Open mike 16/08/2010
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6:00 am, August 16th, 2010 - 22 comments
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2 hours ago - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head: Dunedin Flooding
I noted a few days ago that the Hospital protest happened to coincide with favourable weather. Well, it was a very happy coincidence, because the past twenty-four hours have been rather wet in this part of the world. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/weather-pictures-dunedin-flooded-as-state-of-local-emergency-declared/HNOB5YIEWFCUXNWXYIWGICZ6ZU/ In terms of sheer amount of rain, it’s one of those ...12 hours ago - Is the New Zealand’s Retirement Strategy Sustainable?
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3 days ago - A private matter
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Nicola Willis has set up the public service to fail to pay for reckless tax cuts for landlords and the tobacco industry. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Coalition cooking up costly RMA replacement
National continues to dismantle environmental protections in the interests of rushing through unsustainable development that will ultimately cost communities. ...2 weeks ago
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The economy has stagnated and the National Government is having to face the consequences of its atrocious lawmaking, as beneficiary numbers skyrocket past even Treasury’s predictions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National allocating police officers not hired yet
There are 104 fewer police officers now than there were when National came into Government. ...2 weeks ago
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Today’s GDP figures combined with the injustice of our tax system will mean more pain for our lowest-income households while those at the top remain relatively unscathed. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: No growth under National, just cuts
The National Government’s decisions have hindered, not helped the economy. ...2 weeks ago
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New climate projections from NIWA underscore how urgently climate action is needed. ...2 weeks ago
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The Government is failing the manufacturing sector with no plan for its future. ...2 weeks ago
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Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today welcomed a move by the European Commission to delay the implementation of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months, describing the proposal as a pragmatic step that will provide much-needed certainty for New Zealand exporters and ensure over $200 million in ...17 hours ago
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- Progressing remote building inspections
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- PPTA accepts charter schools
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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 ...4 days ago
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Foreign Minister Winston Peters today wrapped up a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia. “Our visit to New York was about demonstrating New Zealand’s unwavering support for an international system based on rules and respect for the UN Charter, as ...5 days ago
- Final 2024 Action Plan focused on infrastructure
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- Four new laws to tackle crime passed in Q3
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- Reforming the building consent system
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- Cost-benefit analysis for potential third medical school completed
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- Government delivers sensible approach to speed limits
The Government’s new speed limit rule has today been signed to reverse Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions and enable Kiwis to get to where they want to go quickly and safely, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Reverse Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways ...7 days ago
- Minister to meet with Pacific Island climate leaders
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- Human rights recommendations accepted
The Government is accepting the majority of human rights recommendations received at the fourth Universal Period Review in Geneva, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We have considered all 259 recommendations from the United Nations. We are supporting 168 and partially supporting 12 of these recommendations. “Recommendations related to women’s rights, ...1 week ago
- Geotech work begins on Warkworth to Te Hana Road of National Significance
The Government is continuing to move at pace on the Northland Expressway, with significant geotechnical investigations now underway for phase one from Warkworth to Te Hana, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With thousands of motorists and freight travelling through Northland, we’re focused on delivering for this region to grow our economy. ...1 week ago
- Free mental health resources for business owners
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- The Secret Diary of .. the Labour Gang
MONDAYA cold wind came down from the mountain range of the Sierra Thorndons and swept through the empty main street of Labour City.It had been the exact same weather for over a year.A few old-timers remembered a time of golden weather. Sometimes they thought they might only have dreamt it ...55 mins ago - One for the language lovers
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10666342
The super trucks National are creaming themselves to get on the roads are too heavy for our current infrastructure.
For Christ’s sake – rail you morons!
Tigger, you beat me to the punch, in short bloody insanity. From the Herald today the following….
Auckland’s Southern Motorway – one of New Zealand’s busiest highways – has up to a dozen points too weak to support new, extra-heavy trucks already plying the roads…The Transport Agency admits it will take years of strengthening to make the collection of bridges and other structures “compliant” for the new trucks, weighing up to 53 tonnes, and up to 22m long.
The agency has received 366 applications to use the new trucks on public roads under a permit scheme introduced in May for “high productivity motor vehicles”.
Just love the term “high productivity vehicles”, , any guesses? More road damage? More road deaths? Less drivers, the unlucky ones out of work? More emmissions with the tab avoided by the industry? More bills for the four former for the tax payer to subsidise the trucking industry with?
Absolute proof that commerce in this country is firmly heading for the cliff with no brakes, no vision. Sad pricks.
It would be a bit different if they paid their fair share of Road User Charges plus a premium to cover the cost of the strengthening work. But that would be asking too much.
I agree with Tigger. What is wrong with Rail?
Capcha “Concrete” (he he)
Well I guess the rail lobby doesn’t line National’s coffers with cash…and rail isn’t owned by National’s pals…
No but apparently Labour quite happily lined Toll’s pockets with jolly great wodgers so they didn’t feel too left out.
What comedy? Are Labour supposed to be fairy godmothers waving magic wands so magically that hard structural decisions for the country become easy and simple. Are they expected to produce policy full of sweetness and light with winking stars and little birds tweeting. Seems as if you might be watching Disney confections.
The anti-spam tells me it was ‘necessary’. Seems the machine might know something.
Stupid NZ laxness in laws No. 64,002
NZ government making policy in silo mentality. Big trucks good, status quo bad, no thought about infrastructure capabilities and externalities.
Leave that for another government and the future to cope with. ‘The pollies go round and round and never learn a thing except how to keep smiling’. Leaky home syndrome thinking – again.
Looks like Goff is about to sell out women on superannuation. Hes lost my vote and I’ll be tellng my friends. You need to get rid of the right wing from our labour party now or you are complete history Labour.
Hi Maria – haven’t heard anything about this, do you have a link?
Can you direct to these super funds – I like to invest in some wimmin futures/
That is harsh Maria.
Labour is looking at compulsory savings but that should not be to the detriment of women. And Labour is the only party with a practical commitment to perserving entitlement rights to super. The Cullen Fund may have been our last chance to preserve Super as we know it.
How about comparing this to National’s policies which are to refuse to do anything and then wonder why the age of retirment has to be drastically increased in a few years time.
Maria – who are you and why do you smell of right-wing troll? Your argument has no basis and is reactionary. I’m with the others – post a link and make a case…
Looks like to the South African Rugby Union the All Blacks are not the new blacks!
Word on wall street is the appearance of the “hindenburgh omen” in charts of the nyse.
Appears when disaster is due.
Quite a few publications have it .
Yes this is about Goffs suggestion of making Kiwisaver compulsory.
OK Retirement has to be financed either by tax or saving. This is just a planned redistribution. The money needs to come from somewhere and it makes no difference if it comes from tax or is in a personal account. The only thing this changes is retirement income distrubution.
It will see women even poorer. Women currently earn about 12% less than men on an hourly rate basis, but the greatest cost to them is that housework and childcare mean they work a lot less hours in the workforce so according to the CTU website this reduces their incomes to about 50% of mens. If a marriage breaks up due to a husbands infidelity or violence etc then that woman is often the sole provider and carer for childrten and theres no way she can afford to save for retirement.
What is being said here is that we need to contribute more to our savings for our retirements. There is no reason this cannot be done buy way of taxation where everyone gets an equal amount in retiremelent. This is just more taking from the poor to give to the rich. If employers have to pay it then let it go into a scheme that distributes is evenly. Don’t forget ladies we are not the minority of the population and our votes sway elections. Demand a fair deal as we have supported our families and Labour for years. The green party might have a better policy so lets take a look.
Time to get organised you lot – make sure everyone you know in Auckland is registered to vote and then make sure they bloody well do actually vote. The last thing we need is for Hide to have his way so Banks and his filthy crew can start the de-facto privatisation process.
Looks like we might be in with a chance.
A clever new machine has been devised by NASA? to cope with terrain as part of the space program. I suggest to anyone with some status in the USA govt that they work to get NASA space funds cut and the money for future projects be put instead into earth all-terrain equipment that can take heavy loads to marooned desperate people after disasters.
The USA could work a nice scheme, as our government has done in the past, and that is provide aid and make money from it. The USA could make the machines and sell them to the UN, so getting their contribution to the UN back into their pockets. A virtuous circle! And it would achieve something practical and helpful to the people that the UN is supposed to help. At present when emergencies happen, the UN gets fulsome promises which turn out to be empty charity buckets when cash-counting time comes.
Ahaha – typical left wing nut trying to tell a lawyer that parents who smack their children since the repeal of s59 are not guilty of a crime.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2010/08/general_debate_10_august_2010.html#comment-729001
Interesting revelation by Trevor Mallard on Red Alert. Seems Heather Roy is to be rolled as deputy leader tomorrow in favour of John Boscawen. Note Whaleoil’s comment on the post. From what I’ve heard, he’s on the right track!
Latest update on my correspondence with Phill Goff:
capcha – nice
I don’t really know if receiving this ‘standard letter’ reply means I will be getting a proper response any time soon, or at all.
What does your experience tell you VOR?
capcha – worthwhile