The Government’s housing accords legislation needs some intense scrutiny. Already Len Brown has come out and suggested very gently that the legislation does not comply with the accord.
The Herald reports:
Auckland Mayor Len Brown welcomed the introduction of the legislation to formalise last Friday’s housing accord aimed at tackling issues of land supply and housing affordability in the city.
But he said there were a number of clauses in the bill that appeared to be inconsistent with the Auckland Housing Accord, which sets a target of 39,000 new homes through a fast-track planning process.
Mr Brown said he would be seeking clarification on a number of inconsistencies that relate to people having a say on new developments, rules applying to new houses, who runs the process and the extent of appeals.
Interestingly the Accord states that publicity about it was to be agreed to by the Mayor and Nick Smith prior to its release. Looks like Len does not believe that this occurred.
The bill itself is a disaster. It will ensure greenfield urban sprawl over brownfield regeneration development because brownfield development will have a height limitation and will be too expensive. One way or the other this Government wanted urban sprawl to happen.
Under the accord the Council recommends and the Government approves. The Government cannot recommend itself. This continues until the accord is finished under clause 17 of the accord.
BUT
under section 16(4)(a)(ii) of the Bill the Minister can propose if he gives notice of the government’s intention to withdraw from the accord. This is 6 months before the accord finishes and contradicts the accord.
Ah, while the standard was offline I was doing a post on this. Penny Hulse was more blunt on RNZ this morning about the Bill breaching the agreement. Thanks for the other links, micky. I didn’t see you post before I added mine below, then the site went offline. I’ll add links to your comments on my post.
That was quite quite irritating. Third time for the same platform reasons. Finally found out why no-one ever acted on my problem tickets – they apparently went to the wrong place (grr – yeah right). It was only after I called their answering service that fixed whatever the problem was.
I’ll be warming up a new server tomorrow despite them refunding the costs for the month. I can’t afford the time and the uncertainty of their not monitoring their own systems is unacceptable…
From this budget one can only deduce the fact that this government supports the private provision of services rather than public provision. This is reflected most in the extension of HNZ rent subsidies to the community sector (but not councils), and its funding freeze for public tertiary providers.
And we all have every reason to worry about fixed term tenancies for state houses. At first I thought that this would benefit private landlords, because of the effect that dumping 4000 people into the private market would have on (already crippling) rent levels. But no. Those who benefit will be those who own boarding houses and motor camps, because you can bet your life on the fact that those 4000 tenants, who lose their secure home because of some arbitary tenancy review, will end up in a boarding house or in a motor camp, because a private landlord simply will not house them, or they cannot afford the rent, or both.
That is, from what I can make out, what National want as forcing people into poverty generally means that they will be willing to work for less which means that profits for the few go up. It is, quite simply, in everything that they do as government.
Sheesh. Did I just hear Penny Hulse say the government’s urgency Bill on the local council-government “housing accord” could mean the Auckland Council-government accord is dead in the water if the Bill is not changed?
More lies from bullshitting Bill, announcing in the budget that beneficiaries will be able to buy fridges and washing machines via a recoverable WINZ grant,
Beneficiaries have been able to purchase these items of whiteware by this means for quite a few years, WINZ offices can even download photos of what is available (second hand) from their provider and delivery is arranged on the spot,
Clever Bill from Dipton announcing what was put in place by the previous Labour Government as some ‘new’ spending on welfare…
“Beneficiaries have been able to purchase these items of whiteware by this means for quite a few years,”
Since the 1980’s as a matter of fact. It is a long standing process that reflected the ‘social need’ part of our Social Welfare system. Unfortunately like all generous aspects of the system, some have seen fit to abuse it and various checks and balances were introduced. Nowadays it is only available through a few approved vendors and these items are usually more expensive than some whiteware people might be able to source elsewhere, but the fraud component has certainly been curtailed.
On a plus side the expectation is these vendors have better service and repair guarantees so the overall benefit to the consumer no doubt makes up for the increased cost.
Aha, i am highlighting the system that WINZ has had in place for at least the last 6 years where the whole purchase of whiteware, (fridges, washing machines), is completed through the WINZ office via their approved providers,
As you point out, honest beneficiaries are paying a higher price for these second hand appliances than they might if the items were sourced through the likes of Trademe to curtail the small frauds of a few beneficiaries and the secondhand dealers who in the past have happily also indulged,
On the plus side for beneficiaries is the guarantee, unspecified at the time of purchase but inherent in the consumer guarantee Act, repayment to WINZ of as little as $5 a week on the purchase and the delivery costs included in the price of the items bought, it would seem a reasonable system for providing for beneficiary needs which curtails fraudulent misbehavior and my opinion is that this should be extended to include other ‘large ticket’ items and even small loans to beneficiaries,
Having said all that, it is total bullshit, outright lies from the Minister of Finance to stand in the Parliament of New Zealand and claim this scheme as a ‘new’ Government initiative from the present Government when it has been the common practice of WINZ for at least the last 6 years, to do this is not only to mislead the people of New Zealand, (who in most cases wouldn’t have a clue), it is also misleading the Parliament with an outright lie with which the opposition party’s should flay the Minister…
” it is also misleading the Parliament with an outright lie with which the opposition party’s should flay the Minister…”
I understand the emotive phrase that history is a foreign country
and there are times it certainly feels like it happened somewhere else
but what really grates, is apparently everyone was looking in the opposite direction.
Good on ya. Minor mistake but make no difference. The problem would seem to arise between us weka because I only heard the words, whereas you heard the words and all of this …
“it’s not an issue of not being allowed to raise the points. It’s how it is done. Also, it’s not about the ‘race’ of the person asking the questions, it’s about their mana and their politics”
We clearly see things differently.
I generally try to weed out those sorts of elementes whereas you want them to lead the way. vto
(nah, what you quote of me there is before I listened to the panel discussion, and was a general comment on discussing racism in NZ).
Leaving aside that it’s not a minor mistake, and that you obviously misled readers on what actually happened in the panel (albeit unintentionally), here is the question that you consider to be important outside of its context.
Given that polls tell us that 80% of New Zealanders are distressed at seeing their country being slowly surrendered to the part descendants of the minority of Maori who breached the Treaty by rebelling against the Crown in the 1860s, could we use a republican referendum process to entrench racial equality?
weka, I have answered the question around the identity of the questioner, twice. Not going to re-hash. You’ve set out your position I’ve set out mine and they are different for the reasons outlined. What you see as important and what I see as important are different. You look at things one way and I look at things another way and they are different.
As to that piece marty mars has pulled out if you read through the whole lot, including previous threads, you would realise the context and the highly selective quoting (selectiveness admitted to). As to the particular issue in that though, the extreme sensitivity that is shown by you and marty interestingly matches the divisiveness witnessed on the ground. It seems far from settled. You are as feverish about it as they.
As to the 80% question above, what do you think? I was not so much interested in the actual question, more in the interaction of peoples and the allowing of the question followed by the refusal to answer and the wider implications surrounding that.
As to a marty list, the issues have all been raised over time – governance without representation, privilege based on birthright and race, the place of indigeneity, ….. on it goes. They will continue to arise and no doubt be commented on. And I expect you will be right there to pounce if you can.
Yes vto i couldn’t fit all of your quotes in there. I’ll leave it up to weka to debate the finer points of your response. For me it is more of the same – mistruth, misrepresentation and misinformation from you to push your barrow which you can’t move from – your attitude is part of the problem and until that changes there is hardly any point engaging with you unless you come up with a list but oh no that’s too hard you’d rather snipe and hurt from a distance – so be it.
my list again
1 the Treaty is historical and a new one needs to be drafted to take into consideration the multicultural aspect of NZ society.
2 too much emphasis (money) is on tangata whenua and that they have received enough emphasis (money)
3 Māori were the first here and that could be called indigenous but it is irrelevant in today’s world
4 Māori are inherently violent and warlike
5 No one represents the ‘white man’ who gets abuse and derision when they say something that others perceive as racist
6 Non-Māori who talk about race get accused of being racist
7 Māori are racist to ‘white people’
8 Celts were here before Māori and taught them everything of what they know until Māori killed them all
9 The chinese bought slave-wives here to breed with Māori
10 Barry Brailsford doesn’t talk shit
losing it again – you always do that when you are cornered. I never abused or insulted you, that is your imagination AGAIN
but if you want to go the insult way to distract from the series of posts about your misunderstandings we can do that – I’ll let those ones go and see if you can control yourself with your replies
That list has been posted a few times in the past few days. If you don’t like it, or disagree with it, then why not post another one that better matches your views? We are waiting to hear what you specifically think vto.
Despite what you might think I believe that Pakeha do need to have this conversation in order to move on.
hey be fair it was the first cut – point out the ones that are correct and I’ll amend it – seriously I thought they were mostly correct and not that bad really
That’s not really personal vto. It’s marty making observations about your behaviour. You may not like them, and you may disagree, but it’s not personal. Personal would be calling someone a racist fuckwit, something neither of us are doing (although I will happily call Ansell that). Or personal would be taking things known about your personal life and using them against you or to put you down.
I note that in marty’s analysis of your behaviour, he gives you a way out. Did you see that?
It is about the person and not the issue. You even admit it here “It’s marty making observations about your behaviour” That is personal. Your reference to “fucking racist” is nasty personal. Where is discussion about the issue?
I am a little astounded at the idea that I dont want to talk specifics. I posted on the issue of accusations of racism when speaking of race. That was what started the thread. That was specific. I have posted on it before. I posted on it again here, with reference to the radio show. There was an error in this piece of backup which we have now thrashed to death. The thread has since been made all personal and lost its way. I started the thread with a particular issue. Answered. You may notice another further downthread.
The call for specifics is specific to the convo from the last few days. Getting past the hooha about the RNZ reference, what is left? I don’t know and you won’t say. I guess that’s the end of the discussion for now.
“As to the 80% question above, what do you think? I was not so much interested in the actual question, more in the interaction of peoples and the allowing of the question followed by the refusal to answer and the wider implications surrounding that.”
Right, I’ve really misunderstood then, because I thought you were interested in the question itself.
Ok, fair enough, it’s not the question, it’s the interaction of the people and the refusal to answer. There is no way to look at that unless we put those things in their original context. As has been stated clearly, you misunderstood entirely what happened. The panelists didn’t want to answer teh questions because Ansell’s questions was (a) loaded and (b) an attempt to hijack the discussion (even the presenter noted that).
You want to draw the conclusion that they didn’t want to answer because of fear of talking about racism, but by your own admission you didn’t listen to the thing properly and missed the context and the person asking the question (and don’t pretend now that the identity of the person answering doesn’t matter). There were in fact some other references in the talk to Maori and the implications of constitutional change (not alot but they were there), which belies the idea that people were avoiding talking about race.
Sorry mate, you’ve dug a pretty big hole here. If you quit now we’ll give you hand up and out 🙂
“And I expect you will be right there to pounce if you can.”
“You are as feverish about it as they.”
“extremely sensitive”
That’s just nasty, and an attempt at marginalisation. It’s beneath you. Play the ball not the wo/man. If you don’t want robust debate, than say so, and ask for different terms. There is nothing wrong with me focussing on the things in your arguments that stand out to me. Your views on Kai Tahu and Southern Maori women are hugely offensive and simply add to the Pakeha distorted narrative that we know more about Maori than they do. That does immeasurable damage. I’m not feverish or extremely sensitive, I’m really fucking angry that someone like you would do that shit in a place like this.
Like marty, I am disappointed that you won’t engage on the actual issues at this point in time. But I can also see that it would be hard to defend your points of view.
Well weka, when it comes to that particualar issue that you are super-sensitive about don’t point the finger at me. I merely describe what I have witnessed on the ground and seen on here. It is feverish. Sorry if that offends you but that is what is seen.
As for not wanting to engage on the actual issues, sorry, not accepted. Always engage on the issue but when it turns to the personal, nup.
I think genuinely that you just need to ease up when someone says, for example, “the treaty is flawed” because at the moment when words like that are posted you can hear the sound of the soldiers turning to face the ‘threat’ instead of listening and thinking about what is being posted first. Marty rushes straight to arms hup two three four
vto, please, please say “the treaty is flawed”. Then we can talk.
But you didn’t say that. You referenced something on Natrad, and completely misrepresented it, and unfortunately for you the thing you referenced was presented by a racist fuckwit. You just made a mistake, and had it been another person making such a mistake on a different topic, someone here would have taken them to task for it. It’s about intellectual rigour or truthfullness.
“I merely describe what I have witnessed on the ground and seen on here.”
What do you mean by ‘witnessed on teh ground’? Can you please be specific about which part of this issue you are referring to as well?
weka I have said the treaty is flawed (for certain purposes) on countless other occasions and swapped posts with others on it. It will come up again there is no doubt.
on the ground generally refers to real-life encounters. And detailed specifics are not possible unfortunately due to our small population and possible ramifications.
Seems to me that a lot of the spin National had around the last Labour government, which keeps coming up all the time in comments on stuff etc by people who obviously believe it, is that Labour got us into a horrible economic situation and borrowed and wasted all that money, because of the ridiculous “decade of deficits” report by the Treasury that National jumped on a parroted wide and far.
Well, turn abouts fair play, I think. Now that the commentary around this budget is that a $75m surplus in 2014-2015 is margin of error and unimportant, it seems like Labour need to say something like this:
“National want a $75m rounding-error surplus in 2014-2015. When we were in government between 1999 and 2008, we ran a surplus of $$$$ every single year. We got our borrowing down to 8% of GDP while reducing unemployment down to record lows, National are promising we’ll be at 20% debt of GDP by 2020. National has squandered the good work done by the Labour party.”
If you can stomach it, watch Hoots once again missing his medication and doing Tory Bullshit Bingo. It’s actually quite hilarious: “liberal elite” “lunatic left” and so on and so on – and then he tries to say that the Tories are, um, kinda liberal, because Muldoon’s father had syphilis.
He must be expecting a huge paycheque for that. Under all that grease, there’s only slime.
Dunno Rhino. I always find it worthwhile to hear what the other side is thinking. Of course as Mathew says he is in the Reagan, Douglas, Richardson mould. OK so how does he view stuff? Of course he is anti left but often what he says is the repeat of what the right want us too hear and even hope we might believe. Ha! But the risk is that the discussion also exposes the weakness of that rightist position and therefore good stuff.
Matthew does get excited about his often shaky positions but so does Martyn. Well worth a watch. Thanks for the link.
Yes, I do agree that Hoots has one use, and that’s to let us know what the Tories want us to believe. If he gets pleasure out of winding people up, then that sad act of masturbation shows just what an empty shell he is.
Watched it this morning. Bomber was surprisingly polite in the circumstances. The bombastic Hoots did his usual…. wouldn’t let Keith Locke get a word in edge-wise.
I think Hooton’s over the top language is a deliberate ploy to rile us. He knows the majority of people who hit the Daily Blog are – to varying degrees- on the Left of the political spectrum. He gets perverse pleasure winding them up.
We should ignore him and then the enjoyment will go out of the game.
Just watching the committees today and I am left wondering: Why is it that the maori party have only 2 votes but 3 MP’s? Is Te Ururoa Flavell already crossed the floor to Mana?
“Who can vote?
Only members who have been sworn in can vote. Members can vote even if they are absent, by the use of proxies. A formula is used which determines how many votes each party can have when a number of its members are absent from the parliamentary precincts. Thus a party may not always be able to cast the same number of votes as the party has members in the House.”
Oh I see, there was my conspiracy forming mind that jumped to all sorts of conclusions. I do believe that Mr Flavell is made of better stuff than his co-leaders however. Pita Sharples is an embarrassment and I’m sorry for ever thinking he would be any different. Turia is poison too.
In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed in the extreme and unsustainable in every society.
Personal, denigrating mockery like the bully boy you are, again.
Irrelevant.
The issue (which you have demanded in a list like some dumb cock, then mocked me for not responding to your demand).
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed in the extreme and unsustainable in every society”
… if you imagine this has gone unnoticed in Christchurch then you are not just a bully boy but a fool too. It has been commented on a surprising number of times by people in significant positions in the city.
To date you have had no answer to this issue cunt.
a cock and two cunts now – your insults are degrading yourself and your people and showing you for the cluck cluck cluck you are – lucky adele isn’t here eh?
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
lol look at a silly wee man using swearwords – what a joke you are vto – hardmanfail. Try a different one – you know the one you really want to use but are too scared to
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
bit worked up this morning eh vto why is that I wonder – maybe your undies are too tight – have you checked recently I think they may be riding up a bit I’m certainly sensing skidmarks – time for a check – it’s okay I’ll wait.
the dumb cunt has no answer to the issue, just personal…
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed in the extreme and unsustainable in every society”
1 the Treaty is historical and a new one needs to be drafted to take into consideration the multicultural aspect of NZ society.
2 too much emphasis (money) is on tangata whenua and that they have received enough emphasis (money)
3 Māori were the first here and that could be called indigenous but it is irrelevant in today’s world
4 Māori are inherently violent and warlike
5 No one represents the ‘white man’ who gets abuse and derision when they say something that others perceive as racist
6 Non-Māori who talk about race get accused of being racist
7 Māori are racist to ‘white people’
8 Celts were here before Māori and taught them everything of what they know until Māori killed them all
9 The chinese bought slave-wives here to breed with Māori
10 Barry Brailsford doesn’t talk shit
11 chicken and can’t answer a question without swearing like a fool
Got to go to work for an hour but I’ll come back soon to help you through your anger and abuse issues.
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
in through the nose out through the mouth breathe deep it’s okay I forgive your outrageous abuse but try and forgive yourself while I’m away it will make the session go better after lunch.
Ngai Tahu may make a healthy check and balance to the ChCh oldboys who have long made decisions of governance with no accountability at all, to anyone.
At least Ngai Tahu are accountable to their iwi members for the money they intend to spend in the rebuild.
That gives them certain “rights” to effect decisions…does it not ?
Ngai Tahu may make a healthy check and balance to the ChCh oldboys who have long made decisions of governance with no accountability at all, to anyone.
At least Ngai Tahu are accountable to their iwi members for the money they intend to spend in the rebuild.
That gives them certain “rights” to effect decisions…does it not ?”
Of course what has gone in in the oldboy etc past that you mention had very similar flawed and unsustainable pratices and policies. That had certain results which were not good for maori or society as a whole. It is not that which is referred to however, although it is acknowledged. It should be similarly acknowledged that what was flawed in the past is flawed now and will be in the future.
There can be no governance without represention.
Your point about Ngai Tahu being a healthy check and balance is of course correct, but neither is that the point.
Your point about Ngai Tahu being accountable to their iwi members is also correct, but slides off the side of the issue. If Ngai Tahu wishes to exercise governance over others then they must be accountable in the same way to those others, no to just their iwi members.
This of course is a relatively minor development in the practical scheme of day to day things, but the principle is crucial. There must not be governance without representation. It applies to every socety. It is bad for Ngai Tahu – such a system gets no respect.
vto – it’s up to the City of Christchurch to take into account all views in the RMA process. I’m not sure why you are focussing on Ngai Tahu when they haven’t been delegated consenting powers by the City Council (unless I missed something?).
Consent decisions are still made by the City Council and not by Ngai Tahu. You want representation? Go to the Council that’s what they are there for.
colonial viper – “vto – it’s up to the City of Christchurch to take into account all views in the RMA process. I’m not sure why you are focussing on Ngai Tahu when they haven’t been delegated consenting powers by the City Council (unless I missed something?).
Consent decisions are still made by the City Council and not by Ngai Tahu. You want representation? Go to the Council that’s what they are there for.”
Consent decisions are now made by Ngai Tahu (and Council and cera). This is the problem.
Here are some facts, as explained by Mark Solomon on the Ngai Tahu website. Ngai Tahu is not just having input, or consultation etc, it is making the decisions. This is the governance…. “He says the tribal representative body, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, along with its statutory partners, the Christchurch City Council and CERA, each appoint a member to panel hearings to consider resource consent applications ”
We have representation through Council, good. We have representation through cera, good. We have no representation through Ngai Tahu, bad. This is the point. The principle is crucial to a healthy society. I’m sure you understand the principle of no governance without representation. Well, these are the facts pointing the principle being ignored. That is the problem.
In addtion, the point you intimate re conflicts of interest has been front page here too. As mentioned way up thread somewhere I mentioned that this crops up in dicussion with people in various positions in the rebuild and the city generally. It has been noticed and is news. It needs to be dealt with – both the conflict of interest (chinese walls, yeah right), but much much much more importantly the governance without representation.
It is wrong and unsustainable. A couple of links (more concentrated on the lesser though still important issue of conflict of interest)…
your beef is with central or local government numbnuts not the iwi – sheesh talk about myopic.
on another point your excessive use of the word cunt – it reminds me that there are no demeaning terms for ‘woman’ in the Māori language, and that the first human was a woman – Hine-ahu-one, and that as all come from women at birth, at death the same occurs through Hine-nui-te-pō, and that Papa-tū-ā-nuku is our earth mother and sustainer of life and that women are mediators of tapu. Thanks for reminding me of these things vto even though you were trying to insult.
The superb investigative journalist Jeremy Scagill is being interviewed by Kim Hill on National Radio tomorrow morning. His specialty is the American government being allowed to assassinate anyone it wants to, even Americans. It should be fascinating if you haven’t followed this before.
That’s a must-listen. Scahill is a brilliant and uncompromising speaker. I’ve seen him transform the Letterman and John Stewart shows from shallow laugh-fests into serious discussions, simply by the moral force of his message, backed up by his compelling personal style. That rarely happens on American television, and it’s even rarer on British television.
Laughingly reproaching the pizza-guzzling sybarites of Gaza The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 17 May 2013
Finlay Macdonald, Denise L’estrange-Corbet, Simon Pound
That brief resurgence in quality on this programme that I noted a couple of weeks ago is well and truly over and done with. The situation reached its nadir on Tuesday when Jim Mora’s guests were the brutal right wing “pundit” John Bishop and the right wing beer writer and self-styled “wit” Neil Miller, but today’s guests, while they are clearly more humane and decent individuals than Bishop and Miller, are not much better when it comes to discussing serious issues. Look at how they trivialize and scoff at the situation of the besieged residents of Gaza…..
FINLAY MACDONALD: That was David Bowie with “Lady Grinning Soul” from 1973. All right, it’s 3:45; time for Susan Baldacci with what the wooooooorld’s talking about!
SUSAN BALDACCI: News today of the kind of thing being smuggled through the tunnels from Egypt into Gaza! Of course there are many of these tunnels.
FINLAY MACDONALD: These tunnels are from Sinai, aren’t they.
SUSAN BALDACCI: Yes. They smuggle all SORTS of items through them, and you know what? You can order a pizza for thirty dollars!
SIMON POUND: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
SUSAN BALDACCI: When you think of what they are needing, and THAT is what they want!?!?!?!?!!!???
SIMON POUND: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
FINLAY MACDONALD: The pizza would be cold, by the time it got to them, wouldn’t it?
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET:[sniffily] I wouldn’t order a pizza if I was in Gaza.
SUSAN BALDACCI: Yeah, well, that’s what they want. When you think of what they SHOULD be ordering….
4:25 p.m. As I write this, I am listening to that mealy-mouthed twit Simon Pound trying to defend John Key’s latest offensive remarks. This time Key has described the situation of Christchurch people as “some hard-luck stories at a micro level.”
Pound is an intelligent and perceptive fellow, but he is quite clearly afraid to voice his real feelings.
Thought of your rage Morrissey as I listened to this but could swear I heard not “pizza” but “Kentucky Fried”. A bucket of the same delivered via the tunnels in 4 hours – $US30. Anyway, the tone I detected was a little mockingly amused, especially from Baldacci as I recall. I exclude Macdonald from that.
Put me in mind of transiting in Manila in 1977, a National Youth Council group of 20 “Young Workers” bound for China. I guess few of them have maintained their then much vaunted “leftiness”. But then there are a number of horrid examples of that – Rob Campbell (Ports of Auckland) for example.
As the aircraft taxied to the terminal we observed the meanest shacks dotted in the banana palms not 100 metres from the runway – TV aerials poking up into the air.
Several of my fellows expressed judgment thus – “Look at that, they’re as poor as hell and they’ve got televisions !” (“Tut Tut Tut !” sort of thing). No walking in the mocassins there.
Sadly, I was not terribly well supported when I aggressively expressed my disgust with that tone. Some might say there’s still little maturity in Mr North nearly 40 years on but I’d like to think I was capable even then of appreciating that when people are grindingly poor and deprived we should not reflexively clutch our pearls when a little succour is taken wherever it can be found. At least try to walk in the mocassins maybe.
Perhaps clever wee laughies radio-girl Baldaccci would benefit from a spell in Gaza when the Zionists fly over dropping death on children.
1.) Thought of your rage Morrissey as I listened to this but could swear I heard not “pizza” but “Kentucky Fried”.
You are of course correct, my friend. In mitigation, I must say that I was driving and therefore could not scribble down any transcript in my usual manner, and so I was forced to rely on my (imperfect) recall.
2.) A bucket of the same delivered via the tunnels in 4 hours – $US30. Anyway, the tone I detected was a little mockingly amused, especially from Baldacci as I recall. I exclude Macdonald from that.
You’ve got that exactly right. Last year Susan Baldacci sneered at Sean Penn for “cuddling up to the likes of Hugo Chávez”; twenty years ago I am sure she was condemning other celebrities for cuddling up to Nelson Mandela. Balducci is very similar to another American on Radio NZ, Marty Duda: superficially affable, but just below the surface there is a vat of completely unexamined prejudices bubbling away. Duda’s right wing rancour boiled over hilariously late last year when he launched into an ignorant and disconnected radio rant against my Lancastrian namesake (the singer).
3.) Put me in mind of transiting in Manila in 1977, a National Youth Council group of 20 “Young Workers” bound for China. I guess few of them have maintained their then much vaunted “leftiness”. But then there are a number of horrid examples of that – Rob Campbell (Ports of Auckland) for example.
I have a book with a picture of this glib scumbag in his PYM days, posing with a rifle. Campbell the revolutionary foot-soldier-cum-Guinness Peat director.
4.) As the aircraft taxied to the terminal we observed the meanest shacks dotted in the banana palms not 100 metres from the runway – TV aerials poking up into the air.
Several of my fellows expressed judgment thus – “Look at that, they’re as poor as hell and they’ve got televisions !” (“Tut Tut Tut !” sort of thing). No walking in the mocassins there.
Sadly, I was not terribly well supported when I aggressively expressed my disgust with that tone.
I hear those sentiments every time I listen to squawk radio, which I haven’t done for a long time now. The withdrawal programme is working. (I’m pretending, for the sake of argument, that Radio NZ’s Panel is qualitatively different to the commercial chat. Really, though, there’s little to separate them.)
5.) Perhaps clever wee laughies radio-girl Baldaccci would benefit from a spell in Gaza when the Zionists fly over dropping death on children.
I’m sure she’d still find something whimsical, like KFC deliveries via tunnels, to distract her audience in the usual manner.
True. The “superiority” of RNZ is marked only by the absence of fulsomely excited, breathless exhortations to make our lives fabulous by “popping on down to wherever to get whatever – open 7 days…….”. And discordant jingles.
The saving grace to that carry-on, infuriating as it is, is that at least it doesn’t make light of appalling inhumanity, as is Gaza.
nobody here or anywhere else in nz will bother, and will not know for a start, as today, starting 11 am outside vector arena in auckland city, off quay st, there was a massive and vocal protest by aaap, by various unions (unite, first union, sfu and so), same as some community groups, to protest against the budget by the nat government not delivering much or anything to the poor and unemployed. there was a lot of media presence, all leading tv stations had sent cameras, there was a lot of upheaval, with some protestors trying to push their way into a convention or meeting hearing pm john key, to speak to the hundreds of attending cross tasman and pacific business people. most business people turned up in taxis, expensive vehicles and with suits and ties, and they faced a barrage of challenging chants and so forth. one person got arrested for dubious reasons, and was later released from the watchhouse at auckland central police station at 2 pm, with no charge laid. supporters were there to welcome him. there was no mention at all in the media, be this radio nz’s checkpoint, the leading tv stations or so about this. it seems the business lobby run and control the media in nz solidly. it is clear that they frown on protestors and dissenters, and the arrogance and demeanour of those that went to this meeting at vector arena spoke volumes. so we have a society here in nz, that is oligopolist, monopolits in some areas, and where an elite run and rule, they even determine government by financial and other support. they have control over the media, so they refrain from reporting what people do and say, and protest about. this is practically a dictatorship here in nz, but most are ignorant and complacent, relying on a fool’s belief that they still have some say in what they want.
so that is it, the truth, but i am only a stupid migrant, always have been treated wit h some contempt by locals, so why should i care a shit about a shit country like nz.
Sorry, Murray, I get my bad moments, and I have not had an easy lot, still trying to get some major issues addressed by “Commissioners” of sorts, holding office, most appointed by Nat governments.
Apart from that I thank you for your tolerance towards my “rant”.
I am working on a number of issues, personal and not so personal. So I am at times also joining forces at the frontline, and the Vector Arena protest or pickets was one good experience. Sad to see and hear the MSM have little time for the ordinary folk here, born and bred Kiwis or migrants.
We will keep up the struggle, as that is a moral mission kind of. I would hate to be on the side of the mercenaries and foot soldiers of this system, rewarding a few, that frown on the rest, no matter where it happens in the world.
Listening to Annette King give attempting to give the government a dressing down over the way its dealing with the issue of paying parents who care for their disabled adult children was truly sickening. The initial claim was made when Labour were the government and they rejected it outright. And now Annette King thinks she can take the moral high ground on the issue. Well, Annette, you need to just shut the fuck up on this matter. You and your mates have no right to call foul on this whatsoever. Ryall simply continued with the dirty work that you began, and now you think you can bag him for that? Total hypocrisy. Just sickening. Apologise for what you did, or keep your mouth shut.
See and learn about the true history and course of events in the Chilean dictatorship, overthrowing Salvador Allende, if anybody in rather indifferent nz bothers to care. oh, sorry the first letter of chilean was misspelled in caps again. sorry lprent, i am working on it:
The Standard may well be losing the credit it deserves, to be independent and strong on that on the left, but I fear (sorry the caps) it is becoming another mainstream media turnout. I wish it won’t but we will have to see.
Food for thought for the supporters of the Green/Labour plans for electricity prices.
I especially like this bit ‘But socialist President Nicolás Maduro (who was hand-picked by Chavez to succeed him) blamed the toilet paper shortage on “anti-government forces,”’
He’s right. If they imprisoned all the traitors, RWNJs, and media barons, there’d be far less shit floating about. We must learn from them that kindness to your enemy might win points in heaven, but if you want a clean bum, get rid of the right wingers. Of course, if Key decided to take a trip to Venezuela, he could always take you and Slater along and he’d never even notice the shortage.
NewsHub Nation has launched a new podcast, "Supplementary Question". Their inaugural episode is about the OIA, and asks "is our most important transparency law fit for purpose?" While they interviewed Justice Minister Andrew Little and Ombudsman Peter Boshier for this, there's not actually a lot of them in there, and ...
Remember the Ruataniwha dam? The Hawke's Bay Regional Council wasted $14 million trying to push this environmental disaster through before the Supreme Court ruled that the land swap it relied on with DoC was illegal. At the end of it, they wrote off the money and sold the existing consents ...
For years we've had a housing crisis in New Zealand, driven by immigration-driven population growth and the market refusing to build enough houses (and enough of the right sort of houses) to meet it. As a result, people can't get homes, while Boomer landlords leech away their income and parasitical ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Drawdown Review 2020: How To Address Global Warming In A Responsible Manner Source: Project Drawdown Project Drawdown is a non-profit organization that relies ...
Dr Tim Chambers, Prof Nick Wilson, Jayne Richards, A/Prof Simon Hales, Dr Mike Joy, Prof Michael Baker (author affiliations*)Increasing water-related health threats, notably the waterborne campylobacter outbreak in Havelock North, have highlighted failings in NZ’s regulatory system for drinking water. In this blog we consider how the new Water ...
Yes, an election is in the offing – and we all know that elections can be polarising, as parties of the left and right square off against each other. But we should not allow our party and political allegiances to obscure the fact that, in a properly functioning democracy like ...
Dr Sommer Kapitan, Auckland University of Technology, and Dr Patrick van Esch, Auckland University of TechnologyThe Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill will limit vape sales at dairies and service stations to only three flavours, and make vaping illegal in smokefree areas. Vaping laws will be more ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Aug 2, 2020 through Sat, Aug 8, 2020Editor's ChoiceFive Years After Speaking Out on Climate Change, Pope Francis Sounds an Urgent AlarmThe encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ motivated many people ...
From some quarters, incessant scaremongering. From others, it’s a full-on tilt into touching the alarmist buttons a little too readily (uncertain times make for very captive audiences with this angle of attack). The (so-called) Opposition (and merely regarding them as that seems to be a far looser term now ...
National Party leader - Judith CollinsElections often bring out the best and worst in politicians. Some rise to the occasion and provide us with a clear vision for the future. While others wallow in resentment and controversy, over-relying on attack politics to try to attain the interest of voters.That’s been ...
The attempts to sabotage Corbyn's leadership seems likely to do more damage than Corbyn supposedly ever could have done, even if all the stories about him were true:I was reluctant to say anything but this is too important, the full story needs to be told.Don’t let anyone ever tell ...
Good day to everyone. I’ve been asked by Mr Thinks to come here and talk to you all about my concerns regarding the government response to Covid-19. We’ve been living through this pandemic for, what seems like, years. Years and years and years. Why else would the National Party have ...
‘Good Economics for Hard Times’ should be on your reading list. New Zealand does not have a Minister of Labour. It has Ministers of Immigration and Workplace Relations and Safety but there is no minister with responsibility for the labour market. That responsibility was abolished in 2012 when ...
Back in the Kyoto era, the international climate change regime included a Clean Development Mechanism to fund emissions reduction projects in developing nations. Essentially someone would certify that a project - e.g. building a windfarm, or installing energy-efficient lightbulbs - would reduce emissions over and above "business-as-usual". The project would ...
As the classic MMP cartoon goes, just look at who is against it. Yesterday, the Hamilton City Council voted to use STV for its next two local body elections. The move was initially opposed by deputy mayor Geoff Taylor. The reason? Because a voting system which provided accurate representation and ...
On Wednesday evening (which in Parliament’s weird world technically was still Tuesday because urgency had been taken and so time stood still), MPs united to remove a pretty terrible piece of law from our statute books. No real fanfare or fireworks accompanied this action. Indeed, I didn’t even know about it ...
By Geoffrey Miller Prominent refugee advocate Murdoch Stephens says he is disappointed by Judith Collins’ reaction to Immigration New Zealand’s decision to grant refugee status to Kurdish-Iranian writer Behrouz Boochani. Judith Collins told media last month that “there’s a lot of concern in New Zealand about what they see as ...
Hello all. Judith here to talk about how National are going to take the election in September. The National Party prides itself its unity and cohesion. We are working together to deliver for New Zealanders. First of all, ee are a strong team. We are a very strong team. Our ...
Parliament has just begun the adjournment debate, signalling the effective end of this Parliament. So it seems like an appropriate time to assess Labour's term in office. Unfortunately, its a pretty dismal assessment. Labour campaigned on one thing: change. Not just a change in who got the top jobs and ...
Our climate change policies are insufficient to achieve our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, according to independent assessor Climate Action Tracker: New Zealand won’t be carbon neutral by 2050 without much stronger policies, says an independent analysis by Climate Action Tracker. The non-profit highlighted a lack of active ...
That was clearly a huge explosion. Just after the explosion, we see a cloud of ‘fog’ moving outwards at high speed. This is a shockwave, rather similar to that which causes a sonic boom. The ‘fog’ is caused by water condensing from the atmosphere in areas of intense low pressure ...
Can we postpone this year’s election? Quite frankly, the political parties don’t seem ready for it, and aren’t about to offer voters the necessary policy choices for the unprecedented times we’re in. We’ve ended up with a campaign focused on scandal, personality and leadership, with a policy void that’s worse ...
It is the last sitting day of Parliament, and the last question time before the House is dissolved. So, are there any questions about the damning findings of the Hit and Run inquiry, and how the government plans to bring the military back under democratic control? Of course not. ...
Property speculator - John KeyThe National Party must be in dire straits to have to rely on John Key to campaign on their behalf. Not only has the former PM been in the news claiming the recently released unemployment figures aren’t accurate, the fool has also been promoting the opening ...
Nothing Too Drastic: Few would dispute that the Left, today, are few in number. Is their failure to make the public aware of and act upon the manifest failures of the present system attributable to their lack of active energy and intelligence? Or, is it simply because the Left’s ideas ...
by Don Franks This talk was given to the Wellington Anti Capitalist Alliance, fifteen years ago. The ultimate weapons of mass destruction so far seen on this planet have been used just twice, 60 years ago this month. August 6 and August 9 1945 witnessed the US atomic bombing ...
After I noticed that my name had been taken yet again in vain by my friendly antagonist Tom Hunter over at No Minister, I went over to see what the fuss was about. Nothing much, but then I discovered a post about the Operation Burnham Inquiry by Psycho Milt. I ...
The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 was extended today, until December 1st or the tenth sitting day following the resumption of Parliament after the election. It seems like a necessary extension. While we currently have eradicated the virus in New Zealand, it is still banging at the door, and ...
One of the government's key policies - extracted by NZ First as part of its coalition agreement - is the "Provincial Growth Fund": $1 billion a year spent on creating jobs in rural New Zealand. Yesterday the Auditor-General issued a report on the fund, finding that it lacks transparency, and ...
The Warehouse, one of New Zealand's biggest retailers, has decided to stop selling coal. Good. Coal is a dirty, polluting fossil fuel, and the less of it we have out there, the better. Retailers choosing not to sell it sends a clear message that this is not a fuel we ...
The labour market statistics have been released, and they show that unemployment actually dropped last quarter. All told, there are 111,000 unemployed - 15,000 fewer than when the government took office. But before anyone thinks that the pandemic hasn't put people out of work, remember that this is for ...
Judy KavanaghI’m OK with wearing a CovidCard. But are you? There’s no point me doing it alone.The author modelling a (fake) CovidCard. I didn’t know much about the CovidCard proposal until I read Dave’s latest blog post. You would wear the card visibly on your person. It ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzWhy can’t I use the battery from my electric car ...
As many good things come in threes (as the saying goes), we are happy to announce a third partnership between Skeptical Science and other websites. Fakebook.eco in Brazil is joining Klimafakten.de in Germany and Nauka o Klimacie in Poland to leverage translated rebuttal material and to make the information readily available in other ...
This interview on RNZ with Ross Tucker, the scientist who headed a review of transgender athletes playing in women’s rugby, discusses the findings of the review and what it means for women in sports. The review that World Rugby undertook had a broad range of independent experts and included a ...
Siouxsie WilesThe restrictions in place for metropolitan Melbourne now are in some ways stricter than those that were in force during New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown. A curfew is in place and most people have to wear masks when they leave their home – neither of which happened in New ...
On Friday the Hit and Run inquiry delivered a devastating report which found that NZDF had systematically misled Ministers over civilian deaths. The report called into question civilian control of the military (and indeed, military control of the military), a fundamental principle of our democracy. So you'd expect our politicians ...
Let's Do This Again: What else can Jacinda do in a political environment so bereft of imagination and courage but seek a continuance? If she trades upon the extraordinary personal qualities that she has, miraculously, carried with her into the office of Prime Minister, then I, for one, will offer ...
How corrupt are the New Zealand Police? This corrupt: On 10 February 2019, Police attended a family harm incident. The suspect attempted to run the attending officers over in a driveway with his car, narrowly missing them, before fleeing the scene. A short pursuit followed, ending when the suspect stopped ...
Parliament's triennial Review of Standing Orders was released today, and it contains a number of welcome, if minor, improvements. The ones that caught my are: A move to encourage "pre-legislative engagement" - the government consulting widely on legislation before it is introduced - by promising easier passage (e.g. with ...
Lauren Vargo, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of WellingtonGlaciers around the world are melting — and for the first time, we can now directly attribute annual ice loss to climate change. We analysed two years in which glaciers in New Zealand melted the most in at least four ...
Caroline Shaw, Anja MizdrakE-bikes are everywhere. Sales are booming and predicted to overtake sales of new cars in a few years. There were three times as many e-bikes and e-scooters imported into NZ in 2019 alone as there are e-cars in the entire country. You can’t go out in ...
New Zealand First is facing a difficult struggle to get re-elected, but Josh Van Veen, who was once a researcher for Winston Peters, argues that there is still a very significant section of cultural conservatives who oppose mass immigration and political correctness and might yet be won back over to ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk Many Americans these days seem unable to avoid controversy on practically any topic, so why not embrace the discord and wade into the especially volatile arena of nuclear energy? Advocates claim it’s the only way to meet global climate goals, ...
Can we trust New Zealand’s military? There must now be serious doubt, given the landmark report released on Friday concluding the investigation into allegations made in the book Hit and Run by Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson about a 2010 SAS killing raid in Afghanistan. The most recent Colmar Brunton ...
In New Zealand, we've just had the report of the Hit and Run inquiry, which found that a New Zealand led raid had accidentally killed civilians, including a child. meanwhile, around the same time, the British SAS was conducting its own raids in Afghanistan, and theirs were a hell of ...
In addition to establishing a process for setting emissions reductions plans, the Zero Carbon Act established a process for managing the risks of climate change. The first part of this is the preparation of regular risk assessments, looking at the risks to our economy, society, environment, and ecology. The first ...
Over on The spinoff, Amnesty International's Meg de Ronde has a response to Friday's release of the Hit and Run report. And in response to Attorney-General David Parker's claim that the government was being "transparent" by releasing the report, its titled "we shouldn’t have to work this hard to get ...
Story of the Week... Opinion of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Rising Seas Could Menace Millions Beyond Shorelines, Study FindsAs climate change raises sea levels, storm surges and high tides will ...
There's an election next month, so you'd be expecting political parties to be telling us what they stand for and what they'd do if they'd win. But while the Greens have given us a detailed policy platform, and National has talked about roads and austerity, Labour, currently leading the polls ...
"Who's youse accusin' of innference?" Without the timely intervention of a team of top American political consultants and campaign experts, Boris Yeltsin would never have won his second term as President of the Russian Federation. The Russians waited 20 years to return the favour.WHEN IT COMES to the disinformation game, ...
As polling day in the American presidential election draws closer, things are looking bad for Donald Trump. The polls show that he is tracking well behind his Democrat rival. Most people assume that the President will be striving might and main to avoid what looks increasingly likely to be a ...
Our health professionals do an amazing job. Image credit: Wikipedia – Cardiac surgery. Finally, I have got back to these rankings. A long period in hospital and computer problems meant the June 2020 rankings were abandoned. Now, with a new personal defibrillator implanted in my chest and a new hard ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, July 26 through Sat, Aug 1, 2020Editor's ChoiceThe four types of climate denier, and why you should ignore them allThe shill, the grifter, the egomaniac and the ideological ...
Over the last few days, reports have emerged of people travelling from New Zealand and testing positive for Covid-19 upon arrival at their destination. First in South Korea and now in Australia. What might these positive tests mean?They’re false-positives As Toby Morris and I have explained before, there are ...
Former National Minister - Wayne MappYou could tell that the Hit and Run book by investigative journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson was right on the money by the way former National Party Minister of Defence, Wayne Mapp, reacted to its now largely vindicated claims.Even though the recent inquiry into ...
So, the Hit and Run inquiry has reported back, and found some appalling shit at NZDF and NZSIS. And while they quibble a few of the details - the name of a dead child - they basicly uphold Hager and Stephenson's version of events. The SAS went to those villages. ...
We are failing to think though the interdependencies in an economy. We miss economist Bryan Philpott (1921-2000). I miss him personally – we used to have such great discussions – but this column is about how the nation misses his economic experience and wisdom. We tend to ...
Michelle Boag - LeakerThe Heron report (PDF) was released yesterday, and it was a bit disappointing to say the least. It correctly found that former National Party president Michelle Boag and National Party MP Hamish Walker were politically motivated in leaking peoples private medical information, but didn’t look further into ...
Adam Smith, Massey UniversityA recent global assessment of shark populations at 371 coral reefs in 58 countries found no sharks at almost 20% of reefs and alarmingly low numbers at many others. The study, which involved over 100 scientists under the Global FinPrint project, gave New Zealand a good ...
On different trajectories and from different ends of the political spectrum, last night’s One News/Colmar Brunton poll has the Green Party and ACT converging around the five percent mark. And, as odd as it may sound, they head into the election campaign with a lot in common.Putting the Greens and ...
Janet Stephenson, University of OtagoA proposed multibillion-dollar project to build a pumped hydro storage plant could make New Zealand’s electricity grid 100% renewable, but expensive new infrastructure may not be the best way to achieve this. New Zealand’s electricity generation is already around 80% renewable, with just over half ...
Truth In Advertising: Labour, it would seem, is the party that knows nothing about running the economy right up until the moment that it does. HOW DID LABOUR acquire its reputation for being a poor economic manager? As with most things political and historical, it’s a long story.In the beginning, the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Government rulemakers looking to decide how much money to spend to avoid adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere need a good estimate of what a warming climate will cost in social damages, for example through more extreme weather events. That point makes ...
Below is the list of gender-critical material which appeared on Redline from October 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019. Rainbow Tick threatens to pull Massey’s tick if lesbians are allowed to speak Freer Lives – a gender-critical Marxist site Freer Lives on Violence, debate and Britain’s Gender Recognition Act British ...
Fact Check: New Zealand’s own relationship with China might, however, be salvageable if our own Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was willing to equip its minister, Winston Peters, with a few facts. Legislating for the protection of national security – the very action our Foreign Minister is decrying – ...
I hope we can all agree that charging only certain returning expats for isolation costs is the right call. Instead of a blanket fee, which may have resulted in a small number of Kiwis deciding not to return home because of financial reasons, the Government has chosen to implement a ...
Back at the beginning of this government, the Greens made a foolish decision to support the Electoral Integrity Act - demanded by Winston Peters to keep his own backbench in line as part of his coalition deal with Labour - as an act of good faith within the coalition. It ...
We've announced that we will expand the Flexi-wage programme to support up to 40,000 more people into work, or to help them start their own business. It's yet another way we're helping keep our economy moving by getting people into work and training. Read on to find out more ...
Business subsidy of on average $7500, and up to $22,000, to hire unemployed New ZealandersUp to 40,000 jobs to be supported by $311 million investment in keeping New Zealanders off the unemployment benefitRing-fenced fund to help unemployed start their own business ...
This week was the last of the 52nd Parliament: a major milestone for our Government and a great opportunity to look back at all the progress we've made for New Zealanders. This week, we increased support for businesses to take on apprentices, improved access to hospital care in Northland, and ...
Kia orana and kia ora koutou katoa. It is a privilege to be able to speak in this adjournment debate and to mark and acknowledge the fact that we are now two years and 10 months into the conclusion of a parliamentary term that has been extraordinary in so many ...
On 1 August, we marked the anniversary of Jacinda Ardern becoming the Leader of the Labour Party. On that day in 2017, Leader Andrew Little nominated Jacinda Ardern to succeed him and lead the party to victory.Now, three years on, we look back at some of the key moments ...
With the June 2020 quarter showing underemployment increasing, the Green Party is calling for a Guaranteed Minimum Income and an increase to the abatement threshold to ensure everyone has a dignified income. ...
We went hard and we went early in our health response to COVID-19, and we did everything we could to cushion the economic impact too. In fact, we can fill every letter of the alphabet with the steps we took to fight COVID-19 and ensure we were in a position ...
Investing in our people, backing businesses, and upgrading infrastructure and housing throughout the country - it's been another week of progress for New Zealanders as we deliver our plan to recover and rebuild. ...
July was another busy month, packed with key investments aimed at progressing our economic recovery as we rebuild New Zealand. We extended support for businesses, helped create jobs through local infrastructure projects, and kept working to clean up our waterways so Kiwis can access safe clean water. Check out the ...
The Green Party is calling for the Defence Force Chiefs in place between 2010-2017 to front up and explain how dishonesty, process and policy failures within the Defence Force led to ‘a series of incorrect statements in briefings to ministers and public releases’ regarding alleged breaches of international torture prevention ...
Thanks to our strong health response, New Zealand’s economy is more open than many other countries. But as COVID continues to surge around the world, the economic consequences of the virus will continue to be a challenge, which is why we have a detailed plan to help New Zealand bounce ...
Thanks to our strong health response, New Zealand’s economy is more open than many other countries. But as COVID continues to surge around the world, the economic consequences of the virus will continue to be a challenge, which is why we have a detailed plan to help New Zealand bounce ...
The Government is stepping up action to deal with environmentally harmful products – including plastic packaging, tyres and e-waste – before they become waste. ...
The Green Party are ensuring that New Zealanders who were overseas when COVID-19 hit will not be charged for the cost of isolation or quarantine if they return home to live. ...
It's been another week of creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and investing in infrastructure up and down the country - all of which are helping to keep our economy moving post-COVID-19. ...
Law changes to end tenure review and provide for better management of Crown pastoral lands in the South Island high country were considered by Parliament today with the first reading of the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill says Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage. ...
The Green Party have secured legislative amendments in a bill expected to pass third reading this week, to ensure better rules for school teachers and staff, so they can de-escalate children with diverse needs and cognitive differences, such as autism, rather than using unnecessary and often traumatising force. ...
Managed isolation charges for returnees will come into force from 12.01am Tuesday 11th August, after they passed their last cabinet milestone today, Housing Minister Megan Woods said. “The new charging system balances the rights of New Zealanders to return home and helps reduce pressure on the managed isolation and quarantine ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Henry Puna have welcomed the completion of phase one in the establishment of a travel bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Island. Negotiations on the text of an ‘Arrangement to Facilitate Quarantine-Free Travel ...
The Government has launched a new online, phone and onsite service to help New Zealanders connect to a range of employment support and products for workers and businesses affected by COVID-19, announced Minister of Education Chris Hipkins and Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni. Connected.govt.nz is a one-stop-shop for jobseekers, ...
Security guards contracted to the Ministry of Social Development will be paid at least the Living Wage from next month supporting the Government’s commitment towards fair pay and employment conditions, announced Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni. “MSD was among the first government agencies to pay its employees the living ...
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today launched Te Mana o te Taiao, the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy - a way forward that envisions Aotearoa New Zealand as a place where ecosystems are healthy and resilient, and people embrace the natural world. “Many of New Zealand’s plants and wildlife species ...
“Pacific languages, cultures and identity are essential to the health, wellbeing and lifetime success of our Pacific peoples and their communities in Aotearoa. The strength and resilience of Pacific Aotearoa is not only vital to their own prosperity but integral to the prosperity of all New Zealanders, and is particularly ...
· $38 million to help schools cover unexpected costs related to COVID-19 · $69 million upgrade for online learning · $107 million contingency funding to support school construction suppliers facing additional costs due to the lockdown. The Government is releasing $214 million from the COVID-19 response and recovery fund to ...
Despite the Government installing safety upgrades around the country, people should still take care around rail crossings, said Transport Minister Phil Twyford launching Rail Safety Week. Phil Twyford said installing safety infrastructure is crucial, but we are encouraging people to be more careful around trains too. “We’re making good progress ...
The Government is providing a cash injection to help Palmerston North City Council complete a programme to provide 78 social housing units for vulnerable tenants. The $4.7 million to build 28 units in the Papaioea Place redevelopment comes from the $3 billion set aside for infrastructure in the Government’s COVID-19 ...
A pest free Banks Peninsula/Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū is one step closer with a $5.11 million boost to accelerate this project and create jobs, announced Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage in Canterbury today. “This is a game changer for this ambitious project to restore the native wildlife and plants on Ōtautahi/Christchurch’s doorstep ...
A Government grant of $6.4 million will expand the Pettigrew Arena in Taradale with new indoor courts of national standard. “The project is likely to take 18 months with approximately 300 people employed through the process,” Grant Robertson said. “The expansion will increase the indoor court space up to 11 ...
The Far North tourist destination of Mangonui is to receive Government funding to improve waterfront infrastructure, open up access to the harbour and improve water quality, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has announced. A total of $6.5 million from the $3 billion set aside in the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund ...
The Government has re-affirmed its commitment to supporting the hosting of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, which the ICC has delayed from 2021 to 2022. “This is obviously a disappointing decision for cricket players and fans around the world and for the White Ferns and their supporters here at ...
Cyclists and walkers will now have a safer way to get around Taupō, Tūrangi, and between Hamilton and Cambridge, with funding for shared paths and Te Awa River Ride, Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter announced today. “The Te Awa River Ride is the latest part of massive growth ...
Six major cycle routes will be completed in Christchurch thanks to funding from the Government’s investment in shovel-ready infrastructure as part of the COVID-19 recovery Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter announced today. $125 million will be invested to kick-start construction and fund the completion of the following cycleway ...
Plans are underway for a brand new state-of-the-art hub for Whanganui’s justice and social agencies, following confirmation the ageing Whanganui Central Police Station is to be replaced. Police Minister Stuart Nash has announced $25 million in new infrastructure spending to improve facilities for the wider community, and for staff who ...
An adjustment payment has been made to Waikato-Tainui and Ngāi Tahu under the relativity mechanisms in their 1995 and 1997 Treaty of Waitangi settlements, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little announced today. The latest payments to Waikato-Tainui and Ngāi Tahu are $2,700,000 and $2,600,000 respectively to ensure the ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Transport Minister Phil Twyford today kicked off the start of the Auckland NZ Upgrade Programme rail projects which will support over 400 jobs and help unlock our biggest city. Both ministers marked the start of enabling works on the third main rail line project ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment of $3.78 million in Wairoa will create much needed economic stimulus and jobs, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. PGF projects announced today include: $200,000 loan to Nuhaka Kiwifruit Holdings Ltd (operated by Pine Valley Orchard Ltd) to increase the productivity ...
Tenants in public and Māori housing may be benefiting from their own affordable renewable energy in future – a fund to trial renewable energy technology for public and Māori housing has today been announced by Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods and Associate Minister for Housing (Māori Housing) Nanaia Mahuta. ...
Hokianga will receive $2.7 million to redevelop four of its wharves and upgrade its water supply, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Far North District Council will receive $1.8 million from the Provincial Growth Fund for the work on the wharves. “The work will include the construction of ...
A $350 million Residential Development Response Fund is being established to support the residential construction sector and to minimise the economic impact from COVID-19, the Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “The Residential Development Response Fund will help to progress stalled or at-risk developments that support our broader housing ...
As part of a broader plan to divert waste from landfill, the Government today announced $10.67 million for new infrastructure as part of the Resource Recovery Network across the Auckland region. “This key investment in Auckland’s community recycling network is part of the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group ‘shovel ready’ projects ...
The Government is investing $45 million in the first stage of an ambitious urban development project for Tauranga that will employ up to 250 people and help the region grow, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today. Phil Twyford says the funding has been allocated out of the $3 billion ...
Getting low-emission trucks on the road is a step closer with investment in infrastructure to support hydrogen vehicles, the Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods has announced. The Infrastructure Reference Group has provisionally approved $20 million for New Plymouth company Hiringa Energy to establish a nationwide network of hydrogen-fuelling stations. ...
A new trades training centre to upskill the local workforce will be built in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa through funding from the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Government will contribute $10.84 million from ...
The Government has agreed to repeal part of the Oranga Tamariki Act subsequent children provisions, Minister for Children Tracey Martin announced today. “There are times when children need to go into care for their safety – the safety and care of children must always be paramount,” Minister Martin said. “But ...
A $1.5 million boost to grow primary mental health and addiction services for Pacific peoples in Auckland, Hamilton and Canterbury will lead to better outcomes for Pacific communities, Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa says. Pasifika Futures has received funding to expand services through The Fono, Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest by ...
Twenty-two projects to boost the sustainability and climate resilience of New Zealand’s food and fibres sector have been announced today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. The $18m funding will deliver practical knowledge to help farmers and growers use their land more sustainably, meet environmental targets, remain prosperous, and better understand ...
Employment Minister Willie Jackson welcomes an initiative that assists employers to get mature workers into New Zealand small businesses. The disadvantages that older people face in the workplace was highlighted in the whole of Government Employment Strategy. In order to address this, a Mature Workers Toolkit has been developed and ...
New Zealand and Australia reaffirmed today the need for the closest possible collaboration as they tackle a global environment shaped by COVID-19, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said. “In these challenging times, our close collaboration with Australia is more vital than ever,” said Mr Peters. Mr Peters and his Australian ...
The recovery and forensic examination of the loader driven by survivor Russell Smith means the underground team are now moving into an area of the Pike River Mine that has not been seen since the explosion, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little said. “The fifth and last robot ...
The Government has confirmed a community-wide trial of CovidCard technology as it explores options for COVID-19 contact tracing. “Effective contact tracing is a vital part of the COVID-19 response,” Minister of Health Chris Hipkins said. “While manual processes remain the critical component for contact tracing, we know digital solutions can ...
The government is proposing changes to aquaculture legislation to improve the process for allocating and transferring aquaculture assets to iwi. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has introduced the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill to Parliament. It proposes a limited new discretionary power for Te Ohu Kaimoana Trustee Limited (ToKM). ...
The Minister of Justice has today introduced the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill – the next step in the ongoing programme of work to fix the failed 2014 Family Court reforms led by then Justice Minister Judith Collins. The Bill arises from the report of the Independent ...
A new Department of Conservation (DOC) action plan tackles the impacts of climate change on New Zealand’s biodiversity and DOC managed infrastructure including tracks, huts and cultural heritage. Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage says extreme weather events around the country have really brought home our vulnerability to changing weather patterns. ...
A heavily scaled back international Antarctic season will commence this week, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods have confirmed. “Antarctica is the only continent that is COVID-19 free,” Mr Peters said. “Throughout the global pandemic, essential operations and long-term science have continued at ...
The Government is providing up to $30 million to help fund the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt - an investment that will create 244 jobs. “The sports hub is designed to be a world-leading shared service for a range of sports, offering the level of facilities ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today transport projects currently in construction will continue at pace due to extra Government support for transport projects to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. To keep the $16.9 billion 2018-21 National Land Transport Programme going the Government has allocated funding from the COVID Response and ...
$50 million for further rural broadband digital connectivity has been allocated from the $3 billion infrastructure fund in the COVID Response and Recovery Fund has been announced by Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure and Kris Faafoi, Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media. The investment will go to boosting broadband ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Maylea, Senior Lecturer, Law and Social Work, RMIT University The second wave of the coronavirus and the resulting restrictions have impacted all Victorians. Many are struggling, but some are struggling more than others. In response to the increasing number of people ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Stone, General practitioner; Clinical Associate Professor, ANU Medical School, Australian National University Last week, the Australian government announced it will provide ten extra Medicare-subsidised psychological therapy sessions for Australians in lockdown areas due to COVID-19. In such a stressful time, many ...
It looks like science has come off second best in government considerations during the development of Te Mana o te Taiao, the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy, which envisions New Zealand as a place where ecosystems are healthy and resilient, and people embrace the natural world. The press statement announcing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wanning Sun, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Technology Sydney US President Donald Trump’s recent moves against Tiktok, the popular video-sharing platform, have been widely seen as part of a new “tech Cold War” between the US and China. Trump ...
National leader Judith Collins has endorsed David Seymour in the Epsom seat and recent polls have put support for ACT anywhere between 3 and 5 percent - giving it up to six MPs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lily O’Neill, Research Fellow, Australian National University Huge clean energy projects, such as the Asian Renewable Energy Hub in the Pilbara, Western Australia, are set to produce gigawatts of electricity over vast expanses of land in the near future. The Asian Renewable ...
Remarks by new coach Nathan Brown and the closed-door discussions by the club around recruiting a man facing sexual assault charges undermines the rugby league club’s values, writes Tiffany Salmond.It’s been a hot topic in rugby league circles for well over a year – but not for the right reasons.Former ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Associate Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney The recent questioning of the heads of Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple in the US Congress has highlighted the threat their practices pose to our privacy and democracy. However these big ...
Good habits start young, and with Money Week this week, now is a great time to look at how we can support and nourish our kids’ financial journeys writes Banqer’s Simon Brown. For some reason, a lot of people see money as a boring topic. But the fact is, it’s a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne This week’s federal Newspoll, conducted August 5-8 from a sample of 1,509, gave the Coalition a 52-48 lead, a one-point gain for Labor since the last Newspoll, three weeks ago. ...
A tender for underwater inspection services at the abandoned oil field off the coast of Taranaki has shed light on the dubious state of its subsea infrastructure. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Plank, Professor in Mathematics, University of Canterbury Our latest modelling shows New Zealanders need to redouble their efforts to keep track of people they meet, if we are to have a chance of controlling any re-emergence of COVID-19. The director general ...
Local Government New Zealand’s (LGNZ) Regional Sector has today welcomed the launch of Te Mana o te Taiao, the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy, citing robust collaboration with iwi, regional councils and private landowners and leadership from ...
The High Court has ruled today that Greenpeace is entitled to register as a charity and that the Charities Registration Board was in error for declining the environmental campaigning organisation’s application. In a summary of the judgement posted online ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Dobson, Professor and Dean of Education, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The English language in education today is all-pervasive. “Hear more English, speak more English and become more successful” has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Some say it’s already ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stuart Richards, Lecturer in Screen Studies, University of South Australia Review: Welcome to Chechnya, screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival Welcome to Chechnya, screening online as part of MIFF 68½, is a bracing documentary. This film is part of a queer ...
It’s become fashionable among some political circles to advocate for a laissez-faire approach to debt, on the basis that the government can issue as much debt as it likes – for as long as it likes. But there’s one big drawback to ‘just print more money’ argument, writes Pattrick Smellie ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australia’s aged care sector was “underprepared” to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak and federal authorities had no specific plan for it, according to a stinging indictment from Peter Rozen QC, senior counsel assisting the royal ...
A Productivity Commission report finding was based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of disease transmission dynamics, and now that error has itself been transmitted in the media and into the election campaign, write Nic Steyn, Mike Plank, Alex James, Rachelle Binny, Audrey Lustig and Shaun Hendy of Te ...
Latest from the Beehive Here’s hoping the hundreds of millions of dollars pumped into Northland from the Provincial Growth Fund and other government programmes do much more to promote the region’s economic and social wellbeing than they are doing to enhance Shane Jones’ election prospects. He is bound to be ...
The first Auckland Central debate took place last night, despite the lack of a National candidate. Josie Adams went along to watch Helen White, Chlöe Swarbrick and the rest.The Auckland Central electorate stretches from the depths of Grafton across the Hauraki Gulf to Aotea (Great Barrier). Its residents are Waiheke’s ...
Kiwibank was right to refuse the business of sex-trade operators exploiting women and children, says Wahine Toa Rising, a newly-formed organisation led by survivors of the trade in New Zealand. Spokeswoman Ally Marie Diamond said "we were gutted ...
During the worst days of the Covid-19 outbreak in New Zealand, Matamata was right at the heart of it all. Alex Braae went to the Waikato town to ask people how they’re getting on now.On the signs heading out to the Hobbiton Movie Set about 10 minutes away from the ...
The government has announced a pay increase for security guards at the Ministry of Social Development as the Labour Party makes a commitment to government agency workers for fair pay and working conditions. ...
“As sure as God made little apples, she would have reinvented herself and she will be ripping someone off in England as we speak,” predicted a former colleague of Joanne Harrison. A new investigation reveals the charming fraudster, who stole ...
Lihir is the second mine in Papua New Guinea to report a confirmed covid-19 case as the national total of infections reached 214 at the weekend. Newcrest Mining Limited confirmed that a 30-year-old male, a mine employee who had flown in from the capital Port Moresby on July 30, had ...
E te rangatira, e te tohunga, e te Tiati, haere, haere, haere atu ra. Haere ki o tupuna, no ratou nga taonga i tuku iho ki a koe, hei whangai mai ki a matou. ...
Commitment from all political parties to implementing the new Te Mana o te Taiao - Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy is vital to protecting our future, says Forest & Bird. “The Strategy clearly says that New Zealand’s environment ...
The 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War will be acknowledged on 15 August, with a commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage Chief Executive Bernadette ...
New Zealand's total fertility rate has reached an all-time low, with an average of 1.71 children per woman in New Zealand, well below population replacement level. “ Families: Ever Fewer or No Children , How Worried Should We Be? “ - a report ...
Joint Press Release: NextElection, Scoop.co.nz, ScoopCitizen NextElection , a technology platform empowering democracy and Government accountability, and Scoop Independent News have partnered to strengthen citizen participation in the 2020 New Zealand General ...
Since March 15 2019, a string of lone actor, far-right copycat atrocities provide important clues to the kind of transnational, online movement we now confront, writes Emanuel Stoakes.Before storming the Al Noor Mosque, the would-be killer dressed in military fatigues, attempted a livestream and signalled his intent on an image ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cordelia Fine, Professor, History & Philosophy of Science program, School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne How useful are the well-known and hotly contested categories of “male brain” and “female brain”? Among experts, nobody really questions that anatomical sex differences ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University Earlier this month, there were media reports that Liberal backbencher Craig Kelly had posted to Facebook advocating the anti-malarial drug, hydroxychloroquine, as a treatment for COVID-19. Kelly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carissa Bonner, Research Fellow, University of Sydney If the media is anything to go by, you’d think people who believe coronavirus myths are white, middle-aged women called Karen. But our new study shows a different picture. We found men and people aged ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graeme Pearman, Professorial Fellow, Australian-German Climate and Energy College, University of Melbourne There is global interest in the potential for a hydrogen economy, in part driven by a concern over climate change and the need to move away from fossil fuels. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mehmet Aslan, Honorary Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Australian universities are expected to lose billions of dollars in revenue due to the impacts of COVID-19. The estimated lost revenue from international students alone is A$18 billion by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Owain Emslie, Senior Associate, Grattan Institute Grattan Institute research published today shows the average 25-year-old woman who goes on to have a child can expect to earn A$2 million less by the time she is 70 than the average 25-year-old man who ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Beck Wise, Lecturer in Professional Writing, The University of Queensland You might have scrolled right by Annastacia Palaszczuk’s recent quote posts if you saw them on Instagram – just another lifestyle influencer posting a “deep” quote – but when she (or her ...
Welcome to Election Live for August 10, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other breaking news. For key dates in the election seasonclick here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Policy launches tomorrow. Get ...
New Zealand First and leader Winston Peters are up against it this year in the general elections if the polls are to be believed, but the political veteran shows no sign of giving up yet. ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Labour launches campaign while National releases list, frantic final days at parliament wrapped, and new poll shows Shane Jones in trouble in Northland.Some would say the campaign has been underway for months in a proxy form, but officially, it’s now ...
Kiwibank's initial plans to blacklist the adult entertainment industry ran into opposition from the New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective, but the bank is being urged to stick to its guns by Wahine Toa Rising - a new trans-Tasman group set up by ex-sex workers. Yvonne van Dongen reports Last month Kiwibank rolled ...
The wife of a Chinese dissident killed in a recent car crash says she’s struggling to raise her children without the support of her husband - the family’s sole income earner Xi Weiguo (48) died in a car crash in Tokoroa on July 21, along with fellow pro-democracy campaigner Wang ...
Paula Morris on her former writing student, now the author of a worldwide smash, Auckland novelist Rose Carlyle On a mild Wednesday evening last week, I attended the launch for a debut novel. There were more than 100 guests crowding the ground floor of the National Library in Auckland. There ...
Let's not delude ourselves, temporary migrant workers are being exploited in this country - and it's nothing new, writes Christina Stringer The reality of slavery, human trafficking and the exploitation of temporary migrant workers in New Zealand was exposed last month with the successful conviction of a 66-year-old man in the Napier ...
Belinda Cordwell remains New Zealand's highest-ranked singles tennis player, having climbed to No.17 in the world. But today you'll find her chasing sheep rather than a fuzzy green ball. You may remember Belinda Cordwell came within two victories of being New Zealand’s only woman Grand Slam tennis champion. But you might ...
How far away are vaccines which could end the pandemic and how many doses can be made quickly? Finding a vaccine which protects against the coronavirus which causes Covid-19 is seen as the best way to stop the continued spread of the disease. It's estimated around 70 percent of the ...
The Ministry of Health; "The term unborn child is not a scientific term and does not have a commonly accepted definition." The Prime Minister said in September 2018, "If you ask me why I'm in politics, my answer will be simple: children." ...
We do not have to roll along with the status quo. We are asking New Zealanders to choose help over handcuffs, prevention over prisons, and healing over punishment, writes Laura O’Connell Rapira.It is said that the first Pacific voyagers to sail to these lands visualised this place before they reached ...
In the blur of the last week of this parliament, a law that discriminated against family disability carers was torn from the books. It’s one of those moments when we can see why political activism of all kinds actually matters, writes Andrew Geddis.Last week, on Wednesday evening (which in parliament’s ...
Binge-drinking in teenagers has dropped dramatically in the past 20 years - but the reasons for that are complex Teenage binge-drinking has "dropped off the cliff" in the last 20 years but until now, no one really knew why. A new paper, What explains the decline in adolescent binge-drinking in New ...
A senior journalism lecturer is urging the foreign media to respect New Zealand’s strict reporting restrictions for the sentencing of the gunman who carried out the Christchurch mosque attacks last year. Brenton Tarrant will be sentenced in the High Court in Christchurch beginning on Monday, August 24. Eighteen overseas and ...
Celebrity agent Ryan Serhant is promoting the sale, a snip at $24 million. It looks so good, why let pesky details like closed borders and foreign buyer bans stop you?Along with panoramic views, adventure sports and fine wines, the New Zealand pitch for wealthy Americans now includes the lure of ...
The Green’s latest housing policy is a lot of wishful thinking, National’s Housing spokesperson Jacqui Dean says. “Blue-sky thinking has never been the Green’s problem, but delivery has. “The Government partners talked a big game on housing ...
Studying a Bachelor of Arts at AUT helped Guled Mire understand his place in the world, so that he can make a difference in his community. Video: AUTBy Simon SmithGuled Mire says his new Fulbright NZ scholarship to study at an Ivy League university in the United States ...
Open mike 17/05/2013 
NewsHub Nation has launched a new podcast, "Supplementary Question". Their inaugural episode is about the OIA, and asks "is our most important transparency law fit for purpose?" While they interviewed Justice Minister Andrew Little and Ombudsman Peter Boshier for this, there's not actually a lot of them in there, and ...4 hours ago
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Drawdown Review 2020: How To Address Global Warming In A Responsible Manner Source: Project Drawdown Project Drawdown is a non-profit organization that relies ...11 hours ago
Dr Tim Chambers, Prof Nick Wilson, Jayne Richards, A/Prof Simon Hales, Dr Mike Joy, Prof Michael Baker (author affiliations*) Increasing water-related health threats, notably the waterborne campylobacter outbreak in Havelock North, have highlighted failings in NZ’s regulatory system for drinking water. In this blog we consider how the new Water ...11 hours ago
Yes, an election is in the offing – and we all know that elections can be polarising, as parties of the left and right square off against each other. But we should not allow our party and political allegiances to obscure the fact that, in a properly functioning democracy like ...12 hours ago
Today’s content Labour Party Henry Cooke (Stuff): Labour launch an extremely centrist campaign Audrey Young (Herald) Labour launch is a deliberately understated affair from Jacinda Ardern (paywalled) Audrey Young (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s decision to ditch Labour manifesto carries risk (paywalled) Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Labour planning to revisit coalition Government policy casualties Simon Wilson (Herald): Election diary: Happy ...12 hours ago
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From some quarters, incessant scaremongering. From others, it’s a full-on tilt into touching the alarmist buttons a little too readily (uncertain times make for very captive audiences with this angle of attack). The (so-called) Opposition (and merely regarding them as that seems to be a far looser term now ...2 days ago
National Party leader - Judith CollinsElections often bring out the best and worst in politicians. Some rise to the occasion and provide us with a clear vision for the future. While others wallow in resentment and controversy, over-relying on attack politics to try to attain the interest of voters.That’s been ...2 days ago
The attempts to sabotage Corbyn's leadership seems likely to do more damage than Corbyn supposedly ever could have done, even if all the stories about him were true: I was reluctant to say anything but this is too important, the full story needs to be told.Don’t let anyone ever tell ...2 days ago
Good day to everyone. I’ve been asked by Mr Thinks to come here and talk to you all about my concerns regarding the government response to Covid-19. We’ve been living through this pandemic for, what seems like, years. Years and years and years. Why else would the National Party have ...2 days ago
‘Good Economics for Hard Times’ should be on your reading list. New Zealand does not have a Minister of Labour. It has Ministers of Immigration and Workplace Relations and Safety but there is no minister with responsibility for the labour market. That responsibility was abolished in 2012 when ...3 days ago
4 days ago
by Don Franks This talk was given to the Wellington Anti Capitalist Alliance, fifteen years ago. The ultimate weapons of mass destruction so far seen on this planet have been used just twice, 60 years ago this month. August 6 and August 9 1945 witnessed the US atomic bombing ...5 days ago
Our health professionals do an amazing job. Image credit: Wikipedia – Cardiac surgery. Finally, I have got back to these rankings. A long period in hospital and computer problems meant the June 2020 rankings were abandoned. Now, with a new personal defibrillator implanted in my chest and a new hard ...1 week ago
Below is the list of gender-critical material which appeared on Redline from October 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019. Rainbow Tick threatens to pull Massey’s tick if lesbians are allowed to speak Freer Lives – a gender-critical Marxist site Freer Lives on Violence, debate and Britain’s Gender Recognition Act British ...2 weeks ago
The Green Party has revealed its Homes for All Plan, which lays the foundation for an Aotearoa where everyone has a warm, dry and affordable home. ...1 day ago
We've announced that we will expand the Flexi-wage programme to support up to 40,000 more people into work, or to help them start their own business. It's yet another way we're helping keep our economy moving by getting people into work and training. Read on to find out more ...2 days ago
Managed isolation charges for returnees will come into force from 12.01am Tuesday 11th August, after they passed their last cabinet milestone today, Housing Minister Megan Woods said. “The new charging system balances the rights of New Zealanders to return home and helps reduce pressure on the managed isolation and quarantine ...3 hours ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Maylea, Senior Lecturer, Law and Social Work, RMIT University The second wave of the coronavirus and the resulting restrictions have impacted all Victorians. Many are struggling, but some are struggling more than others. In response to the increasing number of people ...30 mins ago
It looks like science has come off second best in government considerations during the development of Te Mana o te Taiao, the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy, which envisions New Zealand as a place where ecosystems are healthy and resilient, and people embrace the natural world. The press statement announcing ...1 hour ago
...1 hour ago
National leader Judith Collins has endorsed David Seymour in the Epsom seat and recent polls have put support for ACT anywhere between 3 and 5 percent - giving it up to six MPs. ...2 hours ago
Remarks by new coach Nathan Brown and the closed-door discussions by the club around recruiting a man facing sexual assault charges undermines the rugby league club’s values, writes Tiffany Salmond.It’s been a hot topic in rugby league circles for well over a year – but not for the right reasons.Former ...2 hours ago
Latest from the Beehive Here’s hoping the hundreds of millions of dollars pumped into Northland from the Provincial Growth Fund and other government programmes do much more to promote the region’s economic and social wellbeing than they are doing to enhance Shane Jones’ election prospects. He is bound to be ...7 hours ago
The company reporting season begins, a local takeover concludes and Freightways extends its emergency air freight services to Australia ...14 hours ago
Kiwibank's initial plans to blacklist the adult entertainment industry ran into opposition from the New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective, but the bank is being urged to stick to its guns by Wahine Toa Rising - a new trans-Tasman group set up by ex-sex workers. Yvonne van Dongen reports Last month Kiwibank rolled ...15 hours ago
David Seymour on the possible path ahead for a growing ACT caucus. ...15 hours ago
The wife of a Chinese dissident killed in a recent car crash says she’s struggling to raise her children without the support of her husband - the family’s sole income earner Xi Weiguo (48) died in a car crash in Tokoroa on July 21, along with fellow pro-democracy campaigner Wang ...15 hours ago
Paula Morris on her former writing student, now the author of a worldwide smash, Auckland novelist Rose Carlyle On a mild Wednesday evening last week, I attended the launch for a debut novel. There were more than 100 guests crowding the ground floor of the National Library in Auckland. There ...15 hours ago
Common wisdom says an outright majority is all but impossible under MMP - could that change in 2020? ...15 hours ago
Let's not delude ourselves, temporary migrant workers are being exploited in this country - and it's nothing new, writes Christina Stringer The reality of slavery, human trafficking and the exploitation of temporary migrant workers in New Zealand was exposed last month with the successful conviction of a 66-year-old man in the Napier ...15 hours ago
Belinda Cordwell remains New Zealand's highest-ranked singles tennis player, having climbed to No.17 in the world. But today you'll find her chasing sheep rather than a fuzzy green ball. You may remember Belinda Cordwell came within two victories of being New Zealand’s only woman Grand Slam tennis champion. But you might ...15 hours ago
How far away are vaccines which could end the pandemic and how many doses can be made quickly? Finding a vaccine which protects against the coronavirus which causes Covid-19 is seen as the best way to stop the continued spread of the disease. It's estimated around 70 percent of the ...15 hours ago
Inquiry into flagship Pacific Reset reaffirms importance of development work in the region, but MFAT needs to be more open. ...15 hours ago
Binge-drinking in teenagers has dropped dramatically in the past 20 years - but the reasons for that are complex Teenage binge-drinking has "dropped off the cliff" in the last 20 years but until now, no one really knew why. A new paper, What explains the decline in adolescent binge-drinking in New ...15 hours ago
A simple but informative reflection on the Budgets implications for Education.
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/education-vote-private-sector-win.html
more dec. lines; this government won’t “catch up”; just continue to drag the line down.
The Government’s housing accords legislation needs some intense scrutiny. Already Len Brown has come out and suggested very gently that the legislation does not comply with the accord.
The Herald reports:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10884202
Interestingly the Accord states that publicity about it was to be agreed to by the Mayor and Nick Smith prior to its release. Looks like Len does not believe that this occurred.
The bill itself is a disaster. It will ensure greenfield urban sprawl over brownfield regeneration development because brownfield development will have a height limitation and will be too expensive. One way or the other this Government wanted urban sprawl to happen.
Sorry for replying to myself …
Under the accord the Council recommends and the Government approves. The Government cannot recommend itself. This continues until the accord is finished under clause 17 of the accord.
BUT
under section 16(4)(a)(ii) of the Bill the Minister can propose if he gives notice of the government’s intention to withdraw from the accord. This is 6 months before the accord finishes and contradicts the accord.
http://legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2013/0117/latest/whole.html#DLM5204771
It is a big stick the Government has handed itself and it smacks of bad faith bargaining.
Are you really surprised by that from this government?
Ah, while the standard was offline I was doing a post on this. Penny Hulse was more blunt on RNZ this morning about the Bill breaching the agreement. Thanks for the other links, micky. I didn’t see you post before I added mine below, then the site went offline. I’ll add links to your comments on my post.
That was quite quite irritating. Third time for the same platform reasons. Finally found out why no-one ever acted on my problem tickets – they apparently went to the wrong place (grr – yeah right). It was only after I called their answering service that fixed whatever the problem was.
I’ll be warming up a new server tomorrow despite them refunding the costs for the month. I can’t afford the time and the uncertainty of their not monitoring their own systems is unacceptable…
And if the Nats force this thru then “Lenny it Will Be a disaster of biblical proportions”
From this budget one can only deduce the fact that this government supports the private provision of services rather than public provision. This is reflected most in the extension of HNZ rent subsidies to the community sector (but not councils), and its funding freeze for public tertiary providers.
And we all have every reason to worry about fixed term tenancies for state houses. At first I thought that this would benefit private landlords, because of the effect that dumping 4000 people into the private market would have on (already crippling) rent levels. But no. Those who benefit will be those who own boarding houses and motor camps, because you can bet your life on the fact that those 4000 tenants, who lose their secure home because of some arbitary tenancy review, will end up in a boarding house or in a motor camp, because a private landlord simply will not house them, or they cannot afford the rent, or both.
This is going to be ugly. You can count on it.
That is, from what I can make out, what National want as forcing people into poverty generally means that they will be willing to work for less which means that profits for the few go up. It is, quite simply, in everything that they do as government.
good thoughts millsy; welcome to sub-prime US of A
Sheesh. Did I just hear Penny Hulse say the government’s urgency Bill on the local council-government “housing accord” could mean the Auckland Council-government accord is dead in the water if the Bill is not changed?
More lies from bullshitting Bill, announcing in the budget that beneficiaries will be able to buy fridges and washing machines via a recoverable WINZ grant,
Beneficiaries have been able to purchase these items of whiteware by this means for quite a few years, WINZ offices can even download photos of what is available (second hand) from their provider and delivery is arranged on the spot,
Clever Bill from Dipton announcing what was put in place by the previous Labour Government as some ‘new’ spending on welfare…
“Beneficiaries have been able to purchase these items of whiteware by this means for quite a few years,”
Since the 1980’s as a matter of fact. It is a long standing process that reflected the ‘social need’ part of our Social Welfare system. Unfortunately like all generous aspects of the system, some have seen fit to abuse it and various checks and balances were introduced. Nowadays it is only available through a few approved vendors and these items are usually more expensive than some whiteware people might be able to source elsewhere, but the fraud component has certainly been curtailed.
On a plus side the expectation is these vendors have better service and repair guarantees so the overall benefit to the consumer no doubt makes up for the increased cost.
Aha, i am highlighting the system that WINZ has had in place for at least the last 6 years where the whole purchase of whiteware, (fridges, washing machines), is completed through the WINZ office via their approved providers,
As you point out, honest beneficiaries are paying a higher price for these second hand appliances than they might if the items were sourced through the likes of Trademe to curtail the small frauds of a few beneficiaries and the secondhand dealers who in the past have happily also indulged,
On the plus side for beneficiaries is the guarantee, unspecified at the time of purchase but inherent in the consumer guarantee Act, repayment to WINZ of as little as $5 a week on the purchase and the delivery costs included in the price of the items bought, it would seem a reasonable system for providing for beneficiary needs which curtails fraudulent misbehavior and my opinion is that this should be extended to include other ‘large ticket’ items and even small loans to beneficiaries,
Having said all that, it is total bullshit, outright lies from the Minister of Finance to stand in the Parliament of New Zealand and claim this scheme as a ‘new’ Government initiative from the present Government when it has been the common practice of WINZ for at least the last 6 years, to do this is not only to mislead the people of New Zealand, (who in most cases wouldn’t have a clue), it is also misleading the Parliament with an outright lie with which the opposition party’s should flay the Minister…
” it is also misleading the Parliament with an outright lie with which the opposition party’s should flay the Minister…”
I understand the emotive phrase that history is a foreign country
and there are times it certainly feels like it happened somewhere else
but what really grates, is apparently everyone was looking in the opposite direction.
Continuing from the other day. Background is here and here –
Good on ya. Minor mistake but make no difference. The problem would seem to arise between us weka because I only heard the words, whereas you heard the words and all of this …
“it’s not an issue of not being allowed to raise the points. It’s how it is done. Also, it’s not about the ‘race’ of the person asking the questions, it’s about their mana and their politics”
We clearly see things differently.
I generally try to weed out those sorts of elementes whereas you want them to lead the way. vto
(nah, what you quote of me there is before I listened to the panel discussion, and was a general comment on discussing racism in NZ).
Leaving aside that it’s not a minor mistake, and that you obviously misled readers on what actually happened in the panel (albeit unintentionally), here is the question that you consider to be important outside of its context.
Given that polls tell us that 80% of New Zealanders are distressed at seeing their country being slowly surrendered to the part descendants of the minority of Maori who breached the Treaty by rebelling against the Crown in the 1860s, could we use a republican referendum process to entrench racial equality?
How about we discuss that as it stands?
It’s a bit like trying to pick up that last sliver of wet soap 🙂
But it is good to see that question – bloody hell only 80% I thought it was at least 140% by now.
Lol.
weka, I have answered the question around the identity of the questioner, twice. Not going to re-hash. You’ve set out your position I’ve set out mine and they are different for the reasons outlined. What you see as important and what I see as important are different. You look at things one way and I look at things another way and they are different.
As to that piece marty mars has pulled out if you read through the whole lot, including previous threads, you would realise the context and the highly selective quoting (selectiveness admitted to). As to the particular issue in that though, the extreme sensitivity that is shown by you and marty interestingly matches the divisiveness witnessed on the ground. It seems far from settled. You are as feverish about it as they.
As to the 80% question above, what do you think? I was not so much interested in the actual question, more in the interaction of peoples and the allowing of the question followed by the refusal to answer and the wider implications surrounding that.
As to a marty list, the issues have all been raised over time – governance without representation, privilege based on birthright and race, the place of indigeneity, ….. on it goes. They will continue to arise and no doubt be commented on. And I expect you will be right there to pounce if you can.
Yes vto i couldn’t fit all of your quotes in there. I’ll leave it up to weka to debate the finer points of your response. For me it is more of the same – mistruth, misrepresentation and misinformation from you to push your barrow which you can’t move from – your attitude is part of the problem and until that changes there is hardly any point engaging with you unless you come up with a list but oh no that’s too hard you’d rather snipe and hurt from a distance – so be it.
my list again
1 the Treaty is historical and a new one needs to be drafted to take into consideration the multicultural aspect of NZ society.
2 too much emphasis (money) is on tangata whenua and that they have received enough emphasis (money)
3 Māori were the first here and that could be called indigenous but it is irrelevant in today’s world
4 Māori are inherently violent and warlike
5 No one represents the ‘white man’ who gets abuse and derision when they say something that others perceive as racist
6 Non-Māori who talk about race get accused of being racist
7 Māori are racist to ‘white people’
8 Celts were here before Māori and taught them everything of what they know until Māori killed them all
9 The chinese bought slave-wives here to breed with Māori
10 Barry Brailsford doesn’t talk shit
bugger missed the cutoff
my list about what you think around these issues vto
Making it personal again i see. And plain stupid. You can’t help yourself can you.
Don’t bother engaging arsehole. Go stick your head back in the sand.
losing it again – you always do that when you are cornered. I never abused or insulted you, that is your imagination AGAIN
but if you want to go the insult way to distract from the series of posts about your misunderstandings we can do that – I’ll let those ones go and see if you can control yourself with your replies
imagination? look at your fucked list
That list has been posted a few times in the past few days. If you don’t like it, or disagree with it, then why not post another one that better matches your views? We are waiting to hear what you specifically think vto.
Despite what you might think I believe that Pakeha do need to have this conversation in order to move on.
hey be fair it was the first cut – point out the ones that are correct and I’ll amend it – seriously I thought they were mostly correct and not that bad really
That’s not really personal vto. It’s marty making observations about your behaviour. You may not like them, and you may disagree, but it’s not personal. Personal would be calling someone a racist fuckwit, something neither of us are doing (although I will happily call Ansell that). Or personal would be taking things known about your personal life and using them against you or to put you down.
I note that in marty’s analysis of your behaviour, he gives you a way out. Did you see that?
It is about the person and not the issue. You even admit it here “It’s marty making observations about your behaviour” That is personal. Your reference to “fucking racist” is nasty personal. Where is discussion about the issue?
We’re waiting for you to be specific about what you want to talk about. Honestly, I’d like to know.
All I can say is that I don’t think of you as a racist fuckwit at all. Ansell on the other hand… Do you see the difference?
Noted ta. Of course there is a difference.
I am a little astounded at the idea that I dont want to talk specifics. I posted on the issue of accusations of racism when speaking of race. That was what started the thread. That was specific. I have posted on it before. I posted on it again here, with reference to the radio show. There was an error in this piece of backup which we have now thrashed to death. The thread has since been made all personal and lost its way. I started the thread with a particular issue. Answered. You may notice another further downthread.
The call for specifics is specific to the convo from the last few days. Getting past the hooha about the RNZ reference, what is left? I don’t know and you won’t say. I guess that’s the end of the discussion for now.
weka, you haven’t commented on the post at 10 below.
1, 3 (minus could be and irrelevant), 5 (first bit of sentence), 6 (including the word often) seem about right.
And 8 is probably rubbish, but we’re here now and lovely
“As to the 80% question above, what do you think? I was not so much interested in the actual question, more in the interaction of peoples and the allowing of the question followed by the refusal to answer and the wider implications surrounding that.”
Right, I’ve really misunderstood then, because I thought you were interested in the question itself.
Ok, fair enough, it’s not the question, it’s the interaction of the people and the refusal to answer. There is no way to look at that unless we put those things in their original context. As has been stated clearly, you misunderstood entirely what happened. The panelists didn’t want to answer teh questions because Ansell’s questions was (a) loaded and (b) an attempt to hijack the discussion (even the presenter noted that).
You want to draw the conclusion that they didn’t want to answer because of fear of talking about racism, but by your own admission you didn’t listen to the thing properly and missed the context and the person asking the question (and don’t pretend now that the identity of the person answering doesn’t matter). There were in fact some other references in the talk to Maori and the implications of constitutional change (not alot but they were there), which belies the idea that people were avoiding talking about race.
Sorry mate, you’ve dug a pretty big hole here. If you quit now we’ll give you hand up and out 🙂
“And I expect you will be right there to pounce if you can.”
“You are as feverish about it as they.”
“extremely sensitive”
That’s just nasty, and an attempt at marginalisation. It’s beneath you. Play the ball not the wo/man. If you don’t want robust debate, than say so, and ask for different terms. There is nothing wrong with me focussing on the things in your arguments that stand out to me. Your views on Kai Tahu and Southern Maori women are hugely offensive and simply add to the Pakeha distorted narrative that we know more about Maori than they do. That does immeasurable damage. I’m not feverish or extremely sensitive, I’m really fucking angry that someone like you would do that shit in a place like this.
Like marty, I am disappointed that you won’t engage on the actual issues at this point in time. But I can also see that it would be hard to defend your points of view.
Well weka, when it comes to that particualar issue that you are super-sensitive about don’t point the finger at me. I merely describe what I have witnessed on the ground and seen on here. It is feverish. Sorry if that offends you but that is what is seen.
As for not wanting to engage on the actual issues, sorry, not accepted. Always engage on the issue but when it turns to the personal, nup.
I think genuinely that you just need to ease up when someone says, for example, “the treaty is flawed” because at the moment when words like that are posted you can hear the sound of the soldiers turning to face the ‘threat’ instead of listening and thinking about what is being posted first. Marty rushes straight to arms hup two three four
vto, please, please say “the treaty is flawed”. Then we can talk.
But you didn’t say that. You referenced something on Natrad, and completely misrepresented it, and unfortunately for you the thing you referenced was presented by a racist fuckwit. You just made a mistake, and had it been another person making such a mistake on a different topic, someone here would have taken them to task for it. It’s about intellectual rigour or truthfullness.
“I merely describe what I have witnessed on the ground and seen on here.”
What do you mean by ‘witnessed on teh ground’? Can you please be specific about which part of this issue you are referring to as well?
weka I have said the treaty is flawed (for certain purposes) on countless other occasions and swapped posts with others on it. It will come up again there is no doubt.
on the ground generally refers to real-life encounters. And detailed specifics are not possible unfortunately due to our small population and possible ramifications.
imo, you do let yourself down on this topic vto; sorry to say, when you display such comprehension of other natural areas of discussion.
well that is telling isn’t it……. if you think about it………. where does the lack of comprehension therefore really lie?
worldviews; as The Al1en “suggested”; the future’s shaded brown.
Free download
http://www.f3music.com/1285
The race down – Free dl
http://www.f3music.com/1285
Seems to me that a lot of the spin National had around the last Labour government, which keeps coming up all the time in comments on stuff etc by people who obviously believe it, is that Labour got us into a horrible economic situation and borrowed and wasted all that money, because of the ridiculous “decade of deficits” report by the Treasury that National jumped on a parroted wide and far.
Well, turn abouts fair play, I think. Now that the commentary around this budget is that a $75m surplus in 2014-2015 is margin of error and unimportant, it seems like Labour need to say something like this:
“National want a $75m rounding-error surplus in 2014-2015. When we were in government between 1999 and 2008, we ran a surplus of $$$$ every single year. We got our borrowing down to 8% of GDP while reducing unemployment down to record lows, National are promising we’ll be at 20% debt of GDP by 2020. National has squandered the good work done by the Labour party.”
etc etc.
Check out Citizen A
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/05/16/citizen-a-with-martyn-bradbury-keith-locke-matthew-hooton-on-budget-keys-deal-gilmore-wrap/
If you can stomach it, watch Hoots once again missing his medication and doing Tory Bullshit Bingo. It’s actually quite hilarious: “liberal elite” “lunatic left” and so on and so on – and then he tries to say that the Tories are, um, kinda liberal, because Muldoon’s father had syphilis.
He must be expecting a huge paycheque for that. Under all that grease, there’s only slime.
Dunno Rhino. I always find it worthwhile to hear what the other side is thinking. Of course as Mathew says he is in the Reagan, Douglas, Richardson mould. OK so how does he view stuff? Of course he is anti left but often what he says is the repeat of what the right want us too hear and even hope we might believe. Ha! But the risk is that the discussion also exposes the weakness of that rightist position and therefore good stuff.
Matthew does get excited about his often shaky positions but so does Martyn. Well worth a watch. Thanks for the link.
Yes, I do agree that Hoots has one use, and that’s to let us know what the Tories want us to believe. If he gets pleasure out of winding people up, then that sad act of masturbation shows just what an empty shell he is.
Watched it this morning. Bomber was surprisingly polite in the circumstances. The bombastic Hoots did his usual…. wouldn’t let Keith Locke get a word in edge-wise.
I think Hooton’s over the top language is a deliberate ploy to rile us. He knows the majority of people who hit the Daily Blog are – to varying degrees- on the Left of the political spectrum. He gets perverse pleasure winding them up.
We should ignore him and then the enjoyment will go out of the game.
I’m all for not replying to anything he posts. All he is is a freshly showered and perfumed WhaleSpew.
Just watching the committees today and I am left wondering: Why is it that the maori party have only 2 votes but 3 MP’s? Is Te Ururoa Flavell already crossed the floor to Mana?
http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/Features/b/0/0/00NZPHomeNews061120091-Voting-in-the-House-of-Representatives.htm
“Who can vote?
Only members who have been sworn in can vote. Members can vote even if they are absent, by the use of proxies. A formula is used which determines how many votes each party can have when a number of its members are absent from the parliamentary precincts. Thus a party may not always be able to cast the same number of votes as the party has members in the House.”
Oh I see, there was my conspiracy forming mind that jumped to all sorts of conclusions. I do believe that Mr Flavell is made of better stuff than his co-leaders however. Pita Sharples is an embarrassment and I’m sorry for ever thinking he would be any different. Turia is poison too.
In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed in the extreme and unsustainable in every society.
add that to the list lol
Democracy under attack!
Adding mockery to your quiver now too. It does you and your people only ill.
lol You love putting the boot in and when asked for a list of what you want to moan about you run for cover – keep hiding mate it suits you.
Go fuck yourself
You ask for specifics, I give you one, you simply mock and get personal and avoid the issue. As you always do.
Answer the issue cunt.
tell me noddy what came first – were you a chicken or an egg?
Personal, denigrating mockery like the bully boy you are, again.
Irrelevant.
The issue (which you have demanded in a list like some dumb cock, then mocked me for not responding to your demand).
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed in the extreme and unsustainable in every society”
… if you imagine this has gone unnoticed in Christchurch then you are not just a bully boy but a fool too. It has been commented on a surprising number of times by people in significant positions in the city.
To date you have had no answer to this issue cunt.
a cock and two cunts now – your insults are degrading yourself and your people and showing you for the cluck cluck cluck you are – lucky adele isn’t here eh?
Still no answer. Just personal.
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed and unsustainable in every society”
Cunt.
lol look at a silly wee man using swearwords – what a joke you are vto – hardmanfail. Try a different one – you know the one you really want to use but are too scared to
answer the issue cunt
you demanded it so now answer it
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed and unsustainable in every society”
bit worked up this morning eh vto why is that I wonder – maybe your undies are too tight – have you checked recently I think they may be riding up a bit I’m certainly sensing skidmarks – time for a check – it’s okay I’ll wait.
the dumb cunt has no answer to the issue, just personal…
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed in the extreme and unsustainable in every society”
You demanded an issue, answer it.
I’ll make a list
there we go – what vto thinks
1 the Treaty is historical and a new one needs to be drafted to take into consideration the multicultural aspect of NZ society.
2 too much emphasis (money) is on tangata whenua and that they have received enough emphasis (money)
3 Māori were the first here and that could be called indigenous but it is irrelevant in today’s world
4 Māori are inherently violent and warlike
5 No one represents the ‘white man’ who gets abuse and derision when they say something that others perceive as racist
6 Non-Māori who talk about race get accused of being racist
7 Māori are racist to ‘white people’
8 Celts were here before Māori and taught them everything of what they know until Māori killed them all
9 The chinese bought slave-wives here to breed with Māori
10 Barry Brailsford doesn’t talk shit
11 chicken and can’t answer a question without swearing like a fool
Got to go to work for an hour but I’ll come back soon to help you through your anger and abuse issues.
Answer the fucking issue cunt
“In Christchurch Ngai Tahu is now exercising a form of governance over all the residents by way of decision-making in the RMA process in the central city rebuild. However, all of the residents do not get representation in Ngai Tahu, that is the preserve of those of Ngai Tahu descent.
Governance without representation.
Flawed and unsustainable in every society”
in through the nose out through the mouth breathe deep it’s okay I forgive your outrageous abuse but try and forgive yourself while I’m away it will make the session go better after lunch.
Whats good for the goose is…
Ngai Tahu may make a healthy check and balance to the ChCh oldboys who have long made decisions of governance with no accountability at all, to anyone.
At least Ngai Tahu are accountable to their iwi members for the money they intend to spend in the rebuild.
That gives them certain “rights” to effect decisions…does it not ?
answer the fucking issue that you demanded fuckwit
answer it
Excellent, thanks pw, some sanity at last..
“Whats good for the goose is…
Ngai Tahu may make a healthy check and balance to the ChCh oldboys who have long made decisions of governance with no accountability at all, to anyone.
At least Ngai Tahu are accountable to their iwi members for the money they intend to spend in the rebuild.
That gives them certain “rights” to effect decisions…does it not ?”
Of course what has gone in in the oldboy etc past that you mention had very similar flawed and unsustainable pratices and policies. That had certain results which were not good for maori or society as a whole. It is not that which is referred to however, although it is acknowledged. It should be similarly acknowledged that what was flawed in the past is flawed now and will be in the future.
There can be no governance without represention.
Your point about Ngai Tahu being a healthy check and balance is of course correct, but neither is that the point.
Your point about Ngai Tahu being accountable to their iwi members is also correct, but slides off the side of the issue. If Ngai Tahu wishes to exercise governance over others then they must be accountable in the same way to those others, no to just their iwi members.
This of course is a relatively minor development in the practical scheme of day to day things, but the principle is crucial. There must not be governance without representation. It applies to every socety. It is bad for Ngai Tahu – such a system gets no respect.
vto – it’s up to the City of Christchurch to take into account all views in the RMA process. I’m not sure why you are focussing on Ngai Tahu when they haven’t been delegated consenting powers by the City Council (unless I missed something?).
Consent decisions are still made by the City Council and not by Ngai Tahu. You want representation? Go to the Council that’s what they are there for.
colonial viper – “vto – it’s up to the City of Christchurch to take into account all views in the RMA process. I’m not sure why you are focussing on Ngai Tahu when they haven’t been delegated consenting powers by the City Council (unless I missed something?).
Consent decisions are still made by the City Council and not by Ngai Tahu. You want representation? Go to the Council that’s what they are there for.”
Consent decisions are now made by Ngai Tahu (and Council and cera). This is the problem.
Here are some facts, as explained by Mark Solomon on the Ngai Tahu website. Ngai Tahu is not just having input, or consultation etc, it is making the decisions. This is the governance…. “He says the tribal representative body, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, along with its statutory partners, the Christchurch City Council and CERA, each appoint a member to panel hearings to consider resource consent applications ”
We have representation through Council, good. We have representation through cera, good. We have no representation through Ngai Tahu, bad. This is the point. The principle is crucial to a healthy society. I’m sure you understand the principle of no governance without representation. Well, these are the facts pointing the principle being ignored. That is the problem.
Do you see it?
OK, I see that arrangement as being problematic. Is it Ngai Tahu’s corporate arm which is represented or their tribal arm?
Yes it is problematic.
In addtion, the point you intimate re conflicts of interest has been front page here too. As mentioned way up thread somewhere I mentioned that this crops up in dicussion with people in various positions in the rebuild and the city generally. It has been noticed and is news. It needs to be dealt with – both the conflict of interest (chinese walls, yeah right), but much much much more importantly the governance without representation.
It is wrong and unsustainable. A couple of links (more concentrated on the lesser though still important issue of conflict of interest)…
http://www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz/News/Media/Media-Releases/2013/Leadership-Recovery-and-Rebuild.php
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/8588335/Ngai-Tahu-to-meet-CBD-property-owners
your beef is with central or local government numbnuts not the iwi – sheesh talk about myopic.
on another point your excessive use of the word cunt – it reminds me that there are no demeaning terms for ‘woman’ in the Māori language, and that the first human was a woman – Hine-ahu-one, and that as all come from women at birth, at death the same occurs through Hine-nui-te-pō, and that Papa-tū-ā-nuku is our earth mother and sustainer of life and that women are mediators of tapu. Thanks for reminding me of these things vto even though you were trying to insult.
Is that it? Is that your answer? That my beef is with Council and Government? You haven’t even addressed the issue.
As I said way to you back at the very start – go stick your head back in the sand dumbfuck.
lol
umm it answers your question doesn’t it? That is what you wanted isn’t it?
Maybe you could go on another rant like this one to get your point across
lol, issue number 1 dealt with.
next issue coming soon to a standard screen near you (perhaps the fundamental flaws in the treaty?)….
but that’s it for now, I’m off to better spend my energy. See ya rude prick.
lol bye bye ‘sob’ ‘sob’
another one for my list I think
For those who wish to understand a little context around vto and his insults
http://mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2013/05/i-dont-tolerate-race-baiters.html
“aged care, dementia, diabetes and heart disease”; the future’s so bright, we gotta wear shades. http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/budgets-focus-on-key-issues-pleases-dhb/1871837/
The superb investigative journalist Jeremy Scagill is being interviewed by Kim Hill on National Radio tomorrow morning. His specialty is the American government being allowed to assassinate anyone it wants to, even Americans. It should be fascinating if you haven’t followed this before.
That’s a must-listen. Scahill is a brilliant and uncompromising speaker. I’ve seen him transform the Letterman and John Stewart shows from shallow laugh-fests into serious discussions, simply by the moral force of his message, backed up by his compelling personal style. That rarely happens on American television, and it’s even rarer on British television.
Laughingly reproaching the pizza-guzzling sybarites of Gaza
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 17 May 2013
Finlay Macdonald, Denise L’estrange-Corbet, Simon Pound
That brief resurgence in quality on this programme that I noted a couple of weeks ago is well and truly over and done with. The situation reached its nadir on Tuesday when Jim Mora’s guests were the brutal right wing “pundit” John Bishop and the right wing beer writer and self-styled “wit” Neil Miller, but today’s guests, while they are clearly more humane and decent individuals than Bishop and Miller, are not much better when it comes to discussing serious issues. Look at how they trivialize and scoff at the situation of the besieged residents of Gaza…..
FINLAY MACDONALD: That was David Bowie with “Lady Grinning Soul” from 1973. All right, it’s 3:45; time for Susan Baldacci with what the wooooooorld’s talking about!
SUSAN BALDACCI: News today of the kind of thing being smuggled through the tunnels from Egypt into Gaza! Of course there are many of these tunnels.
FINLAY MACDONALD: These tunnels are from Sinai, aren’t they.
SUSAN BALDACCI: Yes. They smuggle all SORTS of items through them, and you know what? You can order a pizza for thirty dollars!
SIMON POUND: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
SUSAN BALDACCI: When you think of what they are needing, and THAT is what they want!?!?!?!?!!!???
SIMON POUND: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
FINLAY MACDONALD: The pizza would be cold, by the time it got to them, wouldn’t it?
DENISE L’ESTRANGE-CORBET: [sniffily] I wouldn’t order a pizza if I was in Gaza.
SUSAN BALDACCI: Yeah, well, that’s what they want. When you think of what they SHOULD be ordering….
4:25 p.m. As I write this, I am listening to that mealy-mouthed twit Simon Pound trying to defend John Key’s latest offensive remarks. This time Key has described the situation of Christchurch people as “some hard-luck stories at a micro level.”
Pound is an intelligent and perceptive fellow, but he is quite clearly afraid to voice his real feelings.
Thought of your rage Morrissey as I listened to this but could swear I heard not “pizza” but “Kentucky Fried”. A bucket of the same delivered via the tunnels in 4 hours – $US30. Anyway, the tone I detected was a little mockingly amused, especially from Baldacci as I recall. I exclude Macdonald from that.
Put me in mind of transiting in Manila in 1977, a National Youth Council group of 20 “Young Workers” bound for China. I guess few of them have maintained their then much vaunted “leftiness”. But then there are a number of horrid examples of that – Rob Campbell (Ports of Auckland) for example.
As the aircraft taxied to the terminal we observed the meanest shacks dotted in the banana palms not 100 metres from the runway – TV aerials poking up into the air.
Several of my fellows expressed judgment thus – “Look at that, they’re as poor as hell and they’ve got televisions !” (“Tut Tut Tut !” sort of thing). No walking in the mocassins there.
Sadly, I was not terribly well supported when I aggressively expressed my disgust with that tone. Some might say there’s still little maturity in Mr North nearly 40 years on but I’d like to think I was capable even then of appreciating that when people are grindingly poor and deprived we should not reflexively clutch our pearls when a little succour is taken wherever it can be found. At least try to walk in the mocassins maybe.
Perhaps clever wee laughies radio-girl Baldaccci would benefit from a spell in Gaza when the Zionists fly over dropping death on children.
1.) Thought of your rage Morrissey as I listened to this but could swear I heard not “pizza” but “Kentucky Fried”.
You are of course correct, my friend. In mitigation, I must say that I was driving and therefore could not scribble down any transcript in my usual manner, and so I was forced to rely on my (imperfect) recall.
2.) A bucket of the same delivered via the tunnels in 4 hours – $US30. Anyway, the tone I detected was a little mockingly amused, especially from Baldacci as I recall. I exclude Macdonald from that.
You’ve got that exactly right. Last year Susan Baldacci sneered at Sean Penn for “cuddling up to the likes of Hugo Chávez”; twenty years ago I am sure she was condemning other celebrities for cuddling up to Nelson Mandela. Balducci is very similar to another American on Radio NZ, Marty Duda: superficially affable, but just below the surface there is a vat of completely unexamined prejudices bubbling away. Duda’s right wing rancour boiled over hilariously late last year when he launched into an ignorant and disconnected radio rant against my Lancastrian namesake (the singer).
3.) Put me in mind of transiting in Manila in 1977, a National Youth Council group of 20 “Young Workers” bound for China. I guess few of them have maintained their then much vaunted “leftiness”. But then there are a number of horrid examples of that – Rob Campbell (Ports of Auckland) for example.
This prick?…
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/lunch-boardroom-rob-campbell-gb-123023
I have a book with a picture of this glib scumbag in his PYM days, posing with a rifle. Campbell the revolutionary foot-soldier-cum-Guinness Peat director.
4.) As the aircraft taxied to the terminal we observed the meanest shacks dotted in the banana palms not 100 metres from the runway – TV aerials poking up into the air.
Several of my fellows expressed judgment thus – “Look at that, they’re as poor as hell and they’ve got televisions !” (“Tut Tut Tut !” sort of thing). No walking in the mocassins there.
Sadly, I was not terribly well supported when I aggressively expressed my disgust with that tone.
I hear those sentiments every time I listen to squawk radio, which I haven’t done for a long time now. The withdrawal programme is working. (I’m pretending, for the sake of argument, that Radio NZ’s Panel is qualitatively different to the commercial chat. Really, though, there’s little to separate them.)
5.) Perhaps clever wee laughies radio-girl Baldaccci would benefit from a spell in Gaza when the Zionists fly over dropping death on children.
I’m sure she’d still find something whimsical, like KFC deliveries via tunnels, to distract her audience in the usual manner.
True. The “superiority” of RNZ is marked only by the absence of fulsomely excited, breathless exhortations to make our lives fabulous by “popping on down to wherever to get whatever – open 7 days…….”. And discordant jingles.
The saving grace to that carry-on, infuriating as it is, is that at least it doesn’t make light of appalling inhumanity, as is Gaza.
Your Lancastrian namesake deserves any amount of crap that’s thrown at him.
Reports of UFO activity over Hamilton last night.
Wasn’t me, I don’t fly any more.
Sorry, my bad. Didn’t think anyone would notice in the rain.
nobody here or anywhere else in nz will bother, and will not know for a start, as today, starting 11 am outside vector arena in auckland city, off quay st, there was a massive and vocal protest by aaap, by various unions (unite, first union, sfu and so), same as some community groups, to protest against the budget by the nat government not delivering much or anything to the poor and unemployed. there was a lot of media presence, all leading tv stations had sent cameras, there was a lot of upheaval, with some protestors trying to push their way into a convention or meeting hearing pm john key, to speak to the hundreds of attending cross tasman and pacific business people. most business people turned up in taxis, expensive vehicles and with suits and ties, and they faced a barrage of challenging chants and so forth. one person got arrested for dubious reasons, and was later released from the watchhouse at auckland central police station at 2 pm, with no charge laid. supporters were there to welcome him. there was no mention at all in the media, be this radio nz’s checkpoint, the leading tv stations or so about this. it seems the business lobby run and control the media in nz solidly. it is clear that they frown on protestors and dissenters, and the arrogance and demeanour of those that went to this meeting at vector arena spoke volumes. so we have a society here in nz, that is oligopolist, monopolits in some areas, and where an elite run and rule, they even determine government by financial and other support. they have control over the media, so they refrain from reporting what people do and say, and protest about. this is practically a dictatorship here in nz, but most are ignorant and complacent, relying on a fool’s belief that they still have some say in what they want.
so that is it, the truth, but i am only a stupid migrant, always have been treated wit h some contempt by locals, so why should i care a shit about a shit country like nz.
Some of my best friends are stupid migrants. I’d probably treat you OK.
Sorry, Murray, I get my bad moments, and I have not had an easy lot, still trying to get some major issues addressed by “Commissioners” of sorts, holding office, most appointed by Nat governments.
Apart from that I thank you for your tolerance towards my “rant”.
I am working on a number of issues, personal and not so personal. So I am at times also joining forces at the frontline, and the Vector Arena protest or pickets was one good experience. Sad to see and hear the MSM have little time for the ordinary folk here, born and bred Kiwis or migrants.
We will keep up the struggle, as that is a moral mission kind of. I would hate to be on the side of the mercenaries and foot soldiers of this system, rewarding a few, that frown on the rest, no matter where it happens in the world.
No apologies required. We would be less than human if we didn’t feel a bit down now and then.
Listening to Annette King give attempting to give the government a dressing down over the way its dealing with the issue of paying parents who care for their disabled adult children was truly sickening. The initial claim was made when Labour were the government and they rejected it outright. And now Annette King thinks she can take the moral high ground on the issue. Well, Annette, you need to just shut the fuck up on this matter. You and your mates have no right to call foul on this whatsoever. Ryall simply continued with the dirty work that you began, and now you think you can bag him for that? Total hypocrisy. Just sickening. Apologise for what you did, or keep your mouth shut.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2555505/government-accused-of-shonky-process-over-family-carers-bill.asx
“Was Aaron Gilmore an inside job.”
Check out the Daily Blog.
If this is true it is pretty nasty stuff and a disaster for Democracy.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/05/17/was-aaron-gilmore-an-inside-political-hit-job/
Yes. I saw that. The first question in my mind was, why did Hooton drop that information into the public arena?
Now that’s thinking.
I suspect the answer is that he’s with (being paid by) a different faction than the one which set up Gilmore.
Because he’s a Steven Joyce supporter? Now if CV has it right, then that really makes it interesting doesn’t it.
Perhaps rub this under your Kiwi noses also, maybe not quite mainstream as you like:
Many a movements not necessarily recognised.
a dead body taken apart, that is of a revolutionary, and they would do the same in cowardly nz, rest assured:
Well well well.
So the Keyster’s “tentacles” comment is forgotten, and the TPPA is not anti-China – despite what Obama explicitly stated.
And yet.
Kiwi mutton rotting on Chinese wharves.
Thanks tories.
Our self-appointed master-class strikes again.
The rule of Hone Nice-but-Dim, in the forgotten land of Shonkey Python.
See and learn about the true history and course of events in the Chilean dictatorship, overthrowing Salvador Allende, if anybody in rather indifferent nz bothers to care. oh, sorry the first letter of chilean was misspelled in caps again. sorry lprent, i am working on it:
Viva, el pueblo, not in stupid cowardly and brainwashed NZ, a crap country with too many cowards living here!!!
Por el pueblo en latin america y international, fuerca …
international workers songs, perhaps de chile:
history lesson, must learn material, especially for NZ workers and engaged!
Vina del mar de chile another great concert, only dreamt about for such events in nz:
The Standard may well be losing the credit it deserves, to be independent and strong on that on the left, but I fear (sorry the caps) it is becoming another mainstream media turnout. I wish it won’t but we will have to see.
enjoy or not
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/05/17/bathroom-blues-venezuelas-toilet-paper-crisis/
Food for thought for the supporters of the Green/Labour plans for electricity prices.
I especially like this bit ‘But socialist President Nicolás Maduro (who was hand-picked by Chavez to succeed him) blamed the toilet paper shortage on “anti-government forces,”’
He’s right. If they imprisoned all the traitors, RWNJs, and media barons, there’d be far less shit floating about. We must learn from them that kindness to your enemy might win points in heaven, but if you want a clean bum, get rid of the right wingers. Of course, if Key decided to take a trip to Venezuela, he could always take you and Slater along and he’d never even notice the shortage.
That would be telling, Murray. 😀