Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
Looking at the accompanying photo, I’m again reminded how much I hate the aggressive body language of these politicians, who throw themselves at a person they’re meeting and forcefully grab their hand as if to impose dominance. With Abbott, it looks like he’s reliving his days as a boxer, of whom a sparring partner said “I never saw a punch that Tony Abbott couldn’t block. With his face.”
Am I wrong about this or is a corporation that makes profits in the billions simply ignoring their obligations under legislation because it is convenient to to so, or perhaps because they haven’t been challenged to do so?
You are wrong in one respect, ACC should never make a profit in the same sense as a company which can then pay a dividend to shareholders. It is more like a mutual society or cooperative – it should only be charging levies to provide what it needs to generate the money to pay claims, including reserves for future payments necessary to preserve generational equity. If National starts plundering the ACC for money to reduce its growing borrowing obligations, we should all vigorously protest!
ACC was never supposed to even run at a surplus or have investments as it was a pay-as-you-go scheme. As I point out over here such can be run at very close to cost and is thus far cheaper than any system that requires a profit.
It got changed because of the stupidity of the neo-liberals in Labour.
One speaker at the Wellington march today made the point that rape isn’t an accident and it’s actually a bit shit to make people who have been assaulted go through the same process as people who’ve fallen off a ladder putting up Christmas lights.
“As world leaders converged on Colombo for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting this weekend, there is growing momentum for an international inquiry into alleged atrocities carried out in the final months of the 26-year conflict, which ended four years ago. The New Zealand government is yet to back calls for an inquiry.
McCully rejected a suggestion it is a deliberately soft stance to protect burgeoning dairy trade with the island nation.
“No, it’s not. And I don’t think that our stance is soft by comparison. We sit pretty much in the middle of the spectrum,” he insisted.”
What is the ‘middle ground’?
“Key is due to meet with President Rajapaksa tomorrow and has pledged to raise Sri Lanka’s human rights record. He will spend much of the weekend lobbying for a seat on the UN Security Council.”
Nothing public that would on love taking any moral stand. BS he will. He’ll laugh, say ‘sorry everyone is being mean to you’ and ask for support.
Apparently human rights in Sri Lanka is such an mild, non-controversial topic that Key and his mates will ‘mull over’ torture, illegal imprisonment and murder of non-combatants while having a few drinks.
. . . “There have been twelve pieces of legislation in recent years that have been identified as inconsistent with the rights and freedoms protected in the New Zealand Bill of Rights, and on a number of occasions urgency has been used in Parliament to limit or bypass select committee scrutiny,” he [New Zealand Law Society President Chris Moore] says.
“The Law Society is also concerned that there has been legislation prohibiting review of government decisions by the courts, and proposing restrictions on rights to legal representation in Family Court proceedings. Other significant concerns include giving the power to amend legislation by regulation without parliamentary scrutiny, and not vetting late amendments to draft bills for their consistency with the Bill of Rights” . . .
The Canadian and Indian leaders boycott CHOGM because of genocide.
The UK Prime minister visits the Northern city Jaffna and lectures the SRA Lankan government over these atrocities.
Our PM mulls it all over a drink.
David Tong commented how he was ashamed to be a New Zealander over the government’s reaction to the Philippines.
adoptanegotiator.org/2013/11/12/and-they-laughed/
This is just another example of how quickly we are becoming a laughing stock in the world thanks to our merchant banker P.M.
He knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Good point “Over a drink” this guy likes his drink to much ,and it is showing.
His antics in parliament are those of a person who has had a bit to much.
The Canadian and Indian leaders boycott CHOGM because of genocide.
The UK Prime minister visits the Northern city Jaffna and lectures the SRA Lankan government over these atrocities.
Our PM mulls it all over a drink.
David Tong commented how he was ashamed to be a New Zealander over the government’s reaction to the Philippines.
adoptanegotiator.org/2013/11/12/and-they-laughed/
This is just another example of how quickly we are becoming a laughing stock and a pariah in the world thanks to our merchant banker P.M.
He knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Our politicians and powerful poohbas ideas about history I view with sadness and resignation.
I hear McCully about the decision of the government to go to Sri Lanka and to look forward and not dwell on the past. Otherwise what a waste of opportunity for poster boy. McCully is well placed in this government bogged down in self serving attitudes. Forget history, ignoring it is more convenient for making personally and politically advantageous moves.
And the same thinking is what applies to Pike River’s people hurt and bruised from the coldness of government, the callousness after warm heartfelt words from Key. It takes energy to maintain will though, and NZ is short of energy, National finds it too expensive. They have done a cost benefit on the energy required to stand behind promises and avowed intentions and meet people’s expectations, and have matched it to the ratio of votes they might lose by not spending it and like the shareholder owners of Pike River now have decided that the putea is empty.
There is a piece on Radionz this morning on Pike River from Rebecca Macfie who is a gem seam of information. http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday
Audio will probably be up around 12 pm.
11:05 Rebecca Macfie
Rebecca Macfie is a senior writer with the New Zealand Listener. She has 25 years’ experience in journalism and many awards to her credit including magazine feature writer at the 2013 Canon Media Awards. Her new book is Tragedy at Pike River Mine: How and Why 29 Men Died (Awa Press, ISBN: 978-1-877551-90-1).
And our attitudes to history. Do we forget about World War 1? No. It is personally and politically advantagous to ride a popular wave of gathering around on Anazc Day. There are votes in it. People go to a parade and then there are heads down while pious things are said and people take their boys along to see the uniforms and feel the drama.
I go along to a small civic memorial held by a memorial by the local high church. A few years back I asked for some input, some words from ordinary people, a poem from someone, some thoughts from the College youngsters. I think done once, but now I have to stir again just to get a mike so people can hear the set program read from year to year. I should memorise it.
How often does WW2 get remembered and officially mentioned at ceremonies? It took ages for Vietnam.
Don’t bother about history. Don’t learn from history. It makes it easier if you choose to not look at the near past, the medium past.. It is safe to go back to the classic past and quote from Roman, Greek, conflicts, the Bible. Then look forward and follow the trend to be punitive, to show them, to act in revenge, to do the pre-emptive strike, to see everything from your own perspective with no deflecting to admit there are other points of view to understand, with rituals that satisfy shallow sentiment and convention
. . . A few months later Jackson was convicted of shoplifting and sent to Angola prison in Louisiana. That was 16 years ago. Today he is still incarcerated in Angola, and will stay there for the rest of his natural life having been condemned to die in jail. All for the theft of a jacket, worth $159.
Jackson, 53, is one of 3,281 prisoners in America serving life sentences with no chance of parole for non-violent crimes. Some, like him, were given the most extreme punishment short of execution for shoplifting; one was condemned to die in prison for siphoning petrol from a truck; another for stealing tools from a tool shed; yet another for attempting to cash a stolen cheque . . .
Not really, I’ve noticed (and if I’ve noticed then others must have) that when hes speaking to the converted hes all fire and brimstone and he’ll do this and he’ll do that and then at the end he’ll quietly say something like “if the books allow” but when hes talking to business groups the message changes considerably
“If the books allow” seems a fiscally responsible stance to have. I know you righties would like him to make huge promises he may not be able to deliver due to the economic straightjacket Nact have fastened, but it’s DC who is being astute in not over promising.
DC deserves praise for wanting to minimise gambling harm, and Key deserves scorn for caring more about the owners of a gambling den he gives preferential treatment to.
“But the Labour leader seems to want to have it all ways. He told Parliament that Labour – if it won power – would not “dynamite” a half-built convention centre. Neither would it rip up the contract . Yet, Labour reserved the right to review the contract, particularly the number of gaming tables.
That would still amount to breaking the contract. But Cunliffe says Labour is not guaranteeing that it would pay compensation.”
Sky City certainly never got broad parliamentary agreement for this, so farken tough luck. If Sky City want to win a bid through avoiding process and Key personally leaving his mark on the landscape, well tough farken luck. If the process was open and rigorous and had achieved satisfaction from all major stakeholders, no problem. If we want to buy a few jobs by selling some sick gamblers to an arrogant Aussie corporate to feast on…well they weren’t going to vote National anyway right?
You vote for the Tories, Chris. They offer you your nirvana. Offer them advice.
Just don’t expect all parties to listen to Tories’ and their sage advice.
Something tells me that their advice has other motivations.
Maybe you should be posting your thoughts on right wing websites for your kind of people.
Astute would be a poor word to use for that attempt to paint Cunliffe as some kind of two headed beast. If Armstrong thinks DC is a liar he should be ‘man enough’ to say so. Maybe you mean he’s astute for trying to sow seeds of doubt about Labours ability to be fiscally responsible when he says:
“Labour already has its work cut out convincing voters it would be a responsible manager of the economy without being lumbered with the perception that it might ride roughshod over a contract without paying compensation, and could yet do so.”
The whole piece just screams “I’ve got friends a SkyCity too, and we all want to know exactly what financial hit (if any) we could be in for.”
Maybe Chris you could point out the bits you feel are so ‘astute’…
I think Armstrong did basically call out Cunliffe as a liar but Armstrong doesn’t have the same protection as MPs so I guess he has to be a bit more circumspect
John Armstrong does not get to write Labour policy on Sky City. Cunliffe is man enough to know that. I wish they would rip up the contract and refuse to pay compensation. Sky City should be paying us compensation instead.
phillip ure
Noelle? Are you serious? Father Christmas would do as well. He has vast international, cultural and manufacturing experience. A man of the people and loved by nearly all.
What do you think about Mark Sainsbury then? His name has come up.
Chris Laidlaw does have a brain even if sometimes it is a bit RW. I do want someone who can match him and who has ideals and some background of proving them and can think about the hard subjects including philosophy ethics what it means to be human. How we can keep on living etc.
I don’t want to listen to mainly stories that would find their way into middle class magazines, how to garden, dress, listen to music,but it might be interesting to hear about fabrics that indicate your mood on a science bit. But actual thought, research – many of the invited commenters have written books. They have to be read by a really interested, able, literate interviewer so they can do the interview for the best result. We need to have a top notch thinker and presenter not just someone who has been around and has shown promise. Brian Edwards I think liked Paul Henry. We need someone better than those two for a start. No excuses for the crass style adopted by someone playing to the idle-brain gallery. Now I always like a sense of humour, but who is the butt, and how often? What about political satire? You have to understand more than which side your bread is buttered to do good stuff there.
The sort of dross that gets delivered is what gets largely delivered by Jim Mora. His what you would take on a journey to Mars is just not the modern version of being cast on a desert island. Today there are poohbas and curious coves who really want to spend a lot of money, sometimes their own, setting up space expeditions of various kinds. It’s part of the creepy modern world that we constantly enjoy the thought of being in the grip of the fabulously rich and powerful manipulating us from above and all around really, which shows that many of us don’t have two parts of a brain to rub together.
..you will know that she is a very skilled broadcaster..
..one of her strengths is the amount of research/information she comes armed with..
..that combination of work-ethic and natural skills/intelligence/’oirish-charm’ is a potent/entertaining mix..
..and one of the marks of a good broadcaster is that ability to switch from the seemingly frivilous to the deeply serious..and to be good at both..and mccarthy can do that..
..’sainsbury’..?..now it is my turn to ask if you ‘are serious’..
..like laidlaw is now..sainsbury was flogged out in his final days..
..both just going thru the motions..
..none of the other suggestions..(save for mora taking sunday..and mccarthy taking his spot..)..comes within a bulls-roar of mccarthy…
(disclaimer:..i have never met/communicated with mccarthy..and have been critical of her in the past..)
phillip ure
So its not just the carefully accented oirish then. And she will switch from serious mainly to frivolous only occasionally? guarantee? it would be good to have a bloke though. i think one or two men of perception are around i just want someone as good as kim hill but bald?
No phillip gender does matter. Men need to have role models too. I don’t want all the top Radionz announcing positions to go to women. Let’s try for equality here. Let’s get et searching for some good men.
Would they be able to come from private radio, or does that bend a bloke’s mind to unattractive pavlovian responses. What about television, likewise?
Graeme Hill for mine. Maybe the best ever BFM breakfast host (guess the accent may have been the greatest radio quiz ever!). High hipster quotient too; played in a top indy band and loves Italian football.
And he looks like Brian Edward’s love child, so there’s that.
Like most people, I regard politicians as frauds and liars and the current political system as nothing more than a bureaucratic means for furthering the augmentation and advantages of economic elites.”
In their single-minded focus on serving the interests of the economic elite, says Brand, politicians are allowing the planet to go to rack and ruin, ignoring the people they are supposed to serve and fostering massive inequality which in turn has created a sullen, apathetic underclass.
Paul Thomas writes:
In America, the spiritual home of democracy, Republicans in the House of Representatives are now solely concerned with pandering to the zealots who dominate party membership in their gerrymandered districts.
This week New Jersey’s Republican Governor, Chris Christie – one of the few remaining recognisable human beings in his party – pointed out that Republican obstructionism in Washington had held up distribution of billions of dollars in federal aid to victims of Hurricane Sandy by six months.
Is that the “government of the people, by the people, for the people” that Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, evoked in the Gettysburg Address? Or does Brand have a point?
Changes in global (ocean and land) precipitation are among the most important and least well-understood consequences of climate change. Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations are thought to affect the zonal-mean distribution of precipitation through two basic mechanisms. First, increasing temperatures will lead to an intensification of the hydrological cycle (“thermodynamic” changes). Second, changes in atmospheric circulation patterns will lead to poleward displacement of the storm tracks and subtropical dry zones and to a widening of the tropical belt (“dynamic” changes). We demonstrate that both these changes are occurring simultaneously in global precipitation, that this behavior cannot be explained by internal variability alone, and that external influences are responsible for the observed precipitation changes. Whereas existing model experiments are not of sufficient length to differentiate between natural and anthropogenic forcing terms at the 95% confidence level, we present evidence that the observed trends result from human activities.
Oh PLEASE!!! NO!!!!
As a locum for Mora, just as Lynne Freeman is as one for Rinny – maybe.
I’d hoped that at least weekends and nights could keep Natrad something worth listening to. I guess Sunday Mornings will soon become off limits.
Just as well there are other options.
You do surprise me Phillip! Still, stranger things have happened at sea.
btw – you’ll probably get your wish though.
Bill Ralston (that bastion of wisdom and sage advice, foreskin of what he himself described as “State TV”)) says if it was up to him, it’d be between Noelle and a Walrus. (Stuff 12/11/2013 from memory)
(Next: just watch Kim Hill signal her intention to resign – uphill shit push).
If it were up to me Phil – I’d rather see her on 7#.
Delve a little deeper!
i actually think freeman is better than the current inhabitant of that slot..
..a major quality that freeman has..is that she gives interview subjects the space to say/finish what they have to say/to make their case..if they have one..
….she doesn’t view it as a gladiatorial-contest..from the get-go..
..she seems to attempt interview more as a conversation..
..whereas the current seat-warmer does too often go all gladatorial from the get-go..
..it is her major fault as a broadcaster..
..and the current warmer (admits she) watches far too much fox-tv..
..and i think a process of osmosis has taken place..
..she has become quite ‘foxy’..
..and you listen to that nat-rad nite-person..?..crump..?..
..really..?
..whoar..!
..i think you are the first person i have ever met who does..
..careful..demographers/profilers/’ists’ of all sorts –
…. ffffff whoar!!!1 (core – hot pants brutha – MOVE over!)
Do I listen to that nitetime stuff with Barry or Bryan or whatever his name is – Bryan – yes him
… not often, probably once in the last 6 months, but what did strike me when I did was the diversity of sources (as contributors) to his? programme
I’m picking though that my reply to your last is now so passe as to now be irrelevant
…. next
…. next (with an upper case, octave higher-even inflecSHUN?)
….. nexxxt ??
Why on earth would you “Ignore the Bomber reference”?
You aren’t treating it as being in some way derogatory are you?
After all the man himself positively wallows in its use. I personally think it is more appropriate for a person of 15 or so to adopt such a name than a middle-aged man but if he wants to use the nickname why shouldn’t everyone else?
Fantastic misunderstanding of my comment Alwyn – I was getting at Billy Boy’s pathetic assertion that National Radio is left wing, for Christ’s Sake. As it happens PU your comment pretty much reflects my appreciation of BB’s contribution (not) to political journalism.
OK. I see that this can be interpreted in two ways.
I read it as being two comments on the one opinion rather than the first part merely identifying the phrase you were talking about.
NZ First believes in environmental sustainability but far too many of the Green Party’s comments are about “stopping everything”.
“We have difficulty understanding a lot of their intentions and motives,” Mr Peters says, adding that the chance of being part of a coalition that would include the Greens is “extremely remote“.
– Never say never with winnie but interesting comments
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Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...
Hi,If you’re a New Zealander — you know who Mike King is. He is the face of New Zealand’s battle against mental health problems. He can be loud and brash. He raises, and is entrusted with, a lot of cash. Last year his “I Am Hope” charity reported a revenue ...
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In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...
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At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob HensonIn this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...
In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...
Willis is expected to have to reveal the bitter fiscal fruits of her austerity strategy in the HYEFU later today. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/TheKakaMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, December 17 in The Kākā’s Dawn Chorus podcast ...
On Friday the government announced it would double the number of toll roads in New Zealand as well as make a few other changes to how toll roads are used in the country. The real issue though is not that tolling is being used but the suggestion it will make ...
The Prime Minister yesterday engaged in what looked like a pre-emptive strike designed to counter what is likely to be a series of depressing economic statistics expected before the end of the week. He opened his weekly post-Cabinet press conference with a recitation of the Government’s achievements. “It certainly has ...
This whooping cough story from south Auckland is a good example of the coalition government’s approach to social need – spend money on urging people to get vaccinated but only after you’ve cut the funding to where they could get vaccinated. This has been the case all year with public ...
And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...
Here’s a quick round up of today’s political news:1. MORE FOOD BANKS, CHARITIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS AND YOUTH SOCIAL SERVICES SET TO CLOSE OR SCALE BACK AROUND THE COUNTRY AS GOVT CUTS FUNDINGSome of Auckland's largest foodbanks are warning they may need to close or significantly reduce food parcels after ...
Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...
This is a guest post by Tim Adriaansen, a community, climate, and accessibility advocate.I won’t shut up about climate breakdown, and whenever possible I try to shift the focus of a climate conversation towards solutions. But you’ll almost never hear me give more than a passing nod to ...
A grassroots backlash has forced a backdown from Brown, but he is still eyeing up plenty of tolls for other new roads. And the pressure is on Willis to ramp up the Government’s austerity strategy. Photo: Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that matter in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 8, 2024 thru Sat, December 14, 2024. Listing by Category Like last week's summary this one contains the list of articles twice: based on categories and based on ...
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...
The collective right have a problem.The entire foundation for their world view is antiscientific. Their preferred economic strategies have been disproven. Their whole neoliberal model faces accusations of corporate corruption and worsening inequality. Climate change not only definitely exists, its rapid progression demands an immediate and expensive response in order ...
Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...
What Chris Penk has granted holocaust-denier and equal-opportunity-bigot Candace Owens is not “freedom of speech”. It’s not even really freedom of movement, though that technically is the right she has been granted. What he has given her is permission to perform. Freedom of SpeechIn New Zealand, the right to freedom ...
All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...
People travelling on State Highway 1 north of Hamilton will be relieved that remedial works and safety improvements on the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway were finished today, with all lanes now open to traffic, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“I would like to acknowledge the patience of road users ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...
The Government will have senior representatives at Waitangi Day events around the country, including at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, but next year Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has chosen to take part in celebrations elsewhere. “It has always been my intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around the country with different ...
Two more criminal gangs will be subject to the raft of laws passed by the Coalition Government that give Police more powers to disrupt gang activity, and the intimidation they impose in our communities, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. Following an Order passed by Cabinet, from 3 February 2025 the ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Justice Christian Whata as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Whata’s appointment as a Judge of the Court of Appeal will take effect on 1 August 2025 and fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon Justice David Goddard on ...
The latest economic figures highlight the importance of the steps the Government has taken to restore respect for taxpayers’ money and drive economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Data released today by Stats NZ shows Gross Domestic Product fell 1 per cent in the September quarter. “Treasury and most ...
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Minister of Education David Seymour today announced legislation changes to strengthen freedom of speech obligations on universities. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to the concept of academic freedom and there is concern that universities seem to be taking a more risk-averse ...
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year’s Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders. The Public Safety Network’s new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington ...
State Highway 1 through the Mangamuka Gorge has officially reopened today, providing a critical link for Northlanders and offering much-needed relief ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Mangamuka Gorge is a vital route for Northland, carrying around 1,300 vehicles per day and connecting the Far ...
The Government has welcomed decisions by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council confirming funding to boost resilience in the Canterbury region, with construction on a second Ashburton Bridge expected to begin in 2026, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering a second Ashburton Bridge to improve resilience and ...
The Government is backing the response into high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Otago, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says. “Cabinet has approved new funding of $20 million to enable MPI to meet unbudgeted ongoing expenses associated with the H7N6 response including rigorous scientific testing of samples at the enhanced PC3 ...
Legislation that will repeal all advertising restrictions for broadcasters on Sundays and public holidays has passed through first reading in Parliament today, Media Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “As a growing share of audiences get their news and entertainment from streaming services, these restrictions have become increasingly redundant. New Zealand on ...
Today the House agreed to Brendan Horsley being appointed Inspector-General of Defence, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Mr Horsley’s experience will be invaluable in overseeing the establishment of the new office and its support networks. “He is currently Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, having held that role since June 2020. ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the final regulations for the levy on insurance contracts that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand from July 2026. “Earlier this year the Government agreed to a 2.2 percent increase to the rate of levy. Fire ...
The Government is delivering regulatory relief for New Zealand businesses through changes to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act. “The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Amendment Bill, which was introduced today, is the second Bill – the other being the Statutes Amendment Bill - that ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed further progress on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS), with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board approving funding for the detailed design of Stage 1, paving the way for main works construction to begin in late 2025.“The Government is moving at ...
The Government today released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Planting trees on Crown-owned land will drive economic growth by creating more forestry jobs in our regions, providing more wood ...
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...
A total of 41 appointments and reappointments have been made to the 12 community trusts around New Zealand that serve their regions, Associate Finance Minister Shane Jones says. “These trusts, and the communities they serve from the Far North to the deep south, will benefit from the rich experience, knowledge, ...
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...
“Accelerated silicosis is an emerging occupational disease caused by unsafe work such as engineered stone benchtops. I am running a standalone consultation on engineered stone to understand what the industry is currently doing to manage the risks, and whether further regulatory intervention is needed,” says Workplace Relations and Safety Minister ...
Mehemea he pai mō te tangata, mahia – if it’s good for the people, get on with it. Enhanced reporting on the public sector’s delivery of Treaty settlement commitments will help improve outcomes for Māori and all New Zealanders, Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka says. Compiled together for the ...
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...
More building consent and code compliance applications are being processed within the statutory timeframe since the Government required councils to submit quarterly data, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “In the midst of a housing shortage we need to look at every step of the build process for efficiencies ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour has welcomed the Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory review report, the first major report from the Ministry for Regulation. The report makes 15 recommendations to modernise and simplify regulations across ECE so services can get on with what they do best – providing safe, high-quality care ...
The Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a new regulatory regime that will enable firms to construct offshore wind generation has passed its first reading in Parliament, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says.“New Zealand currently does not have a regulatory regime for offshore renewable energy as the previous government failed ...
Legislation to enable new water service delivery models that will drive critical investment in infrastructure has passed its first reading in Parliament, marking a significant step towards the delivery of Local Water Done Well, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly say.“Councils and voters ...
New Zealand is one step closer to reaping the benefits of gene technology with the passing of the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. "This legislation will end New Zealand's near 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and is ...
ByKoroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor New Zealand’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) says impending bad weather for Port Vila is now the most significant post-quake hazard. A tropical low in the Coral Sea is expected to move into Vanuatu waters, bringing heavy rainfall. Authorities have issued warnings to people ...
Cosmic CatastropheThe year draws to a close.King Luxon has grown tired of the long eveningsListening to the dreary squabbling of his Triumvirate.He strolls up to the top floor of the PalaceTo consult with his Astronomer Royal.The Royal Telescope scans the skies,And King Luxon stares up into the heavensFrom the terrestrial ...
Spinoff editor Mad Chapman and books editor Claire Mabey debate Carl Shuker’s new novel about… an editor. Claire: Hello Mad, you just finished The Royal Free – overall impressions? Mad: Hi Claire, I literally just put the book down and I would have to say my immediate impression is ...
Christmas and its buildup are often lonely, hard and full of unreasonable expectations. Here’s how to make it to Jesus’s birthday and find the little bit of joy we all deserve. Have you found this year relentless? Has the latest Apple update “fucked up your life”? Have you lost two ...
Despite overwhelming public and corporate support, the government has stalled progress on a modern day slavery law. That puts us behind other countries – and makes Christmas a time of tragedy rather than joy, argues Shanti Mathias. Picture the scene on Christmas Day. Everyone replete with nice things to eat, ...
Asia Pacific Report “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two,” says an Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University about the horrifying reality of Gaza. Professor Omer Bartov, has described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an ...
The New Zealand government coalition is tweaking university regulations to curb what it says is an increasingly “risk-averse approach” to free speech. The proposed changes will set clear expectations on how universities should approach freedom of speech issues. Each university will then have to adopt a “freedom of speech statement” ...
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – COMMENTARY: By Caitlin Johnstone New York prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with “murder as an act of terrorism” in his alleged shooting of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month. This news comes out at the same time as ...
Pacific Media Watch The union for Australian journalists has welcomed the delivery by the federal government of more than $150 million to support the sustainability of public interest journalism over the next four years. Combined with the announcement of the revamped News Bargaining Initiative, this could result in up to ...
MONDAY“Merry Xmas, and praise the Lord,” said Sheriff Luxon, and smiled for the camera. There was a flash of smoke when the shutter pressed down on the magnesium powder. The sheriff had arranged for a photographer from the Dodge Gazette to attend a ceremony where he handed out food parcels to ...
It’s a little under two months since the White Ferns shocked the cricketing world, deservedly taking home the T20 World Cup. Since then the trophy has had a tour around the country, five of the squad have played in the WBBL in Australia while most others have returned to domestic ...
Comment: If we say the word ‘dementia’, many will picture an older person struggling to remember the names of their loved ones, maybe a grandparent living out their final years in an aged care facility. Dementia can also occur in people younger than 65, but it can take time before ...
Piracy is a reality of modern life – but copyright law has struggled to play catch-up for as long as the entertainment industry has existed. As far back as 1988, the House of Lords criticised copyright law’s conflict with the reality of human behaviour in the context of burning cassette ...
As he makes a surprise return to Shortland Street, actor Craig Parker takes us through his life in television. Craig Parker has been a fixture on television in Aotearoa for nearly four decades. He had starring roles in iconic local series like Gloss, Mercy Peak and Diplomatic Immunity, featured in ...
The Ōtautahi musician shares the 10 tracks he loves to spin, including the folk classic that cured him of a ‘case of the give-ups’. When singer-songwriter Adam McGrath returns to Kumeu’s Auckland Folk Festival from January 24-27, he’s not planning on simply idling his way through – he wants the late ...
Alex Casey spends an afternoon on the job with River, the rescue dog on a mission to spread joy to Ōtautahi rest homes.Almost everyone says it is never enough time. But River the rescue dog, a jet black huntaway border collie cross, has to keep a tight pace to ...
Asia Pacific Report Fiji activists have recreated the nativity scene at a solidarity for Palestine gathering in Fiji’s capital Suva just days before Christmas. The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network recreated the scene at the FWCC compound — a baby Jesus figurine lies amidst the ...
By 1News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver and 1News reporters A number of Kiwis have been successfully evacuated from Vanuatu after a devastating earthquake shook the Pacific island nation earlier this week. The death toll was still unclear, though at least 14 people were killed according to an earlier statement from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Scully, Professor in Modern History, University of New England Bunker.Image courtesy of Michael Leunig, CC BY-NC-SA Michael Leunig – who died in the early hours of Thursday December 19, surrounded by “his children, loved ones, and sunflowers” – was the ...
The House - On Parliament's last day of the year, there was the rare occurrence of a personal (conscience) vote on selling booze over the Easter weekend. While it didn't have the numbers to pass, it was a chance to get a rare glimpse of the fact ...
A new poem by Holly Fletcher. bejeweled log i was dreaming about wasps / wee darlings that followed me / ducking under objects / that i was fated to pickup / my fingers seeking / and meeting with tiny proboscis’s / but instead / i wake up / roll sideways ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne Versta/Shutterstock Australians are exposed to some of the highest levels of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the world. While we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Terry, Professor of Business Regulation, University of Sydney Michael von Aichberger/Shutterstock Even if you’ve no idea how the business model underpinning franchises works, there’s a good chance you’ve spent money at one. Franchising is essentially a strategy for cloning ...
If something big is going to happen in Ferndale, it’s going to happen at Christmas. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If there’s one episode of Shortland Street you should watch each year, it’s the annual Christmas cliffhanger. The final episode of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University US President-elect Donald Trump has named most of the members of his proposed cabinet. However, he’s yet to reveal key appointees to America’s powerful cyber warfare and intelligence institutions. ...
Announcing the top 10 books of the the year at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, $37) The phenomenal Irish writer is the unsurprising chart topper for 2024 with her fourth novel that, much like her first ...
Claire Trevett writing the usual fawning nonsense for her masters at the Herald.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/claire-trevett/news/headlines.cfm?a_id=74
Looking at the accompanying photo, I’m again reminded how much I hate the aggressive body language of these politicians, who throw themselves at a person they’re meeting and forcefully grab their hand as if to impose dominance. With Abbott, it looks like he’s reliving his days as a boxer, of whom a sparring partner said “I never saw a punch that Tony Abbott couldn’t block. With his face.”
On a day of action against rape culture I ask why ACC who are legislated to prevent accidents (ref: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2001/0049/latest/DLM103143.html ) have not acted to prevent sexual abuse from happening?
Am I wrong about this or is a corporation that makes profits in the billions simply ignoring their obligations under legislation because it is convenient to to so, or perhaps because they haven’t been challenged to do so?
In sharp contrast we have a very grateful RPE for the $11K raised through social media: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1311/S00196/social-media-raises-over-11k-for-rape-prevention-education.htm
Good point!
You are wrong in one respect, ACC should never make a profit in the same sense as a company which can then pay a dividend to shareholders. It is more like a mutual society or cooperative – it should only be charging levies to provide what it needs to generate the money to pay claims, including reserves for future payments necessary to preserve generational equity. If National starts plundering the ACC for money to reduce its growing borrowing obligations, we should all vigorously protest!
ACC was never supposed to even run at a surplus or have investments as it was a pay-as-you-go scheme. As I point out over here such can be run at very close to cost and is thus far cheaper than any system that requires a profit.
It got changed because of the stupidity of the neo-liberals in Labour.
One speaker at the Wellington march today made the point that rape isn’t an accident and it’s actually a bit shit to make people who have been assaulted go through the same process as people who’ve fallen off a ladder putting up Christmas lights.
+1
The visits to Sri Lanka epitomise everything wrong with our government.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9407222/McCully-sits-on-fence-on-Sri-Lanka-war-crimes
“As world leaders converged on Colombo for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting this weekend, there is growing momentum for an international inquiry into alleged atrocities carried out in the final months of the 26-year conflict, which ended four years ago. The New Zealand government is yet to back calls for an inquiry.
McCully rejected a suggestion it is a deliberately soft stance to protect burgeoning dairy trade with the island nation.
“No, it’s not. And I don’t think that our stance is soft by comparison. We sit pretty much in the middle of the spectrum,” he insisted.”
What is the ‘middle ground’?
“Key is due to meet with President Rajapaksa tomorrow and has pledged to raise Sri Lanka’s human rights record. He will spend much of the weekend lobbying for a seat on the UN Security Council.”
Nothing public that would on love taking any moral stand. BS he will. He’ll laugh, say ‘sorry everyone is being mean to you’ and ask for support.
Key, fence sitter.
Apparently human rights in Sri Lanka is such an mild, non-controversial topic that Key and his mates will ‘mull over’ torture, illegal imprisonment and murder of non-combatants while having a few drinks.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9405539/hope-they-vomit-on-it
He really is the most embarrassing PM ever.
Chatting about the cricket is about as far as he could manage.
your comments are deep Paul,
Key needs to wave a flag, that would show them.
He already has; a white one.
‘
Huh? New Zealand is in no position to lecture Sri Lanka about humans rights. John Key is there to get handy hints for going forward.
While I agree that our govt is poor, it could be worse.
http://guardianlv.com/2013/11/sri-lanka-tortures-and-rape-become-uncovered/
The Canadian and Indian leaders boycott CHOGM because of genocide.
The UK Prime minister visits the Northern city Jaffna and lectures the SRA Lankan government over these atrocities.
Our PM mulls it all over a drink.
David Tong commented how he was ashamed to be a New Zealander over the government’s reaction to the Philippines.
adoptanegotiator.org/2013/11/12/and-they-laughed/
This is just another example of how quickly we are becoming a laughing stock in the world thanks to our merchant banker P.M.
He knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Good point “Over a drink” this guy likes his drink to much ,and it is showing.
His antics in parliament are those of a person who has had a bit to much.
So thats where he is on a Thursday arvo, No wonder he’s never seen.
The Canadian and Indian leaders boycott CHOGM because of genocide.
The UK Prime minister visits the Northern city Jaffna and lectures the SRA Lankan government over these atrocities.
Our PM mulls it all over a drink.
David Tong commented how he was ashamed to be a New Zealander over the government’s reaction to the Philippines.
adoptanegotiator.org/2013/11/12/and-they-laughed/
This is just another example of how quickly we are becoming a laughing stock and a pariah in the world thanks to our merchant banker P.M.
He knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
+2 🙂
Our politicians and powerful poohbas ideas about history I view with sadness and resignation.
I hear McCully about the decision of the government to go to Sri Lanka and to look forward and not dwell on the past. Otherwise what a waste of opportunity for poster boy. McCully is well placed in this government bogged down in self serving attitudes. Forget history, ignoring it is more convenient for making personally and politically advantageous moves.
And the same thinking is what applies to Pike River’s people hurt and bruised from the coldness of government, the callousness after warm heartfelt words from Key. It takes energy to maintain will though, and NZ is short of energy, National finds it too expensive. They have done a cost benefit on the energy required to stand behind promises and avowed intentions and meet people’s expectations, and have matched it to the ratio of votes they might lose by not spending it and like the shareholder owners of Pike River now have decided that the putea is empty.
There is a piece on Radionz this morning on Pike River from Rebecca Macfie who is a gem seam of information. http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday
Audio will probably be up around 12 pm.
11:05 Rebecca Macfie
Rebecca Macfie is a senior writer with the New Zealand Listener. She has 25 years’ experience in journalism and many awards to her credit including magazine feature writer at the 2013 Canon Media Awards. Her new book is Tragedy at Pike River Mine: How and Why 29 Men Died (Awa Press, ISBN: 978-1-877551-90-1).
And our attitudes to history. Do we forget about World War 1? No. It is personally and politically advantagous to ride a popular wave of gathering around on Anazc Day. There are votes in it. People go to a parade and then there are heads down while pious things are said and people take their boys along to see the uniforms and feel the drama.
I go along to a small civic memorial held by a memorial by the local high church. A few years back I asked for some input, some words from ordinary people, a poem from someone, some thoughts from the College youngsters. I think done once, but now I have to stir again just to get a mike so people can hear the set program read from year to year. I should memorise it.
How often does WW2 get remembered and officially mentioned at ceremonies? It took ages for Vietnam.
Don’t bother about history. Don’t learn from history. It makes it easier if you choose to not look at the near past, the medium past.. It is safe to go back to the classic past and quote from Roman, Greek, conflicts, the Bible. Then look forward and follow the trend to be punitive, to show them, to act in revenge, to do the pre-emptive strike, to see everything from your own perspective with no deflecting to admit there are other points of view to understand, with rituals that satisfy shallow sentiment and convention
“Key, fence sitter.”
You spelt “coward” wrong
‘
Home of the brave and land of the . . . ummm . . . what was it again?
Moar from the ACLU.
Meanwhile..
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/11/sweden-closes-prisons-number-inmates-plummets
Scandinavians understand crime and punishment.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/04/bastoy-norwegian-prison-works
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11157962
– An astute piece of commentary with some sage advice for Cunliffe…but is he man enough to take it?
c73 what utter trash
Remove your blinkers and you might see what a large portion of the voting public sees…
I think you mean what Armstrong wants the voting pubic to see with the help from his blue tinted glasses.
Not really, I’ve noticed (and if I’ve noticed then others must have) that when hes speaking to the converted hes all fire and brimstone and he’ll do this and he’ll do that and then at the end he’ll quietly say something like “if the books allow” but when hes talking to business groups the message changes considerably
“If the books allow” seems a fiscally responsible stance to have. I know you righties would like him to make huge promises he may not be able to deliver due to the economic straightjacket Nact have fastened, but it’s DC who is being astute in not over promising.
DC deserves praise for wanting to minimise gambling harm, and Key deserves scorn for caring more about the owners of a gambling den he gives preferential treatment to.
Yep, chris73 is upset because Cunliffe isn’t making rash promises.
Sucks because chris73 already had all his lines worked out so now he has to lie about reality to make it fit his fantasy.
“But the Labour leader seems to want to have it all ways. He told Parliament that Labour – if it won power – would not “dynamite” a half-built convention centre. Neither would it rip up the contract . Yet, Labour reserved the right to review the contract, particularly the number of gaming tables.
That would still amount to breaking the contract. But Cunliffe says Labour is not guaranteeing that it would pay compensation.”
Sky City certainly never got broad parliamentary agreement for this, so farken tough luck. If Sky City want to win a bid through avoiding process and Key personally leaving his mark on the landscape, well tough farken luck. If the process was open and rigorous and had achieved satisfaction from all major stakeholders, no problem. If we want to buy a few jobs by selling some sick gamblers to an arrogant Aussie corporate to feast on…well they weren’t going to vote National anyway right?
A voting pubic? With a blue tint?
Sounds like a style fashion to follow the Brazilian 🙂
Ha…well spotted 🙂
Any Avatar stars on the electoral roll should have their vote counted too!
For fender :
“the history of religion is the history of the state ” and they struggle on…
🙂 That Trevor Hodgett sure got a lesson he needed, what an appalling review. The Stormcock album is a masterpiece ffs!, hats off to (Roy) Harper he’s a one man rock and roll band
The voting public are sheep , C73, just they way you are having to play trollop in this site.
Large portions of the voting public, don’t see, or understand, squat!
FIFY
Baa
Large portions of the voting public, don’t see, or understand, squat!
– I won’t disagree thats why the headline of the article is so important, most people will read the headline and skim over the rest
So the headline is the most important (astute) thing in a one-eyed propaganda piece?
You should have just said that in your initial comment/link.
You vote for the Tories, Chris. They offer you your nirvana. Offer them advice.
Just don’t expect all parties to listen to Tories’ and their sage advice.
Something tells me that their advice has other motivations.
Maybe you should be posting your thoughts on right wing websites for your kind of people.
Well I’d offer them advice except that they one the last two elections and look like they’re on traack to win the next so I don’t think they need any
Then relax.
Find something better to do.
He can’t relax because it’s not really looking like “they’re on track to win the next” election.
Hoorayyy (slow clap) the blue team won.
Never mind the effects of the national govt on the people, environment, and economy of NZ.
drooling infant soils himself and leaves a mess for others to clean up.. thanks chris73
Geez I thought you guys would have gotten used to National being power by now, no matter you’ll have another three years for it to sink in
But seriously the reason they’ll get in is because the voters know they’ve done a good job in trying times
hope you’re enjoying the sunshine while it fades.
Certainly did, bought some new boots, went gun city to look at ammo and took the dogs to the dog park…a full day in my book (bit warm though)
change from re-loading your own ammo at Cameron’s then.
Ha. Some people got to the cinema to look at a movie, or Kelly Tarlton’s to look at fish. Tories go to gun city to look at ammo. Did it look back?
Yes, chris73, banksters, corporations, and millionaire property developers are very pleased with their investment in Nactional™ Inc.©®. You can bask in the glow of John Keys beatific smile and trust in his benevolent nature.
Just Armstrong in his PR for National guise.
Astute would be a poor word to use for that attempt to paint Cunliffe as some kind of two headed beast. If Armstrong thinks DC is a liar he should be ‘man enough’ to say so. Maybe you mean he’s astute for trying to sow seeds of doubt about Labours ability to be fiscally responsible when he says:
“Labour already has its work cut out convincing voters it would be a responsible manager of the economy without being lumbered with the perception that it might ride roughshod over a contract without paying compensation, and could yet do so.”
The whole piece just screams “I’ve got friends a SkyCity too, and we all want to know exactly what financial hit (if any) we could be in for.”
Maybe Chris you could point out the bits you feel are so ‘astute’…
I think Armstrong did basically call out Cunliffe as a liar but Armstrong doesn’t have the same protection as MPs so I guess he has to be a bit more circumspect
So you think it’s astute because he called DC a liar without using the word, wow you are easily pleased.
Yes thats exactly what I think
It’s a shame you don’t do that thinking a little more deeply.
John Armstrong does not get to write Labour policy on Sky City. Cunliffe is man enough to know that. I wish they would rip up the contract and refuse to pay compensation. Sky City should be paying us compensation instead.
noelle mccarthy to replace chris laidlaw on nat-rad sun-morn..?
..yes please..!
..phillip ure..
phillip ure
Noelle? Are you serious? Father Christmas would do as well. He has vast international, cultural and manufacturing experience. A man of the people and loved by nearly all.
What do you think about Mark Sainsbury then? His name has come up.
Chris Laidlaw does have a brain even if sometimes it is a bit RW. I do want someone who can match him and who has ideals and some background of proving them and can think about the hard subjects including philosophy ethics what it means to be human. How we can keep on living etc.
I don’t want to listen to mainly stories that would find their way into middle class magazines, how to garden, dress, listen to music,but it might be interesting to hear about fabrics that indicate your mood on a science bit. But actual thought, research – many of the invited commenters have written books. They have to be read by a really interested, able, literate interviewer so they can do the interview for the best result. We need to have a top notch thinker and presenter not just someone who has been around and has shown promise. Brian Edwards I think liked Paul Henry. We need someone better than those two for a start. No excuses for the crass style adopted by someone playing to the idle-brain gallery. Now I always like a sense of humour, but who is the butt, and how often? What about political satire? You have to understand more than which side your bread is buttered to do good stuff there.
The sort of dross that gets delivered is what gets largely delivered by Jim Mora. His what you would take on a journey to Mars is just not the modern version of being cast on a desert island. Today there are poohbas and curious coves who really want to spend a lot of money, sometimes their own, setting up space expeditions of various kinds. It’s part of the creepy modern world that we constantly enjoy the thought of being in the grip of the fabulously rich and powerful manipulating us from above and all around really, which shows that many of us don’t have two parts of a brain to rub together.
@ greywarbler..yes i am serious..
..if you have heard mccarthy subbing for mora..
..you will know that she is a very skilled broadcaster..
..one of her strengths is the amount of research/information she comes armed with..
..that combination of work-ethic and natural skills/intelligence/’oirish-charm’ is a potent/entertaining mix..
..and one of the marks of a good broadcaster is that ability to switch from the seemingly frivilous to the deeply serious..and to be good at both..and mccarthy can do that..
..’sainsbury’..?..now it is my turn to ask if you ‘are serious’..
..like laidlaw is now..sainsbury was flogged out in his final days..
..both just going thru the motions..
..none of the other suggestions..(save for mora taking sunday..and mccarthy taking his spot..)..comes within a bulls-roar of mccarthy…
(disclaimer:..i have never met/communicated with mccarthy..and have been critical of her in the past..)
phillip ure..
phillip ure
So its not just the carefully accented oirish then. And she will switch from serious mainly to frivolous only occasionally? guarantee? it would be good to have a bloke though. i think one or two men of perception are around i just want someone as good as kim hill but bald?
“.. i think one or two men of perception are around..”
..um..!..don’t mean to man-bash here..
..but got any names..?
..i can’t think of any..
..hirsute or not..
..and surely gender doesn’t matter..?
..quality of product should be the sole-determinant..
..eh..?
..phillip ure..
No phillip gender does matter. Men need to have role models too. I don’t want all the top Radionz announcing positions to go to women. Let’s try for equality here. Let’s get et searching for some good men.
Would they be able to come from private radio, or does that bend a bloke’s mind to unattractive pavlovian responses. What about television, likewise?
…..Noelle is completely up herself…..
……her politics wishy-washy in the extreme…….
…..and she was also done for plagiarism a few years back…..
…..why have I adopted the ridiculous ure-style……?
have you tried shaving..?
(but seriously..!..)
..don’t/didn’t you find it liberating to be free of those illogical-lingual-conceits..?
(and for true homage..ease back on the dots a bit..
..and throw in the odd -..
..otherwise a good effort..a b+..
..(it failed a tad on coherence of content..eh..?..)
phillip ure..
….ha ha….
…excellent….
Laidlaw has long since degraded into a kind of bourgeoise neurotic sludge, and should have been shovelled out of the Aegean Stables long ago.
We need someone under 30, with a sense of humor, who can provoke us to laughter, anger, and to a great book, within one hour.
over 30 definitely, 40-50 okay.
Graeme Hill for mine. Maybe the best ever BFM breakfast host (guess the accent may have been the greatest radio quiz ever!). High hipster quotient too; played in a top indy band and loves Italian football.
And he looks like Brian Edward’s love child, so there’s that.
http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/hold-me-1990
+1
Looks don’t matter Te Reo Putake. And being a top musician, sports person , blah is not enough to get into the thinking-talking-heads in-group.
No, thank you!!
Russell Brand:
Paul Thomas writes:
It’s not Tea Party politics per se; it’s their character as people.
Any fool politician can destroy something.
It takes a leader to build something.
Something else to ignore.
/
Abstract
Changes in global (ocean and land) precipitation are among the most important and least well-understood consequences of climate change. Increasing greenhouse gas concentrations are thought to affect the zonal-mean distribution of precipitation through two basic mechanisms. First, increasing temperatures will lead to an intensification of the hydrological cycle (“thermodynamic” changes). Second, changes in atmospheric circulation patterns will lead to poleward displacement of the storm tracks and subtropical dry zones and to a widening of the tropical belt (“dynamic” changes). We demonstrate that both these changes are occurring simultaneously in global precipitation, that this behavior cannot be explained by internal variability alone, and that external influences are responsible for the observed precipitation changes. Whereas existing model experiments are not of sufficient length to differentiate between natural and anthropogenic forcing terms at the 95% confidence level, we present evidence that the observed trends result from human activities.
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/11/05/1314382110
Chapters in a future history book of New Zealand??
NZ ‘God’s zone’ A dream of utopia on earth
1935 – 1984
NZ Corporate playground for the world’s elite
1984 – ??
Exactly, Paul
Recommended Reading
1. The Half Gallon Quarter Acre Pavlova Paradise by Austin Mitchell
2. Pavlova Paradise Revisited
3. ???
Wanaka, Queenstown, Pauanui and a few of the gated communities up north already have full global playground status.
The Koru lounge before Queenstown flights – particularly before public holidays – is quite a network.
(the small-questions..eh..?..)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/is-there-an-afterlife-the-science-of-biocentrism-can-prove-there-is-claims-professor-robert-lanza-8942558.html
phillip ure..
So Colin Craig is trying to grab any remaining religious bigots that still vote Labour / New Zealand First
Craig – No mandate for Govt to sell more state-owned assets
LOL
Translation: Yes, we’re against asset sales but we’ll support continued selling of them when we enter coalition with National.
So that would put him in play as a potential Labour coalition partner as well.
Oh PLEASE!!! NO!!!!
As a locum for Mora, just as Lynne Freeman is as one for Rinny – maybe.
I’d hoped that at least weekends and nights could keep Natrad something worth listening to. I guess Sunday Mornings will soon become off limits.
Just as well there are other options.
You do surprise me Phillip! Still, stranger things have happened at sea.
btw – you’ll probably get your wish though.
Bill Ralston (that bastion of wisdom and sage advice, foreskin of what he himself described as “State TV”)) says if it was up to him, it’d be between Noelle and a Walrus. (Stuff 12/11/2013 from memory)
(Next: just watch Kim Hill signal her intention to resign – uphill shit push).
If it were up to me Phil – I’d rather see her on 7#.
Delve a little deeper!
tim..
i actually think freeman is better than the current inhabitant of that slot..
..a major quality that freeman has..is that she gives interview subjects the space to say/finish what they have to say/to make their case..if they have one..
….she doesn’t view it as a gladiatorial-contest..from the get-go..
..she seems to attempt interview more as a conversation..
..whereas the current seat-warmer does too often go all gladatorial from the get-go..
..it is her major fault as a broadcaster..
..and the current warmer (admits she) watches far too much fox-tv..
..and i think a process of osmosis has taken place..
..she has become quite ‘foxy’..
..and you listen to that nat-rad nite-person..?..crump..?..
..really..?
..whoar..!
..i think you are the first person i have ever met who does..
..careful..demographers/profilers/’ists’ of all sorts –
– will descend upon you..!
.phillip ure..
…. ffffff whoar!!!1 (core – hot pants brutha – MOVE over!)
Do I listen to that nitetime stuff with Barry or Bryan or whatever his name is – Bryan – yes him
… not often, probably once in the last 6 months, but what did strike me when I did was the diversity of sources (as contributors) to his? programme
I’m picking though that my reply to your last is now so passe as to now be irrelevant
…. next
…. next (with an upper case, octave higher-even inflecSHUN?)
….. nexxxt ??
This from Billy Boy Ralston on Stuff re Chris Laidlaw’s replacement on Sunday Morning:
“Blogger Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury: He’s too Left even for National Radio.”
Ignore the Bomber reference. Check out “…….even for National Radio”.
For Christ’s Sake Billy Boy. Where did that shit come from ?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/9408108/Top-talent-to-chase-Radio-NZ-spot
Why on earth would you “Ignore the Bomber reference”?
You aren’t treating it as being in some way derogatory are you?
After all the man himself positively wallows in its use. I personally think it is more appropriate for a person of 15 or so to adopt such a name than a middle-aged man but if he wants to use the nickname why shouldn’t everyone else?
sheesh..!..chill..!..alwyn..!
phillip ure..
don’t forget north..ralston was the coalface of the dismantling of any serious current-affairs/news-culture @ tvnz..
..he took it to its’ darkest place..
..as the unquestioning-tool of that current political-elite/elites-paradigm
..from which to this day it still struggles to return..
..ralston was the media-tool for the neo-lib-revolution..
..he spun/danced to that tune..
..in fact he led one of the bands..
..and he still sings those songs..
..that’s where that ‘shit comes from’..
..phillip ure..
the pieces of the case against ralston..
http://whoar.co.nz/?s=ralston
phillip ure..
Fantastic misunderstanding of my comment Alwyn – I was getting at Billy Boy’s pathetic assertion that National Radio is left wing, for Christ’s Sake. As it happens PU your comment pretty much reflects my appreciation of BB’s contribution (not) to political journalism.
OK. I see that this can be interpreted in two ways.
I read it as being two comments on the one opinion rather than the first part merely identifying the phrase you were talking about.
Sweet! . 😀
Well well:
NZ First believes in environmental sustainability but far too many of the Green Party’s comments are about “stopping everything”.
“We have difficulty understanding a lot of their intentions and motives,” Mr Peters says, adding that the chance of being part of a coalition that would include the Greens is “extremely remote“.
– Never say never with winnie but interesting comments
edX Courses for Horses.
Jazz appreciation? I prefer country…