As our security and police are already in lockstep agreement with the US in taking ‘over the top’ actions in partizan defence of corporate interests, even if it entails breaking the law. It can only be a matter of time.
When it comes to civil liberties, as the saying goes; “You will only know what you’ve got, when it is gone”
The civil liberties which we enjoy today have been hard fought for over centuries by previous generations, and are there for a reason.
Fight to keep New Zealand sovereignity and civil liberties inviolate.
Today Ira Bailey will be made a scape goat by MSD and the media, following Paula Bennett’s example of publicly outing anyone who speaks against them.
I call upon you my fellow commentators not to let this go undefended and to constantly retort that Ira was only doing what is industry standard – asking for a reward for uncovering vulnerabilities is normal practice, not blackmail as they will try to imply.
Bailey was arrested in October 2007 as part of the police raid against a suspected terror plot but charges against him were later dropped.
Key today said he had been advised Bailey phoned the ministry about a week ago indicating there was a security problem, but didn’t identify the kiosks.
Look at the framing, “he is a terrorist!” – So “blackmail” is no worries for Bailey then eh!
“[He was] just pointing to the system and wanting an incentive payment or wanting cash basically to tell us where the problem was,” he told TV3’s Firstline programme.
The ministry’s policy was not to give money for information, he said.
We have some truly evil people “running” this country, and the MSM are a utter disgarace!
But equally amazing is the statement that they checked the Kiosks after he rang in, and they could not find this simple breach? Who they using for IT security ? Daffy Duck?
And the biggest question of all that has not been answered is Why were they on the same network as the corporate system?
“But there was a design failure that we didn’t pick up or resolve when it came to the security breach. We should have done that but the people responsible for it, the IT department at the Ministry of Social Development, failed.”
No way would this have been missed in the design/security, its too fundamental – This looks like another way of telling people that internal resources are not good enough, we will have to use external i.e Google etc, who can keep yoru privacy secure…This is BS!
The independent inquiry would also look at why the ministry didn’t pick up the problem when it was raised a year ago by beneficiary advocate Kay Brereton.
So, it was raised, with who? and why was it not fixed….smells like more BS!
Correct Weka – Its all part of the plan, you can call it a conspiracy too, because that is exactly what it is!
Ill reitterate – The is NO WAY, that this security flaw was missed in the design/security assessments gates that are mandatory in the delivery! There are multiple vendors operating inside the public sector/govt space, who would have been involved in delivering this system. Notice that there is no mention of who was invovled, only reference is to “IT Department” ensuring that in the minds of the reader, this = Internal IT department = amateurs!
Sometimes the plan comes apart, like with K.D.C, and TPTB need to re-group, but otherwise what is read and published in the papers, and via policy is the agenda of others, being forced down our throats!
This government fails rape victims AGAIN. By constantly underfunding, changes to ACCSCU, and disregarding the law commissions recommendations I can only conclude they would like all of us to go away and die (providing they don’t have to pay for that). http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7819530/Help-for-rape-victims-under-threat
What people need to understand is the darkness that is running all of the shows – Woman/Children/families, continually under attack, while men are left to rot not knowing what their role in life is, and the youth suicides of young boys and girls continues to climb, along with the poverty rates, and child abuse!
Its time for people to start learning, understanding and accepting what those who claim to represent them, actually represent!
Only when people understand what their enemy really is, can we collectively know how to respond!
The British arm of the “entertainment industry” exposed again, while the US head of the “entertainment industry” (hollywood) division is writing scripts, which “our govt” and others are following, and executing.
Think only movie/tv scripts are written by the “entertainment industry” – Better think a whole lot harder, cos its your kids!
Money = what people have been told they have to chase/have/get at all costs to survive/keep up with the jones’s/use to dominate industry and people/bribe corrupt etc – Money has corrupted by design. Now the people who control it are removing it from the financial system, in various ways.
Money = the illusion designed to create the society we have seen, and are seeing being created, by the above, and below!
Greed = The enevitable result of the “Its all about you”, and you only, must have money, policies which kill people, but being written by “money” and so society reaps what it sows. The great marketing/advertising lies, the political lies, the greed is the symptom of the absorbed messages!
There is so much more at play than money and greed!
A 24 hour service is a right and a person would rather not need to have to use a rape service. The government just do not get it how complicated being raped can be and that such a service is a big help.
I’ve decided that the Mixed Ownership Model is actually quite sensible. Today, I will be mainly lobbying my local Nat MP to extend the model to Telecom, TelstraClear, Vodafone and SkyTV. Tommorow, I’ll be moving on to convincing my MP to MOM the oil companies bobbing around the Taranaki coast and the gold companies in the Coromandel. Later in the week I hope to convince the MP to MOM all the housing stock in Parnell, because its important to lead from the top. Pip Pip!
And I’m all for extending PPP Public private partnerships. Now how about the govt signs a contract with the Teacher’s Union for the provision of teaching services in schools. Big penalty clauses if the schools are removed! I’m sure there are other groups that will sign up to run services.
Jeez, I just hope that the same people fixing the teachers pay database ain’t gonna have a go at fixing WINZ database. And apparently WINZ tell beneficaries and child support customers that their computer talks to IRD computer – should that make us all a little uneasy? And what about this ‘white paper’ doesn’t it advocate that health, welfare and other databases talk to each other – hey I know, lets just go back to the town cryer concept, much cheaper and just as effective apparently as all these big brother databases ‘communicating’ with each other?????
As a health worker I had to study the Privacy Act for 3 years, sometimes I wonder whether some of the politicians understand the laws and acts that they employ other people to govern or adhere to. I just heard John Keys say on TV3 to Rachel “we’ll have a LITTLE look at that” he was talking about checking out the apparent security breach. Now thats certainly ‘downplaying’ speak. I fear AsleepWhileWorking could be right.
WINZ also data match with Customs so that they can catch beneficiaries who go overseas and stay long than they are allowed. I think they just do random sampling as they don’t get everybody. Thinking about it now though, I wonder how they do that…
Matching up health, welfare and the records of children isn’t about addressing poverty. It’s about controlling poor people. I don’t know why they don’t just chip ’em and be done with it.
Interesting; now I do not mean to get all apocalyptic, it is just that a man I encourage study with asked about this, this morning; It is helpful to bear in Mind, considering it was a “vision” approximately 2000 years ago;
He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and Slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 3: 16- obviously)
Now, the study notes I had at the time identified the economic system; Interesting.
Now, the notes I have in front of me at present, speak of allegiance to the Imperial cult; Now, none of this is new, nothing new under the sun etc, However, there is certainly One spirit directing everything I seem to encounter; Careful what you wish for? I wish I did not see, as I am sure Millions of others do, not with standing the earth has been through these pains before, but It makes you wonder. This still may take decades or centuries to play out, nobody “Knows the Mind of God”,
Yet, still interesting, none-the-less.
Yes Key’s reaction to the whole thing seemed to be blase. You know the computer system is old Yeah right. Just lay the blame where ever. A classic Not Me. If I ever saw one.
Rogue Trooper…welcome mate!!! (Are you familiar with the AD2000 story? His battalion was massacred by traitors within their own central command, and he went rogue in order to find out the truth!)
now that is interesting Viper ( I did not know that), but it is clear for those who choose to see.
Been many years since I delved into comics (great strip Draco, by the way); Archetypes? Essences? Myself, I was a Ghost Rider “Fanboy” I suppose (well, you can see how that played out, but it takes a lot of Capital to make even a big-block-1450- haul ass like something from the Rising Sun; the euros have been onto it for the last couple of decades but they may have left their run too late).
🙂
On planeitKey you can say what you like about people
“Obviously it would’ve been better if the individual involved had actually told the government and not tried to charge the government some sort of fee. But he didn’t, and goodness knows what he did with the blogger, I don’t know if he gave it [the information] to him or sold it to him.”
Ira explains exactly that he was not charging a fee
“I called up on Monday 8th October to say there was a security leak and ask who to talk to. And I also asked was there an incentives scheme about security flaws, which is what Google and Facebook do.”
Live chat with Stephen Jacobi at 12.00 today go ask him some questions on the TPP and other underhanded American practices, lets make him feel right at home lol.
The start and Question Time in Parliament is Must View time for me, at least. Could be very interesting with everything going on at present.
First, presumably, Key will ask to make a personal statement to “correct” his previous answers on KDC and the GCSB.
Then questions cover:
Questions to Ministers
1.DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements in relation to Kim Dotcom and the inquiry into the actions of the Government Communications Security Bureau?
2.METIRIA TUREI to the Minister for Social Development: Does she have confidence that the Ministry of Social Development can keep private information it holds confidential?
4.JACINDA ARDERN to the Minister for Social Development: Has the Ministry of Social Development competently managed the private information in its charge?
6.CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister of Education: What specific criteria were used to determine whether a school in Christchurch was identified for restoration, consolidation or rejuvenation?
7.Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister responsible for the GCSB: What were the dates of the three cases that the Government Communications Security Bureau audit highlighted, because they could not assure him “that the legal position is totally clear”, as referred to in his statement of 3 October 2012?
8.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his answer to my Question for Written Answer 3326 (2012)?
11.GRANT ROBERTSON to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in Hon John Banks; if so, why?
Re Q8, Peters’ written question 3326 (2012) and the response are:
3326 (2012). Rt Hon Winston Peters to the Prime Minister (07 May 2012): Did he have any meetings, in his capacity as Prime Minister, with either Hon Maurice Williamson or Hon Simon Power during the period 7 April-23 July; if so, on what date or dates and what was the nature of the discussion or discussions?
Rt Hon John Key (Prime Minister) replied: Yes. I met with Hon Maurice Williamson on 7 June 2011 to talk about statistics and progress with the census in lights of its postponement following the Christchurch earthquake. I met with Hon Simon Power on 13 June 2011. There is no record of what was discussed at that meeting and I have no recollection of the discussion. I also met with him, Hons English, Joyce and Ryall and the external appointees regarding the Better Public Services Advisory & Governance Group on 6 July 2011.
From memory (may be wrong), this period covers the aboutface on KDC’s application to purchase the Crisco Mansion in Coatsville – and Key’s trip to Washington DC via Warner Bros in LA.
“There is no record of what was discussed at that meeting and I have no recollection of the discussion.”
On Planet Key, we need to understand and sympathise with John Key that truth, competence and accountability are “in a dynamic environment”.*
Convenient memory loss, selective self-characterised ignorance, resistance to reading reports, heaping blame on others, and lack of documentation/record are noble virtues and ethical practices to be instilled in asspirants 🙂
*Guyon Espiner: Is it okay for politicians to bend the truth?
John Key: Well, we live in a dynamic environment, so of course things change.
Big whinge in the Dompost this morning because David Shearer called tod niall (what sort of name is todd) and larry williams by their surnames.
boo bloody hoo.
who do they think they are?
Todd Niall – good (PSA) union member and delegate, and thoroughly good bloke. Also wrote a book about the homegrown NZ car, the Trekka. One of the best guys in the MSM.
Parliament has been in session 2 minutes and someone has already shouted something about God from the public section and Winston and Trevor Mallard (Pretty sure it was him) have been asked to leave the chamber.
Before question time there were a lot of points of order around Peters’ letters to the Speaker regard the PM’s breach of parliamentary privilege. There were objections to the letters being tabled.
i believe they were finally tabled during a later point of order, was it on the third attempt?
The Speaker said the answer from the PM was received yesterday and was to be considered today and it was after this i believe the next request for tabling the letters was not objected to
I’m not sure what happened, but several members of opposition parties defied the Speaker and kept standing to raise a point of order, as the PM was trying to make a statement correcting his previous answers to oral questions. Parker was ejected from the House – Peters also I think.
The story of Venice’s rise and fall is told by the scholars Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, in their book “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty,” as an illustration of their thesis that what separates successful states from failed ones is whether their governing institutions are inclusive or extractive. Extractive states are controlled by ruling elites whose objective is to extract as much wealth as they can from the rest of society. Inclusive states give everyone access to economic opportunity; often, greater inclusiveness creates more prosperity, which creates an incentive for ever greater inclusiveness.
That’s a kind of strange piece. Essentially then, there is no systemic problem with capitalism/markets. All that’s wrong (and therefore fixable) is a selfish short sightedness on the part of a tiny ruling elite.
I mean, you gotta laugh at some of the claims
The history of the United States can be read as one such virtuous (inclusiveness creates more prosperity) circle.
Yup. Unless you were and/or are indigenous, black, female, Irish, Latino…..and so on right on down or up to the point where you hit the white male protestant where the borders of the virtuous circle of inclusiveness were historically set.
And as an aside I don’t get the reference to Venice and its shrinking population being made (as though that’sa mark of decline) with absolutely no reference to the Black Death or, with refernce to later centuries, the city’s unique character/location. But hey.
edit. That comment was a response to Joe90’s comment and link….but the entire comment be gone now. Oh well.
Yeah, it’s all Capitalism is great until the capitalists take over and then it’s fucked but it’s still great. Certainly made a hell of a lot of assumptions that bear no resemblance to reality.
HONE HARAWIRA AUCKLAND DISTRICT COURT (ALBERT ST) APPEARANCE WEDNESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2012 9AM (?)
“Supporters meet outside Auckland District Court at at 8.45am Hone Harawira and others with serious injuries from the protest will be there. Get there if you can…” message from John Minto)
Hone Harawira gets arrested by Police for a purported minor traffic offence – but Police do NOTHING against the Leader of the ACT Party – MP for Epsom John Banks for alleged electoral fraud and ‘white collar’ crime? I’ll be there! Join us if you believe in ONE LAW FOR ALL? And if you oppose ‘ECONOMIC APARTHEID’ and ‘WAR ON THE POOR’?
WEDNESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2012 – AUCKLAND DISTRICT COURT
ALBERT ST AUCKLAND CITY:
Police could have charged former fellow Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd John Banks (and Don Brash) under s.58(3) of the Securities Act for signing Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009 which contained untrue statements.
I assumed you meant the the recent donations scandals which the police couldn’t prosecute.
I’d be more than happy to review any evidence you have of Banks wrong doing in the Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme. I don’t know enough about it to make any call of wrong doing so if you could provide me with some evidence of impropriety I would like to see it.
You could always try reading the above-mentioned Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009 – which I’ve taken the trouble to make available for public perusal?
But all my reading has uncovered so far is that there is not enough evidence to proceed with charges against either Brash or Banks. This is no way a testament to their character on my part, I am merely trying to establish what evidence you have that charges should have been forthcoming and/or the police/judiciary somehow acted with impropriety.
“I don’t like them” or “They were obviously guilty” aren’t good enough, I’m afraid. Only evidence will work. This is in no way a defence of Banks mind you, I dislike him quite strongly.
But all my reading has uncovered so far is that there is not enough evidence to proceed with charges against either Brash or Banks.
That’s meant to be a joke… Right? The relevant law that you have obviously not bothered to read states:
58 Criminal liability for misstatement in advertisement or registered prospectus
(1)Subject to subsection (2), where an advertisement that includes any untrue statement is distributed,—
(a)the issuer of the securities referred to in the advertisement, if an individual; or
(b)if the issuer of the securities is a body, every director thereof at the time the advertisement is distributed – commits an offence.
I hope that wasn’t too much reading for your delicate sensibilities TC. We wouldn’t want you to strain yourself and do an injury. You wouldn’t be such an effective apologist for old corrupt bastards then eh!
Apparently he can now remember the presence of a video camera, but he cannot remember the, more important, contents of a presentation.
Somewhere in the mix he has stated he remembered being advised that the presentation would not be recorded, yet those same charges have done a “full” review of the period in question (having said previously that it wouldn’t be recorded???) Confused Mmmmm – selective memory.
To this end, we have used a similar approach to look at two questions:
Can New Zealand maintain its current per capita energy consumption without fossil fuels and, in particular, can we live on renewable energy sources alone?
How can we achieve a BIG reduction in our personal and national energy consumption, in order to reduce our power requirements?
Well, at least somebody is asking the right questions. Pity it’s not the government.
They’re called “Brownouts”and “Power Flicker”.
They’ll take care of the consumption problem nicely M8.
The stove and the water heater will keep working … digital stuff i’ll be toast, and flicker will kill the TV as well.
Heaps of recycled electronic goods as well, worth thinking about 🙂
Pride b4 fall, or bloated explosion with apology?
Vacuum far outweighs everything else in this Universe.
No one else is gonna call it yet, I’m going with Landslide Labour/Greens/Mana/NZFirst myself.
Not me. Don’t know. It is Shearer’s fault. It is Ira’s fault. Not my job to oversee Spy agencies. Don’t know what Projection means and don’t want to know.
Lies within lies, on top of lies. Lies flanked and protected by lies. Lies about lying, lies about spying.
John Banks publicly stated that he had “nothing to fear, nothing to hide,” over the donations scandal.
Nothing to fear?
Nothing to hide?
As it turns out, John Banks did fear something, and in contrast to his public assertion that he had nothing to hide, asked the police to keep their investigation into his Mayoral donations hidden from the public.
ACT leader John Banks did ask police not to publicly release his statement on the Kim Dotcom donations and opposed the publication of the entire file, documents reveal.
John Key said he would have no confidence in John Banks as Minister if he found he had lied to him.
Now that solid proof has come out that Banks lied in claiming that he didn’t ask the police to suppress evidence arising from the police investigation into his mayoral campaign donations.
Will John Key act on his promise in relation to John Banks as a Minister?
Or was that a lie?
Is John Banks lying about donations from Dotcom?
Is John Key lying about everything to do with Kim Dotcom, relating to the GCSB illegal spying?
Without a doubt John Banks is a proven liar.
But is the Prime Minister a liar?
Time will tell. If after this latest revelation John Key keeps John Banks as a Minister in his government.
Is John Banks lying about donations from Dotcom? Yes!
Is John Key lying about everything to do with Kim Dotcom, relating to the GCSB illegal spying? Yes!
And the reason they’re both lying through their teeth is because both have so much more to hide.
Apart from the fact Key still needs Banks’ vote etc., he will keep Banks as a Minister in his government because Banksie knows where the bodies are buried.
‘What the hell was that’ ‘I want to see all you children in my office next school day’
Supposedly intelligent,articulate,bright (debateable) set of parliament ministers,pm and
the speaker launch into what could be described as a ‘free for all ‘ forget the fists,
words will do,a scene of total disobediance.
But hey, shonkey did admit he talked dotcom at the feb 29th meeting,phew, now
we wait and see if there are any dates earlier than 29th feb……….
Anyone know what the fracas at the beginning of Question Time was all about. Two ordered out of House. Trevor chose to walk out.Something about the PM- letter about PM sent by Winston to the Leader- issue before the Parliamentary or Privileges Committee- Key’s response received yesterday. What the!!!!
Anyone?
Wasn’t is something to do with some letters??
I don’t know either, but it was obviously something of some importance.as Winston was prepared to lose his question for it.
The letter to the Speaker was sent on the 5 October(?) and again 15 October(?) and concerned John Key and maybe the Privileges Committee. If my half heard version is so, then the irony is obvious. Key having Peters in front of Priv Committee in 08. What if Peters now has Key up before the Priv Committee???? Forgive me. Probably got it wrong.
It was something to do with Key’s personal statement. It seems he got up to make it without first asking for a ‘point of order’. God knows why Winnie et al got their knickers in a twist. Some nuance of which I’m not familiar.
I think Winston Peters has sent a letter to the Speaker accusing John Key of a breach of parliamentary privilege. Lockwood Smith has yet to rule on whether there is a case to be answered. We all know what the answer will probably be.
I think that there are rules to be followed. Can’t be a majority decision of the House otherwise no charge could ever be laid against the Government. Watch this space!
They wanted to raise a point of order and Key wanted to make a personal information. Points of order trump everything else and should have been considered first.
Thanks for that felix. I think I see what happened now. After the House stood and clapped for the Cook Island Speaker, everyone sat down with the exception of John Key who remained standing and started to launch into his personal statement without going through established protocol as set down by the House rules (Standing Orders) and without so much as a bat of an eyelid from the Speaker.
Pre-arranged? I expect so. Disgraceful and totally underhand!
@micky, Isn’t it usual for the politicians to ask for leave of the house to make a personal
statement, in such circumstances and lockwood does protects the right too often.
There should be an independant speaker,outside of any political party,perhaps
a retired judge etc.
@ianmac, It was bleedin hard to tell really,it wasn’t what i got my coffee and a chocky biky for,key said he talked kim on the 29th feb,it all happened so quick even the mic couldn’t keep up.
When was the PM approached by the US authorities (channels of US administration) to request /advise him that an operation was desirable in New Zealand? At what level and at which meeting in the year(s) prior to the raid in February 2012 did the US departments approach the PM of New Zealand?
If nothing else, it beggars belief that the leader of a friendly sovereign state would not be approached by a very high level delegation prior to their operatives working in that foreign state.
Just trying to imagine similar circumstances in other “friendly” nations of the world?
Australia, Canada, Great Britain, France, South Africa, Germany … Sweden, mmmmmmm, nah.
Ah, yes … it was during the heady days of the appearance on the Letterman Show. No wonder he forgot.
It was no doubt a standard request under the extradition treaty NZ has with the US. The PM would not need to be involved although he may have been advised as a matter of courtesy.
Is this a treaty we should ignore? Are there other treaties we can ignore?
Whilst it’s true a standard request would have been investigated and dismissed once residency was attained, they arrested him anyway …… why would they do that buddy???
The goal was reached when Megaupload was closed down. The US are not interested in side show Key, keystone cops and are probably laughing at the GCSB/SIS for being so gullible.
They obviously have a “Debt Recovery” mentality/agenda.
For some reason they think a “Difference Caching” engine is grounds for “Informed copyright Infringement”
Which ultimately means because Megaupload cranked the time to live on those files upto 100 years, (Which most ISP’s will do to save backbone data), has made them a target of the US law enforcement trying to recover “Missing Transactions” for “Projected” film sales.
What? dotCom having residency has nothing to do with whether he is able to be extradited or not. Otherwise it would already all be over. But DotCom does still have to go and argue his case as to why he shouldn’t be extradited. And he might not win.
Yeah, but these were US officers operating in a friendly state. Not just NZ officers executing an arrest and extradition. That would surely involve keeping the PM informed.
So, Southland anti-choicers have decided to “name and shame” abortion providers. I had a little play with the idea of naming and shaming other medical providers, and came up with #namethedentists.
That would only work if there were widespread societal stigma against being moralising wankers who try to endanger people’s health so they can feed their superiority complexes.
Extreme example there, but thats ok, I’m not against abortion in certain situations. Just not interested in that gender bigot feminist extremism that wants abortion on demand.
At the time Mr Banks claimed it was the Police who had made that decision.
Mr Banks said it was the police who decided keep his statement under wraps. Press secretary Shelley Mackey said: “Mr Banks is not responsible for what the police have released.”
We asked for all the correspondence between Mr Banks and the Police on the release of the report, and lo and behold we found a letter from Mr Banks’ lawyer that said
Accordingly, disclosure of any material relating to Mr Banks, or indeed any part of the investigation file, is opposed.
More lies, half-truths and obfuscations from John Banks. He has gone to great lengths to ensure that New Zealanders can not read what he told the Police about the donations to his Mayoral campaign.
So, will Key hold Banks to account? Na, of course not.
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Last week, Matthew Hooton wrote an op-ed, published in NZME, that essentially says that if Luxon secures a trade deal with India, that alone, would mean Luxon deserved a second term in government.Hooton said Luxon displayed "seriousness and depth" in New Dehli. He praised Luxon for ‘doubling down’ on the ...
This is a re-post from the Climate BrinkLast September the Washington Post published an article about a new paper in Science by Emily Judd and colleagues. The WaPo article was detailed and nuanced, but led with the figure below, adapted from the paper: The internet, being less prone to detail and nuance, ran ...
Reception desk at GP surgery: if you have got this far you’re doing well, given NZ is spending just a third of other OECD countries on primary health care. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest in our political economy today: New Zealand is spending just a third of other OECD ...
This week ASPI launched Pressure Points, an interactive website that analyses the Chinese military’s use of air and maritime coercion to enforce Beijing’s excessive territorial claims and advance its security interests in the Indo-Pacific. The ...
This week ASPI launched Pressure Points, an interactive website that analyses the Chinese military’s use of air and maritime coercion to enforce Beijing’s excessive territorial claims and advance its security interests in the Indo-Pacific. The ...
This is a guest post by placemaker Paris Kirby.Featured Image: Neon Lucky Cat on Darby Street, city centre. Created and built by Aan Chu and Angus Muir Design (Photo credit: Bryan Lowe)Disclaimer:I am a Senior Placemaking and Activation Specialist at Auckland Council; however, the views expressed ...
This is a guest post by placemaker Paris Kirby.Featured Image: Neon Lucky Cat on Darby Street, city centre. Created and built by Aan Chu and Angus Muir Design (Photo credit: Bryan Lowe)Disclaimer:I am a Senior Placemaking and Activation Specialist at Auckland Council; however, the views expressed ...
In short: New Zealand is spending just a third of the OECD average on primary health care and hasn’t increased that recently. A slumlord with 40 Christchurch properties is punished after relying on temporary migrant tenants not complaining about holes in the ceiling. Westpac’s CEO is pushing for easier capital ...
The international economics of Australia’s budget are pervaded by a Voldemort-like figure. The He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is Donald Trump, firing up trade wars, churning global finance and smashing the rules-based order. The closest the budget papers come ...
Sea state Australian assembly of the first Multi Ammunition Softkill System (MASS) shipsets for the Royal Australian Navy began this month at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Redbank, Queensland. The ship protection system, ...
The StrategistBy Linus Cohen, Astrid Young and Alice Wai
Sea state Australian assembly of the first Multi Ammunition Softkill System (MASS) shipsets for the Royal Australian Navy began this month at Rheinmetall’s Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Redbank, Queensland. The ship protection system, ...
The StrategistBy Linus Cohen, Astrid Young and Alice Wai
Some thoughts on the Signal Houthi Principal’s Committee chat group conversation reported by Jeff Goldberg at The Atlantic. It is obviously a major security breach. But there are several dimensions to it worth examining. 1) Signal is an unsecured open source platform that although encrypted can easily be hacked by ...
Australia and other democracies have once again turned to China to solve their economic problems, while the reliability of the United States as an alliance partner is, erroneously, being called into question. We risk forgetting ...
Machines will take over more jobs at Immigration New Zealand under a multi-million-dollar upgrade that will mean decisions to approve visas will be automated – decisions to reject applications will continue to be taken by staff. Health New Zealand’s commitment to boosting specialist palliative care for dying children is under ...
She works hard for the moneySo hard for it, honeyShe works hard for the moneySo you better treat her rightSongwriters: Michael Omartian / Donna A. SummerMorena, I’m pleased to bring you a guest newsletter today by long-time unionist and community activist Lyndy McIntyre. Lyndy has been active in the Living ...
The US Transportation Command’s Military Sealift Command (MSC), the subordinate organisation responsible for strategic sealift, is unprepared for the high intensity fighting of a war over Taiwan. In the event of such a war, combat ...
Tomorrow Auckland’s Councillors will decide on the next steps in the city’s ongoing stadium debate, and it appears one option is technically feasible but isn’t financially feasible while the other one might be financially feasible but not be technically feasible. As a quick reminder, the mMayor started this process as ...
In short in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on March 26:Three Kāinga Ora plots zoned for 17 homes and 900m from Ellerslie rail station are being offered to land-bankers and luxury home builders by agent Rawdon Christie.Chris Bishop’s new RMA bills don’t include treaty principles, even though ...
Stuff’s Sinead Boucher and NZME Takeover Leader James (Jim) GrenoonStuff Promotes Brooke Van VeldenYesterday, I came across an incredulous article by Stuff’s Kelly Dennett.It was a piece basically promoting David Seymour’s confidante and political ally, ACT’s #2, Brooke Van Velden. I admit I read the whole piece, incredulous at its ...
One of the odd aspects of the government’s plan to Americanise the public health system – i.e by making healthcare access more reliant on user pay charges and private health insurance – is that it is happening in plain sight. Earlier this year, the official briefing papers to incoming Heath ...
When Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers stood at the dispatch box this evening to announce the 2025–26 Budget, he confirmed our worst fears about the government’s commitment to resourcing the Defence budget commensurate with the dangers ...
The proposed negotiation of an Australia–Papua New Guinea defence treaty will falter unless the Australian Defence Force embraces cultural intelligence and starts being more strategic with teaching languages—starting with Tok Pisin, the most widely spoken language in ...
Bishop ignores pawnPoor old Tama Potaka says he didn't know the new RMA legislation would be tossing out the Treaty clause.However, RMA Minister Bishop says it's all good and no worries because the new RMA will still recognise Māori rights; it's just that the government prefers specific role descriptions over ...
China is using increasingly sophisticated grey-zone tactics against subsea cables in the waters around Taiwan, using a shadow-fleet playbook that could be expanded across the Indo-Pacific. On 25 February, Taiwan’s coast guard detained the Hong Tai ...
Yesterday The Post had a long exit interview with outgoing Ombudsman Peter Boshier, in which he complains about delinquent agencies which "haven't changed and haven't taken our moral authority on board". He talks about the limits of the Ombudsman's power of persuasion - its only power - and the need ...
Hi,Two stories have been playing over and over in my mind today, and I wanted to send you this Webworm as an excuse to get your thoughts in the comments.Because I adore the community here, and I want your sanity to weigh in.A safe space to chat, pull our hair ...
A new employment survey shows that labour market pessimism has deepened as workers worry about holding to their job, the difficulty in finding jobs, and slowing wage growth. Nurses working in primary care will get an 8 percent pay increase this year, but it still leaves them lagging behind their ...
Big gunBig gun number oneBig gunBig gun kick the hell out of youSongwriters: Ascencio / Marrow.On Sunday, I wrote about the Prime Minister’s interview in India with Maiki Sherman and certainly didn’t think I’d be writing about another of his interviews two days later.I’d been thinking of writing about something ...
The Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on Australian aluminium and steel has surprised the country. This has caused some to question the logic of the Australia-United States alliance and risks legitimising China’s economic coercion. ...
OPINION & ANALYSIS:At the heart of everything we see in this government is simplicity. Things are simpler than they appear. Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Behind all the public relations, marketing spin, corporate overlay e.g. ...
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Wang Zhongying, chief national expert, China Energy Transformation Programme of the Energy Research Institute, and Kaare Sandholt, chief international expert, China Energy Transformation Programme of the Energy Research Institute China will need to install around 10,000 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar capacity ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...
With many of Auckland’s political and bureaucratic leaders bowing down to vocal minorities and consistently failing to reallocate space to people in our city, recent news overseas has prompted me to point out something important. It is extremely popular to make car-dominated cities nicer, by freeing up space for people. ...
When it comes to fleet modernisation programme, the Indonesian navy seems to be biting off more than it can chew. It is not even clear why the navy is taking the bite. The news that ...
South Korea and Australia should enhance their cooperation to secure submarine cables, which carry more than 95 percent of global data traffic. As tensions in the Indo-Pacific intensify, these vital connections face risks from cyber ...
The Parliament Bill Committee has reported back on the Parliament Bill. As usual, they recommend no substantive changes, all decisions having been made in advance and in secret before the bill was introduced - but there are some minor tweaks around oversight of the new parliamentary security powers, which will ...
When the F-47 enters service, at a date to be disclosed, it will be a new factor in US air warfare. A decision to proceed with development, deferred since July, was unexpectedly announced on 21 ...
All my best memoriesCome back clearly to meSome can even make me cry.Just like beforeIt's yesterday once more.Songwriters: Richard Lynn Carpenter / John BettisYesterday, Winston Peters gave a State of the Nation speech in which he declared War on the Woke, described peaceful protesters as fascists, said he’d take our ...
Regardless of our opinions about the politicians involved, I believe that every rational person should welcome the reestablishment of contacts between the USA and the Russian Federation. While this is only the beginning and there are no guarantees of success, it does create the opportunity to address issues ...
Once upon a time, the United States saw the contest between democracy and authoritarianism as a singularly defining issue. It was this outlook, forged in the crucible of World War II, that created such strong ...
A pre-Covid protest about medical staffing shortages outside the Beehive. Since then the situation has only worsened, with 30% of doctors trained here now migrating within a decade. File Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest: The news this morning is dominated by the crises cascading through our health system after ...
Bargaining between the PSA and Oranga Tamariki over the collective agreement is intensifying – with more strike action likely, while the Employment Relations Authority has ordered facilitation. More than 850 laboratory staff are walking off their jobs in a week of rolling strike action. Union coverage CTU: Confidence in ...
Foreign Minister Penny Wong in 2024 said that ‘we’re in a state of permanent contest in the Pacific—that’s the reality.’ China’s arrogance hurts it in the South Pacific. Mark that as a strong Australian card ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...
In the past week, Israel has reverted to slaughtering civilians, starving children and welshing on the terms of the peace deal negotiated earlier this year. The IDF’s current offensive seems to be intended to render Gaza unlivable, preparatory (perhaps) to re-occupation by Israeli settlers. The short term demands for the ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 16, 2025 thru Sat, March 22, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. We are still interested ...
In recent months, I have garnered copious amusement playing Martin, chess.com’s infamously terrible Chess AI. Alas, it is not how it once was, when he would cheerfully ignore freely offered material. Martin has grown better since I first stumbled upon him. I still remain frustrated at his capture-happy determination to ...
Every time that I see ya,A lightning bolt fills the room,The underbelly of Paris,She sings her favourite tune,She'll drink you under the table,She'll show you a trick or two,But every time that I left her,I missed the things she would doSongwriters: Kelly JonesThis morning, I posted - Are you excited ...
Long stories shortest this week in our political economy:Standard & Poor’s judged the Government’s council finance reforms a failure. Professional investors showed the Government they want it to borrow more, not less. GDP bounced out of recession by more than forecast in the December quarter, but data for the ...
Each day at 4:30 my brother calls in at the rest home to see Dad. My visits can be months apart. Five minutes after you've left, he’ll have forgotten you were there, but every time, his face lights up and it’s a warm happy visit.Tim takes care of almost everything ...
On the 19th of March, ACT announced they would be running candidates in this year’s local government elections. Accompanying that call for “common-sense kiwis” was an anti-woke essay typifying the views they expect their candidates to hold. I have included that part of their mailer, Free Press, in its entirety. ...
Even when the darkest clouds are in the skyYou mustn't sigh and you mustn't crySpread a little happiness as you go byPlease tryWhat's the use of worrying and feeling blue?When days are long keep on smiling throughSpread a little happiness 'til dreams come trueSongwriters: Vivian Ellis / Clifford Grey / ...
Here’s my selection1 of scoops, breaking news, news, analyses, deep-dives, features, interviews, Op-Eds, editorials and cartoons from around Aotearoa’s political economy on housing, climate and poverty from RNZ, 1News, The Post-$2, The Press−$, Newsroom/$3, NZ Herald/$, Stuff, BusinessDesk/$, Politik-$, NBR-$, Reuters, FT/$, WSJ/$, Bloomberg/$, New York Times/$, Washington Post/$, Wired/$, ...
ACT up the game on division politicsEmmerson’s take on David Seymour’s claim Jesus would have supported ACTACT’s announcement it is moving into local politics is a logical next step for a party that is waging its battle on picking up the aggrieved.It’s a numbers game, and as long as the ...
1. What will be the slogan of the next butter ad campaign?a. You’re worth itb.Once it hits $20, we can do something about the riversc. I can’t believe it’s the price of butter d. None of the above Read more ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...
With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
Check against delivery.Kia ora koutou katoa It’s a real pleasure to join you at the inaugural New Zealand infrastructure investment summit. I’d like to welcome our overseas guests, as well as our local partners, organisations, and others.I’d also like to acknowledge: The Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and other Ministers from the Coalition ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dennis Altman, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow and Professorial Fellow, Institute for Human Security and Social Change, La Trobe University It seems Britain has one key inducement to offer US President Donald Trump: a state visit hosted by King Charles. One can only imagine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australians will go to the polls on May 3 for an election squarely centred on the cost of living. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Yarralumla first thing on Friday morning. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The usual story for a first-term government is a loss of seats, as voters send it a message, but ultimate survival. It can be a close call. John Howard risked all in 1998 with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University Now that an election has been called, Australian voters will go to the polls on May 3 to decide the fate of the first-term, centre-left Australian Labor Party ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Visitor, School of History, Australian National University At the last federal election, Australia elected the largest lower house crossbench in its post-war federal history. In addition to four Greens MPs, Rebekah Sharkie from the Centre Alliance and Bob Katter ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University They are neither as leafy nor as affluent as much of the Liberal heartland, but Peter Dutton believes the outer ring-roads of Australia’s capitals provide the most direct route to power. He has ...
On rolling hills overlooking the Kaipara Harbour, one millionaire’s vision of exotic animals coexisting with monumental contemporary art has been realised. Gabi Lardies pays a visit.I thought I was so smart and so cheeky or maybe very stupid from sun exposure when I wrote “are exotic animals art?” in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Sturgiss, Professor of Community Medicine and Clinical Education, Bond University Chay_Tay/Shutterstock As a GP and mum to two boys I have many experiences of trying to navigate the school morning when my boys aren’t feeling well. It always seems ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Housing and Economic Security, Grattan Institute Of all the problems facing Australia today, few have worsened so rapidly in the past 25 years as housing affordability. Housing has become more and more expensive – to rent or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zuleyha Keskin, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, Charles Sturt University Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Eid is a special time for Muslims. There are two major Eid celebrations each year: Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, the month of ...
Hit Netflix series Adolescence has sparked conversation about reading the internet versus reading novels. What is the state of teen reading in Aotearoa? And what are the books that might lure our boys back to the page? One of the many questions the profoundly effective Adolescence has raised is the ...
The Children’s Commissioner describes the current situation as “untenable, inequitable and inadequate”, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ‘Untenable, inequitable and inadequate’ Earlier this week, RNZ’s Anusha Bradley reported that the country’s only publicly funded paediatric palliative care ...
Analysis: A fancy new stadium for the Auckland waterfront has yet again been vanquished by the wily ageing edifice in Mt Eden, but ratepayers aren’t yet off the hook.Eden Park ‘won’’ the’ milestone vote by Auckland councillors, who for now will put no money into its development project. But, essentially, ...
Amid rising concerns over the state of paediatric palliative care in New Zealand, Emma Gilkison reflects on the short life of her son Jesús Valentino, who died with the people who loved him best, comfortably and with the care he needed – yet this happened in spite of, not because ...
Three criminologists explain how a history of negative experiences of policing will affect how some communities view the police – and it’s crucial that the opinions of these communities are heard. Over the last day, a media frenzy has erupted over Green Party MP for Wellington Central Tamatha Paul’s comments ...
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A survey of New Zealand coaches and referees on sideline behaviour in children’s team sports has revealed disturbing results.Released by Aktive, the Regional Sports Trust for the wider Auckland region, the survey revealed more than 60 percent had witnessed inappropriate behaviour at least once or twice a season and most ...
Opinion: The Govt’s failure to account for Māori and Pacific health stat when it set a blanket screening age is a failure of leadership. Here’s how we can fix it. The post Bowel cancer doesn’t care about politics appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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‘
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/7819005/Trust-in-police-hits-new-low-survey-shows
Arresting an MP for bad parking and beating housing protesters to help the government steal and vandalise state houses.
Illegal links with foreign spies and agents.
Toadying to Hollywood business interests
Refusing to investigate perjury by themselves
Spying
Law breaking
Is it any wonder?
Indeed!
With the demand for tighter links with the US….
Will this be the new, New Zealand police force look?
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/walmart-workers-strike-for-safe-warehouse-conditio
As our security and police are already in lockstep agreement with the US in taking ‘over the top’ actions in partizan defence of corporate interests, even if it entails breaking the law. It can only be a matter of time.
When it comes to civil liberties, as the saying goes; “You will only know what you’ve got, when it is gone”
The civil liberties which we enjoy today have been hard fought for over centuries by previous generations, and are there for a reason.
Fight to keep New Zealand sovereignity and civil liberties inviolate.
Demand:
NO illegal spying!
NO soft touch for police perjury!
NO extradition with out a hearing!
NO hearings without evidence being presented!
Today Ira Bailey will be made a scape goat by MSD and the media, following Paula Bennett’s example of publicly outing anyone who speaks against them.
I call upon you my fellow commentators not to let this go undefended and to constantly retort that Ira was only doing what is industry standard – asking for a reward for uncovering vulnerabilities is normal practice, not blackmail as they will try to imply.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7821061/Key-critical-of-Winz-security-breach-finder
Look at the framing, “he is a terrorist!” – So “blackmail” is no worries for Bailey then eh!
We have some truly evil people “running” this country, and the MSM are a utter disgarace!
muzza – evil people running the country only get away with it, surely, only because they are supported by voters who compromise with evil.
Dr T, see my comment at 4.2.3.1..
You are correct in that evil doers can only exist when the populace are complacent, or disenfranchised etc, which allows badness to happen.
Perhaps if people understood that they were part of the whole, instead of operating in silo, then we might not be in such a mess.
The corrupting/breaking of the human spirit, is the major feature of what we see these days!
But equally amazing is the statement that they checked the Kiosks after he rang in, and they could not find this simple breach? Who they using for IT security ? Daffy Duck?
And the biggest question of all that has not been answered is Why were they on the same network as the corporate system?
And that the flaw was there for up to a year!
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/319250,nz-government-needs-to-start-over-on-security.aspx
No way would this have been missed in the design/security, its too fundamental – This looks like another way of telling people that internal resources are not good enough, we will have to use external i.e Google etc, who can keep yoru privacy secure…This is BS!
So, it was raised, with who? and why was it not fixed….smells like more BS!
Every fuck up by MSD/WINZ that makes it to the MSM is fodder for the eventual push to privatise welfare.
Correct Weka – Its all part of the plan, you can call it a conspiracy too, because that is exactly what it is!
Ill reitterate – The is NO WAY, that this security flaw was missed in the design/security assessments gates that are mandatory in the delivery! There are multiple vendors operating inside the public sector/govt space, who would have been involved in delivering this system. Notice that there is no mention of who was invovled, only reference is to “IT Department” ensuring that in the minds of the reader, this = Internal IT department = amateurs!
Sometimes the plan comes apart, like with K.D.C, and TPTB need to re-group, but otherwise what is read and published in the papers, and via policy is the agenda of others, being forced down our throats!
https://twitter.com/Min_Reyes/status/258055300727308288/photo/1
This government fails rape victims AGAIN. By constantly underfunding, changes to ACCSCU, and disregarding the law commissions recommendations I can only conclude they would like all of us to go away and die (providing they don’t have to pay for that). http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7819530/Help-for-rape-victims-under-threat
I really wish someone on the left would organise around women’s votes before the next election.
What people need to understand is the darkness that is running all of the shows – Woman/Children/families, continually under attack, while men are left to rot not knowing what their role in life is, and the youth suicides of young boys and girls continues to climb, along with the poverty rates, and child abuse!
Its time for people to start learning, understanding and accepting what those who claim to represent them, actually represent!
Only when people understand what their enemy really is, can we collectively know how to respond!
and the Twain shall never meet
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/10582_487699991263452_1173247088_n.jpg
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tv-star-is-third-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-girl-in-saviles-dressing-room-8198500.html
The British arm of the “entertainment industry” exposed again, while the US head of the “entertainment industry” (hollywood) division is writing scripts, which “our govt” and others are following, and executing.
Think only movie/tv scripts are written by the “entertainment industry” – Better think a whole lot harder, cos its your kids!
Money (and greed) are today’s priorities. Humanitarian causes simply do not count.
Dr T,
Money = what people have been told they have to chase/have/get at all costs to survive/keep up with the jones’s/use to dominate industry and people/bribe corrupt etc – Money has corrupted by design. Now the people who control it are removing it from the financial system, in various ways.
Money = the illusion designed to create the society we have seen, and are seeing being created, by the above, and below!
Greed = The enevitable result of the “Its all about you”, and you only, must have money, policies which kill people, but being written by “money” and so society reaps what it sows. The great marketing/advertising lies, the political lies, the greed is the symptom of the absorbed messages!
There is so much more at play than money and greed!
Should be getting used to that by now as it seems that one year is how long this government expects people to forget what they said.
A 24 hour service is a right and a person would rather not need to have to use a rape service. The government just do not get it how complicated being raped can be and that such a service is a big help.
I’ve decided that the Mixed Ownership Model is actually quite sensible. Today, I will be mainly lobbying my local Nat MP to extend the model to Telecom, TelstraClear, Vodafone and SkyTV. Tommorow, I’ll be moving on to convincing my MP to MOM the oil companies bobbing around the Taranaki coast and the gold companies in the Coromandel. Later in the week I hope to convince the MP to MOM all the housing stock in Parnell, because its important to lead from the top. Pip Pip!
And I’m all for extending PPP Public private partnerships. Now how about the govt signs a contract with the Teacher’s Union for the provision of teaching services in schools. Big penalty clauses if the schools are removed! I’m sure there are other groups that will sign up to run services.
Jeez, I just hope that the same people fixing the teachers pay database ain’t gonna have a go at fixing WINZ database. And apparently WINZ tell beneficaries and child support customers that their computer talks to IRD computer – should that make us all a little uneasy? And what about this ‘white paper’ doesn’t it advocate that health, welfare and other databases talk to each other – hey I know, lets just go back to the town cryer concept, much cheaper and just as effective apparently as all these big brother databases ‘communicating’ with each other?????
As a health worker I had to study the Privacy Act for 3 years, sometimes I wonder whether some of the politicians understand the laws and acts that they employ other people to govern or adhere to. I just heard John Keys say on TV3 to Rachel “we’ll have a LITTLE look at that” he was talking about checking out the apparent security breach. Now thats certainly ‘downplaying’ speak. I fear AsleepWhileWorking could be right.
John Key is such a f*^#w*t
WINZ also data match with Customs so that they can catch beneficiaries who go overseas and stay long than they are allowed. I think they just do random sampling as they don’t get everybody. Thinking about it now though, I wonder how they do that…
Matching up health, welfare and the records of children isn’t about addressing poverty. It’s about controlling poor people. I don’t know why they don’t just chip ’em and be done with it.
Interesting; now I do not mean to get all apocalyptic, it is just that a man I encourage study with asked about this, this morning; It is helpful to bear in Mind, considering it was a “vision” approximately 2000 years ago;
He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and Slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 3: 16- obviously)
Now, the study notes I had at the time identified the economic system; Interesting.
Now, the notes I have in front of me at present, speak of allegiance to the Imperial cult; Now, none of this is new, nothing new under the sun etc, However, there is certainly One spirit directing everything I seem to encounter; Careful what you wish for? I wish I did not see, as I am sure Millions of others do, not with standing the earth has been through these pains before, but It makes you wonder. This still may take decades or centuries to play out, nobody “Knows the Mind of God”,
Yet, still interesting, none-the-less.
So, Concerning Light and Darkness, here is a Mazda Wonder Light,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zorastrian
Here, are some writings most churches hide,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnostic_Gospels
The Gospel of Thomas, is Liberating
http://gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_thomas.htm
Why Sabbath are so appealing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUjUIP2ugG4
(only One Sabbath, all others, wannabees, imo)
The rest? Remains to be seen!
Prophecy is The Ultimate Weapon; Bring on The Prophetess
Yes Key’s reaction to the whole thing seemed to be blase. You know the computer system is old Yeah right. Just lay the blame where ever. A classic Not Me. If I ever saw one.
It does, every time you phone! (Beware, it says, if you earn and don’t tell us, we’ll get you!)
joining the Battle-fleet Captain
(I like It)
this is my body, I share for you
🙂
Rogue Trooper…welcome mate!!! (Are you familiar with the AD2000 story? His battalion was massacred by traitors within their own central command, and he went rogue in order to find out the truth!)
now that is interesting Viper ( I did not know that), but it is clear for those who choose to see.
Been many years since I delved into comics (great strip Draco, by the way); Archetypes? Essences? Myself, I was a Ghost Rider “Fanboy” I suppose (well, you can see how that played out, but it takes a lot of Capital to make even a big-block-1450- haul ass like something from the Rising Sun; the euros have been onto it for the last couple of decades but they may have left their run too late).
🙂
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/comics/2000adstrips/rogue/roguetrooper01.shtml
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/draco1337/Free%20Vue%20Renders/Taniwha.jpg
Backdrop courtesy of NASA
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111011.html
damn yankees
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090516234851/marvel_dc/images/a/a9/Jonah_Hex_Vol_2_35.jpg
stuck southerners
Good Thing we have some direction then Commander
😉
just imagine what is out there
I just Love It
Heads should roll
They’re so focused on downplaying the issue that it appears they think WINZ clients don’t have any rights to privacy at all…
Jeeze, that Herald article you link to is a nasty piece of work. Fuck the MSM and their apology of a profession.
+ 1 Good stuff Jackal.
from that NZH thingy you mentioned weka
On planeitKey you can say what you like about people
Ira explains exactly that he was not charging a fee
key knows all about fees – it’s the honey
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10840124
Live chat with Stephen Jacobi at 12.00 today go ask him some questions on the TPP and other underhanded American practices, lets make him feel right at home lol.
The start and Question Time in Parliament is Must View time for me, at least. Could be very interesting with everything going on at present.
First, presumably, Key will ask to make a personal statement to “correct” his previous answers on KDC and the GCSB.
Then questions cover:
Re Q8, Peters’ written question 3326 (2012) and the response are:
From memory (may be wrong), this period covers the aboutface on KDC’s application to purchase the Crisco Mansion in Coatsville – and Key’s trip to Washington DC via Warner Bros in LA.
“There is no record of what was discussed at that meeting and I have no recollection of the discussion.”
On Planet Key, we need to understand and sympathise with John Key that truth, competence and accountability are “in a dynamic environment”.*
Convenient memory loss, selective self-characterised ignorance, resistance to reading reports, heaping blame on others, and lack of documentation/record are noble virtues and ethical practices to be instilled in asspirants 🙂
*Guyon Espiner: Is it okay for politicians to bend the truth?
John Key: Well, we live in a dynamic environment, so of course things change.
Thanks Jim. An example of typical evasion. How are we meant to interpret that reply?!
A Political Cluster-Bomb should about do It
That was BRILLIANT.
Key was shown up to be so hopeless. His party wan’t even backing him up.
Big whinge in the Dompost this morning because David Shearer called tod niall (what sort of name is todd) and larry williams by their surnames.
boo bloody hoo.
who do they think they are?
Todd Niall – good (PSA) union member and delegate, and thoroughly good bloke. Also wrote a book about the homegrown NZ car, the Trekka. One of the best guys in the MSM.
Parliament has been in session 2 minutes and someone has already shouted something about God from the public section and Winston and Trevor Mallard (Pretty sure it was him) have been asked to leave the chamber.
Should be an interesting session
EDIT: Mallard left voluntarily left and is back.
Things always get volatile before the meltdown. In any setting.
There has already been someone try to jump from the public gallery.
Those with eyes open will see these as indicators, or ripples, of what is to come ….
Before question time there were a lot of points of order around Peters’ letters to the Speaker regard the PM’s breach of parliamentary privilege. There were objections to the letters being tabled.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7822519/House-uproar-as-Key-clarifies-Dotcom-record
i believe they were finally tabled during a later point of order, was it on the third attempt?
The Speaker said the answer from the PM was received yesterday and was to be considered today and it was after this i believe the next request for tabling the letters was not objected to
I’m not sure what happened, but several members of opposition parties defied the Speaker and kept standing to raise a point of order, as the PM was trying to make a statement correcting his previous answers to oral questions. Parker was ejected from the House – Peters also I think.
It is going to be a fun day.
Pity, Peters had the first question and I want to hear the discussion
EDIT: Sorry, it was Shearer on the first question, not Peters
Lock them all in, sprinkle them with hippo pheromones from the gallery and then release Billy the horny hippo into their midst.
Na, not hippo’s, fucking Walrus’s man. Walrus Rape
Ha, ‘rape as behavioural correction’ you guys are so edgy.
No no, walrus rape. It’s very…different.
Take Care (not for juvenile eyes)
No, I just want them all to to at least be seriously injured and humiliated and have it captured on film.
Hippos are great because when worked up they’ll crap all over everyone as well, it would be the best day in parliament ever seen in this country.
Elephant seals?
As long as they’re incontinent.
I certainly wouldn’t consider an elephant seal to be house trained.
New Material?
Time for Crucifixion for bnnt the sacrificial lamb
(play with the “big boys”? )
(“operational matter” this! )
Opinion from NYT: The Self-Destruction of the 1 Percent.
The story of Venice’s rise and fall is told by the scholars Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, in their book “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty,” as an illustration of their thesis that what separates successful states from failed ones is whether their governing institutions are inclusive or extractive. Extractive states are controlled by ruling elites whose objective is to extract as much wealth as they can from the rest of society. Inclusive states give everyone access to economic opportunity; often, greater inclusiveness creates more prosperity, which creates an incentive for ever greater inclusiveness.
That’s a kind of strange piece. Essentially then, there is no systemic problem with capitalism/markets. All that’s wrong (and therefore fixable) is a selfish short sightedness on the part of a tiny ruling elite.
I mean, you gotta laugh at some of the claims
Yup. Unless you were and/or are indigenous, black, female, Irish, Latino…..and so on right on down or up to the point where you hit the white male protestant where the borders of the virtuous circle of inclusiveness were historically set.
And as an aside I don’t get the reference to Venice and its shrinking population being made (as though that’sa mark of decline) with absolutely no reference to the Black Death or, with refernce to later centuries, the city’s unique character/location. But hey.
edit. That comment was a response to Joe90’s comment and link….but the entire comment be gone now. Oh well.
I Like It
🙂 (open-minded)
those hispanics be giving the WASP’s a serve shortly though; that’s demographics for ya
No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs-John Lydon
(I could be wrong, …I could be right…may the road rise with you)
Next
Yeah, it’s all Capitalism is great until the capitalists take over and then it’s fucked but it’s still great. Certainly made a hell of a lot of assumptions that bear no resemblance to reality.
Scroll through this;
National appear worn and worried and no second Act
Bnnt admits, she needs to revisit her past
Betrayal (Williamson quoting Zeppelin, well I be f#ck$d) Remember Rohm?
no amount of pastel can soften the piranha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impression_management
you don’t impress me
MIKE BEHRENS for SUPREME JUSTICE (God bless you Mike) now there is a discerning and merciful Judge.
Key; certainly lost his rag / doll
Go Metiria
http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/4E81D2D8-A12B-4C60-A5C2-D9FB8C5BD401/211281/IncomeTaxUniversalisationofInworkTaxCreditAmendmen.pdf
Yet Dunny wants to flush it??
Now this Open Adoption Movement, about freakin Time (read some developmental psychology)
Keys Jokes are just not funny anymore, if they ever were, to more than sycophants.
(now, Pinot Noir (wee anasthetic) and Mainland Tasty ARE something decent we produce)
HONE HARAWIRA AUCKLAND DISTRICT COURT (ALBERT ST) APPEARANCE WEDNESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2012 9AM (?)
“Supporters meet outside Auckland District Court at at 8.45am Hone Harawira and others with serious injuries from the protest will be there. Get there if you can…” message from John Minto)
Hone Harawira gets arrested by Police for a purported minor traffic offence – but Police do NOTHING against the Leader of the ACT Party – MP for Epsom John Banks for alleged electoral fraud and ‘white collar’ crime? I’ll be there! Join us if you believe in ONE LAW FOR ALL? And if you oppose ‘ECONOMIC APARTHEID’ and ‘WAR ON THE POOR’?
WEDNESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2012 – AUCKLAND DISTRICT COURT
ALBERT ST AUCKLAND CITY:
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
Well said Penny 🙂
“but Police do NOTHING against the Leader of the ACT Party”
They couldn’t (though I wish they could).
CRAP.
Police could have charged former fellow Directors of Huljich Wealth Management (NZ) Ltd John Banks (and Don Brash) under s.58(3) of the Securities Act for signing Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009 which contained untrue statements.
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1978/0103/latest/DLM29406.html
ONE LAW FOR ALL?
How come Peter Huljich was the only one of those 3 Directors who was charged for a STRICT LIABILITY offence?
Corrupt political protection?
For background details – check out http://www.pennybright4epsom.org.nz and http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
I assumed you meant the the recent donations scandals which the police couldn’t prosecute.
I’d be more than happy to review any evidence you have of Banks wrong doing in the Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme. I don’t know enough about it to make any call of wrong doing so if you could provide me with some evidence of impropriety I would like to see it.
I’ve given you the links for this information.
However – it may require you to do a little work and READ this information?
Please bear in mind that it takes a LOT longer to research and write up this information than it does to read it?
Happy homework 🙂
For background details – check out http://www.pennybright4epsom.org.nz and http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
Penny Bright
This is called ‘elephant hurling’, where in you direct the person asking the question to massive volumes of your own data.
Specifically I am wondering about the links you used to draw your conclusions, not links to your own conclusion.
Sure you’re not just being lazy?
🙂
You could always try reading the above-mentioned Huljich Kiwisaver Scheme registered prospectuses dated 22 August 2008 and 18 September 2009 – which I’ve taken the trouble to make available for public perusal?
Hardly ‘my’ data?
Kind regards,
Penny Bright
No it’s called elephant hurling.
But all my reading has uncovered so far is that there is not enough evidence to proceed with charges against either Brash or Banks. This is no way a testament to their character on my part, I am merely trying to establish what evidence you have that charges should have been forthcoming and/or the police/judiciary somehow acted with impropriety.
“I don’t like them” or “They were obviously guilty” aren’t good enough, I’m afraid. Only evidence will work. This is in no way a defence of Banks mind you, I dislike him quite strongly.
TheComedian
That’s meant to be a joke… Right? The relevant law that you have obviously not bothered to read states:
I hope that wasn’t too much reading for your delicate sensibilities TC. We wouldn’t want you to strain yourself and do an injury. You wouldn’t be such an effective apologist for old corrupt bastards then eh!
And Hullich was charged.
Apparently he can now remember the presence of a video camera, but he cannot remember the, more important, contents of a presentation.
Somewhere in the mix he has stated he remembered being advised that the presentation would not be recorded, yet those same charges have done a “full” review of the period in question (having said previously that it wouldn’t be recorded???) Confused Mmmmm – selective memory.
John Key ordered the investigation, he’s culpible no one else.
Late Edition last night RNZ, if any recording turns up of Key on February 29 2012 in the GCSB cafeteria it does not get destroyed, it gets archived.
I reckon the archives would be the first place to visit.
Is it permissible for Key to have any information destroyed held by the GCSB?
Not permissable no, not even in accordance with Information Tracking Procedures either.
They keep everything, that’s how it works.
I am sure anything prior to 19 January 2012 regarding Key discussing Dotcom will have a very secure archive.
When people like Sir Jeffery Palmer come out and say what the relationship between the PM and the GCSB is like, in a heart beat I am not fooled.
Can I prove it? No.
Does this make me wrong? No
When it comes to probability did Key know about Dotcom prior to 19 January 2012? Yes
Yes, it appears all very odd to set up a camera and not record…I believe they said there was a camera on a tripod set up….
A Sustainable Energy Future For NZ (without the hot air) – An Update
Well, at least somebody is asking the right questions. Pity it’s not the government.
Yes we can survive.
They’re called “Brownouts”and “Power Flicker”.
They’ll take care of the consumption problem nicely M8.
The stove and the water heater will keep working … digital stuff i’ll be toast, and flicker will kill the TV as well.
Heaps of recycled electronic goods as well, worth thinking about 🙂
Rolling black outs mate, easier on the electronics than brown outs.
Big market in surge protectors and UPS’s in the future I bet.
Related.
http://energybulletin.net/stories/2012-01-13/will-new-zealand-be-first-developed-country-evolve-steady-state-economy
Pop-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projection_(psychology)
Next? (I am just being n0rty now)
🙂
(he’s not the messiah, he’s just a naughty boy)
🙂
Johny Sparkles defined by Wikipedia, Who’d a thought?
They always get a “Glow on” when Freud is mentioned
I propose a new Thesis ….
“The Power of Vacuum” a study of Johny Sparkles 🙂
Power fills a vacuum
🙂
(and not “personal power” either; collective power)
Pride b4 fall, or bloated explosion with apology?
Vacuum far outweighs everything else in this Universe.
No one else is gonna call it yet, I’m going with Landslide Labour/Greens/Mana/NZFirst myself.
Not me. Don’t know. It is Shearer’s fault. It is Ira’s fault. Not my job to oversee Spy agencies. Don’t know what Projection means and don’t want to know.
Lies within lies, on top of lies. Lies flanked and protected by lies. Lies about lying, lies about spying.
John Banks publicly stated that he had “nothing to fear, nothing to hide,” over the donations scandal.
Nothing to fear?
Nothing to hide?
As it turns out, John Banks did fear something, and in contrast to his public assertion that he had nothing to hide, asked the police to keep their investigation into his Mayoral donations hidden from the public.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7822867/Banks-fought-Dotcom-file-release
John Key said he would have no confidence in John Banks as Minister if he found he had lied to him.
Now that solid proof has come out that Banks lied in claiming that he didn’t ask the police to suppress evidence arising from the police investigation into his mayoral campaign donations.
Will John Key act on his promise in relation to John Banks as a Minister?
Or was that a lie?
Is John Banks lying about donations from Dotcom?
Is John Key lying about everything to do with Kim Dotcom, relating to the GCSB illegal spying?
Without a doubt John Banks is a proven liar.
But is the Prime Minister a liar?
Time will tell. If after this latest revelation John Key keeps John Banks as a Minister in his government.
Is John Banks lying about donations from Dotcom? Yes!
Is John Key lying about everything to do with Kim Dotcom, relating to the GCSB illegal spying? Yes!
And the reason they’re both lying through their teeth is because both have so much more to hide.
Apart from the fact Key still needs Banks’ vote etc., he will keep Banks as a Minister in his government because Banksie knows where the bodies are buried.
India Inc.
http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/in-india-gm-crops-come-at-a-high-price/?
and while ” we “are all being so popularly precious about Gender in the West
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1015/breaking56.html?
(pray for the young girl shot in the head)
Why do you not take your “whine” some place else?
‘What the hell was that’ ‘I want to see all you children in my office next school day’
Supposedly intelligent,articulate,bright (debateable) set of parliament ministers,pm and
the speaker launch into what could be described as a ‘free for all ‘ forget the fists,
words will do,a scene of total disobediance.
But hey, shonkey did admit he talked dotcom at the feb 29th meeting,phew, now
we wait and see if there are any dates earlier than 29th feb……….
Maybe Shearer should stay leader: the ‘tape’ story is getting obliterated by the MSD story, which is then bleeding into a wider data-trust narrative.
Labour needs a leader who can fuck up, AND be lucky. Yes?
Stuff is running a poll asking ‘How is the Government doing?’
On this link
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7822867/Banks-fought-Dotcom-file-release
Presently
22.5% well
73 % not well
4.5 % don’t care
Feel free to add your vote…………
“Not well” is rather polite.
Landslide on the Net M8!
Anyone know what the fracas at the beginning of Question Time was all about. Two ordered out of House. Trevor chose to walk out.Something about the PM- letter about PM sent by Winston to the Leader- issue before the Parliamentary or Privileges Committee- Key’s response received yesterday. What the!!!!
Anyone?
Wasn’t is something to do with some letters??
I don’t know either, but it was obviously something of some importance.as Winston was prepared to lose his question for it.
The letter to the Speaker was sent on the 5 October(?) and again 15 October(?) and concerned John Key and maybe the Privileges Committee. If my half heard version is so, then the irony is obvious. Key having Peters in front of Priv Committee in 08. What if Peters now has Key up before the Priv Committee???? Forgive me. Probably got it wrong.
Here is the start of Question time:
http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/15472
It was something to do with Key’s personal statement. It seems he got up to make it without first asking for a ‘point of order’. God knows why Winnie et al got their knickers in a twist. Some nuance of which I’m not familiar.
I think Winston Peters has sent a letter to the Speaker accusing John Key of a breach of parliamentary privilege. Lockwood Smith has yet to rule on whether there is a case to be answered. We all know what the answer will probably be.
Key never spoke a word , the speaker spoke the words “point of order” for him.
Engineered denial …… Go Winston Peters and Others!
I think that there are rules to be followed. Can’t be a majority decision of the House otherwise no charge could ever be laid against the Government. Watch this space!
They wanted to raise a point of order and Key wanted to make a personal information. Points of order trump everything else and should have been considered first.
They were just playing stupid political games for no apparent reason. Most people grow out of that when they get to college.
Wrong. They were calling for points of order, and as micky says they should have been acknowledged immediately.
What Lockwood allowed Key to do there was disgraceful and a gross insult to the entire house, and by extension to all of New Zealand.
If you knew anything about parliament you wouldn’t need this explained to you. Lockwood knew he was wrong too, that’s why his voice was breaking.
Yes, disgraceful.
It is starting to feel like the government is close to breaking point.
Thanks for that felix. I think I see what happened now. After the House stood and clapped for the Cook Island Speaker, everyone sat down with the exception of John Key who remained standing and started to launch into his personal statement without going through established protocol as set down by the House rules (Standing Orders) and without so much as a bat of an eyelid from the Speaker.
Pre-arranged? I expect so. Disgraceful and totally underhand!
@micky, Isn’t it usual for the politicians to ask for leave of the house to make a personal
statement, in such circumstances and lockwood does protects the right too often.
There should be an independant speaker,outside of any political party,perhaps
a retired judge etc.
@ianmac, It was bleedin hard to tell really,it wasn’t what i got my coffee and a chocky biky for,key said he talked kim on the 29th feb,it all happened so quick even the mic couldn’t keep up.
this government just wants to make it up as it goes along.
they dont believe in government anyway.
Has anyone asked this question?
When was the PM approached by the US authorities (channels of US administration) to request /advise him that an operation was desirable in New Zealand? At what level and at which meeting in the year(s) prior to the raid in February 2012 did the US departments approach the PM of New Zealand?
If nothing else, it beggars belief that the leader of a friendly sovereign state would not be approached by a very high level delegation prior to their operatives working in that foreign state.
Just trying to imagine similar circumstances in other “friendly” nations of the world?
Australia, Canada, Great Britain, France, South Africa, Germany … Sweden, mmmmmmm, nah.
Ah, yes … it was during the heady days of the appearance on the Letterman Show. No wonder he forgot.
It was no doubt a standard request under the extradition treaty NZ has with the US. The PM would not need to be involved although he may have been advised as a matter of courtesy.
Is this a treaty we should ignore? Are there other treaties we can ignore?
Whilst it’s true a standard request would have been investigated and dismissed once residency was attained, they arrested him anyway …… why would they do that buddy???
The goal was reached when Megaupload was closed down. The US are not interested in side show Key, keystone cops and are probably laughing at the GCSB/SIS for being so gullible.
They obviously have a “Debt Recovery” mentality/agenda.
For some reason they think a “Difference Caching” engine is grounds for “Informed copyright Infringement”
Which ultimately means because Megaupload cranked the time to live on those files upto 100 years, (Which most ISP’s will do to save backbone data), has made them a target of the US law enforcement trying to recover “Missing Transactions” for “Projected” film sales.
They’ll lose bud, the above is “The Case”, they know it too, so why is Dotcom on bail again?
What? dotCom having residency has nothing to do with whether he is able to be extradited or not. Otherwise it would already all be over. But DotCom does still have to go and argue his case as to why he shouldn’t be extradited. And he might not win.
Yeah, but these were US officers operating in a friendly state. Not just NZ officers executing an arrest and extradition. That would surely involve keeping the PM informed.
So, Southland anti-choicers have decided to “name and shame” abortion providers. I had a little play with the idea of naming and shaming other medical providers, and came up with #namethedentists.
How about name and shame the anti-choicers?
That would only work if there were widespread societal stigma against being moralising wankers who try to endanger people’s health so they can feed their superiority complexes.
Actually, it would only work if the moralising wankers could be made to feel shame about being moralising wankers. I doubt that this is possible.
Funny how you shriek about Rights! Rights! Rights! for gay ‘marriage’. Wax lyrical about “My Love Rights!”
Then kill off an unborn child because it’s “inconvenient for my career”.
or because you were raped by your father.
Extreme example there, but thats ok, I’m not against abortion in certain situations. Just not interested in that gender bigot feminist extremism that wants abortion on demand.
So, just to be clear, there’s not actually a moral issue with “killing off an unborn child” as long as you, k_p, think the circumstances warrant it?
😉
And now Banks has been proven to be lying while a minister.
So, will Key hold Banks to account? Na, of course not.