The pattern repeats itself worldwide. Austerity measures and privatisation of public assets to fix the debt problem that, so the story goes, “we” have created.
Many on this site can see this for the lie that it is. The leeches of Wall Street caused the GFC and are now socialising the losses on a global scale. They continue their unchecked high-stake gambling with our money at the casino that is the world financial system and continue the transfer of wealth from the many to the few.
Seems that in Europe at least one commentator is observing an awakening of the middle classes. We are at a tipping point – expect the elites to pull out every dirty trick to defend their patch but change is coming.
Hi Lazy Susan
“Austerity measures and privatisation of public assets ”
Two things, regarding privatisations of public infrastructure and basic necessities: it’s ROBBERY. Citizens have paid not only for the infrastructure itself but its maintenance, over the course of decades. The state has no legal right to sell off commonly owned property without the peoples’ consent.
Secondly, the vultures who swoop in to buy up public property take out monster loans to finance their purchases. This means, by definition, that the price of utilities will skyrocket; to pay the loan + interest with, for good measure, a nice profit margin on top.
Sarkozy’s privatization of French public utilities – gas, electricity, the postal system, and increasingly, water – has been an unmitigated disaster for the people. Gas and electricity bills have increased by 50-75%! Beware, also, the details of the price hike: in the case of gas / electricity, the surcharge has been applied to the subscription, not to consumption, which means that consumers are gouged regardless of rates of consumption.
People need to understand that they are the rightful owners of public property, and demand that they cease being taken for fools. Immediately.
It’s about time the ROBBERY(Of our Power SOEs) the key government intends to do is called out as such, any deficits can be resolved easily by reversing the tax cuts and not building anymore roads-we are 5 years past peak oil.
Further to discussions prompted by this post over the last couple of days about whether kicking in balls and gouging out eyes type behaviour is necessary for a properly function democracy….
Most New Zealand people and parties are across the middle ground bulge of the political spectrum, there are only a few extremists on the fringes. In practice there’s not a lot differentiating TweedleNational and TweedleLabour.
Scrapping tooth and nail over most policy in New Zealand is a bit like having a family knife fight over whether to go to McDonalds or Burger King, the advertising may vary a bit but the menu is basically the same.
Although that appears to be true there’s an actual marked difference. Labour bases their policy on facts (well, most of the time anyway – they still believe in the delusional free-market/capitalism paradigm and seem disinclined to shift to a resource based economy) and National base theirs upon belief. As you can understand this results in a large number of areas where no amount of being nice is going to result in people seeing eye to eye.
We could hope that our politics shifts to being research based and then discussion would be about how to implement the research but that’s not likely to happen while one parties policies are made on opinion and belief. While that’s still happening then we’re talking about a fundamental difference in world views that just aren’t going to mesh.
‘Shell, in a statement yesterday declared a force majeure on the loading of its Bonny Light crude oil for June and July, 2011. The company said the declaration was as a result of crude oil production cutbacks caused by leaks and fires which occurred last week on the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP).’
‘LONDON — One of the driest spring seasons on record in northern Europe has sucked soils dry and sharply reduced river levels to the point that governments are starting to fear crop losses and France, in particular, is bracing for blackouts as its river-cooled nuclear power plants may be forced to shut down.’
Can anyone confirm numbers of extra police numbers in sth akl? Flipping past a show last night that hammered the theme which made me wonder how accurate is that assertion.
There are more but from memory they are the extras that Labour budgeted for in 07 or 08. Takes time for the numbers to show up as they need to be trained etc. Does not stop Collins from taking the credit though …
I heard the figure of 300 in sth AK, in part two. But the problem is that the more experienced cops are not being replaced. However, a lot more Brits and I think that they have to work up through the ranks, so may have more experience than a probation cop.
Who is more likely to steal money from the Labour party? Someone who strongly believes in the Labour party, or someone who supports an opposition party and just took the job for the money, and thought they’d commit some crimes in the process?
Seems he’s much more likely to be a National voter than a Labour one, to me.
A graphic this morning depicts poodles in a less than favourable light.
May I suggest that the nomenclature be changed to “Toy or Miniature Poodles”.
Be sure that a “Standard Poodle”, whilst being extremely fun loving and loyal is no shrinking violet when it comes to protecting its corner – their ancestry is that of a hunting dog.
(That strange bouffant coiffeur preferred by show pony owners is a relic from the dogs having to swim in icy Northern European waters where the wool was left on the dogs joints to protect them from the cold).
Not meant to come across as sexist.
If fact, as I was watching the show, I was thinking that if only we had more women (if I am allowed to use this term) in parliament, how much better our country could be run.
All Simon wanted to do was berate his fellow members of the panel, which made him look rather silly IMO.
The post was very interesting but the reader comment was even more useful…
June 16, 2011
‘ “Last Thursday, the Institute of Policy Studies convened its “last significant event”. The Institute of Policy Studies is being disestablished. This is bad news. The Institute of Policy Studies, you see, liked studying policy, and debating it freely, in both senses.”
Is it voluntarily dissolving, or is it yet another victim of STRATEGIC CUTS AGAINST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION? ‘
It would be useful to have a list to publish these behind the scenes so-called efficiency, cost-saving merges in government departments that mean we the people have a steadily reducing say in our own futures. I certainly remember the takeover by the Department of Internal Affairs swallowing up any government departments charged with scrutinising government actions. This is just one more nail in our coffin.
HYPOCRISY ALERT!
Radio lightweights sneer at Playboy bunny
Wednesday 15 June 2011
Not that she would care, but when twenty-five-year-old Playboy bunny-girl Crystal Harris made the very wise decision to jilt that disgusting, slipper-shod, dressing-gown-clad, pipe-smoking old fool Hugh Hefner, she drew down on her pretty blonde head the ire and condescension of some of New Zealand’s more self-important media commentators.
On National Radio, Susan Baldacci sniffed: “Hard to believe that she has ANY thoughts of her own.” A little later, this doyenne of gravitas commented on something else that bugs her: “I can’t believe ANYONE could be called Candy!” This drew appreciative and lengthy guffaws from David Farrar and Jim Mora.
Later, on late night One News, that unfunny New York-based waste of space “correspondent” Tim Wilson quipped: “He is old enough to be her grandfather, but young enough to be her IQ.”
This sneering condescension might be valid if the people doing the sneering were themselves serious and high-minded commentators. But they’re not, as will be known by anyone who has listened to “The Panel” or has suffered through one of Wilson’s cringe-inducing items from New York.
Crystal Harris is richer than these critics, she’s stratospherically better looking than they are, and on the basis of her public interviews, she’s also far more eloquent.
who listened to RNZ yesterday afternoon. Jim Mora had david “te flabbo” farrar on the panel.
when Jim said to te flabbo that he knew all about web demons, farrara nearly choked on his sausage roll.
Mora began the programme by assuming a mocking tone and chortling: “Gra-a-a-a-a-ave accusations against you in parliament, David!” This was a reference to Annette King’s suggestion that Farrar was blogging for his own site while being paid by the tax-payer.
Encouraged by Mora’s indulgent and jocular approach, Farrar laughed along with him and assured listeners that, no, he had not committed any impropriety during his time working in parliament.
And that was the end of the matter.
Did someone say something about a “liberal bias” on National Radio?
Interesting to get some inside info.
It is part of EQC’s reason for existence to be prepared for catastrophes like the quakes and in order to do that they have to have a plan to quickly and efficiently expand (almost over night) into a fully fledged administration. Much like the Civil Defence, SAR, and other emergency services.
You would think that people who were probably paid quite good salaries to turn up to work (in the absence of a natural disaster) would have had the time to go through a shit load of what if scenarios and resource planning in the event that a natural disaster of this scale should occur.
What were they doing? What were they getting paid for?
This is most likely not solely the problem of current management but also of previous management, who have noted on their cv that they managed EQC and have since piss-off to another job.
In view of the fact the Michael Wintringham of (Christine Rankin case fame) is the chairman I wonder if they have concentrated on being a financial / insurance fund management agency. Most of the board are finance/insurance people and lawyers.
There 22 permanent staff and of the ones mentioned there are a number of BSc’s but they all seem to have further quals in business / finance etc (except for Hugh Cowan the token boffin).
The Act Party Leader John Boscawen was literally frothing at the mouth in Parliament yesterday. I’ve embedded the video below for you to watch if you’ve got the stomach. Amongst his largely ineffectual ramblings were a number of gaff’s that made the frothing old fool look even more pathetic. “Rome burns while Nero feel’s,” is not the saying. Although the leader of the fascist Act Party corrected himself, his idiotic bumbling is not particularly helpful within Parliament…
The triple-decker. Where a small shake is followed a minute or so later by a slightly bigger shake, then another minute or bit longer later by the biggest shake of the threesome. A quite common serving.
Joyce is slipping into the Telecommunications etc Bill a SOP which removes the Kiwishare protection from Telecom. The implications are significant. The limitation on landline costs increase will no doubt go.
Why this should be done by way of a last minute SOP where Kiwis cannot have a say is beyond me.
Yep, looks like the kiwishare that protects no-charge local calling and restricts foreign ownership will be gone by lunchtime – click on the link for more analysis of this appalling abrogation of democratic process.
And how about the rort that now in the Jafacity there are tolls to call be it from what was Rodney or just north of the bombay hills, I notice that no one bothers about the outareas. But then many issues are only valid once a party has LOST power, and begins to once again to listen.
and we will not even discuss the fact that it now takes over a month to get a new fibre connection and phone number, that is if you can work out who to contact be it : Telecom, Chorus, World Exchange. Or that to get a phone line you have NO option and have to get an internet connection and new hardware as well.
Thanks Toad. The stuff put out by the Government seems to be saying that current protection will continue but if it is only a technical change then why don’t they put it through a select committee process.
I agree that the first problem with it is that if protection is reliant on a deed then the Government without reference to Parliament can change it essentially by executive fiat.
And if the SOP was ready on Tuesday why did they not release a copy to the opposition parties until today?
The process stinks and one of two things has happened. Either it is really dumb political management which lets us jump up and down about the process and possible motive or there is a dead frog there somewhere (sorry Toad excuse the metaphor) AND we can jump up and down about the process and the motive.
Joyce has looked really nervous lately. I wonder why?
well well well morrisey revved up and spun that one out of the frame in no time flat.
he didnt even mention that te flabbo (as he is known) is also known as feeder on trademe opinions where he and his gang mob up on maori and jaydubs and anyone else they dont like.
hey flubbo, have another rubber chicken dude.
Yesterday, I noted that the New Zealand government had endorsed the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression which found that disconnection from the internet is grossly disproportionate and a violation of international law. Today, Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson Maryan Street asked in parliament whether this meant that they would be repealing the disconnection provision. The government gave a surprising response, denying that we had endorsed the statement.
Good on I/S for spotting the lies coming from National.
Some semi-random snippets from the last few posts:
In the lulls there are mini confrontations between trade union groups and the black bloc. The former chant that they are provocateurs. While as a vignette this looks like merely a tense sub-plot, it should be of interest to the policymakers desperately trying to hold Greek society together as they impose the biggest austerity package a developed country has had to stomach since the war.
For in their own way the red-flag bearing, big-chested security groups of the Communist and non-Communist union groups are on the front line of holding things together. At no point did I see any union or left-wing party security group pick a fight with the police. The silent implication is, watch what happens if we ever do join in.
—-
And I will repeat the point about hostility to the media: it’s not a problem for me and my colleagues to be hounded off demos as “representatives of big capital”, “Zionists”, “scum and police informers” etc. But to get this reaction from almost every demographic – from balaclava kids to pensioners – should be a warning sign to the policymaking elite. The “mainstream” – whether it’s the media, politicians or business people – is beginning to seem illegitimate to large numbers of people….
…”Don’t you want us to report what’s happening to you?”
– “No.”
An old man, aged 67, a sailor, says, “We don’t want any more bailouts from the EU, we’d rather be poor and broke”.
For all the leftist iconography plus the presence of that, by now familiar demographic, the Facebook youth – or “graduates with no future” – this thing has gone beyond left and right, it’s no longer even a class thing. As the crowd around me erupts with the chant, “Greece, Greece, Greece!” it’s clear that for many people it is the Hellenic republic versus the rest of the world.
No, it ain’t. Especially when, after Greece defaults on debt other nations follow resulting in a full collapse of the global economy. It’s going to cause some hurt but I won’t be sad to see it go as it means that people will have to return to real economics (Based around resources) rather than the delusional monetary BS that we’ve been slaving under for the last few hundred years.
Have you seen the photos of the burning policemen, the almost daily riots?
Do you imagine that, when the world economy collapses, (as I agree it will) it will not affect every person in NZ?
Do you actually imagine that there will not be civil strife, unrest and depression not seen since WW2?
Zero Hedge seems to have similar sentiments on the Greek crisis
alas, one also has to be dead serious about this stuff because it just may usher the eventual implosion of capitalism once again, since many (us among them), believe that the downstream effects from the bankruptcy of Greece, and thus the ECB, and thus Europe, will make Lehman seem like a walk in the park
I posted this link a number of weeks ago but if you missed it…
Jospeh Stiglitz, Nobel Economist, wrote a very good article (“Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1”) speculating about the possible out come of exaggerated inequality and wonders if the uprising around the world will be seen on the streets of America (read NZ).
Just heard John Key on Radio Live with Willie & JT, they were talking about the Sky City Casino Deal & Key was running the ‘It’s ok coz it’ll only be asians gambling, not poor South Aucklanders’ line, he kept on smentioning ‘The Poor’ & I was thinking I’m pretty sure I hadn’t heard anyone in the NZ Govt even admit there was poverty in NZ.
Took time this avo to catch up on Campbell Live from last night.
I understand the “process” that CERA have to go through to protect people’s equity and to ensure fairness and balance but………..they are not taking people with them, not informing them and those poor people are grieving and some have been waiting nine months.
But I am comforted, that through all the pressures and tragedy, Gerry has kept perspective and got himself an nice new jacket!
What the hell is this about Steven Joyce removing Kiwi share of free local calling? I have a lot of contacts and some of them are people who don’t use Skype as some scumbag from National called out. I am going to enjoy giving out this info.
Also, my absolute admiration to Trevor Mallard who recognises that not everyone lives in the 23rd century of Skype and that picking up the phone to call one’s friends in a local area is sacrosanct in that we gave away ownership of an asset (I didn’t but I was forced to) provided we had a Kiwi say in it. Now Joyce wants to remove that right, just as Hide (both of them with Key’s Jewish? blessing) did with the Local Gov’t Amendment Act 2009, against the 2002 Act which removed the 75% agreement of people before assets like Ports of Auckland or the Airport asset could be sold.
Every Labour Party member in New Zealand and abroad and every person who defends every person’s right to be comfortable in their use of free local communication to enjoy their freedoms should be defending Trevor Mallard’s stand to reverse these disgusting attempts to take away yet more rights from the people of New Zealand who put these selfish, greedy and narcissistic NAct cretins through free tertiary education who now turn upon the people who ‘fed’ them.
I uninstalled Skype when MS bought it and, to be honest, I’m not overly concerned about local calls being charged for anyway. That would just drive more people to use VoIP.
The standard phone line is dead but, unfortunately, our stupid government sold Telecom and deregulated telecommunications which resulted in our network going backwards and not being up to the demands of a modern society.
Well, Draco T Bastard, I am surprised that like the NAct government and every other selfish New Zealander you don’t care that many of our society either don’t ‘get’ Skype or whatever the latest offer is and that they trusted the government of the day that sold off an SOE that promised Kiwi Share and free local calling. Maybe you and the other privateers should have been honest back then when you were promising New Zealanders you wouldn’t betray them – you and Steven Joyce and John Key and Bill English and the swallowed fish – scum.
Before you go around accusing me of something you should check your facts first. Do a search my my name and telecommunications on this board.
I’m not overly concerned about local being paid for because:
1.) I don’t think they will be. Voice only uses 64kbps so not a hell of a lot of the bandwidth available.
2.) If they do it will show just how much damage that selling Telecom and deregulation did to our infrastructure.
We really do need to renationalise telecommunications in NZ.
‘heaven’ help any older New Zealander that doesn’t keep up with the NActs and/or Draco T Bastards of New Zealand’s brave new world where the old is the over 30.
Someone on my Twitter feed, in BC, Canada is reporting rioting and looting in downtown Vancouver – been going on for hours apparently. People injured, RCMP trying to deal with it. Does anyone have reports on this and what it’s about?
Oh. It’s not about austerity measures, inequalities etc, but fans of a sports team that lost:
He might gum me to death – and then there’s the court case, having to explain the presence of baby oil, a feather duster & Chris Tremaine in drag, and then (*OMG!*) the chicken – how do I explain that?
With all that behaviour nobody would believe that I was not National!
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Fill me up with soundThe world sings with me a million smiles an hourI can see me dancing on my radioI can hear you singing in the blades of grassYellow dandelions on my way to schoolBig Beautiful Sky!Song: Venus Hum.Good morning, all you lovely people, and welcome to the 700th ...
Note: The audio attached to this Webworm compliments today’s newsletter. I collected it as I met people attending a Creed concert. Their opinions may differ to mine. Read more ...
The country has imported literally thousands of nurses over the past few months yet whether they are being employed as nurses is another matter. Just what is going on with HealthNZ and it nurses is, at best, opaque, in that it will not release anything but broad general statistics and ...
Emotional Response: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses mourners at the tangi of King Tuheitia on Turangawaewae Marae on Saturday, 31 August 2024.THE DEATH OF KING TUHEITIA could hardly have come at a worse time for Maoridom. The power of the Kingitanga to unify te iwi Māori was demonstrated powerfully at January’s ...
National's tax cut policies relied on stealing revenue from the ETS (previously used to fund emissions reduction) to fund tax cuts to landlords. So how's that going? Badly. Today's auction failed again, with zero units (of a possible 7.6 million) sold. Which means they have a $456 million hole in ...
A question of size. Small size generally means large vulnerability. The perception of threat is broader and often more immediate for small countries. The feeling of comparative weakness, of exposure to risk, and of potential intimidation by larger powers often … Continue reading → ...
Open to all with kind thanks to all subscribers and supporters.Today, RNZ revealed that despite MFAT advice to Nicola Willis to be very “careful and deliberate” in her communications with the South Korean government, prior to any public announcement on cancelling Kiwirail’s i-Rex, Willis instead told South Korea 26 minutes ...
The Minister of Transport’s speed obsession has this week resulted in two new consultations for 110km/h speed limits, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. There has also been final approval of the Kapiti Expressway to move to 110km/h following an earlier consultation. While the changes will almost certainly see ...
This guest post is by Tommy de Silva, a local rangatahi and freelance writer who is passionate about making the urban fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau-Auckland more people-focused and sustainable. New Zealand’s March-April 2020 Level 4 Covid response (aka “lockdown”) was somehow both the best and worst six weeks of ...
A heart that's full up like a landfillA job that slowly kills youBruises that won't healYou look so tired, unhappyBring down the governmentThey don't, they don't speak for usI'll take a quiet lifeA handshake of carbon monoxideAnd no alarms and no surprisesThe fabulous English comedian Stewart Lee once wrote a ...
Studies show each $1 of spending on walking and cycling infrastructure produces $13 to $35 of economic benefits from higher productivity, lower healthcare costs, less congestion, lower emissions and lower fossil fuel import costs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note ...
Dad turned 99 today.Hell of a lot of candles, eh?He won't be alone for his birthday. He will have the warm attention of my brother, and my sister, and everyone at the rest home, the most thoughtful attentive and considerate people you could ever know. On Saturday there will be ...
This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading → ...
When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...
The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...
In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading → ...
A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...
On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...
There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...
Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...
A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...
This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...
The Green Party is unsurprised but disappointed by today’s announcement from the Government that will see our Early Childhood Centre teachers undermined and pay parity pushed further out of reach. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission. ...
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our country’s rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...
Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...
News that the annual number of building consents granted for new homes fell by more than 20 percent for the year ended July 2024, is bad news for the construction industry. ...
Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...
Today’s Whakaata Māori announcement is yet another colossal failure from Minister Potaka, who has turned his back on te reo Māori, forcing a channel offline, putting whānau out of jobs, and cutting Māori content, says Te Pāti Māori. “A Senior Māori Minister has turned his back on Te Reo Māori. ...
With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...
The Green Party has called out the Government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse to a shell of its former self as job cuts and programming cuts were announced at the broadcaster today. ...
Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...
The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...
Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running. ...
The Green Party says the latest statistics on child poverty in this country highlight the callous approach that the Government is taking on this issue of national shame. ...
The Green Party is urging the Government to end the use of solitary confinement within our prisons after new research revealed some prisoners have been held in confinement for more than 900 days. ...
The Government’s moves to enable the import of Liquefied Natural Gas is another step away from the sustainable and affordable energy network that this country needs. ...
The Court of Appeal decision that Uber drivers are entitled to employee rights such as minimum wage, sick leave, holiday pay and collective bargaining is welcome news for the drivers involved and their unions. ...
The Labour Party is calling on the Government to tell the two major wealth funds, the NZ Super Fund and ACC, to withdraw investments from companies listed by the United Nations as complicit in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. ...
Labour welcomes news that the National Government is backing down on its reckless proposal to give Ministers final sign-off on significant projects, but it’s still not enough. ...
Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...
The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...
The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...
E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward. Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...
Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...
More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...
The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...
Today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealand’s confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “Every death by suicide is a tragedy – a tragedy that affects far too many of our families and communities in New Zealand. We must do ...
Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...
Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris. “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...
A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...
The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “That is ...
The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...
“The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says. “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...
The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants. “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...
Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...
A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...
A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...
A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...
In the midst of the most shocking news event of the 21st century, Shortland Street was trying out one of its most bizarre and ambitious storylines ever. There’s a psychological phenomenon around 9/11, where tonnes of people have misremembered where they were when they first heard that a plane hit ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s domestic carrier Air Calédonie is set to launch a biweekly international connection to neighbouring Vanuatu. The new link is set to start operating from October 3 with two return flights, one on Mondays and the other on Thursdays. The ...
AI technology is an increasingly common part of many people’s working lives – but not everyone has the opportunity to benefit equally. Dr Jade Brooks tells Alice Webb Liddall about her research into how workplaces can bridge the digital divide. The vision “that all of us have what we need ...
Sascha Stronach (Kāi Tahu), author of The Dawnhounds and The Sunforge, on fighting US editors on matters of New Zealand slang.I had two knockdown dragout fights with my US publisher:they wanted to call me “a bold and important voice in Māori fiction”; they thought “moggy” sounded like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University Jenari/Shutterstock The intensifying great power competition between the People’s Republic of China and the United States has meant the possibility of future war in the Indo-Pacific region has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Lotz, Professor of Media Studies, Queensland University of Technology Stock-Asso/ShutterstockThis is the third piece in a series on the Future of Australian media. You can read the first piece in the series here and the second piece here. ...
The National Emergency Management Agency has just one person dedicated to working on a short-term fix of the disaster coordination system that let people down during Cyclone Gabrielle. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Teresa Ubide, ARC Future Fellow and Associate Professor in Igneous Petrology/Volcanology, The University of Queensland An eruption at Mt Stromboli in Italy.J Caulfield Imagine you had a crystal ball that revealed when a volcano would next erupt. For the hundreds of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Tregear, Principal Fellow and Professor of Music, The University of Melbourne Regent Theatre, 1954. State Library Victoria The current Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Nicholas Reece, has said that if re-elected he would sell the City of Melbourne’s majority stake in ...
An incomplete collection of memorable Spinoff articles. In 10 years (and one day) The Spinoff has published 28,691 stories. Features, opinion, satire, profiles, experiential stunts and anything else you can think of. There really is no way to define our work but here is a futile attempt to track The ...
The closure of two mills near Ohakune will mean the loss of 230 jobs, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in your inbox every weekday morning, sign up here. ...
National's local MP for the Ruapehu District says she is "absolutely gutted" for workers and families affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International's two mills in the region. ...
Overseas tourists and students will be hit with a 'hidden tax' when they apply for visas and they risk being misled about the cost, according to an immigration adviser. ...
That will take the ACT-led debate past Rātana celebrations and Waitangi Day next year - when the government will likely be challenged again on the issue. ...
It’s playing a key role in the growth of indigenous and minority businesses around the world. In Aotearoa, the journey is just beginning.Most New Zealanders are likely unfamiliar with the term “supplier diversity”. However, in the business world, ensuring a diverse supply chain is quickly becoming essential – and ...
There are lots of services promising to make international money transfer more affordable, without adding on the fees that banks charge. But people in New Zealand regularly sending money to Pacific countries have limited options. Every day, people with New Zealand bank accounts transfer millions of dollars to other countries. ...
My Catullus poems, which have come and gone at intervals over the past half century, have never been translations from the Latin, though some have borrowed; and never ‘confessional poems’, though how close to ‘truth’ and how far from it has always been unclear. How ‘real’ was my Clodia, who ...
Opinion: Over the past few weeks we’ve watched most of the July economic news roll in.The good news is that, in nearly all cases, July readings improved from frankly terrible June results. The less good news is that, despite this, most of these indicators remain at subpar levels indicative of ...
There’s no sugar coating, no preparation for a soft landing. The message is blunt and to the point, for good reason.“We can’t do nothing. Change can be hard and it can be expensive. But we are already facing environmental change, we must adapt, we must act.”That’s Lara Clarke, speaking to ...
The first permits under a new offshore energy regime could be issued as soon as 2026, with wind farms operating in a decade The post Govt rules out subsidies for offshore wind appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Not long after Sandra Bees took up competitive sailing at the age of 52, her doctor asked her a question that completely floored her.“At the end of my check-up, he said ‘Is everything okay at home?’” Bees recalls. “I was like, ‘Yeah, why do you ask?’“The doctor said, ‘Well, you ...
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Te Whatu Ora is believed to be paying nearly $1 million more in senior executive salaries since Lester Levy was parachuted in to cut costs. An attempt to quietly excise the CFO has turned septic. The post Health commissioner ousts chief financial officer after big deficits appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Student Justice for Palestine Pōneke After almost a year of consistent pressure from the student body, the Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) Foundation has announced its divestment from all Israeli government bonds and shares of companies listed in Israel. The foundation had previously reported having close to $50,000 invested in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hazel Easthope, Professor, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Sydney ProximaStudio/Shutterstock Ten of Australia’s leading consumer groups have now written to the federal treasurer calling for an urgent inquiry into Australia’s strata management industry. The open letter from Choice, the Owners Corporation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been late out of the blocks on a ban on children accessing social media. Now that he has promised to act, pledging to introduce legislation this year, the question is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government has announced it will ban children from accessing social media. This follows work by the South Australian government, which commissioned a report on implementing a ban. That report was done by ...
The pattern repeats itself worldwide. Austerity measures and privatisation of public assets to fix the debt problem that, so the story goes, “we” have created.
Many on this site can see this for the lie that it is. The leeches of Wall Street caused the GFC and are now socialising the losses on a global scale. They continue their unchecked high-stake gambling with our money at the casino that is the world financial system and continue the transfer of wealth from the many to the few.
Seems that in Europe at least one commentator is observing an awakening of the middle classes. We are at a tipping point – expect the elites to pull out every dirty trick to defend their patch but change is coming.
Hi Lazy Susan
“Austerity measures and privatisation of public assets ”
Two things, regarding privatisations of public infrastructure and basic necessities: it’s ROBBERY. Citizens have paid not only for the infrastructure itself but its maintenance, over the course of decades. The state has no legal right to sell off commonly owned property without the peoples’ consent.
Secondly, the vultures who swoop in to buy up public property take out monster loans to finance their purchases. This means, by definition, that the price of utilities will skyrocket; to pay the loan + interest with, for good measure, a nice profit margin on top.
Sarkozy’s privatization of French public utilities – gas, electricity, the postal system, and increasingly, water – has been an unmitigated disaster for the people. Gas and electricity bills have increased by 50-75%! Beware, also, the details of the price hike: in the case of gas / electricity, the surcharge has been applied to the subscription, not to consumption, which means that consumers are gouged regardless of rates of consumption.
People need to understand that they are the rightful owners of public property, and demand that they cease being taken for fools. Immediately.
It’s about time the ROBBERY(Of our Power SOEs) the key government intends to do is called out as such, any deficits can be resolved easily by reversing the tax cuts and not building anymore roads-we are 5 years past peak oil.
Further to discussions prompted by this post over the last couple of days about whether kicking in balls and gouging out eyes type behaviour is necessary for a properly function democracy….
Most New Zealand people and parties are across the middle ground bulge of the political spectrum, there are only a few extremists on the fringes. In practice there’s not a lot differentiating TweedleNational and TweedleLabour.
Scrapping tooth and nail over most policy in New Zealand is a bit like having a family knife fight over whether to go to McDonalds or Burger King, the advertising may vary a bit but the menu is basically the same.
Although that appears to be true there’s an actual marked difference. Labour bases their policy on facts (well, most of the time anyway – they still believe in the delusional free-market/capitalism paradigm and seem disinclined to shift to a resource based economy) and National base theirs upon belief. As you can understand this results in a large number of areas where no amount of being nice is going to result in people seeing eye to eye.
We could hope that our politics shifts to being research based and then discussion would be about how to implement the research but that’s not likely to happen while one parties policies are made on opinion and belief. While that’s still happening then we’re talking about a fundamental difference in world views that just aren’t going to mesh.
DTB
‘and self-advancement’ I think should follow as it seems to be the constant behind their thinking.
/agreed.
The quickening of collapse:
‘Shell, in a statement yesterday declared a force majeure on the loading of its Bonny Light crude oil for June and July, 2011. The company said the declaration was as a result of crude oil production cutbacks caused by leaks and fires which occurred last week on the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP).’
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/june/14/national-14-06-2011-005.html
and
‘LONDON — One of the driest spring seasons on record in northern Europe has sucked soils dry and sharply reduced river levels to the point that governments are starting to fear crop losses and France, in particular, is bracing for blackouts as its river-cooled nuclear power plants may be forced to shut down.’
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=europe-braces-for-serious-crop-losses
Can anyone confirm numbers of extra police numbers in sth akl? Flipping past a show last night that hammered the theme which made me wonder how accurate is that assertion.
There are more but from memory they are the extras that Labour budgeted for in 07 or 08. Takes time for the numbers to show up as they need to be trained etc. Does not stop Collins from taking the credit though …
I heard the figure of 300 in sth AK, in part two. But the problem is that the more experienced cops are not being replaced. However, a lot more Brits and I think that they have to work up through the ranks, so may have more experience than a probation cop.
Does this surprise anyone.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/5148429/Labour-Party-worker-charged-with-theft
It must be election year. Another new troll pops up and posts something looking for a fight rather than a discussion.
/sigh
Does that mean you are not surprised Micky
Lets see…
Who is more likely to steal money from the Labour party? Someone who strongly believes in the Labour party, or someone who supports an opposition party and just took the job for the money, and thought they’d commit some crimes in the process?
Seems he’s much more likely to be a National voter than a Labour one, to me.
Thieves pop up everywhere. Don’t see what that’s got to do with the Labour party other than that they had the misfortune to hire him.
Tell me, would you be asking the same question if he was caught stealing from National?
A graphic this morning depicts poodles in a less than favourable light.
May I suggest that the nomenclature be changed to “Toy or Miniature Poodles”.
Be sure that a “Standard Poodle”, whilst being extremely fun loving and loyal is no shrinking violet when it comes to protecting its corner – their ancestry is that of a hunting dog.
(That strange bouffant coiffeur preferred by show pony owners is a relic from the dogs having to swim in icy Northern European waters where the wool was left on the dogs joints to protect them from the cold).
Great, the guys that helped create this crisis have the means to survive it best – the jocularity is cruel:
Simon Bridges was an embarrassment on Back Benches last night.
Totally owned by the three female MPs on the panel.
Reduced to calling Wallace Chapman a lefty:)
Wallace did look pretty peed off with Simon.
Does the sex of the three really make a difference? This whole sentence comes across as ZOMG, a male got owned by females. Really heavy on the sexism.
Not meant to come across as sexist.
If fact, as I was watching the show, I was thinking that if only we had more women (if I am allowed to use this term) in parliament, how much better our country could be run.
All Simon wanted to do was berate his fellow members of the panel, which made him look rather silly IMO.
It feels like such a long wait between John Key’s photo-ops lately.
Since the pic with Key Sr overseeing Key Jr’s planking, NZ voters have not been treated to anything new.
But there’s good news coming – hurray – from around 26 June to 1 July, Key will be in India:
http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/key-lead-major-indian-trade-mission-4224673
What photo-ops will the visit hold?
Will Key sport a turban?
Will Key be mincing on stage with a saree?
Will Key feature in a Bollywood clip, dancing around trees and serenading to Calvert?
We await. With great expectation!
[William Joyce: looking forward to your updated pics!]
The Dom-Post obviously couldn’t wait for a Key photo op so they used a photo of Key junior on page 2 of yesterdays issue.
Hah!
Anyway, I don’t buy the newspapers these days. The Standard can have the money I’ve saved up.
http://pundit.co.nz/content/here-be-dragons
The post was very interesting but the reader comment was even more useful…
June 16, 2011
‘ “Last Thursday, the Institute of Policy Studies convened its “last significant event”. The Institute of Policy Studies is being disestablished. This is bad news. The Institute of Policy Studies, you see, liked studying policy, and debating it freely, in both senses.”
Is it voluntarily dissolving, or is it yet another victim of STRATEGIC CUTS AGAINST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION? ‘
It would be useful to have a list to publish these behind the scenes so-called efficiency, cost-saving merges in government departments that mean we the people have a steadily reducing say in our own futures. I certainly remember the takeover by the Department of Internal Affairs swallowing up any government departments charged with scrutinising government actions. This is just one more nail in our coffin.
HYPOCRISY ALERT!
Radio lightweights sneer at Playboy bunny
Wednesday 15 June 2011
Not that she would care, but when twenty-five-year-old Playboy bunny-girl Crystal Harris made the very wise decision to jilt that disgusting, slipper-shod, dressing-gown-clad, pipe-smoking old fool Hugh Hefner, she drew down on her pretty blonde head the ire and condescension of some of New Zealand’s more self-important media commentators.
On National Radio, Susan Baldacci sniffed: “Hard to believe that she has ANY thoughts of her own.” A little later, this doyenne of gravitas commented on something else that bugs her: “I can’t believe ANYONE could be called Candy!” This drew appreciative and lengthy guffaws from David Farrar and Jim Mora.
Later, on late night One News, that unfunny New York-based
waste of space“correspondent” Tim Wilson quipped: “He is old enough to be her grandfather, but young enough to be her IQ.”This sneering condescension might be valid if the people doing the sneering were themselves serious and high-minded commentators. But they’re not, as will be known by anyone who has listened to “The Panel” or has suffered through one of Wilson’s cringe-inducing items from New York.
Crystal Harris is richer than these critics, she’s stratospherically better looking than they are, and on the basis of her public interviews, she’s also far more eloquent.
who listened to RNZ yesterday afternoon. Jim Mora had david “te flabbo” farrar on the panel.
when Jim said to te flabbo that he knew all about web demons, farrara nearly choked on his sausage roll.
Mora began the programme by assuming a mocking tone and chortling: “Gra-a-a-a-a-ave accusations against you in parliament, David!” This was a reference to Annette King’s suggestion that Farrar was blogging for his own site while being paid by the tax-payer.
Encouraged by Mora’s indulgent and jocular approach, Farrar laughed along with him and assured listeners that, no, he had not committed any impropriety during his time working in parliament.
And that was the end of the matter.
Did someone say something about a “liberal bias” on National Radio?
This article about EQC claims by Marsden needs to be read and the reporters looking into it. It seems that EQC is seriously badly managed.
Holy shit!
12 people doing 8 claims each per day.
What’s going on with that Minister Brownlee?
And, with ~275000 claims to go through that’ll only take them ~2865 days.
Interesting to get some inside info.
It is part of EQC’s reason for existence to be prepared for catastrophes like the quakes and in order to do that they have to have a plan to quickly and efficiently expand (almost over night) into a fully fledged administration. Much like the Civil Defence, SAR, and other emergency services.
You would think that people who were probably paid quite good salaries to turn up to work (in the absence of a natural disaster) would have had the time to go through a shit load of what if scenarios and resource planning in the event that a natural disaster of this scale should occur.
What were they doing? What were they getting paid for?
This is most likely not solely the problem of current management but also of previous management, who have noted on their cv that they managed EQC and have since piss-off to another job.
In view of the fact the Michael Wintringham of (Christine Rankin case fame) is the chairman I wonder if they have concentrated on being a financial / insurance fund management agency. Most of the board are finance/insurance people and lawyers.
There 22 permanent staff and of the ones mentioned there are a number of BSc’s but they all seem to have further quals in business / finance etc (except for Hugh Cowan the token boffin).
What capacity planning resources did they have?
The Act Party Leader John Boscawen was literally frothing at the mouth in Parliament yesterday. I’ve embedded the video below for you to watch if you’ve got the stomach. Amongst his largely ineffectual ramblings were a number of gaff’s that made the frothing old fool look even more pathetic. “Rome burns while Nero feel’s,” is not the saying. Although the leader of the fascist Act Party corrected himself, his idiotic bumbling is not particularly helpful within Parliament…
Don Brash is the Act Party Leader.
The video says differently… So I went with what Parliament said.
Unexpected Earthquake Observation #321;
The triple-decker. Where a small shake is followed a minute or so later by a slightly bigger shake, then another minute or bit longer later by the biggest shake of the threesome. A quite common serving.
Bloody tories
Joyce is slipping into the Telecommunications etc Bill a SOP which removes the Kiwishare protection from Telecom. The implications are significant. The limitation on landline costs increase will no doubt go.
Why this should be done by way of a last minute SOP where Kiwis cannot have a say is beyond me.
No wonder Joyce has been looking sheepish lately.
Shame on him.
Considering that the whole superfast broadband process seemed to be about giving Telecom their dominant position back at our expense is it really?
The super fast process to give Telecom the deal yes! The super fast process to deliver fast broadband no!
Yep, looks like the kiwishare that protects no-charge local calling and restricts foreign ownership will be gone by lunchtime – click on the link for more analysis of this appalling abrogation of democratic process.
And how about the rort that now in the Jafacity there are tolls to call be it from what was Rodney or just north of the bombay hills, I notice that no one bothers about the outareas. But then many issues are only valid once a party has LOST power, and begins to once again to listen.
and we will not even discuss the fact that it now takes over a month to get a new fibre connection and phone number, that is if you can work out who to contact be it : Telecom, Chorus, World Exchange. Or that to get a phone line you have NO option and have to get an internet connection and new hardware as well.
Thanks Toad. The stuff put out by the Government seems to be saying that current protection will continue but if it is only a technical change then why don’t they put it through a select committee process.
I agree that the first problem with it is that if protection is reliant on a deed then the Government without reference to Parliament can change it essentially by executive fiat.
And if the SOP was ready on Tuesday why did they not release a copy to the opposition parties until today?
The process stinks and one of two things has happened. Either it is really dumb political management which lets us jump up and down about the process and possible motive or there is a dead frog there somewhere (sorry Toad excuse the metaphor) AND we can jump up and down about the process and the motive.
Joyce has looked really nervous lately. I wonder why?
well well well morrisey revved up and spun that one out of the frame in no time flat.
he didnt even mention that te flabbo (as he is known) is also known as feeder on trademe opinions where he and his gang mob up on maori and jaydubs and anyone else they dont like.
hey flubbo, have another rubber chicken dude.
National speak with Forked Tongue in our Name.
Good on I/S for spotting the lies coming from National.
Greece is rapidly turning ugly
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/15/europe-warned-greece-financial-crisis
This ain’t gonna be pretty
Paul mason @ the beebeebceeb is giving good blog on the protests at the mo…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/correspondents/paulmason/
Some semi-random snippets from the last few posts:
—-
No, it ain’t. Especially when, after Greece defaults on debt other nations follow resulting in a full collapse of the global economy. It’s going to cause some hurt but I won’t be sad to see it go as it means that people will have to return to real economics (Based around resources) rather than the delusional monetary BS that we’ve been slaving under for the last few hundred years.
Have you seen the photos of the burning policemen, the almost daily riots?
Do you imagine that, when the world economy collapses, (as I agree it will) it will not affect every person in NZ?
Do you actually imagine that there will not be civil strife, unrest and depression not seen since WW2?
Um, I was agreeing with you. I was also pointing out that it would give us a chance to dump the capitalist paradigm that’s caused all the problems.
Zero Hedge seems to have similar sentiments on the Greek crisis
alas, one also has to be dead serious about this stuff because it just may usher the eventual implosion of capitalism once again, since many (us among them), believe that the downstream effects from the bankruptcy of Greece, and thus the ECB, and thus Europe, will make Lehman seem like a walk in the park
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/greek-bankruptcy-case-study-now-cartoon
I posted this link a number of weeks ago but if you missed it…
Jospeh Stiglitz, Nobel Economist, wrote a very good article (“Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1”) speculating about the possible out come of exaggerated inequality and wonders if the uprising around the world will be seen on the streets of America (read NZ).
Just heard John Key on Radio Live with Willie & JT, they were talking about the Sky City Casino Deal & Key was running the ‘It’s ok coz it’ll only be asians gambling, not poor South Aucklanders’ line, he kept on smentioning ‘The Poor’ & I was thinking I’m pretty sure I hadn’t heard anyone in the NZ Govt even admit there was poverty in NZ.
Took time this avo to catch up on Campbell Live from last night.
I understand the “process” that CERA have to go through to protect people’s equity and to ensure fairness and balance but………..they are not taking people with them, not informing them and those poor people are grieving and some have been waiting nine months.
But I am comforted, that through all the pressures and tragedy, Gerry has kept perspective and got himself an nice new jacket!
What the hell is this about Steven Joyce removing Kiwi share of free local calling? I have a lot of contacts and some of them are people who don’t use Skype as some scumbag from National called out. I am going to enjoy giving out this info.
Also, my absolute admiration to Trevor Mallard who recognises that not everyone lives in the 23rd century of Skype and that picking up the phone to call one’s friends in a local area is sacrosanct in that we gave away ownership of an asset (I didn’t but I was forced to) provided we had a Kiwi say in it. Now Joyce wants to remove that right, just as Hide (both of them with Key’s Jewish? blessing) did with the Local Gov’t Amendment Act 2009, against the 2002 Act which removed the 75% agreement of people before assets like Ports of Auckland or the Airport asset could be sold.
Every Labour Party member in New Zealand and abroad and every person who defends every person’s right to be comfortable in their use of free local communication to enjoy their freedoms should be defending Trevor Mallard’s stand to reverse these disgusting attempts to take away yet more rights from the people of New Zealand who put these selfish, greedy and narcissistic NAct cretins through free tertiary education who now turn upon the people who ‘fed’ them.
I uninstalled Skype when MS bought it and, to be honest, I’m not overly concerned about local calls being charged for anyway. That would just drive more people to use VoIP.
The standard phone line is dead but, unfortunately, our stupid government sold Telecom and deregulated telecommunications which resulted in our network going backwards and not being up to the demands of a modern society.
Well, Draco T Bastard, I am surprised that like the NAct government and every other selfish New Zealander you don’t care that many of our society either don’t ‘get’ Skype or whatever the latest offer is and that they trusted the government of the day that sold off an SOE that promised Kiwi Share and free local calling. Maybe you and the other privateers should have been honest back then when you were promising New Zealanders you wouldn’t betray them – you and Steven Joyce and John Key and Bill English and the swallowed fish – scum.
Before you go around accusing me of something you should check your facts first. Do a search my my name and telecommunications on this board.
I’m not overly concerned about local being paid for because:
1.) I don’t think they will be. Voice only uses 64kbps so not a hell of a lot of the bandwidth available.
2.) If they do it will show just how much damage that selling Telecom and deregulation did to our infrastructure.
We really do need to renationalise telecommunications in NZ.
‘heaven’ help any older New Zealander that doesn’t keep up with the NActs and/or Draco T Bastards of New Zealand’s brave new world where the old is the over 30.
Someone on my Twitter feed, in BC, Canada is reporting rioting and looting in downtown Vancouver – been going on for hours apparently. People injured, RCMP trying to deal with it. Does anyone have reports on this and what it’s about?
Oh. It’s not about austerity measures, inequalities etc, but fans of a sports team that lost:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/5154250/Vancouver-fans-riot-after-Stanley-Cup-loss
Yeah it was the Hockey.
The Canucks are crazy about Ice Hockey.
Whaleoil in loses control in epic fail
Ha
I dare you William to show it to Cameron …
He might gum me to death – and then there’s the court case, having to explain the presence of baby oil, a feather duster & Chris Tremaine in drag, and then (*OMG!*) the chicken – how do I explain that?
With all that behaviour nobody would believe that I was not National!
+10!