Open mike 17/11/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 17th, 2019 - 67 comments
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67 comments on “Open mike 17/11/2019 ”

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  1. Andre 1
    17 November 2019 at 7:42 am

    Elizabeth Warren's healthcare proposal really isn't Medicare-for-all, it's more like Medicare-for-all-who-want-it. And that's a very good thing.

    What she has laid out in detail as a first stage is ambitious, makes it feasible to expand coverage to a lot of people that are now under-covered or not covered. It's politically achievable through a combination of executive action and budget reconciliation, meaning it can get passed with a bare majority in the senate even if the filibuster remains. (There is a second stage that really is Medicare-for-all, but anybody that actually see the real world, even if just through a telescope, will immediately understand that it simply ain't gonna happen in the next couple of decades.)

    Most importantly, it avoids the trap of making the half of Americans covered by employer sponsored health insurance think they are going to be forced to give it up.

    But it does carry the risk of being insufficient for purity progressives and the congenitally disgruntled that would rather give power to the right's regressive agenda than accept real progress that falls short of their politically unattainable ideal.

    https://slate.com/business/2019/11/elizabeth-warren-health-care-transition-medicare-for-all.html

    • Ad 1.1
      17 November 2019 at 8:17 am

      To me the bigger risk is she's viewed as a tax-and-spend wonk with too-big policies and not the ability to win the states that enabled Trump to be in power. That's the more important purity contest. Much as I love wonks.

      • Andre 1.1.1
        17 November 2019 at 8:38 am

        Currently Medicare is funded by a payroll tax of around 3% (alongside a payroll tax around 12% for Social Security) that applies to income up to about $140k pa then disappears (much like the ACC earner levy here disappears for income over around $130k).

        Making the Medicare expansion relatively modest opens the door to the possibility of funding it by lifting or removing the threshold at which it stops getting applied, and possibly extending it to other forms of income such as dividends.

        Then the argument could become that it's not adding to ordinary people's taxes, instead it's making the bosses making millions pay the same taxes as ordinary people that they've been escaping until now.

        In contrast, Bernie embraces the entire tax-and-spend vibe by being explicit that middle-class taxes are gonna rise to pay for his ideas. Which is why he's not going to rise beyond having a small-but-enthusiastic portion of the Dem base.

  2. Ad 2
    17 November 2019 at 9:38 am

    With Gareth Hughes retiring, all results being equal who is next on the Green Party list?

    • marty mars 3.1
      17 November 2019 at 10:26 am

      The Defence Force refused to be interviewed, but in a statement said it "takes its responsibility to ensure areas used by New Zealand forces are free of unexploded ordnance very seriously".

      …But locals point out it is now six years since New Zealand left Afghanistan and question why the work hasn't been carried out already.

      Yeah very seriously indeed NOT – I wonder what their spin will be on this and who will misremember important items and communication this time. Rotten.

  4. Robert Guyton 4
    17 November 2019 at 9:53 am

    Well, I didn't know that!

    "I was just a working class kid from Gisborne who cared about girls and cars and rugby more than politics that somehow fell into a passion for environmentalism, somehow got to Parliament. So I've always pinched myself, the fact that I'm here."

    Gareth Hughes

  5. Robert Guyton 5
    17 November 2019 at 9:55 am

    Gareth, who's retiring from politics, also said:

    ""As I reflect across 20 years of activism I realise that I've spent 20 years winning campaigns, but each one's kind of like chopping off the head of the hydra. There's always another equally important campaign right behind it. I've spent 20 years fighting the symptoms, not the source."

    And

    "Across my 10 years here, things have actually got worse. Emissions have increased, we are still losing a hundred million tons of topsoil every year – our most precious resource – homelessness is growing," Hughes says.

    "I don't think the Government has been transformational. There's been pockets of transformation, but you know, I don't think historians are gonna look back at it and say 'This was a turning point on the scale of the 1930s or 1980s'. And I think that's desperately needed."

    "It's a disappointment that we aren't seeing the change I think we need. As a father, I'm desperately worried about the future of the world."

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/117439116/outgoing-green-mp-gareth-hughes-says-the-government-has-not-been-transformational

    • Sacha 5.2
      17 November 2019 at 10:29 am

      Shamubeel Eaqub brings the crossover with those generational frustrations that have popped up again:

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/117422673/baby-boomers-had-a-chance-to-help-younger-generations-they-didnt

      At the aggregate, progress remains on track. We have better nutrition, medicines, homes and playthings.

      But at the collective level many things have changed. While Boomers grew up in an era of very low-income inequality and state mechanisms that assisted them with education, housing supply, and infrastructure, the same is not true for future generations.

      The majority Boomer political consensus that guides our politics is individual and short-term. The reforms of the 1980s entrenched this, and reversed many of the past fixes to society's problems.

      To me, the core neolib value of selfishness has driven too many New Zealanders to pass wealth to their own children (house deposits, loan-free education, etc) while our governments have steadily reduced any redistribution to broader society. People voted those governments back in. Culture industries reinforced the ideology. Inequality thrived.

      Boomers have disproportionately had the power to do something different if they chose to, just by life stage and demographic shifts over their lifetimes. The following generations are now quite naturally asking why they did not. And my, doesn't that hit a raw nerve.

  6. Robert Guyton 6
    17 November 2019 at 9:58 am

    "Let's be clear, defining people by generation is as stupid as a vegan burger but since that is the way the game is now played, I'll play."

    Whoever wrote that seriously lacks the ability to self-reflect. Seriously.

    • Incognito 6.1
      17 November 2019 at 10:05 am

      Link please.

      • Robert Guyton 6.1.1
        17 November 2019 at 10:06 am

        It’s one of those “do not link” situations, so I’m conflicted.

        • Incognito 6.1.1.1
          17 November 2019 at 10:14 am

          At least name the person you’re quoting and point to (as in mention) the website.

          Some readers of this site may want to read it or more of it and don’t suffer from the same conflict as you do. In fact, they would copy & paste more or less the whole thing here to draw attention 😉

          When you quote, you have to provide a little more than just the quote, please.

          Edit: providing information allows for fact-checking and guards against people making up shit. You’d be surprised how often this happens! We don’t want (our) politicians to make up shit and we have to have similar expectations of others and ourselves IMO.

        • Andre 6.1.1.2
          17 November 2019 at 10:18 am

          For those readers on phones that might be interested enough to search for it:

          https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/117392407/damien-grant-quit-whinging-millennials-boomers-built-your-houses-and-endured-actual-nuclear-war

          But maybe the information that it's a Damien Grant piece will tell them all they might want to know without going any further.

          • Incognito 6.1.1.2.1
            17 November 2019 at 10:28 am

            Maybe, or maybe they would want to read it for themselves and make up their own minds. We’re not parrots and this is not an echo-chamber nor are we a Borg-collective of like-minded obedient conforming entities toeing some (party?) line. I’d like to think that being as inclusive and diverse as possible creates the most interesting environment and basis for progressive politics. Maybe I’m dreaming.

            • Andre 6.1.1.2.1.1
              17 November 2019 at 10:34 am

              Either way, just quoting a one-sentence tease like Robert did was just plain mean. Especially since the URL included the necessary info for those uninterested in considering alternative views.

              • Incognito …
                17 November 2019 at 11:35 am

                Feeling internally conflicted is a sure sign for being (more) open and transparent (and inclusive) in order to avoid wrong-footing people. Comments here should not read like ‘headlines’ and clarity is key IMO.

                My comments may seem an over-reaction but it goes to one of re-occurring issues on and of this site, which is that of inappropriate attribution, e.g. quoting/citing without source, paraphrasing without making it clear, putting words/thoughts/intentions into people’s comments, et cetera. The list is actually quite long because it goes to the core issue of commenting from only or largely one PoV, i.e. your own. Politicians must feel this conflict and tension a lot and the two referendums next year give some support to this notion. For example, this piece in Stuff by Thomas Coughlan: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/117450429/two-years-in-parliament-groans-under-the-weight-of-difficult-social-lawmaking

          • Sacha 6.1.1.2.2
            17 November 2019 at 10:30 am

            It's all I would have needed.

  7. Wayne Mapp 7
    17 November 2019 at 10:02 am

    This is normally a blog where the comments are typically in the zone of reasonable. But not today.
    Dial it back, otherwise it makes it impossible for the comments section to have actual debate, as opposed to abuse.

    [not sure what you are referring to there Wayne, but if there is something specific the mods should know about please link below. – weka]

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    • Robert Guyton 7.1
      17 November 2019 at 10:03 am

      Classic! I think you might have misplaced your comment, Wayne; was it intended for the National Party Homepage?

    • Stuart Munro. 7.2
      17 November 2019 at 10:07 am

      We might take this as your boilerplate response to anything even vaguely socially responsible Wayne.

      If you actually have anything specific to criticize you really ought to put it out there.

    • millsy 7.3
      17 November 2019 at 10:26 am

      Yes,Mr Mapp

    • Anne 7.4
      17 November 2019 at 10:28 am

      That was uncalled for Wayne Mapp.

      Just because the subject matter is outside your range of sensibilities does not make it any less worthy of reflection and discussion.

      Pity. Your responses in person to the Operation Burnham Inquiry earned you quite a bit of kudos here a month or two ago, and now you spoil it by throwing sticks at a few people having a reasonable conversation.

    • marty mars 7.5
      17 November 2019 at 10:29 am

      lol mapp having a paddy – trying to distract like a typical ex politician

      • weka 7.5.1
        17 November 2019 at 10:46 am

        Or maybe he was reading yesterday's OM and saw a couple of long term regulars trashing the place again by being shits to each other.

        • marty mars 7.5.1.1
          17 November 2019 at 10:55 am

          trashing the place again? lol – ban the bastards that'll bring more nice people like wayne in…

          • Incognito 7.5.1.1.1
            17 November 2019 at 11:13 am

            Working on it … 😉

          • weka 7.5.1.1.2
            17 November 2019 at 11:15 am

            I'm not ok with TS commentariat being a small number of commenters, many of whom like to bitch at each other. The kaupapa here is robust debate and that transcends party politics. I disagree with most things Wayne says, but he has a long history of bringing political points to the commentariat that encourage robust debate. If we excluded people like him and were left with just the people that want to bitch at each other, it would be a pretty sad place.

            The point I appreciate about Wayne's comment is that how we talk here can encourage debate or make it less likely. Given how few people have been commenting lately, it looks to me like there are reasons for people to stay away. That with the low number of authors* is an issue for the site, now and long term. I'd appreciate it if you could have a think about those things.

            *I'm one of the authors who writes in part to stimulate discussion, so it's demoralising when commenters appear to not care about the wellbeing of the community.

            • marty mars 7.5.1.1.2.1
              17 November 2019 at 11:35 am

              Fair enough – I don't really like what you and incog are trying to do to the place – I think you take it too serious and have pretensions on what you think happens here – but that's just my opinion. I can't really be bothered with the tension from you two so I'll take a break from here for a while.

              • weka …
                17 November 2019 at 11:38 am

                as you wish marty. I'm sorry you don't appreciate my posts and comments.

              • Incognito …
                17 November 2019 at 12:34 pm

                I am dumbfounded by this comment, which doesn’t give anything useful to engage with 🙁

                • weka …
                  17 November 2019 at 12:38 pm

                  I found it pretty hard going too. Nothing that can be engaged with but nevertheless with barbs. I rate marty's presence here, but honestly, given the state of the commentariat and the low number of authors, there's a limit to how much ad hom shit like this I can take before my modding becomes more self-preservation as much as anything. Often people really don't get what it takes to keep TS running, but dumping on authors and mods seems really self-defeating.

        • Andre 7.5.1.2
          17 November 2019 at 10:59 am

          What was in yesterday's open mike or anywhere else recent was pretty tame compared to stuff that's appeared here in the past. Including some really vicious stuff directed personally at Wayne.

          Maybe Wayne was replying to a comment that subsequently got deleted?

          • weka 7.5.1.2.1
            17 November 2019 at 11:08 am

            I thought it wasn't out of the norm for here either, but commenting was just starting to pick up so it was disappointing seeing two regulars think that their personal issues were more important than making a good space for everyone.

            • marty mars 7.5.1.2.1.1
              17 November 2019 at 11:13 am

              I feel you may be talking about me – is that correct?

              • weka …
                17 November 2019 at 11:17 am

                you and bwaghorn (who copped a ban). But that was just yesterday, it could have been any of a number of regulars. My concern here is about the health and vitality of the commentariat (vis a vis my comment at 7.5.1.1.2 above)

                • weka …
                  17 November 2019 at 11:18 am

                  you and b both bring important perspectives to this place, so I don't really get why you both do that other stuff.

  8. Pat 8
    17 November 2019 at 10:15 am

    "In summary, National has failed to demonstrate it understands the climate crisis, our gains from responding to it and the pivotal importance of the Zero Carbon Bill in tackling it."

    No surprises there

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/11/17/911072/we-did-this-oram

  9. Rosemary McDonald 9
    17 November 2019 at 12:38 pm

    Just listened to "Two Cents Worth " on Natrad. Needed tissues.

    Rhymes with wankers….

    (Prostrate I am owing to lack of linking ability. Happy for someone to explain to me how to do the link thing from my phone. Single syllables please.)

  10. joe90 10
    17 November 2019 at 2:11 pm

    Meanwhile, a black man in Texas still faces execution for a crime that he probably didn't commit.

    https://twitter.com/jdawsey1/status/1195488161318789120

    https://taskandpurpose.com/trump-frees-clint-lorance

  11. millsy 11
    17 November 2019 at 2:46 pm

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12285880

    The people of the West Coast March for their right to poison the air, water and turn pristine landscapes into apopylptic wastelands

    Let's face it. All they care about is profit. They hate clean water, trees and National parks. They will strip mine the whole area and burn down every tree to get that sweet sweet coin.

    Profit should never be put before our landscapes.

    • Rosemary McDonald 11.1
      17 November 2019 at 2:59 pm

      Wow. A Party Political Broadcast on behalf of the Soimon Party.

      Truly balanced reporting, as one would expect from the Herald.

    • Bruce 11.2
      17 November 2019 at 4:30 pm

      They could just start planting hemp. Start producing body parts for the new Porsche, or produce bio fuel,or the stuff to make batteries for electric vehicles. Make Monsanto free cloth, Sequester some carbon and heal the soil and rivers. Make healthy drinks or super food.

    • Ad 11.3
      17 November 2019 at 5:34 pm

      This rally is more important than the Beehive rally of the farmers last week protesting about arable land going into forestry.

      Labour aren't going to win back any farmer votes, because they barely had any in the first place.

      But the Labour Party in no small part was formed on the West Coast out of miners. Damien O'Connor is the local MP.

      Just like Southland when the Tiwai Point smelter closes down, the West Coast has had rescue packages before but with continued decline they need even more "transition" plans i.e. more public money. Enter stage right … Shane Jones one would hope.

      I hope they figure out how dumb selling the West Coast dairy company was. Fucking moronic.

      I'd like to see more pressure put onto the government to come up with transition plans for regions like this.

    • ianmac 11.4
      17 November 2019 at 5:53 pm

      How come they are able to spread mischief lies and more damned lies without any explanation or clarity on just what is going to happen.

      Was it a rally organised by National or did Bridges just turn up?

  12. Eco maori 12
    18 November 2019 at 6:29 pm

    Kia Ora 1 News.

    The weather is getting more Mana because of human cause Global Warming.

    Ka kite Ano

  13. Eco maori 13
    18 November 2019 at 6:50 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    That's is needed a new 40 room mental health unit.

    Tangata Whenua O Aotearoa need to have a say in what happens to their Taonga Wai in their area.

    Its good to see Te Tangata Whenua of Australia making a stand for getting respected and Human rights for justice.

    Ka kite Ano

  14. Eco maori 14
    19 November 2019 at 10:50 am

    These companies need to be forced into paying for their polluting products so they learn to minimise the amount of their products ending up in the Sea ultimately that is were it all ends up. They must pay a bounty so it will be profitable for people to recycle the stuff.

    Big plastic polluters accused of cynically backing US recycling day

    America Recycles Day promoted by EPA is brainchild of not-for-profit backed by companies that produce plastic products

    But critics point out that the initiative is the brainchild of Keep America Beautiful, a not-for-profit founded and backed by large companies that produce vast quantities of plastic products that end up as pollution.

    Current backers include Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Pepsico, and Altria, the tobacco giant formerly known as Phillip Morris. Decades of campaigns by the group have emphasized individual responsibility for plastic recycling, which data reveals to be a largely broken system.

    Coca-Cola is world's biggest plastics polluter – again

    “Just like the fossil fuel industry, corporate polluters have been using recycling to justify ever-increasing production of single-use packaging, while taxpayers and cities are left to foot the bill,” said Denise Patel, the US and Canada program director of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives.

    “Lower-income communities and communities of color, who are the hardest hit and the least responsible, bear the brunt of a model that has brought us to the brink of the waste and climate crisis

  15. Eco maori 15
    19 November 2019 at 11:09 am

    The wealthiest people of the World must pay more tax so that all the problems created by their massive companies harvesting their wealth can be minimized.

    Taxing wealth is an idea now thrust to the center of the Democratic primary. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have both put forward wealth tax plans that would hit the nation's richest citizens with steeper taxes in a bid to reduce inequality and pay for their progressive agendas.

    The plans have generated fierce blowback among some economists, Wall Street financiers and leading corporate leaders like Bill Gates, who argue that a wealth tax would stifle economic growth and hurt investment.

    It's an argument that echoes back to the 19th century, when the brutal system of slavery was locked into the engine of the American economy, according to two economists at the University of California in a recent book

    Ka kite Ano link below.

    https://amp.businessinsider.com/how-wealth-tax-opposition-rooted-in-rhetoric-of-southern-slaveowners-2019-11

  16. Eco maori 16
    19 November 2019 at 12:37 pm

    The World needs to investigate and invest in Renewable energy solutions to clean up the mess we will leave our Grandchildren.

    In Finland, a start-up wants to produce hydrocarbons using renewables

    Soletair Power says it will integrate its system into buildings. Petri Laakso, the firm's CEO, explained to CNBC's "Sustainable Energy" that city air could be pushed through a ventilation unit and a carbon capturing unit, resulting in less carbon dioxide indoors. The firm's electrolyzer and synthesis unit would then be utilized to produce hydrocarbons.

    If the building were connected to a gas grid, Laakso said, "you could provide synthetic methane, which you can pump into (the) gas grid." The grid could be used for energy storage or as a filling station for cars, he added.

    Whether Soletair Power's concept becomes a fixture on buildings remains to be seen, but the idea is generating interest.

    In April 2019, it announced it had secured 500,000 euros (around $551,630) in seed funding from the Wärtsilä Corporation to "pilot and commercialize its concept" of boosting air quality in buildings through the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide into "synthetic renewable fuel.

    Ka kite Ano link below.

    https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/11/18/in-finland-a-start-up-wants-to-produce-hydrocarbons-using-renewables.html

  17. Eco maori 17
    19 November 2019 at 6:28 pm

    Kia Ora 1 News.

    Looks good that the Ihumatao issues are looking like being sorted.

    I admire the Prince many years of commitment to conservation.

    That's the way the Government has to have the tools laws to protect Aotearoa sovereignty the new is needed.

    Ka kite Ano

  18. Eco maori 18
    19 November 2019 at 6:52 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    Te Waiata is a great way to let tangata know what the true feeling of the nation is.

    I ignore the ignorant times have changed.

    Like I have said before whanau tangata whenua have to run for Council seats so Our voices will be heard 3 years is a lot of time to plan the mahi.

    I know what they are talking about Homeless Kaumatua the rents are spiking. We have discrimination because we're Maori and age discrimination as well.

    Ka pai Kiri Mana Wahine you have been a bright shining Star from Maoridom.
    That’s awesome a Ap to help our Rangatahi show there sports skills to the world

    Ka kite Ano

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    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

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