A year ago, many Ethiopians would not have dared to imagine the spectacle they are being treated to right now, as the government intensifies its crackdown on alleged corruption and gross human rights violations within the military and intelligence services.
The nation has watched in disbelief – and then cheered – as former high-ranking officers have been arrested on live television, handcuffed while surrounded by heavily armed security personnel and bundled into police vehicles. Times have indeed changed.
This is the biggest crackdown on corruption in Ethiopia’s recent history and it is being spearheaded by the bold and reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in April……
…..The prime minister seems to be responding to concerns raised by the public, especially during the last four years when massive anti-government protests broke out in many parts of the country.
At the heart of the demonstrations were serious concerns about the alleged corruption which touched at the very core of the government and the military.
Torture and sodomy charges
The corruption scandals which have hit the military-run conglomerate, Metals and Engineering Company (Metec), have not been a secret in the country – they have long been whispered in homes, pubs and coffee places.
But no-one, it seemed, had the courage to take the problem head on until Mr Abiy came to office.
In this fight, the prime minister seems to have huge public support, having won over even some of his doubters who thought he did not have it in him to take on the military elite.
Other arrested officials have already appeared in court, facing charges that include torture, rape and sodomy.
Again, this did not come as a surprise to Ethiopians. Thousands of them were arbitrarily arrested over the years, and human rights groups have written numerous reports about the allegations against security officials.
His critics say he is carrying out a purge of the old guard in the military and intelligence services who for years have been almost untouchable and only answerable to those within their ranks…..
This is a remarkable turnaround when most of the world seems to be heading in the other direction.
When just 70 years after the death of Hitler and Stalin where we seemed to be heading to a world where all the major countries will be ruled by fascists, goons, strongmen and other types of “authoritarians” (Britain and France excepted for the moment).
A great example of why the old model is broken, a lack of leadership and a lack of imagination.
Trucking rubbish 200km from Taranaki to Martin. Three trucks a day.
And then there is talk of achieving zero waste targets…
People might excuse the authorities of not having a lot of drive in dealing with rubbish. Many are so thick that they would reply that was wrong, they drive
the rubbish away. They would think a riposte like that funny.
Well, no. They do seem to be working on the principle of actually reducing their waste. Personally, I don’t see how that can be done at the regional level. It really does need central government bringing in legislation to reduce packaging and banning the spam in our mailboxes.
I’m wondering how it will be able to save ~$1m per year. That doesn’t seem physically possible without either dropping the number of personnel or lowering wages or both.
And, with it being wholly foreign owned means that any profit is going to be shipped offshore making us poorer.
I’m also wondering what other hooks have been placed in the agreement because it seems far too good to be true.
A Universal Creativity Initiative will flow naturally from UBI.
We are at our best when putting personal talent to work. It is no coincidence that world-wide rehabilitation programs for offenders and addicts are invariably grounded in creativity, – activities such as cooking, music, art, surfing, and environmental restoration.
Earning a living for most fails to honour individual creativity. We find ourselves ‘imprisoned’ within profit-based corporations and governmental institutions demanding compliance within narrow bounds. The demise of conventional employment following widespread automation will usher in a universal basic income or similar currency leaving millions free to give expression to what they sense as innovation lying at their deepest core.
While there are impressive structures created by animals (bird nests, termite colonies, corals, beaver dams) they are purpose-built – never as creative expression. Setting us aside from other life forms our creativity stems from individual temperament and ability. The trait is common to us all whilst its expression in terms of range, diversity and depth is without limit.
With capitalism comfortably out of the way and UBI in place a universal creativity initiative will eventuate allowing the widest spectrum of human abilities to come to the fore in the rebuild of society and restoration of our stricken planet. The politically inclined to explore new styles of inclusive government; educators to developing fresh methods of nourishing emerging talent; financiers to look into equitable ways applying UBI; artists and musicians to give novel expression to humanity’s changing orientation on earth; scientists to probe decisive methods of restoring the integrity of our ecosystems; medics to develop non-intrusive initiatives of addressing health; idealists to imagining our future course – to name a few.
Within these broad divisions lie countless sub-opportunities catering for the full spectrum of human talent and ability all the way from abstract visionaries to those with high quality physical dexterity.
Our creativity is only limited by our imagination and curiosity – unstoppable forces in human evolution. There’s one thing that stops imagination and creativity dead in their tracks: fear.
Indeed, when the basics are not covered our psychology results in different attitudes and behaviours. The post here on TS on house prices bears testament to that. People bow to economic fundamentals or indicators rather and put their lives on hold (i.e. play it safe).
We all have so much potential locked away inside but have thrown away the key – we now live in strictly materialistic dimension of our own making. Some praise our secular society and its supposed rationalism and reliance on science and the scientific method. Others compare it with the Matrix: an artificial world in which human evolution is at a standstill and exploited by machines – I think we’re half-way there.
“I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this.”
Two louts and a comedian discuss “China’s aggression” in the South China Sea The Panel, RNZ National, Friday 16 November 2018
Jim Mora, James Nokise, Heather Roy, Caitlin Cherry
First topic for the once-over-lightly this afternoon was the buttonholing of Jacinda Ardern by Mahathir Mohamad, and his urging her to beware of Chinese influence in the Pacific. Host Jim Mora noted that “the Australians” have spoken out against China’s aggression. Mora made that statement without any discernible irony in his voice.
Near the end of this risible segment, the one participant with a conscience, comedian James Nokise, says what anyone with an I.Q. above room temperature would have been thinking. He obviously decided to ignore the rules: such plain speaking is utterly verboten on this dog of a program. His radical statement of the truth elicits a ringing silence from Mora, who is happy to laugh at the plight of political dissidents, and Heather Roy, a former ACT member of parliament…..
JIM MORA: And then there were those, aah, AWKWARD moments at the East Asia Summit in Singapore
HEATHER ROY: Mmmmmm.
JIM MORA: —when the Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad began BENDING the ear of our prime minister about Chinese attempts to dominate the South China Sea, and the reporters were ushered out of the roo-hoo-hoo-om! [guffawing, followed by extended intake of breath]… It’s interesting, I mean, if push DOES come to shove in the South China Sea—we’ve asked this before—what sould, what should New Zealand do, because the P.M. says we’re not taking SIDES here?
HEATHER ROY:[deep sigh to indicate moral seriousness] Hmmmmm.
JAMES NOKISE: What exactly CAN we do? Probably an uncomfortable question for New Zealanders. I mean are we gonna send our three ships and no planes that we have, to intimidate China?
MORA: Well, Australia trades a lot with China, and [deep intake of breath] has still told China in fairly plain language that it’s being AGGRESSIVE. I guess you could say Australia is using harder wo-o-o-ords.
JAMES NOKISE: Well if anyone knows about aggressive use of internment camps it’s probably the Australians, isn’t it.
…Awkward silence….
HEATHER ROY:[nervously] Heh, heh.
MORA:[breathes deeply to indicate annoyance and perplexedness] It’s INTERESTING though—-
HEATHER ROY: Yeeaahhhh….
MORA: Sorry, no you were gonna say what?
HEATHER ROY: It IS very interesting, and New Zealand is heavily dependent on the South China Sea, you know….[…]…. I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this. Ahhhhhhmmm, tut, if you look at what happens with the MILITARY, ahh, there’s a freedom of navigation operations where the, the basis of that is maintaining your position… [bores on for a seeming eternity, actually another minute]…
Later in the program, Heather Roy the former ACT M.P. claimed, contra all evidence, that “the Americans treat veterans very well.”
You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers. Ardern could probably get her head around it, but she has to play to her crowd, right? When in doubt, be a typical politician & duck the issue.
If she were a true leader, she’d be fronting on behalf of our foreign policy credentials & independent stance – representing the entire country on the issue, not just Labour deadheads. She could remain cautious in noting that the South China Sea is not in our region, but explain that she understands why Malaysia is trying to share their regional concern with us. She could reasonably mention that other countries in that region share Malaysia’s concern, and cite those such as Japan and the Phillipines that have issued foreign policy statements in recent years expressing their concerns.
A true leader of Aotearoa would go further. Issuing a declaration of principle is required: China is creating a security threat in that region, perception that it is attempting a strategy of covert imperialism by means of establishing control over sea routes in contravention of international law is valid and we support those countries that are affected and threatened. Not taking sides is wimping out. She is presumably using public service advice as an excuse to do so. Poor leadership is the result.
She could remain cautious in noting that the South China Sea is not in our region,
It’s a global issue and not a regional one. The South China Sea is ~3.5 million square kilometres of international ocean. China’s actions are against all international law as it stands.
If China manages to annex it or even just a large portion of it then other nations will be doing the same and the law will be one which cannot be enforced. China seems to be doing it because they don’t think that the international community will do anything about it. Unfortunately, history proves them right. After all, the international community has never held the US to account for it’s crimes against international law.
This is a wealth grab and it’s actually grabbing potential wealth from the other nations surrounding The South China Sea.
You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers.
I’m well aware of that, Dennis. Occasionally there is real, outstanding, and courageous journalism on RNZ National, and even on the usually dreadful Panel hour: Eva Radich discomfiting Tony Blair by insisting he respond to her point that the attack on Iraq was illegal, Kim Hill driving the neocon William Shawcross into a fit of volcanic anger [1], Gordon Campbell challenging the glib and uninformed Richard Griffin over his prejudiced and thoughtless comments about Hugo Chavez and eliciting a groveling backdown and on-air retraction, and (more recently) Paula Penfold calling out the head of the New Zealand Defence Forces as a “coward”. [2]
All too often, however, as you rightly point out, RNZ National is anything but a forum of debate, affording an uncontested space for some of the ugliest and cleverest ideologues on the planet. [3]
Your point is well-made. I was just having a bitch at them. Having lived in alternative Aotearoa most of my life I resent their systemic discrimination against non-mainstreamers. They’ve learnt how to include other minorities in their coverage, they just can’t seem to apply the general principle!
When I’m back in town, I’ll post the Maritime Trade numbers that transit the SCS and greater Pacific Region and the possible effects it would have on the NZ economy. Any NZ exports for the SEA region goes through the Singapore hub, the same is for some our MER exports/imports have to go through the Singapore hub. If China does manage close access to SCS or degrade access to the SCS then the economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and some degree the Canada and the US will be effected. In turn this will effect our traditional trading/ allies and including Australia, so what happens in the SCS is our concern as it would effectively stuff up the NZ economy especially what the Neo Lib/ Con economic theory has done to NZ over the last 30 odd years.
Unless we start to diverse our economy like our Kirk, Rowling, old Piggy and some degree Lamb burger Moore said in the 70’ and early/ mid 80’s, then we are fucked as we have ran down all aspects of the economy and the NZDF. Our Sea Lanes Of Communications (SLOC’s) are our life blood and heart and soul of the greater NZ economy.
“”What’s wrong with that? Some small-minded, bigoted person has called us racist, threatened to bash us up; it’s not worth replying to,” Joy Babington said.”
Just go have a drink in a local bar and get them talking. Likewise Kaponga, Stratford and Inglewood.
We did a gig in Kaponga, 3 – THREE fights in one show. Young white rugby players.
Inglewood, where friends of the groom sodomised him for an engagement present…
Hawera, where a middling white act gets rapturous applause, and an incredible Maori talent barely gets a smattering of light applause.
Where the Maori waitress came to my hotel to avoid the white bosses advances, but he followed her there, and it took hours for him to leave even after a wee talking to.
Where addressing racism ironically was interpreted as actual racist material and encouraged with free drinks, lunch invites, and back slaps.
Good old boys.
I could get back on stage as a front to do a documentary of small town NZ. People open up to comics after a show. It’d be a helluva expose but make a country full of enemies.
“Former New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd called it “absolutely disgusting”, and ex-MP and Maori activist Hone Harawira said he wanted to “smash the racist motherf**kers”.
“Is it acceptable for a reporter to go on and on because he hasn’t got an answer out of the President?” Obviously Jim Mora thinks it’s NOT acceptable. The Panel, RNZ National, Thursday 8 November 2018
Jim Mora, Penny Ashton, Bernard Hickey, Caitlin Cherry
Penny Ashton gets very heated as she criticizes Donald Trump, in the face of Mora’s infuriatingly complacent, barely disguised support for the Groper in Chief. Mora’s disdainful and patrician attitude, and his infuriatingly complacent observations seem designed to goad, taunt, and vex her.
BERNARD HICKEY: Last time we had unemployment this low, mortgage rates were eleven per cent.
MORA:ELEVEN per cent?!?!?
PENNY ASHTON: And I heard that they were like NINETEEN or TWENTY per cent in the eighties a lot of the time.
……
MORA: Minor news, um, from the, um, MID-TERMS in the United States, before we get to the big issues. Fox News, under a headline “Democrat Agenda” featured Lenin with a red flag and a hammer and sickle—
PENNY ASHTON: Oh, good LO-O-O-ORD.
MORA: Unless that is FAKE news, but it seemed to be genuine. The celebrity endorsements by the way—I don’t know why I mention, perhaps it’s because you’re here—
MORA: —FLOPPED. Um, from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé in Tenness—, Tennessee and Texas.
PENNY ASHTON: But DID they flop? I wouldn’t think you would say that Beto would—is that how you say his name?—Beeto, Beto?
MORA: Beto.
PENNY ASHTON: Beto—was a FLOP. Like he got SO CLOSE in a theoretically very red state. He also, it feels like he was starting his run for President, is what a lot of people are saying. I mean, and I just sort of think, that yes, okay they didn’t win, but it was close, and they rattled the cage, and I think that that’s SOMETHING.
MORA: It’s puzzling..[baffled sigh]… how come Beyoncé didn’t, uh, tell her millions of followers to vote for Beto until about four o’clock in the afterNOON?
PENNY ASHTON: I know, but also it’s so puzzling isn’t it, that that would be what it would take to GET you to do that, is something, but you know, there’s no point lamenting that sort of shenanigans, IS there?
MORA: And in a SIGN of the digital times, South Carolina’s state newspaper the Post had to go to press before the final result, and it announced: “Katie Arrington is going to Washington”. The first woman in Congress for twenty-five years in South Carolina, but in fact her lead was pulled ba-a-a-ack, and she ISN’T going to Washington. And, Bernard, you can imagine the agony of the subs as they tried to make that decision! [laughing]
BERNARD HICKEY: “Who-o-o-o-oops!”
MORA: Hur, hur!
BERNARD HICKEY: “Hold the presses!”
MORA: I know, they couldn’t hold them any longer!
BERNARD HICKEY: It’s like that famous headline, was it “Dewey Wins”? um, from nineteen—
MORA: Oh yeah.
PENNY ASHTON: And they QUOTED that I think.
BERNARD HICKEY: Yeah, yeah…
PENNY ASHTON: Yea-aah.
….Pause…..
MORA: Jeff Sessions has been sacked by Donald Trump, we’ll talk about that. And Donald Trump got REALLY upset with a persistent CNN reporter Jeff Acosta.
Jim Acosta: Mister President— Donald Trump: That’s ENOUGH. Jim Acosta: Mister President, I, one of the questions, if I may ask, on the Russian investigation, are you concerned that, that you may have— Donald Trump: I’m not concerned about anything— Jim Acosta: —where you may have indictments— Donald Trump: —with this investigation because it’s a HOAX! That’s enough. Put down the mike! Jim Acosta: Mister President, are you worried about INDICTMENTS coming down in this invest—
….Several seconds of hubbub as Trump’s aides attempt to grab microphone. Someone yells “Take his mike!”… Jim Acosta: Mister President— Donald Trump:[croaking in anger] I tell ya what: CNN should be ASHAMED of itself, having YOU working’ for them. You are a RUDE, TERRIBLE PERSON. You shouldn’t be working’ for CNN. Go ahead. ….[more hubbub]….
MORA: So Mister Acosta’s press credentials, ahhhh, have now been revoked by the White House, it’s claimed he placed his HANDS on the intern in the video from which this audio’s takennnn….
PENNY ASHTON: I watched it, she GRABBED the microphone out of his hand quite VIOLENTLY, and he put his hand out while she did that. And then people are saying online that it was ASSAULT. I mean, it’s, it’s like, oh honestly, it’s bad behavior all ROUND, it feels like to me.
BERNARD HICKEY: Yeaaahh, the, the, the photographs, I’ve seen the Reuters photographs of the incident, make it clear that he was simply trying to hold on to the mike.
PENNY ASHTON: Yeah. Yeah. And then she was being very rou—, you know,
BERNARD HICKEY: Mmmm.
PENNY ASHTON: Oh hey, he just, he’s just sort of such a repellent, I know that you’ve had, you’ve had listeners writing in, saying that your Panelists are so biased against Trump—
MORA: Yes, I’ll GET to that.
PENNY ASHTON: This is the man that said that, um, you know, he was gonna try and soften his rhetoric. And that’s what he comes out with, because he can’t help himself. And to me, it’s just, he keeps going on about CNN’s ratings dropping, but they’re NOT, so, you know, fake news, fake news.
MORA: Ha ha ha ha. Ha!
PENNY ASHTON: You are the fake news, sir, and this is what happens.
MORA: In—
PENNY ASHTON: How does it work? How do they dismiss people? Like, you know, I don’t know how it works in New Zealand. You’re in the press; if, if, if, you know, Jacinda goes, “Enough from you now”—
MORA: Yes I wanna ASK you that—
PENNY ASHTON: —are you supposed to STOP?
MORA: I wanna ask you that, because, in Trump’s, errr, errr, Trump’s CREDIT, he takes questions, lots more questions than Barack Obama or George Bush used to DO.
PENNY ASHTON:[skeptically] Well that’s interesti-i-ing.
MORA: Is it acceptable for a reporter to go on and on because he hasn’t got an answer out of the President? What do you think?
BERNARD HICKEY: Uh, I, I think it i-i-i-is, and it’s the job of the, um, responder to answer the question.
PENNY ASHTON: Mmm.
BERNARD HICKEY: Or at least make clear that they’re not going to answer the question because they don’t want to.
PENNY ASHTON: And not to descend into insults. Obviously.
BERNARD HICKEY: Yeah. And I must say, I’ve been in the press gallery now for six years, and have, you know, interviewed CEOs and Ministers for TWENTY years. I very rarely see a situation where someone walks out of an interview or refuses to answer a question. And John Key in particular, but also, um, Bill English, AND Jacinda Ardern all pride themselves on basically exhausting questions, i.e. stand there until the questions stop, and then leaving.
PENNY ASHTON: Right, okay. That’s certainly not his—
BERNARD HICKEY: And when they cut them off it’s actually really rare and noteworthy.
MORA:[audible intake of breath to indicate displeasure]
PENNY ASHTON: I mean, especially because people are ATTACKING journalists and things like this, you know, there’s actually been physical violence, and things, and he is INCITING this, and I just find it, I mean it’s what he DOES, isn’t it.
BERNARD HICKEY: It’s the next level, um, awfulness, and it’s really dangerous, actually.
PENNY ASHTON: Yeah, totally.
BERNARD HICKEY: I mean, there’s been bombs sent to CNN—
PENNY ASHTON: Yep.
BERNARD HICKEY: Ah, um, journalists have been harassed, and he’s created this environment where Saudi Arabia thought it was okay to, to kill and dismember a journalist who walked into their—-
MORA: Hang on! Are you trying to say that Saudi Arabia did that, ahhh, to Mister Khashoggi because of what Mis—
BERNARD HICKEY: Not beCAUSE of Trump, but they felt enabled to do it because of what Trump had said.
MORA: Okay, –t’s an interesting claim.
PENNY ASHTON: I liked the guy from—
BERNARD HICKEY: And they haven’t been punished by the way.
PENNY ASHTON: No.
BERNARD HICKEY: A major ally of America.
PENNY ASHTON: I liked the guy from NBC who immediately stood up for, um, so what’s that guy’s name again?
BERNARD HICKEY: Jim Acosta.
PENNY ASHTON: That, thank you. Acosta. That’s an interesting one for that situation isn’t it! Ah, anyway, he stood up for him and said he’s nothing but professional and a good guy, which I thought was great, immediately after that.
MORA: Here’s a little bit more audio of, uh, likely House Leader and leading Democrat Nancy Pelosi.
[cheering]… Nancy Pelosi: In stark contrast to the G.O.P. Congress the Democratic Congress will be led with transparency and openness. …[cheering]…
MORA: Is that the great FIB of politics? Along with the vow to be bipartisan and to end division?
PENNY ASHTON:
BERNARD HICKEY: Yes, yes. Like the current government’s um, pledge to, um, “reform the Official Information Act to make it much more transparent.” Nothing has happened. ….
MORA:
PENNY ASHTON: I think the way that they operate, as a nation, for their political system is crazy.It’s something like Democrats got seven per cent more of the popular vote in this election, you know, and then that doesn’t translate, does it, because of the way that their system is. It’s just—-
MORA: But it doesn’t translate in other countries, sometimes either.
PENNY ASHTON: Oh absolutely, I mean, sometimes, WELL! I mean, some, I feel like this one is one of the more, well, I suppose it’s the one that gets the most publicity. But the extremity to which people can be stymied. Like Barack, well everyone, you had somebody writing and saying “Oh what did OBAMA do?” He couldn’t do anything EITHER, because of the same system blocking things, being able to, you know,…[continues defending the indefensible for extended time]…
Good, but is there another way to access this information? Can it be linked to, can it be edited, can it be left as a link to a radio site with succinct commentary from the poster as to its content?
It is, after all, a transcript of other peoples’ argument that if written as an argument would be well reduced by the editor’s pen.
Next, we’ll be having transcripts of an MP’s Hansard on the Standard, the full ten minutes, with interjections, Speaker’s interventions and personal asides.
If more feel like you, Ed, then I’ll just continue to scroll past. Part of that problem for me is that continuity of the flow of responses is broken by having to scroll so far, and the logical thread is interrupted.
Fair point, actually. You’re not the first person to complain about my long transcripts. That’s one reason I have created my blog: to put up the whole transcript, and to put up just a highlighted segment on fora like The Standard.
I’ve broken my own guidelines, and your telling me off is a timely corrective. I’ll be briefer in future.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The last surviving leaders of the communist Khmer Rouge regime that brutally ruled Cambodia in the 1970s were convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes Friday by an international tribunal.
Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan were sentenced to life in prison, the same punishment they are already serving after earlier convictions at a previous trial for crimes against humanity connected with forced transfers and mass disappearances. Cambodia has no death penalty.
Both men have suggested they were targets of political persecution. Nuon Chea was considered the main ideologist of the Khmer Rouge and the right-hand man of the group’s late leader, Pol Pot, while Khieu Samphan served as the head of state, presenting a moderate veneer as the public face for the highly secretive group.
I won’t – I have an ex-wife who once had to attend a few gruesome post-mortems, then come home and pretend normal humanity and dump her load. Not surprising some things don’t last.
But you know …… yea/nah
China boots invited media from Pacific Island leaders meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping … Chinese State Broardcaster CCTV only media allowed to record.
“To be told that we’re not allowed is undermining our press freedom, we have press freedom in this country.”
ooooooh you xenophobic racist you! Fake news even!
(/sarc)
Try that line on the student that was so bullied by local social media by parents in China and Collins-aligned acolytes that demanded she vote gNatz
(otherwise she’d no longer be able to buy a NuZull house or launder a wee bit of suspiciously obtained filthy lucre).
[Mike] Joy is the editor of a new book, From Mountains to Sea: Solving New Zealand’s Freshwater Crisis looking at the problem of freshwater, which he says is grave.
“The freshwater crisis is our industrialisation of the landscape and it’s ended up with these two worlds,” he says.
“We have this amazing conservation estate with the most beautiful pristine rivers and lakes in the world and a lowlands where we have some of the most degraded and polluted lakes and rivers in the world.”
He says this tendency to “silo” means we lose track of the bigger picture.
“It strikes me with great clarity that if you look at the problems in isolation they each seem intractable; but when you grasp that there could be one single solution, then suddenly there is a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.”
As Ed seems MIA today… a cheerful Weekend read FYA!…
“With wildfires, heat waves, and rising sea levels, large tracts of the earth are at risk of becoming uninhabitable. But the fossil-fuel industry continues its assault on the facts.”
Our next Speaker needs to be strong, smart, and strategic. The best person for the job is @NancyPelosi. I look forward to working with her in the next Congress to advance our commitment to progressive policies that fueled our historic victories. https://t.co/ETWMKzhFAK— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) November 16, 2018
It wasn’t a coincidence that moments after Nancy Pelosi promised progressive House leaders more power in the next Congress, a host of liberal groups announced they were supporting her for speaker.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who is expected to co-chair the House Progressive Caucus next year, left a Thursday night meeting with Pelosi in the Capitol and proclaimed that her members would have more seats on powerful committees and more influence over legislation.
I think this is a cheap shot on my part but I liked this juxtaposition of news headings at RNZ.
Mainfreight’s overall profit up 22 percent
New Zealanders losing millions to scammers, new data shows
Freight Transport & Logistics | Mainfreight NZ https://www.mainfreight.com/nz/en/nz-home.aspx
Around town, or around the world, with over 250 branches and an extensive global agent network Mainfreight delivers wherever your product needs to go.
(Not to be confused with Mainzeal, which has the Fairy Shipley National touch.) Mainzeal failed while parent made billions – Newsroom
Oct 24, 2018 – Richina, the Chinese parent company of failed NZ construction company Mainzeal, owns assets potentially worth billions of dollars, according … https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/10/23/288481/mainzeal-failed-while-parent-made-billions
Trump blames forest poor management on the California fires, says if forest areas had been raked out, "you wouldn't have the fires." (via Fox) pic.twitter.com/cbdfiRlbJ7— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 16, 2018
In a historical context, a rake (short for rakehell, analogous to “hellraiser”) was a man who was habituated to immoral conduct, particularly womanising.
Often, a rake was also prodigal, wasting his (usually inherited) fortune on gambling, wine, women and song, and incurring lavish debts in the process.
Rake (stock character) – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rake_(stock_character)
I found the whole show fascinating.
George’s views on Brexit and poverty in the UK were enlightening.
Roger Highfield, a director from the Science Museum, spike in the subject of the kilo.He was was fascinating and informative. I learnt a lot.
Yet, I doubt you listened as you prejudged the whole thing.
For a 28 year old, you come over as very closed minded.
[Enough of the ageism Ed. And I’ll while I’m here, can you please give a brief intro to videos? eg ‘George Galloway discusses Brexit, the Tory meltdown, and the need for a snap election on his UK radio show’. Gives the reader some relevant context, which is good manners in my book. Cheers, TRP.]
Last year, Niue caught the attention of the world by announcing its intention to protect 40 per cent of this blue estate from fishing and other activities that might compromise it.
In this, Niue leads the world. The United Nations Development Programme is promoting 10 per cent marine protection by 2020. The United Kingdom is more ambitious, advocating 30 per cent by 2030. New Zealand, by contrast, currently protects less than one per cent of its exclusive economic zone.
Very good question Gabby, they probably would call on the AusG and NZG to help out. The RNZN have too few hulls and the RNZAF airframes atm to do its current mandated task, let alone short notice taskings.
From the Washington Post via The Herald,
Mohammed’s private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contracts to his government’s public comments, which mourned Khashoggi’s killing as a “terrible mistake” and a “tragedy.”
Am I being trivial.
“The positive outcome of this study is that we have a metric to assess the ratcheting up of ambition. Civil society, experts and decision-makers can use this to hold their governments accountable, and possibly undertake climate litigation cases as happened recently in the Netherlands,” he said. “This metric translates the lack of ambition on a global scale to a national scale. If we look at the goal of trying to avoid damage to the Earth, then I am pessimistic as this is already happening. But this should be a motivation to ratchet up ambition and avoid global warming as much and as rapidly as possible. Every fraction of a degree will have a big impact.”
New action and encouragement for Taranaki region and a number of other moves shown on the link.
15 November 2018
PGF to support commercialisation at Taranaki sawmill
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will provide a loan of up to $1.8 million to TaranakiPine to allow the company to diversify and create new jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/hon-shane-jones
Kia kaha to all the people who are letting the world’s governments know we have to take human caused climate change very seriously and act now to prevent a catastrophic disaster on a PLANET scale that is preventable with a bit of cooperation on a Planet SCALE.
How I decide if a story is fact or fiction is I look for the motive everyone has a motive for there actions. Then I look to see if the writer or the person being written about has a conflict of interest. “The Humane Caused Climate Change Debate “.
The %99 of OUR Worlds Scientist what is there motive for there point of view about Climate change most of these people are 50 years old + they have been reporting about the bad effects of climate change for 30 years + . What’s in it for them the TRUTH is what’s Scientist look for that is a Scientist motive for there words on Climate change.
You see the Truth is the core role of a Scientist they are asked or ask them selves Qustion’s about OUR World and then they set out to find the FACT about that question and publish the Truth and then the rest of the scientific community around the world scrutinize there answers to the question hence it is proven to be the truth or not. You see the scientist know what is going on in our world they are the people who care about our future they are instinctively the truth tellers of the world whom have been kept inside a square box by the greedy power hungry neo liberal capitalist of the world who only goal is more power or to do anything anything to keep that power weather billion’s of human lives are put at extreme risk or not .
Now lets look at The neo climate change deniers what’s there motive greed money power control we see billions of dollars of oil barons money pour into the climate change deniers hip pocket this money reaches to the far ends of the Earth putting everyone whos views are not the same as there’s into a BOX of deceit and lies .
Who cares if they are making billions of people’s lives a misery with there deceit.
There are heaps of story’s of the bad side effects of carbon on the peoples health and Papatunuku Mother Earth and her Beautiful health and all our future and still these IDIOTS peddle there LIES Hence ECO MAORI is making a stand for all our future as I CAN SEE THE BIG PICTURE. P.S the % 001 of climate change deniers motive is money.
Seventy people have been arrested as thousands of demonstrators occupied five bridges in central London to voice their concern over the looming climate crisis.
Protesters, including families and pensioners, began massing on five of London’s main bridges from 10am on Saturday. An hour later, all the crossings had been blocked in one of the biggest acts of peaceful civil disobedience in the UK in decades. Some people locked themselves together, while others linked arms and sang songs.
By 2pm the blockade of Southwark Bridge had been abandoned and protesters moved from there to Blackfriars Bridge, where organisers said they were soon to move west towards Westminster Bridge.
Climate protesters glue hands to UK government building
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Demonstrators occupied Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth bridges.
The Metropolitan police said all the bridges had since reopened.
A spokesman said: “There have been over 70 arrests for obstruction of the Highway Act and Bail Act offences.”
Demonstrators have now gathered in Parliament Square to hear speeches. Roger Hallam, one of the strategists behind the actions, told the Guardian he felt the protest had been fantastic. Ka kite ano link below
Kia ora R&R that was a good view on tangata whenua O Aotearoa whakapapa Patara
I see that the person who was shouting free speech while some on was talking and mentioned the rugby player was a paid neo troll Guy.
People coming here and preaching race hate speech and being stopped by our action’s in there tracks is not anti free speech its protecting the people from there hate full word’s that can influence some to behave badly Golirz
Its good that maori culture and other cultures are being finally respected by most people but I still get heads turning when I use maori in a shop not all heads turn but still one or two Ka kite ano P.S my megaphone is quite loud I just have to be carefull what I use it for
Kia ora Marae Yes Maori TV need’s to keep up to the future I say we need to find maori stars and promote them music stars what ever Shane.
My views are we need to draw in the viewers and use the internet and Maori TV together to get more people learning our cultures maybe team up with our Pacific cousins to get this one should be researching around Papatunuku to see what work’s in other country’s and duplicate it .
I say a Screen TV and multimedia is a easy to to learn te reo or anything from may be team up with the education sector to come up with tools that help teach te reo .
Kevin I want to see positive story’s on maori about on our TV Screen’s hence the Maori Star’s need to be created Kevin I know some have been deliberately suppressing our rising maori stars . Ka kite ano P.S Tini I have discovered NZONSCREEN its a good site to find old maori movies but there are some Ngati Porou story’s that I can not access
Here you go the carbon men trying to cheat us once again by they to get laws made so they can hide there emissions data typical neo liberal capitalist so much for transparency they will let us burn in there carbon emissions .
The Australian oil and gas lobby is pushing to limit public information about greenhouse gas emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, a move that contradicts the global industry’s pledge to increase transparency about their impact on the climate.
The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has called for LNG plants to be able to apply for emissions data to be withheld from the public on the grounds that releasing it could help its competitors overseas. It has been backed by Chevron, which operates the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG developments in Western Australia.
The push follows the federal government reporting that the booming LNG sector is the main driver of Australia’s growing emissions. Ka kite ano link below
Kia ora Newshub looks like only one black team won this weekend well losing is part of sports Rugby is a fast growing Sport’s.
That is correct we don’t need to chose sides we want to see World harmony the Yin Yang a nice balanced happy healthy world.
That’s working outside the square box the Whangara homeless helping to building there own homeless shelter ka pai Carol Peter’s .
I bet fuel prices are higher here in Aotearoa than they are in France.
Its really good that the World is drinking less wine and Alcohol its a substance that when consumed need to be respected we seen what Alcohol does to the unborn child.
The Bosnian refugee crises is a crying shame all the refugee crises around Papatunuku should not be happening in 2018.
The Peter Blake trust is doing a great job showing our beautiful creatures of Tangaroa using new tec virtual reality ka pai .
Tawhirimate is showing its awesome power with that tornado in Aotearoa today .
Thanks to Fiao o Fa amausili and Linda for there long career’s playing for the Black Ferns Kia ka Ladies
Good wins to Ireland and France plenty of happy fans ka pai.
Ka kite ano
I ran across a recent essay from The Brothers Krynn, which attempts to map common horror monsters onto the Seven Deadly Sins: https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/horror-monsters-and-vice My interest, however, is not in the meat of the piece, but rather the opening paragraph: It is an interesting fact that in recent decades, Vampires have ...
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon above between and The Kākā’s climate correspondent : An independent review panel into the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Hawkes Bayconcluded “that ...
There are now only a few days left to give feedback on the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport 2024-34 (see our earlier post this week on GPS submission guides). As we’ve reported, the GPS is a disaster for Local Government, so we were particularly interested to hear ...
Willis has pledged to go ahead with the debt-funded tax cuts, despite growing opposition from her own supporters worried about appearing fiscally irresponsible. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for ...
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Civil society in Ethiopia takes on the local repressive military industrial complex, and beats them.
Disclaimer; I have no personal experience of Ethiopia, but this seems like a genuine good news story that should hearten the world.
Ethiopia’s PM Abiy Ahmed takes on the military
Emmanuel Igunza -BBC Africa, November 15, 2018
This is a remarkable turnaround when most of the world seems to be heading in the other direction.
When just 70 years after the death of Hitler and Stalin where we seemed to be heading to a world where all the major countries will be ruled by fascists, goons, strongmen and other types of “authoritarians” (Britain and France excepted for the moment).
A great example of why the old model is broken, a lack of leadership and a lack of imagination.
Trucking rubbish 200km from Taranaki to Martin. Three trucks a day.
And then there is talk of achieving zero waste targets…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/108649134/deal-will-see-taranaki-waste-trucked-to-marton-landfill-from-mid-2019
Zero waste = dumping your shit in some else’s back yard.
People might excuse the authorities of not having a lot of drive in dealing with rubbish. Many are so thick that they would reply that was wrong, they drive
the rubbish away. They would think a riposte like that funny.
Well, no. They do seem to be working on the principle of actually reducing their waste. Personally, I don’t see how that can be done at the regional level. It really does need central government bringing in legislation to reduce packaging and banning the spam in our mailboxes.
I’m wondering how it will be able to save ~$1m per year. That doesn’t seem physically possible without either dropping the number of personnel or lowering wages or both.
And, with it being wholly foreign owned means that any profit is going to be shipped offshore making us poorer.
I’m also wondering what other hooks have been placed in the agreement because it seems far too good to be true.
A Universal Creativity Initiative will flow naturally from UBI.
We are at our best when putting personal talent to work. It is no coincidence that world-wide rehabilitation programs for offenders and addicts are invariably grounded in creativity, – activities such as cooking, music, art, surfing, and environmental restoration.
Earning a living for most fails to honour individual creativity. We find ourselves ‘imprisoned’ within profit-based corporations and governmental institutions demanding compliance within narrow bounds. The demise of conventional employment following widespread automation will usher in a universal basic income or similar currency leaving millions free to give expression to what they sense as innovation lying at their deepest core.
While there are impressive structures created by animals (bird nests, termite colonies, corals, beaver dams) they are purpose-built – never as creative expression. Setting us aside from other life forms our creativity stems from individual temperament and ability. The trait is common to us all whilst its expression in terms of range, diversity and depth is without limit.
With capitalism comfortably out of the way and UBI in place a universal creativity initiative will eventuate allowing the widest spectrum of human abilities to come to the fore in the rebuild of society and restoration of our stricken planet. The politically inclined to explore new styles of inclusive government; educators to developing fresh methods of nourishing emerging talent; financiers to look into equitable ways applying UBI; artists and musicians to give novel expression to humanity’s changing orientation on earth; scientists to probe decisive methods of restoring the integrity of our ecosystems; medics to develop non-intrusive initiatives of addressing health; idealists to imagining our future course – to name a few.
Within these broad divisions lie countless sub-opportunities catering for the full spectrum of human talent and ability all the way from abstract visionaries to those with high quality physical dexterity.
Our creativity is only limited by our imagination and curiosity – unstoppable forces in human evolution. There’s one thing that stops imagination and creativity dead in their tracks: fear.
Indeed, when the basics are not covered our psychology results in different attitudes and behaviours. The post here on TS on house prices bears testament to that. People bow to economic fundamentals or indicators rather and put their lives on hold (i.e. play it safe).
We all have so much potential locked away inside but have thrown away the key – we now live in strictly materialistic dimension of our own making. Some praise our secular society and its supposed rationalism and reliance on science and the scientific method. Others compare it with the Matrix: an artificial world in which human evolution is at a standstill and exploited by machines – I think we’re half-way there.
Will a UBI change our direction? Maybe …
“I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this.”
Two louts and a comedian discuss “China’s aggression” in the South China Sea
The Panel, RNZ National, Friday 16 November 2018
Jim Mora, James Nokise, Heather Roy, Caitlin Cherry
First topic for the once-over-lightly this afternoon was the buttonholing of Jacinda Ardern by Mahathir Mohamad, and his urging her to beware of Chinese influence in the Pacific. Host Jim Mora noted that “the Australians” have spoken out against China’s aggression. Mora made that statement without any discernible irony in his voice.
Near the end of this risible segment, the one participant with a conscience, comedian James Nokise, says what anyone with an I.Q. above room temperature would have been thinking. He obviously decided to ignore the rules: such plain speaking is utterly verboten on this dog of a program. His radical statement of the truth elicits a ringing silence from Mora, who is happy to laugh at the plight of political dissidents, and Heather Roy, a former ACT member of parliament…..
JIM MORA: And then there were those, aah, AWKWARD moments at the East Asia Summit in Singapore
HEATHER ROY: Mmmmmm.
JIM MORA: —when the Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad began BENDING the ear of our prime minister about Chinese attempts to dominate the South China Sea, and the reporters were ushered out of the roo-hoo-hoo-om! [guffawing, followed by extended intake of breath]… It’s interesting, I mean, if push DOES come to shove in the South China Sea—we’ve asked this before—what sould, what should New Zealand do, because the P.M. says we’re not taking SIDES here?
HEATHER ROY: [deep sigh to indicate moral seriousness] Hmmmmm.
JAMES NOKISE: What exactly CAN we do? Probably an uncomfortable question for New Zealanders. I mean are we gonna send our three ships and no planes that we have, to intimidate China?
MORA: Well, Australia trades a lot with China, and [deep intake of breath] has still told China in fairly plain language that it’s being AGGRESSIVE. I guess you could say Australia is using harder wo-o-o-ords.
JAMES NOKISE: Well if anyone knows about aggressive use of internment camps it’s probably the Australians, isn’t it.
…Awkward silence….
HEATHER ROY: [nervously] Heh, heh.
MORA: [breathes deeply to indicate annoyance and perplexedness] It’s INTERESTING though—-
HEATHER ROY: Yeeaahhhh….
MORA: Sorry, no you were gonna say what?
HEATHER ROY: It IS very interesting, and New Zealand is heavily dependent on the South China Sea, you know….[…]…. I don’t think we can afford to just completely IGNORE this. Ahhhhhhmmm, tut, if you look at what happens with the MILITARY, ahh, there’s a freedom of navigation operations where the, the basis of that is maintaining your position… [bores on for a seeming eternity, actually another minute]…
Later in the program, Heather Roy the former ACT M.P. claimed, contra all evidence, that “the Americans treat veterans very well.”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018671565/taking-sides-over-the-south-china-sea
Comedians often bring the unpalatable to the table. It’s their job in a way. Well done James.
Frankie Boyle is a perfect example of that. And in this country, Guy Williams….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYEuWoiXXhs&t=81s
You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers. Ardern could probably get her head around it, but she has to play to her crowd, right? When in doubt, be a typical politician & duck the issue.
If she were a true leader, she’d be fronting on behalf of our foreign policy credentials & independent stance – representing the entire country on the issue, not just Labour deadheads. She could remain cautious in noting that the South China Sea is not in our region, but explain that she understands why Malaysia is trying to share their regional concern with us. She could reasonably mention that other countries in that region share Malaysia’s concern, and cite those such as Japan and the Phillipines that have issued foreign policy statements in recent years expressing their concerns.
A true leader of Aotearoa would go further. Issuing a declaration of principle is required: China is creating a security threat in that region, perception that it is attempting a strategy of covert imperialism by means of establishing control over sea routes in contravention of international law is valid and we support those countries that are affected and threatened. Not taking sides is wimping out. She is presumably using public service advice as an excuse to do so. Poor leadership is the result.
It’s a global issue and not a regional one. The South China Sea is ~3.5 million square kilometres of international ocean. China’s actions are against all international law as it stands.
If China manages to annex it or even just a large portion of it then other nations will be doing the same and the law will be one which cannot be enforced. China seems to be doing it because they don’t think that the international community will do anything about it. Unfortunately, history proves them right. After all, the international community has never held the US to account for it’s crimes against international law.
This is a wealth grab and it’s actually grabbing potential wealth from the other nations surrounding The South China Sea.
You seem to forget that RNZ has always only catered for mainstreamers.
I’m well aware of that, Dennis. Occasionally there is real, outstanding, and courageous journalism on RNZ National, and even on the usually dreadful Panel hour: Eva Radich discomfiting Tony Blair by insisting he respond to her point that the attack on Iraq was illegal, Kim Hill driving the neocon William Shawcross into a fit of volcanic anger [1], Gordon Campbell challenging the glib and uninformed Richard Griffin over his prejudiced and thoughtless comments about Hugo Chavez and eliciting a groveling backdown and on-air retraction, and (more recently) Paula Penfold calling out the head of the New Zealand Defence Forces as a “coward”. [2]
All too often, however, as you rightly point out, RNZ National is anything but a forum of debate, affording an uncontested space for some of the ugliest and cleverest ideologues on the planet. [3]
[1] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/01/william-shawcross-explodes-in-rage-at.html
[2] https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-disturbing-story-behind-willie.html
[3] https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-01082011/#comment-358776
Your point is well-made. I was just having a bitch at them. Having lived in alternative Aotearoa most of my life I resent their systemic discrimination against non-mainstreamers. They’ve learnt how to include other minorities in their coverage, they just can’t seem to apply the general principle!
When I’m back in town, I’ll post the Maritime Trade numbers that transit the SCS and greater Pacific Region and the possible effects it would have on the NZ economy. Any NZ exports for the SEA region goes through the Singapore hub, the same is for some our MER exports/imports have to go through the Singapore hub. If China does manage close access to SCS or degrade access to the SCS then the economies of Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and some degree the Canada and the US will be effected. In turn this will effect our traditional trading/ allies and including Australia, so what happens in the SCS is our concern as it would effectively stuff up the NZ economy especially what the Neo Lib/ Con economic theory has done to NZ over the last 30 odd years.
Unless we start to diverse our economy like our Kirk, Rowling, old Piggy and some degree Lamb burger Moore said in the 70’ and early/ mid 80’s, then we are fucked as we have ran down all aspects of the economy and the NZDF. Our Sea Lanes Of Communications (SLOC’s) are our life blood and heart and soul of the greater NZ economy.
Alex Swney writes about Karel Sroubek. Interesting…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12161233
Scum. It is just about 2019. No excuses for the racist, disgusting scum who are members of Hawera Mt View Lions Club.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/108671695/outrage-at-lions-club-decision-to-wear-blackface-at-hawera-community-parade
I wish you lot didn’t live in our country.
I doubt they are racist disgusting scum but there’s no doubt it was a daft thing to do which has no doubt offended many.
They may have forgotten what century they’re living in – what was deemed OK decades ago is no longer OK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_swtbIi2F0
No it wasn’t daft ha ha. They knew it was wrong and they still did it. Disgusting racist scum.
Proof
“”What’s wrong with that? Some small-minded, bigoted person has called us racist, threatened to bash us up; it’s not worth replying to,” Joy Babington said.”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/108671695/lions-club-decision-to-wear-blackface-at-hawera-community-parade-not-racist
Standard playbook for racists so far. Never takes long till the racists are the victims ffs piss off you lot you’re views are off.
You seem to be struggling. Here are some links to help you out.
https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2014/10/29/7089591/why-is-blackface-offensive-halloween-costume
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackface
https://theconversation.com/amp/explainer-why-blackface-and-brownface-offend-65881
https://www.dosomething.org/us/campaigns/just-dont-wear-blackface
Reducing generations of deprivation and suffering to a fucking caricature has never been OK, fucko.
“Reducing generations of deprivation and suffering to a fucking caricature has never been OK, fucko.”
Yet was and still is not uncommon.
I agree, a few misguided hayseeds from the hick town of Hawera.
There is no malice here. Just incredibly poor judgement.
You been to the naki ? Red neck casual racists are thick on the ground over there. They spat on the mayor for supporting Maori wards.
No, Hawera are definitely racist.
Just go have a drink in a local bar and get them talking. Likewise Kaponga, Stratford and Inglewood.
We did a gig in Kaponga, 3 – THREE fights in one show. Young white rugby players.
Inglewood, where friends of the groom sodomised him for an engagement present…
Hawera, where a middling white act gets rapturous applause, and an incredible Maori talent barely gets a smattering of light applause.
Where the Maori waitress came to my hotel to avoid the white bosses advances, but he followed her there, and it took hours for him to leave even after a wee talking to.
Where addressing racism ironically was interpreted as actual racist material and encouraged with free drinks, lunch invites, and back slaps.
Good old boys.
I could get back on stage as a front to do a documentary of small town NZ. People open up to comics after a show. It’d be a helluva expose but make a country full of enemies.
Of white, middle class, polite society, racists.
“Former New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd called it “absolutely disgusting”, and ex-MP and Maori activist Hone Harawira said he wanted to “smash the racist motherf**kers”.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/11/lions-club-deletes-facebook-page-after-using-blackface-in-parade.html
A tricky exam question for National MPs, particularly their (current) Leader and Deputy-Leader:
Paula Bennett: “What does trivial mean?”
“Is it acceptable for a reporter to go on and on because he hasn’t got an answer out of the President?” Obviously Jim Mora thinks it’s NOT acceptable.
The Panel, RNZ National, Thursday 8 November 2018
Jim Mora, Penny Ashton, Bernard Hickey, Caitlin Cherry
Penny Ashton gets very heated as she criticizes Donald Trump, in the face of Mora’s infuriatingly complacent, barely disguised support for the Groper in Chief. Mora’s disdainful and patrician attitude, and his infuriatingly complacent observations seem designed to goad, taunt, and vex her.
BERNARD HICKEY: Last time we had unemployment this low, mortgage rates were eleven per cent.
MORA: ELEVEN per cent?!?!?
PENNY ASHTON: And I heard that they were like NINETEEN or TWENTY per cent in the eighties a lot of the time.
……
MORA: Minor news, um, from the, um, MID-TERMS in the United States, before we get to the big issues. Fox News, under a headline “Democrat Agenda” featured Lenin with a red flag and a hammer and sickle—
PENNY ASHTON: Oh, good LO-O-O-ORD.
MORA: Unless that is FAKE news, but it seemed to be genuine. The celebrity endorsements by the way—I don’t know why I mention, perhaps it’s because you’re here—
PENNY ASHTON: [sarcastic snicker] Yeah! That’s right.
MORA: —FLOPPED. Um, from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé in Tenness—, Tennessee and Texas.
PENNY ASHTON: But DID they flop? I wouldn’t think you would say that Beto would—is that how you say his name?—Beeto, Beto?
MORA: Beto.
PENNY ASHTON: Beto—was a FLOP. Like he got SO CLOSE in a theoretically very red state. He also, it feels like he was starting his run for President, is what a lot of people are saying. I mean, and I just sort of think, that yes, okay they didn’t win, but it was close, and they rattled the cage, and I think that that’s SOMETHING.
MORA: It’s puzzling..[baffled sigh]… how come Beyoncé didn’t, uh, tell her millions of followers to vote for Beto until about four o’clock in the afterNOON?
PENNY ASHTON: I know, but also it’s so puzzling isn’t it, that that would be what it would take to GET you to do that, is something, but you know, there’s no point lamenting that sort of shenanigans, IS there?
MORA: And in a SIGN of the digital times, South Carolina’s state newspaper the Post had to go to press before the final result, and it announced: “Katie Arrington is going to Washington”. The first woman in Congress for twenty-five years in South Carolina, but in fact her lead was pulled ba-a-a-ack, and she ISN’T going to Washington. And, Bernard, you can imagine the agony of the subs as they tried to make that decision! [laughing]
BERNARD HICKEY: “Who-o-o-o-oops!”
MORA: Hur, hur!
BERNARD HICKEY: “Hold the presses!”
MORA: I know, they couldn’t hold them any longer!
BERNARD HICKEY: It’s like that famous headline, was it “Dewey Wins”? um, from nineteen—
MORA: Oh yeah.
PENNY ASHTON: And they QUOTED that I think.
BERNARD HICKEY: Yeah, yeah…
PENNY ASHTON: Yea-aah.
….Pause…..
MORA: Jeff Sessions has been sacked by Donald Trump, we’ll talk about that. And Donald Trump got REALLY upset with a persistent CNN reporter Jeff Acosta.
MORA: So Mister Acosta’s press credentials, ahhhh, have now been revoked by the White House, it’s claimed he placed his HANDS on the intern in the video from which this audio’s takennnn….
PENNY ASHTON: I watched it, she GRABBED the microphone out of his hand quite VIOLENTLY, and he put his hand out while she did that. And then people are saying online that it was ASSAULT. I mean, it’s, it’s like, oh honestly, it’s bad behavior all ROUND, it feels like to me.
BERNARD HICKEY: Yeaaahh, the, the, the photographs, I’ve seen the Reuters photographs of the incident, make it clear that he was simply trying to hold on to the mike.
PENNY ASHTON: Yeah. Yeah. And then she was being very rou—, you know,
BERNARD HICKEY: Mmmm.
PENNY ASHTON: Oh hey, he just, he’s just sort of such a repellent, I know that you’ve had, you’ve had listeners writing in, saying that your Panelists are so biased against Trump—
MORA: Yes, I’ll GET to that.
PENNY ASHTON: This is the man that said that, um, you know, he was gonna try and soften his rhetoric. And that’s what he comes out with, because he can’t help himself. And to me, it’s just, he keeps going on about CNN’s ratings dropping, but they’re NOT, so, you know, fake news, fake news.
MORA: Ha ha ha ha. Ha!
PENNY ASHTON: You are the fake news, sir, and this is what happens.
MORA: In—
PENNY ASHTON: How does it work? How do they dismiss people? Like, you know, I don’t know how it works in New Zealand. You’re in the press; if, if, if, you know, Jacinda goes, “Enough from you now”—
MORA: Yes I wanna ASK you that—
PENNY ASHTON: —are you supposed to STOP?
MORA: I wanna ask you that, because, in Trump’s, errr, errr, Trump’s CREDIT, he takes questions, lots more questions than Barack Obama or George Bush used to DO.
PENNY ASHTON: [skeptically] Well that’s interesti-i-ing.
MORA: Is it acceptable for a reporter to go on and on because he hasn’t got an answer out of the President? What do you think?
BERNARD HICKEY: Uh, I, I think it i-i-i-is, and it’s the job of the, um, responder to answer the question.
PENNY ASHTON: Mmm.
BERNARD HICKEY: Or at least make clear that they’re not going to answer the question because they don’t want to.
PENNY ASHTON: And not to descend into insults. Obviously.
BERNARD HICKEY: Yeah. And I must say, I’ve been in the press gallery now for six years, and have, you know, interviewed CEOs and Ministers for TWENTY years. I very rarely see a situation where someone walks out of an interview or refuses to answer a question. And John Key in particular, but also, um, Bill English, AND Jacinda Ardern all pride themselves on basically exhausting questions, i.e. stand there until the questions stop, and then leaving.
PENNY ASHTON: Right, okay. That’s certainly not his—
BERNARD HICKEY: And when they cut them off it’s actually really rare and noteworthy.
MORA: [audible intake of breath to indicate displeasure]
PENNY ASHTON: I mean, especially because people are ATTACKING journalists and things like this, you know, there’s actually been physical violence, and things, and he is INCITING this, and I just find it, I mean it’s what he DOES, isn’t it.
BERNARD HICKEY: It’s the next level, um, awfulness, and it’s really dangerous, actually.
PENNY ASHTON: Yeah, totally.
BERNARD HICKEY: I mean, there’s been bombs sent to CNN—
PENNY ASHTON: Yep.
BERNARD HICKEY: Ah, um, journalists have been harassed, and he’s created this environment where Saudi Arabia thought it was okay to, to kill and dismember a journalist who walked into their—-
MORA: Hang on! Are you trying to say that Saudi Arabia did that, ahhh, to Mister Khashoggi because of what Mis—
BERNARD HICKEY: Not beCAUSE of Trump, but they felt enabled to do it because of what Trump had said.
MORA: Okay, –t’s an interesting claim.
PENNY ASHTON: I liked the guy from—
BERNARD HICKEY: And they haven’t been punished by the way.
PENNY ASHTON: No.
BERNARD HICKEY: A major ally of America.
PENNY ASHTON: I liked the guy from NBC who immediately stood up for, um, so what’s that guy’s name again?
BERNARD HICKEY: Jim Acosta.
PENNY ASHTON: That, thank you. Acosta. That’s an interesting one for that situation isn’t it! Ah, anyway, he stood up for him and said he’s nothing but professional and a good guy, which I thought was great, immediately after that.
MORA: Here’s a little bit more audio of, uh, likely House Leader and leading Democrat Nancy Pelosi.
MORA: Is that the great FIB of politics? Along with the vow to be bipartisan and to end division?
PENNY ASHTON:
BERNARD HICKEY: Yes, yes. Like the current government’s um, pledge to, um, “reform the Official Information Act to make it much more transparent.” Nothing has happened. ….
MORA:
PENNY ASHTON: I think the way that they operate, as a nation, for their political system is crazy.It’s something like Democrats got seven per cent more of the popular vote in this election, you know, and then that doesn’t translate, does it, because of the way that their system is. It’s just—-
MORA: But it doesn’t translate in other countries, sometimes either.
PENNY ASHTON: Oh absolutely, I mean, sometimes, WELL! I mean, some, I feel like this one is one of the more, well, I suppose it’s the one that gets the most publicity. But the extremity to which people can be stymied. Like Barack, well everyone, you had somebody writing and saying “Oh what did OBAMA do?” He couldn’t do anything EITHER, because of the same system blocking things, being able to, you know,…[continues defending the indefensible for extended time]…
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/20181108
Is it acceptable to publish 1676 words in an article which took nearly six screens to scroll past?
I always enjoy Morrissey’s perceptive, clever and witty transcripts.
Good, but is there another way to access this information? Can it be linked to, can it be edited, can it be left as a link to a radio site with succinct commentary from the poster as to its content?
It is, after all, a transcript of other peoples’ argument that if written as an argument would be well reduced by the editor’s pen.
Next, we’ll be having transcripts of an MP’s Hansard on the Standard, the full ten minutes, with interjections, Speaker’s interventions and personal asides.
If more feel like you, Ed, then I’ll just continue to scroll past. Part of that problem for me is that continuity of the flow of responses is broken by having to scroll so far, and the logical thread is interrupted.
120 words, btw.
Fair point, actually. You’re not the first person to complain about my long transcripts. That’s one reason I have created my blog: to put up the whole transcript, and to put up just a highlighted segment on fora like The Standard.
I’ve broken my own guidelines, and your telling me off is a timely corrective. I’ll be briefer in future.
All the best, mac.
https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/11/is-it-acceptable-for-reporter-to-go-on.html
Cheers, Morrissey. If I know where to go to get your transcriptions and a little taster or pointer, then that is good for Ed and me.
Thanks Ed. Love you too.
Thanks for counting, mac!
Love you.
Paste to a word processor and let the machine do the counting…………
I write a regular 300 word article for a newsletter. I know that it is read, and therefore worthwhile for me to produce.
The word counter limits me in being more succinct than is my first draft over-written and wordy as it is, and is a valuable editing tool.
This rubbish why oh why ???????
Could they move on to Kissinger, please?
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — The last surviving leaders of the communist Khmer Rouge regime that brutally ruled Cambodia in the 1970s were convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes Friday by an international tribunal.
Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan were sentenced to life in prison, the same punishment they are already serving after earlier convictions at a previous trial for crimes against humanity connected with forced transfers and mass disappearances. Cambodia has no death penalty.
Both men have suggested they were targets of political persecution. Nuon Chea was considered the main ideologist of the Khmer Rouge and the right-hand man of the group’s late leader, Pol Pot, while Khieu Samphan served as the head of state, presenting a moderate veneer as the public face for the highly secretive group.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/last-khmer-rouge-leaders-found-guilty-genocide-get-life-terms-n937071?
Console yourself @ Joe90. While there are a good number influenced by his ideology, there’ll be an even greater number lining up to piss on his grave.
(Energy – including the emotional – is a finite resource as things stand – use it wisely)
And in breaking, snapping sensational news, the CIA has concluded the Saudi Crown Prince ORDERED the death.
Is anyone surprised?
Now, don’t forget your bone saw.
I won’t – I have an ex-wife who once had to attend a few gruesome post-mortems, then come home and pretend normal humanity and dump her load. Not surprising some things don’t last.
But you know …… yea/nah
Shit! I almost forgot the > preface and the OWT.
Sorry, should’ve been clearer – paraphrasing MSB’s instructions to his butcher boys.
China boots invited media from Pacific Island leaders meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping … Chinese State Broardcaster CCTV only media allowed to record.
“To be told that we’re not allowed is undermining our press freedom, we have press freedom in this country.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-16/media-kicked-out-of-xi-jinping-pacific-leaders-meeting/10506666
ooooooh you xenophobic racist you! Fake news even!
(/sarc)
Try that line on the student that was so bullied by local social media by parents in China and Collins-aligned acolytes that demanded she vote gNatz
(otherwise she’d no longer be able to buy a NuZull house or launder a wee bit of suspiciously obtained filthy lucre).
The long arm of, (Orivida and), the CCP
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-04/the-chinese-communist-partys-power-and-influence-in-australia/8584270
Seems some of the Australian press aren’t afraid to “mention the war” …
But then, there were attempts to muzzle that too!
How odd!
[Mike] Joy is the editor of a new book, From Mountains to Sea: Solving New Zealand’s Freshwater Crisis looking at the problem of freshwater, which he says is grave.
“The freshwater crisis is our industrialisation of the landscape and it’s ended up with these two worlds,” he says.
“We have this amazing conservation estate with the most beautiful pristine rivers and lakes in the world and a lowlands where we have some of the most degraded and polluted lakes and rivers in the world.”
He says this tendency to “silo” means we lose track of the bigger picture.
“We’ve got real lack of leadership. I find we could reduce the number of cows we have in the country – say, a 20 percent reduction – and we would get in most places a 40 percent reduction in the amount of nitrate pollution that comes from that.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018670839/mike-joy-solving-nz-s-freshwater-crisis
“It strikes me with great clarity that if you look at the problems in isolation they each seem intractable; but when you grasp that there could be one single solution, then suddenly there is a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.”
– Mike Joy.
You can purchase a copy here; (Only $16).
https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/mountains-sea
I will – note that it is another Bridget Williams bright spark.
As Ed seems MIA today… a cheerful Weekend read FYA!…
“With wildfires, heat waves, and rising sea levels, large tracts of the earth are at risk of becoming uninhabitable. But the fossil-fuel industry continues its assault on the facts.”
– Bill McKibben
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/11/26/how-extreme-weather-is-shrinking-the-planet
Puritarian’s aren’t happy.
It wasn’t a coincidence that moments after Nancy Pelosi promised progressive House leaders more power in the next Congress, a host of liberal groups announced they were supporting her for speaker.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who is expected to co-chair the House Progressive Caucus next year, left a Thursday night meeting with Pelosi in the Capitol and proclaimed that her members would have more seats on powerful committees and more influence over legislation.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/11/16/pelosi-speaker-progressives-congress-998595
I think this is a cheap shot on my part but I liked this juxtaposition of news headings at RNZ.
Mainfreight’s overall profit up 22 percent
New Zealanders losing millions to scammers, new data shows
Freight Transport & Logistics | Mainfreight NZ
https://www.mainfreight.com/nz/en/nz-home.aspx
Around town, or around the world, with over 250 branches and an extensive global agent network Mainfreight delivers wherever your product needs to go.
Views from Mainfreight chief:
https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/mainfreights-plested-gives-recipe-nz-including-capital-gains-tax-performance-pay-teachers-b
(Not to be confused with Mainzeal, which has the Fairy Shipley National touch.)
Mainzeal failed while parent made billions – Newsroom
Oct 24, 2018 – Richina, the Chinese parent company of failed NZ construction company Mainzeal, owns assets potentially worth billions of dollars, according …
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/10/23/288481/mainzeal-failed-while-parent-made-billions
Need more rakes…
This is the sort of rake that he knows about.
In a historical context, a rake (short for rakehell, analogous to “hellraiser”) was a man who was habituated to immoral conduct, particularly womanising.
Often, a rake was also prodigal, wasting his (usually inherited) fortune on gambling, wine, women and song, and incurring lavish debts in the process.
Rake (stock character) – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rake_(stock_character)
All the rakes were required on the east coast,
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/nyregion/nyc-snowstorm-traffic-commute.html
The NJ governor is tacking flack.
https://twitter.com/GarySzatkowski/status/1063495537591271425
Some of the best political analysis you can hear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch4KkOwtrFY
..the…death…of…the…kilo… yup, fucking riveting…
/
I found the whole show fascinating.
George’s views on Brexit and poverty in the UK were enlightening.
Roger Highfield, a director from the Science Museum, spike in the subject of the kilo.He was was fascinating and informative. I learnt a lot.
Yet, I doubt you listened as you prejudged the whole thing.
For a 28 year old, you come over as very closed minded.
[Enough of the ageism Ed. And I’ll while I’m here, can you please give a brief intro to videos? eg ‘George Galloway discusses Brexit, the Tory meltdown, and the need for a snap election on his UK radio show’. Gives the reader some relevant context, which is good manners in my book. Cheers, TRP.]
Thank you Ed.
+ 1.
Galloway is a brave and brilliant man.
A true socialist hero.
And a true democratic hero.
Looks like the British are finding out that Europe is like Hotel California.
“You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EqPtz5qN7HM
That is so apt Ed.
The UN goes to war on UK’s austerity.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/16/uk-austerity-has-inflicted-great-misery-on-citizens-un-says
39 years of neoliberalism.
8 years of austerity.
Last year, Niue caught the attention of the world by announcing its intention to protect 40 per cent of this blue estate from fishing and other activities that might compromise it.
In this, Niue leads the world. The United Nations Development Programme is promoting 10 per cent marine protection by 2020. The United Kingdom is more ambitious, advocating 30 per cent by 2030. New Zealand, by contrast, currently protects less than one per cent of its exclusive economic zone.
https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/from-taro-to-tourism/?t=_8f1367a7fb80fcefbdd4ab19634c48c6&campaign_id=
How’s Niue going to do that?
Very good question Gabby, they probably would call on the AusG and NZG to help out. The RNZN have too few hulls and the RNZAF airframes atm to do its current mandated task, let alone short notice taskings.
From the Washington Post via The Herald,
Mohammed’s private condemnation of the slain journalist stood in contracts to his government’s public comments, which mourned Khashoggi’s killing as a “terrible mistake” and a “tragedy.”
Am I being trivial.
“The positive outcome of this study is that we have a metric to assess the ratcheting up of ambition. Civil society, experts and decision-makers can use this to hold their governments accountable, and possibly undertake climate litigation cases as happened recently in the Netherlands,” he said. “This metric translates the lack of ambition on a global scale to a national scale. If we look at the goal of trying to avoid damage to the Earth, then I am pessimistic as this is already happening. But this should be a motivation to ratchet up ambition and avoid global warming as much and as rapidly as possible. Every fraction of a degree will have a big impact.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/16/climate-change-champions-still-pursuing-devastating-policies-new-study-reveals
on target…not
California, you are next to Mexicans in Trump’s eyes!!!!
New action and encouragement for Taranaki region and a number of other moves shown on the link.
15 November 2018
PGF to support commercialisation at Taranaki sawmill
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will provide a loan of up to $1.8 million to TaranakiPine to allow the company to diversify and create new jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/hon-shane-jones
Kia kaha to all the people who are letting the world’s governments know we have to take human caused climate change very seriously and act now to prevent a catastrophic disaster on a PLANET scale that is preventable with a bit of cooperation on a Planet SCALE.
How I decide if a story is fact or fiction is I look for the motive everyone has a motive for there actions. Then I look to see if the writer or the person being written about has a conflict of interest. “The Humane Caused Climate Change Debate “.
The %99 of OUR Worlds Scientist what is there motive for there point of view about Climate change most of these people are 50 years old + they have been reporting about the bad effects of climate change for 30 years + . What’s in it for them the TRUTH is what’s Scientist look for that is a Scientist motive for there words on Climate change.
You see the Truth is the core role of a Scientist they are asked or ask them selves Qustion’s about OUR World and then they set out to find the FACT about that question and publish the Truth and then the rest of the scientific community around the world scrutinize there answers to the question hence it is proven to be the truth or not. You see the scientist know what is going on in our world they are the people who care about our future they are instinctively the truth tellers of the world whom have been kept inside a square box by the greedy power hungry neo liberal capitalist of the world who only goal is more power or to do anything anything to keep that power weather billion’s of human lives are put at extreme risk or not .
Now lets look at The neo climate change deniers what’s there motive greed money power control we see billions of dollars of oil barons money pour into the climate change deniers hip pocket this money reaches to the far ends of the Earth putting everyone whos views are not the same as there’s into a BOX of deceit and lies .
Who cares if they are making billions of people’s lives a misery with there deceit.
There are heaps of story’s of the bad side effects of carbon on the peoples health and Papatunuku Mother Earth and her Beautiful health and all our future and still these IDIOTS peddle there LIES Hence ECO MAORI is making a stand for all our future as I CAN SEE THE BIG PICTURE. P.S the % 001 of climate change deniers motive is money.
Seventy people have been arrested as thousands of demonstrators occupied five bridges in central London to voice their concern over the looming climate crisis.
Protesters, including families and pensioners, began massing on five of London’s main bridges from 10am on Saturday. An hour later, all the crossings had been blocked in one of the biggest acts of peaceful civil disobedience in the UK in decades. Some people locked themselves together, while others linked arms and sang songs.
By 2pm the blockade of Southwark Bridge had been abandoned and protesters moved from there to Blackfriars Bridge, where organisers said they were soon to move west towards Westminster Bridge.
Climate protesters glue hands to UK government building
Read more
Demonstrators occupied Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth bridges.
The Metropolitan police said all the bridges had since reopened.
A spokesman said: “There have been over 70 arrests for obstruction of the Highway Act and Bail Act offences.”
Demonstrators have now gathered in Parliament Square to hear speeches. Roger Hallam, one of the strategists behind the actions, told the Guardian he felt the protest had been fantastic. Ka kite ano link below
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/17/thousands-gather-to-block-london-bridges-in-climate-rebellion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N36H6IezpVo
Kia ora R&R that was a good view on tangata whenua O Aotearoa whakapapa Patara
I see that the person who was shouting free speech while some on was talking and mentioned the rugby player was a paid neo troll Guy.
People coming here and preaching race hate speech and being stopped by our action’s in there tracks is not anti free speech its protecting the people from there hate full word’s that can influence some to behave badly Golirz
Its good that maori culture and other cultures are being finally respected by most people but I still get heads turning when I use maori in a shop not all heads turn but still one or two Ka kite ano P.S my megaphone is quite loud I just have to be carefull what I use it for
Kia ora Marae Yes Maori TV need’s to keep up to the future I say we need to find maori stars and promote them music stars what ever Shane.
My views are we need to draw in the viewers and use the internet and Maori TV together to get more people learning our cultures maybe team up with our Pacific cousins to get this one should be researching around Papatunuku to see what work’s in other country’s and duplicate it .
I say a Screen TV and multimedia is a easy to to learn te reo or anything from may be team up with the education sector to come up with tools that help teach te reo .
Kevin I want to see positive story’s on maori about on our TV Screen’s hence the Maori Star’s need to be created Kevin I know some have been deliberately suppressing our rising maori stars . Ka kite ano P.S Tini I have discovered NZONSCREEN its a good site to find old maori movies but there are some Ngati Porou story’s that I can not access
Some Eco Maori music for the minute .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yim4–J44gk
Here you go the carbon men trying to cheat us once again by they to get laws made so they can hide there emissions data typical neo liberal capitalist so much for transparency they will let us burn in there carbon emissions .
The Australian oil and gas lobby is pushing to limit public information about greenhouse gas emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, a move that contradicts the global industry’s pledge to increase transparency about their impact on the climate.
The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has called for LNG plants to be able to apply for emissions data to be withheld from the public on the grounds that releasing it could help its competitors overseas. It has been backed by Chevron, which operates the Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG developments in Western Australia.
The push follows the federal government reporting that the booming LNG sector is the main driver of Australia’s growing emissions. Ka kite ano link below
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/16/nothing-to-hide-oil-and-gas-lobby-pushes-to-limit-data-on-its-emissions
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/13/problem-in-waiting-why-natural-gas-will-wipe-out-australias-emissions-gains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ0o2E4d8Ts
Kia ora Newshub looks like only one black team won this weekend well losing is part of sports Rugby is a fast growing Sport’s.
That is correct we don’t need to chose sides we want to see World harmony the Yin Yang a nice balanced happy healthy world.
That’s working outside the square box the Whangara homeless helping to building there own homeless shelter ka pai Carol Peter’s .
I bet fuel prices are higher here in Aotearoa than they are in France.
Its really good that the World is drinking less wine and Alcohol its a substance that when consumed need to be respected we seen what Alcohol does to the unborn child.
The Bosnian refugee crises is a crying shame all the refugee crises around Papatunuku should not be happening in 2018.
The Peter Blake trust is doing a great job showing our beautiful creatures of Tangaroa using new tec virtual reality ka pai .
Tawhirimate is showing its awesome power with that tornado in Aotearoa today .
Thanks to Fiao o Fa amausili and Linda for there long career’s playing for the Black Ferns Kia ka Ladies
Good wins to Ireland and France plenty of happy fans ka pai.
Ka kite ano