Open Mike 18/06/2018
Written By:
- Date published:
6:00 am, June 18th, 2018 - 111 comments
Categories: open mike -
Tags:
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
111 comments on “Open Mike 18/06/2018 ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
Recent Comments
- Building a norm against nuclear weapons
Back in 2017, the UN General Assembly approved the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and New Zealand was one of the first countries to sign. Now, a 50th ratification is finally going to bring it into force: Campaigners have hailed a "new chapter" after a key step ...16 hours ago - Change wins in ChileThis time last year, Chile was in rebellion against its government. Protests against a train fare increase turned into protests against inequality, and then, when the right-wing government deployed the military to crush them, into protests against the government and the dictator-imposed constitution. And the protestors won: half the cabinet ...17 hours ago
- Speaker: Rewarding competence
If you were listening to New Zealand’s punditocracy in the days since Labour won the general election with a record-setting outright majority, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Labour had actually lost.Last time around pundits could barely deal with the fact that the National government had lost its majority, and ...22 hours ago - NZ Politics Daily – 27 October 2020
Today’s content Labour Party and new Labour Government Andrea Vance (Stuff): ‘Labour Connect’ the data analysis tool that boosted Jacinda Ardern’s campaign Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Time for Govt to take some risks (paywalled) Audrey Young (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on her big win and big plans (paywalled) Audrey Young: What Kelvin Davis wants for Māori from ...23 hours ago - Thirty Years Ago Today: Musings on the Fourth Labour Government
The New Zealand media and the New Zealand public are still chattering about what Jacinda Ardern will do with her brand-spanking-new single party majority Government. The consensus – apart from a few wishful-thinkers – is “probably not much.” This is the era of “incrementalism”, which during the Helen Clark ...23 hours ago - Water on the Moon?
The space news this week is largely focused on an announcement from NASA regarding the discovery of water on the Moon. Not liquid water – the lunar surface is far too cold for that – but apparently ice deposits in the surface layers in near-polar regions, and perhaps deeper ...1 day ago - Yes Minister.
What it is like to be a new Minister Good morning Minister? Congratulations, you are minister for the very important department of state which I run as Chief Excutive. Have they fixed you up with all the accoutrements of office: the chauffeured limousine, your own car, state supplied accommodation ...1 day ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: Debunk often and properly
This blog post is part 4 of a series of excerpts from The Debunking Handbook 2020 which can be downloaded here. The list of references is available here. Debunk often and properly If you cannot preempt, you must debunk. For debunking to be effective, it is important to provide detailed ...2 days ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: ReferencesThis is the list of references for The Debunking Handbook 2020Lewandowsky, S., Cook, J., Ecker, U. K. H., Albarracín, D., Amazeen, M. A., Kendeou, P., Lombardi, D., Newman, E. J., Pennycook, G., Porter, E. Rand, D. G., Rapp, D. N., Reifler, J., Roozenbeek, J., Schmid, P., Seifert, C. M., Sinatra, ...2 days ago
- When the dictator wears capes.
Today Chileans voted overwhelmingly to elect a constitutional assembly and redraft the 1980 Constitution promulgated by the dictatorship of Agusto Pinochet. I regret that my old friend Bob Barros, whose death I wrote about a while ago, is not around to see this moment because he was the first person ...2 days ago - Everyone I don’t like is Hitler, or, how i got banned by Facebook
I do not really use Facebook anymore. I used to. For several years now, however, my drug of choice has been Twitter. It is equally pointless but is more agreeable better than Zuckerberg's monster is for me.I haven't deactivated my account because I still use FB as a means of ...2 days ago - Gal Gadot, The Orient and Identity Politics
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (14/10/2020) A row has recently erupted over the casting of the Israeli actress Gal Gadot as Cleopatra in an upcoming film. Part of the objections to her playing the role are based on the fact that she is not only Israeli, but a Zionist to boot, ...2 days ago - Getting Our Priorities Right
Much of the political debate over the past few months – as we have grappled with the coronavirus pandemic – has centred on the question of whether it is the interests of business or the health of the community that should take priority in policy terms. Much has been made ...2 days ago - 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #43Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review Story of the Week... Alarm as Arctic sea ice not yet freezing at latest date on record Delayed freeze in Laptev Sea could have ...2 days ago
- 2020 – Post mortem or Prologue?
. . A narcissistic, third-rate, Bond-villain code-named “Trump” takes control of the United States; a global pandemic brings human civilisation to a near stand-still; Whakaari/White Island erupts creating a hellish tragedy; Level 4 and 3 Lockdowns result in deserted streets straight out of The Quiet Earth; a new “Fortress ...2 days ago - Media Link: Some Bolivian and NZ post-election analysis on “A View from Afar.”This last week’s podcast featuring Selwyn Manning and I focused on post-election analysis in two small states, one land locked and the other surrounded by water. Check it out here. ...3 days ago
- Analysis of an Election – Aaaarghghgh! What happened????
With a week or so gone since the catastrophic election result for the National Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, MyThinks have set the team to work to come up with their hot takes on what has caused the previous all powerful party of government to collapse under the weight of ...3 days ago - A response to Judith ButlerFeminist Ani O’Brien takes a critical look at Judith Butler and the Kim Hill interview (17/10/20): It has been a while since I have done a bit-by-bit response piece, but this weekend Radio New Zealand journalist Kim Hill interviewed Professor Judith Butler on the conflict between trans activists and “TERFs” and I have ...3 days ago
- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #43A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Oct 18, 2020 through Sat, Oct 24, 2020 Editor's Choice A second Trump term would mean severe and irreversible changes in the climate No joke: It would be disastrous on the ...3 days ago
- National’s electoral slaughter
4 days ago - The Ideal and the Reality for a New MP
Being an MP is not quite what you think. Hello Mr Orange Man, I’ve really depended on you during the election over the last few weeks. Thankyou for helping me to get elected to parliament. So what are you doing here, meeting me in parliament, now I have ...5 days ago - COVID-19: backing our front rowNew Zealand has been called out as an outstanding player in managing COVID-19. We’ve done well,[1] but we’re far from perfect. We could do a lot better at backing our front row. Epidemiologists advise nations not to play “wait and see”. If By the time they do see, it’s all ...5 days ago
- Fleeing to the Dawn – accepted
Good bit of news on the short story front: my 1700 word fantasy piece, Fleeing to the Dawn, has been accepted for the Autumn 2020 edition of Shorts Magazine: http://shortsmagazine.com/ This one was a case of a previously unsuccessful story being dusted off and polished up. It is ...5 days ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: The elusive backfire effectsThis blog post is part 3 of a series of excerpts from The Debunking Handbook 2020 which can be downloaded here. The list of references is available here. The elusive backfire effects Ten years ago, scholars and practitioners were concerned that corrections may “backfire”; that is, ironically strengthen misconceptions rather ...5 days ago
- Prosecute ICEWe knew that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement was a moral void: they run concentration camps, and forcibly separate children from their parents. And now they're outright torturing people: US immigration officers allegedly tortured Cameroonian asylum seekers to force them to sign their own deportation orders, in what lawyers ...5 days ago
- Fly on the wall of the first National caucus since electionOver the past several months, the team at MyThinks have been involved in a vast insect training programme. We have been working to teach our six-legged friends to become the finest of political reporters. This week we sent our deputy political diptera into the National Party caucus room for their ...5 days ago
- The Twilight Of Boomer Power.
5 days ago - NZ Politics Daily – 23 October 2020Today’s content Labour government Peter Dunne (Newsroom): At the highwater mark with little wriggle room RNZ: Caucus: Explaining The Red Tide: Kiwis hug Jacinda back as Labour breaks records Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): It’s Time For Some “Earnest Struggle” Chris Trotter: “Change That Sticks.” Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): The Twilight Of Boomer Power Brent Edwards ...5 days ago
- “Change That Sticks.”Implementing Change With Us - Not Imposing It On Us: Jacinda Ardern, like Mickey Savage before her, understands what her more revolutionary critics do not: that the only sort of socialism that endures is democratic socialism – socialism by popular demand and with popular consent.AFTER THE BIGGEST WIN in nearly ...5 days ago
- Science at the movies: The new comet impact filmDisaster movies forever capture the public attention… but did you ever stop to think that the word disaster actually means bad star? That is, ‘dis’ implies a pejorative (as in disease, or disgust, or disrespect), while ‘aster’ comes from the Latin astrum, similarly the Greek astron. Asteroids are called that ...5 days ago
- The Adventures of Annalax: Volume XI
Yes, dinosaurs. Annalax would think of them as giant horned lizards. They were also terrified of us, what with Magni still being covered in spider goo, and hence smelling like a Leng Spider. The ... 6 days ago - PrioritiesMuch of the political debate over the past few months – as we have grappled with the coronavirus pandemic – has centred on the question of whether it is the interests of business or the health of the community that should take priority in policy terms. Much has been made ...6 days ago
- Farmers earning their reputation againNew Zealand farmers routinely complain about the public viewing them as environmental vandals. At the same time, they're opposing basic environmental regulation: Federated Farmers has asked that a wide-ranging plan change setting water use rules for South Canterbury remove all references to the protection of “indigenous fish”. [...] ...6 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily – 22 October 2020Labour-Greens talks, Labour govt Henry Cooke (Stuff): There is no evidence National voters backed Labour to keep the Greens out Audrey Young (Herald): Labour holds all the cards as Ardern’s talks with Greens get underway RNZ: Greens better off independent – Former Green MP Catherine Delahunty Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Greens would be ...6 days ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Stardust across the Middle East – how Arab media covered the New Zealand electionNews is not in short supply in the Middle East, and at the weekend, Arabic-language media remained firmly focused on the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Nevertheless, the New Zealand election – and above all Jacinda Ardern’s personal success – still received significant attention from Arabic-language TV news ...6 days ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Stardust across the Middle East: How Arab media reported on NZ’s electionNews is not in short supply in the Middle East, and on Saturday, Arab media remained focused heavily on the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Nevertheless, the New Zealand election – and especially Jacinda Ardern’s personal success – received significant attention from Arabic-language TV news channels, newspapers and ...6 days ago
- It's Time For Some “Earnest Struggle”.6 days ago
- Party Like It’s 1936: Songs for the Philologists
It’s the most obscure Tolkien book of all… so obscure that only fourteen copies exist: Songs for the Philologists, a 1936 collection of thirty humorous verses, by Tolkien (who wrote thirteen), E.V. Gordon, and ... 6 days ago - Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – National’s catastrophic collapse and fraught rebuildThe National Party’s defeat has been so comprehensive that few in the party seem optimistic they will recover anytime soon. Falling from 47% in 2017 to just 27% (which might drop as low as 25% once special votes are counted), is one of the most severe collapses in New Zealand’s ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42, 2020Dust-up at the Denial Corral, in "journal time" Way back in 2017 the Institute of Physics publication Environmental Research Letters (ERL) published a featured article, Assessing ExxonMobil's climate change communications (1977–2014), by Supran & Oreskes. The article reverberated widely as it exposed a documented a pattern of behavior arguably described as perfidious. The authors ...6 days ago
- Now’s the time – expand ACC
Having ruled out Capital Gains Tax and Wealth Tax, the incoming Labour government must be looking for some significant progressive policies that they haven’t already ruled out. Expanding the ACC scheme fits that brief, and the Green Party have conveniently already proposed doing so. But, how to fund it? The accident/illness ...7 days ago - Managing to the targetNew Zealand's health system is chronicly underfunded, and so almost all DHBs run deficits. Last month, just before he bailed out Canterbury DHB, Health Minister Chris Hipkins was repeating the mantra that DHBs must live within their means and "have a credible plan to return to financial sustainability". But yesterday, ...7 days ago
- Solarise all the things!If we are to avoid dangerous levels of climate change, we need to decarbonise the economy and shift our energy supply completely to renewables. The good news is that the International Energy Agency thinks that that is going to happen. The reason? Interest rates have dropped. And this means that ...7 days ago
- New Zealand weighs up a nation-sized batteryIan Mason and Robert McLachlan Climate change was a small but perceptible part of the recent election. On climate change, Labour pointed proudly to their record of legislating for net zero emissions by 2050 (nicknamed the ‘Zero Carbon Act’), establishing a Climate Change Commission to set carbon budgets and advise ...7 days ago
- WHO reform: a call for an early-warning protocol for infectious diseasesPeter Gluckman and Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato The World Health Organization (WHO) has come in for its share of criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some faults are the responsibility of the WHO, others were caused by member states, which did not always act as quickly ...7 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily – 21 October 2020Today’s content Election Jack Vowles (The Conversation): The 2020 NZ election saw record vote volatility — what does that mean for the next Labour government? Jason Walls and Chris Knox (Herald): 20 fascinating facts about the 2020 election you might have missed Stuff: Labour Day: A vote-by-vote analysis of New Zealand’s historic shift ...7 days ago
- Do Landslides Change the Landscape in the Long Run?
It was easy for election night commentators to use the ‘landslide’ trope to describe Labour’s winning of the 2020 election. But the historical record suggests that such landslides may not last long. In 1935, the First (Savage-Fraser) Labour Government won 53 seats in a parliament of 80; National ...1 week ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: Prevent misinformation from sticking if you canThis blog post is part 2 of a series of excerpts from The Debunking Handbook 2020 which can be downloaded here. The list of references is available here. Prevent misinformation from sticking if you can Because misinformation is sticky, it’s best preempted. This can be achieved by explaining misleading or ...1 week ago
- Graeme Edgeler: Mandates are not mandatory, but they are also not meaninglessThere’s a lot of talk about what the Labour Government’s new mandate is. For a discussion of exactly what that might mean, Graeme Edgeler explores the murky logic of what they can and can’t do, pointing out that ultimately voters decide if this mandate was properly used in three years. ...1 week ago
- Hyping it up over fluoridation
In my time as a scientific researcher, honest scientists used to condemn colleagues who over-hyped their science. To our mind there should have been a special place in hell for scientists who misrepresented their ... 1 week ago - Don’t fall for the Covid contrariansAs life in Aotearoa gets back to some kind of normal after our latest Covid-19 outbreak, cases in the northern hemisphere are on the rise again and that puts us all at risk. Because no one is safe until we are all safe. This is a tricky virus. We now ...1 week ago
- Liam Hehir: Online abuse and the standard you walk byThere’s a lot of nastiness in the online public sphere, much of it tribal, petty and personal. Political commentator and Twitter enthusiast Liam Hehir has seen too much of it, and explains why he’s going to actively stand up against it. I did a radio interview a little while ...1 week ago
- Tanzania: elections, neoliberalism and economic diplomacyPolitics in New Zealand is the main focus of Redline, along with supporting liberation movements and anti-imperialist struggles. We have had little material from the African continent, so are pleased to print this submission from a Tanzanian writer on their pending elections. Tanzania will be going to the polls on ...1 week ago
- Governing For All Of Us.1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily – 20 October 2020Today’s content Coalition negotiations, shape of government Gordon Campbell: On why the Greens shouldn’t join the government Andrew Geddis (Pundit): What Sort Of Relationship Might Labour And The Greens Agree On? Audrey Young (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds preparatory talks with Greens but coalition looking unlikely Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern tight-lipped after ...1 week ago
- What sort of relationship might Labour and the Greens agree on?
Even without knowing the final election result (because, don’t forget there’s about 500,000 special votes still to count and they very likely will change Saturday’s results), we can say two things for certain about the next government. Jacinda Ardern will be its Prime Minister. And Labour will be at its core. But ...1 week ago - Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Leftwing euphoria meets realityThe political left has been euphoric since Saturday’s night historic landslide victory for Labour. But political commentators from across the spectrum are united in warning that the new Government isn’t about to be transformative. Instead, we will see more of a status quo administration grappling with a crisis, with very ...1 week ago
- Yes, a mandate for sure… but issues for NZ will be far, far more difficult now
With the NZ General Election and Referendums over for 2020, Jacinda Ardern is to form a Government over the next few weeks, “there are some areas we do want to crack on with, that we will need to expedite”, and talks will begin to form around what the voters ...1 week ago - Labour Party landslide – 2020 Election in reviewJacinda Ardern - Prime Minister of New ZealandThe 2020 General Election has been one of the most interesting in New Zealand’s political history. Not only did we have voters provide the Labour Party with a stratospheric 49.1% mandate to govern, the results also delivered National with a crushing 26.8% defeat ...1 week ago
- Be careful what you wish for: Labour's difficult triumph
Labour’s overwhelming victory at the election has been greeted with rousing cheers on the left of New Zealand politics and the start of transformational demands. It’s a multi-generational win for Labour, out-polling the Kirk, Lange and Clark victories. You have to go back to 1938 for a bigger percentage (55.8%) ...1 week ago - A Skeptical Science member's path to an experiment on carbon sequestrationDuring what now seems like another era entirely- back in February of this long year- Skeptical Science regular RedBaron (aka Scott Strough) mentioned in a discussion thread here that he'd been working on an idea for no-till cultivation of vegetables, was seeking to quantify what appeared to be promising results. Scott ...1 week ago
- Jacinda Will Keep Us Moving – To The Same Place.Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes? Not Likely: Though few New Zealanders would express it in such a fashion: Jacinda’s and Labour’s general handling of the Covid-19 crisis proved both to be highly effective defenders of the capitalist status quo. She, and they, kept the lights on. And that, in the absence of an alternative ...1 week ago
- The Greens and LabourWith an absolute majority, Labour can govern in its own right, and doesn't need partners. But while unnecessary, they're a nice-to-have, both as backup and for PR reasons. Ardern has talked about "consensus", and there are obvious benefits for her of having government policy endorsed by as many parties as ...1 week ago
- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #42Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Earth has warmest September on record, and 2020 may clinch hottest year Record warmth in Europe and Asia overwhelms a ...1 week ago
- Josh Van Veen: The Vindication of Winston PetersAn egalitarian spirit is currently being revived in New Zealand, and we should thank Winston Peters for keeping alive that spirit. Josh Van Veen, who once worked with the NZ First leader, pays his tribute. With New Zealand First receiving less than 3% of the vote, critics are happily ...1 week ago
- The Hunt for Red October: Musings on Taieri
So New Zealand has had its general election. Jacinda Ardern has managed a single-party majority government, New Zealand’s first in twenty-six years, and its first since the adoption of proportional representation. I intend to do a comment on that further down the line – my feelings on the Sunday ...1 week ago - Lessons from the ElectionThis year’s general election has broken new ground – and not just in terms of its outcome, the seats won and votes cast, and – in an MMP environment – the margin of victory. It also suggests that something quite fundamental has changed in New Zealand politics. The outcome is ...1 week ago
- The unexpected resultThe people have spoken, and its a Labour majority government. This wasn't meant to happen under MMP, and in fact its exactly what the system was designed to prevent: no majority governments, no elected dictatorships, unless we really, really want it (which at the time seemed unlikely on 40 years ...1 week ago
- Schadenfreude is a dish best served blueWhat started out as the largest party in parliament has ended election night scratching the back door of the house of irrelevance. ...1 week ago
- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Oct 11, 2020 through Sat, Oct 17, 2020 Editor's Choice A FIELD GUIDE TOTHE ELECTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE The presidential election is just weeks away, and climate change has broken ...1 week ago
- Legal Beagle: Election '20: The Special VotesThe 2020 General Election has a preliminary result. For reasons I am unable to really explain, we will not have even a preliminary result for the end of life choice and cannabis legalisation referendums for some weeks (I dropped the ball on that one when the referendum legislation was before ...1 week ago
- National rejects tonight’s result as a ‘rogue poll’
National are dismissing tonight’s election result as an “obvious outlier” Half an hour into counting, National Party leader Judith Collins and deputy leader Gerry Brownlee are already dismissing tonight’s election result as a “rogue poll”, saying it’s an incomplete survey with shoddy methodology. Brownlee called an emergency media stand-up just ...1 week ago - Jacinda Ardern ran down four National supporters with her car this morning but due to electoral law ...Dr. Ashley Bloomfield reported at today’s 1pm health briefing that the Coronavirus turns out not to exist, but that information was also withheld on the same grounds. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern began her election morning by ruthlessly driving her car into a family of National supporters just blocks from her ...1 week ago
- Six weird animals that have nothing to do with the electionGet a load of these things! Some of these animals are just crazy. You wouldn’t want a single one of these animals anywhere near your kids. It could ruin them for life. Last thing you’d want is your kid growing up around any of these, and thinking that’s what animals ...2 weeks ago
- 1pm Covid Health Update for 17th October, 2020What follows is today’s 1pm health update from the Ministry of Health There are 12 new cases of Covid-19 today, six in managed isolation, three escaped, and three are wealthy foreigners so it’s fine. One of these cases is a man in his 50s who visited Auckland sex club Fisting ...2 weeks ago
- WATCH LIVE: Election Night 2020
...1 week ago - Election Night Speech – Marama Davidson
Kia ora tātou kātoa. Ngā mihi maioha ki a koutou Te Roopu Kakariki, ngā kaitautoko, e aroha ana I te kaupapa mo te taiao me te mokopuna. No reira tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. I am so proud to be standing here tonight, at the end of an ...1 week ago - Election Night Speech – James ShawOn Election Night three years ago I stood up in front of you to say, “We are still here!” Well, tonight, not only are we still here, we are the first support party in MMP history to have started and finished a term in government above the 5% threshold. We ...1 week ago
- Greens only party with plan to meet scale of climate challengeA new report showing that the effects of climate change are already being felt in Aotearoa New Zealand shows the importance of the Green Party pushing for urgent action in the next Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party commits to stronger urban tree protection and no new mines on public conservation landThe Green Party is the only party in Parliament which is explicitly committing to protecting public conservation land and the indigenous plants and wildlife which live there, from destructive mining. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens close campaign with COVID-19 recovery pitchThe Green Party says a Green-Labour partnership next term is the only way to ensure that we build back better than before, whilst addressing the other crises of biodiversity, climate change and poverty. ...2 weeks ago
- Vote still undecided? Watch this.As of today, over 1.4 million New Zealanders have already cast their votes in this year’s election. While this shows that a huge number of people have already made up their minds about who they want to lead our country, there are many who are still undecided. ...2 weeks ago
- Labour's 2020 Election ManifestoThe Labour Party understands how important continuity, stability and clarity are for New Zealanders in these uncertain times. That’s why, in our 2020 Election Manifesto, we’re setting out how we will continue to invest in people, jobs, small businesses, infrastructure, and global trade, to set New Zealand up for the ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party releases tourism policyToday the Green Party’s conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage went kayaking on Akaroa Harbour to highlight the greater protection achieved for Hector’s and Maui dolphins this term and the Greens’ election commitment to supporting sustainable tourism. ...2 weeks ago
- National’s false ‘wealth tax’ claims: The “last roll of the misinformation dice”“Collins has warned voters to expect a wealth tax. This is despite the fact Labour has ruled this out a number of times.” – Jason Walls, NZ Herald. “The Labour Party has ruled out implementing the Green Party's wealth tax.” – Henry Cooke, Stuff. “Labour has time and time again ...2 weeks ago
- Week that was: Counting down to Election DayIt’s getting incredibly close to Election Day now – and over a million people have already cast their vote! ...2 weeks ago
- Jacinda Ardern's Wellington Rally SpeechJacinda Ardern delivers a rally speech at Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre. ...2 weeks ago
- Grant Robertson's Wellington Rally SpeechGrant Robertson delivers a rally speech at Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre. ...2 weeks ago
- Building a vibrant creative sector The Green Party will push for better conditions, more certainty, and greater opportunities for New Zealand’s artists and creatives as part of the next Government, Co-leader of the Green Party, James Shaw said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens promise continued action to reduce mental health waiting timesThe Green Party is committed to reduce the waiting times people in mental distress have to put up with before they receive attention and get treatment. ...3 weeks ago
- Early voting is openDid you know that early voting is open? That means you can go out and cast your vote right now - whether you've already enrolled or not. Almost 600,000 Kiwis have already voted, and you can join them! ...3 weeks ago
- Greens would go further and faster for kauri protectionThe Green Party says Labour’s commitment to protecting kauri is a good start, but the Greens would go further and faster to keep our kauri standing. ...3 weeks ago
- Greens would bring urban food farms to Auckland CityThe Green Party will invest funding in community agriculture and urban food gardens in places like Auckland city centre. ...3 weeks ago
- Tokelau Language Week reminds us to stay united and strong
Staying strong in the face of challenges and being true to our heritage and languages are key to preserving our cultural identity and wellbeing, is the focus of the 2020 Tokelau Language Week. Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, says this year’s theme, ‘Apoapo tau foe, i nā tāfea ...5 days ago - NZ announces a third P-3 deployment in support of UN sanctionsThe Government has deployed a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea, announced Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “New Zealand has long supported ...1 week ago
- Pacific trade and development agreement a realityPacific regional trade and development agreement PACER Plus will enter into force in 60 days now that the required eight countries have ratified it. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker welcomed the announcement that the Cook Islands is the eighth nation to ratify this landmark agreement. “The agreement represents ...2 weeks ago
- Securing a pipeline of teachersThe Government is changing its approach to teacher recruitment as COVID-19 travel restrictions continue, by boosting a range of initiatives to get more Kiwis into teaching. “When we came into Government, we were faced with a teacher supply crisis,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “Over the past three years, we ...2 weeks ago
- Border exceptions for a small number of international students with visasThe Government has established a new category that will allow 250 international PhD and postgraduate students to enter New Zealand and continue their studies, in the latest set of border exceptions. “The health, safety and wellbeing of people in New Zealand remains the Government’s top priority. Tight border restrictions remain ...2 weeks ago
- First COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreement signedThe Government has signed an agreement to purchase 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines – enough for 750,000 people – from Pfizer and BioNTech, subject to the vaccine successfully completing all clinical trials and passing regulatory approvals in New Zealand, say Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods and Health Minister Chris Hipkins. ...2 weeks ago
- International statement – End-to-end encryption and public safetyWe, the undersigned, support strong encryption, which plays a crucial role in protecting personal data, privacy, intellectual property, trade secrets and cyber security. It also serves a vital purpose in repressive states to protect journalists, human rights defenders and other vulnerable people, as stated in the 2017 resolution of the ...2 weeks ago
- Ministry of Defence Biodefence Assessment releasedThe Ministry of Defence has today released a Defence Assessment examining Defence’s role across the spectrum of biological hazards and threats facing New Zealand. Biodefence: Preparing for a New Era of Biological Hazards and Threats looks at how the NZDF supports other agencies’ biodefence activities, and considers the context of ...2 weeks ago
- New Approaches to Economic Challenges: Confronting Planetary Emergencies: OECD 9 October 2020New Approaches to Economic Challenges: Confronting Planetary Emergencies: OECD 9 October 2020 Hon David Parker’s response following Thomas Piketty and Esther Duflo. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, wherever in the world you might be. I first acknowledge the excellent thought provoking speeches of Thomas Piketty and Esther ...3 weeks ago
- Kaipara Moana restoration takes next stepA Memorandum of Understanding has been signed today at Waihāua Marae between the Crown, local iwi and councils to protect, restore and enhance the mauri of Kaipara Moana in Northland. Environment Minister David Parker signed the document on behalf of the Crown along with representatives from Ngā Maunga Whakahī, Ngāti ...3 weeks ago
- New Zealand and Uruguay unite on reducing livestock production emissionsAgriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Uruguayan Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries Carlos María Uriarte have welcomed the launch of a three-year project that will underpin sustainable livestock production in Uruguay, Argentina, and Costa Rica. The project called ‘Innovation for pasture management’ is led by Uruguay’s National Institute of Agricultural ...3 weeks ago
- 3100 jobs created through marae upgradesHundreds of marae throughout the country will be upgraded through investments from the Provincial Growth Fund’s refocused post COVID-19 funding to create jobs and put money into the pockets of local tradespeople and businesses, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced. “A total ...3 weeks ago
- Health volunteers recognised in annual awardsHealth Minister Chris Hipkins has announced 9 teams and 14 individuals are the recipients of this year’s Minister of Health Volunteer Awards. “The health volunteer awards celebrate and recognise the thousands of dedicated health sector volunteers who give many hours of their time to help other New Zealanders,” Mr Hipkins ...3 weeks ago
- Community COVID-19 Fund supports Pacific recoveryThe Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio says a total of 264 groups and individuals have successfully applied for the Pacific Aotearoa Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund, that will support Pacific communities drive their own COVID-19 recovery strategies, initiatives, and actions. “I am keen to see this Fund support Pacific ...3 weeks ago
- Community benefits from Māori apprenticeshipsUp to 50 Māori apprentices in Wellington will receive paid training to build houses for their local communities, thanks to a $2.75 million investment from the Māori Trades and Training Fund, announced Employment Minister Willie Jackson today. “This funding will enable Ngāti Toa Rangatira Incorporated to provide its Ngā Kaimahi ...3 weeks ago
- Training fund supports Māori jobseekersRapidly growing sectors will benefit from a $990,000 Māori Trades and Training Fund investment which will see Wellington jobseekers supported into work, announced Employment Minister Willie Jackson today. “This funding will enable Sapphire Consultants Ltd. to help up to 45 Māori jobseekers into paid training initiatives over two years through ...3 weeks ago
- The rookie ACT MPs who might not be what you expect
ACT scored big on election night but it was a "bittersweet" victory - the party is still on the wrong side of power. So what will its nine new MPs do for the next three years? ...1 hour ago - Is Tokelauan facing extinction?
What happens when a language outlives its homeland, when its speakers live here, in New Zealand? John Middleton on the challenge for Tokelauan. It is Tokelau Language Week and although a brief glance at the statistics paints a dire picture for its survival, the real picture for Tokelauan is much ...1 hour ago - What next for the US Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court now has a clear conservative majority, but predicting how individual justices might decide cases can be a fool's game, writes Hayden Thorne Donald Trump’s nominee to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the United States Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett has been confirmed by the US Senate ...1 hour ago - NZ research sheds light on unexplained deaths
NZ-led research is guiding families through the tragedy of sudden unexplained death, addressing questions like: would a potential diagnosis of a genetic cardiac condition threaten employment prospects or eligibility for health insurance? A 25-year-old woman with a young infant collapses after an unexpected visitor rings the doorbell late one evening. Despite the ...1 hour ago - Catherine Chidgey by Aimee Cronin & Jane Ussher
We continue our extraordinary series of portraits of New Zealand authors as Aimee Cronin (words) and Jane Ussher (pictures) profile novelist Catherine Chidgey From Catherine Chidgey’s doorstep you can see right into the colourful room of her young daughter Alice, pictures and photos all over the walls. Look out to ...1 hour ago - The price of kindness
One promising area of policy came to a shuddering halt in the first term of the Labour government. Bob Kerridge argues now is the time to put animal rights and welfare back in the mix Three years ago, the Labour Party regained the Government benches and signalled a number of social ...1 hour ago - A tale of two Green ministers
Green Party ministerial picks might be a good yardstick for the next Government’s ambition. David Williams reports Opinion: A downpour of predictions has spurted from political pundits on possible Labour-Greens cooperation in the next Government. Despite Labour being able to rule alone, we’re told there have been “fruitful discussions”. Former United ...1 hour ago - Track and field women go hammer and tongs for Tokyo
Sarah Cowley Ross catches up with three Olympic track and field hopefuls - Camille Buscomb, lifted up by a flock of Kiwi runners, and hammer throwers Julia Ratcliffe and Lauren Bruce, pushing each other to reach Tokyo. It’s often a lonesome journey for an individual athlete. Gruelling solo training sessions ...1 hour ago - The infrastructure Aotearoa has got right so far is digital
With the Covid-19 economic rebuild on everyone’s minds, Aotearoa should double down on its world-class digital infrastructure and focus even more on digital adoption to thrive, writes Vodafone NZ CEO Jason Paris Historically, governments have tended to focus most of their collective investment on 20th Century physical infrastructure. Yet we have digital ...1 hour ago - Arrival of parliament’s new migrant MPs sparks rejoicing, and backlash
While our newest migrant MPs are inspiring people across the world, their first week in parliament has not passed without controversy here in New Zealand. Not since the early 1900s, when recent immigrants flooded the colonial parliament’s benches, has the Beehive seen such an influx of foreign-born MPs – albeit ...2 hours ago - Me hoki whenua mai? Putting tāngata back on the whenuaTo mark the anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga, the Declaration of Independence, on this day in 1835, race relations commissioner Meng Foon has one message: land back.Whenua is fundamental to Māori identity and whakapapa. Whenua and housing are essential for wellbeing. Yet despite Māori resilience, ...2 hours ago
- Crowded house – the newbie ACT MPs
Don't expect a bunch of neo-liberal automatons in the new intake of ACT MPs, says Newsroom Pro's Jonathan Milne. 2020’s extraordinary election sees 40 new MPs in Parliament. Labour alone has 22 fresh faces but in terms of rookie caucuses, ACT beats them all. David Seymour – the youngest party leader, ...2 hours ago - Just Fix the F**king Housing Problem. Please!
It is far, far, past time for politicians to mandate the changes that will help Kiwis live in secure, affordable homes. Just do it, pleads Jess Berentson-Shaw. ...2 hours ago - New MP Ibrahim Omer’s election highlights the challenges refugees from Africa face in New Zealand
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Judah Seomeng, Postgraduate student, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The election of Labour candidate Ibrahim Omer on October 17 makes him New Zealand’s first African MP and one of only two former refugees to sit in the New ...9 hours ago - Facebook is tilting the political playing field more than ever, and it’s no accidentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Brand, Adjunct A/Prof of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Monash University As the US presidential election polling day draws close, it’s worth recapping what we know about how Facebook has been used to influence election results. The platform is optimised for ...12 hours ago
- Momentum vs underdog status: this time the advantage is with Joe BidenSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lionel Page, Professor in Economics, University of Technology Sydney Polls highly favour Joe Biden to win the US presidential election. These polls are not just abstract information. By telling prospective voters who is the most likely to win, can they influence the ...12 hours ago
- Labour and Greens meeting: 'There's a lot to work through'Green Party co-leaders have emerged from their second round of talks with Labour in hopes of taking a deal to their membership by the end of the week. ...13 hours ago
- Who will Muslim Americans vote for in the US elections?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mehmet Ozalp, Associate Professor in Islamic Studies, Director of The Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation and Executive Member of Public and Contextual Theology, Charles Sturt University Muslims are a small minority in the United States, but they may have a significant ...13 hours ago
- Evening Report LIVE: Tech Now with Sarah Putt and Selwyn Manning – Consumer Rights + Google in DoJ...Hello I’m Selwyn Manning and you are watching Tech Now. Tonight, we are joined by technology commentator Sarah Putt to discuss some of the week’s big tech issues, including: A new Telecommunications Commissioner started in June. And the commissioner has a big focus on telco consumer rights. We’ll talk ...14 hours ago
- Could a test really detect if someone is a COVID-19 ‘superspreader’?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lara Herrero, Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease, Griffith University Last week we heard Queensland-based biotech company Microbio had developed a test that could, according to media reports, tell whether someone is a COVID-19 superspreader. While this may sound like an ...14 hours ago
- Climate explained: did atomic bomb tests damage our upper atmosphere?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Carter, Senior lecturer, RMIT University CC BY-ND 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, ...14 hours ago
- Review: Louise Milligan’s Witness is a devastating critique of the criminal trial processSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Mathews, Professor, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology Book review: Witness, by Louise Milligan (Hachette). Louise Milligan’s new book, Witness, is an excoriating critique of the failures of the criminal justice system in sexual assault trials. Informed by Milligan’s two ...14 hours ago
- NZPP leaders decide the best way to make progress politically is to step back from Advance NZ
Browsing through items of political news published on Labour Day, we came across a statement from the New Zealand Public Party (NZPP) and Reset New Zealand which declared they were retreating from Jami-Lee Ross’s Advance New Zealand party. Not a full retreat, necessarily. Rather, they “ … have moved ...14 hours ago - Activists Picket FarmRight, Demand End To Use Of Western Sahara Blood Phosphate
Protesters today picketed the FarmRight head office in Ōtautahi Christchurch to call on FarmRight to cease using phosphate fertiliser illegally sourced from Western Sahara on the farms it manages. The protest was in solidarity with the Polisario ...14 hours ago - Covid-19 has changed New Zealand forever. The experts explain how: part twoSome of the smartest people in the country examine the effects of the pandemic on Aotearoa’s future in 400 words or fewer. Read part one here. Beyond the horrific global death toll and the economic shutdowns, there is hope that Covid-19 will allow us to build a better society in the ...15 hours ago
- Super-charged: Australia’s biggest renewables project will change the energy gameSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mathews, Professor Emeritus, Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University Australia doesn’t yet export renewable energy. But the writing is on the wall: demand for Australia’s fossil fuel exports is likely to dwindle soon, and we must replace it at massive scale. The ...15 hours ago
- Dear Australia, your sympathy helps, but you can’t quite understand Melbourne’s lockdown experie...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Brady, Research Fellow – Community Resilience, University of Melbourne The joy Melburnians feel about coming out of lockdown is palpable, but another thread is also emerging: if you don’t live in Melbourne and haven’t experienced what we’ve experienced, you can’t actually ...15 hours ago
- How to be brave in the face of, you know, everythingWhat does it mean to find courage in the face of a global pandemic, race protests, border strife and climate anxiety? Books editor Catherine Woulfe writes:Christchurch’s Word spring festival opens tomorrow. In real life! A highlight will be the Brave Worlds gala on Friday night, at which luminaries (Becky Manawatu, Witi ...15 hours ago
- ALRANZ Denounces US Senate Confirmation Of Judge BarrettALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa denounces the US Senate’s confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court seat formerly held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. “This action demonstrates the rank hypocrisy of the once-respected upper chamber ...16 hours ago
- The backlash against big techFrom antitrust suits to restrictive new laws, the world’s digital behemoths are in hot water. So who’s on the naughty list and why? Hal Crawford explains.All around the world, governments are moving against big tech companies. The US government last week filed a suit against Google in an era-defining antitrust ...16 hours ago
- Public sculpture commemorating Dame Hilda RossDame Hilda Ross was the first Hamilton/Waikato woman elected as an MP in 1945 and became the second woman in New Zealand to become a Cabinet Minister in 1949. Artist Matt Gauldie’s bronze sculpture portrays Dame Hilda in Parliament, with one hand ...16 hours ago
- Motorbikes Major Factor In Road TollThe high number of motorbike deaths and injuries in New Zealand has prompted a call for urgent action. Clive Matthew Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com , says: “Over Labour Weekend, two of the worst accidents involved motorbikes.“ ...17 hours ago
- Countdown Customer Care Strike Continues As Frustration GrowsCountdown customer care specialists who deal with the supermarket’s online orders are taking partial strike action today and withdrawing labour relating to online shopping as anger grows among workers at the company’s comments about pay and value, ...17 hours ago
- Ranking the strongest ladies in New Zealand – our tunnel boring machinesIn an effort to bring The Spinoff’s favourite format – the ranking – to its knees, Alice Webb-Liddall ranks the most boring thing she can think of: borers.If something is to be named after me when I have passed away after a lifetime of goodwill and national recognition, I would ...17 hours ago
- Pendulum swings back from the mean politics of the market
Leading unionist Richard Wagstaff has high hopes for lasting change after an election that shifted influence from boomers and the market to younger, fairer thinking. It has taken a few days to fully comprehend the enormity of what happened on election night. That’s because there are few moments in politics ...18 hours ago - Stay out of cabinet – be independent, former MP tells GreensBy RNZ News Former Green Party MP Keith Locke says his contemporaries should stay out of the New Zealand cabinet in order to remain critical of Labour while also working constructively with it. Any cabinet positions offered to the Greens by Labour would be a favour, not a necessity, and ...18 hours ago
- Heartland Bank Workers Take Strike Action In Auckland Over Low Pay RatesWorkers at Heartland Bank in Auckland are taking strike action today and walking off the job after unsuccessful negotiations with the employer have failed to result in meaningful increases to wages that union officials say are well below market rates, ...19 hours ago
- 57,000 books to be flicked at Trentham
The National Library is about to hock off 57,000 books for $2 each at a glorified garage sale Steve Braunias, ReadingRoom literary editor: About 57,000 books hauled out of the Overseas Collection at Wellington's National Library are about to be hocked off at a flat rate of $2 per book ...19 hours ago - ParityBOT_NZ Processed Nearly 200,000 Tweets To Find And Fight Online Abuse Over The NZ ElectionAuckland, New Zealand: Of the almost 200,000 tweets directed at women candidates that Areto Labs’ proprietary election Twitter bot, ParityBOT_NZ, processed over the New Zealand election period, nearly 4,000 were classified as toxic and triggered ...19 hours ago
- Emily Writes: Bad Halloween ideas to entertain your little devilsHalloween is just around the corner. If you’re a parent looking for spooky activities to entertain your beastly offspring, Emily Writes has got your back.What to do for Halloween during a global pandemic? It’s a question few parents care about or are asking, but I’m on deadline and so here ...19 hours ago
- From penthouse to prison cell: The downfall of Eric WatsonThe jailing this week of New Zealand playboy businessman Eric Watson was nearly a decade in the legal making, writes the NZ Herald’s Matt Nippert in this Herald Premium article.The fall of Eric John Watson, from penthouse-dwelling playboy to prisoner in apparent penury, didn’t happen overnight. He’s also recently caught ...20 hours ago
- Problems zoning schools 'at heart' of transient neighbourhoods
Schools are the hearts of their communities, – but principals feel they're being treated as pawns. ...20 hours ago - Ngāi Tahu Treaty Settlement Subject Of New UC StudyAs the father of a nine-year-old daughter, David Tikao feels personally invested in how well his iwi organisation – Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu – is distributing wealth to beneficiaries and investing for future generations. He is researching how ...21 hours ago
- Look Out For Animal Health And Welfare Around Guy FawkesThis year, look after the animals - don’t let off fireworks at home or around your community. Every year, veterinary clinics see animals injured and traumatised by fireworks. These include pets, wildlife and stock. Some injuries are horrific. ...21 hours ago
- How the lockdown changed our diets, affected our sleep, and left us lonelyIn 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic prompted New Zealand and much of the world to undertake something few of us had ever contemplated: a near-total lockdown of society. In this Lockdown legacies series, James Dann explores the impacts of those extraordinary measures, intended and otherwise. Today: the lifestyle changes it brought ...21 hours ago
- Green Party should avoid Cabinet positions and remain an independent, critical voice – former ...Former Green Party MP Keith Locke says his contemporaries should stay out of Cabinet in order to remain critical of Labour while also working constructively with it. ...21 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – October 27 2020Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Today’s content Labour Party and new Labour Government Andrea Vance (Stuff): ‘Labour Connect’ the data analysis tool that boosted Jacinda Ardern’s campaign Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Time for Govt to take some ...22 hours ago
- 'Walk away from it. Create something that beats like your own heart.'
The Waitangi Tribunal has heard multiple, strong calls for an independent, Māori-run authority to replace Oranga Tamariki. Laura Walters reports Māori leaders have told the Waitangi Tribunal they’re sick of waiting while the Crown fails Māori children and whānau. The Waitangi Tribunal’s Oranga Tamariki Urgent Inquiry has heard a series ...22 hours ago - Op-Ed: The United Nations, 75 years young – Engaging youth social entrepreneurs to accelerate the ...Opinion by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). This year, the United Nations is marking its 75th anniversary – a milestone of extraordinary economic and social progress in Asia and ...22 hours ago
- Review: Match Fit shows former All Blacks overweight and struggling – just like the rest of usIn their heyday they were invulnerable, but now the likes of Piri Weepu and Eroni Clarke are all too human. That’s what makes Match Fit so compelling, says Duncan Greive.Match Fit is aimed at the more casual class of rugby fan, but its audience would likely bristle at what lies ...22 hours ago
- National Party post-election review to look at campaign and past three years in oppositionJudith Collins says a review of the National Party's election campaign will extend to the past three years in opposition, but won't say much else. ...22 hours ago
- What would a Biden presidency mean for Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Walker, Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University American presidential elections do not, as a rule, change the calculus much for Australian foreign policy. Elections come and go, American presidents complete their terms and business continues more or less as ...23 hours ago
- Our minds may be wandering more during the pandemic — and this can be a good thingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Windt, Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Many feel the coronavirus pandemic has changed not just our everyday lives, but also our inner mental lives. There has been talk of a mental health pandemic, but also of lockdown brain fog when we ...23 hours ago
- Live updates, October 27: ‘Clearly, more went wrong’ – National Party review underwayWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 27. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach us at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz7.40am: ‘More went wrong’ – Judith Collins speaks ahead of National Party reviewThe National Party is set to reassemble this week to discuss plans for opposition, as the ...23 hours ago
- Cool discovery: new studies confirm Moon has icy polesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dempster, Director, Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research; Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, UNSW Water is more abundant on the Moon than we might have suspected, according to two papers published today in Nature Astronomy that confirm the presence ...23 hours ago
- Reimagining the laser: new ideas from quantum theory could herald a revolutionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Howard Wiseman, Director, Centre for Quantum Dynamics, Griffith University Lasers were created 60 years ago this year, when three different laser devices were unveiled by independent laboratories in the United States. A few years later, one of these inventors called the unusual ...23 hours ago
- Wage theft and casual work are built into university business modelsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damien Cahill, Associate Professor, Department of Political Economy, University of Sydney The COVID crisis has exposed the destructive consequences of an over-reliance on casual labour across the economy. Australian universities provide one of the clearest examples of this. For the past two ...23 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Unaffordable dental care in the spotlightGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Unaffordable dental care in the spotlight, update on the two crops of Covid cases, and Billy TK quits Advance NZ alliance.One of the weeping sores of the health system is the high cost of dental care, and the health effects ...24 hours ago
- Labour and Greens to wrap-up final talks this weekLabour and the Greens will meet again today to thrash out areas they can cooperate on in government. ...24 hours ago
- Business & Investing: Infratil eyes acquisition target
Infratil lines up a radiology play in Australia, plus a big week in the US with a third of the S&P500 companies reporting and GDP figures out ...1 day ago - Chihuahua sparks constitutional conversation
A tweet about the oath of allegiance gets to the core of a much-needed conversation about NZ's constitution. ...1 day ago - Who's protecting mum and dad forestry investors?
Arbor forestry investors left with minimal returns after 30 years, say they have been let down by the schemes' managers and by the statutory supervisor they believed was looking after them. ...1 day ago - Grand plan for school zones risks public 'outcry'
Schools able to exploit ambiguous rules to admit children and siblings of former students; now officials implement tougher zone restrictions. ...1 day ago - 'Silver Fern Sammy' gets her second wind
For almost two years, livewire midcourter Sam Winders wasn't wanted by the Silver Ferns. Now she’s back, with new stories to tell - writing books for children Sam Winders reckons she’d make a great character in a kid’s book. “Especially from my primary school days – I was this little red-haired ...1 day ago - How to Covid-proof a countryThe pandemic has only exposed the systemic healthcare inequities that already existed, write two NZ health professionals working on the Covid response at opposite ends of the world.Far from being some “great leveller”, the Covid-19 pandemic has proven to be more like water in a New Zealand rental home: seeping ...1 day ago
- One big idea for the National Party to show it’s up for fresh thinkingAs it picks itself up from a drubbing, National needs to consider some new ways of doing things, such as reinventing the way we do social welfare, argues Liam Hehir.Yesterday was Labour Day. It has been Labour Month, in a way, with Jacinda Ardern’s party drubbing National in the general ...1 day ago
- A Covid vaccine will be no silver bullet
Developing a Covid-19 vaccine is arguably the number one priority of humanity right now – so how are we going, and how well-placed is New Zealand to roll one out once it’s developed? On today’s special edition of The Detail, produced in association with the University of Auckland, Emile Donovan hosts ...1 day ago - School zone changes a big experiment
Do schools get good results merely because they've signed up better students? Changes to 135 school zones could give the answer, argues Dr Eric Crampton. ...1 day ago - Cabinet knew about lack of border tests before August outbreak
Cabinet was repeatedly told prior to the August outbreak that the regular asymptomatic testing of all border-facing workers was still being rolled out. ...1 day ago - Bryan Bruce: Labour Day … eroded by neoliberalism and selfishnessCOMMENTARY: By Bryan Bruce Today is Labour Day in New Zealand – the public holiday set aside to celebrate the rights of workers and in particular the right to an eight-hour working day. The great irony is that like many New Zealanders I am working today because I’m a contractor ...1 day ago
- After an epic 112-day lockdown, Melbourne at last wins green light to open upToday marks the official end of the second wave in the Australian state of Victoria, with zero cases recorded for the first time in 139 days, writes Hassan Vally of La Trobe University.Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today announced the most significant easing of Melbourne’s coronavirus restrictions since the state went ...1 day ago
- Today marks the official end of the second wave in Victoria, as old freedoms returnSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, La Trobe University Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews today announced the most significant easing of Melbourne’s coronavirus restrictions since the state went into “stage 3” lockdown on July 9. From 11.59pm on Tuesday night, retail, restaurants, cafes and bars ...1 day ago
- Review: The Undoing is here to fill the Big Little Lies-shaped hole in your lifeThe Big Little Lies showrunner and one of its stars are back with an addictive new limited series – and they’ve brought Hugh Grant along for the ride.Nicole Kidman does a lot of walking in The Undoing. The new HBO murder-mystery miniseries features seemingly endless shots of her character, Grace ...1 day ago
- Finally at zero new cases, Victoria is on top of the world after unprecedented lockdown effortSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Director, Health Program, Grattan Institute If the past few months have been like a long-haul flight, Victorians are now standing in the aisles waiting for the cabin door to open, a little groggy and disoriented but relieved. They have every ...2 days ago
- As the government drags its heels, a better model for a federal integrity commission has emergedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Monash University Independent MP Helen Haines has just introduced a bill into parliament that seeks to establish a robust new federal integrity commission. This is a consensus bill that involved consultation with legal academics, panels ...2 days ago
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/104785300/thousands-of-government-department-employees-to-vote-on-coordinated-strike-action
MBIE and IRD voting on strike action apparently.
Well I wouldn’t like to suggest that theres been a lot more strikes and suggested strike actions since a change of government happened but it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out
A lot of pent-up frustration and low wage increases for the best part of 10 years will do that.
My thoughts as well Craig.
I suspect it is because at last they have a government that might listen to their concerns
That and won’t try to criminalise them as well.
It is time to reclaim some balance in New Zealand industrial relations after getting hammered by employers since 1991.
Increased industrial action is a positive sign. Workers no longer standing for tiny wage increases and bully boy tactics from employers
Norway wants to start commercial electric airplane flights:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-17/tesla-loving-nation-now-wants-to-be-a-pioneer-in-electric-planes
Norway is the largest exporter of oil and gas in Europe, but they also plan to cut emissions by 40%.
Helpfully they have few ethical quandaries about their continued economic, environmental and social success.
They are not claiming long-haul electric flights will ever be viable, just the short ones to start with.
http://www.elections.org.nz/news-media/cancellation-party-registration-0
End of a political party
I can’t see many people being sad about this
There were a lot on here who thought they were fantastic.
As opposed to the joke they were.
At least they helped kill off mana.
These things are relative. They were infinitely better than the then government, and offered some prospect of justice for Dotcom for the abuses he suffered at the hands of the Key kleptocracy.
But as a booster for that sleazy pack of scum you feel threatened by anyone not succumbing to illegal shit like armed raids on an unarmed household.
Are you claiming the party was a means for Dotcom to avoid due process in the legal system?
Make a point gosman, your attempts to put words in peoples mouths is really disengious, as well as tiresome. It really is quite a dishonest way to have a discussion.
I agree with Adam about “Are you saying..? Is your belief..? Stop framing the argument through another’s supposed view, Gosman. It’s boring and a waste of our time.
Such is the life of the ideoligically aligned NaCT Party spin meister – on duty from dawn til dusk and overnight.
I’ve seen Harcourt’s Real Estate agents who’ve given up for less. (At least they had a questioning mind – going forward)
I asked a question to clarify this point “…and offered some prospect of justice for Dotcom for the abuses he suffered at the hands of the Key kleptocracy”.
Perhaps you can give your interpretation on what this means given that to me it suggests one of the points of the party was to counter the legal proceedings Dotcom was facing at the time.
Really, you don’t do it all the time? You don’t ask questions to put words in peoples mouths? Then you never get all huffy when someone points out your dishonest way of debating?
Seriously gosman, you got a couple of day ban for that diengious style of yours. I see you still doing it.
“Huffy”
And no, perhaps I won’t. Adam’s right.
Certainly not – as subsequent court rulings showed, he was illegally denied it.
If he was illegally denied it what is the current government doing about it considering they could intervene?
You would have to ask them, Gosman.
Dawn raids don’t seem to be part of it however.
How about you go after the guilty and leave the bystanders alone for a change.
How about you start asking the hard questions of the side that you support for a change?
These are the same fools that took about a decade to come round on Zaoui – they’re not about to risk anything for Dotcom.
But as I said – Key abused the powers of his office, illegally spying on and seizing Dotcom’s property, with the intention of facilitating an illegal prosecution by US interests.
Why are you such a pathetic apologist for Key, Gosman? That was the shit the Nazis pulled to glom Jewish wealth – not something to tolerate for a heartbeat – but you did.
I’ve never been a rah rah for Key. If you’ve followed my comments on this blog you should know this. I just think he was better than the left wing alternatives as evidenced by the current rabble in power.
You never called him on any of his numerous dishonesties or abuses of power – but you want to call the coalition on not helping Dotcom? That’s a double standard too far.
I criticised Key all the time. I just criticised him for different things to what you generally criticised him for. In some areas we might have had common cause but certainly not on the Dotcom issue. I personally don’t think there was any political interference in the Dotcom case. If there was then it would be very serious and as such I would expect it to be a priority of the current government to sort out. Given they aren’t doing this it would tend to support my view rather than yours.
“all the time” eh.
So you’ll be able to cite a couple – I don’t recall any.
No, it actually doesn’t. There’s several possible meanings two of which are:
1. There’s simply no evidence of wrong doing despite the prima facie evidence that there was. This doesn’t mean that wrong didn’t happen – just that the evidence to prove it doesn’t exist.
2. The present government is following the ‘legal’ position that governments aren’t responsible for what happens under their watch in government departments because they’re not supposed to get involved in day to day operations.
3. They actually believe that Key et al did nothing wrong.
“illegal shit like armed raids on an unarmed household”
I had almost forgotten about that. Not surprising I suppose that one tends to forget things that were actually more than 10 years ago.
It was certainly absolutely disgraceful behaviour by the Police and Government of the time.
What was the Government so worried about?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_New_Zealand_police_raids
Dotcom’s home was invaded by armed police in 2012.
No. The raids were in 2007. You must be thinking about something else. 2012 was when the trials took place and only a few people ended up being charged and there were guilty verdicts on only a few trivial arms offenses.
Then in 2013 the raids were found to be illegal and in 2014 the poor old Police Commissioner had to go and apologise for them.
The responsible politicians were by then keeping well out of the way. The one who was ultimately responsible for the disgraceful activities had by then fled the country and was tucked away in New York. Never did admit to doing anything wrong and never apologised.
Dotcom’s home was invaded by armed police in 2012.
Hey Alwyn, everything else you believe is wrong too.
Are you starting to understand why you’re known as a liar yet?
You aren’t talking about the same thing are you?
I was talking about the dreadful affair in the Urewera area. They were certainly the worst case of Police behaviour in my lifetime, with the possible exception of 1951.
If you had read my link you should have realised that.
But you really don’t read properly do you? Why do you worry about minor affairs and ignore the serious misbehaviour?
You see why you are known as an idiot yet?
You are the only one in this thread talking about the terror raids. You started by replying to Stuart Munro who was making the point that the police raided Dotcom’s home all military style for no good reason.
“What was the Government so worried about?”
Not a damned thing. It was a quid pro quo for a trade deal they’ve wanted forever – and, as with Jenny taking the tariffs off, achieved precisely nothing.
Except to crush NZ’s emerging cyberlocker sector, and destroy Dotcom’s life and NZ’s reputation as a law abiding country.
Kim Dotcom’s home was raided on 20th January 2012. I would have thought that even a Fifty Cent Army member such as yourself would be able to figure out that 2012 is less than ten years before 2018.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/simon-bridges
End of a political party
I can’t see many people being sad about this
There were a lot of people who thought they were fantastic
As opposed to the joke they were
At least they helped kill of ACT.
I agree with you on this, it’ll be Judith Time!
Also a poem I just created for Judith, its my best yet:
I think that I shall never see a politician as lovely as Judy
Judy, whose hungry mouth is prest against the earth’s sweet flowing breast (might be a tad sexy)
Judy that looks at God all day, and lifts her motherly arms to pray;
Judy that may in Summer wear a nest of defeated opponents in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. (Thats pretty hot)
Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make Judy
That’s really quite impressive PR – have you considered leading the Conservative Party?
Unfortunately I’m the shy and retiring type so politics wouldn’t suit me 🙂
poetic repartee.
Unfortunately that would make you a perfect leader especially with your unhealthy obsession or crush on Collin’s
Unfortunately I have some ideas that I don’t think the Conservatives would like 🙂
There once was the member for Papakura,
Whose husband worked for Orivida
When hubbys milk was delayed
She didn’t care if NZ paid
She went and dined to ensure “hey no problem”
Now if this sorry tale you doubt.
Its time to to read all about…
For dirty politics was the book
That showed Judith as a crook
sometimes love is blind as a…………………………..
Sorry PR…..just have to tell you the bad news on your crush
Could you do another verse and mention her eyebrows? And you could include some swamp kauri as well, perhaps – lol.
Sorry but inspiration doesn’t come that easy 🙂
Just once a day, Pucky, then you’re spent?
Can’t be that difficult, googling ‘poem’.
Are you suggesting I…plagiarise?
Who ever did you get that idea from 🙂
Fine I’ll prove it then, here’s my magnum opus and you’ll see how similar it is to my other works
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I love Judith
and so should you
I think you’ll find that’s a pretty compelling argument
It could begin; “Up to her eyebrows…”
Up to her eyebrows in muck
Judith is sh*t out of luck…
Up to her eyebrows in mire
Judith should quickly retire…
I like where this is potentially going…
I’m now thinking…
Those eyebrows are in dire need of plucky
Perhaps Jude could call upon …
Dammit! Can’t get the rhyme!
Got me stumped as well
Jude’s past is decidedly muckish
She needs service from someone named…
Dammit!
Completely dried up!
(stumped – gotta give you some credit for that…I suppose…)
The poetry doesn’t seem to be working so I thought I’d “branch” out into comedy writing
Judith’s a never ending source of material for you then.
I think this ‘po em’ has been ‘appropriated’from someone else. Where did you get it from?
Trees
By Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/12744/trees
Coincidence 🙂
i thought they would get 7%….but the fjk video and the moment of truth stuffed that
Tuned into NR politics at 11 this morning. Seems Hooten was also reliving the times, start a rant on how unstable Peters is. Like any analyst worth his salt can see Labour learnt the lesson, National deputy rolled his leader and Peters has been living off the victimhood every since. Every time Hooten re tells this piece of propaganda I swear NZF jumps in the polls.
“Every time Hooten re tells this piece of propaganda I swear NZF jumps in the polls.”.
Is that what is doing it? I have been at a loss to understand how Winston First could possibly still be up at the 2.4% they are in the Newshub/Reid poll. On their behaviour they should be under 1%. Below ACT in fact.
Keep quiet Hooton. Let Winnie sink beneath the surface of the swamp.
This looks good for minister Clark – not
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12072583
James. The issue is really over the underfunding of Health, over the last 9 years. Sadly some innocents who tried to manage the deficits were hurt. And more sadly some losers try to make capital out of the mess left behind.
You are like those who revel in someone else’s car wreck
You may say that is the issue – but this *is* and issue in its own right. All you are doing is deflecting by refusing to discuss this issue in its own right.
Clark deserves everything he gets on this.
Considering Clark’s response towards the end of the article, it would appear either that you didn’t read it to the end, or that you are simply happy to give everyone except him the benefit of any doubt, because he is a Labour politician. Neither would surprise me in the slightest.
Be interesting to see if details emerge as to what a joy Rabin was to work with jimbo.
Oh look – the arsonists attacking the fire-fighters again.
The usual attack lines are:
– you’re not putting it out fast enough
– it’s not as big as you say it is (i.e. I only lit a small fire)
– Why are you getting angry and mean and hurting my feelings
National – vandalism on a grand scale since 1949.
AB @ 4.2 Thats brilliant and hilarious
The Royal’s first gay wedding! Sweet.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=12072467
#stilldon’tcare
Just a strange coincidence I’m sure…
Rodney worst ranked prancer 5 out of 6 weeks.
Seymour worst ranked dead hoofer 6 out of 8 weeks.
ACT leaders, made for shit tv.
“ACT leaders, made for shit tv.”
And yet they keep on getting voted back.
That would indicate that the people disagree with you.
Next you will be telling us WHY they voted the way they did.
Pity, I suppose. Some would vote them back on for comedic value, others for more perverse reasons; bread, circus.
I am not convinced the people (indicating many) disagree at all… I think Seymour is being kept afloat by just a tiny number of people with way too much money… #DWTSNZ is not a popularity contest, it is a rich person contest… who has the most $$$ to waste
Yep. I’ll tell you why.
They don’t vote for Seymour – it could be anybody. They vote to give National an extra, unearned vote in Parliament from a pretend party.
Maybe rugged individualists who ooze ‘Personal Responsibility’ from every pore just don’t do dancing – which is sort of wimpy and collaborative?
Interesting read from Nicky Hager on the effects of the police raid on his house: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/06/17/124563/what-an-attack-on-journalism-feels-like
“They also paid damages, which I am regarding cheerfully as a NZ Police Writing Fellowship.”
🙂
Quote from link provided by Booker:
Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree. The message would have been ‘sent’ in such a way it could not be traced back to the then PM or his office, but police at a senior level would have been in no doubt what they were expected to do.
It was a case of political interference at the highest level, and we all know it was not the only time it happened during the reign of the last government. It also happened under the Muldoon regime – probably to an even greater degree.
“Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree.”
As you say with nothing to back it up – zero evidence etc.
But “Of course” it happened right?
Your tin foil hat is slipping.
I expected you to drop in with something along that line.
Only blind bats can’t see what everyone else with an ounce of knowledge, grey matter and maybe past personal experiences can see. You mate are such a bat.
James’s ability to forgive the wrongs of the Key administration rivals that of Christian martyrs – it’s just a shame his hypocrisy excludes everyone else.
Oh he knows it alright – It just suits his politics to lie about it.
If this was indeed the case it is a gross abuse of the political system Anne. What is the current government doing to look in to it and ensure it doesn’t happen again?
Argh, yes Gosman…
The political system is a gross abuse…as are the dominant systems crushing the life and soul from living beings…
No government will.be changing it, as they are beholden and merged to the Westminster System…such that they are indistinguishable from it…
Tell us all about derivatives again…counter party risk and all that…
Perhaps you’re not the same operator of Gosman who pretended to understand economics and finance…
Try anyway…
Indeed it was a gross abuse of the system Gosman. But when you have a police hierarchy acquiescing to the govt. on the matter and a MSM too lily-livered to investigate properly – and a large section of the voting population who neither understood the issue nor bothered to read the book – then there was little could be done about it. What is worse Key went on TV and radio… blatantly lied and the MSM let him off the hook.
I expect this government will eventually take measures to try an ensure nothing like it could happen again, but they have rather more important matters like housing, health and education to attend to first.
Btw, the Winston Peters saga re- his superannuation over-payments is another case in point. This time it was ‘senior bureaucrats’ who leaked the information to two former cabinet ministers which was also an abuse of their power and position.
How would a government ensure nothing like it could happen again?
Agreed, in the light of the Police’s fulsome apology (and tax payer-funded compensation) to Nicky Hager, ideally the Police and/or politicians will:
(1) Investigate both why and how senior police justified their illegal activities at the time, and
(2) Work towards ensuring that such abuses of power don’t reoccur.
The apology was great, but more analysis is required to avoid repeats. The Urewera ‘anti-terrorism’ raids are another example of abuse of police power, although any political motives were less obvious.
What were the political motives in the Dotcom case?
Not familiar with that case. Do you know of any public apology or expression of regret regarding the ‘handling’ of the Dotcom case?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/98549323/kim-dotcom-reaches-settlement-with-police-over-2012-hollywoodstyle-dawn-raid?rm=m
Hmmm, is it all Police forces that are slow learners, or just ours?
Dancing to Uncle Sam’s tune. A call to Key’s people from the FBI hierarchy, ‘Buddies downunder, we need a hand.’
Political parties in the US are funded by the same small clique of elite that own the bulk of the copyright Dotcom was allegedly exploiting.
When the Kennedys hit the White House JFK’s brother Bob set off to try and put a lid on organised crime. Minor in the grand scheme of things, but there was immense media/public interest and concern.
They introduced a raft of new legislation full of fishhooks designed to snare the Tony Sopranos of the headlines.
These US laws never went away. Dotcom finds himself on Federal charges of racketeering. His problems are bigger than pinching a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Mega started to pay cash to the people that uploaded the most content to their ‘Download Anything Here’ site. In doing so, he fell foul of those same laws that were put in place to collar Gotti et al.
When the final curtain comes down….I don’t think the FBI lose very often.
Right, so after all that went down in Dirty Politics Gosman (7.2.1.1.3), involving the previous National government, you are saying the onus lies with this government to look into it to make sure it doesn’t happen again?
And what about those National MPs and supporters involved in DP? One incident even involved a Labour public servant being threatened! How about making sure these thugs are held accountable for their part? Their accountability just might prevent a similar occurrence taking place!
Oh that’s right, National doesn’t do accountability does it?
Ummm… I’m asking the same question as you. Why doesn’t the current Government ensure those responsible are held to account? It is in their power you realise don’t You?
You know, Gosman, like you, I would prefer to see the current government take steps to prevent any recurrence of the Dirty Politics situation. You know what, though? The best way to make that work would be if the senior National Party figures involved were to unpack their dirty dirty laundry, own up and explain all the ins and outs of what they did and who enabled it to work as it did. If you were to advocate for that, give your vote to those opposing National, and encourage all your friends and acquaintances to do the same, you might have something to say. Until then, all you are doing is being a cock.
Gooseman the problem has been solved Key has gone .
““Of course, the instruction to establish Rawshark’s identity at any cost came from the top of the political tree.”
“zero evidence”
Dishonest people tend to know how to avoid detection.
Emails? Nah.
Witnesses? Nah.
Letters? Nah.
Discussions? Nah.
However, a short sharp verbal discussion in an isolated space to a person with powerl? Yeah.
Put the teacup saga and the Rawshark saga and the Dirty Politics saga together and 1 + 1= 2. Aha.
Care to speculate James as to why the police acted in this way
do people here get paid to engage gosman, wayne, james and the others ?
How much and where does one apply, i know a few people who would happily fling shit about to make some cash. cause thats all it is, flinging shit about stinking the joint up for shits n giggles.
@sabine
Here are a couple of places you could start.
jacinda.ardern@#parliament.govt.nz
winston.peters@#parliament.govt.nz
You may have to wait rather a long time for a reply from the first though.
I am also not sure whether the second one is still used. I heard a rumour that since the Unfortunate Event at Parliament last year he has changed his address to
tsar.winston.first@#bellamys.bar
I’d stick to enquiring to Winston of course. He has an absolute veto over any Government appointment and he doesn’t take kindly to people who don’t appear to understand his total control of all matters.
I believe Winston has largely given up drinking and smoking.
Pregnancy calls for good healthy living.
Did you actually read those two sentences before you hit submit? I certainly hope so because your juxtaposing them gave me the best laugh I’ve had all day and I love the thought that it was deliberate.
Winston changing his living style because he is pregnant?
The mind boggles.
The mind boggles all right, boggles that you didn’t get it, couldn’t get the reference and that anyone could be that stupid as to flaunt a blind stupidity matching their blind partisanship.
That’s nice dear. I’m sorry that your dyspepsia is bothering you though.
Why don’t you cut back on the booze and try a nice warm cup of Milo instead?
I’m sure it will cure your heartburn and you will feel much better.
Or not. Perhaps you just like being an arsehole.
Admit it alwyn, the joke went right over your head. Instead of copping to that (the whole personal responsibility thing, which by the way you keep banging on about – funny never applies to you though), you went the whole personal attack.
Boy it’s going to be a long 9 years.
For those struggling in small terminological tidal pools on the beach of the sea of “liberal” – between neo-liberal, classical liberal, liberal liberals and social liberals, libertarians, and others smashed across the ideological foreshore the foreshore by the Trump-sized tsunami – take comfort that yours is not the only group wondering why the sea is receding:
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/16/why-the-classical-liberal-is-making-a-comeback-218667
Good morning Newshub Rodger enjoyed his time on Dancing with the Stars.
trump is a muppet were are the immigrants in Europe that his country created to go into the Sea I can see his grubby hands on Alot of thing happening to tangata who oppose his dumb ass views going down the man loves have all the levers he got and he doesn’t give a shit about who gets hurt in the process of his vendettas.
Ka pai Duncan the reffs are only human so they make mistakes they are part of the foundation of ATOEAROA Rugby And the All Blacks most of them are voluntary doing the job. Ka kite ano