As many of us suspected.
Just another false flag….
Serial numbers of missile that downed MH17 show it was produced in 1986, owned by Ukraine
The serial numbers found on debris of the Buk missile which downed Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine show it was produced in 1986, the Russian military said. The projectile was owned by Ukraine, they added.
There are two serial numbers found on fragments of the missile, which shot down the passenger airliner in June 2014 according to an international team of investigators led by the Netherlands. The numbers were marked on the engine and the nozzle of the missile.
The Russian military on Monday said they had traced them to a missile which had the producer serial number 8868720.
The Russian official story is still a Ukrainian fighter, the pilot of which mysteriously “committed suicide” recently.
A Ukrainian military pilot blamed by Russia over the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has killed himself, Ukrainian media report, quoting police.
It is being investigated under the premeditated murder section of Ukraine’s penal code.
The Joint Investigation Team calls the Russian Ministry of Defence out as liars.
The JIT will meticulously study the materials presented today as soon as the Russian Federation makes the relevant documents available to the JIT as requested in May 2018 and required by UNSC resolution 2166. From the start of the investigation until today, the JIT has always carefully analyzed and processed the information provided by the Russian Federation. In doing so, the JIT has found that information from the Russian Ministry of Defense previously presented to the public and provided to the JIT was factually inaccurate on several points. An example is the alleged presence of a fighter plane in the vicinity of MH17 on radar imagery presented to the public on a press conference in July 2014.
“Just as a feudal elite was driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of land; just as early capitalists were driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of mechanisation; so neoliberalism is driven not by ethics but the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of the planet.
The only truth we can know is that the western power-elite is determined to finish the task of making its power fully global, expanding it from near-absolute to absolute. It cares nothing for you or your grand-children. It is a cold-calculating system, not a friend or neighbour. It lives for the instant gratification of wealth accumulation, not concern about the planet’s fate tomorrow.
And because of that it is structurally bound to undermine or discredit anyone, any group, any state that stands in the way of achieving its absolute dominion.
If that is not the thought we hold uppermost in our minds as we listen to a politician, read a newspaper, watch a film or TV show, absorb an ad, or engage on social media, then we are sleepwalking into a future the most powerful, the most ruthless, the least caring have designed for us.
Step back, and take a look at the whole screen. And decide whether this is really the future you wish for your grand-children.”
It is just another shifty hate campaign aimed at Russia by the current NATO administration who want to seize some Russian land for themselves no doubt.
But the Russians have been invaded before several times by others in the EU block haven’t they.??
Mongol invasion of “Kyivan Rus” (the modern people of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia).
So, what does Heather du Plessis-Allen’s comments on the Pacific islands really tell us about the state of broadcasting – and broadcasters – today?
Let’s be honest. She most likely said what she said because her rating are down. She needed a boost, so she went as low as she could without being censured by her employer. It was a calculated appeal to keep the angry old racists on ZB from not switching to Radio Sport after their daily dose of sneering class warfare from Hoskings and batshit conspiracy theories from Leighton Smith.
Heather du Plessis-Allen isn’t a racist. She is to shallow to know much about being a racist. She only knows one thing. And that one thing is she knows she will do whatever it takes to keep her job. If that means she has to be is a scoffing and entitled narcissist who doesn’t give a shit about the consequences of her statements, she is down with that. Her discount cynicism, her vulgar and opportunist racism, her tawdry insults are all driven by only one thing. And that one thing is an utterly banal cupidity, and that banal cupidity comprises the lowest common denominator that is the ideological glue that binds all the right wing stable together, from Slater to Farrar to Hoskings to Soper to Heather du Plessis-Allen.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to private media in NZ in 2018. A near perfect metaphor for neoliberalism, motivated by crass greed and not much else.
“Journalists typically have a passive relationship to power, in stark contrast to their image as tenacious watchdog. But more fundamental than control over narrative is the ideology that guides these narratives. Ideology ensures the power-system is invisible not only to us, those who are abused and exploited by it, but also to those who benefit from it.
It is precisely because power resides in structures and ideology, rather than individuals, that it is so hard to see. And the power-structures themselves are made yet more difficult to identify because the narratives created about our societies are designed to conceal those structures and ideology – where real power resides – by focusing instead on individuals.
That is why our newspapers and TV shows are full of stories about personalities – celebrities, royalty, criminals, politicians. They are made visible so that we do not notice the ideological structures we live inside that are supposed to remain invisible.
News and entertainment are the ripples on a lake, not the lake itself. But the ripples could not exist without the lake that forms and shapes them.”
This is the best reporting on the coalitions re-set I have seen. Gordon Campbell shows what real journalism is. The rest as Winston said yesterday on Kim hill, are all (over-paid) amateurs
I think this part of his commentary is worth recycling: “Besides Ardern, politicians elsewhere – notably Elizabeth Warren in the US – have been grappling recently with how to confront the socially toxic emphasis that the corporate sector has placed on maximizing shareholder wealth above all other concerns. The diagnosis of what’s gone wrong is simple:
The heterodox economist William Lazonick of the University of Massachusetts puts the thesis very squarely, arguing that “from the end of World War II until the late 1970s, a retain-and-reinvest approach to resource allocation prevailed at major U.S. corporations.” But since the Reagan era, business has followed “a downsize-and-distribute regime of reducing [labour] costs and then distributing the freed-up cash to financial interests, particularly shareholders.”
“This belief that the maximising of shareholder wealth is the prime – even the only –purpose of business originated with the economist Milton Friedman, in this wildly influential 1970 article. Down the subsequent years, the doctrine of shareholder supremacy has had a number of dire consequences. It has eroded business ethics by fostering sharp business practices aimed at maximising share value, and also the CEO compensation packages based on them. Wealth that used to be retained and re-invested (a) back into firms, (b) distributed in wages via union-negotiated agreements, and (c) re-invested in communities is now funnelled almost exclusively to shareholders.”
“Since only about one in ten Americans (and a similar ratio of New Zealanders) ever participate in speculation in shares, this channeling of shareholder wealth to an elite of the already advantaged has led to damaging extremes of income inequality – and to levels of social anger that have been politically captured by the far right. The road to Trump was paved by Milton Friedman.”
Agreed – an accurate but sad assessment. More fools us. Throughout all that Rogernomics bullshit I had the uncomfortable feeling that it was wrong, but it is only with the benefit of hindsight that the assessment can be so clearly stated.
I went with Anderton in opposition, but the media were full of right-wing propaganda at the time. “Profit is not a dirty word!” they all howled at us, and then there were years of criminal profit-gouging. We now need to call profit-gouging what it is, and restore some balance.
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists commonly associated such as Hayek. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
Well we see what sort of views you espouse, don’t we.
Was the story I have linked to the work of you and your kind?
For anyone else I suggest you don’t follow the link. It is the sort of thing only people like greywarshark would approve of. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3582622
You are of course aware that Friedman was Jewish?
alwyn: Einstein was also Jewish. But he had the distinction of being sound and correct.
I understood that you valued IQ… Why did you make such an obviously stupid response? Anti-Semitism out of that??
You will note that he included the following lines three times in the comment.
“Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it”.
If that is not advocating the desecration of graves, in exactly the same way as the article indicates some mongrels did to graves in this country, then what is it advocating.
Why does he believe that desecration of graves is acceptable?
Admittedly, the message appears to have been fumbled and repeated twice. But spilling red paint over a grave is a symbolic act. It has been done literally at times, but Greywarshark saying someone ‘should’ do it is not the same as actually doing it. Plenty of non-Jewish graves have been desecrated too… I doubt if Greywarshark takes spray-cans of red paint to cemeteries in the deep of dark.
Heard of metaphors?
Your whole over-reaction smacks of ‘mongrel’ alwyn. Just a bit too eager to score a point that turns into an own goal.
He’s mistaken here: “it’s in the Labour-Greens coalition agreement, so it’s a Government commitment.” A policy only becomes adopted by this coalition government when Labour and NZF both agree to adopt it. The GP is not part of the govt, only some of its MPs are. Yet more media incomprehension of MMP.
Crikey. Jacinda got a going over this morning from Kim Hill, who says that Jacinda got humiliated by Winston ACCORDING to many political commentators. We all know who these hacks are. O’Brien, Garner, Watkins,Armstrong etc who come out of their holes at the mention of Jacinda to write their derogatory own opinions to create negative perception in the press and television aided by constant pop ups of dim Bridges who is hardly ever challenged. Fortunately all these people can not change the average Zealanders that JA is fighting the long game for the ultimate benefit of all of us. Fighting against a constant unfair battle against the poor selection of political news hacks that we are lumbered with.She is a strong lady and will prevail against them. Although Winston does need to pull his head in and keep things behind closed doors. It’s time extraneous issues were put to one side and all positive things this Government are trying to achieve should be given positive press. Too many sideshows Winnie.
Indeed when Kim Hill goes after a Labour PM you know it is not just politics in play.
“We all know who these hacks are” it was pretty much across the board…the only difference was in the severity of the critique.
Around 1O.30 mins into the interview Jacinda was asked about the employed law reforms and Winston…by 11.15 mins Hill had completed her dismantling of Jacinda’s PR spin.
That was a good examination by Kim. It almost clarified the contradiction between what Winston said and what Jacinda said. Not quite. We await the final sign-off, I suspect.
Looks both are right, while neither is fully explaining the process of decision-making they use. Understandable that the media is using the apparent contradiction to generate headlines of discord. The coalition ought to hire someone to do pr who has a grasp of political process and can explain to the public how consensus on policy is both established and finalised.
Never mind, Chuck. I remember Kim Hill stripping John Key of his elegant puffery on one of her rare appearances back then… He never appeared with her on Morning report again. In fact, he rarely appeared on Morning Report at all later in his time as PM: he preferred patsy questions from ditzy Radio Live hosts, etc…
Jacinda actually stood up to Kim Hill a lot better. The difference will be seen in whether she continues with such interviews, or runs away like JK did.
Time will tell indeed. The cancellations you mention were one-offs for good reason. See if she consistently refuses to meet with QA and Newshub National – whoops, Nation. And see if she avoids the harder stuff at what you are probably deluded enough to call Red Radio. Time will indeed tell.
And you are clutching vainly at straws regarding the diary issue. Good luck.
That’s the problem with the ‘shoot the messenger’ approach. The reality is the media are like sharks, they circle wounded and bleeding prey. When the wounded prey is from the left, the left call bias. When the prey is from the right, the right call bias. It’s just part of the game.
I used to admire Kim Hill for her work on Saturday Mornings, but what we are getting on Morning Report is a different animal entirely. Attack! Interrupt, talk over, rude.
Angrily following a party line.
Kim has been around forever and apart from a brief and somewhat less than stellar TV outing has been a faithful Natrad stalwart.
She was dubbed “Him Kill” for a very good reason.
Yes she challenges, and yes she persists, and when she eventually backed off from Winston yesterday (sensible, really, as tempus was fugiting and they’re on a schedule) I felt a little let down.
What happened this morning was an assertive interviewer put the Prime Minister on a hot griddle, giving the PM an opportunity to show they’re up for it and equal to the task.
From what I heard, both achieved their objectives, both did their jobs well.
Kim Hill is different, thank God, and I personally believe she’s wasted on Saturday morning.
Agree, and I suspect JA was not only up for the challenge, but thankful for the opportunity to engage with someone with a bit of intelligence. Likewise Ron Mark not too many minutes later.
Clearly I’m at a disadvantage on this. I listen to Natrad and occasionally Radio Sport if Himself wishes to follow the rugby, and that’s the extent of my radio exposure. If Kim Hill has been broadcasting on other stations, or on telly, I’ve missed out.
No, Rosemary, it is not to do with radio exposure; rather personal exposure over many years. I’ll leave it at that. Just remember I live in Wellington and have for many years as has Kim, and Wellington (city rather than region) is a small place.
Rosemary, on a completely different subject, No 1 on today’s Order Paper for Parliament (after Question time at 2pm usually to 3pm) are the Third Readings of the three Bills that previously made up the Social Security Amendment Bill which was divided into three separate Bills in the Committee stages of consideration of the Bill back in July.
The three Bills now are the Social Security Bill containing the main changes to the old Social Security Bill, the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill, and the Artificial Limb Service Bill.
I haven’t followed this Bill/Bills contents or progress but have just had a look at the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill – and the alarm bells are going off. Hoping not and must read much more closely …
Just thought that I would alert you to the fact that these three Bills will be going through the House this afternoon – set down for 2 hours of final speeches from about 3pm.
Know you are possibly limited re internet access but for anyone who isn’t internet links to watch or listen are:
I confess to only a superficial knowledge of the Social Security Act, but I was aware that the ‘household management’ side of Home Based Disability Support was means tested. I’m going to have to read that draft closely. On my wee phone, the fact my reading glasses are Warehouse specials becomes an issue.
I guess with the so called baby boomer bulge threatening to bankrupt the Nation with increased costs of care the gummint feels they have to close a few of the existing loopholes that have allowed the well resourced and informed to ferret away assetts so to avoid having to pay for their LTR care and protecting $$$$ for the offspring.
I’m speculating, and this does require close scrutiny. To my shame, I assume this is yet another way Our Elected Representatives are devising to tighten the screws on those who are just managing.
Thanks, I think, vv for bringing this to my attention.
Its all aimed at Winston Peters, the media have it in for him mainly because he picks them up when they ask loaded questions and gives it back. I thought Kim Hill was less abrasive with the PM this morning. The theme behind the questions was similar but Jacinda is not Winston. Like the National opposition the media are being shown up for their deep seated dislike of Winston Peters to the extent of blinkering their view on how this MMP govt works.
Winston acts like a complete prick in his interaction with the media. He learnt this from Muldoon. From what i have seen it matters little if an interviewer is acting genuinely. Winston deserves all he gets.
Winston is combative but he has style, that’s the barrister showing. Muldoon was just a school yard bully. Interviewers from back in the day regarded politicians as fair game to get one over. Lets remember there were TV satire shows lampooning politicians and politics generally and punchy current affairs that grilled politicians until blood appeared. This is all old hat to Winston and the media are suckers for continuing to treat him as entertainment in 2018. Winston may deserve what he gets but unfortunately for the media he gives back harder. He is the deputy PM and he has no intention of losing. The media need to change tack.
Though Kim is a gem; it was not enouigh sadly to stop me from leaving being a listener of RNZ.
So I have finally left RNZ as a listener now finally as it has been Hi-Jacked by the nasty Right wingers sadly.
RNZ has now been reduced to a very low grade level of no real Investigative journalism or coverage of regional issues with community input sadly.
This was what we were expecting but the disastrous handling of our public media by Clare Curran only produced a negative result with heavy seeded people running this public media; – with ‘self interested servants of the right wing stable.
For pete’s sake Cleangreen stop being so precious. Radionz is all we have got. It could be better but it could fall far worse. Keep on listening, send them a shot over their bow FTTT. We are in big trouble in NZ and the world, and it is no use sighing heavily and being too nice about services not being up to your standard. We may never get better! Stick in there feisty, and keep what we have, not just roll over and let the b..s wipe their feet on you.
Our NGO wrote to the CEO of RNZ in February 2018 to ask for a reporter to be returned to HB/Gisborne after we lost him three years ago and they never sent us one since.
They have left our regions without a reporter to come to us and cover our community issues and this is still the same today.
by the way the CEO is still the national Party apportioned CEO and he was not supportive of our labour/NZ First political friendly regions so this is why we hold RNZ in contempt sadly we wished it was not so.
Time to write again 6 months later Cleangreen. You have been working hard for the region – keep up the pressure. Have you done an opinion piece for the Gisborne paper which is factual and finishes with a question about whether Gisborne has dropped off the RNZ map?
Also do you know of some aspiring articulate good writer who could be RNZ reporter in Gisborne and knows about local matters and can present political and interesting stories? Might need some training. Find out if they would mind putting their name forward? Then RNZ can’t just say this is hard, where can we get a reporter (throws hands in the air). Lois Williams does Northland, Tracey Neal does Nelson etc. Gisborne must have someone who has been limited by an accident who is under-employed, women who have the education and have time after children, an older school leaver who has been a kapa haka or sports leader for instance and has the ambition, organisation, self-drive etc to put pieces in and understand the multi-tech needed.
What I did like in retrospect was that most of Kim’s “questioning’ did give Jacinda the chance to rebut and correct a lot of the narrative being pushed by a few so called political commentators setting themselves as the news.
The PM handled the Kim Hill interview very well in my view. KH let the PM answer without talking over her or interrupting her mid- sentence. She asked insightful questions and the PM was well able to handle them.
The PM is doing well in her role. She is still a relatively new leader and growing into the position takes a little time. The nonsense that she is “weak” just because she is not overtly trying to be “tough” has an element of jealousy and envy from those critics because people like her and want to connect with her. It drives them mad!
Running the country is paramount but how great it is to also have a little “stardust”.
Chris Trotter likes to wax lyrical. He also betrays a depressing penchant for wanting a leader that exhibits a type of old world totalitarian Labour party philosophy. Similar to other commentators and opinion piece writers on Jacinda Ardern he should get with the times and join the 21st century in 2018.
Chris Trotter likes to interview himself and thinks the Chris Trotter he knows is such an erudite all-knowing soul on a very high pedestal. He seems still to be stuck in the 70s/80s.
Trotter: “Accompanying these “Budget Responsibility Rules” were a seemingly never-ending series of working-parties dedicated to coming-up with the policies Labour’s leaders lacked both the imagination and the courage to come up with themselves.” Overkill? Technically, perhaps, but many perceive this.
Actually, crowd-sourcing policy initiatives is a good idea in principle. The Greens called it grass-roots democracy (when the GP started). I just wouldn’t trust Labour to conduct an honest process in practice. Their innate contempt for the people is too habitual.
Trotter summarises the coalition reset thus: “emphatically vague Jacinda is back. Poised, articulate, relaxed, witty: oh yes, she was all of those; but when her listeners attempted to recall the substance of her speech there was precious little for memory to work with. It was a tale told by a politician: full of smiles and good intentions; signifying … very little indeed.”
There’s a couple of notable comments to Trotter on TDB. Janine says “Another victory for form over content. Might well be the metaphor of our times.” Countryboy predicts this future: “Financiers will jump out windows and fall like autumn leaves. Mince wrapped in Gorgio Armani.”
“Ardern’s office swiftly denied she had seen the figures, which are meant to be under strict embargo until 10:45am on Thursday when they are released by Statistics New Zealand.
“The Prime Minister made a mistake,” a spokesman said.
“She has not seen, because we do not receive, the GDP numbers.” ”
So she doesn’t know what she reads and gets confused with numbers and thought it was the GDP, or she did read it and was not allowed to, and is now lying?
Pray tell us Marty, what was the mistake?
Is she really so ignorant that she doesn’t understand what the GDP is, and doesn’t realise that it isn’t the same thing as the Crown Accounts?
Or is it that she let slip that the GDP figures are being leaked to her office?
I suspect it is the latter and that her office is panicking about the public finding out.
I suspect that Stats wouldn’t hesitate to try and keep the Government Ministers informed.. They must be very worried that there will be a cull of the Department after they left New Zealand with no valid Census data, having royally stuffed up the most important task they have.
It helps lend credence to the supposition that Bridges’ expense figures were leaked by someone in the Government. We don’t really believe, do we, that the Departments don’t tell this Government anything they want to know and that they didn’t see all the expense figures for everyone in Parliament, regardless of the fact that they weren’t meant to and their claim that no one in Government had seen anything about them?
You do realise that no department/ministry/government was involved in the expenses matter, don’t you? Only parliamentary services and the National caucus ….
Yeah Alwyn – she’s a girl so can’t understand numbers eh? Only knows about frocks. Are you grumpy because your Princess Party invitation got lost in the mail?
You really are confused aren’t you?
Your comment should of course be addressed to someone like Robert Guyton, rather than myself.
The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question. She was talking about the GDP numbers because she had seen them.
Robert, and her own staff apparently, are the ones who want you to think that she doesn’t understand the difference. One can either believe that she really is stupid and hasn’t any understanding of the difference or that, like me, you think that she understands exactly what she is talking about.
I think they were leaked to her before the date and time they should have been released.
I fear I may be wrong in what I wrote in this comment.
“The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question”.
I now accept that she really is so ignorant that she has no idea what the GDP of a country is and what GDP actually means. Incredible. How have we ever reached the level that senior politicians have no understanding at all about these things?
It doesn’t affect the question of whether she had seen the GDP numbers of course. She wouldn’t even realise what they were if she had. On the other hand why is she so foolish as to comment on things when she doesn’t even realise what the questioner is talking about?
No wonder Winston went with Labour. In their company he looks, not like a worn out old roue but like someone with at least a skerrick of ability.
The material she did read hinted at the figures being good. Hinted, as Jacinda said.
She hasn’t seen the figures. Her office has to counter overheated speculation such as yours going unchallenged, Imo. As for “lending credence” to which Nat MP leaked, your claim has … none of that stuff at all.
The confused option is properly the best outcome for Ardern. Let us hope next time she clearly says other Treasury numbers indicate a good/robust GDP number or something to that effect.
Or the PM’s office will have to fire off more denials.
Meh – she could probably infer it from an informal Grant Robertson complacency index. Grant’s been taking lessons from Cullen, who never had a result go against him.
It’s due to the Australia training team mandate which ends around September from memory next yr, so aligning with the Australians makes sense for a number of reasons both military and political.
I think you are right. The PM will not want to be offside with Australia on everything. Keeping the forces in Iraq in a training role is a relatively easy gesture to make. The NZDF personnel will also appreciate the experience.
I was more than a little surprised to hear her on Radio Live, saying to Duncan Garner that she would not be talking about the missions/operations the SAS was undertaking. It was a bit of an off to the side question by Duncan , so she may have just used a formulaic response. More like Helen Clark than John Key.
Anyway I find it hard to believe that the SAS are on any missions, since I don’t believe the PM/DPM would authorise SAS missions in an entirely secret manner. While the SAS do train with other partner nations special forces, training is not the same as being on operations.
From memory the Australia’s extended the training mission just before the announcement of NZ election or the before the writs were issue hence why the then current government didn’t make the D as it would become an election issue, also the current NZ UN missions with the MER were due for renewal and again I think this was 6mths- 12mths after the election.
From a Military training/ logistics POV it sort’ve makes sense as there is bugger all hrs left on the C-130’s and decision for those replacements has to be made towards the end of the yr or early next yr before NZG and NZDF hit critical mass IRT to many hrs are left on the C130’s which would be a major whole of Government Policy Failure. Which I would be pointing fingers at all political party for this cock up from 98 onwards.
Once the C130 replacement process starts, expect to a massive drawdown of NZDF from the MER IOT cover for the reduction of available C130’s and this I think will happen from September onwards next yr IOF the RNZAF to cover for Op Deep Freeze and HADR missions for SP during the cyclone season.
“so what does NZF give Labour in return for this”.
They’ll let her go off to the UN at the weekend without making her look helpless and under their thumb for the rest of this week?
You don’t really expect Winston to do anything he wasn’t already planning to do, surely?
What more do you expect from the old charlatan?
Revenue figures from Treasury and IR being above forecast are indicative that growth is above forecast. One can make a fair estimate of what the GDP figure might be from them – even journalists (Rutherford etc) can do that.
Not sure if Phil Twyford and Labour/Auckland council seem interested in making this cancer sufferer house ‘warm and dry’ when they have created the opposite for him and many other people living in Auckland through botched resource consents.
When you have poor planning, council interpreting incorrectly their own rules and the constant curse of having natural sunlight destroyed by a McMansion popping up next to you which has become business as usual in Auckland for destroying amenity for modest housing.
The irony is, the urban planning legalisation was rushed through deceptively for affordable housing, but of course now the real agenda is clear, it is to relax the planning rules so that the council builds luxury McMansions around central Auckland districts to house the richer folks and the collateral damage is smaller modest folks houses becoming sunless, damp housing with hundreds of thousands wiped off it’s value by council and developers. More money and amenity for developers, less money and amenity for modest housing….
The reality is that consecutive governments, councils and construction firms have completely botched and ripped off homeowners through many means and left them high and dry after creating the problems, aka leaky buildings,
When are we going to be able to have quality construction in NZ instead of a bunch of idiots bringing in the lowest of the low to do work and then expecting home owners to pick up the costs of government allowing construction and councils to do whatever the F they feel like and getting everything wrong, but no penalty so they keep doing it again and again.
Also when are those signing off bad work going to be held to account (like an industry ban for 10 years) rather than having the ratepayers and taxpayers constantly pay out for screw ups as the Ponzi continues…
Is decades of construction issues not on the government agenda because so far they seem to be turning a blind eye and actually not even independently checking the credentials of tradespeople being bought in with a test like they do in other industries aka nurses and teachers, let alone bumping up the penalty and checks on using dodgy materials…
Jacinda; and her team of Labour NZ First/greens Ministers need to use the terms “It’s putting things right that counts” like – LV Martin did in the ad they had back in the 1970’s. “it’s the putting right that counts.”
For whatever reason the construction industry have had successive governments wrapped around their little fingers and created a dysfunctional housing market where somehow houses only last about 5 years before they start failing in some way… and nobody who built them or those that consented them held to account.
we have a housing crisis due to lazy immigration but the other side of the story is the dysfunctional construction industry that is so deregulated and with so little constraints from our RMA laws to relaxed planning laws, to getting rid of apprentices, to allowing the commoditisation of subcontracters and cheap labour with middle men, to our lax bankruptcy laws and so little criminal culpability on bad housing (CTV building/PIke river mine).
How has NZ become so bad at building over the last 30 years, while also giving the construction industry everything they want and plenty of corporate welfare to boot and still they wah wah for more concessions?
Time to stop the carrots and actually apply some common sense and come down a lot heavier against incompetence and poor building and resource consenting work to those that profit from it as well as the builders.
Nice to see at least a bit of spine about Mainzeal directors for a change. Not from the government of course.
All we hear about is WOF for rentals, there should be a full WOF on every new house being built and an exact list of everybody who worked on it so that mistakes can be rectified and bad practices and contractors stamped out, because most of the worst failures and dangers of complete failure have come from the new builds not the old builds and if government really believe they can somehow out build demand for housing, how does that work, when significant percentages need rebuilding work within a decade and some immediately?
In another location, coming into Porirua I saw a subdivision of newish houses.
They looked as if they had a special grey cloud over them that would block any sun and make them appear gloomy any day. Brown, fawn, grey,. How downbeat NZ is – in clothing, in cars, in houses and lacking in vitality, dragging itself around with no brighter possible future. Sigh.
Maybe Labour can make a small difference and get in again. In the meantime try and be nice to workers, retail etc. and give a smile. It does make a difference for them. Try to keep both kind and practical and keep some awhi going, encourage each other in positive community things benefitting particularly young adults and parents. They need love and welcome to the fold.
Yes greywarshark; – you mean something like “the Latin quarter”?
I saw a “Latin Quarter” with all different brightly colored huts in the 1960’s Downers camp in Turangi when I first come to work on these brightly colored huts at dam site in 1965 and the Ministry of Works whom I joined stuck me in one of those brightly colored huts.
It was told to me that they deliberately painted the huits all different colours so when we came home from the pub half cut at night we would recognise our huts in the dark by the colours.
Personally I think it was because they used left over paint after they finished the last job.
And then afterwards we never had the same colour on two huts since then.
Hope you liked this story as it was true, I was there then.
There were some good stories came from the big projects, dams etc.
I have been reading some small stories from Martin Crump (Barry’s offspring) and was thinking that many reflected those old days. Here’s one you might have heard at that time:
The Bank Inspector from Bill Jones
When a bank inspector called on a small country branch for a surprise audit he
found the banking chamber deserted and the staff drinking beer in the manager’s office. To teach them a lesson, he crept behind the counter and set off the hold-up alarm.
Much to his surprise, a barman from the pub next door immediately came running into the bank bearing a tray of fresh beers!
Politicians go beyond denial and actually take part in the counting and enumeration of our society’s housing crisis. Other communities might well take note of Auckland’s lead.
Ardern and the coalition talk of a compassionate government, of measuring and delivering upon well-being targets.
First we take notice. We count. We act. So we must.
I played American Football for a season once in Porirua. It taught me a few things. In rugby if your teammate has the ball you get beside them ready for a pass. In American Football you run in front to block tackles (simplistic I know but now the point).
Jacinda needs some blockers. Some labour MP has to become maddog prebble or bootboy mallard and start sorting out these attacks. This is a role that accentuates the qualities of the person who is the recipient of the blocking- they get to do their stuff, their job which isn’t to follow the yapping dogs of opposition. Time to front foot this and sort these righties out imo.
It was most unfair of course. It was after his football days that he went to and graduated with a good degree from the Yale Law School.
Actually I would agree entirely with the rest of you comment. Trevor certainly did most of the dirty work that Helen was wise to keep well away from in her public persona. What she told him in private was of course another matter.
I heard our PM onh Radionz this morning arguing her point of view with Kim Hill testing her. Jacinda sounded like a parent explaining the rules to a teenager, and seemed on the wrong foot.
She should just dismiss the critical comments and say that nobody has ever seen an MMP government in action, and while many in the public complain often about matters not being done by Labour, they seem to have accepted the same state of affairs happily from National.
If she affirmed once again that a true coalition government takes time, but good things do (echoing the cheese advertisement), I think many would laugh and accept it. She sounded too anxious to explain herself this morning. I think a confident demeanour would be right saying, ‘We are working hard at setting up better policies for NZ but we have to repair the structure we have been left with so are planning for now, and the future at the same time’
Question 8 of today’s question time is pretty funny
“Hon MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Defence:
Has he seen the quote “Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and the training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is literally Mission: Impossible?”; if so, does he agree with it?”
“”Does [Prime Minister John Key] not realise that you can’t train cowards to fight?” Mr Mark asked.
“Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and that training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is a literally mission impossible?”
I agree it was funny and Mark Mitchell’s delivery ended up being the joke. He did get an apology of sorts out of Ron Mark though. National are just barking and its looks pathetic.
Why on earth do people keep asking Jacinda if she is being undermined by Winston? What the heck do they think she is going to say? Yes?? Stupid question from stupid people.Everyone knows it was just a matter of time before Winston three a spanner in the works. Better now than later.He needs to go overseas for a while to keep him out of mischiefs way. Jacinda IS in charge. Winston is not. Let her get on with it without this constant baying for blood.
Winston Peters; – He is the Deputy for Christ sake and needs some power.
Look at all the other Deputy PM’s and Presidents they all had sway so Winston does need his influence as we all voted for him to help make the difference and not just be another “Hollow man” as national has many of those.
“we all voted for him “.
And there I was thinking that you were a Green Party supporter.
But now you tell us that you voted for New Zealand First.
On the other hand don’t you think that saying “we all voted for him” is just a bit over the top when there were actually only about 7% who did?
Alwyn I was when I returned from Florida in 1999 a Green Party member after meeting them at a “Social Credit” meeting, but left them in 2002 and was heading an Environmental Advocacy Centre ever since then.
We like NZ First mostly because Winston’s party usually makes more sense of issues.
we like his Transport policies, because of his Rail and energy policies.
Also NZ First wanting to use more wool for carpeting most government buildings as an old guy I like wool immensely.
Labour would do well adopting some of the NZ First policies that are sensible and leave some others that maybe are’nt.
No ones perfect but NZ First is close to what labour/social credit was in 1960.
Fuckers are making an accusation disguised as a question. Ask it often enough and people will assume it wouldn’t be asked without reason. When, of course, that’s exactly what is happening.
Q: Why did Hosking ask if she’d seen the GDP numbers if he knew they were under embargo.
A: He didn’t know they were under embargo and assumed PMs regularly get this information early (some broadcaster).
He can’t have been trying to catch her out otherwise he would have.
I can guarantee you Mike is crying into his tumeric tea right now at missing the scoop of the year on live radio. If he’d known the figures were restricted he would have exposed and embarrassed the PM – a story which would have run for months or years.
But he dropped the ball and this will be dead by next week, if not tomorrow.
What has happened to Checkpoint now that John Campbell has gone?
Fancy getting John Key to pitch in on Jacinda’s alleged error over GDP. The host appeared to be ill informed and has poor interviewing technique.
And what a shallow line on nailed strawberries and the sex offender’s activity.
How come Big Gerry wasn’t investigated in his abuse of a young woman in an Accountants office over the phone. I understand Dim Sim spoke with him and accepted his version with no further enquiry or speaking to others, including the young woman. Is this good enough? I dont think so. He is an arrogant bully and should be dealt with in the proper manner.
You have to laugh.
In today’s UK Guardian, there is a column covering Jacinda’s guest-editing the Herald in celebration of Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand.
And then this quote …
Right wing blogger David Farrar was sceptical of Ardern’s role at the newspaper, which is perceived to be left-leaning, saying having her as editor “cut out” the middle man.
The Herald perceived to be left-leaning??
Daily doses of Hosking, Soper, du-Plessis-Allen, Hawkesby, Grant, … et al.
Kia ora The Am Show Wahine 125 years voting Rights in Aotearoa we know what culture had a big influence on that phenomenon Tangata whenua O Aotearoa .
OUR wahine could own land and the settlers wahine could not so that caused all sorts of problems for the settlors wahine if there men die and they had no male family members what to do with there property????????????????????????????????????????????????.
Yes te Papatunuku & Aotearoa equal right for wahine has a longways to go they carry a unfair burden of our society carrying out domestic duty’s having our mokopuna’s this is changing at a faster rate than at anytime in our history I will put some links up to prove this statement later Equality for all.
Hearing loss in OUR work force is a major problem when I was a lad I would use power tools with no protection at home . At work I had them but did not no how bad loud noise stuffs up ones hearing we need more target advertising / Education for te mokopuna’s on this subject.
A person I know gets his water straight out of the spring we use to play in when we were lad’s just a header tanks on there house and he has filters on his water supply . Good water is a must especially when Aotearoa give’s us wai in abundance . Floride in water is a no brainer to protect te mokopuna’s teeth from our modern diet I tried to get floride tablets for our mokopuna and could not find the stuff Eco gave floride to his offspring 3 out of 4 have good teeth .
I say a big know to one organization having control of our water it will be ripe for the neo libreals to try and sell in the future. If they get into power water is now and will become a much bigger issue around Papatuanuku in the near future . We just have to give the respect to Wai like Tangata Whenua has and keep it clean at all points .
So our private midwifes are private contractors who work for the state $50 k is not enough but $240 k seem like a bit much nearly a %500 increase delivering te mokopuna’s is a important job they need enough income to pay there cost and have a happy healthy life.
That’s how our systems works the powerful are not held accountable for there actions our law’s are made by them to protect them even when they cost peoples lives and this need’s to change. I.E No one held accountable for the Havelock North water problems.
I say changing the word’s From Labour Government to Coalition Goverment is the correct word’s for OUR Goverment after all that’s what our government is .
Kia Kaha Jackie Clark for being honoured for your work withThe Aunties charities that help all the wahine that suffer domestic violence ka pai work .
Ka kite ano P.S thanks for the help YEA RIGHT
Kia kaha to first home buyers don’t let the proper gander machine con you into thinking renting is better than owning one’s own house if you fall for this you will be losing big time .
You can have 2 couples combine there Kiwi saver and get a deposit on a house make sure you are compatible and if you pour all your extra income into the house and in 5 to 10 years buy the second house then Walar you are laughting all the way to the bank with 2 houses . The First home buyer % has gone up by %24 ka pai link below ka kite ano.
Every time I go out the sandfly are swarming around me what a bunch of——
I go to the the supermarket an the staff are being rude they get in my way at every stop I make they are there with ladders and pallet jack’s I wonder why what have I done to them nothing.
Yesterday they tried to get some of there boys to antagonize me they said a couple foul word’s .
Eco Know this is not normal human behavior so I just ignore them they did the same today they are scared I got a email this morning they know what it is you see they have the tools to read everyone’s un crypt emails phones everything in Aotearoa It does not bother me I got nothing to hide bring on the court case ANA TO KAI ka kite ano
This should never be aloud to happen on Papatuanuku in the year 2018 .
This is only happening because of a greed of power an money I back more Wahine in all the Goverments around Papatuanuku to stop our mokopunas dieing for no real reason all that are responsible for this atrocity should be called out and shamed link is below Kia kaha common people ka kite ano link is below.
Kia ora Newshub Yes we need tight borader security having flights coming into Aotearoa with proper out sniffer dogs is not good enough for Aotearoa future prosperity this has being going on for 18 months looks like shonky’s mess once again.
The Havelock North water incident only lasted as long as it did because instead of people checking the supplies IE water bore tested water the power’s that be were to busy covering there asses instead of doing there job there was heaps of rain and they consented to a intense beef fattening unite just a few hundred meters away from the bore and still no one is held accountable we know that Havelock is a upper class Town
don bras is just a old man with views that are not acceptable in 2018 he mite be a polite person but he has no idea of how a harmonies society should look like or any intentions of Aotearoa being a Equal happy healthy society for all .
He would prefer a society were him and his m8 had all the resources of Aotearoa to themselves while mokopunas are starving . simon and don would have no wahine in power just men it must give them nightmare’s that OUR new Leader is a young Wahine his type don’t want to lose control that’s the reason he want’s Maori culture and te reo to disappear because Maori are a threat to his classes power base.
Major Foley was a good humane man we have to few of his character of men on Papatuanuku at the minute.
Its ka pai that he is getting acknowledged but I ask question about this with what’s sweeping around Papatuanuku at the minute .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The Crowd Goes Wild the net ball results are much better Ka pai .
I watched the TallBlacks they had a good game one could see that they were the dominant team just some one put glade wrap on there hoop they got the win kia kaha guys I could see both teams were fatigued
James we have that problem up Te Tairawhiti lol .
Yes Wai Eco is a fan of all those old league players including the Aussie ones. State Of Origin Wally Lewis Big Mal .
Ka kite ano the Wai manawa express Cullen
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Today, a worker contacted me asking if she could go to the police over her employer stealing thousands of dollars from her in unpaid wages. The employer also did not pay this worker’s taxes or student loan which amounts to tax fraud. As a workers rights activist, who founded the ...
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, They're Yours: Is there any person more vulnerable than a jilted lover on the rebound? Or, anything more certain than that the charmer, the predator, the glib spinner of lies and promises will seek such broken people out? Yes, of course, he will love every one of ...
Though Jonathan Romain is a fairly high profile Rabbi, writing in several papers and popping up on TV and the radio, this story doesn't seem to have made it to the Guardian yet, so I'll take the unusual step of linking the Stephen Pollard edited Jewish Chronicle:Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain ...
There's an election afoot, and that is when noted opinion formers such as myself get to make wild fools of ourselves by pretending we have the faintest idea what will happen.So, here is my absurdly optimistic prediction:Labour - 285Conservative - 262SNP - 53Lib Dems - 20PC - 5Ireland - 18 ...
Image Credit:Increase Social Media Traffic & Website Traffic I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your ...
Belinda CridgeI was reading my son a story last night. A great tale of derring-do of five mountaineers scaling the Matterhorn for the first time. One in the party had tried six times previously and failed, this was the last attempt before winter closed another season. They tried a ...
As introduced, the Zero Carbon Bill included an expansive secrecy clause, which would have covered virtually all decisions by the Climate Change Commission over our most important policy area. The Ministry for the Environment admitted this was a mistake (or as they put it, an "oversight"), and the select committee ...
Rachael Shaw, Victoria University of WellingtonWhen we think about animals storing food, the image that usually comes to mind is a squirrel busily hiding nuts for the winter. We don’t usually think of a small songbird taking down an enormous invertebrate, tearing it into pieces and hiding these titbits ...
. . NZ First’s success in putting the euthenasia bill to a public referenda may not be the victory they believe it to be. They may even have sounded the death-knell for a second Labour-NZ First-Green coalition. On 23 July this year, NZ First MP, Jenny Marcroft, submitted a Supplementary ...
Interesting contrasting pictures in the Guardian:Corbyn gets the classic positive shot - low angle and a clear background, making him look authoritative (of course, being Corbyn, he doesn't do authoritative very well).Where as Johnson gets pictured with children at some sort of mad-hatters' tea party:Begging the question, who is the ...
Paternalism is contentious. Arguments for state action to protect us from ourselves are fraught. I come down pretty heavily on the anti-paternalism side of the argument, but I’ve heard respectable defences of paternalism. But policy around vaccination is hardly paternalistic. There’s a clear market failure that could be pointed to ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Justice New Zealand First is proud that a key Coalition Agreement commitment which will provide for a more transparent and effective criminal justice system has been realised. Legislation to establish the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an independent body focused on identifying and responding to possible miscarriages of ...
"Today we have made a choice that will leave a legacy... I hope that means that future generations will see that we, in New Zealand, were on the right side of history." - Jacinda Ardern, Third Reading of the Zero Carbon Bill ...
Darroch Ball, New Zealand First List MP A Member’s bill has been proposed that would provide income tax exemptions for all New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel while on operational deployment overseas. The Income Tax (Exemption for Salary or Wages of NZDF Members on Active Deployment) Amendment Bill proposed by New Zealand First ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have brought common sense to the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill, which passed its final reading in Parliament today. Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says months of hard work went into negotiating a balanced ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First has listened to calls to recognise paramedics as registered health professionals under the Health Practitioners’ Competence Assurance Act (the Act).Today, the Coalition Government announced plans for paramedics to be registered as health practitioners under the Act, and the establishment of a ...
We began the week by commemorating the New Zealand Wars and celebrating a major increase in the number of teachers. Then, we were busy supporting offenders into work and getting our rail back on track after years of underinvestment. And that's just the start! ...
In October I was sworn in as the Mayor of Lower Hutt.It’s the privilege of my life to serve Hutt people as their Mayor. There is something really special to be able to serve the community where I was raised, and where I live. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters met with Korea Racing Authority Chairperson Nak Soon Kim in Seoul today to discuss closer cooperation between the New Zealand and Korean horse racing industries. As part of the visit to the Seoul Racecourse, Mr Peters witnessed ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $10 million to establish Otago as the centre of New Zealand’s creative digital industry over the next ten years, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “The initiative will bring us closer to the vision of ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)’s skills and employment programme will help young Otago people into long-term forestry careers, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. Te Ara Mahi will invest $63,000 in the 2020 school year to support eight 17 and 18 ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will support local plans to revitalise and stimulate economic development opportunities in Otago, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The four Regional Economic Development Ministers have approved an in-principle investment of $19.9 million towards the region’s ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is pleased to have received the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) report on the Coalition Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication efforts, which shows significant progress in the fight against the disease. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, says the report’s findings ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing to support economic growth opportunities for Otago’s engineering and manufacturing sectors, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Trade and Export Minister David Parker announced today. Almost $20 million ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, discussed in Seoul today opportunities to work more closely in the Pacific and the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Mr Peters and Minister Kang confirmed New Zealand and the ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Minister for Māori Development The three marae in the historic Parihaka Pa complex in Taranaki have been upgraded to high speed broadband with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Connecting the ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence Minister of Defence Ron Mark will today launch the Advancing Pacific Partnerships 2019 Defence Assessment during a speech at Te Papa. The Assessment outlines how Defence will partner with our Pacific Island neighbours and invest in Pacific regional security architecture. The Plan aligns with the Coalition ...
A new Provincial Growth Fund investment could create about 80 new jobs in Gisborne over the next two years, turning a local small business into a “beacon of employment” in the process. Regional Economic Development Parliamentary Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau said the PGF’s Te Ara Mahi funding stream would provide $1.6m ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters will travel to the Republic of Korea and Japan next week. “The Republic of Korea and Japan are two of New Zealand’s closest partners in the region with whom we share common values and ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced today that New Zealand is leading a police support mission in Bougainville as the region prepares to vote in a non-binding referendum on its political future. “New Zealand has accepted an invitation ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is defending Immigration New Zealand (INZ) after it instructed officials to stop granting visas as an exception to instructions. He has also lashed out at immigrant leaders upset with the tightening of the rules, saying they had an “elevated sense of entitlement”. Members of ...
A change to the End of Life Choice Bill was passed in Parliament, meaning if politicians decide to vote for the law it must be approved by the public first. A binding referendum was a condition insisted on by New Zealand First, and Jenny Marcroft’s supplementary order paper (SOP) successfully ...
The Government has fixed an issue affecting how Immigration New Zealand has processed visa applications for culturally arranged marriages, which will now see a consistent process applied which ensures people with legitimate arranged marriages can visit New Zealand while also preventing any rorting of the system. Earlier this year Immigration ...
The Royal Commission into the Attacks on Christchurch Mosques will report back on 30 April 2020 to give it more time to hear submissions and consider information, Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The Royal Commission was originally scheduled to report back to Government by 10 December 2019. “There has ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Washington DC today to attend a ministerial meeting focused on defeating ISIS, and to continue pursuing New Zealand’s trade opportunities. Mr Peters will participate in a meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers from key countries contributing to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. ...
The recently crowned Bird of the Year, the hoiho/yellow eyed penguin, is getting a much needed helping hand alongside more than 168 other community conservation projects announced Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage today. 168 community conservation projects throughout New Zealand are benefiting from $8 million in government grants, including $500,000 ...
Controls on assault rifles and semi-automatic firearms are to be broadened to include some types of pistols, under changes to a bill currently making its way through Parliament. Police Minister Stuart Nash has tabled a Supplementary Order Paper to the Arms Legislation Bill, which is currently before a Select Committee ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark will travel to Singapore today to conduct a counterpart visit and to co-chair the third annual Singapore-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting with his counterpart, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen. “Singapore is one of our most important defence partners in the region, and our ...
Nelson’s Salisbury School is to be rebuilt, creating a modern and suitable learning environment for students at the residential special school, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin announced today. The school for girls aged 8-15, in Richmond, was earmarked for closure by National until the process ...
The panel undertaking a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act has identified the main issues to be addressed and options for reform and is calling for feedback to inform its final report. In July the Government announced the comprehensive review of the resource management system, including the RMA - ...
An important safety valve has been added to New Zealand’s criminal justice system with the third reading of the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill today. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “We’ve seen how our justice system can very occasionally get things spectacularly wrong, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters welcomes the tabling of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) 2019 Annual Report in Parliament today. He says the 2019 Annual Report marks the point when New Zealand’s racing industry’s decline was arrested and a turnaround started. RITA’s 2019 Annual Report recorded an industry net profit ...
The New Zealand Government is today sending 21 firefighters to help fight the ongoing catastrophic Australian bushfires. “The fires in Australia are in some of the toughest, most challenging conditions ever,” says Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin. “As of yesterday morning, there were 100 active bushfire-related incidents across Queensland and ...
More frontline support for schools through a new education agency, as part of a redesigned Ministry of Education More support for principals and school boards including through a new centre of leadership and local leadership advisor roles New independent disputes panels for parents and students Management of school property ...
The Government’s reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system is a watershed moment in education and an opportunity to create meaningful change for ākonga Māori and their whānau, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis said today. “Last year through Kōrero Mātauranga | Education Conversation, Māori teachers, parents, ākonga, whānau, hapū and iwi ...
Infrastructure Minister is welcoming the first of many updated project pipelines from the newly established New Zealand Infrastructure Commission today. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has released an expanded pipeline of major capital projects – another crucial step towards delivering better infrastructure outcomes. “The first iteration of the ...
Tougher gun laws designed to improve public safety through firearms prohibition orders are proposed in a new document released for public input. Police Minister Stuart Nash says firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) would give new powers to Police to ensure high-risk individuals come nowhere near firearms. “We have already prohibited the ...
Andy Coupe has been confirmed as TVNZ’s new Board Chair. “Mr Coupe has strong commercial and capital markets experience and TVNZ has benefited from his technical knowledge of business and finance, as well as his extensive governance experience,” the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Kris Faafoi said. Andy ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today officially opened a separated pathway, following the completion of the Kaiwharawhara Stream bridge, which will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians along Hutt Road. The $6.8m Hutt Road project provides a separated path for cycling and pedestrians, the replacement of informal parking ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of career diplomat Si’alei van Toor as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Russia. “I’m pleased to appoint Ms van Toor to this position. She brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously served as Senior Trade Adviser to the ...
The Treasury’s 2019 Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) will be released on Wednesday December 11, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Coalition Government will publish the 2020 Budget Policy Statement at the same time, outlining the priorities for Budget 2020. Further details on arrangements for the release will ...
A new initiative to better support small businesses through hands-on mentoring and advice has been launched by the Minister for Small Business. The first event in the Kiwi Business Boost series of regional workshops and online tools has been launched in Wairoa by Stuart Nash. “The Business Boost initiative combines ...
The latest Quarterly Connectivity Report shows that more and more New Zealanders are moving to Ultra-fast Broadband (UFB), with Rolleston having the highest uptake at 74 per cent, as at the end of September. “This means that nearly three quarters of Rolleston’s households and businesses have moved to ultra-fast services. ...
The passing of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill will help ensure a safe planet for our kids and grandkids, the Minister for Climate Change James Shaw said today. The landmark legislation which provides a framework to support New Zealanders to prepare for, and adapt to, the effects ...
The review of Oranga Tamariki practice around the planned uplift of a Hastings baby in May shows significant failings by the Ministry and that the planned and funded changes to shift from a child crisis service to a proper care and protection service need to be accelerated, Children’s Minister Tracey ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has wished students the best of luck for this year’s NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams which start tomorrow. Around 140,000 students will have participated in 119 NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams by the end of the exam period on 3 December. “I want to ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today announced the appointment of Bede Corry as New Zealand’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. “The appointment of a senior diplomat to this important role underlines the significance New Zealand places on our relationship with the United Kingdom,” said Mr Peters. “The United ...
An innovative approach to boosting the number of frontline Police has seen 20 new officers graduate from one of the uncommon training wings in Auckland. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the graduation of 20 constables today means that 1,765 new Police officers have been deployed since the coalition government took ...
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says the 1.2 million hours of community work completed by offenders in the last financial year has helped local communities right across the country. “Community work sentences are a great way for people to pay something positive back to society. There is a massive benefit to ...
"A pathway for Police in leadership with Iwi Māori, to achieve the aspirations of Māori whānau." Police launch of Te Huringa o Te Tai, Pipitea Marae, Thorndon Quay, Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou. Hello everyone, warm greetings to you all. ...
Working New Zealanders are getting more in their back pockets under the Coalition Government’s economic plan. Stats NZ data today shows average weekly ordinary time earnings are up by $83 since the Government took office. This shows that working New Zealanders are getting higher take-home pay, and that employers are ...
The Government is supporting schools to cut down their energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts, with a quarter of all schools having their lights replaced with LEDs, a sustainability contestable fund and a plan to improve the environmental sustainability of all schools in the future. Education Minister Chris Hipkins and ...
Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis heads to China on Friday to lead the New Zealand Government presence at the China-New Zealand Year of Tourism closing ceremony. The ceremony will take place at Canton Tower in Guangzhou on Sunday 10 November. “The Year of Tourism has been mutually beneficial for both New ...
Should we plan for drought or deluge and how is CO2 released from the ocean’s floor? Several climate change projects were given a boost in the latest Marsden Fund investment of $83.6 million, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods said today. “Climate change is long-term challenge that requires out-of-the-box ...
Leaders of 16 countries negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have announced the completion of negotiation on the text as well as agreement on virtually all market access issues between 15 countries. The leaders said they will work with India to resolve its outstanding concerns in a way that ...
Civil Defence Minister Hon Peeni Henare says World Tsunami Awareness Day today (5 November) is a chance for all New Zealanders to learn more about the tsunami risk in our regions and the right actions to take to stay safe. “All of New Zealand’s coastline is at risk of tsunami. ...
New Zealand’s more than 1000 paramedics are to have their role as key frontline health professionals formally recognised and regulated in the same way as doctors and nurses, Health Minister David Clark says. The Government has agreed to regulate paramedics under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. “Paramedic leaders ...
Changes to insolvency law announced by the Government today will include requirements to honour up to 50 per cent of the value of gift cards or vouchers held by consumers, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi says. “When a business is insolvent, these consumers are often left out of ...
Six New Zealanders tonight received medals for their meritorious work in the frontline public service. The Public Service Medal, established by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, is awarded annually. “For the second year this Government has recognised public servants who have made a real difference to the lives of New ...
Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker heads to Shanghai today for the China International Import Expo and meetings focused on reforming the WTO. Over 90 New Zealand companies will be exhibiting at the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), which runs from 5-10 November. “China is one of New Zealand’s ...
Drivers holding a current five-year learner or restricted car or motorbike licence, expiring between 1 December 2019 and 1 December 2021, will receive an automatic two-year extension, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Over 144,000 drivers’ time-limited licences are due to expire in the next two years; 67,000 ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker have announced the conclusion of negotiations to upgrade New Zealand’s existing free trade agreement with China. “This ensures our upgraded free trade agreement will remain the best that China has with any country,” Jacinda Ardern said. She ...
The extension of the Royal Commission report to 30 April 2020 means all other government responses to the mosque attack should be equally delayed, according to the Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia Australians woke to the news last weekend that a 19-year-old Warlpiri man had been shot and killed by a police officer in Yuendumu, 300km north-west of Alice Springs. A confrontation ...
Excessively stringent freshwater policies that won’t achieve significantly better water quality outcomes will cost New Zealanders more than $80 billion over the next thirty years, says DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. “The water quality limits ...
Yesterday the government announced their reform of 1989’s Tomorrow’s Schools legislation. Claire Amos, a school principal in Auckland, reflects on what it all means. When the first draft of the Tomorrow’s School Report landed back in December 2018, I reflected that “the only real concern is that we are not brave enough ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University It has been called “the robbery of the century”. Martin Shields and Nicholas Diable, two British investment bankers, are on trial in Germany for helping structure a massive tax evasion scheme, known as cum-ex ...
A group of about a dozen MPs from Labour and National have addressed a last-minute protest at Parliament, on the day the End of Life Choice Bill is due to pass its final reading. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Mathews, Professor, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology Two judges in the High Court of Australia this morning referred Cardinal George Pell’s application for special leave to appeal his convictions to a full bench of the High Court. While not ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has opened for submissions on Supplementary Order Paper No 408 to the Arms Legislation Bill. Submissions can be made online and close on Friday 29 November 2019 at midnight. Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) 408 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stanley Shanapinda, Research Fellow, La Trobe University Yesterday, New South Wales and Queensland issued fire warnings classified as either “catastrophic”, “severe” or “extreme” – and these conditions will remain in the coming days. The Bureau of Meteorology’s fire danger rating for Wednesday, ...
Newly launched carbon offsetting company Carbonclick want to make it easier for businesses and consumers to save the planet. CEO Dave Rouse and CPO Jan Czaplicki explain that while carbon offsetting isn’t the solution to global warming, it’s necessary.We have pumped our skies full of greenhouse gases for over 200 ...
Premiering tonight on TVNZ DUKE, Tara Ward explores the salty depths of Spiky Gold Hunters. Spiky Gold Hunter is Country Calendar for hard arses. DUKE’s new documentary series follows six Kiwis as they search the Foveaux Strait for kina, a job with great financial reward but huge risk. These divers work ...
The Reserve Bank announced on Wednesday that it hold the Official Cash Rate at 1 percent when bank economists had widely predicted and recommended a 25 basis point cut. ...
It’s time for our leaders to harness their power to take action on meaningful and sustained welfare policy changes, so that all children can have the opportunity to live good lives and to experience a happy, healthy childhood, says Child Poverty ...
Winston Peters' lawyer appears to have accepted in the High Court that two former National ministers he is suing for $450,000 for breaching his privacy were not the source of the leak or responsible for it. ...
Artist Lema Shamamba highlights the threads that connect cellphone use to violence and exploitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo in her first solo exhibition at Auckland’s Objectspace. Embroidered into a purple and yellow dress, a woman has one baby slung on her front and another on her back. Looking at ...
Gloria Steinem speaks to On the Rag about what she has learned from over 50 years of feminist activism. In this very special episode of On the Rag, we are joined by journalist, author, activist and feminist hero Gloria Steinem ahead of the launch of her new book The Truth Will ...
A law change that would allow assisted dying in certain select cases is coming up to a final reading in parliament tonight. Here are some of the many views on the matter we’ve published.As the End of Life Choice bill has made its way through parliament, it has become clear ...
The National Party is floating the idea of replacing the tertiary fees-free policy with a scheme like KiwiSaver to pay for University or polytechnic courses; and the Crown says Winston Peters claim his privacy was breached falls away entirely when held up against the law. ...
Malcolm Harbrow, at No Right Turn, has picked up on an important governance issue which our web search (a brief one, we acknowledge) suggests was missed by the mainstream media. The Referendums Framework Bill was due back from Parliament’s Justice Select Committee yesterday. Harbrow would have been monitoring its progress because he was one of around ...
The State Services Commission has shut down the inquiry into how Budget sensitive information was accessed from the Treasury website, because a key member failed to declare a conflict of interest. ...
Taxpayers deserve a stronger commitment from National to scrap the fees-free policy, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “On one hand, National correctly called fees-free an ‘expensive failure’. ...
In this chapter from journalist Frances Cook’s guide to getting your finances sorted, she finally comes to terms with her attitudes and behaviour around money. They say the first step is accepting you have a problem. One of the first things I had to accept was that I was guilty of ‘lifestyle ...
Pioneering conservationist Richard Henry’s crucial contribution to saving our endangered native birds is remembered today, 13 November 2019, the 90th Anniversary of his death. ...
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes has today terminated the investigation into how Budget-sensitive material was accessed at the Treasury and appointed a new inquirer. ...
One journalist’s quest for a silly answer leads to a desperate search for the truth behind the most bizarre news story. A woman was reading a book, her husband was driving, and their son was asleep in the back seat when an axe flew through the windscreen. The short-handled axe – ...
The Earthquake Commission’s Annual Report 2018-19 has been tabled in Parliament today. The Annual Report summarises progress being made on EQC’s mission “to reduce the impact on people and property when natural disasters occur.” ...
The country's biggest listed transport company, Mainfreight, has had a 6 percent lift in profit as better trading in overseas markets has offset the slower growth in local markets. ...
The catastrophic bushfires in Australia are framed very differently depending on which media you consume, writes Duncan Greive from Sydney.The horizon started the day crisp and clear, the bushfires out there but not palpable. A group of 60 or so media from across Australia and New Zealand, all holed up ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Tiller, Ethical, Legal & Social Adviser – Public Health Genomics, Monash University In the past week, news has spread of a Florida judge’s decision to grant a warrant allowing police to search one of the world’s largest online DNA databases, for ...
“At the end of the day when you commit a brutal act such as murder a ‘difficult upbringing’ will never explain why someone chose to take another’s life.” ...
The Department of Corrections is marking World Kindness Day today (13 November) by acknowledging the work Good Bitches Baking does spreading kindness through baked goods to those who need it most. ...
The spat between Labour and New Zealand First ministers over Indian arranged marriages may have moved behind closed doors -but is no closer to resolution. ...
Emily Writes provides an essential guide through the vast world of sex toys and finds something for everyone. Sex toys have well and truly become mainstream. When you buy a toy you’re taking control of your sex life and fully celebrating your body and how wonderful it is. These days, there ...
United against David Seymour’s euthanasia and assisted suicide bill, representatives from all walks of life will gather peacefully on Parliament's lawn on Wednesday 13 November between 12 and 2 pm. Over 39,000 submissions have been written and heard. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Whitehouse, Bennett Chair of Autism, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia It’s 25 years since the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) was published. The manual is the clinical “bible” that defines the criteria for the diagnosis ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frédérik Saltré, Research Fellow in Ecology, Flinders University For more than 3.5 billion years, living organisms have thrived, multiplied and diversified to occupy every ecosystem on Earth. The flip side to this explosion of new species is that species extinctions have also ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Petterson, Professor of Geology, Auckland University of Technology CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Glen Fuller, Associate Professor Communications and Media, University of Canberra Once upon a time when something was simple to do we said: “It’s as easy as riding a bike.” But switching from driving a car to riding a bike as one’s main ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Kinsella, Professor of Literature and Environment, Curtin University I start with a disclaimer: I am a UWA Publishing poet. I have published a book of poetry with them (as well as a novel), and have two books forthcoming with them in ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Education Audrey Young (Herald): Why Education Minister Hipkins has shot to the top of the ...
Jacinda Ardern says she doesn’t see Ports of Auckland's future as ‘necessarily being political’; and call for urgent review of foreign forestry investment. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW Myer is the in the clear, sort of, after Australia’s first judicial ruling on a securities class action. It centred around allegations that Myer misled the market about its projected earnings. The court found Myer ...
Health Minister David Clark has told the House the overall District Health Board deficit is actually almost $170 million higher than the Government had previously admitted. ...
The education ministry's decision not to investigate a teacher sex case in Marlborough means the victim children and parents have been short-changed, argues Victoria University of Wellington's Michael Macaulay ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Big changes coming for how schools are run, highly anticipated OCR decision coming today, and a clear-eyed look at the protests up Ōwairaka/Mt Albert.The government has set up a fight with a dangerous political constituency – highly involved parents at affluent ...
Lawyers acting for those being sued by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters over his supernannuation overpayment say he has failed to present any evidence to back his sweeping public comments on the issue. ...
Winston Peters' case in the High Court reminds us that NZ Super is chickenfeed to wealthy people. So why don't we recover the pension through more progressive taxation? ...
Black Ferns fullback Selica Winiata is aiming to achieve a rare double - refereeing international rugby while still playing the game at the highest level. ...
A protest against the felling of non-native trees on one of Auckland’s maunga has erupted this week. Ben Thomas says they’re behaving like brats and ignoring the rights of iwi.Letting go can be hard, even if it’s for the best.This is not to say that a few dozen angry residents ...
The trial of the man accused of Grace Millane’s murder is unlike any other in New Zealand history, recounted in micro-beats, each one tweeted and push-notified. Anna Connell asks what it’s doing to justice.It was a story that horrified New Zealand. In December last year, the news of the death ...
Housing advocate Jade Kake has been working with her hapū to increase engagement in the ongoing Ngāpuhi settlement and Tūhono process. Dissatisfied with the media’s preoccupation with the rūnanga leadership, she writes here about the real work and healing that has been, and is still to be, done.Ko Jade Kake tōku ...
Emergency cash injections for DHBs are a symptom of a woefully inadequate budget planning process that is increasingly an exercise in futility, Association of Salaried Medical Specialists Executive Director Ian Powell says. ...
Open Mike 18/09/2018 
Since 2013, the Australian government has detained refugees without trial in Pacific gulags, where they are abused, tortured, and driven to suicide. The policy is not just an abuse of human rights and possible crime against humanity; it has also had a corrosive effect on the states Australia uses as ...3 hours ago
It seems fair to say that we currently live in a problematic political moment in world history. Democracies are in decline and dictatorships are on the rise. Primordial, sectarian and post-modern divisions have re-emerged, are on the rise or have been accentuated by political evolutions of the moment such as ...3 hours ago
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz The growth of the human population over the last 70 ...7 hours ago
by The Council of Disobedient Women In her excellent oral submission to the Abortion reform select committee on 31st October on behalf of Otago University’s Department of Public Health, historian and public health researcher Hera Cook stated: “We would ask that the committee not use the term ‘pregnant persons’ and ...21 hours ago
Distract And Divert: The rise of what we have come to call “Identity Politics” represents the ideological manifestation of the ruling class’s objective need to destroy class politics, and of the middle-class’s subjective need to justify their participation in the process.THE RELIEF of the ruling class can only be imagined. ...1 day ago
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If FFNZ really put their faith in “Top Medical Journals” they would now be amending their billboards to recognise new research results. Image from FFNZ but updated to agree with the latest research. ... 3 days ago
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As many of us suspected.
Just another false flag….
https://www.rt.com/news/438596-mh17-downing-russian-briefing/
That’s some fine trolling by RT.
Yet you accept BBC and CNN propaganda…
That’s some poor trolling by Ed.
Something fishy about Stunned Mullet; I think he has come to TS rather mixed up between trolling and trawling. You’re all at sea SM.
It could be worse than that… with an incoming tide, I suspect he has drifted up a certain creek…
Laughable crap.
The Russian official story is still a Ukrainian fighter, the pilot of which mysteriously “committed suicide” recently.
A Ukrainian military pilot blamed by Russia over the 2014 downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 has killed himself, Ukrainian media report, quoting police.
It is being investigated under the premeditated murder section of Ukraine’s penal code.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43457694
Hmmm Just assuming that the said pilot did not make a brief visit to Salisbury…
The Joint Investigation Team calls the Russian Ministry of Defence out as liars.
The JIT will meticulously study the materials presented today as soon as the Russian Federation makes the relevant documents available to the JIT as requested in May 2018 and required by UNSC resolution 2166. From the start of the investigation until today, the JIT has always carefully analyzed and processed the information provided by the Russian Federation. In doing so, the JIT has found that information from the Russian Ministry of Defense previously presented to the public and provided to the JIT was factually inaccurate on several points. An example is the alleged presence of a fighter plane in the vicinity of MH17 on radar imagery presented to the public on a press conference in July 2014.
https://www.om.nl/actueel/nieuwsberichten/@104053/reaction-jit-to/
A truly brilliant article.
Here is an excerpt.
“Just as a feudal elite was driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of land; just as early capitalists were driven not by ethics but by the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of mechanisation; so neoliberalism is driven not by ethics but the pursuit of power and wealth through the control of the planet.
The only truth we can know is that the western power-elite is determined to finish the task of making its power fully global, expanding it from near-absolute to absolute. It cares nothing for you or your grand-children. It is a cold-calculating system, not a friend or neighbour. It lives for the instant gratification of wealth accumulation, not concern about the planet’s fate tomorrow.
And because of that it is structurally bound to undermine or discredit anyone, any group, any state that stands in the way of achieving its absolute dominion.
If that is not the thought we hold uppermost in our minds as we listen to a politician, read a newspaper, watch a film or TV show, absorb an ad, or engage on social media, then we are sleepwalking into a future the most powerful, the most ruthless, the least caring have designed for us.
Step back, and take a look at the whole screen. And decide whether this is really the future you wish for your grand-children.”
https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2018-09-15/why-were-blind-to-the-system-destroying-us/
Yes Ed;
It is just another shifty hate campaign aimed at Russia by the current NATO administration who want to seize some Russian land for themselves no doubt.
But the Russians have been invaded before several times by others in the EU block haven’t they.??
Mongol invasion of “Kyivan Rus” (the modern people of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia).
Then in 1812 French Napoleonic invasion.
Then in 1940 Germany invaded Russia.
https://www.quora.com/Why-has-Russia-been-invaded-so-many-times
Russia did not invade anywhere as many as US did!!!
US countries they invaded number around 70 counties between 1776 and now!!!
https://www.countercurrents.org/polya050713.htm
So, what does Heather du Plessis-Allen’s comments on the Pacific islands really tell us about the state of broadcasting – and broadcasters – today?
Let’s be honest. She most likely said what she said because her rating are down. She needed a boost, so she went as low as she could without being censured by her employer. It was a calculated appeal to keep the angry old racists on ZB from not switching to Radio Sport after their daily dose of sneering class warfare from Hoskings and batshit conspiracy theories from Leighton Smith.
Heather du Plessis-Allen isn’t a racist. She is to shallow to know much about being a racist. She only knows one thing. And that one thing is she knows she will do whatever it takes to keep her job. If that means she has to be is a scoffing and entitled narcissist who doesn’t give a shit about the consequences of her statements, she is down with that. Her discount cynicism, her vulgar and opportunist racism, her tawdry insults are all driven by only one thing. And that one thing is an utterly banal cupidity, and that banal cupidity comprises the lowest common denominator that is the ideological glue that binds all the right wing stable together, from Slater to Farrar to Hoskings to Soper to Heather du Plessis-Allen.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to private media in NZ in 2018. A near perfect metaphor for neoliberalism, motivated by crass greed and not much else.
Brilliant article, Sanctuary.
Worthy of a post.
I only disagree on one point.
HDPA is a racist.
Jonathan Cook’s take on the media
“Journalists typically have a passive relationship to power, in stark contrast to their image as tenacious watchdog. But more fundamental than control over narrative is the ideology that guides these narratives. Ideology ensures the power-system is invisible not only to us, those who are abused and exploited by it, but also to those who benefit from it.
It is precisely because power resides in structures and ideology, rather than individuals, that it is so hard to see. And the power-structures themselves are made yet more difficult to identify because the narratives created about our societies are designed to conceal those structures and ideology – where real power resides – by focusing instead on individuals.
That is why our newspapers and TV shows are full of stories about personalities – celebrities, royalty, criminals, politicians. They are made visible so that we do not notice the ideological structures we live inside that are supposed to remain invisible.
News and entertainment are the ripples on a lake, not the lake itself. But the ripples could not exist without the lake that forms and shapes them.”
http://werewolf.co.nz/2018/09/gordon-campbell-on-the-ardern-pep-talk/
This is the best reporting on the coalitions re-set I have seen. Gordon Campbell shows what real journalism is. The rest as Winston said yesterday on Kim hill, are all (over-paid) amateurs
I think this part of his commentary is worth recycling: “Besides Ardern, politicians elsewhere – notably Elizabeth Warren in the US – have been grappling recently with how to confront the socially toxic emphasis that the corporate sector has placed on maximizing shareholder wealth above all other concerns. The diagnosis of what’s gone wrong is simple:
The heterodox economist William Lazonick of the University of Massachusetts puts the thesis very squarely, arguing that “from the end of World War II until the late 1970s, a retain-and-reinvest approach to resource allocation prevailed at major U.S. corporations.” But since the Reagan era, business has followed “a downsize-and-distribute regime of reducing [labour] costs and then distributing the freed-up cash to financial interests, particularly shareholders.”
“This belief that the maximising of shareholder wealth is the prime – even the only –purpose of business originated with the economist Milton Friedman, in this wildly influential 1970 article. Down the subsequent years, the doctrine of shareholder supremacy has had a number of dire consequences. It has eroded business ethics by fostering sharp business practices aimed at maximising share value, and also the CEO compensation packages based on them. Wealth that used to be retained and re-invested (a) back into firms, (b) distributed in wages via union-negotiated agreements, and (c) re-invested in communities is now funnelled almost exclusively to shareholders.”
“Since only about one in ten Americans (and a similar ratio of New Zealanders) ever participate in speculation in shares, this channeling of shareholder wealth to an elite of the already advantaged has led to damaging extremes of income inequality – and to levels of social anger that have been politically captured by the far right. The road to Trump was paved by Milton Friedman.”
Agreed – an accurate but sad assessment. More fools us. Throughout all that Rogernomics bullshit I had the uncomfortable feeling that it was wrong, but it is only with the benefit of hindsight that the assessment can be so clearly stated.
I went with Anderton in opposition, but the media were full of right-wing propaganda at the time. “Profit is not a dirty word!” they all howled at us, and then there were years of criminal profit-gouging. We now need to call profit-gouging what it is, and restore some balance.
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists commonly associated such as Hayek.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]
Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it. He doesn’t deserve to lie in quiet satisfaction with kudos for his work, and this also applies to fellow economists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism
The child theory grew and contorted into a ‘robust’ free market one as it proved so suited to being established in a weakened, vulnerable polity as in Chile, and then as skilfully utilised by Roger Douglas and three others* with at one time, David Lange in the Fish and Chip Brigade making a Gang of Four! They all came to prominence after our oil shock problems, collapse of our investment in Ansett, and the move by the UK into the European Common Market.
During the military rule under Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990) in Chile, opposition scholars took up the expression to describe the economic reforms implemented there and its proponents (the “Chicago Boys”).[5] Once this new meaning was established among Spanish-speaking scholars, it diffused into the English-language study of political economy.
*…his closest colleagues as Richard Prebble, Mike Moore, and Michael Bassett.[24]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Douglas
Well we see what sort of views you espouse, don’t we.
Was the story I have linked to the work of you and your kind?
For anyone else I suggest you don’t follow the link. It is the sort of thing only people like greywarshark would approve of.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3582622
You are of course aware that Friedman was Jewish?
alwyn: Einstein was also Jewish. But he had the distinction of being sound and correct.
I understood that you valued IQ… Why did you make such an obviously stupid response? Anti-Semitism out of that??
You will note that he included the following lines three times in the comment.
“Someone should start a ritual of once a month going to Milton Friedman’s grave and spilling red paint over it”.
If that is not advocating the desecration of graves, in exactly the same way as the article indicates some mongrels did to graves in this country, then what is it advocating.
Why does he believe that desecration of graves is acceptable?
Admittedly, the message appears to have been fumbled and repeated twice. But spilling red paint over a grave is a symbolic act. It has been done literally at times, but Greywarshark saying someone ‘should’ do it is not the same as actually doing it. Plenty of non-Jewish graves have been desecrated too… I doubt if Greywarshark takes spray-cans of red paint to cemeteries in the deep of dark.
Heard of metaphors?
Your whole over-reaction smacks of ‘mongrel’ alwyn. Just a bit too eager to score a point that turns into an own goal.
Posterity will ne’er survey
a Nobler grave than this:
Here lie the bones of Castlereagh:
Stop, traveller, and piss!
Oh, you foul desecrater you!
In Vino; – 100% factual there In vino.
Perfectly said.
Also Simon Wilson’s article in the Herald.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12126735
He’s mistaken here: “it’s in the Labour-Greens coalition agreement, so it’s a Government commitment.” A policy only becomes adopted by this coalition government when Labour and NZF both agree to adopt it. The GP is not part of the govt, only some of its MPs are. Yet more media incomprehension of MMP.
Crikey. Jacinda got a going over this morning from Kim Hill, who says that Jacinda got humiliated by Winston ACCORDING to many political commentators. We all know who these hacks are. O’Brien, Garner, Watkins,Armstrong etc who come out of their holes at the mention of Jacinda to write their derogatory own opinions to create negative perception in the press and television aided by constant pop ups of dim Bridges who is hardly ever challenged. Fortunately all these people can not change the average Zealanders that JA is fighting the long game for the ultimate benefit of all of us. Fighting against a constant unfair battle against the poor selection of political news hacks that we are lumbered with.She is a strong lady and will prevail against them. Although Winston does need to pull his head in and keep things behind closed doors. It’s time extraneous issues were put to one side and all positive things this Government are trying to achieve should be given positive press. Too many sideshows Winnie.
simon was cringe worthy yesterday in all his interviews and on the nation in the weekend.
Am not into name calling but, what a donut. How embarrassing that he is the best the nats could find.
Meanwhile it sounds like our refugee quota is due to rise, good stuff.
Oppps that will put a spanner in the works re the current narrative being flung around by certain media.
Winnie is going to be on radio live this morning if any are interested, not sure what time.
Donut!
You don’t pull your punches Cinny.
“Meanwhile it sounds like our refugee quota is due to rise, good stuff.”
Err..no. Winny has put paid to that. Do keep up.
Indeed when Kim Hill goes after a Labour PM you know it is not just politics in play.
“We all know who these hacks are” it was pretty much across the board…the only difference was in the severity of the critique.
Around 1O.30 mins into the interview Jacinda was asked about the employed law reforms and Winston…by 11.15 mins Hill had completed her dismantling of Jacinda’s PR spin.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018662977
That was a good examination by Kim. It almost clarified the contradiction between what Winston said and what Jacinda said. Not quite. We await the final sign-off, I suspect.
Looks both are right, while neither is fully explaining the process of decision-making they use. Understandable that the media is using the apparent contradiction to generate headlines of discord. The coalition ought to hire someone to do pr who has a grasp of political process and can explain to the public how consensus on policy is both established and finalised.
Never mind, Chuck. I remember Kim Hill stripping John Key of his elegant puffery on one of her rare appearances back then… He never appeared with her on Morning report again. In fact, he rarely appeared on Morning Report at all later in his time as PM: he preferred patsy questions from ditzy Radio Live hosts, etc…
Jacinda actually stood up to Kim Hill a lot better. The difference will be seen in whether she continues with such interviews, or runs away like JK did.
Time will tell In Vino.
Although Ardern has already made history by being the first PM to cancel arranged meetings for Q&A and Newshub Nation.
If you believe the diary issue then we have two different versions, one from the PM’s office the other from Clarke.
Time will tell indeed. The cancellations you mention were one-offs for good reason. See if she consistently refuses to meet with QA and Newshub National – whoops, Nation. And see if she avoids the harder stuff at what you are probably deluded enough to call Red Radio. Time will indeed tell.
And you are clutching vainly at straws regarding the diary issue. Good luck.
Lol
It was only a few weeks ago the right were calling O’Brien a left plant and she was a hero to the left
Make your mind up people
That’s the problem with the ‘shoot the messenger’ approach. The reality is the media are like sharks, they circle wounded and bleeding prey. When the wounded prey is from the left, the left call bias. When the prey is from the right, the right call bias. It’s just part of the game.
No Chris;
Most of us painted O’Brian as a right wing hack.
Thought Jacinda handled Kim very well. Winston was quite a handful for Kim yesterday.
Jacinda was also excellent with Jack Tame on breakfast. She is clear, articulate and thinks on her feet really well.
Simon sounds robotic and inauthentic. Like someone has feed him a line to say that he really doesnt comprehend or believe.
Ffloyd,
It seems to be; Media sour grapes time here as the media are loosing the spotlight to social media now!!!!!
So mainstream media; –
“get over your own bloated, conceited, pompous, obsession, with yourselves”
Jonathon Pie’s latest.
When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn? (sounds like a line out of a song?)
I used to admire Kim Hill for her work on Saturday Mornings, but what we are getting on Morning Report is a different animal entirely. Attack! Interrupt, talk over, rude.
Angrily following a party line.
Kim has been around forever and apart from a brief and somewhat less than stellar TV outing has been a faithful Natrad stalwart.
She was dubbed “Him Kill” for a very good reason.
Yes she challenges, and yes she persists, and when she eventually backed off from Winston yesterday (sensible, really, as tempus was fugiting and they’re on a schedule) I felt a little let down.
What happened this morning was an assertive interviewer put the Prime Minister on a hot griddle, giving the PM an opportunity to show they’re up for it and equal to the task.
From what I heard, both achieved their objectives, both did their jobs well.
Kim Hill is different, thank God, and I personally believe she’s wasted on Saturday morning.
Agree, and I suspect JA was not only up for the challenge, but thankful for the opportunity to engage with someone with a bit of intelligence. Likewise Ron Mark not too many minutes later.
Not sure about the faithful “Natrad stalwart” moniker. I would say more a petal from the flower of the Holyoake/Kirk years.
Agree with most of what you have written, Rosemary, except the being “a faithful Natrad stalwart”. Kim would roar with laughter at that one, as did I.
Clearly I’m at a disadvantage on this. I listen to Natrad and occasionally Radio Sport if Himself wishes to follow the rugby, and that’s the extent of my radio exposure. If Kim Hill has been broadcasting on other stations, or on telly, I’ve missed out.
No, Rosemary, it is not to do with radio exposure; rather personal exposure over many years. I’ll leave it at that. Just remember I live in Wellington and have for many years as has Kim, and Wellington (city rather than region) is a small place.
Rosemary, on a completely different subject, No 1 on today’s Order Paper for Parliament (after Question time at 2pm usually to 3pm) are the Third Readings of the three Bills that previously made up the Social Security Amendment Bill which was divided into three separate Bills in the Committee stages of consideration of the Bill back in July.
The three Bills now are the Social Security Bill containing the main changes to the old Social Security Bill, the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill, and the Artificial Limb Service Bill.
I haven’t followed this Bill/Bills contents or progress but have just had a look at the Residential Care and Disabilities Support Services Bill – and the alarm bells are going off. Hoping not and must read much more closely …
Here is the latest copy of the Draft Bill
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2016/0122B/latest/whole.html#LMS41462
Just thought that I would alert you to the fact that these three Bills will be going through the House this afternoon – set down for 2 hours of final speeches from about 3pm.
Know you are possibly limited re internet access but for anyone who isn’t internet links to watch or listen are:
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/audio
List of Radio sites for listening via radio by location – https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/media-centre/parliament-on-rnz/
Sneaky buggers. Who knew?
I confess to only a superficial knowledge of the Social Security Act, but I was aware that the ‘household management’ side of Home Based Disability Support was means tested. I’m going to have to read that draft closely. On my wee phone, the fact my reading glasses are Warehouse specials becomes an issue.
I guess with the so called baby boomer bulge threatening to bankrupt the Nation with increased costs of care the gummint feels they have to close a few of the existing loopholes that have allowed the well resourced and informed to ferret away assetts so to avoid having to pay for their LTR care and protecting $$$$ for the offspring.
I’m speculating, and this does require close scrutiny. To my shame, I assume this is yet another way Our Elected Representatives are devising to tighten the screws on those who are just managing.
Thanks, I think, vv for bringing this to my attention.
Its all aimed at Winston Peters, the media have it in for him mainly because he picks them up when they ask loaded questions and gives it back. I thought Kim Hill was less abrasive with the PM this morning. The theme behind the questions was similar but Jacinda is not Winston. Like the National opposition the media are being shown up for their deep seated dislike of Winston Peters to the extent of blinkering their view on how this MMP govt works.
Winston acts like a complete prick in his interaction with the media. He learnt this from Muldoon. From what i have seen it matters little if an interviewer is acting genuinely. Winston deserves all he gets.
Winston is combative but he has style, that’s the barrister showing. Muldoon was just a school yard bully. Interviewers from back in the day regarded politicians as fair game to get one over. Lets remember there were TV satire shows lampooning politicians and politics generally and punchy current affairs that grilled politicians until blood appeared. This is all old hat to Winston and the media are suckers for continuing to treat him as entertainment in 2018. Winston may deserve what he gets but unfortunately for the media he gives back harder. He is the deputy PM and he has no intention of losing. The media need to change tack.
Yes me likewise Grumb.
Though Kim is a gem; it was not enouigh sadly to stop me from leaving being a listener of RNZ.
So I have finally left RNZ as a listener now finally as it has been Hi-Jacked by the nasty Right wingers sadly.
RNZ has now been reduced to a very low grade level of no real Investigative journalism or coverage of regional issues with community input sadly.
This was what we were expecting but the disastrous handling of our public media by Clare Curran only produced a negative result with heavy seeded people running this public media; – with ‘self interested servants of the right wing stable.
Sad ending to a once proud public media..
For pete’s sake Cleangreen stop being so precious. Radionz is all we have got. It could be better but it could fall far worse. Keep on listening, send them a shot over their bow FTTT. We are in big trouble in NZ and the world, and it is no use sighing heavily and being too nice about services not being up to your standard. We may never get better! Stick in there feisty, and keep what we have, not just roll over and let the b..s wipe their feet on you.
I do have my reasons Greywarshark,
Our NGO wrote to the CEO of RNZ in February 2018 to ask for a reporter to be returned to HB/Gisborne after we lost him three years ago and they never sent us one since.
They have left our regions without a reporter to come to us and cover our community issues and this is still the same today.
by the way the CEO is still the national Party apportioned CEO and he was not supportive of our labour/NZ First political friendly regions so this is why we hold RNZ in contempt sadly we wished it was not so.
Time to write again 6 months later Cleangreen. You have been working hard for the region – keep up the pressure. Have you done an opinion piece for the Gisborne paper which is factual and finishes with a question about whether Gisborne has dropped off the RNZ map?
Also do you know of some aspiring articulate good writer who could be RNZ reporter in Gisborne and knows about local matters and can present political and interesting stories? Might need some training. Find out if they would mind putting their name forward? Then RNZ can’t just say this is hard, where can we get a reporter (throws hands in the air). Lois Williams does Northland, Tracey Neal does Nelson etc. Gisborne must have someone who has been limited by an accident who is under-employed, women who have the education and have time after children, an older school leaver who has been a kapa haka or sports leader for instance and has the ambition, organisation, self-drive etc to put pieces in and understand the multi-tech needed.
What I did like in retrospect was that most of Kim’s “questioning’ did give Jacinda the chance to rebut and correct a lot of the narrative being pushed by a few so called political commentators setting themselves as the news.
The PM handled the Kim Hill interview very well in my view. KH let the PM answer without talking over her or interrupting her mid- sentence. She asked insightful questions and the PM was well able to handle them.
The PM is doing well in her role. She is still a relatively new leader and growing into the position takes a little time. The nonsense that she is “weak” just because she is not overtly trying to be “tough” has an element of jealousy and envy from those critics because people like her and want to connect with her. It drives them mad!
Running the country is paramount but how great it is to also have a little “stardust”.
Chris Trotter seems to think the stardust has gone.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/09/18/no-substance-to-her-stardust-has-jacinda-lost-the-magic/
Chris Trotter likes to wax lyrical. He also betrays a depressing penchant for wanting a leader that exhibits a type of old world totalitarian Labour party philosophy. Similar to other commentators and opinion piece writers on Jacinda Ardern he should get with the times and join the 21st century in 2018.
Chris Trotter likes to interview himself and thinks the Chris Trotter he knows is such an erudite all-knowing soul on a very high pedestal. He seems still to be stuck in the 70s/80s.
I’m glad that chris Trotter can still remember what it was like in NZ in the 70/80s. Many seem to have no idea, and no context to pin their views to.
Trotter: “Accompanying these “Budget Responsibility Rules” were a seemingly never-ending series of working-parties dedicated to coming-up with the policies Labour’s leaders lacked both the imagination and the courage to come up with themselves.” Overkill? Technically, perhaps, but many perceive this.
Actually, crowd-sourcing policy initiatives is a good idea in principle. The Greens called it grass-roots democracy (when the GP started). I just wouldn’t trust Labour to conduct an honest process in practice. Their innate contempt for the people is too habitual.
Trotter summarises the coalition reset thus: “emphatically vague Jacinda is back. Poised, articulate, relaxed, witty: oh yes, she was all of those; but when her listeners attempted to recall the substance of her speech there was precious little for memory to work with. It was a tale told by a politician: full of smiles and good intentions; signifying … very little indeed.”
There’s a couple of notable comments to Trotter on TDB. Janine says “Another victory for form over content. Might well be the metaphor of our times.” Countryboy predicts this future: “Financiers will jump out windows and fall like autumn leaves. Mince wrapped in Gorgio Armani.”
First real mistake for Jacinda imo
“Ardern’s office swiftly denied she had seen the figures, which are meant to be under strict embargo until 10:45am on Thursday when they are released by Statistics New Zealand.
“The Prime Minister made a mistake,” a spokesman said.
“She has not seen, because we do not receive, the GDP numbers.” ”
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/107160622/prime-ministers-office-admits-mistake-over-arderns-economic-growth-hint-claim
So she doesn’t know what she reads and gets confused with numbers and thought it was the GDP, or she did read it and was not allowed to, and is now lying?
I’m guessing the later
Everyone makes mistakes
Which mistake?
Not knowing what figures are what or breaking the rules and now lying?
Lol – got lots of froth on your hate-a-chinno there chris
Lol
Yes Marty ‘Everyone makes mistakes’ you said;
Wasn’t that what John Key said during the’ponytail-gate affair’ or more recently when bumbling Clare Curran said – “I am only human” ?
So?
Pray tell us Marty, what was the mistake?
Is she really so ignorant that she doesn’t understand what the GDP is, and doesn’t realise that it isn’t the same thing as the Crown Accounts?
Or is it that she let slip that the GDP figures are being leaked to her office?
I suspect it is the latter and that her office is panicking about the public finding out.
I suspect that Stats wouldn’t hesitate to try and keep the Government Ministers informed.. They must be very worried that there will be a cull of the Department after they left New Zealand with no valid Census data, having royally stuffed up the most important task they have.
It helps lend credence to the supposition that Bridges’ expense figures were leaked by someone in the Government. We don’t really believe, do we, that the Departments don’t tell this Government anything they want to know and that they didn’t see all the expense figures for everyone in Parliament, regardless of the fact that they weren’t meant to and their claim that no one in Government had seen anything about them?
You do realise that no department/ministry/government was involved in the expenses matter, don’t you? Only parliamentary services and the National caucus ….
Read the article I linked to please.
Yeah Alwyn – she’s a girl so can’t understand numbers eh? Only knows about frocks. Are you grumpy because your Princess Party invitation got lost in the mail?
You really are confused aren’t you?
Your comment should of course be addressed to someone like Robert Guyton, rather than myself.
The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question. She was talking about the GDP numbers because she had seen them.
Robert, and her own staff apparently, are the ones who want you to think that she doesn’t understand the difference. One can either believe that she really is stupid and hasn’t any understanding of the difference or that, like me, you think that she understands exactly what she is talking about.
I think they were leaked to her before the date and time they should have been released.
I fear I may be wrong in what I wrote in this comment.
“The PM was asked specifically about the GDP. I believe, as anyone can see from what I said, that she knew exactly what the GDP, as opposed to the Crown Accounts, is and she was replying to the question”.
I now accept that she really is so ignorant that she has no idea what the GDP of a country is and what GDP actually means. Incredible. How have we ever reached the level that senior politicians have no understanding at all about these things?
It doesn’t affect the question of whether she had seen the GDP numbers of course. She wouldn’t even realise what they were if she had. On the other hand why is she so foolish as to comment on things when she doesn’t even realise what the questioner is talking about?
No wonder Winston went with Labour. In their company he looks, not like a worn out old roue but like someone with at least a skerrick of ability.
“It helps lend credence to the supposition that Bridges’ expense figures were leaked by someone in the Government.”
Oh put it away.
Hamish Rutherford reported (hinted) on the stronger economy news yesterday, ffs. Did he break the embargo? No.
I think this is a mistake too
“Ardern told reporters later this morning she had been “obviously” referring to unaudited financial accounts.
“I accept I was talking about one thing and he was talking about another.”
She denied she was confused. “I know what I was talking about. Unfortunately the question I was being asked was something else.” ”
https://www.odt.co.nz/business/pms-mistaken-gdp-comment
Always good to answer the question given.
The material she did read hinted at the figures being good. Hinted, as Jacinda said.
She hasn’t seen the figures. Her office has to counter overheated speculation such as yours going unchallenged, Imo. As for “lending credence” to which Nat MP leaked, your claim has … none of that stuff at all.
“Host Mike Hosking asked if the numbers were good”
“I’m pretty pleased,” Ardern said.”
Robert, you need to spin a little more! While “hinted” was the headline the above exchange is much more direct.
So either Ardern has been “leaked” the GDP numbers or she is hmmm confused and or telling porkies.
Been a nice little rally in the NZDUSD exchange rate this morning.
For beginners – if Treasury/IR report good income flows (above forecast) this indicates there is (above forecast) growth.
Ardern needs you on her team SPC.
The confused option is properly the best outcome for Ardern. Let us hope next time she clearly says other Treasury numbers indicate a good/robust GDP number or something to that effect.
Or the PM’s office will have to fire off more denials.
Meh – she could probably infer it from an informal Grant Robertson complacency index. Grant’s been taking lessons from Cullen, who never had a result go against him.
Cullen was very good at his job and Helen Clark was able to rely on her finance minister.
I think Robertson is too lazy and not in the same league as Cullen.
If so I imagine Parker will be there before you can say naïf.
Our military in Iraq beyond June 2019 – just about a certainty, the Americans will ask and Winston Peters will say yes.
While bringing them back was in Labour’s policy it was not in the coalition agreement, and thus … so what does NZF give Labour in return for this?
It’s due to the Australia training team mandate which ends around September from memory next yr, so aligning with the Australians makes sense for a number of reasons both military and political.
Exkiwiforces
I think you are right. The PM will not want to be offside with Australia on everything. Keeping the forces in Iraq in a training role is a relatively easy gesture to make. The NZDF personnel will also appreciate the experience.
I was more than a little surprised to hear her on Radio Live, saying to Duncan Garner that she would not be talking about the missions/operations the SAS was undertaking. It was a bit of an off to the side question by Duncan , so she may have just used a formulaic response. More like Helen Clark than John Key.
Anyway I find it hard to believe that the SAS are on any missions, since I don’t believe the PM/DPM would authorise SAS missions in an entirely secret manner. While the SAS do train with other partner nations special forces, training is not the same as being on operations.
That would explain it as the reason to make it the coalition decision (given Winston Peters pose as a better manager of the relationship with Oz)
But if the Americans asked Oz to stay longer, would we then too?
It does suggest that Labour had their policy in a separate category to the Oz relationship, and it is NZF who pulled them this way.
From memory the Australia’s extended the training mission just before the announcement of NZ election or the before the writs were issue hence why the then current government didn’t make the D as it would become an election issue, also the current NZ UN missions with the MER were due for renewal and again I think this was 6mths- 12mths after the election.
From a Military training/ logistics POV it sort’ve makes sense as there is bugger all hrs left on the C-130’s and decision for those replacements has to be made towards the end of the yr or early next yr before NZG and NZDF hit critical mass IRT to many hrs are left on the C130’s which would be a major whole of Government Policy Failure. Which I would be pointing fingers at all political party for this cock up from 98 onwards.
Once the C130 replacement process starts, expect to a massive drawdown of NZDF from the MER IOT cover for the reduction of available C130’s and this I think will happen from September onwards next yr IOF the RNZAF to cover for Op Deep Freeze and HADR missions for SP during the cyclone season.
“so what does NZF give Labour in return for this”.
They’ll let her go off to the UN at the weekend without making her look helpless and under their thumb for the rest of this week?
You don’t really expect Winston to do anything he wasn’t already planning to do, surely?
What more do you expect from the old charlatan?
I’m sorry, but that is slightly desperate.
Have you seen them …… I get a hint, yes
The yes is confirming his question
In fact even if it was a hint it would be breaking the rules
I heard the interview and she certainly sounded like she had seen it, going by her cheerfulness talking about it
Listen below
[audio src="http://120.138.20.16/WeekOnDemand/ZB/auckland/2018.09.18-07.45.00-S.mp3" /]
Revenue figures from Treasury and IR being above forecast are indicative that growth is above forecast. One can make a fair estimate of what the GDP figure might be from them – even journalists (Rutherford etc) can do that.
And they did, yesterday. Perhaps we should be grilling Rutherford instead about his effect on the NZ dollar…
I know what desperate looks like. It looks like government opponents throwing absolutely everything at Ardern in the face of good economic news.
Well, the NZ Dollar has stopped the rise and bucked back downwards, so no story there..
Fucking more than slightly desperate by bridges and his useful idiots (here’s looking at you kid) for trying to make story out of this .
Not sure if Phil Twyford and Labour/Auckland council seem interested in making this cancer sufferer house ‘warm and dry’ when they have created the opposite for him and many other people living in Auckland through botched resource consents.
When you have poor planning, council interpreting incorrectly their own rules and the constant curse of having natural sunlight destroyed by a McMansion popping up next to you which has become business as usual in Auckland for destroying amenity for modest housing.
The irony is, the urban planning legalisation was rushed through deceptively for affordable housing, but of course now the real agenda is clear, it is to relax the planning rules so that the council builds luxury McMansions around central Auckland districts to house the richer folks and the collateral damage is smaller modest folks houses becoming sunless, damp housing with hundreds of thousands wiped off it’s value by council and developers. More money and amenity for developers, less money and amenity for modest housing….
The human face of Auckland Council’s consent botch-up
https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018662252/the-human-face-of-auckland-council-s-consent-botch-up
The reality is that consecutive governments, councils and construction firms have completely botched and ripped off homeowners through many means and left them high and dry after creating the problems, aka leaky buildings,
botched reconstruction in Christchurch
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/102392671/homeowners-with-botched-repairs-left-out-of-pocket-for-reports,
Bella vista
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/362567/bella-vista-council-compo-offer-for-botched-tauranga-development-heartbreaking-residents
Botched resource consents in Auckland as above..
When are we going to be able to have quality construction in NZ instead of a bunch of idiots bringing in the lowest of the low to do work and then expecting home owners to pick up the costs of government allowing construction and councils to do whatever the F they feel like and getting everything wrong, but no penalty so they keep doing it again and again.
Also when are those signing off bad work going to be held to account (like an industry ban for 10 years) rather than having the ratepayers and taxpayers constantly pay out for screw ups as the Ponzi continues…
Is decades of construction issues not on the government agenda because so far they seem to be turning a blind eye and actually not even independently checking the credentials of tradespeople being bought in with a test like they do in other industries aka nurses and teachers, let alone bumping up the penalty and checks on using dodgy materials…
Yes Save NZ;
Jacinda; and her team of Labour NZ First/greens Ministers need to use the terms “It’s putting things right that counts” like – LV Martin did in the ad they had back in the 1970’s. “it’s the putting right that counts.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/our-people/7337652/Putting-it-right-is-getting-it-right
Could be helpful about now?
For whatever reason the construction industry have had successive governments wrapped around their little fingers and created a dysfunctional housing market where somehow houses only last about 5 years before they start failing in some way… and nobody who built them or those that consented them held to account.
we have a housing crisis due to lazy immigration but the other side of the story is the dysfunctional construction industry that is so deregulated and with so little constraints from our RMA laws to relaxed planning laws, to getting rid of apprentices, to allowing the commoditisation of subcontracters and cheap labour with middle men, to our lax bankruptcy laws and so little criminal culpability on bad housing (CTV building/PIke river mine).
How has NZ become so bad at building over the last 30 years, while also giving the construction industry everything they want and plenty of corporate welfare to boot and still they wah wah for more concessions?
Time to stop the carrots and actually apply some common sense and come down a lot heavier against incompetence and poor building and resource consenting work to those that profit from it as well as the builders.
Nice to see at least a bit of spine about Mainzeal directors for a change. Not from the government of course.
All we hear about is WOF for rentals, there should be a full WOF on every new house being built and an exact list of everybody who worked on it so that mistakes can be rectified and bad practices and contractors stamped out, because most of the worst failures and dangers of complete failure have come from the new builds not the old builds and if government really believe they can somehow out build demand for housing, how does that work, when significant percentages need rebuilding work within a decade and some immediately?
In another location, coming into Porirua I saw a subdivision of newish houses.
They looked as if they had a special grey cloud over them that would block any sun and make them appear gloomy any day. Brown, fawn, grey,. How downbeat NZ is – in clothing, in cars, in houses and lacking in vitality, dragging itself around with no brighter possible future. Sigh.
Maybe Labour can make a small difference and get in again. In the meantime try and be nice to workers, retail etc. and give a smile. It does make a difference for them. Try to keep both kind and practical and keep some awhi going, encourage each other in positive community things benefitting particularly young adults and parents. They need love and welcome to the fold.
Yes greywarshark; – you mean something like “the Latin quarter”?
I saw a “Latin Quarter” with all different brightly colored huts in the 1960’s Downers camp in Turangi when I first come to work on these brightly colored huts at dam site in 1965 and the Ministry of Works whom I joined stuck me in one of those brightly colored huts.
It was told to me that they deliberately painted the huits all different colours so when we came home from the pub half cut at night we would recognise our huts in the dark by the colours.
Personally I think it was because they used left over paint after they finished the last job.
And then afterwards we never had the same colour on two huts since then.
Hope you liked this story as it was true, I was there then.
There were some good stories came from the big projects, dams etc.
I have been reading some small stories from Martin Crump (Barry’s offspring) and was thinking that many reflected those old days. Here’s one you might have heard at that time:
The Bank Inspector from Bill Jones
When a bank inspector called on a small country branch for a surprise audit he
found the banking chamber deserted and the staff drinking beer in the manager’s office. To teach them a lesson, he crept behind the counter and set off the hold-up alarm.
Much to his surprise, a barman from the pub next door immediately came running into the bank bearing a tray of fresh beers!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/09/it-s-a-hell-of-an-existence-phil-goff-s-night-with-auckland-s-homeless.html
Politicians go beyond denial and actually take part in the counting and enumeration of our society’s housing crisis. Other communities might well take note of Auckland’s lead.
Ardern and the coalition talk of a compassionate government, of measuring and delivering upon well-being targets.
First we take notice. We count. We act. So we must.
I played American Football for a season once in Porirua. It taught me a few things. In rugby if your teammate has the ball you get beside them ready for a pass. In American Football you run in front to block tackles (simplistic I know but now the point).
Jacinda needs some blockers. Some labour MP has to become maddog prebble or bootboy mallard and start sorting out these attacks. This is a role that accentuates the qualities of the person who is the recipient of the blocking- they get to do their stuff, their job which isn’t to follow the yapping dogs of opposition. Time to front foot this and sort these righties out imo.
“I played American Football for a season”.
All is clear. You are like Gerald Ford as Lyndon Johnson so cruelly described him.
“He’s [Gerald Ford] a nice guy but he played too much football with his helmet off.”
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/926337-he-s-gerald-ford-a-nice-guy-but-he-played-too
It was most unfair of course. It was after his football days that he went to and graduated with a good degree from the Yale Law School.
Actually I would agree entirely with the rest of you comment. Trevor certainly did most of the dirty work that Helen was wise to keep well away from in her public persona. What she told him in private was of course another matter.
She had plenty of blockers to get her up there in the Labour Party. Not trace of blood on her as Little went down.
Robertson and King did that well, but neither are any use in public for the PM role.
Closest she has now for that blocker role is her staff.
She has no option but to grow harder in the role herself.
I heard our PM onh Radionz this morning arguing her point of view with Kim Hill testing her. Jacinda sounded like a parent explaining the rules to a teenager, and seemed on the wrong foot.
She should just dismiss the critical comments and say that nobody has ever seen an MMP government in action, and while many in the public complain often about matters not being done by Labour, they seem to have accepted the same state of affairs happily from National.
If she affirmed once again that a true coalition government takes time, but good things do (echoing the cheese advertisement), I think many would laugh and accept it. She sounded too anxious to explain herself this morning. I think a confident demeanour would be right saying, ‘We are working hard at setting up better policies for NZ but we have to repair the structure we have been left with so are planning for now, and the future at the same time’
100% correct.
Question 8 of today’s question time is pretty funny
“Hon MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Defence:
Has he seen the quote “Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and the training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is literally Mission: Impossible?”; if so, does he agree with it?”
2015
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/training-cowards-in-iraq-is-mission-impossible-for-kiwi-troops-nz-first-mp-6321787
“”Does [Prime Minister John Key] not realise that you can’t train cowards to fight?” Mr Mark asked.
“Does he not realise that he sent our brave New Zealand soldiers to Iraq on a fool’s errand, and that training the Iraqi Army to stand and fight is a literally mission impossible?”
I agree it was funny and Mark Mitchell’s delivery ended up being the joke. He did get an apology of sorts out of Ron Mark though. National are just barking and its looks pathetic.
Mark Mitchell was like a robot with a software malfunction.
Monotone droning voice and unable to read his own question. Another National joke.
Why on earth do people keep asking Jacinda if she is being undermined by Winston? What the heck do they think she is going to say? Yes?? Stupid question from stupid people.Everyone knows it was just a matter of time before Winston three a spanner in the works. Better now than later.He needs to go overseas for a while to keep him out of mischiefs way. Jacinda IS in charge. Winston is not. Let her get on with it without this constant baying for blood.
Winston Peters; – He is the Deputy for Christ sake and needs some power.
Look at all the other Deputy PM’s and Presidents they all had sway so Winston does need his influence as we all voted for him to help make the difference and not just be another “Hollow man” as national has many of those.
“we all voted for him “.
And there I was thinking that you were a Green Party supporter.
But now you tell us that you voted for New Zealand First.
On the other hand don’t you think that saying “we all voted for him” is just a bit over the top when there were actually only about 7% who did?
Opps sorry Alwyn;
Of course we never thought you would vote for anyone but national!!!
My apologies.
Alwyn I was when I returned from Florida in 1999 a Green Party member after meeting them at a “Social Credit” meeting, but left them in 2002 and was heading an Environmental Advocacy Centre ever since then.
We like NZ First mostly because Winston’s party usually makes more sense of issues.
we like his Transport policies, because of his Rail and energy policies.
Also NZ First wanting to use more wool for carpeting most government buildings as an old guy I like wool immensely.
Labour would do well adopting some of the NZ First policies that are sensible and leave some others that maybe are’nt.
No ones perfect but NZ First is close to what labour/social credit was in 1960.
Fuckers are making an accusation disguised as a question. Ask it often enough and people will assume it wouldn’t be asked without reason. When, of course, that’s exactly what is happening.
Q: Why did Hosking ask if she’d seen the GDP numbers if he knew they were under embargo.
A: He didn’t know they were under embargo and assumed PMs regularly get this information early (some broadcaster).
He can’t have been trying to catch her out otherwise he would have.
I can guarantee you Mike is crying into his tumeric tea right now at missing the scoop of the year on live radio. If he’d known the figures were restricted he would have exposed and embarrassed the PM – a story which would have run for months or years.
But he dropped the ball and this will be dead by next week, if not tomorrow.
There, there, Mike.
“He can’t have been trying to catch her out otherwise he would have.”
Hmmm, that makes it worse Muttonbird. Ardern tripping over her own two feet then…
“If he’d known the figures were restricted he would have exposed and embarrassed the PM’
Well, that happened anyway, that’s why the PM office had to issue a press release denying Ardern had access to the GDP numbers.
XCalls for winter energy payment to never end (article has contact for reporter if you want to go public and say how cutting this affects you)
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/107172417/beneficiaries-get-less-in-the-hand-as-payment-scheme-ends
What has happened to Checkpoint now that John Campbell has gone?
Fancy getting John Key to pitch in on Jacinda’s alleged error over GDP. The host appeared to be ill informed and has poor interviewing technique.
And what a shallow line on nailed strawberries and the sex offender’s activity.
And not holding Key to account for John Oliver’s show and Ponytails.
Very lame.
How come Big Gerry wasn’t investigated in his abuse of a young woman in an Accountants office over the phone. I understand Dim Sim spoke with him and accepted his version with no further enquiry or speaking to others, including the young woman. Is this good enough? I dont think so. He is an arrogant bully and should be dealt with in the proper manner.
You have to laugh.
In today’s UK Guardian, there is a column covering Jacinda’s guest-editing the Herald in celebration of Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand.
And then this quote …
Right wing blogger David Farrar was sceptical of Ardern’s role at the newspaper, which is perceived to be left-leaning, saying having her as editor “cut out” the middle man.
The Herald perceived to be left-leaning??
Daily doses of Hosking, Soper, du-Plessis-Allen, Hawkesby, Grant, … et al.
Kia ora The Am Show Wahine 125 years voting Rights in Aotearoa we know what culture had a big influence on that phenomenon Tangata whenua O Aotearoa .
OUR wahine could own land and the settlers wahine could not so that caused all sorts of problems for the settlors wahine if there men die and they had no male family members what to do with there property????????????????????????????????????????????????.
Yes te Papatunuku & Aotearoa equal right for wahine has a longways to go they carry a unfair burden of our society carrying out domestic duty’s having our mokopuna’s this is changing at a faster rate than at anytime in our history I will put some links up to prove this statement later Equality for all.
Hearing loss in OUR work force is a major problem when I was a lad I would use power tools with no protection at home . At work I had them but did not no how bad loud noise stuffs up ones hearing we need more target advertising / Education for te mokopuna’s on this subject.
A person I know gets his water straight out of the spring we use to play in when we were lad’s just a header tanks on there house and he has filters on his water supply . Good water is a must especially when Aotearoa give’s us wai in abundance . Floride in water is a no brainer to protect te mokopuna’s teeth from our modern diet I tried to get floride tablets for our mokopuna and could not find the stuff Eco gave floride to his offspring 3 out of 4 have good teeth .
I say a big know to one organization having control of our water it will be ripe for the neo libreals to try and sell in the future. If they get into power water is now and will become a much bigger issue around Papatuanuku in the near future . We just have to give the respect to Wai like Tangata Whenua has and keep it clean at all points .
So our private midwifes are private contractors who work for the state $50 k is not enough but $240 k seem like a bit much nearly a %500 increase delivering te mokopuna’s is a important job they need enough income to pay there cost and have a happy healthy life.
That’s how our systems works the powerful are not held accountable for there actions our law’s are made by them to protect them even when they cost peoples lives and this need’s to change. I.E No one held accountable for the Havelock North water problems.
I say changing the word’s From Labour Government to Coalition Goverment is the correct word’s for OUR Goverment after all that’s what our government is .
Kia Kaha Jackie Clark for being honoured for your work withThe Aunties charities that help all the wahine that suffer domestic violence ka pai work .
Ka kite ano P.S thanks for the help YEA RIGHT
I know you were just being used Kia kaha
Kia kaha to first home buyers don’t let the proper gander machine con you into thinking renting is better than owning one’s own house if you fall for this you will be losing big time .
You can have 2 couples combine there Kiwi saver and get a deposit on a house make sure you are compatible and if you pour all your extra income into the house and in 5 to 10 years buy the second house then Walar you are laughting all the way to the bank with 2 houses . The First home buyer % has gone up by %24 ka pai link below ka kite ano.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/107192307/firsttime-home-buyers-sneak-up-to-one-in-four
Every time I go out the sandfly are swarming around me what a bunch of——
I go to the the supermarket an the staff are being rude they get in my way at every stop I make they are there with ladders and pallet jack’s I wonder why what have I done to them nothing.
Yesterday they tried to get some of there boys to antagonize me they said a couple foul word’s .
Eco Know this is not normal human behavior so I just ignore them they did the same today they are scared I got a email this morning they know what it is you see they have the tools to read everyone’s un crypt emails phones everything in Aotearoa It does not bother me I got nothing to hide bring on the court case ANA TO KAI ka kite ano
All the beautiful Creatures on Papatunuku should be treated like dimonds Kia Kaha
Some more Eco Maori Music
The second video is to the people in power Ka kite ano
Some music Eco Maori is listening to at the minute
WE ARE ALL HUMAN’S
This should never be aloud to happen on Papatuanuku in the year 2018 .
This is only happening because of a greed of power an money I back more Wahine in all the Goverments around Papatuanuku to stop our mokopunas dieing for no real reason all that are responsible for this atrocity should be called out and shamed link is below Kia kaha common people ka kite ano link is below.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/19/yemen-famine-million-more-children-at-risk-
Kia ora Newshub Yes we need tight borader security having flights coming into Aotearoa with proper out sniffer dogs is not good enough for Aotearoa future prosperity this has being going on for 18 months looks like shonky’s mess once again.
The Havelock North water incident only lasted as long as it did because instead of people checking the supplies IE water bore tested water the power’s that be were to busy covering there asses instead of doing there job there was heaps of rain and they consented to a intense beef fattening unite just a few hundred meters away from the bore and still no one is held accountable we know that Havelock is a upper class Town
don bras is just a old man with views that are not acceptable in 2018 he mite be a polite person but he has no idea of how a harmonies society should look like or any intentions of Aotearoa being a Equal happy healthy society for all .
He would prefer a society were him and his m8 had all the resources of Aotearoa to themselves while mokopunas are starving . simon and don would have no wahine in power just men it must give them nightmare’s that OUR new Leader is a young Wahine his type don’t want to lose control that’s the reason he want’s Maori culture and te reo to disappear because Maori are a threat to his classes power base.
Major Foley was a good humane man we have to few of his character of men on Papatuanuku at the minute.
Its ka pai that he is getting acknowledged but I ask question about this with what’s sweeping around Papatuanuku at the minute .
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The Crowd Goes Wild the net ball results are much better Ka pai .
I watched the TallBlacks they had a good game one could see that they were the dominant team just some one put glade wrap on there hoop they got the win kia kaha guys I could see both teams were fatigued
James we have that problem up Te Tairawhiti lol .
Yes Wai Eco is a fan of all those old league players including the Aussie ones. State Of Origin Wally Lewis Big Mal .
Ka kite ano the Wai manawa express Cullen