Had the pleasure of meeting Tamati at the election prior to last, geez he’s a lovely man. Switched on and sincere, he’s the real deal. Thrilled he made it in to parliament.
Epic clip thanks for posting Grey, he does it well 🙂 Cracking up laughing.
The Eminem’s case:
“In a decision released today, the Court of Appeal allowed the National Party’s appeal – and reduced the damages payment down from $600,000 to $225,000.”
But of course they probably used the “Don’t you know who we are?” line. Born to Rule they think.
Bet you can’t guess Simon’s first question today?
“1. Hon SIMON BRIDGES to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her statements and actions in relation to Karel Sroubek?”
Perseverance but really what else can the ring out of this?
Jacinda was asked again by Suzie this morning the same Sroubek questions mimicking Simon. Jacinda thought they were going to talk Climate change but instead the same tired questions with the same tired answers. Why?
Unlike the opposition well versed in verbal incontinence.
Perhaps Mark could offer some Verbal Contifit devices. A few Xmas pressies all round with personal fittings for Wodehouse, Mitchell, Bennett and Bridge-less
While most people see this as an overdone steak (or stake) it is far from that. As I have said a couple of times here, it has more legs than a centipede. That is why people like MS and myself remain interested. The issue of Hardcore’s text to Ardern is a red herring (a very small sardine actually) being used to politically discredit her, but the persistence with that aspect could well backfire. There are some much bigger issues behind the whole situation.
” The issue of Hardcore’s text to Ardern is a red herring”
You keep telling yourself that
“Newshub has made multiple requests of the Prime Minister’s Office under the OIA for details of official communications she’s had using personal email or messaging platforms. We have been stonewalled and refused every time.”
“The thing is she’s creating the rod for her own back here, if theres nothing in the text then just release them”
If, Pucky, Jacinda operates under the understanding that someone sending a text to her, and there must be scores and scores of them, can do so without fear of having that text and their identities revealed under pressure from National Party MPs, she would surely keep to that understanding/undertaking. If she betrays one member of the public, all will be affected. Do you see my point? Do you see Jacinda’s point (she’s explained it often enough).
The problem is this isn’t the first time Jacinda’s had issue with her phone so, like Sir John Key was hounded into releasing his texts, we need to see Jacindas phone records because theres a strong whiff of something quite unpleasant about this
Was pressure applied to Ian Lees Galloway to give a known drug dealer residency
‘Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway confirmed an error was made granting Karel Sroubek residency and it’s this technical aspect that the deportation liability now hinges on.’
Yes do keep telling yourself that @ vv (with ref to Nakibloke @4.2.1) because you are correct. There are some that were trying to warn I L-G he was being set up (via junior MPs) but it obviously didn’t quite get there in time if at all. There might have been a bit too much Chardonnay sipping going on.
Again, the only thing I L-G is guilty of is placing too much faith in the bureaucracy and processes (which we now know are “under review”).
And thank Christ INZ (and the Labour Inspectorate – sometimes known as the Labour Expectorant) are finally able to get off their chuffs and collect arsehole exploiters with the involvement of the Police (instead of trying to be their own little Police Force). And its a bloody shame the IAA still doesn’t seem to be up to the task.
Hipkins said, “I am not convinced that the university engaged sufficiently with the views of those stakeholders who should have their views considered.
… “The university council that sought the name change followed “well over a year of research, seeking advice from experts and discussion with staff, students, alumni and stakeholders, including a consultation period during which close to 2500 submissions were received”. “
It won’t be a matter for Hipkins regret. Right from the start, the VC gave every reason for the suspicion of duplicity. As for the reported consultation, it was a fiction as it pretty much excluded recognition of large numbers of those who opposed, including the staff.
I don’t think Hipkins will have anything to regret by this action.
From my, admittedly unscientific, observations I think allowing the Vice-Chancellor to have his way would have been far more damaging for Chippie.
I don’t know any faculty members or alumni who are in favour of the change. I know quite a lot of the academic staff and a lot of older alumni. They really do not want to see the change take place.
Perhaps the younger ones are in favour. I don’t know many of them.
Personally I would say “Good on Hipkins”. I didn’t know he had it in him.
Speaking of which, is it not about time that National Radio got yet another futile and stupid but expensive re-branding, which continues to leave it with a longer and less elegant name that its best and original one – ‘National Radio’?
(Still by far the best name, because we should not let the National Party steal and pervert the true meaning of ‘National’.)
But then he is the ex student union president at Vic, is still mates with them and they were the most vocally against the change, so maybe he just caved to pressure
Our Learned Friends from Crown Law (circa 2007) emerge smelling none too sweet.
Set the spooks onto victims and witnesses in a case involving abuse in State Care they did…(3.7)
“In the Inquiry’s view, surveillance by the government of a participant in a civil case is generally improper, or at least highly unusual and something that would require careful oversight and controls to assess and balance privacy interests.
The Solicitor General confirmed to the Inquiry that this is also her view and expectation.
This was reflected in Crown Law’s response to a journalist’s enquiry earlier this year, which stated the Crown would not instruct a private investigator to carry out surveillance of a witness. ”
@ Gabby, and their carbon emissions from their vehicles… and their pollution from their cruise ships… that are somehow exempt from the tiny tourism tax…
Also if they can build their own airport transfers, new roads and public transport needed, user pays for stadiums and stop stealing harbours for marinas like America’s cup and cruise ships that only seem to benefit the 1% (if that).
Tourism seems to be piggy backed on public spending and they are the priority for councils and government when their expansion subsidised by rates and taxes from residents for increasingly overseas owned or part owned tourism businesses.
wrong Savenz…please look at the numbers before you come out with this rubbish…tourism is major earner, employer and tax payer for Godzone, and not just GST but income and company tax.
I walk tracks near Wanaka where you never see a tourist.
You’re one of these idiots that sees a few people doing well because of something and calls it good but doesn’t look at the costs that something imposes.
That’s the trouble about tourism – look at the numbers. Because of the OTT drive to increase tourism for foreign earnings, the people actually living in this country are being denied their once high quality resources. The overseas earnings has to be gathered so that it balances the imports that we are so wedded to. Usually mport balances are higher than our foreign earnings.
We are on a treadmill and the more foreign tourists we get the more their
presence causes the country to be spoiled a little for everyone, after a survivable number has been researched and reached. And the more we are told we are well off and we borrow more personally, and our incomes remain low,then it is hard to pay off without a total change-around of lifestyle and expectation but this is the age of ‘She’ll be right’ and those who aren’t are no-hopers. Nice!
I think you will find that was in the past Bearded Git, you know when Kiwi based and born mums and dads owned restaurants, hotels and B&B’s and shops and Kiwi’s were workers in those businesses not migrant workers paying for the job in many cases.
Tourism like anything should be run sustainably, unfortunately in NZ it is not, just bums on seats, like many other areas like education, construction and so forth… NZ is unconcerned about quality, long term sustainability or compatibility to morality.
Placing more costs onto tourists (thus reducing costs for locals) should also help to slow the rate of growth. Giving us more time and funding to improve current infrastructure to meet demand going forward. Which should also help pacify growing local resentment.
With talk of peak room capacity coupled with a number of other media reports, it seems the country (well certain regions of it) is quickly reaching its capacity unless infrastructure is rapidly improved.
Another day and another revelation about Donald Trump.
A comedian and ex-Celebrity Apprentice staffer who claims to have worked with Donald Trump for six years has made shocking new accusations against the US President.
Noel Casler allegedly worked in talent logistics on the set of Celebrity Apprentice while Trump was host, and also worked on his Miss Teen Universe pageants.
In a stand-up show this month, Casler accused Trump of recreational drug use and said he acted inappropriately towards teenage beauty pageant contestants.
(Anyone get the idea that there seems to be heaps of non residents just going around ‘helping’ people get residency and then getting residency themselves somehow…) The Ponzi continues and will continue until the government actually makes a real criteria and decent time frame so that all these little scams are too hard to keep going over time as are people’s fleeting relationships and businesses operating here being used to aid residency applications need to be verified over a 10 – 20 years not 2 – 5 years by which time things clearly seem to change for most people…)
It’s all working as designed @SaveNZ. Industrialise Immigration, shoddy Private Tertiary Education that gives NZ Inc. a good earn, Labour Hire Companies and anyone else you choose to create a ‘skill shortage list’ for……. better still, let them also become Immigration Advisors on the side (why not vertically integrate for the purposes of efficiency and effectiveness).
And the good thing is that if you’re a complete arshole charlatan, the good will be lumped in with the bad. And you can even tinker and pretend by doing things like lifting IELTS 6.5 to IELTS 7, and you can even stand up in Parliament in all good ‘FAITH’, (not unlike the pompous Wodehouse) and feign the very greatest of concern about a fucking Sroubek
Meantime, NZ ends up with the average and the dross (including the likes of a Thiel), whilst the likes of Canada, a number of European countries, and even some in the Middle East get not only the talented, but the committed.
(Maybe a bit of quality control is needed, no wonder NZ jails are filling up and we can’t be bothered/no funds for rehabilitating our own criminals when we have so much sympathy and compassion for the overseas crims).
You’re not suggesting NZ Inc has fallen victim to UK failed/very average/complete muppet civil servants are you @ SaveNZ?
That idea would be oh so 1960s and 70s, but I suppose they do know better.
And they are of more monetary value (currency exchange-wise) than others.
They can probably even house themselves in luxury and enforce the rulz we’ve become accustomed to living by even if it might take a while to come to terms with a NuZull culcha.
Let’s good rid of the furrin devils who are costing us money. It is the cultural cringe – I think the ‘uman resources try and get overseas people because they expect more money and probably the agency gets a percentage. Moral hazard anyone, if that is the case. Everyone of any colour, creed or race has the potential to be a furrin devil because of the overcrowding our gummint has encouraged, facilitated actually.
The money-mad still want to be like Switzerland or Luxembourg but they aren’t clever and careful enough, our intellect is below Japanese crows, we behave like sheep and get milked like cows. We should try to be goats, they are much more lively and individualistic.
Interesting to see our ‘kind’ PM insulting the opposition leader with childish name calling, and getting a telling off by her protector Mallard. I’m sure all the socialists are laughing in the almond lattes …
Like the end of yet another explanation that Bridges seemed unable to understand she said,
“Its Simple Simon.”
I suppose Simple Simon sees himself as a great Debater but the lost cause is Simple Simon.
So, Marshy, you just proved unwittingly the silliness of your assertion that our very capable and assertive PM needs a ‘protector’. Firstly, she dealt capably and assertively, humorously, with Bridge’s boring and repetitive attempts to slur and smear, and secondly the man who you call her protector quite rightly required her to withdraw and apologise, as she was unparliamentary.
It was a bit funnier and certainly less malicious than Paula Bennett’s “Zip it , sweetie!” made to Ardern, thus exposing her truly “nasty, pathetic side.”
It is a truly hilarious comment. Never before in history have we had a Prime Minister who is such a master of stand-up comedy. She is far, far better than anything that David Lange ever managed.
Billy Connolly and Stephen Fry will be chastened. An amateur who is so vastly better than they ever were.
She has only one thing to learn. You should come out with your jokes as if they are spontaneous. It spoils it if you are so obviously reading it off a sheet of paper.
Still, it is the most marvellous attempt at humour that the current Government has managed. So much better than the bitter reactions to questions that are exhibited by so many of the Ministers when they are, as usual, caught out.
That was a wonderful display Cindy. Long may it be celebrated as the finest achievement of this woeful coalition.
alwyn, you forgot Oscar Wilde and George Bernard-Shaw. Please, lay it on properly.
Actually, Jacinda does not do this very often at all. But when she does it, it is simple and it sticks. Remember when Mike Hosking asked her if she had read his (award-winning?) article, and she asked back, “The satire?’
His silence spoke volumes.
She does it rarely, but well. Eat it.
Simple Simon met the PM
On the way to the fair
Said simple Simon to the PM
Show me that I’m right .
Show me your proof first said the PM
But simple Simon said I have none.
I hope our min of justice is taking note, especially given his comments this week.”Justice Minister Andrew Little disagrees.
“All the laws we have in place are the laws we’ve had in place for a few years now, and judges have to be left to do their decision,” he told Newshub.”
It is not a good look this case with the offender being given in some a light sentence by the appearance of displaying remorse, her subsequent actions appear to be contrary to this and I wonder how the judge is feeling perhaps being misled. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12178882
Any astronomers out there – I’m looking to get a telescope soon – have semi decided on a refractor sky watcher 100/900 computerised for astrophotography. Any thoughts appreciated.
“A report published in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology maps the wetland loss of the region (Southland) by comparing satellite images taken in 1990 and 2012.
It examined 32,814 hectares of wetland and found it was being lost at a rate of 157 hectares per year.
Since 1990, 3452ha of wetlands were no longer present in the landscape and a further 3943ha were at risk – amounting to 23 percent either lost or in a state of decline.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said more must be done to protect wetlands.”…
… Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards committee chairman Bruce Allan said he hoped the report would prompt a painful, but necessary, change in farmer’s behaviour.
“I think it’s a wake up call. There’s been a long history of land development across the nation really, we’re probably going to see that slow down and there’s obviously moves to improve habitat,” Mr Allan said.
“There’s far greater awareness of the issues and there’s a lot more role models out there prepared to show leadership and talk about what they’re doing and pitch in with community initiatives such as catchment groups to turn this situation around and improve things.”
The thing that strikes me with this is that Yes minister we DO have to do more to protect wetlands – this is a no brainer so lets do it. And this ‘wake up call’ idea – surely the wake up has already occurred what we have now is the repeated hitting of the snooze button hoping it all goes away – it won’t go away.
Herodotus – It is unconstitutional for the Minister of Justice to be involved in this case at all so what is the point of your comment? Secondly, what is the relevance of the vague comment “…. her subsequent actions appear to be contrary to this ….”. Justice is based on evidence – not appearances. Finally, the Judge’s 8 pages of sentencing notes were uncharacteristically released to the public, so the thinking of the Judge is transparent. Yes, the petition was very well supported but if the prosecutor reviewed the case, consulted with the family of the deceased and was convinced there was a miscarriage of justice, then an appropriate application could/should have been made. If the Judge was mislead at sentencing, she was in a position to act on this when reviewing the case as was provided for went the defendant was sentenced. Agin, something that was uncharacteristic. This seems another situation where the social media justice system, backed by the mainstream media justice system is holding sway. Irrespective of the matters surrounding this case, as a society, we should really be deciding if we should have a criminal justice system. Of course, there is the alternative of relying on ‘trial by media’ to determine the guilt or innocence of alleged offenders and then sentences being imposed on the basis of what is gleaned from media sources.
Public comment, criticism or even outcry over perceived injustice is necessary from time to time so that the justice system in any given country can periodically course-correct so that it aligns with the country’s culture.
Otherwise laws would simply be set once, and never change.
Laws have to evolve over time, and to reflect what the society generally thinks is fair, whatever ‘fair’ means, otherwise the public will revolt.
While I am less than impressed with the politicians who have tried to take advantage of this situation, I think if it had been a poor brown boy killing a rich white girl, we all know where that brown boy would be right now, and that’s definitely not at home sleeping in his own bed with his Mum cooking him dinner.
Consistency is what is needed in order to build trust in any situation, and trust in the justice system is no different.
Chess Player – yes, “criticism or even outcry over perceived injustice is necessary from time to time” but it should be informed criticism. Also, as you say, “if it had been a poor brown boy killing a rich white girl, we all know where that brown boy would be right now”. Sentencing of such cases should not be a benchmark for consistency. Which is the greater problem, society’s ingrained prejudices which are manifested by what some perceive as an institutionally racist justice system, or is it a media incited call for blood on the basis of sentiments that are driven by the likes of the Sensible Sentencing Trust who have driven our incarceration rates ever closer to the worst in the world? What is needed is for the community at large to consider the wisdom of the likes of the Commissioner for Children or those whose knowledge of criminology adds research to the discourse, as opposed to ignorant rantings on social media.
I hope the Leader of the House at the beginning of business tomorrow rises and asks for clarification.
“Mr Speaker, is the word ‘simple’ not to be used in the house? Or if it is just not to be used following the time honoured tradition of no christian names, with a christian name? Is it able to be used with a surname. For example could I say to my colleague “It’s simple Mr Peters or it’s simple Mr Bridges?”
Technicality, Pete. Mallard picked up the obvious ‘Simple Simon’ barb, and acted correctly.
Despite some idiots claiming that he ‘protects’ the PM.
It seems to be Simon who needs protection..
Eco Maori has already stated as fact that with Aotearoa farming emmisions NO ONE was talking about the BIG elephant in the ROOM nitrogin is a big problem and since the 1990 our use of this soil and water poision has gone up x 1000% at least .The reason no one was talking about nitrogin is 2 big companys control the prouduction and importation of nitrogin and they use there money to suppress the facts of there enviromental killing prouduct . I back banning it but the humane side of me says phase it out over 10 years thats enught time for our farmers to switch to organic farming.
1it destroys our soils it speed up the natural cycle 1000 % and kills off the natural organism in our soils basicly we are stilling our grandchildren future soils using nitrogen.2it kill off our water ways causing alge growth to explode in our awa and tangaroa 3 it increeses climate warming 4 we burn carbon to suck it out of the air 5 its hard on the stocks health. There are many other negtive effects that nitrogen causes hecne how Eco Maori was flabbergasted that know one was talking about this stuff WITH FACTS last year.
There’s a hidden climate (and river) killer that drives the industrialisation of agriculture.
Synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. We have to ban it.
Synthetic nitrogen is one of the key industrial agricultural inputs. Pesticides, livestock feed, antibiotics, irrigation, are some of the others. These things are what drive the high input, high damage way of growing food.
Without the inputs, industrial agriculture does not work.
Luckily, the most fundamental input of all is synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. That means, when we get it banned, it will force the de-industrialisation of farming and pave the way for regenerative farming – the only way of farming that provides a glimmer of hope against climate breakdown.
What is synthetic nitrogen fertiliser?
It’s a product that is made in factories and then dumped onto farmland in vast quantities to make grass and other crops grow fast. It’s a bit like crack cocaine for plants, a departure from reality and, ultimately destructive.
It often comes in the form of ‘urea’ but it’s sold under lots of other names too.
Links below ka kite ano. P.S my computer is playing up again sandflys One has to be care full what video is used as some start out correct and at the end flips to be pro nitrogen the big buck’s at work distorting OUR reality
Eco Maori backs income equality and equality for all .
Wahine income being unequal to men is one of the main causes of child poverty wahine and tane start a whano and for some reason they split up most times the children are in the wahines care.Then the marrage settlement most times go in favour of the man{ whom’s got the best lawyer capitlist syndrom more money } so she end up with just enough money /putea to servive to top it off she will only beable to earn in a good situation 80% of what a man makes to try and provide for her children =DEPRIVED children
Global pay gap will take 202 years to close, says World Economic Forum
Gender equality has stalled, says WEF, as women globally are paid 63% of what men get
The global pay gap between men and women will take 202 years to close, because it is so vast and the pace of change so slow, according to the World Economic Forum.
The WEF, which organises the annual meeting of business and political leaders in Davos, said the global gender pay gap has narrowed slightly over the past year, but the number of women in the professional workplace has fallen. In 2017, the WEF estimated that it would take 217 years to close the pay gap.
“The overall picture is that gender equality has stalled,” Saadia Zahidi, the WEF’s head of social and economic agendas, said. “The future of our labour market may not be as equal as the trajectory we thought we were on.”
The WEF found that on average women across the world are paid just 63% of what men earn. There is not a single country where women are paid as much as men. Laos, in south-east Asia, is the closest to achieving parity with women earning 91% of what men are paid.
Gender pay gap: when does your company stop paying women in 2018?
Read more
Yemen, Syria and Iraq have the biggest pay gaps with women being paid less than 30% the level of mens’ wages. The WEF ranked the UK 50th out of 149 countries for gender pay, with women collecting 70% of that paid to men.
Ka kite ano links below. P.S I seen another wahine leader on The late Show with Stephen Colbert one of my favrourite actress Sandra Ballock we need more movies with wahine as the lead actor for equality to flouroush
Eco Maori see the big picture and backs Great Britain staying in the European Union It will be a bad move for most people if Britxit goes down as 99.9 % of people will lose .I say this was all started by the alt right neo librale captlist whom are all about the rich
EU friends of Britain say: we want you to stay
European Guardian readers share their sadnesses and frustrations regarding Brexit a recent German opinion poll, almost 80% of the people asked were against Brexit and would be more than happy if you remained. I am writing to you as a German citizen with a daughter who has grandparents in England and Germany. Although she is too young to fully understand the unprecedented destruction by Germany that Europe suffered, she does know about Britain’s important role in reinstating civilisation and humanity. My daughter is growing up with a deep belief in peace and freedom in Europe. Equal rights, solidarity with the vulnerable and a lively democracy are important to her.
The EU is grounded on these values, which developed out of the horror of the second world war. They are not the cause of the world’s problems but the solution. We need a united Europe, and a united Europe needs Britain.
Sign up to our Brexit weekly briefing
Read more
• There is no doubt about it: the Dear friends in Britain: maybe you are not aware of what Europe will miss when you leave. We will miss your refreshing views, as living on the continent can give a blinkered viewpoint. We will miss your international experience and networks. We will miss your calmness and pragmatism in an overheated world. We will miss your standing side by side against populists and anti-democrats. We will miss your long democratic experience in developing the future EU. Together we are strong! Please stay. We are waiting for you with open arms. Merry Christmas. Ka kite ano links below P.S I say a new vote on staying in the EU is needed to prevent a CATASTROPHE IN Britain
Kia ora Newshub many thanks to our goverment for razing the min wage as for simon and co they can go jump in there toilet employers will have to become inervative and incress prouductivity we wonder why our productivity is low by OECD standards well a low wage does not make anyone look for prouductivity gains.
MP’s being charged $55 per invoice is not on get it sorted.
That was a good ruling by the courts upping the jail time for that unscupulous lady selling her daugther for prostitution when the girl was a minor even if she was of age is not on .
That is not on having 3 rivers in Canterbry having E.coli I say we need more laws to protect our WAI it would be cool if in 3 years one could take a swim in any water way without worring about getting sick.???????????? after all tourism is our biggest export earner you know there is a lot of money suppresing those facts.
Eco Maori backs having city centra’s l banning cars and becoming pedestrian friendly and enviromentaly friendly
The Ebola in the African country Democratic Republic of Congo shows me that the west should put more funds into finding a cure for Ebola why man should no take health threats like Ebola forgranted as it could spread we don’t control nature she controls us put the money in to fix this I wounder who pulled funds out of fighting this ?????????????.
I say the rail line from Hamilton to Auckland is awsome it will take pressure off the roads. Rail all over NZ is needed It would be good to see Huntly gain from the move. I use to catch a train from Gisborne to Napier years ago it was a good scenic journey.
Ka kite ano
. . A shroud of secrecy surrounds isolation facilities used by Air New Zealand international flight crews. Until recently, Aucklanders were not even aware that Air NZ had begun to use hotels in the CBD to isolate returning flight crews. Furthermore, it was revealed that returning Air NZ were leaving ...
How Can We Make Wellbeing at the Centre of Public Policy If We Dont Measure It?When the Minister of Finance announced in the 2018 budget that in the future economic policy would focus more on wellbeing, many saw a glimmer of hope that we were moving away from the mechanical ...
Below is a statement we received from LGB Fight Back in the States, a new group that advocates for LGB rights under vicious, homophobic attack by trans ideology activists. LGB Fight Back, a US-based organization that represents the interests of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people, launched on February 14, ...
Mā te mōhiotanga, ka mārama – mā te māramatanga, ka ora. (Through awareness comes understanding, and enlightenment empowers well-being) Dr Tahu Kukutai embodies this whakataukī (proverb), a wahine (woman) who is driven by a purpose to unveil the stories behind population statistics. Tahu specialises in Māori population research, Indigenous ...
Mihi mai ki a Jade Rangiwhiua Hyslop whose area of research is river restoration and kaupapa Māori. Passionate about the outdoors, learning and improving the environment in socially-just and innovative ways, she works at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton). A budding researcher in its Manaaki Taiao Māori research ...
The report is back on another Universal Basic Income trial, this time in the USA. And as with the others, it shows that this policy works: After getting $500 per month for two years without rules on how to spend it, 125 people in California paid off debt, got ...
Revolutionary Formula:A new Aotearoa is on the rise. Tangata Whenua (Māori) + Tangata Tiriti (all other ethnicities who are committed to a tiriti centric Aotearoa) = the Aotearoa I believe in fighting for. - Rawiri Waititi, Co-Leader of the Maori Party.NEW ZEALAND is in the early stages of a revolution. ...
Mob Psychology: Deep down inside us dwell all manner of dark and violent impulses. In times of social stress and/or crisis, these “atavistic” urges have a nasty habit of rising to the surface like an insufficiently weighted corpse – and unleashing mayhem.ARE WE AS SAVAGE as our forebears? Would we ...
Over the past few years there's been a growing trend for bespoke secrecy clauses in legislation, excluding specific types of information (or even whole agencies) from the coverage of the Official Information Act. These pop up in all sorts of unusual places, sometimes when introduced, sometimes put there by select ...
In this week’s podcast Selwyn Manning and I discuss the ethics and practicalities involved in the so-called “conflict industry.” It includes a discussion of the who and what of the “kill chain” and the implications of Rocket Lab’s position as a major US military logistical provider. You can find it ...
Ramin SkibbaTo turn the tide against climate change, on the day of his inauguration President Joe Biden signed an executive order instituting a raft of policy changes and initiatives. One directed his team to reassess the social cost of carbon. This seemingly obscure concept puts a number on how ...
All Out Of Kindness: At her post-Cabinet media conference on Monday, the Prime Minister demonstrated conclusively that she could be cruel as well as kind. Those revealed to have breached the self-isolation protocols felt the full force of Jacinda Ardern’s displeasure – and the nation lapped it up.JACINDA ARDERN KNOWS ...
Session Thirty-Seven… our last full session in the Dreamland. So the Fae Queen was after a rematch. To the extent that she was literally willing to destroy her own forest in order to replenish her forces. I imagine one of her advisers pointed out that “destroying something in ...
Today the shabby little train of denial ran out of smoke. Payment, apology in Dirty Politics case — Newsroom Crushing defeat for Dirty Politics PR man with apology to defamed academics — The Spinoff Here’s the apology wording, below. It’s ruined only by the clearly bullshit implication that there was ...
It’s always tempting to reach for the easiest “answers” to make sense of an uncertain world. It’s a tendency that has been there for a long time, but in the time of COVID, a lot of it seems to be on steroids.Desperate people do desperate things. In ...
Why New Research? Skeptical Science exists for the purpose of improving public capacity for critical thinking about anthropogenic climate change. Effective critical analysis requires a basis of information, and for our purpose the wellsprings of fundamental understanding are found in peer-reviewed academic literature, our best grasp of how Earth's climate operates and ...
This column will be calling it out. There’s so much folx need to educate ourselves about and DO BETTER. From cis privilege to white privilege, whether it’s how to decolonise, how to handle the pronoun illiterates, this column will be an inclusive space, for ALL GENDERS and ALL IDENTITIES. It ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh, Colombia, 26 February 2021 The recent decision taken in California to place men and women in the same wings of prisons as a response to the violence meted out to trans prisoners is a nascent issue in Colombia, but sooner or later it will get here. ...
About 10 years ago there was a proliferation of home wares promoting ‘Keep calm and carry on’. This adage came from World War 2 posters produced by the British Government in an effort to boost the morale of its citizens. Typically printed as white lettering on a red background you ...
Having spent most of the pandemic alternately calling for mass-death by relaxing lockdowns "for the economy", and for those who breach lockdowns to face harsher and harsher punishments, the National Party has finally made a useful contribution by calling for people told to self-isolate to be paid directly: The ...
The Ombudsman is supposed to be our core watchdog on administrative decision-making. Their central job is to review decisions by public agencies to ensure they are fair and reasonable and followed a proper process. So its more than a little embarrassing that they've been called to account by the courts ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Samantha Harrington For many, people life moved online in 2020. From preschool to dissertation defenses, first dates to weddings, video calls brought us together. To entertain ourselves, we streamed concerts and movies, played video games, and scrolled social media. Demand for internet ...
The Government has made a litany of mistakes over Covid, and we have been more than willing to forgive Labour these missteps and give them some leeway. Branko Marcetic says that when members of the public also make mistakes, we should be focusing on designing a wider system that insulates ...
Naïve optimism has been blinding everyone from Ashley Bloomfield to Case M. Josh Van Veen argues we need to be more aware of our biases in dealing with Covid – but especially the authorities. In the United States, naive optimism was at the heart of the Trump Administration’s failed ...
Cecile Meier walks us through some of the costs of a border system that has neither been able to safely scale up to meet need, nor able to find any reasonable way of prioritising entry into those scarce MIQ spaces. When Zane Gillbee hugged his family goodbye in South Africa ...
Technology lists, what’s this thing called “Deep Tech”, and thinking beyond the tech. Top “x” lists of technology developments, breakthroughs and trends aren’t hard to find. But how useful are they? MIT’s “Breakthrough Technologies” This time every year MIT’s Technology Review magazine produces a “10 breakthrough technologies” list. This ...
Having watched and read about the Conference of the Paranoid, Angry and just plain Crazy (CPAC), including the Orange Merkin’s return to the political centre stage, I am more convinced then ever that if US conservatism, and indeed the US itself, is to find its way back to some semblance ...
Back in 2019, following media revelations that bullying was widespread within the police, the Independent Police Conduct Authority announced that it would be investigating the issue. Today, they reported back, and found the police to be a completely toxic organisation: An independent report into police culture has described a ...
Dr Ben Gray*New Zealand has begun to roll out its Covid-19 vaccination programme, starting with those working at the border, including in the Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) facilities. There have been calls for prioritising other groups such as those in South Auckland [1] and meat industry workers ...
The Climate Change Commission’s recommendations span the breadth of the economy. They are required to come up with sector-by-sector climate budgets consistent with getting New Zealand with net zero emissions under the Zero Carbon Act. The sector-by-sector budgets rest on underlying models. The models build predictions about what will happen ...
Revolution From Below: The original “Long March” was, of course, undertaken by Mao Zedong and what was left of his communist military forces. They did not, however, head off for the nearest school or university, government office or medical clinic. Their goal was not to infiltrate the institutions of capitalism, but ...
There are some genre authors who like to demonstrate their edgy, iconoclastic credentials by sticking the boot into J.R.R. Tolkien. Michael Moorcock springs to mind, with the much-beaten dead horse that is the Epic Pooh essay. Each to their own, I suppose, though seeing as Epic Pooh really boils ...
John SchwartzElizabeth Kolbert lives her stories. In the course of reporting her new book, “Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future,” she got hit by a leaping carp near Ottawa, Illinois (“It felt like someone had slammed me in the shin with a Wiffle-ball bat”) and visited ...
New Zealand has an excellent Emissions Trading Scheme covering everything except agriculture – a non-trivial exclusion, but we can come back to that later. The ETS has a cap. Net emissions from the covered sector cannot exceed the cap. So any other regulations that affect sectors covered by the cap ...
Michael SchulsonDays before the inauguration of President Joe Biden, at a time when some Americans were animated by the false conviction that former President Donald J. Trump had actually won the November election, a man in Colorado began texting warnings to his family. The coming days, he wrote, would ...
Last year, Beef and Lamb New Zealand produced a bought-and-paid-for report claiming that their industry was already carbon neutral, so didn't need to do anything to reduce emissions. The report was full of obviously dodgy accounting - basicly, it didn't bother to follow international carbon accounting rules, because they would ...
Last year, the government chickened out on clean rivers, setting "water standards" that failed to properly control poisonous nitrates. So who was to blame? MPI: The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) opposed introducing a tough bottom line for nitrogen levels in rivers over concerns the economic impact would outweigh ...
Robert Greenberg, University of AucklandThe world was excited by the news last week that NASA’s Perseverance rover had successfully landed in a Martian crater. The rover will now set about collecting samples from what scientists say was an ancient lake fed by a river. The name of this exotic ...
Faith In The Essentials: Fenced-in, almost literally, by motorways. Located, seemingly permanently, at the bottom of politicians’ priority-lists. Heaped with praise for their cultural vibrancy, but not rewarded for it by the presence of white pupils in their public schools, South Aucklanders (like people of colour everywhere) provide their paler ...
Image credit:POLITICAL BLOG 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 blog is unexpectedly missing or the numbers seem very low please check this out. After correcting send me the URL ...
Since the pandemic began, the UK government has restricted protests in an effort to contain the plague. But of course, they're plotting to make these restrictions permanent: Concern over the government’s limitation of the right to protest during lockdown continues to mount after it emerged that the home secretary, ...
Completed reads for February: The Dream of Scipio, by CiceroThe Dragon Masters, by Jack Vance The Dream of Scipio is Pearman’s translation. A very quiet month in the reading department… but a truly excellent one in the writing department. Better yet, this was not merely short stories, but solid ...
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (Colombia, 18 February 2020) Two soldiers, Jhony Andrés Castillo Ospino and Jesús Alberto Muñoz Segovia, fell into the hands of the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN; National Liberation Army). Their capture produced the usual reactions that they had been kidnapped when in fact they were prisoners ...
As much of the world is still implementing lockdowns, including New Zealand, it is a good time to see how Sweden has fared. After being demonised for a year for having relatively moderate restrictions the Swedish death toll is rather much in line with other years. Sweden followed the standard ...
Under The Influence Of The "Governance" Kool-Aid: The furore surrounding Mayor Andy Foster's "review" of the Wellington City Council's "governance" is but the latest example of the quite conscious delegitimization, and sinister re-framing, of spirited political opposition and debate as irresponsible, immature and “dysfunctional”. It shows how very far from ...
Hello there everybody. I’ve been asked by Mr Thinks to come on his blog today and speak my mind about stuff. The government has a lot to answer for. I was sitting there last week as Auckland came out of it’s latest lockdown and I knew the government was making ...
There are times when tikanga needs to be broken for tikanga to survive.I recently gave a presentation on Māori economic history based on my Not in Narrow Seas. Its most important message was that Māori proved to be a very adaptable people continually evolving as new opportunities arose. The European ...
Some of you may remember our blog post "A conundrum: our continued presence on Facebook" in which we detailed our misgivings about and decision to stick with Facebook for the time being. So these latest developments - reposted from the Cranky Uncle homepage - might come as a bit of surprise! ...
Image credit:Quick Data Lessons: Data Dredging Oh dear – another scientific paper claiming evidence of toxic effects from fluoridation. But a critical look at the paper shows evidence of p-hacking, data dredging and motivated reasoning to derive their conclusions. And it was published in a journal shown to be ...
We've had a housing crisis for the past decade, and successive governments have done nothing to solve it. Why not? Bernard Hickey gets it right when he says its all about protecting the rich: The Government is reluctant to push down house prices fearing they'll loses the support of ...
There’s more of the Obama legacy here and Deporter in Chief: Obama chucks out 2,000,000 and Can Trump really deport more people than Obama? and Obama, gay rights and the killing drones ...
My Department Right Or Wrong: Far from “politicians involving themselves in some Corrections matters” being a bad thing, their involvement – along with that of the Ombudsman – constitutes a necessary check upon the unreasonable and unlawful exercise of authority over prison inmates by prison staff. A Corrections Minister who ...
New Zealand is supposed to have a progressive tax system, which taxes people according to their ability to pay. But it turns out that the rich are cheating: The wealthiest New Zealanders pay just 12 per cent of their total income in tax on average, according to research from ...
Ground truths on warming When we think about rapid climate change of the kind we've accidentally unleashed and the warming of Earth systems inherent in the process, we tend to focus on phenomena in order of their immediate tangibility, their drama. Sea ice loss in the Arctic, atmospheric and ocean ...
by Daphna Whitmore The Department of Corrections has called in the police over a pamphlet that supports protests at Waikeria Prison, saying the material might incite another riot. The group People Against Prisons Aotearoa denies it advocates for riots and has said it “encourages persistent, peaceful protest action such as striking from ...
One theme in the literature dedicated to democratic theory is the notion of a “tyranny of the minority.” This is where the desire to protect the interests of and give voice to electoral minorities leads to a tail wagging the dog syndrome whereby minorities wind up having disproportionate influence in ...
I've just lodged my fourth complaint to the Ombudsman for deemed refusal of an OIA request by police this year. That brings their total to four for four - every request I have sent them has not been answered within the legal timeframe, even when they extend it to give ...
Will the health reforms proposed for the Labour Government make the system better or worse? Health commentator Ian Powell (formerly the Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists) gives his analysis of what change is most necessary, and what should be avoided. The review of the Health ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections An off-course polar vortex meandered toward the Mexican border, bringing with it frigid Arctic air rarely seen as far south as Texas. Frozen equipment rendered power generation systems in the state inoperable, forcing grid operators to begin rolling blackouts to customers then left to fend ...
Just as National once produced a “rock star economy” that Grant Robertson rejected as being only for the rich, the Labour Government has produced an economic “bounce back” that leaves out the poor. Branko Marcetic argues for a rise in benefit levels to give the poor a real bounce back. ...
Virginia has voted to abolish the death penalty: State lawmakers gave final approval on Monday to a bill that will end capital punishment in Virginia, a dramatic turnaround for a state that has executed more people than any other. The legislation repealing the death penalty now heads to the ...
Yesterday a New Zealand Judge issued a formal finding that the Department of Corrections had treated prisoners in a cruel, degrading and inhumane manner, illegally detaining them, using excessive force, denying them basic necessities unless they performed degrading rituals of submission first. Some of the conduct appears to be criminal: ...
The Green Party are calling on the Government to assess how the COVID-19 leave support scheme can be better improved, distributed and enforced so that workers can properly take leave when self-isolating. ...
We know that when our rural communities do well, all of New Zealand benefits. Labour is committed to supporting our regions so that, together, we can achieve even more. Here are just some of the ways we’re backing rural communities. ...
Government data today shows that the wealthiest New Zealanders aren’t paying their fair share of tax, whilst everyone else chips in, Green Party spokesperson on Finance Julie Anne Genter said today. ...
The Green Party welcomes the change in the Reserve Bank’s remit to consider the impacts on housing when making financial decisions, but housing affordability shouldn’t be left to the Reserve Bank, Green Party Co-leader and Housing spokesperson Marama Davidson said today. ...
The Green Party welcomes the passing of the Local Electorate Act Māori Wards Amendment Bill which ensures Māori have a say on local issues across Aotearoa New Zealand. ...
New UMR research reveals that 69 percent of New Zealanders agree that the government should increase the amount if income support paid to those on low incomes or not in paid work. ...
The Green Party are celebrating the Labour Government bringing forward the timeline to ban conversion therapy, and will push to ensure any draft bill properly protects all of our Rainbow communities. ...
The Green Party is joining the call for ‘brave policy action’ to address rapidly increasing inequality in New Zealand, which is likely to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. ...
Health Minister Andrew Little welcomes the Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s assessment that transformation of New Zealand’s approach to mental health and addiction is underway. “This is an important step in the Government’s work to provide better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all people in New ...
The Government’s Consumer Travel Reimbursement Scheme has helped return over $352 million of refunds and credits to New Zealanders who had overseas travel cancelled due to COVID-19, Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says. “Working with the travel sector, we are helping New Zealanders retrieve the money owed to them by ...
An additional 88,000 students in 322 schools and kura across the country have started the school year with a regular lunch on the menu, thanks to the Government’s Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme. They join 42,000 students already receiving weekday lunches under the scheme, which launched last ...
New Zealand’s economic recovery has again been reflected in the Government’s books, which are in better shape than expected. The Crown accounts for the seven months to the end of January 2021 were better than forecast in the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). The operating balance before gains ...
More than half of New Zealand’s estimated 12,000 border workforce have now received their first vaccinations, as a third batch of vaccines arrive in the country, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. As of midnight Tuesday, a total of 9,431 people had received their first doses. More than 70 percent ...
The Government is significantly increasing its investment in restoring Central Otago’s waterways while at the same time delivering jobs to the region hard-hit by the economic impact of Covid-19, says Land Information Minister, Damien O’Connor. Mr O’Connor says two new community projects under the Jobs for Nature funding programme will ...
The Government has confirmed details of COVID-19 support for business and workers following the increased alert levels due to a resurgence of the virus over the weekend. Following two new community cases of COVID-19, Auckland moved to Alert Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand moved to Alert Level ...
The Government remains committed to hosting the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2022 should a decision be made by World Rugby this weekend to postpone this year’s tournament. World Rugby is recommending the event be postponed until next year due to COVID-19, with a final decision to ...
Community and social service support providers have again swung into action to help people and families affected by the current COVID-19 alert levels. “The Government recognises that in many instances social service, community, iwi and Whānau Ora organisations are best placed to provide vital support to the communities impacted by ...
The Government is following through on an election promise to conduct an independent review into PHARMAC, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Andrew Little announced today. The Review will focus on two areas: How well PHARMAC performs against its current objectives and whether and how its performance against these ...
Some of the country’s most forward-thinking early-career conservationists are among recipients of a new scholarship aimed at supporting a new generation of biodiversity champions, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. The Department of Conservation (DOC) has awarded one-year postgraduate research scholarships of $15,000 to ten Masters students in the natural ...
I acknowledge our whānau overseas, joining us from Te Whenua Moemoeā, and I wish to pay respects to their elders past, present, and emerging. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you all today. I am very pleased to be part of the conversation on Indigenous business, and part ...
Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced today that main benefits will increase by 3.1 percent on 1 April, in line with the rise in the average wage. The Government announced changes to the annual adjustment of main benefits in Budget 2019, indexing main benefit increases to the average ...
A Deed of Settlement has been signed between Ngāti Maru and the Crown settling the iwi’s historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little announced today. The Ngāti Maru rohe is centred on the inland Waitara River valley, east to the Whanganui River and its ...
With a suite of Government income support packages available, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni is encouraging people, and businesses, connected to the recent Auckland COVID-19 cases to check the Work and Income website if they’ve been impacted by the need to self-isolate. “If you are required to ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed her condolences at the passing of long-serving former Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. “Our thoughts are with Lady Veronica Somare and family, Prime Minister James Marape and the people of Papua New Guinea during this time of great ...
E te tī, e te tā Tēnei te mihi maioha ki a koutou Ki te whenua e takoto nei Ki te rangi e tū iho nei Ki a tātou e tau nei Tēnā tātou. It’s great to be with you today, along with some of the ministerial housing team; Hon Peeni Henare, the ...
The Government is backing a new project to use drone technology to transform our understanding and protection of the Māui dolphin, Aotearoa’s most endangered dolphin. “The project is just one part of the Government’s plan to save the Māui dolphin. We are committed to protecting this treasure,” Oceans and Fisheries ...
Major water reform has taken a step closer with the appointment of the inaugural board of the Taumata Arowai water services regulator, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says. Former Director General of Health and respected public health specialist Dame Karen Poutasi will chair the inaugural board of Crown agency Taumata Arowai. “Dame ...
The newly completed Hibiscus Coast Bus Station will help people make better transport choices to help ease congestion and benefit the environment, Transport Minister Michael Wood and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said today. Michael Wood and Phil Goff officially opened the Hibiscus Coast Bus Station which sits just off the ...
New funding announced by Conservation Minister Kiri Allan today will provide work and help protect the unique values of Northland’s Te Ārai Nature Reserve for future generations. Te Ārai is culturally important to Te Aupōuri as the last resting place of the spirits before they depart to Te Rerenga Wairua. ...
Today the Government has taken a key step to support Pacific people to becoming Community Housing providers, says the Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio. “This will be great news for Pacific communities with the decision to provide Pacific Financial Capability Grant funding and a tender process to ...
Conservation Minister Kiri Allan is encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on a proposed marine mammal sanctuary to address the rapid decline of bottlenose dolphins in Te Pēwhairangi, the Bay of Islands. The proposal, developed jointly with Ngā Hapū o te Pēwhairangi, would protect all marine mammals of the ...
Attorney-General David Parker today announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges. Two of the appointees will take up their roles on 1 April, replacing sitting Judges who have reached retirement age. Kirsten Lummis, lawyer of Auckland has been appointed as a District Court Judge with jury jurisdiction to ...
Government announces list of life-shortening conditions guaranteeing early KiwiSaver access The Government changed the KiwiSaver rules in 2019 so people with life-shortening congenital conditions can withdraw their savings early The four conditions guaranteed early access are – down syndrome, cerebral palsy, Huntington’s disease and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder An alternative ...
The Reserve Bank is now required to consider the impact on housing when making monetary and financial policy decisions, Grant Robertson announced today. Changes have been made to the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee’s remit requiring it to take into account government policy relating to more sustainable house prices, while working ...
The Labour Government will invest $6 million for 70 additional adult cochlear implants this year to significantly reduce the historical waitlist, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “Cochlear implants are life changing for kiwis who suffer from severe hearing loss. As well as improving an individual’s hearing, they open doors to ...
The Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill passed its third reading today and will become law, Minister of Local Government Hon Nanaia Mahuta says. “This is a significant step forward for Māori representation in local government. We know how important it is to have diversity around ...
The Government has added 1,000 more transitional housing places as promised under the Aotearoa New Zealand Homelessness Action Plan (HAP), launched one year ago. Minister of Housing Megan Woods says the milestone supports the Government’s priority to ensure every New Zealander has warm, dry, secure housing. “Transitional housing provides people ...
A second batch of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines arrived safely yesterday at Auckland International Airport, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. “This shipment contained about 76,000 doses, and follows our first shipment of 60,000 doses that arrived last week. We expect further shipments of vaccine over the coming weeks,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni has today announced $18 million to support creative spaces. Creative spaces are places in the community where people with mental health needs, disabled people, and those looking for social connection, are welcomed and supported to practice and participate in the arts ...
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little today welcomed Moriori to Parliament to witness the first reading of the Moriori Claims Settlement Bill. “This bill is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work from all the parties involved. “I am delighted to reach this significant milestone today,” Andrew ...
22,400 fewer children experiencing material hardship 45,400 fewer children in low income households on after-housing costs measure After-housing costs target achieved a year ahead of schedule Government action has seen child poverty reduce against all nine official measures compared to the baseline year, Prime Minister and Minister for Child Poverty ...
It’s time to recognise the outstanding work early learning services, kōhanga reo, schools and kura do to support children and young people to succeed, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins says. The 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards are now open through until April 16. “The past year has reminded us ...
Three new Jobs for Nature projects will help nature thrive in the Bay of Plenty and keep local people in work says Conservation Minister Kiri Allan. “Up to 30 people will be employed in the projects, which are aimed at boosting local conservation efforts, enhancing some of the region’s most ...
The Government has accepted all of the Holidays Act Taskforce’s recommended changes, which will provide certainty to employers and help employees receive their leave entitlements, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood announced today. Michael Wood said the Government established the Holidays Act Taskforce to help address challenges with the ...
The Government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and faster than expected economic recovery has been acknowledged in today’s credit rating upgrade. Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) today raised New Zealand’s local currency credit rating to AAA with a stable outlook. This follows Fitch reaffirming its AA+ rating last ...
Tena koutou e nga Maata Waka Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngai Tahu whanui, Tena koutou. Nau mai whakatau mai ki tenei ra maumahara i te Ru Whenua Apiti hono tatai hono, Te hunga mate ki te hunga mate Apiti hono tatai hono, Te hunga ora ki te hunga ora Tena koutou, Tena ...
The Minister of Justice has reaffirmed the Government’s urgent commitment, as stated in its 2020 Election Manifesto, to ban conversion practices in New Zealand by this time next year. “The Government has work underway to develop policy which will bring legislation to Parliament by the middle of this year and ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Social Development Hon Carmel Sepuloni today launched a new Creative Careers Service, which is expected to support up to 1,000 creatives, across three regions over the next two years. The new service builds on the most successful aspects of the former Pathways to ...
New Zealand’s COVID-19 response highlights the need to centre children’s rights in all government planning, especially if we are to be prepared for future shocks and crises, Commissioner for Children Andrew Becroft says. A report from the Children’s ...
The people who clean managed isolation facilities are doing an essential frontline service. But many are making little more than minimum wage, reports Michael Neilson for the NZ Herald. Tina Eitiare works at the frontline of New Zealand’s Covid-19 response while supporting her family, and yet earns just 25c an hour ...
All the major news events, which will hopefully not be too many. Auckland is now at alert level three, NZ at level two. Get in touch at info@thespinoff.co.nz Help keep The Spinoff alive and kicking. Click here to learn how you can support The Spinoff from as little as $1.8.30am: The ...
Times like these call for an enormous great slice of carrot cake – and this is an absolute beauty. It seems appropriate, as the seasons shift and the leaves start to turn from green to orange and from orange to brown, that I share this recipe for carrot cake. I love ...
Dispatches from a bike trail through the regions, discovering the small communities that have prospered – and those that haven't Big country, small column. I revel in the first, and apologise for the second. The odds on me writing a long column receded during the week as I cycled halfway ...
Vroom vroom, beep beep, get in losers! Drag Race Down Under is coming to TVNZ later this year, and today the 10 Australian and New Zealand competitors have been revealed.The wiggiest show this side of Real Housewives is finally making its way to the southern hemisphere. That’s right, RuPaul’s Drag ...
Three years ago clinical psychologist and culture warrior Jordan Peterson rode a bestseller to equal parts adulation and excoriation. Danyl Mclauchlan reviews a sequel that sprang from chaos. Since publishing his mega-bestselling self-help guide 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos in 2018, Jordan Peterson has led an existence ...
Asia Pacific Report Papua New Guinea’s Supreme and National Courts in Port Moresby will be partially closed for a week beginning yesterday after a judge has been tested positive for the covid-19, reports The National. Registrar Ian Augerea said in a statement the closure was to prevent any further infections ...
By RNZ News Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it is hard not to feel like New Zealand is having a run of bad luck, with residents waking up today to a tsunami alert amid the covid-19 restrictions. The tsunami alert was triggered after three quakes overnight – the first of ...
Asia Pacific Report The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) has called on the Australian government to stop trying to keep Papua off the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum and “strenuously support” Pacific leaders in urging Jakarta to allow a PIF fact-finding mission to the territory. Congratulating the PIF Secretary-General ...
Did you sense the roads were busier in this Auckland lockdown than previous ones? Google mobility data indicates that you’re right.More people were going to work, and more heading out shopping, during the current lockdown in Auckland than during the August equivalent, which also took place under alert level three ...
The only statement to emerge from the Beehive in the past two days was cheery in tone but foreshadowed further increases in the funding devoted to mental health. The statement was issued by Health Minister Andrew Little, who welcomed the Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s assessment that transformation ...
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is condemning Wellington City Council’s refusal to consult on the privatisation of the central library as undemocratic. “Wellingtonians threatened with a 13.5 percent rate hike deserve a full menu of cost-saving options ...
This morning the Māori Party confirmed their new National Executive including Che Wilson, Fallyn Flavell, John Tamihere and Kaiarahi Takirua: Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Wilson returns for a second term as President and the two new members ...
New Zealand is now two weeks into the largest immunisation programme ever undertaken here, with border and managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) workers first in line. “We are so proud of our people for doing the right thing by stepping up and being ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Camilo López-Aguirre, PhD Candidate, UNSW Scientists have found another piece in the puzzle of how echolocation evolved in bats, moving closer to solving a decades-long evolutionary mystery. All bats — apart from the fruit bats of the family Pteropodidae (also called flying ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jordy Meekes, Research Fellow, Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne That Australian women earn less than Australian men is well-known. The latest calculation put the gap – the extent to which the average female full-time wage is ...
All the major news events, which will hopefully not be too many. Get in touch at info@thespinoff.co.nz Help keep The Spinoff alive and kicking. Click here to learn how you can support The Spinoff from as little as $1.8.00am: The day aheadThere are a couple of things we’ll be looking out ...
In this week's Critic's Choice review, Guy Somerset watches I Care a Lot on Amazon Prime and wonders if kindness has its limits Do you think Jacinda Ardern has been watching I Care a Lot? It would explain a lot, As Newsroom political editor Jo Moir wrote earlier this week, ...
By Ramzy Baroud At a glance, it may appear that the split of Arab political parties in Israel is consistent with a typical pattern of political and ideological divisions which have afflicted the Arab body politic for many years. This time, however, the ...
Discovering that her favourite summer drink is apparently an offence against wine, Charlotte Muru-Lanning sets out to uncover whether it’s actually so awful to serve red wine on the rocks.After many summers spent pouring red wine over ice without much thought, it recently struck me that maybe this combination was, ...
LISTEN: Extra Time examines two big issues in women's sport this week - postponing the Rugby World Cup and the Silver Ferns' battle for the crown that eludes them. Poised at one game a piece, can the Silver Ferns overcome a spirited young Australian Diamonds side and end a nine-year drought without netball's ...
"If Maggie said she was going to bake a cake, Lois always turned up with one that was bigger, more chocolatey and with fancier icing": a shaggy cake story by Shani Naylor. It was 2am. Maggie opened her eyes and lay still in bed. She could hear her husband Ken's ...
The art world is being bombarded with something called ‘non-fungible tokens’. We asked artist and crypto expert Simon Denny to help us explain what they are.At first glimpse, a gif of Nyan Cat is nothing special. It’s a bit cute, a bit nostalgic. So why did one sell for US$450,000? ...
Journalists avoid his calls, editors loathe it when he highlights mistakes. But he reckons he’s not scary at all. Chris Schulz meets RNZ’s Mr Mediawatch, Colin Peacock.Over his summer holidays, Colin Peacock tried to switch off. For much of the previous 12 months, the 52-year-old host of Radio ...
While it has since been deleted and apologised for, an op-ed by former Labour MP Michael Bassett published by the Northland Age and the NZ Herald this week caused an uproar for its racist cherry-picking and false reporting of historical facts. Historian Scott Hamilton sets the record straight.Michael Bassett is ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Deaths, West Europe still not “out of the woods”. Chart by Keith Rankin. Deaths, East Europe remains a major concern. Chart by Keith Rankin. At first glance through our rear-vision mirror, western Europe had a substantial spring outbreak of Covid19, and further outbreaks in spring and ...
A starter’s list for the national Aotearoa museum of the sporting damned. Richard Irvine confronts the demons.The sunGenerally it’s hard to make an argument against the giver of all life, as it provides photosynthesis, vitamin D and enables a wide range of recreational activities. But when it runs rampant around ...
Auckland can breathe a sigh relief knowing at 6am on Sunday the region will move down to Alert Level 2 after another seven long days in lockdown. Government and health officials are now turning their minds to lessons learnt, following a week of mixed messaging, rule-breaking and blame and shame, writes political ...
Three future scenarios after today’s large offshore earthquakes.A trio of serious earthquakes saw parts of Aotearoa shaken, tsunami threats triggered, and tens of thousands of people heading inland after evacuation instructions.Of the magnitude-7-plus events, the first, shortly before 2.30am, was centered off East Cape. Measuring 7.1, it was felt across ...
Analysis - The prime minister came down hard on lockdown rule-breakers but were they clearly told what they had to do? Peter Wilson looks into the reports as another crisis lurks in the background. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Gleeson, Associate professor, La Trobe University News of the blockage of a shipment of 250,000 COVID-19 vaccines from Europe to Australia has caused concern and outrage. The immediate problem will probably be quickly solved through diplomatic channels. Even if it is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Stern, Professor of Geophysics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The Tonga Kermadec subduction zone stretches between New Zealand and south of Samoa.USGS, CC BY-SA A sequence of three major offshore earthquakes, including a magnitude 8.1 quake near ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and Director of the Institute for Governance & Policy Analysis Dr Laine Dare discuss the week in politics. This week the pair discuss some of the 148 recommendations ...
The minister responsible for the country's spy agencies says they can't constantly monitor the internet to identify terror threats and instead rely on the public to raise the alarm. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle Celebrity testimonials abound for pills, potions and creams that purport to make you look younger. This time collagen supplements are in the spotlight, after Jennifer Aniston became the face of one ...
Have the government’s Covid-related messages been getting through to Pacific and non-Pacific ethnic communities in South Auckland? Justin Latif tried to find out.John Pulu is one of the best-known television and radio personalities in New Zealand’s Pacific community. He not only fronts TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika Saturday morning show, but also hosts ...
James Elliott tries to work out what made Mike Hosking and Brian Tamaki tick everyone off this week. The week started with Aucklanders back under Alert level 3 and Mike Hosking on Alert Level 6. “Mike’s Minute” on NewstalkZB on Monday, which as usual lasted significantly longer than a minute, ...
Fonterra has confirmed what most analysts had been predicting and lifted its 2020/21 forecast farmgate milk price range to $7.30 – $7.90 kg/MS, up from $6.90 – $7.50. This should send a further surge of confidence across NZ’s rural regions, hopefully in a wave strong enough to encourage farmers to ...
A Financial Times leader delivers advice that Finance Minister Grant Robertson should (but probably won’t) consider. Essentially, the advice is to resist the temptation to involve the central bank in the challenge of slowing the rise in house prices. Changing regulation and reforming planning law is a smarter way to ...
The NZ Superannuation Fund has divested from five Israeli banks due to their suspected involvement in illegal settlement construction. Michael Andrew reports.The Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, an autonomous crown entity and manager of the multi-billion NZ Super Fund, has divested from five Israeli banks due to their funding of ...
A contestant on the new season of The Bachelor has apologised for ‘controversial’ social media posts comparing mask wearing to ‘slavery’ and for questioning the scientific consensus around Covid-19. Stewart Sowman-Lund reports.Shivani Pragji is – according to her LinkedIn profile – a solicitor working for the Ministry of Business, Innovation ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, PhD, Media and Politics, Deakin University A couple of days ago, the musician Grimes sold some animations she made with her brother Mac on a website called Nifty Gateway. Some were one-offs, while others were limited editions of a few ...
Analysis: We are able to send a blaring alert to the phone of every New Zealanders to warn of Covid lockdowns, yet we still struggle to warn them of the danger of a tsunami This coming week, it will be 10 years since Japan was hit by the Tohoku earthquake, one ...
Moa brewery sold in February for $1.9m, leaving behind an unsavoury legacy. Michael Andrew speaks to the new owner about how the brewery plans to move forward, while at the same time returning to its Marlborough roots.Moa Brewing Company’s new owner Stephen Smith has criticised the company’s old marketing strategy, ...
By RNZ News An 8.0 earthquake has struck near the Kermadec Islands, hours after a 7.4 quake near the Kermadecs and a 7.1 off the North Island coast, A 7.4 quake struck near the Kermadec Islands earlier this morning. The islands are 800km to 1000km from New Zealand. National Emergency ...
National Parks are being closed off to allow fallow deer to be bombarded with 1080 poison. The proposal has drawn strong criticism from the Australian hunting public and also New Zealand’s Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust. Laurie Collins, spokesman ...
In the fallout from the Dirty Politics defamation hearing, how can the Food and Grocery Council and its chief continue to deny involvement in attacks on public health academics? Tim Murphy explains its stance. The middleman has 'fessed up. So where does that leave the two prominent players on either side ...
Mike Hosking is a king of breakfast radio, a lover of blazers, and deliverer of opinions via his long-running online video series, Mike’s Minute. José Barbosa absorbed three months’ worth of those opinions in one go, and lived to tell the tale. Just. To be honest, I hadn’t thought about ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Bloomsbury, $25)This 2011 bestseller set during the Trojan War has ...
A new poem from Melbourne-based poet Grace Yee.I have heardthat the price of a pound of gold has gone grey over the last couple of monthsthat the first sovereign lord beheaded his grandsonthat chinese market gardeners in suburbia shipped out after decades of fastingand purificationthat evil-intentioned hooligans penetrated the palace ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dave Parry, Professor of Computer Science, Auckland University of Technology Although international travel restrictions for Australia have been extended to at least June, there may still be potential for a trans-Tasman bubble with New Zealand (and maybe some other countries), according to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jamie Triccas, Professor of Medical Microbiology, University of Sydney The United States’ drug regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said last week COVID vaccines updated for variants won’t need to go through full randomised controlled clinical trials. The booster shots will ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Milte, Matthew Flinders Senior Research Fellow, Flinders University The final report from the aged care royal commission this week was damning. Speaking of a system in crisis, it calls for an urgent overhaul. The Morrison government has been facing difficult questions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David John Eldridge, Professor of Dryland Ecology, UNSW After 200 years of European farming practices, Australian soils are in bad shape – depleted of nutrients and organic matter, including carbon. This is bad news for both soil health and efforts to address ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zoe Vaill, PhD Candidate Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology Students are heading off to universities around Australia, whether for the first time or as returning students, with expectations of a year of learning, making friends and enjoyable socialising. For some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jan Thomas, Vice-Chancellor, Massey University As first-year students flooded onto campuses around the country this week, gripped with uncertainty and curiosity about their new lives, I too returned to university to learn. For the first time since what feels like forever, but ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW After years of repeatedly missing its inflation target through too timid monetary policy, in the past week the Reserve Bank has decided to get tough. Not only did it hold its closely watched cash rate target ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McNeil, Distinguished Professor of Design History, UTS, University of Technology Sydney It’s Sydney Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras festival time. LGBTQI people are enjoying what some call “gay or lesbian Christmas”. It’s not quite the same in the era of COVID, ...
A tech expert is warning the government could face multiple stumbling blocks if it makes QR code scanning mandatory - in particular when dealing with tech giants like Apple and Google. ...
*This story first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. A tsunami alert has been issued after a 7.4 earthquake near the Kermadec Islands. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it expects strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore. It says the threat is from ...
Live coverage of the snap lockdown and the search for a source of the latest infection. Auckland is now at alert level three, NZ at level two. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.50am: Two major earthquakes strike; tsunami warning in placeTwo major earthquakes have struck off the coast of New Zealand ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Cabinet to decide on lifting lockdown today, questions raised about the stability of the housing market, and people instinctively respond to tsunami threat after earthquake.A decision will be made today on whether or not Auckland will come out of level ...
The military is showing little sign of backing down, but the coup could have the unintended consequence of unifying Myanmar society in opposition, across significant ethnic divisions. A month ago, citing dubious claims of electoral fraud in the November 2020 election, Myanmar’s military deposed the country’s democratically elected National League for Democracy ...
All eyes are on the Prime Minister to schedule the rollout – or flyout – to the more remote corners of NZ and the Pacific There is growing anticipation about the announcement of the Covid vaccine rollout to New Zealand's general population and the Pacific realm countries. The schedule is close ...
Were we right to leave lockdown so early after the Valentine's Day cluster was first discovered? And was our return to lockdown a result of anything more than bad luck? Marc Daalder reports Ashley Bloomfield and Jacinda Ardern fronted a press conference on February 17, three days after Auckland plunged ...
With the America's Cup first-to-seven showdown about to begin, Suzanne McFadden asks a six-time winner how much could it come down to the helmsmen? Murray Jones knows the exact essence of what makes an America’s Cup helmsman great. A phenomenal Kiwi sailor in his own right, Jones has worked alongside ...
Rio Olympian Helena Gasson may be one of the oldest Kiwi swimmers still at the top of their game, but she's found a new gear - breaking 20 NZ records in the past 18 months. Even in the year of Covid, with her plans abruptly changed and her training schedule interrupted, Helena ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve BrauniasFICTION 1 Auē by Becky Manawatu (Makaro Press, $35) "She wrote a lot of Auē in a family friend’s house at the moody mouth of the Mokihunui River, 20km ...
Oops sorry one of our magic elves slept in …
Needs another elf’s pointy green boot in the backside. And a few choice words in Elvish. Here is an old weather forecast in Elvish for a taster.
Had the pleasure of meeting Tamati at the election prior to last, geez he’s a lovely man. Switched on and sincere, he’s the real deal. Thrilled he made it in to parliament.
Epic clip thanks for posting Grey, he does it well 🙂 Cracking up laughing.
The Eminem’s case:
“In a decision released today, the Court of Appeal allowed the National Party’s appeal – and reduced the damages payment down from $600,000 to $225,000.”
But of course they probably used the “Don’t you know who we are?” line. Born to Rule they think.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12178849
Hopefully Eminem takes it to the Supreme Court and has it doubled from the original amount.
LOL – please, please.
Bet you can’t guess Simon’s first question today?
“1. Hon SIMON BRIDGES to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her statements and actions in relation to Karel Sroubek?”
Perseverance but really what else can the ring out of this?
Jacinda was asked again by Suzie this morning the same Sroubek questions mimicking Simon. Jacinda thought they were going to talk Climate change but instead the same tired questions with the same tired answers. Why?
lmao, just checked that out too.
Who cares about the planet?
Actually who even cares about the average kiwi, seeing Sroubeks locked up and not a risk to anyone….
Not simon anyways.
Wonder how many climate change questions national has asked this year compared to Sroubek questions?
“It’s that simple . . . Simon.”
For which the PM had to stand, withdraw and apologise!
But the barb struck home – lol.
We’Ll bE a NeW kINd OF goVernMent
Unlike the opposition well versed in verbal incontinence.
Perhaps Mark could offer some Verbal Contifit devices. A few Xmas pressies all round with personal fittings for Wodehouse, Mitchell, Bennett and Bridge-less
Was super funny.
While most people see this as an overdone steak (or stake) it is far from that. As I have said a couple of times here, it has more legs than a centipede. That is why people like MS and myself remain interested. The issue of Hardcore’s text to Ardern is a red herring (a very small sardine actually) being used to politically discredit her, but the persistence with that aspect could well backfire. There are some much bigger issues behind the whole situation.
” The issue of Hardcore’s text to Ardern is a red herring”
You keep telling yourself that
“Newshub has made multiple requests of the Prime Minister’s Office under the OIA for details of official communications she’s had using personal email or messaging platforms. We have been stonewalled and refused every time.”
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/12/tova-o-brien-she-may-not-be-but-jacinda-ardern-looks-dodgy.html
Tova will find herself an unperson if shes not careful 🙂
“be the most open, most transparent Government that New Zealand has ever had”
The thing is shes creating the rod for her own back here, if theres nothing in the text then just release them
Mind you shes very careful to specify these texts, makes you wonder if there are any other texts…
“The thing is she’s creating the rod for her own back here, if theres nothing in the text then just release them”
If, Pucky, Jacinda operates under the understanding that someone sending a text to her, and there must be scores and scores of them, can do so without fear of having that text and their identities revealed under pressure from National Party MPs, she would surely keep to that understanding/undertaking. If she betrays one member of the public, all will be affected. Do you see my point? Do you see Jacinda’s point (she’s explained it often enough).
The problem is this isn’t the first time Jacinda’s had issue with her phone so, like Sir John Key was hounded into releasing his texts, we need to see Jacindas phone records because theres a strong whiff of something quite unpleasant about this
Was pressure applied to Ian Lees Galloway to give a known drug dealer residency
I suspect that the ‘strong whiff’ lies only in the nostril of the woofter.
He didn’t give him residency, he suspended deportation – different criteria for each.
Really, he didn’t grant him residency
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/109010045/judicial-review-looms-as-immigration-minister-iain-leesgalloway-confirms-error-when-granting-karel-sroubek-residency
‘Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway confirmed an error was made granting Karel Sroubek residency and it’s this technical aspect that the deportation liability now hinges on.’
Yes do keep telling yourself that @ vv (with ref to Nakibloke @4.2.1) because you are correct. There are some that were trying to warn I L-G he was being set up (via junior MPs) but it obviously didn’t quite get there in time if at all. There might have been a bit too much Chardonnay sipping going on.
Again, the only thing I L-G is guilty of is placing too much faith in the bureaucracy and processes (which we now know are “under review”).
And thank Christ INZ (and the Labour Inspectorate – sometimes known as the Labour Expectorant) are finally able to get off their chuffs and collect arsehole exploiters with the involvement of the Police (instead of trying to be their own little Police Force). And its a bloody shame the IAA still doesn’t seem to be up to the task.
Soozy didn’t ask her how she reckoned Woodlouse got hold of her texts. Wonder if anyone’s looking into that.
Hipkins may regret the heavy hand.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12178871
It won’t be a matter for Hipkins regret. Right from the start, the VC gave every reason for the suspicion of duplicity. As for the reported consultation, it was a fiction as it pretty much excluded recognition of large numbers of those who opposed, including the staff.
I don’t think Hipkins will have anything to regret by this action.
From my, admittedly unscientific, observations I think allowing the Vice-Chancellor to have his way would have been far more damaging for Chippie.
I don’t know any faculty members or alumni who are in favour of the change. I know quite a lot of the academic staff and a lot of older alumni. They really do not want to see the change take place.
Perhaps the younger ones are in favour. I don’t know many of them.
Personally I would say “Good on Hipkins”. I didn’t know he had it in him.
Indeed!
First World problems eh? A re-brand and re-image.
I can’t think of anything more important (/sarc)
Speaking of which, is it not about time that National Radio got yet another futile and stupid but expensive re-branding, which continues to leave it with a longer and less elegant name that its best and original one – ‘National Radio’?
(Still by far the best name, because we should not let the National Party steal and pervert the true meaning of ‘National’.)
Why don’t you just use its standard nickname?
Just call it “Red Radio”. Everyone will understand you.
That misnomer is the reserve of only the obtusely bigoted conservatives. You may well qualify as such, alwyn.
“I don’t know any faculty members or alumni who are in favour of the change.”
I do and it isn’t allowing the VC his way, it’s the university council.
They can still change it anyway in everything but legal name only.
Other uni’s like Stanford aren’t legally called Stanford. They just promote themselves as that
It was a dumb decision
I agree
Hipkins made a dumb move.
But then he is the ex student union president at Vic, is still mates with them and they were the most vocally against the change, so maybe he just caved to pressure
SSC report about spying on behalf of govt agencies: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/109409526/security-firm-spied-on-politicians-activists-and-earthquake-victims
Bedtime reading. Have hankie to hand.
https://www.ssc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Report%20of%20the%20inquiry%20into%20the%20use%20of%20external%20security%20consultants%20by%20government%20agencies.pdf
Hey I have a few in the pile before that one. 🙂
Our Learned Friends from Crown Law (circa 2007) emerge smelling none too sweet.
Set the spooks onto victims and witnesses in a case involving abuse in State Care they did…(3.7)
“In the Inquiry’s view, surveillance by the government of a participant in a civil case is generally improper, or at least highly unusual and something that would require careful oversight and controls to assess and balance privacy interests.
The Solicitor General confirmed to the Inquiry that this is also her view and expectation.
This was reflected in Crown Law’s response to a journalist’s enquiry earlier this year, which stated the Crown would not instruct a private investigator to carry out surveillance of a witness. ”
Unfortunately, shit sticks.
The number of tourists visiting New Zealand is expected to grow to 5 million by 2024
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/q-and-a/clips/tourism-the-price-of-popularity
Are we comfortable with current tourist visiting numbers?
Are we happy with the expected rate of growth?
Do we need to consider a cap? And if so, at what number? Double the current rate?
Could they bring their own water and take their own shit home chairy?
@ Gabby, and their carbon emissions from their vehicles… and their pollution from their cruise ships… that are somehow exempt from the tiny tourism tax…
Also if they can build their own airport transfers, new roads and public transport needed, user pays for stadiums and stop stealing harbours for marinas like America’s cup and cruise ships that only seem to benefit the 1% (if that).
Tourism seems to be piggy backed on public spending and they are the priority for councils and government when their expansion subsidised by rates and taxes from residents for increasingly overseas owned or part owned tourism businesses.
wrong Savenz…please look at the numbers before you come out with this rubbish…tourism is major earner, employer and tax payer for Godzone, and not just GST but income and company tax.
I walk tracks near Wanaka where you never see a tourist.
Actually, it isn’t.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/89010426/its-not-easy-being-beautiful-new-zealand-tourism-boom-comes-at-a-cost-kiwis-say
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11842133
You’re one of these idiots that sees a few people doing well because of something and calls it good but doesn’t look at the costs that something imposes.
That’s the trouble about tourism – look at the numbers. Because of the OTT drive to increase tourism for foreign earnings, the people actually living in this country are being denied their once high quality resources. The overseas earnings has to be gathered so that it balances the imports that we are so wedded to. Usually mport balances are higher than our foreign earnings.
We are on a treadmill and the more foreign tourists we get the more their
presence causes the country to be spoiled a little for everyone, after a survivable number has been researched and reached. And the more we are told we are well off and we borrow more personally, and our incomes remain low,then it is hard to pay off without a total change-around of lifestyle and expectation but this is the age of ‘She’ll be right’ and those who aren’t are no-hopers. Nice!
I think you will find that was in the past Bearded Git, you know when Kiwi based and born mums and dads owned restaurants, hotels and B&B’s and shops and Kiwi’s were workers in those businesses not migrant workers paying for the job in many cases.
Tourism like anything should be run sustainably, unfortunately in NZ it is not, just bums on seats, like many other areas like education, construction and so forth… NZ is unconcerned about quality, long term sustainability or compatibility to morality.
Good point, SaveNZ. A lot of the benefits from growing tourism is heading offshore due to the dominance of offshore owned hotel chains, etc.
https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Bethselamin
would it not behove us just to start finally and build more toilets gabs ???
Yes we do. Each place available to then be auctioned off with proceeds going to the government.
To be determined through research of the amount that our infrastructure can handle and how many people the country can actually support.
Placing more costs onto tourists (thus reducing costs for locals) should also help to slow the rate of growth. Giving us more time and funding to improve current infrastructure to meet demand going forward. Which should also help pacify growing local resentment.
With talk of peak room capacity coupled with a number of other media reports, it seems the country (well certain regions of it) is quickly reaching its capacity unless infrastructure is rapidly improved.
Another day and another revelation about Donald Trump.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12178629
Another day another revelation on the Sroubek and his Russian wife that he helped gain residency for, and now in relationship with Natz .
Angry, desperate phone call from Sroubek to estranged wife released
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12178785
“Sroubek said Mitchell had failed to appreciate his former wife was a partner in the business which was used to import the MDMA drug.
“He calls me a ‘gangster’ but, ironically, blindly (and conveniently) defends my business partner.”
It was the same company he said he used to assist her in gaining residency after she found she didn’t qualify in her previous job.
He called it a “double standard” saying she “now manipulates the situation to expel me from the country I supported her gaining residency in”.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12177545
(Anyone get the idea that there seems to be heaps of non residents just going around ‘helping’ people get residency and then getting residency themselves somehow…) The Ponzi continues and will continue until the government actually makes a real criteria and decent time frame so that all these little scams are too hard to keep going over time as are people’s fleeting relationships and businesses operating here being used to aid residency applications need to be verified over a 10 – 20 years not 2 – 5 years by which time things clearly seem to change for most people…)
Wonder Who released that phone call and why?
Sounded as though Sroubek was angry that she had not kept to the deal made 2 weeks ago.
It’s all working as designed @SaveNZ. Industrialise Immigration, shoddy Private Tertiary Education that gives NZ Inc. a good earn, Labour Hire Companies and anyone else you choose to create a ‘skill shortage list’ for……. better still, let them also become Immigration Advisors on the side (why not vertically integrate for the purposes of efficiency and effectiveness).
And the good thing is that if you’re a complete arshole charlatan, the good will be lumped in with the bad. And you can even tinker and pretend by doing things like lifting IELTS 6.5 to IELTS 7, and you can even stand up in Parliament in all good ‘FAITH’, (not unlike the pompous Wodehouse) and feign the very greatest of concern about a fucking Sroubek
Meantime, NZ ends up with the average and the dross (including the likes of a Thiel), whilst the likes of Canada, a number of European countries, and even some in the Middle East get not only the talented, but the committed.
Whoar, I feel like a bit of Shania TwAng (not)
On another overseas criminal who NZ is now paying for a prison stay for.
Transport Ministry fraudster Joanne Harrison to be released from jail and deported to UK
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/109410669/ministry-of-transport-fraudster-joanne-harrison-to-be-released-from-jail-and-deported-to-united-kingdom
(Maybe a bit of quality control is needed, no wonder NZ jails are filling up and we can’t be bothered/no funds for rehabilitating our own criminals when we have so much sympathy and compassion for the overseas crims).
Yep we should send them off to the colonies – oh drat we’ve already done that…
Auckland Islands have potential…
I was thinking White island would be good, depending on their crimes some could take their hand cuffs off before they swim ashore.
Naki Man – I think you may have a career teaching, or guidance counselling.
You’re not suggesting NZ Inc has fallen victim to UK failed/very average/complete muppet civil servants are you @ SaveNZ?
That idea would be oh so 1960s and 70s, but I suppose they do know better.
And they are of more monetary value (currency exchange-wise) than others.
They can probably even house themselves in luxury and enforce the rulz we’ve become accustomed to living by even if it might take a while to come to terms with a NuZull culcha.
Let’s good rid of the furrin devils who are costing us money. It is the cultural cringe – I think the ‘uman resources try and get overseas people because they expect more money and probably the agency gets a percentage. Moral hazard anyone, if that is the case. Everyone of any colour, creed or race has the potential to be a furrin devil because of the overcrowding our gummint has encouraged, facilitated actually.
The money-mad still want to be like Switzerland or Luxembourg but they aren’t clever and careful enough, our intellect is below Japanese crows, we behave like sheep and get milked like cows. We should try to be goats, they are much more lively and individualistic.
Crows:
http://www.bbc.com/earth/storyoflife/player?clipID=20160713-crows-use-cars-to-crack-nuts
Interesting to see our ‘kind’ PM insulting the opposition leader with childish name calling, and getting a telling off by her protector Mallard. I’m sure all the socialists are laughing in the almond lattes …
Like the end of yet another explanation that Bridges seemed unable to understand she said,
“Its Simple Simon.”
I suppose Simple Simon sees himself as a great Debater but the lost cause is Simple Simon.
And yet another snide socialists falls into the trap of exposing their nasty pathetic side …
So, Marshy, you just proved unwittingly the silliness of your assertion that our very capable and assertive PM needs a ‘protector’. Firstly, she dealt capably and assertively, humorously, with Bridge’s boring and repetitive attempts to slur and smear, and secondly the man who you call her protector quite rightly required her to withdraw and apologise, as she was unparliamentary.
It was a bit funnier and certainly less malicious than Paula Bennett’s “Zip it , sweetie!” made to Ardern, thus exposing her truly “nasty, pathetic side.”
yep – it shows a PM with a sense of humour and kiwis LOVE IT.
It is a truly hilarious comment. Never before in history have we had a Prime Minister who is such a master of stand-up comedy. She is far, far better than anything that David Lange ever managed.
Billy Connolly and Stephen Fry will be chastened. An amateur who is so vastly better than they ever were.
She has only one thing to learn. You should come out with your jokes as if they are spontaneous. It spoils it if you are so obviously reading it off a sheet of paper.
Still, it is the most marvellous attempt at humour that the current Government has managed. So much better than the bitter reactions to questions that are exhibited by so many of the Ministers when they are, as usual, caught out.
That was a wonderful display Cindy. Long may it be celebrated as the finest achievement of this woeful coalition.
alwyn, you forgot Oscar Wilde and George Bernard-Shaw. Please, lay it on properly.
Actually, Jacinda does not do this very often at all. But when she does it, it is simple and it sticks. Remember when Mike Hosking asked her if she had read his (award-winning?) article, and she asked back, “The satire?’
His silence spoke volumes.
She does it rarely, but well. Eat it.
You, as a righty, cannot get humour so please don’t try – it makes you look silly al.
Simple Simon met the PM
On the way to the fair
Said simple Simon to the PM
Show me that I’m right .
Show me your proof first said the PM
But simple Simon said I have none.
So true/clever bwag.
Is it up on the parliamentary website yet?
I make have to amuse myself by posting it on auto play especially for the flavourless and humourless people like Mr Marshy.
Hey – I could make it always come up in a large full screen popup and playing for him and all people coming directly here from Kiwisilo and Whalescum.
I thought what she actually said was, “It’s simple Simon.”
It was elegant. The Speaker asked her to withdraw and apologise, which she did, but it was too late…
I hope our min of justice is taking note, especially given his comments this week.”Justice Minister Andrew Little disagrees.
“All the laws we have in place are the laws we’ve had in place for a few years now, and judges have to be left to do their decision,” he told Newshub.”
It is not a good look this case with the offender being given in some a light sentence by the appearance of displaying remorse, her subsequent actions appear to be contrary to this and I wonder how the judge is feeling perhaps being misled.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12178882
Any astronomers out there – I’m looking to get a telescope soon – have semi decided on a refractor sky watcher 100/900 computerised for astrophotography. Any thoughts appreciated.
Did you see the comet last night, Marty?
No but I do know where to look I think. At work over next few days but I believe in looking up even if fleetingly.
OOooh gotta have one of these!
“All I want for Christmas is a Trumpy Bear.”
“At least until someone makes a Trumpy voodoo doll.”
“A report published in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology maps the wetland loss of the region (Southland) by comparing satellite images taken in 1990 and 2012.
It examined 32,814 hectares of wetland and found it was being lost at a rate of 157 hectares per year.
Since 1990, 3452ha of wetlands were no longer present in the landscape and a further 3943ha were at risk – amounting to 23 percent either lost or in a state of decline.
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said more must be done to protect wetlands.”…
… Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards committee chairman Bruce Allan said he hoped the report would prompt a painful, but necessary, change in farmer’s behaviour.
“I think it’s a wake up call. There’s been a long history of land development across the nation really, we’re probably going to see that slow down and there’s obviously moves to improve habitat,” Mr Allan said.
“There’s far greater awareness of the issues and there’s a lot more role models out there prepared to show leadership and talk about what they’re doing and pitch in with community initiatives such as catchment groups to turn this situation around and improve things.”
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/378556/southland-wetlands-being-lost-at-rate-of-157ha-a-year
The thing that strikes me with this is that Yes minister we DO have to do more to protect wetlands – this is a no brainer so lets do it. And this ‘wake up call’ idea – surely the wake up has already occurred what we have now is the repeated hitting of the snooze button hoping it all goes away – it won’t go away.
Herodotus – It is unconstitutional for the Minister of Justice to be involved in this case at all so what is the point of your comment? Secondly, what is the relevance of the vague comment “…. her subsequent actions appear to be contrary to this ….”. Justice is based on evidence – not appearances. Finally, the Judge’s 8 pages of sentencing notes were uncharacteristically released to the public, so the thinking of the Judge is transparent. Yes, the petition was very well supported but if the prosecutor reviewed the case, consulted with the family of the deceased and was convinced there was a miscarriage of justice, then an appropriate application could/should have been made. If the Judge was mislead at sentencing, she was in a position to act on this when reviewing the case as was provided for went the defendant was sentenced. Agin, something that was uncharacteristic. This seems another situation where the social media justice system, backed by the mainstream media justice system is holding sway. Irrespective of the matters surrounding this case, as a society, we should really be deciding if we should have a criminal justice system. Of course, there is the alternative of relying on ‘trial by media’ to determine the guilt or innocence of alleged offenders and then sentences being imposed on the basis of what is gleaned from media sources.
Damn! This was supposed to be in response to Herodotus at 12 above.
Public comment, criticism or even outcry over perceived injustice is necessary from time to time so that the justice system in any given country can periodically course-correct so that it aligns with the country’s culture.
Otherwise laws would simply be set once, and never change.
Laws have to evolve over time, and to reflect what the society generally thinks is fair, whatever ‘fair’ means, otherwise the public will revolt.
While I am less than impressed with the politicians who have tried to take advantage of this situation, I think if it had been a poor brown boy killing a rich white girl, we all know where that brown boy would be right now, and that’s definitely not at home sleeping in his own bed with his Mum cooking him dinner.
Consistency is what is needed in order to build trust in any situation, and trust in the justice system is no different.
Chess Player – yes, “criticism or even outcry over perceived injustice is necessary from time to time” but it should be informed criticism. Also, as you say, “if it had been a poor brown boy killing a rich white girl, we all know where that brown boy would be right now”. Sentencing of such cases should not be a benchmark for consistency. Which is the greater problem, society’s ingrained prejudices which are manifested by what some perceive as an institutionally racist justice system, or is it a media incited call for blood on the basis of sentiments that are driven by the likes of the Sensible Sentencing Trust who have driven our incarceration rates ever closer to the worst in the world? What is needed is for the community at large to consider the wisdom of the likes of the Commissioner for Children or those whose knowledge of criminology adds research to the discourse, as opposed to ignorant rantings on social media.
I hope the Leader of the House at the beginning of business tomorrow rises and asks for clarification.
“Mr Speaker, is the word ‘simple’ not to be used in the house? Or if it is just not to be used following the time honoured tradition of no christian names, with a christian name? Is it able to be used with a surname. For example could I say to my colleague “It’s simple Mr Peters or it’s simple Mr Bridges?”
Technicality, Pete. Mallard picked up the obvious ‘Simple Simon’ barb, and acted correctly.
Despite some idiots claiming that he ‘protects’ the PM.
It seems to be Simon who needs protection..
First name verboten. Combination likely to cause disorder.
PM knew exactly what she was doing, as did every other MP – and the Speaker, hence the immediate response. They will waste no further energy on it.
Eco Maori has already stated as fact that with Aotearoa farming emmisions NO ONE was talking about the BIG elephant in the ROOM nitrogin is a big problem and since the 1990 our use of this soil and water poision has gone up x 1000% at least .The reason no one was talking about nitrogin is 2 big companys control the prouduction and importation of nitrogin and they use there money to suppress the facts of there enviromental killing prouduct . I back banning it but the humane side of me says phase it out over 10 years thats enught time for our farmers to switch to organic farming.
1it destroys our soils it speed up the natural cycle 1000 % and kills off the natural organism in our soils basicly we are stilling our grandchildren future soils using nitrogen.2it kill off our water ways causing alge growth to explode in our awa and tangaroa 3 it increeses climate warming 4 we burn carbon to suck it out of the air 5 its hard on the stocks health. There are many other negtive effects that nitrogen causes hecne how Eco Maori was flabbergasted that know one was talking about this stuff WITH FACTS last year.
There’s a hidden climate (and river) killer that drives the industrialisation of agriculture.
Synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. We have to ban it.
Synthetic nitrogen is one of the key industrial agricultural inputs. Pesticides, livestock feed, antibiotics, irrigation, are some of the others. These things are what drive the high input, high damage way of growing food.
Without the inputs, industrial agriculture does not work.
Luckily, the most fundamental input of all is synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. That means, when we get it banned, it will force the de-industrialisation of farming and pave the way for regenerative farming – the only way of farming that provides a glimmer of hope against climate breakdown.
What is synthetic nitrogen fertiliser?
It’s a product that is made in factories and then dumped onto farmland in vast quantities to make grass and other crops grow fast. It’s a bit like crack cocaine for plants, a departure from reality and, ultimately destructive.
It often comes in the form of ‘urea’ but it’s sold under lots of other names too.
Links below ka kite ano. P.S my computer is playing up again sandflys One has to be care full what video is used as some start out correct and at the end flips to be pro nitrogen the big buck’s at work distorting OUR reality
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/opinion/109207699/banning-new-zealands-hidden-climate-killer–synthetic-nitrogen-fertiliser
A video for my above post
Eco Maori Video .
Eco Maori backs income equality and equality for all .
Wahine income being unequal to men is one of the main causes of child poverty wahine and tane start a whano and for some reason they split up most times the children are in the wahines care.Then the marrage settlement most times go in favour of the man{ whom’s got the best lawyer capitlist syndrom more money } so she end up with just enough money /putea to servive to top it off she will only beable to earn in a good situation 80% of what a man makes to try and provide for her children =DEPRIVED children
Global pay gap will take 202 years to close, says World Economic Forum
Gender equality has stalled, says WEF, as women globally are paid 63% of what men get
The global pay gap between men and women will take 202 years to close, because it is so vast and the pace of change so slow, according to the World Economic Forum.
The WEF, which organises the annual meeting of business and political leaders in Davos, said the global gender pay gap has narrowed slightly over the past year, but the number of women in the professional workplace has fallen. In 2017, the WEF estimated that it would take 217 years to close the pay gap.
“The overall picture is that gender equality has stalled,” Saadia Zahidi, the WEF’s head of social and economic agendas, said. “The future of our labour market may not be as equal as the trajectory we thought we were on.”
The WEF found that on average women across the world are paid just 63% of what men earn. There is not a single country where women are paid as much as men. Laos, in south-east Asia, is the closest to achieving parity with women earning 91% of what men are paid.
Gender pay gap: when does your company stop paying women in 2018?
Read more
Yemen, Syria and Iraq have the biggest pay gaps with women being paid less than 30% the level of mens’ wages. The WEF ranked the UK 50th out of 149 countries for gender pay, with women collecting 70% of that paid to men.
Ka kite ano links below. P.S I seen another wahine leader on The late Show with Stephen Colbert one of my favrourite actress Sandra Ballock we need more movies with wahine as the lead actor for equality to flouroush
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/18/global-gender-pay-gap-will-take-202-years-to-close-says-world-economic-forum
Eco Maori see the big picture and backs Great Britain staying in the European Union It will be a bad move for most people if Britxit goes down as 99.9 % of people will lose .I say this was all started by the alt right neo librale captlist whom are all about the rich
EU friends of Britain say: we want you to stay
European Guardian readers share their sadnesses and frustrations regarding Brexit a recent German opinion poll, almost 80% of the people asked were against Brexit and would be more than happy if you remained. I am writing to you as a German citizen with a daughter who has grandparents in England and Germany. Although she is too young to fully understand the unprecedented destruction by Germany that Europe suffered, she does know about Britain’s important role in reinstating civilisation and humanity. My daughter is growing up with a deep belief in peace and freedom in Europe. Equal rights, solidarity with the vulnerable and a lively democracy are important to her.
The EU is grounded on these values, which developed out of the horror of the second world war. They are not the cause of the world’s problems but the solution. We need a united Europe, and a united Europe needs Britain.
Sign up to our Brexit weekly briefing
Read more
• There is no doubt about it: the Dear friends in Britain: maybe you are not aware of what Europe will miss when you leave. We will miss your refreshing views, as living on the continent can give a blinkered viewpoint. We will miss your international experience and networks. We will miss your calmness and pragmatism in an overheated world. We will miss your standing side by side against populists and anti-democrats. We will miss your long democratic experience in developing the future EU. Together we are strong! Please stay. We are waiting for you with open arms. Merry Christmas. Ka kite ano links below P.S I say a new vote on staying in the EU is needed to prevent a CATASTROPHE IN Britain
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/18/eu-friends-of-britain-say-we-want-you-to-stay
Kia ora Newshub many thanks to our goverment for razing the min wage as for simon and co they can go jump in there toilet employers will have to become inervative and incress prouductivity we wonder why our productivity is low by OECD standards well a low wage does not make anyone look for prouductivity gains.
MP’s being charged $55 per invoice is not on get it sorted.
That was a good ruling by the courts upping the jail time for that unscupulous lady selling her daugther for prostitution when the girl was a minor even if she was of age is not on .
That is not on having 3 rivers in Canterbry having E.coli I say we need more laws to protect our WAI it would be cool if in 3 years one could take a swim in any water way without worring about getting sick.???????????? after all tourism is our biggest export earner you know there is a lot of money suppresing those facts.
Eco Maori backs having city centra’s l banning cars and becoming pedestrian friendly and enviromentaly friendly
The Ebola in the African country Democratic Republic of Congo shows me that the west should put more funds into finding a cure for Ebola why man should no take health threats like Ebola forgranted as it could spread we don’t control nature she controls us put the money in to fix this I wounder who pulled funds out of fighting this ?????????????.
I say the rail line from Hamilton to Auckland is awsome it will take pressure off the roads. Rail all over NZ is needed It would be good to see Huntly gain from the move. I use to catch a train from Gisborne to Napier years ago it was a good scenic journey.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori Music for the minute