stands up to all manner of scrutiny including, but not limited to a simple application of logic.
There’s what I’d call a Bush culture doing the rounds at the moment (‘You’re either with us or against us.’) that I’ve no time for at all because it’s dangerous in terms of demanding accountability.
So again. Regardless of what I do or don’t think of Trump, the Washington Post piece, which is front paging everywhere, is garbage.
If they want to offer up some evidence to back what they’re claiming, then fine. But until then, it can only be regarded as scurrilous rumour and ought to be called out on that basis.
On the school kid level, it’s making shit up to get someone in trouble. There is no wee packet of drugs getting handed to teacher in this instance.
Let’s say you’re a respected news agency that has an official who “was familiar with the exchange” telling you what happened, and a bunch of current or former officials (but who still have connections) back up the story and how serious it is.
How would you report it in a way that satisfied your standards of journalism?
“The difference is that Russia now has a long history of deliberately targeting the infrastructure of elections of other states” can you point me to this info, I genuinely am interested in this stuff and how its promoted by the press.
I’m working – so you should to. Google it. The most interesting ones have happened over the last 15 years or so.
The obvious one was the Ukrainian election before the Orange revolution and its aftermath in things like turning off gas supplies. But you will also find it in most periphery states around Russia like power into Georgia, targeted cyber-attacks in Estonia, and a number more. It has been a pattern of interference for decades. Incidentally it is also one of the strongest motivations for those periphery states to want to get into the EU and/or NATO
The only thing that has been of note recently is the export of the pattern to states further afield.
Ok i have googled cyber estonia and been to wikipedia
” As of January 2008, one ethnic-Russian Estonian national has been charged and convicted.[5]”
And
“The Estonian government was quick to blame the Kremlin, accusing it of being directly involved in the attacks. It was later revealed that the allegations were baseless when Estonia’s defense minister, Jaak Aaviksoo, admitted that he had no evidence linking the cyber-attacks to the Kremlin”
But thats just wikipedia , I guess we all just know the russians did it anyway
Me… i really not convinced.. not to say they didnt , i just developing a strong distust of this sort of allegation.
Will do more googling as suggested … but … ? What can be really trusted?
On what basis do you say it is wrong, apart from your own assertion.
When serious journalists write an article in such an emphatic way, it means that they have rock solid evidence of the truth of the events they are reporting.
As for your crap assertion that CNN is “fake news media” well, that says it all.
You are obviously a complete convert of the Trump propaganda machine, and no doubt think that Sean Spicer is the oracle of all truth.
Most journalism is. The difference is if the people making it are credible.
Generally The Washington Post are a pretty credible source when it comes to anything related to US federal politics. While you might disagree with their interpretation (as I usually do – they are as conservative as hell), their facts are seldom overturned or proven by history to be unreliable.
Just as RT are a rubbish when it comes to being credible about almost anything.
No Lynn. The newspaper cannot be seen as a source (not a primary one). It uses or supplies sources. That’s what builds its credibility as a news source.
What sources is the Washington Post using or supplying in this instance? What number of those can be in any way identified or verified? Same questions apply to the information the Washington Post is relaying.
In the absence of even one named source that second tranche of questions about the information itself has to be pursued. Except, the whole thing sinks in its own bullshit anyway.
Like I’ve pointed out. If this information (whatever it’s actually meant to be) was so top secret that neither Russia, US allies nor any number of officials were to be privy to it, then how in the name of fuck does it transpire that the Washington Post has all of it?
I’m not going through this bullshit ‘credibility Olympics’ again. All news-sources are suspect and should be subjected to measures of critical evaluation. Some less so and some more so depending on the issues being reported.
Come on Wayne, you think serious journalism is having unnamed officials leaking info from a private top level meeting? This is credible how? Particularly when the two targets Trump and Russia are the most despised things in US politics. Again alarm bells should be ringing by now.
Sorry I didn’t realise applying some critical thinking means I’m now part of the Trump propaganda machine.
Where the source has genuine reasons for anonymity, the information itself is then held up to deeper scrutiny. In this and many other instances of late there are no named sources and no verifiable information being provided.
Yep in NZ we have applied scrutiny to leakers like a rugby stripper and Nat MPs personal assistants, and there hasn’t been much reason to disbelieve their accounts. In the case of the reporting I’ve just seen on CNN there is no scrutiny of the trump leakers and there is just breathless innuendo of how bad this is for Trump. Not sure whether to laugh or cry really, more the latter really when so many people take CNN reports at face value.
As I am sure you know journalists have used unnamed sources as the basis of political and other stories for decades. That was the whole basis of breaking open Watergate.
Just because they are unnamed, does not mean they have no credibility. The journalists typically knows who they are, and the basis of their information. In this case I am certain the journalist is talking directly to senior intelligence officials. Either the source was in the room, or the source has the confidence of someone who was in the room.
The fact they are willing to talk to journalists speaks volumes of what they think of Trump, and his actions to date as President.
The denials by the Trump administration are very specific, saying sources and techniques were not discussed (and sources and techniques can be tightly defined). That means everything else was discussed, probably enough to give substantial knowledge of sources and techniques, even if they were not directly stated. For instance I am sure the President would not say, “we have a source inside ISIS HQ who says ISIS are planning laptop attacks”, but he could say “we have rock solid evidence from within ISIS that ISIS are planning laptop attacks”.
As for being part of the Trump propaganda machine that was based on you using his meme that CNN is “fake news.”
We might be talking about different versions of the media. The one I’m thinking of is part of a corrupt establishment, the one that feeds debate questions to a candidate prior to a live debate and who pulls unfavourable tv programming at the request of their political masters.
“When serious journalists write an article in such an emphatic way, it means that they have rock solid evidence of the truth of the events they are reporting.”
The serious journalists might even write a book or two…
In this case I am certain the journalist is talking directly to senior intelligence officials. Either the source was in the room, or the source has the confidence of someone who was in the room.
Yes. It’s obvious the sources were senior intelligence operatives – people with sufficient standing for the recipients to know it was credible material.
There is another possible source… a remote listening device. After the Comey dismissal, I’m sure the US intelligence community would have been on high alert. They may have decided that the circumstances existing around the time of the ambassadorial visit were sufficiently extraordinary to warrant an extraordinary response.
“When serious journalists write an article in such an emphatic way, it means that they have rock solid evidence of the truth of the events they are reporting.”
and pigs fly!
when serious journalists who are actually journalists have rock solid evidence they point to it!
34,000 -8,300 to be demolished = 2.6k new houses per year, half of them for sale.
Auckland alone is already 30-40,000 homes behind. Still, good to see this govt copying useful policies, in their usual half-arsed way.
Random thought of the moment: Trump certainly knows how to take his last bit of stupidity out of the news. By creating an even bigger stupidity to replace it. So how is he going to top this one? And what’s his team doing behind all the smoke?
Bill English’s neoliberal dream.
A country where polluting pays.
“The dairy industry’s year-three report on its commitment to mitigating the environmental impact of farming shows it has achieved six of 13 goals that were set out in 2013 but hasn’t yet made a dent in nitrogen loss, underlining the long-term nature of the task of improving waterways.
Nitrogen leaching in the 2015/16 year was a national average 39 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare per year, unchanged from the previous year. Of the 13 regions surveyed using the Overseer computer modelling system, seven actually had an increase in nutrient loss, the worst being Canterbury, which climbed to 64 kg/N/ha/year from a 50 kg N/ha/year rolling average for 2013/14 and 2014/15. Otago has the second-worst deterioration, with an increase to 39 kg N/ha/year from 33 kg N/ha/year.”
Climate change report indicates challenges for NZ agriculture
“Vivid presents three alternative scenarios, the first of which named Off
Track New Zealand exploits low-cost reduction technologies without
significantly cutting agricultural production and consequently does NOT
meet the zero emissions target. The other two scenarios, named Innovative
New Zealand and Resourceful New Zealand, both meet the target in different
ways; the first implies a 25-30% reduction in livestock numbers and a
shift away from pastoral to arable, horticulture and forestry, while the
second envisages an even greater transition to forestry with an additional
1.6 million hectares. The report notes apologetically this may entail a
difficult transition for rural economies.”
This is what happens when you let the private sector loose on education and don’t insist on qualified teachers/tutors which National has done in spades.
These so called education providers are falling over when finally scrutinised and I imagine now the blowtorch has been lit more will do so.
Not that education is the primary purpose of theses outfits. They are a cover for the current government’s immigration rort which allows their employer mates to keep wages down while getting fatter and fatter.
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
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 ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
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. ...
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 ...
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Mike King quite rightly tells the Government and the Misery of Health just what they can do with their new happy clappy Draft Suicide Prevention Plan.
Good coverage from RNZ…http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201843931/government-plays-down-mike-king-quitting-suicide-advisory-panel
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/201843892/prime-minister-not-surprised-by-mike-king's-resignation
and Stuff…http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/92586882/comedian-says-suicide-panel-would-be-funny-if-people-werent-dying
and the Herald….http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?
c_id=1&objectid=11856284
———————————–
“One of the first things the panel agreed on was that there should be a clear target for the country to move towards.
“We want the NZ public to take this seriously – we wanted to set a clear percentage goal on suicide prevention. So we decided to reduce suicide by 20 per cent over the next 10 years,” he said.
But the draft proposal has removed that target and is extremely vague in its aspirations, King says.
In a letter to Ministry of Health director of mental health Dr John Crawshaw, King resigned from the panel saying he is growing “increasingly concerned” about the plan.
“The plan has buried all new ideas in such impenetrable language they are beyond recognition and unlikely to ever see the light of day.
“It is a strategy that is so broad in its effort to please everyone it will eventually collapse under the weight of public expectation. This will please no one except you and the politicians you serve,” King wrote.
“It would be funny if people weren’t dying,” he added.
King says the draft plan ignores recommendations from the panel, continues to fund “failed experiments”, is an almost word-for-word repeat of the last strategy – and will further isolate vulnerable Kiwis.”
———————————————–
They use these high profile individuals to give credibility to these Expert Advisory Panels, Technical Advisory Groups and the like. More often than not it is a pantomime of discussion and consultation, and any Plan or Strategy produced has largely been writ by some petty minded bureaucrat without much if any reference to the work of the panel.
Its usually predetermined….and often as KIng points out…a copy and paste of previous documents.
Its about time someone called them out on this….these Advisory Groups are more often than not shams…its fraudulent, and borders on corrupt.
Respect to Mike King for not only refusing to take any further part in this but, for going public. If they are going to use his fame to validate their little performances, then its only right he uses his fame to expose their crap.
The interview with the Director of Mental Health was incredibly dense and non committal.
From 1:36.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=201843938
I could not believe it when Mike King on the AM Show this morning said that there were 570 accepted suicides in the past year but there were another 500 plus that were not in the official stats. People who were found at he bottom of cliffs, people who had any alcohol or drugs in their systems and had left a note/letter. obvious car crash deaths – all were not entered in the official stats. How can that be – if that is not fudging the statistics I don’t know what it is. Surely that is a kind of fraud.
Every day this Government shows utter contempt for their citizens – its getting worse by the minute. No wonder people are suffering from depression in untold numbers.
They don’t have to fudge them Whispering Kate they just don’t bother collecting them
was the interview dense ianmac or the director or both
Both michelle. Many words but no content.
By the sounds of things they’re not referencing back to the academic research available either.
If there’s not change then it doesn’t border on corrupt but is corrupt. They’re there to prevent change rather than bring it about. A show of Doing Something while doing nothing.
The Misery of Health are the experts on this.
When the Gummint decided not to take the ‘paid family carers’ to the Supreme Court back in 2012 the Miserly announced a Technical Advisory Group of ‘stakeholders’ had been set up to gather information and work on a plan. Upon closer scrutiny, every single member of that TAG had some kind of financial relationship with the Ministry or wider government. Every single bloody one of them.
We never saw a report from the group…and they were sworn to secrecy regarding discussions during their meetings.
I spent far too much time over the next few years periodically looking into various Advisory Groups, their members, terms of references, periodic reports (if any), draft plans/strategies and ultimate policy/law changes.
TBH…what I learned was just about enough to make one lose the will to live.
This shit totally undermines our government, our democratic system.
There is often a legislative requirement for ministries and department to ‘consult’…almost inevitably results in a pantomime.
And nothing ever fucking changes.
Which tells us that it was corruption from the get go and that every single person involved in it should be in jail.
And it’s been going on for a long time and needs addressing with some decent rules and laws against corruption.
And that’s because the people are letting the corrupt arseholes at the top get away with it.
This shit needs to be reported and the people need to demand the changes needed.
“…and that every single person involved in it should be in jail.”
And every single one of them will protest that they were representative of some aspect of the disability/carer community…and hey…they had a job, a place on the committee/board of the advocacy group/NGO and they do know what they’re talking about. And besides, the system is set up that ONLY official DPOs (Disabled People’s Organisations) have an automatic seat at the table. Of course…the fact that these DPO’s and Carer organisations receive gummint $$$ adds to their credibility and impartiality.
There has just been a rewrite of the NZ Disability Strategy and two rounds of public workshops were held around the regions. Organised by the Office for Disability Issues. Partner and I went…’cos boy oh boy do we have issues regarding supports for those with very high and complex care needs. The person who took the lead at our table works for a provider and is also deeply involved in an official DPO. My partner…obviously the highest care needs person at the table (who unlike many in this category is capable of speaking for himself)… was effectively shut down and our extremely valid concerns never made to the whiteboard up the front. The same thing happened with others in our informal network at other regional meetings.
The Draft Strategy was aspirational garbage and not a patch on the original that had clearly defined Objectives. Partner refused to attend second meeting upon reading the crap in the draft. However, I did pop into the venue and have a wee chat with the top nob from the ODI. I told her that my partner would not be participating this time and why. Usual platitudes. I told her the Draft was rubbish, and failed to address any of the most significant issues…even the ones that the UN gave the Gummint a stern ticking off over. Ho hum. I suggested, as a parting shot, that when the participants were all assembled she asked for a show of hands of those paid for or associated with a government funded organisation.
Looked like I’d asked her to to swallow a rotting dead rat.
Now there is a “Systems Transformation” process underway involving selected ‘members of the disability community’. “This is sooo important we want to get it right!!!”
Yep…you guessed it…including the person who excluded my disabled partner’s concerns at the first meeting.
And bugger me if the same names don’t pop up over and over again on all manner of different advisory groups (and the honours lists)…and they wonder why we are still fighting the same battles we were a decade or so ago.
I’m going fishing. 🙂
Representative Democracy represents power and not the will or needs of the people and what you’ve just described shows that to a ‘T’.
Bill English’s neoliberal dream.
A country where students should hungry.
“Tertiary institutions are being forced to feed many of their students, with a new survey finding that one in six students at one Auckland institute are going without food regularly because they can’t afford it.
Unitec, the country’s biggest campus-based polytechnic with 9100 fulltime-equivalent students, is asking its staff to donate food and linen to help students struggling to pay rising rents and other living costs.
A survey answered by almost 2000 of its students has found that 17 per cent agree that they “regularly go without food or other necessities because I can’t afford them”.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11854811
In my first semester I had to borrow $1000 on my Student Loan to pay the bills. Did the dame for the second semester but the only reason I could do that was because my second semester was in a different year. Would have needed the money for the third semester as well but wouldn’t have had access to it as it’s only available once per year.
Instead a student deal from Kiwibank of a $2000 overdraft got me through. In my third year I won a $7000 scholarship which managed to pay off the overdraft and get me through this last semester – especially now that I’ve moved. If I hadn’t of moved I still wouldn’t have been able to pay off the overdraft and even before I moved I was on a good deal for Auckland.
Education is no longer about what’s good for the country but what makes a profit and the effect is to prevent people from learning the skills that a developing country needs and putting the people who do do the learning into deep hock – so deep in fact that they can’t really get out.
“Did the dame for the second semester…”
Please share DTB, we could all do with cheering up. 🙂
Heh
Bill English’s neoliberal dream.
A country where there is no plan for mental health.
“Mike King says a target of cutting suicides by 20 per cent in 10 years is “absolutely realistic”, as he berates the Government for its failure to include a measurable goal in its new draft suicide prevention strategy.
The comedian and television presenter stepped down from his post on New Zealand’s suicide-prevention panel today, claiming the Government’s recently released draft plan to prevent suicide is “deeply flawed” and self-serving.
The panel was established to help shape a strategy to reduce suicide over the next 10 years. Its Draft Suicide Prevention Plan was released to the public last month.
But key measures – including a 20 per cent reduction in suicides over 10 years – have been removed from the plan.
Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman did not answer a question from the Herald about why the target had been removed.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11856284
Call me naïve (in the true sense not the Ngaro sense) – but I have been wondering about this scenario:
If I buy a house by raising a mortgage, then put a tenant in whose rent pays the mortgage (or a portion of it) why does the tenant then not legally ‘own’ that portion of the house they paid for? And why do they not get a commensurate share of any subsequent capital gain if it is sold?
I appreciate the logistical/administrative complexity of doing this – it’s more the principle of the thing.
i.e. why should I be able simply to cash-cow another human being like this?
Happy to be put straight by wiser heads on here.
I guess its that in most cases the rent received does not cover the mortgage, forget not also the insurance and rates and maintenance that you as the owner must pay. So the capital gain/loss is the risk portion that you have for holding the asset and so if there is a capital gain in the end then that is your compensation for risk.
Your example could work, where the rent is a portion of capital purchased, but you would have to increase rents substantially to cover costs. And then where is the incentive to purchase a property to lend?
So in effect rents are being “subsidised” by the prospects of future capital gains for the landlords.
I think in NZ we forget that house prices can and will fall and can fall quickly under the right conditions. It just has not happened for a long time so we are cognitively unaware of this possibility. Which leads to the inevitable “house prices never fall, its a safe investment” mentality which purports to push house prices up yet again. one day they will however come tumbling down.
At some point the rent will cover the mortgage, the insurance and the landlords living expenses.
So, why should the landlord get income from doing nothing?
And that seems to be because the government has been working to ensure that they don’t and thus creating a huge bubble.
You understand the word “Rent” right?
You are paying for the ‘use’ of something that does not belong to you.
Using your idea – the renter would also need to be responsible for maintenance, rent, insurance, and a share of the losses should the house value go down.
If you want what the model you mention – there is nothing stopping you from doing a ‘shared ownership’ model with friends.
“You are paying for the ‘use’ of something that does not belong to you.”
Not quite – you are actually paying someone else for the use of something that does not belong to them either. (Because they owe a mortgage on it). All they are really doing is passing the renter’s money on to the bank.
That was the point I think.
“If you want what the model you mention – there is nothing stopping you from doing a ‘shared ownership’ model with friends.”
It’s not what I want that I’m asking about and what I want is of no interest anyway. It’s why a right exists to cash cow other human beings in this way.
Not quite – you are actually paying someone else for the use of something that does not belong to them either. (Because they owe a mortgage on it).
It might look like that, but it’s deceiving. When you buy a house and take out a mortgage to pay for it, you own the house. It’s your house. Also, in a related but separate transaction, you’ve used your house as collateral on a loan.
You can rent out the house and use the rent received to pay back the loan you took out, but it remains your house and, more importantly, your loan, with all the risks and obligations that entails. That’s the whole point of renting: you aren’t responsible for the house and aren’t a debtor to the bank. If a renter wanted a share of ownership of the house and of any capital gain, they’d have to also take on a share of responsibility for the house and a share of the obligations arising from the debt – I wouldn’t fancy trying to negotiate that with a prospective landlord.
Because that’s how capitalism works.
If we want to stop that then we need to get rid of capitalism.
no, the rent gives the the right to occupy, nothing else.
History question: is this our James???
“james
8 March 2008 at 7:16 am
i want know from national if there going to bring back the employment contracts act keys statement proves to me there is a hidden agenda in national they just dont learn i heard this week english supports assets sales that party never learns.
if keys tried to get this reporter fired this is very very serious that is what dictators do john keys is same as vladamire putine.”
https://thestandard.org.nz/did-key-try-to-get-wage-drop-journalist-sacked/#comment-1329934
i do not think so, our james has better spelling and grammer.
oops… haha, by the above i do mean grammar, obviously…
Nope – not me, but I appreciate your fixation on me that you go back searching for old post.
You need a better hobby.
As they saying go James your living in Roberts head rent free, which is fine by DTB as he would not have you paying rent Alan however not so as you have no right to occupy Roberts head without paying rent
james won’t be living in Roberts head much longer. Instead james hopes she/he will be living in one of nats new houses.
“As they saying go James your living…”
You’re doing my head in, Red.
Heh
Hope i am not ruining James home 😀
Well, I can tell you its old, damp and drafty in here. 😉
Heh
Bingo. Same james who has now strayed to the right somewhat? If so we’ve only got about 16 weeks to convince james to flee from the dark side back to his old home over here. It can be done. Every vote counts.Some old General once muttered some thing like “I shall return”; and return he did.
Simon Wilson notes how hard National are working to become Labour.
I think I’d made the point a little earlier,during the Labour conference.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/auckland/15-05-2017/national-is-cloning-labours-identity-and-other-lessons-from-its-weekend-conference/
Also v similar to Turnbull’s budget. A Labour budget.
Although curiously Shorten is up on him by 6% despite the biggest tax-and-spend budget in decades.
Ad I thought Wilson article was great. He calls out English on his lies claiming credit for ensuring the care workers got their pay increase and he has clocked what their strategy is for this years election i.e. present themselves as the caring party who are doing great things for people.
The thing a bout Paula B showing a slide of a pair of blue shoes costing $950.00 is disgusting………………..I think this needs to be highlighted to show the greed and selfishnish of this party. Perhaps one of the clever Standard Writers could post the slide of the shoes on this site with a suitable caption…………..I can think of many myself.
Simon Wilson’s been trying hard to become Labour ever since Burma Road.
He never quite made it then so he probably has some expertise and experience “in this space”
Oops I did it again.
I must not comment on social media
I must not comment on social media
I must not comment on social media
I must not comment on social media
I must go and have a flat white on Ponsonby Road
A latte and smashed avocado on toast should calm you down and help get rid of inconvenient socialist thoughts. Watch the Lamborghinis cruise by and admire the success of capitalism!
(?) (sarc)
HI tim, I had always found Simon anti Labour and a little pro Tory. Just my take on it.
I liked his article, because I think any swing voters reading it would be exposed to the lies Nats are telling e.g taking credit for the increase in care workers wages. Wilson doesn’t mince words there.
Who believes this bullshit! Of course unnamed officials who weren’t at a private meeting find the most important of secret vague information has been compromised and given to the most dangerous people in the world Russia. Peak bullshit and CNN is currently having a big cry that their fake news media wasnt allowed to take photos of the ruskies foreign minister.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/92620108/donald-trump-shared-highly-classified-information-with-russians-during-their-white-house-visit
I do. It fits his usual pattern of behaviour of boasting, risk taking, and boundary pushing. While these are amusing in a child, they are outright dangerous in his position.
In my view Trump is simply a uncontrolled dickhead in the wrong position. Fortunately, while he has strained the controls and limits on executive power, to date the other branches of government outside of the executive appear to be holding.
The real question for NZ is why we should get anywhere near this kind of stupidity of the American public.
The best thing about a Trump presidency is that I think it will eventually cause some serious clawing back of the power of the executive. You only have to look at the aftermath of the similar Andrew Jackson stupidity in the 19th century to see what kinds of factors are likely to come into play.
I’m kinda hoping that the same will happen here and that the power of our government will get reigned in.
Probably wishful thinking though.
The way NZ operates, there really is only the executive council. Everything else is advisory.
The only reason that I think that it kind of works is because the country is so small, and while kiwis are not interested in politics, they tend to get irritated when the government stands on their friends and family and proceed to directly bend the ears of the idiots who think that they have the power.
I was thinking about that this morning. Trump can work because he can screw over a ton of people but there are plenty more waiting in the wings. In NZ there are only so many people and only so many degrees of separation between people … when someone gets hammered then there are people watching who stay silent at the time but are waiting for the wheel to turn to get their retribution.
Yeah. It is the bigger state provides more room. But conversely a bigger state also develops much stronger structural defenses as well.
Our court system isn’t bad as a defense on unbridled power. But it really doesn’t have the constitutional clout that the circuit courts have in the US.
And the evidence shows that it doesn’t. All those state assets were sold off against the wishes of the people and none of the political parties are keen to bring them back despite the fact that doing so would probably be quite popular.
We have a government which does what it thinks is best rather than what the people think is best and the result is ever increasing poverty and unsustainability.
Then lets vote them out
That won’t stop them doing it again whereas some rules that they can be held accountable to will.
As I say, it’s not that the government can’t take your house off of you that stops them but the fact that there are rules for them to follow to do so.
NZ has attempted to mitigate the power of its elected dictatorship by switching to MMP but National has still managed to do plenty of underhanded shit by their campaign of PR, deception and intimidation.
I am thankful for our legal protections but they are not enough, we also need a strong independent MSM, better education in civics, compulsory voting in general elections, and more engagement with all sectors of society.
Since rogernomics our institutions have been captured by the 1% and redesigned to erode regulations, democracy, and accountability to the 99%
It’s true mate even your poster boy hero trump admits it. Jeeze did you read that? He admits it.
What does he admit to Marty? Giving Russia a heads up on a potential bomb plot? Can you cut and paste a source for what Trump admitted or, if it’s from the Washington Post article, cut and paste the direct quote please?
I’ve read the article. It was a tiresome exercise – like unraveling a tangled ball of string that you’re never going to use. Anyway, I repeated the exercise in an effort to identify any admission you might be referring to and came up blank.
That wasn’t what the story was about Bill.
Perhaps you should actually read it rather than interpreting what you think it says?
I’ve read it. It claims Trump is a security risk and uses vague references to info about laptops as the example.
It names not one source. It provides not one piece of verifiable information.
It’s just another piece of bullshit coming from msm that’s meant to lead people on.
Marty wrote that Trump admitted to something. I’m not sure what it is he’s meant to have admitted to and have asked Marty for clarification.
You are right bill. I withdraw and apologise for writing that he has admitted anything. Sorry not sure why I thought I had read it.
He’s admitted it now. Obviously that’s just another piece of bullshit that’s meant to lead people on or something 🙄
Yes I noticed he has admitted it – do you need the link bill or can you find it.
I’m not even sure what the bullshit is that I’m meant to believe 🙂
Allegedly some info about ISIS planning to use laptops to bring down passenger airliners was shared with Russia. That’s bad, how?
Oh. And if that’s bad, then when why isn’t it bad that The Washington Post apparently has all the details of the supposed ISIS plot?
If Trump told the Russians stuff he shouldn’t have told them, then who told the Washington Post the stuff that they now know and that the Russians ought not to know? Did Trump lay a call into the Washington Post too?
It’s all headless chicken arm waving bullshit designed to get idiots in a lather about a President liberal media don’t like and spraying spittle of consternation over “Evil Russia” into the bargain.
I wouldn’t call it ‘fake news’ maui. It’s just another episode in the fairly popular, long running and badly written soap that US liberal msm are producing in lieu of informative news pieces. It’s called propaganda 😉
I’d presume that this is to do with the ban on laptops on aircraft from the Middle East that has been in place for quite a while (March?). The US initiated it. The ban was followed by the UK. The EU are due to discuss the intelligence and come to a decision.
It was clearly based on some kind of intelligence which I’d guess from the lack of squawking from the middle east, was shared there.
Perhaps you should read about it?
But in MY well-informed opinion, Trump is a just an dumb idiot, Russia’s intelligence community has been hacking systems for decades (just as the US and China and everyone else does). The difference is that Russia now has a long history of deliberately targeting the infrastructure of elections of other states and using a veneer of plausible deniability for the credulous fools who’d prefer not to look at it.
How or in what way is sharing info about a laptop ban bad?
If (as claimed) it’s more to do with the source of that info and all about how sensitive that source is and how crucial it is to keep that source ‘under wraps’, then how is it that the Washington Post is privy to all of it?
Is the Washington Post privy to all the information that Trump shared with Russia?
Because that seems to have been a leap you made. From what I can see, the laptop ban was the result of intelligence about a specific threat. Even if WaPo has all the details about the ISIS plot (doubtful), that doesn’t mean that they have all the details about how the plot was discovered. And that seems to be the bit that was classified.
From the article – The Washington Post is withholding most plot details, including the name of the city, at the urging of officials who warned that revealing them would jeopardise important intelligence capabilities.
And just before that (and in spite of all the arm waving nonsense)
He (Trump) did not reveal the specific intelligence gathering method, but described how the Islamic State was pursuing elements of a specific plot and how much harm such an attack could cause under varying circumstances.
Ok, so the Wapo sources also broke classification (although at least they have a public interest justification).
But there’s also this:
So no, they did not give WaPo all the facts. And the problem is that Russia could well have been in a position to identify the ally and even source simply from the city, while it’s less likey for WaPo to be able to do that.
Unnamed officials who were not at the meeting didn’t share everything they didn’t know with the Washington Post while claiming that that if the alleged intelligence partner got wind of the very stuff they were telling the Washington Post about, then the intelligence relationship would be threatened and not only that, but ‘evil Russia’ might even be able to take steps to prevent that same source that’s located in a specific city from spying on Russia.
It’s like wee Johnny standing in front of teacher with cylon eyes and a dog turd in his hand breathlessly going on about how he’d been told that James hadn’t washed his hands after peeing before eating his school lunch and that he’d heard his mum say that James was known for spreading diseases.
The only intelligent reaction is a variation on the theme of “fuck off”.
Yeah, but at least their story is consistent.
Whereas you had to switch from Wapo knowing everything to not knowing everything.
I’m devastated by the incisiveness of that comment McFlock –
devastated I tells ye.
You sure you don’t want to throw a nyah, nyah, nyah-nyah, nyah on the end for good measure?
Go on! 😉
Then I’ll pass you a bicky from the plate of elevensies (even though it’s 4 O’Clock) and we can both pretend you haven’t slipped from that pin head you were dancing on and wound up with it piercing your arse.
lol
Yeah, I got really bored when you got all cartesian to defend trump.
See, the thing is that the unnamed officials could either spill the beans that trump decided to give the russians shit that was specifically supposed to be secret, or they could either give Wapo enough information to verify the story and bring it to light. And apparently they leaked less to Wapo than trump leaked to the russians. Yes, this is highly irregular, but so is trump’s relationship with the russians. Desperate times, and all that.
You want to compare it to school kids? Fair enough. Johnny tells teacher that he heard from someone that james had a stash of drugs on the school grounds, and that he checked it and took one packet to give to teacher so teacher could verify it wasn’t bullshit.
I was criticising a newspaper’s supposed news piece because it was a pile of steaming crap. That’s not defending Trump.
The unnamed officials (both ex and current) – and none of them were actually at the meeting – didn’t have any beans to spill according to the only named and therefor challengeable source in the entire piece. Everything they allege is, at best, based on claims of hear-say, or completely unsubstantiated.
There was an obvious enough opportunity to build a story that would feed into the meme that Trump’s an undesirable clown who’s in the pocket of an evil Russia.
Now I like a good story. But when it come to news I want verifiable facts, or failing that, really quite convincing circumstantial evidence that stands up to all manner of scrutiny including, but not limited to a simple application of logic.
There’s what I’d call a Bush culture doing the rounds at the moment (‘You’re either with us or against us.’) that I’ve no time for at all because it’s dangerous in terms of demanding accountability.
So again. Regardless of what I do or don’t think of Trump, the Washington Post piece, which is front paging everywhere, is garbage.
If they want to offer up some evidence to back what they’re claiming, then fine. But until then, it can only be regarded as scurrilous rumour and ought to be called out on that basis.
On the school kid level, it’s making shit up to get someone in trouble. There is no wee packet of drugs getting handed to teacher in this instance.
Ok, how would you report it?
Let’s say you’re a respected news agency that has an official who “was familiar with the exchange” telling you what happened, and a bunch of current or former officials (but who still have connections) back up the story and how serious it is.
How would you report it in a way that satisfied your standards of journalism?
“The difference is that Russia now has a long history of deliberately targeting the infrastructure of elections of other states” can you point me to this info, I genuinely am interested in this stuff and how its promoted by the press.
I’m working – so you should to. Google it. The most interesting ones have happened over the last 15 years or so.
The obvious one was the Ukrainian election before the Orange revolution and its aftermath in things like turning off gas supplies. But you will also find it in most periphery states around Russia like power into Georgia, targeted cyber-attacks in Estonia, and a number more. It has been a pattern of interference for decades. Incidentally it is also one of the strongest motivations for those periphery states to want to get into the EU and/or NATO
The only thing that has been of note recently is the export of the pattern to states further afield.
Ok i have googled cyber estonia and been to wikipedia
” As of January 2008, one ethnic-Russian Estonian national has been charged and convicted.[5]”
And
“The Estonian government was quick to blame the Kremlin, accusing it of being directly involved in the attacks. It was later revealed that the allegations were baseless when Estonia’s defense minister, Jaak Aaviksoo, admitted that he had no evidence linking the cyber-attacks to the Kremlin”
But thats just wikipedia , I guess we all just know the russians did it anyway
Me… i really not convinced.. not to say they didnt , i just developing a strong distust of this sort of allegation.
Will do more googling as suggested … but … ? What can be really trusted?
Maui,
On what basis do you say it is wrong, apart from your own assertion.
When serious journalists write an article in such an emphatic way, it means that they have rock solid evidence of the truth of the events they are reporting.
As for your crap assertion that CNN is “fake news media” well, that says it all.
You are obviously a complete convert of the Trump propaganda machine, and no doubt think that Sean Spicer is the oracle of all truth.
You want to supply just a single verifiable piece of info from that dogs breakfast of a Washington Post article Wayne?
It’s tittle-tattle. Gossip. Innuendo. Wide eyed loon, arm waving nonsense. And becoming far too commonplace
Most journalism is. The difference is if the people making it are credible.
Generally The Washington Post are a pretty credible source when it comes to anything related to US federal politics. While you might disagree with their interpretation (as I usually do – they are as conservative as hell), their facts are seldom overturned or proven by history to be unreliable.
Just as RT are a rubbish when it comes to being credible about almost anything.
No Lynn. The newspaper cannot be seen as a source (not a primary one). It uses or supplies sources. That’s what builds its credibility as a news source.
What sources is the Washington Post using or supplying in this instance? What number of those can be in any way identified or verified? Same questions apply to the information the Washington Post is relaying.
In the absence of even one named source that second tranche of questions about the information itself has to be pursued. Except, the whole thing sinks in its own bullshit anyway.
Like I’ve pointed out. If this information (whatever it’s actually meant to be) was so top secret that neither Russia, US allies nor any number of officials were to be privy to it, then how in the name of fuck does it transpire that the Washington Post has all of it?
I’m not going through this bullshit ‘credibility Olympics’ again. All news-sources are suspect and should be subjected to measures of critical evaluation. Some less so and some more so depending on the issues being reported.
Come on Wayne, you think serious journalism is having unnamed officials leaking info from a private top level meeting? This is credible how? Particularly when the two targets Trump and Russia are the most despised things in US politics. Again alarm bells should be ringing by now.
Sorry I didn’t realise applying some critical thinking means I’m now part of the Trump propaganda machine.
Sorry I didn’t realise applying some critical thinking means I’m now part of the Trump propaganda machine.
Heh – Yup. Probably makes you a Putin mole too…a Kremlin stooge…and all round ‘bad person’ 😉
Duh! How do you think that most political stories, there here and everywhere else happen?
Are you really that naive?
Where the source has genuine reasons for anonymity, the information itself is then held up to deeper scrutiny. In this and many other instances of late there are no named sources and no verifiable information being provided.
Yep in NZ we have applied scrutiny to leakers like a rugby stripper and Nat MPs personal assistants, and there hasn’t been much reason to disbelieve their accounts. In the case of the reporting I’ve just seen on CNN there is no scrutiny of the trump leakers and there is just breathless innuendo of how bad this is for Trump. Not sure whether to laugh or cry really, more the latter really when so many people take CNN reports at face value.
maui,
As I am sure you know journalists have used unnamed sources as the basis of political and other stories for decades. That was the whole basis of breaking open Watergate.
Just because they are unnamed, does not mean they have no credibility. The journalists typically knows who they are, and the basis of their information. In this case I am certain the journalist is talking directly to senior intelligence officials. Either the source was in the room, or the source has the confidence of someone who was in the room.
The fact they are willing to talk to journalists speaks volumes of what they think of Trump, and his actions to date as President.
The denials by the Trump administration are very specific, saying sources and techniques were not discussed (and sources and techniques can be tightly defined). That means everything else was discussed, probably enough to give substantial knowledge of sources and techniques, even if they were not directly stated. For instance I am sure the President would not say, “we have a source inside ISIS HQ who says ISIS are planning laptop attacks”, but he could say “we have rock solid evidence from within ISIS that ISIS are planning laptop attacks”.
As for being part of the Trump propaganda machine that was based on you using his meme that CNN is “fake news.”
We might be talking about different versions of the media. The one I’m thinking of is part of a corrupt establishment, the one that feeds debate questions to a candidate prior to a live debate and who pulls unfavourable tv programming at the request of their political masters.
“When serious journalists write an article in such an emphatic way, it means that they have rock solid evidence of the truth of the events they are reporting.”
The serious journalists might even write a book or two…
+111
😀
Yes. It’s obvious the sources were senior intelligence operatives – people with sufficient standing for the recipients to know it was credible material.
There is another possible source… a remote listening device. After the Comey dismissal, I’m sure the US intelligence community would have been on high alert. They may have decided that the circumstances existing around the time of the ambassadorial visit were sufficiently extraordinary to warrant an extraordinary response.
“…a remote listening device…”
Trump’s personal phone that he may still be using?
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/13/senators-question-whether-trumps-personal-phone-may-be-security-risk.html
“When serious journalists write an article in such an emphatic way, it means that they have rock solid evidence of the truth of the events they are reporting.”
and pigs fly!
when serious journalists who are actually journalists have rock solid evidence they point to it!
UN condemns latest N Korean missile test
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39931103
Strangely i missed the condemnation of the many other missile tests this year
e.g.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-nuclear-missile-tests-north-korea-range-reach-pyongyang-california-site-a7715331.html
There’s a bizarre and frightening guilty pleasure about watching the Repugs squirming about the Chump’s latest turd in the punchbowl.
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/lawmakers-express-shock-and-concern-about-trump-disclosure-of-classified-information/ar-BBBb9GY?li=BBqdg4K&ocid=mailsignout
National’s Housing Come Back?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11857003
Too little, too late?
34,000 -8,300 to be demolished = 2.6k new houses per year, half of them for sale.
Auckland alone is already 30-40,000 homes behind. Still, good to see this govt copying useful policies, in their usual half-arsed way.
Random thought of the moment: Trump certainly knows how to take his last bit of stupidity out of the news. By creating an even bigger stupidity to replace it. So how is he going to top this one? And what’s his team doing behind all the smoke?
Bill English’s neoliberal dream.
A country where polluting pays.
“The dairy industry’s year-three report on its commitment to mitigating the environmental impact of farming shows it has achieved six of 13 goals that were set out in 2013 but hasn’t yet made a dent in nitrogen loss, underlining the long-term nature of the task of improving waterways.
Nitrogen leaching in the 2015/16 year was a national average 39 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare per year, unchanged from the previous year. Of the 13 regions surveyed using the Overseer computer modelling system, seven actually had an increase in nutrient loss, the worst being Canterbury, which climbed to 64 kg/N/ha/year from a 50 kg N/ha/year rolling average for 2013/14 and 2014/15. Otago has the second-worst deterioration, with an increase to 39 kg N/ha/year from 33 kg N/ha/year.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11856893
Climate change report indicates challenges for NZ agriculture
“Vivid presents three alternative scenarios, the first of which named Off
Track New Zealand exploits low-cost reduction technologies without
significantly cutting agricultural production and consequently does NOT
meet the zero emissions target. The other two scenarios, named Innovative
New Zealand and Resourceful New Zealand, both meet the target in different
ways; the first implies a 25-30% reduction in livestock numbers and a
shift away from pastoral to arable, horticulture and forestry, while the
second envisages an even greater transition to forestry with an additional
1.6 million hectares. The report notes apologetically this may entail a
difficult transition for rural economies.”
https://allanbarber.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/climate-change-report-indicates-challenges-for-nz-agriculture/
This is what happens when you let the private sector loose on education and don’t insist on qualified teachers/tutors which National has done in spades.
These so called education providers are falling over when finally scrutinised and I imagine now the blowtorch has been lit more will do so.
Not that education is the primary purpose of theses outfits. They are a cover for the current government’s immigration rort which allows their employer mates to keep wages down while getting fatter and fatter.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/330899/private-tertiary-institution-closed-after-widespread-plagiarism
lprent or mods – Seem to be getting a lot of DNS issues with thestandard.org.nz over the last few days.
Even happens when clicking on a link within the site (say from replies tab), get a dns error then loads.
Unusual behaviour – thought I would mention in case it indicates another problem….
Heh – some imaginative trolling going on here.
http://thehill.com/homenews/news/333546-emoluments-clause-projected-onto-trumps-dc-hotel