I’m agreeing with The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell
Chris will say what he likes in the defence of social democracy. I give him beans for being a social democrat -Trotter that is. But I have never doubted in all the time I’ve know him, that he is a social democrat.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
No the labour party is just another liberal party, and some of us support the interests of labour. You know, working people who deserve more than sad platitudes from the weak and pitiful liberal class who goes after corporate money. The same liberals who say very little on workers rights, and are deathly silent on the poor and struggling in this country.
When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?
When was the last time the labour party did anything to enhancing democracy?
I know a lot of you are the labour party cheer squad, but you are stuck at 30% with an ever increasing percentage of the population unwilling or unable to engage in politics.
If one, just one of this current crop was half the man Peter Fraser was, I would cut you some slack. But not one of them is fit enough, nor humanistic, nor even socialist enough to come even close.
It’s not about labour failing, it would be nice if the labour party acknowledged they were the ones who opened the door to the ideology of extreme liberalism. That they hurt people by shifting the wealth away from the poorest in this country towards the already wealthy.
I don’t see that happening – do you?
Oh, and poppet’s, criticism does democracy make. If you wet liberals canny handle it, you can always go join the national party, they don’t take criticism well either.
When was the last time the labour party did anything to enhancing democracy?
Well, you got me there. Labour no more wants democracy than does National. Individuals don’t get rich when the people make the rules rather than the elites.
If one, just one of this current crop was half the man Peter Fraser was, I would cut you some slack. But not one of them is fit enough, nor humanistic, nor even socialist enough to come even close.
Probably true there as well. The First Labour Government actually had a vision about the change that they wanted to bring about. The present Labour caucus seems more about keeping things as they are despite the obvious failings.
We need a new vision and we need to organise and work towards that vision.
And exactly what is that the Labour Party is proposing regarding the UBI?
All they have said is that they are proposing that there should be a debate about the concept. Everything else has simply been, as the comments on this site have been, about what people like to think it would mean.
Until Little comes out with at least a bit of detail they can’t really be said to have “done” anything.
I came up with one idea that I have suggested to my local MP, a good Labour fellow, I proposed that while Andrew is in bank-bashing mode he should instruct the banks that they must provide 1% mortgage loans to all union members who want them.
That would help the working people and revive the moribund union movement. Membership of the unions would rocket I should think.
He seemed very interested so I can imagine it being Labour policy in a week or two. It wouldn’t be any sillier than some of their other ideas.
“When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?” becomes a demand for a details and that something have been “done”.
You asked when was the last time Labour said anything that offered hope to the unemployed. DTB gave two recent examples. Alwyn then spun away as if you’d asked for something more than what you’d requested. Hence the parrot reference.
So an admission of guilt of what? Doing something other than gnashing my teeth whenever Labour caucus members open their mouths? If that’s a demonstration of your personal hope and vision, I’ll stick with dreary old “actually reading what the left wing parties say, rather than making shit up”.
Neither I, nor anyone else has the faintest idea of the details.
However if you are going to say that Little has done something for the unemployed with the little he has said about a UBI you would have to regard Key’s statements so far as doing something for the low and middle income New Zealanders.
I certainly wouldn’t say that about either of the parties announcements. You appear to be willing to go along with airy-fairy waffle though, at least as long as it is by your side.
I apologise. You did contribute to the UBI comments but yours were not in the category of “Oh how wonderful is Labour”.
I shall grovel for a few minutes.
I’m not sure on their take on the UBI. The framing is – well lose, and it is not being presented as a message of hope.
I think Bill here did a great piece on UBI and presenting it as something which can offer people hope.
The other thing is, a UBI is fine, but what about the homeless and hungry right now – not some mythical time in the future?
The hope I’m talking about is for people on benefits and not on benefits now!
And the end of zero hour contracts is a win, but a defensive win. Which has been what the liberal elites have convince people they should do ever since big money came into the game.
The other thing is, a UBI is fine, but what about the homeless and hungry right now – not some mythical time in the future?
You do realise that it’s possible for a political party to work on more than one thing at a time don’t you? And haven’t you forgotten that Labour promised 10,000 per year homes?
And the end of zero hour contracts is a win, but a defensive win. Which has been what the liberal elites have convince people they should do ever since big money came into the game.
To some degree that’s all we’ve been getting since forever but it’s managed to change things for the better over time.
Nora the explorer, Of course I get how political parties work.
My problem is a party who uses the name labour, is weak on issues of labour. Especially the underemployed and the unemployed.
Defensive politics is a lose, lose proposition. Ever since, the fall of the third labour government, political, labour, and human rights have been on the decline. The left has been suckered into an endless back footed defensive position. You would think after 40 odd years, they might wake up to the fact it is not a winner.
People who vote – know it’s not a winner, and they don’t like it.
People want results, and to feel they are getting somewhere for themselves and/or their children. The style of politics which is defensive in nature, will never give people that feeling.
I’d like to see more comment on what could be done, along side the criticism. When I start asking for detail often I get brushed off or told off. It’s very easy to see what is wrong with Labour. Not so easy to see what they or we can do about it given the realities.
Labour are in opposition, hard to know how they could have offensive wins, but perhaps you could explain what you mean by that?
ffs adam, can we try and not talk in ideological stereotypes? Who are the liberal class exactly? Which of the people you talk to here do you consign to that? Who is the Labour cheer squad? I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that which tells me that the people saying that are either idiots, or disingenuous, or are not actually listening to what I am saying.
Yes there are Labourites here, and yes the odd one is rightish, but most aren’t. Then there is the larger number of people like myself who aren’t Labourites (many don’t even vote Labour) and who have a different perspective to yourself and to the Paganis of the world. I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that. CV’s strategy appears to be that if Labour collapsed something would rise in its place, but he won’t be up front about that and have an honest discussion about. I also really think much of what he does here re Labour is personal and as such it skews his behaviour and probably his politics.
Misrespresenting Labour and Little on immigration today is a low point even for him. I’m all for dissent, I just want honest dissent.
” I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that “.
That is ridiculous weka. You are part of the Green party Cheer Leaders organisation. Got your training from the Dallas Cowboys no doubt.
” I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that.”
I agree, I’m not wanting to change the labour party. Indeed I thought it I framed my argument as such. The labour party need to realise they are not the only people who want a better future for working people. My beef, is the fact they can’t handle criticism, especially when it is pointed out they are a liberal party.
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Colonial Viper has a right to be mad. It seems, rightly or wrongly that the labour party use Chinese as their fall guy. If it is concious decision to play on the hangover of the “yellow peril” argument, I’m standing with Colonial Viper all the way. It just feels like we are back to the same debate we had when the twit Twyford brought up home buying in Auckland.
So new low, I’m not so quick to judge. Lets wait and see.
I don’t know what ‘classical liberal terms’ means. When you start talking about people here on ts as liberals I have no idea who you are talking about and it just comes across as an easy pejorative (I don’t know why liberal is a pejorative, but it has a different meaning where I come from).
Hence I don’t understand what you said here,
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Can you please clarify in lay person terms?
*
Of course CV has a right to be mad. I’m seriously fucked off with Labour too, and with Labour party members, including CV. And all the lefties who moan about Labour but won’t vote Green. You have to remember I’ve never voted Labour, I’ve always been to the left of them. CV’s big problem now is that so many people here don’t trust him, including many of us who also don’t trust Labour, and they’ve got a right to that too.
I don’t know what Little did. To me it looks much more like his naive relationship with the media as anything. And I agree there may be conscious or even unconscious bias or prejudice against Asians. I’d guess it’s because it’s politically convient rather than overt racism, but CV knows Labour far better than I and I also know that racism is racism on the receiving end no matter the intent, so it’s not acceptable that Labour are still making these mistakes, or god forbid, making these political moves intentionally.
But, and it’s a big but, we simply don’t know. And all CV has done is throw some petrol on the fire of resentment on the standard about his Labour-bashing. He’s also taken an important issue and completely fucked up the narrative and pushed a whole bunch of people into a stupid arse conversation that will never get anywhere because now it’s contaminated with too many variables including his own bigotry about the left.
I’m also mindful of the fact that CV has had to put up with significant racism here on ts in previous conversations about Asian people in NZ. The conversation I’m remembering must be one of the standard’s lowest points and he and other people of Asian whakapapa shouldn’t have to deal with that.
Classical liberalism is a political ideology that values the freedom of individuals — including the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and markets — as well as limited government. It developed in 18th-century Europe and drew on the economic writings of Adam Smith and the growing notion of social progress. Liberalism was also influenced by the writings of Thomas Hobbes, who argued that governments exist to protect individuals from each other. In 19th- and 20th-century America, the values of classical liberalism became dominant in both major political parties. The term is sometimes used broadly to refer to all forms of liberalism prior to the 20th century. Conservatives and libertarians often invoke classical liberalism to mean a fundamental belief in minimal government.
So I’d argue it is a set of ideas which means debate is discusses in a certain way. So it’s good to talk about, markets, individual rights, but bad to make any assertions of collectivity, culture or the environment.
National are very much a liberal party, thus when Hooton rants against them being liberal – he is being either disingenuous, or a totalitarian turd of epic proportions.
And whilst I think liberalism was great in the 18th century, in the 21st century it is the enemy. It ignores women, it ignores race, it accepts poverty as part of the human condition, it makes wealth the expression of good, and has made markets a god.
I’m a Christian Anarchist, as you know, so for me communality, the environment, and people living rewarding lives – is always my main goal. I don’t want limited government, I want us to work toward living without a state.
So framing of an argument becomes important. For example, not using sexist language, but that is not enough, actually think about ways when we write and talk to put to an end to patriarch. It’s about not writing in a way which assumes male privileged and power, and indeed challenges it. Note I’m still not the best at that, so I sorely miss the great women who use to write on the standard.
Long rant, I hope that clarifies what I was meaning.
A government is necessary – you have to have governments, it is essential, 7 billion people on the earth, we must have governments – it is imperative. There is so much to look after, leaving it up to a mass of individuals who are too busy with their own lives – would be a catastrophe.
And there is nothing wrong with men in power, I see nothing wrong with it, but all men, need a strong leader, especially a male role model, they can look up too. Men ‘in society’ need ‘strong male role models’.
Men (regarding their careers and professional lives) look up to other men, as women look up to other woman. It is because we relate to the same sex as ourselves – we just do. Not all the time, but most of the time.
We shouldn’t demean Men by taking away their patriarchal power, why? We should enhance it – and allow them to have the power they so rightfully deserve, men by nature are more naturally aggressive, and with an intelligent mind to match – tend to be great leaders, and protectors.
We must enhance this, and nurture this, so men become ‘whole’ – then when a strong woman comes along, they do not feel threatened, but intrigued, a non-threatened man will integrate with another power-house (a female), because she has different attributes to offer, and then success is more likely.
I think men and women, working together is how we will acquire ‘balance’.
But men, they are great leaders, and extremely inspirational, this should never be taken away from the man.
Little boys need STRONG men to look up too. We must have strong men IN POWER – we must.
Apart from Little saying nothing but “dairy crisis” I don’t know what he could have done. When you see the statements in context there is nothing radical in what he was saying. He expressed a preference for local workers to be used and wanted immigration regulated depending on conditions.
The pile up supported by some must have CT grinning from ear to ear. We have a PM who regularly redefines meanings of simple words depending on how much spin he applies but we have an opposition leader whose words are parsed and misconstrued and he is then attacked and written off by a bunch of nodding heads. Trotter should be ashamed of himself.
+100
In the last 8 years Labour has been controlled opposition, the illusion of choice.
I hate John Key, understand that, he is instrumental in destroying New Zealand sovereignty and stripping our assets,
but attacking the opposition doesn’t win votes, you have to demonstrate that your party is better for the country and the voters, otherwise voters wont give you the power to change anything.
Every political utterance must be part of a coherent comms strategy, or it is easily misused by others. Ooh, look what’s happening – who could have predicted it?
Sure, that’s the easy bit. But how do you do that and engage competently with the media? Some people are suggesting that whatever Little says and does is going to get manipulated because of CT and because of the media approach.
That’s a given,yes – so you plan your framing and key messages thoroughly anticipating it, and do not get led off-message or go all lawyerly and prevaricating on it.
I just have no idea why Labour does not seem to grasp this most fundamental ingredient of organised politics after years of having their noses rubbed in it.
Thousands of passengers will not have to pay to travel on some Auckland buses today, as part of a series of driver strikes.
First Union represents bus drivers working for Howick & Eastern Buses, and said its members would be refusing to take cash or AT HOP card fares today.
Howick & Eastern Buses serves many of the routes in east Auckland.
The action is the latest in a series of industrial actions by bus drivers across Auckland, who remain locked in disputes with the region’s bus providers.
A union spokesperson said the Howick & Eastern Buses drivers were fed up with attempts to remove overtime and weekend rates.
Thing is, considering the way that bus services in Auckland are now set up, I doubt if it’s going to hurt the bus companies at all. They’re paid by Auckland Transport and the money that they’re not collecting goes directly to Auckland Transport and not to the bus companies.
When will Andrew Little realise that anything he says that is mildly controversial will immediately be twisted and spun by the right and used by the Henrys and Hoskings of the media and their enablers to attack him, Labour and left politics generally?
Don’t they have the media training to ensure they keep statements clear with a few repetitive bullet points that everyone repeats?
Commentators here going on about Andrew Little not being able to get across in concise language what we need to hear and that Labour need media training. At least he looks and attempts to get it across in an honest manner, although he does speak quietly. He also has a pair of honest eyes. Our leader cannot articulate the English language at all, sounds like he is drunk all the time and lies so openly even a half wit would read through them. He also owns a pair of dead eyes which give me the creeps. Give Andrew a break, its National running scared and a MSM which is in the pay of the right. Labour has to dig deep and sock it to the government, anyone who lives in Auckland knows he is telling it as it is, something has to happen to this country and curbing immigration in the interim until we can get housing, employment and our traffic problem sorted is so sensible it beggars belief anyone would question otherwise.
and they also just voted to remove Tax Credits for 800.000 people (mainly on lower income) and to remove 30quid from disabled people who will sign up for a disability benefit from 2017 onwards.
fuck the sugar tax is just hogwash, like the cigarette tax. Peoples future health would be better if they could afford decent food at decent prices.
Removing GST from food would be a decent way to go about that.
“Short shift is meaningless”.
No it’s not. It is what you are likely to get if you are currently on a zero hour contract. Luckily our Government is changing that.
Judging by the unwillingness of the Herald to publish the comments section following opinion pieces critical of Labours’ stance on banks and immigration – I reckon Littles’ comments have struck a chord with voters.
Leaving National and its apologists (hi Claire,Audrey , Baz ,and Hosko) defending the Banks’ greed and uncontrolled immigration .
It’s a pity to see them all misusing the word ‘troll’ too, which has quite specific definitions online and isn’t the same as calling someone names. But I guess Hoskings and the Herald journalist still don’t know how the internet works.
Glen Grenwald on “objective” journalism and Donald Trump
“Large corporations hate controversy (it alienates consumers) and really hate offending those who wield political power (bad for business). Imposing objectivity rules on the journalists who work for their media divisions was a means to avoid offending anyone by forcing journalists to conceal their perspectives, assumptions, and viewpoints, and, worse, forcing them to dishonestly pretend that they had none, that they float above all that.” https://theintercept.com/2016/03/14/the-rise-of-trump-shows-the-danger-and-sham-of-compelled-journalistic-neutrality/
People up and arms and saying that Little’s comments weren’t targeting all immigrants, and that he was being carefully selective as to what he said, and it was all taken out of context… blah, blah, blah
It would be like National targeting specific groups that rort the benefit system, and wanting to take decisive action, but being accused by the left of bashing everyone on a benefit…
I don’t think I can voter Labour anymore. They really don’t do anything for me, and are so stupid, they make announcements and give the whole media of New Zealand ammo to shoot them with. I’m talking immigration. Is Andrew a complete and utter dick or what. I mean did he think for a minute. A second on this.
In a climate where the press are looking to avenues to denigrate the opposition and have never written a pro piece since I can remember on any party Not National or right wing leaning, Andrew blathers on about immigration. When he does speak it’s a complete cock up and gets twisted all over the media with everyone laughing at him.
Seriously needs a slap to the head.
Between Labours multitude of own goal gaffs on and on stupidity of character and nationals piss poor performance on running the Nation you are wrecking the place.
If you cannot get it together and put up a decent publicity campaign, mindful of the press and attractive to voters on a professional level like Keys machine, fuck off.
If that sounds mean Labour needs it. Needs a bloody good kick up the arse, you send me multitudes of begging letters wanting money for this and that.. Money..
Do I have any Money.
Then you just do stupid things like bring up immigration when your opposition. Real popular subject, a favorite amongst the press of NZ who get a free kick labours leader and party card.
yessss, come to the dark side. Feel the fear and anger coursing through you. Unleash the power of your hate, young jedi, and take Jason Ede’s place at my side…
The absolute nadir of the chattering class is Mike “Contra” Hosking, with Mora just a tad better than he is. Mora is clearly more educated, smarter and sharper. He has a pleasant manner, only occasionally letting the mask slip and speaking curtly to guests who irritate him for whatever reason. Unlike Hosking or the equally dire Paul Henry, Mora is capable of speaking thoughtfully about most subjects.
Despite the massive advantage he has over the likes of Hosking, Henry and Larry “Lackwit” Williams, there is precious little difference in the quality of their programmes. Mora almost entirely eschews serious discussion, instead choosing to dwell on insultingly puerile topics straight off teenage-level Facebook pages, and employing dog-whistle appeals to bigotry as shamelessly as any Crosby Textor-driven National Party politician.
So, yes, Mora is the epitome of chattering class vacuity and vanity, but his superficial charm and (sadly under-used) intellect lift him just above the horror shows on the commercial stations.
They should be in prison of course, but at least these
two scoundrels have been forcefully repudiated by the voters
In the same week that President Hopey Changey presumes to lecture Cuba about human rights, and as two of the most loathsome people in the United States look to be heading for victory in the Republican and Democratic races, here’s something that makes you realize there’s still some decency in at least some voters over there….
Black Lives Matter Voters Oust Tamir Rice Prosecutor
About time.
“Police will have to smash a cloned hard drive and memory card seized during an “unlawful” search of the home of investigative journalist Nicky Hager before returning seized computer equipment and files tomorrow.
Hager and his lawyer Steven Price will be at the High Court at Auckland to witness the destruction of the hard drive and memory card, which contain copies of files made by detectives during the 2014 raid, according to a press release this afternoon.”
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This is a guest blog post by Daniel Tamberg, Potsdam, co-founder and director of SCIARA GmbH. The non-profit organisation SCIARA is developing and operating a flexible software platform for scientific simulation games that allows thousands of players to explore, design and understand possible climate futures together. Decision-makers in politics, business, ...
Yesterday's Gone: Cold shivers are running up and down the spines of conservatives everywhere. Donald Trump may have gone, but all the signs point to there being something much more momentous in the wind-shift than a simple return to the status quo ante. A change is gonna come. ONE COULD ...
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Doug JohnsonThe alien-like blooms and putrid stench of Amorphophallus titanum, better known as the corpse flower, draw big crowds and media coverage to botanical gardens each year. In 2015, for instance, around 75,000 people visited the Chicago Botanic Garden to see one of their corpse flowers bloom. More than ...
Getting to Browser Tab Zero so I can reboot the computer is awfully hard when the one open tab is a Table of Contents for the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, and every issue has more stuff I want to read. A few highlights: Gugler et al demonstrating ...
Michael Cowling, CQUniversity AustraliaWe’ve probably all been there. We buy some new smart gadget and when we plug it in for the first time it requires an update to work. So we end up spending hours downloading and updating before we can even play with our new toy. But ...
Timothy Ford, University of Massachusetts Lowell and Charles M. Schweik, University of Massachusetts AmherstTo mitigate health inequities and promote social justice, coronavirus vaccines need to get to underserved populations and hard-to-reach communities. There are few places in the U.S. that are unreachable by road, but other factors – many ...
Israel chose to pay a bit over the odds for the Pfizer vaccine to get earlier access. Here’s The Times of Israel from 16 November. American government will be charged $39 for each two-shot dose, and the European bloc even less, but Jerusalem said to agree to pay $56. Israel ...
Orla is a gender critical Marxist in Ireland. She gave a presentation on 15 January 2021 on the connection between postmodern/transgender identity politics and the current attacks on democratic and free speech rights. Orla has been active previously in the Irish Socialist Workers Party and the People Before Profit electoral ...
. . America: The Empire Strikes Back (at itself) Further to my comments in the first part of 2020: The History That Was, the following should be considered regarding the current state of the US. They most likely will be by future historians pondering the critical decades of ...
Nathaniel ScharpingIn March, as the Covid-19 pandemic began to shut down major cities in the U.S., researchers were thinking about blood. In particular, they were worried about the U.S. blood supply — the millions of donations every year that help keep hospital patients alive when they need a transfusion. ...
Sarah L Caddy, University of CambridgeVaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you ...
Back in 2016, the Portuguese government announced plans to stop burning coal by 2030. But progress has come much quicker, and they're now scheduled to close their last coal plant by the end of this year: The Sines coal plant in Portugal went offline at midnight yesterday evening (14 ...
The Sincerest Form Of Flattery: As anybody with the intestinal fortitude to brave the commentary threads of local news-sites, large and small, will attest, the number of Trump-supporting New Zealanders is really quite astounding. IT’S SO DIFFICULT to resist the temptation to be smug. From the distant perspective of New Zealand, ...
RNZ reports on continued arbitrariness on decisions at the border. British comedian Russell Howard is about to tour New Zealand and other acts allowed in through managed isolation this summer include drag queen RuPaul and musicians at Northern Bass in Mangawhai and the Bay Dreams festival. The vice-president of the ...
As families around the world mourn more than two million people dead from Covid-19, the Plan B academics and their PR industry collaborator continue to argue that the New Zealand government should stop focusing on our managed isolation and quarantine system and instead protect the elderly so that they can ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 10, 2021 through Sat, Jan 16, 2021Editor's ChoiceNASA says 2020 tied for hottest year on record — here’s what you can do to helpPhoto by Michael Held on Unsplash ...
Health authorities in Norway are reporting some concerns about deaths in frail elderly after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. Is this causally related to the vaccine? Probably not but here are the things to consider. According to the news there have been 23 deaths in Norway shortly after vaccine administration and ...
Happy New Year! No, experts are not concerned that “…one of New Zealand’s COIVD-1( vaccines will fail to protect the country” Here is why. But first I wish to issue an expletive about this journalism (First in Australia and then in NZ). It exhibits utter failure to actually truly consult ...
All nations have shadows; some acknowledge them. For others they shape their image in uncomfortable ways.The staunch Labour supporter was in despair at what her Rogernomics Government was doing. But she finished ‘at least, we got rid of Muldoon’, a response which tells us that then, and today, one’s views ...
Grigori GuitchountsIn November, Springer Nature, one of the world’s largest publishers of scientific journals, made an attention-grabbing announcement: More than 30 of its most prestigious journals, including the flagship Nature, will now allow authors to pay a fee of US$11,390 to make their papers freely available for anyone to read ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gary Yohe, Henry Jacoby, Richard Richels, and Benjamin Santer Imagine a major climate change law passing the U.S. Congress unanimously? Don’t bother. It turns out that you don’t need to imagine it. Get this: The Global Change Research Act of 1990 was passed ...
“They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”WHO CAN FORGET the penultimate scene of the 1956 movie classic, Invasion of the Body Snatchers? The wild-eyed doctor, stumbling down the highway, trying desperately to warn his fellow citizens: “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next! You’re next!”Ostensibly science-fiction, the movie ...
TheOneRing.Net has got its paws on the official synopsis of the upcoming Amazon Tolkien TV series. It’s a development that brings to mind the line about Sauron deliberately releasing Gollum from the dungeons of Barad-dûr. Amazon knew exactly what they were doing here, in terms of drumming up publicity: ...
Since Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration in 1953, US presidents have joined an informal club intended to provide support - and occasionally rivalry - between those few who have been ‘leaders of the free world’. Donald Trump, elected on a promise to ‘drain the swamp’ and a constant mocker of his predecessors, ...
For over a decade commentators have noted the rise of a new brand of explicitly ideological politics throughout the world. By this they usually refer to the re-emergence of national populism and avowedly illiberal approaches to governance throughout the “advanced” democratic community, but they also extend the thought to the ...
The US House of Representatives has just impeached Donald Trump, giving him the dubious honour of being the only US President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans voted for impeachement, making it the most bipartisan impeachment ever. The question now is whether the Senate will rise to the occasion, and ...
Zero emission buses, cleaner cars and environmentally-friendly biofuels will soon be hitting New Zealand’s roads, as the Government delivers on its election promise to make our transport network more sustainable. ...
The Green Party is already delivering on its commitment for cleaner, climate-friendly transport through our Cooperation Agreement with the Government. ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
Prudence Steven QC, barrister of Christchurch has been appointed as an Environment Judge and District Court Judge to serve in Christchurch, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Ms Steven has been a barrister sole since 2008, practising in resource management and local government / public law. She was appointed a Queen’s ...
The Government is delivering on its first tranche of election promises to take action on climate change with a raft of measures that will help meet New Zealand’s 2050 carbon neutral target, create new jobs and boost innovation. “This will be an ongoing area of action but we are moving ...
The Government is investing up to $10 million to support 30 of the country’s top early-career researchers to develop their research skills. “The pandemic has had widespread impacts across the science system, including the research workforce. After completing their PhD, researchers often travel overseas to gain experience but in the ...
A Waitomo-based Jobs for Nature project will keep up to ten people employed in the village as the tourism sector recovers post Covid-19 Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. “This $500,000 project will save ten local jobs by deploying workers from Discover Waitomo into nature-based jobs. They will be undertaking local ...
Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw spoke yesterday with President Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. “I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with Mr. Kerry this morning about the urgency with which our governments must confront the climate emergency. I am grateful to him and ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta today announced three diplomatic appointments: Alana Hudson as Ambassador to Poland John Riley as Consul-General to Hong Kong Stephen Wong as Consul-General to Shanghai Poland “New Zealand’s relationship with Poland is built on enduring personal, economic and historical connections. Poland is also an important ...
Work begins today at Wainuiomata High School to ensure buildings and teaching spaces are fit for purpose, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. The Minister joined principal Janette Melrose and board chair Lynda Koia to kick off demolition for the project, which is worth close to $40 million, as the site ...
A skilled and experienced group of people have been named as the newly established Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory Board by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis today. The Board will provide independent advice and assurance to the Minister for Children across three key areas of Oranga Tamariki: relationships with families, whānau, and ...
The green light for New Zealand’s first COVID-19 vaccine could be granted in just over a week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today. “We’re making swift progress towards vaccinating New Zealanders against the virus, but we’re also absolutely committed to ensuring the vaccines are safe and effective,” Jacinda Ardern said. ...
The Minister for ACC is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to join the Board of ACC on 1 February 2021. “All three bring diverse skills and experience to provide strong governance oversight to lead the direction of ACC” said Hon Carmel Sepuloni. Bella Takiari-Brame from Hamilton ...
The Government is investing $9 million to upgrade a significant community facility in Invercargill, creating economic stimulus and jobs, Infrastructure Minister Grant Robertson and Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene have announced. The grant for Waihōpai Rūnaka Inc to make improvements to Murihiku Marae comes from the $3 billion set ...
[Opening comments, welcome and thank you to Auckland University etc] It is a great pleasure to be here this afternoon to celebrate such an historic occasion - the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is a moment many feared would never come, but ...
The Government is providing $3 million in one-off seed funding to help disabled people around New Zealand stay connected and access support in their communities, Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni announced today. The funding will allow disability service providers to develop digital and community-based solutions over the next two ...
Border workers in quarantine facilities will be offered voluntary daily COVID-19 saliva tests in addition to their regular weekly testing, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. This additional option will be rolled out at the Jet Park Quarantine facility in Auckland starting on Monday 25 January, and then to ...
The next steps in the Government’s ambitious firearms reform programme to include a three-month buy-back have been announced by Police Minister Poto Williams today. “The last buy-back and amnesty was unprecedented for New Zealand and was successful in collecting 60,297 firearms, modifying a further 5,630 firearms, and collecting 299,837 prohibited ...
Upscaling work already underway to restore two iconic ecosystems will deliver jobs and a lasting legacy, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. “The Jobs for Nature programme provides $1.25 billion over four years to offer employment opportunities for people whose livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 recession. “Two new projects ...
The Government has released its Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 which outlines the intention of where 8,000 additional public and transitional housing places announced in Budget 2020, will go. “The Government is committed to continuing its public house build programme at pace and scale. The extra 8,000 homes – 6000 public ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America. “I look forward to building a close relationship with President Biden and working with him on issues that matter to both our countries,” Jacinda Ardern said. “New Zealand ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The New Zealand public sector and judiciary has again been ranked the least corrupt in the world. The 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released today by global anti-corruption organization Transparency International ranks New Zealand first equal ...
New Zealand is again ranked first equal with Denmark in the Transparency International annual index of perceived levels of public sector corruption. Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has welcomed New Zealand’s position in the 2020 index. He says New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Kaufman, Research Fellow, Vaccine Uptake Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute The federal government’s A$23.9 million COVID-19 vaccination information campaign, launchedyesterday, aims to reassure the public about vaccine safety and effectiveness. It will also provide information about the vaccine rollout. We’ve ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he’s joined by Hongi Luo, brand director at TikTok.In terms of cultural reach and impact, the ...
After Covid devastated its 2020, Basement Theatre comes roaring into 2021 with its Summer Season. Here’s the rundown of shows in-store, with some comments from programmer Nisha Madhan.Pre-FringeLust IslandWhen’s it on: February 2-6, 8pmWho’s involved: The women of improv troupe Hearthrobs (McKenzie’s Daughters, Salem Bitch Trials), including Brynley Stent, Alice ...
The whānau of Te Ahikaiata Turei supported by Māori and non-Māori staff at Unitec will take back a portrait of the Tūhoe leader who led the establishment of Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae and the values that brought the institute back from the brink of ...
A poll across the Early Childhood Education community found 93% in favour of pausing the ‘lunchbox rules’, or the Ministry of Education’s new Food Safety/choking changes to the Licensing Criteria, which came into effect on 25 January. “The message ...
Cycling advocates are calling for the transformation of urban transport, as New Zealand races to cut carbon. The Climate Change Commission will release its initial advice on Sunday 31 January. “Bikes and e-bikes are perfect for many local trips, ...
Three Ministers, led by the PM, joined in chorus today to warble about a bunch of measures aimed at helping to meet New Zealand’s 2050 carbon neutral target, create new jobs and boost innovation. Mind you, the measures mentioned seem to be more matters of decisions yet to be made ...
Michelle Kidd defines her role at Auckland’s specialist family violence court as te kaiwhakatere – the navigator. It’s a one-of-a-kind job, helping guide defendants through the court system. And there’s no one better suited to it than Whaea Michelle.First published November 24, 2020.Whaea Michelle is part of Frame, a series of short ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sallie Yea, Associate professor & Principal Research Fellow, La Trobe University Each year, thousands of men and boys labour under extremely exploitative conditions on commercial fishing vessels owned by Taiwanese, Chinese and South Korean companies. The Taiwanese fleet, which operates in all ...
Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis believes the Crown should maintain responsibility for the care and protection of at-risk and vulnerable children, regardless of their race. Moreover, he is confident his all-Maori team of advisers will not be taking race into account as they help to improve Oranga Tamariki’s care and protection of ...
It’s easy to sacrifice John Banks. It’s a lot harder for brands, sports organisations and government to truly stop funding racism. Are they willing to try?Yesterday John Banks, the former Auckland mayor and MP, became subject to one of the fastest firings in media history when audio covering his approving ...
A community is outraged after Auckland Council granted consent for a row of trees planted by local kids to be removed along a revitalised waterway in South Auckland, reports Justin Latif. An Auckland Council decision to give contractors the all-clear to chop down 12 mānuka and kānuka trees shading Māngere’s Tararata ...
Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu hopes that the recent changes to Oranga Tamariki leadership present an opportunity for a long overdue paradigm shift that will place whānau at the heart of the child welfare sector. Pouārahi Helen Leahy says that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Rice, Professor of Management, University of New England Elon Musk is now the world’s richest person, edging out previous title holder Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. His rocketing fortune is due to the booming share price of Tesla, the maker of electric vehicles ...
There are now three returnees who contracted the virus in the Auckland isolation facility then left into the community while positive. These are some of the questions that need to be resolved. At 10.20pm last night the Ministry of Health confirmed that the two cases they’d been treating as probable ...
Having a hard time remembering to scan in on the NZ Covid Tracer app when you’re out and about? Get this song stuck in your head and you’ll never forget again.Learn the lyrics:Aotearoa, it’s time to get scanning!I mean if you think about it, it never really wasn’t time we ...
We conclude our week-long examination of New Zealand writer Roderick Finlayson with a review of his stories by John Newton Roger Hickin’s Cold Hub Press is one of the small miracles of contemporary New Zealand publishing. Over the last decade, on what can only be a shoe-string budget, the ...
Thursday 28th January, AUCKLAND: Drive Electric, the not-for-profit with one mission – making electric vehicle uptake in New Zealand mainstream, welcomes the announcement by the Government today as a sign of what’s to come through 2021, and we are confident ...
The Government announced today key policy decisions on the proposed clean car policies. The MIA has stated on many occasions that we support well thought out and constructive policies that will lead to an increased rate in the reduction of CO2 emissions from ...
Get wild, get cultured, get fed and then get to bed: the essential guide to a perfect few days in the southern city. There’s one thing that preoccupies the staff of The Spinoff almost as much as arranging popular food items into arbitrary lists, and that’s Dunedin. A quite remarkable ...
John Banks’ racist exchange with a Magic Talk listener on Tuesday was the latest in nearly 50 years of talkback controversies. Donna Chisholm has the receipts.John Banks axed over Māori ‘stone age culture’ comments on Magic Talk1972: On Radio I, sports talkback host Tim Bickerstaff launches a “Punch a Pom ...
*This article first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission.Two new community Covid-19 cases have been identified as the more infectious South African variant, but Auckland Mayor Phil Goff sayit would be "premature to go into lockdown now". The two new cases of Covid-19 identified in the ...
Today, for the second time in two months Dunedin climate protectors have locked themselves to the railway tracks outside the Dunedin Railway station to stop the KiwiRail coal train from Bathurst Resources’ Takitimu mine in Southland to Fonterra’s ...
KiwiRail STOP Hauling COAL Today, for the second time in two months Dunedin climate protectors have locked themselves to the railway tracks outside the Dunedin Railway station to stop the KiwiRail coal train from Bathurst Resources’ Takitimu mine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Dunn, Associate professor, University of Sydney The government is rolling out a new public information campaign this week to reassure the public about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, which one expert has said “couldn’t be more crucial” to people actually getting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Therese O’Sullivan, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University The COVID vaccine rollout has placed the issue of vaccination firmly in the spotlight. A successful rollout will depend on a variety of factors, one of which is vaccine acceptance. One potential hurdle to vaccine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bernard Walker, Associate Professor in Organisations and Leadership, University of Canterbury Kiwis know what it’s like when life throws curveballs. We’ve had major quakes, floods, fires, an eruption, a terrorist attack and now a pandemic. In those situations, it’s the ability to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Irwin, Emeritus professor, Murdoch University While we continue to be occupied with the COVID pandemic, another life-threatening disease has emerged in northern Australia, one that’s cause for considerable alarm for the millions of dog owners around the country. This disease — ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cath Ferguson, Academic, Edith Cowan University Almost half of Australian adults struggle with reading. Similar levels of struggling readers are reported in the United Kingdom and United States. This does not mean all struggling readers are illiterate. It means they often struggle ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abbas Shieh, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Design, Islamic Azad University The industrial revolution transformed cities, resulting in places of residence and work becoming more distant than ever before. This spatial segregation is still largely embedded in the design of our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Review: Occupation: Rainfall, written and directed by Luke Sparke Historically, when a sequel to a film was greenlit, you could rest assured this was because the first film made a ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for January 28, keeping you up to date with the latest local and international news. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nzOur members make The Spinoff happen! Every dollar contributed directly funds our editorial team – click here to learn more about how you can support us ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tourism suffers in the shadow of Covid-19, two new positive cases in Auckland confirmed, and National will contest the Māori electorates.The front page of the January 4 Greymouth Star carried grim tidings for several of the glacier towns on the ...
*This article first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. Two people who left managed isolation on January 15 have been confirmed as positive Covid-19 cases, with the Ministry of Health urging anyone who visited the same locations during the same time period as the infected pair in Auckland to ...
The watchlist of 'offensive or unreasonable' babies' names is to be reviewed, to include more names from other languages. Generations of the Īhaka family have played a meaningful role in bringing Te Reo and stories of Māori to our wider community. Archdeacon Sir Kīngi Matutaera Īhaka (Te Aupōuri, 1921-93) was known as the orator of ...
After Morocco’s flagrant violation of the terms of the ceasefire in Western Sahara on Friday 13 November 2020 war broke out between the two sides. In the midst of this war Tauranga based Ballance Agri-Nutrients has decided to carry on importing phosphate ...
Nicholas Agar suggests that our handling of the pandemic could be partly down to our distinctive Treaty of Waitangi relationship, and Māori ideas that enabled us to make it through without tens of thousands of deaths A mission for universities in the coming decade will be a deep understanding of the meaning ...
A young girl who once sent $5 to an embattled America's Cup team is now among the women on the water helping run the contest for the Auld Mug. As an eager and generous nine-year-old, Melanie Roberts posted a letter, with a $5 note, to OneAustralia’s America’s Cup team. It was 1995, ...
At 5am today, cock’s crow, the embargo lifted on the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist. Here are the books in the race, followed by thoughts from poetry editor Chris Tse and books editor Catherine Woulfe. A shortlist of four books in each category will be announced March 3, with ...
Ignoring those QR codes when you drop into the supermarket? Can’t be bothered when you grab a coffee? The people serving you notice, and you’re freaking them out.So far, New Zealanders’ use of the Covid-19 Tracer app has been notably woeful. Food industry workers who’ve watched streams of customers walk ...
Steve Braunias reveals the longlist of the 2021 Ockham New Zealand book awards Apart from one or two unfortunate omissions which cast doubt on the sanity and intellectual acumen of judges, especially the nobodies who judged this year's non-fiction, the longlist for the 2021 Ockham New Zealand book awards is ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby Papua New Guinea’s biggest hospital is straining to provide medical services to the growing population of the capital Port Moresby – with an estimated growth rate of 3 percent annually, a medical executive says. Port Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Nationals who attend Thursday’s memorial service in Tweed Heads for Doug Anthony, who died last month aged 90, may muse on the contrast between the state of their party when he led it and now. ...
Returning to quarantine-free travel in 2021 doesn't just need a vaccine, but a way to check whether arriving passengers are actually immune to the virus. A smart Kiwi science start-up is working with a global biometrics giant to make that happen. A deal signed between Kiwi research and development company Orbis Diagnostics, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlyn Forster, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney This summer’s wetter conditions have created great conditions for flowering plants. Flowers provide sweet nectar and protein-rich pollen, attracting many insects, including bees. Commercial honey bees are also thriving: ...
Lotto scratchie tickets featuring the pop band Six60 are being withdrawn after a public backlash. In a statement, Lotto NZ said there had been a mutual decision made with the band to remove the tickets from sale following the negative feedback, and it offered an apology. The band faced criticism, both ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell Dean Christopher Bicknell, Post-doctoral researcher in Palaeobiology , University of New England Shell-crushing predation was already in full swing half a billion years ago, as our new research published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B reveals. A hyena devouring ...
Vodafone has suspended advertising on the radio station amid calls for talkback host John Banks to be taken off air after yet another racist outburst. Alex Braae reports. In an alarming segment of talkback radio, former Auckland mayor John Banks endorsed the views of a caller who described Māori as a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Welch, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland When a COVID-19 case was found in Northland last Sunday, Aotearoa’s second-longest period with no detected community case came to an end. ESR scientists worked late into Sunday night to obtain a whole genome sequence ...
He has the perfect moustache, an exceptional mullet, and he uses terms like ‘face hole’ on national TV. Who or what is Dr Joel Rindelaub?I was drawn in by the moustache, but it was the mullet that really kept me there. Watching TVNZ’s Breakfast yesterday morning I was fixated. Often, ...
We’ll never be royals with nearly a quarter of declined baby names featuring “Royal” in some form or another. Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs has released the list of names declined in 2020 by the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and ...
After a raft of inquiries delving into and recommending what should be done about the politically beleaguered Orangi Tamaraki, along with the briefing papers we suppose he has been given, we imagined Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis would have no more need for expert advice. Wrong. He has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University There’s a common assumption men take longer than women to poo. People say so on Twitter, in memes, and elsewhereonline. But is that right? What could explain it? And if ...
Just as sexuality is a spectrum, so too is asexuality. In Ace of Hearts, members of New Zealand’s asexual community talk about the challenges and misconceptions of identifying as ace.First published November 17, 2020.Ace of Hearts is part of Frame, a series of short documentaries produced by Wrestler for The Spinoff.“A ...
Sam Brooks wasn’t allowed to watch kids TV as a kid. Now, as a 30 year old man, he watches it for the first time.My mother’s approach to parenting was unorthodox. I wrote weekly book reports on top of my actual homework, I did maths equations in Roman numerals and ...
Pacific Media Watch newsdesk More leading Indonesian figures have made racial slurs against Natalius Pigai, former chair of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) – and all West Papuans, says United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) interim president Benny Wenda. “Since the illegal Indonesian invasion in 1963, Indonesian ...
“The Government’s failure to even conduct a standard cost-benefit analysis for the most expensive infrastructure project in New Zealand’s history is mind-bogglingly arrogant,” says New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke. “A ...
The Ministry of Health is today drawing backlash from the local New Zealand vaping industry following its release of proposed regulations for the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act. Vaping Trade Association New Zealand (VTANZ) President, ...
Sophie Gilmour and Simon Day are joined by special guest Hugo Baird, co-owner of Grey Lynn’s Honey Bones and Lilian, to talk about opening new pub Hotel Ponsonby.Auckland is a city of many bars but few really good pubs – the kind of places you’d be just as comfortable going ...
The appointment of an advisory board for Oranga Tamariki is welcome and should be a step toward a total transformation of the care and protection system to a by Māori, for Māori approach, Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft said today. Minister ...
Taking control of your financial wellbeing can have cascading positive impacts for your life and it can also be fun. With the help of the team at Kiwi Wealth, we’ve compiled some simple tricks for balancing your books in 2021. There’s something about the beginning of a new year, especially after ...
Chris Trotter is doing a hatchet job on Little and labour on henry at the moment.!!
Its probably not as impressive as the self-inflicted hatchet job that Littles carrying out on himself
Polly want cracker!
So true.
So fucking true
Pagani and Quinn must be rostered off today so compliant chris obliges with more muddle of the road criticism from his paid soapbox.
You don’t get the gig unless you stick to the Weldon script.
Trotter is part of the VRC now? Fuck me.
He is a paid commentator fulfilling a messaging requirement at weldons outlet. Thats your whacky conspiracy meme dude.
I repeat: fuck me.
It is a cold day in hell.
I’m agreeing with The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell
Chris will say what he likes in the defence of social democracy. I give him beans for being a social democrat -Trotter that is. But I have never doubted in all the time I’ve know him, that he is a social democrat.
…and how offensive, to claim he’s allowed himself to be bought off.
What are Dipshit Henry’s ratings like these days?
yep and CV is doing it on the other thread.
Labour must fail, or else the purists an dis-enchanted have a sad.
really who cares.?
So predictable, must be a smear or two due soon to prop up a meme they’ve chosen to go with.
I’ve always stayed away from the t word but trotter was concern trolling like pro
Thats his role as a mr reasonable. Another comfy well looked after tool of the machine.
No the labour party is just another liberal party, and some of us support the interests of labour. You know, working people who deserve more than sad platitudes from the weak and pitiful liberal class who goes after corporate money. The same liberals who say very little on workers rights, and are deathly silent on the poor and struggling in this country.
When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?
When was the last time the labour party did anything to enhancing democracy?
I know a lot of you are the labour party cheer squad, but you are stuck at 30% with an ever increasing percentage of the population unwilling or unable to engage in politics.
If one, just one of this current crop was half the man Peter Fraser was, I would cut you some slack. But not one of them is fit enough, nor humanistic, nor even socialist enough to come even close.
It’s not about labour failing, it would be nice if the labour party acknowledged they were the ones who opened the door to the ideology of extreme liberalism. That they hurt people by shifting the wealth away from the poorest in this country towards the already wealthy.
I don’t see that happening – do you?
Oh, and poppet’s, criticism does democracy make. If you wet liberals canny handle it, you can always go join the national party, they don’t take criticism well either.
Unconditional Basic Income
End of Zero Hours
So, not that long ago.
Well, you got me there. Labour no more wants democracy than does National. Individuals don’t get rich when the people make the rules rather than the elites.
Probably true there as well. The First Labour Government actually had a vision about the change that they wanted to bring about. The present Labour caucus seems more about keeping things as they are despite the obvious failings.
We need a new vision and we need to organise and work towards that vision.
And exactly what is that the Labour Party is proposing regarding the UBI?
All they have said is that they are proposing that there should be a debate about the concept. Everything else has simply been, as the comments on this site have been, about what people like to think it would mean.
Until Little comes out with at least a bit of detail they can’t really be said to have “done” anything.
I came up with one idea that I have suggested to my local MP, a good Labour fellow, I proposed that while Andrew is in bank-bashing mode he should instruct the banks that they must provide 1% mortgage loans to all union members who want them.
That would help the working people and revive the moribund union movement. Membership of the unions would rocket I should think.
He seemed very interested so I can imagine it being Labour policy in a week or two. It wouldn’t be any sillier than some of their other ideas.
Nice spin.
“When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?” becomes a demand for a details and that something have been “done”.
Polly wanna cracker?
“Polly wanna cracker?”
An admission of guilt.
Hope or a vision. Nothing a liberal like yourself McFlock can understand ah?
“Admission of guilt” my arse.
You asked when was the last time Labour said anything that offered hope to the unemployed. DTB gave two recent examples. Alwyn then spun away as if you’d asked for something more than what you’d requested. Hence the parrot reference.
So an admission of guilt of what? Doing something other than gnashing my teeth whenever Labour caucus members open their mouths? If that’s a demonstration of your personal hope and vision, I’ll stick with dreary old “actually reading what the left wing parties say, rather than making shit up”.
So Alwyn what are the announced tax cuts in 2017?
Neither I, nor anyone else has the faintest idea of the details.
However if you are going to say that Little has done something for the unemployed with the little he has said about a UBI you would have to regard Key’s statements so far as doing something for the low and middle income New Zealanders.
I certainly wouldn’t say that about either of the parties announcements. You appear to be willing to go along with airy-fairy waffle though, at least as long as it is by your side.
I apologise. You did contribute to the UBI comments but yours were not in the category of “Oh how wonderful is Labour”.
I shall grovel for a few minutes.
Only a FEW minutes!!!!
Thank you
I’m not sure on their take on the UBI. The framing is – well lose, and it is not being presented as a message of hope.
I think Bill here did a great piece on UBI and presenting it as something which can offer people hope.
The other thing is, a UBI is fine, but what about the homeless and hungry right now – not some mythical time in the future?
The hope I’m talking about is for people on benefits and not on benefits now!
And the end of zero hour contracts is a win, but a defensive win. Which has been what the liberal elites have convince people they should do ever since big money came into the game.
You do realise that it’s possible for a political party to work on more than one thing at a time don’t you? And haven’t you forgotten that Labour promised 10,000 per year homes?
To some degree that’s all we’ve been getting since forever but it’s managed to change things for the better over time.
Nora the explorer, Of course I get how political parties work.
My problem is a party who uses the name labour, is weak on issues of labour. Especially the underemployed and the unemployed.
Defensive politics is a lose, lose proposition. Ever since, the fall of the third labour government, political, labour, and human rights have been on the decline. The left has been suckered into an endless back footed defensive position. You would think after 40 odd years, they might wake up to the fact it is not a winner.
People who vote – know it’s not a winner, and they don’t like it.
People want results, and to feel they are getting somewhere for themselves and/or their children. The style of politics which is defensive in nature, will never give people that feeling.
I’d like to see more comment on what could be done, along side the criticism. When I start asking for detail often I get brushed off or told off. It’s very easy to see what is wrong with Labour. Not so easy to see what they or we can do about it given the realities.
Labour are in opposition, hard to know how they could have offensive wins, but perhaps you could explain what you mean by that?
ffs adam, can we try and not talk in ideological stereotypes? Who are the liberal class exactly? Which of the people you talk to here do you consign to that? Who is the Labour cheer squad? I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that which tells me that the people saying that are either idiots, or disingenuous, or are not actually listening to what I am saying.
Yes there are Labourites here, and yes the odd one is rightish, but most aren’t. Then there is the larger number of people like myself who aren’t Labourites (many don’t even vote Labour) and who have a different perspective to yourself and to the Paganis of the world. I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that. CV’s strategy appears to be that if Labour collapsed something would rise in its place, but he won’t be up front about that and have an honest discussion about. I also really think much of what he does here re Labour is personal and as such it skews his behaviour and probably his politics.
Misrespresenting Labour and Little on immigration today is a low point even for him. I’m all for dissent, I just want honest dissent.
” I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that “.
That is ridiculous weka. You are part of the Green party Cheer Leaders organisation. Got your training from the Dallas Cowboys no doubt.
Even you should be able to tell the difference between one party and another. Hint, they have different names.
And don’t worry, I have plenty of criticisms of the Green Party.
” I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that.”
I agree, I’m not wanting to change the labour party. Indeed I thought it I framed my argument as such. The labour party need to realise they are not the only people who want a better future for working people. My beef, is the fact they can’t handle criticism, especially when it is pointed out they are a liberal party.
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Colonial Viper has a right to be mad. It seems, rightly or wrongly that the labour party use Chinese as their fall guy. If it is concious decision to play on the hangover of the “yellow peril” argument, I’m standing with Colonial Viper all the way. It just feels like we are back to the same debate we had when the twit Twyford brought up home buying in Auckland.
So new low, I’m not so quick to judge. Lets wait and see.
I don’t know what ‘classical liberal terms’ means. When you start talking about people here on ts as liberals I have no idea who you are talking about and it just comes across as an easy pejorative (I don’t know why liberal is a pejorative, but it has a different meaning where I come from).
Hence I don’t understand what you said here,
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Can you please clarify in lay person terms?
*
Of course CV has a right to be mad. I’m seriously fucked off with Labour too, and with Labour party members, including CV. And all the lefties who moan about Labour but won’t vote Green. You have to remember I’ve never voted Labour, I’ve always been to the left of them. CV’s big problem now is that so many people here don’t trust him, including many of us who also don’t trust Labour, and they’ve got a right to that too.
I don’t know what Little did. To me it looks much more like his naive relationship with the media as anything. And I agree there may be conscious or even unconscious bias or prejudice against Asians. I’d guess it’s because it’s politically convient rather than overt racism, but CV knows Labour far better than I and I also know that racism is racism on the receiving end no matter the intent, so it’s not acceptable that Labour are still making these mistakes, or god forbid, making these political moves intentionally.
But, and it’s a big but, we simply don’t know. And all CV has done is throw some petrol on the fire of resentment on the standard about his Labour-bashing. He’s also taken an important issue and completely fucked up the narrative and pushed a whole bunch of people into a stupid arse conversation that will never get anywhere because now it’s contaminated with too many variables including his own bigotry about the left.
I’m also mindful of the fact that CV has had to put up with significant racism here on ts in previous conversations about Asian people in NZ. The conversation I’m remembering must be one of the standard’s lowest points and he and other people of Asian whakapapa shouldn’t have to deal with that.
Short handed cut and paste from Chegg.
Definition of Classical Liberalism
Classical liberalism is a political ideology that values the freedom of individuals — including the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and markets — as well as limited government. It developed in 18th-century Europe and drew on the economic writings of Adam Smith and the growing notion of social progress. Liberalism was also influenced by the writings of Thomas Hobbes, who argued that governments exist to protect individuals from each other. In 19th- and 20th-century America, the values of classical liberalism became dominant in both major political parties. The term is sometimes used broadly to refer to all forms of liberalism prior to the 20th century. Conservatives and libertarians often invoke classical liberalism to mean a fundamental belief in minimal government.
http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/classical-liberalism-53
So I’d argue it is a set of ideas which means debate is discusses in a certain way. So it’s good to talk about, markets, individual rights, but bad to make any assertions of collectivity, culture or the environment.
National are very much a liberal party, thus when Hooton rants against them being liberal – he is being either disingenuous, or a totalitarian turd of epic proportions.
And whilst I think liberalism was great in the 18th century, in the 21st century it is the enemy. It ignores women, it ignores race, it accepts poverty as part of the human condition, it makes wealth the expression of good, and has made markets a god.
I’m a Christian Anarchist, as you know, so for me communality, the environment, and people living rewarding lives – is always my main goal. I don’t want limited government, I want us to work toward living without a state.
So framing of an argument becomes important. For example, not using sexist language, but that is not enough, actually think about ways when we write and talk to put to an end to patriarch. It’s about not writing in a way which assumes male privileged and power, and indeed challenges it. Note I’m still not the best at that, so I sorely miss the great women who use to write on the standard.
Long rant, I hope that clarifies what I was meaning.
A government is necessary – you have to have governments, it is essential, 7 billion people on the earth, we must have governments – it is imperative. There is so much to look after, leaving it up to a mass of individuals who are too busy with their own lives – would be a catastrophe.
And there is nothing wrong with men in power, I see nothing wrong with it, but all men, need a strong leader, especially a male role model, they can look up too. Men ‘in society’ need ‘strong male role models’.
Men (regarding their careers and professional lives) look up to other men, as women look up to other woman. It is because we relate to the same sex as ourselves – we just do. Not all the time, but most of the time.
We shouldn’t demean Men by taking away their patriarchal power, why? We should enhance it – and allow them to have the power they so rightfully deserve, men by nature are more naturally aggressive, and with an intelligent mind to match – tend to be great leaders, and protectors.
We must enhance this, and nurture this, so men become ‘whole’ – then when a strong woman comes along, they do not feel threatened, but intrigued, a non-threatened man will integrate with another power-house (a female), because she has different attributes to offer, and then success is more likely.
I think men and women, working together is how we will acquire ‘balance’.
But men, they are great leaders, and extremely inspirational, this should never be taken away from the man.
Little boys need STRONG men to look up too. We must have strong men IN POWER – we must.
The Opposition need to stay on target. They started the week with Fonterra and banks.
PM is exposed so looks for a new hook.
Opposition obliges.
Labour Comms team needs far greater discipline.
Apart from Little saying nothing but “dairy crisis” I don’t know what he could have done. When you see the statements in context there is nothing radical in what he was saying. He expressed a preference for local workers to be used and wanted immigration regulated depending on conditions.
The pile up supported by some must have CT grinning from ear to ear. We have a PM who regularly redefines meanings of simple words depending on how much spin he applies but we have an opposition leader whose words are parsed and misconstrued and he is then attacked and written off by a bunch of nodding heads. Trotter should be ashamed of himself.
Trotter has no shame along with all these rent a quote DP tools like farrar, hooten, pagani etc
+100
In the last 8 years Labour has been controlled opposition, the illusion of choice.
I hate John Key, understand that, he is instrumental in destroying New Zealand sovereignty and stripping our assets,
but attacking the opposition doesn’t win votes, you have to demonstrate that your party is better for the country and the voters, otherwise voters wont give you the power to change anything.
Labour Comms team needs far greater discipline
How long have we been saying that? Since 2008?
“KEEP CHINESE CHEFS OUT, WE NEED MORE DECENT KIWIS COOKING IN OUR CHINESE RESTAURANTS”, jesus…
Have words lost their meaning? It was a comment to a question. It was not part of a PR strategy.
Every political utterance must be part of a coherent comms strategy, or it is easily misused by others. Ooh, look what’s happening – who could have predicted it?
What do you think Little should have said/done instead? (a guess given we don’t know what the original question was).
Um, not used Chinese as an example, at the bare minimum.
Sure, that’s the easy bit. But how do you do that and engage competently with the media? Some people are suggesting that whatever Little says and does is going to get manipulated because of CT and because of the media approach.
That’s a given,yes – so you plan your framing and key messages thoroughly anticipating it, and do not get led off-message or go all lawyerly and prevaricating on it.
I just have no idea why Labour does not seem to grasp this most fundamental ingredient of organised politics after years of having their noses rubbed in it.
Go the Bus Drivers!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/299147/free-ride-for-some-auckland-bus-commuters
Excellent.
Thousands of passengers will not have to pay to travel on some Auckland buses today, as part of a series of driver strikes.
First Union represents bus drivers working for Howick & Eastern Buses, and said its members would be refusing to take cash or AT HOP card fares today.
Howick & Eastern Buses serves many of the routes in east Auckland.
The action is the latest in a series of industrial actions by bus drivers across Auckland, who remain locked in disputes with the region’s bus providers.
A union spokesperson said the Howick & Eastern Buses drivers were fed up with attempts to remove overtime and weekend rates.
Thing is, considering the way that bus services in Auckland are now set up, I doubt if it’s going to hurt the bus companies at all. They’re paid by Auckland Transport and the money that they’re not collecting goes directly to Auckland Transport and not to the bus companies.
However it is very good PR with the public who use the service.
It would also have one other positive effect.
It’ll show how much the buses are really in demand. Given such information AT and the council could very well draw up a plan to make buses free.
Unfortunately, that’s probably unlikely due to their sticking to the failed neo-liberal model.
Can AT review the contract if the money stops coming in?
I don’t know. There’s possibly something like that in the contracts.
When will Andrew Little realise that anything he says that is mildly controversial will immediately be twisted and spun by the right and used by the Henrys and Hoskings of the media and their enablers to attack him, Labour and left politics generally?
Don’t they have the media training to ensure they keep statements clear with a few repetitive bullet points that everyone repeats?
Labour never ever learn.
A much simpler short set of slogans that cant be twisted has been required for 8 years now…..fn amateurs.
Anything he says, full stop.
And it’s not just “the right” who make shit up about the most uncontroversial statements made by the Labour caucus.
“Media training” for the Labour party and anyone on the left is as useful as training on how to make friends with a rabid lion.
Then there are the people in the audience poking the gladitors with sticks, even the gladiators’ allies.
distinguishing a lion from a tabby is a good start.
every reporter is a lion.
some are more rabid than others
He’ll get attacked by the MSM and misreported even if he says that the sky is blue.
Commentators here going on about Andrew Little not being able to get across in concise language what we need to hear and that Labour need media training. At least he looks and attempts to get it across in an honest manner, although he does speak quietly. He also has a pair of honest eyes. Our leader cannot articulate the English language at all, sounds like he is drunk all the time and lies so openly even a half wit would read through them. He also owns a pair of dead eyes which give me the creeps. Give Andrew a break, its National running scared and a MSM which is in the pay of the right. Labour has to dig deep and sock it to the government, anyone who lives in Auckland knows he is telling it as it is, something has to happen to this country and curbing immigration in the interim until we can get housing, employment and our traffic problem sorted is so sensible it beggars belief anyone would question otherwise.
+ 1
+1+1
+1
Well said.
My goodness – the trolls are out in force this morning. Can’t they find anything better to do.
Meanwhile, in the UK they’re slapping a big sugar tax on fizzy drinks – a huge change in attitude – and hugely worrying for those multi-nationals like Coca-Cola, but really good for the people’s future health.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11606810
and they also just voted to remove Tax Credits for 800.000 people (mainly on lower income) and to remove 30quid from disabled people who will sign up for a disability benefit from 2017 onwards.
fuck the sugar tax is just hogwash, like the cigarette tax. Peoples future health would be better if they could afford decent food at decent prices.
Removing GST from food would be a decent way to go about that.
This is interesting, I hope the Kurds just do this.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/03/16/kurds-are-planning-a-breakaway-region-in-syria-and-it-wont-go-down-well/
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-federalism-idUSKCN0WI0ZT
And on the local front, Christchurch get’s the short shift again.
What the…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/77971099/thousands-of-sheets-of-steel-mesh-sold-with-wrong-certification
More likely to see Syria re-formed as a confederation. Something like Iraq has already.
Shrift.
Short shift is meaningless.
“Short shift is meaningless”.
No it’s not. It is what you are likely to get if you are currently on a zero hour contract. Luckily our Government is changing that.
The likes of Barry Soper seem perfectly happy for all the jobs to go to immigrants, and for thousands of New Zealanders to get nothing.
As long and he gets his nasi goering, who gives a shit about young people being chucked on the scrapheap.
I think you might be more comfortable here:
http://nzfirstparty.org.nz/join.html
And you here
http://www.heritage.org/
Judging by the unwillingness of the Herald to publish the comments section following opinion pieces critical of Labours’ stance on banks and immigration – I reckon Littles’ comments have struck a chord with voters.
Leaving National and its apologists (hi Claire,Audrey , Baz ,and Hosko) defending the Banks’ greed and uncontrolled immigration .
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11606612
Shock horror ! Someone called Hosking a “git”, “arrogant”, and told him to “grow up”.
Get a life Hosking !
I think it is referred to as karma for the git
It’s a pity to see them all misusing the word ‘troll’ too, which has quite specific definitions online and isn’t the same as calling someone names. But I guess Hoskings and the Herald journalist still don’t know how the internet works.
Glen Grenwald on “objective” journalism and Donald Trump
“Large corporations hate controversy (it alienates consumers) and really hate offending those who wield political power (bad for business). Imposing objectivity rules on the journalists who work for their media divisions was a means to avoid offending anyone by forcing journalists to conceal their perspectives, assumptions, and viewpoints, and, worse, forcing them to dishonestly pretend that they had none, that they float above all that.”
https://theintercept.com/2016/03/14/the-rise-of-trump-shows-the-danger-and-sham-of-compelled-journalistic-neutrality/
IF anything Trump has been exposing Media corruption and bias, this makes me question Glen Grenwald’s objectivity.
Rupert Murdoch,Koch Bros, George Soro, Kissenger, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal,
partial list of people financing media campaigns against Trump,
Vilification of Trump on this site on a daily basis, sourcing their”information” from unknown bloggers, twitter and face-book journalists.
When media tries to shape my opinion, instead of provide me with facts so I can form an opinion of my own that is propaganda.
+100…Trumps enemies would make you want to support him
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/335214-trump-us-presidency-candidate/
‘People support Trump as politicians they hate, hate him’
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/335791-trump-clinton-us-primaries/
I’m sure he’s said worse things about others, e.g., Kim dotcom and hiw wee rant before the “moment of truth”..
argh shit, that was supposed to be in reply to North talking about all the rude words hosking gets called.
I was wondering what you were on about. But then it’s one of those days 😉
People up and arms and saying that Little’s comments weren’t targeting all immigrants, and that he was being carefully selective as to what he said, and it was all taken out of context… blah, blah, blah
It would be like National targeting specific groups that rort the benefit system, and wanting to take decisive action, but being accused by the left of bashing everyone on a benefit…
…oh wait.
I don’t think I can voter Labour anymore. They really don’t do anything for me, and are so stupid, they make announcements and give the whole media of New Zealand ammo to shoot them with. I’m talking immigration. Is Andrew a complete and utter dick or what. I mean did he think for a minute. A second on this.
In a climate where the press are looking to avenues to denigrate the opposition and have never written a pro piece since I can remember on any party Not National or right wing leaning, Andrew blathers on about immigration. When he does speak it’s a complete cock up and gets twisted all over the media with everyone laughing at him.
Seriously needs a slap to the head.
Between Labours multitude of own goal gaffs on and on stupidity of character and nationals piss poor performance on running the Nation you are wrecking the place.
If you cannot get it together and put up a decent publicity campaign, mindful of the press and attractive to voters on a professional level like Keys machine, fuck off.
If that sounds mean Labour needs it. Needs a bloody good kick up the arse, you send me multitudes of begging letters wanting money for this and that.. Money..
Do I have any Money.
Then you just do stupid things like bring up immigration when your opposition. Real popular subject, a favorite amongst the press of NZ who get a free kick labours leader and party card.
Am I wrong?
Fk fkfkfkfkfk MORONS!
Yes, you are wrong. He didn’t bring up immigration, a journalist did.
Join the winning side Richard and vote Blue.
yessss, come to the dark side. Feel the fear and anger coursing through you. Unleash the power of your hate, young jedi, and take Jason Ede’s place at my side…
http://mediacdn.snorgcontent.com/media/catalog/product/d/a/darkside_fullpic.png
Ha ha good stuff.
http://iforce.co.nz/i/ofgodrrc.ziv.jpg
Some of us have real aspirations for our society, not just greed.
“I don’t think I can voter Labour anymore. …” Did you ever?
Is Jim Mora the nadir of what is commonly called the chattering class?
yes
The absolute nadir of the chattering class is Mike “Contra” Hosking, with Mora just a tad better than he is. Mora is clearly more educated, smarter and sharper. He has a pleasant manner, only occasionally letting the mask slip and speaking curtly to guests who irritate him for whatever reason. Unlike Hosking or the equally dire Paul Henry, Mora is capable of speaking thoughtfully about most subjects.
Despite the massive advantage he has over the likes of Hosking, Henry and Larry “Lackwit” Williams, there is precious little difference in the quality of their programmes. Mora almost entirely eschews serious discussion, instead choosing to dwell on insultingly puerile topics straight off teenage-level Facebook pages, and employing dog-whistle appeals to bigotry as shamelessly as any Crosby Textor-driven National Party politician.
So, yes, Mora is the epitome of chattering class vacuity and vanity, but his superficial charm and (sadly under-used) intellect lift him just above the horror shows on the commercial stations.
I second that.
They all qualify to be lifetime members of Kipling’s Bandalog.
Just in case you’re on the verge of throwing a rope over one of the rafters and ending it all due to the dire nature of the MSM in New Zealand…
Rejoice! Because it’s just as spirit-crushingly awful in Australia.
Watch, and laugh in a sick, sad “I’m only laughing because the alternative is too depressing to contemplate” kind of way…
New Zealand really needs a Jordan Shanks.
good stuff, i’ll put the rope back around the neighbour, they like Nact”s
They should be in prison of course, but at least these
two scoundrels have been forcefully repudiated by the voters
In the same week that President Hopey Changey presumes to lecture Cuba about human rights, and as two of the most loathsome people in the United States look to be heading for victory in the Republican and Democratic races, here’s something that makes you realize there’s still some decency in at least some voters over there….
Black Lives Matter Voters Oust Tamir Rice Prosecutor
About time.
“Police will have to smash a cloned hard drive and memory card seized during an “unlawful” search of the home of investigative journalist Nicky Hager before returning seized computer equipment and files tomorrow.
Hager and his lawyer Steven Price will be at the High Court at Auckland to witness the destruction of the hard drive and memory card, which contain copies of files made by detectives during the 2014 raid, according to a press release this afternoon.”
Ian, please please add the link to the article you’re quoting. Makes it much more powerful when shared in other forums. Thanks.
Oops.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11607327
Thanks.