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.
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Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
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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.