“Freedom of expression is often one of the first victims of a successful socialist revolution”.
That’s an interesting comment from @NandorTanczos, which prompted some more comments, from @LewSOS:
The trouble with revolution, socialist and otherwise, is that it *requires* suppression of free expression to prevent counter-revolution. Such repression is not merely a side-effect of revolution, but is intrinsic, and must be backed by violence if the revolution is to persist.
Lenin and Mussolini and Castro and Mao and Franco were all perfectly clear on this point. A revolution without repression and violence isn’t a revolution. It’s just an advisory campaign.
A democratic revolution is no such thing. It’s a nonsense. What the people vote for, the people can vote against, if they are allowed to vote again. So for the new regime to persist, they must not be allowed to do so. This is why I am neither a socialist nor a revolutionary.
At a basic functional level, it isn’t really. But the specifics matter. Popper was about very specific lined restrictions to safeguard the open society, but the revolutionary praxis in real life has tended to involve a great deal more murdering of dissidents
If socialist policies are adopted freely and maintained democratically, then at a regime level, for me there’s no very meaningful difference with any other democracy. The socialism bit is incidental and nearly irrelevant as it can be reversed at any time by a change of government.
(Whether it could be reversed in practice is another matter, because in principle capitalism could be reversed in the same way, and yet it has not been, because norms and institutions have power of a sort)
So is it possible to have a revolution while retaining democracy?
Yes – as we have seen over the last 30+ years, the already-powerful can impose revolutionary change quite successfully and the dilemma Tanczos describes doesn’t even arise. Owning large swathes of the private media helps in these situations of course, because it provides a non-violent way of controlling the range of what gets expressed.
Revolutionary change by the weak against the powerful is inherently more fragile and susceptible to being overturned. But there are no credible voices on the left proposing violent or repressive methods (such as curtailment of freedom of expression) for resolving the problem. Instead we are all about mass movements, evolutionary change and re-imagining the human condition. And with the coming climate crisis it is essential that this alternative vision exists, otherwise we spiral into dystopian hell.
Generally promoted and supported by small minorities who lament the ignorance of those who don’t get on board, or lambast the ‘right wing’ media left wing journalists depending on the leaning of forum, for not promoting their cause.
You’re talking about cliques and power struggles between or in support of cliques there Pete. And if there’s a clique (or a committee or a “council of wise elders”), then there is no revolution – just the changes that arrive with a changing of the guard.
And history shows us that nothing fundamental changes in those situations – thems with the power still does in thems without power.
Such reactionary emotive terminology versus the concept of evolutionary change.
As the generation coming through looks to evolve not tear down and collaborate rather than dictate. Imagine as John Lennon sang…..I wonder if you can ?
When democracy is the revolution then yes, obviously democracy supplants the faux democracy (or whatever other degree of authoritarian rule is in place) – that has enabled a constant and mere “changing of the guard” to take place off the back of endless streams of bullshit and bullshitters touting themselves as revolutionary…Lenin and Mussolini and Castro and Mao and Franco et al
Whether it could be reversed in practice is another matter, because in principle capitalism could be reversed in the same way, and yet it has not been, because norms and institutions have power of a sort
Capitalism hasn’t been thrown out because the government supports it. Often against the wishes of the populace, i.e, the sale of our power infrastructure and the signing of the TPPA and it’s replacement.
It’s difficult to say that we have a democracy when the government doesn’t rule as the many want them to but how business wants them to.
Seems to me a key aspect of any socio-economic system is how to manage the sociopaths with a lot of drive that are compelled to do what it takes to live in the biggest house, have sex with the most attractive partners, eat the tastiest foods etc.
A well designed mixed economy allows a freedom for those sociopaths to channel that drive into building things useful to us all. So the likes of Jobs, Musk, Brin & Page can take ideas languishing in obscure research labs (mostly with govt funded) and turn them into stuff that really does improve lives.
But the problems created by a weak government side that allows allows entities to grow too powerful and act too carelessly are painfully evident throughout history, and not just since the neo-lib craze of the last 30ish years.
Equally, Animal Farm is a simplistic but accurate picture of how the sociopaths corrupt socialist/communist ideals to their own benefit, backed up by plenty of real world examples.
So how to synthesise the best aspects of the extremes of ideology and minimise the failings? Looks to me like Scandinavian social democracies come closest. And there is a path there from where we are now via patient incrementalism.
I’ve noticed a BIT of a change @ Ed.
Actually it’ll end up being a shitload more than 400 in Kerala, plus a number in UP and even in Uttarakhand not that long ago.
RNZ was actually leading with this earlier today, so don’t be too dismissive of the Griggs attitude being discussed a couple of days ago (concerning that ‘shithole’ Yemen)
There’ll be one or two telling her that 30 years experience actually don’t mean shit these days. But no matter, the mortgage must be nearly paid off and Christian and Damien have been doing Oh so Very well at St Marks (going forward)
There might be an opening for her at the Spinoff before too long.
I thought the tree planting thing was an initiative to inject wages and a sense of purpose into the lives of those living in our most impoverished regions.
Shane Jones just said on Newshub Nation he is bringing in gangs of seedling planters from the Pacific Islands.
I think this is well wrong, if not planting trees, we need to find what will engage these people. Half of our problems in the Far North is the devil finding tasks for idle hands.
Tree planting Pinus radiata in the steep hills near Nelson was the most physically difficult, hardest work I’ve ever done. After a few weeks of lugging bags of trees and a mattock up and down those rocky slopes, I was mountain-goat-fit, but not planning to make a career of that form of tree planting.
If getting trees planted was the primary goal, ok. But as I understand the intitiative…Shane said “Get my neffs off the couch.”
We’ll be using tax payers money to fly in, accommodate and pay unskilled migrants from the Pacific Islands to plant trees that will ultimately benefit the companies that own the forests. The benefits to the current population of the Far North…I can’t see much.
You were younger then Robert. And look how well you turned out. Tree planting like that might be the challenge that these young fellers and gals are looking for. If they could get peer groups where they found friends, get jobs that kept them away from drugs and the gangs that are negative, in ten years there would be a different climate on the ground, and perhaps they could be in training for taking on specialist jobs to do with climate change.
David Mac
All your points are valid. Shane – work with NZs needing jobs and a wage and purpose in life first. Perhaps go to hapus and ask them to get together groups of young men and women who are ready to start learning how to do various jobs and so encourage them to be hopeful of a better future and start with some getting off drugs and moving up.
The Pacific Islanders look to NZ as a change and way they can improve life for themselves. Maori who are already here and have been faced with barriers to making a change and improving life for themselves will learn to believe in themselves in time when they see others getting a better life from taking up opportunities.
Considering that climate change is going to make life more and more difficult and we need to raise our resilience and awareness of how to manage to cope, I think it is essential that human-loving politicians right now use all their resources and thought to get projects that enable the rise in self-supporting and strength of mind and belief in one’s own worth to advance themselves.
“I thought the tree planting thing was an initiative to inject wages and a sense of purpose into the lives of those living in our most impoverished regions.”
It has the potential too. Unfortunately, Jones initially wanted it to be a work for the dole scheme. So much for injecting wages and a sense of purpose.
After some backlash, Labour ensured us employees would be paid the minimum wage. But there was no guarantee employees wouldn’t be employed as independent contractors, thus no minimum wage required.
And as you highlighted, Jones now plans to bring in offshore workers. He’s also seeking offshore companies to partake.
Seems employees and local communities will be coming off second best as a lot of this taxpayer spend up heads offshore.
The issue is also in the old days, the government pumping money into the economy with projects used to work.
Under globalism it doesn’t anymore, and actually can be making things worse aka they give the infrastructure contracts to industry who don’t use it to employ or train local people but instead import cheap workers in that don’t pay taxes, drive up prices for housing and rents and require more roads and hospitals and schools to be built. When it all goes wrong with poor construction and remedial work, everyone seems to be gone and up to the taxpayers to fix up the problems it seems. Who would possibly expect industry and those that own the company be responsible for faulty work???
Meanwhile locals are on the dole still being poisoned smallpox style by P being spread like wildfire, with little to zero intervention of how it’s happened within a decade, and how the raw ingredients are getting in.
With planting trees, when the forests are owned by offshore individuals and various accounting schemes means it remains to be seen if they will a) employ local people to plant them, and b) will there be any economic benefit for NZ if they harvest or make money from it. At least with the trees, hopefully we get cleaner air although sounds like the ratepayers pay to maintain the roads when they move the logs if they harvest them.
Informative interview for the reasoning democrat. Radionz from Kim Hill. Mr Neiwert has been studying right movements for decades. He has a view on where Jordan Peterson fits in. He explains the mindset of trollers and the alt right.
10:04 David Neiwert – The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump
Neo Nazis, Alt-Right, and White Supremacists march in Charlottesville, Virginia.
David Neiwert is a journalist, author and expert in American right-wing extremism. He has appeared on Anderson Cooper 360, CNN Newsroom, and The Rachel Maddow Show and is the managing editor of the popular political blog Crooks and Liars. His work has also appeared in the American Prospect, the Washington Post, MSNBC.com, Salon.com, and other publications.
His previous books include And Hell Followed With Her: Crossing the Dark Side of the American Border, which won the 2014 International Latino Book Award. His latest book is called Alt America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump, and he’ll be speaking to it at the WORD Christchurch festival, details here.
Neiwert says that Trump sees himself as expressing the common man’s and woman’s? opinions. That he has enabled the rise in alt right and other abuse with his lead on this.
Good to get the links VV. I thought they were good, she and her team, Dita? et al? pick some good riveting or relaxing stuff. to take us down and then up and more informed at the end.
It was bloody good interview @ grey eh?. I listened with all the crackling on the AM band caused by strikes of lightening, as I crossed the Desert Road earlier.
Just as an aside, I thought to myself as I listened, how all the critics of the Kim Hill Sung that offer their thoughts over 2101 collide with comments from her interviewees such as “good question” and “thanks for asking that”.
Corrrrrrrrrr eh?
A Puckish Arse gets off on Jude Collins’ every move .
Kim Hill Sung gets me just with that sexy voice AND fierce intellect. (pffft)
A treasure to behold
Once was Tim
You are a lively commenter. I think I agree with you, and the bits I don’t understand probably. As you say – Kim Hill, a fierce intellect. And when she is talking to people who understand and know her well apparently, as with the Finns, that was very enjoyable, lol.
Glad when you crossed the Desert Road that you stayed in the car. There were about 1,000 strikes or some large number. You could get your brain frizzled and be unable to lighten our frequent gloom on TS. Take care.
Neiwert almost destroyed his credibility at the end when he asserted, like a true on-message Democratic Party stooge: “And I DO believe there was Russian meddling.” He seemed to think that Mrs Clinton would have won if not for that dastardly mastermind in Moscow. In just those few words, he resembled the sad cases of the far right, who he’d scoffed at, memorably, for “inhaling their own exhaust.”
But but there probably is something there. Did he say what and how much? It is possible. We can’t know everything – your mind might be devious Morrissey but when there is a phalanx of sycophants (pretty good eh) then they can combine in ways that science has yet to identify.
I accept that the Russians did indeed try to sow dissension. But their thousands of blog posts—and I have seen many of them—were about the same quality and authority of something on Whaleoil or KiwiBlog. The idea that they somehow were crucial to the victory of Trump is absurd, and Neiwert severely damages his credibility and authority by repeating such nonsense.
Correct Marty. Of course the Russians ineptly tried to upset the warmonger Clinton’s campaign. Foolishly, they backed Trump.
But the idea that the Russians are some malevolent force manipulating Trump and his cronies and somehow interfering with the ballot itself is simply preposterous. That, however, is what the Clinton wing of the Democratic Party continues to allege, and it’s amplified daily by the likes of Rachel Maddow and, sadly, David Neiwert.
Have you considered puitting brief explanation and links to the stories where he did most good for society and NZ in general. Then you would meet DTBs point and illustrate your own.
That would be wiser than engaging in pointless abuse. Give us the facts man as a comic once said. And feel free to repeat this to me if you see me forget my owm point.
Somebody respected Warwick’s work enough to put up a quick post acknowledging his passing.
I’m suggesting that the person that feels obliged to add ‘Who cares’ is a shallow humanitarian who needs calling out on their form.
I haven’t split atoms, nobody knows me, but my family would respectfully request that you refrain from spreading the message ‘Who gives a fuck anyway’ upon my death.
There are a lot of negative things out there all the time David Mac.
Too many shoulds too. Why did you not try what I suggested if you think so highly of him. I remember he was well thought of, prove with what you think are his best pieces. I personally don’t want to live in an authoritarian world where I am told what to think. But if there is good evidence I will look and think about it.
David Neiwert – The Rise of the Radical Right His latest book is called Alt America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump, and he’ll be speaking to it at the –
WORD Christchurch festival –
on August 30.
disability law
Proposed euthanasia bill in NZ ‘needs tweaking’
From Nine To Noon, 9:32 am on 16 August 2018
The wording of proposed euthanasia legislation should be tightened to ensure it only applies to the terminally ill, members of an Australian advisory panel say.
Up you all who don’t care about anybody else’s desperate need or personally strong wish for release because of your own dark imaginings and fears. These come first according to you, with an argument about ethics and so on used as a barrier to belief in the right of a particular human being to have a decent and timely system so they can enable their death according to the fullest choice of best and painless ways with all reasonable legal and moral matters attended to
beforehand.
I find the reluctance to deal with people’s needs and requirements relating to euthanasia so disgraceful; people are so reluctant to face up to realities of living and dying that they are apparently frozen from doing anything at all. This Australian lawyer might be offering intelligent suggestions like a cup of milk into already weak tea, but that might actually be needed to give some answer to the mass of weak mutterings of the inadequate thinkers who are a majority in NZ.
Self-centred fears? Go look up Aktion T4 and see what history has to teach us. Why do you think the Australians carefully narrowed the scope of their law?
That was an interesting interview on Thursday but mainly focused on the Australian (Victoria?) legislation rather than the current NZ Bill.
Paula Tesoriero, the HRC Disabilities Commissioner, was on Nine to Noon the next morning (Friday) and I personally found her analysis and misgivings much more relevant and disturbing vis a vis the NZ Bill.
Rosemary McDonald and I have had a few comments on OM yesterday on this subject with Rosemary having done a very detailed comment with her view etc which has been rather lost on there – so here is a link
As I said in a reply to Rosemary under the above, I have great respect for Paula having worked with her briefly – and for Rosemary’s views but I do not believe that we can just can the euthanasia discussion ( although I definitely believe we need to rethink the Bill) until the never never when all these other problems have been resolved. IMHO these issues need to be addressed concurrently and together. (Bad wording but hope you get my meaning.)
Will the Green’s environmental wins further the party’s divide?
The Green’s environmental wins are going to challenge their crusade for the poor.
The Green’s environmental wins are going to result in a number of new environmental related charges being introduced with the regressive nature of the inflationary impact of these new charges hitting the poor the hardest. Thus, clashing with the cause and as a result, furthering the divide within the party.
To date, the concern is there has been little to no talk on how the Greens plan to win-over Labour and NZF and help the poor mitigate these additional costs, thus reunite the party.
The Greens consider both the poor and the environment in all their policy work. But your position is that the two concerns are mutually exclusive, going as far in one of your more confused rants to claim the the Greens’ biggest win, healthy homes, had nothing to do with social policy at all!
significantly increasing tip fees… make the manufactures/retailers have to take the packaging/clapped out model back themselves for disposal or have more recycling centres. (You used to have community sites for paper, bottles, cans etc around libraries, now that is all gone and you just have your bin/bag each week).
Most businesses generate rubbish and as with any cost incurred, it’s only logical to assume businesses will attempt to pass that cost on. Therefore, not only will people pay more for goods and services, they also pay more for their own rubbish disposal. Thus, this kind of regressive inflationary pressure is felt hardest by the poor.
Making manufactures/retailers take back packaging for disposal will see them incur further costs, which they will look to pass on.
Giving community cardholders a discount (like removing GST) on all goods and services may be a more targeted option to consider.
I’m sure retailers will try to pass it on, but then there is so much cheap crap coming into NZ and choice in that area that I doubt it will work. K Mart, Briscos, The warehouse, $1 shops, there are plenty of retailers in a crowded area of plastic goods.
Also are beneficiaries and working poor for example the ones out there buying new TV’s, whiteware, over packaged goods, cheese slices in multiple wrappers for lunches or are they at the op shops and trade me and pack and save already using less plastic?
With stores and loan-sharks offering easy credit, the poor will be purchasing a variety of things. And with the additional cost of dumping rubbish being felt across the board, competitors will simultaneously all be looking (thus giving them more scope) to pass the cost on.
You might like to reflect on the Greens’ biggest policy achievement to date, healthy homes, and what it means to low income families. Ask yourself if the Greens were “doing anything for them (the poor)” in that instance.
Once again, Muttonbird you’ve totally missed the point.
I wasn’t implying the Greens have never offered the poor anything in the past, I’m questioning what they are going to do for them moving forward? Especially as a number of their new environmental policies are going to place additional costs upon them.
You do understand we are about to embark on a major transition, which the Greens will be largely leading (Shaw is climate minister)? And as such, are championing new environmental related charges. Such as significantly increasing tip fees and the proposed feebate scheme to incentivise the uptake of low emissions vehicles, which will hit the poor the hardest.
Theses are merely two of a suite of changes that collectively will be as big as the reforms of the 80’s and 90’s that created a lot of pain and hardship, which we’ve yet to overcome.
To stay true to their crusade for the poor while dumping additional costs upon them is going to be a challenge that the Greens have yet to tell us how they plan to overcome. And failing to overcome it will further the divide within the party.
That’s because the Greens have had many problems over the last year and have yet to reunite the party. So it’s them that needs to produce some new material and get on top of this divide before it’s to late.
I not only want the Greens to be part of the next Government, I want them to have numbers and they won’t achieve that if the party remains divided.
The Chairman may well be seeking to “divide The Greens”, solkta, but his wan comments here on TS is very unlikely to achieve that aim. His attempts here are useful though, as he reveals the strategy and talking points that could be employed more widely to achieve that aim, so it’s 3 cheers for The Chairman!
As you and others can see in this thread, I’m highlighting one of the problems (additional charges being dumped on the poor) furthering the divide and what they must do (protect the poor) to help overcome it.
But Shaw and his lot are failing to act and thus far have presented no solutions while championing new environmental charges.
An easy strategy, make the environmental costs and risks all back on the polluter and don’t let the polluters loose in the first place!
For example instead of power grants, maybe look at installing solar panels that can reduce power and carbon costs long term in state housing. Of course they need to go back and look at how government has allowed power companies to overtax poor people in the first place and forcing people to pay higher prices if they have solar panels.
With plastic bags, make the manufacturer be responsible for recycling their plastic, you will be amazed how soon the manufacturers stop over packaging if they have to deal with the problem themselves! Then if they do use packaging they will turn to biodegradable packaging instead!
At present the government needs to change it’s mindset to thinking taxing people will somehow create a better society aka petrol taxes which is just leading to inequality.
Instead the answer is to solve the problem by understanding polluters in in the first place aka every man and his dog is on individual truck and courier contracts delivering crap about Auckland in clapped out vehicles or parents, people working 3 jobs because nobody has a full time job anymore.
Parents driving kids around because the lack of afterschool activities or in school activities is lacking like swimming/swimming pools, sports (now it is all about driving around to competitions rather than in school netball or what have you).
The entire government mindset needs changing to why people are needing to pollute more and what can the government do, that is fast, cheap and simple to reduce it.
And rather than the Greens picking on the little guy, they need to look at the worst offenders which are often businesses who for example are creating the packaging or businesses who make employees part time and casual and school/hospital systems that are no longer catering to the needs of the local community and then wonder why people are needing to commute to do things that used to be available locally.
Not to mention Auckland council seems to rubber-stamp as many polluting consents as possible such as truck and trailers or fill going across Auckland for Decades and the Tegal consent relies on millions of chickens being bought into Auckland from Dargaville to be processed. That is what happens when there is pretence between planning and Auckland transport. They effectively rubber stamp each others consents or too lazy to even work out some of the issues (like congestion) going forward.
What’s next, a freezing works on the water front? I mean we already have the clapped out cars and bananas coming in. Why not put industry first as they already seem to be the priority in NZ while the rest of NZ supports them with free roads, free natural resources and tax top ups for their employee’s because they can’t be expected to pay people enough to live on. Nowadays working for 50% of Kiwis seems to be more survival than living, and having to rely on other people’s decisions, like do they have a job next week, because at any time that might change.
‘For example instead of power grants, maybe look at installing solar panels…”
Like it, SaveNZ.
Interestingly, I was following up on a case I highlighted early this year. A state housing tenant was offered a free solar set up and insulation, but HNZ prevented her from having it installed. The Greens spoke out strongly on this, but I’m yet to find out what the final outcome was.
Nevertheless, once again you raise some valid points, therefore this is the kind of approach the Greens should be considering and what we need to hear more from them.
At least the Greens seem to be promoting banning the plastic bag!
Now hopefully the government will expect those that manufacture with plastic or where it is sold from (aka supermarkets and retailers) be responsible for it’s disposal.
As soon as consumers are legally able to return packaging to the point you bought it from, it will drive change faster and with more equality than say charging the consumer 10 cents for a plastic bag, while the manufacturers and retailers get a free pass while being the ones who are creating or enabling the issue in the first place.
It is all punish, or make life harder, for the ordinary poor person.
Say that poor person has to shift but has no car, and is on their own. They may have to ask for help from another poor person who has a ute or car and trailer. They probably can’t ask someone comfortably off because they haven’t got enough time or goodwill to help someone who isn’t comfortable.
Their help-person can’t get to the tip during opening hours, and nobody has any spare money to pay tip fees. They look at one another and wonder what happens if they just leave it at the tip gates. They think ‘Oh no, I’ll bet they will not like that, and we will be on CCTV, and get fined and we can’t afford that’. So the helper says I know somewhere I can take it and leave it and they agree that is the only answer that meets the situation. They load up and take it to an unlicensed tip place out of town.
This happens. To avoid it, the person might phone and ask Council for help, and they might say well we usually charge at least $20 if we come and pick it up. If you are a ratepayer we will put it on your rates bill. Can you get it to the tip somehow and we will allow you to tip it free of cost but it must meet our requirements and you should have someone capable to help you move it.
And something gets worked out that means they pay something and do what they can, and Council helps someone who wants to be a tidy kiwi.
Hmmm Where is the ‘Royal United Services Institute.’? Stirring the pot. With that Boeing X37 going up and down to show it can, unmanned, no wonder the deficit for the USA defence is large.
Who spends the most –
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) measures annual military spending for most of the world’s armed countries. According to SIPRI, the U.S. spent $618 billion on its military last year, more than three times the $171 billion budget of second place China.Jul 12, 2014
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2017 Military Expenditure Database estimated Russia’s military expenditure in 2016 at US$69.2 billion. This estimate is roughly twice that of SIPRI’s estimate of the Russian military budget for 2006 (US$34.5 billion).
US Military Budget: Components, Challenges, Growth – The Balance https://www.thebalance.com › Investing › US Economy › Fiscal Policy
4 days ago – The US military spending is $892 billion once you add components hidden in other budgets. Here’s the breakout since 2006.
U.S. military budget inches closer to $1 trillion mark, as concerns over … https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/u-s-military-budget-inches-closer-to-1-trillion-mark…
Jun 19, 2018 – The Senate approved the $716 billion military budget by an … Congress’s official budget scorekeeper recently projected the federal deficit will …
I found that I had to back away from taking a high interest in the Trump presidency debacle months ago as it was doing my head in. So many questions, so few answers – and so many people in positions of power with backgrounds and personalities that seem to me anyway incongruous to their positions.
One such is Stephen Miller, who despite his background, beliefs etc seems to be secure in his White House position and also despite the departure of Steve Bannon and others who he was originally aligned with in the White House corridors of power.
Last week, an article written by one of his uncles was posted on politico.com which I found quite interesting and poignant – and at the same time so very difficult to understand how far from the tree Miller has fallen.
A well worthwhile read IMHO – I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read it.
This proud Australian stands head up, jaw jutting, and having achieved an elevated position on a soapbox says this:
Wednesday 15/8/2018 4.55pm Mr [Fraser] Anning used his maiden speech last night to call for a complete overhaul of the immigration system, insisting most migrants should be from a European Christian background and all Muslims should be banned.
In that speech he used the phrase “final solution”, which was the phrase used by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler which meant annihilating Jewish people from Europe….
It has been strongly criticised by politicians from across the divide in both chambers, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull describing the “final solution” comment as a “shocking insult” to those who died in the Holocaust.
But Mr Anning was unmoved and his party leader Bob Katter called the speech “magnificent” and “solid gold”.
Mr Katter said he discussed the speech with Mr Anning before he delivered it. Mr Anning joined Parliament last year as a One Nation senator but has since defected to Katter’s Australian Party….
(Note me: This is what the waka jumping bill here is going to prevent, and which Nick Smith is making a ‘noble principled’ stand against and attacking Winston Peters at the same time. Here in this Oz case it can be seen how waka-jumping from your avowed party at election leads to bad not good politics.)
“That has nothing to do with ‘the final solution’, the thought police got onto that.
“Good men died for our right to say whatever we wanted to say and use whatever words we want to use. If people want to take it of context that is entirely up to them…
(Note from me: This is an example of where unrestrained ‘free’ speech leads.)
Parliament stops short of censuring Mr Anning’s comments The Greens moved a motion in the Upper House to censure Mr Anning over his comments, but it did not get enough support to pass.
(I heard some comment on this speech and the ability of rabble rousers like this to get into Australian Parliament. The commenter said something about the voting system enabling it. Single Transferable Vote? the use of the single transferable vote proportional representation system to elect the upper house, the Senate.[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_system_of_Australia
Jacinda asked teachers to be patient, yet didn’t even bother to layout a time-line.
Should the Government meet teachers demands now or are they right in making them and students wait?
As I’ve highlighted with the nurses dispute, the Government isn’t spending up to its own spending cap, moreover, debt repayment is better than expected, thus the fiscal scope is there for the Government to act now.
Prince’s mercenaries committed multiple war crimes in Iraq and were convicted for their involvement in the Nissour Square massacre.
This story has all of the markings of something leaked to the press by Trump advisers precisely because it is such a colossally bad idea.
President Donald Trump is increasingly venting frustration to his national security team about the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and showing renewed interest in a proposal by Blackwater founder Erik Prince to privatize the war, current and former senior administration officials said.
Prince’s idea, which first surfaced last year during the president’s Afghanistan strategy review, envisions replacing troops with private military contractors who would work for a special U.S. envoy for the war who would report directly to the president.
Beyond the lunacy of privatizing wars to mercenaries—especially those who were charged with crimes while deployed in Iraq—Dan Pfeiffer suggests that this could be yet another example of how deeply corrupt this White House has become.
So very pleased to read that the Greens are seeking agreement against water rights sold with land that end up being bottling plants with huge take up. Case Whakatane. I hope Labour and NZ First agree.
It is a real problem in California. We need to learn from their orchards being bought, trees knocked down for piping or bottling the water away. Water rights should be for a designated use only, and tied to the industry IMO.
California once believed they had endless supplies.
Agreed, these are the basics the Greens ahve to get right, and
Also here, I wander if the result of no-damn plan from Waimea Greens is more maize. But the gnats could have started alt plans years ago.
“There were alternatives to dams including on-farm water storage, urban rainwater collection systems, grey water recycling systems and growing different crops.” from Waimea Green.
Great Britain still has a major influence on Aotearoa and Papatuanukue so I say it’s ECO MAORI right to give my opinion on the British exit of the European Union.
The European Union is making a lot of good call for the future of the Mokopunas and Papatuanukue so I Back a new vote on Britexit views of the people
If one looks across the Atlantic sea they will fill the void if Britain leaves the European Union I say that a wrong move for all people on Papatuanukue Ka kite ano link below https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/18/founder-superdry-donates-1-million-pounds-peoples-vote-brexit-deal
You see the sandflys have only contacted lies against my good name so they are playing the intimidation game on ECO MAORI with there hands clasped together praying that I make a dumb move YEA RIGHT muppets I see everything the juveniles are doing Ana to kai Ka kite ano
Good logical policy like waste minamization looking at ways to improve te Mokopunas future and keep our environment clean is why I Back the Green 100% link below Ka kite ano
Well I’m at the hospital with my Mokopuna she is OK we still not sure what’s, wrong but my Mokopunas has the Wensday Adams personality she does not show or cry when she is in pain and she only talks when she’s is asked questions and the answer are quite blunt that’s OUR Wensday so I can see that people that don’t know her could jump to conclusions we had a child next door moaning and cry about pain I told her that’s how she should be behaving but I did inform the hospital staff that’s how her personality is doesn’t cry when in pain. Some will know that others have affecting the views that staff have on my whano Ka kite ano
The way eco Maori see this move against Turkey its not about Turkey its about the country’s that have invested in Turkey who have give trump the bird flip eco is so famous for giving. trumps adviceser have told him hit Turkey with Tariffs the US have little financial exposure to TURKEY that will bring pain to those good countries stock market he doesn’t care that the move will place people in hardship just so he can get back at the bird flippers. Ka kite ano
Good evening Newshub I have all ready posted about The great Kofi Annan he was a intelligent humane man its awesome that the Papatuanukue media are houners this great humanitarian Kofi Annan we cannot let great tangata like him go with out celebrating and hounering there lifes work
Ka pai.
The Greens Party is taking a spotlight to our waste problems and is going to come up with logical solutions to this issue Ka kite ano
Good evening Q&A Corin There is a major tangata whenua oppression in the government systems the justice system is the main offender . The national party has used the last nine years to champion this suppression of Maori .How else do you exsplane the fast rise of bad stat’s of tangata whenua.
There you go asking a Indain shop owner who only see thing’s throught his shop eye’s he has all ready locked maori up I can see it in his eye’s Corin he is a national puppet.
That’s the way Marmara you tell them how acutely is locking more people up like the Indain want’s this will flush people’s live’s and billion’s down the toilet.
seenothing is drowning Corin and he is pouring money into your pocket and other’s to try and keep his toilet a float See you around Corin Ka kite ano P.S I looked back in time and seen most new goverment’s get at least 2 terms in Parliament all the political scientist know this fact but the new government don’t let your guard down Corin look at all the new Green policys coming into law a big win for the Greens Corin using the divide an concur trick lol
Yes some in the media will plant questions and get one or 2 words and spin them into a hurricane of bullshit Go Jamie and Marama P.S Eco is quite committed his my mahi Corin
Keir Starmer has hinted that Labour might vote in favour of the Johnson government's shoddy deal, with the proviso that a second referendum is attached:Speaking to BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, he said: “We will see what that looks like but it makes sense to say that by whatever ...
In 1994, I was the editor for an issue of Planet magazine focused on cannabis, its culture and the prospects for the end of its prohibition. Part of that issue was an interview with 'Ringo', an experienced cannabis dealer.I recently posted my essay from that issue, and I figured it ...
Dr Helen Waite, sports sociologist and former elite athlete, on the invasion of women’s sport by men and the anti-scientific and misogynist ideology used to rationalise it. ...
As Brexit comes to a grisly conclusion (perhaps) people on all sides are saying intemperate and uwise things. Some, like the Daly Mail, have been doing it for years.People as normally level headed as Jon Lansman are calling for automatic deselection of MPs who vote against a (likely) Labour three ...
I've got one source saying more Labour MPs than expected are mulling whether to vote for the deal - including names who were not on the letter to Juncker and Tusk— Emilio Casalicchio (@e_casalicchio) 17 October 2019 I've compiled a list of possible reasons why Labour ...
On Wednesday, the government was loudly telling us that it needed to legislate to allow it to impose "control orders" - effectively a parole regime, but imposed without charge, prosecution, conviction or real evidence - on suspected terrorists because they couldn't be prosecuted for their supposed crimes. Today, it turns ...
On Monday, the Hit and Run inquiry heard from NZDF's former director of special operations, who claimed that the defence Minister knew everything about the Operation Burnham raid. Today, the inquiry heard from that (former) Minister - and it turns out that he didn't know nearly as much as NZDF ...
Yoga gurus and cult leaders – I’ve seen a few. Two weeks ago, I unknowingly joined an alleged new-age cult at the Kāpiti coast, together with a giant kraken and some neatly dressed pensioners who would make any book club proud.They were among the two hundred people of all ages ...
The last decade has seen a trend of increasing weapons availability to police. Assault rifles. Tasers on every hip. Guns in cars. And following the march 15 massacre, pistols on every hip, all over the country. At the same time, its also seen an increase in the abuse of force: ...
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been busy preparing for our summer paper on Science Communication. Looking for something amusing about ‘risk’ in science, I came across this neat xkcd.com cartoon about why so many people come knocking on my door (or phoning me, or emailing me) desperately wanting ...
by John Edmundson The International Socialist Organisation (ISO) have recently reposted a February article, by Romany Tasker-Poland, explaining ISO’s position in the “trans rights” debate. It is available on their website and on their Facebook Page. The article sets out to explain why “socialists support trans rights”. It reads more ...
"Auckland City Mission: 10% of Kiwis experiencing food insecurity", RNZ, 16 October 2019:About half a million people are experiencing food insecurity, according to new research from the Auckland City Mission. Food insecurity, or food poverty, is defined as not having enough appropriate food. The City Mission said over the last ...
Media Statement for Immediate Release 16th October 2019 “Fake News” from Auckland City Council CCOs Board Chairs re pay and performance bonuses for top managers Despite comments from Auckland City Council CCOs Board Chairs re pay and performance bonuses for top managers—Herald Newspaper Tuesday Oct 15th–there is very little evidence ...
Would You Buy A Used Propaganda Video From This Man? Bridges and the National Party’s strategists have discovered that the ideas and attitudes considered acceptable by today’s editors and journalists are no longer enforceable. The rise and rise of the Internet and the social media platforms it spawned means that ...
There is plenty of evidence of the way the business mentality has permeated every level of society since the recrudescence of market liberalism 35 years ago. You only need to think of how citizens in need of help from their government, their state, their country, are now routinely described as ...
John MacCormickOver the last 40 years, New Zealanders – and people in other countries – have experienced big changes in the jobs they do and where they live and work. These changes include: a decline in manufacturing jobs an increase in jobs in ‘information-intensive’ industries (which are better paid ...
Nick Wilson, Leah Grout, Mereana Wilson, Anja Mizdrak, Phil Shoemack, Michael BakerProtecting waterways has the benefits of: (1) protecting water from hazardous microbes; (2) minimising cancer risk and other problems from nitrates in water; (3) avoiding algal blooms that are hazardous to health; (4) protecting mahinga kai uses (cultural ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women In a press release today Massey University announced it has decided to rebrand and reorientate after struggling to be a University for grown-ups. For some time the University has wanted to be a safe play space for wee-woke-misogynists who have been really badly triggered ...
After a brief dalliance with 'hard Revoke' it looks like the Lib Dems are changing ground on on Brexit, with leader Jo Swinson reverting to calling for a second referendum on Johnson's deal.The party has tabled an amendment to the Queen’s speech requesting that any deal brought back from Brussels ...
The government has decided that someone has done Something Bad. But despite their belief, there seems to be no evidence that they have actually broken the law. So the government's solution is to pass a retrospective law allowing them to be punished anyway, on a lower standard of proof. If ...
So, Judith Collins has done a Facebook rant about climate change, peddling the same shit National has been shovelling for the past twenty years: the impacts are overstated, there's no need to do anything about it, and its too hard anyway (oh, and its so unfair that people who peddle ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzThere is a lot of discussion on the benefits of ...
I came across this song quite by accident. If it isn't one of Greta Thunberg's favourites - it should be.Video courtesy of YouTube.This post is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
Last month, NZDF's shoddy coverup of what it knew about civilian casualties in Operation Burnham began to fall apart, with the revelation that a report on the matter, which NZDF claimed not to have, had been sitting in an NZDF safe for the past nine years. Yesterday, the man responsible ...
While many imagine that countries like the USA and Europe dominate space activities, in fact India is now a major player on this stage. It launches satellites for its own purposes and also commercially, and has constellations orbiting our planet and returning data of vital importance to that nation in ...
Thanks to a report from the Acting Inspector General of Intelligence and Security following a complaint by Nicky Hager, we have come to find out that the SIS illegally spied on Mr. Hager on behalf of the NZDF after publication of Hager’s 2011 book, Other People’s Wars. The NZDF justified ...
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING MYTH 1: Global temperatures are rising at a rapid, unprecedented rate. FACT: The HadCRUT3 surface temperature index, produced by the Hadley Centre of the UK Met Office and the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, shows warming to 1878, cooling to 1911, ...
For the past week, Extinction Rebellion has been peacefully protesting in London to demand action on climate change. The British government's response? Ban their protests:Police have banned Extinction Rebellion protests from continuing anywhere in London, as they moved in almost without warning to clear protesters who remained at the movement’s ...
An essay by Judith Collins MP reported on Carbon News yesterday seems to show an alarming shift in attitude within the National Party. Collins argues against the Zero Carbon Bill, the Paris Agreement, and downplays the magnitude of climate impacts. The Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015 and ratified ...
When they were running for election, Labour promised to overhaul the Employment Relations Act and introduce fair pay agreements to set basic pay and conditions on an industry level, preventing bad employers from undercutting good ones. They followed this up by establishing a working group, which reported back in January ...
A list of indicators of bad science – many of these are found in articles promoted by anti-fluoride activists. Anti-fluoride activists have been pouring money into a scaremongering campaign warning pregnant women not to drink fluoridated water. They claim fluoride will lower the IQ of their future child. Fluoride ...
Nothing Left To Say: Labour's pollster, Stephen Mills, remains swaddled-up in the comforting myths of the 1980s. As if the experience of Roger Douglas’s genuinely radical post-Muldoon policy agenda was literally a once-in-a-lifetime thing – as much as the party could possibly absorb for at least the next 50 years.MEMO ...
The Royal Commission on abuse in care is very significant for the disability community. For many decades last century, thousands of disabled children, and adults who managed to survive, were locked away from families and communities. This was not for anything they had done, but for the perceived threat their ...
With an unfair voting system, uneven electorates and an un-elected upper house, the UK's "democracy" is barely worthy of the name. But now the government wants to make it worse:The government has been accused of suppressing voters’ rights with the potential disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of people after plans ...
Back in the 90's and early 2000's, the building industry was building leaky homes which should never have been granted consent. Now it turns out they've been building dodgy office blocks as well:New imaging technology has revealed hundreds of major buildings nationwide have defective or missing concrete or reinforcing steel. ...
Local body election results were released over the weekend, to joy or despair depending on where you live. In Auckland, Phil Goff trounced John Tamihere, who is muttering darkly about running for Parliament again (but which party would want him?) Wellington is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Weta Workshop, except ...
How could government evolve over the next decades? Reports of democracy’s imminent demise are greatly exaggerated. However, satisfaction with political systems in many countries is low, so there is much to do for governments of all political stripes to improve relevance and trust. Digital technologies are seen as one ...
Two years have now gone by since the Friday afternoon when my university-student son and I headed out of our Barcelona flat to a nearby primary school, designated as a polling station for the vote that was to be held the following Sunday: the referendum on Catalonia’s independence from Spain ...
Overruled: The joint decision of Finance Minister, Grant Robertson (Labour) and his Associate Minister, David Parker (Labour) arguably the two most powerful ministers in Jacinda Ardern’s government, to grant OceanaGold the consents which Land Information Minister, Eugenie Sage (Greens) had earlier denied them, offers bitter proof of how hard fighting ...
More than double the number of people who will vote in this year’s local body elections have tried marijuana or urinated somewhere they shouldn’t have. As local elections look set for the lowest turnout in decades, with many regions falling well short of 40%, the Government is exploring a number ...
A Statement on Abortion Law Reform by the Council of Disobedient Women On the eve of bringing an end to antiquated, anti-women abortion laws Green MP Jan Logie intends to write women out of the Bill. With a stroke of the pen, the woke are aiming for total erasure ...
Musings continue apace about “the experienced businessman!” soon to be taking up a National Party MP position. Or to be more accurate, being parachuted into a seat to shut down their former MP Jamie-Lee Ross, who despite his own shortcomings shed at least some more light on the inner workings ...
The Ugandan government wants to murder gay people:Uganda has announced plans to impose the death penalty on homosexuals. The bill, colloquially known as “Kill the Gays” in Uganda, was nullified five years ago on a technicality, but the government said on Thursday it plans to resurrect it within weeks. The ...
Hassan Vally, La Trobe UniversityWho doesn’t want to know if drinking that second or third cup of coffee a day will improve your memory, or if sleeping too much increases your risk of a heart attack? We’re invested in staying healthy and many of us are interested in reading ...
Freedom Of Speech? The Säuberung (cleansing by fire) was the work of the German Student Union which, on 10 May 1933, under the watchful eye of the Nazi Reichminister for Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, consigned 25,000 books to the flames in a ritual exorcism of “un-German thought”. According to the logic of the ...
“There can be no such thing as kaupapa Māori political parties or politics in Aotearoa” (Willie Jackson, Labour Party (2017). Māori TV, General/List Election Special) I begin with that claim because at the time, I was confounded at first that it fell out of Willie Jackson’s mouth, and then ...
New Zealand has prided itself for decades with regard to its lack of pollution, and all will be aware that the ‘100% Pure New Zealand‘ meme is under threat through land, water and air pollution of various causes. There is another type of contamination that the country also faces: light ...
New Zealand’s media is doing its part in Japan, reassuring those in the path of the storm that they won’t miss any rugby while away from their flooded homes. New Zealand sports reporters stationed in Japan for the Rugby World Cup have had the rare and heartwarming opportunity to inform ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is the only Cabinet member in favour of putting it all on green. As Finance Minister Grant Robertson finds himself with an enormous $7.5 billion surplus, the Government has begun intense, at times contentious conversations about whether to put the money on red or black at ...
by Susanne Kemp At the start of September close to 100,000 school teachers went on strike in Jordan. They demanded a 50% pay rise. A pay rise actually agreed to by the regime back in 2014. In early October, however, in the face of government repression and threats, the teachers’ ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzWhy do people still think climate change isn’t real?David ...
Back in 2011, journalist Nicky Hager published Other People's Wars, an expose on NZDF's activities over the previous decade of the "war on terror". NZDF didn't like this, and especially didn't like the fact that it was base don leaks from their own. So, they had the SIS investigate him ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is due back from select committee in two weeks, and will likely pass its final stages in November. So naturally, farmers are planning a hate-march against it. But they're not just demanding lower methane targets so they can keep on destroying the planet; they're also demanding ...
Last year, California burned. This year, to stop it happening again (or rather, to stop themselves from being found liable if it happens again), Pacific Gas and Electric is cutting power to half the state for a week:Schools are closed. Traffic lights down. Tunnels dark. Businesses unopened. Hospitals running on ...
The Best Way: Missing from the on-line voting debate is any reference to the voting system that produces turn-out figures ranging from 77 to 93 percent of registered voters. The voting system used to collect and count the votes cast in our parliamentary elections. The system that involves citizens making ...
Among the great new bunch of political friends we have been making recently is the excellent Australian-based Marxist gender-critical site, Freer Lives. So we asked the comrade who set up that blog to write something for Redline on the blog, himself, his analysis of the rise of gender politics and ...
by Don Franks The Auckland City Mission is struggling with a 40 percent increase in demand for food parcels this year. A total of 23,020 were needed by June. Last month Missioner Chris Farrelly told the Herald the “cupboards are bare” and without an emergency food drive, he can’t see ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Massey Wellington Student Association had a sit-in today. Imagine a sit-in. On a campus. Against a women’s rights meeting. Did the ’60s really happen or did we fucking dream it? They gathered in the student square, an echo chamber. Sitting on soft pillows ...
For some reasons, my post about the mystery message from inside the Downing Street bunker seemed to catch people's attention. Quite a lot of hits from NZ (unsurprisingly) and the USA (a bit more puzzlingly, but hi there, USAians!!) and 76 views from the Ukraine.I've celebrated my Ukrainian readers in ...
First, almost a score of Labour MPs seem to have sent a letter to the EU basically begging them to accept a deal - any deal - just so Britain can get the Heck on with Brexiting instead of being trapped in limbo:
by Phil Duncan In 2016 the National-led government suspended the Parent Visa Category, through which migrants were able to bring their parents into New Zealand. Since then over 5,700 people have been in immigration limbo, stuck on the visa wait list. Labour is now bringing back the scheme. Well, sort ...
The following was released yesterday (Tues, October 8) by the women’s liberation organisation Speak Up for Women. On 23 September Speak Up For Women announced that we would be holding an event at the Massey University Theaterette in Wellington. The event is called Feminism 2020. The intention of the event ...
The government is currently consulting on plans to improve freshwater quality. So naturally, farmers oppose it:South Taranaki farmers are preparing to fight proposed national freshwater changes that some fear will bankrupt them. The Government's proposed National Environment Standard on Freshwater Management, released in September, rated the Waingongoro River as one ...
Yesterday was the last day for (reliably) posting your vote away in local body elections. Turnouts are mostly much lower than the equivalent time last year (Palmerston North is down 2.3%), and so naturally people are pushing their online-voting snake oil again. Because the online census worked so well, lets ...
This essay, on the political legacy of the eugenics movement, by Kenan Malik was originally published in the Observer on 6 October 2019, under the headline ‘The spirit of eugenics is still with us, as immigrants know to their cost’. Birth control. Intelligence tests. Town planning. Immigration controls. It’s striking how ...
Another year, and the government has announced another enormous government "surplus". And just like last year, its nothing of the sort. When we have people homeless and sick and hungry, when we have schools and hospitals still falling down, when we have underpaid public servants and infrastucture unmaintained or unbuilt, ...
James Forsyth at The Spectator (I know, I know) has tapped one of his contacts inside Number Ten for an insight into the Johnson administration's thinking and strategy.It is fascinating, unsettling and quite, quite mad. Some key points:Negotiations have stalled and the Johnson administration are keen to blame the EU: ...
Fatal Contact: With the arrival of captain James Cook in October 1769, the islands of what would become New Zealand ceased to be the preserve of Polynesian navigators and settlers and became a part of both the world’s map and the world’s history.THE MAORI NATIONALIST assault upon the historical meaning ...
Another round of tactical talks about forming a Government of National Unity have come to nothing with the Liberal Democrats still refusing countenance putting Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street:Opposition talks on Monday made little headway over when to try and vote down Boris Johnson's government and who might succeed him as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is predicting a hard Brexit for the United Kingdom, as he believes British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be able to negotiate terms before the October 30 deadline. The Minister, who was one of the first to publicly come out and predict British voters would leave ...
Speaking at the Council of Trade Unions' (CTU) biennial conference, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told unionists that any future attacks on the Government won't work. "Now, we are being attacked by the union movement in this country. You can have your views but I'm here to say standing ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Two secondary-school initiatives are being expanded as part of the Government’s plan to see more young New Zealanders take up a trade to help close the skills gap. This includes the largest single increase in Trades Academy places in recent years. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris ...
The Government today announced its support for a project that could substantially reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from cattle. The announcement was made as part of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor’s visit to Nelson’s Cawthron Aquaculture Park. The Cawthron Institute will receive $100,000 from the Government’s ...
Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni has welcomed the first reading of the New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Legislation Amendment Bill. “Every New Zealander has a stake in New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension,” says Carmel Sepuloni. “They are our most common form of social assistance – nearly 800,000 New ...
Babies in Auckland aged six months and over can receive a free vaccination and children will all have access to vaccines, Associate Minister of Health Julie Anne Genter announced today at Papatoetoe High School. The move comes as part of Government efforts to step up the fight against measles. ...
***Check against delivery*** Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here, and to have the honour of opening this important conference on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. Let us take the opportunity to acknowledge all the people who have helped make today possible, including our special ...
Police Minister Stuart Nash says the safety of frontline officers and members of the public will be the focus of a new trial of specialist Police response teams in three of our largest urban centres. Police have this morning released details of an initiative to be trialled in Counties Manukau, ...
The Minister of Fisheries is calling for entries for a new public award to celebrate innovation in our seafood sector. “I have established the Seafood Sustainability Awards to recognise and celebrate those throughout industry, tangata whenua and communities who demonstrate outstanding dedication and innovation towards the sustainability of New Zealand’s ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter welcomes leaders in the private sector taking action on closing their gender pay gaps to ensure a fairer workplace for all New Zealanders. Ms Genter today launched a new report, Addressing the gender pay gap and driving women’s representation in senior leadership, from the Champions for ...
Government Ministers today welcomed the release of a marine environment report highlighting the four key issues affecting our oceans, estuaries and coastlines. The release underlines the importance of government proposals to combat climate pollution, ensure clean freshwater, protect biodiversity, make land use more sustainable, and reduce waste and plastic. Environment ...
The Government has approved funding for a new acute mental health facility for Waikato which will provide better care and support to people with mental health and addiction issues. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Dr David Clark announced the $100 million project to replace the aging Henry Rongomau ...
The Government is making progress on its goal to integrate te reo Māori into education by 2025, with over 500 teachers and support staff already graduating from Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Kelvin Davis made the announcement at an awards ceremony in Waikanae today, for ...
Statistics Minister James Shaw has welcomed the first release of 2018 Census data. The first release of data today, 23 September, includes key data on population, regional growth, the number of homes and the size of different ethnic groups in New Zealand. Data from the 2018 Census will support the ...
Minister for Statistics James Shaw today announced a public consultation on a proposed algorithm charter for government agencies. The charter has been developed by the Government Chief Data Steward in response to growing calls for more transparency in government use of data. Computer algorithms – procedures or formulas for solving ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, Climate Change Minister James Shaw and visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte co-hosted a business roundtable in Auckland this morning focused on working together to address climate change. “The Netherlands is an important partner for New Zealand. We share a strong agricultural history. Sustainable agribusiness and ...
The Government is taking action to build an inclusive economy where more of us receive our fair share at work and businesses can compete on great products and services, not undercutting wages and conditions, Immigration and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. Two consultations launched today seek feedback ...
The future for New Zealand’s threatened indigenous freshwater fish looks brighter with the passing of the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill in Parliament today said Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “Until now, our freshwater fish legislation has been 20 years out of date. We have lacked effective tools to ...
At 1.30pm tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of Kiwis will join about 65 million people around the globe in ShakeOut, the world’s biggest earthquake drill. The annual drill is to remind people of the right action to take during an earthquake which is to Drop, Cover, Hold, and to practise their ...
Kiwis are benefiting from higher wage growth and low inflation under the Coalition Government. Stats NZ data out today shows the rise in the cost of living remains low, as annual Consumers Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 1.5% in September from 1.7% in June. “The low inflation comes as ...
New Zealand’s economic strength and resilience has been recognised in a major update on the state of the global economy. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook released overnight shows a reduced global growth forecast over the next two years as issues like the US-China trade war and Brexit take hold. ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little has today introduced a new Bill to prevent terrorism and support the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill gives the New Zealand Police the ability to apply to the High Court to impose control orders on New Zealanders who ...
A Bill that proposes targeted changes to simplify the processes for Māori land owners when engaging with the Māori Land Court has had its First Reading today. “The approach taken by the Government is to ensure that the protection of Māori land remains a priority as we seek to improve ...
Let me first thank all the new unionists and members in the room. There is nothing more important to improving people’s working lives than people making the decision to care, to get on board and help, to take up the reins and get involved. Congratulations to you. You bring the ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has signed a certificate exempting the activity of engine testing at Whenuapai Airbase from the Resource Management Act 1991. The Act gives the Minister of Defence the power to exempt activities for the purposes of national security. The certificate will mean the recent Environment Court ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced New Zealand will join the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action while attending APEC meetings in Chile. The objective of the 39 member Coalition is to share information and promote action to tackle climate change. It was formed in April this year, in ...
Feedback sought– Lyttelton commercial zone parking The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to remove on-site car parking requirements for new developments in the Lyttelton commercial zone. The proposal, by Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section 71 of the Greater ...
Hon Minister Poto Williams Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration MEDIA STATEMENT Tuesday 15 October 2019 Feedback sought – Hagley Oval The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal about Hagley Oval. The proposal was developed by Regenerate Christchurch ...
Ladies and gentlemen, NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff, members of respective unions – thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. This might be preaching to the choir, but the importance of trade unions in New Zealand’s historical arch is difficult to understate. And it is my belief that ...
"Let’s start by acknowledging that it has been a huge year. " Police Association Annual Conference James Cook Grand Chancellor Hotel Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou katoa. President of the Police Association, Chris Cahill; Members of the Association and ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark have announced the New Zealand Government’s decision to again deploy a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. New ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand continues to have serious concerns for peace and stability in north-east Syria. “Recent reports that hundreds of ISIS-affiliated families have fled from a camp are deeply concerning from a humanitarian and security perspective”, Mr Peters says. “While we acknowledge Turkey’s domestic security ...
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is warning travelling Kiwis to be vigilant as the high-season for the crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is under way. “We’re on high alert to stop BMSB arriving in NZ. The high season runs until April 30 and we’ve strengthened our measures to stop stink ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
Botany is an electorate that deserves a representative who is committed to their community which is the reason New Conservative has confirmed Elliot Ikilei as the candidate for the 2020 election. ...
Anyone who would like to submit an account of their experience of state care to the Māori Inquiry into Oranga Tamariki has 10 days left before submissions close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Shaw, Conservation Biologist, The University of Queensland This year, five of the seven Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science were awarded to women. While this is a welcome development, the great majority of awards and prizes for science, technology, engineering and mathematics ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison seized the opportunity of his Jakarta weekend visit for Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s inauguration to obtain a meeting with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. Morrison told a news conference he had come out ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon O’Connor, Associate Professor in American Politics at the United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney During the 2016 US presidential campaign, people around the world were regularly reassured by election experts that Donald Trump was too outrageous to be elected president. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Leask, Professor, University of Sydney Your neighbour is telling you about his new baby. He feels nervous about vaccinating, and says he’s considering delaying Lucy’s vaccines. Your mother’s group is chatting about vaccines. One mother tells the group Jimmy isn’t vaccinated, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hal Pawson, Associate Director – City Futures – Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, UNSW Low-income tenants in Australia are increasingly likely to be trapped in rental stress for years. New evidence from the Productivity Commission ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland In line with his usual practice, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has backed Donald Trump over the World Trade Organisation, criticising of China’s status in it as a “developing country”. Critics of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristal Spreadborough, Casual Academic, University of New England As the Australian premier season of The Masked Singer draws to a close, fans are listening hard to guess which celebrities remain behind the weird and wonderful costumes. Although the celebrities throw listeners a ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: NZ First holds crucial party conference, roving AOS trial sparks concerns, and Mediaworks facing dramatic days ahead.The most pivotal political party in the country right now has held their annual conference, a year out from what will be a make ...
Five experts, all from countries with varying levels of cannabis legality, came to Auckland to speak on the benefits and costs of the drug before New Zealand’s cannabis referendum in 2020. Alice Webb-Liddall reports.While New Zealanders wait for the cannabis referendum in 2020, the government is working hard to draft ...
Protesting has brought about enormous social change in NZ. Will transformational groups emerge from the climate and Ihumātao protests? Trevor Richards hopes so. ...
Dr Olivier Jutel goes deep on blockchain, explaining why we should be cognisant of sweeping ideological claims masquerading as the technology of truth. ...
A psychiatric doctor who helps suicidal teenagers says the Ministry of Health’s suicide reduction plans miss much of the wider issue. We need to listen to affected communities, and equip them to make the changes they need, he writes.Last week, as I left yet another 3am crisis interview in ED ...
Highly trained, armed police are a necessary tool in emergency situations, but roving teams eager to find work could be a recipe for disaster, writes investigator and former police officer Tim McKinnel for RNZ. Police announced yesterday they are to introduce a trial of Armed Response Teams (ARTs) in Auckland, Waikato ...
“Proposals to curb environmental damage help our coasts and the oceans Government Ministers today welcomed the release of a marine environment report highlighting the four key issues affecting our oceans, estuaries and coastlines. We at CEAC also ...
David Robie, concluding his three-part series about Iran, profiles an extraordinary pair of Tehran brothers who have been pioneering global research adventurers. They have been dubbed the “Persian Indiana Joneses”. Their adventures are fabled and hair-raising, as shown by a Jivaro shrunken human head and relics from curious rituals ...
Four months ago Caroline Shaw bought an e-bike. She explains why they’re the answer to our lethal car culture.Four months ago we took what felt like a huge leap of faith and bought an e-cargo bike. The combination of three things tipped us over the edge: feeling the need to ...
The online magazine that boasted a bigger Instagram following than most New Zealand media has abruptly come to an end. So what was Auckland Mag? Why did it exist? And who was it mysterious founder Dan Rolph? David Farrier investigates. The reply from Dan Rolph at Auckland Magazine came quickly. It came ...
In the wake of the shocking revelations about Three, Duncan Greive assesses the health of New Zealand’s six big media companies.Winston Peters has studied the cold, pitiless heart of a certain strand of New Zealander for four decades now, and has become our foremost expert on both expressing its feelings ...
US justice reform activists Deborah Small and asha bandele say white supremacy and colonialism are at the heart of punitive drug laws. They spoke to Teuila Fuatai about how drug reform can reverse their effects on minority communities. Deborah Small sees Donald Trump as the US Dorian Gray. “He’s the physical ...
Madeleine Chapman spent a day learning about Christchurch through its most famous dishes.What is there do with with a day in Christchurch? Thanks to the inexplicably early check-out times at hotels all over the world and a 7pm flight back to Auckland, I had a full day to wander the ...
Winston Peters says his party is a handbrake on bad ideas and a "supercharged turbo" for good ones - but will it be in the driver's seat come 2020? ...
Our former prime minister secured a meeting with Chinese premier Xi Jinping outside all normal diplomatic channels. Interest’s Jenée Tibshraeny asks what it means for New Zealand’s evolving relationship with the superpower.Former prime minister John Key secured a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week without the involvement of ...
David Robiecontinues his three-part series about travelling in Iran. I stumbled on the scene by chance. Our host family in Iran’s second city Mashhad, a modern and beautiful metropolis that would comfortably fit in New Zealand’s entire population, was taking us on a drive to the outskirts to ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lashed out at the media, in particular, MediaWorks, just a day after the company announced it was selling off its television arm. ...
About a hundred disgruntled licensed gun owners have descended on the New Zealand First conference to tell the party leader Winston Peters that they feel like victims. ...
New Zealand First members will vote on a policy today that would allow businesses of all sizes to enforce 90-day trials when they employ people straight out of prison. ...
"Each time she held her lighter underneath the pipe and sucked the smoke into the back of her throat, the promise was there": a New Zealand tragedy by Alice Tawhai. ...
With the future of Mediaworks’ TV business hanging in the balance, Al Jazeera news presenter Kamahl Santamaria reflects on what the imperilled channel meant, and continues to mean, to him.I always liked the logo. The fresh bright colours, the nod to a koru in its shape, and just the fact ...
There are still many barriers preventing people from voting in local elections. Laura O’Connell Rapira proposes some social solutions.The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click here.To vote in the local elections, I cast ...
What’s really stood out for me being back in Tokyo is the unique qualities of Japan’s spectators, writes Richard Light, professor of sport coaching at the University of Canterbury.The Rugby World Cup has thrown a global spotlight on Japan over recent weeks. Not just the rugby: the distinctive culture and ...
As the New Zealand First Party gathers for its annual conference, the question swirling in the year is how it can carve out a path to avoid electoral defeat in 2020, writes Jo Moir for RNZ. It’s not you, it’s me. It’s a familiar break up excuse that’s used ...
To the early intervention therapists, to the teachers, to the speech therapists, the occupational therapists, music therapists, diabetes nurses and all: you change the world.When I was married almost a decade ago we had the following reading at our wedding:You are holding up a ceilingwith both arms. It is very ...
The faces said it all. The smiles of the European leaders crowded round Boris after the Brexit deal was struck. The deal his opponents – no, pretty much everyone – said was impossible.So what’s in it? The detail is still opaque, but subject to gremlins in the fine print, ...
Iran attracts an onslaught of negative media in New Zealand and Western media. But is it fair or deserved? David Robie has spent several weeks travelling in the country on sabbatical and finds the media negativity far from the reality of the “most friendly” country he has ever visited ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra [embedded content]University of Canberra Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Leigh Sullivan discusses the week in politics with Michelle Grattan. They talk about Alan Jones accusing Prime Minister Scott Morrison of failing the immediate needs of drought-striken farmers, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anita Parbhakar-Fox, Senior Research Fellow in Geometallurgy/Applied Geochemistry, The University of Queensland Last month, scientists uncovered a mineral called Edscottite. Minerals are solid, naturally occurring substances that are not living, such as quartz or haematite. This new mineral was discovered after an ...
The Auckland-based collective talk origins, ambitions and making the rave accessible to everybody.Friendly Potential is an outfit that defies easy summary. They’re among the country’s most ambitious and prolific club promoters. In their almost five-years of operation, they’ve been responsible for the local debuts of electronic music icons including Detroit ...
Analysis: Two polls show support for Labour sliding, the government is accused of breaking another promise and the Greens's refusal to back a bill forces Labour to rely on National to get it through. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kiera Lindsey, University of Technology Sydney One spring morning in 1850, over 8,000 Sydneysiders marched through town to protest the resumption of transportation – the act of sending British criminals to Australia. It was the largest protest in Australia thus far, an ...
Two shareholders of failed insurance firm company CBL are leading a class action against the firm's former directors seeking compensation for financial losses. ...
Sam Brooks recaps the third episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and wonders why some of these queens don’t know how to sew.This episode asks, and sort of answers the main question that millions of people across the world: why would you come on Drag Race and not know how to sew?!There ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John M Clarke, Team Leader, Regional Projections, CSIRO Last month we lost Dr Penny Whetton – one of the world’s most respected climate scientists and a brilliant mentor to the next generation of researchers. Penny will also be remembered as a passionate ...
Ten moose were upended into the Dusky Sounds in 1910. Now, their descendants are getting their day in the sun.The climate crisis is affecting wildlife all over the country: rockhopper penguin populations are in drastic decline, tuatara eggs aren’t hatching females, and the ice walls keeping predators away from kea ...
Security footage of NZ First MP Clayton Mitchell being thrown out of a Tauranga bar looks unlikely to ever be aired - despite his leader Winston Peters promising a screening. ...
Amnesty International is concerned that Justice Minister Andrew Little's Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill could have the potential to undermine human rights in New Zealand. The Bill would give the New Zealand Police the ability to apply to ...
Expect the old campaigner Winston Peters to be at his belligerent best as he gears up for another election. He’s kept his party alive for 27 years and he shows no sign of quitting. The omens may be bleak—polls this week showed his party below the 5% threshold– but Peters ...
The National Party has agreed to take down any videos breaching the current rules around the use of parliamentary TV footage, as all parties try to reach consensus. ...
Recently the Health Promotion Agency released a report into hazardous drinking in New Zealand. The report shows that Māori who drink alcohol and live in deprived circumstances are less likely to have a harmful relationship with alcohol if they ...
Turkey-US joint-statement on military ops within Syria’s territory.The Turkish Embassy in New Zealand issued Evening Report this unabridged United States of America-Republic of Turkey joint-statement detailing what both sides agreed to regarding Turkey’s military operations within the so-called security zone within Syrian territory near Turkey’s southern border. It is ...
Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash didn’t mention what winners will receive, when he proudly called for entries for a new public award “to celebrate innovation in our seafood sector”. Nor did he mention the cost to taxpayers of this initiative. Point of Order’s checks with the website where more details have ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona R Martin, Senior Lecturer in Convergent and Online Media, University of Sydney One of the basic tenets of the ABC Act is independence from government. Yet once again, in contravention to that principle, the federal government is trying to push through ...
A new poem by Auckland poet Lily Holloway.modernity to globalisationwhen I get there as still life and landscape and also portraitureseeking the cacti in small pots who dot the globeslices of pie offer up the vision after the sermonexpressing emotions without coherent narrative supportbecause no artist responded to this callemploying ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi to rule out any taxpayer-funded purchase or bailout for Mediaworks’s channel Three. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “For the last few months Mediaworks ...
The Police Commissioner's announcement that squadcars of officers with automatic rifles will patrol New Zealand's streets is dangerous and unnecessary, according to the criminal justice community organisation People Against Prisons Aotearoa. The ...
News broke this morning that Mediaworks is seeking to sell off, and even contemplating closing, its TV division. What might that mean for journalism?For journalism in New Zealand, the loss of Three’s TV division is a devastating blow. It is not yet known whether any of the news properties will ...
Open Mike 18/08/2018 
Keir Starmer has hinted that Labour might vote in favour of the Johnson government's shoddy deal, with the proviso that a second referendum is attached:Speaking to BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, he said: “We will see what that looks like but it makes sense to say that by whatever ...3 hours ago
In 1994, I was the editor for an issue of Planet magazine focused on cannabis, its culture and the prospects for the end of its prohibition. Part of that issue was an interview with 'Ringo', an experienced cannabis dealer.I recently posted my essay from that issue, and I figured it ...2 days ago
Dr Helen Waite, sports sociologist and former elite athlete, on the invasion of women’s sport by men and the anti-scientific and misogynist ideology used to rationalise it. ...2 days ago
On Wednesday, the government was loudly telling us that it needed to legislate to allow it to impose "control orders" - effectively a parole regime, but imposed without charge, prosecution, conviction or real evidence - on suspected terrorists because they couldn't be prosecuted for their supposed crimes. Today, it turns ...3 days ago
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been busy preparing for our summer paper on Science Communication. Looking for something amusing about ‘risk’ in science, I came across this neat xkcd.com cartoon about why so many people come knocking on my door (or phoning me, or emailing me) desperately wanting ...3 days ago
Media Statement for Immediate Release 16th October 2019 “Fake News” from Auckland City Council CCOs Board Chairs re pay and performance bonuses for top managers Despite comments from Auckland City Council CCOs Board Chairs re pay and performance bonuses for top managers—Herald Newspaper Tuesday Oct 15th–there is very little evidence ...4 days ago
Would You Buy A Used Propaganda Video From This Man? Bridges and the National Party’s strategists have discovered that the ideas and attitudes considered acceptable by today’s editors and journalists are no longer enforceable. The rise and rise of the Internet and the social media platforms it spawned means that ...4 days ago
by The Council of Disobedient Women In a press release today Massey University announced it has decided to rebrand and reorientate after struggling to be a University for grown-ups. For some time the University has wanted to be a safe play space for wee-woke-misogynists who have been really badly triggered ...5 days ago
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz There is a lot of discussion on the benefits of ...5 days ago
Thanks to a report from the Acting Inspector General of Intelligence and Security following a complaint by Nicky Hager, we have come to find out that the SIS illegally spied on Mr. Hager on behalf of the NZDF after publication of Hager’s 2011 book, Other People’s Wars. The NZDF justified ...6 days ago
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING MYTH 1: Global temperatures are rising at a rapid, unprecedented rate. FACT: The HadCRUT3 surface temperature index, produced by the Hadley Centre of the UK Met Office and the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, shows warming to 1878, cooling to 1911, ...6 days ago
A list of indicators of bad science – many of these are found in articles promoted by anti-fluoride activists. Anti-fluoride activists have been pouring money into a scaremongering campaign warning pregnant women not to drink fluoridated water. They claim fluoride will lower the IQ of their future child. Fluoride ...6 days ago
More than double the number of people who will vote in this year’s local body elections have tried marijuana or urinated somewhere they shouldn’t have. As local elections look set for the lowest turnout in decades, with many regions falling well short of 40%, the Government is exploring a number ...1 week ago
Musings continue apace about “the experienced businessman!” soon to be taking up a National Party MP position. Or to be more accurate, being parachuted into a seat to shut down their former MP Jamie-Lee Ross, who despite his own shortcomings shed at least some more light on the inner workings ...1 week ago
“There can be no such thing as kaupapa Māori political parties or politics in Aotearoa” (Willie Jackson, Labour Party (2017). Māori TV, General/List Election Special) I begin with that claim because at the time, I was confounded at first that it fell out of Willie Jackson’s mouth, and then ...2 weeks ago
We're rebuilding our hospitals, protecting our oceans, and taking mental health seriously. ...3 days ago
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is predicting a hard Brexit for the United Kingdom, as he believes British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be able to negotiate terms before the October 30 deadline. The Minister, who was one of the first to publicly come out and predict British voters would leave ...5 days ago
Two secondary-school initiatives are being expanded as part of the Government’s plan to see more young New Zealanders take up a trade to help close the skills gap. This includes the largest single increase in Trades Academy places in recent years. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris ...31 mins ago
Botany is an electorate that deserves a representative who is committed to their community which is the reason New Conservative has confirmed Elliot Ikilei as the candidate for the 2020 election. ...25 mins ago
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Shaw, Conservation Biologist, The University of Queensland This year, five of the seven Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science were awarded to women. While this is a welcome development, the great majority of awards and prizes for science, technology, engineering and mathematics ...3 hours ago
Move over Grey Power, here comes Young New Zealand First. ...4 hours ago
Steve Braunias reviews Michelle Duff’s portrait of Jacinda Ardern, published today. ...4 hours ago
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: NZ First holds crucial party conference, roving AOS trial sparks concerns, and Mediaworks facing dramatic days ahead.The most pivotal political party in the country right now has held their annual conference, a year out from what will be a make ...4 hours ago
Canon Focus on Rugby: Jim Kayes reports from the madness at Oita as the Brave Blossoms' journey at the Rugby World Cup is blown apart. ...4 hours ago
The NZ First leader offered up his greatest hits to an adoring crowd - but did little to suggest a change of team is viable come 2020. ...6 hours ago
Protesting has brought about enormous social change in NZ. Will transformational groups emerge from the climate and Ihumātao protests? Trevor Richards hopes so. ...6 hours ago
Dr Olivier Jutel goes deep on blockchain, explaining why we should be cognisant of sweeping ideological claims masquerading as the technology of truth. ...6 hours ago
Donald Trump’s tariff war is hitting the world economy hard, and there's no sign of a truce. But it's scarier than that. Nikki Mandow reports. ...6 hours ago
Could New Zealanders be short-changed by a conflicted relationship between New Zealand bank leaders and their Aussie parent companies? ...6 hours ago
Are the Silver Ferns ready to lose the world's best shooter, Maria Folau, still at the top of her game? ...6 hours ago
They've long been the butt of jokes, but NZ First's youth wing is serious about having a greater say within the party. ...6 hours ago
The construction industry is more optimistic and better off than gloomy confidence surveys would suggest. ...6 hours ago
Patience was a key virtue as the All Blacks dismantled Ireland ...23 hours ago
Winston Peters says his party is a handbrake on bad ideas and a "supercharged turbo" for good ones - but will it be in the driver's seat come 2020? ...2 days ago
"Each time she held her lighter underneath the pipe and sucked the smoke into the back of her throat, the promise was there": a New Zealand tragedy by Alice Tawhai. ...2 days ago
The faces said it all. The smiles of the European leaders crowded round Boris after the Brexit deal was struck. The deal his opponents – no, pretty much everyone – said was impossible. So what’s in it? The detail is still opaque, but subject to gremlins in the fine print, ...2 days ago
A new law targeting potential returning terrorists like Mark Taylor raises questions about human rights and whether the bill is being rushed. ...3 days ago
Two shareholders of failed insurance firm company CBL are leading a class action against the firm's former directors seeking compensation for financial losses. ...3 days ago
Expect the old campaigner Winston Peters to be at his belligerent best as he gears up for another election. He’s kept his party alive for 27 years and he shows no sign of quitting. The omens may be bleak—polls this week showed his party below the 5% threshold– but Peters ...3 days ago
Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash didn’t mention what winners will receive, when he proudly called for entries for a new public award “to celebrate innovation in our seafood sector”. Nor did he mention the cost to taxpayers of this initiative. Point of Order’s checks with the website where more details have ...3 days ago
“Freedom of expression is often one of the first victims of a successful socialist revolution”.
That’s an interesting comment from @NandorTanczos, which prompted some more comments, from @LewSOS:
So is it possible to have a revolution while retaining democracy?
Perhaps revolutionary change without having a revolution is possible. Jacinda Ardern’s idea of government is revolutionary perhaps?
Too revolutionary for some. Not enough of a revolution for others. (Some thing it is little more than a softer same old).
Viva Jacinda?
The 80s and early 90s saw revolutionary changes without revolutions in a bunch of countries, including ours.
They just weren’t towards socialism, but away from it.
Yes – as we have seen over the last 30+ years, the already-powerful can impose revolutionary change quite successfully and the dilemma Tanczos describes doesn’t even arise. Owning large swathes of the private media helps in these situations of course, because it provides a non-violent way of controlling the range of what gets expressed.
Revolutionary change by the weak against the powerful is inherently more fragile and susceptible to being overturned. But there are no credible voices on the left proposing violent or repressive methods (such as curtailment of freedom of expression) for resolving the problem. Instead we are all about mass movements, evolutionary change and re-imagining the human condition. And with the coming climate crisis it is essential that this alternative vision exists, otherwise we spiral into dystopian hell.
“Instead we are all about mass movements”
Generally promoted and supported by small minorities who lament the ignorance of those who don’t get on board, or lambast the ‘right wing’ media left wing journalists depending on the leaning of forum, for not promoting their cause.
You’re talking about cliques and power struggles between or in support of cliques there Pete. And if there’s a clique (or a committee or a “council of wise elders”), then there is no revolution – just the changes that arrive with a changing of the guard.
And history shows us that nothing fundamental changes in those situations – thems with the power still does in thems without power.
That’s pretty much the situation we have in New Zealand – small minorities dreaming of mass movements that support their particular cause.
I don’t think we;ve had any mass movements since 1981, and even that may have been a (large) minority movement.
Such reactionary emotive terminology versus the concept of evolutionary change.
As the generation coming through looks to evolve not tear down and collaborate rather than dictate. Imagine as John Lennon sang…..I wonder if you can ?
When democracy is the revolution then yes, obviously democracy supplants the faux democracy (or whatever other degree of authoritarian rule is in place) – that has enabled a constant and mere “changing of the guard” to take place off the back of endless streams of bullshit and bullshitters touting themselves as revolutionary…Lenin and Mussolini and Castro and Mao and Franco et al
Capitalism hasn’t been thrown out because the government supports it. Often against the wishes of the populace, i.e, the sale of our power infrastructure and the signing of the TPPA and it’s replacement.
It’s difficult to say that we have a democracy when the government doesn’t rule as the many want them to but how business wants them to.
From the hard to believe files:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/russian-asbestos-trump_face/
In praise of mixed economies.
https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2018/8/16/17698602/socialism-capitalism-false-dichotomy-kevin-williamson-column-republican-ocasio-cortez
Seems to me a key aspect of any socio-economic system is how to manage the sociopaths with a lot of drive that are compelled to do what it takes to live in the biggest house, have sex with the most attractive partners, eat the tastiest foods etc.
A well designed mixed economy allows a freedom for those sociopaths to channel that drive into building things useful to us all. So the likes of Jobs, Musk, Brin & Page can take ideas languishing in obscure research labs (mostly with govt funded) and turn them into stuff that really does improve lives.
But the problems created by a weak government side that allows allows entities to grow too powerful and act too carelessly are painfully evident throughout history, and not just since the neo-lib craze of the last 30ish years.
Equally, Animal Farm is a simplistic but accurate picture of how the sociopaths corrupt socialist/communist ideals to their own benefit, backed up by plenty of real world examples.
So how to synthesise the best aspects of the extremes of ideology and minimise the failings? Looks to me like Scandinavian social democracies come closest. And there is a path there from where we are now via patient incrementalism.
Over 400 killed by flooding in Kerala.
Terrible news.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/kerala-floods-death-toll-latest-india-landslides-bridge-collapse-a8496066.html
I’ve noticed a BIT of a change @ Ed.
Actually it’ll end up being a shitload more than 400 in Kerala, plus a number in UP and even in Uttarakhand not that long ago.
RNZ was actually leading with this earlier today, so don’t be too dismissive of the Griggs attitude being discussed a couple of days ago (concerning that ‘shithole’ Yemen)
There’ll be one or two telling her that 30 years experience actually don’t mean shit these days. But no matter, the mortgage must be nearly paid off and Christian and Damien have been doing Oh so Very well at St Marks (going forward)
There might be an opening for her at the Spinoff before too long.
I thought the tree planting thing was an initiative to inject wages and a sense of purpose into the lives of those living in our most impoverished regions.
Shane Jones just said on Newshub Nation he is bringing in gangs of seedling planters from the Pacific Islands.
I think this is well wrong, if not planting trees, we need to find what will engage these people. Half of our problems in the Far North is the devil finding tasks for idle hands.
Tree planting Pinus radiata in the steep hills near Nelson was the most physically difficult, hardest work I’ve ever done. After a few weeks of lugging bags of trees and a mattock up and down those rocky slopes, I was mountain-goat-fit, but not planning to make a career of that form of tree planting.
If getting trees planted was the primary goal, ok. But as I understand the intitiative…Shane said “Get my neffs off the couch.”
We’ll be using tax payers money to fly in, accommodate and pay unskilled migrants from the Pacific Islands to plant trees that will ultimately benefit the companies that own the forests. The benefits to the current population of the Far North…I can’t see much.
Seems that this tree planting initiative is turning out to be vaporware.
You were younger then Robert. And look how well you turned out. Tree planting like that might be the challenge that these young fellers and gals are looking for. If they could get peer groups where they found friends, get jobs that kept them away from drugs and the gangs that are negative, in ten years there would be a different climate on the ground, and perhaps they could be in training for taking on specialist jobs to do with climate change.
David Mac
All your points are valid. Shane – work with NZs needing jobs and a wage and purpose in life first. Perhaps go to hapus and ask them to get together groups of young men and women who are ready to start learning how to do various jobs and so encourage them to be hopeful of a better future and start with some getting off drugs and moving up.
The Pacific Islanders look to NZ as a change and way they can improve life for themselves. Maori who are already here and have been faced with barriers to making a change and improving life for themselves will learn to believe in themselves in time when they see others getting a better life from taking up opportunities.
Considering that climate change is going to make life more and more difficult and we need to raise our resilience and awareness of how to manage to cope, I think it is essential that human-loving politicians right now use all their resources and thought to get projects that enable the rise in self-supporting and strength of mind and belief in one’s own worth to advance themselves.
“I thought the tree planting thing was an initiative to inject wages and a sense of purpose into the lives of those living in our most impoverished regions.”
It has the potential too. Unfortunately, Jones initially wanted it to be a work for the dole scheme. So much for injecting wages and a sense of purpose.
After some backlash, Labour ensured us employees would be paid the minimum wage. But there was no guarantee employees wouldn’t be employed as independent contractors, thus no minimum wage required.
And as you highlighted, Jones now plans to bring in offshore workers. He’s also seeking offshore companies to partake.
Seems employees and local communities will be coming off second best as a lot of this taxpayer spend up heads offshore.
‘Seeking overseas companies’ – what, we can’t even organise planting trees locally anymore?
Apparently, the sector is about 70% foreign owned as it stands.
The issue is also in the old days, the government pumping money into the economy with projects used to work.
Under globalism it doesn’t anymore, and actually can be making things worse aka they give the infrastructure contracts to industry who don’t use it to employ or train local people but instead import cheap workers in that don’t pay taxes, drive up prices for housing and rents and require more roads and hospitals and schools to be built. When it all goes wrong with poor construction and remedial work, everyone seems to be gone and up to the taxpayers to fix up the problems it seems. Who would possibly expect industry and those that own the company be responsible for faulty work???
Meanwhile locals are on the dole still being poisoned smallpox style by P being spread like wildfire, with little to zero intervention of how it’s happened within a decade, and how the raw ingredients are getting in.
With planting trees, when the forests are owned by offshore individuals and various accounting schemes means it remains to be seen if they will a) employ local people to plant them, and b) will there be any economic benefit for NZ if they harvest or make money from it. At least with the trees, hopefully we get cleaner air although sounds like the ratepayers pay to maintain the roads when they move the logs if they harvest them.
Informative interview for the reasoning democrat. Radionz from Kim Hill. Mr Neiwert has been studying right movements for decades. He has a view on where Jordan Peterson fits in. He explains the mindset of trollers and the alt right.
10:04 David Neiwert – The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump
Neo Nazis, Alt-Right, and White Supremacists march in Charlottesville, Virginia.
David Neiwert is a journalist, author and expert in American right-wing extremism. He has appeared on Anderson Cooper 360, CNN Newsroom, and The Rachel Maddow Show and is the managing editor of the popular political blog Crooks and Liars. His work has also appeared in the American Prospect, the Washington Post, MSNBC.com, Salon.com, and other publications.
His previous books include And Hell Followed With Her: Crossing the Dark Side of the American Border, which won the 2014 International Latino Book Award. His latest book is called Alt America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump, and he’ll be speaking to it at the WORD Christchurch festival, details here.
I’ll try to add audio link when available.
Neiwert says that Trump sees himself as expressing the common man’s and woman’s? opinions. That he has enabled the rise in alt right and other abuse with his lead on this.
This comment about abuse to those who have been hurt and wish to expose it, especially if it is gender related is an example of the disturbed and negativenature of some people being able to flow without pause.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/364374/i-am-sorry-you-can-t-freely-express-yourself
I don’t know whether this will be on audio. You might have to read it.
Here is the link to the audio
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018658681/david-neiwert-the-rise-of-the-radical-right
In fact here are links to the great selection of interviews on Kim Hill’s show this morning which included Nigel Farage, and Neil and Liam Finn
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday
Good to get the links VV. I thought they were good, she and her team, Dita? et al? pick some good riveting or relaxing stuff. to take us down and then up and more informed at the end.
Reminds me of the film Short Circuit and the runaway robot Johnny 5 I think. It became a rapacious and rapid reader.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj-qBUWOYfE
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kov5JGeAXvc
Short Circuit 2
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVtojNukkA0
It was bloody good interview @ grey eh?. I listened with all the crackling on the AM band caused by strikes of lightening, as I crossed the Desert Road earlier.
Just as an aside, I thought to myself as I listened, how all the critics of the Kim Hill Sung that offer their thoughts over 2101 collide with comments from her interviewees such as “good question” and “thanks for asking that”.
Corrrrrrrrrr eh?
A Puckish Arse gets off on Jude Collins’ every move .
Kim Hill Sung gets me just with that sexy voice AND fierce intellect. (pffft)
A treasure to behold
Once was Tim
You are a lively commenter. I think I agree with you, and the bits I don’t understand probably. As you say – Kim Hill, a fierce intellect. And when she is talking to people who understand and know her well apparently, as with the Finns, that was very enjoyable, lol.
Glad when you crossed the Desert Road that you stayed in the car. There were about 1,000 strikes or some large number. You could get your brain frizzled and be unable to lighten our frequent gloom on TS. Take care.
Neiwert almost destroyed his credibility at the end when he asserted, like a true on-message Democratic Party stooge: “And I DO believe there was Russian meddling.” He seemed to think that Mrs Clinton would have won if not for that dastardly mastermind in Moscow. In just those few words, he resembled the sad cases of the far right, who he’d scoffed at, memorably, for “inhaling their own exhaust.”
But but there probably is something there. Did he say what and how much? It is possible. We can’t know everything – your mind might be devious Morrissey but when there is a phalanx of sycophants (pretty good eh) then they can combine in ways that science has yet to identify.
I accept that the Russians did indeed try to sow dissension. But their thousands of blog posts—and I have seen many of them—were about the same quality and authority of something on Whaleoil or KiwiBlog. The idea that they somehow were crucial to the victory of Trump is absurd, and Neiwert severely damages his credibility and authority by repeating such nonsense.
“And I DO believe there was Russian meddling.” = destroyed cred says morrie
and
I accept that the Russians did indeed try to sow dissension. = ???
You disagree with the extent of the meddling not that there was meddling.
Correct Marty. Of course the Russians ineptly tried to upset the warmonger Clinton’s campaign. Foolishly, they backed Trump.
But the idea that the Russians are some malevolent force manipulating Trump and his cronies and somehow interfering with the ballot itself is simply preposterous. That, however, is what the Clinton wing of the Democratic Party continues to allege, and it’s amplified daily by the likes of Rachel Maddow and, sadly, David Neiwert.
Metro magazine founder Warwick Roger dies
Sad news
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/106376891/metro-magazine-founder-warwick-roger-dies
Why is it sad?
Why is it even news?
Because he tried and achieved something. Without his input nz would be in a poorer position than it is.
I agree Herodotus, and was sad at the news and his struggle over recent times.
Death happens to everyone but almost nobody knew who he was and so his death doesn’t actually affect them.
So, it may be sad to those who knew him. It’s meaningless to everyone else.
I really don’t get this worship of rich people that many have:
Have you considered just passing over the eulogies of people that mean nothing to you?
For someone that pretends to care about all people you’re making a horrible hash of your charade.
Have you considered puitting brief explanation and links to the stories where he did most good for society and NZ in general. Then you would meet DTBs point and illustrate your own.
That would be wiser than engaging in pointless abuse. Give us the facts man as a comic once said. And feel free to repeat this to me if you see me forget my owm point.
Somebody respected Warwick’s work enough to put up a quick post acknowledging his passing.
I’m suggesting that the person that feels obliged to add ‘Who cares’ is a shallow humanitarian who needs calling out on their form.
I haven’t split atoms, nobody knows me, but my family would respectfully request that you refrain from spreading the message ‘Who gives a fuck anyway’ upon my death.
There are a lot of negative things out there all the time David Mac.
Too many shoulds too. Why did you not try what I suggested if you think so highly of him. I remember he was well thought of, prove with what you think are his best pieces. I personally don’t want to live in an authoritarian world where I am told what to think. But if there is good evidence I will look and think about it.
why would it not be sad?
David Neiwert – The Rise of the Radical Right
His latest book is called Alt America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump, and he’ll be speaking to it at the –
WORD Christchurch festival –
on August 30.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018658681/david-neiwert-the-rise-of-the-radical-right
Too many pseudo Irish pubs opening up in Australia apparently…
The Rumjacks – An Irish Pub Song (Official Music Video) – YouTube
How can NZs get decent treatment for themselves following their own choice about when they want to die when we have the self-centred fears of the disabled, also from the medical profession, the hospice sector, the financial sector etc, the uncaring or conformist, with now Australians stepping in with their guidance in this matter which is our concern?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018658341/proposed-euthanasia-bill-in-nz-needs-tweaking
disability law
Proposed euthanasia bill in NZ ‘needs tweaking’
From Nine To Noon, 9:32 am on 16 August 2018
The wording of proposed euthanasia legislation should be tightened to ensure it only applies to the terminally ill, members of an Australian advisory panel say.
Up you all who don’t care about anybody else’s desperate need or personally strong wish for release because of your own dark imaginings and fears. These come first according to you, with an argument about ethics and so on used as a barrier to belief in the right of a particular human being to have a decent and timely system so they can enable their death according to the fullest choice of best and painless ways with all reasonable legal and moral matters attended to
beforehand.
I find the reluctance to deal with people’s needs and requirements relating to euthanasia so disgraceful; people are so reluctant to face up to realities of living and dying that they are apparently frozen from doing anything at all. This Australian lawyer might be offering intelligent suggestions like a cup of milk into already weak tea, but that might actually be needed to give some answer to the mass of weak mutterings of the inadequate thinkers who are a majority in NZ.
Self-centred fears? Go look up Aktion T4 and see what history has to teach us. Why do you think the Australians carefully narrowed the scope of their law?
That was an interesting interview on Thursday but mainly focused on the Australian (Victoria?) legislation rather than the current NZ Bill.
Paula Tesoriero, the HRC Disabilities Commissioner, was on Nine to Noon the next morning (Friday) and I personally found her analysis and misgivings much more relevant and disturbing vis a vis the NZ Bill.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018658517/assisted-dying-bill-undermines-disabled-people
Rosemary McDonald and I have had a few comments on OM yesterday on this subject with Rosemary having done a very detailed comment with her view etc which has been rather lost on there – so here is a link
As I said in a reply to Rosemary under the above, I have great respect for Paula having worked with her briefly – and for Rosemary’s views but I do not believe that we can just can the euthanasia discussion ( although I definitely believe we need to rethink the Bill) until the never never when all these other problems have been resolved. IMHO these issues need to be addressed concurrently and together. (Bad wording but hope you get my meaning.)
Thank you. The Tesoriero interview was on my to-listen list already. Busy week.
Will the Green’s environmental wins further the party’s divide?
The Green’s environmental wins are going to challenge their crusade for the poor.
The Green’s environmental wins are going to result in a number of new environmental related charges being introduced with the regressive nature of the inflationary impact of these new charges hitting the poor the hardest. Thus, clashing with the cause and as a result, furthering the divide within the party.
To date, the concern is there has been little to no talk on how the Greens plan to win-over Labour and NZF and help the poor mitigate these additional costs, thus reunite the party.
Are you stirring?
Don’t be silly. This is a serious concern.
And the fact that some can’t even see it is part of the problem.
Some seem too blinded by the environmental wins to see it’s going to compound the problem for those in poverty.
The Greens consider both the poor and the environment in all their policy work. But your position is that the two concerns are mutually exclusive, going as far in one of your more confused rants to claim the the Greens’ biggest win, healthy homes, had nothing to do with social policy at all!
“The Greens consider both the poor and the environment in all their policy work.”
They may well do. But considering them doesn’t guarantee they are actually going to do anything for them (the poor).
For example, can you tell me what they have planned to help the poor offset the regressive inflationary cost of significantly increasing tip fees?
significantly increasing tip fees… make the manufactures/retailers have to take the packaging/clapped out model back themselves for disposal or have more recycling centres. (You used to have community sites for paper, bottles, cans etc around libraries, now that is all gone and you just have your bin/bag each week).
Most businesses generate rubbish and as with any cost incurred, it’s only logical to assume businesses will attempt to pass that cost on. Therefore, not only will people pay more for goods and services, they also pay more for their own rubbish disposal. Thus, this kind of regressive inflationary pressure is felt hardest by the poor.
Making manufactures/retailers take back packaging for disposal will see them incur further costs, which they will look to pass on.
Giving community cardholders a discount (like removing GST) on all goods and services may be a more targeted option to consider.
I’m sure retailers will try to pass it on, but then there is so much cheap crap coming into NZ and choice in that area that I doubt it will work. K Mart, Briscos, The warehouse, $1 shops, there are plenty of retailers in a crowded area of plastic goods.
Also are beneficiaries and working poor for example the ones out there buying new TV’s, whiteware, over packaged goods, cheese slices in multiple wrappers for lunches or are they at the op shops and trade me and pack and save already using less plastic?
With stores and loan-sharks offering easy credit, the poor will be purchasing a variety of things. And with the additional cost of dumping rubbish being felt across the board, competitors will simultaneously all be looking (thus giving them more scope) to pass the cost on.
You might like to reflect on the Greens’ biggest policy achievement to date, healthy homes, and what it means to low income families. Ask yourself if the Greens were “doing anything for them (the poor)” in that instance.
Once again, Muttonbird you’ve totally missed the point.
I wasn’t implying the Greens have never offered the poor anything in the past, I’m questioning what they are going to do for them moving forward? Especially as a number of their new environmental policies are going to place additional costs upon them.
You do understand we are about to embark on a major transition, which the Greens will be largely leading (Shaw is climate minister)? And as such, are championing new environmental related charges. Such as significantly increasing tip fees and the proposed feebate scheme to incentivise the uptake of low emissions vehicles, which will hit the poor the hardest.
Theses are merely two of a suite of changes that collectively will be as big as the reforms of the 80’s and 90’s that created a lot of pain and hardship, which we’ve yet to overcome.
To stay true to their crusade for the poor while dumping additional costs upon them is going to be a challenge that the Greens have yet to tell us how they plan to overcome. And failing to overcome it will further the divide within the party.
Dead right Ed, that’s all he ever does.
Oh no, not another moron that can’t see how the Greens dumping additional costs onto the poor is going to clash with their crusade for the poor.
You’re just a really crap troll.
Are you denying my assertions?
If so, put forward you reasoning.
You can’t help but reply, you really are a crap troll.
That’s simply because I’m not a troll.
Give it up already. About the only person you have convinced is SaveNZ. Congratulations.
While problems remain, I won’t be giving up.
The Greens are going to have a major falling out if they don’t sort this out.
And while I’m only one voice from the left within the Greens, many more share my concerns.
You are not a party member, you are just a really crap troll.
Whether people believe I’m a troll or not, the problem for the Greens (which evidently you haven’t refuted) remains.
Fuck, you’ve been trolling that same line all year. It is tired. Get some new material.
And what sort of Chairman uses the term ‘Egg’ like you did the other day. I mean really…
That’s because the Greens have had many problems over the last year and have yet to reunite the party. So it’s them that needs to produce some new material and get on top of this divide before it’s to late.
I not only want the Greens to be part of the next Government, I want them to have numbers and they won’t achieve that if the party remains divided.
Your whole purpose here is to divide the Greens, we understand that.
The Chairman may well be seeking to “divide The Greens”, solkta, but his wan comments here on TS is very unlikely to achieve that aim. His attempts here are useful though, as he reveals the strategy and talking points that could be employed more widely to achieve that aim, so it’s 3 cheers for The Chairman!
No.
As you and others can see in this thread, I’m highlighting one of the problems (additional charges being dumped on the poor) furthering the divide and what they must do (protect the poor) to help overcome it.
But Shaw and his lot are failing to act and thus far have presented no solutions while championing new environmental charges.
Here’s an idea.
Next time the Greens champion a new environmental charge/cost, it would be good for them to also tell us how they plan to protect the poor from it
An easy strategy, make the environmental costs and risks all back on the polluter and don’t let the polluters loose in the first place!
For example instead of power grants, maybe look at installing solar panels that can reduce power and carbon costs long term in state housing. Of course they need to go back and look at how government has allowed power companies to overtax poor people in the first place and forcing people to pay higher prices if they have solar panels.
With plastic bags, make the manufacturer be responsible for recycling their plastic, you will be amazed how soon the manufacturers stop over packaging if they have to deal with the problem themselves! Then if they do use packaging they will turn to biodegradable packaging instead!
At present the government needs to change it’s mindset to thinking taxing people will somehow create a better society aka petrol taxes which is just leading to inequality.
Instead the answer is to solve the problem by understanding polluters in in the first place aka every man and his dog is on individual truck and courier contracts delivering crap about Auckland in clapped out vehicles or parents, people working 3 jobs because nobody has a full time job anymore.
Parents driving kids around because the lack of afterschool activities or in school activities is lacking like swimming/swimming pools, sports (now it is all about driving around to competitions rather than in school netball or what have you).
The entire government mindset needs changing to why people are needing to pollute more and what can the government do, that is fast, cheap and simple to reduce it.
And rather than the Greens picking on the little guy, they need to look at the worst offenders which are often businesses who for example are creating the packaging or businesses who make employees part time and casual and school/hospital systems that are no longer catering to the needs of the local community and then wonder why people are needing to commute to do things that used to be available locally.
Not to mention Auckland council seems to rubber-stamp as many polluting consents as possible such as truck and trailers or fill going across Auckland for Decades and the Tegal consent relies on millions of chickens being bought into Auckland from Dargaville to be processed. That is what happens when there is pretence between planning and Auckland transport. They effectively rubber stamp each others consents or too lazy to even work out some of the issues (like congestion) going forward.
What’s next, a freezing works on the water front? I mean we already have the clapped out cars and bananas coming in. Why not put industry first as they already seem to be the priority in NZ while the rest of NZ supports them with free roads, free natural resources and tax top ups for their employee’s because they can’t be expected to pay people enough to live on. Nowadays working for 50% of Kiwis seems to be more survival than living, and having to rely on other people’s decisions, like do they have a job next week, because at any time that might change.
‘For example instead of power grants, maybe look at installing solar panels…”
Like it, SaveNZ.
Interestingly, I was following up on a case I highlighted early this year. A state housing tenant was offered a free solar set up and insulation, but HNZ prevented her from having it installed. The Greens spoke out strongly on this, but I’m yet to find out what the final outcome was.
Nevertheless, once again you raise some valid points, therefore this is the kind of approach the Greens should be considering and what we need to hear more from them.
At least the Greens seem to be promoting banning the plastic bag!
Now hopefully the government will expect those that manufacture with plastic or where it is sold from (aka supermarkets and retailers) be responsible for it’s disposal.
As soon as consumers are legally able to return packaging to the point you bought it from, it will drive change faster and with more equality than say charging the consumer 10 cents for a plastic bag, while the manufacturers and retailers get a free pass while being the ones who are creating or enabling the issue in the first place.
It is all punish, or make life harder, for the ordinary poor person.
Say that poor person has to shift but has no car, and is on their own. They may have to ask for help from another poor person who has a ute or car and trailer. They probably can’t ask someone comfortably off because they haven’t got enough time or goodwill to help someone who isn’t comfortable.
Their help-person can’t get to the tip during opening hours, and nobody has any spare money to pay tip fees. They look at one another and wonder what happens if they just leave it at the tip gates. They think ‘Oh no, I’ll bet they will not like that, and we will be on CCTV, and get fined and we can’t afford that’. So the helper says I know somewhere I can take it and leave it and they agree that is the only answer that meets the situation. They load up and take it to an unlicensed tip place out of town.
This happens. To avoid it, the person might phone and ask Council for help, and they might say well we usually charge at least $20 if we come and pick it up. If you are a ratepayer we will put it on your rates bill. Can you get it to the tip somehow and we will allow you to tip it free of cost but it must meet our requirements and you should have someone capable to help you move it.
And something gets worked out that means they pay something and do what they can, and Council helps someone who wants to be a tidy kiwi.
Space force. Is this part of the recipe for building up support for one?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/364257/mystery-russian-satellite-s-behaviour-raises-alarm-in-us
16/8/2018
I think the US is already there. WTF does this thing do then?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37
Hmmm Where is the ‘Royal United Services Institute.’? Stirring the pot. With that Boeing X37 going up and down to show it can, unmanned, no wonder the deficit for the USA defence is large.
Who spends the most –
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) measures annual military spending for most of the world’s armed countries. According to SIPRI, the U.S. spent $618 billion on its military last year, more than three times the $171 billion budget of second place China.Jul 12, 2014
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2017 Military Expenditure Database estimated Russia’s military expenditure in 2016 at US$69.2 billion. This estimate is roughly twice that of SIPRI’s estimate of the Russian military budget for 2006 (US$34.5 billion).
US Military Budget: Components, Challenges, Growth – The Balance
https://www.thebalance.com › Investing › US Economy › Fiscal Policy
4 days ago – The US military spending is $892 billion once you add components hidden in other budgets. Here’s the breakout since 2006.
U.S. military budget inches closer to $1 trillion mark, as concerns over …
https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/u-s-military-budget-inches-closer-to-1-trillion-mark…
Jun 19, 2018 – The Senate approved the $716 billion military budget by an … Congress’s official budget scorekeeper recently projected the federal deficit will …
Denying Palestinians respect and support and communication with the world.
Is this how Israelis want to behave towards other humans? Is this their dream of how life would be in their own country?
16/8/2018
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/364202/palestinian-mail-blocked-by-israel-arrives-eight-years-late
I found that I had to back away from taking a high interest in the Trump presidency debacle months ago as it was doing my head in. So many questions, so few answers – and so many people in positions of power with backgrounds and personalities that seem to me anyway incongruous to their positions.
One such is Stephen Miller, who despite his background, beliefs etc seems to be secure in his White House position and also despite the departure of Steve Bannon and others who he was originally aligned with in the White House corridors of power.
Last week, an article written by one of his uncles was posted on politico.com which I found quite interesting and poignant – and at the same time so very difficult to understand how far from the tree Miller has fallen.
A well worthwhile read IMHO – I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read it.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/08/13/stephen-miller-is-an-immigration-hypocrite-i-know-because-im-his-uncle-219351
This proud Australian stands head up, jaw jutting, and having achieved an elevated position on a soapbox says this:
Wednesday 15/8/2018 4.55pm
Mr [Fraser] Anning used his maiden speech last night to call for a complete overhaul of the immigration system, insisting most migrants should be from a European Christian background and all Muslims should be banned.
In that speech he used the phrase “final solution”, which was the phrase used by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler which meant annihilating Jewish people from Europe….
It has been strongly criticised by politicians from across the divide in both chambers, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull describing the “final solution” comment as a “shocking insult” to those who died in the Holocaust.
But Mr Anning was unmoved and his party leader Bob Katter called the speech “magnificent” and “solid gold”.
Mr Katter said he discussed the speech with Mr Anning before he delivered it.
Mr Anning joined Parliament last year as a One Nation senator but has since defected to Katter’s Australian Party….
(Note me: This is what the waka jumping bill here is going to prevent, and which Nick Smith is making a ‘noble principled’ stand against and attacking Winston Peters at the same time. Here in this Oz case it can be seen how waka-jumping from your avowed party at election leads to bad not good politics.)
“That has nothing to do with ‘the final solution’, the thought police got onto that.
“Good men died for our right to say whatever we wanted to say and use whatever words we want to use. If people want to take it of context that is entirely up to them…
(Note from me: This is an example of where unrestrained ‘free’ speech leads.)
Parliament stops short of censuring Mr Anning’s comments
The Greens moved a motion in the Upper House to censure Mr Anning over his comments, but it did not get enough support to pass.
(Me: Instead wishy-washy pretence of integrity -)
The Senate did, however, pass a motion recognising the merits of immigration and multiculturalism, and a similar motion was moved in the House of Representatives.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/364171/australian-mps-condemn-fraser-anning-for-final-solution-muslim-ban-speech
(I heard some comment on this speech and the ability of rabble rousers like this to get into Australian Parliament. The commenter said something about the voting system enabling it. Single Transferable Vote?
the use of the single transferable vote proportional representation system to elect the upper house, the Senate.[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_system_of_Australia
Some google headings on Australia and its version of politics:
Fraser Anning: One Nation Senator elected with just 19 votes
https://www.theaustralian.com.au › national-affairs
Nov 10, 2017 – Fraser Anning is Pauline Hanson’s new low-vote senator … I will do the job for the people of Queensland and Australia.” … With the declaration, senator-elect Anning said he realised he was in parliament because of the …
***
Josh Frydenberg under pressure over $444m reef foundation grant …
https://www.theguardian.com/australia…/fraser-anning-refuses-to-apologise-for-final-sol…
3 days ago – The annual ABC Parliament House Showcase is on tonight, where the ABC brings … David Leyonhjelm said Turnbull had promised him a free vote in the House. … issues, less sensible people jump in” – @TonyAbbottMHR on Fraser Anning #auspol … At what point are we going to say you are Australian?
***
Fraser Anning: How only 19 people voting for him secured Senate gig
https://www.news.com.au/national/…/19…/f8d8aaa83f0c2bcab53626455a3698d6
3 days ago – A BLOKE who got just 19 votes in a Federal election still managed to get his bum on a Senate seat. … the boot from Parliament in the citizenship saga, paving the way for Fraser Anning who … took a pit-stop as an independent, and then joined Katter’s Australian Party. … News Pty Limited Copyright © 2018.
Jacinda asked teachers to be patient, yet didn’t even bother to layout a time-line.
Should the Government meet teachers demands now or are they right in making them and students wait?
As I’ve highlighted with the nurses dispute, the Government isn’t spending up to its own spending cap, moreover, debt repayment is better than expected, thus the fiscal scope is there for the Government to act now.
How do you feel on this one?
Prince’s mercenaries committed multiple war crimes in Iraq and were convicted for their involvement in the Nissour Square massacre.
This story has all of the markings of something leaked to the press by Trump advisers precisely because it is such a colossally bad idea.
Beyond the lunacy of privatizing wars to mercenaries—especially those who were charged with crimes while deployed in Iraq—Dan Pfeiffer suggests that this could be yet another example of how deeply corrupt this White House has become.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/08/17/will-mattis-allow-trump-to-start-privatizing-the-military/
The questions you might consider, Joe…
How is the ‘military’ not already a private force ?
When did the privitization occur ?
How is privitization enabled ?
Jimmy Dore on Syria.
Some background for folk here.
Kofi Annan has died.
So very pleased to read that the Greens are seeking agreement against water rights sold with land that end up being bottling plants with huge take up. Case Whakatane. I hope Labour and NZ First agree.
It is a real problem in California. We need to learn from their orchards being bought, trees knocked down for piping or bottling the water away. Water rights should be for a designated use only, and tied to the industry IMO.
California once believed they had endless supplies.
Agreed, these are the basics the Greens ahve to get right, and
Also here, I wander if the result of no-damn plan from Waimea Greens is more maize. But the gnats could have started alt plans years ago.
“There were alternatives to dams including on-farm water storage, urban rainwater collection systems, grey water recycling systems and growing different crops.” from Waimea Green.
Why was he so quiet over the past 9 years? https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12108722
Great Britain still has a major influence on Aotearoa and Papatuanukue so I say it’s ECO MAORI right to give my opinion on the British exit of the European Union.
The European Union is making a lot of good call for the future of the Mokopunas and Papatuanukue so I Back a new vote on Britexit views of the people
If one looks across the Atlantic sea they will fill the void if Britain leaves the European Union I say that a wrong move for all people on Papatuanukue Ka kite ano link below
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/18/founder-superdry-donates-1-million-pounds-peoples-vote-brexit-deal
Here you go police tasering a 87 years old lady I told you they are on a different Papatuanukue probley influence buy trump vile views on other culture one can say one thing but it is his actions that speak loud and clear to ECO MAORI he’s a racist Ana to kai Ka kite ano link below
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/106386070/us-police-use-taser-on-87yearold-woman-carrying-a-knife-to-cut-dandelions
You see the sandflys have only contacted lies against my good name so they are playing the intimidation game on ECO MAORI with there hands clasped together praying that I make a dumb move YEA RIGHT muppets I see everything the juveniles are doing Ana to kai Ka kite ano
Good logical policy like waste minamization looking at ways to improve te Mokopunas future and keep our environment clean is why I Back the Green 100% link below Ka kite ano
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12109641 P.S it’s logical to create less waste and save money and the environment
Well I’m at the hospital with my Mokopuna she is OK we still not sure what’s, wrong but my Mokopunas has the Wensday Adams personality she does not show or cry when she is in pain and she only talks when she’s is asked questions and the answer are quite blunt that’s OUR Wensday so I can see that people that don’t know her could jump to conclusions we had a child next door moaning and cry about pain I told her that’s how she should be behaving but I did inform the hospital staff that’s how her personality is doesn’t cry when in pain. Some will know that others have affecting the views that staff have on my whano Ka kite ano
The way eco Maori see this move against Turkey its not about Turkey its about the country’s that have invested in Turkey who have give trump the bird flip eco is so famous for giving. trumps adviceser have told him hit Turkey with Tariffs the US have little financial exposure to TURKEY that will bring pain to those good countries stock market he doesn’t care that the move will place people in hardship just so he can get back at the bird flippers. Ka kite ano
Link for post above here.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45237372
Good evening Newshub I have all ready posted about The great Kofi Annan he was a intelligent humane man its awesome that the Papatuanukue media are houners this great humanitarian Kofi Annan we cannot let great tangata like him go with out celebrating and hounering there lifes work
Ka pai.
The Greens Party is taking a spotlight to our waste problems and is going to come up with logical solutions to this issue Ka kite ano
Good evening Q&A Corin There is a major tangata whenua oppression in the government systems the justice system is the main offender . The national party has used the last nine years to champion this suppression of Maori .How else do you exsplane the fast rise of bad stat’s of tangata whenua.
There you go asking a Indain shop owner who only see thing’s throught his shop eye’s he has all ready locked maori up I can see it in his eye’s Corin he is a national puppet.
That’s the way Marmara you tell them how acutely is locking more people up like the Indain want’s this will flush people’s live’s and billion’s down the toilet.
seenothing is drowning Corin and he is pouring money into your pocket and other’s to try and keep his toilet a float See you around Corin Ka kite ano P.S I looked back in time and seen most new goverment’s get at least 2 terms in Parliament all the political scientist know this fact but the new government don’t let your guard down Corin look at all the new Green policys coming into law a big win for the Greens Corin using the divide an concur trick lol
Yes some in the media will plant questions and get one or 2 words and spin them into a hurricane of bullshit Go Jamie and Marama P.S Eco is quite committed his my mahi Corin