“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 https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17-08-2018/#comment-1514940
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
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
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“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
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17-08-2018/#comment-1514940
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