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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 🙂
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.
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.
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.’
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. 🙂
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
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”.
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
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…
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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..
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@ 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)
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.
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.
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!
” 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.”
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.
Thanks for that Pasupial – the picture painted by the actions of the oil pushers speaks a thousand words about their attitudes toward the lives of others; and shows they are the type of people who shouldn’t be listened to.
I don’t want to paint too bleak a picture; on the beach we could barely read their banners on the boats. Utterly irresponsible action by the Juggernaut captain regarding the surfers though.
For balance here are some links to articles about the Banners on the Beach about Waipounamu/ South:
Even though the numbers in the ODT have been upgraded from 300 (Saturday) to 500+, that’s only 5% of what it needs to be:
“University of Otago physics Associate Professor Bob Lloyd… believed 2000 protesters would be needed at Moeraki, 10,000 at Dunedin and 100,000 at an Auckland protest to make an impact on decision making.”
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.
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
+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.
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…
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.
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….
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
thanks for the link. read some of the site and have bookmarker it. liked this. how refreshing
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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.
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.
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…
@ 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
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
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.
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 ?
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.
—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.”
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.
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.
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.
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!
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…?
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.
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.
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.
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
I knew Taika Waititi quite well when he was a kid. His mother lived in a tall narrow house in Aro St, and my youngest sister had a similar house two doors along. They were both single mums, they each had a son aged seven. Taika and my nephew Stepan ...
Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: ‘Reference-class forecasting’ is at the heart of improving pricing a project and identifying the expected timeframe but it doesn’t appear to be in use here The post ‘Think fast and act slowly’ is failing big projects appeared first on Newsroom. ...
What do a sombrero in Argentina and cognitive driving tests have in common? Don’t worry, we’re not setting up a bad joke. Hinengaro Clinic dementia clinician Gregory Winkelman has the answer on today’s episode of The Detail. “We ask a patient’s spouse or son or daughter: If you went to ...
Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
After replacing a fifth of their caucus in just four months, the Greens’ opportunity to reset, reshuffle and refocus on the Government is quickly slipping away The post Persistent Green Party scandals delay caucus reset appeared first on Newsroom. ...
ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
By Robin Martin, RNZ News reporter A New Zealand local authority, Whanganui District Council, has passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, condemnation of all acts of violence and terror against civilians on both sides of the conflict and the immediate return of hostages. It comes as ...
Asia Pacific Report The Aotearoa chapter of the Women’s International league for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has appealed to the New Zealand government to call out Israel over the “cruel and barbaric use of force” in Gaza and demand a permanent ceasefire. The league’s open letter was sent to Prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government will invest $566 million over a decade on data, maps and other tools to promote exploration and development in Australia’s resources industry. The project will fund “the first comprehensive map of what’s ...
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
International audiences are starting to discover what New Zealand already knew about After the Party.When After the Party aired in New Zealand last year, the response was fast and furious. In his preview for Rec Room, Duncan Greive said it was a “gritty, wrenching and highly confronting” series. By ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of the Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), and Acting Director the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Iran’s leadership has been a direct beneficiary of the months-long war in Gaza. With every missile that Israel fires ...
Claire Mabey reviews the haunting and sexy debut novel from Sinéad Gleeson, who is about to touch down in Aotearoa for a string of live events.When Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson was in Aotearoa in 2018 with her spectacular collection of essays, Constellations, she told me she was working on ...
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville Affairs Minister Manasseh Makiba has described the Post-Courier’s front page story yesterday regarding a meeting between Bougainville and national government leaders as “sensationalised” and without substance. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB) had warned it might use “other avenues to gain its independence” should the PNG government “continue ...
Where some saw the worst press conference given by the government to date, Anna Rawhiti-Connell recognised girl maths game.Nicola Willis, recently exasperated by comparisons to Ruth Richardson, said she was “a bit sick of being compared with every female finance minister that’s ever been out there.”Some think that’s ...
The March results are reported against forecasts based on the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2023 (HYEFU 2023), published on 20 December 2023 and the results for the same period for the previous year. ...
Jamie Arbuckle, the district councillor who became an MP but decided to keep getting paid for both roles, will instead donate one salary to charity. ...
Adding gender to the Human Rights Act would simply make the implicit explicit. So why is it so controversial? Paul Thistoll explain. At present, Aotearoa’s 1993 Human Rights Act (HRA) includes sex, marital status, religious belief, ethical belief (meaning a lack of religious belief), colour, race, ethnicity or national origin, ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an 18-year-old who’s studying and working in hospo shares their approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Transmasc Age: 18 Ethnicity: Pākehā/Māori Role: Student, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Resources Minister Shane Jones has reportedly asked officials for advice on whether oil and gas companies could be offered “bonds” as compensation if drilling rights offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Gleeson, Associate Professor of Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock The Albanese government is weighing up the costs of delivering an election promise to protect religious people from discrimination in Commonwealth law. Such protections were relatively uncontroversial when included in state anti-discrimination ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yen Ying Lim, Associate Professor, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio Dementia is often described as “the long goodbye”. Although the person is still alive, dementia slowly and irreversibly chips away at their memories and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Adam Calaitzis/Shutterstock I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Throsby, Distinguished Professor of Economics, Macquarie University Arts companies and individual artists in Australia are supported by government arts agencies, philanthropists, industry bodies, private donors and patrons. However, it is frequently overlooked that a major source of support for the arts ...
Harm Reduction Coalition Aotearoa, a new incorporated society dedicated to ending harmful drug policies, officially launched today, seeks a new fit-for-purpose drug law for Aotearoa New Zealand, rooted in science, experience and evidence. ...
The Corrections Minister admits he "muddied the water" after he and the Prime Minister repeatedly provided incorrect information about a $1.9 billion prison spend-up. ...
It took a post-post-cabinet statement to confirm that 810 new beds will be built at Waikeria, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
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
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.
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.
Wrong. Once again, public schools and charter schools are both funded in the same way.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
No you are wrong.
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.
Hmmmmm reminds me of Governor Tarkin chiding Lord Vader…
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 🙂
@ Srylands
No you are
[That is the problem with comments lacking any justification: two can play at that game 🙂 ]
Your comment seems incredibly well justified, blue leopard. The rubbish that the 5 eyed monkey taps out randomly, on the other hand……
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.
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.
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.
so that’s a no then on the show me i’m wrong call. good to know, thanks for playing.
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.
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.’
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.
@ 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. 🙂
Why does a private for-profit business need state funding?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
/facepalm
The owners of Sanitarium is a not-for-profit group but Sanitarium makes a huge profit.
Maxim.org
Another multinational millionaire funded right wing neoliberal economics think tank
Fuck your K-Street kind and the horse you rode in on.
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..
Well legit refugees are next! They plan on putting them in a Fijian Jail – its the final solution
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.
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..
Bloody hell, forgot to have your morning bong?
-Artistic freedom comes with responsibilities, it’s not a licence to be reckless-
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..
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.
“..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..
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.
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..
🙄
I now believe you when you (all too often) proudly state that you fried your brain with crack.
@ 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..
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.
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..
“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.
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…
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..
But who decides the limits of that freedom or what is art for that matter
well, is inciting violence and harassment “art”? Maybe it could be.
Is armed robbery “art”? Maybe it could be.
But if I say my actions are “art”, does that mean every country needs to grant me a visa despite those actions?
In this case Immigration NZ did. In another case as Karol illustrates the courts did
Phillis, a four year old’s explanation of why we should be promoting violence???…
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.
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…
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..
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..
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
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.
They look made for each other, don’t they
two peas in a pod…………..
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”.
exactly!
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.
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…
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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)
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
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!
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..
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.
“… 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…
He’d have to shave the lamington off first.
I think he’s using that inside his skull nowadays..
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
“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
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.
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.
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.
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.
@ DG….is NACT now going for the Polynesian vote?
wife looks genuine tongue sticking out ….Cambridge import is trying to mirror her expression
….ingratiating?
Well, that’s a nice side of casual racism to start the week off with.
@ 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
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.
Well, he or she could mean that they appear to be going for the Pūkana in a misguided attempt to ingratiate themselves.
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!
How charming.
@DG….hope that is not racist sarcasm from you
…actually it is not meant to be charming….it is meant to be insulting, especially to phonies
They could be copying the Warriors logo.
Man a warning Please on the second pic. Slater and Pullyer benefit. AArrggggggggg
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.”
What? The oil and gas industry mounting a travelling rogue’s show???
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
Thanks for that Pasupial – the picture painted by the actions of the oil pushers speaks a thousand words about their attitudes toward the lives of others; and shows they are the type of people who shouldn’t be listened to.
BL
I don’t want to paint too bleak a picture; on the beach we could barely read their banners on the boats. Utterly irresponsible action by the Juggernaut captain regarding the surfers though.
For balance here are some links to articles about the Banners on the Beach about Waipounamu/ South:
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/291884/beach-protests-send-drilling-message
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9728208/Protesters-hit-South-Island-beaches
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/9729828/Protests-on-the-beaches
Even though the numbers in the ODT have been upgraded from 300 (Saturday) to 500+, that’s only 5% of what it needs to be:
“University of Otago physics Associate Professor Bob Lloyd… believed 2000 protesters would be needed at Moeraki, 10,000 at Dunedin and 100,000 at an Auckland protest to make an impact on decision making.”
+1 blue leopard
CC, The news that NZ Oil and Gas are doing tours of classroom’s in Taranaki?
Oh yeah – travelling road show! Same difference.
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.
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”.
And that’s public tv ….
Pando’s republican backers Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel will be thrilled at their success in de-funding public broadcasting.
/
;[Update 14th Feb 2014: Following Pando’s exposé, PBS has announced it will return John Arnold’s $3.5m donation.]
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
+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.
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…
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.
John Key t shirt
https://www.facebook.com/292488220883016/photos/pb.292488220883016.-2207520000.1392591928./430408380424332/?type=3&theater
Oh. Took a minute. I must be very slow Tiger.
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!
Herald idolizes 2x convicted criminal
Herald idolizes 2x convicted criminal
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 )
Loved this article!…GO Penny!
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/lion-witch-and-len-browns-wardrobe-sf-151866
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.
+100
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.
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.
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.
can you do number of times viewed? I’m guessing not cos that’s just the page, no way of telling for each post?
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.
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.
“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.
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.
Seems like there is a hunger for something which is not neoliberal.
Why are our political parties avoiding that fact like the plague?
Possibly because they are so entrenched and so dependent on the status quo, economically speaking, that they genuinely think it’s best, for them. 😉
will be good to read any released paper?
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.
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
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?
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.
I am shaking my head in disbelief on a daily basis.
To paraphrase William Adama – we never ask ourselves if we deserve to survive.
Something which should survive.
Many species will die off but five to ten million years from now the planet will be good as new.
“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.
I wonder how much of the water shortage is due to industrial agriculture.
That, climate change and the massive terraforming associated with human activity (incl industrial agriculture).
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.
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…
@ 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
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..
< 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.
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.
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
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.
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 ?
All Christians are homophobes, etc.
Norman is just telling the truth,
If the god botherers had their way, homosexuals would be liquidated en masse.
Colin might be aiming for his audience who believe the same way that Colin is alleged to believe. Perfect Conservative Party Platform.
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.
lol
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.”
Are you maintaining Mora watch?
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.
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.
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.
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!
Come on, it really cant take you that long to ban me & issue your musings.
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
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…?
May be he is consulting all of the Colin’s queen counsels first!
…i commented and it immediately went off line…disappeared into the ether….
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.
who was that..?
phillip ure..
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.
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