Went out last night to karaoke, they now forced to close at 1am, instead of 2am – the authoritarian old farts on the council and the police I bet – love telling us peasants what to do.
So I was outside talking to security guy and police stated going past about midnight, to intimidate staff and patrons – to make sure everything was shut down by 1am.
Everybody that goes to the karaoke is pisd off about the further restriction of hours. Staff take the brunt of it, they the ones who will be fined. People just want to hang out together, play some pool, listen to music, have a few drinks etc. And in comes the Carterton Council and Community Leaders to stomp on our cultural freedoms to socialise at a pub. Is this what happens when the baby boomers are too powerful, or is it just that elites like to intimidate and control us poorer peasants.
Yes sometimes there are fights, and they are handled expertly by staff and security. I never feel unsafe there – Wairarapa is shutting down everything it can for the poorest people in the community – why is that?
Authoritiarian is not a good word, governments restricting people’s freedom to socialise is not good either.
I happen to agree with you. The police seem to be peddling some snake oil about how it is better to close early. Tried it in Newcastle Australia and all it did was increase young road deaths as they drove elsewhere for fun.
If you are young why can’t you dance till dawn – one day you can’t. Maybe start watering the drinks after 1.00pm but people drift off gradually and the cold light of 5.00a.m is kinda sobering IIRC.
One of the downsides of a Labour/Green victory if we get one this month would be that this kind of clampdown on people having fun would only increase. Both parties are even more full of people who know what’s best for you than National is.
Oh dear, I was afraid you’d say ACT. How’s ACT gonna increase my fun? I love Red Dwarf but I don’t find Seymour remotely funny. In fact, when thinking about ACT it spoils my fun …
Horrifying, isn’t it? Still, just be glad it’s Seymour and not John Banks, Don Brash and David Garrett – Seymour looks positively jovial in comparison.
I might have to see somebody for this but I often associate ACT with Destiny Church and Exclusive Brethren … These are real party-starters, aren’t they?
On the other hand, if your idea of fun is sitting around in a blue haze blurting “cosmic” and “groovy” in response to banal observations and giggling a lot, then Greens/Labour are more likely to move on allowing that indulgence without risking a visit from Plod.
I’m not opposed to most pubs shutting at 1am, but a nightclub license should be available for them who wants to go until dawn. It’s normally a tiny proportion who will move bars to continue.
The real problems come from bars competing to pump as much piss into as many people as possible, then dumping them on the street when they’re well over the limit. Preloading is also an issue.
Granny Herald is still in over-drive with its it cheer-leading for the most despicable and dishonest campaign by National since ……. oh yeah – the last election. First there was John Armstrong who seems to be racing into senility and memory loss at a faster rate than the average 80 year. Amongst other alternative facts, he appears to be claiming that Labour had a whole range of new taxes to implement in its manifesto. Really? Then there was the indefatigable serial mis-representer Fran O’Sullivan who, among other things, seems to think Labour ‘invited’ the Joyce/English lie machine to rev up to full noise to mislead the voters. Thankfully, Lizzie Marvelly put in a few drops of sanity with, “All aboard the election porky train.” to relieve the tedium.
Given that National already has a capital gains tax in force, it seems that extending the time frame from 2 to 5 years and keeping the level of taxation in line with house price inflation over the past nine years doesn’t constitute a new tax – ” Let’s do it!”. Other stuff can probably wait until later BUT another option would be to play the National line – we had to do it because it was the policy of our coalition partner. ACT, with only one pathetic excuse for a politician wagged the dog and that was fine!
“Let me be perfectly clear… like a jellyfish … translucent even… radiant from within … like a candle in the wind, never knowing where to cling to … and there goes our tax policy…”
If anyone is still determined to vote for TOP, this may give you some pause:
He wants 10 to 15 per cent of the party vote. Only then would he feel the ethical mandate to go into politics full time… But if the Opportunities Party polls lower than that – even if they get a seat – it won’t be Gareth Morgan pushing through the policies.
Given that Morgan is the face of the party (I can only name two other candidates and that is only because they used to be with the GP and ALCP respectively), you have to question who would still vote for them knowing that he’ll be on his bike as soon as the counting is done. I take polls with much caution, but TOP has never cracked 3% and has more often been below 2%; 5% is unlikely but not inconcievable10-15% is simply delusional.
Given this, I have to ask; if Morgan was always determined to stay out of parliament unless TOP got at least 10%, why is he at list position #1, rather than #11?
It doesn´t matter whether more than 5% or less, or even whether he takes up his seat, assuming wins one (assuming he does´t win a constituency seat his party will have either six seats or none – the system doesn´t allow for anything in between).
It has been my practice ever since I started voting to vote for the party with the most enlightened policies, and I will be doing so this election.
mikesh
If I had my choice, I’d be voting for MANA again, as they have been a consistant voice for the underclass in Aotearoa (Māori and Pākehā). Their policy releases have been ongoing throughout the election campaign, but not got a lot of cut through, water was the most recent:
Wai (water) is essential for the life, health and wellbeing of all living things. Water is also an important resource for the people, plant life, farming, industry, recreation, cultural ceremonies and power generation in Aotearoa. The mauri, (the vitality of the life force) and sustainability of water is constantly being threatened and eroded by pollution and over consumption.
However, unless you happen to vote in Te Tai Tokerau (which I don’t), a vote for MANA is likely to be wasted. Thus I have chosen pragmatism over principle this election.
Our electoral system is currently constructed (eg; coat-tailing, and 5% thresholds) to actively dissuade people from voting for the parties whose policies seem most enlightened to them. Until this changes, I feel it is necessary to vote strategically.
“It has obviously been happening for quite a while but sometimes these subterranean societal shifts are hard to detect, especially by people like me who are being left behind.
As we approach the closely fought election in which the race is between somebody about my age and someone exactly 22 years younger than me, it’s become clearer that New Zealand is indeed ready to cross over into something new.
That’s why I think Jacinda Ardern is going to win the election or at least get more of the party vote than National.
And even if I am wrong about that, the ground has still shifted and what she represents is in the ascendant. If not this time, it will be the next.”
Martin van Beynen: A changing of the guard is on the way
They will be covering the proposed Waimea Dam, prisons/corrections (Kelvin Davis and louise upston) and Paddy talks to Willie J, Marama D and flavell re the maori seats.
One thing that has bitterly disappointed me about national is their lack of wanting to engage in cross-party groups to tackle some of NZ’s major problems.
Have noticed nat’s wheeling out a lame as attack line to opposition parties of late… “you’ve had nine years to do something”… (it’s like excuse me, who has been running the country for the last nine years?)
EDIT… STREAM CEASED AS ALARM WENT OFF AND THEY HAVE TO EVACUATE THE BUILDING
Not watching The Nation anymore, the program needs a new title: The National Nation would be more like it. It is nothing less than a propaganda fest. Biased and is shows, shrill and at times almost hysterical to defend. Who in their right mind would want to watch this?
i watch/listen to as many different political shows as possible no matter which way their leanings, am not in my right mind, however, instead am ambidextrous.
Anyways, they are re-recording some segments with flavell, and screening it again in the morrow.
It’s hard to critique when one isn’t even prepared to listen.
Which would explain your attempt to disregard it by pointing at the National Front (who have nothing to do with it) and the site that hosted the interview.
A state seeking to suppress political activity of a citizenry isn’t the same thing as states competing or jockeying for power amongst themselves.
Best to keep the two things separate.
The US, NZ, China and every other fucking state deserves to be kicked in the head for the former (suppression of a citizenry’s political will).
As for condemning China’s bid for global power, that can’t be done without rank hypocrisy and probably buying into some degree of racist/xenophobic bullshit unless all state power by whatever state is also condemned.
And Marty Mars and McFlock doing the ad hom mambo? Yup. Fucking tedious.
You honestly can’t understand how accusing someone of being in a habit of submitting spam and insinuating they’re a liar to boot isn’t just bullshit ad hom loaded commenting?
sure bill yeah I can see why someone could possibly feel that calling someone else a spammer and non-leftie can be considered an ad hom. I thought I was just describing the facts but there you go.
When a state seeking to suppress political activity of its citizenry is also a state competing or jockeying for global power, the two can become entwined.
I take it you are referring to the second link I posted. If you look at the top of the page, you’ll see that it was part one of three. Hit the downward arrow for the following two parts.
But while we’re on it, what did you make of the Campus Patriots section and the Communist Party’s influence on Australian university campuses through the Chinese Students and Scholars Associations? Should voters and NZ Labour be concerned?
As for hypocrisy, I agree, my sentiment holds for any state seeking global power. It just happens to be we have a Chinese in parliament that has been accused of being a spy and bringing in big donations.
You put it up, Joe put something up, I agree with Joe as it fitted what I had observed.
I said it was sad that you were putting up stuff the national front got boners over and I said I still preferred that to the spam imo that you post attacking labour.
Though he did try to diminish it by pointing to the National Front (which have nothing to do with it) and the site that hosted it. Alluding to other crap the site also presents, which also has nothing to do with what I posted.
You came in, slapped his back and decided to have a little personal dig at me. When we all know I’m not the topic of the discussion. Of which, you added nothing too.
But they’re not pointless. In my opinion, TC actively contributes to the information overload that bogs down political discourse these days. Posting a fifty minute video with fuckall context and then getting pissy when someone points out it’s on a National Front hot picks list (which is definitely valid context for judging its likely merit) is just the latest example. The majority of TC’s ouvre revolves around wallowing in bland nonsensicalities that TC paints as profound political observations, like Pete George- only TC’s better at toeing the line.
And the thing is, engaging TC in debate is only playing their game of “twenty to the power of infinity questions”. Ignoring TC leaves the bog spider waiting to tie other people in knots. So that’s why I think there’s a point in calling TC what they are.
That fifty minute video was a wide ranging discussion that a number of political junkies would find interesting.
I purposely posted it on the weekend to allow those who are interested the time to view it.
It’s no longer than watching an episode of the Nation or Q&A.
If you are merely looking for quick soundbites and don’t have time for the larger issues, then best you move on. No one is forcing you to partake.
The title was self explanatory, thus “fuckall” context was given.
And I wasn’t getting “pissy” it’s on the National Front hot picks list as it’s not a valid way of judging its merit. The book has nothing to do with them.
sounded to me like the bold was coming and that was a moderator inspired comment or at least the close imminent potential for one – I took it that way.
I try to obey moderators – no point making life tough especially in a no win situation.
@bill
yeah, but I’ve learned to play it safe before things get too boldy mcboldtype 🙂
@TC – if the national front like something, it’s not because of its impartial intellectualism on either part. You could have saved yourself 50 minutes.
You haven’t refuted Joe or my points – you dragged something out that is well liked by the National Front – that is a fact. Not only that but the site he linked to runs numerous outrageous and disgusting pieces as he highlighted and that is a fact.
Here’s a hint – a REAL left orientated person would take the criticism and listen to it and maybe say, “Hey thanks Joe and Marty, I didn’t realise that what I put up had such horrible friends and now I do I will really try to do more checking before I add something to the forum.”
What do you do – argue like a rightie about your ego – sorry bubb that is a fail. sad.
I presented an interview with the author of the book. And the fact that the National Front like it is neither here nor there. They have nothing to do with it.
Moreover, the outrageous and disgusting pieces on the site he (Joe) linked to also had nothing to do with the interview I presented.
The only association the site has with the author was the hosting of the interview.
Hence, Joe was using it as a way to diminish and ridicule the interview I posted.
Therefore, I don’t owe anyone an apology.
I don’t have a problem with criticism, as long as it has merit. And as you can see from the points above, this has nothing to do with my ego.
For what it’s worth (probably nothing) I too think The Chairman is a spamming pretend leftie who posts in the Pete George mold.
It’s spam because The Chairman’s style is to write one line, place a link, then ask for thoughts (see the very comment with clip which started this). It’s pretty lazy really.
He’s a pretend leftie because 95% of his posts are criticisms of NZ Labour and when challenged on why he never critiques the actual enemy of the left, the National Party, claims lamely that not ever holding the Nats to account shouldn’t preclude him from undermining Labour at every single opportunity.
And he’s Pete George lite in the way he floods a discussion with beige distractions and how he, when pulled up, tries to make the argument itself more important than the original point.
Bill may have missed all this but I and obviously some others have The Chairman’s number.
Yeah, they’re both like that black stuff you find around the windows of a typical cold damp NZ house. An insidious and constant reminder to average Kiwis they have no hope.
I presented an interview with wide ranging implications and all you can do is write your thoughts on me?
There really is little hope for this nation if you lot think I’m your concern.
I’ve stated my political position. And any genuine lefty would be criticizing this Labour lot cause they are far from left.
They won’t even increase core benefit rates, which would provide some instant relief for a good many that are struggling.
Lowering the bar isn’t going to encourage them to up their game. If we want more from Labour we have to hold their feet to the fire. You lot should be with me on this, not against me. Which makes me question how left are you?
I didn’t claim that not ever holding the Nats to account shouldn’t preclude me from undermining Labour, which makes you a liar.
Nor was it my answer when challenged on why I seldom critique National.
The real enemy of the left are the right within, that’s what’s largely causing Labour to fall short. Robbing us of the opportunity to better repair this mess 30 odd years of neo-liberalism (led by both Labour and National) has created.
So the basic complaint is that China may be kind of buying global dominance and that’s just not on because “the West” is the rightful seat of global power. That about right?
The same shit and fear was peddled by the British when the US was on the rise – fear and loathing. All bullshit.
I’ll say this for China. At least its rise to global prominence isn’t coming off the back of militarism and imposed states of penury as “the West’s” was.
“So the basic complaint is that China may be kind of buying global dominance”
Depending on ones perspective, some may see it more as an economic takeover.
And it’s not on (as you put it) for a number of reasons, but not the one you put forward.
It’s an attack on a nations sovereignty, its democracy, and rule of law.
While there are no explosions on the ground, planes in the air, or tanks on the streets, the wealth stripping is creating harm. Seen our current account? Homelessness? Poverty? Inequality? Suicides? Assets and resources sold to foreign hands? It’s all part of the globalized, neo-liberal way.
Until recently, it’s largely been western elite cleaning us out. And that isn’t on either.
China invaded Tibet and why do think they are building up their military, Navy, etc…? Could it be to intimidate and in preparation of resistance of their financial offerings?
Have a listen to the interview, I think you’ll find it interesting.
I already dropped into it and skipped though randomly to get ‘a taste’ of where the guy was coming from. He’s a “Yellow Peril” arse-wipe from what I can tell.
And your comment’s just a pile of kinda breathless assertions with no argument or rationale attached.
I don’t really care too much for a nation state’s sovereignty given it’s an illegitimate construct by my political reasoning. But you want to get all hot under the collar over various competing and equally illegitimate “pretenders” then hey.
And if/when that slips into xenophobic and/or racist bullshit I might pipe up. But until then….meh.
The Chairman
Oh so it’s China that’s at the base of everything going wrong in NZ. And all the time I thought it was our dollar-eyeballed pollies going for broke. I noted that actually we were broke and they were just going for everything they could get and sell. Isn’t it our pollies and their fellow travellers, the dairy farmers and irrigators and so on who are welcoming Chinese to come and spend their new money here. I think we should be more concerned about the bods going to Harvard and learning the Right Way of doing laissez faire in the 21st century.
In our little country the ones who have made money have a lot of sway.
They are the little men who could, and a fewer little women who don’t have the altruistic notions portrayed in the USA book Little Women. We are being picked over by our own. The Chinese just watch bemused and come along for the ride, along with people from the Indian Continent etc/
Yes I agree, I have been watching China for some years and back in 2015 Brain Gould was writing articles re China’s rapidly expanding “property manifesto” in NZ.
But it is happening all over the world not just in NZ.
If Ron Asher’s book , In The Jaws of the Dragon, is a reds under the beds variation then explain this which I copied and filed several years ago.
“Like the China agreement the free trade with India comes with conditions. Conditions that our leader isn’t always fond of explaining. For one; we have to agree to allow a set number of Chinese immigrants into NZ per year.”
Why would there be such a stipulation in a Free Trade agreement ? Is this actually happening ?
Apart from the liberalisation of the movement of natural persons, there is no mention of immigration in the China/NZ FTA. And there is no set figure that I’m aware of.
As for China’s rapidly expanding property manifesto in NZ, the documentary (Who owns NZ now) touched upon this. We aren’t keeping sufficient records of offshore investors in our property market. And It has been suggested that China’s influence and our unwillingness to rock the boat is behind it.
Our investor visa scheme (which is separate from FTAs but is largely utilized by the Chinese) has fast tracked immigration for wealthy offshore investors.
Yes there is … It says – Phil Goff – free trade agreement with China agreed to allow 1800 extra chinese immigrants into NZ..
It is well through – about 3/4 through – the recording .
So is that enacted here or not ?
It was in reference to the liberalisation of the movement of natural persons, temporary immigrants. That is, temporary for the individual or group, but it’s an ongoing policy within the deal.
The Chinese and other great powers don’t make us agree to investments coming into NZ, it’s been done by the ambitious export oriented pollies and business leaders. The Chinese have given us an agreement to trade and we have reciprocated with lots. So we small, them big, they are happy to go along with using the opportunities they have facilitated and we have offered. That is closer to the truth than some of the wilder things that have been said here.
“He’s a “Yellow Peril” arse-wipe from what I can tell”
Really? What drove you to that conclusion?
To me, he came across as someone who doesn’t agree with how the Chinese Government operate.
My argument is China (who is no small player with a large military force) is also playing the neo-liberal game. And just because they are greasing palms instead of dropping bombs it doesn’t make them any less of a threat. And we’ve opened the door for them.
We have one in National that’s looking dodgy. Labour has a new one, raising some questions. And the Maori party have one that has just recently been accused of political bribery (allegedly offering online cash credits to potential supporters on Chinese social media message app WeChat).
I’m interested in knowing more on why you don’t value our sovereignty and think its an illegitimate construct?
We’ve opened the door to them. ‘We’ have one in… and Labour has a new one. The MP have one .
You any idea how utterly fucked in the head that shit you’re spouting is?
Nek minute you’ll be telling ‘one and all’ that you’ve nothing against Asians or Chinese in particular and that one of your mates is…Chinese…could be Korean…or might be Vietnamese or …well, you’re not sure, but ‘whatever’ they’re all Asian and some of them are okay and you’re not talking about the okay ones, just the bad ones and the bad ones are legion and they’re out to swamp ‘our’ pavlova paradise with weird monogluta addictive mind bending whatevers…
Tell me.
Where you think the original geographical location of Pacifica peoples is? And if them supposedly ‘swamping’ and ‘taking over’ is such a big deal then….well, assuming you’ll trace back to Europe heritage wise…..
And I didn’t say sovereignty was an illegitimate construct (idea). I said that the state is an illegitimate construct.
You may think it’s fucked in the head but it’s the reality.
Therefore, are you implying I’m incorrect?
We have a free trade deal with China, yes? Thus, we’ve opened the door to a new big player.
Jian Yang now looks dodgy, yes?
Wetex Kang was accused of bribery, yes?
Labour’s Naisi Chen was the former President of the New Zealand Chinese Students’ Association, yes?
I don’t know why you are attempting to make this about race? One was accused of bribery, the other two have questions surrounding their connection to the Communist Party.
“It seems to be between Labour and National. If you had asked me before my win I would have erred on the socialist side but now I am more likely to side with National … it is about wanting to protect the future for your whanau. I wouldn’t say I had it hard as some people before my win, but I wouldn’t want the mokopuna to struggle through life.
One that should have been added was National party lack of use of rail and building more roads instead!!!!!!
Rain-water washes road pollution off our roads into our streams, rivers, lakes, and aquifers, and drinking water.
National have dismissed removing half the road pollution from stock, fertilizer, fuel, & rubbish trucks off our roads & use rail as a mitigation against “road runoff pollution” from their effluent and other emissions (tyre dust) that 34 wheeler trucks deposit on our roads.
Where is Paula? Is she in hiding? Because she hasn’t been seen in her electorate and has been very quiet of late. Bit of concern about some hard questioning coming up in relation to a previous life perhaps?
What is happening in the Barclay dirty business (apart from little Toadie doing a runner off to London)? Those 450 texts? Is the police investigation still ongoing? Or has it all been buried?
What about the Jian Yang issue? Is the SIS still investigating? Or will that one fade away never to see the light of day again?
We desperately need some investigative journalism in this country to expose the murky activities of this grubby corrupt government!
Instead we get an apparent rant (no I haven’t read it and I don’t intend to) from John Armstrong on the evil machinations of Jacinda Ardern – a 2017 version of the crack-pot rant against David Cunliffe in 2014. You know, the one where he accused Cunliffe of every evil sin under the sun, and then later withdrew and apologised after the election was over.
Jacindas out door speech to the masses (and there were quite a lot of us on this raw blustery New Plymouth day) was received well by a wide range of ages.
Half way through I heard singing and chanting getting louder and I feared the worst..a bunch of Taranaki cow cockies on the rampage. Then they came into view, a party of pirates. I counted about 80, mainly in good quality fancy dress, not jeans and scarf on the head type of things, marching past having a good time.
They sent 2 envoys carrying their flag to talk to Jacinda evidently moaning about the government being mean and unfair to pirates etc. She laughed, said she would talk to them later and they commandeered the pub across the road.
Good to see such a lot of folk having a great time. Daughter said it was the annual Pirate Day pub crawl…not being on Facebook I miss out on news of these things.
Awesome especially considering the weather, it’s like where ever Jacinda goes loads of people turn out to see her, it’s amazing to see the response, what a good buzz.
The pirates would have been an absolute treat, so much goodness
Perhaps becoming the next government will not start off well in being able to fulfill the need to build houses in Auckland.
To those following the picture of the building industry there are some uneasy ndicators out there, same with houses selling being 20% down from last year.
Martin Dunn, of estate agency City Sales, said Australian banks had “pulled the plug” on the New Zealand apartment market and were refusing to give would-be buyers the remaining 90 per cent for their mortgage http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11922859
In the past year alone 35 apartment projects in Auckland were reportedly axed, including the Flo Apartments project in Avondale, which would have had 91 apartments, each priced from $370,000. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/315433/wary-banks-blamed-for-dropped-housing-projects
Okay. That’s kinda scary shit. Just to pick out one of a number of points raised in the politico piece…
They (Ziska and his colleagues from the the U.S. Department of Agriculture) found that the protein content of goldenrod pollen has declined by a third since the industrial revolution—and the change closely tracks with the rise in CO2. Scientists have been trying to figure out why bee populations around the world have been in decline, which threatens many crops that rely on bees for pollination. Ziska’s paper suggested that a decline in protein prior to winter could be an additional factor making it hard for bees to survive other stressors.
Calling Sci Fi writers – this could be a good opportunity from JMG’s new blog http://www.ecosophia.net/
So we’re going to do it. You can find the details at http://www.solarsystemheritage.com/anthology-project-2017.html, but the short form is that we’re looking for short stories (2500-7500 words), novelettes (7500-12,500 words) and maybe a novella (12,500 words on up) set in the Old Solar System. What kind of stories? You name it. Two-(or more-)fisted tales of adventure like C.L. Moore, solar system noir like Leigh Brackett, interplanetary travel with a religious dimension like C.S. Lewis, Old Solar System horror like Clark Ashton Smith – you name it, so long as it takes place in the imaginary solar system of the classic science fiction era. You can—indeed, you should—put your own twist on ancient and desolate Mars, lush Venus, or whatever other world or worlds you choose for a setting—and yes, Earth is also an option!—but it should fit more or less cleanly into the grand collective work of art that was the Old Solar System.
“Inspired by the People’s Climate March and its hundreds of thousands of participants, Rebecca Foon and Jesse Paris Smith founded Pathway to Paris in 2015. Created as a way to keep the momentum alive, the organization is a collaboration between musicians, artists, cities and activists to help turn the Paris Agreement into real action. ”
Among a river of poetic points offered by the senior (Patti) Smith, she stressed the importance of not giving into the gloom; of how to use a positive attitude as a tool of resistance.
“When I worked with Ralph Nader, one of the things that he taught us was that nothing productive comes from negativity or pessimism,” she said. “So it’s important not to be drawn into a state of pessimism or paralysis, one has to take a breath and rise above it. I’m not saying that as rhetoric, I’m saying it as an action, as what I have to do myself. I feel the same way that you feel, that everyone else feels, but I refuse to be trampled by it, I refuse to be demoralized; I just keep on doing my work, our work.”
“And even something such as this concert, it makes me feel that each thing that we do, whether we did a concert yesterday, or we’re doing this November 5, we’re partnering with each other, we’re connecting the dots,” she added. “So we have to sometimes not turn a blind eye, but keep our eyes on what we’re trying to do, not on what is being done to dismantle our efforts.”
I love what Patti Smith is saying there – pessimism and paralysis help no one. They are the weapons of the oppressors – rise above it, breathe and keep working to make the world a better place.
“I love what Patti Smith is saying there – pessimism and paralysis help no one. They are the weapons of the oppressors – rise above it, breathe and keep working to make the world a better place.”
If you watch the video on that page with Brian Eno, from about the 3:00 min mark he also talks about the involvement of creative artists in developing a new narrative around the environment.
by Ani O’Brien In the absence of a better word with which to refer to the rabid activists who claim progressivism while demanding adherence to an increasingly prescriptive set of political beliefs, I call them “woke”. With its roots in Black American slang, the term originally denoted a person or ...
Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health reported a case of Covid-19 in Auckland that is not related to the current Auckland cluster. Before we start to panic, here’s how I think the case happened and how we can strengthen our current border controls. The new Covid-19 case is someone ...
Becky CasaleElon Musk reckons his Neuralink brain implant is much more than a medical device–that one day it will drive a symbiosis between humans and artificial intelligence. “Good morning! I’m Dr Benedict Egg and I’ll be supervising your Neuralink insertion today. Do you have any questions?” “Yes, Doc. ...
Many New Zealanders take a strong interest in US politics, with the death of Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg being the latest example. Liam Hehir wonders if it very wise for New Zealanders to get so worked about it.Many politically engaged New Zealanders are now furiously ...
After stamping the Coronavirus out via strict lockdown between March and May, New Zealand went through a good three months without any community cases. Then a local outbreak in Auckland rather buggered things up last month. Auckland’s been in level 3 and level 2.5 for the past six weeks. ...
Who's causing our skyrocketing emissions? As with most of our other problems, It's the rich: The wealthiest 1% of the world’s population were responsible for the emission of more than twice as much carbon dioxide as the poorer half of the world from 1990 to 2015, according to new ...
The border closure and resulting lack of foreign slave-workers is driving the fishing industry out of business: One fishing company is effectively out of business while others are bracing for large financial hits as the deepwater New Zealand industry, unable to get skilled foreign workers into the country, have ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... The tipping points at the heart of the climate crisisMany parts of the Earth’s climate system have been destabilised by ...
In the absence of national public opinion polls, we have had to make do in recent weeks with other guides to voter intentions. Those guides, such as the Auckland Central poll, the incidence of google enquiries and the responses to Vote Compass questions, have suggested, not unexpectedly, that Labour is ...
Crusher Collins - National Party leaderWe all know that the National Party is desperate to gain some traction during this election campaign and have been throwing pretty much everything at the Labour Party in order to try and undermine Jacinda Ardern and what the Coalition Government has achieved. But unfortunately ...
Much of the commentariat’s reporting of the most recent GDP figure was misleading and unhelpful. The prize for the stupidest remark about the GDP figure for second quarter 2020 (2020Q2) released on Thursday (17 Sept) goes to Judith Collins, whose response to Grant Robertson’s comments indicated she did not ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh goloing@gmail.com (19/09/2020) Che Guevara said that a true revolutionary is motivated by love i.e. love of the oppressed, the poor, the children dying from preventable illnesses. This phrase of his is true but has been used by reformists and their more hippy wing have taken advantage ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 13, 2020 through Sat, Sep 19, 2020Editor's ChoiceGet to Net-Zero by Mid-Century? Even Some Global Oil and Gas Giants Think it Can Be DoneA report by a ...
With the National Party this week announcing a new policy of tax cuts to spice up the election campagin. MyThinks went along to the launch and afterwards we spoke to the party’s finance spokesperson Paul “Golden Touch” Goldsmith. MT: Thanks for speaking to us Mr Goldsmith. PG: No. Thank you. ...
Always to islanders danger Is what comes over the seas ‘Landfall in Unknown Seas’ (Allen Curnow)Six economic issues external to New Zealand, which will greatly impact upon us. 1. The Diminishing Global Dominance of the US. Since 1941 America has dominated the world economically and politically. Probably it could ...
By Geoffrey Miller New Zealand should continue to champion human rights in Belarus amidst an ongoing crackdown on protests by the country’s regime, former Prime Minister Helen Clark says. Protests in the country often referred to as ‘Europe’s last dictatorship’ erupted after the country’s disputed presidential elections on August 9 ...
Jacqui Maguire, registered clinical psychologistThis podcast episode highlights how difficult it is to have effective conversations about euthanasia due to how polarised people’s views are. I’m a clinical psychologist, with a passion for science communication. In early 2020 I founded the podcast Mind Brew, with an aim to make psychological ...
In case anyone needed further convincing, there's another example today of why we need cameras on fishing boats: reported seabird bycatch doubled during a camera trial: Commercial fishers operating off Auckland's coast around vulnerable seabirds are twice as likely to report accidentally capturing them when cameras are on ...
In the leadup to the euthanasia referendum, an array of conservative Christian political organisations is running an expensive campaign to sow doubt about the safety of assisted dying. Graham Adams argues that these religious forces know that Christian arguments aren’t convincing the public, but that it is in the public ...
Dangerous Times: This will be the choice confronting those coming of age in the 2020s. Embrace Neoliberalism’s belief in racial and sexual equality; adopt its secular and scientific world view; and cultivate the technocratic, multicultural, global outlook required of those who keep the machinery of hyper-capitalism humming. Or, throw your ...
It would be a great time to reform the benefit system, according to former Deputy Chief Economic Advisor at the Treasury, Tony Burton. He argues the complexity of benefit system means that it’s failing to achieve its difficult three core objectives, which form an “iron triangle”.New Zealand’s benefit ...
Tax Justice UK, September 2020 Serious tax reform is on the political agenda for the first time in decades due to the coronavirus crisis. As this debate hots up it is important to understand what people think about public spending, wealth and tax. Tax Justice UK, along with Survation and ...
Not Mucking Around: With upwards of 800 dead from the virus’s resurgence in the Australian state of Victoria, leniency is not on Premier Daniel Andrews’ agenda. The Victorian Police are cracking down hard on the protesters the Australian press has labelled "Covidiots".IMAGES OF POLICE, some in riot gear, others on ...
Although I had the fortune of being a graduate student of some of the foremost US nuclear strategists of the day (1970s) and later rubbed shoulders with Air Force and Naval officers who were entrusted with parts of the US nuclear arsenal, I seldom get to write or speak about ...
News that Zhenhua Data, an arm of China Zhenhua Electronics Group, a subsidiary of the military-connected China Electronic Information Industry Group (CETC), maintains a list of 800 New Zealanders on a “Overseas Key Information Database” that contains personal information on more than 2.4 million foreign individuals, has caused some consternation ...
Marie BecdelievreJanuary 2020. The number of news article mentioning coronavirus exploded and anxious voices whispered about a global pandemic.Whisper? To me, it was only a whisper. I tend to learn about the world through non-fiction books, conferences, and academic research rather than news and social media, so ...
Barbados is planning to remove the queen as head of state and become a republic in time for the 55th anniversary of its independence in 2021: Barbados has announced its intention to remove the Queen as its head of state and become a republic by November 2021. [...] Reading ...
At the 2017 election, the New Zealand Labour Party promised a Fees Free Policy for tertiary students. Basically, it would make the first year of university education free in 2018, with a second year in 2021, and a third in 2024. It also promised to restore Post-Graduate access to the ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzWhat is the impact of temperature increases in the tropics? ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons It felt like 100 degrees in my in-laws’ Grass Valley, California, kitchen, but at least the lights were on and for the moment we were safely “distanced” from the Jones Fire. We’d just finished dessert, after pizza and a movie ...
Nigel French, Massey UniversityGenome sequencing — the mapping of the genetic sequences of an organism — has helped track the spread of COVID-19 cases in Auckland, but it also plays an important role in the control of other infectious diseases in New Zealand. One example is Mycoplasma bovis, a ...
A key part of our electoral funding regime is a requirement for some transparency around donations, on the basis that if we can find out who has bought our politicians (typically after we have voted for them) then everything is alright. There are a lot of problems with that regime ...
On “In Defense of Looting” Matt Taibibi takes an entertaining look at this generation of woke activists and how they compare with Abbie Hoffman the iconic anti-Vietnam war counter-culture figure of the 1960s On Thursday, August 27th, the same day Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination, National Public Radio ...
When Parliament introduced the Emissions Trading Scheme, it was worried that carbon prices might get too high. So it introduced a "fixed price option", allowing polluters to pay the government $25 in the place of surrendering credits. The result was predictable: after we were thrown out of international carbon markets ...
The government will finally be requiring large New Zealand companies to disclose their climate change risks: New Zealand finance companies will be made to report on climate change risk, Climate Change Minister James Shaw has announced. The policy will force around 200 large financial organisations in New Zealand to ...
By Claire Grant, Genomics Aotearoa Communications ManagerCommunity consultation is becoming an increasingly important aspect of research programmes in New Zealand, and with that comes the art of relationship building. Engagement between scientists and user-groups is certainly nothing new. But as stakeholder involvement becomes more of a requirement for science, ...
Rebels In A Wrong Cause: The truly frightening thing about Jami-Lee Ross’s and Billy Te Kahika’s success in persuading thousands of New Zealanders that Covid-19 is just another trick, just another way of stealing away their power, is realising just how many of them once marched at the Left’s side. ...
In a couple of months, the 53rd Parliament will meet in Wellington, and approximately 120 MPs will be sworn in, many of them for the first time.They will all have political goals, some aligning with their party platforms, some not, some complex, and some simple, but they will gain one ...
Media Statement For Immediate Release 10th September 2020 The income and wealth inequality lobby group, “Closing the Gap” thinks the Labour proposal a great start says Peter Malcolm, a spokesperson for the group. But they need to be aware of what many of the rich do and of what do ...
ACT is pushing a "no-nonsense climate change plan". What does it involve? Repealing the Zero Carbon Act and Emissions Trading Scheme, reversing the fossil-fuel exploration ban, and allowing mining on conservation land. In other words, repealing any policy which might actually reduce emissions. Which is the very definition of nonsensical. ...
This blog post is a follow up to my recap of Al Gore's Climate Reality Leadership Training I recently participated in. One of the exercises we were asked to complete was to write about our respective "Climate Story". This is a slightly updated version to the one I had submitted during ...
New Zealand’s media and online politics often reflect the values of liberal and progressive agendas. According to Liam Hehir, the current proposals to lower the voting age to 16 years – which the media overwhelming supports – is indicative of a wider mismatch with society, which is not good for ...
My wife and I, through a combination of good luck and good management, have managed to retire in comfortable circumstances. We celebrate our good fortune by making relatively small but regular donations to a range of good causes – to rescue services like the rescue helicopters, St John’s Ambulance and ...
Jacques Raubenheimer, University of SydneyIf we don’t analyse statistics for a living, it’s easy to be taken in by misinformation about COVID-19 statistics on social media, especially if we don’t have the right context. For instance, we may cherry pick statistics supporting our viewpoint and ignore statistics showing we ...
Over the weekend, Labour released its welfare policy: an increase in benefit abatement thresholds. And that's it. Faced with clear evidence of ongoing hardship among beneficiaries and a call from its on Welfare Expert Advisory Group to raise core benefits by between 12 percent and 47 percent, Labour's response is ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (Bogota; 09/11/2020) The murder of Javier Ordoñez in the neighbourhood of Villa Luz in Bogotá, Colombia at the hands of two policemen brings to the fore the issue of police violence and its function in society. First of all we should be clear that we are ...
Story of the Week... La Niña Update... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Humans exploiting and destroying nature on unprecedented scale – reportAnimal populations have plunged an average of 68% ...
Gabrielle Po-Ching In November 1918, the cargo and passenger ship Talune travelled to Apia, Samoa from Auckland, carrying a number of passengers who had pneumonic influenza. From these passengers stemmed the biggest pandemic Samoa had ever seen. With around 8,500 deaths, over 20% of the country’s population at the ...
Prof Nick Wilson*, Prof Michael Baker In this blog the arguments for and against shifting all COVID-19 related isolation/quarantine facilities to a single air force base at Ōhakea are considered. The main advantage would be a reduction in the risk of border control failures, which can potentially involve outbreaks ...
So the Greens co-leader James Shaw recently made a mistake. In his role as Associate Finance Minister approving funding for “shovel-ready” projects, he fought hard for a private “Green school” to get funding to expand their buildings and, therefore, their student capacity. There are many problems with what he did: ...
Over the last three years there have been growing calls for the government to provide dental services under the health system – universal free dental care. This is because at the moment there’s an anomaly in which teeth are regarded as different from the rest of the body which means ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 6, 2020 through Sat, Sep 12, 2020Editor's ChoiceWith California ablaze, Newsom blasts Trump administration for failing to fight climate change Trinity River Conservation Camp crew members drown ...
Dear Sir, As we head into the run up to the upcoming election I feel it is my duty to draw your attention to the lack of fun we are currently forced to ensure by the Adern regime. In their efforts to keep the nation’s essential workers, health compromised people, ...
It finally happened: about 13 years after first watching Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” (AIT) in 2007 when it became available in Germany, I recently completed the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training! Participating in this particular training had been on my to-do list for quite some time but it ...
Windows 95 is famous for requiring the shutting down the system by clicking ‘start, like stopping your car by turning the ignition key on. Why are so many interfaces so user-unfriendly? The Covid app to register your entering premises can be so clumsy. Sometimes I have signed in, sat down ...
Is the 2020 election result really the foregone conclusion that the polls and commentators are suggesting? Josh Van Veen suggests otherwise, pointing to some of the shortcomings of opinion polling, which could ready some politicians to say “bugger the pollsters” on election night. In November 1993, opinion polls foretold ...
Back in 2019, six select committees of the UK Parliament established a Citizen's Assembly to investigate how to respond to climate change. The Assembly's deliberations were forced online by the pandemic, but it has finally reported back, and overwhelmingly supports strong action: Taxes that increase as people fly further ...
I am feeling a bit impish today and so for no particular reason I thought I would share this thought, which I first posted over on twitter: “Hurricanes, wildfires, floods, heatwaves, street protests, armed vigilante militias, a lethal pandemic and a corrupt authoritarian using the federal government for partisan and ...
Wayne Mapp (Photo: Tsmith.nz via Wikimedia) A former Minister of Defence says the government was too slow to involve the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) in New Zealand’s response to Covid-19. But Wayne Mapp, a National MP from 1996-2011 who served as Minister of Defence for three ...
Transport is our second biggest polluter after agriculture, making up 17% of our national emissions. Cars and trucks emit 15 million tons of CO2 every year. So, if we're serious about tackling climate change, we need to eliminate this entirely. Public transport and better urban design will be a key ...
Five things we’ve learnt 1. We know where the virus ultimately came from We know that the virus originally came from bats, and most probably a species of horseshoe bat in South East Asia. However, the spike protein in SARS-CoV-2, which allows the virus to attach to cells and infect ...
The Greens' greatest disappointment while in government this term has been the failure to implement a ban on mining on conservation land. Promised by Jacinda Ardern immediately after gaining power, it had long been assumed that the problem was NZ First (who have a long history of environmental vandalism). But ...
If they get into Parliament, everyone expects the Greens to form a coalition with Labour. But James Shaw has said that that might not be the case, and that they might instead choose to sit on the cross-benches: The Greens are prepared to forego a coalition or confidence and ...
Chantal Denise Pagel, Auckland University of Technology; Mark Orams, Auckland University of Technology, and Michael Lueck, Auckland University of TechnologyThree people were injured last month in separate humpback whale encounters off the Western Australia coast. The incidents happened during snorkelling tours on Ningaloo Reef when swimmers came too close ...
Den Of Thieves: They describe themselves, and the money-making rackets they dignify with the name of church, “Christian”, but these ravening wolves are no such thing. The essence of the Christian faith is the giving of love – not the taking of money. It is about opening oneself to the ...
David Pomeroy, University of Canterbury; Kay-Lee Jones, University of Canterbury; Mahdis Azarmandi, University of Canterbury, and Sara Tolbert, University of CanterburyAcademic streaming in New Zealand schools is still common, but according to recent reports it is also discriminatory and racist. Also known as tracking, setting and ability grouping, streaming ...
A New Holy-Day: Perhaps, by accepting this gift of Matariki from the first arrivals in Aotearoa, we late arrivals, shorn of our ancestors’ outlandish fleeces, can draw strength from the accumulated human wisdom of our adopted home. Perhaps, by celebrating Matariki, we can learn to take ownership of our colonial ...
If there was any doubt left, we can surely call it now. Time and date. End of. Finito. Perhaps you thought you saw a flickering eyelid or a finger move? You were wrong. Labour has given up on tax reform for the foreseeable future. One of the key remaining left/right ...
Will the rich get richer under Labour’s latest tax policy? Based on the analysis in reaction to yesterday’s announcement, the answer would seem to be yes. The consensus from commentators is that inequality and severe economic problems will remain unchanged or even be made worse by Labour’s new policy. Although ...
Labour has released its energy policy, and its basicly business as usual: bring forward the 100% renewable target to 2030, build pumped storage if the business case stacks up, restore the thermal ban and clean car standard (but not the feebate scheme), and spread a bit of money around to ...
The Green Party is calling for Waka Kotahi the NZ Transport Agency to convert a lane over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to bus-only and make buses free to use across the bridge until all lanes are back in operation. ...
The Green Party has released its Thriving Oceans Plan, which would dramatically increase marine protected areas and ban bottom trawling on seamounts. ...
It was another busy week out on the campaign trail, with Labour focused on jobs, training, and supporting Kiwi workers. As we continue to roll out our five-point plan for recovery, we’re investing in our people, businesses, communities and vital services, so we can keep our economy moving as we ...
Our regions are a vital part of our economic recovery plan. They’re home to innovative and creative businesses, and the backbone of our export economy - which is why Labour will continue to support our regions to grow as together, we rebuild better. ...
National’s ‘alternative budget’ that includes huge cuts to the government’s operating allowance would risk gutting critical public services, and put health, education and nature at dire risk. ...
Data released this week shows that, while New Zealand is not immune to the economic impacts of the global pandemic, our strong health response has meant we’ve been able to get our economy going faster than many other countries. ...
This year’s election is on 17 October - and it’s coming up fast! With one month to go until Election Day, we’ve come up with 17 ways you, your friends and family can get involved in our campaign and help Labour keep New Zealand moving. ...
PREFU has given a good insight into what was required to ensure New Zealanders were largely supported to continue work and remain healthy during COVID-19, but it is clear we need additional revenue raising measures ongoing, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
The Green Party is disappointed with the Labour Party’s decision to reverse their three free years education policy and back down on their commitment to postgraduate student allowances. ...
In the first two years of our term in Government, we gave teachers record pay rises as a way of recognising the lack of adequate adjustments over the previous decade and the significant role they play in the lives of children and young people. We also increased the number of ...
Labour has a proud history of supporting working New Zealanders, whether through the implementation of the 40hr work week or the introduction of the Working for Families package. ...
The Green Party welcome Labour’s commitment to extend the living wage to Government contractors, but will push for Fair Pay Agreements across industries in the next Government so more New Zealanders can earn a dignified income. ...
The Green Party is urging the Government to act on its commitment to te reo Māori, by making it a core subject up to year 10, and including te reo courses in the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships scheme. ...
We're officially back to the campaign for the 2020 General Election. The campaign may look a little different this year, but our candidates are still getting out and about in their communities and spreading the word about how another term of Labour will keep New Zealand moving in the right ...
You might have heard a bit of discussion about Government debt lately, as experts weigh in on the COVID-19 economic recovery. If you’re wondering why it’s such a contested topic, or even if you’re unsure of what Government debt actually is, then read on - we’ve got you covered! ...
The Green Party has released its Farming for the Future Plan, including a $297m fund to support farmers and growers to transition to climate-friendly practices. ...
We believe every New Zealander deserves the chance to make an informed decision on Election Day. We’ve answered some of the most common questions on our 2020 tax policy, including how much money will be raised from our new top tax rate, and how this will be used to control ...
The Green Party says Labour’s energy policy is a step in the right direction, but the Greens would go further and faster to meaningfully tackle the climate crisis. ...
All this tax talk leaving you a bit dazed and confused? Read below to find out more about our progressive tax system and what Labour's policy means for you. ...
We’re committed to managing the Government’s books responsibly and keeping debt under control while supporting our people and our economy through the 1-in-100 year shock caused by COVID-19. ...
The Labour Party has moved towards more progressive income tax, but is not addressing the growing wealth gap and inequality in Aotearoa. Labour’s new revenue policy also doesn’t help pay for the necessary response to the COVID-19 crisis, Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today. ...
As New Zealanders we are proud of who we are, what we stand for, and the way we weave together different worlds and cultures to create our unique national identity. ...
It is appalling and negligent that landlords are being encouraged to keep their properties cold and damp until after the election, as advised by the NZ Property Investors Federation, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
The Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in COVID-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX Facility, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “The COVAX Facility is a key part of our COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy to obtain safe and effective vaccines. It allows us to invest in a high-quality, ...
The Government will provide up to $1.69 million through the One Billion Trees programme to Māori landowners to make their whenua more productive through the planting of forests, both native and exotic, and improve economic and environmental outcomes, Forestry Minister Shane Jones has announced. “Around 1.5 million ha of land ...
People planning to head outdoors now have a resource that lets them know how accessible an area is for people with varying levels of mobility, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. The Halberg Foundation, Sensibel, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) have launched Accessibel, a new tool which helps ...
One of the most significant battle sites of the 1860s Land Wars will receive $2.96 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to improve the site and help tell the New Zealand story to visitors, Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. Nanaia Mahuta ...
The journey towards recognising Māori as an official language and taonga has been captured as a web series and launched today during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, announced Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni. “Te reo Māori is a living language, and understanding its significance, and pathways to ...
Today’s better-than-forecast GDP figures show the expected impact of the decision to act quickly to protect New Zealanders from the global COVID-19 pandemic. GDP fell 12.2% in the June quarter from March, reflecting decisions to close New Zealand’s borders and enter Alert Level 4. “This result was better than the ...
The Government is investing $39.7 Million over four years to support the educational needs of Pacific learners and families in the regions hardest hit by COVID-19, with Auckland getting an immediate boost, Associate Minister of Education Jenny Salesa says. “Like all New Zealanders Pacific families want learners to do well ...
New Zealand’s goal of 100,000 kiwi by 2030 is being helped by an extra $19.7 million in funding to accelerate iwi and community efforts to protect kiwi, Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced. “$19.7 million of Jobs for Nature funding is being invested in kiwi conservation activities including increased predator ...
Ensuring New Zealanders can get the best deal on their electricity takes a step in the right direction today with the South Island launch of the EnergyMate pilot run by the Electricity Retailers’ Association, says Minister of Energy and Resources, Dr Megan Woods. EnergyMate is an industry-led programme providing coaching ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter announced today that the Government has reached its target of 50 percent on women on state sector board and committees – setting a new record level of women on state sector boards. “This Government is committed to having more women in leadership roles - ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford released today the final Government Policy Statement on land transport (GPS) 2021 which outlines the planned $48 billion investment in services and infrastructure over the next decade. “The final GPS supports our Government’s five-point plan for economic recovery by confirming our record investments in transport infrastructure ...
Three ambitious and cutting-edge research programmes that will lift New Zealand’s advanced energy technology research capability over seven years, have been supported by Government today, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. The projects will each receive a share of $40.7 million investment from the Strategic Science Investment Fund. ...
The critical area for forensic examination known as Pit Bottom in Stone has been reached in what is a major milestone for the Pike River re-entry project, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little announced. “The infrastructure located in Pit Bottom in Stone is of very significant interest in ...
The Government is working on how New Zealand’s retirement income policies and settings can best support Kiwis in light of the COVID-19 economic recovery, with the help of the Retirement Commissioner’s latest review, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said. “The Retirement Commissioner’s three-yearly review into New Zealand’s retirement ...
A new digital hub and development centre in Murupara will be instrumental in growing the region’s productivity, said Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau at the official opening of two community initiatives today. “I’m pleased to be here celebrating a significant milestone for two projects set to make a ...
PREFU shows economy doing better than forecast Unemployment to peak at 7.8%, down from 9.8% forecast in the Budget Year-to-June accounts show tax revenue, debt and OBEGAL better than forecast Global forecast downgraded as COVID-19 second waves and uncertainty grows Balanced plan to support critical public services, manage debt and ...
The Kāpiti Coast town of Ōtaki will receive $1.4 million in Government funding for two projects providing scores of jobs for locals while improving community facilities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Māoriland Charitable Trust will receive a $900,000 Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) grant to upgrade the ...
The Provincial Growth Fund will provide $11.88 million to fund fencing and waterway projects nationwide that will improve the environment and create jobs in their communities, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. “These projects will create more than 100 jobs nationwide with work starting within the next couple ...
As part of the COVID-19 recovery, the Government has strengthened its procurement rules to ensure its annual $42 billion spend creates more jobs, uses more sustainable construction practices and results in better outcomes for Māori and Pasifika, Government Ministers announced today. Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford says the $42 ...
The Government is supporting a major upgrade of Timaru’s iconic Theatre Royal and the construction of a new connected Heritage Facility museum and exhibition space with $11.6 million from the Government’s Infrastructure Fund, Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We heard the call from the community and the council. The Theatre Royal ...
Chrissy Montague (formerly Armstrong), barrister of Auckland has been appointed as a District Court Judge with Family Court jurisdiction to be based in Wellington, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Montague commenced practice in Auckland in 1987 and went into general practice dealing with Wills, Estates, Trusts, Conveyancing, Relationship Property ...
A Proposal to provide for the development and operation of commercial film and video production facilities in areas of Christchurch has been given the go ahead. Hon Poto Williams, Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, has approved the Proposal, which was prepared and submitted by Regenerate Christchurch. Minister Williams ...
As part of the Government’s focus on building closer partnerships with Māori and enhancing the quality of, and access to, Māori medium education, a payment of $8 million will be made to Te Wānanga o Raukawa in partial recognition of its Waitangi Tribunal claim (WAI 2698), Associate Education Minister Kelvin ...
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage has announced a $19 million investment over four years in an important forest restoration project involving a partnership between the Department of Conservation, iwi/hapū, the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Regional Councils, community conservation groups and organisations such as Forest and Bird across the ...
New Zealand will be the first country in the world to require the financial sector to report on climate risks, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. The changes build on the huge progress this Government has made to tackle the climate crisis. “Today is another step on ...
Economic activity across the Auckland region and the country bounced back to levels experienced under Alert Level 1 following Auckland’s move out of Alert Level 3, analysis in the Treasury’s latest Weekly Economic Update shows. The analysis of economic data since Auckland’s move out of Level 3 shows: Auckland card ...
Takiri mai te ata, ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea, tihei mauriora! Tātou katoa ngā iwi o Aotearoa, tēnā koutou! Tēnā tātou e whakanuia ana i te wiki nei, te wiki o te reo Māori Greeting to you all from Otepoti, Dunedin. This week is the Māori Language week and ...
More mental health and addiction services are available for young New Zealanders in Rotorua and Taupō, Wairarapa, South Canterbury, Dunedin and Southland from next month, Health Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter say. “The Government is serious about making sure New Zealanders struggling with mental health ...
The Manuherekia catchment in Central Otago is the third exemplar catchment to be targeted as part of the Government’s plan to clean up waterways by supporting community-led programmes. Environment Minister David Parker said the Manuherekia catchment is vitally important to the people of Central Otago. “The Manuherekia rises in the ...
The Government has agreed on a preferred design for the new Dunedin Hospital featuring two separate buildings, and has provided funding for the next stages of work. Minister of Health Chris Hipkins says Cabinet has approved in principle the detailed business case for the new hospital, giving people in ...
New Zealanders across the country are set to mark history as part of the Māori Language Week commemorations led by Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori this year. Māori Development Minister, Nanaia Mahuta says the initiative will mark history for all the right reasons including making te reo Māori ...
More than 1000 teachers, support staff and school leaders have graduated from a programme designed to grow their capability to use te reo Māori in their teaching practice, as part of the Government’s plan to integrate te reo Māori into education, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Being trialled ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, says the Toloa Tertiary Scholarships which aims to encourage more Pacific student numbers participating and pursuing STEM-related studies in 2021, are now open. “These tertiary scholarships are administrated by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP), and are part of MPP’s overall Toloa ...
Four Bay of Plenty timber businesses will receive investments totalling nearly $22 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to boost the local economy and create jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Rotorua-based sawmill Red Stag Wood Solutions will receive a $15 million loan to develop an engineered ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that New Zealand is exploring the viability of working with partners to conduct a search for the black box on the Gulf Livestock 1. “We know how much it would mean to the families of those on the ship to understand more about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has today announced the Government is supporting the creation of new marine infrastructure in northern Te Tairāwhiti on the North Island’s East Coast. The Government has approved in principle an allocation of up to $45 million to support the construction of a marine transport facility at ...
E Epineha. Ka tangi te iwi, ki a koe e ngaro nei i te kitenga kanohi. Kua mokemoke to whānau, to iwi, te motu whanui. Haere ki o matua, tipuna. Haere ki te okiokinga tuturu mo te tangata. Haere i runga i te aroha o ngā reanga kei muri i ...
Catch limits will be increased for 26 fisheries and reduced for three fisheries as part of a regular round of reviews designed to ensure ongoing sustainability of fisheries resources. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has announced decisions following a review of catch limits and management controls for 29 fish stocks. The ...
The Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson says while it is disappointing the Rugby Championship will not be held in New Zealand, the country will host two Bledisloe Cup games in October and has the capacity in managed isolation facilities to host other international sporting events. “We offered flexible quarantine ...
Up to 350 more people in regional New Zealand will gain a pathway to trades training through a $14 million government investment in apprenticeships, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The apprenticeships are part of the $40 million Regional Apprenticeship Initiative (RAI) announced in June. The funding comes ...
Our Seas Our Future (OSOF) is encouraged by the Green Party’s marine policy to protect and restore our seas and oceans, as outlined in its Thriving Oceans Plan. OSOF representative, Noel Jhinku, says that the policy recognises the need to address ...
In an extraordinary exchange during a recent press conference our Finance Minister, when asked why the Reserve Bank does not write off the Covid19 debt, said “it isn’t the way we manage monetary and fiscal policy”. He did not say that it is not technically ...
“ACT has a plan to lift the restrictions holding back the tourism sector and give operators the tax relief they need after being hammered by Covid,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. “I’ve travelled from Northland to Southland talking to tourism ...
With voting set to begin in under two weeks, the Howick Youth Council’s interactive candidate forums have been the first successful community meetings held virtually in the Botany and Pakuranga electorates for the 2020 general election. The youth-led ...
New Zealand is already taking risks allowing Kiwis to return, so why not rich Americans, ACT says. A Southland tourism operator says it's a bold move, but won't get the industry back on its feet. ...
While Covid-19 put the airline’s passenger business into a steep dive the airline’s cargo business has been climbing. It is now referred to as Air New Zealand’s green shoot.Mark Jennings reports. Aside from a massive one day sale of low priced domestic seats there’s not been a lot of good ...
Stephen Hoadley provides some context around US President Donald Trump's claimed successes in the Middle East On September 15, 2020, President Trump hosted leaders from Israel, UAE, and Bahrain at the White House. The event was the signing of agreements in which UAE and Bahrain normalised diplomatic relations with Israel. Trump characterised this ...
Kanyon Paul will wear the Warriors jersey in next month's NRL women's championship with the blessing of her late grandfather - who helped her make the decision to cross the Tasman to play. Kanyon Paul wasn’t meant to play for the Warriors women’s team this season. But her league-loving grandfather ...
The West Coast was promised $140 million from the provincial growth fund. David Williams asks how much has been spent The need is great, and it has been for years. The Pancake Rocks, at Dolomite Point, the foot of the Paparoa National Park, is a must-see natural attraction for tourists ...
Wealthy people’s money grows at a faster rate than the economy, like a dam hoarding water while the city below grows thirsty. To conserve our way of life, we need to ensure wealth flows between the top and the bottom, writes Tax Justice's Louise Delaney Now both major parties have ...
We continue our week-long series on an extraordinary book of essays by Ghazaleh Golbakhsh with a memoir of the author from Golriz Ghahrman My friend Ghazaleh Golbakhsh is a film-maker, a writer, actor, Iranian, Kiwi, woman of colour, citizen of the world, and wild dreamer. Her new book of essays ...
Angela Merkel’s response to the latest refugee crisis only makes sense in an ideal world - in the real world it is dividing the EU and encouraging human traffickers, says Oliver Hartwich ...
On Saturday four parties that believe Covid-19 is being used by the government to impose social control put their differences aside to share a stage. Alex Braae went to Nelson to see where they were coming from. “If you question the government, you get called a conspiracy theorist. Why? And ...
Covid alert Levels 3 and 2.5 in Auckland impact credit card spending in Auckland, but our international online spend-up continues - plus Queensland hotels and apartments face empty summer ...
One sudden gust of wind and traffic around New Zealand's biggest city goes into a chaotic meltdown. How long will it take to fix the Auckland Harbour Bridge and why can't it be faster? Over the weekend, we saw what happens when an unstoppable (gale) force meets a moveable object. It ...
By Yanuarius Weya in Jayapura A pastor has been shot dead at the weekend allegedly by the Indonesian military, sparking protests by church groups and a call for an investigation. The pastor, Rev Yeremia Zanambani, was killed on Saturday in the Hitadipa district of Intan Jaya regency, Papua. He was ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Morrison government will tell its refocused clean energy agencies and the clean energy regulator to give priority to investment in five low emissions technologies and report how they are accelerating them. The technologies are ...
John Campbell hosts Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins on a crunch evening in the campaign. Here are 11 things Toby Manhire reckons you might see.Tonight at 7pm the 2020 election campaign will – with a bit of luck – spring into life. A triangle of Js will take the stage ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Maguire, Associate Professor in Human Rights and International Law, University of Newcastle The Jerusalem District Court has ruled Malka Leifer should be extradited to Australia. The former Melbourne headmistress faces 74 charges of child sexual abuse against three alleged victims. How ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex James, Associate professor, University of Canterbury New Zealand’s government today announced that after seven days of no new community cases linked to the Auckland cluster, most of the country will return to almost normal life, at alert level 1, from midnight. ...
A strong biblical element is emerging in the US presidential elections. First, fire: much of the northern West Coast is being blitzed by wild fires. Then, water: southern states, notably Alabama and Florida, have been battered and flooded by hurricanes. And now Americans wait for the plague, to exacerbate the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Varker, Senior research fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne Can psychoactive drugs be used to treat mental health problems? The idea has been around for years, and recently received some attention in the media. Interest in the potential of drugs ...
Assemblies a way to re-engage non-voters As odd as it may seem to those who love democracy, around a third of New Zealanders will choose not to vote in the upcoming election, prompting calls for new ways of “voting” on important issues. Citizens' ...
While the Government’s decision to bring Auckland down to Alert Level 2 on Wednesday, 23 September at 11.59pm and the rest of the country to Alert Level 1 tonight at 11.59pm was anticipated, we are still preparing our members for the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Carter, Professor emeritus, The University of Queensland Culture has long been stratified as “high” or “low”, or perhaps “high” and “popular” to soften the blow. But what about the in-between? The word “middlebrow” emerged into English in the 1920s as an ...
As tertiary institutions round the halfway mark of semester two, The Spinoff spoke to students and their universities about how they’re adapting to the changes wrought by the pandemic. With New Zealand’s alert levels confirmed to be shifting down this week, we’re edging closer to something approaching normality. But what ...
Greenpeace has today launched a call for the incoming government to prioritise cameras on boats across the full commercial fishing fleet, and to complete implementation within their first term. To launch the campaign, Greenpeace teamed up with recreational ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne This week’s Newspoll, conducted September 16-19 from a sample of 2,068, gave the Coalition a 51-49 lead, a one-point gain for the Coalition since the previous Newspoll, three weeks ago. ...
The Māori Party is promising to establish an independent Māori Health Funding Authority, overseeing the distribution of $5 billion - if it makes up part of the new government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Allan Fels, Professorial Fellow, University of Melbourne It has been a long time since an Australian government turned its mind to policy concerning the news media — other than the removal of outdated ownership regulations. Now, thanks to the government’s intention to ...
From Auckland Business Chamber CEO, Michael Barnett: Auckland’s economic recovery remains hobbled for another two weeks at least with the order to stay in Level Two with no credit given to the show of compliance and vigilance to prevent new flare ...
A mystery Covid-19 case still under investigation has not stopped Auckland's move to Level 2, and the rest of New Zealand to Level 1, Jacinda Ardern has announced The Government has confirmed Auckland’s move down to Alert Level 2, and the rest of the country to Alert Level 1, despite ...
The deadline to register for a postal vote for the upcoming election and referendums has been extended by five days to give people more time to apply. Postal voting is available for people who cannot go to a voting place to vote in person, for example ...
Nau mai ki ngā Pepakati – te pakihere rokiroki o ngā pukapuka! Welcome to Papercuts – the podcast all about books! Sit back, relax and let Jenna, Kiran and Louisa tempt you with some awesome reads to add to your pile.The Papercuts gals are back to help you navigate the huge ...
Communities right across the region will benefit from further cycling initiatives with the announcement of this year’s Community Bike Fund recipients. Now in its fourth year, the fund is made available from Auckland Transport (AT) to support communities ...
The case of a person who tested positive almost a week after leaving managed isolation has highlighted the need to keep tracking those who have been through MIQ, writes Siouxsie Wiles. Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health reported a case of Covid-19 in Auckland that is not related to ...
The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards are today – screening live from midday on Vibe and SkyGo – but who are you putting your bets on? We took a look at the Neon and Sky catalogues to gain a little insight on how a show can maximise its chances.If you’re an entertainment ...
Monday 21st September, 2020, AUCKLAND: Drive Electric, the not-for-profit with one mission – making electric vehicle ownership in New Zealand mainstream, has today responded to the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport , 2020/2021 ...
ACT's primary industries policy proposal says the party would repeal government's landmark climate change law, the Zero Carbon Act, along with the Emissions Trading Scheme. ...
The USA’s reputation among allies and partner countries has declined seriously, according to a poll by the US Pew Research Centre. Gauging attitudes in 13 countries, Pew reports the share of the public with a favourable view of the United States is as low as at any time it has ...
We already know how to solve our elective surgery crisis, says New Zealand Orthopaedic Association president Peter Robertson. We just need to take action.New Zealand is facing an elective surgery crisis – this isn’t news. The situation has been worsening for years and over successive governments. Now and again some ...
Commercial and recreational fishers are welcoming some aspects of the Green Party marine policy, but say care must be taken and more data is needed on fishery stocks. ...
National says it would double the size of the tech sector in 10 years, if elected, with a $1.29 billion plan that aims to create at least 100,000 new jobs and develop the "world's most tech friendly regulation". ...
Auckland, 18 September 2020 – Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt by New Zealanders. Concerns surrounding the economy and unemployment increased to unprecedented heights in May 2020. In September concerns for the economy retains ...
Alzheimers NZ wants more focus on designing buildings, particularly commercial and government buildings, to reflect the needs of people affected by dementia. Chief executive Catherine Hall says buildings cater for physically disabled people – ...
By Moffat Mamu in Honiara Two foreign nationals have lost their lives in the Solomon Islands during a bomb blast last night at their home in Tasahe, West Honiara. Police said the two, an Australian and a British citizen, were working for a Norwegian aid agency conducting a survey on ...
This week sees the first televised leaders debate between Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins. What are the techniques and tricks Jacinda and Judith will need to win the nation’s love? José Barbosa has watched a podium-load of old debates and thinks he has the answers.By golly gum I love TV ...
As Judith Collins defends a $4b hole in National's fiscal plan, she's pointing the finger at errors in Treasury PREFU documents, saying they show how easy it is for someone to make a mistake. ...
The Executive Director of the New Zealand Maori Council, Matthew Tukaki, has welcomed the opening of the first round of hearings at the Royal Commission into Abuse of Care in Auckland. Tukaki, who is a member of the Commissions Taumata, has said this ...
Reports of DOC and Minister Eugenie Sage turning their killing programme from tahr to deer suggests the extermination edict is paramount in government polices says a hunting and environmental advocacy. Laurie Collins spokesman for the Sporting Hunters ...
A fully funded independent Māori Health Funding Authority, all Māori having their own Whānau Health Card and Māori being screened for Cancer 10 years earlier than non-Māori are all part of the Māori Party Health Policy. Māori Party Co-Leader ...
"We urge the Minister to halt the consent for the transfer of interest and change of operatorship of the Maari oil field from OMV to Jadestone Energy. Decisions on such proposals should not be made, at least until the Crown Minerals Act and other ...
The lockdowns have required significant sacrifice, but Covid-19 has served us with a timely reminder of how interconnected we all are, writes Chris Farrelly of the Auckland City Mission.Amid this global pandemic, we witness the power and importance of community. Put simply, we have seen that our own efforts are ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bruce Bradbury, Associate Professor, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW This week, support to unemployed Australians will be dramatically reduced. In April, the new Coronavirus Supplement roughly doubled the level of benefits for unemployed people on the JobSeeker payment and a range of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Wake, Program Manager, Journalism, RMIT University From today, ABC local radio listeners will no longer hear the majestic fanfare theme on local radio at 7:45am, signalling the 15-minute morning news. Although it might seem a smart managerial decision to reduce reporting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Cowie, Adjunct Professor, University of New England Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor is on Tuesday expected tooutline the Morrison government’s first Low Emissions Technology Statement, plotting Australia’s way forward on climate action. It’s likely to include “negative emissions” technologies, which ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alberto Posso, Professor of Economics, RMIT University Closing schools has been one response around the world to try to stop the spread of COVID-19. In Australia, states mandated an end to face-to-face learning for some time during the so-called first wave of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tebeje Molla, Research Fellow, Deakin University For disadvantaged people with disrupted educational trajectories, such as refugees, vocational qualifications can widen access to paid jobs and enhance economic independence. But many still consider vocational education and training (VET) qualifications not as prestigious as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Vredenburg, Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Marketing, Auckland University of Technology So-called brand activism is evolving fast. When Colin Kaepernick first knelt during the US national anthem in 2016, professional football turned its back on him. Now, consumer and sports fan ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Makin, Professor of Economics, Griffith University The financial response of Western governments to the COVID-19 crisis has been gargantuan, with boosts to health expenditure, enhanced JobSeeker-like payments, and JobKeeper-like wage subsidies to keep workers attached to jobs. While a strong response ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Richardson, Adjunct Professor of Journalism, La Trobe University Of all the words written about Rupert Murdoch, “boring” is not one of them. The media mogul has been the object of fascination for six decades, after he followed his father Sir Keith ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 21, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Fonterra gets back into the black, National’s economic plan derailed by accounting blunder, and Air NZ boss questions continuing with elimination strategy.To lead off today, one of the most important single numbers for the rural economy. Fonterra has announced a payout ...
In this second of a series on the party leaders on the campaign trail, Tim Murphy joins the Greens' Marama Davison on a Sunday street corner in Glen Innes Marama Davidson and her offsider doubled the numbers when they arrived at the third of her four street corner campaign stops in ...
Covid-19 has put sign language in the public eye this year, but the fight to have it recognised as a 'real 'l language continues This week is New Zealand Sign Language Week, to coincide with the International Week of the Deaf and the United Nations International Day of Sign Languages ...
It was trash talk of a constructive nature during a political debate about the country's waste problem, including a hike in landfill levies hoped to fund better waste infrastructure Politicians put forward their policies for dealing with New Zealand’s growing waste problem in an online debate. Per capita we have ...
Open Mike 16/09/2017 
by Ani O’Brien In the absence of a better word with which to refer to the rabid activists who claim progressivism while demanding adherence to an increasingly prescriptive set of political beliefs, I call them “woke”. With its roots in Black American slang, the term originally denoted a person or ...9 hours ago
Over the weekend, the Ministry of Health reported a case of Covid-19 in Auckland that is not related to the current Auckland cluster. Before we start to panic, here’s how I think the case happened and how we can strengthen our current border controls. The new Covid-19 case is someone ...13 hours ago
Many New Zealanders take a strong interest in US politics, with the death of Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg being the latest example. Liam Hehir wonders if it very wise for New Zealanders to get so worked about it. Many politically engaged New Zealanders are now furiously ...16 hours ago
After stamping the Coronavirus out via strict lockdown between March and May, New Zealand went through a good three months without any community cases. Then a local outbreak in Auckland rather buggered things up last month. Auckland’s been in level 3 and level 2.5 for the past six weeks. ...16 hours ago
Who's causing our skyrocketing emissions? As with most of our other problems, It's the rich: The wealthiest 1% of the world’s population were responsible for the emission of more than twice as much carbon dioxide as the poorer half of the world from 1990 to 2015, according to new ...16 hours ago
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... The tipping points at the heart of the climate crisis Many parts of the Earth’s climate system have been destabilised by ...21 hours ago
In the absence of national public opinion polls, we have had to make do in recent weeks with other guides to voter intentions. Those guides, such as the Auckland Central poll, the incidence of google enquiries and the responses to Vote Compass questions, have suggested, not unexpectedly, that Labour is ...22 hours ago
Crusher Collins - National Party leaderWe all know that the National Party is desperate to gain some traction during this election campaign and have been throwing pretty much everything at the Labour Party in order to try and undermine Jacinda Ardern and what the Coalition Government has achieved. But unfortunately ...24 hours ago
Much of the commentariat’s reporting of the most recent GDP figure was misleading and unhelpful. The prize for the stupidest remark about the GDP figure for second quarter 2020 (2020Q2) released on Thursday (17 Sept) goes to Judith Collins, whose response to Grant Robertson’s comments indicated she did not ...1 day ago
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh goloing@gmail.com (19/09/2020) Che Guevara said that a true revolutionary is motivated by love i.e. love of the oppressed, the poor, the children dying from preventable illnesses. This phrase of his is true but has been used by reformists and their more hippy wing have taken advantage ...2 days ago
With the National Party this week announcing a new policy of tax cuts to spice up the election campagin. MyThinks went along to the launch and afterwards we spoke to the party’s finance spokesperson Paul “Golden Touch” Goldsmith. MT: Thanks for speaking to us Mr Goldsmith. PG: No. Thank you. ...3 days ago
Always to islanders danger Is what comes over the seas ‘Landfall in Unknown Seas’ (Allen Curnow)Six economic issues external to New Zealand, which will greatly impact upon us. 1. The Diminishing Global Dominance of the US. Since 1941 America has dominated the world economically and politically. Probably it could ...4 days ago
Dangerous Times: This will be the choice confronting those coming of age in the 2020s. Embrace Neoliberalism’s belief in racial and sexual equality; adopt its secular and scientific world view; and cultivate the technocratic, multicultural, global outlook required of those who keep the machinery of hyper-capitalism humming. Or, throw your ...4 days ago
Tax Justice UK, September 2020 Serious tax reform is on the political agenda for the first time in decades due to the coronavirus crisis. As this debate hots up it is important to understand what people think about public spending, wealth and tax. Tax Justice UK, along with Survation and ...4 days ago
Although I had the fortune of being a graduate student of some of the foremost US nuclear strategists of the day (1970s) and later rubbed shoulders with Air Force and Naval officers who were entrusted with parts of the US nuclear arsenal, I seldom get to write or speak about ...5 days ago
At the 2017 election, the New Zealand Labour Party promised a Fees Free Policy for tertiary students. Basically, it would make the first year of university education free in 2018, with a second year in 2021, and a third in 2024. It also promised to restore Post-Graduate access to the ...6 days ago
In a couple of months, the 53rd Parliament will meet in Wellington, and approximately 120 MPs will be sworn in, many of them for the first time.They will all have political goals, some aligning with their party platforms, some not, some complex, and some simple, but they will gain one ...1 week ago
So the Greens co-leader James Shaw recently made a mistake. In his role as Associate Finance Minister approving funding for “shovel-ready” projects, he fought hard for a private “Green school” to get funding to expand their buildings and, therefore, their student capacity. There are many problems with what he did: ...1 week ago-1f82146fa0d95608c5d921931b8dd46e7f0c9b1b/537110292.jpg?format=1500w)
Windows 95 is famous for requiring the shutting down the system by clicking ‘start, like stopping your car by turning the ignition key on. Why are so many interfaces so user-unfriendly? The Covid app to register your entering premises can be so clumsy. Sometimes I have signed in, sat down ...2 weeks ago
If there was any doubt left, we can surely call it now. Time and date. End of. Finito. Perhaps you thought you saw a flickering eyelid or a finger move? You were wrong. Labour has given up on tax reform for the foreseeable future. One of the key remaining left/right ...2 weeks ago
The Green Party is calling for Waka Kotahi the NZ Transport Agency to convert a lane over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to bus-only and make buses free to use across the bridge until all lanes are back in operation. ...15 hours ago
It was another busy week out on the campaign trail, with Labour focused on jobs, training, and supporting Kiwi workers. As we continue to roll out our five-point plan for recovery, we’re investing in our people, businesses, communities and vital services, so we can keep our economy moving as we ...2 days ago
The Coalition Government has committed to invest $27 million in COVID-19 vaccine development through the global COVAX Facility, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today. “The COVAX Facility is a key part of our COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy to obtain safe and effective vaccines. It allows us to invest in a high-quality, ...18 hours ago
Our Seas Our Future (OSOF) is encouraged by the Green Party’s marine policy to protect and restore our seas and oceans, as outlined in its Thriving Oceans Plan. OSOF representative, Noel Jhinku, says that the policy recognises the need to address ...35 mins ago
New Zealand is already taking risks allowing Kiwis to return, so why not rich Americans, ACT says. A Southland tourism operator says it's a bold move, but won't get the industry back on its feet. ...59 mins ago
While Covid-19 put the airline’s passenger business into a steep dive the airline’s cargo business has been climbing. It is now referred to as Air New Zealand’s green shoot. Mark Jennings reports. Aside from a massive one day sale of low priced domestic seats there’s not been a lot of good ...1 hour ago
Stephen Hoadley provides some context around US President Donald Trump's claimed successes in the Middle East On September 15, 2020, President Trump hosted leaders from Israel, UAE, and Bahrain at the White House. The event was the signing of agreements in which UAE and Bahrain normalised diplomatic relations with Israel. Trump characterised this ...1 hour ago
Kanyon Paul will wear the Warriors jersey in next month's NRL women's championship with the blessing of her late grandfather - who helped her make the decision to cross the Tasman to play. Kanyon Paul wasn’t meant to play for the Warriors women’s team this season. But her league-loving grandfather ...1 hour ago
The West Coast was promised $140 million from the provincial growth fund. David Williams asks how much has been spent The need is great, and it has been for years. The Pancake Rocks, at Dolomite Point, the foot of the Paparoa National Park, is a must-see natural attraction for tourists ...1 hour ago
ACT's deputy leader on her party's rise, assisted dying, and mental health reform. ...1 hour ago
Wealthy people’s money grows at a faster rate than the economy, like a dam hoarding water while the city below grows thirsty. To conserve our way of life, we need to ensure wealth flows between the top and the bottom, writes Tax Justice's Louise Delaney Now both major parties have ...1 hour ago
We continue our week-long series on an extraordinary book of essays by Ghazaleh Golbakhsh with a memoir of the author from Golriz Ghahrman My friend Ghazaleh Golbakhsh is a film-maker, a writer, actor, Iranian, Kiwi, woman of colour, citizen of the world, and wild dreamer. Her new book of essays ...1 hour ago
Angela Merkel’s response to the latest refugee crisis only makes sense in an ideal world - in the real world it is dividing the EU and encouraging human traffickers, says Oliver Hartwich ...1 hour ago
On Saturday four parties that believe Covid-19 is being used by the government to impose social control put their differences aside to share a stage. Alex Braae went to Nelson to see where they were coming from. “If you question the government, you get called a conspiracy theorist. Why? And ...1 hour ago
Covid alert Levels 3 and 2.5 in Auckland impact credit card spending in Auckland, but our international online spend-up continues - plus Queensland hotels and apartments face empty summer ...2 hours ago
One sudden gust of wind and traffic around New Zealand's biggest city goes into a chaotic meltdown. How long will it take to fix the Auckland Harbour Bridge and why can't it be faster? Over the weekend, we saw what happens when an unstoppable (gale) force meets a moveable object. It ...2 hours ago
By Yanuarius Weya in Jayapura A pastor has been shot dead at the weekend allegedly by the Indonesian military, sparking protests by church groups and a call for an investigation. The pastor, Rev Yeremia Zanambani, was killed on Saturday in the Hitadipa district of Intan Jaya regency, Papua. He was ...4 hours ago
A strong biblical element is emerging in the US presidential elections. First, fire: much of the northern West Coast is being blitzed by wild fires. Then, water: southern states, notably Alabama and Florida, have been battered and flooded by hurricanes. And now Americans wait for the plague, to exacerbate the ...12 hours ago
A mystery Covid-19 case still under investigation has not stopped Auckland's move to Level 2, and the rest of New Zealand to Level 1, Jacinda Ardern has announced The Government has confirmed Auckland’s move down to Alert Level 2, and the rest of the country to Alert Level 1, despite ...16 hours ago
Fonterra aims to remain nimble in uncertain times, plus Tourism Holdings' profit after Government support ...1 day ago
In this second of a series on the party leaders on the campaign trail, Tim Murphy joins the Greens' Marama Davison on a Sunday street corner in Glen Innes Marama Davidson and her offsider doubled the numbers when they arrived at the third of her four street corner campaign stops in ...1 day ago
Covid-19 has put sign language in the public eye this year, but the fight to have it recognised as a 'real 'l language continues This week is New Zealand Sign Language Week, to coincide with the International Week of the Deaf and the United Nations International Day of Sign Languages ...1 day ago
Spending cuts aren't the only way politicians could worsen New Zealand's recession. ...1 day ago
It was trash talk of a constructive nature during a political debate about the country's waste problem, including a hike in landfill levies hoped to fund better waste infrastructure Politicians put forward their policies for dealing with New Zealand’s growing waste problem in an online debate. Per capita we have ...1 day ago
Went out last night to karaoke, they now forced to close at 1am, instead of 2am – the authoritarian old farts on the council and the police I bet – love telling us peasants what to do.
So I was outside talking to security guy and police stated going past about midnight, to intimidate staff and patrons – to make sure everything was shut down by 1am.
Everybody that goes to the karaoke is pisd off about the further restriction of hours. Staff take the brunt of it, they the ones who will be fined. People just want to hang out together, play some pool, listen to music, have a few drinks etc. And in comes the Carterton Council and Community Leaders to stomp on our cultural freedoms to socialise at a pub. Is this what happens when the baby boomers are too powerful, or is it just that elites like to intimidate and control us poorer peasants.
Yes sometimes there are fights, and they are handled expertly by staff and security. I never feel unsafe there – Wairarapa is shutting down everything it can for the poorest people in the community – why is that?
Authoritiarian is not a good word, governments restricting people’s freedom to socialise is not good either.
I happen to agree with you. The police seem to be peddling some snake oil about how it is better to close early. Tried it in Newcastle Australia and all it did was increase young road deaths as they drove elsewhere for fun.
If you are young why can’t you dance till dawn – one day you can’t. Maybe start watering the drinks after 1.00pm but people drift off gradually and the cold light of 5.00a.m is kinda sobering IIRC.
One of the downsides of a Labour/Green victory if we get one this month would be that this kind of clampdown on people having fun would only increase. Both parties are even more full of people who know what’s best for you than National is.
Are you saying that they are party poopers and will take all the fun out of our lives?
Are you saying that fun=bad & no fun=good?
I just wanna have fun, lots of it! Whom should I vote for?
Bloody hell, don’t base your vote on that! The party that would interfere the least with whatever fun you like having is probably ACT…
Oh dear, I was afraid you’d say ACT. How’s ACT gonna increase my fun? I love Red Dwarf but I don’t find Seymour remotely funny. In fact, when thinking about ACT it spoils my fun …
Horrifying, isn’t it? Still, just be glad it’s Seymour and not John Banks, Don Brash and David Garrett – Seymour looks positively jovial in comparison.
Jamie Whyte must have been an absolute riot at family gatherings.
Actually, I found him moderately interesting on occasion but his philosophical musings had no place in political discourse.
I might have to see somebody for this but I often associate ACT with Destiny Church and Exclusive Brethren … These are real party-starters, aren’t they?
On the other hand, if your idea of fun is sitting around in a blue haze blurting “cosmic” and “groovy” in response to banal observations and giggling a lot, then Greens/Labour are more likely to move on allowing that indulgence without risking a visit from Plod.
I gave up smoking – no good news to be had for me on that front.
I’m not opposed to most pubs shutting at 1am, but a nightclub license should be available for them who wants to go until dawn. It’s normally a tiny proportion who will move bars to continue.
The real problems come from bars competing to pump as much piss into as many people as possible, then dumping them on the street when they’re well over the limit. Preloading is also an issue.
Granny Herald is still in over-drive with its it cheer-leading for the most despicable and dishonest campaign by National since ……. oh yeah – the last election. First there was John Armstrong who seems to be racing into senility and memory loss at a faster rate than the average 80 year. Amongst other alternative facts, he appears to be claiming that Labour had a whole range of new taxes to implement in its manifesto. Really? Then there was the indefatigable serial mis-representer Fran O’Sullivan who, among other things, seems to think Labour ‘invited’ the Joyce/English lie machine to rev up to full noise to mislead the voters. Thankfully, Lizzie Marvelly put in a few drops of sanity with, “All aboard the election porky train.” to relieve the tedium.
Given that National already has a capital gains tax in force, it seems that extending the time frame from 2 to 5 years and keeping the level of taxation in line with house price inflation over the past nine years doesn’t constitute a new tax – ” Let’s do it!”. Other stuff can probably wait until later BUT another option would be to play the National line – we had to do it because it was the policy of our coalition partner. ACT, with only one pathetic excuse for a politician wagged the dog and that was fine!
The deplorables are revolting.
It seems they’re a wee bit miffed that Donny Littlehands is daring to talk to Dems about immigration.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/burn-my-maga-hat_us_59bb4dc9e4b0edff971ac966?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
‘I deny that I spy with my little eye on a country beginning with NZ”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11922676
lmao….the funniest line I’ve read since the last one.
On Ardern:
“Let me be perfectly clear… like a jellyfish … translucent even… radiant from within … like a candle in the wind, never knowing where to cling to … and there goes our tax policy…”
Top work Mr Braunias.
If anyone is still determined to vote for TOP, this may give you some pause:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/90512535/gareth-morgan-rules-out-parliament-unless-opportunities-party-gets-10-per-cent-of-vote
Given that Morgan is the face of the party (I can only name two other candidates and that is only because they used to be with the GP and ALCP respectively), you have to question who would still vote for them knowing that he’ll be on his bike as soon as the counting is done. I take polls with much caution, but TOP has never cracked 3% and has more often been below 2%; 5% is unlikely but not inconcievable10-15% is simply delusional.
Given this, I have to ask; if Morgan was always determined to stay out of parliament unless TOP got at least 10%, why is he at list position #1, rather than #11?
It doesn´t matter whether more than 5% or less, or even whether he takes up his seat, assuming wins one (assuming he does´t win a constituency seat his party will have either six seats or none – the system doesn´t allow for anything in between).
It has been my practice ever since I started voting to vote for the party with the most enlightened policies, and I will be doing so this election.
mikesh
If I had my choice, I’d be voting for MANA again, as they have been a consistant voice for the underclass in Aotearoa (Māori and Pākehā). Their policy releases have been ongoing throughout the election campaign, but not got a lot of cut through, water was the most recent:
http://mana.org.nz/
However, unless you happen to vote in Te Tai Tokerau (which I don’t), a vote for MANA is likely to be wasted. Thus I have chosen pragmatism over principle this election.
Our electoral system is currently constructed (eg; coat-tailing, and 5% thresholds) to actively dissuade people from voting for the parties whose policies seem most enlightened to them. Until this changes, I feel it is necessary to vote strategically.
“It has obviously been happening for quite a while but sometimes these subterranean societal shifts are hard to detect, especially by people like me who are being left behind.
As we approach the closely fought election in which the race is between somebody about my age and someone exactly 22 years younger than me, it’s become clearer that New Zealand is indeed ready to cross over into something new.
That’s why I think Jacinda Ardern is going to win the election or at least get more of the party vote than National.
And even if I am wrong about that, the ground has still shifted and what she represents is in the ascendant. If not this time, it will be the next.”
Martin van Beynen: A changing of the guard is on the way
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/96824698/martin-van-beynen-a-changing-of-the-guard-is-on-the-way
Well worth while reading!
Heres the live link for the Nation, it’s on now.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/shows.html
They will be covering the proposed Waimea Dam, prisons/corrections (Kelvin Davis and louise upston) and Paddy talks to Willie J, Marama D and flavell re the maori seats.
Corrections interview/debate is on now.
I’d watch but, Patrick Gower – I think I’ll just watch the responses.
LMFAO re Paddy
One thing that has bitterly disappointed me about national is their lack of wanting to engage in cross-party groups to tackle some of NZ’s major problems.
Have noticed nat’s wheeling out a lame as attack line to opposition parties of late… “you’ve had nine years to do something”… (it’s like excuse me, who has been running the country for the last nine years?)
EDIT… STREAM CEASED AS ALARM WENT OFF AND THEY HAVE TO EVACUATE THE BUILDING
Ha!
And is that why they are evacuating – according to my twitter – wasup?
Flavell is a no show?
OOps A fire alarm. All out. Louise Upston is a shouty woman too! Her belief is if you shout over the others you will believe her.
I could hear the sirens from my place:
Tim Watkin tweet.
With photo showing Lisa Owen outside with fire engine.
Thanks Carolyn 😀 hard case picture.
Yays it’s back on the stream 😀
Not watching The Nation anymore, the program needs a new title: The National Nation would be more like it. It is nothing less than a propaganda fest. Biased and is shows, shrill and at times almost hysterical to defend. Who in their right mind would want to watch this?
i watch/listen to as many different political shows as possible no matter which way their leanings, am not in my right mind, however, instead am ambidextrous.
Anyways, they are re-recording some segments with flavell, and screening it again in the morrow.
Does anyone know who is hosting the final debate please? The few times I’ve seen 7sharp advertised this week i’ve seen Jack filling in for hosking
With the recent Jian Yang revelation, this is worth a listen
To be fair Ron Asher’s book is a hit over at the national front, but I think I’ll pass.
Palgrem’s red ice conspiracy theories, pseudohistory, and alt-right white genocide woo are fucking hilarious, too.
It’s hard to critique when one isn’t even prepared to listen.
Which would explain your attempt to disregard it by pointing at the National Front (who have nothing to do with it) and the site that hosted the interview.
Do you think we are immune from this?
http://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2017/chinas-operation-australia/soft-power.html
A state seeking to suppress political activity of a citizenry isn’t the same thing as states competing or jockeying for power amongst themselves.
Best to keep the two things separate.
The US, NZ, China and every other fucking state deserves to be kicked in the head for the former (suppression of a citizenry’s political will).
As for condemning China’s bid for global power, that can’t be done without rank hypocrisy and probably buying into some degree of racist/xenophobic bullshit unless all state power by whatever state is also condemned.
And Marty Mars and McFlock doing the ad hom mambo? Yup. Fucking tedious.
link to one ad hom from me please on this sub thread – or don’t bother cos there are none 🙄
You wanna start with your comment at 9.1.2?
You honestly can’t understand how accusing someone of being in a habit of submitting spam and insinuating they’re a liar to boot isn’t just bullshit ad hom loaded commenting?
sure bill yeah I can see why someone could possibly feel that calling someone else a spammer and non-leftie can be considered an ad hom. I thought I was just describing the facts but there you go.
“Facts”, you say. I’m calling it. Prove it.
what
When a state seeking to suppress political activity of its citizenry is also a state competing or jockeying for global power, the two can become entwined.
I take it you are referring to the second link I posted. If you look at the top of the page, you’ll see that it was part one of three. Hit the downward arrow for the following two parts.
But while we’re on it, what did you make of the Campus Patriots section and the Communist Party’s influence on Australian university campuses through the Chinese Students and Scholars Associations? Should voters and NZ Labour be concerned?
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/06/labour-reveals-young-auckland-candidate-naisi-chen.html
Who is suitable to hold office in this country?
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-its-nothing-personal-but-national-mp-dr-jian-yang-should-resign
As for hypocrisy, I agree, my sentiment holds for any state seeking global power. It just happens to be we have a Chinese in parliament that has been accused of being a spy and bringing in big donations.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10391818/Secret-donors-Buck-stops-here
Onto it joe as usual. Thanks for the links. Sad the chair is going this way although better than his usual spam and declarations that he’s a leftie.
That’s right, Marty, have another go at me. Show everyone how you play the man and not the ball.
You put it up, Joe put something up, I agree with Joe as it fitted what I had observed.
I said it was sad that you were putting up stuff the national front got boners over and I said I still preferred that to the spam imo that you post attacking labour.
Wow big personal attacks in all that – not.
Joe didn’t address the interview I presented.
Though he did try to diminish it by pointing to the National Front (which have nothing to do with it) and the site that hosted it. Alluding to other crap the site also presents, which also has nothing to do with what I posted.
You came in, slapped his back and decided to have a little personal dig at me. When we all know I’m not the topic of the discussion. Of which, you added nothing too.
Care to try again?
I’m impressed that Joe got that far.
I figured it was probably bunk simply because you were posting it.
Have a listen, then tell me what you think is bunk and why you believe it to be so.
Why should I bother?
You’re just a time leech.
Cut it the fuck out McFlock, will you?
You don’t like the guys comments, then pass them by and stop filling space up with pointless snipes.
You’re a moderator, so I guess I’ll have to.
But they’re not pointless. In my opinion, TC actively contributes to the information overload that bogs down political discourse these days. Posting a fifty minute video with fuckall context and then getting pissy when someone points out it’s on a National Front hot picks list (which is definitely valid context for judging its likely merit) is just the latest example. The majority of TC’s ouvre revolves around wallowing in bland nonsensicalities that TC paints as profound political observations, like Pete George- only TC’s better at toeing the line.
And the thing is, engaging TC in debate is only playing their game of “twenty to the power of infinity questions”. Ignoring TC leaves the bog spider waiting to tie other people in knots. So that’s why I think there’s a point in calling TC what they are.
That fifty minute video was a wide ranging discussion that a number of political junkies would find interesting.
I purposely posted it on the weekend to allow those who are interested the time to view it.
It’s no longer than watching an episode of the Nation or Q&A.
If you are merely looking for quick soundbites and don’t have time for the larger issues, then best you move on. No one is forcing you to partake.
The title was self explanatory, thus “fuckall” context was given.
And I wasn’t getting “pissy” it’s on the National Front hot picks list as it’s not a valid way of judging its merit. The book has nothing to do with them.
It’s ‘Open Mike’ McFlock. That makes a difference. And if I was moderating, I’d have been bold typing inside your comment. Just saying.
“Cut it the fuck out McFlock, will you?”
sounded to me like the bold was coming and that was a moderator inspired comment or at least the close imminent potential for one – I took it that way.
I try to obey moderators – no point making life tough especially in a no win situation.
@bill
yeah, but I’ve learned to play it safe before things get too boldy mcboldtype 🙂
@TC – if the national front like something, it’s not because of its impartial intellectualism on either part. You could have saved yourself 50 minutes.
You haven’t refuted Joe or my points – you dragged something out that is well liked by the National Front – that is a fact. Not only that but the site he linked to runs numerous outrageous and disgusting pieces as he highlighted and that is a fact.
Here’s a hint – a REAL left orientated person would take the criticism and listen to it and maybe say, “Hey thanks Joe and Marty, I didn’t realise that what I put up had such horrible friends and now I do I will really try to do more checking before I add something to the forum.”
What do you do – argue like a rightie about your ego – sorry bubb that is a fail. sad.
+1 Marty.
“argue like a rightie” – he always does as far as I can see.
What so-called points are you on about, Marty?
I presented an interview with the author of the book. And the fact that the National Front like it is neither here nor there. They have nothing to do with it.
Moreover, the outrageous and disgusting pieces on the site he (Joe) linked to also had nothing to do with the interview I presented.
The only association the site has with the author was the hosting of the interview.
Hence, Joe was using it as a way to diminish and ridicule the interview I posted.
Therefore, I don’t owe anyone an apology.
I don’t have a problem with criticism, as long as it has merit. And as you can see from the points above, this has nothing to do with my ego.
For what it’s worth (probably nothing) I too think The Chairman is a spamming pretend leftie who posts in the Pete George mold.
It’s spam because The Chairman’s style is to write one line, place a link, then ask for thoughts (see the very comment with clip which started this). It’s pretty lazy really.
He’s a pretend leftie because 95% of his posts are criticisms of NZ Labour and when challenged on why he never critiques the actual enemy of the left, the National Party, claims lamely that not ever holding the Nats to account shouldn’t preclude him from undermining Labour at every single opportunity.
And he’s Pete George lite in the way he floods a discussion with beige distractions and how he, when pulled up, tries to make the argument itself more important than the original point.
Bill may have missed all this but I and obviously some others have The Chairman’s number.
Mould, or in PG’s case, mold is probably appropriate.
Yeah, they’re both like that black stuff you find around the windows of a typical cold damp NZ house. An insidious and constant reminder to average Kiwis they have no hope.
I presented an interview with wide ranging implications and all you can do is write your thoughts on me?
There really is little hope for this nation if you lot think I’m your concern.
I’ve stated my political position. And any genuine lefty would be criticizing this Labour lot cause they are far from left.
They won’t even increase core benefit rates, which would provide some instant relief for a good many that are struggling.
Lowering the bar isn’t going to encourage them to up their game. If we want more from Labour we have to hold their feet to the fire. You lot should be with me on this, not against me. Which makes me question how left are you?
I didn’t claim that not ever holding the Nats to account shouldn’t preclude me from undermining Labour, which makes you a liar.
Nor was it my answer when challenged on why I seldom critique National.
The real enemy of the left are the right within, that’s what’s largely causing Labour to fall short. Robbing us of the opportunity to better repair this mess 30 odd years of neo-liberalism (led by both Labour and National) has created.
So the basic complaint is that China may be kind of buying global dominance and that’s just not on because “the West” is the rightful seat of global power. That about right?
The same shit and fear was peddled by the British when the US was on the rise – fear and loathing. All bullshit.
I’ll say this for China. At least its rise to global prominence isn’t coming off the back of militarism and imposed states of penury as “the West’s” was.
“So the basic complaint is that China may be kind of buying global dominance”
Depending on ones perspective, some may see it more as an economic takeover.
And it’s not on (as you put it) for a number of reasons, but not the one you put forward.
It’s an attack on a nations sovereignty, its democracy, and rule of law.
While there are no explosions on the ground, planes in the air, or tanks on the streets, the wealth stripping is creating harm. Seen our current account? Homelessness? Poverty? Inequality? Suicides? Assets and resources sold to foreign hands? It’s all part of the globalized, neo-liberal way.
Until recently, it’s largely been western elite cleaning us out. And that isn’t on either.
China invaded Tibet and why do think they are building up their military, Navy, etc…? Could it be to intimidate and in preparation of resistance of their financial offerings?
Have a listen to the interview, I think you’ll find it interesting.
I already dropped into it and skipped though randomly to get ‘a taste’ of where the guy was coming from. He’s a “Yellow Peril” arse-wipe from what I can tell.
And your comment’s just a pile of kinda breathless assertions with no argument or rationale attached.
I don’t really care too much for a nation state’s sovereignty given it’s an illegitimate construct by my political reasoning. But you want to get all hot under the collar over various competing and equally illegitimate “pretenders” then hey.
And if/when that slips into xenophobic and/or racist bullshit I might pipe up. But until then….meh.
The Chairman
Oh so it’s China that’s at the base of everything going wrong in NZ. And all the time I thought it was our dollar-eyeballed pollies going for broke. I noted that actually we were broke and they were just going for everything they could get and sell. Isn’t it our pollies and their fellow travellers, the dairy farmers and irrigators and so on who are welcoming Chinese to come and spend their new money here. I think we should be more concerned about the bods going to Harvard and learning the Right Way of doing laissez faire in the 21st century.
In our little country the ones who have made money have a lot of sway.
They are the little men who could, and a fewer little women who don’t have the altruistic notions portrayed in the USA book Little Women. We are being picked over by our own. The Chinese just watch bemused and come along for the ride, along with people from the Indian Continent etc/
“Oh so it’s China that’s at the base of everything going wrong in NZ.”
Not at all. But they are now playing a growing part. By and large, it’s neo-liberalism.
And that includes all those that are advancing it.
The Chinese are doing more than just watching and coming along for the ride.
Yes I agree, I have been watching China for some years and back in 2015 Brain Gould was writing articles re China’s rapidly expanding “property manifesto” in NZ.
But it is happening all over the world not just in NZ.
If Ron Asher’s book , In The Jaws of the Dragon, is a reds under the beds variation then explain this which I copied and filed several years ago.
“Like the China agreement the free trade with India comes with conditions. Conditions that our leader isn’t always fond of explaining. For one; we have to agree to allow a set number of Chinese immigrants into NZ per year.”
Why would there be such a stipulation in a Free Trade agreement ? Is this actually happening ?
Apart from the liberalisation of the movement of natural persons, there is no mention of immigration in the China/NZ FTA. And there is no set figure that I’m aware of.
As for China’s rapidly expanding property manifesto in NZ, the documentary (Who owns NZ now) touched upon this. We aren’t keeping sufficient records of offshore investors in our property market. And It has been suggested that China’s influence and our unwillingness to rock the boat is behind it.
Our investor visa scheme (which is separate from FTAs but is largely utilized by the Chinese) has fast tracked immigration for wealthy offshore investors.
Yes there is … It says – Phil Goff – free trade agreement with China agreed to allow 1800 extra chinese immigrants into NZ..
It is well through – about 3/4 through – the recording .
So is that enacted here or not ?
It was in reference to the liberalisation of the movement of natural persons, temporary immigrants. That is, temporary for the individual or group, but it’s an ongoing policy within the deal.
“The Chinese just watch bemused ….”
Anyone who believes that has to be naive in the extreme.
Naive to think that a Trade Agreement allowed a set number of Chinese immigrants to come into NZ per year ?
The Chinese and other great powers don’t make us agree to investments coming into NZ, it’s been done by the ambitious export oriented pollies and business leaders. The Chinese have given us an agreement to trade and we have reciprocated with lots. So we small, them big, they are happy to go along with using the opportunities they have facilitated and we have offered. That is closer to the truth than some of the wilder things that have been said here.
“He’s a “Yellow Peril” arse-wipe from what I can tell”
Really? What drove you to that conclusion?
To me, he came across as someone who doesn’t agree with how the Chinese Government operate.
My argument is China (who is no small player with a large military force) is also playing the neo-liberal game. And just because they are greasing palms instead of dropping bombs it doesn’t make them any less of a threat. And we’ve opened the door for them.
We have one in National that’s looking dodgy. Labour has a new one, raising some questions. And the Maori party have one that has just recently been accused of political bribery (allegedly offering online cash credits to potential supporters on Chinese social media message app WeChat).
I’m interested in knowing more on why you don’t value our sovereignty and think its an illegitimate construct?
We’ve opened the door to them. ‘We’ have one in… and Labour has a new one. The MP have one .
You any idea how utterly fucked in the head that shit you’re spouting is?
Nek minute you’ll be telling ‘one and all’ that you’ve nothing against Asians or Chinese in particular and that one of your mates is…Chinese…could be Korean…or might be Vietnamese or …well, you’re not sure, but ‘whatever’ they’re all Asian and some of them are okay and you’re not talking about the okay ones, just the bad ones and the bad ones are legion and they’re out to swamp ‘our’ pavlova paradise with weird monogluta addictive mind bending whatevers…
Tell me.
Where you think the original geographical location of Pacifica peoples is? And if them supposedly ‘swamping’ and ‘taking over’ is such a big deal then….well, assuming you’ll trace back to Europe heritage wise…..
And I didn’t say sovereignty was an illegitimate construct (idea). I said that the state is an illegitimate construct.
You may think it’s fucked in the head but it’s the reality.
Therefore, are you implying I’m incorrect?
We have a free trade deal with China, yes? Thus, we’ve opened the door to a new big player.
Jian Yang now looks dodgy, yes?
Wetex Kang was accused of bribery, yes?
Labour’s Naisi Chen was the former President of the New Zealand Chinese Students’ Association, yes?
I don’t know why you are attempting to make this about race? One was accused of bribery, the other two have questions surrounding their connection to the Communist Party.
“I don’t really care too much for a nation state’s sovereignty given it’s an illegitimate construct by my political reasoning.”
“I didn’t say sovereignty was an illegitimate construct (idea). I said that the state is an illegitimate construct.”
Sorry, I mistook the first quote.
So why do you believe the state is an illegitimate construct?
“It seems to be between Labour and National. If you had asked me before my win I would have erred on the socialist side but now I am more likely to side with National … it is about wanting to protect the future for your whanau. I wouldn’t say I had it hard as some people before my win, but I wouldn’t want the mokopuna to struggle through life.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11922851
Classic, just goes to show even the socialists will roll over when it comes to $
[lprent: Diversion comment on post that this does not relate to at all. Banned for 3 months. You seem to be an obnoxious moron with limited . ]
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
Here’s another reason not to vote for national Lurgee,
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/09/16/16-political-decisions-that-show-national-dont-care-about-the-environment/
One that should have been added was National party lack of use of rail and building more roads instead!!!!!!
Rain-water washes road pollution off our roads into our streams, rivers, lakes, and aquifers, and drinking water.
National have dismissed removing half the road pollution from stock, fertilizer, fuel, & rubbish trucks off our roads & use rail as a mitigation against “road runoff pollution” from their effluent and other emissions (tyre dust) that 34 wheeler trucks deposit on our roads.
http://oecdinsights.org/2016/09/08/air-pollution-tyres-and-brakes/
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
I never have, and never will vote National. You seem to be under some curious delusion about me.
Thanks peshmerga, but your rights to self-determination are a distraction from our one-Iraq policy disaster.
//
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-kurds/iraqs-kurdish-parliament-backs-sept-25-independence-referendum-idUSKCN1BQ2AV
Thanks J 90. Always appreciate your input!
And perspectives… !
kia ora
IMO’ Mr Fixit’ Steven Joyce is USELESS.
In Tamaki only 213 new houses built – 237 gone.
https://www.facebook.com/penny.bright.104/posts/1796625243683493
https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/5840214/shareholdings
Penny Bright
2017 Independent candidate for Tamaki
Some questions ….
Where is Paula? Is she in hiding? Because she hasn’t been seen in her electorate and has been very quiet of late. Bit of concern about some hard questioning coming up in relation to a previous life perhaps?
What is happening in the Barclay dirty business (apart from little Toadie doing a runner off to London)? Those 450 texts? Is the police investigation still ongoing? Or has it all been buried?
What about the Jian Yang issue? Is the SIS still investigating? Or will that one fade away never to see the light of day again?
We desperately need some investigative journalism in this country to expose the murky activities of this grubby corrupt government!
+1
Me too.
Instead we get an apparent rant (no I haven’t read it and I don’t intend to) from John Armstrong on the evil machinations of Jacinda Ardern – a 2017 version of the crack-pot rant against David Cunliffe in 2014. You know, the one where he accused Cunliffe of every evil sin under the sun, and then later withdrew and apologised after the election was over.
The Guardian UK on Ardern today
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/15/jacinda-ardern-new-zealand-election-campaign
oh wows, thanks Peter for posting that link, wows 😀
I thought I was having a shitty week
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11923067
A dog man, Mr. English? Is that like a Minotaur? That would certainly explain a lot.
Crosby textor told him to grab a pussy to win the election.
Jacindas out door speech to the masses (and there were quite a lot of us on this raw blustery New Plymouth day) was received well by a wide range of ages.
Half way through I heard singing and chanting getting louder and I feared the worst..a bunch of Taranaki cow cockies on the rampage. Then they came into view, a party of pirates. I counted about 80, mainly in good quality fancy dress, not jeans and scarf on the head type of things, marching past having a good time.
They sent 2 envoys carrying their flag to talk to Jacinda evidently moaning about the government being mean and unfair to pirates etc. She laughed, said she would talk to them later and they commandeered the pub across the road.
Good to see such a lot of folk having a great time. Daughter said it was the annual Pirate Day pub crawl…not being on Facebook I miss out on news of these things.
Awesome especially considering the weather, it’s like where ever Jacinda goes loads of people turn out to see her, it’s amazing to see the response, what a good buzz.
The pirates would have been an absolute treat, so much goodness
Perhaps becoming the next government will not start off well in being able to fulfill the need to build houses in Auckland.
To those following the picture of the building industry there are some uneasy ndicators out there, same with houses selling being 20% down from last year.
Martin Dunn, of estate agency City Sales, said Australian banks had “pulled the plug” on the New Zealand apartment market and were refusing to give would-be buyers the remaining 90 per cent for their mortgage
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11922859
In the past year alone 35 apartment projects in Auckland were reportedly axed, including the Flo Apartments project in Avondale, which would have had 91 apartments, each priced from $370,000.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/315433/wary-banks-blamed-for-dropped-housing-projects
Rising Co2 makes many crops less nutritious. And nobody’s talking about it.
http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/09/13/food-nutrients-carbon-dioxide-000511
http://bigthink.com/Mind-Matters/how-global-warming-leaches-nutrients-out-of-food
Okay. That’s kinda scary shit. Just to pick out one of a number of points raised in the politico piece…
Calling Sci Fi writers – this could be a good opportunity from JMG’s new blog http://www.ecosophia.net/
http://www.ecosophia.net/the-worlds-that-never-were/
Nice initiative
“Inspired by the People’s Climate March and its hundreds of thousands of participants, Rebecca Foon and Jesse Paris Smith founded Pathway to Paris in 2015. Created as a way to keep the momentum alive, the organization is a collaboration between musicians, artists, cities and activists to help turn the Paris Agreement into real action. ”
https://www.treehugger.com/climate-change/patti-smith-rising-above-and-fighting-climate-change-art.html
I love what Patti Smith is saying there – pessimism and paralysis help no one. They are the weapons of the oppressors – rise above it, breathe and keep working to make the world a better place.
“I love what Patti Smith is saying there – pessimism and paralysis help no one. They are the weapons of the oppressors – rise above it, breathe and keep working to make the world a better place.”
That is very good.
I hadn’t heard of James Thornton or ClientEarth before but was impressed by what this article said – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/10/my-job-is-to-clean-up-the-environment-china-really-wants-to-do-that
If you watch the video on that page with Brian Eno, from about the 3:00 min mark he also talks about the involvement of creative artists in developing a new narrative around the environment.
That is what Jacinda understands. Working from positive energy creates an energy feedback loop.