Open mike 17/02/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:56 am, February 17th, 2014 - 178 comments
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178 comments on “Open mike 17/02/2014 ”

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  1. amirite 1
    17 February 2014 at 7:15 am

    WTF? They voted for this? A charter school receives state funding of $19,664 a student compared to the average state and integrated school funding of $7000 a student.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11203597&ref=mobile

    • Andrew 1.1
      17 February 2014 at 10:39 am

      comparing the funding of a small charter school, to the “average” state funding of all public schools is rather disingenuous at best. Given a new state school and a new charter school of the same size, both schools will be funded exactly the same.

      • Colonial Viper 1.1.1
        17 February 2014 at 10:48 am

        Wrong. These private schools need far more funding than public schools because they have to take their cut of profits.

        And millions of public tax payers money has already been poured into promoting these profit making private schools.

        Just total waste, a money sucking exercise by privateers, enabled by the National Government.

        • Andrew 1.1.1.1
          17 February 2014 at 10:56 am

          Wrong. Once again, public schools and charter schools are both funded in the same way.

          • Colonial Viper 1.1.1.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 8:59 pm

            You’re a fucking liar. Or a sophist. Regardless. FOR PROFIT charter schools either get paid more, or they take SHORT CUTS to cheapen kids’ educations.

            So which is it?

            • Andrew 1.1.1.1.1.1
              17 February 2014 at 9:08 pm

              Fuck off dickhead. You are the liar. What part of “get funded the same” can’t you get your fucking thick head around. Jesus, arguing with cats makes more sense than you do sometimes.

              • Colonial Viper …
                17 February 2014 at 10:49 pm

                Meh. You’re an untrustworthy neoliberal shill. Same neolib formula of taking public money and pocketing it for private profit. Its not even creative, its cookie cutter.

        • adam 1.1.1.2
          17 February 2014 at 11:08 am

          I think the term you’re looking for C.V is pirates. Oh they may have letters of marque, don’t change what they are.

          • tricledrown 1.1.1.2.1
            17 February 2014 at 2:35 pm

            Schrillglands go back to propaganda school 5 eyed f/wit
            How does $18,000 odd per pupil work out cheaper than $6,000 to $7,000 per pupil.

        • srylands 1.1.1.3
          17 February 2014 at 11:58 am

          They don’t get more funding than public schools.

          Anway, profit signals drive the economy, and these signals are important for the efficient operation of markets. We should have more for profit providers in education. Over teh next decade that will happen. There is no alternative.

          • framu 1.1.1.3.1
            17 February 2014 at 12:19 pm

            the economy is a part of the world not the other way round

            or..

            education isnt about settings up competition for the sake of profit

            what drives good education isnt the same thing which drives good business

          • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) 1.1.1.3.2
            17 February 2014 at 12:31 pm

            Here Srylands, I fixed it for you:

            Anyway, manipulation of profit signals by vested interests drive the economy into the ground, and thus it is important that these signals are not taken as the be all and end all of how we organise our society . We should remove the profit motive from education. Over the next decade that will happen. There is no alternative.

            • srylands 1.1.1.3.2.1
              17 February 2014 at 12:44 pm

              No you are wrong.

              • McFlock …
                17 February 2014 at 1:23 pm

                Don’t try to frighten us with your sorcerer’s ways, SSpylands. Your sad devotion to that ancient Free Market religion has not helped you conjure up a single supporting fact, or given you enough clairvoyance to make reliable predictions.

                • Colonial Viper …
                  17 February 2014 at 9:01 pm

                  Hmmmmm reminds me of Governor Tarkin chiding Lord Vader…

                  • McFlock …
                    17 February 2014 at 9:11 pm

                    not quite – the reply was “I find your lack of faith disturbing”, then T stepped in to stop DV mime-choking the only yank at the table. Fecking pc-gone-mad Tarkin and his wuss liberal intelligensia ways 🙂

              • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                17 February 2014 at 5:12 pm

                @ Srylands

                No you are

                [That is the problem with comments lacking any justification: two can play at that game 🙂 ]

                • Murray Olsen …
                  17 February 2014 at 8:33 pm

                  Your comment seems incredibly well justified, blue leopard. The rubbish that the 5 eyed monkey taps out randomly, on the other hand……

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    17 February 2014 at 9:03 pm

                    The problem with arseholes like Shitlands and Andrew is that they have been tasked with destroying any basis for fact based discussion.

                    To them, lies and facts are completely interchangeable and their only preference is the one which wins the oligarchs more power and money.

                    • Andrew …
                      17 February 2014 at 9:16 pm

                      So i am an asshole now for telling the truth? You know when you have well and truly got the better of you when you resort to that kind of crap.

                      show me i’m wrong, show me where charter schools get more money than state schools. and don’t give me that start up costs bollocks that DTB did below, because state schools are able to get start-up costs as well.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      17 February 2014 at 9:22 pm

                      Of course you’re telling lies.

                      Private sector enterprises are motivated by profits, and these ones especially by taking tax payers money and putting them into privateer’s pockets.

                      It is yet another transfer of public monies away from public institutions into the private sector. Yet another re-run of the neoliberal formula that we have seen time and time again.

                    • Andrew …
                      17 February 2014 at 9:26 pm

                      so that’s a no then on the show me i’m wrong call. good to know, thanks for playing.

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      17 February 2014 at 9:43 pm

                      Hey you smug shit, we all know what you K Street Righties are up to.

                      Private for profit organisations where public monies are going into privateers hands.

                      Thanks, but we’ve seen this same neoliberal episode over and over again.

                    • greywarbler …
                      17 February 2014 at 10:10 pm

                      Charter schools will be a nice little earner for an entrepreneur/s, and they can be kept not-for-profit because the people running them will ensure that they take a nice big amount in salary and have useful vehicles that can be owned by the school , and possibly they will have a company that owns the furniture and then the school can lease it back from them.

                      Now that’s a good one, there is a profit on top of the cost price made when leasing the furniture to the school, and the lease costs are paid by the school year after year back to the private company.

                      Some charter schools may achieve much but it appears that there won’t be the same surveillance and bureaucratic checks on the teachers as there are in state schools, or on the running of the schools. What will come out in ten to twenty years will be some doozy stories. Some children will be glorified by their success, and some would be villified if anyone knew what dodgy methods had been adopted. ‘Power, unchecked, tends to corrupt and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.’

                    • Colonial Viper …
                      17 February 2014 at 10:58 pm

                      Yep. Brilliant. Leasing computers and tablets, office space; admin staff and cleaners all well above minimum wage and all friends and family.

                      You see these arent real “entrepreneurs”. They are merely old fashioned scammers and rorters. The basis of the modern neolib Right Wing.

                  • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                    17 February 2014 at 11:47 pm

                    @ Murray Olsen

                    Oops, thanks, yes you are quite correct – the comment I made can be justified. Indeed, I should have written that I wasn’t providing any- not that it was lacking justification. 🙂

      • amirite 1.1.2
        17 February 2014 at 12:16 pm

        Why does a private for-profit business need state funding?

        • Andrew 1.1.2.1
          17 February 2014 at 12:26 pm

          That is a question that i don’t really know the answer to. But at a guess, I would say it is because they are aiming at teaching and helping the lowest 20% of achievers. The majority of whom are from impoverished backgrounds who’s parents are unable to afford as actual “private” education.

          But as it said, a complete guess.

          • Draco T Bastard 1.1.2.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 12:42 pm

            That is a question that i don’t really know the answer to.

            What you really mean is that you don’t want to admit the reason why they need state funding – they want the guaranteed profits that state funding provide.

            • Andrew 1.1.2.1.1.1
              17 February 2014 at 12:54 pm

              no, that is not what i really mean thanks very much. i thought putting words into other people mouths is a ban-able offence on this site.

              there is no guaranteed profit, they are funded in the same way that public schools are. if they meet their obligations and student performance is as expected, and they can make a profit then good on them. i very much doubt there will be large profits, and if so i would be certain that you would see the funding models changed to reflect that.

              • Colonial Viper …
                17 February 2014 at 9:07 pm

                Your rationale is a fictional nonsense.

                The only reason these shitty outfits exists is to divert funds out of the tax payers pockets into private hands, exactly as per the US charter schools model.

              • Flip …
                17 February 2014 at 9:30 pm

                Lets assume they are funded the same way. How would they then make any profit? They’d need to do something cheaper than the state system or alternatively obtain funding from other sources. Right?

                So if they do it cheaper what does that mean to your mind?

                Funding from other sources? Why then do they want the same state funding?

                You’ll need to explain how charter schools (with any profit motive) will provide better education? I do not see how it is possible.

                If it is a not for profit then presumably it is some sort of special interest school. The thing that special interest schools have that the state system does not is they get to choose pupils so do not need to provide the same level of social service. For this privilege they should not receive the same level of state funding. I think they should receive some as I’ll assume the parents still pay taxes but not to the same level as the state system.

                • Andrew …
                  17 February 2014 at 9:46 pm

                  How would they then make any profit?
                  i don’t know. they may not actually be driven by profit. I guess when the first charter school makes a profit we will see how they did it and if it had any negative effect on educational outcomes.

                  You’ll need to explain how charter schools (with any profit motive) will provide better education? I do not see how?
                  sorry man, no idea. I don’t work in education so ill leave it to them. All i was doing was pointing out the inaccuracies of the first comment around funding levels.

                  The thing that special interest schools have that the state system does not is they get to choose pupils
                  I was not aware of this. I was under the impression that one of the reasons they get funded the same is that they cannot turn away any child that applies.

                  If you are correct, then i agree they should not get funded the same.

                  • Colonial Viper …
                    17 February 2014 at 9:48 pm

                    They aren’t funded the same.

                    They are funded to ensure that the privateers make profits and to siphon money away from public institutions.

                    Its the same multi-decade neoliberal episode rerun over and over again.

            • Andrew 1.1.2.1.1.2
              17 February 2014 at 1:01 pm

              and to add to that:

              charter schools will receive per-pupil funding from the government just like regular state schools do, however, they will be established and operated by “non-profit, community organisations including Iwi and Pacific Island groups, school trustees, faith-based educational organisations, and not-for-profit and for-profit management groups.”

              what are charter schools?

              i think the key is in the words “not-for-profit”. There are also “for profit management groups”, but as i said, i doubt there will be large profits and the majority will be not-for-proffit.

              • Draco T Bastard …
                17 February 2014 at 5:26 pm

                i thought putting words into other people mouths is a ban-able offence on this site.

                I didn’t put words in your mouth – I just translated what you said. And, yes, that is actually what you said once the full paragraph was taken into account.

                charter schools will receive per-pupil funding from the government just like regular state schools do

                If that was true then these schools wouldn’t be getting huge, upfront start-up costs covered by the government which they don’t have to pay back.

                i think the key is in the words “not-for-profit”.

                /facepalm

                The owners of Sanitarium is a not-for-profit group but Sanitarium makes a huge profit.

              • Colonial Viper …
                17 February 2014 at 9:08 pm

                Maxim.org

                Another multinational millionaire funded right wing neoliberal economics think tank

                Fuck your K-Street kind and the horse you rode in on.

  2. phillip ure 2
    17 February 2014 at 7:21 am

    herald cartoonist ‘nails’ my concerns about the banning of the rap-group…

    ..as in..whose next..?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11203620

    phillip ure..

    • Tim 2.1
      17 February 2014 at 8:32 am

      Well legit refugees are next! They plan on putting them in a Fijian Jail – its the final solution

    • weka 2.2
      17 February 2014 at 11:21 am

      Methinks you missed the irony in that cartoon phil… “First they banned some misogynist thugs, and I did not object because I was not a misogynist thug.”

      “..as in..whose next..?”

      Hopefully anyone else with a recent history of actively inciting violence and hatred against women.

      • phillip ure 2.2.1
        17 February 2014 at 12:02 pm

        ah..well..if they need a permanent member of the banning-committee..

        ..i’m sure you’d be up for it..eh..?

        ..you might even get a uniform..

        ..or at the very least..some epaulets and an insignia..

        ..eh..?

        ..and is there a little glow of self-satisfaction/mutual-back-slapping amongst you all..?

        ..’we sure stopped them..from performing..!’..

        ..and then..’who shall we target next..?..quick..!..someone get the gig-guide..!..and a song-lyrics website..!

        ..we’ll start in the sixties..and move forward from there..!..

        ..let’s set up an email-tree..!..’

        ..and you a green..?..eh..?

        ..whoar..!..

        ..so that eco-fascist label does apply..?..

        .i always thought it was just a rightwing slur..

        ..and those stockings of yours are so very very blue..aren’t they..?

        ..for a green..

        ..phillip ure..

        • fender 2.2.1.1
          17 February 2014 at 12:13 pm

          Bloody hell, forgot to have your morning bong?

          -Artistic freedom comes with responsibilities, it’s not a licence to be reckless-

          • phillip ure 2.2.1.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 2:40 pm

            and which minor beaurucrat gets to decide what is ‘responsible’..

            ..and what is not not ‘reckless’..?

            ..(i mean..are you bloody listening to yrslf/ves..?..)

            phillip ure..

            • fender 2.2.1.1.1.1
              17 February 2014 at 3:04 pm

              Inciting violence is reckless. Rappers using a concert and Twitter to urge fans to harass a woman who objected to their act is reckless.

              Keith was/is reckless with his own health. If immigration suspected he was going to traffic drugs into the country he may have been turned down also.

              If you have/are busted for possession of drugs the U.S. may deny you access to their shores.

              • phillip ure …
                17 February 2014 at 3:33 pm

                “..Inciting violence is reckless..”

                the rolling stones:..streetfighting man..?

                “..the time is right for violent revolution..’

                a list of other artists as long as yr arm..

                ..phillip ure..

                • fender …
                  17 February 2014 at 3:42 pm

                  You keep concentrating on lyrics, but immigration didn’t deny Odd Future entry because of their lyrics. The reasons given were <a href="http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/236110/rappers-banned-from-entering-nz">Inciting violence and for using a concert and Twitter to urge fans to harass a woman who objected to their act.

                  • phillip ure …
                    17 February 2014 at 3:57 pm

                    stop trying to ‘egg’ it..

                    ..this was an exercise in moral-panic/censorship..

                    ..nothing more..

                    ..nothing less..

                    ..and the further the distance gets from it..

                    ..the more shabby it will seem..

                    ..and..who are you targeting next..?

                    ..and why didn’t you target eminem..?

                    ..you fucken hypocrites..!

                    ..phillip ure..

                    • fender …
                      17 February 2014 at 4:03 pm

                      🙄

                      I now believe you when you (all too often) proudly state that you fried your brain with crack.

                    • phillip ure …
                      17 February 2014 at 4:19 pm

                      @ fender..

                      ..really..?..that’s all you’ve got..?

                      ..slaggng me over my drug/crack-habits of 20 + yrs ago..?

                      ..oh well..that’s clearly you/this argument done and dusted..eh..?

                      ..a retreat into wholesale ad-hom always signifies that..

                      ..phil 1..fender zip..

                      ..(and..have a history of using/getting out of it’..on alcohol..do you..?..

                      ..no brain-damage there tho’..eh..?..

                      ..you blue-stockinged/book-burning hypocrite/fool..you..!..)

                      ..phillip ure..

                    • fender …
                      17 February 2014 at 4:42 pm

                      When you keep going off on a tangent and won’t consider the ACTUAL reasons immigration turned them down I’m left thinking you did fry your brain. What else should I think? You can’t read properly?

                      “..phil 1..fender zip..”

                      If it’s points you are looking for, here have 20, you want a gram with that?

                      Immigration had their reasons, they stated them. Accept their reasons or go fight the perceived injustice with them.

                    • phillip ure …
                      17 February 2014 at 5:37 pm

                      as a final word to fender..

                      ..you and bad are as bad as the worst of the bottom-dwellers @ the kiwiblog-swamp..

                      ..and that shit you are so bravely slinging from yr positions of anonymity..

                      ..is just really splattering right back all over yr anonymous selves..eh..?

                      ..read yr words..then go read the shit there..

                      ..and see how you would be so much more at home there..

                      ..there are so many more of yr sort..there..

                      ..and i did say that was a ‘final’ word..

                      ..you can now go and stand with bad in the fuck-off-corner..

                      ..eh..?

                      ..like with him..

                      ..i can’t be bothered dealing with a fucken intellectual-vaccuum..

                      ..phillip ure..

                    • fender …
                      17 February 2014 at 5:54 pm

                      “Final word”

                      Good, fuck off you idiot. McFlock summed you up perfectly last week when he called you a “sanctimonious prick”.

                      Wail-oil will be glad to have you around, someone more pig-headed than himself.

                    • bad12 …
                      17 February 2014 at 6:17 pm

                      Phillis, Phillis, wah wah wah, i describe you as having the intellect of a four year old below and you turn around and prove it,

                      One moment it’s ”wah wah wah you don’t play nice and i am now going to toss my toys and ignore you”,

                      Next???, you continue with your pointless diatribe in the comment above, the filthy smack head junkies curse, a rotten brain certainly has exhibited a growing case of this in yourself in the last couple of days,

                      Your drivel is as pointless as your whole life seems to have been…

                • phillip ure …
                  17 February 2014 at 5:48 pm

                  i wonder what dave dobbyn thinks about all this..?

                  ..given his long record as an osr..

                  ..an ‘old-skool-reckless’..?

                  ..and how about those talking heads..?

                  ..’burning down the house’..(!)

                  ..now..if that isn’t an incitement to the young/dumb/impressionable to engage in serial-arson..

                  ..i’m a blue-stockinged-censor..!

                  ..i ban..therefore i am..?

                  ..phillip ure..

          • Ron 2.2.1.1.2
            17 February 2014 at 4:59 pm

            But who decides the limits of that freedom or what is art for that matter

        • bad12 2.2.1.2
          17 February 2014 at 12:16 pm

          Phillis, a four year old’s explanation of why we should be promoting violence???…

        • weka 2.2.1.3
          17 February 2014 at 12:18 pm

          Wow, an actual, genuine invoking of Godwin’s Law and a slew of ad hominems in the absense of any addressing of the actual issues. And in the first reply no less. That’s pretty bad even by your standards phil.

          • bad12 2.2.1.3.1
            17 February 2014 at 12:29 pm

            Phillis doesn’t address the ‘issue’, choosing instead to try and drag the ‘issue’ into a constantly moving panorama of whatever neurons happen to be creating that buzzing noise inside of His cranial cavity at any given point in time,

            Exactly the same as trying to have a debate with a four year old where the topic is above the child’s intellectual level, the twists and turns such a debate take are both hilarious and bizarre…

          • phillip ure 2.2.1.3.2
            17 February 2014 at 2:32 pm

            screw yr ‘godwins’-law’..(that silencing false-construct/cliche)

            ..you act like a book-burning fascist..

            ..and i’ll call you a book-burning fascist..

            ..and how is that lyrics-website ‘reckless–language search going..?

            ..or are they the only ones..?

            ..the rolling stones are coming soon..

            ..whoar..!

            ..’holy rolling-stones ‘reckless’-lyrics..!..batman..!..”

            ..quick..!..to the email-tree…!

            ..and like i said before..and you a green..eh..?

            ..what is the green party position/policy on book-burning/banning of ‘reckless’-lyrics/lyricists..?

            ..or are you just a reactionary outlier in that party..?

            ..i bloody hope it’s the latter..

            phillip ure..

            • phillip ure 2.2.1.3.2.1
              17 February 2014 at 2:44 pm

              didyaknow keith richards got busted for smuggling a load of smack into toronto..?

              ..and that he has been a ‘reckless’ role-model for impressionable young new zealanders..

              ..since forever..?

              ..where will you draw the ‘reckless’-line..?

              ..phillip ure..

  3. veutoviper 3
    17 February 2014 at 7:59 am

    I am looking forward to seeing this photo of the new Act leader and his wife on ACT party billboards in the lead-up to the general election

    https://twitter.com/RachelGlucinaNZ/status/434931063664545793/photo/1/large

    Yesterday in the Herald’s Diary corporate box. Apparently the Diary (Rachel Glucina) had a separate box from the Herald’s main corporate box.

    And another great photo of “in people” in the Diary box at the Nines yesterday. Another one for billboards.

    https://twitter.com/RachelGlucinaNZ/status/434941700776009728/photo/1/large

    • Rosie 3.1
      17 February 2014 at 8:44 am

      veutoviper, those images are a disturbing start to the day, over toast and coffee. Especially photo number two which made me almost choke on a crumb as I gasped in horror.

      • JanM 3.1.1
        17 February 2014 at 8:55 am

        They look made for each other, don’t they

        • Rosie 3.1.1.1
          17 February 2014 at 8:58 am

          two peas in a pod…………..

          • Tiger Mountain 3.1.1.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 9:25 am

            The horror! WhaleSpew and Pullyer Benefit.

            ACT has a real talent for off publicity pics, “Hillary’s Eyes” on the brothel billboard and John Boscawen balancing a lammington on his bonce and now another shaved bump head as leader to make a gruesome set with “Hideolini”.

          • JanM 3.1.1.1.2
            17 February 2014 at 10:06 am

            exactly!

      • veutoviper 3.1.2
        17 February 2014 at 9:07 am

        Sorry, Rosie. I really felt the need to record these photos for posterity – and possible other uses in the months to come.

        It is a slight follow-on to a discussion some of us (including Karol, Murray Olsen) had over the weekend on the ‘interesting’ bubble of MSM journalists and others that have ongoing interaction on Twitter – some of which is very revealing in respect of sources of information, allegiances etc and biases of The Herald for example. This included discussion on Glucina (The Herald’s gossip columnist) being the one to first publish Norman’s and Peters’ visits to KDC.

        My comment on that thread which included the fact that Judith Collins and Nikki Kaye had been in Glucina’s Diary corporate box on Satureday is here

        http://thestandard.org.nz/john-key-blogsters-and-the-dotcom-leaks/#comment-773616

        Glucina’s Twitter account also includes photos of Collins and Kaye in the box on Saturday.

        https://twitter.com/RachelGlucinaNZ

        But the two photos I posted today are much more mind-blowing.

        • bad12 3.1.2.1
          17 February 2014 at 9:36 am

          Have to giggle at the little bio at the top of Rachel’s Twits page, buried in the middle is this little gem,”No special Talent”,

          A perfect epithet for the majority of the Heralds Jonolists, ”No special Talents” should be the motto of what has become an in-august purveyor of sleaze with the inclusion of ”Rachel”,

          So, Slippery and the National Party Ministers now have besides ‘wail oils’ Blubber boy another source with which to have filth injected into the political discourse, very convenient for this election year,

          The danger here for National is that the Wellington rumor mill does and always has fits and starts of ‘hot gossip’ over various MP’s indiscretions very little of which sees the light of day and becoming quickly overtaken by the next piece of salacious gossip,

          If the Herald wants to have a gossip columnist run a National Party ‘dirt’ campaign on it’s opposition then it runs the risk of having all the filth of who is up who and who is not paying splashed all over Wellington in poster form…

          • Tim 3.1.2.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 1:49 pm

            “If the Herald wants to have a gossip columnist run a National Party ‘dirt’ campaign on it’s opposition then it runs the risk of having all the filth of who is up who and who is not paying splashed all over Wellington in poster form…”

            That’s true! A few are already thinking along the lines of another Manners Mall “Pants on Fire” approach. The Natzis should really start thinking whether or not their dirt campaign is worth it – given their various pieces of dirty linen.
            … but then they really are so arrogant, and believe they have an entire state apparatus under their control, they might try it on.

            I bet the likes of Boger, McKinnon and various others (I think it was mentioned in passing somewhere on another thread a while ago) are starting to think they’re well out of the cesspit that the National Party has become.

        • karol 3.1.2.2
          17 February 2014 at 9:47 am

          Looking at your comment on the Blogsters thread, veto.

          My choice of words re Key “throwing Slater to the wind” – note I wrote “wind” not wolves. It was risky, but clearly Key would prefer to talk about that rather than his role in surveillance activities. Putting it out on the “wind” means it is left to float about without knowing where it will land or the consequences – could disappear from sight, or it could result in lasting damage to Key.

          • veutoviper 3.1.2.2.1
            17 February 2014 at 10:13 am

            With you, Karol. My “time will tell” was meant along the same lines as you say – will it disappear from sight or will it result in lasting damage to Key. My money is on is the latter. Slater is such a wild card, that this could all backfire badly.

            I wasted more time as a voyeur on Twitter last night and there are a number of MSM journalists whose noses are out of joint as a result of (a) Glucina, a gossip columnist, scooping them on the Peters’ etc visits; and (b) Key stating that he talks with Slater regularly. Not a good move by Key to put these people offside.

            Glucina and Slater have not been good friends in the past (to put it mildly) and this is well documented, so their apparently good relationship now is a subject of discussion/derision on the Twitter bubble, particularly with Slater’s attendance in the Diary corporate box yesterday. Apparently Glucina has been a long time supporter of Key and they also talk. And so it goes on,

            It all feels like an ongoing soap opera – leaving one wondering what surprises, twists etc this week’s episodes will bring.

            • karol 3.1.2.2.1.1
              17 February 2014 at 10:20 am

              Life and politics is indeed often like a soap opera.

              The Glucina-Key link is an interesting one – and it is “neoliberal” to the core.

              The thing about the whole “neoliberal” revolution in the 1980s and beyond, is that it has been cleverly multi-pronged: changing the centre of politics, as well as wider discourses,values and attitudes via the news media, education system, the entertainment media, etc.

              They intensified or increased the whole infotainment thing – so news became more entertaining, but also, so that”neoliberal” values became more firmly embeded within entertainment generally.

              • veutoviper …
                17 February 2014 at 11:22 am

                Indeed, indeed.

                Have a vet appointment soon (one of my dogs, not me) but will search out the Key-Glucina link again when I return.

                Re the whole infotainment thing – personality politics is part and parcel of this; and links in with my discourse with Disreali Gladstone further down this thread.

                Must go for now…

        • Rosie 3.1.2.3
          17 February 2014 at 10:00 am

          No need to apologise veutoviper 🙂

          You alert us to these disturbing images in the name of service to the Greater Good. I didn’t get a chance to read that article that you linked to, but read your comments and had a squizz at the twit photo’s posted by this Glucina person. (I also don’t go anywhere near the Herald so your explanations are helpful to me)

          But more disturbing than the images alone is the links, bonds/ relationships between media and government ministers, politicians, whale yuck etc in a social setting and taking note of who will be pulling the strings. If those images are shamelessly available for all to see, exactly what is going on behind closed doors? These people need flushing out and their agenda’s exposed!

          Have to say, I have much admiration and respect for Madeleine Sami and wondered what of earth she was doing hanging out with such horrid people. Hopefully she is just gathering new comedy material for the next series of Super City.

    • Chooky 3.2
      17 February 2014 at 9:54 am

      wife looks nice..(.like her expression )…..not sure about the Cambridge educated import (to try and revive dead horse ACT)

      lol….Bennett and Slater ….another lovely couple…. NACT look like a refined middle class lot ….NOT.( more like a bunch of crooks and con artists)

      • Tim 3.2.1
        17 February 2014 at 3:27 pm

        Targets for ridicule on so many levels ….
        – the Nouveau Riche
        – the Plagiarists
        – the Slutty Moles
        – the Holier than Thou
        – Bad Taste (from whatever/whichever ‘class’ you have an affinity with)
        – the Movers and Shakers liable to be embarassed by a slug’s presence on a Blue Rinse cocktail circuit.
        – a couple of excuses for Chris Finlayson to prove hisself down with the dirty and normal (a la ‘some of my best friends are Murrays)

        …… on so many levels.

        Slop is slop when it comes down to it – no matter how it’s served up – no matter how much paprika is applied

    • Disraeli Gladstone 3.3
      17 February 2014 at 9:55 am

      What’s wrong with the first photo?

      Looks like Whyte and his wife are having fun and are a loving couple. OH NO HOW TERRIBLE BECAUSE THEY DON’T SHARE MY POLITICS!

      • fender 3.3.1
        17 February 2014 at 10:16 am

        Nothing wrong with it, the Rodney Hide likeness is appropriate.

        As for the second photo of Bennett and Slater? I’m wondering WHY anyone would want to stand close to Slater, he’s toxic. Is he blackmailing MP’s in order to get photographed with them? Mixing with such a disgusting creep should be damaging politically surely..

        • Disraeli Gladstone 3.3.1.1
          17 February 2014 at 10:28 am

          What I don’t get is people seem to -like- Slater. I can understand a politician thinking he’s useful (a la Key), but people like Collins and Bennett seems to enjoy his company.

          … and as an understatement, he doesn’t seem like a particularly nice person.

          • fender 3.3.1.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 10:47 am

            “… and as an understatement, he doesn’t seem like a particularly nice person.”

            I agree wholeheartedly.

            As an aside, I feel sorry for John Boscawen, if only he had agreed to shave his head…

          • Murray Olsen 3.3.1.1.2
            17 February 2014 at 10:03 pm

            Collins and Bennett like Blubber Boy because they think the same way he does, using intellectual equipment of pretty much the same potency. Keith Holyoake wouldn’t recognise the NAct of today.

      • veutoviper 3.3.2
        17 February 2014 at 10:20 am

        Whyte and his wife probably are a loving couple and having fun.

        But politics 101 – if you want to be taken seriously as a politician concerned with the weightier matters of politics, don’t put yourself in a position where a photo like that is taken and freely available (eg via social media).

        • Disraeli Gladstone 3.3.2.1
          17 February 2014 at 10:27 am

          Boris Johnson has become the most popular politician in the UK solely because he ignored that so called rule you just made up. And it’s not to do with his policies because they’re bluer than anything post-Thatcher. No, it’s because he seems jovial and real and does stupid shit (all planned though no one knows).

          Similarly, the most popular politician in NZ (John Key) also has been photographed and filmed doing stupid shit and if anything became more popular for it because he seems like the ordinary Kiwi.

          Your rule is bad and you should feel bad. Whyte can be the philosopher king on policy and look like a fool having fun with his wife and probably do just fine.

          And by just fine, I mean probably stop ACT from dying for one more election by 0.1% of the vote.

          • veutoviper 3.3.2.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 10:53 am

            Well DG, you may believe in and support personality politics – I don’t. IMO personality politics ares shallow and dangerous, as indicated by the inciduous undermining of democracy and the real role of government in both NZ and the UK as a result of the focus on personalities, rather than issues.

            In actual fact, I quite like what I have read of Whyte and his wife – a breath of fresh air. But my instincts are that that will be his downfall, and that he will not be long in political world as a result. Fresh air and openness such as that expressed by Whyte to date rarely survives the cut and thrust of politics.

            As for “Your rule is bad and you should feel bad”, LOL. How old are you? 8 years old sprung to mind. It is actually quite good advice, and I don’t feel bad.

            • Disraeli Gladstone 3.3.2.1.1.1
              17 February 2014 at 12:59 pm

              Oh, I don’t approve of personality politics. There’s a difference between approving it and noticing that it does seem to work.

              I find it amusing you think one single photo of him sticking his tongue out will be his downfall. Not wanting to repeal all employment laws, nope, just this photo.

              And “your _ is bad and you should feel bad” is a reference that is now 11 years old. So if I was 8, I wouldn’t even have been born when it entered internet discourse.

              • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                17 February 2014 at 1:08 pm

                “Oh, I don’t approve of personality politics. There’s a difference between approving it and noticing that it does seem to work.”

                And there is a difference between noticing that it does seem to work and condoning it by calling it ‘good politics’.

                Please see my response to this linked comment if you wish to know what I think of that attitude

                • Disraeli Gladstone …
                  17 February 2014 at 1:49 pm

                  Your entire response to that comment is flawed with: “Because it gets who you want into power?”

                  I’m currently going to vote Labour, albeit reluctantly. Probably. Maybe… I don’t know. I’m a floating voter.

                  That’s doesn’t change the fact that it’s “good politics” (in a strategical sense). It’s bad governance, policy, humanity, but if politics is a contest to win the election, it’s good politics.

                  Politics isn’t some high-minded ideal. I wish it was. But it never will be. Democracy isn’t designed in a way to punish people who practice the Dark Arts.

                  Francis Urquhart will always be there in politics.

                  • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                    17 February 2014 at 4:57 pm

                    Hmm it appears that in your definition of ‘politics’ – a type of strategy without regard for the effects that strategy has on the system – it would be ‘good politics’ for example, for you to say that you were ‘reluctantly voting for Labour’ when in fact you have no such intention – rather it is just something for you to say so that people think you are somewhat ‘on their side’ and remain more receptive to your comments.

                    “Politics isn’t some high minded ideal”

                    Well clearly not according to you, yet you and I both experience the direct benefits right now and every day from those who in the past have acted politically with some high-minded ideals in mind – so I don’t think it is very high minded of you to dismiss such a notion out of hand.

                    • Disraeli Gladstone …
                      17 February 2014 at 5:59 pm

                      This isn’t politics.

                      This is merely discussion. This isn’t some argument. I can’t win. I don’t get a prize for besting you all in debate. Money doesn’t sprout from my computer screen.

                      Gosh, this has gotten awfully silly.

                    • blue leopard (Get Lost GCSB Bill) …
                      17 February 2014 at 11:43 pm

                      This is politics
                      It is a discussion about politics

                      What is so ‘awfully silly’?

                      That I suggest you might pay the type of political games that you say you don’t like yet appear to think effective?

                      Or that I imply politics can be about high-minded ideals by suggesting that we experience benefits from those who followed high-minded ideals in the past?

                      I guess you were simply referring to your notion of being denied a prize and money spouting from your computer screen.

      • Chooky 3.3.3
        17 February 2014 at 11:07 am

        @ DG….is NACT now going for the Polynesian vote?

        wife looks genuine tongue sticking out ….Cambridge import is trying to mirror her expression

        ….ingratiating?

        • Disraeli Gladstone 3.3.3.1
          17 February 2014 at 1:02 pm

          Well, that’s a nice side of casual racism to start the week off with.

          • Chooky 3.3.3.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 1:46 pm

            @ DG You can try and frame it as racism …”Weird” and “SUSPICIOUS” are better words!

            It is very WEIRD ….this UK Cambridge philosopher import…suddenly jetted in and INSERTED into NZ politics to rack up support for the dying/dead horse Neo Lib ACT Party….and SUSPICIOUS!

            ACT’s revival which in turn John Keys National Party depends on to be re-elected…

            (especially as Key has been caught continually spying on Winston … illegally? and certainly illegitimately…..Winston who wont be going into coalition with Key after this violation of his privacy)

            ….very weird and suspicious goings on

            • Disraeli Gladstone 3.3.3.1.1.1
              17 February 2014 at 1:53 pm

              You’re lumping in different cultures (Mrs Whyte is west African) and Polynesian and saying that Mrs Whyte looked genuine. The assertion in your comment being that sticking your tongue out and having darker skin than a Caucasian is all you need to do to look genuinely Polynesian.

              Which is offensive on several different levels.

              So yeah, I’m going to call you out for the racism.

              • Hayden …
                17 February 2014 at 2:48 pm

                You’re lumping in different cultures (Mrs Whyte is west African) and Polynesian and saying that Mrs Whyte looked genuine. The assertion in your comment being that sticking your tongue out and having darker skin than a Caucasian is all you need to do to look genuinely Polynesian.

                Well, he or she could mean that they appear to be going for the Pūkana in a misguided attempt to ingratiate themselves.

              • Chooky …
                17 February 2014 at 3:02 pm

                you are an idiot DG….i stick out my tongue a lot ( as a sign of disrespect to authority…usually behind their backs ) and I have Maori ancestry ….so dont project your British Oxford / Cambridge colonialist put down ‘racist’ crap on me!( …..poking tongue out to you at present time)…get worried when Maori turn their backs to you , lift up their skirts and bare their buttocks ….and …give you a great big BROWN EYE!

                …i was just as saying she looked real and comfortable sticking out her tongue and he didnt…nothing racist about it !

                ….and I still think it is weird and suspicious him jetting in from UK Cambridge …..to try and revive the NZ political dead horse ACT!

        • Murray Olsen 3.3.3.2
          17 February 2014 at 10:07 pm

          They could be copying the Warriors logo.

    • David H 3.4
      17 February 2014 at 10:47 am

      Man a warning Please on the second pic. Slater and Pullyer benefit. AArrggggggggg

  4. Tracey 4
    17 February 2014 at 8:35 am

    Good time to remind people

    bill english…

    ” effectively acknowledge that Michael Cullen had done something right in his stewardship of the Government’s finances in the past nine years.

    Having condemned his predecessor for many years for paying off debt too quickly, English said: “I want to stress that New Zealand starts from a reasonable position in dealing with the uncertainty of our economic outlook.”

    “In New Zealand we have room to respond. This is the rainy day that Government has been saving up for,” he told reporters at the Treasury briefing on the state of the economy and forecasts.

    English pointed to a graph of the debt track since 1972 and projected five years out from today.

    The recent low was 17 per cent of GDP and the ghastly projection for 2013 is 33.1 per cent and possibly worse, under what Treasury calls a “downside scenario” – 38.6 per cent.

    Unemployment is forecast to rise to 6.4 per cent in 2010 and deficits forecast to be $2.4 billion to $3.5 billion larger over the 2010 to 2013 years than forecast just before the election.

    In the midst of the horrible outlook and depressing uncertainty about how bad it might get, English was forced to change his message about his inheritance from Labour because it was more important to inject some sense of positivity into the situation. He needed to do it for both political reasons and for real financial reasons.

    As Labour finance spokesman David Cunliffe said yesterday, too much negativity could drive confidence down even further.

    Of the plan that Cunliffe demanded of English today, the Finance Minister said: “The plan in essence is quite simple, that is to maintain significant short-term stimulus in the economy, to protect people from the sharp edge of recession and secondly to get on with the job of raising our longer term growth prospects…with some urgency.”

    Tax cuts are on the way; decisions will be made in the New Year on which infrastructure projects will be brought forward and English and Prime Minister John Key will be meeting chief executives of Government departments this afternoon to give them the bad news: don’t ask for any more money in Budget 2009 because you won’t get it.”

  5. CC 5
    17 February 2014 at 9:12 am

    What? The oil and gas industry mounting a travelling rogue’s show???

    • Pasupial 5.1
      17 February 2014 at 9:46 am

      CC

      What oil and gas industry traveling rogue’s show?

      But talking of such rogues [quotes from ODT link below]:

      Two boats, a 14m commercial fishing vessel and a smaller pleasure boat, both draped with banners from pro-drilling group ProGas Otago, sat just off St Clair Beach while an anti-drilling protest was held on the beach. The Otago Surfing Championships and Otago Surf Life Saving Championships were also being held nearby.

      It is understood that while the boats were there surf life-savers received unconfirmed reports from surfers there was something in the water and that fish guts were being thrown from the boats, which surfers were concerned could attract sharks.

      Witnesses saw surf life-savers speak to the men on the boats, the larger of which was shortly afterwards seen doing what witnesses described as ”donuts” in the water. When contacted, Grant Godbaz, secretary of the South Coast Boardriders Association, which was hosting the Otago Surfing Championships, said the incident was a ”recipe for disaster”.

      He said the boat did its turns within about 20m of surfers, who were genuinely concerned for their safety.

      http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/291885/surfers-worried-protest-boats

    • Rosie 5.2
      17 February 2014 at 10:04 am

      CC, The news that NZ Oil and Gas are doing tours of classroom’s in Taranaki?

  6. floyd 6
    17 February 2014 at 10:44 am

    Just watched paul henry enabling john key in a supposed talk about policies of 2014. You can see why they got henry back on. Nothing of any consequence but strictly to make key look good. “Yup, I did just say yup to obama”. God give me strength. What a tragic puff piece. I had read a romantic homage to key by prebble who stated that key didn’t talk about anything political while on golf course but here key is saying he did discuss some issues. They need to get on the same song sheet. Also tragic simon bridges trying to be belittling and sneering about Green’s policy of solar power on houses. Doesn’t work, he just looks and sounds silly trotting out the standard unoriginal “just printing money” snigger. However he is good for a chuckle.

  7. Jim in Tokyo 7
    17 February 2014 at 10:46 am

    David Sirota has a big expose on public broadcasting in the US:

    American billionaires are flooding PBS and NPR with “documentaries” with titles like “Pension Peril” and “Unintended Consequences: Evils of the Welfare System”.

    millions of unsuspecting viewers wholly unaware that the PBS “reporting” they are watching is not objective news, but instead an ideological advertisement funded by a billionaire trying to manipulate public policy

    And that’s public tv ….

  8. ianmac 8
    17 February 2014 at 11:05 am

    Funny that Trolls have disturbing Psychological problems. The trolls who visit this site sort of fit some profiles. Read all about it!
    http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/climate_desk/2014/02/internet_troll_personality_study_machiavellianism_narcissism_psychopathy.html

    • Rosie 8.1
      17 February 2014 at 12:17 pm

      +1 ianmac. The psychological study of trolling is interesting indeed. Nice tie in with topic du jour of Supreme Troll whale oil and photo op’s with people that really shouldn’t be seen with him, if decency prevailed – which clearly it doesn’t in Camp Gnat.

  9. bad12 9
    17 February 2014 at 11:58 am

    Laughs out loud from this mornings ‘Matty and Mike show’ on Nine to Noon this morning, the final word went to Hooton,

    ”Russell Normans just announced policy is a good one”, that should have the Beehives 9th floor apoplectic with rage, more than one of this mornings lamington’s may have become a deadly device seemingly designed as a tool of aphyxsiation by a terrorist organization despicably disguised as the local tuck shop,

    What tittilation of angst, anger, or, arrogance will the spin-meisters of the 9th floor try this week to try and regain the political initiative from the Opposition,

    Bridges effort last night via the TV3News was akin to the little child lost in the wilderness beseeching calling for His mummy,

    ”Its printing money”, ”its printing money” simply proving to the Sunday night audience that Slippery the Prime Minister isn’t lacking for competition when it comes to having a vast area of vacant space upstairs in the cranial cavity…

    • ianmac 9.1
      17 February 2014 at 12:08 pm

      Yep saw Bridges. I thought he might be a bit drunk as his weird accent seemed even weirder. Subsidy indeed? National have given $30mil to Rio, millions to Skycity, and millions for the Green’s house insulation scheme, millions in subsidy to the Film Industry and according to Matthew millions to the meat industry very recently. Hypocrisy is rampant.

  11. SHG (not Colonial Viper) 11
    17 February 2014 at 1:00 pm

    Articles about Cameron Slater on the front page right now: 5
    Plus one about the Herald featuring a photo of Cameron Slater

    He’s got to be loving this!

  12. Penny Bright 12
    17 February 2014 at 1:22 pm

    You won’t read this on ‘The Daily Blog’! 🙂

    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/lion-witch-and-len-browns-wardrobe-sf-151866

    #11 by Penny Bright

    How many people know that the Auditor-General Lyn Provost is a SHAREHOLDER in Sky City?

    http://www.oag.govt.nz/2013/skycity

    Deputy Auditor-General’s overview

    Inquiry into the Government’s decision to negotiate with SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited for an international convention centre.

    ………………

    1: The Auditor-General has a small shareholding in SkyCity so she has not been involved in this inquiry.

    New Zealand Auditor-General Lyn Provost fails to disclose this rather significant ‘conflict of interest’ when I ask her to conduct an urgent inquiry into the failure of OFCANZ to do ‘due diligence’ on the increased risk of money-laundering arising from the NZ International Convention Centre Bill:

    On 21 November 2013

    I have received your email and will consider your request.
    Lyn Provost

    21 November 2013

    I want an URGENT investigation by the OAG into the failure of OFCANZ to do ‘due diligence’ on the increased risk of money-laundering arising from the NZ International Convention Centre Bill (not sure if it yet has Royal Assent).

    This Treasury reply confirms that OFCANZ come under Police – which are a ‘Public Entity’.

    18 Inquiries by Auditor-General

    (1)The Auditor-General may inquire, either on request or on the Auditor-General’s own initiative, into any matter concerning a public entity’s use of its resources.

    ………………..

    On 31 January 2014, I received this reply from New ZealandAuditor-General Lyn Provost, to my question ‘are you still a shareholder in Sky City’:

    Penny

    There is no change in position from June 2012.

    Lyn Provost

    Lyn Provost, Controller and Auditor-General
    Office of the Auditor-General Te Mana Arotake
    Level 2, 100 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
    PO Box 3928, Wellington 6140

    Again – file under – ‘You Couldn’t Make This Sh*t Up’!

    Please note that there will be a LOT more to come on this matter….

    Penny Bright

    (For more exposure on the role of the Auditor-General in propping up the bogus Transparency International NZ – have a look at this – http://www.kiwisfirst.co.nz/files/Honour%20Roll%20researchers%20TINZ.pdf )

  13. captain hook 13
    17 February 2014 at 2:22 pm

    I read that donkeyotey referrred to Kiwis in Oz as guest workers and reciprocal pensions as nice to haves.
    Well he might as well realise that he is just a guest prime ministrer and will be a nice to have get gone.
    And as soon as the smart people in the National party realise that key and slater and the rest are the precursors to a gangster state then the sooner the country can get back to business.

  14. greywarbler 14
    17 February 2014 at 3:41 pm

    I was thinking about likes and buttons under the comments and thought that I couldn’t see their value here. But I thought again and put a para in one of my random comments. I’ll put it here so it might get counted in the thinking on this.

    Perhaps we do need ‘likes’ for the comments, so that those who do the work and present information, know that they have been looked at and the work read and absorbed, and importantly that interest has been taken, even if no-one feels it is necessary to respond with a plus, an icon or a comment.

    • lprent 14.1
      17 February 2014 at 3:53 pm

      I’ll have a look around for one that I can configure to show likes only.

      I also have to make sure that it doesn’t cause too much extra load on the database server. Caching in the memcache and/or the database query cache would be the ideal.

      • greywarbler 14.1.1
        17 February 2014 at 4:34 pm

        Thanks lprent There were quite a few comments for and against which I understand but have decided that what you suggested above would be justified, would need numbers I think though.
        And that’s really all that is needed, a button that increases number of ‘reads’. That count would be feedback and encouraging for those trying to add to our spectrum of knowledge input.

      • Tracey 14.1.2
        17 February 2014 at 4:36 pm

        can you do number of times viewed? I’m guessing not cos that’s just the page, no way of telling for each post?

      • Flip 14.1.3
        17 February 2014 at 8:37 pm

        I thought I wanted likes/dislikes but after looking at some other sites it did influence my view of what I read negatively so changed my mind. Likes would be good though.

        Do not know if this is easy but collapsable trees for threads would be good. Like Thunderbird has for e-mail conversations. Makes it easier to follow a particular thread and comment on the right one. The numbering is useful to a point but fails once a thread gets long.

        • Bill 14.1.3.1
          17 February 2014 at 8:50 pm

          What does like or like/dislike do for any conversation? I couldn’t give a fuck if somebody ‘likes’ something I’m saying – I want to know their thoughts on the matter in question.

          And if there’s no response, then either everyone reading it agrees….everyone reading it thinks it’s bullshit/unrelated or whatever….or nobody’s reading it. Doesn’t really matter which of those scenarios is the accurate one on any given comment, does it?

          edit example – Joe90 doesn’t tend to attract follow up comment, but from the occasions that they do, it’s probably reasonable to assume a fair few people click through to the links provided.

          • Flip 14.1.3.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 9:17 pm

            “What does like or like/dislike do for any conversation?”

            Agree it does nothing for the conversation but what I was saying is it did something to me as a reader and I did not like what it did.

            Likes are something I’d only use to agree with the comment. Other people may use them differently so may not be useful.

  15. Molly 15
    17 February 2014 at 3:46 pm

    Just a heads up if anyone is interested in attending a lecture from Natalie Nicholles – an economics consultant from NEF – New Economics Foundation (London).

    Auckland Council is hosting her talk within the Auckland Conversations programme, and it is free to attend. Just register on their site. Wed 26th Feb, Town Hall @ 5.30pm.

    NEF tagline is “Economics as if people and the planet mattered”. Some of their publications have been discussed on The Standard in the past.

    Update: Event is full, waitlist is all you get now.

    • Colonial Viper 15.1
      17 February 2014 at 4:06 pm

      Seems like there is a hunger for something which is not neoliberal.

      Why are our political parties avoiding that fact like the plague?

      • Tracey 15.1.1
        17 February 2014 at 4:24 pm

        Possibly because they are so entrenched and so dependent on the status quo, economically speaking, that they genuinely think it’s best, for them. 😉

    • Tracey 15.2
      17 February 2014 at 4:23 pm

      will be good to read any released paper?

    • Tracey 15.3
      17 February 2014 at 4:33 pm

      thanks for the link. read some of the site and have bookmarker it. liked this. how refreshing

      We believe that everyone seeking to influence public policy has a duty to be open about how they are funded. nef is proud to have been awarded the highest rating for funding transparency by the Who Funds You campaign.

      nef’s total income for 2011/12 was £3,286,061. It was derived from 3 sources:
      1. Major Grants and Donations

      Tubney Charitable Trust – £400,000
      The Hadley Trust – £249,769
      Network for Social Change – £155,172
      AIM Foundation – £135,000
      European Commission – £133,603
      Freshfield Foundation – £109,280
      Paul Hamlyn Foundation – £92,000
      The Ford Foundation and the Villum Foundation, through a partnership with Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future – £79,540
      NESTA and the Cabinet Office – £77,625
      The Tudor Trust – £77,400
      People’s Health Trust – £67,500
      OAK Foundation Ltd – £62,000
      The City Bridge Trust – £40,000
      Social Care Institute for Excellence – £35,160
      Barrow Cadbury Trust – £34,000
      New Economics Institute – £32,300
      LankellyChase Foundation – £30,000
      The Royal Academy of Engineering – £25,393
      Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation – £24,500
      R H Southern Trust – £23,000
      Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister – £20,863
      Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust – £20,000
      Sheepdrove Trust – £17,000
      Nic Marks – £15,000
      Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation – £15,000
      Sherwood Forest Fund – £5,000

      We would also like to thank the Roddick Foundation for a generous and completely unrestricted grant.
      2. Individual Supporters

      Our individual supporters gave a total of £121,860 this year. No individual gave more than £5,000.
      3. Earned income

      For over 25 years nef has pioneered social, economic and environmental measurement. Our expertise enables us to generate additional income through consultancy services in impact evaluation and organisational development for charities, the public sector and businesses. Much of this work is carried out by our wholly-owned social enterprise, nef consulting. These contracts do not affect our research and advocacy agenda.

  16. joe90 16
    17 February 2014 at 3:59 pm

    The disaster you’ve probably never heard of.

    The drought, Brazil’s worst in decades, is a catastrophe.

    In economic terms, it was the fourth-worst natural disaster to hit the planet last year, costlier than even the western United States drought, for a total cost of almost $9 billion, according to insurance analyst Aon Benfield, which researches natural disasters worldwide.

    And in much of the region it’s ongoing.

    http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/brazil/140210/drought-disaster-sertao-nordeste

    • Tracey 16.1
      17 February 2014 at 4:34 pm

      It doesnt matter cos they have the football world cup and then the Olympics. That will MAKE them money to deal with a drought, right?

      • Colonial Viper 16.1.1
        17 February 2014 at 5:13 pm

        I wonder if you can you drink electronically created currency units? Can cattle or corn drink up electronically created currency units?

        Hence the suicidal insanity of destroying our natural world in the pursuit of electronically created currency units.

      • miravox 16.1.2
        18 February 2014 at 12:44 am

        “It doesnt matter cos they have the football world cup and then the Olympics. That will MAKE them money to deal with a drought, right?”

        Yup. I reckon the World Cup and Olympics will do for Brazil the same as what the Olympics did for Greece’s financial security.

    • weka 16.2
      17 February 2014 at 6:26 pm

      I wonder how much of the water shortage is due to industrial agriculture.

      • Colonial Viper 16.2.1
        17 February 2014 at 9:17 pm

        That, climate change and the massive terraforming associated with human activity (incl industrial agriculture).

      • Murray Olsen 16.2.2
        18 February 2014 at 2:21 am

        Not much of it, weka. The area called the sertão has had droughts since forever. There are aquifers, but unless you’re a local politician, you don’t have the money to get at the water. When you fly over that area, you see brown with a few lush patches now and then. That’s how you know where the local “colonels” live. There’s not much agroindustry in that area, which is the Northeast of Brazil. The agroindustry is in the South, Southeast, and Central West of the country. Even further north, near the Amazon rainforest, the farming has not really been industrialised. They clear the forest and plant for a couple of years before it loses all the nutrients.

        What is new is that the PT (Worker’s Party) trucks in some water, so that at least the people survive. Despite all their problems, they have lifted many people out of absolute poverty. This is why I have no time for anyone who says they are just the same as the other parties.

        There is some evidence that climate change is making the droughts worse, but the sertão has not been terraformed. It’s basically like it was 200 years ago.

        Thanks for posting that joe90. It was funny hearing the rural accent of the Northeast again. Last time I was there, I looked at raising some money to put a well down in one of the villages, but I wasn’t successful. Maybe one day.

  17. logie97 17
    17 February 2014 at 4:41 pm

    Cast your mind back, if you are able, to the era B.NACT (Before NACT).
    You know, the period that English lauded for its good financial management.

    It was also the period when the RWNJ’s were decrying MMP for installing a government dog being wagged by its tail.

    So we get Charter Schools. I cannot recall the philosophy being shouted from the rooftops by any of the 58 National MPs. In fact the movement belonged entirely to ACT. Yet, it would appear, their one mp, the soon to be disgraced Banks, has Hekia Parata and Key so tightly by the fuzzies that she and some of her cronies appear to believe that the schools are the best thing since sliced bread…

    • Chooky 17.1
      17 February 2014 at 9:30 pm

      @ logie 97….not so much Banks as private PR company lobbyists…..Catherine Isaacs (former Roger Kerr and what was the Round Table) in cahoots with USA business interests…this is what ACT is all about …overseas business interests that want to get their reptilian pincers into New Zealand and its assets

  18. phillip ure 18
    17 February 2014 at 5:28 pm

    mary wilson is chopping colin craig into little tiny wee pieces..

    ..(for his hypocrisies..)

    ..you almost feel sorry for him..(i did say ‘almost’..)

    phillip ure..

  19. fender 19
    17 February 2014 at 5:29 pm

    < a href=”http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9731587/Legal-action-over-Norman-comment”>Colin Craig launches legal action

    ‘Craig’s complaint relates to Norman suggesting Craig thinks that a woman’s place is in the kitchen and a gay man’s place is in the closet.’

    Norman forgot to mention Craig wants to hit kids also.

    • BM 19.1
      17 February 2014 at 5:36 pm

      Bad last couple of weeks for the Ocker

      Serious mutterings must be going on within the green party about Normans performance as leader.

      The dot com stupidity and now this, I have a feeling some one may be out the back sharpening the axe.

      • Zorr 19.1.1
        17 February 2014 at 5:46 pm

        uh huh

        Or maybe Colin Craig is trying to stay relevant the only way he knows how – by jumping in to the mud and shouting “Look at me!” because he has nothing substantive to add

        • BM 19.1.1.1
          17 February 2014 at 5:55 pm

          I think it’s the right thing to do, Craig’s being discriminated against by the certain factions of left because he’s a Christian.
          Unless he jumps on it, the left will keep pushing the he’s a Christian therefore he’s homophobic and a misogynist, which in all probability is blatant lie.

          I’d say Craig is pretty pissed with Norman trying to drag his name through the mud, which is why he’s taking action.

          Russell needs to engage his brain before opening his mouth, expensive mistake to make for the Ocker.

          • North 19.1.1.1.1
            17 February 2014 at 9:44 pm

            Well if you’d heard Colin Craig talking to Mary Wilson on Checkpoint this afternoon you’d know that his resolve to pursue Russel Norman is because apparently Norman has been saying things that will make people “feel negatively” about him. Provoking negative feelings ? Hardly, indeed decidedly not, actionable. Is this a Judith Collins stunt which like hers re Little and Mallard will be played and played then dropped effectively ? Probably right up to the election for the playing and thereafter for the dropping ?

          • millsy 19.1.1.1.2
            18 February 2014 at 1:30 am

            All Christians are homophobes, etc.

            Norman is just telling the truth,

            If the god botherers had their way, homosexuals would be liquidated en masse.

        • ianmac 19.1.1.2
          17 February 2014 at 5:58 pm

          Colin might be aiming for his audience who believe the same way that Colin is alleged to believe. Perfect Conservative Party Platform.

      • McFlock 19.1.2
        17 February 2014 at 5:59 pm

        You seem to be getting that feeling a lot, lately.

        Given that a court case would be good news for norman on purely political grounds, might I suggest that you’re simply projecting the worries you have for the polished turd we have as pm? Much of the glitter is falling off.

        I mean, if you thought that the opposition leaders weren’t a threat to the government, you’d be gloating about how sad it was that they are the best labgrn have to choose leaders from. But by trying to foment infighting and paranoia, you’re just conceding that the election is in doubt for wee Johnny no-Mates.

    • Chooky 19.2
      17 February 2014 at 9:31 pm

      lol

  20. Morrissey 20
    17 February 2014 at 5:48 pm

    LIARS OF OUR TIME

    No. 40: Colin Craig

    “I’m interested in raising the level of debate.”

    —Moon-landing denier, kiddy-whacker and gay-baiter COLIN CRAIG, speaking to Mary Wilson Checkpoint, Radio NZ National, Monday 17 February 2014, 5:20 p.m.

    More liars….
    No. 39 George W. Bush: “We will be standing with the people of Afghanistan and Iraq until their hopes for freedom and liberty are fulfilled.”
    No. 38 Jeremy Hansen: “I read a great column by Paul Thomas in the Herald….”
    No. 37 Alan Seay: “You know, we respect the rights of people to protest….”
    No. 36 Paul Dykzeul: “No we won’t be changing the Listener; it’s got a terrific editor….”
    No. 35 Mark Jennings: “I think Paul’s a bright guy and he will be able to bring a discipline to his performance….”
    No. 34 Willie Jackson: “I thought we’d been sensitive with her yesterday….”
    No. 33 Supt. Bill Searle: “I think what’s happened here is the police officers have done their very best….”
    No. 32 Sonny-Bill Williams: “It’s good to get the win over Papua-New Guinea, a strong Papua-New Guinea side, aahhhh….”
    No. 31 John Palino: “Suggestions that I am somehow orchestrating some grand right-wing conspiracy to unseat Len after the election are so wrong…”
    No. 30 Alan Dershowitz: “I will give $10,000 to the PLO if you can find a historical fact in my book that you can prove to be false.”
    No. 29 John Banks: “I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. And never, ever would I ever knowingly sign a false electoral return. Never ever would I ever.”

    No. 28 John Kerry: “…we are especially sensitive, Chuck and I, to never again asking any member of Congress to take a vote on faulty intelligence.”
    
No. 27 Lyse Doucet: “I am there for those without a voice.”
    
No. 26 Sam Wallace: “So here we are—Otahuhu. It’s just a great place to be, really.”


    No. 25 Margaret Thatcher: “…no British government involvement of any kind…with Khmer Rouge…”


    No. 24 John Key: “…at the end of the day I, like most New Zealanders, value the role of the fourth estate…”
    


No. 23 Jay Carney: “…expel Mr Snowden back to the U.S. to face justice…”
    


No. 22 Mike Bush: “Bruce Hutton had integrity beyond reproach.”
    


No. 21 Tim Groser: “I think the relationship is genuinely in outstanding form.”
    


No. 20 John Key: “But if the question is do we use the United States or one of our other partners to circumvent New Zealand law then the answer is categorically no.”
    


No. 19 Matthew Hooton: “It is ridiculous to say that unions deliver higher wages! They DON’T!”


    No. 18 Ant Strachan: “The All Blacks won the RWC 2011 because of outstanding defence!”



    No. 17 Stephen Franks: “Peter has been such a level-headed, safe pair of hands.”



    No. 16 Phil Kafcaloudes: “Tony Abbott…hasn’t made any mistakes over the past eighteen months.”



    No. 15 Donald Rumsfeld: “I did not lie… Colin Powell did not lie.”
    


No. 14 Colin Powell: “a post-9/11 nexus between Iraq and terrorist organizations…connections are now emerging…”
    
No. 13 Barack Obama: “Simply put, these strikes have saved lives.”
    




No. 12 U.K. Ministry of Defence: “Protecting the Afghan civilian population is one of ISAF and the UK’s top priorities.”
    


No. 11 Brendan O’Connor: “Australia’s approach to refugees is compassionate and generous.”



    No. 10 Boris Johnson: “Londoners have… the best police in the world to look after us and keep us safe.”
    


No. 9 NewstalkZB PR dept: “News you NEED! Fast, fair, accurate!”
    


No. 8 Simon Bridges: “I don’t mean to duck the question….”



    No. 7 Nigel Morrison: “Quite frankly, they’ve been VERY tough.”




    No. 6 Herald PR dept: “Congratulations—you’re reading New Zealand’s best newspaper.”




    No. 5 Rawdon Christie: “…a FORMIDABLE replacement, it seems, is Claudette Hauiti.”
    




No. 4 Willie and J.T.: “The X-Factor. Nah, nah, there’s some GREAT talent there!”
    



No. 3 John Key: “Yeah we hold MPs to a higher standard.”
    



No. 2 Colin Craig: “Oh, I have a GREAT sense of humour.”




    No. 1 Barack Obama: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty.”

  21. Tigger 21
    17 February 2014 at 6:15 pm

    Craig’s defamation suit is further proof his party will sink at these elections. Far worse will be said about him further down the track and if he’s going to take umbrage at things like that then wait till the politicians and media really start attacking him.

    Which leaves Key’s coalition hydra short one head.

    • McFlock 21.1
      17 February 2014 at 6:39 pm

      the thing is, craig can either win or lose.
      Norman can either win or lose.

      If norman loses, craig looks petty and norman takes a wee hit in the polls, but craigs a dick so not too much of a hit.

      If craig loses, he looks even nuttier and norman’s opinions are seen to be confirmed (even though that might not be the actual determination of the case).

      And then there’s the fact that craig is now a politician, which raises his case’s difficulty level.

      • Zorr 21.1.1
        17 February 2014 at 7:04 pm

        I think it’s one of those situations where Norman can’t lose – because no matter what happens, he is only alienating the extreme right with his stated view of Colin Craig. It shouldn’t affect Green Party support whatsoever and only serves to highlight the rabid foaming attack poodle that is Colin Craig.

  22. captain hook 22
    17 February 2014 at 7:07 pm

    is colin craig constipated or does he have trouble with his y-fronts and his zipper. anyway to quote that old kids rhyme he should jump into the closet three times and only come out twice!

  23. Yossarian 23
    17 February 2014 at 8:38 pm

    Come on, it really cant take you that long to ban me & issue your musings.

  24. Clemgeopin 24
    17 February 2014 at 8:41 pm

    I received an email about this topic/opinion. I wanted to comment on it, but I can’t find where it is exactly! Where is it? Is it not online yet?

    I am referring to :

    Russel Norman to Colin Craig – Bring it on
    by mickysavage

    • karol 24.1
      17 February 2014 at 8:49 pm

      I saw it too. Sometimes it’s just that an author publishes a post earlier than they intended, hitting the publish button by mistake. Maybe he hasn’t finished writing or editing the post yet…?

    • Chooky 24.2
      17 February 2014 at 9:34 pm

      …i commented and it immediately went off line…disappeared into the ether….

  25. Yossarian 25
    17 February 2014 at 8:50 pm

    Ok, enough is enough, your not normally this long in compling a list of thrush, and all my others faults you deem me to have. I shall save you the bother. I shall offski for self imposed exile in KiwiLog.

  26. greywarbler 26
    17 February 2014 at 9:33 pm

    I picked this up from the Blog list at the side of the page. Some comments on possible changes at Kiwibank on-line set up wondering whether they are in the best interests of the bank and the country. I hope that we don’t have some little Kiwi manager thinking that he/she has to recommend a big overseas company because that will make them look sophisticated and important and possibly cheap.

    http://lancewiggs.com/2014/02/17/the-end-of-kiwibank/

    The ideal solution is, of course, for Kiwibank to wake up to the very strong local development talent, hire them in and give them true power and air cover to reinvent banking, piece by piece and digital-first. It’s that approach is good enough for the entire UK government, it’s good enough for a tiny antipodean retail bank.

  27. Colonial Viper 27
    17 February 2014 at 11:06 pm

    Rupert Murdoch scores hassle free $882M tax rebate from Aussies

    What a sweet ride for the modern corporate giant.

    http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/feb/17/rupert-murdoch-receives-882m-tax-rebate

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    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
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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