Open mike 18/04/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 18th, 2019 - 67 comments
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67 comments on “Open mike 18/04/2019 ”

  1. A 1

    Imperial Homes eh.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12223339

    “I heard [councillor] Chris Darby equate our situation to buying a meal at a restaurant and being asked to pay extra for cutlery. I’d say it’s more accurate to say it’s like paying for a combo from McDonald’s, then being asked to pay extra for the fries and drink.”

    Walker suggested the Jansens add a 15-day due diligence clause into the contract so they could find out a bit more. But Jonathan says Imperial was reluctant to put in a due diligence clause, so their lawyer talked again about red flags. She advised them to pull out of the deal.

    But they had fallen in love with the house. Jonathan says they agreed to scratch the due diligence clause, but asked to see the plans for the house.

    Imperial agreed, but Jonathan says they didn’t receive anything extra.

    “So we signed it — we really wanted it. But I was worried about the way it was $44,000 in cash and to a separate company. It was niggling at me.”

    Then the consultant contacted them again. Jonathan says Imperial told them it was upgrading the flooring from carpet and tiles to laminate because they knew the couple had a dog.

    Thanks but no thanks, said Jonathan. They’d stick with the carpet and tiles, which they reckoned were worth more than laminate anyway.

    “[She] called three hours later and said someone else was interested in the house. Another family had come in and talked to the director directly, she told us, and those people were happy with the laminate flooring.

    “She said the company had already ordered the laminate and she sent us a new quote — up from $44,000 to $48,000 to incorporate the $4000 ‘upgrade’ to laminate.”

    • patricia bremner 1.1

      A, This situation is the Developer getting squeezed and creating an out.
      When we built in the 70s the homeowner had 12 mths to create fences driveways etc.
      We just got a 1200 square foot home, bare boards on the floor, lighting we had up graded and that was it. Progress payments assisted in meeting dead lines.
      It could be said their developer was using two sets of documents…. one for Council and a variation for the customer…fraud? misleading the Council? Very tricky.

      • Herodotus 1.1.1

        The rules that a developer had to comply with to enable an SHA were specific, and the price level for a finished home was set at the time of the consent being issued.
        “sold for no more than 75 per cent of the Auckland region median house price.”
        The developer has “Managed” this to comply (??) – and with the extras does the development still comply with the SHA requirements ? Possibly Not. But who will follow up on this ?and it becomes another case of a developer not acting with any integrity, but getting away with it, and profiting.
        https://www.thefirsthomebuyersclub.co.nz/finding-a-house/special-housing-areas-auckland/
        ““So we signed it — we really wanted it. But I was worried about the way it was $44,000 in cash and to a separate company. It was niggling at me.” – Perhaps the IRD should have a wee look to make sure that everything from a tax position has been accounted for correctly. As it appears from the story, the couple signed away many of the protections that were in place, and the developer was able to use the situation to max. their interest.

  2. WeekendWarrior 2

    Reflecting on the events yesterday regarding CGT, and a lot of the views on here that this was a politically savvy play – I’m not so convinced. I do think that electioneering and the debates in the lead up to an election play quite a significant role in election success. At the moment, National’s talking points will focus on the fact that key election promises made by Labour have either been a failure or dropped. Kiwibuild (currently failing), 1st year free education (expensive, and not showing great stimulus to student numbers), and now CGT dumped (showing that the tail i.e. Winston is wagging the dog). Aside from Jacinda’s handling of Christchurch events, Labour doesn’t have many wins on the board. Labour needs policy wins! The current love in the polls will only last so long..and who knows what sweeteners National will offer NZF to jump ship.

    • patricia bremner 2.1

      Weekend warrior, it has been stated by National that student numbers haven;t increased. correct…less from overseas. NZ students have increased, especially in teaching by a fifth, and trades are picking up.

      • lprent 2.1.1

        and since the education funding changes were targeted at local students, I’ll just summarise to

        National – lying again.

  3. vto 3

    So the construction sector and the government need to work together to sort the sector out….

    This is clearly yet further evidence of the failure of the free market and neoliberal policies.

    Like the finance sector
    Like the mining sector
    Like the housing sector
    Like the farming sector

    How much more evidence is needed before everyone realises that free market policies require very careful implementation given their propensity for disastrous outcomes.

    Imagine trying to apply it to health???
    Or education???
    Or housing??… oh wait, it has been and the outcome is a disaster leading to lower home ownership, not increased..
    Or employment?? … oh wait, it has been but the employers don’t like it when the demand-supply equation they all voted for works against them, so squeal and cry to nanny state for intervention.

    • RedLogix 3.1

      It’s a balancing act. Too little regulation and you get all the outcomes neoliberalism has delivered us since the 80’s. Too much and you stifle risk and innovation, everything slowly stagnates and dies. Understanding this balance is not easy.

      A healthy market needs a diversity of players with different appetites for risk. One of the more attractive models that we know works, is that the state should act as the stodgy, low risk, ‘provider of last resort’ across a range of industries.

      The desirable fraction of state involvement varies by industry. Health and education are both long term, high stakes industries where the state already has a dominant position. Corner stores and car dealers much less so. Others like housing and insurance the state has a clear role in providing a ‘floor’ in the market below which no other private provider can fall and stay in business.

      We already do this to a large extent; we just need to start thinking about it more strategically.

      • Ad 3.1.1

        I agree with your comment in the abstract.

        But this government needs to show that it is a pro-market-regulation government.

        At the moment its strongest intervention is with wads of poorly-designed cash handouts in the form of a $3 billion slush fund. The regulation is so bad that government oversight agencies are putting the hard ruler over them.

        The Chorus mess with oppressive contracts is a direct responsibility of the government through Crown Fibre Holdings, such that MBIE are stepping in much harder.

        Waikato Hospital Hospital Board is about to be sacked.

        They are proposing to re-regulate the entire secondary school industry, polytech industry, justice industry, and many more in the public arena, before we start getting to their woolly ideas on construction “cooperation”.

        There is no common strategy, theme, legislative direction, or collective purpose to any of it. It’s pretty incoherent.

  4. francesca 4

    Another in the long list of journalism awards for Julian Assange

    https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/julian-assange-wins-eu-journalism-award-20190417-p51euj.html

    The Galizia award

    • Andre 4.1

      Cameron Slater won awards too.

      • greywarshark 4.1.1

        Andre
        That little comment dripping with malice. It doesn’t add anything to the discourse or the gathering of facts about Assange. Comes under the old saying that if you haven’t got something that adds usefully to the conversation, don’t say anything. This is a positive input because it is necessary for us to aim at striking a good balance of discussion so we don’t become a little den of gossip, innuendo and slanging matches. The TS needs to be better than that.

      • mauī 4.1.2

        Good to know he is one of your heros.

        • Brigid 4.1.2.1

          It’s good you think it good that he is anyone’s hero.
          He is certainly one of Roger Water’s hero’s as he says in this interview
          “The most important information, that we, Julians Assange’s fellow citizens of the globe need, is information about the secret malfeasance and wrong doing of government, which are legend”

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=408&v=6smG6po8YVw

          Of course I’m guessing you wont watch this video.
          The question you could ask yourself though is,
          “why?”

          • mauī 4.1.2.1.1

            I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick… I love Waters! and am interested in what he has to say.

            I was referring to Andre’s obvious reverence for Slater.

        • greywarshark 4.1.2.2

          Yes he is. You aren’t.

          • mauī 4.1.2.2.1

            Completely unnecessary attack grey… To say I’m disappointed in your comment is an understatement.

            • greywarshark 4.1.2.2.1.1

              maui

              <i>Good to know he is one of your heros. 4.1.2</i> I suggest that your attacks against Assange are not reasonable. But that is not disappointing – it is your expected common theme. You often sharply defend your personal compatriots so you tcarry that through to refer to an 'unnecessary attack' from me to Andre. Andre is quite capable of answering for himself.

              It seems that you are trying to limit free speech except for your own. i think it is malicious of Andre to equate Assange with Slater. That is a reasonable view and you have no right to take me to task over it. Don't play the superior pedagogue with me.

  5. Gabby 5

    You know something about an impending arrest there dredre?

  6. Herodotus 6

    Re Global Warming and what has to be done
    Why are there very few asking about population, our pop of 7.7b – and what is the carrying capacity of the earth especially as we are to reduce our dependancy on oil
    https://worldpopulationhistory.org/carrying-capacity/
    https://www.livescience.com/16493-people-planet-earth-support.html

  7. adam 7

    Wage Slave
    Rent Slave
    Slave

  8. swordfish 8

    Final Preferred PM Poll ratings for Leaders just before being Toppled / Replaced
    (Colmar Brunton since 1997)

    (Main Intra-Party Rival in parentheses)

    Bolger (Oct 1997) … 13%
    (Shipley … 10%)
    Shipley then replaces Bolger
    .

    Shipley (Sep 2001) … 14%
    (English … 5%)
    English then replaces Shipley
    .

    English (Oct 2003) … 7%
    (Brash … 3%)
    Brash then replaces English
    .

    Brash (Oct 2006) … 17%
    (Key … 11%)
    Key then replaces Brash
    .

    Shearer (July 2013) … 13%
    (Cunliffe … 2% / Clark … 2%)
    Cunliffe then replaces Shearer
    .

    Little (July 2017) … 6%
    (Ardern … 6%)
    .Ardern then replaces Little

    .
    Compare with
    .

    Bridges (April 2019) … 5%
    (Collins … 5%)

  9. francesca 9

    How about this for misleading headlines?

    “Protesters target Jeremy Corbyn on day three of Extinction Rebellion”

    and then later on

    “A few hours later, four protesters glued their hands together and chained themselves to a fence outside Corbyn’s house, saying he was “the best hope this country has got” to meet the challenges of the climate crisis, adding that they were there to “support him” to go further.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/17/extinction-rebellion-halt-london-docklands-trains-carriage

    • RedLogix 9.1

      It’s when you realise that the media do this ALL the damn time that you begin to understand the problem we have.

      The media have an important role in society; well above any commercial consideration. They are like the eyes and ears of our societies, and when they mislead us we are all in deep trouble.

      • adam 9.1.1

        OMG, RedLogix actually accepting reality for once…

        Well done for noticing, better late than never…

        • lprent 9.1.1.1

          OMG Adam noticed what someone else actually said rather than just making an interpretation up..

          RL started saying that on this site about 9-10 years ago. I remember that was the topic of one of the first comments of his that I noticed.

          Could it be that you don’t notice what people say unless they agree with you?

          • adam 9.1.1.1.1

            OMG lprent, I have not read all his posts – I have a life.

            All I have is the ones I have seen of late, which come across as a smug know it all. 🙂

    • greywarshark 9.2

      Thanks for that fransesca. People here who read the Guardian have been very critical of it. I looked at it and kept finding good stuff. Then someone noted their peculiar biases here and there and I think one was Jeremy Corbyn. That heading you quote is a blatant, naked example. Headline porn.

    • marty mars 9.3

      Yes it is misleading but why do it?
      Maybe they hate corbyn or they follow the agenda given to them

      A big part I think is that imo they are money hungry capitalists that want to sell something to make more money and misleading headlines, which drag people into see wtf, are just a crude technique among many that they use. This example you put up shows how they can twist the whole thing around to mean the opposite whilst technically also being correct. Clever little shits alright.

      Good we keep track of these – thanks.

    • gsays 9.4

      Back in the ’90s I had a pub in a small town.
      One Saturday evening 3 brothers came in, 2 were under age. They were asked to leave.
      On their way out, 2 of them assaulted a young kitchen hand, a boy who didn’t get a chance to fight back. He was highly disinclined to raise his voice or his fists.
      Front page news on Monday: ‘Teens fighting in local bar’, article went on to name pub and make a few assertions. We didn’t get contacted or questioned.
      Contacted editor and three days later on page 5 a wee correction.

      Jolly media!

      • McFlock 9.4.1

        It can work the other way, though – years ago I ended up fronting to the local journo for a project I was running (just a wee thing, nothing earth shattering). I was a young chap and had no fucking idea about the usual patter one says in such articles.

        The journo needed some copy anyway, so asked questions like “would you say that it’s been well received by people in a variety of circumstances?” and “what about it’s contribution to [issue], would you regard it as being a convenient anchor point for [group]?”.

        Reading the published article, the others involved thought I’d done really well in the interview – I had so many eloquent quotes lol 🙂

  10. greywarshark 10

    Concerning in Peru, a measure of how all countries leaders are stressed? And another nail in democracies coffin-shaped podium.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/387298/peru-s-former-president-alan-garcia-kills-himself-ahead-of-arrest

  11. greywarshark 11

    NZ – another boring report about the poor state of NZ waterways. Ho hum. /sarc!

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/387308/nature-at-risk-damning-report-warns-environment-in-serious-trouble

  12. mosa 12

    Sanders on FOX

  13. Morrissey 13

    I’ve been labeled a “sub-optimal person” by a Kiwiblogger.

    Yesterday I returned to Kiwiblog after a six week absence. My first comment was a brief driveby shot at the infamous Double Dipper from Dipton. It didn’t go down well….

    https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2019/04/general_debate_17_april_2019.html/comment-page-1#comment-2475821

    The comment deemed “grossly inappropriate” by the “moderator” [sic] at Kiwiblog can be accessed here….

    http://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2019/04/brief-kiwiblog-exchange-re-double.html

    • Rosemary McDonald 13.1

      Morrissey….harden up. You know very well that Farrar’s Ferals don’t play nice, yet off you go….

      The whole moderation thing is very, very new over there, give them time. They have had carte blanche since, well, forever. They are still straining against the ropes.

    • higherstandard 13.2

      “I’ve been labeled a “sub-optimal person” by a Kiwiblogger.”

      Not just Kiwiblog to be fair Moz.

  14. Mjolnir 14

    So much for the free speech fetishists on The Daily Blog. If your criticism against Trotter or Bradbury is too trenchant it will never never seethe light of day

    I posted a critical rebuttal to one of Trotter’s blogpost and it vanished

    Free speech?

    I call tui

    • Rosemary McDonald 14.1

      I wouldn’t panic too much Mjolnir. There has been lots of traffic over at TDB and all comments go into moderation, so there could very well be a delay.

      Trotter, Bradbury, Macskasy ….they all wear big boy pants now and can cope with strong criticism.

      • Mjolnir 14.1.1

        From 2 days ago?.

        Yeah I get that everything is placed moderation, but that one was submitted on Tuesday evening. Since then other comments have been published

        So free speech is fine but not the thingI said (and I am minding my language, Scarlet Mod made a fair call on me on that one)

        • Psycho Milt 14.1.1.1

          I’ve had a few go down the memory hole, which is one reason I hardly ever comment there now. If your comment is one that would be difficult for Bradbury to rebut, it just never appears.

    • Incognito 14.2

      It wasn’t a comment on Trotter’s post entitled “Recognising Hate Speech When You See It”, was it?

  15. greywarshark 15

    Some thoughtful comment on Wellington buses/public transport from someone with depth of background experience. With thoughtful comments below.

    http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=117890
    Waiting at the bus stop?

    • OnceWasTim 15.1

      No doubt there’ll be many learnings going forwid from the Wellington bus fiasco @ grey, the proposed solutions which will probably do SFA to solve anything.

      They’re thinking of sacking the Waikato DHB board.
      The GRWCouncillors ? yea nah 18 monthgs onward – letalone the ‘officials’ that came up with this bugger’s muddle in the first place.
      And then there’s WCC’s involvement which I pick they’ll get away with by shifting blame.

      And even if and when they do manage to get things back to some semblance of order, they’ve fucked things up SO badly that it’s going to take some serious persuasion to get a certain demographic to go back to catching buses.
      ( If you’re one of two from a household, catching an Uber is now just as cheap or fuck-all more expensive for door to door service, and at a time of your choosing ).

      Accountability???? There’ll be none

      There’s actually a shitload of blame to go around, and it isn’t just Laidlaw and his cronies (elected and/or ensconced in GWRC), but it’s also WCC cronies (elected and ensconced) too.
      It’ll be interesting to see who ekshully has the cheek to stand come election time. I hope they put their hands up soon so they can be publicly challenged.

  16. mauī 16

    A punk legend in action for 50+ years! Oh bless. Only on RT of course – straight from the propaganda factory.
    “Westwood: I’ll get Assange out of the embassy”

  17. greywarshark 17

    What do other people do, how do they manage their part of the world? With a less complicated economy and one not dominated by the world system, can a workable system arise? On Yap they have operated their system using stones for currency.. Which reminds us that money is symbolic, and imbued with our ideas of agreed value.

    Looking at Yap a small island, now a group, in the North Pacific nearish to Guam a USA military base. Apparently the Chinese will change their tourism from about 4,000 over years by erecting a resort with 4,000 units on the island? End of
    culture and simple autonomy to complicated slavery I think with some modern
    gew-gaws that alienate the youngsters from the elders.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yap#Economy

  18. greywarshark 18

    I think more cults will spring up as more people kept pushed to the fringes and to constantly have to search for stability and a settled life that enables a decent standard of living.

    I don’t like the sound of this one.
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018691418/inside-the-nxivm-cult

  19. David Mac 19

    “A Hastings principal has slammed an increasing number of parents taking kids on holiday during term time, arguing it could ruin their kids’ and the school’s future results.

    St John’s College principal Paul Melloy, who is currently in Chile on a tour with the school’s first XV rugby team…”

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12223056

    Goodness me.

  20. greywarshark 20

    The housing market is overpriced, and I am hearing that leases for small businesses are over-valued. The country is riding for a fall, and the rock star will smash his guitar on stage before long. High rents, the people in the rentier game are squeezing the people actually doing the yakka that earns our country’s living. What are we going to do about being hollowed out by these modern aristocrats? A Revolution? Can we think of something clever without blood? We need businesses to keep going, we need employment, the ability to buy things or enjoyment. We may need to live more simply but can we have a decent standard of living.

    But small businesses are having trouble keeping going, big overseas names are flooding in to soak up any money we have spare. The rents are getting too high everywhere. The greed of people with a lot of money is growing. The present economic system is unsustainable madness. What a contrast between the ultra-high income and the ordinary business owner earning what an ordinary person needs.

    (https://hub.packtpub.com/jack-ma-defends-the-extreme-996-work-culture-in-chinese-tech-firms/

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ma

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/996_working_hour_system)

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/111998900/capital-cuisine-how-hard-is-it-to-run-a-restaurant-in-wellington
    Capital Cuisine: What’s killing Wellington’s restaurants?
    4/16/2019
    STUFF
    There are nearly 900 places to grab food and drink in Wellington City.

    One of the country’s top chefs, Bosley retired from restaurants after his Wellington eatery Martin Bosley’s Yacht Club went into liquidation in 2014.
    “When I opened my restaurant my main courses were $35, I sat 60 people and my rent was just over $40,000.
    “When I closed it 13 years later, I still sat 60 people, my main courses were now $45 but my rent was now over $100,000 a year.”
    With rents so high, Bosley said meals were essentially being “subsidised” by restaurant owners.
    “If you’re a diner right now, this is the best time to be dining.”..

    Restaurant Association president Mike Egan estimated the average margin was between three and five per cent for most restaurants. ,,,
    Egan said the recent minimum wage rise had left businesses scrambling to cut costs before it hit their bottom line.
    As of April 1, the minimum wage was $17.70 an hour.

    • Stuart Munro. 20.1

      “A Revolution? Can we think of something clever without blood?”

      There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here – the Mongols were not at all keen on bloodshed either, and Genghis was a master of a kind of democratic decision making.

      https://www.cvltnation.com/mongols-executed-enemies-no-blood-spilled/

      I understand the process commences with a request for earth and grass.

    • Blazer 20.2

      dead right.The OPEX of doing business in NZ is way out of kilter.
      Supposedly the free market will correct that.
      .A small domestic market with increased competition should be good for the consumer but the reality is the BIG guy with BIG capital can access offshore product and undercut the local and just like the demise of the Made in NZ auto market ,all other high involvement retail will be taken over by the cheapest alternative…eventually.

  21. Morrissey 21

    What’s behind Ecuador’s betrayal of Julian Assange?

  22. Eco Maori 22

    Some Eco Maori Music for the minute.

    https://youtu.be/fKopy74weus

  23. eco maori 23

    Whanau Eco Maori has been on the Gisborne man sandflys radar for a few years now they thought my great grandfather was Eco Maori he died in a work accident ???????? ,
    My uncle he was a church going man to the state got a hold of him he died they target 2 other males who lived in my great grandmothers house thinking they were Eco Maori .The sandflys now know the target they have been looking for in the last 50 years is ME Eco Maori they are scared of Eco Maori

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvTqknDobU

    P.S Ma te wa

  24. Eco Maori 24

    Our enviroment is what keeps US alive and we are poisioning it fast.
    I have said these words before what would happen if you let a child eat what it wants say chocolate well that child would soon become obeast become sick with deibetes many bad thinks would happen to the child and if not corrected the child would die.
    Papatuanuku is the same if we keep pumping chemicals into OUR enviroment we are causing our world to become sick if we don’t stop it we will be in the SHIT.
    Another story the 00.1 % ARE like a BABY with chocolate with there money the keep wanting more and won’t share fairly they are getting sick on there overindalgence in MONEY they want more and more even if there actions are killing mother earth and our grandchildrens future we the 99.9 have to become the rulers of the world and teach the ruleing class the correct way to behave love thy neighbour respect thy neighbour forgive thy neighbour share with thy neigbour respect for our past our tipuna respect for OUR FUTURE
    The report presents a sobering summary of a country starkly different from the ‘Pure New Zealand’ marketing campaign. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian
    A report on the state of New Zealand’s environment has painted a bleak picture of catastrophic biodiversity loss, polluted waterways and the destructive rise of the dairy industry and urban sprawl.
    Environment Aotearoa is the first major environmental report in four years, and was compiled using data from Statistics New Zealand and the environment ministry.
    It presents a sobering summary of a country that is starkly different from the pristine landscape promoted in the “Pure New Zealand” marketing campaign that lures millions of tourists every year.
    It found New Zealand is now considered one of the most invaded countries in the world, with 75 animal and plant species having gone extinct since human settlement. The once-vibrant bird life has fared particularly badly, with 90% of seabirds and 80% of shorebirds threatened with or at risk of extinction.

    ‘Their birthright is being lost’: New Zealanders fret over polluted rivers

    Almost two-thirds of New Zealand’s rare ecosystems are under threat of collapse, and over the last 15 years the extinction risk worsened for 86 species, compared with the conservation status of just 26 species improving in the past 10 years.

    Ka kite ano links below

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/18/decades-of-denial-major-report-finds-new-zealands-environment-is-in-serious-trouble

  25. Eco Maori 25

    It amazes me why they would not let Maori build on Marae land why would our culture get to strong.
    The government has announced it will build six homes at Tuahiwi marae near Kaiapoi, and will repair sixty houses in the region.
    It’s a welcome move for Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga chair Arapata Reuben, who has lived in the small pā at Tuahiwi for 25 years. He spent his childhood there and said the new papakāinga development is major.
    “For me, it means that all of my children can live next to me,” he said.
    “I have already passed over my lands to them already which means they can now build on their whenua next to their mum and dad, they can grow up and raise their children.
    “They all want to live at the pā. They know what it is like to be [raised] at the pā. They see their life being the pā.”
    Mr Reuben said local government had restricted the building of houses on the pā for decades. Local Māori fought for more than 10 years to lift the restrictions, which eventually happened in 2015 through the post earthquake Canterbury Emergency Act. Ka kite ano links below P.S I loaded that post above 3 hours ago it just loaded ten mins ago and I had to rewrite this post the sandflys are shitting them selves they cannot put Eco Maori back.

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/387264/new-3-point-7m-housing-development-signals-new-era-for-christchurch-marae

  26. Eco Maori 26

    Kia ora Newshub.
    If you go into a animal whare house you have to show respect for the animals and keep the tamariki safe.
    The trump investergating was a sham I have heaps of facts to link to that statement.
    Eco Maori says Rotorua is a great destination to have a holiday the place is booked out enjoying a booming tourist season.?
    I say that exercise any time is good the producers boggle me mind YEA IGHT
    GUIDE horse in Britain that’s a novelty lol.
    Kia kaha Ka extinction Protesters I have said the leftys need to harden up.
    I don’t use Facebook had a look.
    Fejoe problems with a moth larvae there was a problem with them last year to.
    Don’t like having a beard just have time to keep the hair tidy let alone cleaning and brushing a beard each to their own my son has a good beard.
    Hydrogen cars will be a rich person toy the common people will drive battery elictric car’s. Ka kite ano P.S my Mokopuna take up my time

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  • Ticket To Anywhere

    You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 hour ago
  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    18 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    23 hours ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    24 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

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  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

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  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

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  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

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  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

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