Yup, I partly agree with you Matthew about Labour’s TPP positioning.
Labour missed the chance to stand firmly against the TPP.
Chris Trotter nailed it.
‘Why has Andrew Little rejected a winning TPPA strategy for a guaranteed loser?’
Trotter suggests that Labour may no longer be “committed to meaningful social and economic change”.
He could have kicked for touch (waited for text), opposed TPP or declared victory and supported TPP. Any of these would have had internal integrity and been politically ok. He managed to find the one form of words certain to fuck off both pros and antis and make him and his party look ridiculous. Quite an achievement in its own way!
Andrew Little did “kick for touch”, Matthew Hooton, and he’s been descried for doing so ! He’s said he didn’t know all the details, what’s fully in the text, and he’s opposed parts he does know about, and what’s more – he’s also said that if necessary a Labour government would breach parts of the agreement it doesn’t approve of. What more do you all want ?
1. Labour opposes the TPP on principle unless it meets these 5 bottoms lines (list them again).
2. At this stage Labour has no control over whether NZ is part of the TPP, only National does and its allied parties.
3. Labour will not pull out of the TPP when it is government, because we feel that is not in NZ’s best interests (provide an explanation of why this is so).
4. Instead Labour will endeavour to address each of our 5 bottoms lines one by one eg Labour will still pass legislation restricting overseas land ownership.
5. We will then fight any disputes process that happens as a result. (here Labour needs to provide a very clear explanation of what that actually means, including how it will deal with being sued by corporations).
That’s the gist of what they’ve done, but the issues in brackets in 3. and 5. haven’t been explained and sorry, but I don’t trust Labour on those things.
Little and Labour stuffed up its position on the TPP in exactly the same way it did on the flag change fiasco and three bloody peaks or whatever it’s called. It’s either because the people in there have such opposing views on everything that any attempt at a compromise will always fail or they’re just very very stupid when it comes to strategy. Suspect it’s way more than a bit of both.
Clearly the voters don’t give a shit about integrity Matthew or National wouldn’t be in a third term. They forgive lying and misleading regularly if they believe the nonsense about them getting a better life. I mean even you were prepared to dance around the law and its intent for your ideological beliefs and career progression?
You might want to think about the shit show the country has to vote for as an alternative. But hey.. keep saying the public is stupid. Seems to be working.
In April 2002, when the New Zealand Herald cartoonist Malcolm Evans dared to criticize the Holy State for its depradations in the Occupied West Bank (this was just after the Jenin massacre) the Israeli consulate, in concert with influential supporters including David Nathan, Dame Lesley Max and David Zwarz, mounted a sustained campaign of character assassination and vilification against Evans, combined with snarling threats against the Herald‘s editor, Gavin Ellis, a weak character who needed little more than a few swear words down the telephone to frighten him. He sacked Evans eventually, replacing him with the pisspoor Rod Emmerson.
Sterling work, joe! I know how you feel about Max’s comments having disappeared into the ether. That’s the problem with leaving it to the unreliable archivists at Radio New Zealand.
It’s for that reason that I spend so much time committing the words of people like Lesley Max to paper. That way we can confront them with evidence of their villainy whenever we want….
I’ve found Littles views on the tpp easy to understand anyone who is struggling is either listening to the people that have set out to deflect trouble away from the nats pathetic bargaining in the negotiations of the tpp or is one of the shit stirrers
Yep you would think Labour could be bothered clearing up the variation between Littles statements and their TPPA position on their website or FB page at least.
Little’s statements don’t seem in line with their ‘official’ TPPA position which has more holes in it anyway than swiss cheese, and doesn’t even seem to be able to stick with that either.
And b wag horn you can dismiss all the ex Labour supporters as
set out to deflect trouble away from the nats pathetic bargaining in the negotiations of the tpp or is one of the shit stirrers
which maybe Labours official position on anyone who is confused (they are just shit stirrers) but again that 15% of votes they lost last election should be a ring-a-ding moment for understanding that those angry ex supporting ‘shit stirrers’ are voters who are sending them a message that after 7 years you would think they might concede they need to address.
I think Labour’s problem is that had convinced themselves the TPP would be diabolical. When they learned on Monday all five of their bottom lines had been met, they experienced cognitive dissonance that they need to work through. In the meantime, they are stuck in that awful place where ten facts are not the ones you want to believe.
He is probably referring to Little’s briefing from Groser and all the inside information he doesn’t have on TPP which would mean someone is breaching the crucial secrecy which denied the rest of us access to same.
My observation of Matthew is unless he is getting hot under the colour and going all screamy and ad hominem he only pushes hard (and repeatedly) on things he is SURE about (apologies for the mental image that may have produced, not intended). he may not have seen stuff but somebody/s have told him enough for him to feel he is on sure ground… which would also be a breach of the secrecy
I never said they opposed it, my take on it is ;
In the lead up to signing they applied as much pressure on national as they could to get them to not sell us out .
After the signing they have gone for a sensible amount of caution on what they say so as not to be tricked into tight corner by key and co .
While also making it clear they will find away to legislate for protecting nz residents chances of owning there own home.
People need to learn to keep an eye on what the main players are saying and not getting sidetracked by all the chatter coming from likes of hooton .
to Paul @ 1.3.1. on Stuff, 11 October 2015 – at end of story re “bigger gains for dairy from India, Indonesia” –
Andrew Little is quoted as saying ” If it came to walking away from the TPPA to get a better deal elsewhere, Little said a Labour government reserved that right”.
Hi Jenny – reserving your right is not really saying NO to TPP.
I think that is what Labour don’t get. People don’t want to support a party that does not give a clear message on TPP, which is going to affect all part of Kiwi’s lives, heath, housing, law, copywrite, justice, security, transparancy, sovereignty and trade.
The fact it was pushed through so that Obama can have some sort of legacy (after the trillions in US debt and an un win able occupation) is even worse. Obama has hardly left the US or the planet in better shape after his presidency. A last ditch attempt to put US and other countries jobs at risk and the reduction in environmental sovereignty into corporate control under TPP seems to be more of the same.
People have a right to know concrete policy before they support a party. Labour can ‘reserve’ their right to walk away on TPP even the Natz can, but we all know they will not.
“Reserving the right to withdraw” utterly meaningless. All 12 TPP countries “reserve the right to withdraw”. That is why they put the withdrawal provisions in the deal.
Andrew Little is quoted as saying ”If it came to walking away from the TPPA to get a better deal elsewhere, Little said a Labour government reserved that right”.
Yep, better deal elsewhere. Labour don’t have a problem with free market neoliberalism. I don’t think they have any intention of moving left, they’re just going to tinker with the edges a bit. Think Clark government lite.
They are worse than Clark because she at least had the balls to complain about international stuff that was wrong (like Israeli agents stealing disabled NZ identities and be caught) and do something about it. I think both Key and Little would just let any similar incident ride rather than cause an international incident. Key would probably be keen to make money out of passports anyway (finally a return on investment from the disabled – fake international passports).
As for Labour being briefed on the document – it is massive – so as with any agreement the devil is in the detail. I’m sure it all looks rosy in the briefing papers but try to get the whole agreement to see if it is true. No can do as Prof Kelsey has found. And apparently noone can find out for 7 years.
It’s the last few days of the Canadian federal election campaign.
The central issue of the longest campaign in Canadian history has been how to get rid of Stephen Harper.
It looks increasingly likely that Canadians have decided Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party are the means by which that will be achieved.
The Grits have established a 4 to 7% lead over the Tories nationally but more importantly they’re leading by 10 to 13% in Ontario (which accounts for over a third of all the federal ridings). http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/poll-tracker/2015/index.html
I hope today that when John Key meets with Australian PM, he advocates on behalf of law abiding Kiwis living in Australia getting a better deal rather than the sc*m who assulted, robbed, raped and burgled law abiding people and now are claiming they have been discriminated against as they are being deported from a country that opened its door to them.
Tories are, inevitably, ignorant on pretty much everything. It’s that lack of knowledge combined with their inability to think that allows the psychopaths running National to lead them around by the nose.
Take this comment for example. Classic flamebait, calling people “scum”, wishing human rights abuse upon them, and then paying lip service to personal responsibility makes Tory a dull hypocrite.
For his next trick, Tory will vote for the party that always generates more unemployment – yes it does, that’s a fact – and then start hating on poor people.
Lying about your own beliefs and mine. If you had an inkling of personal responsibility you’d know how to form an argument that doesn’t rely on Mr. Strawman.
” I support personal responsibility rather than reliance on the State as a surrogate wet nurse that you and the confused from the left advocate”
Like SCF bailout by the state of business and right wing investors
Like government handouts to farmers for irrigation. Why can’t they stand on their own two feet like grown-ups? If their business cannot attract attention from private investment, then rather than by subsidised by the taxpayer it should be allowed to fail.
Like Rio Tinto getting state welfare in Invercargill.
Like the stock exchange even. That great bastion of personal responsibility – ha ha ha ha. Recall one of the reasons for floating SOE’s was to support the failing private stock exchange. Fucking useless pricks.
Like welfare support for Hollywood and Peter Jackson. Unable to stand on their own two feet either.
Like farmers penchant for all structures socialist – heard of Fonterra? or Ravensdown? Two of NZ’s largest cooperatives – know what cooperation means fulla?
Doesn’t leave much in the world of private personally responsible right wing tory business does it.
you undersdtand that those people you dont like are being sent back here, to live next door to you or your friends… just so long as you are clear.
Oh and the children who have not committed offences and never lived in NZ?
You support personal responsibility from the position of someone who has deluded themselves that everything they have today was down tot heir own hard graft and sheer brilliance…
So you support Hide taking responsibility for the disaster that is the Auckland amalgamation, Bradford for our runaway power bills, Douglas for the increase in working poor since 1984, Key for the loss of nearly 900 million in dividends from power companies, Don Elder and the National party for Solid Energy etc, etc.
“During October support for National rose 5.5% to 50% well ahead of a potential Labour/Greens alliance 40.5% (down 5.5%) according to the latest Roy Morgan New Zealand Poll. If a NZ Election were held now the latest NZ Roy Morgan Poll shows National would be easily re-elected.”
Up and down like a …..’s trousers, but not surprising given Labour’s recent performance.
Yep, is the word NO to TPP is too hard for Labour to comprehend. Also Helen Clarks position beside Key cementing the NatLite relationship will be costing the votes.
So our ‘Tory’ troll does not believe in state education, our state health system or people being free and moving on with their lives once they have done their time and paid for their crimes ……………….
He’s probably all for rich tax cheats though …………………….
So true:
“I think the general consensus is that it’s ironic that we have been able to vote on a flag change which is…”
Trivial.
“Well surface-level stuff, while something like this that’s really representing our country overseas has been kept secret for a long time. Do you think this sets a precedent for the way the New Zealand government will interact with the public in the future?”
The Key Team have found many ways to mislead and distort Demoracy.
But Canadian Harper is even better/worse at it than Key!
As Harper tries for a fourth term in office at the Canadian federal election next week, he is trailed by an extraordinarily long list of allegations. ……
….Some of these allegations have been proved. In the 11 years since he became leader of the country’s Conservatives, the party has been fined for breaking electoral rules, and various members of Team Harper have been caught misleading parliament, gagging civil servants, subverting parliamentary committees, gagging scientists, harassing the supreme court, gagging diplomats, lying to the public, concealing evidence of potential crime, spying on opponents, bullying and smearing. Harper personally has earned himself the rare rebuke of being found to be in contempt of his parliament…..
… the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which has been described eloquently by the Globe and Mail as “a 90-person juggernaut of political strategists, ‘issues managers’ and party enforcers who exercise strict control over cabinet, the houses of parliament and the bureaucracy….”
Sound familiar? http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/15/stephen-harper-master-manipulator
But what about their opposition – do they stand by and wave the corruption through in Canada – while ineffectually complaining about it- and then agreeing with much of what the conservatives are doing anyway?
That is the true trick of the right. To noble your competition by trickery and they don’t even comprehend you are doing it and then start to join in too (unsuccessfully).
Trickery and getting away with it.
“….a bus full of aboriginal voters, who were very unlikely to vote Conservative, and who were misdirected by calls and ended up not voting at all. That riding – Nipissing-Timiskaming – went to the Conservatives with a majority of only 18.”
And the source of the calls could not be found.
I personally know many Harper supporters.
He has fostered an air of fear in Canada for both financial and personal security. As many western governments do.
It’s a disgrace.
The Liberals are no better….another ultra “centrist” establishment party which these days signifies fear and violence.
…”The site, operated by Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, MSF), was attacked five times in the span of an hour by a C-130 gunship, despite repeated pleas by the MSF to US forces. MSF officials described repeated strafing runs against the main hospital building, which housed the emergency room and the intensive care unit. No surrounding buildings were hit, they say.”
( a question many have been asking themselves)
‘Did Obama Bomb Doctors Without Borders for Opposing TPP?’
…”Had the President of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Doctors Without Borders not warned us of the “imminent threat to global health” posed by the TPP, would these 22 doctors and patients have lost their lives early Saturday?…
Doctors Without Borders Calls Airstrike a War Crime
I don’t think it is to do with TPP, more that Obama has lost control of the military in Iraq, and the US military and private contractors and overseas troops are doing whatever they like, and Obama is reluctant to try to bring his own military and private contractors to account.
Good dose of reality for the anti-TPPA activists here, and results I commented on and fully expected.
National have recovered in October after Labour did them like a dinner in September.
Labour need to forget TPPA entirely, get back to attacking weak Ministers, and back to issues that are both media-positive and resonant with actual citizens’ direct interests.
Portfolios like:
– Social Welfare
– Employment
– Corrections
– Housing
– Economic Development
– Education
And if the existing Labour shadow portfolios aren’t up to making good hits, then either support them with more staff, or reshuffle them.
which is why the Right are keen to promote him to Mayor of Auckland. You understand that when National (and its supporters) are praising Clark and Goff……
sanity is not defined by who agrees with you Matthew.
I agree with what Phil said:
“He denied Labour was “stuck in the dark ages” regarding the TPPA, and said the party had not yet decided whether it would support or oppose the deal.
“I think the party is doing the right thing at the moment – until you read the fine print, you don’t sign the document.
“We’ve had a briefing from Tim Groser and that was really helpful, but there are things that he couldn’t answer…and we’ve got to see the detail of it.”
Once in a blue moon I am moved to comment on one or other of the MSM news sites. The last time was a TV3 news/opinion piece about the axing of Campbell Live. My comment contained critical language concerning Julie Christie and Mark Weldon whom I saw as the principle protagonists in the demise of the show. Ever since I appear to have been barred from the TV3 comments section. I can’t even read them to see what other readers have to say. No problem reading comments elsewhere.
What a pair of lily livered, pouting pratts. I’m happy to see TV3 is going down the gurgler with that pair in charge. Sometimes people do get what they deserve.
actually, depending on power efficiencies it might be good in dedicated areas like warehouses. Ignoring the vertical storage issues, of course.
Theme parks… maybe. Or they could just upscale an air hockey table, for less.
But the thing about skate parks is that they’re largely created to try to get skateboarders out of public spaces, particularly because of the damage they can cause to benches etc. But skateboards are a valid (if dickish, and not just because one almost hit me today) form of transport outside of parks. And boards are relatively cheap, not requiring batteries or liquid nitrogen.
So yeah, might be a fad for rich kids, but not for long and not widespread.
Very disappointing from Little.
Labour members and supporters, as well as progressive voters, should take a leaf from the approach of Little and his entourage by flouting requests for donations and help.
We’re in 2015, and the Labour Party is not ever reverting to some prelapsarian Socialist form. (That question was asked in 2014, and the answer was resoundingly: NO).
US invaded Afghanistan and Iraq to bring in democracy, freedom of speech, human rights and because of 9/11. (Yeah right).
Why are they attacking the wrong countries then?
Mother of Saudi Teen Sentenced to Crucifixion Urges Obama: ‘Rescue My Son’
Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was sentenced to death at the age of 17 after taking part in a rally for equal Shia rights in Saudi Arabia
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Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
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Clever cartoon in Herald today by Rod Emmerson on Labour’s current leader. Little is right up there (down there?) with Bill English in 2002/3.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11529860
Yup, I partly agree with you Matthew about Labour’s TPP positioning.
Labour missed the chance to stand firmly against the TPP.
Chris Trotter nailed it.
‘Why has Andrew Little rejected a winning TPPA strategy for a guaranteed loser?’
Trotter suggests that Labour may no longer be “committed to meaningful social and economic change”.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/10/14/flouting-the-rules-why-has-andrew-little-rejected-a-winning-tppa-strategy-for-a-guaranteed-loser/
He could have kicked for touch (waited for text), opposed TPP or declared victory and supported TPP. Any of these would have had internal integrity and been politically ok. He managed to find the one form of words certain to fuck off both pros and antis and make him and his party look ridiculous. Quite an achievement in its own way!
Andrew Little did “kick for touch”, Matthew Hooton, and he’s been descried for doing so ! He’s said he didn’t know all the details, what’s fully in the text, and he’s opposed parts he does know about, and what’s more – he’s also said that if necessary a Labour government would breach parts of the agreement it doesn’t approve of. What more do you all want ?
1. Labour opposes the TPP on principle unless it meets these 5 bottoms lines (list them again).
2. At this stage Labour has no control over whether NZ is part of the TPP, only National does and its allied parties.
3. Labour will not pull out of the TPP when it is government, because we feel that is not in NZ’s best interests (provide an explanation of why this is so).
4. Instead Labour will endeavour to address each of our 5 bottoms lines one by one eg Labour will still pass legislation restricting overseas land ownership.
5. We will then fight any disputes process that happens as a result. (here Labour needs to provide a very clear explanation of what that actually means, including how it will deal with being sued by corporations).
That’s the gist of what they’ve done, but the issues in brackets in 3. and 5. haven’t been explained and sorry, but I don’t trust Labour on those things.
Little and Labour stuffed up its position on the TPP in exactly the same way it did on the flag change fiasco and three bloody peaks or whatever it’s called. It’s either because the people in there have such opposing views on everything that any attempt at a compromise will always fail or they’re just very very stupid when it comes to strategy. Suspect it’s way more than a bit of both.
…and that’s why Labour’s fucked.
Clearly the voters don’t give a shit about integrity Matthew or National wouldn’t be in a third term. They forgive lying and misleading regularly if they believe the nonsense about them getting a better life. I mean even you were prepared to dance around the law and its intent for your ideological beliefs and career progression?
You might want to think about the shit show the country has to vote for as an alternative. But hey.. keep saying the public is stupid. Seems to be working.
Emmerson?!!??!??
In April 2002, when the New Zealand Herald cartoonist Malcolm Evans dared to criticize the Holy State for its depradations in the Occupied West Bank (this was just after the Jenin massacre) the Israeli consulate, in concert with influential supporters including David Nathan, Dame Lesley Max and David Zwarz, mounted a sustained campaign of character assassination and vilification against Evans, combined with snarling threats against the Herald‘s editor, Gavin Ellis, a weak character who needed little more than a few swear words down the telephone to frighten him. He sacked Evans eventually, replacing him with the pisspoor Rod Emmerson.
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/protest-against-former-herald-editor/5/141168
Your mentioning Dame Lesley Max had me search TS to find this and sure enough, her dreadful comments have disappeared into the ether.
Sterling work, joe! I know how you feel about Max’s comments having disappeared into the ether. That’s the problem with leaving it to the unreliable archivists at Radio New Zealand.
It’s for that reason that I spend so much time committing the words of people like Lesley Max to paper. That way we can confront them with evidence of their villainy whenever we want….
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17082011/#comment-365445
I’ve found Littles views on the tpp easy to understand anyone who is struggling is either listening to the people that have set out to deflect trouble away from the nats pathetic bargaining in the negotiations of the tpp or is one of the shit stirrers
Can you point me to a link showing his unqualified opposition to TPP?
I really want to see the Labour Party standing against it.
Yep you would think Labour could be bothered clearing up the variation between Littles statements and their TPPA position on their website or FB page at least.
Little’s statements don’t seem in line with their ‘official’ TPPA position which has more holes in it anyway than swiss cheese, and doesn’t even seem to be able to stick with that either.
And b wag horn you can dismiss all the ex Labour supporters as
set out to deflect trouble away from the nats pathetic bargaining in the negotiations of the tpp or is one of the shit stirrers
which maybe Labours official position on anyone who is confused (they are just shit stirrers) but again that 15% of votes they lost last election should be a ring-a-ding moment for understanding that those angry ex supporting ‘shit stirrers’ are voters who are sending them a message that after 7 years you would think they might concede they need to address.
And like me, are still giving Labour their electorate vote so stop National getting it.
It can still get a lot worse for Labour – they are antagonising their voters who still give their electoral vote to them.
I think Labour’s problem is that had convinced themselves the TPP would be diabolical. When they learned on Monday all five of their bottom lines had been met, they experienced cognitive dissonance that they need to work through. In the meantime, they are stuck in that awful place where ten facts are not the ones you want to believe.
“all five of their bottom lines had been met”
how do you know that?
He is probably referring to Little’s briefing from Groser and all the inside information he doesn’t have on TPP which would mean someone is breaching the crucial secrecy which denied the rest of us access to same.
heh, I was wondering if Hooton was a fly on the wall, or simply spinning.
My observation of Matthew is unless he is getting hot under the colour and going all screamy and ad hominem he only pushes hard (and repeatedly) on things he is SURE about (apologies for the mental image that may have produced, not intended). he may not have seen stuff but somebody/s have told him enough for him to feel he is on sure ground… which would also be a breach of the secrecy
I guess some here need to decide what’s more important getting a new government or killing labour and hoping something better rises from the ruins.
I never said they opposed it, my take on it is ;
In the lead up to signing they applied as much pressure on national as they could to get them to not sell us out .
After the signing they have gone for a sensible amount of caution on what they say so as not to be tricked into tight corner by key and co .
While also making it clear they will find away to legislate for protecting nz residents chances of owning there own home.
People need to learn to keep an eye on what the main players are saying and not getting sidetracked by all the chatter coming from likes of hooton .
to Paul @ 1.3.1. on Stuff, 11 October 2015 – at end of story re “bigger gains for dairy from India, Indonesia” –
Andrew Little is quoted as saying ” If it came to walking away from the TPPA to get a better deal elsewhere, Little said a Labour government reserved that right”.
Hi Jenny – reserving your right is not really saying NO to TPP.
I think that is what Labour don’t get. People don’t want to support a party that does not give a clear message on TPP, which is going to affect all part of Kiwi’s lives, heath, housing, law, copywrite, justice, security, transparancy, sovereignty and trade.
The fact it was pushed through so that Obama can have some sort of legacy (after the trillions in US debt and an un win able occupation) is even worse. Obama has hardly left the US or the planet in better shape after his presidency. A last ditch attempt to put US and other countries jobs at risk and the reduction in environmental sovereignty into corporate control under TPP seems to be more of the same.
People have a right to know concrete policy before they support a party. Labour can ‘reserve’ their right to walk away on TPP even the Natz can, but we all know they will not.
“Reserving the right to withdraw” utterly meaningless. All 12 TPP countries “reserve the right to withdraw”. That is why they put the withdrawal provisions in the deal.
“get a better deal ”
Does that mean more money? Cos I don’t see any major party judging this on anything other than $$$$. Not on erosion of rights or sovereignty etc.
Also, has he laid out which law changes Labour would oppose, he clearly has some in mind?
Andrew Little is quoted as saying ”If it came to walking away from the TPPA to get a better deal elsewhere, Little said a Labour government reserved that right”.
Yep, better deal elsewhere. Labour don’t have a problem with free market neoliberalism. I don’t think they have any intention of moving left, they’re just going to tinker with the edges a bit. Think Clark government lite.
They are worse than Clark because she at least had the balls to complain about international stuff that was wrong (like Israeli agents stealing disabled NZ identities and be caught) and do something about it. I think both Key and Little would just let any similar incident ride rather than cause an international incident. Key would probably be keen to make money out of passports anyway (finally a return on investment from the disabled – fake international passports).
As for Labour being briefed on the document – it is massive – so as with any agreement the devil is in the detail. I’m sure it all looks rosy in the briefing papers but try to get the whole agreement to see if it is true. No can do as Prof Kelsey has found. And apparently noone can find out for 7 years.
Sounds transparent and fair – NOT.
It’s the last few days of the Canadian federal election campaign.
The central issue of the longest campaign in Canadian history has been how to get rid of Stephen Harper.
It looks increasingly likely that Canadians have decided Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party are the means by which that will be achieved.
The Grits have established a 4 to 7% lead over the Tories nationally but more importantly they’re leading by 10 to 13% in Ontario (which accounts for over a third of all the federal ridings).
http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/poll-tracker/2015/index.html
I hope today that when John Key meets with Australian PM, he advocates on behalf of law abiding Kiwis living in Australia getting a better deal rather than the sc*m who assulted, robbed, raped and burgled law abiding people and now are claiming they have been discriminated against as they are being deported from a country that opened its door to them.
No you don’t. You don’t care a damn about anyone other than yourself.
You’re ignorant on this issue too aren’t you… keep that talkback radio turned up
+ 1 VTO
Tories are, inevitably, ignorant on pretty much everything. It’s that lack of knowledge combined with their inability to think that allows the psychopaths running National to lead them around by the nose.
No. Just the left being incoherent dumb asses who think they know better than everyone else.
Why do you hangout with so called dumb asses so often then and complain about the site being full of whingers when you’re whinging most of the time?
I thought you had turned a corner and right now I feel a bit let down.
Take this comment for example. Classic flamebait, calling people “scum”, wishing human rights abuse upon them, and then paying lip service to personal responsibility makes Tory a dull hypocrite.
For his next trick, Tory will vote for the party that always generates more unemployment – yes it does, that’s a fact – and then start hating on poor people.
Go smash a ten-year-old rugby player, trash.
+111
Describing tour comments to a t.
OAB, no I support personal responsibility rather than reliance on the State as a surrogate wet nurse that you and the confused from the left advocate
So you would reject the SFC bail out, the 30mill to comalco etc
Tory will pretend to yes.
Lying about your own beliefs and mine. If you had an inkling of personal responsibility you’d know how to form an argument that doesn’t rely on Mr. Strawman.
And somewhat hypocritically “tory” will refuse to take personal responsibility for being such a fucking moron.
Tory will just blame us for failing to pretend they made the insightful coup de gras that, as the smartest guy in the room, they must have made…
” I support personal responsibility rather than reliance on the State as a surrogate wet nurse that you and the confused from the left advocate”
Like SCF bailout by the state of business and right wing investors
Like government handouts to farmers for irrigation. Why can’t they stand on their own two feet like grown-ups? If their business cannot attract attention from private investment, then rather than by subsidised by the taxpayer it should be allowed to fail.
Like Rio Tinto getting state welfare in Invercargill.
Like the stock exchange even. That great bastion of personal responsibility – ha ha ha ha. Recall one of the reasons for floating SOE’s was to support the failing private stock exchange. Fucking useless pricks.
Like welfare support for Hollywood and Peter Jackson. Unable to stand on their own two feet either.
Like farmers penchant for all structures socialist – heard of Fonterra? or Ravensdown? Two of NZ’s largest cooperatives – know what cooperation means fulla?
Doesn’t leave much in the world of private personally responsible right wing tory business does it.
Wake up idiot.
you undersdtand that those people you dont like are being sent back here, to live next door to you or your friends… just so long as you are clear.
Oh and the children who have not committed offences and never lived in NZ?
You support personal responsibility from the position of someone who has deluded themselves that everything they have today was down tot heir own hard graft and sheer brilliance…
Tory doesn’t support personal responsibility: all you have to do is read the lying comments he sprays around the place.
Of course, even if he weren’t lying, right wing personal responsibility doesn’t exist. So that would make him a dupe.
Which is it? Who cares?
So you support Hide taking responsibility for the disaster that is the Auckland amalgamation, Bradford for our runaway power bills, Douglas for the increase in working poor since 1984, Key for the loss of nearly 900 million in dividends from power companies, Don Elder and the National party for Solid Energy etc, etc.
Personal responsibility. LOL.
Latest Roy Morgan is out.
“During October support for National rose 5.5% to 50% well ahead of a potential Labour/Greens alliance 40.5% (down 5.5%) according to the latest Roy Morgan New Zealand Poll. If a NZ Election were held now the latest NZ Roy Morgan Poll shows National would be easily re-elected.”
Up and down like a …..’s trousers, but not surprising given Labour’s recent performance.
Up and down like…a Roy Morgan poll. “Bouncy” is the term usually employed.
Yep, is the word NO to TPP is too hard for Labour to comprehend. Also Helen Clarks position beside Key cementing the NatLite relationship will be costing the votes.
+1
So our ‘Tory’ troll does not believe in state education, our state health system or people being free and moving on with their lives once they have done their time and paid for their crimes ……………….
He’s probably all for rich tax cheats though …………………….
The worst kind of bludger, when’s he going to pay back his education, health and policing costs.
-maui
He had an education?
No wonder why he rejects socialism.
His Teachers failed him!
What happened to “personal responsibility”.
EXCLUSIVE: Kelsey response to the Official Information Act win against the TPPA
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/10/16/exclusive-my-response-to-the-official-information-act-win-against-the-tppa/#comment-308300
An interesting opinion piece by Bryan Gould
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11529757
http://www.vice.com/read/we-asked-nicky-hager-what-the-tpp-means-for-new-zealand-democracy
So true:
“I think the general consensus is that it’s ironic that we have been able to vote on a flag change which is…”
Trivial.
“Well surface-level stuff, while something like this that’s really representing our country overseas has been kept secret for a long time. Do you think this sets a precedent for the way the New Zealand government will interact with the public in the future?”
smoke and mirrors. Let the population feel like they’ve been consulted. Meanwhile, over here, do evil as you can.
The Key Team have found many ways to mislead and distort Demoracy.
But Canadian Harper is even better/worse at it than Key!
As Harper tries for a fourth term in office at the Canadian federal election next week, he is trailed by an extraordinarily long list of allegations. ……
….Some of these allegations have been proved. In the 11 years since he became leader of the country’s Conservatives, the party has been fined for breaking electoral rules, and various members of Team Harper have been caught misleading parliament, gagging civil servants, subverting parliamentary committees, gagging scientists, harassing the supreme court, gagging diplomats, lying to the public, concealing evidence of potential crime, spying on opponents, bullying and smearing. Harper personally has earned himself the rare rebuke of being found to be in contempt of his parliament…..
… the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which has been described eloquently by the Globe and Mail as “a 90-person juggernaut of political strategists, ‘issues managers’ and party enforcers who exercise strict control over cabinet, the houses of parliament and the bureaucracy….”
Sound familiar?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/15/stephen-harper-master-manipulator
But what about their opposition – do they stand by and wave the corruption through in Canada – while ineffectually complaining about it- and then agreeing with much of what the conservatives are doing anyway?
That is the true trick of the right. To noble your competition by trickery and they don’t even comprehend you are doing it and then start to join in too (unsuccessfully).
Trickery and getting away with it.
“….a bus full of aboriginal voters, who were very unlikely to vote Conservative, and who were misdirected by calls and ended up not voting at all. That riding – Nipissing-Timiskaming – went to the Conservatives with a majority of only 18.”
And the source of the calls could not be found.
At least some, of the Canadian media, appear to have their critical faculties intact, unlike their NZ counterparts.
I personally know many Harper supporters.
He has fostered an air of fear in Canada for both financial and personal security. As many western governments do.
It’s a disgrace.
The Liberals are no better….another ultra “centrist” establishment party which these days signifies fear and violence.
and booom
https://theintercept.com/drone-papers
so 90% who where killed by drone bombings were not target? Say it ain’t so.
One can’t just make that shit up.
Why did this happen?…was it an accident?…the other side of the story:
‘US forces in Afghanistan knew Kunduz site was hospital – report’
https://www.rt.com/usa/318786-us-analysts-kunduz-hospital/
…”The site, operated by Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, MSF), was attacked five times in the span of an hour by a C-130 gunship, despite repeated pleas by the MSF to US forces. MSF officials described repeated strafing runs against the main hospital building, which housed the emergency room and the intensive care unit. No surrounding buildings were hit, they say.”
( a question many have been asking themselves)
‘Did Obama Bomb Doctors Without Borders for Opposing TPP?’
http://theantimedia.org/doctors-without-borders-bombing-tpp/
…”Had the President of Nobel Peace Prize-winning Doctors Without Borders not warned us of the “imminent threat to global health” posed by the TPP, would these 22 doctors and patients have lost their lives early Saturday?…
Doctors Without Borders Calls Airstrike a War Crime
I don’t think it is to do with TPP, more that Obama has lost control of the military in Iraq, and the US military and private contractors and overseas troops are doing whatever they like, and Obama is reluctant to try to bring his own military and private contractors to account.
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6506-roy-morgan-new-zealand-voting-intention-october-2015-201510150600
D’oh!
Ouch! Not to worry: Jacinda to the rescue.
That made me literally lol
Wow….what the hell.
Good dose of reality for the anti-TPPA activists here, and results I commented on and fully expected.
National have recovered in October after Labour did them like a dinner in September.
Labour need to forget TPPA entirely, get back to attacking weak Ministers, and back to issues that are both media-positive and resonant with actual citizens’ direct interests.
Portfolios like:
– Social Welfare
– Employment
– Corrections
– Housing
– Economic Development
– Education
And if the existing Labour shadow portfolios aren’t up to making good hits, then either support them with more staff, or reshuffle them.
Great comments by Phil Goff on TPP. Some sanity seems to be returning within Labour.http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/73073182/labour-unlikely-to-breach-tppa-over-concerns–phil-goff
which is why the Right are keen to promote him to Mayor of Auckland. You understand that when National (and its supporters) are praising Clark and Goff……
sanity is not defined by who agrees with you Matthew.
I agree with what Phil said:
“He denied Labour was “stuck in the dark ages” regarding the TPPA, and said the party had not yet decided whether it would support or oppose the deal.
“I think the party is doing the right thing at the moment – until you read the fine print, you don’t sign the document.
“We’ve had a briefing from Tim Groser and that was really helpful, but there are things that he couldn’t answer…and we’ve got to see the detail of it.”
Once in a blue moon I am moved to comment on one or other of the MSM news sites. The last time was a TV3 news/opinion piece about the axing of Campbell Live. My comment contained critical language concerning Julie Christie and Mark Weldon whom I saw as the principle protagonists in the demise of the show. Ever since I appear to have been barred from the TV3 comments section. I can’t even read them to see what other readers have to say. No problem reading comments elsewhere.
What a pair of lily livered, pouting pratts. I’m happy to see TV3 is going down the gurgler with that pair in charge. Sometimes people do get what they deserve.
Oh my God oh my God!! Finally.
http://au.pcmag.com/consumer-electronics-reviews-ratings/39134/news/hendo-20-hoverboard-goes-back-to-the-future-on-oct
wake me when they don’t need a track
Skate parks are going to be developed and some theme are jumping aboard also.
actually, depending on power efficiencies it might be good in dedicated areas like warehouses. Ignoring the vertical storage issues, of course.
Theme parks… maybe. Or they could just upscale an air hockey table, for less.
But the thing about skate parks is that they’re largely created to try to get skateboarders out of public spaces, particularly because of the damage they can cause to benches etc. But skateboards are a valid (if dickish, and not just because one almost hit me today) form of transport outside of parks. And boards are relatively cheap, not requiring batteries or liquid nitrogen.
So yeah, might be a fad for rich kids, but not for long and not widespread.
Tough article from Trotter on Little.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2015/10/with-friends-like-these.html
Very disappointing from Little.
Labour members and supporters, as well as progressive voters, should take a leaf from the approach of Little and his entourage by flouting requests for donations and help.
Trotter is such a Splitter.
He’s stuck in 1984.
We’re in 2015, and the Labour Party is not ever reverting to some prelapsarian Socialist form. (That question was asked in 2014, and the answer was resoundingly: NO).
Well John Key he wanted to close the gap with Australia
http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/australias-middle-class-no-longer-the-worlds-wealthiest-20151013-gk7pwa.html
Another reason it’ll be three more years for John Key
We’re not as selfish as we think we are. Here’s the proof
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/14/selfish-proof-ego-humans-inherently-good
US invaded Afghanistan and Iraq to bring in democracy, freedom of speech, human rights and because of 9/11. (Yeah right).
Why are they attacking the wrong countries then?
Mother of Saudi Teen Sentenced to Crucifixion Urges Obama: ‘Rescue My Son’
Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was sentenced to death at the age of 17 after taking part in a rally for equal Shia rights in Saudi Arabia
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/10/14/mother-saudi-teen-sentenced-crucifixion-urges-obama-rescue-my-son?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork
Does Ad support privatisation or is it just me?